Mitch

Making some elderberry wine today. I didn't realize that the recommended adding time is 1 year. I hope I can wait that long!

Today in History On Dec. 4, 1783, Gen. George Washington gathered his officers at a tavern in New York City where he informed them of his plans to resign his commission and retire to civilian life. He would later be recruited to stand for election as the first president under the U.S. Constitution. Quote-Unquote "Few men have virtue to withstand the highest bidder." – George Washington

Quote-Unquote "When it comes to life, the critical thing is whether you take things for granted or take them with gratitude." – G.K. Chesterton

Wee Heavy Scottish Ale. Home brew beer is the best!

Proverb 1:20-33 Wisdom cries aloud in the street, in the markets she raises her voice; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? If you turn at my reproof, behold, I will pour out my spirit to you; I will make my words known to you. Because I have called and you refused to listen, have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded, because you have ignored all my counsel and would have none of my reproof, I also will laugh at your calamity; I will mock when terror strikes you, when terror strikes you like a storm and your calamity comes like a whirlwind, when distress and anguish come upon you. Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer; they will seek me diligently but will not find me. Because they hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the LORD, would have none of my counsel and despised all my reproof, therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way, and have their fill of their own devices. For the simple are killed by their turning away, and the complacency of fools destroys them; but whoever listens to me will dwell secure and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”

“Unless the people, through unified action, arise and take charge of their government, they will find that their government has taken charge of them. Independence and liberty will be gone, and the general public will find itself in a condition of servitude to an aggregation of organized and selfish interest.” – President Calvin Coolidge

Today In History On Nov. 17, 1835, residents of Cincinnati, Ohio, inspired by the Texans' fight for independence, began raising funds to purchase two cannons for the cause. They were shipped down the Mississippi and arrived in Texas in April, just in time for the Battle of San Jacinto.

"It ought to be the business of every day to prepare for our last day." - Matthew Henry

"When it comes time to die, make sure all you got to do is die." - Jim Elliott

"If winning isn't important, then why do they keep score?" - Vince Lombardi

Of Swords and Plowshares by Michael Quinn Sullivan During World War II, the United States and its allies began doing something unheard of in the annals of war. They dropped leaflets ahead of bombing runs and other attacks—warning civilians that local infrastructure was going to be destroyed. The purpose was two-fold: reduce civilian casualties and demoralize the enemy. Through Scripture, God does likewise. Make no mistake, humanity has been at war with God. We have ignored His precepts, debased His created order, and even sought to pretend He does not exist. The casualties in this war have been entirely one-sided. Everything we do to reject God comes only at our own expense. Through the Prophet Isaiah, God told us that the war does not have to continue. Isaiah was shown a vision of a future where swords would be beaten into plowshares and spears into pruning hooks. The implements of war would be turned into tools for tending the garden from which humanity had been expelled. Later, Joel was shown a different vision. In it, those who wish to battle God are futilely found turning their plows and hooks into swords and spears. We mock such notions at our peril. How much more foolish is it to think a sword will take down God than it is to believe cosmetic surgery can turn a man into a woman? Sin makes us delusional. God, speaking through His word, though, provides us with clarity and a choice. In all ages, a message of liberation will resonate with people who are held captive. Satan doesn’t want us reading God’s word any more than the Axis powers wanted civilians reading those WWII leaflets distributed by the Allies. But far better than an escape route to temporary safety, God provides us with a path to salvation. We can remain in sin and be eternally separated from Him. Or, we can let God do for us through Christ what we cannot do for ourselves. We can enter the cold night of eternity alone, or we can bask in the warmth of His boundless love. For those wallowing in their sin, the message from God can be either utterly demoralizing or completely liberating. Stay in sin and face eternal death … or joyfully accept the salvation of Christ. Through His word, God has shown us that our swords and plowshares are of equally little value. Only by putting our faith in Him will we find victory in the battles of this life and sustenance in His eternal provision.

Tallow -making time.

Today in History On Nov. 12, 1990, computer scientists Tim Berners-Lee and Robert Cailliau at CERN proposed the creation of "a HyperText Project" connecting computer servers "as a web of nodes in which the user can browse ... large classes of information." Hence, the World Wide Web was born.

Northern lights in Texas! Amazing!

"Keep your data safe by keeping it on someone else's computer." Stay on track with your health journey Dear Mitch, We want to help you stay on track with your health journey.  Currently, cloud storage is not enabled in your app settings. This means your health data is only stored locally on your device. If your phone is lost, damaged, or becomes inaccessible, your past measurement data could be permanently lost. Your health data is personal and valuable, and you have full control over how it’s stored. To keep your history secure and always accessible, we recommend enabling cloud storage: Open the app Go to More Tap on Profile Select Account settings Turn on Store my readings in the cloud With this option enabled, your data will be safely stored and can be restored even if you log out or change devices.

"Never confuse motion with action." - Benjamin Franklin

"God provides the wind, but man must raise the sails." - St. Augustine