THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ACTS ~ Chapter 24

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ACTS ~ Chapter 24

Five days later, Ananias the high priest arrived, accompanied by some elders and a lawyer by the name of Tertullus, who made a complaint against Paul before Felix. When he was called on, Tertullus began his charge by saying, ‘Most excellent Felix, because of you we are enjoying real peace, and through your forethought wrongs have been righted in this nation. It is with joy and thankfulness that we accept these things in every way and in every place. And now, in order not to weary you with all this, I simply want to ask you to give us, out of kindness, a brief hearing. We have found this man to be a pest, an organizer of insurrections among all the Jews and the whole world – a ringleader in the sect of the Nazarenes. He even tried to desecrate the Temple, but we caught him and would have judged hi according to our Law. But Lysias, the colonel, stepped in with great force and took him out of our hands. And he ordered his accusers to be brought before you. By questioning him yourself you will be able to learn from him everything of which we accuse him.’ The Jews agreed to this statement, declaring that these accusations were true.

The governor then gave Paul a signal to make an answer, and he said, “I am rather happy to defend myself, knowing as I do that you have been a judge over this nation for a number of years. You can easily find out that it is not more than 12 days since I went to Jerusalem to worship. Also they did not find me in argument with anybody or stirring up the people in the Temple or synagogues, or the city. Nor can they prove any of the charges that they make against me.

But this I do admit, that I worship the God of our fathers, according to the new way they call heresy; but I believe everything that has been recorded in the Law and the prophets. In Elohei I have a hope for the very things that they themselves are looking for, namely – that there will be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and the unjust. And therefore I train myself to have a good conscience before Elohim and man.

After being away for a number of years, I returned to bring alms to my people and present offerings. They found me in the Temple, purified, not in a crowd, nor in rioting. But there are some Jews there from the province of Asia. They should have been here to complain if they had anything against me. Or let these men here give an account of what blame they found in me when I stood before the council. Yes, there was one thing they resented; for I cried out, ‘I am here to be tried concerning my hope for the resurrection of the dead.’”

Then Felix, who already had considerable knowledge of the Christian Way, postponed the case, saying, ‘When Lysias, the colonel comes down, I will finish the examination of your case. Then he gave orders to the captain to keep Paul in custody, but with some liberty, and not to keep his friends from seeing and helping him.

Some days later Felix came with Drusilla, his wife, who was a Jewess (https://www.biblegateway.com/resources/all-women-bible/Drusilla). He sent for Paul and listened to him speak of faith in Yeshua Ha’Mashiach. And when he spoke about righteousness, self-control and the coming judgement, Felix became frightened and said, ‘Go now, and I will send for you when it will be convenient for me.’ He was hoping that Paul would give him money for his release. For that reason, too, he sent for him often and conversed with him. Then, after 2 years, Felix was succeeded by Porcius Festus, but Felix, wishing to gain favor with the Jews, left Paul in custody.

Roman Governor Felix

Drusilla the Jewess consort of Felix

Porcius Festus

**ACTS 23: https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-gospel-according-to-acts-chapter-23.html

TOMATO SOUP W/STAR ANISE

Pancreatitis is such an insidious thing. Chronic pancreatitis is a painful and unpredictable thing. Docs are stumped as to what brought on Hub’s condition, but stressors was the general consensus … and we have had lots of stressors since we moved here to Heron Pointe last Summer – 2 major pains in the ass, namely neighbor ron who instigated the August ridiculousness … and sour faced/attitude Park manager candy, who caused so much frustrated stress (and still does) that Hubs ended up in ER which led to 2 scary ICU visits, and subsequent lengthy hospital stays with continual flare-ups. Heron Point puts itself forward as a “very friendly place with very friendly people” … but that has not been our experience here; especially since candy became manager: I can’t wait to leave this hell hole. As soon as Hubs is on the mend, and our realtor finds another place to relocate, we are outta here.

Until then, spending so many days at the hospital is taking its toll in many ways – one of those ways being the family budget. I have been eating breakfast, lunch, (and sometimes dinner at the hospital café when I stay the night), but at $10 a meal, it adds up quickly … the cost is astronomical, and the food crappy! You would think that hospitals would serve healthy foods, but they don’t – it’s just overpriced fast food like any other place in town that serves fast foods guaranteed to land you in ER. I have had enough of ER!

So I have decided to make my own lunch and supper at home and pack it to the hospital; that makes sense economically as well as health-wise. Tomorrow I will be enjoying a tasty aromatic tomato soup (recipe below) made with the tomatoes I grew in my garden this year with a side shredded turkey/hard-boiled egg sandwich. Yummmm! Much, much better for my body than the fast food tasteless stuff served in the hospital café that is worse than ‘the golden arches’ ick I never could stomach. I need to stay healthy for Hubs so that when he comes home I can do what needs to be done for him and with him – can’t do that if my body is filled with junk foods that will harm it.

This practical recipe made with an exotic Chinese spice, the little hard star anise; and it is easy and delicious: perfect for a chilly Fall meal. Plus it packs … and freezes well too ;-)

TOMATO SOUP W/STAR ANISE ~6 servings

2 TBSP Vegetable Oil * 1 large Onion, chopped * 2 Celery stalks, chopped * 1 large Carrot, chopped * 3 pounds tomatoes, chopped (or 6 cups canned Italian plum tomatoes, undrained) * 4 cups Beef Stock * 12 whole Star Anise * 2 fresh Parsley sprigs

Heat oil in a heavy large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add onion and cook until translucent, stirring occasionally – about 10 minutes. Increase heat to medium. Add celery and carrot and cook until beginning to brown, stirring occasionally – about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes, stock, half of star anise and parsley; cover and simmer gently for 40 minutes to blend flavors.

Strain soup through a fine sieve into another saucepan, pressing solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Degrease soup, then bring to a simmer. Ladle into bowls. Garnish with remaining star anise and parsley.

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ACTS ~ Chapter 23

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ACTS ~ Chapter 23

Paul looked straight at the council members and said, “Brethren, I have lived before Elohei with a good conscience until this day.” At this the high priest Ananias told those who were near to give a blow on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, “Elohim Himself with smite you, whitewashed wall! You sit here to try me according to the law, but contrary to the Law, you order me to be struck.”

The bystanders objected, ‘Do you dare revile Elohei’s high priest?’

“Brethren,” answered Paul, “I was not at all aware that he was the high priest. I know that it has been written, ‘You shall not speak evil of the ruler of your people.’” Then Paul saw that a part of the council was made up of Sadducees, and another part of Pharisees, he cried out, “Brethren, I am a Pharisee of the Pharisee stock, and I am here to be tried concerning my hope of the resurrection of the dead.”

At these words an argument arose between the Pharisees and the Sadducees, and the council was divided. For the Sadducees hold that there is no resurrection and no angel or spirit, whereas the Pharisees confess faith in both. The meeting became very noisy. Some of the scribes belonging to the Pharisees argued, ‘We find nothing evil in this man. Maybe he has had an angel or a spirit speak to him. Why not? Let us not fight against Elohei.’ As the debate became very heated, the colonel, fearing that Paul might be torn to pieces by them, ordered his soldiers to take him by force from among them and bring him back to the barracks. On the following night Adonai came to his side and said, “Paul, be brave, for you will be MY witness in Rome, just as you have given a full account of Me in Jerusalem.”

When the day dawned, some of the Jews came together and formed a conspiracy, placing themselves under an oath not to eat or drink until they had killed Paul. There were more than forty who took this oath. They came to the chief priests and elders and said, ‘We have taken a solemn oath not to taste any food till we shall have put Paul to death. We therefore ask you, together with the council, to get the colonel to bring him down to you tomorrow on the pretext that you want to examine his case more fully. And before he gets near to you we shall be waiting to kill him.’ It happened that a son of Paul’s sister learned about this ambush, so he came over to the barracks and told Paul. So Paul called one of the captains to him and said, “Take this young man to the colonel, for he has something to report to him.” Then he brought him to the colonel, saying, ‘Paul, the prisoner, called me over and requested me to bring this young man to you, for he has something to tell you.’ The colonel took him by the hand and, withdrawing to one side, said to him privately, ‘What is it that you have to tell me?’ So he said, “The Jews have agreed to make this request of you, that you bring Paul to the council tomorrow as though they were going to examine his case more accurately. Do not let them persuade you, for more than 40 men are lying in ambush for him, having taken an oath not to eat or drink till they have put him to death. And they are all set, waiting for your move.’ The colonel then dismissed the young man with the strict advice, ‘Do not tell anybody that you have given me this information.’

Then the colonel called two captains to him and said, ‘Make ready 200 foot soldiers, also 70 horsemen and 200 spearmen, to leave for Caesarea at 9:00 tonight. And provide mounts for Paul to ride and take him safely to Felix, the governor.’ He also wrote a letter as follows, ‘Claudius Lysias, to the most excellent governor, Felix – Greetings! This man had been seized by the Jews and was about to be put to death by them, when I came on them with my regiment. I rescued him because I had learned that he was a Roman. I wanted to know what charges they had against him, so I brought him before their council. I learned there that he was accused of matters pertaining to their Law, and that he had not been charged with anything that was punishable by death or even imprisonment. And when I was told that the Jews were about to carry out a plot against this man, I at once sent him to you and gave orders to his accusers to appear before you and make their charges against him.’

CLAUDIUS LYSIAS

ROMAN GOVERNOR FELIX

The soldiers therefore, according to orders, took Paul and brought him by night to Antipatris. Then, on the day after, they sent the horsemen to go with him while they themselves returned to their quarters. When they came to Caesarea the letter was given to the governor, and Paul was also presented to him. When the governor had read the letter he asked what province he was from, and was told that he was from Cilicia. ‘I will give you a full hearing.’ He said, ‘when your accusers have come.’ And he gave orders that he be kept in custody in Herod’s palace.

HEROD’S PALACE – some ‘prison’, huh?

               

**ACTS 21 & 22: http://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2018/11/the-gospel-according-to-acts-chapters.html

FALL COLORS SWADDLING BLANKET PATTERN

                                  

With Hubs being in and out of the hospital so much, and with us using the hospital Bridge Program to pay for all the hospitalization and doctor appointments, I felt that I should do something by way of a payback – money is out of the question; if we had a million dollars, we wouldn’t be using the hospital Bridge Program. While I was visiting Hubs one day, a nurse saw me reading a novel covered by one of the book covers I had crocheted for myself and asked if I had made it … I said, “Yes, I did – we were doing the PNW Bazaar circuit before our lives took a sharp turn south”. And she asked if I would be interested in using my talented skill to make dontable items for the hospitals beneficiary program for patients that need handmade things like hats and blankets. I said yes in quick reply. That IS something I CAN DO … and I already have several of those items in my bazaar bin cache already made and waiting for someplace to go ;-)

Last night I finished work on this baby blanket and just finished weaving in the ends a few minutes ago. A swaddling blanket is just a small baby blanket; lightweight, soft, and warm. Generally about a square in dimensions measuring 48”x48” sq. inches (blanket shown is quite a bit smaller). Cost varies between $15 and $50 for manufactured swaddling blankets that don’t look half as nice as something homemade: MPO. I have no idea yet what it will cost me in materials to make my blanket because though the yarn has never been used, it is not newly purchased and the receipt has long been shredded with the other paper refuse I shred and put in my garden beds.

I am posting the original pattern below, from my ‘Jack Frost’ vol. 47 pattern book, but I have made personalized changes to my swaddling blanket while using the original pattern … as I always do, whatever I make. I always like to put my own signature on everything I make ;-)

CARRIAGE COVER BLANKET (original pattern; Jack Frost design)

Materials: 1 pair #3 knitting needles, 14’ Length; Jack Frost Pompadour (or Paradise) yarn, six count 3-3/4 oz. skiens

Size: 28’ x 28”

With needles, cast on 164 sts. Knit 34 rows garter st. Then start pattern as follows:

ROW 1: K 23, *K 6, P 2, repeat from * 13 times; K 29.

ROW 2: K 23, P 118, K 23.

ROW 3: Repeat row 1.

ROW 4: K.

Above 4 rows form Pattern. Repeat them until piece above garter st rows measures 27 inches – finish by knitting 34 rows garter st for edging. BO

pattern in progress

A very simple pattern that looks very nice when completed :-D

Financial Labyrinth

I was up at 4:30 a.m. this morning and at the hospital by 7:30 a.m., but didn’t get to spend much time with my luv because the day was ate up with appointments to discuss financial arrangements for everything the docs want to do that we simply cannot afford: it all sounds good and the docs feel good when they are telling it to us, but most of it is out of our reach unless we can tap financial resources to pay for all of it. I talked with the hospital social worker twice today – the first time she was not really understanding what we are dealing with and was kinda talking down to me like I was a spoiled simpleton telling me, “I deal with people every day/all day who really have nothing – zero – you have resources to draw from …”; I pretty much tuned her out at that point. It was clear she was ignorant of the grand scope and severity of the situation. But when I spoke with her the second time she was a little more compassionate and had been schooled by her co-worker as to what we are actually dealing with … and ended up in tears while going over “the plan” and sheaves of financial resources with me (pancreatitis is not something that goes away short of an honest-to-God miracle, and it eventually leads to death: it is a constant in-and-out of the hospital wasting disease that, unless Elohim favors Hubs, will rack up millions of dollars in medical care before he passes into glory). We don’t have millions of dollars. She was so repentant of her previous behavior, I actually felt sorry for her, and ended up soothing her!

Hubs has passed the critical stage this morning and the hospital staff inserted a feeding tube and moved him upstairs this afternoon before I left to come home. He will be kept a bit longer to get him started on a supplemental liquid diet in hopes of getting the pancreas well enough to get in there and drain those cysts  don’t know what else will happen, but that much I do know because it was stated to us this morning. They will also be keeping him to monitor how his body reacts to the tube feeding. Then when it is time to release him … again … I will be schooled in how to do the tube feeding at home for home care; it is not a forever thing, but probably for 6 to 8 weeks to calm his pancreas down enough to hopefully get the surgery he needs.

Then when I got home and collected the mail I whooped for joy when I read this letter that said: ((((APPROVED)))) This is a HUGE load off our shoulders …

Doing the happy dance :-D

HAPPY TOGETHER

Living with the painful unpredictably of pancreatitis is hard. Real hard. It is a hard-to-predict, roller-coater-like condition that changes the entire life of not only the person suffering from it … but also if the family that is going through the condition and circumstances with their loved one.

I did not marry my husband knowing that he would 44 years down the road be struggling with this debilitating illness; Bob’s condition hit him suddenly in August after a stressful inflammatory encounter on our front porch with our Park manager that landed him in ER the following afternoon: there was absolutely no warning – no familial history, and no genetic marks to look for and be prepared for. Bob was originally diagnosed in August with gall bladder malfunction, and all the docs were going with that until his recent hospitalization, where the surgeon ruled out gall bladder complications completely, and said that diagnosis was totally wrong … no indication there was ever a need for gall bladder surgery; he didn’t understand why it was even suggested. Bob was also put on 2 heart medications he DID NOT NEED that were literally killing him … causing frightening blackouts and seizures that landed him in the hospital: all those have been put aside too after Wednesday’s ER visit (he was admitted to ER via ambulance when he started having severe chest pains IN the doctor’s office during his scheduled appointment – later told NOT a heart attack, but rather a ‘chest wall pain’ that mimics a heart attack; brought on by the acute pancreatitis. Before the ambulance arrived he was given 2 nitro pills BY the doctor herself as a precaution!). And people wonder why we are skeptical of doctors and their diagnosis’s!

When we were told Bob has acute and chronic pancreatitis, we, like everyone else assumed it is a disease related to acute alcoholism – and we were quick to let everyone know that THAT could not possibly be the reason Bob is suffering; he does not drink heavily … and has not since 1981. And yet, even among doctors, such as we have run across in ER, there is still a stigma attached to the diagnosis and that is the first question asked. It appears that Bob is suffering from {idiopathic pancreatitis}, which means that while he is FOR SURE SUFFERING this miserable condition, there is no apparent cause as to ((((WHY)))) he is suffering the horrific recurring flare-ups and misery associated with them after all systematic diagnostic evaluations have been administered and reviewed. He does have biliary sludge in this gallbladder … but NO stones – and the stones is what would normally be causing all the pain and inflammation he is suffering. Docs are scratching their heads and a recommendations to be admitted to OHSU (the Oregon Health & Science University Hospital) is on the table. We aren’t even arguing the suggestion – Bob needs help, we need answers, and if OHSU can and will pay for his consultation and following procedures … then we are going to go for it and I will learn to handle the frantic and dangerous city driving of Portland, Oregon, which I loathe and avoid at all costs. I WILL learn because we are going through this thing together. And ‘together’ means we will both be facing our scary situations and leaning into them to overcome them.

And we will not allow acute and chronic pancreatitis to destroy our life together, or rob us of our joy in each other. That can happen as frustrations – which is a stressor, and stressors are to be avoided – crops up on any given day. We cannot allow that if Bob is to get better and hopefully beat the devil at his own game.

Life is hard right now. But it WILL get better. There will BE good times in our life again once we get a firmer grip on this thing and learn how to roll with the changes – in diet, in behavior, in character, in public – in every nuance and situation that makes up the tapestry of our life.

We are going through this together, and THAT knowledge coupled with prayer and keeping faith in our Faith will help us get through this trying time.

Together.