The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 31st on Proverbs 31:6-9

                     March 31st?     Read Proverbs 31!

[Please note: The first two paragraphs below are repeated each day for new readers. My amateur comments are offered below each of today's verses from Proverbs.]

Have you ever noticed that, as most months have 31 days, so the Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters? Fascinating right? Well, it is at least interesting, and coincidentally beneficial to those who would like to read a portion of thought provoking scripture every day of the month. You might like to read the calendar coordinated chapter from Proverbs every day this month (I've included the whole chapter below!) and then see if my comments on a few of those verses line up with your own observations. My plan is to go through the year, writing my response to about one seventh of each chapter's verses every day, during each of the 7 months that have 31 days.  Clear as mud? That's what I thought.

I hope you check in, and leave a comment. Especially if I say something really off base and need to be corrected, because, as we learned this month on the 27th, Proverbs 27:5 says

                                "Better is open rebuke than hidden love." 

                                          Today's inspired verses, 6-9, are highlighted in red

                                                (and my questionable comments are in blue).

Proverbs 31

Sayings of King Lemuel

1 The sayings of King Lemuel—an inspired utterance his mother taught him.
2 Listen, my son! Listen, son of my womb!
Listen, my son, the answer to my prayers!
3 Do not spend your strength[a] on women,
your vigor on those who ruin kings.

4 It is not for kings, Lemuel—
it is not for kings to drink wine,
not for rulers to crave beer,
5 lest they drink and forget what has been decreed,
and deprive all the oppressed of their rights.
6 Let beer be for those who are perishing,
wine for those who are in anguish!


6) So sorry, but if you came all this way to learn more about the famous "Proverbs 31 woman", you still have to wait until May 31st!  (It's not MY fault.  If old King Lemuel hadn't slipped his old 'sayings' into this chapter we would have gotten to the 'wife of noble character back in January, but alas, here we are.)  Although it is my system that will stretch out the study of her description through five months!  Starting at verse 10, we will finish with Proverbs 31, verse 31, on December 31st.  (But feel free to cheat and read the whole chapter below right now!)


If you are really in agony over this then Lemuel says you should go have a beer, I guess.  Or a bottle of wine maybe.  I hope his recommendation is sarcastic.  Drinking to escape has never been a good idea, and never will suffice.

7 Let them drink and forget their poverty
and remember their misery no more.


7)  You're only kidding aren't you Lemmy?  Perhaps your sympathy has gone over the edge.  Can't you think of some other solution to "say" for these poor folk?

 8 Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves,
for the rights of all who are destitute.


8) Yes!  I knew you could do it Kingy Buddy!  Those of us outside their trouble (but possibly on the edge of  falling in after) should indeed speak up.  The born should protest the slaughter of the unborn; the working should protest the ruination of job creation; the free Church must protest the persecution of the forlorn and suffering Church worldwide.  


The difficulty here is that it is generally those who are not YET in some oppressive ruin, and therefore do not feel it, who must stand up and speak up for those under the thumb of calamity.  We do all need to hear the evil, see the evil and then speak of the evil all around us!

9 Speak up and judge fairly;
defend the rights of the poor and needy.


9) Speaking up is only half the battle.  Some protest movements consist of thoughtless soundbites, crude slogans and dumb verses poorly but obediently sung to well known tunes.  The 'judging fairly' is critical.  Being 'judgmental' is wholly different from judging, in that only one of them can be done 'fairly'.  The first step in 'defending' the 'poor and needy' would be to carefully and thoughtfully identify their true rights. 

Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

10 [b]A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.
11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.
12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.
13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.
14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.
15 She gets up while it is still night;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her female servants.
16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.
17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.
18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.
19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.
20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.
21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.
22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.
23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.
24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.
25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.
26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.
27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.
28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:
29 “Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all.”
30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.
31 Honor her for all that her hands have done,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.
Footnotes:
Proverbs 31:3 Or wealth
Proverbs 31:10 Verses 10-31 are an acrostic poem, the verses of which begin with the successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet.

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 30th on Proverbs 30:5-9

                   March 30th?     Read Proverbs 30!

[Please note: The first two paragraphs below are repeated each day for new readers. My amateur comments are offered below each of today's verses from Proverbs.]

Have you ever noticed that, as most months have 31 days, so the Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters? Fascinating right? Well, it is at least interesting, and coincidentally beneficial to those who would like to read a portion of thought provoking scripture every day of the month. You might like to read the calendar coordinated chapter from Proverbs every day this month (I've included the whole chapter below!) and then see if my comments on a few of those verses line up with your own observations. My plan is to go through the year, writing my response to about one seventh of each chapter's verses every day, during each of the 7 months that have 31 days.  Clear as mud? That's what I thought.

I hope you check in, and leave a comment. Especially if I say something really off base and need to be corrected, because, as we will learn this month on the 27th, Proverbs 27:5 says

                                "Better is open rebuke than hidden love." 

                                          Today's inspired verses, 5-9, are highlighted in red

                                                (and my questionable comments are in blue).

Proverbs 30

Sayings of Agur

1 The sayings of Agur son of Jakeh—an inspired utterance.
   This man’s utterance to Ithiel:
   “I am weary, God,
but I can prevail.[a]
2 Surely I am only a brute, not a man;
I do not have human understanding.
3 I have not learned wisdom,
nor have I attained to the knowledge of the Holy One.
4 Who has gone up to heaven and come down?
Whose hands have gathered up the wind?
Who has wrapped up the waters in a cloak?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is his name, and what is the name of his son?
Surely you know!

5 “Every word of God is flawless;
he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.


5) Can you imagine there being a 'god' who might say a flawed word now and again?  What kind of god would that be?  A flawed god (which is an oxymoron).  Of course, by definition, God's word (every one that He speaks) IS flawless!  We can count on His word to be not only accurate and profound, but right.


Did you catch what is intimated by 5b?  Why do we need the comfort of seeing God as a 'shield'?  Because there is something attacking us people, and guess what; we have seen the enemy and the enemy is US!  Our own sin nature threatens to undo us, and would, if we did not have a SHIELD provided for our protection.

6 Do not add to his words,
or he will rebuke you and prove you a liar.


6) I think that means that God has said everything that needs saying.  If our adding to it makes us a liar, then adding to it would require something He said to change toward the untruthful.  Relax.  Everything you really need to know from God has been revealed by God!

7 “Two things I ask of you, LORD;
do not refuse me before I die:


7) Thankfully, we are loved enough by God that He lets us talk to Him like Agur does here:  Boldly!

8 Keep falsehood and lies far from me;
give me neither poverty nor riches,
but give me only my daily bread.


8) Watch for the dreaded 'falsehood and lies' in the rest of 8 and 9.  (Do you recognize part of the Lord's Prayer here, by the way?)


9 Otherwise, I may have too much and disown you
and say, ‘Who is the LORD?’ 
Or I may become poor and steal,
and so dishonor the name of my God.


The sad results of having too little AND too much, bear the same corrupt fruit!  Disowning the Lord (as in dismissing His relevance), may be more of an apple than the metaphorical ripe orange of dishonoring His name, but both are from dying trees planted in the decayed soil of falsehood, and lies.

10 “Do not slander a servant to their master,
or they will curse you, and you will pay for it.

11 “There are those who curse their fathers
and do not bless their mothers;
12 those who are pure in their own eyes
and yet are not cleansed of their filth;
13 those whose eyes are ever so haughty,
whose glances are so disdainful;
14 those whose teeth are swords
and whose jaws are set with knives
to devour the poor from the earth
and the needy from among mankind.

15 “The leech has two daughters.
‘Give! Give!’ they cry.

“There are three things that are never satisfied,
four that never say, ‘Enough!’:
16 the grave, the barren womb,
land, which is never satisfied with water,
and fire, which never says, ‘Enough!’

17 “The eye that mocks a father,
that scorns an aged mother,
will be pecked out by the ravens of the valley,
will be eaten by the vultures.

18 “There are three things that are too amazing for me,
four that I do not understand:
19 the way of an eagle in the sky,
the way of a snake on a rock,
the way of a ship on the high seas,
and the way of a man with a young woman.

20 “This is the way of an adulterous woman:
She eats and wipes her mouth
and says, ‘I’ve done nothing wrong.’

21 “Under three things the earth trembles,
under four it cannot bear up:
22 a servant who becomes king,
a godless fool who gets plenty to eat,
23 a contemptible woman who gets married,
and a servant who displaces her mistress.

24 “Four things on earth are small,
yet they are extremely wise:
25 Ants are creatures of little strength,
yet they store up their food in the summer;
26 hyraxes are creatures of little power,
yet they make their home in the crags;
27 locusts have no king,
yet they advance together in ranks;
28 a lizard can be caught with the hand,
yet it is found in kings’ palaces.

29 “There are three things that are stately in their stride,
four that move with stately bearing:
30 a lion, mighty among beasts,
who retreats before nothing;
31 a strutting rooster, a he-goat,
and a king secure against revolt.[b]

32 “If you play the fool and exalt yourself,
or if you plan evil,
clap your hand over your mouth!
33 For as churning cream produces butter,
and as twisting the nose produces blood,
so stirring up anger produces strife.”
Footnotes:
Proverbs 30:1 With a different word division of the Hebrew; Masoretic Text utterance to Ithiel, / to Ithiel and Ukal:
Proverbs 30:31 The meaning of the Hebrew for this phrase is uncertain.

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 29th on Proverbs 29:5-8

                   March 29th?     Read Proverbs 29!

[Please note: The first two paragraphs below are repeated each day for new readers. My amateur comments are offered below each of today's verses from Proverbs.]

Have you ever noticed that, as most months have 31 days, so the Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters? Fascinating right? Well, it is at least interesting, and coincidentally beneficial to those who would like to read a portion of thought provoking scripture every day of the month. You might like to read the calendar coordinated chapter from Proverbs every day this month (I've included the whole chapter below!) and then see if my comments on a few of those verses line up with your own observations. My plan is to go through the year, writing my response to about one seventh of each chapter's verses every day, during each of the 7 months that have 31 days.  Clear as mud? That's what I thought.

I hope you check in, and leave a comment. Especially if I say something really off base and need to be corrected, because, as we will learn this month on the 27th, Proverbs 27:5 says

                                "Better is open rebuke than hidden love." 

                                          Today's inspired verses, 5-8, are highlighted in red

                                                (and my questionable comments are in blue).

Proverbs 29

1 Whoever remains stiff-necked after many rebukes
will suddenly be destroyed—without remedy.

2 When the righteous thrive, the people rejoice;
when the wicked rule, the people groan.

3 A man who loves wisdom brings joy to his father,
but a companion of prostitutes squanders his wealth.

4 By justice a king gives a country stability,
but those who are greedy for[a] bribes tear it down.

5 Those who flatter their neighbors
are spreading nets for their feet.

5) So using flattery has a purpose.  And specifically, the purpose of gaining something from the flatteree and likely something the flatteree does not necessarily want to part with, but will slide over to the flatterer after enough buttering up.  Watch out for over-the-top compliments.  You probably already know the truth of what flavorable comments you deserve so be careful to dismiss the extra mushy bonus butter.

6 Evildoers are snared by their own sin,
but the righteous shout for joy and are glad.

6) Unexpected opposites are indicated again in this proverb.  If you were asked for the opposite of being 'snared', would you say 'shouting for joy and being glad'?  But these are signs indicative of something very basic being very appreciated: Freedom!  Which is, of course, the very opposite of snaredom.  Many times in scripture sinfulness is likened to being enslaved, and our salvation in Jesus is essentially being freed from that bondage.  As an example:

Romans 6:18
You have been set free from sin and have become slaves to righteousness.  (Ooops. Somebody left out the appropriate exclamation points.  Allow me.) !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

7 The righteous care about justice for the poor,
but the wicked have no such concern.

7) Solomon is not talking about our modern "social justice":  A utopian vision of equalizing the standard of living of all by using the police power of the state to redistribute wealth.  His idea here (I think) is more about the individual righteous person speaking up when the equal rights of his poor neighbor are being abused.  The wicked would be the ones taking wicked advantage, and using the system, the unjust system, for their own benefit.  

Think of "The Good Samaritan" that Jesus told us about.  The wicked were the armed robbers, and they guys who ignored the beaten man and walked on.  The righteous Samaritan cared about real time justice--food, shelter, medical treatment.  The actual articles needed in the moment by the man whose life was unjustly waylaid on the road.  See Luke 10: 25-37 
8 Mockers stir up a city,
but the wise turn away anger.

8) Who wants to be in an angry city?  Mockers, that's who.  People who can't get their way through reasoned arguments, through polite discussion or even through majority rule AND who lack humility, grace and tolerance finally turn to the mockery device as a last resort.  We call it protest around here and even embrace the very mocking title of "occupy" to "stir up a city".  No the wise turn away anger.  They already paid for all those cars and store windows and capital buildings once and are loathe to do it again.

9 If a wise person goes to court with a fool,
the fool rages and scoffs, and there is no peace.

10 The bloodthirsty hate a person of integrity
and seek to kill the upright.

11 Fools give full vent to their rage,
but the wise bring calm in the end.

12 If a ruler listens to lies,
all his officials become wicked.

13 The poor and the oppressor have this in common:
The LORD gives sight to the eyes of both.

14 If a king judges the poor with fairness,
his throne will be established forever.

15 A rod and a reprimand impart wisdom,
but a child left undisciplined disgraces its mother.

16 When the wicked thrive, so does sin,
but the righteous will see their downfall.

17 Discipline your children, and they will give you peace;
they will bring you the delights you desire.

18 Where there is no revelation, people cast off restraint;
but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s instruction.

19 Servants cannot be corrected by mere words;
though they understand, they will not respond.

20 Do you see someone who speaks in haste?
There is more hope for a fool than for them.

21 A servant pampered from youth
will turn out to be insolent.

22 An angry person stirs up conflict,
and a hot-tempered person commits many sins.

23 Pride brings a person low,
but the lowly in spirit gain honor.

24 The accomplices of thieves are their own enemies;
they are put under oath and dare not testify.

25 Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the LORD is kept safe.

26 Many seek an audience with a ruler,
but it is from the LORD that one gets justice.

27 The righteous detest the dishonest;
the wicked detest the upright.
Footnotes:
Proverbs 29:4 Or who give

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 28th on Proverbs 28:5-8

                    March 28th?     Read Proverbs 28!

[Please note: The first two paragraphs below are repeated each day for new readers. My amateur comments are offered below each of today's verses from Proverbs.]

Have you ever noticed that, as most months have 31 days, so the Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters? Fascinating right? Well, it is at least interesting, and coincidentally beneficial to those who would like to read a portion of thought provoking scripture every day of the month. You might like to read the calendar coordinated chapter from Proverbs every day this month (I've included the whole chapter below!) and then see if my comments on a few of those verses line up with your own observations. My plan is to go through the year, writing my response to about one seventh of each chapter's verses every day, during each of the 7 months that have 31 days.  Clear as mud? That's what I thought.

I hope you check in, and leave a comment. Especially if I say something really off base and need to be corrected, because, as we will learn this month on the 27th, Proverbs 27:5 says

                                "Better is open rebuke than hidden love." 

                                          Today's inspired verses, 5-8, are highlighted in red

                                                (and my questionable comments are in blue).

Proverbs 28

1 The wicked flee though no one pursues,
but the righteous are as bold as a lion.

2 When a country is rebellious, it has many rulers,
but a ruler with discernment and knowledge maintains order.

3 A ruler[a] who oppresses the poor
is like a driving rain that leaves no crops.

4 Those who forsake instruction praise the wicked,
but those who heed it resist them.

5 Evildoers do not understand what is right,
but those who seek the LORD understand it fully.


5) Interesting that they do not even 'understand' what is right, although, if this makes any sense, I think they understand that what they do IS evil.  It all starts with what one does or does not SEEK.  Other than the Lord, most people seek themselves.  Not in a navel-centered ethereal quest kind of way, but in a purely self-centered, self-ish, self-aggrandizing, self-deluding disastrous form.


The second half of this proverb is very striking!  It does not read like your basic proverbial rule of thumb.  This is an assertive statement making a bold claim with no quivery qualifiers included.  And the promise!
Simply seek the LORD, and your understanding of what is right WILL be fully vested.
6 Better the poor whose walk is blameless
than the rich whose ways are perverse.


6) Notice that this does say all the poor are blameless, and all the rich are perverse; but that it is better to be a blameless poor person than a perverse rich guy

7 A discerning son heeds instruction,
but a companion of gluttons disgraces his father.


7) 'Companion of gluttons' seems to be a general enough phrase to include all kinds of fools, any one of which would be full of father disgracing members.
8 Whoever increases wealth by taking interest or profit from the poor
amasses it for another, who will be kind to the poor.


8) This too seems like quite the promise.  "Hang in there poor, I (God) will make sure that whatever you do have will not long be kept from you.


9 If anyone turns a deaf ear to my instruction,
even their prayers are detestable.

10 Whoever leads the upright along an evil path
will fall into their own trap,
but the blameless will receive a good inheritance.

11 The rich are wise in their own eyes;
one who is poor and discerning sees how deluded they are.

12 When the righteous triumph, there is great elation;
but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.

13 Whoever conceals their sins does not prosper,
but the one who confesses and renounces them finds mercy.

14 Blessed is the one who always trembles before God,
but whoever hardens their heart falls into trouble.

15 Like a roaring lion or a charging bear
is a wicked ruler over a helpless people.

16 A tyrannical ruler practices extortion,
but one who hates ill-gotten gain will enjoy a long reign.

17 Anyone tormented by the guilt of murder
will seek refuge in the grave;
let no one hold them back.

18 The one whose walk is blameless is kept safe,
but the one whose ways are perverse will fall into the pit.[b]

19 Those who work their land will have abundant food,
but those who chase fantasies will have their fill of poverty.

20 A faithful person will be richly blessed,
but one eager to get rich will not go unpunished.

21 To show partiality is not good—
yet a person will do wrong for a piece of bread.

22 The stingy are eager to get rich
and are unaware that poverty awaits them.

23 Whoever rebukes a person will in the end gain favor
rather than one who has a flattering tongue.

24 Whoever robs their father or mother
and says, “It’s not wrong,”
is partner to one who destroys.

25 The greedy stir up conflict,
but those who trust in the LORD will prosper.

26 Those who trust in themselves are fools,
but those who walk in wisdom are kept safe.

27 Those who give to the poor will lack nothing,
but those who close their eyes to them receive many curses.

28 When the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding;
but when the wicked perish, the righteous thrive.
Footnotes:
Proverbs 28:3 Or A poor person
Proverbs 28:18 Syriac (see Septuagint); Hebrew into one

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 27th on Proverbs 27:5-8

                    March 27th?     Read Proverbs 27!

[Please note: The first two paragraphs below are repeated each day for new readers. My amateur comments are offered below each of today's verses from Proverbs.]

Have you ever noticed that, as most months have 31 days, so the Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters? Fascinating right? Well, it is at least interesting, and coincidentally beneficial to those who would like to read a portion of thought provoking scripture every day of the month. You might like to read the calendar coordinated chapter from Proverbs every day this month (I've included the whole chapter below!) and then see if my comments on a few of those verses line up with your own observations. My plan is to go through the year, writing my response to about one seventh of each chapter's verses every day, during each of the 7 months that have 31 days.  Clear as mud? That's what I thought.

I hope you check in, and leave a comment. Especially if I say something really off base and need to be corrected, because, as we will learn this month on the 27th, Proverbs 27:5 says

                                "Better is open rebuke than hidden love." 

                                          Today's inspired verses, 5-8, are highlighted in red

                                                (and my questionable comments are in blue).

Proverbs 27

1 Do not boast about tomorrow,
for you do not know what a day may bring.

2 Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
an outsider, and not your own lips.

3 Stone is heavy and sand a burden,
but a fool’s provocation is heavier than both.

4 Anger is cruel and fury overwhelming,
but who can stand before jealousy?

5 Better is open rebuke
than hidden love.


5) TA-DAAA!  I've been telling you all month that we would get to this verse!  PLEASE speak up if someone you love needs some redirection!  Even if it's ME, and you THINK I said something stupid on this blog.  Then I will have a chance to give you some open rebuke!  See how that works?


Seriously, I would rather find out if I'm way off base, than to hear a bunch of cyber snickering.  And so would you right?


6 Wounds from a friend can be trusted,
but an enemy multiplies kisses.


6)  Every wound hurts, but the deserved ones heal faster, and are certainly forgivable.  This is probably how we define a friend; an acquaintance who can get away with saying the hard things we need to hear.


Too many kisses, or compliments, or agreements are a bad sign, if there is not the occasional rebuke or constructive criticism to reassure us that the appraiser is honest.

7 One who is full loathes honey from the comb,
but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.


7) I fear this is the danger of our living in such a rich society.  Even the 'poor' in most of America have cell phones and flat screen TVs.  Things that nobody has to have but when they are lost, the bitterness will set in.

8 Like a bird that flees its nest
is anyone who flees from home.


8) This proverb seems odd to me.  I might 'flee' my home if it were on fire.  Or if there was a massive earthquake (haha).  But that would be a good idea in such circumstances.  It seems a bird might leave its nest  if the tree was being cut down, or if a larger bird was attacking, but maybe Solomon is talking about a fledgling that thinks he can fly and jumps flapping furiously but futilely over the edge.  And of his counterpart; a teenager who is convinced his parents are stupid megalomaniacs and runs away from home.  Has nothing changed in the adolescent mind in these 3000 years?

9 Perfume and incense bring joy to the heart,
and the pleasantness of a friend
springs from their heartfelt advice.

10 Do not forsake your friend or a friend of your family,
and do not go to your relative’s house when disaster strikes you—
better a neighbor nearby than a relative far away.

11 Be wise, my son, and bring joy to my heart;
then I can answer anyone who treats me with contempt.

12 The prudent see danger and take refuge,
but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

13 Take the garment of one who puts up security for a stranger;
hold it in pledge if it is done for an outsider.

14 If anyone loudly blesses their neighbor early in the morning,
it will be taken as a curse.

15 A quarrelsome wife is like the dripping
of a leaky roof in a rainstorm;
16 restraining her is like restraining the wind
or grasping oil with the hand.

17 As iron sharpens iron,
so one person sharpens another.

18 The one who guards a fig tree will eat its fruit,
and whoever protects their master will be honored.

19 As water reflects the face,
so one’s life reflects the heart.[a]

20 Death and Destruction[b] are never satisfied,
and neither are human eyes.

21 The crucible for silver and the furnace for gold,
but people are tested by their praise.

22 Though you grind a fool in a mortar,
grinding them like grain with a pestle,
you will not remove their folly from them.

23 Be sure you know the condition of your flocks,
give careful attention to your herds;
24 for riches do not endure forever,
and a crown is not secure for all generations.
25 When the hay is removed and new growth appears
and the grass from the hills is gathered in,
26 the lambs will provide you with clothing,
and the goats with the price of a field.
27 You will have plenty of goats’ milk to feed your family
and to nourish your female servants.
Footnotes:
Proverbs 27:19 Or so others reflect your heart back to you
Proverbs 27:20 Hebrew Abaddon

A to Z INTRODUCTION: Weird Words From the Word of God

Through the A to Z in April blogging challenge of  2012, which begins next Sunday, I will be looking at some of the terms, ideas and names that have come into common use from the Bible.  Since I became a deliberate believer in 1978, I used a lot of these 'churchy' words without knowing what their real meaning was.  The more I learned over time, the more interested I became in helping others find the value of understanding these basic ideas and references more clearly.

Even though the Bible has forever been the number one selling book, most people just buy one and leave it on the shelf.  Many intellectuals admire great and trans-formative literature for its cultural benefit to man but dismiss the Bible's value and fail to become Biblically literate, even in a secular sense.  This neglect allows many false ideas and wrong headed understandings about the Bible to grow.  Then the appreciation of having God's own words, in a book, right there on the shelf, disappears and the fullness of its many blessings are lost.

I would like to see what I can do about that.  For those with a mind open enough to read a few paragraphs from this blogger for 26 days this month, I will be happy if my comment section is filled with : "Oh, I didn't know that."

But I need YOU to help me decide which ONE word in each letter group below I should write about, as I go through the alphabet a letter per day in April. Or if there is another Bible related word you have a question about, let me know.  Please leave your suggestions as a comment below.                 (AND I NEED AN X WORD!)


    My Proposed List of Churchy Terms For the April A to Z

Apostle

Apocalypse

Acts of the Apostles

Adam

Ahab

Amen

Archangel

Ark

Baptism

Bible

Babel

Blasphemy

Beelzebub

Confession

Church

Calvary

Charity

Cherub

Christian

Concubine

Communion

Creation

Cross

Disciple

Deacon

Dead Sea

Devil

Deluge

Divorce

Evangelical

Ecclesiastical

Emmanuel

Epistles

Evil

Exile

Fall

Fellowship

Forgiveness

Faith

Fleece

God

Glory

Gabriel

Gentiles

Genesis

Goliath

Golden calf

Gospel

Heaven

Hell

Holy

Hallelujah

Help-meet

Heresy

Incarnation

Idolatry

Inspiration

Jesus

Jehovah

Job

Jonah

Jubilee

Kiss

Kingdom of God

Lord

Lazarus

Lamb of God

Law

Lamentation

Leviathan

Mary

Magdalene

Martyr

Messiah

Maranatha

Mercy

Miracle

Noah

Nativity

Nazareth

Ninevah

New Testament

Old Testament

Offering

Parable

Pentateuch

Prayer

Predestination

Pharisee

Quicken

Queen of heaven

Resurrection

Rapture

Repentance

Sin

Salvation

Spirit

Sabbath

Sacrifice

Scapegoat

Scripture

Serpent

Testament

Tabernacle

Temptation

Testimony

Thomas

Transfiguration

Tribulation

Trinity

Unction

Usury

Victory

Vows

Worship

Word

X

Yoke

Zeal

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 26th on Proverbs 26:5-8

                    March 26th?     Read Proverbs 26!

[Please note: The first two paragraphs below are repeated each day for new readers. My amateur comments are offered below each of today's verses from Proverbs.]

Have you ever noticed that, as most months have 31 days, so the Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters? Fascinating right? Well, it is at least interesting, and coincidentally beneficial to those who would like to read a portion of thought provoking scripture every day of the month. You might like to read the calendar coordinated chapter from Proverbs every day this month (I've included the whole chapter below!) and then see if my comments on a few of those verses line up with your own observations. My plan is to go through the year, writing my response to about one seventh of each chapter's verses every day, during each of the 7 months that have 31 days.  Clear as mud? That's what I thought.

I hope you check in, and leave a comment. Especially if I say something really off base and need to be corrected, because, as we will learn this month on the 27th, Proverbs 27:5 says

                                "Better is open rebuke than hidden love." 

                                          Today's inspired verses, 5-8, are highlighted in red

                                                (and my questionable comments are in blue).

Proverbs 26

1 Like snow in summer or rain in harvest,
honor is not fitting for a fool.
2 Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow,
an undeserved curse does not come to rest.
3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey,
and a rod for the backs of fools!
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
or you yourself will be just like him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
or he will be wise in his own eyes.


5) Did you remember reading verse 4 in January (or did you read it just now?)?  Compare it to verse 5 and then scratch your head, for there seems to be a contradiction here.  Verse 4 says "don't engage the fool" and verse 5 says "make sure you shut the fool up".  Well I think Solomon knows his stuff.  The point is that you have to play it by ear, sadly realizing that, no matter what, the fools control the game.  Simply being fools, they require the wise to invest all kinds of time and energy just to deal with them, one way or the other.  

6 Sending a message by the hands of a fool
is like cutting off one’s feet or drinking poison. 


6) How many episodes did The Three Stooges get out of this theme?  Some poor sap or other, who had never heard of the stooges, failed to recognize them as such (fools) and sent them on an important mission.  Of course they made a big mess of it and the only good news is that somebody happened to catch it all on film for our entertainment!  I don't know if anyone had their feet cut off or drank poison, but a lot of guts were split and there was a bunch of ROFL.

7 Like the useless legs of one who is lame
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool. 


7) As long as we're talking about the Stooges, Moe, Larry and Curly (and Shemp) were the all time experts at trying to say something smart and having it come out lame.  It's interesting that we now call somebody's failed verbal expression, "lame".  I hope that violation of the separation of church and state is prohibited in public schools; after all, that insult has Biblical roots!

8 Like tying a stone in a sling
is the giving of honor to a fool.

8) A wise person will receive a compliment with grace, and then with humility, forward the honor back to his predecessors.  The stone will not STAY in the sling, but will go out to do its work.  The fool will cling to whatever compliment comes his way and call for the world to stand still while he elaborates on his great worth!  Nothing but a big head will come from the stone being tied up to that useless sling.

9 Like a thornbush in a drunkard’s hand
is a proverb in the mouth of a fool.
10 Like an archer who wounds at random
is one who hires a fool or any passer-by.
11 As a dog returns to its vomit,
so fools repeat their folly.
12 Do you see a person wise in their own eyes?
There is more hope for a fool than for them.

13 A sluggard says, “There’s a lion in the road,
a fierce lion roaming the streets!”
14 As a door turns on its hinges,
so a sluggard turns on his bed.
15 A sluggard buries his hand in the dish;
he is too lazy to bring it back to his mouth.
16 A sluggard is wiser in his own eyes
than seven people who answer discreetly.

17 Like one who grabs a stray dog by the ears
is someone who rushes into a quarrel not their own.

18 Like a maniac shooting
flaming arrows of death
19 is one who deceives their neighbor
and says, “I was only joking!”

20 Without wood a fire goes out;
without a gossip a quarrel dies down.
21 As charcoal to embers and as wood to fire,
so is a quarrelsome person for kindling strife.
22 The words of a gossip are like choice morsels;
they go down to the inmost parts.

23 Like a coating of silver dross on earthenware
are fervent[a] lips with an evil heart.
24 Enemies disguise themselves with their lips,
but in their hearts they harbor deceit.
25 Though their speech is charming, do not believe them,
for seven abominations fill their hearts.
26 Their malice may be concealed by deception,
but their wickedness will be exposed in the assembly.
27 Whoever digs a pit will fall into it;
if someone rolls a stone, it will roll back on them.
28 A lying tongue hates those it hurts,
and a flattering mouth works ruin.
Footnotes:
Proverbs 26:23 Hebrew; Septuagint smooth

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 25th on Proverbs 25:6-8

                     March 25th?     Read Proverbs 25!

[Please note: The first two paragraphs below are repeated each day for new readers. My amateur comments are offered below each of today's verses from Proverbs.]

Have you ever noticed that, as most months have 31 days, so the Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters? Fascinating right? Well, it is at least interesting, and coincidentally beneficial to those who would like to read a portion of thought provoking scripture every day of the month. You might like to read the calendar coordinated chapter from Proverbs every day this month (I've included the whole chapter below!) and then see if my comments on a few of those verses line up with your own observations. My plan is to go through the year, writing my response to about one seventh of each chapter's verses every day, during each of the 7 months that have 31 days.  Clear as mud? That's what I thought.

I hope you check in, and leave a comment. Especially if I say something really off base and need to be corrected, because, as we will learn this month on the 27th, Proverbs 27:5 says

                                "Better is open rebuke than hidden love." 

                                          Today's inspired verses, 6-8, are highlighted in red

                                                (and my questionable comments are in blue).

Proverbs 25

More Proverbs of Solomon 

1 These are more proverbs of Solomon, compiled by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah:

2 It is the glory of God to conceal a matter;
to search out a matter is the glory of kings.
3 As the heavens are high and the earth is deep,
so the hearts of kings are unsearchable.

4 Remove the dross from the silver,
and a silversmith can produce a vessel;
5 remove wicked officials from the king’s presence,
and his throne will be established through righteousness.

6 Do not exalt yourself in the king’s presence,
and do not claim a place among his great men; 

6) Perhaps we should get the idea that we should not 'exalt ourselves' in anybody's presence!  But if we try to strut our feathers in front of the wrong person, someone in authority, we are likely to end up highly embarrassed, if only because a king, or a boss, can implement what other's only hope to do to a braggart. 

7 it is better for him to say to you, “Come up here,”
than for him to humiliate you before his nobles.

7) I like to think about Jesus growing up as a Jewish boy reading these very proverbs.  And then as a young man, a student of the scriptures, delving deeper and deeper into all the existing Word of God (the Old Testament).  And then during His mere 3 teaching years, Jesus would sometimes rephrase this commonly shared  'media' of the day to reiterate its truths and emphasize what He wanted.  

For Solomon, it came naturally to analyze the goings on in his every day kingly world.  Jesus used a different setting, one more understood by the common folk he dealt with in His blue collar world as a carpenter, to teach the same principal, in Luke 14:7-11.

7 When he noticed how the guests picked the places of honor at the table, he told them this parable: 8 “When someone invites you to a wedding feast, do not take the place of honor, for a person more distinguished than you may have been invited. 9 If so, the host who invited both of you will come and say to you, ‘Give this person your seat.’ Then, humiliated, you will have to take the least important place. 10 But when you are invited, take the lowest place, so that when your host comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up to a better place.’ Then you will be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 11 For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

We have a God who not only wants us to be freed from our burden of sin and be saved for eternity (!), but He cares enough to advise us on how to avoid the just plain awful feeling of being humiliated in public!  And Jesus makes the lesson universally applicable by tacking on the immutable truth in verse 11.

What you have seen with your eyes
8 do not bring[a] hastily to court,
for what will you do in the end
if your neighbor puts you to shame?

[It seems here that someone assigned the verse number in an unnatural place.  Did you know that the chapter and verse designations were never part of the inspired work?  These are simply tools applied to God's work by men for our benefit.]

Can you imagine thinking you saw what you thought you saw that neighbor you despise doing, and calling 911 to get him in trouble and then when you get in the witness stand and you think you're about to put him under for good and it turns out that what you thought you think he did was just the opposite and now you are actually testifying to your own shame?  {Can you imagine making sense of that long question?}  So again we see that haste makes waste.
9 If you take your neighbor to court,
do not betray another’s confidence,
10 or the one who hears it may shame you
and the charge against you will stand.

11 Like apples[b] of gold in settings of silver
is a ruling rightly given.
12 Like an earring of gold or an ornament of fine gold
is the rebuke of a wise judge to a listening ear.

13 Like a snow-cooled drink at harvest time
is a trustworthy messenger to the one who sends him;
he refreshes the spirit of his master.
14 Like clouds and wind without rain
is one who boasts of gifts never given.

15 Through patience a ruler can be persuaded,
and a gentle tongue can break a bone.

16 If you find honey, eat just enough—
too much of it, and you will vomit.
17 Seldom set foot in your neighbor’s house—
too much of you, and they will hate you.

18 Like a club or a sword or a sharp arrow
is one who gives false testimony against a neighbor.
19 Like a broken tooth or a lame foot
is reliance on the unfaithful in a time of trouble.
20 Like one who takes away a garment on a cold day,
or like vinegar poured on a wound,
is one who sings songs to a heavy heart.

21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22 In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the LORD will reward you.

23 Like a north wind that brings unexpected rain
is a sly tongue—which provokes a horrified look.

24 Better to live on a corner of the roof
than share a house with a quarrelsome wife.

25 Like cold water to a weary soul
is good news from a distant land.
26 Like a muddied spring or a polluted well
are the righteous who give way to the wicked.

27 It is not good to eat too much honey,
nor is it honorable to search out matters that are too deep.

28 Like a city whose walls are broken through
is a person who lacks self-control.
Footnotes:
Proverbs 25:8 Or nobles / on whom you had set your eyes. / Do not go
Proverbs 25:11 Or possibly apricots

My Special List

My blogging group challenge this week was to make a list and then title it.  Here goes.

1. Pray with My Lilly.

2. Get out of bed and let the dogs out.

3. Go to the bathroom and hope the dogs don't start barking up and down the street.  It's 5:45!

4. Let the dogs in and chase the cat back out.

5. Get dressed and check the computer to see if I lost any chess games overnight.

6. Also see if anyone commented on the latest Proverbs 31 Project post.

7. Make lunch, go to work, come home.

8. Take a shower.

9. Shop and/or cook and eat dinner.

10. Watch some TV and go to bed.


Oh yeah, they want a TITLE.

10 Things To Do During a Clintonville Wisconsin Earthquake

Picture of disaster scene by Emily Arndt

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 24th on Proverbs 24:5-9

                                      March 24th?     Read Proverbs 24!

[Please note: The first two paragraphs below are repeated each day for new readers. My amateur comments are offered below each of today's verses from Proverbs.]

Have you ever noticed that, as most months have 31 days, so the Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters? Fascinating right? Well, it is at least interesting, and coincidentally beneficial to those who would like to read a portion of thought provoking scripture every day of the month. You might like to read the calendar coordinated chapter from Proverbs every day this month (I've included the whole chapter below!) and then see if my comments on a few of those verses line up with your own observations. My plan is to go through the year, writing my response to about one seventh of each chapter's verses every day, during each of the 7 months that have 31 days.  Clear as mud? That's what I thought.

I hope you check in, and leave a comment. Especially if I say something really off base and need to be corrected, because, as we will learn this month on the 27th, Proverbs 27:5 says

                                "Better is open rebuke than hidden love." 

                                          Today's inspired verses, 5-9, are highlighted in red

                                                (and my questionable comments are in blue).

Proverbs 24

Saying 20

1 Do not envy the wicked,
do not desire their company;
2 for their hearts plot violence,
and their lips talk about making trouble.

Saying 21

3 By wisdom a house is built,
and through understanding it is established;
4 through knowledge its rooms are filled
with rare and beautiful treasures.

So yesterday we looked at Sayings 9 and 10 and today we are at 22-24.  Are we having fun yet?  I hope you are reading the whole chapter each day.  After all; don't you watch the WHOLE of even the dumbest TV shows?  I know I do.  I hate to miss any aspect of whatever I'm doing.

Saying 22

5 The wise prevail through great power,
and those who have knowledge muster their strength.

5) Is he saying that wisdom itself IS a great power?  That gaining knowledge is gaining strength?  Sounds like a public service announcement from the '70s;  Knowledge is Power--Don't drop out Knucklehead!

Or is he saying that a wise people are careful to have a strong national defense?  That they will study war and develop scientifically advanced weapons?

I don't know, but both ideas are true, so we'll go with the all inclusive answer: Both.

6 Surely you need guidance to wage war,
and victory is won through many advisers.

6) I was right!  Both suggestions are supported here.

Saying 23

7 Wisdom is too high for fools;
in the assembly at the gate they must not open their mouths.

7) Mark Twain turned this bit of sober counsel into a fun idiom:  It is better to keep your mouth closed and let people think you are a fool than to open it and remove all doubt.-- Mark Twain

Saying 24

8 Whoever plots evil
will be known as a schemer.

8)  Pity the poor victim who had to suffer while the reputation of the schemer was being established!  

9 The schemes of folly are sin,
and people detest a mocker.

9) I am invariably impressed, when I read the Bible, with the fact that people have always been, and will always be, the same.  Easy truisms like vs 9 are so easily recognized by us, even here in 21st century America, and they ring equally true in every culture everywhere.  Skin colors vary, ethnic habits differ crazily, and even where widely oriented religions exist...people detest a mocker!


Saying 25

10 If you falter in a time of trouble,
how small is your strength!
11 Rescue those being led away to death;
hold back those staggering toward slaughter.
12 If you say, “But we knew nothing about this,”
does not he who weighs the heart perceive it?
Does not he who guards your life know it?
Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?

Saying 26

13 Eat honey, my son, for it is good;
honey from the comb is sweet to your taste.
14 Know also that wisdom is like honey for you:
If you find it, there is a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.

Saying 27

15 Do not lurk like a thief near the house of the righteous,
do not plunder their dwelling place;
16 for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again,
but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.

Saying 28

17 Do not gloat when your enemy falls;
when they stumble, do not let your heart rejoice,
18 or the LORD will see and disapprove
and turn his wrath away from them.

Saying 29

19 Do not fret because of evildoers
or be envious of the wicked,
20 for the evildoer has no future hope,
and the lamp of the wicked will be snuffed out.

Saying 30

21 Fear the LORD and the king, my son,
and do not join with rebellious officials,
22 for those two will send sudden destruction on them,
and who knows what calamities they can bring?
Further Sayings of the Wise 23 These also are sayings of the wise:

To show partiality in judging is not good:
24 Whoever says to the guilty, “You are innocent,”
will be cursed by peoples and denounced by nations.
25 But it will go well with those who convict the guilty,
and rich blessing will come on them.

26 An honest answer
is like a kiss on the lips.

27 Put your outdoor work in order
and get your fields ready;
after that, build your house.

28 Do not testify against your neighbor without cause—
would you use your lips to mislead?
29 Do not say, “I’ll do to them as they have done to me;
I’ll pay them back for what they did.”

30 I went past the field of a sluggard,
past the vineyard of someone who has no sense;
31 thorns had come up everywhere,
the ground was covered with weeds,
and the stone wall was in ruins.
32 I applied my heart to what I observed
and learned a lesson from what I saw:
33 A little sleep, a little slumber,
a little folding of the hands to rest—
34 and poverty will come on you like a thief
and scarcity like an armed man.

Presumptive Shenanigans

This post is untimely, but very timely!  The 'shenanigans' theme was given out on March 11th, but up to that point in my life I had never, how do you say, "pulled any".  Shenanigans, that is.  So right away I went to the library and read up on what they are, and where they come from and how to water them properly and all that stuff so I could maybe push, I mean pull some.  

So the week went on and I couldn't think of anything to do.  I didn't want to copy, but I reread some of Kelly Allen's stuff for inspiration.  Then I realized that I don't have a "Dammit Rob".  Joyce Lansky was goofing off at camp so she couldn't help and of course Beth Grace's stuff is just too boring to bother stealing.  My buddy Jo Heroux thinks I'm 'lovely' so I wouldn't want to insult her opinion by proving her wrong (plus she seems to cry at the drop of a hat).  I wrote and wrote to Amy for advice but she's always on vacation or hiding in her Mom Cave or something so in the end I was on my own to carry off with my own shenanigan.  (Did I say that right?)

And then my daughter had her baby on the fifteenth, so I forgot all about blogging on the week's theme.  At church on the 18th though, I was invited to stand up and make my wonderful announcement.  Here is a transcript:

Steve (from the pulpit):  Mike Miller has some good news for us today!  Mike, why don't you stand up and tell us.

Me:  Yes I do Steve!  Elaina Victoria Rakowski was born Thursday morning!

Congregation:   Yay!  etc etc

Steve:  That's great Mike, but you know all the ladies are dying to hear the details.  Size and weight and all that stuff, how long she is.

Me:  Oh yeah.  I think she was 20 and a half inches

Congregation Ladies:    Ooooo.

Me:  She has a lot of thick black hair

Congregation Ladies:   Awwwwww

Me:  She's a big girl.  She weighed 12-8.

Congregational Ladies:    Aaaaaarrrrrrrgggghhhhhh!!!

Me:   What?

Congregational Ladies:   Ouuuuuuuuuchchchcchch!  Poor Victoria!!

Me:  Yup.  A big girl; 12 ounces, 8 pounds!

Congregation:  MIIIIIIKE!  And then a bunch of miscellaneous bothersome noise I couldn't make out.

Anyway, I'm not sure why I told that story, but you can see I was so delighted with my new Granddaughter that when it comes to shenanigans, I still have not been able to yank any down.

The Proverbs 31 Project: Commenting March 23rd on Proverbs 23:6-9

                                       March 23rd?     Read Proverbs 23!

[Please note: The first two paragraphs below are repeated each day for new readers. My amateur comments are offered below each of today's verses from Proverbs.]

Have you ever noticed that, as most months have 31 days, so the Book of Proverbs has 31 chapters? Fascinating right? Well, it is at least interesting, and coincidentally beneficial to those who would like to read a portion of thought provoking scripture every day of the month. You might like to read the calendar coordinated chapter from Proverbs every day this month (I've included the whole chapter below!) and then see if my comments on a few of those verses line up with your own observations. My plan is to go through the year, writing my response to about one seventh of each chapter's verses every day, during each of the 7 months that have 31 days.  Clear as mud? That's what I thought.

I hope you check in, and leave a comment. Especially if I say something really off base and need to be corrected, because, as we will learn this month on the 27th, Proverbs 27:5 says

                                "Better is open rebuke than hidden love." 

                                          Today's inspired verses, 6-9, are highlighted in red

                                                (and my questionable comments are in blue).



Proverbs 23

Saying 7

1 When you sit to dine with a ruler,
note well what[a] is before you,
2 and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to gluttony.
3 Do not crave his delicacies,
for that food is deceptive.

Saying 8

4 Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
do not trust your own cleverness.
5 Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Saying 9


6 Do not eat the food of a begrudging host,
do not crave his delicacies;


6)  We are back to the "30 sayings of the wise" that began in chapter 22.  With my odd system (there, I admit it!) of proverbial review we won't get to the first wise saying until July 22!  We will just have to gain our wisdom out of order.  And no, there is not a colon or a hyphen after wisdom in that sentence.


Are you surprised at what kind of thing ranks as a 'wise saying'?  It seems that I would come up with something more universally relevant than this, if I were called upon, though I see that it is indeed a valuable truth.  Who wants to eat the food of a grouch?  We don't even want a meal to be sullied by a tired waitress, let alone an unwelcoming host!


7 for he is the kind of person
who is always thinking about the cost.[b]
“Eat and drink,” he says to you,
but his heart is not with you.


7) I think about cost a lot, but the last thing I would want is for my guests to know that.  Better to withhold an invitation than to send one with a note of regret attached!


8 You will vomit up the little you have eaten
and will have wasted your compliments.


8) Is this proverb rated PG?  Yuck!  "Wasted Compliments".  There's a book title for you.  But I got dibs!


Saying 10


9 Do not speak to fools,
for they will scorn your prudent words.


9) If this guy were writing now, do you think he might say "Do not comment, like, post, tag, poke or friend fools, for they will scorn your prudent status updates."?  I think so too.

Saying 11

10 Do not move an ancient boundary stone
or encroach on the fields of the fatherless,
11 for their Defender is strong;
he will take up their case against you.

Saying 12

12 Apply your heart to instruction
and your ears to words of knowledge.

Saying 13

13 Do not withhold discipline from a child;
if you punish them with the rod, they will not die.
14 Punish them with the rod
and save them from death.

Saying 14

15 My son, if your heart is wise,
then my heart will be glad indeed;
16 my inmost being will rejoice
when your lips speak what is right.

Saying 15

17 Do not let your heart envy sinners,
but always be zealous for the fear of the LORD.
18 There is surely a future hope for you,
and your hope will not be cut off.

Saying 16

19 Listen, my son, and be wise,
and set your heart on the right path:
20 Do not join those who drink too much wine
or gorge themselves on meat,
21 for drunkards and gluttons become poor,
and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

Saying 17

22 Listen to your father, who gave you life,
and do not despise your mother when she is old.
23 Buy the truth and do not sell it—
wisdom, instruction and insight as well.
24 The father of a righteous child has great joy;
a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.
25 May your father and mother rejoice;
may she who gave you birth be joyful!

Saying 18

26 My son, give me your heart
and let your eyes delight in my ways,
27 for an adulterous woman is a deep pit,
and a wayward wife is a narrow well.
28 Like a bandit she lies in wait
and multiplies the unfaithful among men.

Saying 19

29 Who has woe? Who has sorrow?
Who has strife? Who has complaints?
Who has needless bruises? Who has bloodshot eyes?
30 Those who linger over wine,
who go to sample bowls of mixed wine.
31 Do not gaze at wine when it is red,
when it sparkles in the cup,
when it goes down smoothly!
32 In the end it bites like a snake
and poisons like a viper.
33 Your eyes will see strange sights,
and your mind will imagine confusing things.
34 You will be like one sleeping on the high seas,
lying on top of the rigging.
35 “They hit me,” you will say, “but I’m not hurt!
They beat me, but I don’t feel it!
When will I wake up
so I can find another drink?”
Footnotes:
Proverbs 23:1 Or who
Proverbs 23:7 Or for as he thinks within himself, / so he is; or for as he puts on a feast, / so he is

First Person Account Of the Clintonville Wisconsin Rumblings

The first big boom came Sunday night about 9:30 and I thought half of our maple tree fell on the house. Then through the night, when the periodic jolts hit with a loud bang I kept searching through the house for a cause; furnace malfunction? water-hammer in the pipes? white tail deer running full bore into the wall? furniture jumping up and down upstairs? Perhaps Al Quaeda switched from hijacking airplanes and instead has stolen the "Augernaut" from Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry and is now crawling under Clintonville (where else would they attack after New York?) and ramming its residential foundations. I finally, and embarrassingly, called the police around 3:30 when I was again rocked out of sleep, in order to discover if it was just my house that was disturbing the peace. The dispatcher told me people were calling in from Hughes, Wilson and McKinley streets, all of which surround my little abode! Obviously, I was much relieved and went back to sleep.  If a sink hole swallows my house I may as well be cozy on the way down.

So that night, the strange loud noises came periodically, but not regularly, through the night. I haven't heard anyone else mention this point, but it seems to me that most bumps had a two stage aspect to them. Like if you were throwing a chunk of firewood into the basement and it hit the floor (boom!) and then fell over and hit again (bump). I could not fathom why my neighbors were throwing whole tree stumps into my basement at 2 in the morning, but, people are people. At one point I was outside to see if maybe the Mars Rover, parts of the space station and all of Russia's old satellites were lined up and landing on my roof (well, anything is possible right?) when I heard a big bang and actually felt the sidewalk shake a bit! It was a very strange sensation. My tendency is to doubt even my own senses in such an unknowable situation as that, so I still never thought we might be in some kind of earthquake.

Regional seismographs have demonstrated that we did not have any earthquakes per se, but that the ground did shake. No, I never heard of an earthSHAKE either, but you probably never heard of Clintonville Wisconsin before it hit the world stage with its new Shake Rattle and Roll Show.

During the day Monday, there were some, but fewer rumbles. Monday night they returned, but not with so much vengeance. Tuesday, there may have been a few vibrations but that could be related to the overburden of Wisconsin's news vans arriving and touring through the quiet looking streets of our fair town! The last noticeable boom came around 5 AM on Wednesday. The city of Clintonville held an open meeting for the public Wednesday evening to inform us of all they don't know yet. One person there asked: "If the earth is shifting then why aren't we finding dead birds? 'Cause if they start dropping we're next."

I thought that was silly. How could the terrorist's Augernaut kill birds?