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.

CHANGES

The leaves on the fancy hybrid maple tree outside the livingroom window is changing into its pretty Fall colors before dropping them completely off …

… and it’s raining – has been steadily raining since Wednesday; Fall has arrived.

I like this time of year; some people don’t, but I do. I like the crispness in the air that pinks the cheeks, the cooler weather settling in; which means I can breathe easier, the beautiful leaf colors that pop – making the heavy gray days tolerable, and the scent of approaching Winter hovering on the breeze. The other day I even caught a quick scent of someone burning a wood stove – not in the Park I am sure, but nearby, and drifting on the air currents passing over us.

It’s been eventful here, but we are learning to lean into the onslaught and push forward. Hubs is still struggling with this illness, but this is our life now and we must learn how to roll with the punches and get back on our feet to defy the foul enemy which whispers fear into our hearts. This we can do with the help of the Ruach Ha’Kodesh, Who gently guides us, teaches us, and tells us that Elohei loves us: “be strong and of good courage, for you are His – and He will not fail you. Has His Word not said so, and has He not shown you in times past that He will deliver you out of the hand of the fowler?”

We have no one BUT Elohei on our side walking with us through this dark and scary time which seems always to lead to the edge of the valley of death. Right now, Hubs is suffering with pancreatic pain which is making life difficult to bear. We were told with last week’s hospitalization that there is no need for gall bladder surgery (((YAY!))), and 2 days ago we were told that his heart, kidneys, and liver are all where they need to be too ‘for a man’ his age (((YAY!))) – all glory and honor goes to Yeshua for His healing grace, and to Elohim for His favor :-D Hub’s blood count is still very low making him severely anemic, and he is having trouble eating and keeping nourishment in his body due to the pancreas flare-ups, but we know that Elohei knows all about that and will take care of it like He has the rest if we rest in Him and do not allow fear to take root and spread its poisonous tentacles in our lives. Hubs continues to go to the scheduled appointments with various docs and physicians, but they really can’t help him – he goes mainly to say he went and to shut everyone up, but he knows that they cannot help him; only Elohei can help him. The doctors and physicians are only guessing at what they can do, but Elohei knows EXACTLY what needs to be done. People ask, “Then why doesn’t God heal him?” Who are we to ask such questions? And with such mockery? Perhaps it is for others that he is suffering so – one of his night nurses during last week’s hospitalization during a severe flare-up, was a young woman we knew as a baby and child who has since forsaken the Faith: Hubs and she talked many times about many things, including Faith … perhaps their coming together as they did was not mere happenstance – perhaps it was supernaturally arranged and perhaps she may start making changes in her life that will greatly benefit her. Who knows? Only Elohei KNOWS why any of us go through anything we go through. And we can only go through it with Him.

Changes.

They’re hard. Sometimes very hard …

But we don’t have to go through changes alone. This we KNOW, and that makes it all bearable ;-)

Since Hubs has been spending so much time in/out of ER and the hospital, a nurse noticed MOD paperback novel cover and asked if I made it; I said, “yes, and that we usually do the Bazaar circuit where I do a pretty brisk business selling my original designs, but this year that is out because Hubs is so sick.” I said too that if this is our life from now on (at least until Elohei heals him), Bazaars may be a thing of the past. Then she asked if I had ever considered donating items, and that the hospital has a program that accepts handmade items such as baby hats, chemo hats, baby blankets and chemo blankets. I readily agreed – this is one way I can repay some of the $$$$$’s the Bridge Program is forking out for our medical expenses. I called the foundation and signed on ;-)

This is the baby blanket I am currently working on:

When it is finished, I will drop it off with the lapghans I am digging out of my Bazaar Cache to donate.

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ACTS ~ Chapters 21 & 22

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ACTS ~ Chapters 21 & 22

After we had parted from them we set sail and came straight down to Cos, and the next day we sailed on to Rhodes, and from there to Patara. There we found a ship that was crossing over to Phoenicia, so we got on board and set sail. We came in sight of Cyprus, but passed it on our left and sailed on to Syria, where we landed at Tyre, the place where the ship was to unload its cargo. While there, we looked up the disciples and stayed with them for 7 days. Through the Ruach, they told Paul not to go to Jerusalem. When we stayed out our time there, we left them and continued on our way. And all of them, including the wives and children, escorted us as far as outside the city limits. Then we all kneeled down on the beach and prayed.

Then, having said farewell, we went aboard the ship and they returned to their homes. At the end of the voyage from Tyre we arrived at Ptolemais. There we greeted the brethren and remained with them one day. The next day we (Paul and his companions) departed and came to Caesarea. We came to the home of Philip, the evangelist, who had been one of the seven deacons, and we stayed with him. He had 4 unmarried daughters who had the gift of prophecy.

While we were staying there a few days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. He came over to us and took Paul’s belt, with which he bound his own feet and hands and then said, “Thus says the Ruach Ha’Kodesh: ‘Just so will the Jews in Jerusalem bind the man who owns this belt, and they will deliver him into the hands of the heathen’.” When we heard this, we and the people there begged Paul not to go to Jerusalem. This was his reply, “What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but to die for the Name of Adonai Yeshua Ha’Maschiach.” Then since he would not be persuaded, we kept silent except to say, “The Will of Adani be done!”

After a few days we got our baggage ready and went to Jerusalem. Some of the disciples in Caesarea went with us and brought us to the house of Mnason, a man from Cyprus who was a disciple of long standing. We were to stay with him.

When we reached Jerusalem the brethren there gave us a joyful welcome. Paul went with us the next day to call on James, and all the elders were gathered there. After having greeted them, Paul gave a detailed account of what Elohei had done for the Gentiles through his work. On hearing this, they praised Adonai Yeshua. But they said to him, ‘You see, brother, how many thousands of Jews have become Believers, yet they are all zealous supporters of the Law. They have been informed about you, that you teach all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to break away from the Law of Moshe, telling them not to circumcise their children and not to follow the old customs. What, then, is to be done? A crowd of them will surely gather about you when they hear that you have come. Therefore, this is what we suggest you do: We have 4 men with us who have taken a vow. Take these men with you, go through the purification ritual with them, and pay the expenses, so that they may shave their heads. Then everyone will know that there is nothing to the reports that they have heard about you, but that, on the contrary you, yourself, are strictly keeping the Law. And as to the Gentile Believers, we wrote to them saying that on our judgment they need not observe any such thing, except that they must abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols, and from blood, and from what has been strangled, and from unchastity.’

The next day, then, Paul took the men, purified himself with them and entered the temple, giving notice when they should complete the days of purification and when the offering for each of them was to be made.

As the 7 days were about ended, some Jews from the province of Asia saw pau lint he temple. They excited the whole crowd into an uproar and laid hands on him. They shouted, ‘Men of Israel! Help! This is the fellow who is everywhere attacking our people, our Law and this sanctuary. And besides, he has brought Greeks into the temple and has made this holy place unclean.’ For they had seen him in the city previously in company with Trophimus, the Ephesian, and supposed that Paul had brought him with him into the temple. The whole city was then in an uproar, and the crowd surged back and forth.  They seized Paul and dragged him out of the temple, after which the doors were shut. While they were getting ready to kill him, word came to the colonel of the regiment that the people were rioting all over Jerusalem. He at once summoned his soldiers and captains; and charged down on them. At the sight of the colonel and his soldiers, they stopped beating Paul. The colonel then came and arrested Paul. Having given orders that he should be bound with 2 chains, he inquired as to who he was and what he had done. Some of the mob was shouting one thing, an others something else, and it was impossible to find out anything certain on account of the clamor, so he gave orders that Paul be brought to the barracks. The violence of the mob was so great that when they reached the steps Paul had to be carried by the soldiers. The rabble kept pressing on behind and shouting, ‘Do away with him!’

When he was being brought to the barracks, Paul said to the colonel, “May I be permitted to say something to you?” He answered, ‘So you know Greek? Then you are not the Egyptian who some time ago incited a revolt and led 4000 rebels into the desert?’ “No,” said Paul, “I am a Jew, a citizen of Tarsus in Cilicia, not a bad city at all. And I beg you therefore to let me speak to the people.” The colonel gave him permission to speak. So Paul, standing there on the steps, made a gesture with his hands to the people. A great hush then ensued and he spoke to them in the Hebrew language.

CHAPTER 22

“Brethren and fathers,” he said, “listen to the defense that I am now going to make to you.” When they heard that he spoke to them in the Hebrew language they became still more quiet. And he continued: “I am, without a question, a Jew. Though I was born in tarsus of Cilicia, yet I was brought to this city. I was trained at the feet of Gamaliel (a leading authority in the Sanhedrin in the early 1st century AD), given a thorough knowledge of our ancestral Law, and was as zealous for Elohei as you all are this day. I persecuted to death those who followed the new Way. I put both men and women in chains, imprisoning them. As to this fact, both the high priest and all the elders can bear me witness. Indeed, I received letters from them to the brethren in Damascus, and I set out for Damascus to seize the Believes there, to bring them back in chains to Jerusalem to be punished.”

“But as I was on my way and coming close to Damascus, about noon, all at once a great light from heaven shone about me. I then fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? I answered, ‘Who are you?’ He said to me, “I am Yeshua of Nazareth, Whom you are persecuting.” And those who were with me were alarmed. They saw the light but did not hear the voice of Him who spoke to me. ‘Adonai, what should I do?’ I asked. And Adonai said to me, “Rise up and go to Damascus. There you will be told all that you will be appointed to do.”

“Now since I could not see because of the brightness of that light, those who were with me led me by the hand until I came to Damascus. Ananias was there. He was a devout observer of the Law and was well spoken of by al the Jews who lived there. He came to me and said as he was standing near me, ‘Brother Saul, look up!’ And at that very moment I looked up and saw him. Then he said, ‘The God of our fathers has appointed you to know His Will, to see the Just One and to hear His voice. And you are to be His witness, telling all men what you have seen and heard. And now, why delay? Rise up and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on the Name of Adonai.’”

“Then it came about that, after I had returned to Jerusalem, I fell into a trance while I was at prayer in the temple. And I saw Him saying to me, “Make haste and get out of Jerusalem quickly, because they will not accept your testimony about Me.” ‘Adonai’, I said, ‘they themselves know that in every synagogue I used to imprison and flog those who believed in You. Also, that when the blood of Your martyr Stephen was shed, I stood there and gave my approval while looking after the clothing of those who murdered him.’ And he said to me, “Go, for I will send you afar off to the Gentiles.”

They had listened to him until he spoke this word, at which they gave a mighty shout, ‘Away from the earth with such a one! He is not fit to live!’ They kept on yelling, tearing their clothing and throwing garments and dust into the air. Meanwhile, the colonel had ordered that Paul be brought into the barracks; also that he be examined and flogged to find out why they cried out against him. And as they tied him with thongs, Paul said to the captain who was in charge, “Is it lawful for you to flog a man who is a Roman citizen, and who has not been condemned?”

When the captain heard this, he reported it to the colonel and said to him, ‘Look here! What are you about to do? This man is a Roman citizen.’ The colonel then came and asked Paul, ‘Are you a Roman citizen?’ Tell me.’ And Paul answered, “Yes.” The colonel then remarked, ‘I paid a large sum for this citizenship.’ And Paul said in reply, “But I was born a free citizen.” Then those who were about to examine him left him at once. Also the colonel himself was worried on discovering that Paul was a Roman citizen, especially since he had been bound. So the next day he took off the chains and commanded the chief priests and the whole council to meet, and then he brought Paul down and set him before them, for he wanted to know the truth as to why he was accused by the Jews.

               

**ACTS 20: http://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-gospel-according-to-acts-chapters-20.html

MOD KNIT LACY CHRISTMAS TREE KITCHEN TOWEL

I saw this lovely antique edging in one of my pattern books and just had to try to work it along the hemline of one of MOD knitted kitchen towels ;-)

MOD KNIT LACY CHRISTMAS TREE KITCHEN TOWEL.

The lacy edging actually works up quite quickly despite the lengthy pattern instructions.

Materials: cotton yarn in Dark Green & Mistletoe Ombre, #10 knitting needles, crochet hook #J, tapestry needle, large button

Pattern: CHRISTMAS TREE EDGING: CO 16 sts and k 1 row.

ROW 1: Yo, k2 tog, k 1, yo, k 10, yo, k2 tog, k1.

ROW 2: K2, yo, k2 tog, k 12, p1.

ROW 3: Yo, k2 tog, k 1, yo, k2 tog, yo, k 9, yo,  k2 tog, k 1.

ROW 4: k 2, yo, k2 tog, k 13, p 1.

ROW 5: Yo, k2 tog, k 1, (yo, k2 tog) twice, yo, k 8, yo, k2 tog, k 1.

ROW 6: K 2, yo, k2 tog, k 14, p 1.

ROW 7: Yo, k2 tog, k 1, (yo, k2 tog) 3 times, yo, k 7, yo, k2 tog, k 1.

ROW 8: K 2, yo, k2 tog, k 15, p 1.

ROW 9: Yo, k2 tog, k 1, (yo, k2 tog) 4 times, yo, k 6, yo, k2 tog, k 1.

ROW 10: K 2, yo, k2 tog, k 16, p 1.

ROW 11: Yo, k2 tog, k 1, (yo, k2 tog) 5 times, yo, k 5, yo, k2 tog, k 1.

ROW 12: K 2, yo, k2 tog, k 17, p 1.

ROW 13: Yo, k2 tog, k 1, (yo, k2 tog) 6 times, yo, k 4, yo, k2 tog, k 1.

ROW 14: k 2, yo, k2 tog, k 18, p 1.

ROW 15: Yo, k2 tog, k 1, (yo, k2 tog) 7 times, yo, k 3, yo, k2 tog, k 1.

ROW 16: K 2, yo, k2 tog, k 19, p 1.

ROW 17: Yo, (k2 tog) twice, (yo, k2 tog) 7 times, k 3, yo, k2 tog, k 1.

ROWS 18, 20, 22, 24, 26, 28, & 30: Repeat rows – 14, 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, & 2.

ROW 19: Yo, (k2 tog) twice, (yo, k2 tog) 6 times, k 4, yo, k2 tog, k 1.

ROW 21: Yo, (k2 tog) twice, (yo, k2 tog) 5 times, K 5, yo, K2 tog, k 1.

ROW 23: Yo, (K2 tog) twice, (yo, k2 tog) 4 times, k 6, yo, k2 tog, k 1.

ROW 25: Yo, (k2 tog) twice, (yo, k2 tog) 3 times, k 7, yo, k2 tog, k 1.

ROW 27: Yo, (k2 tog) twice, (yo, k2 tog) twice, k 8, yo, k2 tog, k 1.

ROW 29: Yo, (k2 tog) twice, yo, k2 tog, k 9, yo, k2 tog, k 1.

ROW 31: Yo, (k2 tog) twice, k10, yo, k2 tog, k 1.

ROW 32: K 2, yo, k2 tog, k 11, p 1.

Repeat rows 1 thru 32 for lacy pattern.

CHRISTMAS TREE EDGING; rows 1 thru 32

CHRISTMAS TREE EDGING; 2 panels worked …

I have found that the easiest way to stay on track with the lengthy edging is to write the rows down on notebook paper and check them off as they are completed. Ditto for the number of knitted towel rows.

Keeping track …

Instructions for kitchen towel design, co 16 sts and work 3 rows garter st. Then begin lacy Christmas Tree Edging pattern for a repeat of 4 panels (rows 1 thru 32) end with 3 rows garter st and BO with row 4 garter stitch. Drop dark green yarn and attach mistletoe ombre yarn.

Lay lacy edging horizontally for towel hemline. With crochet hook, pick up and draw mistletoe ombre through each st and slide onto a knitting needle (68 sts).

P one row.

Begin knitting the towel in st st. for a total of 48 rows (including the 16 rows of edging).

ROW 49: K 5 st sts for border edge, dec 3 sts tog to last 5 sts – k st st to end of row.

ROW 50: P 5 sts for border edge, dec 2 sts tog to last 5 sts – p remaining sts to end.

Crochet Towel Topper: With crochet hook, sc across sts slipping them off knitting needle as you work along. Turn.

Dec along each side edge until 7 sc remain; turn and ch 1 each row.

Work 14 rows of 7 sc.

Sl st across 3 sc, ch 8, sl st across sc to end for buttonhole. Turn and work 10 dc’s in buttonhole loop, sl st to end. Add a picot trim if desired. Sew button in place. Done! :-D

Earlier in the month I designed and crafted these 2 kitchen towels too for October and November, but didn’t have time to write the instructions out. Sorry – things have been pretty hectic around here … but they are pretty simple to calculate though. Just CO 72 sts and work for a total of 49 rows to complete the towel ‘body’; and figure in a pattern such as ‘window pane check’ shown in MOD “Candy Corn” towel … and along the 14 row hemline of MOD “Fall Colors” towel. The Candy Corn towel was worked entirely in the window pane pattern – the Fall Colors towel was worked using row 2 of the window pane check pattern along the upper hemline, as well as a leaf graph I found on Pinterest and drew to fit my towel calculations. The decreased finish up for both towels is the same as written above; ditto for the towel topper instructions ;-)

MOD CANDY CORN KITCHEN TOWEL. Window Pane Check Pattern. 72 sts.

Pattern: WINDOW PANE CHECK: Multiple of 8 sts + 1.

ROW 1 (WS): and all other WS rows – purl.

ROW 2: P 1, *K 1, p1; repeat from *

ROWS 4, 8, & 12: knit.

ROWS 6 & 10: P 1, *K 7, p 1; repeat from *

Repeat rows 1 to 12 for pattern.

I patterned my Fall Colors Kitchen Towel after a visit to our favorite Park where the colors were popping recently …

MOD FALL COLORS KITCHEN TOWEL Set.

FALL COLORS TOWEL LEAF GRAPH

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ACTS ~ Chapters 20

Parts of the Book of Acts reads like a 3^rd person narrative. And it is. The Book of Acts is the 2^nd part of a 2-park work that begins in the Gospel book of the Evangelist Luke (the 3^rd Gospel in the New Covenant), dating around 80-90 A.D. The author is of course Luke, a disciple of Paul – Titus was Luke’s brother.

There are 3 instances in the Book of Acts in which Luke includes himself in his narrative of happenings – today’s chapter is one such instance.

There is also argument as to whether Luke was a doctor of medicine … or a doctor of The Law – I lean towards the 2^nd argument, chiefly because Yeshua is The Great Physician and He is to Whom one is pointed for healing. NO WHERE IN SCRIPTURE are Christians TOLD TO SEEK OUT DOCTORS for healing, for ONLY Yeshua can heal what ails us – doctors of medicine may be able to tell us what they think may be wrong with us, but only Yeshua can heal us. And yet there are times – mentioned in the New Covenant – where Yeshua does not immediately heal people in order that the magnificence of Elohei is eventually revealed. The ONLY time physicians are mentioned at all in Scripture is to point to Yeshua as our all in all (Luke 5:31-32; John 5:1-9), and to point out that doctors of medicine are failures when it comes to healing people of anything (Luke 8:43-48). Christians are specifically told to avoid sciences – which are linked with myths and fables (1 Timothy 6:19-21). I do not ... and will not ... argue these points with anyone; I didn't even answer my own sister's hostile arguments when she went at us recently: she and her husband treat doctors like gods - Hubs and I KNOW Who our God IS; and therein lies the difference in how we view doctors; and knowledge.

On a personal note, my husband and I are experiencing that healing delay I mentioned at present even though we trust Elohei 100% and expect His Will for us and our situation. Yes, my husband IS presently in a hospital attended to by medical staff (basically as a precaution for my legal safety IF a NR order is called for), and also to put a name to what ails him so we know what to specifically PRAY FOR. We KNOW Elohei is ultimately in control of the entire situation and circumstantial outcome regardless of the medical staff surrounding him. We know that either Hubs will be healed by Yeshua’s work on Calvary, or … he will have surgery and be a witness in that regard to someone who needs to witness the power of Elohei in Hub’s unpleasant and frustrating ordeal. We do not know why we go through trials and tribulations, we only know that we are never alone, and that Elohei has it ALL under control. We do not try to explain it to others … our friends and fellow Believers do not need an explanation; and Job’s-comforters-mockers and unbelievers won’t hear us anyway. We just rest 100% on the promises and faithfulness of Elohei, brought to fruition through the sacrifices of Yeshua.

And remember while reading this study that when Paul is talking about ‘the Jews’, he is referring to the religiously pious hypocrites that are ethnic Jews and not true Jews in accordance to Elohei’s Chosen Own – Paul himself was a Jew as well as a Gentile (his mother was a Jewess), and the early Church was primarily made up of Jews, with Gentiles being adopted into the Faith through grace extended to them by faith in Yeshua. Paul is not condemning Jews – he is condemning hypocritical religiosity and racial hatred aimed towards himself and the Brethren.

~Val

THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO Acts ~ Chapter 20

When the uproar had ceased, Paul called his disciples to him, said goodbye to them and took leave to go to Macedonia. When he had passed through those parts and had given them much encouraging advice, he went on to Greece. There he stayed 3 months. Then, as he was about to take a ship for Syria, he discovered that the Jews had made a plot against him, and so he decided to return by way of Macedonia. The following were his fellow travelers as far as the province of Asia: Sopater of Berea, Aristarchus and Secundus of Thessalonica, Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; also Tychicus and Trophimus from Asia. These had gone on ahead and waited for us at Troas.

After the Festival of Unleavened Bread (Passover) we set sail from Philippi and came to them at Troas. It took us 5 days to get there and we remained a whole week. On the 1^st day of the week, when the disciples had met to break bread, Paul preached to them, since he expected to leave the next day. He continued talking till midnight. There were many lights in the upper room where they were assembled. In the window there sat a young man named Eutychus. As Paul kept on preaching, he sank into a heavy sleep. At last, overcome by sleep, he fell from the 3^rd story down to the ground, where he was picked up for dead. Paul hastened down and bent over him and took him in his arms, and said, “Don’t be alarmed, for there is still life in him!” So he went up again, broke bread and ate, after which he conversed with them a long time, even till daybreak, and then he departed. And they took the young man home again, alive, which cheered them greatly.

We went on ahead of Paul, took ship and sailed to Assos, where we were to take him on board. He had planned it that way, as he intended to go that far on foot. When we came to Assos and met him there, we took him aboard and proceeded to Mitylene. And going from there by ship, we arrived on the following day opposite Chios. On the 2^nd day we stopped at Samos, then tarried at Trogyllium, and the 3^rd day we arrived at Miletus. Paul had decided to pass by Ephesus so as not to spend much time in the province of Asia. He wanted to hurry on so that he could, if possible, be in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost.

From Miletus he sent a message to Ephesus, summoning the elders of the congregation to come to him. And when they were come to him he spoke to them: “From the first day that I came to the province of Asia, you know how I conducted myself all the time. I served The Lord with all humility and with tears through the trials that came upon me because of the wicked plots of the Jews. I never failed to tell you everything that would be profitable to you, and I taught you in public and from house to house. I preached to Jew and Greek alike about turning back to Elohei and believing in Adonai Yeshua Ha’Mashiach. And now, as you can see, I am on my way to Jerusalem, compelled to do so by the Ruach, and I have no idea of what will befall me there. Except this, that in every city I come to, the Ruach Ha’Kodesh tells me chains and afflictions await me. But I am not much concerned about that, nor do I value my life as precious to myself, except that I should like with joy to finish my course, the work that Adonai Yeshua gave me to do, namely, to preach the whole Gospel of the grace of Elohei.

And now I am quite sure that no one of you, among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom of Elohei, will ever see my face again. Therefore I testify before you on this day that I am innocent of the blood of all of you. For I never shrank form telling you the whole purpose of Elohim. Keep watch, therefore, over yourselves, and over the whole flock of which the Ruach Ha’Kodesh has made you shepherds, to feed The Church of Elohei which He purchased for Himself with His own blood. Yes, I well know that monstrous wolves will come in among you after my departure, and they will not spare the flock. And from your own number, too, men will rise up and teach false doctrines so as to get disciples to follow them. So I say, be on the watch. And remember the 3 years I continued to admonish every one of you, night and day, even with tears.

And now, brethren, I commit you to Elohim and His gracious Word which can build you up and give you your inheritance among all the saints. I have not coveted anyone’s silver or gold or clothing. You all know that with my hands I earned enough to care for my own wants and for those who were with me. In all things I have showed you that by working like this we can help those who are weak. And let us remember the words that Adonai Yeshua Himself spoke, “It is more blessed to give than to receive.””

When he had finished his talk, he kneeled with the others and prayed. They all wept a great deal, and they embraced Paul and kissed him. The thing that grieved them most of all, was that he had said that they would never see his face again. Then they accompanied him to the ship.

**ACTS 19: https://jeastofeden.blogspot.com/2018/10/the-gospel-according-to-acts-chapters-19.html

PEAR PIE Recipe

BIL Kerry just came by with a big bag of fresh picked Asian Pears from his property.

Aren’t they beauts?

And they taste as good as they look too ;-)

We’ll keep a few out to eat fresh … and I’ll pare, cut, and freeze the rest for Pear Pies this Winter. ((((YUMMY!!!!))))  :-)

I had a tried-and-true recipe on hand for Pear Pie that I have used for years, but I sent the Recipe Book it was in home with my granddaughter the other day, so I had to track this one down online. It’s basically the same. If you have never eaten a pear pie before, you have been missing a taste-bud delight ;-)

https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/12275/fresh-pear-pie/