Odds & Ends #6

From time to time, I have posted a blog under the title, “Odds & Ends,” deviating from the usual mini-sermon/essay format to share news, do some “house-keeping,” or explain some things that don’t rise to the level of full blog material. This is the sixth such posting. Some of the comments may be familiar to you, but given that there are a number of new readers, I thought it wise to iterate the new and reiterate the old.

1. The blog address originally began with http:// but now starts with https://. The added letter “s” signifies “secure,” which is a security improvement to the website, provided by the host company. This is to the benefit of both the writer (me) and the reader (you).
2. Many, if not most, websites include paid advertising that pops up alongside or beneath the writers’ articles. This is very common, and is one way for the “bloggist” (Is there such a word? If not, there should be – “blogger” sounds so mundane. . . ) to pay for his or her site, or even to make money, based on the number of views they get. I have decided not to use paid ads, for three reasons. First, because I’m not doing this site to make money, and I can afford the low cost the web hosting company charges. Second, I can write what I believe without looking over my shoulder at sponsors, being afraid to run afoul of their editorial policies. I already have one very special Editor looking over my shoulder regarding my writing – and He is the only one I am accountable to. Third, in most cases the bloggist, er, blogger, does not get to choose which ads appear on the site. I have seen Christian blogs with some very questionable ads, and my immediate reaction has been to ask why the bloggers chose those ads – and then I remember they didn’t have a choice. So, to avoid those mixed messages, I chose not to take ads.
3. Likewise, I do not “harvest” data, either names or email, from my readers to sell to anyone. If you know someone who might like to read my blog, I will be glad to add them to my notification list, but only with their permission.  People can also subscribe on my site to receive notices directly from the blog as soon as I post each new article. This might help if you find my notices getting sent to your spam folder.
4. I find that I’m blogging about twice a month on average (160 blogs so far!), so if you don’t hear from me in over a month, check your spam/junk folders for my notices, or go directly to the blog to catch up.
5. A couple reminders on format: I usually use the English Standard Version (ESV) for my biblical quotations, but occasionally use other versions when useful – such as when a key word is in a version I memorized. In those cases I signify which translation I’m quoting, such as KJV or NIV. Also, I usually don’t capitalize pronouns used for God, using “he, him, and his” instead of “He, Him, and His.” This is not to lessen reverence for God, but to follow the lead of the original biblical languages, which did not capitalize such pronouns, either. At least I don’t use “s/he, ze, or them”! I do capitalize titles used of God, such as Creator, Savior, etc.
6. A few of my articles have been picked up and published in our church’s national bimonthly magazine, The Evangel, such as in the March-April of 2021 issue (#198). That and other back issues of the magazine are available on the website at https://www.taalc.org/the-evangel-magazine.
7. The Bibles pictured in the heading on my blog pages are from my own library. While I was looking online for stock images of books to place in the header and portray my interest in reading, my wife asked me why I didn’t just take a picture of my own books since I had so many to choose from. It was one of those “duh!” moments. She was right of course, so I got out the camera and took the picture you see. We like how it turned out, and besides . . . no royalties! (Unless you want to use it, then let’s talk . . .)

As always, I close with what is called the Aaronic Blessing, a benediction which, in Numbers 6:24-26, the Lord told Moses’ brother, Aaron, to say to the people : The Lord bless you and keep you, the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you, the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.

Read: Ecclesiastes 12:12; Numbers 6:22-27