Seeds For Thinking

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

* Ebenezer
* Scripture: Samuel took a stone and set up up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far has the Lord helped us.”1 Samuel 7:12, NIV

How do you carry things? Do you use a bag, a sack, or a poke? Many times an object goes by different names, depending upon the location. In some southern and midland areas of the USA, you put things in a poke, including a ‘pig in a poke.’ A picnic in one area might have a hopping good time with sack races, while another would use a bag.
Then, again, a ‘poke’ is a projecting brim on the front of a woman's bonnet, and you might be wearing a ‘poke bonnet.’
In Scotland, men and boys wear a bonnet, a brimless, seamless woolen cap. In other locations, men and boys would say that only women wear a bonnet, a cloth or straw hat tied under the chin. In Britain, you would likely pop the bonnet to check your oil, but Americans call that device the ‘hood’ of their automobiles.
Consider the saying, "Ne'er cast a clout 'til May be out". Clout is from an Old English word for cloth or clothing, and the saying was a reminder not to be too quick to shuck the winter woollies before the chilly days of May were over.
A farmer friend from ‘Down East’ commented that his neighbor used to say that he was "Light on rowen, but we got plenty hay. Ain't nothing wrong with good hay." Rowen is an old-time term for second-cut forage. Those who use the term will call first cutting hay, second cutting rowen. To call something second-cutting hay would be a contradiction in terms. Rowen derives from middle English rewayn, Norman French regain -- to grow or harvest again.
Many of the older church hymns use words or terms that are equally cloaked in unfamiliarity, the kinds of things you skip right over but keep on singing. The second verse of “Come, Thou Font of ev-’ry blessing” (Robert Robinson, John Wyeth) begins with, “Here I raise mine Ebenezer, Hither by Thy help I’m come;” Unless you are an especially astute Bible scholar, that one flies right over your head.
The author is referring to Samuel’s “Stone of Help,” which he set up “between Mizpah and Shen” to commemorate the Lord’s help . The verse continues,

“Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wand’ring from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.”

Consider ways in which you can share the Lord’s help in your life. Set your own ‘Ebenezer’ and rejoice in it.
July 17, 2005

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: Ezekiel wrote, “I will remove from them their heart of stone, and give them a heart of flesh. Ezk. 11:19b, NIV
Good News!
“For to unto us a child is born,
unto us a son is given,
and the government will be upon his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.” (Isaiah 9:6)
Matthew affirms that a “’virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and they will call him Immanuel’ - which means, God with us.” (Mt. 1:23)
We look forward to the culmination of that promise in the birth of Jesus as we begin the Advent season of the church calendar, the period beginning four Sundays before Christmas and observed by some Christians as a season of prayer and fasting.
Good News, Indeed!
So why, then, are some so stressed out and irritable?
Thoughts of endless rounds of shopping, scheduling, cooking and decorating send some to questioning, “Who started Christmas, anyway?” That is usually a rhetorical question; they don’t really want to know, and couldn’t care less about the real reason for the season. They feel trapped, pressured, by a social custom they dare not ignore, missing the joy they are supposed to have, but can’t find. On the other hand, some who know the real reason for Christmas also get themselves worked up to a purple tizzy, over those who ignore Jesus’ role in it. Santa Claus, “XMAS,” the whole commercialization of the Savior’s birth so grabs their focus that they loose sight of the Good News. They also miss the joy of Jesus.
My suggestion is to think of caves. That’s right, caves. Sure, we can rant and rail against the ‘world’s way,’ but that is about like making a cave by bashing rock against rock. It creates a lot of noise, and an abrasive residue. No, better to be like the steady drip of water that dissolves the limestone, and leaves behind a cave.
First, watch that anger at the world doesn’t eat away at the foundation of your “temple”,” bringing it down to ruin.
Second, be as drops of sweet water, dissolving the hardness of hearts of stone. Set an example of joy, peace, and good will. Perhaps some will see, and open their hearts to Jesus, the real Reason for the Season.
November 30, 2003

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com

Scripture: Jesus said, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you”. Luke 6:38, NIV

A question on the Sheep-L email list got me started on today’s journey into thinking land. See if you know the answer.
“In measuring wool, what is a ‘tod’?
Never heard of it. Well, turns out 2 stones = 1 tod.
That helped a lot, didn’t it!? Ok: Here we go....
7 pounds = 1 clove
2 cloves = 1 stone
2 stones = 1 tod
6.5 tods = 1 wey
12 sacks = 1 last = 4368 pounds = 39 cwt.

Just to give credit where due, this was found on the internet, prepared by John T Kramer. His chart gives several weight and measure conversions. Many of these come from our French/English heritage. Some we still use, such as ‘rod’ (16.5 ft.) said to be based on the length of the feet of sixteen men, standing toe to heel, as they left church on Sunday morning.
Just in case you are keep track, 40 rods = 1 furlong; 8 furlongs = 1 mile. A palm = 3 inches; a hand = 4 inches. A foot, of course, = 12 inches. But did you know that a foot is 0.333 of a yard? And an inch is 0.083 of a foot, and 0.028 of a yard? I’ll bet you have done a measure with arms outstretched to equal roughly 6 feet . . . You have just measured a fathom.
Here’s another weighty term for you: how often do you use the avoirdupois system of weight measurement? Answer: Every time you buy something by weight in the USA! Does ounce, pound, hundredweight (cwt.), ton sound familiar? Grain and dram are also units avoirdupois that we don’t use everyday, though.
Bought a diamond lately? If you have a precious stone, you have come into contact with the “carat/karat” standard. Comes from Middle English, from Middle French, from Italian carato, from Arabic qirit (carob) bean pod, a small weight.
A grain, incidentally, is a unit of weight based on the weight of a grain of wheat taken as an average of the weight of grains from the middle of the ear.
Now if you were on the Apothecary standard, you would know that:
20 grains = 1 scruple
3 scruples = 1 dracham
8 drachams = 1 ounce
12 ounces = 1 pound
5760 grains = 1 pound.
And we haven’t even mentioned capacity and fluid measurement.
September 8, 2002

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: Jesus said, “Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.” Mt. 4:10, NIV
There were many gifts given to my granddaughter at her birthday party. Nice gifts, good gifts, given with love.
Jesus is recorded in Matthew 7:11 teaching about giving good gifts. Specifically, a good (parent) would not give a stone for bread, or a serpent for a fish. Luke omits the stone in his version in 11:11-13 (Jesus must have used this illustration many times) and adds giving a scorpion for an egg. Substitutes for food. Deadly and useless substitutes!
Actually, this is the heart of a teaching about asking. Ask, and you shall receive; he who seek finds. . .
Food is one of the most basic of necessities to maintain life. Food is important. But some food is better for health than other choices. (Aren’t we reminded often!) So, as Jesus knew, it is very fitting and proper to ask for food (life sustenance.) He affirms this in the model prayer, Give us this day our daily bread.
Who would give us bad, imperfect gifts? Satan, of course! Mt. 4:1-11 records this very act. Satan offers Jesus a stone and is proud of his gift. “Take it, and turn it into bread,” he tells Jesus. If Satan has the audacity to confront the LORD with such a gift, do not think that he will hesitate to offer worthless and non-edible gifts, and claim, “Hey! Look at what I’ve given you.”
Bad, when he engages in his trickery. Worse when we accept it as a gift.
Bread (food) is not the only issue here, of course. We crave other things as well. Power and authority over others. Fame, prestige, pride. Possessions. Wealth. But most damaging, we will do whatever it takes to obtain these things. We will emulate whatever lifestyle that promises these things. And Satan told Jesus, “I will give you these things if you will fall down and worship me.”
We wouldn’t do that . . . would we??
Any time we accept the world’s message to buy, buy, accept, accept the World’s Way, we are getting bad food. Not just physical bad, but spiritual bad.
Jesus said, One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.
The things of this world, including food and all the other things - stuff- we hanker after serve us only in this world, for better or worse. Satan will give them freely, if we ask.
God knows how to give better gifts, including the gift of eternal life. Ask, and you shall receive.
June 24, 2001

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: Samuel took a stone and set up up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, “Thus far has the Lord helped us.”1 Samuel 7:12, NIV

How do you carry things? Do you use a bag, a sack, or a poke? Many times an object goes by different names, depending upon the location. In some southern and midland areas of the USA, you put things in a poke, including a ‘pig in a poke.’ A picnic in one area might have a hopping good time with sack races, while another would use a bag.
Then, again, a ‘poke’ is a projecting brim on the front of a woman's bonnet, and you might be wearing a ‘poke bonnet.’
In Scotland, men and boys wear a bonnet, a brimless, seamless woolen cap. In other locations, men and boys would say that only women wear a bonnet, a cloth or straw hat tied under the chin. In Britain, you would likely pop the bonnet to check your oil, but Americans call that device the ‘hood’ of their automobiles.
Consider the saying, "Ne'er cast a clout 'til May be out". Clout is from an Old English word for cloth or clothing, and the saying was a reminder not to be too quick to shuck the winter woollies before the chilly days of May were over.
A farmer friend from ‘Down East’ commented that his neighbor used to say that he was "Light on rowen, but we got plenty hay. Ain't nothing wrong with good hay." Rowen is an old-time term for second-cut forage. Those who use the term will call first cutting hay, second cutting rowen. To call something second-cutting hay would be a contradiction in terms. Rowen derives from middle English rewayn, Norman French regain -- to grow or harvest again.
Many of the older church hymns use words or terms that are equally cloaked in unfamiliarity, the kinds of things you skip right over but keep on singing. The second verse of “Come, Thou Font of ev-’ry blessing” (Robert Robinson, John Wyeth) begins with, “Here I raise mine Ebenezer, Hither by Thy help I’m come;” Unless you are an especially astute Bible scholar, that one flies right over your head.
The author is referring to Samuel’s “Stone of Help,” which he set up “between Mizpah and Shen” to commemorate the Lord’s help . The verse continues,

“Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wand’ring from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.”

Consider ways in which you can share the Lord’s help in your life. Set your own ‘Ebenezer’ and rejoice in it.
July 17, 2005

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: Jesus said, “Have you never read in the scriptures,: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.’ ” Matthew 21:42, NKJV

There is an old adage that cautions against “throwing out the baby with the bath water.” Many times in haste, or distaste, something of value is thrown out, turned aside, or relegated to nothingness.
There is the story of a man who confided to an associate that he had thrown out an old Bible, because, he said, “ Some guy named Martin Luther had written in the margins all through it.”
One of the fascinations for many viewers of the “Antiques Roadshow” on television is finding that many items that are deemed to be of no value by some people are considered to be worth a lot of money by others. We may even dream of finding that rare painting, an article of furniture by a renowned craftsman, or a letter by an early patriot.
More often, though, the people who clean out the attics and closets of a lifetime collection see it only as the flotsam and jetsam of a person who no longer has need for the stuff, while they have no clue as to the memories, heritage, or intrinsic values it holds. An old book is just an old book, especially if someone has written in the margins.
Housecleaning needs to be done, there is no question about that. However, we need to be wary of indiscriminate zeal that condemns everything to the dumpster. It might not be the baby that is thrown out, but beauty - and value - might be hidden by the “mote’ in your own eye, and not seen and appreciated for what it truly is.
Sometimes society does a “house-cleaning,” too, casting aside people, races, nationalities, or ideals, relegating them to nothingness. Jesus faced this prejudice, as evidenced by John 1:46, where Nathanael said of Him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (NKJV)
Shepherds were way down on the social ladder in Jesus’ day, yet it was to the shepherds that the first announcement of the Messiah’s birth was made.
Common folk - Galileeans, fishermen, tax collectors, unlearned men by the standards of the religious leaders in Jerusalem - made up Jesus’ inner circle, yet He chose them from God’s viewpoint, and not that of society.
A Samaritan, rather than the priest and Levite, is the better neighbor to a man in need in the parable of the Good Samaritan; a poor beggar is gathered to Abraham’s bosom in heaven, while the rich man is condemned to the flames below. Think about these things - and more - from God’s viewpoint. Jesus did the will of His Father, so follow Him!
Remember, those who thought they were building the “proper” society did not see the value in God’s Son.
May 15, 2005