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Jonah 2 Bible chapter

Posted in Bible quotes, tagged , , , , , , , , , on March 11, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Jonah 2

Then Jonah prayed unto the LORD his God out of the fish’s belly.

And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and He heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and Thou heardest my voice.

For Thou hadst cast me into the deep, in the midst of the seas; and the floods compassed my about: all Thy billows and Thy waves passed over me.

Then I said, I am cast out of Thy sight; yet I will look again toward Thy holy temple.

The waters compassed me about, even to the soul: the depth closed me round about, the weeds were wrapped about my head.

I went down to the bottoms of the mountains; the earth with her bars was about me for ever: yet hast Thou brought up my life from corruption [Or, the pit], O LORD my God.

When my soul fainted within me I remembered the LORD: and my prayer came in unto Thee, into Thine holy temple.

They that observe lying vanities forsake their own mercy.

But I will sacrifice unto Thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD.

And the LORD spake unto the fish, and it vomited out Jonah upon the dry land (Jonah 2: 1-10).

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God Comes First

Posted in Thoughts of the Day, tagged , , , , , , , , , on March 4, 2024| Leave a Comment »

God Comes First

Originally written on 11/2/23

God comes first. Everything else, including other people, including yourself, is subordinated to God. There is an active push to put human beings and their feelings above God. There’s a push to worship certain human beings as gods. This is idolatry. This is not Judeo-Christianity.

As Jesus said,

“Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.

“For I am come to SET A MAN AT VARIANCE AGAINST HIS FATHER, AND THE DAUGHTER AGAINST HER MOTHER, AND THE DAUGHTER IN LAW AGAINST HER MOTHER IN LAW.

“And A MAN’S FOES SHALL BE THEY OF HIS OWN HOUSEHOLD.

“He that loveth father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

“And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after Me, is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10: 34-38)

The globalists are also pushing a potpourri religious paradigm on the world: universalism, which adds elements of disparate religions together and requires the world’s population to dabble in other religions and to worship other gods. This is expressly prohibited in Judeo-Christianity and once again is a form of idolatry.

And God spake all these words, saying,

“I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.

“Thou shalt have no other gods before Me.

“Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:

“Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate Me”; (Exodus 20: 1-5)

But at the center of both efforts is the desire for the elites to be worshipped as gods themselves. And they have to destroy the foundational belief that God comes first in order to replace God in the hierarchy of importance with themselves. They start off this movement by claiming all people should be placed above God. It has become, therefore, offensive to people who buy into the human-first mentality when anyone puts God ahead of a human being. But the end goal is for the elites alone to have worth — not God and not the rest of us. To contradict that this human-first paradigm is compatible with true Judeo-Christianity, I offer the following Bible quotes.

In Matthew 15, Jesus talks about how you can’t replace God’s commandments with those of men:

But He answered and said unto them, “Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?

“For God commanded, saying, ‘HONOUR THY FATHER AND MOTHER’: and, ‘HE THAT CURSETH FATHER OR MOTHER, LET HIM DIE THE DEATH.’

“But ye say, ‘Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, “It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me”;

“‘And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free.’ Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

“Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,

“‘THIS PEOPLE DRAWETH NIGH UNTO ME WITH THEIR MOUTH, AND HONOURETH ME WITH THEIR LIPS; BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR FROM ME.

“‘BUT IN VAIN THEY DO WORSHIP ME, TEACHING FOR DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN.’ ” (Matthew 15: 3-9)

People are sold on the idea that they will be held to no standard, have limitless approval, and unrestricted exercise of their own will if people will prioritize human beings over God. The idea they are sold is that if people are allowed to do whatever they want they will no longer be bitter or vengeful. Only the people behind the push to drive God from the worldview of society know better. People’s wills conflict with each other. Some people, including the elites, are also driven to try to subordinate the will of others to their own.

When people put human beings ahead of God, people don’t rise in status equally. For the new system to work, a small number become the false gods while the majority become masochistic slaves. And it isn’t the masochism popularized in fiction. You aren’t beloved of the sadist, and there is no pathway to become their equal. You can see this reality playing out now. Before it was made clear that if you didn’t comply with these people you would be punished — you deserved to be punished. Now you are told you deserve to be punished by just existing, and your persecutor is filled with self-righteous indignation if you attempt to avoid that punishment, even if that punishment is death. There is no discussion allowed for whether the punishment is deserved or the severity of the punishment is justified. In the end, putting human beings ahead of God has been sold as the ultimate in humanitarianism and kindness. Instead, it is a pathway for world system elites to exercise power over others. The real God has been labeled as mean and unkind. In reality, His way is the way that allows people to have a life free from enslavement — enslavement from sin and enslavement from sadism.

Be forewarned. If you give up God in order to appease those who are clinging to the unrealistic dream of universal acceptance and approval, you will be subjected to the view of humanity of the elite — that they are the only ones who matter. For it is God who holds that all human life has intrinsic value:

“Ye have heard that it hath been said, ‘THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR, and hate thine enemy.’

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;

“That ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for He maketh His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust.” (Matthew 5: 43-45)

So, if you, therefore, reject God then only the elite will be seen as having any worth or right to life.

In Matthew 22 it states:

Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked Him a question, tempting Him, and saying,

Master, which is the great commandment in the Law?

Jesus said unto him, “‘THOU SHALT LOVE THE LORD THY GOD WITH ALL THY HEART, AND WITH ALL THY SOUL, AND WITH ALL THY MIND.’
“This is the first and great commandment.

“And the second is like unto it, ‘THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF.’

“On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22: 35-40)

Notice it is love thy neighbor as thyself, not above God. God has predominance over both neighbor and self. As Jesus said in Matthew 7, “Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 7: 12)

But God still comes first. Treating others as you would have them treat you is kindness. When you put God first, everything else falls into place.

As it says in the Bible, God is no respecter of persons. As Moses states:

For the LORD your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward: (Deuteronomy 10: 17)

The Bible talks of Jesus in this way:

Then went the Pharisees, and took counsel how they might entangle Him in His talk.

And they sent out unto Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, Master, we know that Thou art true, and teachest the way of God in truth, neither carest Thou for any man: for Thou regardest not the person of men. (Matthew 22: 15-16)

In the epistle of James it reads,

Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the [Or, that] kingdom which He hath promised to them that love Him?

But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?

Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

If ye fulfil the royal law according to the Scripture, “THOU SHALT LOVE THY NEIGHBOUR AS THYSELF,” ye do well:

But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the Law as transgressors.

For whosoever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.

(James 2: 5-10).

God doesn’t value elites above people with less power.

As Jesus said, “And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12)

In conclusion, nothing good comes from allowing elites to try to drive God from our society, so they can rule over us instead.

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Read An Ebook Week

Posted in Break the Leg to Bend the Knee, Labyrinth, Mind Master Chronicles, News, Puppet on a String, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 3, 2024| Leave a Comment »

My three Ebooks are free in the Read An E-book Week sale at the Smashwords Store. The sale lasts from 3/3/24 to 3/9/24. Check it Out!

#ebookweek24 #smashwords #booktwt

Labyrinth: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1353449

Puppet on a String: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1386746

Break the Leg to Bend the Knee: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1415973

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Jonah 1 Bible chapter

Posted in Bible quotes, tagged , , , , , , , , , on March 3, 2024| Leave a Comment »

JONAH

Jonah 1

Now the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the son of Amittai, saying,

“Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry against it; for their wickedness is come up before Me.”

But Jonah rose up to flee unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD, and went down to Joppa; and he found a ship going to Tarshish: so he paid the fare thereof, and went down into it, to go with them unto Tarshish from the presence of the LORD.

But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.

Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

So the shipmaster came to him, and said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? arise, call upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that we perish not.

And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.

Then said they unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? and whence comest thou? what is thy country? and of what people art thou?

And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew; and I fear the LORD [Or, JEHOVAH], the God of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.

Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

Then said they unto him, What shall we do unto thee, that the sea may be calm unto us? for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous.

And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.

Nevertheless the men rowed hard to bring it to the land; but they could not: for the sea wrought, and was tempestuous against them.

Wherefore they cried unto the LORD, and said, We beseech Thee, O LORD, we beseech Thee, let us not perish for this man’s life, and lay not upon us innocent blood: for Thou, O LORD, hast done as it pleased Thee.

So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

Then the men feared the LORD exceedingly, and offered a sacrifice unto the LORD, and made vows.

Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights (Jonah 1: 1-17).

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Jeremiah 52 Bible chapter

Posted in Bible quotes, tagged , , , , , , , , , on February 25, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Jeremiah 52

Zedekiah was one and twenty years old when he began to reign, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah.

And he did that which was evil in the eyes of the LORD, according to all that Jehoiakim had done.

For through the anger of the LORD it came to pass in Jerusalem and Judah, till He had cast them out from His presence, that Zedekiah rebelled against the king of Babylon.

And it came to pass in the ninth year of his reign, in the tenth month, in the tenth day of the month, that Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon came, he and all his army, against Jerusalem, and pitched against it, and built forts against it round about.

So the city was besieged unto the eleventh year of King Zedekiah.

And in the fourth month, in the ninth day of the month, the famine was sore in the city, so that there was no bread for the people of the land.

Then the city was broken up, and all the men of war fled, and went forth out of the city by night by the way of the gate between the two walls, which was by the king’s garden; (now the Chaldeans were by the city round about:) and they went by the way of the plain.

But the army of the Chaldeans pursued after the king, and overtook Zedekiah in the plains of Jericho; and all his army was scattered from him.

Then they took the king, and carried him up unto the king of Babylon to Riblah in the land of Hamath; where he gave judgment upon him.

And the king of Babylon slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes: he slew also all the princes of Judah in Riblah.

Then he put out the eyes of Zedekiah; and the king of Babylon bound him in chains, and carried him to Babylon, and put him in prison till the day of his death.

Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzar-adan, captain of the guard [Or, chief marshal], which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem,

And burned the house of the LORD, and the king’s house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire:

And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about.

Then Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carried away captive certain of the poor of the people, and the residue of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to the king of Babylon, and the rest of the multitude.

But Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard left certain of the poor of the land for vinedressers and for husbandmen.

Also the pillars of brass that were in the house of the LORD, and the bases, and the brasen sea that was in the house of the LORD, the Chaldeans brake, and carried all the brass of them to Babylon.

The caldrons also, and the shovels, and the snuffers, and the bowls [Or, basons], and the spoons, and all the vessels of brass wherewith they ministered, took they away.

And the basons, and the firepans [Or, censers], and the bowls, and the caldrons, and the candlesticks, and the spoons, and the cups; that which was of gold in gold, and that which was of silver in silver, took the captain of the guard away.

The two pillars, one sea, and twelve brasen bulls that were under the bases, which King Solomon had made in the house of the LORD: the brass of all these vessels was without weight.

And concerning the pillars, the height of one pillar was eighteen cubits; and a fillet of twelve cubits did compass it; and the thickness thereof was four fingers: it was hollow.

And a chapiter of brass was upon it; and the height of one chapiter was five cubits, with network and pomegranates upon the chapiters round about, all of brass. The second pillar also and the pomegranates were like unto these.

And there were ninety and six pomegranates on a side; and all the pomegranates upon the network were an hundred round about.

And the captain of the guard took Seraiah the chief priest, and Zephaniah the second priest, and the three keepers of the door:

He took also out of the city an eunuch, which had the charge of the men of war; and seven men of them that were near the king’s person, which were found in the city; and the principal scribe of the host [Or, scribe of the captain of the host], who mustered the people of the land; and threescore men of the people of the land, that were found in the midst of the city.

So Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard took them, and brought them to the king of Babylon to Riblah.

And the king of Babylon smote them, and put them to death in Riblah in the land of Hamath. Thus Judah was carried away captive out of his own land.

This is the people whom Nebuchadrezzar carried away captive: in the seventh year three thousand Jews and three and twenty:

In the eighteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar he carried away captive from Jerusalem eight hundred thirty and two persons:

In the three and twentieth year of Nebuchadrezzar, Nebuzar-adan the captain of the guard carried away captive of the Jews seven hundred forty and five persons: all the persons were four thousand and six hundred.

And it came to pass in the seven and thirtieth year of the captivity of Jehoiachin king of Judah, in the twelfth month, in the five and twentieth day of the month, that Evil-merodach king of Babylon in the first year of his reign lifted up the head of Jehoiachin king of Judah, and brought him forth out of prison,

And spake kindly unto him, and set his throne above the throne of the kings that were with him in Babylon,

And changed his prison garments: and he did continually eat bread before him all the days of his life.

And for his diet, there was a continual diet given him of the king of Babylon, every day a portion until the day of his death, all the days of his life (Jeremiah 52: 1-34).

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Let Them Eat Bugs

Posted in Thoughts of the Day, tagged , , , , , , , on February 22, 2024| Leave a Comment »

02/19/24

Let Them Eat Bugs

I started reading the article, “The Biggest Problem With Eating Insects Isn’t the “Ew” Factor.” under the false assumption that the article was going to take the subject seriously. Perhaps I should have known better. Instead it’s once again woke propaganda. This time they are trying to sell us on adding bugs to our daily diet. And why should we do that exactly? Apparently, in some cultures they are already eating bugs, so that apparently automatically makes it “healthy” for all people. The fact that people who routinely consume bugs probably have digestive systems that have adapted to the bugs and the rest of us do not couldn’t possibly be an area of concern. But then there is that study the UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) funded in Africa of course — since people seem to love to experiment on the Africans apparently — to see the health effects of bug consumption on children (Tovey, 2022). So, maybe it being healthy isn’t such an undisputed sure thing? Also, I wonder if people are eating bugs because they want to or because they have to in order to survive.

Another bonus listed in the article is that “a maggot-like organism” tasted like peanuts. Well then, why not just eat peanut butter? What happened to vegetarian diets by the way? Why lab meat? Why bugs? The author writes about what a great protein source bugs are, and we can’t have animal proteins any more as “factory farms are an environmental disaster.” (Matthews, 2021)  Apparently conditions can’t be improved. Because of the methane gas the cows release the cows have to go. Still, it’s hard for me not to think about the Nord Stream pipeline. It released a lot more methane than cows, and the reaction to that disaster was tame compared to the horror over the cow farts. The author does have one concern it seems — one problem that he will allow and alluded to in his article’s title. This was where I was hoping he would take the topic seriously. Instead he’s apparently concerned about the welfare of the bugs. After all, people “are constantly expanding our circle of moral concern” (Matthews, 2021) according to the author. Why, someone in the past killed their pets rather than board them in order to take a trip according to him. Only how does he explain how millions of people have had and/or support abortions on fetuses who are capable of experiencing pain and certainly experience a shortened lifespan as a result? He writes of insects that are being killed in farms at about the rate of a trillion per year, “I don’t know for sure whether those insects feel pain — but if there’s even a small chance they do, the scale of the suffering that would imply is massive.” (Matthews, 2021) Now maybe this guy isn’t pro-abortion and isn’t a hypocrite who waxes concern over the suffering of insects without empathy at all for human beings and their pain and shortened life expectancy.

But that’s really the point. There is no consideration for humans in the lets-eat-bugs article — not really. He calls it healthy and says it’s a good source of protein, but the overriding impression I got from the article is a guilt trip that implies your existence is harming the earth and the least you can do is eat bugs to undo some of the damage your life has done. Who cares if the idea of eating bugs makes most people gag and reduces their morale? Trudeau’s government in Canada may be expanding access to the facilitation of suicides in that country, so perhaps this will help with that. (Bryden, 2021)

Meanwhile, I have concerns beyond the welfare of the bugs. First, what happens to the cats and dogs? I’m assuming the shift to bugs won’t be voluntary — that they plan on shutting down meat production or at least greatly restrict it. So are the cats and dogs expected to eat bugs, too? The article vaguely references farm animals eating bugs as well as it being ground into some pet food but that certainly has not been proven as viable on a large scale. A Wikipedia article states, “A limited, but growing number of products are available on the market, including insect-based cat food, dog food, and pet treats.” (“Insect-based pet food,” 2024) The article on Wikipedia mentions that there are health concerns with the insects commonly ingested by humans. A table based on the results of two studies lists the following potential risks: hormones, cyanogentic substances, heavy metal contamination, allergic, thiaminase, high bacterial count, antinutritional factors (tannin, phytate), Chagas disease, and Myiasis. (“Insect-based pet food,” 2024) The Wikipedia article suggests that the concerns can be mitigated. “Allergic hazards can be labelled (sic) on the packaging to avoid consumption by susceptible consumers. Selective farming can be used to minimize chemical hazards, whereas microbial and parasitical hazards can be controlled by cooking processes.” (“Insect-based pet food,” 2024)  Members of the media have already been hinting around about pets having an undesirable carbon footprint nicknamed carbon pawprint. Kimberly Richardson from CNN actually wrote an article declaiming, “researchers have showed that pets play a significant role in the climate crisis.” (Richardson, 2022) The article goes on to tout insects and lab meat for dogs as well as steering people away from adopting large dogs. It’s ironic, therefore, that Matthews spends so much time in his article making the case how people “are constantly expanding our circle of moral concern” (Matthews, 2021) in part by citing drops in pet euthanasia. I wonder what will happen to these pets when their food supply is eliminated? After all, according to Richardson, “if you’re the proud owner of a feline, you shouldn’t even think about switching their diet. Cats are obligate carnivores — they must eat meat, according to Angela Frimberger, a veterinarian with Vets for Climate Action.” (Richardson, 2022)

Kimberly Richardson from CNN, like many who have called out cats and dogs over climate change, insists that “Bidding farewell to your best friends is not the answer.”
(Richardson, 2022) And yet she considers carbon dioxide which is emitted when mammals breathe as one of the “planet-warming gases.” (Richardson, 2022) The article only lists the feeding of dogs and cats as a problem, which I assume is a calculation of how much carbon dioxide livestock produces. How long will it be before they calculate how much carbon dioxide the pets themselves emit? What about human beings? As an aside, carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring gas essential to life on this planet. Plants require it to survive.

The CNN article also mentions, “you might consider smaller breeds or species if you’re aiming to minimize your impact on the planet. A Chihuahua’s carbon pawprint will be much smaller than a Saint Bernard, for example.” (Richardson, 2022) Kimberly Richardson quotes Gudrun Ravetz with Vet Sustain as saying, “Avoiding animals with known health problems will reduce the need for veterinary intervention, which has a carbon footprint, and most importantly will reduce unnecessary suffering in terms of poor health and welfare.” (Richardson, 2022) So, what happens exactly to those pets not adopted? It’s disingenuous to pretend they won’t be euthanized.

What happens to the dairy? Dairy cows emit methane, too. So, are they all to be slaughtered and dairy eliminated from the diet as well?

The social ramifications … call me crazy, but I don’t see the elites of this world eating bugs. The effect of separating out the middle and lower classes for inferior treatment would seem to be the dehumanization of the lower classes. In other words, it will contribute to our being viewed as lesser beings than the global elite.

Coercion anyone? As I’ve said, this is unlikely to be voluntary if it comes into being. They are unlikely to invest their money in something most people won’t participate in by choice. Instead, I imagine they will cut the supply of meat to the point where it’s unaffordable for most people if it’s not banned outright. Then, the people will be forced toward alternatives such as lab meat and bugs. And how exactly does cutting the food supply mitigate starvation?

Of course, until it’s implemented it’s all theoretical and may not happen. But propaganda articles such as this one are troubling since it appears to be paving the way for bugs as a dietary staple for the lower and middle classes in the future.

Bryden, Joan. “Government agrees mentally ill should have access to assisted dying — in 2 years.” The Canadian Press, 23 February 2021, https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/maid-bill-senate-amendments-1.5924163.

Insect-based pet food. (2024, January 9). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insect-based_pet_food#cite_note-:5-9

Matthews, Dylan. “The Biggest Problem With Eating Insects Isn’t the “Ew” Factor.” Vox, 19 June 2021, https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-biggest-problem-with-eating-insects-isn-t-the-ew-factor.

Richardson, Kimberly. “Our pets are part of the climate problem. These tips can help you minimize their carbon pawprints.” CNN, 27 September 2022, https://www.cnn.com/2022/09/15/us/pets-climate-impact-lbg-wellness/index.html.

Tovey, Mark. “UK urges hunger-stricken African nations to farm insects.” The Guardian, 2 September 2022, https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/02/let-them-eat-bugs-uk-urges-hunger-stricken-african-nations-to-farm-insects.

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Writing Update 5

Posted in Biosphere, Labyrinth, Mind Master Chronicles, News, Puppet on a String, Thoughts of the Day, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 22, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Writing Update 5

I’ve decided to do a fourth go over on Biosphere. I’ve decided to make this a pattern for all of my future books. I intend to do five Word pages on days I edit my books. Then, I will do four rounds. It just doesn’t feel like I’ve been thorough enough otherwise. Then, I plan to do the formatting and the cover. My new goal is to have the book up for pre-order in April. The release date goal is set for Monday, April 29th. I figure around May is a good time to release a new book. I think this will give me enough time to get everything to my liking and build up some anticipation for my release as well.

Meanwhile, I’ve decided to set my baseline price for most of my eBooks to $2.99 instead of $3.99. I know it’s hard to find money in the budget for books these days. Labyrinth will still be set to free for most retailers. Biosphere will be $2.99. Of course, I also intend to participate in the Smashwords Store sales when they come up. As far as I know, they’re still having one in July.

I’ve also changed the category of my book series The Mind Master Chronicles from juvenile fiction to regular fiction. I did this because the first two books … Labyrinth and Puppet on a String … could probably fit either category, but the third book, that’s in the editing process, and the fourth and fifth book, which are being written, lean more toward adult fiction. In other words, they are on the edge of adult and really edgy and dark juvenile fiction. But since people tend to view juvenile as a subcategory of children’s books, and I don’t see these as children’s books I decided to move them to adult fiction. Still, since there aren’t any sex scenes in the book, right now I’m not inclined toward the 18 warning / recommendation for the Mind Master Chronicles. I just don’t want people to blindly give books three through five to a five-year-old because they’re listed in the children’s section. And it really didn’t make sense to me to have books in the same series in different categories. Hopefully, this change won’t be too confusing for people.

I want to thank the people who have read my books. It’s probably easier to get books for free at the library. But I think it’s still hard to break into the library system if you’re an independent writer rather than a traditionally published one. So, I appreciate the effort people have made to read my books, even though I don’t have as much access to readers as I could have.

I realized recently how important readers are. They are rare gems to be treasured. It’s really gratifying for a writer when someone actually identifies with your work. Ideally, it truly is a symbiotic relationship where everyone benefits and is made happier as a result.

So, I will continue to make my books as affordable and accessible as possible. And you readers keep up the good work. I am convinced your efforts are appreciated by the authors whose books you read!

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Jeremiah 51 Bible chapter

Posted in Bible quotes, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on January 11, 2024| Leave a Comment »

Jeremiah 51

Thus saith the LORD; “Behold, I will raise up against Babylon, and against them that dwell in the midst of them that rise up against Me, a destroying wind;

“And will send unto Babylon fanners, that shall fan her, and shall empty her land: for in the day of trouble they shall be against her round about.

“Against him that bendeth let the archer bend his bow, and against him that lifteth himself up in his brigandine: and spare ye not her young men; destroy ye utterly all her host.

“Thus the slain shall fall in the land of the Chaldeans, and they that are thrust through in her streets.”

For Israel hath not been forsaken, nor Judah of his God, of the LORD of hosts; though their land was filled with sin against the Holy One of Israel.

Flee out of the midst of Babylon, and deliver every man his soul: be not cut off in her iniquity; for this is the time of the LORD’s vengeance; He will render unto her a recompence.

Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’s hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.

Babylon is suddenly fallen and destroyed: howl for her; take balm for her pain, if so be she may be healed.

We would have healed Babylon, but she is not healed: forsake her, and let us go every one into his own country: for her judgment reacheth unto heaven, and is lifted up even to the skies.

The LORD hath brought forth our righteousness: come, and let us declare in Zion the work of the LORD our God.

Make bright the arrows; gather the shields: the LORD hath raised up the spirit of the kings of the Medes: for His device is against Babylon, to destroy it; because it is the vengeance of the LORD, the vengeance of His temple.

Set up the standard upon the walls of Babylon, make the watch strong, set up the watchman, prepare the ambushes: for the LORD hath both devised and done that which He spake against the inhabitants of Babylon.

O thou that dwellest upon many waters, abundant in treasures, thine end is come, and the measure of thy covetousness.

The LORD of hosts hath sworn by Himself, saying, “Surely I will fill thee with men, as with caterpillers; and they shall lift up a shout against thee.”

He hath made the earth by His power, He hath established the world by His wisdom, and hath stretched out the heaven by His understanding.

When He uttereth His voice, there is a multitude of waters [Or, noise] in the heavens; and He causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends of the earth: He maketh lightnings with rain, and bringeth forth the wind out of His treasures.

Every man is brutish by his knowledge; every founder is confounded by the graven image: for his molten image is falsehood, and there is no breath in them.

They are vanity, the work of errors: in the time of their visitation they shall perish.

The portion of Jacob is not like them; for He is the former of all things: and Israel is the rod of His inheritance: the LORD of hosts is His name.

“Thou art My battle axe and weapons of war: for with thee will I break in pieces the nations, and with thee will I destroy kingdoms;

“And with thee will I break in pieces the horse and his rider; and with thee will I break in pieces the chariot and his rider;

“With thee also will I break in pieces man and woman; and with thee will I break in pieces old and young; and with thee will I break in pieces the young man and the maid;

“I will also break in pieces with thee the shepherd and his flock; and with thee will I break in pieces the husbandman and his yoke of oxen; and with thee will I break in pieces captains and rulers.

“And I will render unto Babylon and to all the inhabitants of Chaldea all their evil that they have done in Zion in your sight,” saith the LORD.

“Behold, I am against thee, O destroying mountain,” saith the LORD, “which destroyest all the earth: and I will stretch out Mine hand upon thee, and roll thee down from the rocks, and will make thee a burnt mountain.

“And they shall not take of thee a stone for a corner, nor a stone for foundations; but thou shalt be desolate for ever,” saith the LORD.

Set ye up a standard in the land, blow the trumpet among the nations, prepare the nations against her, call together against her the kingdoms of Ararat, Minni, and Ashchenaz; appoint a captain against her; cause the horses to come up as the rough caterpillers.

Prepare against her the nations with the kings of the Medes, the captains thereof, and all the rulers thereof, and all the land of his dominion.

And the land shall tremble and sorrow: for every purpose of the LORD shall be performed against Babylon, to make the land of Babylon a desolation without an inhabitant.

The mighty men of Babylon have forborn to fight, they have remained in their holds: their might hath failed; they became as women: they have burned her dwellingplaces; her bars are broken.

One post shall run to meet another, and one messenger to meet another, to shew the king of Babylon that his city is taken at one end,

And that the passages are stopped, and the reeds they have burned with fire, and the men of war are affrighted.

For thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; “The daughter of Babylon is like a threshingfloor, it is time to thresh her: yet a little while, and the time of her harvest shall come.”

Nebuchadrezzar the king of Babylon hath devoured me, he hath crushed me, he hath made me an empty vessel, he hath swallowed me up like a dragon, he hath filled his belly with my delicates, he hath cast me out.

The violence done to me and to my flesh be upon Babylon, shall the inhabitant of Zion say; and my blood upon the inhabitants of Chaldea, shall Jerusalem say.

Therefore thus saith the LORD; “Behold, I will plead thy cause, and take vengeance for thee; and I will dry up her sea, and make her springs dry.

“And Babylon shall become heaps, a dwellingplace for dragons, an astonishment, and an hissing, without an inhabitant.

“They shall roar together like lions: they shall yell as lions’ whelps.

“In their heat I will make their feasts, and I will make them drunken, that they may rejoice, and sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake,” saith the LORD.

“I will bring them down like lambs to the slaughter, like rams with he goats.

“How is Sheshach taken! and how is the praise of the whole earth surprised! how is Babylon become an astonishment among the nations!

“The sea is come up upon Babylon: she is covered with the multitude of the waves thereof.

“Her cities are a desolation, a dry land, and a wilderness, a land wherein no man dwelleth, neither doth any son of man pass thereby.

“And I will punish Bel in Babylon, and I will bring forth out of his mouth that which he hath swallowed up: and the nations shall not flow together any more unto him: yea, the wall of Babylon shall fall.

“My people, go ye out of the midst of her, and deliver ye every man his soul from the fierce anger of the LORD.

“And lest [Or, let not] your heart faint, and ye fear for the rumour that shall be heard in the land; a rumour shall both come one year, and after that in another year shall come a rumour, and violence in the land, ruler against ruler.

“Therefore, behold, the days come, that I will do judgment upon the graven images of Babylon: and her whole land shall be confounded, and all her slain shall fall in the midst of her.

“Then the heaven and the earth, and all that is therein, shall sing for Babylon: for the spoilers shall come unto her from the north,” saith the LORD.

As Babylon hath caused the slain of Israel to fall, so at Babylon shall fall the slain of all the earth.

Ye that have escaped the sword, go away, stand not still: remember the LORD afar off, and let Jerusalem come into your mind.

We are confounded, because we have heard reproach: shame hath covered our faces: for strangers are come into the sanctuaries of the LORD’s house.

“Wherefore, behold, the days come,” saith the LORD, “that I will do judgment upon her graven images: and through all her land the wounded shall groan.

“Though Babylon should mount up to heaven, and though she should fortify the height of her strength, yet from Me shall spoilers come unto her,” saith the LORD.

A sound of a cry cometh from Babylon, and great destruction from the land of the Chaldeans:

Because the LORD hath spoiled Babylon, and destroyed out of her the great voice; when her waves do roar like great waters, a noise of their voice is uttered:

Because the spoiler is come upon her, even upon Babylon, and her mighty men are taken, every one of their bows is broken: for the LORD God of recompences shall surely requite.

“And I will make drunk her princes, and her wise men, her captains, and her rulers, and her mighty men: and they shall sleep a perpetual sleep, and not wake,” saith the King, whose name is the LORD of hosts.

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; “The broad walls of Babylon shall be utterly broken, and her high gates shall be burned with fire; and the people shall labour in vain, and the folk in the fire, and they shall be weary.”

The word which Jeremiah the prophet commanded Seraiah the son of Neriah, the son of Maaseiah, when he went with Zedekiah the king of Judah into Babylon in the fourth year of his reign. And this Seraiah was a quiet prince.

So Jeremiah wrote in a book all the evil that should come upon Babylon, even all these words that are written against Babylon.

And Jeremiah said to Seraiah, When thou comest to Babylon, and shalt see, and shalt read all these words;

Then shalt thou say, O LORD, Thou hast spoken against this place, to cut it off, that none shall remain in it, neither man nor beast, but that it shall be desolate for ever.

And it shall be, when thou hast made an end of reading this book, that thou shalt bind a stone to it, and cast it into the midst of Euphrates:

And thou shalt say, Thus shall Babylon sink, and shall not rise from the evil that I will bring upon her: and they shall be weary. Thus far are the words of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 51: 1-64).

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Writing Update #4

Posted in News, Thoughts of the Day, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on December 17, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Writing Update #4

I just got through my second editing run of Biosphere. I did five Word pages a day on days I worked. I admit, some days it was rough. I had to get used to the process again. It got easier toward the end. I’m going to read it through again. I’m not sure what pace I can set for the next round, but I think I’ve made good progress so far.

Meanwhile, my first three books are enrolled in the Smashwords End of Year Sale between December 15 & January 1:

Free E-book! Labyrinth (Mind Master Chronicles — Book 1) Jennifer Alice Chandler

Twelve-year-old Aronade plays a lot of games, but they aren’t games of her own design. These games have been crafted by a man who goes by the name, “The Instructor.” He creates these mind games called scenarios in order to teach Aronade “lessons” about how the world truly operates. But when Aronade discovers a nearly drowned teenage boy from the outside world at the complex, she soon discovers that the Instructor’s games may not be so harmless after all. In fact, they may be deadly.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1353449

Puppet on a String (Mind Master Chronicles — Book 2) Jennifer Alice Chandler Sale price $0.99 Sixteen-year-old Aronade’s life has changed dramatically. She was taken from the compound and placed in a private school for the elite, a group of people genetically altered to increase their longevity. She is still reeling from the knowledge she is a carrier of a disease that could kill the elite. Her benefactor, a man who goes by the moniker of the Instructor, is using her as leverage to stop the elite from wiping out the rest of humanity. Only it has become clear that the Instructor cares little for anything but the game he’s playing. And if Aronade has to be sacrificed in order to win that game, so be it.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1386746

Break the Leg to Bend the Knee Jennifer Alice Chandler Sale price $0.99

After the world that she knew falls apart, a woman named Genevieve seeks refuge at a local hospital. It is in the course of her duties as a doctor’s assistant that Genevieve first encounters the Guild, a militant organization of formidable men. Her encounter is in the form of an enigmatic man named Roan Phillips. If Roan were typical of the Guild, the only thing Genevieve would have to worry about is losing her heart. But unfortunately, it turns out another man, the sadistic Gregory, is far more typical of the Guild. And because of him, Genevieve is at high risk of losing her life.

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1415973

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Jeremiah 50 Bible chapter

Posted in Bible quotes, tagged , , , , , , , , , on December 7, 2023| Leave a Comment »

Jeremiah 50

The word that the LORD spake against Babylon and against the land of the Chaldeans by Jeremiah the prophet.

“Declare ye among the nations, and publish, and set up a standard; publish, and conceal not: say, ‘Babylon is taken, Bel is confounded, Merodach is broken in pieces; her idols are confounded, her images are broken in pieces.’

“For out of the north there cometh up a nation against her, which shall make her land desolate, and none shall dwell therein: they shall remove, they shall depart, both man and beast.

“In those days, and in that time,” saith the LORD, “the children of Israel shall come, they and the children of Judah together, going and weeping: they shall go, and seek the LORD their God.

“They shall ask the way to Zion with their faces thitherward, saying, Come, and let us join ourselves to the LORD in a perpetual covenant that shall not be forgotten.

“My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their restingplace.

“All that found them have devoured them: and their adversaries said, ‘We offend not, because they have sinned against the LORD, the habitation of justice, even the LORD, the hope of their fathers.’

“Remove out of the midst of Babylon, and go forth out of the land of the Chaldeans, and be as the he goats before the flocks.

“For, lo, I will raise and cause to come up against Babylon an assembly of great nations from the north country: and they shall set themselves an array against her; from thence she shall be taken: their arrows shall be as of a mighty expert man [Or, destroyer]; none shall return in vain.

“And Chaldea shall be a spoil: all that spoil her shall be satisfied,” saith the LORD.

“Because ye were glad, because ye rejoiced, O ye destroyers of Mine heritage, because ye are grown fat as the heifer at grass, and bellow as bulls [Or, neigh as steeds];

“Your mother shall be sore confounded; she that bare you shall be ashamed: behold, the hindermost of the nations shall be a wilderness, a dry land, and a desert.

“Because of the wrath of the LORD it shall not be inhabited, but it shall be wholly desolate: every one that goeth by Babylon shall be astonished, and hiss at all her plagues.

“Put yourselves in array against Babylon round about: all ye that bend the bow, shoot at her, spare no arrows: for she hath sinned against the LORD.

“Shout against her round about: she hath given her hand: her foundations are fallen, her walls are thrown down: for it is the vengeance of the LORD: take vengeance upon her; as she hath done, do unto her.

“Cut off the sower from Babylon, and him that handleth the sickle in the time of harvest: for fear of the oppressing sword they shall turn every one to his people, and they shall flee every one to his own land.

“Israel is a scattered sheep; the lions have driven him away: first the king of Assyria hath devoured him; and last this Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon hath broken his bones.

“Therefore thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; ‘Behold, I will punish the king of Babylon and his land, as I have punished the king of Assyria.

“‘And I will bring Israel again to his habitation, and he shall feed on Carmel and Bashan, and his soul shall be satisfied upon Mount Ephraim and Gilead.

“‘In those days, and in that time,’ saith the LORD, ‘the iniquity of Israel shall be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of Judah, and they shall not be found: for I will pardon them whom I reserve.’

“Go up against the land of Merathaim, even against it, and against the inhabitants of Pekod [Or, visitation]: waste and utterly destroy after them,” saith the LORD, “and do according to all that I have commanded thee.

“A sound of battle is in the land, and of great destruction.

“How is the hammer of the whole earth cut asunder and broken! how is Babylon become a desolation among the nations!

“I have laid a snare for thee, and thou art also taken, O Babylon, and thou wast not aware: thou art found, and also caught, because thou hast striven against the LORD.”

The LORD hath opened His armoury, and hath brought forth the weapons of His indignation: for this is the work of the Lord GOD of hosts in the land of the Chaldeans.

Come against her from the utmost border, open her storehouses: cast her up as heaps, and destroy her utterly: let nothing of her be left.

Slay all her bullocks; let them go down to the slaughter: woe unto them! for their day is come, the time of their visitation.

The voice of them that flee and escape out of the land of Babylon, to declare in Zion the vengeance of the LORD our God, the vengeance of His temple.

“Call together the archers against Babylon: all ye that bend the bow, camp against it round about; let none thereof escape: recompense her according to her work; according to all that she hath done, do unto her: for she hath been proud against the LORD, against the Holy One of Israel.

“Therefore shall her young men fall in the streets, and all her men of war shall be cut off in that day,” saith the LORD.

“Behold, I am against thee, O thou most proud,” saith the Lord GOD of hosts: “for thy day is come, the time that I will visit thee.

“And the most proud shall stumble and fall, and none shall raise him up: and I will kindle a fire in his cities, and it shall devour all round about him.”

Thus saith the LORD of hosts; “The children of Israel and the children of Judah were oppressed together: and all that took them captives held them fast; they refused to let them go.

“Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD of hosts is His name: He shall throughly plead their cause, that He may give rest to the land, and disquiet the inhabitants of Babylon.

“The sword is upon the Chaldeans,” saith the LORD, “and upon the inhabitants of Babylon, and upon her princes, and upon her wise men.

“A sword is upon the liars [Or, chief stays]; and they shall dote: a sword is upon her mighty men; and they shall be dismayed.

“A sword is upon their horses, and upon their chariots, and upon all the mingled people that are in the midst of her; and they shall become as women: a sword is upon her treasures; and they shall be robbed.

“A drought is upon her waters; and they shall be dried up: for it is the land of graven images, and they are mad upon their idols.

“Therefore the wild beasts of the desert with the wild beasts of the islands shall dwell there, and the owls shall dwell therein: and it shall be no more inhabited for ever; neither shall it be dwelt in from generation to generation.

“As God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof,” saith the LORD; “so shall no man abide there, neither shall any son of man dwell therein.

“Behold, a people shall come from the north, and a great nation, and many kings shall be raised up from the coasts of the earth.

“They shall hold the bow and the lance: they are cruel, and will not shew mercy: their voice shall roar like the sea, and they shall ride  upon horses, every one put in array, like a man to the battle, against thee, O daughter of Babylon.

“The king of Babylon hath heard the report of them, and his hands waxed feeble: anguish took hold of him, and pangs as of a woman in travail.

“Behold, he shall come up like a lion from the swelling of Jordan unto the habitation of the strong: but I will make them suddenly run away from her: and who is a chosen man, that I may appoint over her? for who is like Me? and who will appoint Me the time? and who is that shepherd that will stand before Me?”

Therefore hear ye the counsel of the LORD, that He hath taken against Babylon; and His purposes, that He hath purposed against the land of the Chaldeans: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely He shall make their habitation desolate with them.

At the noise of the taking of Babylon the earth is moved, and the cry is heard among the nations (Jeremiah 50: 1-46).

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