King Saul, a sad account

With the help of Peloubet's Bible Dictionary, was able to get some dates.  Saul became King around 1095; his first born son, Jonathan, was around 20, when the coronation ceremony took place.  While I couldn't find the year of Saul's birth, he was probably around 45 when the crown was placed on his head.  David was born 10 years later, (around 1085).  

Heard a sermon some years ago (John was still alive) where the preacher said that David and Jonathan were close friends, though about 30 years apart.

Meanwhile, King Saul was getting all huffy (and throwing stuff - like javelins) because David was young and successful (and blessed by the Lord).  This drama was going on around 1065 - Saul was in his mid 70s.  

Things got so bad that David had to leave, and was on the run for the next several years.  Meanwhile, Saul was still going out and fighting wars.  In 1056, Saul and his three sons were slain by the Philistines.  Saul was in his early 80s, (and still going to war) Jonathan was probably in his mid 50s.

King David lived 70 years.  At the end of his life, he was in no longer in shape to be out slaying tens of thousands; he couldn't stay warm - in that California-type climate. 

Sounds like stage 4 cancer.

"Now King David was old and stricken in years; and they covered him with clothes, but he gat no heat." 1 King's 1:1

Yay, it worked - copy and paste

 

Bought three dresses - two denim and one a green cotton.

Number one:  real fabric isn't easy to come by.  Number two: gets even harder, if you prefer clothing which covers - down to the ankle.  Both denim dresses are more straight, than (preferable) A-line - heaven forbid, an extra yard or so would be included.  Can't help but  believe, a price increase to accommodate the extra fabric isn't the point.  There's definitely an agenda (Deuteronomy 22:5, ring any bells?).  So both resemble more like sacks.  Whatever... they'll do.

As for the green dress?  Sort of A-line, but the skirt material is crinkle - i.e., thin.  Knew that before writing out the order sheet, and sending the paper check, by snail-mail.  But hey, need some duds.  Like having done with several other dresses, will put in a lining - with cotton purchased from JoAnn's, before they closed.  As for future fabric needs?  Guess will figure something out.

The waist line is cut below the natural waist.  Have noticed that with full-figured (i.e., fat lady) sizes.  It's as if, the .... (see Genesis 19 - oh, and Judges 19) designers want old fat women - who have the audacity, despite whatever extra pounds, to insist upon feminine attire - to appear even fatter.  

As for half-slips, good luck finding those.  Forget A-line, the only cotton ones, available are a complete nasty joke - the punchline includes young slender women.  Those i cut from a skirt pattern, and sew - a hassle, but beats going around...eh, less than layered.  

Oh well, the world is populated by unsaved people...the same people whose master hates beauty, and agree with their handler  that women over 25 - and especially women over size 16 - deserve nothing better than those abominable thin clingy black plastic pants (which hold in body odor).  Go figure...  

Another one of those child-free articles ... is that anything

like covid-free?  But anyway, the article shows this near middle-aged couple going for a walk.  And in the background, (of course) is this some 18-room two-storey house.  The woman had said, in her younger days, she had worked as a nanny - and decided ... nuh-uh, not doing this everyday.

Can't really blame her.  After all, having a kid (at 37)  AND working a full-time job...?  No!  Even if working in your footie-jams is an option, still, you have to work...at least some of those hours.

By the way, her husband (?) though, who knows these days, with so much shacking up going on ...  Anyway, he looks like the type, who would be less than okay with her leaving the workforce.  The mortgage for those eighteen-some rooms (for two) isn't cheap, ya know.

Used to be this area that sprouted nothing but weeds

Now it's grass, but anyway, some years ago,  before having cleared out that mess, still recall looking over those weeds... Wondering, what sort of lovely/useful plants had they once been, in the early days of creation.

"Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field;" Genesis 3:18

Looking at a cross section of our planet,

some years ago.  (Shoulda kept that magazine :/ )  The drawing showed, about halfway in - between the lower mantle and the upper core - a boundary of solid rock.  At that depth (some 2,000 miles) the hot temps and pressures squeeze the rock into something like really thick paste.  But the drawing showed some 100 miles of solid rock - which is likely iron, or nickel.  In junior high, the text book said, our earth's interior is about 75% nickel and 25% iron.

But wait a sec, in order for convection to work, there has to be transference of magmas.  How would such move past the barrier?  Bars anyone?  Think of a factory that makes prison bars, loaded willy-nilly onto an eighteen wheel  flatbed.  Some 100 miles of bars, but the "cooling" magmas will move down, displacing the hotter ones to move up - or is it the other way around?  

Anyway, seeing that illustration gave me the willies.  Don't recall whether that was before 2010, (when having realized i was a sinner, and on my way there) or afterward.  Both modern and ancient pagans know, God judges the wicked, and the sentence is eternal, and horrible.  

"I went down to the bottoms of the mountains, the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast thou brought up my life from corruption,  O LORD my God."  Jonah 2:6

"And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church: and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it." Matthew 16:18

"As for the earth, out of it cometh bread : and under it is turned up as it were fire." Job 28:5

"That the wicked is reserved to the day of destruction? they shall be brought forth to the day of wrath." Job 21:30

Enjoy writing

 

Turn of the Millenium: People of their time

Prologue

“OOWULL”, the jab to Adam’s back startled him. He stepped up his pace, nudging Eve, his wife, likewise.  “Keep moving.” The holy angel’s loud voice was without malice, but he was a full head higher than Adam’s, and not one with whom to trifle.  The man and woman had been walking for … awhile; they had only been permitted to pause long enough to grab and eat an apple here, or a peach there, and cup a handful of water, from this or that stream.  They were not allowed to carry anything within the folds of their coats – not even so much as a sunflower seed. 

The hazy sun was nearing the horizon.  Too near.  Up ahead, loomed The Hedge, a forest of massive trees - mostly redwoods - which bordered the Garden of Eden; a beautiful landscape about the size of modern day New Jersey.  Though still late afternoon, As the evicted couple grew nearer, the forest’s interior appeared more like dusk. 

The couple approached Eden’s border, crossing into the forest, their eviction was final.  Cherubims were on hand to make sure the two didn’t get the notion to reenter under cover of darkness.  If this team of holy angels wasn’t enough to urge the couple onward and eastward, the flaming sword turning every way, posed further incentive to keep moving. 

Before them lay, what appeared to be a sort of path, one only wide enough for the two to journey side by side. Yellowish stones, about two palms (6 inches) in height and one palm in width, dotted along its borders.  The forest was dark, and very quiet.  Too quiet.  The couple was accustomed to the twitters of birds, the calls of beasts, the rustlings of greenery, the drones of insects.

“THUNK!”

The couple about jumped out of their skins.  An acorn, having fallen from a high branch, was about the size of a tangerine – and a near miss.  Point taken, to remain on the path, stepping cautiously, for the slightly raised ground, they trod upon, was softer in some areas than in others.   

Having become too dark to go any further, the couple stopped for the night.  Hardly a few moments later, Adam and Eve lay close, and fast asleep.  From behind the couple, and just off to the side, two young hyenas padded their way through the forest; both looked at the sleeping couple and huffed, the larger of the two animals tilted her muzzle slightly upward – as if to express displeasure at having caught an unpleasant odor.  They looked at one another, shook their heads.  She huffed again.  The four-footed couple trotted off.  Above the sleeping bipeds, two moths fluttered on by. 

When dawn came, here and there streams of daylight mixed with the mists which had upwelled during the night, and making the path even more spongy.  The couple awoke; both were wet, and thirsty.  Lying ahead of them, a swath of mist-logged contoured leaves covered the ground.  Both knelt and thanked the Most High God for His gift of mercy.  They carefully, so as to not spill the precious liquid, slaked their thirst.  In addressing their need to hydrate, and to simply be with one another, neither had heard the flapping wings of two geese flying just above the tree tops.  Nor had they heard the drone of two dragon flies, which had landed upon a nearby bough – and then had continued their way also.  The leaves upon the path now nearly spent, Adam happened to turn his head.

“What in the world?”

At a distance behind them, their footprints, from the night before, were no longer visible, but instead the slightly downgrade path, and areas on either side, was covered by young shoots. A few of the stones had yet to be masked amid the sprouting greenery, others were displaced, and lay upon their sides. 

As they approached a modest clearing, a slight but luscious aroma awoke their stomachs into fits of rumbling.  They hadn’t eaten since the previous day, shortly before exiting the garden of Eden – or had they entered into the forest the day prior?  Neither was sure.  Ahead, and off to the side, a grove of fruit bearing trees grew near the path; their boughs laden with ripe bounty.   Several of the branches extended barely a reed (about 8 feet) from their reach; the upper ones crossing partly over the trail.  The closest trunk, grew just over two reeds (maybe 20 feet) outside the path.  Adam paused, thinking.  Just as he was about to turn sideways, and head for the nearest tree, Eve held up crossed hands, shaking her head.  Her eyes like saucers.  As famished as they both were…Nope!  Neither had forgotten the last time, one, then the other, had…stepped off.

Adam looked around.  His eyes lit up.  The stones.  He pulled one from its place.  It was significantly heavier than it appeared.  Perfect.  He smiled, then backed up, and took an aim.  A shower of fruits hit the ground, several landed within the path’s borders.  As the couple knelt, bowed their heads and gave thanks to their Most High God, another couple – two starlings – jetted off to build their nest, elsewhere.  Adam and his wife, ate of the fruits.  Adam then, took another stone, sending another shower.  The couple ate their fill. 

Several of the fruits remained.  Eve looked around.  With no pockets, there was no way either of the two could transport any of them.  Until the present, the very idea of carrying provisions, from one place to another, had never been an issue.  She then turned, and noticed the end of a vine growing within reach of the path.  She grabbed it and began to pull, but only so much – and nowhere near enough – was she able to obtain.  The other end held firm.  Adam took the length, and with a yank, the vine let go of its root system.  While Adam yanked other such vines, Eve cobbled together a satchel.  Adam then took another stone to one of overhead branches. 

They gathered up the fruit, put it in the bag, and continued their way.

Awhile later, the couple obtained walnuts in a similar manner – this time, using the stones to crack open the shells.  Eating their fill, Eve then bagged most of the unshelled which remained within their reach.  They continued their journey.

“This can’t be!” Eve gasped at what lay beside them.  Two sets of tracks, embedded a short distance, alongside the path, before veering off.  “No!” she looked at her husband.  He appeared to be as dumbfounded as his wife.  “How?” Eve blurted, “their gestation period is…” she left off the statement, “It hasn’t been that long,” she began counting upon her fingers.  No this couldn’t be. “Has it…??” she looked to her husband, her eyes pleading for an answer. 

Adam recognized the tracks.  They were…his eyes widened, of second generation – if not the third.  The answer to his wife’s question, was one he could not provide.  (An answer which, some 6,000 years hence, still left men of great learning, mystified).

 

“Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” Genesis 3:21

“So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.”  Genesis 3:24

Aren't her legs cold? The advertisement showed a blond haired woman,

wearing a very bulky long sleeved, light colored sweatshirt.  She was sitting in the passenger seat of her, evidently, boyfriend's car (or is it actually hers 🤔)  They were headed to his parents, and she would rather not, because they spoke their native language.  The man gives her, an AI aided translator - of any language being spoken.  As she puts it in her ear, the camera, quickly, and briefly, goes over her hands.  

Upon her left hand were rings, one on her third finger; but, for some reason, the simple band did not appear to be a wedding ring - most wives wear two rings on that finger.  Upon the third finger of her right hand, there appeared no ring.  The camera, however, let it be known - in no uncertain terms - the woman was pregnant.  Yeah, it matters - children born into unstable homes, growing up, not knowing who they are; moms ending up raising the kids by themselves; her not having enough money to meet expenses, or paid leave when she comes down with the flu.

Along with the bulky sweatshirt, she was wearing postage-stamp shorts - what color they were, who knows!  Her thighs were completely uncovered.  No mystery.  Neither could the  sweatshirt hide the fact, the blond woman was fat - her face.

This post is not about ethnic or body-type bashing.  Though, can't help to have noticed, men of all races seem to go after (natural) blonds - a(n expendable) status thing.  Um-hmm...and fifteen years from now, another ... child, born out of wedlock, just pinched the parking money, from out of MLC's slot.  The commuters (who work for their $) won't be happy, to see upon their windshield, a note, from the lot's owner, written upon an envelope.

"Take the millstones, and grind meal: uncover thy locks, make bare the leg, uncover the thigh, pass over the rivers.  Thy nakedness shall be uncovered, yea, thy shame shall be seen: I will take vengeance, and I will not meet thee as a man."  Isaiah 47:2-3

A husband and father works twenty hours a week,

and supports his wife, and his three kids?  And not only that, the family lives in a roomy house.  Oh, but that's not it: each Sunday, he puts a tithe into the offering plate.  And every two weeks, an additional ten-some percent, goes into a savings account.  After all, his job does carry risks.  Just an average family.

How is this possible, for one man to provide an income, while his wife keeps a peaceful home, cares for the children, and at 5pm is draped in lovely panels?

Here's how.   In a better world, where most people have enough brains to follow the Lord's way, men and women are spared the constant insanity of buying, and throwing away.  The lightbulb in their kitchen came with the house - when it was new; the father had been a young boy when his grandfather had purchased the structure and surrounding acreage - with a cash down payment of about 80%.  The man's grandparents now live upon the property's acreage, just across the road; the aging couple wanted a smaller place - one without stairs.

The man's truck came off the assembly line, around the time his father was yet a teen.  Over the years repairs had been made - since things don't last forever.  Makes a difference, when people have time to maintain their own stuff - instead of constantly running the rat race, which leads nowhere.

This is no pie-in-the-sky, but a quick snap shot of what life would be like, in a world, at least partially free of designed obsolescence - call that what it is : evil, plain and simple!   In a world where landfill areas were, maybe, ten acres - not a hundred.  In a world where sea life, doesn't end up choaking  on plastic.

A world where the Lord's ways are followed - if, for no reason, God's ways simply make more sense (than man's vicious little punk-beech mindgames).

More later.

Back in the early 60s, it was common for most radio stations

to play church music until around noon.  Probably, the preaching also - but i was about 5, and didn't grow up in a Scripture-focused family.  My parents, when young, had witnessed too much pious-playacting, and wanted no parts.  Probably, the same goes with at least one, maybe two, of the three or four tv stations - which started with the 5am farm report, and ended with the late movie, that ended at around 1am; then, nothing but buzz and fuzz. 

Anyway, i was with mom, when she had run out for a Sunday paper.  Back then, a kid could safely wait in the car, while his or her parent went into the store, for the paper, a quart of milk, and a short chat with a neighbor.  Yep, different world - very.  

Somewhere, during that brief outing, the radio was playing, and for a brief moment, such beautiful music came forth from that a.m. radio.  Glorious.  

Oh, to this day, some 60+ years forward, i remember wanting to hear the lovely music, but i knew that wasn't happening.  Yep, mom, immediately changed the channel.  Oh, and i somehow knew, not to ask.  Can even remember the genre mom switched to:  rather high-voiced early motown (twaddle).  Probably, she kept the station, because it was one of two stations not playing worship music - it was probably around 8 or 9 am.

No, not a bigot.  Just sayin', some music is just plain better quality than others.  Btw, am currently listening to my favorite music - 60s music.  1260s 😀😃🙂🙃

Love it, can't get enough of it - two more cds are on the way.

Can understand why gen x, millennials, and the generation following

aren't family oriented.  Bet they've had similar thoughts, and questions.  For instance, why did a certain relative take her dad to europe, but not her mom - the parents were married to each other, and lived in the same house.  Which probably led up to a serious, if not permanent,  falling out between mother and daughter.  Just an aside, concerning the daughter - never much cared for the...snoot.

Fa-fa-faammilieees can be nasty to one another; so, it doesn't come as a surprise, if the younger generations have seen, and have heard more than enough.  Now, as adults - and free of the drama - young people want to live life on their own terms - and listen to the music they want to hear, without having to put up with other people, who can't seem to keep their yaps shut, for more than two minutes. 

Nope, one doesn't have to be a red-piller to enjoy being single.

Okay, i get it:  wanting to live life on one's own terms, is less than Biblical.  Well guess what!  These same people, most likely, had been either exposed to Scripture being routinely mocked - ("Dear Lord above, thanks for the grub" ... what th' hey...??)  Or worse...the Holy Word wrested into an awful mix of mean spirited / salvation-by-works.   Once those mental maps are etched deep (with a dull pen) it's, seriously, nothing short a miracle, for those jagged lines to be smoothed out, let alone, completely erased - so that a better route be drawn.  

By the way, it's not the pizza guy knocking at the church house door, wanting to be admitted. 

Back in the day, when $100.00 meant something, there was a family function (a.k.a. gimmee-fest) going on - where several hundreds were being tossed around, as if they were $20s.  One of the currency tossers (who poked fun at someone who gave a mere $50) was generally short when a utility or repair bill came in the box.  It's one thing to be short on cash, due to job loss, illness, and the ongoing legalized robbery (inflation), but so another when one blows their $$ upon impress parties, fancy restaurants, and vacations.  

Time to wrap this up.

It wasn't Gen X, or Millennials, who took beauty, and stamped it in the ground.  That wicked work had already been about complete by the late 1960s - when the oldest Gen X were attending Miss Marsha's Romper Room School (pre-kindergarten).

"For I have come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.  And a man's foes shall be they of his own household."  Matthew 10:35-36

"For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:  Not of works, lest any man should boast."  Ephesians 2:8-9

"Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."  Revelation 3:20

Not pro-divorce, but a statement on YouTube did resonate.

A typical scenario.  Wifey-appliance works full-time, then comes home to work the uncompensated 2nd shift; where she is lied to, cheated upon, and cussed at - for no reason, really.  That all said, the woman doing the podcast said, that sticking it out for the children, may be an example to those kids - that it's okay to treat mothers (or other family members) like garbage.

Does not the Bible say something about casting pearls before swine?  Is it really a smart move to stick around, to get trampled - again?  Bible also says, there are people who lose sleep, when they are unable to make one, or more, person's life miserable.

Why don't preachers expound on this?  It's not like Scripture is silent.  (Just keep sending in your $$$; there's a "missions" trip coming up - somewhere nice ... where you'll never get to vi$it.)

"Give not that which is holy unto the dogs, neither cast ye your pearls before swine, lest they trample them under their feet, and turn again and rend you."  Matthew 7:6

"For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fall." Proverbs 4:16

"Every day they wrest my words: all their thoughts are against me for evil."  Psalm 57:5

"Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man, thou shalt not go; Lest thou learn his ways, and get a snare to thy soul."  Proverbs 22:24-25.

Most christians don't know what's written in the Bible. That's a loaded statement.

Have heard more than one for-real Christian - who knows what's written upon those 1,200-some pages - say about coming across something he didn't know about.  After ten or so reads/reviews, and wondering, "How on earth did i miss that?"  It's one thing for a thirty year-old to make such an exclamation - but so another for a gray-head.  Another thirty years rolls by - along with a several more re-reads, and still wondering, "After all this time..."  A matter of just one iddy-bitty word, overlooked, through some 1/2 century's worth of reading at home, during sunday school, midweek study, and whenever among friends.  

Had assumed these oversights on my part, was just lack of brains, (didn't go to college) but when various preachers, who DID attend (and majored in math, or old languages, or whatever other hard stuff) are surprised at having overlooked a word, or a phrase...  Anyway, this time, another verse, (Deuteronomy 7:22) to back up something that's been brewing.  How does an area about the square milage of New Jersey..?  But that's for another post.

These days, wherever i hear, or read of, some Bible-basher going on about how most  Christians  don't know what's contained in the Bible, am not surprised to read basher's claims,  "I have read cover to cover [double-digit] amount of times."    (Can't help but to start humming, "things that make ya go, hhmm, hhmm, yeah, things that make ya go, hhmm...")  Then comes the predictable charge of genocide.

All those poor people, even gramdma - and her kitty cat, too.   Funny, how the same ones spouting the "Trust the science" mantra, are overlooking an area of science, called archeology.  Hundreds of tiny charred skeletons - how many additional hundreds, thousands, simply had melded into the (dry) dust - over these past thirty-some centuries?   Come to think of it, back then, was there more rainfall in the area?  Sort of getting off topic :/  

Moving right along, why is it, these Bible- mocking self-appointed experts aren't making any noise about the very clear warnings, God gave to the conquerors - of these baby-killing pagans?  Think it's in Exodus, where God warns the Hebrews that if they follow other gods, they will likewise end up "vomited out."  Not sure where that one is, but Deuteronomy 6:15 ends with, "destroy thee from off the face of the earth."  Sounds clear enough 😮

About willing to bet, these Bible-bashers are in fact, iq smart; they write long articles, quoting chapter and verse - probably drafted while on their 10 o'clock coffee breaks.  Articles designed to confuse, to intimidate.  Though don't  know for sure, but cannot help but to suspect, different versions are quoted throughout - here an NIV, there an ESV.  They're not the same; not even the New King James...  A time or two at the old church, where Pastor read from the NKJV, had followed along with the regular King James, yeah, the two versions didn't quite say the same.  As in a game of horse shoes, "almost" doesn't get it.

Anyway, aside of that rock concert, before the mountain, it was the belleyaching, along the way there.  Though, who wouldn't beef about having no water - yet, earlier, they'd been carping about the food, (which tasted "like wafers made with honey."  Exodus 16:31b)  Perhaps, they were also miffed about having to gather it early in the morning.  Did anyone else, besides me, miss the reality, of a 55 year old, with lower back issues, (from years of slavery?) had likely had not been able to gather as much as a 25 year old (with only the onset of back trouble - from enough years of brick-yard abuse)? Yet, what the elder was able to acquire, was enough.

Anyway, head-knowledge and heart knowledge, while both vital, aren't necessarily the same.  

"And the LORD thy God will put out those nations before thee by little and little: thou mayest not consume them at once, lest the beasts of the field increase upon thee."  Deuteronomy 7:22

"Ye shall not go after other gods, of the gods of the people which are round about you; (For the LORD thy God is a jealous God among you) lest the anger of the LORD thy God be kindled against thee, and destroy thee from off the face of the earth."  Deuteronomy 6:14-15

"And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp.  And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome : but the noise of them that sing do I hear."  Exodus 32:17-18 (yes 17-18 for both)

"And the children of Israel did so, and gathered, some more, some less.  And when they did mete it with an omer, he that gathered much had nothing over, and he that gathered little had no lack; they gathered every man according to his eating."  Exodus 16:17-18

If lightbulbs lasted years, instead of months,

we'd all be scrambling for whatever dufus job we could get.  

That's a heathen lie - precisely what the reprobates-in-power want us to believe.

Speaking of scrambling for whatever unstable $13 per hour gig, (where they treat you like crap) isn't that going on now?  ....  Tent cities going up / expanding :/   Meanwhile, stuff keeps getting more shoddy - like that $7 can opener, (purchased in the early 2000s).  Didn't last the year, threw it out.  And here's the punchline:  my late husband preferred fresh food, and so do i. 

If stuff lasted, at least a decent amount of time, where you didn't have to buy the same nonsense over and over - while tossing the yet new, old implement into the garbage... would be less landfill expense.  Wouldn't it??  Less taxe$... hello? 

If stuff lasted, people - being people - would still want to buy things; things like music cds.  Uhm, like having the spare money to buy (NEW :) nearly everything Jordi Savall ever composed; would need to buy a few more cd cases - there's also Sequentia, Murmur Mori Ensemble, Dufay Collective, Clemencic Consort...  There's no such thing as having too much good music :)  

While not everyone is into (early) music, there's other things in which to invest, to enjoy, to pass along to the next generation - things that aren't junk.  How about some fine china, sterling silver flatware!  As for polishing that stuff?  Sounds like a job opening, in a neighborhood near you.  Old coins, a real table - from real wood - paintings, rare books, crystal glassware; things which the grand/kids could exchange for money - a whoops baby, need an additional room put on to the house.

Speaking of maintenance, there'd be funds to actually get that forty year-old roof either repaired, or replaced; because stuff does eventually wear out, on its own - that '17 storm was a doozy. 

As for jobs, if stuff lasted, we wouldn't have to scramble so.  A job at a fast food place, or pushing broom somewhere, would likely not afford you Lenox - or yearly trips to Europe -  but you wouldn't be stuck living in a freaking tent...in January.   More like a modest apartment, a closet reasonably full of warm practical clothing, and a decent cd collection.  😀 

As for the minimalist crowd, these men and women are into experiences - travel, theatre, opera, or simply the meatloaf special.  It's summer in Brazil, so it's off to the mall to buy some vaca clothing.  Oh wait, the couple's ski retreat is coming up early next month.  REAL clothing, made of real fabric, which lasts and lasts - and then some.

Whatever floats your boat, some people are fine with wallyword dinnerware.  But clothing?  Closet is getting crowded, and the six winter coats (count 'em) are all in good shape.  Even if clothing lasted decades, there will always be people who want a new coat, every winter - and new swimwear every summer.  

Clothing, which will eventually occupy sally-ann's racks.  Used quality clothing, for people who, for whatever reason, are poor.  Bible says the poor will always be with us.  Bible also says we're supposed to be kind towards people who are in a jam.

Doesn't stop there.  Women will want new drapes; men will want a new rifle.  Many older marrieds want to flee Pennsylvania come winter, but cannot - for years of crappy lightbulbs, and other overpriced JUNK, having long been relegated to the landfill.  Little by little, adds up.  Little by little, over the past forty years, those $7s, $5s, $3s could have sat in a savings account - and traded for a solid down payment on a modest Carolina lakeside property.

If stuff lasted, wives could stay home, full time,  with their kids, (even one four year-old IS a full-time job) without running the the very real possibility of post menopausal poverty - young and poor is one thing; old and poor, is so another.  A half century ago, Mr. C., my family relations teacher said the number one reason for divorce, is financial stress.  (and i thought it was s3x - was 17, what did i know 😀 )

A nickel-wise spinster dollar-store cashier, could, over time, build a savings for later in life - when standing 5-6 hours per shift is no longer sustainable.  Clue:  even reasonably  healthy, when you get towards seventy...

If stuff lasted...   Just described a society,  an economy, where the Lord Jesus Christ (per His Word) is - at the very least - respected.  Time for me to wake up ... eh?  😉 

"For they sleep not, except they have done mischief; and their sleep is taken away, unless they cause some to fail."  Proverbs 4:16

"For ye have the poor always with you; but me ye have not always."  Matthew 26:11

"For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land." Deuteronomy 15:11

"For the LORD heareth the poor, and despiseth not his prisoners."  Psalm 69:33

The b.o. was noticeable. People, who don't know, or care,

about the situation, will say, "soap is cheap."  Conveniently forgetting, however, a double-load laundry-mat washer (which is actually a single load) costs about $3.30 - and that's the basic, one wash, one rinse; the upgraded two washes and two rinses (which gets the laundry much cleaner) runs about $3.55.  Most people prefer using the six loader - which is more like three laundry loads.  These are eco-friendly (a.k.a., skimpy on the water) front-load washers.  Anyway, this popular size runs about $5.60 for the basic cycle, and around $6.10 for the cycle that gets your stuff clean.  The basic dryer runs about $.40 for 8 minutes; the next size up is about $.55, for 8 minutes.  Takes about three to four cycles to get the laundry dry.  

Say bye-bye to the $20 - when $30 would better do the job.  Comes the old, stuff it into two machines, when using three would get the laundry coming out fresh - then subsequently fully dry.  Any wonder the less-than-thirsty bath towels, come out, and get chucked away, somewhere, in crampy spaces, along with other things, laundered likewise, smelling a bit sour.

Towels, like the almost-rags (dollarstore purchased, some time in the past) bath towels - which are actually midway between a bath, and a hand towel, the dish towels are also too few in number for the family's, needs.  Translation:  laundry not visiting the hamper as often as needed.

That's probably why the person, sitting on the bench, had body odor.

Things were different back then. Early 50s, when Levittown was being built.

My grandfather had a good job, and was able to afford better than (post ww2) tickey-tack.  He and gram, lived in York, and traveled to Harrisburg, where they both worked.  There and back, each day, winter and summer, upon that dinky Old York road - for the highway (route 83), hadn't been built, until around the mid-50s.  Before that expressway was available, they had said, nuts to this - and bought a house about 7 miles from the city.  The two acres was inexpensive; not that anything was wrong with it, it was just that back then, west shore acreage was the sticks.  More than a few dirt roads - fun in march, when the snow melts; the mail route was rfd.  

In '71 or '72, gram was done.  Recall her saying something about the commute into the city.  She couldn't always carpool with her husband.  Grampa, back in the day, had been to law school, but had to give it up, in order to provide for his aging parents - so, he had gone into a law-related field.  Anyway, 83 long built, but when you're older...winter mornings and heavy traffic - the other highway, (route 81) leading north, hadn't yet been built; city traffic was...not fun.  Though, at the time, had been in the works.  Didn't matter, that 81 would be on line within a year - gramma was done with the slog-shuffle.  

That all said, one of the red-pills made the statement, that women reach their 60s, they generally tire out.  Red-pills, like the proverbial busted clock...  i remember gram saying, at the time, 62 was when women could retire - while men generally retired at 65.  Anyway, red-pill delivered the bit of news, with much glee - that women, in their 60s, tired out, but financially, are unable to retire.   (Wouldn't be that women are prone to getting "negged" out of their resources, would it??)  Red-pills conveniently forget, women were not designed to battle it out - no surprise, these jaspers embrace evolution - on bended knee.

As for 30-something housewives launching a career?  Thirty years hence, she's 60-something, if not, in her late 60s.  Even people, especially women, who pay mind to their health, when you get into your 60s, those wintry mornings aren't quite the same as they were ten or fifteen years ago.  But not only that, the shark tank in general - the water is, noticeably, more unclean.  An oolld people thing - we tend to notice pollutants, of which younger people are not aware.

"Likewise ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered." 1 Peter 3:7

Another red-pill spouting nonsense.

He claims that most divorces are initiated by women.  By the way, she's accustomed, to doing the legwork...scheduling doctor appointments, running the tax/business/investment documents to the accountant, looking over the papers - in addition to working a full-time job, and doing the unpaid second shift.  The husband, goes to work each morning, well rested, refreshed, and ready to score that Phills Account.  Meanwhile, the wife goes to her workplace, about half dragging - the typical five or six hours of sleep she manages to get, isn't quite enough.  Over time, it gets old - and draws upon her face and figure.

And "she's not happy?"  Well, who'd of thunk.  Also, has it even occurred to any of these jaspers (expecting patriarchal privilege, but loudly, peevishly, rejecting patriarchy's responsibilities) "not happy" could be translated as the reasons (usually more than one) for the divorce being, frankly, "nobody else's dern business."  Uhm, maybe, just maybe, she's too embarrassed to let anyone know - after 20-some years, finally figuring out....after having happened upon, when she had left her phone at work, and needed to make a call.  Just another picure of a barely legal  babe in a teddy.  Ya know, just another little thing; can't prove adultery, but the cutsie little pic and caption was finally enough for her to get a freaking clue, into that pretty little thick head of hers. 

As for the 40-something housewife, who "doesn't work,"  two to four years to get schooling, and on her feet...yeah, right.  With no, or outdated, education, or minimal work experience (as a waitresss, back in 05) she's about hit the wall. A similar wall comes a decade later for men; the company merges, or takes a dump - and early 50s-frank is pounding a rough pavement.    

Employers prefer to hire and promote young people.  Even so, many get through school, with half decent grades, but end up having to settle for a 40k job - one that hardly pays the rent, while affording reliable transportation - let alone, the school loan.  Oh, just a starting wage?  (Meanwhile, the beeoch can take the bus.)  Talk to the guys, at a certain warehouse, who were told, they'd be getting permanent status, and benefits - they had been fed that line, for over three years.  Better to be 40-something with a temp job and a single rented room, than no job and sleeping in your truck.

Jasper, did you not get the email?  It's a freaking shark show out there.  Want that $1.39 hourly raise?  Competition is keen - very.  Truth is: put an armed man and an armed women in a shark tank, and guess which one is likely to come away profiling a victory backstroke.  If woman's "failure" to slay that shark is cause to, basically write her off as incompetent, pathetic, kindly take up your royal (pain in the buffalo) decree - of what you think is best, how things ought to roll.  Present your widdle podcast - with the (purchased) 500,000 (bot) followers - to the Lord...good luck ;/ 

Stuck in starting wages?  Happens - see end of 1st paragraph.  Forget about retirement savings, for the foreseeable future - closer to 50, than 40, time is drawing short.  Low-risk investments take way longer to yield, than do higher risk - which can, and do, go ghost.  At 60-something, life changes.  Grampa retired at 62, because he could well afford it; grandma retired at 62 because working full-time, then coming home to the second shift...was wearing her out.  She, by the way, had earned her wages as a ledger analyst, not at some typing pool grind. 

Typically, jasper was going on about alimony.  Translated: he wants the laws to support consequence free, at-will, divorce - hire then fire, turn around and do it again (wondering why "females" cop attitudes...anyone?).  What was almost funny was his use of boss-gal talking points - pee-u, the b.s. was ripe.  What he had, so conveniently, left out was:  had the ex-wife brought in the 120k, and he the 60k, guess who would be shelling out alimony payments.  

Enjoyable saturday. No flippin' running, for a change.

Did most of that yesterday.  Sitting here, listening to cds.  To think, wasted most my life on crappy music (rock-n-roll).  Yep, welcome to old age - when the b.s. meter runs on high alert. Eh, no wonder ooolld people are prone to forget what they'd come into the livingroom for.  Nope, not altzheimers onset - that's precisely what the unclean spirit of fear wants us to believe; and blow precious funds - better spent on good music.  Seriously.  "Trust the science?"  Well alrighty then!  There's studies which scan brain waves, while the person listens to music, and how the genre affects different areas of the brain.  

That said, am no expert on the genre, guess not!  First time for everything.  The music is two of Beethoven's concertos.  The case is in good condition.  Had paid ONE dollar, at a kids' Christmas party fundraiser - and a dollar for each of the other 15 or so classical cds.  Heard Beethoven was a Christian, and Bach as well.  Beautiful music.  Whatever time i've remaining, have been filling it with for-real music.  Oh, and have noticed, classical cds generally run nearly twice as long as those put out by popular groups. 

Anyway, that also said...frankly, we've all (young old, regenerate, unregenerate) been swindled - bigtime.  Had been the most part of a century ago, when crappy music began being horned into civilization.  People claim that feminism is the devil's most brilliant scheme.  Maybe so, but his flinging turd-tunes (seriously) - after hawking them as prime rib - comes in as a very close second.  And the way, he got his toadies to substitute orchestra, for offal...absolutely brilliant.

One devious method, among others, was back in either the 1940s, or maybe the 50s, an "innocent" Tom and Jerry cartoon came out, before the movie - when movie theaters showed a news reel, then a cartoon prior to the movie feature.  (Now it's just commercials, or previews of movies, you don't want to see - that torture scene, why'd they have to detail that? Ugh!)

Anyway, the cartoon, rerun on TV (newsreels in theaters? i'm old, but not totally ancient 😀 ) shows Jerry, the mouse, who lives beneath the floor of a concert hall.  He's getting more fed up, by the minute, because each night, the orchestra plays music by Brahms, Wagner, Handel and such.  Meanwhile Tom, the cat, is the fine orchestra's conductor.  Well, Jerry runs around the pit, and plays a few notes of either jazz or ragtime (rock's baby-daDuh) upon each (for-real) musician's instrument.  At the end of the three-minute cartoon, the entire orchestra is rocking out - while the conductor is about pulling out his hair.

Was seven or eight, when first having seen the cartoon.  And yeah, like millions of other kids, i was all in.  Had taken the bait.

Oh, here's a real zinger - Deuteronomy 15:11. Though, it was a closely related Scripture

in the New Testament, that had gotten me bristling, bigtime.  Will search for that one, in a few moments.  Anyway, Deuteronomy 15:11, "For the poor shall never cease out of the land: therefore I command thee, saying, Thou shalt open thine hand wide unto thy brother, to thy poor, and to thy needy, in thy land."  Lord doesn't mince words, does He!  Closely related because, how is that for-real help (not just some crumpled three bucks) made available?  Uh, for starters, through slogging it off (on dark wintry mornings) to the stop, to catch the commute bus.  Then to come home, where various commonplace amenities are not present - namely, windows that keep out drafts, without having to hillbilly them (with rolled cloth and masking tape) each November.  

Found it:  Ephesians 4:28.  "Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth." Recall, having read this, and boy, did bristle a wtf!  Go out and work, while doing without stuff (i don't make a six figure salary). All for what??

Oh wait, there's other hard pass Scriptures. Very! Anyone not living in a darwinistic bubble has either heard or read Bible verses which tell us to put (the needs of) others before self.  Good news is:  have heard for-real preachers say, if this or that verse doesn't honk you off, you're either deluded, or simply not paying attention.  One such for-real follower of Jesus Christ had been sorely tempted to up and punch out some guy, who had ripped him off on some $800 parts transaction.  

"And with all deceivablenses of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie." 2 Thessalonians 2:10-11

Boomers...actually, millennials. The couple has several children.

Some his, some hers.  And not a one is going to inherit a dime, from their (wannabee) jet-setting father or mother.  Once again, that 80's bumper sticker, "We're Spending Our Children's Inheritance," brought out, unfurled, and tied to the plane's tail-wing.  "Lovers of self..." 

The couple wants to spend it up, not leave any remaining.  Though somehow, doubt leaving any money behind will be a problem, for the article had also mentioned the couple having paid off their credit card balances.  But wait, if they have the funds to globe trot, then what was up with the credit card statements, to begin with?   Uhm, don't the well-to-do pay off their cards, the day after the bills arrive in the mailbox?

Based on the couple's 50-60ish age, the six adult children are probably in their 20s and 30s. Twenty to thirty years from now, a modest inheritance for each of them - let's say 20k per - could pay down, if not pay off, a mortgage - or fund a (low risk) retirement account.  Though have heard, that much of time, inheritances end up like the proverbial 304.

Know if a couple who inherited 15k - that was no chump change fifty years ago; they could have paid off their mortgage, but chose a (pseudo) high end vacation.  Then, some thirty years later, couldn't pay off their home-equity, and ended up in foreclosure.  Some fifteen years ago, a widow had inherited around 100k - run through within two years.  Her kids (with whatever their own financial obligations) had to come up with the money for her funeral - there had been no life insurance...take a good guess. 🤔

"For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy." 2 Timothy 3:3

"A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children : and the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just."  Proverbs 13:22