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Posted on August 18, 2012 by betty

Copyright: trovemagazine.com
Trove Magazine is an online publication that offers a treasure TROVE of original stories, articles and poems of GENERAL INTEREST in a format similar to that of a printed publication. Material is added daily, so visit often and be sure to comment about all that you read. When appropriate, we will respond to your comments.

Here’s a navigational hint for our site: You may read from any of our categories; but if you wish to read everything we have posted, you need look only at these two categories, Through the Bible with Betty, exclusively used for those postings, and Uncategorized. All items posted in other categories are included in the “Uncategorized” section. Of course, you may click on any one of our categories in the column at the right hand side of this page.

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Jonathan’s Story, One Cat’s Life

Posted on May 7, 2013 by betty

A few months ago I published a book called “The Life and Adventures of Jonathan Cat”. I meant to write a book that would hold some wry humor for adults and also be the kind of book you would want your adolescent to read and enjoy. To my surprise, I suppose because the narrator of the book is a cat, everyone thought this book was for children. My almost 6 year old granddaughter learned to read the title and really wants to read the book; but it is, of course, far beyond her reading ability. With that in mind I sat down and rewrote the book in nine pages in a simple story book fashion. The nine pages also includes a large number of art pieces that coordinate with the story. When I was ready to publish the book, however, I discovered that the minimum size I could publish was 24 pages. Thus I added a “Special Feature” to the new book–the same story in rhyme. I have named the new book “Jonathan’s Story–One Cat’s Life”. To see all three of the books I have written, go to Amazon Books and type my name in the search line (Betty L. Killebrew).

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Leviticus 7, vs. 26-33 with Betty

Posted on May 7, 2013 by betty

Note: at the end of today’s Portion of Bible Text, you will find my thoughts on the verses. B.K.
121012

²⁸And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,
²⁹Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, He that offereth the sacrifice of his peace offerings unto the Lord shall bring his oblation unto the Lord of the sacrifice of his peace offerings.
³⁰His own hands shall bring the offerings of the Lord made by fire, the fat with the breast, it shall he bring, that the breast may be waved for a wave offering before the Lord.
³¹And the priest shall burn the fat upon the altar: but the breast shall be Aaron’s and his sons’.
³²And the right shoulder shall ye give unto the priest for an heave offering of the sacrifices of your peace offerings.
³³He among the sons of Aaron, that offereth the blood of the peace offerings, and the fat, shall have the right shoulder for his part.
³⁴For the wave breast and the heave shoulder have I taken of the children of Israel from off the sacrifices of their peace offerings, and have given them unto Aaron the priest and unto his sons by a statute for ever from among the children of Israel.
K.J.V. Bible Text

My Thoughts:

The Lord ordered the children of Israel to bring their peace offerings to be sacrificed with their own hands. (To me this means, no servant delivery, no sending the offering with your son and no dropping it off at the door of the tabernacle. It means take it and hand it to the priest yourself to secure the benefit of your offering.) We learn that the fat of the offering is to be burned, the breast is to be waved before the Lord for an offering but it will belong to Aaron and his sons, while the right shoulder is to go to the individual priest who makes the offering. At the conclusion of these instructions, the Lord reminds us that these offerings are to be taken from the children of Israel to be given to Aaron and his sons forever into the future.
Being a Christian in a predominantly Christian community, I have little knowledge about the Jewish faith today, but I find myself often wondering: are there still descendants of Aaron today who serve as priests in the tabernacles? If anyone knows, pray do enlighten me!

Betty Killebrew

Read more “Through the Bible with Betty” by clicking on the link shown below.

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I Still Love Lucy!

Posted on April 15, 2013 by betty

I love many of today’s sit-coms—even in re-runs; but when I tune in a modern comedy and realize I’ve seen an episode enough times to instantly remember the details, I turn to another channel rather than watch it again. Not so when it comes to that golden comedy of yesteryear, “I Love Lucy”. There is not one episode of this show that I wouldn’t want to watch again today even though I’ve seen all of them time and time again.

Even if you were watching Lucy, Ricky, Fred and Ethel for the first time, I’m sure you would not find any episode unpredictable. In this show, you know what to expect—and yet you laugh. Perhaps this group hit upon the perfect formula for entertaining because of their background extending back into the years of vaudeville and because of their acting talent. Lucy did not simply play a screwball redhead; she became the role. Fred and Ethel were the kind of friends we always wanted and never had. Ricky was the foreign exotic element who nevertheless was the all-American (long-suffering) husband.

In the “I Love Lucy” show, the characters created by the actors were particular to the show. You did not get the idea that all women are screwballs. You did not believe that Ricky was a dunce who was manipulated by his wife. Those are things for today’s comedies. In this greatest comedy of all time, Lucy and Ricky were seemingly ordinary people, but they were individuals with their own quirks and their own charm. Even though we certainly would not get involved in Lucy’s hare-brained schemes, we believed she was like us but caught up in her antics because of exceptional courage to try what we would not.

Because I recently retired unexpectedly due to illness, I could be a little unhappy every morning when I wake up unemployed and still feeling a little under the weather. All that is dispelled when I tune into a couple of episodes of “I Love Lucy”. It’s “laugh out loud” comedy and we don’t see much of that anymore. What’s more, as a Christian, I feel no guilt in watching Lucy, while watching more recent comedies often turns my cheeks as red as Lucy’s hair.

Of course I still love Lucy! Don’t you?

Betty L. Killebrew

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Leviticus 7 vs. 22-27 with Betty

Posted on April 5, 2013 by betty

12 9 12

Note: at the end of today’s Portion of Bible Text, you will find my thoughts on the verses. B.K.
²²And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying,

²³Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, Ye shall eat no manner of fat, of ox, or of sheep, or of goat.

²⁴And the fat of the beast that dieth of itself, and the fat of that which is torn with beasts, may be used in any other use: but ye shall in no wise eat of it.

²⁵For whosoever eateth the fat of the beast, of which men offer an offering made by fire unto the Lord, even the soul that eateth it shall be cut off from his people.

²⁶Moreover ye shall eat no manner of blood, whether it be of fowl or of beast, in any of your dwellings.

²⁷Whatsoever soul it be that eateth any manner of blood, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

K.J.V. Bible Text

My Thoughts:

In this reading, we learn that the Lord told the people of Israel that they were not to eat any animal that is offered as sacrifice by fire if it died by itself. They are also not to eat the fat of such animals or eat any blood.

The fact that the Lord tells the people these rules and associates them with such animals as may be used as sacrifices, indicates to me that He did indeed intend the rules that applied to priests in regard to handling animal sacrifices to be an example to the people. And once again, this passage assures me in my conviction that the rules for the handling of sacrifices and the dietary restrictions of the people of Israel relate to the desire of the Lord to keep them healthy and free of diseases, such as those that might be borne by an animal that died of some unknown cause or from eating the “unclean” portions of any animal.

Betty Killebrew

Read more “Through the Bible with Betty” by clicking on the link shown below.

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Leviticus 7 vs.19-21with Betty

Posted on April 5, 2013 by betty

12 8 12

Note: at the end of today’s Portion of Bible Text, you will find my thoughts on the verses. B.K.

¹⁹And the flesh that toucheth any unclean thing

shall not be eaten; it shall be burnt with fire: and as for the flesh, all that be clean shall eat thereof.

²⁰But the soul that eateth of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, that pertain unto the Lord, having his uncleanness upon him, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.

²¹Moreover the soul that shall touch any unclean thing, as the uncleanness of man, or any unclean beast, or any abominable unclean thing, and eat of the flesh of the sacrifice of peace offerings, which pertain unto the Lord, even that soul shall be cut off from his people.
K.J.V. Bible Text

My Thoughts:

The few verses I read for today describe “uncleanness”. We learn that any of the flesh of the offerings that touches anything unclean cannot be eaten but must be burnt with fire. We also learn that anyone who has his own “uncleanness” upon him while eating the flesh of the sacrifice shall be cut off from his people.

This is again a reaffirmation of the way the rules devised by the Lord served as a protection for his people, both for the priests themselves and by example for others. Protection from the “uncleanness” of man while touching or consuming offerings was another way to assure that disease was not transmitted. Such strict adherence to laws regarding cleanliness also encouraged the priests and the other people as well to treat those sacrifices made before the Lord in a Holy way. The Lord having high standards would surely remind the people hold him in high regard

Betty Killebrew

Read more “Through the Bible with Betty” by clicking on the link shown below.

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Big ears!

Posted on April 5, 2013 by betty

Never think your child doesn’t hear all that is said. When my granddaughter (not yet four) recently saw “The Wizard of Oz” for the first time, she picked up on the line sung by the Munchins, “You’ll be a bust in the hall of fame.” She immediately asked, “What is a ‘be-er bust?”
I was able to explain because I had fortunately just understood the line for the first time although I was seeing the movie for at least the dozenth time. I will certainly never let this little sponge hear anything on television that might have questionable language.

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An Argumentative Child

Posted on March 26, 2013 by betty

At nearly 4 years old, my little granddaughter has a good handle on how to argue. Recently when I told her something she wanted was INconvenient, she promptly replied, “No, it’s OUTconvenient.”
B.K.

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TOUCH SOMEONE’S LIFE

Posted on March 26, 2013 by betty

TOUCH SOMEONE’S LIFE

You can touch someone’s life,
Just by what you say or do,
It’s nice to be able to do that,
And I’m going to do it too.

It might be by an act of kindness,
Or just by something we say,
It really doesn’t matter what it is,
Because it will sure make their day.

So try to touch someone’s life,
And show them your love,
Then you will be blessed in so many ways,
From our Lord and Savior above.

Submitted by D.B.

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Brain surgery in the offing

Posted on February 20, 2013 by betty

Dear Web Site Readers,

I haven’t been around much lately because of some very important things I needed to have done before February 21, 2013. On that day, I am scheduled to undergo brain surgery to correct an aneurysm that cannot be repaired in any other way. I will then be hospitalized for four to seven days and will need someone with me at all times for a couple of weeks after that. I have no idea how long it will take for me to be up and at my computer again or whether I will return to complete health or suffer some of the hazards of such surgery.

Knowing that I faced this surgery, I have recently been devoting my time to a project dear to my heart. I have completed my second book, a work of fiction called The Life and Adventures of Jonathan Cat. The book is now available on Create Space books and also on Amazon books. After going on either of the sites, you can find it easily by typing in the title. It is for sale for $8.99 + shipping/handling. I hope some of you who enjoy stories on this web site will be kind enough to purchase it.

With the prayers of all of you who care, I fully expect to return to health and devote more time to this web site. In the meantime, thank you for being my audience.

Betty L. Killebrew

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The Life and Adventures of Jonathan Cat

Posted on February 11, 2013 by betty

My new book, The Life and Adventures of Jonathan Cat is now available at Amazon Books and on CreateSpace Books on the web. It’s also now available at Kindle Books. After going on any of the sites, you can find it easily by typing in the title. It is for sale in paperback for $8.99 + shipping/handling. As a Kindle book, it’s only 2.99 and you can read it at no charge by borrowing it as a Kindle book. Go to Kindle Books to take advantage of this offer.

Betty L. Killebrew, Editor and Publisher—www.trovemagazine.com.
__________

The Life and Adventures of Jonathan Cat
By Betty L. Killebrew

Jonathan Cat, a barn cat born during the Depression era, leaves his farm home early in life and begins to travel around the country, enjoying a variety of adventures and living with various human friends along the way.

Told by Jonathan himself, this heart-warming tale chronicles Jonathan’s adventures with each of his best friends—Peggy, a little farm girl who has to be reminded to give him water; Boxcar Joe, a hobo who rides the rails; Boozer, a reformed alcoholic; Stripes, another cat with whom he develops a kinship; and Sharon the great human love of his life.

Seen through a cat’s eyes, the actions of the human characters in the book range from humorous to heroic. From living with his friends, Jonathan learns important lessons about life and love.

The author was inspired by several cats she has “owned” and by the classic animal stories about Black Beauty and Lassie. Her writing is clear and straight forward, making for easy reading; but this book is not primarily for children. It has appeal for readers over a broad spectrum. It will not only engross children, it will also fascinate cat owners and offer several hours of enjoyment to anyone who simply enjoys a good story.

Early readers have said that they laughed out loud in some places and cried at the end. If you read this book, please post your review both at Amazon and in the comment section for this posting.

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