GOD, GRACE, & GAYS SUMMARIZED (In response to a Youtube video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUZA4IC6IJ8)

 

First of all, when you talk about Jesus' teachings (it's Jesus' not Jesus's, which sounds like Jesuses. You do not put an 's on words ending in s to make them possessive, just the apostrophe; otherwise it sounds plural), Jesus is the Word (John 1:1) so the whole Bible is His teachings.

Then, when approaching this subject, everyone seems to want to contextualize it into irrelevancy: cultural norms of the time, etc. Yet the Bible also says that God doesn't change: "Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and forever." (Heb. 13:8) "For I am the LORD, I change not...." (Malachi 3:6) KJV.

The key to understanding Sodom in Genesis 19, is Gibeah in Judges 19. Here we see similar events unfolding centuries apart with some key differences that help explain it much better. In Judges 19, one of the visitors is female, and she is taken by the mob, brutalized all night, and dies of her injuries. This means the men of Gibeah were clearly bisexual.

In both cases though, the daughter(s) of those sojourning with them were offered and rejected in favor of the new faces in town. In Sodom, both visitors were male, and the mob consisted of "...the men of Sodom..."..both old and young, all the people from every quarter." (Gen. 19:4). No population of any city, anywhere, ever had a population that was 100% homosexual. It wouldn't last as they wouldn't be reproducing: they'd die out. So, the men of Sodom were also bisexual. They most likely had the attitude of the men of Afghanistan, as reported in the press at the time when the U.S. was occupying it: Women for children, men for fun. (This was later modified to "Women for children, boys for fun," but you get the idea.)

in Romans 1:27, the men in question here were also bisexual as they left "...the natural use of the woman...." by choice. It has often been pointed out that homosexuality is not a choice, but what has been missing is the fact that bisexuality offers a choice. And, if homosexuality is not a choice, it is not a sin, because sin is a choice: a choice to disobey, that is acted upon, in the case of doing what you were told not to do, or not doing what you were told to do.

Rather, it is a fault; and what does the Bible say about faults? "Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." (James 5:16). In the case of this fault, you're basically commanded to "come out." The stress of keeping all this bottled up inside is not healthy.

An how should such a person be treated? Galatians 6:1-2 give us the answer: "Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness, considering thyself lest thou also be tempted. Bear ye on another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ." For, as I Corinthians 10:13 says: "There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able, but will with the temptation also make a way of escape, that ye may be able to bear it." It's your cross to bear.

As for using the two verses in Leviticus (18:22 & 20:13) to say that homosexuality is a sin, is like using the verse that condemns adultery (20:10,) with the same punishment, death, must make heterosexuality a sin too. Sexuality isn't the sin, it's what you do with it.

GRASSHOPPER PIE

This pie is designed for applause.
The crust is rich and chocolaty, the
filling features two famous liqueurs.

9-INCH CHOCOLATE SHORT PIE SHELL

1 cup Bisquick baking mix
1/4 cup cocoa
2 tbsp sugar
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
3 tbsp boiling water

Heat oven to 450°

1 Combine baking mix, cocoa, sugar and
butter in small bowl. Add water; stir
vigorously until dough forms a ball and
cleans the bowl. (Dough will be puffy
and soft.)
2 Pat dough with lightly floured hands
into 9-inch pie pan, bringing up dough
to edge of pan.
3 Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cool.

FILLING

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/3 cup cold water
1 cup chilled whipping cream
1/2 can (18-oz size) Betty Crocker
vanilla pudding (1 cup)
1/4 cup white creme de cacao
1/4 cup green creme de menthe
Chocolate curls

Sprinkle gelatin on water in small
saucepan to soften. Stir over very
low heat until gelatin is dissolved.
In chilled bowl, beat cream until
stiff. Blend pudding and liqueurs into
whipped cream; fold in gelatin and, if
you like, green food color. Pour mixture
into pie shell. Chill at least 4 hours or
until set. Just before serving, garnish
with chocolate curls.
 ________________________________
Remove chilled pies from refrigerator
20 minutes before serving.

[From BETTY CROCKER'S BISQUICK COOKBOOK,
Seven mini cookbooks in one with step-by-step recipes,
Sixth printing 1977, Copyright © 1971, 1973 by General Mills, Inc.
124pp, p. 60.]

*Always wanted to try/taste this....

TAKE ONE Cinema

650 W 8th South

Mountain Home, ID 83647

(208) 587-5338
www.thetakeonecinema.com   
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

      * * *  NOW SHOWING  * * *

* * * * * * *  

DEMOLISHED

********
Colliers
INTERNATIONAL
A  v  a  I  l  a  b  l  e
www.colliers.com
208-345-9000
Mallisa Jackson
Devin Ogden

UPDATE

May 2021

Building has been leveled and parking lot removed.

June 2021

 NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

208-580-2091

ADULT (12 & Up): $0.00

MILITARY (Must Show ID): $0.00

SENIOR (62 & Over): $0.00
CHILD (11 & Under)/MATINEE: $0.00

____________________________________________________________

NOTE: Showtimes taken directly from the theater itself, off Facebook, their website, or off the phone.

Now at Facebook and MOVIE CLOCK.
See also BoxOfficeMojo.com, MOVIE GUIDE, and IMDB.com for more movie info.

To find people with similar interests, check out Fandata.com.

THE LEGEND OF THE HOOF-A-DOO

There's a little barbershop in Mountain Home, Idaho, called The Family Barber Shop, located around the block from its original location, which was originally located next to the alley that ran between it and First Security Bank, just across Jackson Street from The Merc.  The Salvation Army Thrift Store was on the other side of it. Later, they moved to the corner of the block, then around it and down to its present location on North 3rd East Street. Each time, they took the floor tiles and paneling with them to the new location and put the place back together exactly the same way it was originally. First Security Bank became Well's Fargo, the Merc became PAUL'S, which is now gone, and the Salvation Army Store moved over across from Albertsons, before eventually disappearing as well, making way for Great American Video, which was put out of business by the internet (like all video stores), replaced by COLORTYME.

Back in the day (1970's), a haircut was $2.50, the same price as a movie ticket at the old CANYON theater, which is gone now, but once sat across the street from PAUL's next to LeBeau's which is now The Stockyard. Today, a haircut runs you $9.00 (cheaper than anywhere else) which is what the price of a movie ticket at TAKE ONE Cinema  ran you before it closed for a long remodel..

Dean, who used to own and run it, along with another older gentleman, would always entertain the kids with his Donald Duck imitation to distract them from the fact that they were getting a haircut. The place was, and still is, filled with hunting trophies, obtained over the years, adorning the walls. There's a bear rug on one wall, and a mountain lion on the back wall, a racoon above the front window and door, heads and antlers and heads of deer, elk, rams and antelope; stuffed ducks, pheasants and wild turkeys, a Canadian goose, and even fish.  A couple of paintings and a small quilt are also included.

On one narrow strip of wall between the bathroom and the breakroom/closet, near the top doorframe, is a strange little creature on a plaque labeled as an ALASKAN HOOF-A-DOO. It looks very much like an animal's hoof, except for the two eyes.  If you asked him about it, Dean would regale you with the story.

Dean has long since retired, and now George Cutlip runs the place by himself with his daughter occasionally coming in to help, or just to cut his hair after closing. The three barber chairs are still there, two of which were used when Dean was there, and now only one is used. George has added his granddaughter's seashell collection, which includes some starfish, coral, and a horseshoe crab shell, to several shelves on the wall opposite of the barber chairs. There's a TV in the corner, with the turkeys, to watch, which is usually turned on to the History Channel, amongst several chairs you can wait in, read a magazine, or just admire the decor till your turn comes - first come, first served. My favorite part as a kid, and still is to some extent, is the vacuuming of your head at the end to suck up the loose hair. The haircut includes a neck shave as well. He's open from 9 to 5, Tuesday through Friday, unless he's got an appointment, is hunting, or on vacation. It's the last barbershop in town with a barber pole outside.  You could always tell if it was open when you were walking up to it, even before you could see the OPEN sign, because the old red and while striped barber pole was spinning.

If you're ever in the area, maybe you can get George to explain the Hoof-a-Doo to you, although his version of the story differs somewhat from Dean's.

George has since retired after the passing of his wife, and sold the business. A young woman named Katey (208-599-0963, text only) now runs the place, and the story of the Hoof-a-Doo is now largely forgotten. The shell collection is gone, and the hunting trophies are slowly disappearing; being given to those who asked for them. The memories remain for those who grew up here, but those too shall soon pass into history.

NOTE ON WINDOW (3x)
(March - May, 2020)

Hey Boys,

Due to CDC recommendations and the dumb COVID-19 virus, The Family Barbershop will be closed. Let's be real guys, I put my hands all over your head on the regular. Stay inside, stay healthy, and come back soon.

Thanks everyone,

Katey

Text questions to: (208) 599-0963

NOW OPEN

Walk ins welcome/limited seating.

ACORN BREAD

2 cups milk
2 tablespoons oil or butter
2 teaspoons salt
2 tablespoons dry yeast
4 2/3 cups acorn flour*
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup lukewarm water

Scald the milk. Stir in the oil or butter, honey and salt.
Pour into large bowl and set aside to cool to lukewarm.
Dissolve yeast in lukewarm water.
When milk mixture is lukewarm, add yeast. Gradually
stir in the acorn flour. Cover the bowl with a towel and
let rise for 2 hours in a warm place.
Knead for 10 minutes, then roll out like thick pastry.
Roll up like a jelly roll and shape into 2 loaves. Place in
greased bread pans; cover, and let rise for another 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375°.
Bake 40 minutes. Remove from oven and brush the tops
of the loaves with oil or melted butter.

*You can purchase acorn flour from acorno.com, or from
Sue's Acorn Cafe & Mill. (These links no longer work.)
(I would love to try this sometime.)

PILGRIM PUMPKIN PIE

1 9-inch unbaked piecrust
1 16-ounce can pumpkin (2 cups)
1 13 ounce can evaporated milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon*
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon salt
whipped cream for garnish

ABOUT 3 HOURS AHEAD OR EARLY IN DAY:
Prepare piecrust with Fluted Edge;
refrigerate. Preheat oven to 425⁰F.
    In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed,
beat pumpkin with next 10 ingredients until
well mixed.  Place pie plate on oven rack;
pour pumpkin mixture into piecrust; bake 15
minutes; turn oven control to 350⁰F, and bake
35 minutes more or until filling is set.  Cool.
Serve topped with whipped cream.
Makes 8 servings.
*Or, instead of cinnamon and the next 4 spices,
use 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice mix.

(This recipe also available at: http://www.cooks.com/recipe/187lc5kf/pilgrim-pumpkin-pie.html)

HONEY-NUT PUMPKIN PIE: Prepare as above.
Just before serving, spread 1/3 cup honey over top;
sprinkle with 1/3 cup sliced Brazil nuts, almonds,
filberts, peanuts, pecans or California walnuts.

SQUASH PIE: Prepare as above but substitute
2 cups mashed, cooked or thawed frozen 
butternut squash (about 1 1/3 12-ounce
packages) for pumpkin. 

(Dad's favorite Pumpkin Pie recipe from THE GOOD HOUSEKEEPING COOKBOOK, © 1973; pp 512-513)

CARROT PIE: Prepare as above but substitute
2 cups mashed, cooked carrots for pumpkin.
(My little creation for when you're out of pumpkin.
I figured, if they can use sweet potatoes, why not carrots?  They're orange.
What about using regular mashed potatoes instead of sweet?  Looks and
tastes like a custard pie; to me anyway. Add a little orange food coloring,
and it might work in a pinch.)

INDIAN PUMPKIN BREAD
1 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup pumpkin
water enough to moisten mixture

Combine all ingredients and mix until dough is easy to handle. Form into
flat cakes. Cakes may be baked in a greased pan (like biscuits), or fried
quickly over an open fire.

 

THE BIBLE ON HAIR LENGTH

I recently stirred up a hornet's nest on Facebook when I pointed out in a comment on a post from CRTV (Conservative Review TeleVision), Mark Levin's online conservative news channel, that the DUCK DYNASTY guys (Phil, in this case) apparently never read I Corinthians 11:14; or, if they had read it, simply ignored it.  You would have thought I'd appointed myself judge, jury and executioner (maybe even God Himself), just by quoting a verse that's in His Word. I thought it prudent to write a more thorough and cohesive treatise on the subject since a bunch of disjointed comments on Facebook hardly did the topic justice. That, and God seemed to be after me to do it since He threw that ball my way via that exchange. (As with other articles here, this is subject to later revision as is so conducive to this online medium.)

I Corinthians 11:14 states: "Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him?" This verse, and the two that follow, are the culmination of a dissertation began back in verse 3. He starts by laying out a hierarchy. "But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God." He goes on in verse 4 to explain that "Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonereth his head." This would seem to be saying that, if a man prays or preaches (prophesies) with any covering on his physical head, he dishonors his spiritual head, Christ (see verse 3). The fact that hair is considered a covering is indicated in verse 15 (the one right after the notorious verse 14), which  says: "But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering." (No need of a hijab or a burka ladies, your hair does the job quite nicely and appropriately.) 

The hierarchy is further elaborated on in verses 7-9: "For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man. For the man is not of the woman; but the woman of the man. Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man." This goes back to the creation account given in Genesis. In Genesis 2:18, God noted that "...It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him." After bringing all the creatures He had created before Adam so he could name them (verses 19-20), He notes at the end of verse 20, "...but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him." The creation of Eve, and her union with Adam is described in the remaining verses of  the chapter (21-25). Verse 10 of I Corinthians states: "For this cause ought a woman to have power on her head because of the angels." This would seem to hearken again back to Genesis, chapter 3 where Eve is tricked by the Devil into disobeying God, and later in Genesis 6:2 where "...the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose." (This looks much like a biblical explanation of the Greek stories of the gods taking mortal wives and having children by them--demigods like Hercules, or later Nimrod, and Perseus.) Verse 10 offers a reason behind all of this as pertaining to women beyond just the hierarchy of God and men.

The question then arises: But didn't Jesus have long hair? Not according to this and other scriptures. This assertion most often arises due to the fact that all Renaissance paintings and Catholic icons portray Jesus with long hair.  This is probably due to the fact that the artists themselves had long hair (see DaVinci's self portrait; he's the painter of the famous Last Supper), and they were merely trying to contemporize Christ by creating God in their own image -- a reversal of the actual order of creation in Genesis 1:26-27, "And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.... So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them."  

The question also arises due to Jesus being a Nazarene, which is a citizen of the city of Narareth.  They confuse a Nazarene with someone who has taken a Nazarite vow, described in Numbers 6, part of which was, "All the days of the vow of his separation there shall no razor come upon his head: until the days be fulfilled, in the which he separateth himself unto the LORD, he shall be holy, and shall let the locks of his head grow." --verse 5. At the end of the period of the vow though, "...the Nazarite shall shave the head of his separation at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shall take the hair of the head of his separation, and put it in the fire which is under the sacrifice of the peace offerings." --verse 18. Note this vow was for a set period of time, with a beginning and an end.  The only exception to this was Samson in Judges 13-16. He was "... a Nazarite unto God from the womb...." --Judges 13:5.  The only rule of a Nazarite vow that seemed to apply to him was the hair: "...and no razor shall come on his head...." (13:5). He also was the only one gifted with great strength because of it.  The Son of God would not need to take a vow as He was the Creator of all and had legions of angels at His beck and call as well.

Jesus lived during the end of of the Old Testament period.  It ended with His death on the cross and His subsequent resurrection.  As such, He abode by the standards of the law and customs of the Jews where they did not counter His Word.  One of these was given in Ezekiel 44:20, "Neither shall they shave their heads, nor suffer their locks to grow long; they shall only poll their heads."  Based on this, no, Jesus did not have long hair. You might ask if hair was that important to Christ; well, He did say that "...the very hairs of your head are all numbered." --Matthew 10:30, Luke 12:7. That would seem to indicate that it was important to Him. 
The only creatures in the Bible resembling the modern-day caricatures of Christ are found in Revelation 9:1-11. Here we see monstrosities called locusts, which some have labeled demon centaurs, described as having bodies shaped like battle-ready horses with golden crowns on their heads, "...and their faces were as the faces of men. And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions." (verses 7-8).
One example of someone in the Bible who didn't seem to regard long hair as an issue, for himself anyway, was Absalom, King David's son.  In II Samuel 14:26 we read, "And when he polled his head, (for it was at every year's end that he polled it: because the hair was heavy on him, therefore he polled it:) he weighed the hair of his head at two hundred shekels after the king's weight."  That's a lot of hair! Absalom ended up rebelling against his father David and, with David's troops in hot pursuit, Absalom met his fate.  "And Absalom met the servants of David. And Absalom rode upon a mule, and the mule went under the thick boughs of a great oak, and his head caught hold of the oak, and he  was taken up between the heaven and the earth; and the mule that was under him went away. And a certain man saw it, and told Joab, and said, Behold, I saw Absalom hanged in an oak. And Joab said unto the man that told him, And, behold, thou sawest him, and why didst thou not smite him there to the ground?" II Samuel 18:9-11. "Then said Joab, I may not tarry thus with thee. And he took three darts in his hand, and thrust them through the heart of Absalom, while he was yet alive in the midst of the oak. And ten young men that bare Joab's armour compassed about and smote Absalom, and slew him." II Samuel 18:14-15.  One can imagine Absalom riding along with his hair billowing in the air behind him as he went under that oak, and his hair getting tangled up in the tree and yanking him off his ride, leaving him a sitting (or, in this case, hanging) duck. Then there's the scripture that reads: "...for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree." --Galatians 3:13; referring back to Deuteronomy 21:23: "...(for he that is hanged is accursed of God;)...."
Then the objection of judging one another comes up. "Judge not, and ye shall not be judged."  That phrase is so often used as if it were a free pass; "I'm not judging you, so don't you judge me." "Only God can judge." While that last is ultimately true, He gave us is Word to go by, with the admonition to "Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment."  --John 7:24.  But isn't hair length appearance? Yes, but the standard was set in God's Word, not by man. While we know that "... the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart." -- I Samuel 16:7, our testimony to other men will be based on what they see us do, how we dress and act (first impression, the outward appearance), then on what they hear; not only from us, but other's as well. 
Our salvation is not of works; like cutting your hair, charitable deeds, obeying the law, etc. "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." --Ephesians 2:8-9. There is no boasting before God of your works like Jesus said many will try to do: "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." --Matthew 7:22-23. "That no flesh should glory in his presence." --I Corinthians 1:29. "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us...." --Titus 3:5.
So we aren't doing this to impress God and obtain His favor, but we are doing this as a witness to others. James 2:20 tells us "...that faith without works is dead." Our works are an outward manifestation of the fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness temperance...." --Galatians 5:22).  As James 2:15-17 illustrates: "If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone." Our outward appearance and actions should reflect the person within as a representative (ambassador) of Christ by keeping the standards He set for us. "Now then we are ambassadors for Christ...." --II Corinthians 5:20. As Paul concluded in I Corinthians 11:16 on this subject: "But if any man seem to be contentious, we have no such custom, neither the churches of God."
The question then arises: What is long?  Using common sense, shoulder length hair on men would be too long.  There is no hard a fast standard as to exact length, so we might gather that God left a little leeway for style, personal taste (free will), and how often one might be able to get a haircut. If you want a standard to go by, use the military's; you won't go wrong there.
NOTE: In the movie HEAVEN IS FOR REAL, based on the book of the same title, little Colton Burpo was in the hospital and had a near death experience during which he visited heaven.  There he saw his older sister, who had died due to a miscarriage, grandparents he had never met, and Jesus Himself.  After repeated grilling by his father as to what Jesus looked like, showing him various pictures and paintings of the usual long-haired Jesus (to which Colton always said, "No, that's not Him."), near the end of the movie, he walked by his dad on his way outside, and saw  a painting by Akiane Kramarik that his dad was looking at, and said, "That's Him."  Akiane was a child art prodigy who'd had a similar experience to Colton's, and painted the man she saw.  This is what she painted: