Monday, October 29, 2012
Saturday, October 27, 2012
Monday, October 22, 2012
Friday, October 19, 2012
Thursday, October 18, 2012
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Job 42 (NLT)
Job Responds to the Lord
42 Then Job replied to the Lord:
2 “I know that you can do anything,
and no one can stop you.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,
things far too wonderful for me.
4 You said, ‘Listen and I will speak!
I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.’
5 I had only heard about you before,
but now I have seen you with my own eyes.
6 I take back everything I said,
and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”
and no one can stop you.
3 You asked, ‘Who is this that questions my wisdom with such ignorance?’
It is I—and I was talking about things I knew nothing about,
things far too wonderful for me.
4 You said, ‘Listen and I will speak!
I have some questions for you,
and you must answer them.’
5 I had only heard about you before,
but now I have seen you with my own eyes.
6 I take back everything I said,
and I sit in dust and ashes to show my repentance.”
Conclusion: The Lord Blesses Job
7 After the Lord
had finished speaking to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite: “I am
angry with you and your two friends, for you have not spoken accurately
about me, as my servant Job has. 8 So
take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and offer a
burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I
will accept his prayer on your behalf. I will not treat you as you
deserve, for you have not spoken accurately about me, as my servant Job
has.” 9 So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite, and Zophar the Naamathite did as the Lord commanded them, and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.
10 When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before! 11 Then
all his brothers, sisters, and former friends came and feasted with him
in his home. And they consoled him and comforted him because of all the
trials the Lord had brought against him. And each of them brought him a gift of money[a] and a gold ring.
12 So the Lord
blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the
beginning. For now he had 14,000 sheep, 6,000 camels, 1,000 teams of
oxen, and 1,000 female donkeys. 13 He also gave Job seven more sons and three more daughters. 14 He named his first daughter Jemimah, the second Keziah, and the third Keren-happuch. 15 In
all the land no women were as lovely as the daughters of Job. And their
father put them into his will along with their brothers.
16 Job lived 140 years after that, living to see four generations of his children and grandchildren. 17 Then he died, an old man who had lived a long, full life
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Monday, October 15, 2012
Sunday, October 14, 2012
Jesus Walks on Water Matt.14:
22 Immediately
after this, Jesus insisted that his disciples get back into the boat
and cross to the other side of the lake, while he sent the people home. 23 After sending them home, he went up into the hills by himself to pray. Night fell while he was there alone.
24 Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. 25 About three o’clock in the morning[b] Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!”27 But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here![c]”
28 Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.”
29 “Yes, come,” Jesus said.
So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong[d] wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted.
31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?”
32 When they climbed back into the boat, the wind stopped. 33 Then the disciples worshiped him. “You really are the Son of God!” they exclaimed.
You are enthroned above the heavens
The earth and all creation bow before You
You are crowned with strength and glory
The angels crying holy, all surrounding
Forever You will stand
Your kingdom has no end
O Holy God, I stay amazed
You are so much more than words could ever say
O Holy God, I pour out my praise
On the One who never ceases to amaze
You are loving beyond measure
Your presence is the treasure I am seeking
You are the all-consuming fire
I am Your desire and You are mince
I'm pouring out my praise on You
I'm pouring out my love on You
The earth and all creation bow before You
You are crowned with strength and glory
The angels crying holy, all surrounding
Forever You will stand
Your kingdom has no end
O Holy God, I stay amazed
You are so much more than words could ever say
O Holy God, I pour out my praise
On the One who never ceases to amaze
You are loving beyond measure
Your presence is the treasure I am seeking
You are the all-consuming fire
I am Your desire and You are mince
I'm pouring out my praise on You
I'm pouring out my love on You
Rom. 3:21 But now God has
shown us a way to be made right with him without keeping the requirements of
the law, as was promised in the writings of Moses[i] and the prophets long ago. 22 We
are made right with God by placing our faith in Jesus Christ. And this is true
for everyone who believes, no matter who we are.
23 For
everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that
we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the
penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin.
People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his
life, shedding his blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he
held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead
and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to
demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and he declares
sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.Rom. 6:6ff:
6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
12 Do not let sin control the way you live;[a] do not give in to sinful desires. 13 Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. 14 Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God’s grace.
15 Well then, since God’s grace has set us free from the law, does that mean we can go on sinning? Of course not! 16 Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living. 17 Thank God! Once you were slaves of sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching we have given you. 18 Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living.
19 Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper into sin. Now you must give yourselves to be slaves to righteous living so that you will become holy.
20 When you were slaves to sin, you were free from the obligation to do right. 21 And what was the result? You are now ashamed of the things you used to do, things that end in eternal doom. 22 But now you are free from the power of sin and have become slaves of God. Now you do those things that lead to holiness and result in eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Paschal's self-penned song, "Another Soldier's Coming Home" was written
as a tribute to her grandfather. It became an instant hit and broadened
Janet's audience tremendously. She was invited to perform the song for
the national memorial service of Michael Blassie, the first unknown
soldier to be exhumed and positively identified. The song is frequently
performed by the United States Army Band and in a special video
presentation at Los Angeles' Forest Lawn Memorial Park. It was the
signature song for the organization, Grief Share.
I saw this while researching for a word/poem I received in Apr. 2009 and ran across this A.M. as was really touched as it relates so well to recent meditations and journal entries. Thank You Lord for Your great faithfulness and mercies, new every morning!
I saw this while researching for a word/poem I received in Apr. 2009 and ran across this A.M. as was really touched as it relates so well to recent meditations and journal entries. Thank You Lord for Your great faithfulness and mercies, new every morning!
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Monday, October 8, 2012
Vincent's Word Studies
Easy (χρηστὸς)
Not a satisfactory rendering. Christ's yoke is not easy in the ordinary sense of that word. The word means originally, good, serviceable. The kindred noun, χρηστότης, occurring only in Paul's writings, is rendered kindness in 2 Corinthians 6:6; Titus 3:4; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 2:7 (Rev.), and goodness, Romans 2:4 (Rev.). At Luke 5:39, it is used of old wine, where the true reading, instead of better, is good (χρηστός), mellowed with age. Plato ("Republic," 424) applies the word to education. "Good nurture and education (τροφὴ γὰρ καὶ παίδευσις χρηστὴ) implant good (ἀγαθὰς) constitutions; and these good (χρησταὶ) constitutions improve more and more;" thus evidently using χρηστός and ἀγαθός as synonymous. The three meanings combine in the word, though it is impossible to find an English word which combines them all. Christ's yoke is wholesome, serviceable, kindly. "Christ's yoke is like feathers to a bird; not loads, but helps to motion" (Jeremy Taylor]
A follow up ,confirming the comments of Dutch Sheets in his book about transformation/growing up in Christ.
compare 2 Tim 4:1-5 about "itching ears"
Easy (χρηστὸς)
Not a satisfactory rendering. Christ's yoke is not easy in the ordinary sense of that word. The word means originally, good, serviceable. The kindred noun, χρηστότης, occurring only in Paul's writings, is rendered kindness in 2 Corinthians 6:6; Titus 3:4; Galatians 5:22; Ephesians 2:7 (Rev.), and goodness, Romans 2:4 (Rev.). At Luke 5:39, it is used of old wine, where the true reading, instead of better, is good (χρηστός), mellowed with age. Plato ("Republic," 424) applies the word to education. "Good nurture and education (τροφὴ γὰρ καὶ παίδευσις χρηστὴ) implant good (ἀγαθὰς) constitutions; and these good (χρησταὶ) constitutions improve more and more;" thus evidently using χρηστός and ἀγαθός as synonymous. The three meanings combine in the word, though it is impossible to find an English word which combines them all. Christ's yoke is wholesome, serviceable, kindly. "Christ's yoke is like feathers to a bird; not loads, but helps to motion" (Jeremy Taylor]
A follow up ,confirming the comments of Dutch Sheets in his book about transformation/growing up in Christ.
compare 2 Tim 4:1-5 about "itching ears"
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Friday, October 5, 2012
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Ashes
Under
The Soles Of Your Feet
The Soles Of Your Feet
Isaiah 61:3
|
"Through It All" Charles Abernethy |
But to you who fear My name the Sun of Righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings;
and you shall go out and grow fat like stall-fed calves. YOU shall trample the wicked,
for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet on the day that I do this, says the Lord of hosts.
Malachi 4:2-3
First of all, notice that I used the word “seems.” That word has to do with appearance. The problem may be looming in front of you like a huge mountain, solid and immovable. There it is, every day, confronting and taunting you, stealing your peace and joy.
Did you know that all the anxiety you are going through is for nothing? According to God’s Word, if you have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord, the “mountain” or the problem in your life has already been taken care of by Him! By this time, you may be asking for an explanation.
Well, it all revolves around Jesus! When the first man, Adam, yielded to Satan and sin in the Garden of Eden, he became subject to Satan and the curse. This caused the rest of mankind to be under the dominion of the kingdom of darkness. But God had a plan! He sent us Jesus who died on the cross and took the punishment for our sins. He also bore the entire curse that comes from sin – such as sickness and disease, poverty and lack. Jesus soundly defeated Satan, the source of the curse, totally triumphing over him (Col. 2:15) so he no longer has dominion over us! The entire kingdom of darkness and the curse have been made “ashes under the soles of your feet!” (Malachi 4:3 – Please note that Malachi, an Old Testament prophet, prophesied this before Jesus went to the cross. The work has already been completed!)
When you accepted Jesus, you were also raised with Him and seated in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6). You are seated “far above all principality, and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named.” (Ephesians 1:21). This is not only a good vantage point, but it is a seat of authority as well. Because of what Jesus did for us, we have authority over all the work of the devil or the curse!
Luke 10:19 - Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions (the devil), and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you.
Romans 5:17 – For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
Even though you have been given authority, the devil will still try to put sickness and the curse on you. He brings problems and situations to your life that make him seem so powerful. Satan is counting on your ignorance, unbelief, or neglect! He is hoping that you will not exercise your authority and resist him.
John 10:10 – The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
Perhaps you will remember the following example from the Old Testament that illustrates the above. II Corinthians 10:11 says that the accounts in the Old Testament serve as examples for us and “they were written for our admonition.” In other words, we should take heed! God had given the Promised Land to the Israelites. When they came to the border, they sent twelve spies to the land. Two of the spies returned, saying, “We can possess it!” Their faith was in God’s promise, His presence, and His power. When the other ten spies returned, they were full of fear for they said that the land was occupied by giants who were much stronger than they were. The Israelites did not possess the land right away because they were greatly intimidated by negative reports of those giants.
However, when they finally went in to possess the first city, Jericho, they learned the truth from one of the inhabitants. She told them, “I know that the Lord has given you the land. All the inhabitants of the land are fainthearted because of you.” (Joshua 2:9) They had heard of all the miracles that God had performed for the Israelites. She said, “As soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.” (Joshua 2:11) The giants they were so afraid of were actually fearful that they would take the land!
Put your faith in God and His Word and possess your healing or provision! Just as Satan tried to make the giants seem so formidable to the Israelites, he tries to make the problems in your life appear impossible to overcome. However, he is actually cowering in fear lest you learn the truth!
Now that you know the truth, you will want to become “more than a conqueror.” (Romans 8:37 ) Follow these four steps to overcome your circumstance (we will use sickness as an example).
PREPARE
First of all, you’ll want to ensure that your spirit is well nourished. After all, you’ll be doing some trampling and treading! Find God’s promises that apply to the situation you are facing. His Word is supernatural and brings life to our circumstances (John 6:63). Feed on healing scriptures daily by saying them out loud so that you are absolutely convinced that healing is God’s will for you.
PREVAIL
Take authority over the sickness and disease in your body. Notice that in Malachi 4:3, it says, “YOU shall trample the wicked…” Say “No” to sickness and command it to leave your body!
Mark 11:22-25 So Jesus answered and said to them, "Have faith in God. 23 For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, 'Be removed and be cast into the sea,' and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says. 24 Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them. 25 "And whenever you stand praying, if you have anything against anyone, forgive him, that your Father in heaven may also forgive you your trespasses.
PROCLAIM
Proclaiming what the Word of God says about your situation. For example, you can place your hand on the area of your body needing healing and declare that you are free! Keep doing this until all the symptoms leave.
John 8:32&36 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
PRAISE
Continually praise and thank God for your victory. As you praise God, you are keeping yourself focused on the answer instead of the problem. Romans 4:20 (Amplified version) says that Abraham “grew strong and was empowered by faith AS he gave praise and glory to God.”
You can see from all of this that you will need to know God’s Word in order to live victoriously in life. Matthew 4:4 says, “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” It makes us whole and that was His plan all along!
Isaiah 54:10 (Amplified) For though the mountains should depart and the hills be shaken or removed, yet My love and kindness shall not depart from you, nor shall My covenant of peace and completeness be removed, says the Lord, Who has compassion on you.
God is good! He has already defeated your enemies, Satan and the curse. Now it is up to YOU to enforce your victory!
II Corinthians 2:14 Now thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ!
Keiko Downey
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
5.0 out of 5 stars
His Word, Settled Forever Mathematically!, February 26, 2005
By
This review is from: Theomatics: God's Best Kept Secret Revealed (Hardcover)
Statistics can be lots of fun. Sports fans especially agree, citing
various records professional luminaries as Jerry Lucas still hold,
decades following their retirement from competition. Yet, statistics
are not the essence of the ball player, but simply an outline, or at
best, a suggestion of their talents.Per example, watching Michael Jordan make a play renders the statistics meaningful. And when the game is over, the season ended, in the years that ensue, conversations sparkle with the memories. Remembrances sweeten with age at how many times 'so-and-so' stepped to the foul line to drill how many buckets in how many games against what teams in how many seasons.
Accordingly, all that are so blessed to be enamored of the Word of God never tire in describing the wonders and riches of Holy Writ, and still in the end resort to quoting it to adequately conclude their remarks. Numbers, like in Theomatics and sports statistics, merely outline the glory of the subject, whetting the appetite for more.
Intriguingly, Del Washburn's introduction of Theomatics, with a game-winning assist enjoyed by Jerry Lucas, begins the search for pefection in God's Word with the mathematical equation. 'Theomatics' is in fact a manufactured term the authors agreed upon when no term existed that defined the discipline upon which they were embarking.
To reduce Mr. Washburn's work to numerology is to reveal a woefully obvious lack of understanding. Likewise, to equate Theomatics with the discipline of ELS is to compare apples with oranges.
Theomatics displays more facets of perfections in God's Word. ELS discovers the substantively prophetic fibres only eternity's realms will afford the space to plumb.
Now that is a fruit salad to yearn for. If Mr. Washburn's work is true to his expectations, the aligning of those two disciplines would expose to the world even greater depths of His Law 'settled forever in Heaven'! {Psalm 119:89.}{TNKJV}
"Your Word is very pure; therefore Your servant loves it." {Ps. 119:140.}{Ibid.}
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Monday, October 1, 2012
Catch-22
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, see Catch-22 (disambiguation).
| Catch-22 | |
|---|---|
 First edition cover |
|
| Author(s) | Joseph Heller |
| Cover artist | Paul Bacon[1] |
| Country | USA |
| Language | English |
| Genre(s) | Black humor, absurdist fiction, satire, war fiction, historical fiction |
| Publisher | Simon & Schuster |
| Publication date | 11 November 1961 |
| Media type | Print (hardback) |
| Pages | 453 pp (1st edition hardback) |
| ISBN | 0-684-83339-5 |
| Dewey Decimal | 813/.54 22 |
| Followed by | Closing Time (1994) |
The novel follows Captain John Yossarian, a U.S. Army Air Forces B-25 bombardier. Most of the events in the book occur while the fictional 256th squadron is based on the island of Pianosa, in the Mediterranean Sea west of Italy. The novel looks into the experiences of Yossarian and the other airmen in the camp, and their attempts to keep their sanity in order to fulfill their service requirements, so that they can return home. The phrase "Catch-22", "a problematic situation for which the only solution is denied by a circumstance inherent in the problem or by a rule,"[4] has entered the English language.
Contents |
Concept
Among other things, Catch-22 is a general critique of bureaucratic operation and reasoning. Resulting from its specific use in the book, the phrase "Catch-22" is common idiomatic usage meaning "a no-win situation" or "a double bind" of any type. Within the book, "Catch-22" is a military rule, the self-contradictory circular logic that, for example, prevents anyone from avoiding combat missions. The narrator explains:There was only one catch and that was Catch-22, which specified that a concern for one's safety in the face of dangers that were real and immediate was the process of a rational mind. Orr was crazy and could be grounded. All he had to do was ask; and as soon as he did, he would no longer be crazy and would have to fly more missions. Orr would be crazy to fly more missions and sane if he didn't, but if he were sane he had to fly them. If he flew them he was crazy and didn't have to; but if he didn't want to he was sane and had to. Yossarian was moved very deeply by the absolute simplicity of this clause of Catch-22 and let out a respectful whistle. (p. 56, ch. 5)Other forms of Catch-22 are invoked throughout the novel to justify various bureaucratic actions. At one point, victims of harassment by military police quote the MPs' explanation of one of Catch-22's provisions: "Catch-22 states that agents enforcing Catch-22 need not prove that Catch-22 actually contains whatever provision the accused violator is accused of violating." Another character explains: "Catch-22 says they have a right to do anything we can't stop them from doing."
Yossarian comes to realize that Catch-22 does not actually exist, but because the powers that be claim it does, and the world believes it does, it nevertheless has potent effects. Indeed, because it does not exist, there is no way it can be repealed, undone, overthrown, or denounced. The combination of force with specious and spurious legalistic justification is one of the book's primary motifs.
The motif of bureaucratic absurdity is further explored in 1994's Closing Time, Heller's sequel to Catch-22. This darker, slower-paced, apocalyptic novel explores the pre- and post-war lives of some of the major characters in Catch-22, with particular emphasis on the relationship between Yossarian and tailgunner Sammy Singer.
Synopsis
![[icon]](http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Wiki_letter_w_cropped.svg&page=1){kind=small} |
This section requires expansion. (June 2008) |
While the first five parts "sections" develop the novel in the present and through use of flash-backs, the novel significantly darkens in chapters 32–41. Previously the reader had been cushioned from experiencing the full horror of events, but now the events are laid bare, allowing the full effect to take place. The horror begins with the attack on the undefended Italian mountain village, with the following chapters involving despair (Doc Daneeka and the Chaplain), disappearance in combat (Orr and Clevinger), disappearance caused by the army (Dunbar) or death (Nately, McWatt, Mudd, Kid Sampson, Dobbs, Chief White Halfoat and Hungry Joe) of most of Yossarian's friends, culminating in the unspeakable horrors of Chapter 39, in particular the rape and murder of Michaela, who represents pure innocence.[5] In Chapter 41, the full details of the gruesome death of Snowden are finally revealed.
Despite this, the novel ends on an upbeat note with Yossarian learning of Orr's miraculous escape to Sweden and Yossarian's pledge to follow him there.
Style
Many events in the book are repeatedly described from differing points of view, so the reader learns more about each event from each iteration, with the new information often completing a joke, the punchline of which was told several chapters previously. The narrative's events are out of sequence, but events are referred to as if the reader is already familiar with them, so that the reader must ultimately piece together a timeline of events. Specific words, phrases, and questions are also repeated frequently, generally to comic effect.Much of Heller's prose in Catch-22 is circular and repetitive, exemplifying in its form the structure of a Catch-22. Heller revels in paradox, for example: "The Texan turned out to be good-natured, generous and likable. In three days no one could stand him", and "The case against Clevinger was open and shut. The only thing missing was something to charge him with." This atmosphere of apparent logical irrationality pervades the book.
While a few characters are most prominent, notably Yossarian and the Chaplain, the majority of named characters are described in detail with fleshed out or multidimensional personas to the extent that there are few if any "minor characters."
Although its non-chronological structure may at first seem aleatoric, Catch 22 is actually highly structured. A structure of free association, ideas run into one another through seemingly random connections. For example, Chapter 1 entitled "The Texan" ends with "everybody but the CID man, who had caught cold from the fighter captain and come down with pneumonia."[6] Chapter 2, entitled "Clevinger", begins with "In a way the CID man was pretty lucky, because outside the hospital the war was still going on."[7] The CID man connects the two chapters like a free association bridge and eventually Chapter 2 flows from the CID man to Clevinger through more free association links.
Themes
 |
This article may contain original research. (February 2012) |
Another theme is the perversion of notions of right or wrong, particularly patriotism and honor.
Several themes mingle; "that the only way to survive such an insane system is to be insane oneself" comments on Yossarian's answer to the Social dilemma (that he would be a fool to be any other way) and another theme, "that bad men (who sell out others) are more likely to get ahead, rise in rank, and make money," turns our notions of what is estimable on their heads as well.
Yossarian comes to fear his commanding officers more than he fears the Germans attempting to shoot him down and he feels that "they" are "out to get him." Key among the reasons Yossarian fears his commanders more than the enemy is that as he flies more missions, Colonel Cathcart increases the number of required combat missions before a soldier may return home; he reaches the magic number only to have it retroactively raised. He comes to despair of ever getting home and is greatly relieved when he is sent to the hospital for a condition that is almost jaundice. In Yossarian's words: "The enemy is anybody who's going to get you killed, no matter which side he's on, and that includes Colonel Cathcart. And don't you forget that, because the longer you remember it, the longer you might live." [8]
While the military's enemies are Germans, none appear in the story as an enemy combatant. This ironic situation is epitomized in the single appearance of German personnel in the novel, who act as pilots employed by the squadron's Mess Officer, Milo Minderbinder, to bomb the American encampment on Pianosa. This predicament indicates a tension between traditional motives for violence and the modern economic machine, which seems to generate violence simply as another means to profit, quite independent of geographical or ideological constraints. Heller emphasizes the danger of profit seeking by portraying Milo without “evil intent;" Milo’s actions are portrayed as the result of greed, not malice.
In his book Tell It Slant, author Eugene Peterson uses the short parable in Luke 13:6-9—a
parable about manure, of all things—to talk about our need to practice
resurrection in everyday life. In the parable, a man has a fig tree in
his vineyard that doesn't yield any fruit. Frustrated, he says to the
man who takes care of the vineyard that after three years, it's time to
cut the thing down. But the caretaker replies, "Leave it alone for one
more year, and I'll dig around it and fertilize it. If it bears fruit
next year, fine! If not, then cut it down." Peterson reflects on how
this parable challenges us as believers—a challenge worth hearing at
Easter, when we celebrate the power of resurrection. He writes:
Instead of goading us into action, [Jesus' Manure Story] takes us out of action. We have just come across something that offends us, some person who is useless to us or the kingdom of God, "taking up the ground," and we lose patience and either physically or verbally get rid of him or her. "Chop him down! Chop her down! Chop it down." We solve kingdom problems by amputation.
Internationally and historically, killing is the predominant method of choice to make the world a better place. It is the easiest, quickest, and most efficient way by far to clear the ground for someone or something with more promise. The Manure Story interrupts our noisy, aggressive problem-solving mission. In a quiet voice the parable says, "Hold on, not so fast. Wait a minute. Give me some more time. Let me put some manure on this tree." Manure?
Manure is not a quick fix. It has no immediate results—it is going to take a long time to see if it makes any difference. If it's results that we are after, chopping down a tree is just the thing: we clear the ground and make it ready for a fresh start. We love beginning: birthing a baby, christening a ship, the first day on a new job, starting a war. But spreading manure carries none of that exhilaration. It is not dramatic work, not glamorous work, not work that gets anyone's admiring attention. Manure is a slow solution. Still, when it comes to doing something about what is wrong in the world, Jesus is known for his fondness for the minute, the invisible, the quiet, the slow—yeast, salt, seeds, light. And manure.
Manure does not rank high in the world's economies. It is refuse. Garbage. We organize efficient and sometimes elaborate systems to collect it, haul it away, get it out of sight and smell. But the observant and wise know that this apparently dead and despised waste is teeming with life—enzymes, numerous microorganisms. It's the stuff of resurrection.
"666 Park Avenue": Should you move in?
Vanessa Williams as Olivia Doran, right, and Terry O'Quinn as Gavin Doran in a scene from the ABC series "666 Park Avenue." / ABC/AP
Tackling horror on prime-time TV is something even the show's executive producer Matt Miller knows is risky. "It is a challenge. It's not a genre typically done on TV," he told TV Guide.
"666 Park Avenue"
The building's owners Gavin and Olivia Doran (Terry O'Quinn and Vanessa Williams) take the lovebirds in with open arms, inviting them to a black-tie symphony gala. In an effort to win Jane over, Olivia takes Jane shopping and buys her an expensive red gown for the event.
In the mean time, Jane starts to dig around The Drake's history, even going to the library to locate old newspaper articles. Gavin plans to do redo the space, and Jane, with her architectural background, lobbies to help restore the building.
Still, throughout the episode both Jane and Henry get signs that something is off with their new bosses. At one point, someone tells Henry, "You seem like a good kid...You should keep better company." Another resident (seemingly a ghost) tells Jane, "You shouldn't have come here. They're never going to let you go."
It's too late for that, as Jane and Henry already signed a contract -- and without reading it.
Horror and tragedy seep into the episode with blood and ghosts. People get sucked into walls, and a young woman falls off a rooftop. Another resident gets caught in between elevator doors
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