QUARANTINE BLOG # 281

January 5, 2021

First of all, if you live in Georgia and you haven’t yet voted in today’s run-off election for Georgia’s two senate seats, do it!  I don’t think it is hyperbole to say this is the most important election in my memory.

**  Back in QB 272 I wished a happy 45th anniversary to my brother and sister-in-law, Kyle and Cathy Sisler.  I was looking for a photograph to include with that note of celebration, but it only came to light yesterday.  So here it is, traveling in the Way Back Machine to December 27, 1975.

**  Sunday I visited my favorite shopping place, Jeff Bezos’ wonderful placed called Amazon, to purchase a new supply of Edge shaving cream.  Imagine my surprise when I tried to put this very good Gillette product into my shopping cart and was told, “This product is hazardous and cannot be shipped to your address.”  I tried the 7 ounce size, the 9.8 oz., the travel size.  All the same.  So I ordered it from Walmart.com and it will be here today.  I went back to Amazon.com today to get the picture which appears below, and the non-ship notice was changed to a simple “cannot ship” statement.  There was a link to click to find the reason, and “HazMat” (hazardous material) appeared.  Jeff Bezos can’t send it, but Sam Walton’s kids can.  Go figure.

**  It’s been a long time since I’ve given you a recipe, so here is one of my all-time favorite salads, салат оливье, or the Salad Olivier.  The original version of Olivier salad was created by Lucien Olivier in the 1860s.  Lucien Olivier was then the chef of the famous French restaurant in Moscow called L’Hermitage.  Depending on the season, the Olivier salad could in fact contain grouse, veal tongue, caviar, crayfish tails, capers and smoked duck.  

Various adaptations of this salad began to make their appearance during the Soviet period with less noble ingredients than during the Tsarist period in order to make it accessible to the masses.  It is a great salad that I enjoyed many times while visiting in Samara, Russia.  The recipe is below:

**   My mind should not be allowed to go out and play by itself – it might get lost.  For instance, yesterday morning as part of my reading the Bible through in a year, I was reading Genesis 7 and when I came to verse 21 my mind wandered.  “And all flesh died that moved on the earth: birds and cattle and beasts and every creeping thing that creeps on the earth, and every man.”  The wandering brought to my memory a song by a group called The Irish Rovers.  The song is “The Unicorn.”  Enjoy.

Irony – the rainbow in the background. Genesis 9:13 – “And God said ... ‘I set My rainbow in the cloud, and it shall be for the sign of the covenant between Me and the earth.’”

**  This week Jeopardy! is showing the last new episodes featuring Alex Trebek as host.  Alex hosted the answer and question show for 37 years from its revival in 1984 until his death on November 8, 2020.  Coming back to the show after the first commercial break Alex interviewed the contestants, and this clip from 2012 is a feel-good, laugh out loud moment.  The first two interviews are incredibly goofy and after two good laughs, he says to the returning champ, “AJ, I don’t want to talk to you.”  Perfect.

**   In closing, “A Prayer for Holding on to God in Hard Times,” by Kristine Brown.

“Rather, cling tightly to the Lord your God as you have done until now” (Joshua 23:8 NLT).

Will these hard times we’re going through ever end?

If you’ve asked yourself this question lately, you’re not alone.  We know God’s Word makes it clear that “in this world we will have trouble” (John 16:33).  But when difficult circumstances happen one after another, we can get overwhelmed by the extended season of hard times.  So what do we do when hard times hit one after the other with no end in sight?

In his final words to the leaders of Israel, Joshua gave this command to God’s chosen people.  His words still speak truth to us as believers today.

“Rather, cling tightly to the Lord your God as you have done until now” (Joshua 23:8 NLT).

Joshua warned the people not to be distracted by other gods.  He knew the temptation they would face, whether in this season of rest or in the heat of battle.  They needed to be aware of the dangers of turning away, while also reassured of God’s desire to fight for them.  “Each one of you will put to flight a thousand of the enemy, for the Lord your God fights for you, just as he has promised.  So be very careful to love the Lord your God. (Joshua 23:10-11 NLT).

When we’re in the midst of hard times and doubt how things could possibly work out, today’s verse offers the answer we need.  We can hold on to God just as we’ve done in the past, and trust that He will be with us through it all.  He is faithful.  Let’s cling tightly to God right now with this prayer.

Dear Heavenly Father,

We know we can hold on to You when circumstances overwhelm us, but we still struggle to find peace.  Help us feel Your presence right now, the kind of comfort only Your Holy Spirit can give.  Let Your words through Joshua seal permanently on our hearts today.  We know there is hope and healing when we choose to cling tightly to You.  When we’re in danger of turning away, help us turn to Your Word instead.  It will be our constant and steadfast lamp to guide our path through hard times.  We cling to You, Lord, today and every day.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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