New Years Eve

 

As I type, I am 5:32 away from  2024.   My son had just sent me a message: "This is my favorite  holiday a chance to change for the better".  My sister from another mister in Australia just asked (well, I just read), "How about everyone else, do you have any idea what your hopes for 2024?"

For a long time, the only thought I ever had about any new year was from the line in a song- "...and there's reason to believe/maybe this one will be better than the last..."  And never quite believing it.

There's the thought that we might be reaching the time of Christ's return, because of the failing state of the world.  Yep, Paul thought that too, a couple millennia ago, and so has every age since.  They thought it during Nero's persecution in 64.  They thought it when the Crab Nebula Nova erupted in 1054.  Before that when we hit the first Christian millennium in 1000.  Then the Black Death in the 1340's.  Napoleon in the early 1800's, Hitler in the 1930's and 40's.  When Israel was reborn in 1948.  The Cuban Missile Crisis, 1962.  1984, thanks to George Orwell.  Y2K.  The list goes on.

Point is, it could be this year- and it could not.  I keep seeing, "Look for big things to happen in 2024".  You want to see big things in 2024?

Make 'em.

You have things you don't want in your life anymore- addictions, toxic people, financial struggles?  Do something to remove them.  Step one: humble yourself before God.  Ask Him the way, and do it.  Sounds easy, right?  It shouldn't.  Israel prayed to be free from Egypt.  40 years of marching through the desert, they were.  My studying Nehemiah confirmed it for me- God builds from scratch- and you get to do the work.  Does that make God mean? No, it makes you BETTER.

What do I see, personally, for 2024? Work.  Doing what I should have been doing for years.  Getting rid of knee jerk attitudes and truly thinking before acting- or feeling.  Trusting God to GIVE me the task, trusting Him for the STRENGTH to do it.  And when I trip over my own feet, trusting His hand to help me get back on my feet.

What would I like for 2024?  That people who read these posts set aside ingrained prejudgments and THINK.  That I would actually do my part to step up and help others see.  To have God show me a way to learn from Him that doesn't necessarily begin with, "Well, I did it again..."

I would like to not remind Christian brothers to not fight over non-salvation issues.  I would like not to argue with people whose mind won't be changed.  I would like a government not run by a "follow the party line" attitude.  I would like the elite to truly, truly see what it is to be without, and still have to live.  I would like it if those first to scream, 'no more hate', would see the hate in their OWN lives, and repent.  I would like woke to mean 'not asleep', a rainbow to be God's promise not to destroy the world by water again.  I would like "Mr and Mrs Johnson, it's a boy" to be for life.   I would like people to understand the difference between working for a better world for everyone and terrorism.  To know the difference between a living, growing being and 'a mass of tissue'.

I would like my own prejudices to finally, finally, wither and fall off.  And that everyone who reads this realizes that everything in the last paragraph is felt from love, not prejudice or 'phobia'.

But, I imagine, what I will have to settle for is, "that this one would be better than the last..."

M10 show week #101

 

Elvis:  Uhhh... ya don' suppose we c'n AI this post, too?  I still ain't right from the afterparty...

Man, you are sad, sad!  We have work to do, and that involves the number ones for target year 1969- and the first of 4 installments of the M10's top 40 for 2023!  But first, we have a couple of debuts, the first at #10.  These guys are a supergroup made from Chris Murphy, singer bassist from Canada's Sloan, former Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page, Pursuit Of Happiness frontman Moe Berg, and Odds founder Craig Northy.  The call themselves the Trans Canada Highwaymen, and their lp of Canadian written covers included this gem....

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Man, that's better than the original!

All up to your opinion... but I will say I hope it plays everywhere, because I had the Devil's own time finding it!  Anyway, I want to give everyone links to the first set of our T40 for the year here next... meanwhile, flip the console to 1969 and we'll get looking int what's up this week...

40- Water Underground, Real Estate. Our current #1 (Oops, gave that away) sneaks in at the last moment.  I told Laurie, if someone should ask the weird connection between me and my music, the lyrics to this explain it.  (Not the video, mind you!)

39- A Man Will Do Wrong, The Arcs. Their 2nd M10 hit (the first was way back in September of '15) is the surprise sneak-in of 2023!

38- Die For You, Joji. The lap-over last #1 of last year and first of 2023.

37- Gaslight Anthem, Positive Charge. The first hit for Brian Fallon's reborn band.

36- Stick Season, Noah Kahan.  One of the bright breaking big acts of the year, this single made #3 on Billboard's alt charts.

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Okay, so we doin' the song you wouldn't turn off?

I think I might just pick one without the usual fanfare, but let's see what's happening to our other friendly nations.  This week in 1969, Canada was topped by Peter Paul and Mary with Leaving On A Jet Plane- which topped Cashbox last week, but punked out at #30 in Australia;  Australia was topped by by your own Suspicious Minds...

...which was #1 in both North American countries as well, though back in October.  Here, Cashbox had the Supremes with Someday, We'll Be Together, which again struggled in Australia (#35) and missed the top in Canada (#4).  If you press me for the top one I wouldn't turn off, I'd go with the song at #3 on CB- next week, it would be Billboard's first #1 of the new decade, though on CB it would wait on another week of the last Supremes' hit- it would also be #1 in Canada but a stubborn Australia chart peaked it at #20-

...BJ Thomas with Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head.

Boy, that's appropriate today!

No kidding!  Here's that second debut this week- it sits at #3 on Radiowavemonitor's College chart, and is the second time for this outfit on the M10 and made #2 on BB's adult Alt chart.  The last time they were here was almost five years ago.  Another supergroup, this is boygenius coming in at #6....

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Yow.  That's... a hard one to react to....

I agree.  Let me throw in the next five of the year's top 40...

35-  New, Lauren Daigle. One of 2 she'll have on the list.

34- Everything's Cool, Two Door Cinema Club.  One of my favorite videos of the year...

Yer strange, ya know that?

Says the man who passed out in his army uniform...

33- Windowless Bedroom, Lily and Madeline. This week's #7 on the M10, as well.

Well, now we's down to 6 to name off at the end...

32- Need A Favor, Jelly Roll.  I don't think I ever saw a song chart in so many places- the M10, the Hot 100, Country, Country alt, Alternative, college...  and Christian.

Finally today...

31- Wasteland, Talk. The M10's Meat Loaf and his third #1.

Okay, buddy, how about that top ... er, just hit what we've missed...

9- Colbie Caillat down one with Meant For Me...

8- Saint Asonia, down one with Wolf....

5- Juliana Hatfield, up 5 with Sweet Is The Night- and #2 with Showdown....

4- Alvvays with Tile By Tile, down one- an' needin' 4 points to become their biggest hit on the M10...

An' #3- Built To Spill an' Carry The Zero, up 3.

Say, is this gonna be as big a mess next week?

I wouldn't be at all surprised, my friend....

Misty by A.I.

 I decided to try doing an AI post about Misty.  Going to Simplified.com, it (with a few items asked) wrote this blog post.  "The adventures of Misty: a dog's life unleashed".  Here it is, with my comments:

1. Welcome to Misty's World!

Get ready to embark on an unforgettable journey with Misty, the lively and mischievous pup who is always ready for an adventure! From exploring the hidden secrets of The Plex, her favorite park, to outsmarting varmints and getting into hilarious situations, Misty's life is never dull. Join her as she narrates her escapades, shares heartwarming moments with Daddy, and proves that there's never a dull moment in a dog's life. Get ready to laugh, cry, and wag your tail alongside Misty in her thrilling and heartwarming tales.

Okay, so far, so good.

2. Meet Misty - The Furry Hero

Hey there, fur-loving readers! Are you ready to meet the star of our blog, Misty? Well, hold onto your leashes because this pooch is about to steal your heart!

Misty, a feisty and energetic pup, is the epitome of a four-legged hero. With her adorable button nose and wagging tail, she conquers every obstacle that comes her way. Whether it's rescuing a lost kitten from a tree or sniffing out hidden treats, Misty's bravery knows no bounds. 

Well, the sniffing out of treats is accurate.  I don't think she's ready to duck into a phone booth and fly out wearing a cape, though...

But Misty is no ordinary dog. She has a special connection with her loving Daddy, who showers her with endless cuddles and belly rubs. Together, they form an unbeatable team, creating unforgettable moments and making friends wherever they go.

I like that part!

So fasten your seatbelts, folks, because Misty's courageous and heartwarming stories are just the beginning of her extraordinary adventures. Stay tuned for our next blog post, where Misty will uncover a hidden treasure at the heart of The Plex. Get ready to be amazed and fall head over paws for our adorable furry hero!

 I suppose this is the part I should stick a picture of her in...

"Wow, cool choice!"

3. A Day in the Life of Misty

Welcome back, fur-loving readers! Today, we're going to give you a sneak peek into a day in the life of our brave and lovable hero, Misty. From sunrise to sunset, Misty's world is always filled with exciting adventures and heartwarming moments.  And naps, don't forget naps!

The day begins with Misty waking up to the sound of birds chirping outside her window. With a stretch and a yawn, she jumps out of bed, eager to start her day. After a quick breakfast of her favorite kibble, Misty heads to the park for her morning walk.

By 'eager to start the day', they mean, 'Barking her fool head off while Daddy puts his shoes on...'

At the park, Misty's tail wags with excitement as she runs freely, her paws leaving imprints on the dewy grass. She chases after squirrels, plays fetch with her Daddy, and even makes new friends along the way. With her boundless energy and playful spirit, Misty brings joy to everyone she meets.

Run freely?  YOU want to chase her down?  And believe me, 'fetch' is an indoors-only game.

After her adventurous morning, Misty returns home for a well-deserved nap. Snuggled up in her cozy bed, she dreams of endless fields to explore and barks of excitement fill the air. 

I'll give the Muse that one...

Stay tuned for our next blog post, where Misty embarks on a thrilling mission to save her neighborhood from an evil mailman. You won't want to miss it! Until then, keep those tails wagging and paws on the ground, my fellow dog lovers. Misty is ready for her next chapter, and we'll be right here to share it with you!

EVIL?  Our mail lady gives her treats when they meet.

4. Join Misty on her crazy escapades!

In this next chapter of Misty's adventurous life, we are about to join her on some truly crazy escapades! Buckle up, furbuddies, because Misty is about to take us on a wild ride.

First up, let's talk about Misty's talent for mischief. Whether it's stealing socks from the laundry basket or sneaking a taste of that freshly baked cake left unattended on the kitchen counter, Misty knows how to have a good time. And let's not forget about her crazy running skills! Misty can zoom around the backyard at lightning speed, chasing her own tail or simply enjoying the wind in her fur.

Happily, I must report Misty is not a laundry stealer, and her idea of begging is her chin on your knee.  "Crazy running skills", though, is dead-on.

But it's not just her mischievousness that makes Misty's escapades truly unforgettable. Her fearlessness and curiosity often lead her into daring situations. From exploring hidden caves to climbing trees that seem impossibly tall, Misty is always up for an adventure. And with her quick thinking and problem-solving abilities, she always manages to find her way out of any tricky situation.

No on the caves and the climbing- though I'm sure if we had caves, she'd be there.  Quick thinking, that is a good one, though usually applied to changing directions milliseconds before walking right into some solid object.

So, fellow adventurers, are you ready to come along for the ride? Stay tuned for our next blog post, where we'll dive headfirst into Misty's most daring escapade yet. Get those leashes ready, because this is going to be one wild ride! Until then, keep those tails wagging and paws ready for anything, just like our fearless furry friend, Misty.

In her mind, I'm sure it plays out just like this...

5. Misty's favorite spots in town

Now that we've covered some of Misty's wild adventures, let's take a moment to talk about her favorite spots in town. As a well-traveled pooch, Misty knows all the best places to sniff, explore, and play. 

One of her absolute favorite places is the local dog park. Here, Misty can run and frolic with her fellow furry friends, chasing balls and playing endless games of fetch. The park is also a great place for her to socialize and make new doggy pals. 

More so earlier on than now.  She's a little too 'in yer face' for most doggies, and since her Addisons, I've been leery of her "sharing the park".

Another spot that Misty loves is the neighborhood ice cream shop. Yes, you heard that right – Misty is a dog with a sweet tooth! The friendly folks at the shop always give her a special doggy sundae, complete with dog biscuits and a dollop of dog-friendly ice cream. It's a treat that she eagerly looks forward to on her regular walks around town.

This more or less does happen on her birthday and Happy Boofus Day...

"Yes, SIR!"

Last but not least, Misty adores the local beach. With its wide expanse of sand, crashing waves, and the salty sea breeze, the beach offers endless opportunities for Misty to dig, splash, and chase seagulls. It's a place where she can truly indulge her adventurous spirit and make a splash in the water.

Shrink that down to the somewhat less expansive beach at Pokagon, and maybe...

"Yeah, but hold the waves, wouldja?"

So, if you ever find yourself in Misty's town, be sure to check out these spots. Who knows, you might just catch a glimpse of our four-legged friend living her best life. Stay tuned for our next blog post, where we'll share more of Misty's exciting escapades and her favorite activities. Until then, keep exploring and embracing the adventures that life has to offer, just like Misty!

6. Dear Diary: Misty's Thoughts and Feelings 

Dear Diary,

Wow, what a tail-wagging day it has been! I can't wait to share all the juicy details with you. So, let's jump right into it, shall we?

Earlier today, my human decided to take me to the park. Oh, how I love that place! It's like a magical wonderland filled with endless possibilities. The moment we stepped foot there, I could feel the energy buzzing in the air. My fellow doggy comrades were already engaging in epic games of chase and fetch, and I wasted no time joining the fun. The grass tickled my paws as I zoomed past my pals, barking and wagging my tail with joy.

After an exhilarating play session, my human and I headed to the neighborhood ice cream shop. Oh, diary, you won't believe the treats they have there! The aroma of freshly made waffle cones wafted through the air, instantly making my mouth water. As I patiently waited, the shop owner handed me a doggy sundae – a delightful concoction of crunchy biscuits and creamy ice cream made just for me. It was paw lickin' good!

In her dreams... she gets plain ice cream, along with a burger of her own...

But diary, the real adventure began when we made our way to the beach. The moment my paws touched the sand, I felt a surge of excitement like never before. The crashing waves beckoned to me, daring me to enter their watery realm. I couldn't resist their call. Running as fast as my four legs could carry me, I plunged into the cool, refreshing water. Oh, the sheer bliss of it all!

Uh-huh...

As I frolicked in the waves and chased seagulls, I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude for the life I live. Every day is a grand adventure, filled with new places to explore and friends to meet. And diary, I'm so grateful to have you by my side, capturing all of these precious memories.So, until next time, diary, keep your pages ready for more tales of my exciting escapades. After all, life is meant to be lived to the fullest, just like a dog's life unleashed!

Till then, wag on!Love, Misty

Does anyone REALLY sign their diaries like that?

7. Let's hear from Misty's fans! 

Hey there, Misty's fans! It's time to share some paw-some stories about our favorite furry adventurer. We've been receiving so many messages from Misty's fans all around the world, and we couldn't be more excited to share their stories with you.

First up, we have Sarah from London. She tells us about how Misty's adventures have inspired her to explore new places with her own dog, Max. From hiking trails to hidden beaches, Sarah and Max have been discovering the wonders of nature together, just like Misty does.

Next, we have Jake from New York City. He loves reading Misty's diary entries because they remind him of the simple joys in life. Jake tells us that after reading about Misty's trips to the park and the ice cream shop, he started taking his own dog, Luna, on similar adventures. They've been enjoying long walks in the park and treating themselves to ice cream, creating precious memories along the way.

Is this Jake from State Farm?

We also heard from Lily, all the way from Sydney, Australia. She tells us that Misty's adventures have inspired her to adopt a rescue dog named Bella. Lily shares how Bella, who was once fearful and shy, has now blossomed into a confident and adventurous pup. They've been exploring local parks, beaches, and even taking hiking trips together.

Jo-Anne, do you know Lily?

These heartwarming stories show how Misty's adventures have touched the lives of so many people and their furry friends. It's incredible to see how one dog's zest for life can inspire others to embrace the joy and spontaneity that comes with exploring the world.

If you have a story to share about how Misty has influenced your own adventures or the life of your four-legged companion, we'd love to hear from you! Send us a message or leave a comment below. Misty and her fans are a community of adventure-seekers, and we can't wait to hear about your own exciting escapades.

Stay tuned for more updates and tales of Misty's incredible journey. Remember, life is meant to be lived to the fullest, just like a dog's life unleashed!

Till then, keep wagging on and embracing your own adventures.

With love,

The Misty Team

"The Misty Team"? LOL!

8. Goodbye for now, until next time!

Hey there, Misty fans! It's been pawsitively amazing to hear all your incredible stories about how Misty has ignited the adventurer in you and your furry companions. We're so thrilled to have such a wonderful community of adventure-seekers like you!

As we wrap up this blog post, we want to extend a big thank you to all of you who have shared your tales of exploration and the joy it has brought to your lives. It's heartwarming to know that Misty's adventures have inspired others to live life to the fullest and create beautiful memories with their four-legged friends.

If I ever use the word "pawsitively", please shoot me.

But don't worry, this isn't the end of Misty's incredible journey! We'll be back with more updates, exciting escapades, and heartwarming stories that will make you laugh, cry, and want to embark on your own furry adventures.  In the meantime, keep exploring, wagging those tails, and embracing the joy of a dog's life unleashed! Remember, life is short, so let's make every adventure count.

Until next time, fellow adventurers! With love,  The Misty Team

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Again with "The Misty Team"!  But what the hey, it didn't do too bad for free.  In the meantime, what about Misty's adventures today?  Well it's raining, so we skipped right on ahead to nap.  Until next time, fellow adventurers (said without a hint of a straight face)!

Wednesday Bible Study: Reconstructing Nehemiah part VII

 

Neh 6:1  Now when Sanballat and Tobiah and Geshem the Arab and the rest of our enemies heard that I had built the wall and that there was no breach left in it (although up to that time I had not set up the doors in the gates)...

The wall was finished, game over, right?  Not even.  I've come to believe there are two kinds of 'thorns in the flesh' we face.  Some people come to Christ through addictions and habitual sin and suddenly find the desire for it removed, as if by a miracle.  Perhaps these are people who have been tested beyond their means, and God removes it as a factor.  But others fight the problem every day, every moment.  They wonder if something is wrong with them, because they hear the stories of the first kind and wonder why they still have the weakness, the desire.  I'm thinking that these people haven't hit that threshhold of "being tempted beyond their means."  They simply haven't fought the battle to the end of their means in the Lord.

That's me, by the way.  Just so you know.  This is the whole point of step-by-stepping through Nehemiah.  I am trying to hammer into myself the whole sequence of how Nehemiah persevered. I have learned many things- some I use quite well, others I am still learning.  But what happens next?  Let's see what happened to Nehemiah.

Neh 6:2  Sanballat and Geshem sent to me, saying, "Come and let us meet together at Hakkephirim in the plain of Ono." But they intended to do me harm. 

Neh 6:3  And I sent messengers to them, saying, "I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?" 

Neh 6:4  And they sent to me four times in this way, and I answered them in the same manner. 

Temptation keeps coming.  And keeps coming.  And every time I follow it, I leave the work I'm to do undone.  I have to learn refusal.  Last week, I saw this pattern:

Seek out people who DON'T do things the way of the world.  ISOLATE what is evil and cut the ties. GO to God and have Him examine you. 

But learning to do it is the hardest.  And once I do, the game gets stepped up:

Neh 6:5  In the same way Sanballat for the fifth time sent his servant to me with an open letter in his hand. 

Neh 6:6  In it was written, "It is reported among the nations, and Geshem also says it, that you and the Jews intend to rebel; that is why you are building the wall. And according to these reports you wish to become their king. 

Neh 6:7  And you have also set up prophets to proclaim concerning you in Jerusalem, 'There is a king in Judah.' And now the king will hear of these reports. So now come and let us take counsel together." 

The spin.  "If God knows your heart, what harm will a slip up do?"  "You can't be perfect, God told you that".  But to use that as an excuse to yield?  That is conquest by erosion.  Nehemiah's response to this was a quick, firm prayer: Neh 6:9  ... But now, O God, strengthen my hands. 

That doesn't stop them, either.  The next attack is, "A reasonable man would do this..."

Neh 6:10  Now when I went into the house of Shemaiah the son of Delaiah, son of Mehetabel, who was confined to his home, he said, "Let us meet together in the house of God, within the temple. Let us close the doors of the temple, for they are coming to kill you. They are coming to kill you by night." 

Neh 6:11  But I said, "Should such a man as I run away? And what man such as I could go into the temple and live? I will not go in." 

Neh 6:12  And I understood and saw that God had not sent him, but he had pronounced the prophecy against me because Tobiah and Sanballat had hired him. 

Shemaiah plays 'the reasonable man,' afraid to leave the confines of his house, 'because they might kill us', and tells Nehemiah to do the same.  How does this play out to me?  "Chris, for pity's sake, don't you realize by sharing these things, people will ridicule you?  Everything you're trying to do will fall apart.  No one will listen to you.  Just keep it between you and God"  But again, Nehemiah's answer was a prayer:

Neh 6:14  Remember Tobiah and Sanballat, O my God, according to these things that they did, and also the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who wanted to make me afraid. 

Neither Shemaiah nor Noadiah are ever mentioned again;  But the names mean "God has heard" and "Convened with God"; indicating 'keeping it just between God and me'.  But Jesus's brother James puts the lie to that:

Jas 5:16  Confess faults to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous one avails much. 

If I learn these things, and share them with you, without telling you the WHY behind my learning, I am being self-righteous.  And I gain nothing.

And there I am- the wall is built, the confessions made, the prayers offered.  What can they throw at me next?  The worm:

Neh 6:17  And in those days the nobles of Judah were increasing their letters going to Tobiah; and Tobiah's came to them. 

Neh 6:18  For many in Judah were sworn to him because he was the son-in-law of Shechaniah the son of Arah, and his son Jehohanan had taken the daughter of Meshullam the son of Berechiah. 

Neh 6:19  Also they reported his good deeds before me, and told my words to him. Tobiah sent letters to make me afraid. 

I am not safe within the wall, because I am still me.  Fallen man, sin nature, flesh and blood.  Envy, jealousy, false pride, the 'good life' still look attractive.  What am I missing out on?  The fears are still there.  But curiously, Nehemiah now goes on a genealogy binge.  How does this connect to me and my 'worm'? Well, when you ask Nehemiah the why of this genealogy, he tells you:

Neh 7:4  The city was wide and large, but the people within it were few, and no houses had been rebuilt. 

So I have a wall, but what lies within?  Are there the people who don't follow the way of the world, to replace those who did?  Are there structures- new habits, regular devotions- to replace the old, bad habits?  Like Jesus explained:

Mat 12:43  "When the unclean spirit has gone out of a person, it passes through waterless places seeking rest, but finds none. 

Mat 12:44  Then it says, 'I will return to my house from which I came.' And when it comes, it finds the house empty, swept, and put in order. 

Mat 12:45  Then it goes and brings with it seven other spirits more evil than itself, and they enter and dwell there, and the last state of that person is worse than the first. So also will it be with this evil generation." 

It's got to be rebuilt from the inside as well.   So what did I need to learn from this week?

-Learn to say NO to the temptation.  Flat out.

-Learn to say NO to the excuses.

- Learn to EXPOSE the dark.

-Work the inside defenses as well as the outside.

Next week, we'll find out what happens "when the cat is away".

Pictures and junk

 And by junk, I mean a story that I shall weave through pictures from the last couple of days.

Christmas morning was bright, but rain loomed ahead

So last night, in a move of questionable wisdom, I engaged on Twitter with one of these "Christmas is a pagan holiday" people.  This one was using Jeremiah 10 to equate building and worshiping an idol with setting up a Christmas tree.  I told him he was taking it out of context.  I explained to him his whole fallacy is put to rest in Romans 14:

Rom 14:5  One person esteems one day as better than another, while another esteems all days alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. 

In other words, it was the old 'eating meat dedicated to idols thing'- if your faith is weak enough that this bothers you, don't celebrate.  It doesn't matter, if your REASON is in the right place.  His reply was to continue to meme me cherry picked verses that weren't beginning to be on point.

From the bridge to PFW: the End of the Earth...

The mud flat

"Follow the sun... WEEE-OOO..."

Our little hiding spot is quite dry

As I brought up Romans 14, he accused me of being a pagan, because December 25th is NOT Jesus's birthday.  Gee, we can celebrate Washington and Lincoln's birthday on President's Day, which isn't their birthdays, and that's okay... but because our Catholic friends, in their ever-present desire to bend over to the world, adopted the Saturnalia date and converted it to a celebration for Jesus, and we saw no real need to correct it, now we are all pagans.  At this point, I pointed out the OTHER thing Paul had to say on the subject...

Rom 14:3  Let not the one who eats despise the one who abstains, and let not the one who abstains pass judgment on the one who eats, for God has welcomed him. 

Rom 14:4  Who are you to pass judgment on the servant of another? It is before his own master that he stands or falls. And he will be upheld, for the Lord is able to make him stand. 

...and this put the next spin on the subject....

Misty's usual river dip, from the other side

Why do kids feel the need to wreck everything?

At this point, our subject replied, "Paul is your God? Christians love Paul because they don't understand the letters."  I reminded him that Peter said Paul's letters carried the weight of Scripture, and asked if he was a Christian.  The meme/'pagan' assault resumed, and I challenged him to answer the question.  His reply:

-"Did Christ tell you to celebrate Christmas, which is Nimrod's birthday?"

-"...you are a pagan, because you follow pagan traditions..."

-"Christians follow Christ, I don't associate myself with hypocrites they call Christians today that don't do anything Christ says. Christians who don't know scripture besides Paul as a sinners pass or John 3:16."

So at this point, I have discovered a)His concept of the Bible starts with the Prophets and ends with Luke; b) his concept of Paul is that grace lets you get away with anything; c) he apparently has a problem with the most wonderful verse in all the Bible.

But what about this Nimrod's birthday thing?

The rain let off a bit this morning, so off we went

Squirrel play at the ravine

So if you trace down enough whack job sites, you get Nimrod ( of Genesis and Tower of Babel fame) associated with the Saturnalia and other sun-worship items, and thus HIS birthday is on December 25th (even though they have no more evidence to this than the Catholic Church did for Jesus's birthday).  Therefore, anything I do on the 25th of December HAS to be all about Nimrod.  Anything I decorate a tree with HAS to be an idol, and if I listen to Paul (or apparently John), I'm disobeying Jesus.

Bonus:  This whole thing apparently entered the whack job universe via a connection to an article by one Wilhelm J Wolfaardt- an article published on a site for MUSLIM CONVERTS.

He was mad... would run up the tree, turn, bob his head at us.  Reminds me of a fella on Twitter...

More doggies

The elusive grey squirrel

At this point, I bid him adieu.  But here's the point:  Know your BIBLE- or any idiot might come along to try and confuse you.

Misty sees yet another doggie way behind us...

Black squirrels at play

"Hey, a bit of light coming through...."

The "Other" pictures

 This was kind of a nothing week, walk-pics wise.  But here we go!  Thursday was one more lack-o-work day, so...

Pretty gray day

And yet, still doggies about

Picture doesn't show how "tiny nest on end of branch" this was

"The dog know the way, to drag the Daddy..."

Big Guy says, Merry Christmas!

They're laying a bit of gravel dust to hard-pack the trail for the winter

Discers having a good morning

Sure, that's the thing to do with unneeded baby clothes- throw'em in the woods.  #SMDH

The Homeless camp (?) has abandoned the two-tent system and added the green tarp to the blue one

In that dip we call the 'arboreal ocean' (now dry for the last 8 months), almost a dozen black squirrels (along with a 'gray highlights' and one pure gray) were having a party!

Good timing, Daddy!

Oops, didn't know it was THAT kind of party

Misty asked permission to get a drink at the Swamp

Busily working to lay that gravel dust

Friday was just too busy- Misty's appointment and shot at 9, Laurie's shopping thereafter, my PT appointment at 1.  Before the Christmas activities of last post Saturday, we got in another walk...

Again, doggies everywhere

And then this morning, it got REALLY foggy...

Birds having fun on the bush- not as much fun as the Black Squirrel Party, but...

Misty?  Is that you?

It's supposed to say Merry Christmas, but the green 'odd' letters are a tad too light, lol