QUARANTINE BLOG # 91

June 29, 2020

I have a special prayer request, the details will remain unspoken, but I ask a sincere interest in your prayers.

**  From the Online Etymological Dictionary (only one-fifth of the entries of the Oxford English Dictionary, but just as accurate):

“master (n.) late Old English mægester ‘a man having control or authority over a place; a teacher or tutor of children,’ from Latin magister (n.) ‘chief, head, director, teacher’ (source of Old French maistre, French maître, Spanish and Italian maestro).

“From late 12c. as ‘man eminently or perfectly skilled in something,’ also ‘one who is chief teacher of another (in religion, philosophy, etc.), religious instructor, spiritual guide.’  Sense of ‘master workman or craftsman, workman who is qualified to teach apprentices and carry on a trade on his own account’ is from c. 1300.

“In academic sense ‘one who has received a specific degree’ (translating Medieval Latin magister) it is attested from mid-13c., originally ‘one who has received a degree conveying authority to teach in the universities;’ master’s degree, originally a degree giving one authority to teach in a university, is from late 14c.

“Also from mid-14c. as ‘one who employs another or others in his service’ (in which sense the correlative word was servant, man, or apprentice); also ‘owner of a living creature’ (dog, horse), also in ancient contexts of slaves.

“Paired with slave in the legal language of the American colonies by 1705 in Virginia.  As an adjective from late 12c. master bedroom is by 1919.”

[All italics are in the original].

So many uses of the word “master.”  And we didn’t call it a “master bedroom” until the early 20th century.  Now this from Station KUTV in Houston: “The Houston Association of Realtors (HAR) is dropping the word ‘master’ from bedroom and bathroom listings and replacing it with the word ‘primary.’  Several HAR members called for the association to change the way it describes master bedrooms and master bathrooms due to the word ‘master,’ which has been linked to sexism and slavery.”

I am wondering if the Augusta National Golf Club will change the name of their annual tournament.

**  It’s been a couple of days since I shared a cooking tip from https://betterbe.co/ so here’s one for the grill.  The next time you are preparing cheeseburgers, don’t just add a slice of cheese to the burger right at the end of the cooking time.  Add a piece of Babybel cheese directly in the center of your thick patty.  The cheese will melt in the center, and you’ll have a delicious cheeseburger.

Almost like the ones at Guy’s Burger Joint on a Carnival cruise ship – our September sailing has been canceled, and I am going through cruise withdrawal!

**  A small-scale miner in Tanzania has become an overnight millionaire after selling two rough Tanzanite stones – the biggest ever find in the country.  Saniniu Laizer earned $3.4 million for two stones which had a combined weight of 33 pounds.  “There will be a big party tomorrow,” he said.  He also plans to build a shopping mall and a school.  Mr. Laizer, who has four wives and more than 30 children, said he would slaughter one of his cows to celebrate.  He also said the windfall would not change his lifestyle, and that he planned to continue looking after his 2,000 cows.  The remaining 1999.

**  I never believed it could happen, but Joe Biden has said something with which I agree.  The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee said in an interview last week on KDKA-TV in Pittsburgh that if he were president, he would require people across the country to wear masks in public during the coronavirus pandemic.  “The one thing we do know, these masks make a gigantic difference.  I would insist that everybody in public be wearing that mask.”

**  Beany and Cecil, an animated television series created by Bob Clampett for ABC, premiered on January 6, 1962.  Although Beany Boy and Cecil the Sea-Sick Sea Serpent were a children’s show, many of Clampett’s stories were drawn from current events, political issues, and well-known personalities.  Originally created as a puppet show, the animated satire attracted adult viewers.  After 1962, the 26 shows, which including 78 cartoons, were repeated during Saturday mornings for the next five years.

Beany Boy wore a propeller beanie cap that allowed him to fly.  The  “Beanycopter,” complete with helmet and propeller, became a popularly marketed toy.  In most episodes, Beany would be kidnaped by a villain or get caught in a rough situation, crying “Help, Cecil! Help!” to which Cecil would reply “I’m a-comin’  Beany-boy!” as he raced to the rescue.

Cecil was is fiercely loyal to Beany, but his trusting good nature invariably resulted in him being taken advantage of by the bad people, and he often suffered a great amount of physical abuse.  The end of Cecil’s tail was never seen in most episodes; it always extended off-screen or was hidden behind an obstacle.  Cecil was originally a hand puppet whose tail was likewise hidden.

One episode featured Davey Cricket, a cricket with a coonskin cap who lived in the backwoods of Eight-Nine-Tennessee. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkhLhZX7ItI Davey Cricket was parody of Walt Disney’s popular character, American frontiersman Davy Crockett.

**  Before we wrap this blog up, let’s drop a nickle into the nickelodeon.  By request, here’s New Kids On the Block with “Hangin’ Tough.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZBc0ncWEZk NKOTB is a boy band named for a rap song that was on their first album.  If you are too old to remember – I had to look it up – a boy band was a vocal group consisting of young male singers, usually in their teens or early 20s, singing love songs marketed towards young women.  The featured clip is from a live concert (as opposed to a dead concert?) and is 4 minutes and 51 seconds long.  If you don’t want to listen to the whole piece, here are the main words: “Hangin’ tough.  Hangin’ tough.  Hangin’ tough.”  But the choreography of the background singers is interesting to watch.

**  We all face challenges in life – financial, vocational, relational, mental, or physical.  No one is exempt.  Thankfully, we serve a God who is both interested in our problems and is able to take care of them.

Jehoshaphat, the King of Judah, faced an enormous challenge: “... The Moabites and Ammonites, accompanied by Meunites, joined forces to make war on Jehoshaphat  who received this intelligence report.  ‘A huge force is on its way from beyond the Dead Sea to fight you.  There’s no time to waste – they’re already at Hazazon Tamar, the oasis of En Gedi.’  Shaken, Jehoshaphat prayed.  He went to God for help and ordered a nationwide fast.  The country of Judah united in seeking God’s help – they came from all the cities of Judah to pray to God” (2 Chronicles 20:1-4 The Message).

Three different tribes – the Moabites, Ammonites, and Meunites – simultaneously waged war against Jehoshaphat.  That was a situation that  would have crushed many people, but Jehoshaphat, knowing that God was interested in his dilemma, “went to God for help.”

Oh the blessing of a leader who would call his nation to prayer to seek the Lord God Almighty!

The writer of Chronicles gave the location of the advance as the oasis of En Gedi, just north of Jerusalem.  If ever there was a time to pray, this was it.  Jehoshaphat knew God’s history and the miraculous things He had done for Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses, David, and Daniel.  That same God would help him, too, in his hour of need.   That same God will help us.

We should never underestimate the Lord’s interest in our affairs.  I’ve never faced three invading armies, but I have faced problems that were just as enormous to me.  I’m guessing you have, too.  It is easy to think our problems are unimportant in the eyes of God, but whatever concerns us, concerns Him.  “This High Priest of ours understands our weaknesses” (Hebrews 4:15 New Living Translation). 

No matter how great our challenges are, God is greater.  Problems?  Pray!

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