Ted’s Remarks About Stuff
January thru March, 2013


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Mar. 31, 2013

Happy Resurrection Day.  This is the day that Yeshua/Jesus rose from the dead, fulfilling the Feast of Firstfruits, and set a precedent for others to follow in His footsteps:

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.  For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man.  For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.  But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. (1 Corinthians 15:20-23)

Jesus was a man of love and compassion, as well as a man of principles and convictions.  He lived and breathed the commandments and precepts—the Torah—of God, for which He was hated and killed.  But He defied death and exited His tomb, and He will return to rule and reign over this earth for a millennium of time, and then over a new creation forevermore thereafter.

Following His resurrection, Jesus showed Himself to many people for forty days, after which He was taken up into heaven (Acts 1:3-11).  Ten days after His ascension, on day fifty, the Holy Spirit = Spirit of Messiah came upon many and poured out His power upon them (Acts 2:1-4).  This fulfilled the Feast of Weeks = Shavuot or Pentecost (Leviticus 23:15,16).

Thus, Jesus fulfilled all four Spring Hebraic feasts and holy days at His first coming and will fulfill all three Fall feasts and holy days at His second coming—see How is it that Jesus is the fulfillment of the Jewish Spring and Fall feasts and holy days?

Many, throughout the centuries, have contested the resurrection of Jesus from death.  This short article summarizes of a few good reasons to believe in the resurrection:

Five Reasons to Believe in the Resurrection

The lost see only a hopeless end.  Believers in Yeshua haMashiach (Jesus the Christ) have an endless hope. 


Mar. 29, 2013

The church I attend had a very nice Passover seder tonight.  It wasn’t on Passover (like the one I attended on Tue., Mar. 26).  But since most Christians commemorate Jesus’ crucifixion on “Good Friday,” that is why the seder was tonight (although I believe that the crucifixion was on Good Thursday).

Both the Jewish and the Messianic/Christian seders incorporate a “haggadah,” which is the text that sets forth the order of the seder.  The MessianisSeder.com site shows a haggadah that is representative of a Messianic Seder.  While Yeshua/Jesus is not mentioned in a traditional Jewish Passover seder, He is mentioned several times during the Messianic seder, such as here:

Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast—as you really are.  For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. (1 Corinthians 5:7)

The cups of red wine or grape juice at the seder signify the blood Jesus shed for us.  The matzo or matzah (unleavened bread) is not made with yeast, which is a representation of sin in the Bible.  As believers, we are to get rid of the old sin (“yeast”) in our lives and be new “batches of bread” without yeast.  Our Messiah/Christ, who was sinless, was sacrificed as the ultimate Passover Lamb for us.

The matzo also has stripes and is pierced with holes.  Messianic Christians see this bread as representative of the body of Jesus, who was flogged (causing stripes) and nailed to a cross (creating holes in his wrists and feet).

He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his stripes we are healed. (Isaiah 53:5)

         

         

         
45-second slideshow

Indeed, Yeshua/Jesus our Passover Lamb was slain, and He lay in the tomb during the first few days and nights of the Feast of Unleavened Bread.  Fortunately for us, He did not remain there: He rose from the dead on the Feast of Firstfruits = Resurrection Day (Easter Sunday).

He is in heaven now waiting to return to earth, at which time He will sit on his throne in Jerusalem.  There, He will rule and reign as King over all the earth.  I can barely wait.


Mar. 28, 2013

Most Christians have been taught that Jesus was crucified and died on “Good Friday,” which is tomorrow.  I disagree.  I am fully convinced that He died on Thursday (that is, the fifth day of the week, not the sixth day of the week).

I received an email from someone today pointing me to a web page that links to my Good Thursday commentary.  I enjoyed reading all of the comments on that page:

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3001782/posts

Mar. 26, 2013

Today was Passover, and after sunset I attended a Jewish Passover seder.  It was virtually identical to the one I attended two years ago, on Apr. 19, 2011, in case you want to read about that one.  The main difference was that I took my camera tonight.

         

         

         
45-second slideshow

I love the exodus account of the ancient Israelites that Moses led out of Egypt, which encompasses six chapters: Exodus 7 through 12.  God definitely did many miracles on Israel’s behalf in the process of saving them from those who had enslaved them.

I’ll have to say that the food at the seder was outstanding.  One of my favorite things were the purple Brussels sprouts, which I’d never seen before.  My friend, who sat next to me, brought them.  She also brought the “blazin’ hot” horseradish, which was too hot for her but not for me.  I couldn’t get enough of it.


Mar. 24, 2013

This is “Palm Sunday,” the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey.  This was prophesied to take place centuries before it happened:

Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!  Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!  See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (Zechariah 9:9)

Mar. 23, 2013

Shabbat shalom.  This is my Sabbath (Exodus 20:8-11 and Deuteronomy 5:12-15), from sunset last night to sunset tonight, so I do things differently than I do the rest of the week.  Although I usually attend church on Sunday, that is not my Sabbath day.

One thing I did today was to assemble with a couple of friends for breakfast, which we do most Saturday mornings, in accordance with Leviticus 23:3.  An interesting topic that we discussed was the Angel of the Lord whom we believe was Yeshua/Jesus, the preincarnate physical manifestation of God.

Later, one of them emailed me a link to this (almost) 10-minute video, beginning with a short preview of Dinesh D’Souza’s upcoming new movie, “America,” and then a very interesting 8½-minute speech by D’Souza at the CPAC convention last week in Washington, DC:

America Teaser & CPAC Speech

I was reminded of D’Souza’s successful movie, “2016: Obama’s America,” which came out in 2012.  I remembered that I had wanted to see that movie last year but hadn’t gotten around to doing so, mainly because it is extremely rare that I go out to a movie.  I figured that, by now, “2016” probably was available to watch free on the internet.  Here, it can be watched without having to download any plug-ins:

2016: Obama’s America

Basically, it provides a very informative summary of Obama’s early life and how Obama has identified with his father’s anti-colonial vision.  He is continuing to mold America to that vision; and, presumably, it will be a completely different country—and world—by 2016.  I recommend this movie to all Americans.


Mar. 21, 2013

President Barack Obama in JerusalemI watched all of President Obama’s speech in Israel today, at the Jerusalem Convention Center.  The audience was composed mostly of students.  Here is a transcript of his entire speech, as well as a video of the speech (about 50 minutes):

Obama's Speech in Jerusalem

American President Barack Obama's Speech
at the Jerusalem Convention Center

The speech writer(s) included some convincing lines, in portions of the speech, to make Obama sound like a true, loyal friend of Israel and of Prime Minister Netanyahu.  However, there were some overt flaws in some of his statements.

For instance, speaking about Passover, which begins in a few days, Obama said, “It is a part of the three great religions — Judaism, Christianity, and Islam — that trace their origins to Abraham, and see Jerusalem as sacred.”  Certainly, Passover is an extremely important holy day in Judaism.  Many Christians (including myself) observe it and consider it to be very significant, since Jesus was our Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7) and was crucified in Jerusalem on Passover.

However, Passover is not a significant day at all to Islam.  Furthermore, there is no specific mention of “Jerusalem” in the Qur’an (Koran), nor did the prophet Muhammad ever go there.

Iran’s nuclear enrichment program is seen by Israel to be a serious threat.  I concur with this but feel that the threat is more urgent and critical than much of the world realizes or acknowledges.

Yet, I saw Mr. Obama’s statements about how to deal Iran’s nuclear program as neither firm nor resolute:  “All of us have an interest in resolving this issue peacefully. Strong and principled diplomacy is the best way to ensure that the Iranian government forsakes nuclear weapons.  Moreover, peace is far more preferable to war, and the inevitable costs — and unintended consequences — that would come with it.  Because of the cooperation between our governments, we know that there remains time to pursue a diplomatic resolution.

The president continues to express an idyllic liberal-progressive precept that “diplomacy” is the best way to deal with perilous and dangerous threats in the world.  Most assuredly, those who adhere to radical Islam have no interest in dealing with anything diplomatically.  They have their own disastrous agenda, as dictated by the fundamental precepts of their religion (which include the complete destruction of the State of Israel), and there are no negotiations or concessions that will change their minds.

I did agree, wholeheartedly, with one statement that Mr. Obama made:  “I believe that the Israeli people do want peace, and you have every right to be skeptical that it can be achieved.”  Undoubtedly, Israel does want to live peaceably with its neighbors and with other nations in the world.  Unfortunately, with Israel hated by most of the world, I am convinced that peace will not happen by human endeavors, no matter how earnest and sincere.

Obama quoted a statement by Ben Gurion:  “In Israel, in order to be a realist you must believe in miracles.”  In fact, an arrant miracle is what it will take for peace to occur; and this will be when Israel’s Messiah, Yeshua/Jesus, returns to tread the winepress of God’s wrath.  Only then will Israel’s enemies be neutralized and be forced to live in true, unending peace with Israel.

Throughout Mr. Obama’s speech, there were numerous outbursts of applause.  This was because the audience was composed mainly of young people with naïve dreams of living in a land surrounded by people who unconditionally accept them and who want to live in peace with them.  The fact that rockets out of Gaza rained down on southern Israel today should be a big clue that their idealistic visions are mere fantasies—at least until God, ultimately, intervenes on their behalf.


Mar. 20, 2013

On this first day of Spring, President Obama has arrived in Israel, his first visit there as president.  Ever since it was announced last month that he would be making this trip, I have been receiving emails suggesting that something prophetically significant would happen while he is there.

The most common consensus of most of those who have suggested this to me seems to be that Obama is the Antichrist.  Some feel that he will fulfill Jesus’ prophecy about the abomination that causes desolation in Matthew 24:15 and Mark 13:14 while he is there.  Some even feel that Pope Francis may show up unexpectedly and be part of the action.

I reject all of this.  For one thing, I do not believe that Obama is the Antichrist, although I think it is possible that he might turn out to be the False Prophet of Revelation 13:11-18, although I am not adamant about that.

For another thing, I feel quite certain that the abomination that causes desolation will be set up during Passover week in a future year (perhaps as soon as 2014 or 2015), thus commencing the Great Tribulation.  Obama is scheduled to be in Jerusalem for only three days and will depart before the day of Passover, which begins at sunset on Mar. 25 and runs until sunset on Mar. 26.


Mar. 17, 2013

I forgot to wear green today...oops.  I also was too busy to make corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, and carrots, and I didn’t want to spend the money to go eat it elsewhere.  I didn’t even drink any green beer; of course, it is rare that I drink alcohol of any type.  I hope Saint Patrick didn’t get too upset.


Mar. 13, 2013

A new pope was elected at the Vatican today.  Jorge Mario Bergoglio, from Buenos Aires, Argentina, became the 266th pontiff of the Catholic Church.

When Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger (Benedict XVI) was elected pope on April 19, 2005, Jorge Mario Bergoglio had the second highest number of votes.  In 2005, Ratzinger was elected on the fifth ballot.  Today, Bergoglio was elected on the fourth ballot.

Pope Francis I Argentina's Bergoglio elected as new Pope Francis

         

         
30-second slideshow

Mar. 10, 2013

Comet Pan-STARRS is supposed to be visible every night this week in the western sky.  It should be near the horizon, about 30-40 minutes after sunset, near the crescent moon.  Although the comet will be the closest to the sun today, it may be that Tue., Mar. 12, will be the best evening to see it.

Comet Pan-STARRS Is Closest
to Sun Today: See It at Sunset

Mar. 9, 2013

Most of the United States will go on Daylight Saving Time (DST) early in the morning, Sun., Mar. 10.  DST will extend until Sun., Nov. 3.

At 2:00 a.m. tomorrow, the time becomes 3:00 a.m., so we will “spring ahead” an hour.  As a result, for almost eight months, the sun will rise an hour later each morning and set an hour later each night.

2 O'Clock  Arrow  3 O'Clock

I probably will forget to change my clocks tomorrow, so I will do it tonight before I go to bed.  I do not like losing an hour of time, so I will go to bed an hour earlier than usual.  I do enjoy the extra hour of daylight at the end of the day, though.


Mar. 7, 2013

Senator Rand PaulEarly this morning, Republican Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky ended a marathon filibuster in the U.S. Senate.  He had been speaking, almost continuously, for almost 13 hours, from 11:47 a.m. EST yesterday morning to 12:39 a.m. EST this morning.

Rand Paul is the son of libertarian Ron Paul, U.S. Congressman from Texas, who was a two-time candidate for president.  Here is the very end of Rand Paul’s filibuster, for which there has been widespread support yesterday and today:

Senator Rand Paul ends
his filibuster in the Senate

Another video provides more details.  Technically, Rand Paul was filibustering the nomination of John Brennan as director of the CIA.  However, in an interview today, I heard him say that his filibuster “wasn’t really about John Brennan.”

In a letter that Paul had received earlier this month, Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. did not rule out the possibility that drone strikes might occur within the United States in “extraordinary circumstances,” such as something similar to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.  John Brennan is an advocate of Obama’s greatly expanded drones program.

Rand Paul repeatedly explained that his real goal was to get a response from the Obama administration stating that it would not use drone strikes to take out American citizens on United States soil.  At the end of his filibuster, the Senate chamber erupted in applause; and Paul most likely made a beeline to the nearest restroom, as he was unable to leave the floor all day to relieve his bladder.  Ouch.

Today, in response to Paul’s protestations, Eric Holder stated that President Obama does not have the authority to use an armed drone against a non-combatant American on U.S. soil.  Admittedly, I am very skeptical, and I fear that such strikes eventually may occur.

Incidentally, John Brennan was confirmed today as the new CIA director.  I am very concerned that Brennan will turn out to be a liability in this position.  He swore his oath of office on an original copy of the U.S. Constitution, without the Bill of Rights, rather than on the Bible.  According to former FBI Islam expert John Guandolo, Brennan converted to Islam years ago in Saudi Arabia.  If so, he presumably would have been prohibited to swear on a Bible.

Prior to Brennan’s confirmation, moderate Republican Senators Lindsay Graham and John McCain (both of whom later voted for Brennan) condemned Rand Paul’s lengthy filibuster.  I find fault with their condemnation.

The drone issue is complicated.  Al Qaeda terror boss Anwar al-Awlaki was killed by a drone attack in Yemen on Sep. 30, 2011.  He was an American-born Islamic terrorist.  Barack Obama, along with probably most Americans, praised the attack, while relatively few seemed to question the killing of an American citizen in another country without a trial.

Recently, though, there has been an increasing probability that drones will be flying over regions of the U.S. (although many Democrats, such as Nancy Pelosi, have denied that this could happen).  So the question has arisen about the legality of targeting American citizens not engaged in combat, on American soil, with a drone strike and without due process of law, in violation of the Fourteenth Amendment.

I do not have too much of a problem with drones being used to extinguish radical Islamic terrorists in other countries, as they clearly have posed a threat to the security of the U.S. and Israel.  However, I feel that it definitely leaves the door open for the targeting of innocent Americans, on American soil, who arbitrarily could be “perceived” to be a threat, by whatever criteria the government chooses to use, and I have a big problem with that.

I feel that Rand Paul is standing up for freedom and civil liberties (which Democrats and moderate Republicans usually advocate but, in reality, often fail to do).  Although he is not conservative enough for me on some issues, I applaud him for doing that.  I also suspect that he may be a leading candidate for president in 2016, following in the footsteps of his dad, Ron Paul.


Mar. 5, 2013

Hugo Chavez, socialist president of Venezuela for 14 years, finally has “bit the dust” and assumed “room temperature.”  This was after a two-year battle with cancer.

Those who feel that Chavez was a “champion of the poor people” evidently are ignorant of the fact that he accumulated up to $2 billion of personal wealth after assuming power.  The leftists of the world are in mourning.  For instance, Oliver Stone called Chavez “a great hero” and added, “My friend, rest finally in a peace long earned.”

I find those comments to be appalling and shameful, and my sentiments about Chavez are exactly the opposite.  I feel that he was a despicable, contemptible, narcissistic tyrant.  Whether Venezuelans realize it or not, they are better off without him, and so is the rest of the world, at least the civilized portion.


Mar. 2, 2013

While I was at WalMart, I saw some Great Value trail mix for $4.98 per bag.  There were a few varieties, so I picked up three different kinds: Tropical, Mountain, and Indulgent.

 
5-second slideshow

I dumped the contents of all three bags into a large bowl and mixed all of it thoroughly.  Then I scooped it all back, in equal amounts, into the three bags.  That way, I can get a larger selection of ingredients in every handful.

This stuff is great for quick energy.  I ate a couple of handfuls and then ran around the track four times.


Mar. 1, 2013

The $85 billion in sequestration cuts are scheduled to go into effect today.  President Obama and the U.S. Congress were unable to agree on any alternatives that would avoid the automatic cuts.

For weeks, Obama has been blaming Republicans for the sequestration.  What Mr. Obama will not acknowledge is that he originally stated, on Nov. 21, 2011, that he would “veto any effort to get rid of those automatic spending cuts” (that is, sequestration cuts), which means that he was for the cuts.  Yet, on Feb. 5, 2013, he blamed Congress for the “severe budget cuts to take place”:

President Obama's About-Face
On His Sequester


The Obama Sequester: He Was For It,
Before He Was Against It


Obama Caught in Bald-Faced Lie
on White House Sequester

Today, during a 40-minute press conference, Obama said,

I recognize that it's very hard for Republican leaders to be seen as making concessions to me.  I sometimes think, is there something I could do to make some of these guys — the House Republican caucus — to not paint horns on my head.

I was listening live when, at 11:48 A.M. EST, he spoke the phrase, “horns on my head.”  It reminded me of this verse in the Bible:

Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. (Revelation 13:11)

I still cannot help but feel, as I wrote exactly four years ago today, that Mr. Obama could turn out to be the prophesied False Prophet.  This is the (second) “beast” described in the verse above.

On the other hand, there are some who feel that Barack Obama is the (first) “beast” (or Antichrist) of Revelation 13:1, while the second “beast” (or False Prophet) of Revelation 13:11 will be the new pope, who will be named soon (since Benedict XVI’s last day as pope was yesterday).

Their reasoning is that since the “beast” of Revelation 13:11 has “two horns like a lamb,” he will be leading Christian (or “lamb”) who will defect from the faith.  Time will tell if either, or neither, of these hypotheses will come to pass.


Feb. 28, 2013

My brother-in-law Mel, in New Mexico, is very ill.  He has a malignant tumor in his bile duct, jaundiced skin and eyes, some type of internal infection, and is starting to have kidney failure.  Pray for a miracle, if it could be God’s will to perform one.


Feb. 24, 2013

This is the first full day of Purim, which began at sunset last night, and it also will be celebrated tomorrow.  (See the Calendar of Hebraic Holy Days 2012–2020 for dates of other Hebraic feasts, festivals, and holy days.)  Here is a brief account I have written about Purim:

Queen Esther and the
Feast of Firstfruits

Sometimes I make matzo balls and potato latkes, like I did last year, but this year I wasn’t in the mood.  Instead I made a lasagna with the same ingredients as the one I made on Jan. 20.

 
5-second slideshow

I doubt that the great Queen Esther ate lasagna, but I bet she would have liked mine. 


Feb. 19, 2013

I think this animation is very clever:          It may take a few seconds to load.


Feb. 16, 2013

I bought four bags of Valentine’s candy for 50% off, totaling almost exactly $10.  I never buy it before Valentine’s Day because there’s no way I’d pay full price for it.  I also would not like it if someone bought it at full price and gave it to me; fortunately, no one did.  This stash easily can last me a year.


Feb. 15, 2013

A huge meteor flared through the skies over Russia’s Chelyabinsk region early today, at 9:20 am local time (watch a video and another video).  Traveling at a speed of about 33,000 mph (updated to 40,000 mph), the 50-foot wide, 7,700-ton (updated to 10,000-ton) meteor caused a massive shock wave that injured well over a thousand people and blew out windows and doors in many buildings.  It also created a giant, fiery crater.

About 1,100 injured as meteorite hits
Russia with force of atomic bomb


         

         
30-second slideshow

Coincidentally, a 150-foot asteroid, named 2012 DA14, passed only 17,239 miles away from the earth today.  This was the closest distance of an asteroid on record.  It was traveling about 17,450 miles per hour.  This is nearer than the orbit of most satellites, which are about 22,200 miles away.

The asteroid’s closest approach was at 11:24 A.M. PST (or 2:24 A.M. EST).  NASA says that asteroids this size pass close to the earth every 40 years or so and can hit the earth about every 1,200 years.

Asteroid 2012 DA14: 5 Surprising
Facts About Friday's Earth Flyby


         
15-second slideshow

Then, tonight at about 7:45 PST, a fireball streaked across the Northern California sky:

Fireball seen streaking across
northern California sky

It is extremely amazing to me that all of these celestial events occurred within only 24 hours of each other.  Some have called it “a chilling coincidence.”  It makes me wonder if, perhaps, it is a harbinger of more formidable events to come within a few years.

I absolutely do believe that two celestial objects will strike the earth in the future, as God’s Second and Third Trumpet Judgments, causing cataclysmic damage:

The second angel sounded his trumpet, and something like a huge mountain, all ablaze, was thrown into the sea.  A third of the sea turned into blood, a third of the living creatures in the sea died, and a third of the ships were destroyed.  The third angel sounded his trumpet, and a great star, blazing like a torch, fell from the sky on a third of the rivers and on the springs of water—the name of the star is Wormwood.  A third of the waters turned bitter, and many people died from the waters that had become bitter. (Revelation 8:8-11)

In my opinion, these could be depictions of an asteroid and then a comet crashing into the earth.  They will cause mass destruction and devastation.

I believe that these catastrophes will take place during the year prior to the return of Yeshua haMachiach (Jesus Christ) to earth to rule and reign.  According to the ancient prophet Isaiah, this year of time is referred to as the “day of vengeance.”  The Fifth Trumpet Judgment, alone, will last for five months (Revelation 9:5,10).

The “light at the end of the tunnel” will be Jesus’ return, in conjunction with the blowing of the Seventh Trumpet.  What an exciting day that will be!


Feb. 14, 2013

Happy Valentine’s Day.    Actually, I am looking forward to tomorrow and the next day, when all the V-Day candy will be on sale. 

Happy Valentine's Day

Feb. 11, 2013

Pope Benedict XVIIn a tribunal meeting at the Vatican today, Pope Benedict XVI announced his resignation, effective Feb. 28. He will be the first pope to resign in nearly 600 years, since 1415 when Pope Gregory XII stepped down.”

The 85-year-old pontiff stated, “My strengths, due to an advanced age, are no longer suited to an adequate exercise of the Petrine ministry.”  The pope’s announcement was completely unanticipated.  A new pope is expected to be named in March, in time for Easter, which is Mar. 31.

Pope Benedict XVI to become
first pope in 600 years to resign

Interestingly, a 12th Century archbishop, St. Malachy O’Morgair, wrote a prophecy about the final five popes of the Catholic Church.  You can read about this prophecy in my final Popes section.  If the prophecy is correct, it would seem that the next pope will be the final pope.


Feb. 6, 2013

chicken, whipped potatoes, green beans, black rice, and saladChicken breasts and green beans were on sale at the store today (both 99¢ a pound), so I bought some and baked/steamed them.  I also made whipped potatoes and black rice plus salad and a little gravy.

All of that food will last me awhile.  I don’t mind eating the same leftovers night after night until they’re gone.

I am easy to please with food.  There are a wide variety of healthful foods that I like; so if I see something on sale in a store flyer and don’t already have something made, I may go buy it.

It is not difficult to stay on a budget (and I am on a tight one) if one shops wisely and doesn’t waste money on unnecessary purchases.  It’s also a good idea to have money in reserve for emergencies, which have a bad habit of coming up when we least expect them.


Feb. 4, 2013

Today is the exact middle of Winter.  Counting Dec. 21 (the first day of Winter) as day #1, today is day #45.  Then counting today as day #1, Mar. 20 (the first day of Spring) is day #45.  I look forward to Spring and then to Summer, since I love hot weather, just like I love hot (spicy) food—the hotter, the better.


Feb. 3, 2013

John Harbaugh, Ravens Coach / Jim Harbaugh, 49ers CoachSuper Bowl XLVII was played in New Orleans today.  The Baltimore Ravens, led by quarterback Joe Flacco, were victorious over the San Francisco 49ers, led by quarterback Colin Kaepernick.  The final score was 34 to 31.

Super Bowl XLVII ScoreboardFor the first time ever, two brothers coached the two Super Bowl teams.  John Harbaugh was the coach of the Ravens, while Jim Harbaugh was the coach of the 49ers.

Beyoncé and her former group, Destiny’s Child, performed during halftime.  After the kickoff at the beginning of the second half, there was a blackout in about half of the Superdome.  The power came on after 34 minutes, and then the game resumed.


Jan. 31, 2013

There are common misconceptions, I believe, about some of the terms in the book of Revelation.  I have responded to a couple of them here:


Jan. 30, 2013

I eat crunchy peanut butter virtually everyday.  The brand I prefer is 365 Crunchy Peanut Butter from Whole Foods.  It consists of peanut butter and salt, that’s it.  It contains no unhealthful additives such as sugar, molasses, or diglicerides.  It must be mixed well upon opening the first time, due to natural oil separation, but that takes only a few of minutes.

Today, I went to Whole Foods to stock up on peanut butter.  There were exactly nine jars on the shelf, so I took all of them.  It was the most peanut butter that I’d ever bought at one time; so I took a photo of it in my shopping cart, since I like to photo-document stuff.

As I was checking out, I noticed a box on the counter that appeared to be exactly the right size for all nine peanut butter jars.  I asked if I could have it, and the cashier said, “Sure, in fact it looks like it’s the perfect size, doesn’t it?”  Indeed, it was.

       

       
25-second slideshow

Probably most people, after seeing the perfect box at the checkout counter, would think, “Hmmm, that’s a nice coincidence.”  That’s not how I view it, though.  I don’t really see “lucky” events as flukes or accidents; I see them as my heavenly Father God providing for me, since He is my Provider (YHWH-Jireh).

He constantly helps me find things that I’ve misplaced, usually after I ask Him to, and unexpectedly provides things that I need, even when I don’t even realize that I need them.  No one ever could convince me that He does not exist and that He does not come to my aid and to the aid of those who acknowledge Him.

The box is the ideal container in which to store my peanut butter.  I wrote the date and price on each jar, as I do for most of the food I store up.  If you don’t have an emergency supply of food, you might want to consider getting some of the items on my basic list of adversity supplies.


Jan. 27, 2013

Surprisingly, one of the topics about which I have received the most questions and comments, over the years, is the day of Jesus’ crucifixion.  The traditional view is that it took place on a Friday.  Some feel it was on Wednesday.  I believe it was Thursday, as explained in my Good Thursday commentary.

I recently received an email asking me to look at a site advocating a Friday crucifixion and another site advocating a Wednesday crucifixion:

Actually, the Hebraic days of the week are referred to as the first day, the second day, etc.  The only day that has a name is the seventh day, which is the Sabbath.  But for ease of understanding, I have called the days of the week by their common names that the western mind understands.


Jan. 25, 2013

I have believed, for some time, that radical Islam is the greatest threat to peace and stability in the world.  I also have felt for awhile that the “mark of the beast” described in Revelation 13:16-18 very well could come out of Islam.  A friend sent me the following commentary, by Kimberly Rogers, which seems very plausible to me:

The Real Mark of the Beast

Jan. 22, 2013

Today is the 40th anniversary of the controversial Roe vs. Wade decision.  On this day in 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that it is “constitutional” for any woman to have an abortion.  That is, women were given the legal right to choose to end the lives of their unborn children.  Since then, tens of millions of fetuses in the womb, intended to be children in the world, have had their lives forcibly taken from them without their consent.

In her Sunday commentary, Liz Trotta spoke about this anniversary and about Planned Parenthood, “the motherlode of abortion providers”; I agree with every word:

Liz Trotta's Commentary on Abortion

I believe that abortion, for the “convenience” of the mother and/or the father, is murder and is in violation of the Sixth Commandment of God (Exodus 20:13; Deuteronomy 5:17).  The life of every American is an unalienable right extended by our Creator; and abortion for convenience is a violation of the phrase “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” included within the United States Declaration of Independence.

God has a long list of valid reasons to judge America harshly.  I fear that of all these incentives, tens of millions of abortion-related murders will be one of His primary motivations.


Jan. 21, 2013

The apostle Paul urged the following:

...that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.  This is good, and pleases God our Savior, who wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth.  For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men—the testimony given in its proper time. (1 Timothy 2:1-6)

We need to pray for our leaders, whether newly elected or still in office.  However, we should not forget that our God is in control of all things and that all events, whether we understand them or not, will take place according to His sovereign purposes and objectives.


Jan. 20, 2013

I hadn’t made lasagna in a few months, so I made one today.  One of my favorite vegetables is bok choy, and I don’t think I’ve ever put it into a lasagna before.  I chopped up the stems and sautéed them with chopped onions.  I used the big green bok choy leaves instead of spinach, which I virtually always include.

I also added fresh green beans, which I don’t think I’d never put into a lasagna either.  Plus, I used yellow squash.  Also, instead of ground beef, I used ground turkey.  I know it is not a conventional lasagna, but then I tend to be rather unconventional.

         

         
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It tastes even better than it looks. 


In other news, today was the private inauguration of Barack Obama and Joe Biden for their second term as president and vice-president.  According to the constitution, the official inauguration must take place on January 20.  Tomorrow, there will be a public ceremony.


Jan. 18, 2013

I don’t like to waste anything.  For instance, when I eat a plate or bowl full of food, I eat all of it; nothing is left behind.  When I have used almost all of a bar of soap, I stick the remaining fragment onto the new bar.  I don’t think I’ve thrown away even the smallest piece of soap in many decades.

Almost everything I eat, which is mostly unprocessed fruits and vegetables, is natural and does not come in a package.  Therefore, I throw away almost no plastic, paper, cartons, or cans.  The only things I toss out on a daily basis are banana peels and the seeds of apples and pears.  Well, I do throw out junk mail; however, I receive very little of it, as I have removed myself from almost everybody’s mailing lists.

I keep my water heater on a “warm” setting until I am ready to shower; then I turn it up to a hotter setting.  It takes only a few minutes for the water to heat up, and then I turn it back down to a lower level before showering.  Of course, when I go out of town, I set it to “vacation” mode.  Plus, I have insulated my water heater so that very little heat escapes.

While brushing my teeth, I do not leave the water running.  I’ve always had a dishwasher wherever I’ve lived, but I’ve never used one.  They use too much water, so I wash my dishes by hand.  Dawn dishwashing detergent is my favorite because a small amount goes a long way.

Basically, I am very conservative—socially, politically, and even economically.  For instance, my expenses last month were about $400, and that included my health and car insurance.  I don’t see the point in spending money on things that are not absolutely necessary.

         
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Americans waste way too much, including natural resources.  We certainly are not the only nation in that boat, but I think we lead the way.  We are a “throw away” society, and it mostly is due to our unwarranted demand for “convenience.”

I am convinced that a time is coming when a great many things we take for granted, including food and clean water, will be in short supply.  Prices for virtually everything, even basic necessities, will increase substantially.  Those who have not learned to get by with less, and who spend their money frivolously, will wish they had learned how to cut back.  Now would be a good time to figure out how to do that, as the next two to four years, with the incompetent politicians we have in Washington DC in charge, probably are going to be devastating for the economy.  It might not be a bad idea to stock up on some supplies.


Jan. 17, 2013

The following commentary in the “To The Editor” section of a NC newspaper is one of the funniest things I’ve ever read because it is so stupid.  Whoever wrote it must be a bonafide moron.  Click on it to see an enlarged version so you can read it.

More modern way of living

The section implying that a person born by a C-section is not a “natural born citizen” is a knee-slapper.  It’s got to be one of the dumbest liberal rants ever written. 


Jan. 14, 2013

Lately, I have had somewhat of a spike in emails from people talking about other people they’ve seen with “black eyes.”  I don’t mean the kind of black eye that someone gets when the area around their eye gets smacked.  I am referring to eyeballs that are completely black, including the white parts (scleras).

This is not at all physiologically normal, unless the person is wearing black scleral contact lenses or a black dye has been injected into the subconjunctival space (between the conjunctiva and the sclera).  Neither of these is at all common.  When I was practicing eye care, I never had one person request black scleral lenses or the black dye injection.

More people seem to be running across my entries of Apr. 22 and June 15, 2010, where I link to email correspondences I had with two people who claimed to have seen other people with black eyes.  In the past week, I’ve had four new people email me about seeing people with black eyes.  Here are what two of them wrote:

Daughter with Black Eyes

Man in Restaurant with Black Eyes

My responses to both emails are not included because they are immaterial.  I’m only including these because this uncanny phenomenon seems to be growing.  You can do a web search for “black eyes” and see what you come up with.  Some say these are “extraterrestrial” beings, but I don’t buy that.  I’ve even heard of “black-eyed kids” or “BEKs,” who lurk around places and ask people for permission to come into their cars or homes.  I know I wouldn’t let one in.


Jan. 10, 2013

My last day of work was 22 years ago today.  Technically, Jan. 11 was my last day, but I called in sick that day and went to the beach.  I never had enjoyed my freedom so much before that day. 


Jan. 7, 2013

I have been asked to comment on a few Bible passages and how they correlate with the Jews and events that, I believe, are yet to occur:


Jan. 2, 2013

An excellent new teacher on GLC (God’s Learning Channel) is Audra Grace Shelby.  The name of her program is Behind the Veil.

Audra spent several years in Yemen and learned a great deal about Islam while there.  In case you would like to hear some of her 30-minute programs, click here.  On that page, the most recent five episodes are shown in the right column.  Next week, the episode at the bottom of the list will disappear, and a new one will appear at the top.

I have better success viewing the videos with Firefox browser.  If the video does not start by itself, click the little “"pause” button (two vertical stripes) at the bottom/left of the video window and then the “play” button (triangle pointing to the right) in the middle of the video.

Another excellent teacher is Rik Wadge.  His program is called Digging the Truth.  So far, I have enjoyed all of the episodes.

I particularly like this week’s program: The Ten Words / Commandments.  On that page, click on the “Episode #6” icon in the right column.  He associates the commandments with the first ten letters of the Hebrew aleph bet (alphabet).  It is quite interesting.  That episode will go down the list and disappear in a few weeks.


Jan. 1, 2013

Happy New Year.  Below are links to my annual calendar and list of 2013 holidays and observances that many like to download and tape to a wall nearby.  That is what I do, with the calendar on one side and the holidays/observances on the other side of one piece of paper.  Both are in .doc and .pdf format.

Click on each image below and print out the two pages (.doc files) on either side of one piece of paper.  Just change my name, at the top of the calendar page, to your name before you print it.

 

Or else you could print out these two pages (.pdf files), with no name on the calendar page:

 

If you’ve never read the Bible straight through, from cover to cover, you might want to do it in 2013.  Go to the following page, print out the pages in either .doc, .pdf, or .html format, and check off the passages as you read them:

Chronological List of Bible Passages

The Bible is God’s Law and Instruction Manual for life.  Don’t worry if you are unable to understand everything you read; eventually, God will give us answers to everything we wonder about.  One of the main things you will come to understand is God’s everlasting covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—see God’s Covenant: with Israel or the Church?

So in case you’ve never read the Bible all the way through, do it!  If you’ve done it before, do it again; you never can get too much of God’s written Word!  I did it last in 2011, and I am doing it again during 2013.

You can read one of a number of Bible versions at BibleGateway.com.  If you read it for an average of 15 minutes a night before bed, you will sleep better for a whole year. 

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