<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?><!-- generator=Zoho Sites --><rss version="2.0" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/"><channel><atom:link href="https://www.steveaves.com/blogs/tag/life/feed" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><title>Steve Aves - My Thoughts #Life</title><description>Steve Aves - My Thoughts #Life</description><link>https://www.steveaves.com/blogs/tag/life</link><lastBuildDate>Sun, 08 Mar 2026 09:53:27 -0700</lastBuildDate><generator>http://zoho.com/sites/</generator><item><title><![CDATA[I Came VERY Close To Clicking A Fake Web Link.]]></title><link>https://www.steveaves.com/blogs/post/I-Came-VERY-Close-To-Clicking-A-Fake-Web-Link</link><description><![CDATA[<img align="left" hspace="5" src="https://www.steveaves.com/images/gbefbf5c7b6320749e6dd662359699e15cb52fbee7d580bd51e0152a321b882a409b21dd7db6768581f15d3af5192a0d3d41e2bd6e347f2270ac5b6f9e05f7c8b_1280.png"/>You should read the article below. It highlights the sophisticated methods scammers employ. Russian Hackers Create 4,300 Fake Travel Sites to Steal Hotel Guests' Payment Data]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="zpcontent-container blogpost-container "><div data-element-id="elm_oo0MzDtqSleo4wxF32kSow" data-element-type="section" class="zpsection "><style type="text/css"></style><div class="zpcontainer-fluid zpcontainer"><div data-element-id="elm_PTv9pkqwTia54zgNc40eoA" data-element-type="row" class="zprow zprow-container zpalign-items- zpjustify-content- " data-equal-column=""><style type="text/css"></style><div data-element-id="elm_8EjwN2VzRFSFfhqHE4bAjg" data-element-type="column" class="zpelem-col zpcol-12 zpcol-md-12 zpcol-sm-12 zpalign-self- "><style type="text/css"></style><div data-element-id="elm_YsQd_uxBQD-o3pwYmEkkzA" data-element-type="heading" class="zpelement zpelem-heading "><style></style><h2
 class="zpheading zpheading-align-center zpheading-align-mobile-center zpheading-align-tablet-center " data-editor="true"><span><span style="font-weight:400;">I Came VERY Close To Clicking A Fake Web Link.</span></span></h2></div>
<div data-element-id="elm_V_iQ6xmZRpSUmQf18exWMA" data-element-type="text" class="zpelement zpelem-text "><style></style><div class="zptext zptext-align-center zptext-align-mobile-center zptext-align-tablet-center " data-editor="true"><div><div><div><div><div><div><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:20px;">You should read the article below. It highlights the sophisticated methods scammers employ.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:20px;"><a href="https://thehackernews.com/2025/11/russian-hackers-create-4300-fake-travel.html" title="Russian Hackers Create 4,300 Fake Travel Sites to Steal Hotel Guests' Payment Data" target="_blank" rel="">Russian Hackers Create 4,300 Fake Travel Sites to Steal Hotel Guests' Payment Data</a>&nbsp;</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:20px;"><br/></span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-weight:400;font-style:italic;font-size:20px;">&quot;The activity......., is designed to target customers of the hospitality industry, specifically hotel guests who may have travel reservations with spam emails. </span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-weight:400;font-style:italic;font-size:20px;">Of the 4,344 domains tied to the attack, 685 domains contain the name &quot;Booking&quot;, followed by 18 with &quot;Expedia,&quot; 13 with &quot;Agoda,&quot; and 12 with &quot;Airbnb,&quot; indicating an attempt to target all popular booking and rental platforms.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-weight:400;font-style:italic;font-size:20px;"><br/></span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:20px;">The above article reminded me of how I almost fell for a phishing scam. The email I received appeared to come from Zoho.com, a company I use to host my 3 Email accounts, personal website, and a number of other functions. </span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:20px;">The phishing Email was so specific, similar in scope to the ones mentioned above, that it did not cross my mind it could be a scam. The Email claimed to announce a new version of Zoho Mail's &quot;Mail Merge&quot; function. Now, THAT is a specific subject for a scam Email!</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:20px;">I came within a click of my mouse to find out more about this upgrade. But, something did not feel right. Zoho doesn't send emails about updates to &quot;little&quot; functions like mail merge. They just do the update. So I hovered my mouse over the link to see the URL. The domain name ended in &quot;.de.&quot; Zoho uses &quot;.com.&quot; Why would a&nbsp;German (.de a top-level domain) subsidiary of Zoho be sending me this email?</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:20px;">I forwarded the email to Zoho Mail's support desk asking about it. Sure enough, it was a scam. </span></p><span style="font-weight:400;font-size:20px;"><strong>Unsolicited Emails need to be viewed with suspicion. Always. It only takes one mistake to ruin your life.</strong></span></div>
</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div> ]]></content:encoded><pubDate>Mon, 24 Nov 2025 12:54:14 -0600</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Stumbling Across Old Friends]]></title><link>https://www.steveaves.com/blogs/post/stumbling-across-old-friends</link><description><![CDATA[<img align="left" hspace="5" src="https://www.steveaves.com/files/Blog Files/Nate Hahn and Me.jpg"/>&nbsp; I was perusing the events in town for the weekend of January 18, 2025 when my eye caught a strangely named band performing at my favorite record ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="zpcontent-container blogpost-container "><div data-element-id="elm__ik4q-FERiCmo6RPMIYKHA" data-element-type="section" class="zpsection "><style type="text/css"></style><div class="zpcontainer-fluid zpcontainer"><div data-element-id="elm_m7qaBG9kToCSd5dJ_KnWHg" data-element-type="row" class="zprow zprow-container zpalign-items- zpjustify-content- " data-equal-column=""><style type="text/css"></style><div data-element-id="elm_wGvOS9UOSsaLW-rBgvfGFg" data-element-type="column" class="zpelem-col zpcol-12 zpcol-md-12 zpcol-sm-12 zpalign-self- "><style type="text/css"></style><div data-element-id="elm_aBhXMZpRTxmZZTJNGrpFyg" data-element-type="heading" class="zpelement zpelem-heading "><style></style><h2
 class="zpheading zpheading-align-center " data-editor="true"><span style="color:inherit;">Stumbling Across Old Friends</span></h2></div>
<div data-element-id="elm_eIqEQpf-Q9uK5l43S42EZw" data-element-type="text" class="zpelement zpelem-text "><style></style><div class="zptext zptext-align-center " data-editor="true"><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span>&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;"><span style="font-size:20px;">I was perusing the <a href="https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2025-01-17/3-things-to-do-this-weekend-warm-music-for-cold-weather-and-a-new-mockumentary-mom-edy" title="events in town" target="_blank" rel="">events in town</a> for the weekend of January 18, 2025 when my eye caught a strangely named band performing at my favorite record store.</span></span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;font-style:italic;">A group hang with approachable ambiance: The trio of musicians behind Swim Ignorant Fire’s latest, lovely album will play an official release show at Reverberation Vinyl. It is, like it sounds, a record store, so if you’re not prepared to stand or sit on the floor, bring a milk crate or tiny travel stool and prepare to get cozy with your neighbors in the stacks. 6 p.m. Saturday; donations accepted at the door. Facebook.com/reverberationvinyl.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:20px;"><span style="font-weight:400;">Hmmmmmmm. </span><span>&nbsp;</span></span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:20px;">&nbsp; </span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;"><span style="font-size:20px;">I followed a <a href="https://www.wglt.org/local-news/2023-11-16/seasons-of-life-underscore-swim-ignorant-fires-latest-album-glow" title="link " target="_blank" rel="">link </a>within the article to read more.</span><br/></span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:9pt;font-weight:400;font-style:italic;">Ambient emo meets coffee house cool: Fatherhood hasn’t slowed down composer/musician Stephen Holliger, who released a new LP on Bandcamp and cassette earlier this month. The eponymous album, titled after Holliger’s musical moniker Swim Ignorant Fire, is an extension of his ongoing collaboration with pedal steel guitarist Nate Hahn and multi-instrumentalist Stefen Robinson. And it’s the strongest yet, with a celestial, vintage vibe and rhythmic underbelly that’s less purely ambient than other recent offerings—primed to run in the background or accompany deep, focused listening.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;"><span style="font-size:20px;">A bass clarinet with a pedal steel guitar and a bass player?&nbsp;Interesting. My grandson is playing a bass clarinet, so maybe he and I should attend. Then I saw the pedal steel player's name, Nate Hahn. WHAT?? I have a fraternity brother with that name! Could it be him? Yup, it was.</span></span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:20px;font-weight:400;">Markell and I attended the show. Loads of fun. Great to see Nate again.</span></p></div>
</div><div data-element-id="elm_xfKZzjaIT4aAhj8DDa_CzQ" data-element-type="button" class="zpelement zpelem-button "><style> [data-element-id="elm_xfKZzjaIT4aAhj8DDa_CzQ"].zpelem-button{ background-color:#EA7704; background-image:unset; font-size:18px; border-style:none; } </style><div class="zpbutton-container zpbutton-align-center "><style type="text/css"> [data-element-id="elm_xfKZzjaIT4aAhj8DDa_CzQ"] .zpbutton.zpbutton-type-primary{ font-size:18px; } </style><a class="zpbutton-wrapper zpbutton zpbutton-type-primary zpbutton-size-lg zpbutton-style-oval " href="/music-of-the-month" target="_blank"><span class="zpbutton-content">Listen to the album</span></a></div>
</div><div data-element-id="elm_jVcf-tpB2vZlqOLVDzcCvA" data-element-type="gallery" data-tablet-height="240" data-mobile-height="145" class="zpelement zpelem-gallery " itemscope=""><div class="zpgallery-container hb-layout__cont" data-photoset_id="1160768000004378177" data-gallery_type="4"><div class="zpfilmstrip hb-grid-gallery no-fill-with-last zpimage-overlay-effect-hv-1 zpcarousel-container zpcarousel-style-01" data-album_name="Swim Ignorant Fire" data-columns="5" data-thumbs="true" data-hover_animation="zoomin" data-captions="true" data-caption_style="hv-1" data-image_background="" data-caption_animation="slideup" data-caption-style-enabled="true" itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageGallery" data-filmstrip_gutter="3" data-layout-type="filmstrip" data-filmstrip-evenheight="" data-filmstrip-itemcount="3" data-filmstrip-responsiveitemcount="3,3.5,2.5" data-currentslide-index="0" data-zs-slider="slide: zpfilmstrip-item; slides-cont: zpfilmstrip-inner; content-cont : hb-grid-caption;background: false; arrow-cont: zpcarousel-arrows-container; type: filmstrip; right-arrow: next-button; left-arrow: prev-button; active-slide : zpfilmstrip-active;"><div class="zpfilmstrip-outter"><div class="zpfilmstrip-overflow-hidden"><div class="zpfilmstrip-gutter-fix"><div class="zpfilmstrip-inner hb-lightbox" data-lightbox-options="
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<div class="zpfilmstrip-item"><figure itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"><a style="cursor:pointer;" href="javascript:;"><picture><img loading="lazy" data-src="/photoset/Swim%20Ignorant%20Fire/Markell%20and%20Nate%20Hahn%20Reverberation%20Vinyl0001.jpg" src="/photoset/Swim%20Ignorant%20Fire/.Markell%20and%20Nate%20Hahn%20Reverberation%20Vinyl0001.jpg_m.jpg" alt="Markell asks Nate about the pedal steel guitar"/></picture><figcaption class="hb-grid-caption zpimage-caption"><h4 class="hg-gallery-caption-heading">Markell asks Nate about the pedal steel guitar</h4><p class="hg-gallery-caption-paragraph">Nate explains the pedal steel</p></figcaption></a></figure></div>
<div class="zpfilmstrip-item"><figure itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"><a style="cursor:pointer;" href="javascript:;"><picture><img loading="lazy" data-src="/photoset/Swim%20Ignorant%20Fire/Markell%20and%20Nate%20Hahn%20Reverberation%20Vinyl0003.jpg" src="/photoset/Swim%20Ignorant%20Fire/.Markell%20and%20Nate%20Hahn%20Reverberation%20Vinyl0003.jpg_m.jpg" alt="Nate shows Markell how to play the pedal steel"/></picture><figcaption class="hb-grid-caption zpimage-caption"><h4 class="hg-gallery-caption-heading">Nate shows Markell how to play the pedal steel</h4><p class="hg-gallery-caption-paragraph">Nate explains the pedal steel</p></figcaption></a></figure></div>
<div class="zpfilmstrip-item"><figure itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"><a style="cursor:pointer;" href="javascript:;"><picture><img loading="lazy" data-src="/photoset/Swim%20Ignorant%20Fire/Markell%20and%20Nate%20Hahn%20Reverberation%20Vinyl0006.jpg" src="/photoset/Swim%20Ignorant%20Fire/.Markell%20and%20Nate%20Hahn%20Reverberation%20Vinyl0006.jpg_m.jpg" alt="What Happens When I Press This Pedal"/></picture><figcaption class="hb-grid-caption zpimage-caption"><h4 class="hg-gallery-caption-heading">What Happens When I Press This Pedal</h4><p class="hg-gallery-caption-paragraph">Nate explains the pedal steel to Markell</p></figcaption></a></figure></div>
<div class="zpfilmstrip-item"><figure itemscope itemtype="http://schema.org/ImageObject"><a style="cursor:pointer;" href="javascript:;"><picture><img loading="lazy" data-src="/photoset/Swim%20Ignorant%20Fire/Markell%20and%20Nate%20Hahn%20Reverberation%20Vinyl0007.jpg" src="/photoset/Swim%20Ignorant%20Fire/.Markell%20and%20Nate%20Hahn%20Reverberation%20Vinyl0007.jpg_m.jpg" alt="Nate jams with the band"/></picture><figcaption class="hb-grid-caption zpimage-caption"><h4 class="hg-gallery-caption-heading">Nate jams with the band</h4><p class="hg-gallery-caption-paragraph">Swim Ignorant Fire</p></figcaption></a></figure></div>
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</div></div></div><h4 class="filmstrip_loading" align='center'></h4></div><style> @media all and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width:991px){ [data-element-id="elm_jVcf-tpB2vZlqOLVDzcCvA"].zpelem-gallery .hb-lightbox__images { height:240px !important; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { [data-element-id="elm_jVcf-tpB2vZlqOLVDzcCvA"].zpelem-gallery .hb-lightbox__images { height:145px !important; } } </style></div>
<div data-element-id="elm_iUwvAgiARp0ZoimILXeH3Q" data-element-type="video" class="zpelement zpelem-video "><style type="text/css"> @media (max-width: 767px) { [data-element-id="elm_iUwvAgiARp0ZoimILXeH3Q"].zpelem-video iframe.zpvideo{ width:560px !important; height:315px !important; } } @media all and (min-width: 768px) and (max-width:991px){ [data-element-id="elm_iUwvAgiARp0ZoimILXeH3Q"].zpelem-video iframe.zpvideo{ width:560px !important; height:315px !important; } } </style><div class="zpvideo-container zpiframe-align-center zpiframe-mobile-align-center zpiframe-tablet-align-center"><iframe class="zpvideo " width="600" height="350" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/edlhAxyjrlg?enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen id=youtube-video-1 data-api=youtube></iframe></div>
</div></div></div></div></div></div> ]]></content:encoded><pubDate>Wed, 29 Jan 2025 11:07:13 -0600</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Miles Davis, "On The Corner"]]></title><link>https://www.steveaves.com/blogs/post/on-the-corner</link><description><![CDATA[<img align="left" hspace="5" src="https://www.steveaves.com/files/Blog Files/Miles_Davis_On_The_Corner.jpg"/>Summertime means road music! "On The Corner" is one of my favorite driving albums. Put the pedal to the metal and crank it up!]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="zpcontent-container blogpost-container "><div data-element-id="elm_fPhcYZwgT3OGmSEdApd1DA" data-element-type="section" class="zpsection "><style type="text/css"></style><div class="zpcontainer-fluid zpcontainer"><div data-element-id="elm_xXPJz3WRTwqbfGB0zHHddw" data-element-type="row" class="zprow zprow-container zpalign-items- zpjustify-content- " data-equal-column=""><style type="text/css"></style><div data-element-id="elm_HN44cOk5Rca08jHajxbz0A" data-element-type="column" class="zpelem-col zpcol-12 zpcol-md-12 zpcol-sm-12 zpalign-self- "><style type="text/css"></style><div data-element-id="elm_FcsN_LN4Qy2GybAdmRHbYg" data-element-type="text" class="zpelement zpelem-text "><style></style><div class="zptext zptext-align-center " data-editor="true"><div style="color:inherit;"><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:24px;font-weight:400;">Summertime means road music!</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:24px;font-weight:400;">&quot;On The Corner&quot; is one of my favorite driving albums.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:24px;font-weight:400;">Put the pedal to the metal and crank it up!</span></p></div>
<p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;"><br></span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">Oh yeah! It is this month's music <a href="/music-of-the-month" title="HERE" rel="">HERE</a>.<br></span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><br></p></div>
</div><div data-element-id="elm_2DmbGsqyQDbie-751xAWZg" data-element-type="image" class="zpelement zpelem-image "><style> @media (min-width: 992px) { [data-element-id="elm_2DmbGsqyQDbie-751xAWZg"] .zpimage-container figure img { width: 280px !important ; height: 280px !important ; } } @media (max-width: 991px) and (min-width: 768px) { [data-element-id="elm_2DmbGsqyQDbie-751xAWZg"] .zpimage-container figure img { width:200px ; height:175.04px ; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { [data-element-id="elm_2DmbGsqyQDbie-751xAWZg"] .zpimage-container figure img { width:200px ; height:175.04px ; } } [data-element-id="elm_2DmbGsqyQDbie-751xAWZg"].zpelem-image { border-radius:1px; } </style><div data-caption-color="" data-size-tablet="" data-size-mobile="" data-align="center" data-tablet-image-separate="false" data-mobile-image-separate="false" class="zpimage-container zpimage-align-center zpimage-tablet-align-center zpimage-mobile-align-center zpimage-size-original zpimage-tablet-fallback-small zpimage-mobile-fallback-small "><figure role="none" class="zpimage-data-ref"><a class="zpimage-anchor" href="https://alabamaastronaut.com/home" target="_blank" rel=""><picture><img class="zpimage zpimage-style-none zpimage-space-none " src="/files/Blog%20Files/Miles_Davis_On_The_Corner.jpg" width="200" height="175.04" loading="lazy" size="original"/></picture></a></figure></div>
</div></div></div></div></div></div> ]]></content:encoded><pubDate>Tue, 30 Jul 2024 12:00:00 -0600</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Music to handle snakes by]]></title><link>https://www.steveaves.com/blogs/post/alabama-astronaut-podcast</link><description><![CDATA[<img align="left" hspace="5" src="https://www.steveaves.com/files/Blog Files/alabama astronaut.jpg"/>This is a fascinating, and odd, podcast. The stated purpose of the episodes is "the search for undocumented songs of the Appalachians." But, these songs are ones he discovered in serpent-handling churches. Yeah, that's right.]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="zpcontent-container blogpost-container "><div data-element-id="elm_fPhcYZwgT3OGmSEdApd1DA" data-element-type="section" class="zpsection "><style type="text/css"></style><div class="zpcontainer-fluid zpcontainer"><div data-element-id="elm_xXPJz3WRTwqbfGB0zHHddw" data-element-type="row" class="zprow zprow-container zpalign-items- zpjustify-content- " data-equal-column=""><style type="text/css"></style><div data-element-id="elm_HN44cOk5Rca08jHajxbz0A" data-element-type="column" class="zpelem-col zpcol-12 zpcol-md-12 zpcol-sm-12 zpalign-self- "><style type="text/css"></style><div data-element-id="elm_FcsN_LN4Qy2GybAdmRHbYg" data-element-type="text" class="zpelement zpelem-text "><style></style><div class="zptext zptext-align-center " data-editor="true"><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">This is a fascinating, and odd, podcast. The stated purpose of the episodes is&nbsp;&quot;the search for undocumented songs of the Appalachians.&quot; But, these songs are ones he discovered in serpent-handling churches. Yeah, that's right. <br></span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">Just listen to the first episode.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;"><br></span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">Oh yeah! Listen to the song entitled &quot;Alabama Astronaut&quot; <a href="https://abepartridge.com/single/67671/alabama-astronauts" title="HERE" target="_blank" rel="">HERE</a>.<br></span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"></p></div>
</div><div data-element-id="elm_2DmbGsqyQDbie-751xAWZg" data-element-type="image" class="zpelement zpelem-image "><style> @media (min-width: 992px) { [data-element-id="elm_2DmbGsqyQDbie-751xAWZg"] .zpimage-container figure img { width: 200px ; height: 175.04px ; } } @media (max-width: 991px) and (min-width: 768px) { [data-element-id="elm_2DmbGsqyQDbie-751xAWZg"] .zpimage-container figure img { width:200px ; height:175.04px ; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { [data-element-id="elm_2DmbGsqyQDbie-751xAWZg"] .zpimage-container figure img { width:200px ; height:175.04px ; } } [data-element-id="elm_2DmbGsqyQDbie-751xAWZg"].zpelem-image { border-radius:1px; } </style><div data-caption-color="" data-size-tablet="" data-size-mobile="" data-align="center" data-tablet-image-separate="false" data-mobile-image-separate="false" class="zpimage-container zpimage-align-center zpimage-size-small zpimage-tablet-fallback-small zpimage-mobile-fallback-small "><figure role="none" class="zpimage-data-ref"><a class="zpimage-anchor" href="https://alabamaastronaut.com/home" target="_blank" rel=""><picture><img class="zpimage zpimage-style-none zpimage-space-none " src="/files/Blog%20Files/alabama%20astronaut.jpg" width="200" height="175.04" loading="lazy" size="small"/></picture></a></figure></div>
</div><div data-element-id="elm_Sgmb7_goTwaRvMjgMmvThA" data-element-type="button" class="zpelement zpelem-button "><style> [data-element-id="elm_Sgmb7_goTwaRvMjgMmvThA"].zpelem-button{ border-radius:1px; } </style><div class="zpbutton-container zpbutton-align-center "><style type="text/css"></style><a class="zpbutton-wrapper zpbutton zpbutton-type-primary zpbutton-size-md zpbutton-style-none " href="https://alabamaastronaut.com/home" target="_blank"><span class="zpbutton-content">Click Here for Episodes</span></a></div>
</div></div></div></div></div></div> ]]></content:encoded><pubDate>Mon, 22 Apr 2024 07:24:21 -0600</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Grandson Is Confirmed at Church]]></title><link>https://www.steveaves.com/blogs/post/grandson-is-confirmed-at-church</link><description><![CDATA[<img align="left" hspace="5" src="https://www.steveaves.com/Markell Head Shot on sled.jpg"/>My grandson is confirmed into St. John's Lutheran Church.]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="zpcontent-container blogpost-container "><div data-element-id="elm_d5K_oBjCRheeaoJ25k3dTg" data-element-type="section" class="zpsection "><style type="text/css"></style><div class="zpcontainer-fluid zpcontainer"><div data-element-id="elm_oCp-ABI9Sk6n_4mcOvX7RA" data-element-type="row" class="zprow zprow-container zpalign-items- zpjustify-content- " data-equal-column=""><style type="text/css"></style><div data-element-id="elm_qghqoN6HRcy4cpNw8Ph-9A" data-element-type="column" class="zpelem-col zpcol-12 zpcol-md-12 zpcol-sm-12 zpalign-self- "><style type="text/css"></style><div data-element-id="elm_Ai36ThK6RDGhnlbuFrsZMQ" data-element-type="heading" class="zpelement zpelem-heading "><style> [data-element-id="elm_Ai36ThK6RDGhnlbuFrsZMQ"].zpelem-heading { border-radius:1px; } </style><h2
 class="zpheading zpheading-align-center " data-editor="true">I'm a proud grandfather<br></h2></div>
<div data-element-id="elm_Dw0bduwURAioWa7JJUizYA" data-element-type="text" class="zpelement zpelem-text "><style> [data-element-id="elm_Dw0bduwURAioWa7JJUizYA"].zpelem-text { border-radius:1px; } </style><div class="zptext zptext-align-center " data-editor="true"><div style="text-align:justify;">Below is the video of the complete church service. I have it starting at the point where the confirmands are joining in the &quot;children's sermon.&quot; Then I marked highlights if you don't want to view the entire service, though I recommend you do.</div><div style="text-align:justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align:justify;"><span style="color:inherit;">5:11 children's sermon<br>14:01 sermon. Good sermon, particularly if you are not familiar with the Lutheran traditions.<br>34:02 confession. The </span><span style="color:inherit;">confirmands AND the church make the confession of faith.</span><br><span style="color:inherit;">37:10 Markell is confirmed.<br>49:35 photos of the confirmands</span></div></div>
</div><div data-element-id="elm_mkN_b_UphVO206zgWbsX4Q" data-element-type="video" class="zpelement zpelem-video "><style type="text/css"> [data-element-id="elm_mkN_b_UphVO206zgWbsX4Q"].zpelem-video{ border-radius:1px; } </style><div class="zpvideo-container zpiframe-align-center zpiframe-mobile-align- zpiframe-tablet-align-"><iframe class="zpvideo " width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/CVOZxL8sZ8I?si=eMaLPB1Q7hQL2tQG&amp;amp;start=310" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
</div></div></div></div></div></div> ]]></content:encoded><pubDate>Mon, 04 Dec 2023 08:44:06 -0600</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Michael Caine on Working Through Difficulty]]></title><link>https://www.steveaves.com/blogs/post/michael-caine-on-working-through-difficulty</link><description><![CDATA[<img align="left" hspace="5" src="https://www.steveaves.com/images/g180ba37a2be1cb6f93c7e7896884128481ffeccdb8a25ad22f65e0c6d108d6b0d56d0d2b712b67c7375f788d61a7519667e75c82276f6d629a726f9e659cf485_1280.jpg"/>Sir Michael Caine on how to use difficulties in life.]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="zpcontent-container blogpost-container "><div data-element-id="elm_R0Eq17NdSGmq3gWUYPddMQ" data-element-type="section" class="zpsection "><style type="text/css"></style><div class="zpcontainer-fluid zpcontainer"><div data-element-id="elm_MgjMbuRqTEuBaa4-Xo1aAg" data-element-type="row" class="zprow zprow-container zpalign-items- zpjustify-content- " data-equal-column=""><style type="text/css"></style><div data-element-id="elm_corq-TekR4Ktp2okz1gPPg" data-element-type="column" class="zpelem-col zpcol-12 zpcol-md-12 zpcol-sm-12 zpalign-self- "><style type="text/css"> [data-element-id="elm_corq-TekR4Ktp2okz1gPPg"].zpelem-col{ border-radius:1px; } </style><div data-element-id="elm_Z745oTirLSjlvMz2HW8HKA" data-element-type="video" class="zpelement zpelem-video "><style type="text/css"> [data-element-id="elm_Z745oTirLSjlvMz2HW8HKA"].zpelem-video{ border-radius:1px; } </style><div class="zpvideo-container zpiframe-align-center zpiframe-mobile-align- zpiframe-tablet-align-"><iframe class="zpvideo " width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/GAB89fOdA-I?enablejsapi=1" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen id=youtube-video-1 data-api=youtube></iframe></div>
</div></div></div></div></div></div> ]]></content:encoded><pubDate>Sun, 26 Mar 2023 18:52:28 -0600</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Everyone Earns a Trophy, No One Earns an "A"]]></title><link>https://www.steveaves.com/blogs/post/everyone-earns-a-trophy-no-one-earns-an-a</link><description><![CDATA[<img align="left" hspace="5" src="https://www.steveaves.com/files/Blog Files/worship_bible.jpg"/>Is society indulging the parents and their children in their search for being special?]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="zpcontent-container blogpost-container "><div data-element-id="elm_X0qew6TMTy6XtHSUw89QmA" data-element-type="section" class="zpsection "><style type="text/css"></style><div class="zpcontainer-fluid zpcontainer"><div data-element-id="elm_NgksZbDuQO-bdL_tGAGZHg" data-element-type="row" class="zprow zprow-container zpalign-items- zpjustify-content- " data-equal-column=""><style type="text/css"></style><div data-element-id="elm_ll7CBGfeT0y-yYoepRzbew" data-element-type="column" class="zpelem-col zpcol-12 zpcol-md-12 zpcol-sm-12 zpalign-self- "><style type="text/css"></style><div data-element-id="elm_WevISomRRPSEA7xpPxRDcg" data-element-type="heading" class="zpelement zpelem-heading "><style> [data-element-id="elm_WevISomRRPSEA7xpPxRDcg"].zpelem-heading { border-radius:1px; } </style><h2
 class="zpheading zpheading-align-center " data-editor="true">The Age of Authenticity is Really Here.<br></h2></div>
<div data-element-id="elm_QdxTFc5XQOWJmO7bZiF-yg" data-element-type="text" class="zpelement zpelem-text "><style> [data-element-id="elm_QdxTFc5XQOWJmO7bZiF-yg"].zpelem-text { border-radius:1px; } </style><div class="zptext zptext-align-center " data-editor="true"><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">I noticed this headline today in my news feed: </span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><a href="https://www.npr.org/2023/03/26/1164832694/to-help-new-students-adapt-some-colleges-are-eliminating-grades"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">To Help New Students Adapt, Some Colleges Are Eliminating Grades</span></a></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">I was stunned at the rationalizations made for removing letter grades (scoring a student's work). Mental health issues due to grades? Well, no, unless the stress of achieving those grades is defined as a &quot;mental health issue.&quot; <br></span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">Studying, being tested upon what you studied, is now a &quot;mental health&quot; issue?<br></span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">Unfortunately, NPR chose to continue the political divide by using the &quot;conservative&quot; term as a definition for the opposing viewpoint. Why label opinions in that manner, NPR?</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">The article was particularly interesting because I've been reading Andrew Root's book, &quot;</span><a href="https://www.andrewroot.org/the-end-of-youth-ministry/"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">The End of Youth Ministry?</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">&quot; I'm a fan of Dr. Root's books.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">Here are a few quotes from the book that I was trying to wrap my head around:</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;font-style:italic;">It becomes a parent’s primary job to protect the child from emotional injury so that the child never gets the idea that his chosen identity is wrong or bad.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;font-style:italic;">Emotional injury is terrifying because it threatens to damage the internal self, like frying the internal circuits of your computer’s motherboard by plugging in too many unsafe USB devices. To be emotionally injured brings a dark, stormy chaos to the internal quest, making life much harder. Emotional injury can strike in two directions, both of which frighten parents. First, emotional injury risks upending (or negatively redirecting) the construction of identity. It is assumed that because of your emotional injury, you can never be happy with who you are. Second, emotional injury can happen when a young person who is expressing her chosen identity finds no one to embrace it, no one who recognizes her unique expressions of her unique self. She’s emotionally injured because she feels like her way of being her is recognized only by haters.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">Dr. Root is making an </span><span style="font-size:12pt;text-decoration:underline;font-weight:400;">observation</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;"> about high school and college kids from the viewpoint of the parents and their child in this &quot;</span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A_Secular_Age#The_Age_of_Authenticity"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">age of authenticity</span></a><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">.&quot;</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">I am interested in what your viewpoint is.</span></p><div><br></div><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0px;"><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div>
</div></div></div></div></div></div> ]]></content:encoded><pubDate>Sun, 26 Mar 2023 16:36:29 -0600</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Grandpa, what is Spam?]]></title><link>https://www.steveaves.com/blogs/post/grandpa-what-is-spam</link><description><![CDATA[<img align="left" hspace="5" src="https://www.steveaves.com/images/gf1b31a4e0b14e4f393a50bf4618cc41b5e24863bf078c79b5cffce98642cda2e87905ba7aae6185fa1c5086c10145684be4c1ea54dc291931299b1ca5c588aaf_1280.jpg"/>Attempting to describe the undescribable at times requires you to just, let it be, because it just, is.]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="zpcontent-container blogpost-container "><div data-element-id="elm_SpxjRgBuS9OUMMUp1oByvA" data-element-type="section" class="zpsection "><style type="text/css"> [data-element-id="elm_SpxjRgBuS9OUMMUp1oByvA"].zpsection{ border-radius:1px; } </style><div class="zpcontainer-fluid zpcontainer"><div data-element-id="elm_6XBGyFOnQLiZqVWx10jtGg" data-element-type="row" class="zprow zprow-container zpalign-items- zpjustify-content- " data-equal-column=""><style type="text/css"></style><div data-element-id="elm_HVsslJusSTSxv1M-BTsOIw" data-element-type="column" class="zpelem-col zpcol-12 zpcol-md-12 zpcol-sm-12 zpalign-self- "><style type="text/css"> [data-element-id="elm_HVsslJusSTSxv1M-BTsOIw"].zpelem-col{ border-radius:1px; } </style><div data-element-id="elm_AEz65NEkRXO0dfmfv3owfA" data-element-type="heading" class="zpelement zpelem-heading "><style> [data-element-id="elm_AEz65NEkRXO0dfmfv3owfA"].zpelem-heading { border-radius:1px; } </style><h2
 class="zpheading zpheading-align-center " data-editor="true">File under, careful what you ask for<br></h2></div>
<div data-element-id="elm_eaBnNJt_yPyiEc1HJ4GJgg" data-element-type="imagetext" class="zpelement zpelem-imagetext "><style> @media (min-width: 992px) { [data-element-id="elm_eaBnNJt_yPyiEc1HJ4GJgg"] .zpimagetext-container figure img { width: 150px !important ; height: 200px !important ; } } @media (max-width: 991px) and (min-width: 768px) { [data-element-id="elm_eaBnNJt_yPyiEc1HJ4GJgg"] .zpimagetext-container figure img { width:150px ; height:200px ; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { [data-element-id="elm_eaBnNJt_yPyiEc1HJ4GJgg"] .zpimagetext-container figure img { width:150px ; height:200px ; } } [data-element-id="elm_eaBnNJt_yPyiEc1HJ4GJgg"].zpelem-imagetext{ border-radius:1px; } </style><div data-size-tablet="" data-size-mobile="" data-align="left" data-tablet-image-separate="false" data-mobile-image-separate="false" class="zpimagetext-container zpimage-with-text-container zpimage-align-left zpimage-size-custom zpimage-tablet-fallback-custom zpimage-mobile-fallback-custom hb-lightbox " data-lightbox-options="
            type:fullscreen,
            theme:dark"><figure role="none" class="zpimage-data-ref"><span class="zpimage-anchor" role="link" tabindex="0" aria-label="Open Lightbox" style="cursor:pointer;"><picture><img class="zpimage zpimage-style-none zpimage-space-none " src="/files/Blog%20Files/spam.jpg" width="150" height="200" loading="lazy" size="custom" data-lightbox="true"/></picture></span></figure><div class="zpimage-text zpimage-text-align-left " data-editor="true"><p style="margin-left:40px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span style="font-size:18px;">My 13-year-old grandson noticed the image on the left as the wallpaper on my phone. He inquired about it. <br>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></p><p style="margin-left:40px;"><span style="font-size:18px;">Markell: &quot;What is that a picture of?&quot;</span></p><p style="margin-left:40px;"><span style="font-size:18px;">Me: &quot;21st Century Schizoid Spam. It is an artistic rendering of a famous album cover by the rock band, King Crimson. </span><span style="font-size:18px;">&quot;<br></span></p></div>
</div></div><div data-element-id="elm_lpskxq7fLCiwrvCyziosrA" data-element-type="imagetext" class="zpelement zpelem-imagetext "><style> @media (min-width: 992px) { [data-element-id="elm_lpskxq7fLCiwrvCyziosrA"] .zpimagetext-container figure img { width: 200px !important ; height: 200px !important ; } } @media (max-width: 991px) and (min-width: 768px) { [data-element-id="elm_lpskxq7fLCiwrvCyziosrA"] .zpimagetext-container figure img { width:200px ; height:200px ; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { [data-element-id="elm_lpskxq7fLCiwrvCyziosrA"] .zpimagetext-container figure img { width:200px ; height:200px ; } } [data-element-id="elm_lpskxq7fLCiwrvCyziosrA"].zpelem-imagetext{ border-radius:1px; } </style><div data-size-tablet="" data-size-mobile="" data-align="right" data-tablet-image-separate="false" data-mobile-image-separate="false" class="zpimagetext-container zpimage-with-text-container zpimage-align-right zpimage-size-custom zpimage-tablet-fallback-custom zpimage-mobile-fallback-custom hb-lightbox " data-lightbox-options="
            type:fullscreen,
            theme:dark"><figure role="none" class="zpimage-data-ref"><span class="zpimage-anchor" role="link" tabindex="0" aria-label="Open Lightbox" style="cursor:pointer;"><picture><img class="zpimage zpimage-style-none zpimage-space-none " src="/files/Blog%20Files/In_the_Court_of_the_Crimson_King.jpg" width="200" height="200" loading="lazy" size="custom" data-lightbox="true"/></picture></span></figure><div class="zpimage-text zpimage-text-align-left " data-editor="true"><div><span style="font-size:18px;">Markell: &quot;OK. What is that made of?&quot;</span></div><div><span style="font-size:18px;">Me: &quot;Spam.&quot;</span></div><div><span style="font-size:18px;">Markell: &quot;What's Spam?&quot;</span></div><div><span style="font-size:18px;">Me: &quot;Spam is a canned meat product made by Hormel foods. I think it was introduced in the 1930s. Very popular worldwide.&quot;</span></div><div><span style="font-size:18px;">Markell: &quot;I want to try it.&quot;<br></span></div><div><span style="font-size:18px;">Me: &quot;Some people really like, and others really hate it. Let me show you.........&quot;<br></span></div></div>
</div></div><div data-element-id="elm_VwcHCe1jftnoY8hC4UHdrg" data-element-type="dividerText" class="zpelement zpelem-dividertext "><style type="text/css"> [data-element-id="elm_VwcHCe1jftnoY8hC4UHdrg"] .zpdivider-container.zpdivider-text .zpdivider-common{ } [data-element-id="elm_VwcHCe1jftnoY8hC4UHdrg"].zpelem-dividertext{ border-radius:1px; } </style><style></style><div class="zpdivider-container zpdivider-text zpdivider-align-center zpdivider-width100 zpdivider-line-style-solid zpdivider-style-none "><div class="zpdivider-common">Monty Python's Spam Sketch</div>
</div></div><div data-element-id="elm_UZQ0km3F61XEN5JKUBeObg" data-element-type="video" class="zpelement zpelem-video "><style type="text/css"> [data-element-id="elm_UZQ0km3F61XEN5JKUBeObg"].zpelem-video{ border-radius:1px; } </style><div class="zpvideo-container zpiframe-align-center zpiframe-mobile-align- zpiframe-tablet-align-"><iframe class="zpvideo " width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/jrZyZn5nVks" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
</div><div data-element-id="elm_pmiNt7k96Hy9jgRPqJO1Yg" data-element-type="dividerText" class="zpelement zpelem-dividertext "><style type="text/css"> [data-element-id="elm_pmiNt7k96Hy9jgRPqJO1Yg"] .zpdivider-container.zpdivider-text .zpdivider-common{ } [data-element-id="elm_pmiNt7k96Hy9jgRPqJO1Yg"].zpelem-dividertext{ border-radius:1px; } </style><style></style><div class="zpdivider-container zpdivider-text zpdivider-align-center zpdivider-width100 zpdivider-line-style-solid zpdivider-style-none "><div class="zpdivider-common">Attempt to explain Spam Sketch</div>
</div></div><div data-element-id="elm_y3wkRto1xulS_N3M4n3-wQ" data-element-type="text" class="zpelement zpelem-text "><style> [data-element-id="elm_y3wkRto1xulS_N3M4n3-wQ"].zpelem-text { border-radius:1px; } </style><div class="zptext zptext-align-left " data-editor="true"><div><span style="font-size:20px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Markell: &quot;WHAT WAS THAT?&quot;&nbsp; &quot;WHAT DID I JUST SEE??!&quot;</span></div><div><span style="font-size:20px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Me: &quot;Monty Python's Spam Sketch.&quot;</span></div><div><span style="font-size:20px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Markell: Looking confused, &quot;WHAT was that ABOUT?!&quot;</span></div><div><span style="font-size:20px;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Me: &quot;Ummmmm, Spam.&quot;</span><br></div></div>
</div></div></div></div></div></div> ]]></content:encoded><pubDate>Tue, 29 Nov 2022 09:43:49 -0600</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Why I Like The "harsh" Or "difficult" Old Testament Narratives]]></title><link>https://www.steveaves.com/blogs/post/why-i-like-the-harsh-or-difficult-old-testament-narratives</link><description><![CDATA[<img align="left" hspace="5" src="https://www.steveaves.com/files/Blog Files/tn_03_FB_David_Bathsheba_1024.jpg"/>I like the "harsh" or "difficult" Old Testament narratives. What I find refreshing is the raw honesty about people - God's people - and the struggles God and His people have with each other. There is a timelessness to it.]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="zpcontent-container blogpost-container "><div data-element-id="elm_PLTntQ2oR8W2x4pVDhiU1w" data-element-type="section" class="zpsection "><style type="text/css"></style><div class="zpcontainer-fluid zpcontainer"><div data-element-id="elm_Asszr3yaQputf35umzn1Gw" data-element-type="row" class="zprow zprow-container zpalign-items- zpjustify-content- " data-equal-column=""><style type="text/css"> [data-element-id="elm_Asszr3yaQputf35umzn1Gw"].zprow{ border-radius:1px; } </style><div data-element-id="elm_abkQNMqNSpCwTUoZvvSoFg" data-element-type="column" class="zpelem-col zpcol-12 zpcol-md-12 zpcol-sm-12 zpalign-self- "><style type="text/css"> [data-element-id="elm_abkQNMqNSpCwTUoZvvSoFg"].zpelem-col{ border-radius:1px; } </style><div data-element-id="elm_t6kdkUZzQzyAHgrJTiK5DA" data-element-type="heading" class="zpelement zpelem-heading "><style> [data-element-id="elm_t6kdkUZzQzyAHgrJTiK5DA"].zpelem-heading { border-radius:1px; } </style><h2
 class="zpheading zpheading-align-center " data-editor="true"><span style="color:inherit;"><span>&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:16pt;font-weight:700;">Why I Like The &quot;harsh&quot; Or &quot;difficult&quot; Old Testament Narratives</span><span><br></span></span></h2></div>
<div data-element-id="elm_j4WDrRHlTNmtAi5WHipDAg" data-element-type="text" class="zpelement zpelem-text "><style> [data-element-id="elm_j4WDrRHlTNmtAi5WHipDAg"].zpelem-text { border-radius:1px; } </style><div class="zptext zptext-align-left " data-editor="true"><div style="color:inherit;"><div style="color:inherit;"><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">I like the &quot;harsh&quot; or &quot;difficult&quot; Old Testament narratives. What I find refreshing is the raw honesty about people - God's people - and the struggles God and His people have with each other. There is a timelessness to it.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">Too often, the difficult stories and events we reference get sanitized for our current sensibilities. The reality of those stories get lost. This meme is a favorite of mine, conveying how Luther's message has been &quot;cleaned up&quot; to make it more ..... palatable.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;"><img src="/files/Blog%20Files/tn_Modern%20Lutherism.jpg" style="width:148px !important;height:164.52px !important;max-width:100% !important;"></span></p></div><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">My observations of human life inform me that these old &quot;stories&quot; are as relevant today as they were 3000 years ago. A case in point is <a href="#David_Commits_Adultery_with_Bathsheba" title="David and Bathsheba" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">David and Bathsheba</a>.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;font-style:italic;">It happened, late one afternoon, when David rose from his couch and was walking about on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. David sent someone to inquire about the woman. It was reported, “This is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” So David sent messengers to get her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she was purifying herself after her period.) Then she returned to her house. The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.”</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;font-style:italic;"><br></span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">What is shocking, right at the start of this story, is the protagonist is David. David, the little shepherd boy <a href="#sheep" title="who God chose" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">who God chose</a>. David, the man God said was &quot;<a href="#man_after_his_own_heart" title="after his own heart" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">after his own heart</a>.&quot; David, the leader who we would least expect to commit this heinous sin.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">Well, let's look at current times for people who took advantage of others by using their exalted positions. Three come to mind; Bill Cosby, Bill Clinton, and Harvey Weinstein.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">David tries to <a href="#wash_your_feet" title="hide Bathsheba's pregnancy" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">hide Bathsheba's pregnancy</a>; he attempts to make it appear as if the child is really Bathsheba's husband's, Uriah, which does not work. As so often happens, desperation escalates the efforts and leads to worse results. David <a href="#struck_down" title="sets up Uriah" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">sets up Uriah</a> to be killed in a battle. David now has committed another sin.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">True to life, lying makes the original mistake worse.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">Soon, David is <a href="#You_are_the_man" title="confronted by God" target="_blank" rel="nofollow">confronted by God</a> for his sins. David admits his sins, God then &quot;put away your sin.&quot; David does not have to die for his sin (which is what the law prescribes for what he did), but the child will die.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">Harsh. Yet, there are consequences for our actions.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">Items in this narrative I find worth pondering:</span></p><div style="color:inherit;"><ul><li><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">What is different between David and Clinton, Cosby, and Weinstein? I think it is David kept God in his heart, AND REPENTED when confronted.</span></p></li><li><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">If a servant of David's had said something like, &quot;Bathsheba is not your wife. This could go badly.&quot; would David have reconsidered? Then again, much like today, the person that knew and could have / should have, said something was afraid of consequences to them self. Kind of a damning thought, really. Inaction is as bad as action in this case.</span></p></li><li><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">Is this story one that shows the consequence of hero worship? David was a lowly shepherd boy, and was raised to be king by the people.</span></p></li><li><p style="text-align:left;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">Power corrupts. A good leader must have people around them who can, and will, challenge them when needed. How do we enforce this?</span></p></li></ul></div><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">I have read other thoughts and opinions about this text. There is a lot here. </span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.25in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">Do you have any thoughts to share about it?</span></p></div></div>
</div><div data-element-id="elm_hEc3RvQ7mJj95nHThgOjZQ" data-element-type="divider" class="zpelement zpelem-divider "><style type="text/css"> [data-element-id="elm_hEc3RvQ7mJj95nHThgOjZQ"].zpelem-divider{ border-radius:1px; } </style><style></style><div class="zpdivider-container zpdivider-line zpdivider-align-center zpdivider-width100 zpdivider-line-style-solid "><div class="zpdivider-common"></div>
</div></div><div data-element-id="elm_5suxI_0uaE67jNV23LoAkw" data-element-type="heading" class="zpelement zpelem-heading "><style> [data-element-id="elm_5suxI_0uaE67jNV23LoAkw"].zpelem-heading { border-radius:1px; } </style><h3
 class="zpheading zpheading-style-none zpheading-align-center " data-editor="true">Text References<br></h3></div>
<div data-element-id="elm_Jdvr7o0QKOgh5dm6sa3mYw" data-element-type="text" class="zpelement zpelem-text "><style> [data-element-id="elm_Jdvr7o0QKOgh5dm6sa3mYw"].zpelem-text { border-radius:1px; } </style><div class="zptext zptext-align-left " data-editor="true"><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.375in;"><span>&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">2 Samuel 11:1 - 12:15 (NRSV)</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.375in;"><span>&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:700;">​<span id="David_Commits_Adultery_with_Bathsheba" title="David_Commits_Adultery_with_Bathsheba" class="zpItemAnchor"></span>​David Commits Adultery with Bathsheba</span><br><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">&nbsp;Chapter 11</span><br><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In the spring of the year, the time when kings go out to battle, David sent Joab with his officers and all Israel with him; they ravaged the Ammonites, and besieged Rabbah. But David remained at Jerusalem.</span><br><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; It happened, late one afternoon, when David rose from his couch and was walking about on the roof of the king’s house, that he saw from the roof a woman bathing; the woman was very beautiful. David sent someone to inquire about the woman. It was reported, “This is Bathsheba daughter of Eliam, the wife of Uriah the Hittite.” So David sent messengers to get her, and she came to him, and he lay with her. (Now she was purifying herself after her period.) Then she returned to her house. The woman conceived; and she sent and told David, “I am pregnant.”</span><br><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; So David sent word to Joab, “Send me Uriah the Hittite.” And Joab sent Uriah to David. When Uriah came to him, David asked how Joab and the people fared, and how the war was going. <span style="font-style:italic;">Then David said to Uriah, “Go down to your house, and <span id="wash_your_feet" title="wash_your_feet" class="zpItemAnchor"></span>​wash your feet.”</span> Uriah went out of the king’s house, and there followed him a present from the king. But Uriah slept at the entrance of the king’s house with all the servants of his lord, and did not go down to his house. When they told David, “Uriah did not go down to his house,” David said to Uriah, “You have just come from a journey. Why did you not go down to your house?” Uriah said to David, “The ark and Israel and Judah remain in booths; and my lord Joab and the servants of my lord are camping in the open field; shall I then go to my house, to eat and to drink, and to lie with my wife? As you live, and as your soul lives, I will not do such a thing.” Then David said to Uriah, “Remain here today also, and tomorrow I will send you back.” So Uriah remained in Jerusalem that day. On the next day, David invited him to eat and drink in his presence and made him drunk; and in the evening he went out to lie on his couch with the servants of his lord, but he did not go down to his house.</span><br><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:700;"><br></span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.375in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:700;">David Has Uriah Killed</span><br><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; In the morning David wrote a letter to Joab, and sent it by the hand of Uriah. In the letter he wrote, <span style="font-style:italic;">“Set Uriah in the forefront of the hardest fighting, and then draw back from him, so that he may be <span id="struck_down" title="struck_down" class="zpItemAnchor"></span>​struck down and die.”</span> As Joab was besieging the city, he assigned Uriah to the place where he knew there were valiant warriors. The men of the city came out and fought with Joab; and some of the servants of David among the people fell. Uriah the Hittite was killed as well. Then Joab sent and told David all the news about the fighting; and he instructed the messenger, “When you have finished telling the king all the news about the fighting, then, if the king’s anger rises, and if he says to you, ‘Why did you go so near the city to fight? Did you not know that they would shoot from the wall? Who killed Abimelech son of Jerubbaal? Did not a woman throw an upper millstone on him from the wall, so that he died at Thebez? Why did you go so near the wall?’ then you shall say, ‘Your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead too.’”</span><br><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; So the messenger went, and came and told David all that Joab had sent him to tell. The messenger said to David, “The men gained an advantage over us, and came out against us in the field; but we drove them back to the entrance of the gate. Then the archers shot at your servants from the wall; some of the king’s servants are dead; and your servant Uriah the Hittite is dead also.” David said to the messenger, “Thus you shall say to Joab, ‘Do not let this matter trouble you, for the sword devours now one and now another; press your attack on the city, and overthrow it.’ And encourage him.”</span><br><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband was dead, she made lamentation for him. When the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son.</span><br><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:700;"><br></span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.375in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:700;">Nathan Condemns David</span><br><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">&nbsp;But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD,</span><br><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">&nbsp;and the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, “There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meager fare, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man’s lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him.” Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.”</span><br><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">&nbsp;Nathan said to David, “<span id="You_are_the_man" title="You_are_the_man" class="zpItemAnchor"></span>​You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul; I gave you your master’s house, and your master’s wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added as much more. <span style="font-style:italic;">Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites.</span> Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, for you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. Thus says the LORD: I will raise up trouble against you from within your own house; and I will take your wives before your eyes, and give them to your neighbor, and he shall lie with your wives in the sight of this very sun. For you did it secretly; but I will do this thing before all Israel, and before the sun.” David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” Nathan said to David, “Now the LORD has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child that is born to you shall die.” Then Nathan went to his house.</span><br><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.375in;"><span>&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">1 Samuel 16:11-13 (NRSV)</span><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.375in;"><span>&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but he is keeping the <span id="sheep" title="sheep" class="zpItemAnchor"></span>​sheep.” And Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and bring him; for we will not sit down until he comes here.” He sent and brought him in. Now he /was ruddy, and had beautiful eyes, and was handsome. The LORD said, “Rise and anoint him; for this is the one.” Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in the presence of his brothers; and the spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. Samuel then set out and went to Ramah.</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.375in;"><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;"><br></span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.375in;"><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">1 Samuel 13:13-14 (NRSV)</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p style="text-align:left;text-indent:0.375in;"><span>&nbsp;</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly; you have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which he commanded you. The LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever, but now your kingdom will not continue; </span><span style="font-size:12pt;text-decoration:underline;font-weight:400;font-style:italic;">the LORD has sought out a <span id="man_after_his_own_heart" title="man_after_his_own_heart" class="zpItemAnchor"></span>​man after his own heart</span><span style="font-size:12pt;font-weight:400;">; and the LORD has appointed him to be ruler over his people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”</span><br><span>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <br></span></p></div>
</div></div></div></div></div></div> ]]></content:encoded><pubDate>Sat, 12 Nov 2022 11:13:02 -0600</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Happy Birthday to Me]]></title><link>https://www.steveaves.com/blogs/post/happy-birthday-to-me</link><description><![CDATA[<img align="left" hspace="5" src="https://www.steveaves.com/files/Blog Files/Glenmorangie 14 Year Quinta Ruban Single Malt Scotch.webp"/>The Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 14 yr Port Cask is .... Scrumptious ]]></description><content:encoded><![CDATA[<div class="zpcontent-container blogpost-container "><div data-element-id="elm_yUuVBDkMSyOh2gWuxvWedg" data-element-type="section" class="zpsection "><style type="text/css"></style><div class="zpcontainer-fluid zpcontainer"><div data-element-id="elm_5sJqF6VFR7qWbjyJt8k3NA" data-element-type="row" class="zprow zprow-container zpalign-items- zpjustify-content- " data-equal-column=""><style type="text/css"></style><div data-element-id="elm_mCvHKdgQTOWEKdxumC17LQ" data-element-type="column" class="zpelem-col zpcol-12 zpcol-md-12 zpcol-sm-12 zpalign-self- "><style type="text/css"></style><div data-element-id="elm_yCTOAgrZdJvdeElhZBvRvQ" data-element-type="imagetext" class="zpelement zpelem-imagetext "><style> @media (min-width: 992px) { [data-element-id="elm_yCTOAgrZdJvdeElhZBvRvQ"] .zpimagetext-container figure img { width: 150px !important ; height: 400.00px !important ; } } @media (max-width: 991px) and (min-width: 768px) { [data-element-id="elm_yCTOAgrZdJvdeElhZBvRvQ"] .zpimagetext-container figure img { width:150px ; height:400px ; } } @media (max-width: 767px) { [data-element-id="elm_yCTOAgrZdJvdeElhZBvRvQ"] .zpimagetext-container figure img { width:150px ; height:400px ; } } [data-element-id="elm_yCTOAgrZdJvdeElhZBvRvQ"].zpelem-imagetext{ border-radius:1px; } </style><div data-size-tablet="" data-size-mobile="" data-align="left" data-tablet-image-separate="false" data-mobile-image-separate="false" class="zpimagetext-container zpimage-with-text-container zpimage-align-left zpimage-size-custom zpimage-tablet-fallback-custom zpimage-mobile-fallback-custom hb-lightbox " data-lightbox-options="
            type:fullscreen,
            theme:dark"><figure role="none" class="zpimage-data-ref"><span class="zpimage-anchor" role="link" tabindex="0" aria-label="Open Lightbox" style="cursor:pointer;"><picture><img class="zpimage zpimage-style-none zpimage-space-none " src="/files/Blog%20Files/Glenmorangie%2014%20Year%20Quinta%20Ruban%20Single%20Malt%20Scotch.webp" width="150" height="400" loading="lazy" size="custom" data-lightbox="true"/></picture></span></figure><div class="zpimage-text zpimage-text-align-left " data-editor="true"><p><span style="color:inherit;">The <span style="color:inherit;"><a href="https://www.glenmorangie.com/en-us/our-whiskies/quinta-ruban-14-yo?gclid=Cj0KCQjwpv2TBhDoARIsALBnVnmHRjczyLeZaklblNPKfXPFxUHS9e8DwmHtSrGIPZP3ddv6AruyQwAaAvXuEALw_wcB&amp;gclsrc=aw.ds" title="Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 14 yr Port Cask" target="_blank" rel="">Glenmorangie Quinta Ruban 14 yr Port Cask</a> is ....</span></span></p><p></p><p><span style="color:inherit;"><span style="color:inherit;"><br></span></span></p><p><span style="color:inherit;"><span style="color:inherit;">Scrumptious </span></span></p><br></div>
</div></div></div></div></div></div></div> ]]></content:encoded><pubDate>Sat, 14 May 2022 13:50:16 -0500</pubDate></item></channel></rss>