Musing – Is there a positive way to view the 10 Commandments?

 Hebraic Musing – Is there a positive way to view the 10 Commandments?

Moses’ Ten Commandments in Exodus 20 are viewed negatively, as “Shall nots” that constrain our nature!

1. I am the Lord your God: you shall not have strange Gods before me.

2. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in Vain.

3. Remember to keep holy the Lord's Day.

4. Honor your father and your mother.

5. You shall not kill.

6. You shall not commit adultery.

7. You shall not steal.

8. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

9. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.

10. You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.

These were the Commandments posted in the classrooms when I grew up; and we had them memorized so well we told jokes using the commandment numbers. 

But as the one-armed Rabbi once said – “On the other hand – there is another view of the Ten Commandments”.  This might be his alternative positive view:

1. We honor God as Creator. We praise him and would never put anything else in His place in our lives.

2. We always show reverence and honor to God, so would never use his name in a disrespectful way.

3. We remember to worship God by participating at Sunday Church, and through that we give honor to ourselves, as well, by resting, praying, and doing good deeds for others.

4. We respect our parents and their authority. We also give that same respect to those who are given authority over us if they protect and care for our good.

5. We respect life as being sacred in all its forms because life is created with dignity and beauty.

6. We respect the family and our part in family life. We respect marriage as being the place for sexual relationship.  We respect our own bodies and those of others.

7. We respect the property of others.

8. We respect others by being honest and truthful.  And we respect the reputations of others.

9. We respect our relationships with all others and the relationships of other people with each other.

10. We are satisfied with and grateful for the gifts which we have already been given as if received from you.

Why were we kicking against the goads* before we were saved?  
And who are we serving after salvation?

Points to Ponder

Would you rather be doing things you have to do?  Or things you want to do?

How might we view the 10 commandments after we are Saved?  What changed?

What an opportunity!  To want to respect, honor and obey our creator?

“There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:1

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                             January 21, 2025 
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”    insightsbyyosef.blogspot.com

*  The phrase "kicking against the goads" is a practice where farmers used long, sharpened sticks (goads) to prod oxen.  The oxen would sometimes kick against the goads, but they would eventually learn that it was better to accept the farmer's direction than to resist.
In a broader sense, the expression means that it is foolish and futile to resist God's will.

Musing –Why are Marriages and Our Society Both Crumbling?

 Hebraic Musing –Why are Marriages and Our Society Both Crumbling?

I have recently heard young people say, more than once – “Why get married?”  While I was shocked to hear it, why would we be surprised considering the influence of today’s media?  Our world’s anti-Judeo/Christian viewpoints prevail. There are broken homes, a lack of instruction in morality and confusion over the role of sex.

Covenantal Marriage was the basis for OT culture.  The patriarchs and those who followed them live by Godly principles based on marriages and families.  This was all part of God’s original plan in Genesis Chapter 2:24 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.”   “Therefore” refers to what Adam said in verse 23 “This is now bone of my bones And flesh of my flesh; She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.”  BTW, in the NT, Jesus’s first miracle was at a wedding!

Today’s society has moved to Contractual marriage, rather than the Convent marriage that God planned for us. What’s the difference?  Contracts are temporary, have a time limit and are based on terms to be met by each of the parties; and can be broken if either party defaults.  In contrast, a Covenant is permanent, “until death do us part”, with no conditions!   BTW, the word “Covenant” appears over 300 times in our Bible! 

The beginning of no-fault divorce has opened floodgates for divorce in our culture making marriage Contractual instead of Covenantal.  The State can get you out of a contract, but not out of a covenant!  Other cultures don’t require marriage licenses; family, community and honor keep the couple together.  After WWII there were a rash of divorces when men came home and marriages fell apart; remember “Dear John letters”?  I remember my uncle divorcing his wife after the war; our family was surprised he did not move to Los Angeles, the haven for divorcees back then (late 40”s/early’50’s).

What are the problems and/or results of today’s crumbling marriages?

·      God’s plan was for children to be raised by two loving parents (“go forth and multiply”) with one parent to nurture and the other providing support & leadership?  “And you, fathers, do not provoke your children to wrath, but bring them up in the training and admonition of the Lord.” Eph.6:4 NKJV  Is that happening?  What happens to children after multiple generations of broken families, and missing fathers?

·      God scolded them/us in Malachi, last OT book - “You weep and wail because he no longer pays attention to your offerings or accepts them with pleasure from your hands.  You ask, ‘Why?’  It is because the LORD is acting as the witness between you and the wife of your youth, because you have broken faith with her, though she is your partner, the wife of your marriage covenant.” Malachi 2:13-14 NIV 

·      God considers marriage to be an agreement between a husband and a wife as well as a covenant between the couple and Him.  The wedding vows were also vows to the Lord, or should have been!

I have authored books but my favorite that I consider to be most important, is “Biblical Marriage – His plan for Courtship, Engagement, Wedding and Marriage” – Available at Amazon (search “Biblical Marriage Yosef”). 

BTW – Why do we renew Marriage vows?   They don’t expire.  (>:

In closing, “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” Eph.5:25 “Wives, in the same way be submissive to your husbands so that, if any of them do not believe the word, they may be won over without words by the behavior of their wives” 1 Peter 3:1    BTW, that is how I came to Christ!

Point(s) to Ponder

What impact do “broken homes” have on the next generation?
(Have you noticed that the bulk of dysfunctional people are from “broken homes”?)

Do children’s TV, media, Hollywood, etc. support Biblical Marriage?
(Too many examples to list of programs, etc. with ungodly content!) 

If you have had a divorce in your past, please remember that
 God is more concerned about your future than your past.

We are the “Bride of Christ” by covenant!    Hallelujah!

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                January 14, 2025     (Originally published - April 12, 2022)

Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”   Weekly “Hebraic Musings”  at  InsightsByYosef.blogspot.com

 

Following is a little more to say and ponder on this critical topic:

“Marriage in 2022” by Johanna Hocker & The Epoch Times - March 30, 2022

The marriage rate in the United States is 6.1 per 1,000 - the lowest ever. Marriage is one of the worst prospects imaginable for men. Society has moved from a convent marriage to a contractual marriage. It is the worst legal contractual liability a man can enter into.  A contractual marriage is based on mutual support and insurance and assurance that this support will continue even if the marriage itself dissolves.  This began with no-fault divorce, that opened the flood-gates for divorce in our culture.

Women are demanding more; they claim that 80% of men are unattractive.  A man must also be economically attractive.  Women want a 6 - 6 - 6, which means he is 6 feet tall, has a 6 figure income and sports a 6 pack.  

70% of divorces are initiated by women.  Educated women have a 90% divorce rate.  Women are now 60% of all college students.  These college women are even pickier with higher standards that one might say makes a slave of the sucker who might marry her.

Statistics show that people who are married tend to live longer, are healthier, have lower stress levels, and are less prone to suffer from depression, but there is little to no incentive to marry, which is seen as a no-win situation.

For those who are truly committed to each other, marriage still works and is the best and only way to raise healthy children.

 

More stats from Google search   (2021):

Also, 70 years ago a large majority of U.S. households, approximately 80 percent, were made up of married couples.  In 2020, the proportion of households consisting of married couples fell to 49 percent.

Some of the major factors behind the long-term decline in the marriage rate have been female education and labor force participation, women’s economic independence and gender equality. America is also experiencing growing numbers of women and men living alone as well as increasing unmarried cohabitation. In addition to the 15 percent of U.S. adults living alone, no less than one-quarter of those aged 25 to 34 years are living with an unmarried partner.

American attitudes about childbearing and marriage have also changed markedly.  For example, whereas in 2006 about half of U.S. adults said it was very important for couples having children together to legally marry, by 2020 that proportion had fallen to 29 percent.  Today, the proportion of U.S. births to unmarried mothers is about 40 percent, double the percentage in 1980.

“Biblical Marriage” cover (Published 2012; available @ Amazon - “Biblical Marriage Yosef”)

Musing – Do we always feel like God is Omnipresent?

 Hebraic Musing – Do we always feel like God is Omnipresent?

Have you ever asked, “Where is God when I need Him”; or ever heard that said?  Then we are reminded of a Sunday School teaching claiming that God is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent; but do we really feel like He is always present with us?  At all times?!?  Or do we shy away from its full implications because there are times we are not proud of what we are doing?  We are not worshipping other gods, just doing “our own thing”.

The Bible starts with Adam’s sin and the almost humorous account of Adam trying to hide from God.  And David must have thought of escaping from God’s presence when he wrote – “Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” in Psalm 139:7 NIV  And then he goes on and on recounting God’s divine emmanence!  And God not only created us, but He’s constantly seeking us and keeping track of us.  “God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.'” ♫ Acts 17:27-28 NIV

Jacob awoke and thought “Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” Gen.28:16 NIV  Many have that problem, not recognizing that God is in this place!  What a difference it would make if we knew!

When we approach God with our soul, or when God approaches our soul, this is not in spatial terms at all.  It is not a matter of miles but of personal experience.  In normal human relationships, we may speak of being near or far from someone.  When we sing “Draw me nearer, nearer blessed Lord,” we are not thinking of nearness of distance but in nearness of relationship.

It is interesting to study the Biblical Saints and key characters and realize they were ordinary people.  What was special was their spiritual receptivity.  Something in them was open to heaven!  They had an inward longing to be close to God; and they did something about it!  They were not disobedient to their Heavenly Vision!

How does modern evangelism handle the fast-paced generations of Christians with push-buttons and less direct methods of reaching goals, moving from one book or study to another.  Result – shallow lives and hollow religious philosophies; but having fun at the gospel meetings glorifying men while focused on things other than God.  Have we been too blind to see, or too timid to speak out, or too self-satisfied to desire anything better?  Are we satisfied with the average church diet?  Does it seem okay because it satisfies others?  Are we garnering from our fellowshipping instead of from our Omni-Potent, Omniscient, Omni-Present God?

God’s Universal Presence is a fact, God is here and the whole universe is alive with His life.  He’s the familiar Father of our Lord Jesus Christ who has already demonstrated His love for each of us!  Can you count all the ways?  ♫ Count your many blessings, see what God has done. ♫

A truth – No one person is any further from or any nearer to God than any other person.

Concluding prayer –
O God and Father, I repent of my sinful preoccupation with visible things. 
The world has been too much with me.  Thou hast been there and I knew it not. 
I have been blind to Thy Presence.  Open my eyes that I may behold Thee in and around me.
For Christ’s sake, Amen.

Points to ponder

What might God do for the plain man/woman who seeks His omnipresent face?

The OT & NT Saints were not disobedient to the Heavenly Vision!

God is always trying to get our attention, to reveal Himself and to communicate with us.

If we break out of the world’s mold in which we find ourselves and
go to the Bible itself to get His WORD(s), what/who might we find there?  GOD?!?!

“Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?” Psalm 139:7 NIV

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                           January 7, 2025
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Note – Inspired & excerpted from Ch. 5 “The Universal Presence” in A.W.Tozer’s “The Pursuit of God”

 

Musing – Is the Parable of the Talents in Matthew about Money?

 Hebraic Musing – Is the Parable of the Talents in Matthew about Money?

Or could Jesus be more concerned about our Talents or attributes or characteristics?  In Matthew 25 Jesus provides a parable describing a master who gives “Talents” and instructions to his servants before departing on a long journey and leaving his servants with “Talents”, which are often translated as money.  When the master comes back, what does master expect a servant to have done with the money?  Or are we to be more concerned with what we’ve done with our Talents or our attributes or character or gifts that Jesus has given us? 

Jesus’ parable - “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them.  And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.” Matthew 25:14-15 NKJV  Jesus left us 2,000 years ago, but he didn’t journey that far!  When He comes back, what does Jesus expect to find that we have done with our Talents or attributes or character or gifts?

In the next two verses, Vs.16&17, Jesus describes what the servants did who were faithful.  “Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents.  And likewise he who had received two gained two more also.”   Those servants were appreciative, did right, and had good reports.  Then Jesus gets to the point of the parable.  “But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord's money.” v.18     

He continues.  “After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.  So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.  His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’  He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’  His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.” Vs.19-23  

Finally in Vs.24-25 -  “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.” 

How did the Lord respond to “talents” being wasted?  “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed.  So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.  Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.”  Vs.26-28

And Jesus pronounces the penalty for not utilizing our talents or attributes or character or gifts.  “For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away.  And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” Vs.29-30

I don’t know how to explain it more clearly.  Jesus expects us to use the gifts he has given us for the work of His Kingdom.  What gifts has Jesus given each of us?  Let’s see, there’s Salvation, and family, and Brothers & Sisters, and wealth, and teachings, and His Word, and ………..

Peter heard this message and understood.  “As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10 NKJV   
And Paul said - “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.  There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.  And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.  But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all.” 1 Corinthians 12:4-7

Points to Ponder

What are we supposed to be doing with our talents, attributes, gifts (& Xmas bonuses)?

Was some of our money a blessing?  What to do with it?

How would you like to hear Jesus say to you “Well done, good and faithful servant”?

Have a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                             December 31, 2024    “Happy New Year!!!”
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith”
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”    insightsbyyosef.blogspot.com

Musing - How Hard are We Trying to Follow After God?

 Hebraic Musing – How Hard are We Trying to Follow After God?

How does Psalm 63:8 apply to us?  “My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.”  We have been granted prevenient grace which means that before a man can seek God, God must first have sought out the man.  And we know God’s son came to earth “to seek and to save the lost”.  God also put in us the urge to seek a ruler/god and there’s a plethora of world religions attesting to that.

God is drawing man, how does man respond?   “No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.” John 6:44 NIV  And “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God.” Psalm 42:1

We are all wanting eternal life, or would like to have it.  “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.” John 17:3 

God is a person, so a relationship with Him needs to be cultivated personally to help us grow in appreciation of His Glory.  Full knowledge of one person by another cannot be achieved without long and loving conversations, and the process is never complete.  That relationship is very personal, not just something we do as a body of fellow believers.  Since we are made in His image, we possess the capacity to know Him and to interact with Him. 

Meanwhile, the concept of religious conversion has been made mechanical; faith can now be exercised without a real impact on moral life or embarrassment to our Adamic ego!  Christ can be received without creating any special love or respect for Him.  Looking at Holy men and women in the past, we sense and admire their heart and their desire and their calling after God.  Moses sought God and made a daring request.  “Now show me your glory.”  And God answered by showing Moses His backside! 

David is another OT saint who serves as an example of a serious seeker of God. 

How many “Christians” have recognized God and “found” Him, but now that they know of Him, they are no longer seeking?  And they are no longer seeking further revelation(s).  How has this affected or resulted in some smug interpretations of the Bible?  Instead of seeking His Glory, churches are focused on programs, methods, organizations and activities.  Result, they know God imperfectly and the peace of God scarcely at all.  How many “saved” men are not hungry; nor are they thirsting after God?  In fact, they’ve been taught to be satisfied and encouraged and to be content with little, relying on – “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Philippians 4:11   And “But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.” 1 Timothy 6:8.

Does our prayer life need to be stripped of theology and focus on the “God that made thee”?  And why did He make me?

Concluding prayer –
O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. 
I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace.   I am ashamed of my lack of desire.
O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing;
I thirst to be made more thirsty still.  Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, that so I may know Thee indeed. 
Begin in Mercy a new work of love within me.

Points to ponder

Have we ever asked God to “Show me your Glory”?

Are we seeking God for His Word, or do we let teachers seek for us?

The man who has God for his treasure has all things in One!

Are our prayers really a personal conversation?   Who are we talking to?!?!

Oh God, show me thy glory!     And BTW, have a Merry Christmas

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd                                           December 24, 2024
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

Note – Inspired & excerpted from Ch.1 “Following Hard After God”, A. W. Tozer’s “The Pursuit of God”

Musing – What would life be like without rules?

Hebraic Musing – What would life be like without rules?

I opened a Sunday School class of 10 to 12 year olds with Good News!  “Today we are going to play a really exciting new game.  This new game is called ‘Bokee Ball’ and it is a lot of fun because there are no rules to worry about.”  The questions came – “How do you score?”  “How many points to win?”  “How many players on a side?”   “What’s out of bounds?”  “What kind of ball do we use?”  and on and on the questions came.  The answer I gave to each question was the same – “Whatever you want; there are no rules.”  Needless to say, the game never started.

The moral of the lesson became obvious.  The Bible, both OT and NT, has rules we are expected to live by; and without those rules, life would be a mess.  I asked someone at lunch today “How do you like it when other people do not obey the rules?” or worse yet, “How would you like it if all the other people in the world decided to not obey the rules?”  How does this apply to the messages about rules that are taught in the Bible, especially in the Torah?  Here are a few perspectives:

• The “Ten Commandments” start in Exodus 20:1 And God spoke all these words:  "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me...”  NIV    Again in Deuteronomy 5:5   …And He said:  "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me….”   In both cases “words” and “said” are translated from the Hebrew d’bar which means “a word.”  So what we have been calling “commandments” are really “words” from Father God.   BTW – Whatever a loving parent tells his/her child to do is always for the child’s own good.  Always!
• The Hebrew word for the first five books of the OT is Torah, and it appears numerous times in both the Hebrew OT and NT.  Unfortunately, the word Torah in Hebrew is translated as “Law” in our English versions.  We all know that he word “Law” has a must do connotation with enforcement and punitive consequences; thus, it stirs up in some of us a desire to “kick against the goads” or see how close we can get to the edge.  The Torah with its lessons, history, character studies and “Words” from God teaches us rules for living healthy, safe and full lives with respect for authority.  I’d prefer to translate the Hebrew word Torah as “Lessons” or “Guidelines” or “God’s advice to His children” than to call it “Law”.    That’s just my preference.
• Mitzvot is a Hebrew word literally meaning “Good Deeds”.  In Genesis 26:4-5 we learn “all nations on earth will be blessed, because Abraham obeyed me and kept my requirements, my commands, my decrees and my laws.”  The word “commands” is translated from the Hebrew Mitzvot which literally means “good deeds.”  So, our blessings come from obediently doing good deeds.

Does this explain why my life has changed for the better since I put Mezuzahs* on the door posts of our house?  As I enter or leave the house I kiss it and say “Thank you, Lord, for your commandments?”

Tradition says that the OT has 613 Mitzvot (some call them “commandments”), whereas the NT has over 1,050 Mitzvot. I am amazed at the Amazing Grace granted in the OT to the people and patriarchs.  So, between the OT and NT, which is about Grace, and which is about Law?    “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.” Heb. 13:8

Points to ponder

How can we thank the Lord for giving us His rules for living?

Does the world want to play “Bokee Ball”?

Thank you, Lord, for your advice to us, your children.             

Yosef   a.k.a.  Joe Brusherd               December 17, 2024    (Reprint of June 17, 2014 Musing)         
Author: “Hebraic Insights – Messages exploring the Hebrew roots of our faith” 
“Biblical Marriage (by Yosef)”     Weekly “Hebraic Musings”

* Mezuzah is a piece of parchment in a decorative case inscribed with specific verses from Deuteronomy 6:6-9 “These commandments that I give you today are to be upon your hearts. … Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.” 

2024 Xmas

 

^To      Family  &  Friends   

^From    Joe Brusherd                December 2024

The year 2024 was definitely a change of pace!  Last year’s Christmas letter was all about Irene & I and events in OUR lives.  But the letter went out on December 7^th and a week later Irene surprised me by deciding to go home on December 16^th to be with Jesus.  I’ve had the challenging time adjusting to life without my sweet childhood sweetheart.  But I’m recognizing the positives; Peggy or Irene would have had a serious challenge if I had left them.  So I’m the one left, and very thankful that God has blessed me over my years with two wonderful wives, each truly perfect for the two seasons in my life.

This year has been exciting the way God is growing my “Family Tree”! 

Irene’s GreatGrandSon, Darrell, and his brother, Byron, were adopted by Julie’s sister-in-law, Sarah Motta, and they moved from Tucson to Little Rock, AR, only three hours away!  I visited them last summer and there’s more visits ahead!

Susan can be found visiting nieces & nephews or spreading her cheer and Good News at church gatherings all over NW Arkansas.

Jon is working from home &/or commuting to the Casinos in Oklahoma, while Diane has been ministering to her parents.  Kristen is diligently caring for her health issues, while Scott is finishing his engineering degree and has many ideas for the auto industry.

Joseph & Jeanna’s home in Bella Vista is always busy with their five kids and their growing families.  -- Jonathan & Courtney are in Panama City, FL, while his time as Medical Dive Trainer winds down.  Asana and her brother, Judah, are growing; but I don’t get to see them often enough. Sniff Sniff. 
- John & Joy’s family keeps growing.  His paramedic role comes in handy raising what is now squad of five – Adeline, Arabelle, Ayo & Avalyn plus the addition of Anya Humble born 11/11/24; and they all generously give hugs & kisses when I come around! 
- Josiah moved from San Diego to join the family in Bella Vista for now; there are things about California he misses, but he also enjoys family.  (Now I have one less reason to travel to CA, but still have dear Brothers & Sisters at Calvary Lighthouse Church in Escondido that I miss!) 
- Jesse & Aubrie also gave us yet another GREAT Grand child this year.  They now have Tobias (oldest GGChild to carry on the Brusherd name), Ariella, and the newest, Isabella Moriah born 11/7/24.
- Jewelayna is living at home, working and driving so is no longer the baby of the family!

Jim & Annie had a harrowing year.  The tornados that came through 5 towns in NWA messed up their neighbors.  Fortunately their home and vehicles received relatively minor damage.  Jim is still painting & ministering, and Annie’s voice is still found on the Rogers PD’s 911 number. 

Joel & Liz love their Richmond, VA, home but have to travel to see their progeny.  Caitlyn is enjoying her teaching job in Guatemala and enjoys being tour guide for visiting family.  Andrew & Stephanie are Sailors bouncing between Seattle and Japan, last I heard.  Jackson is applying for a role as fireman in a nearby community.  That family has inherited a worldview!

Beth & Kirk are only 90 minutes away in Nixa, MO, so I get to see them periodically.  Kirk is dabbling in real estate after retiring from 15 years as a Cop protecting the citizens of Springfield, MO; while Beth is homeschooling Charity (working and driving) and Faith enjoys hunting with father Kirk.

What do I do?  My favorite ministry is publishing weekly Hebraic Musings going to over 400 of my “closest” friends every Tuesday AM.  That continues as long as the Holy Spirit provides inspiration.

My lead role in the “Men’s Ministry” at Immanuel Baptist for 9 years is in process of handing off roles to a squad of “Fellow Warriors” who are growing and doing great. 

I’m also marketing Irene’s late son Mark’s 150 acre ranch in Oracle, AZ to settle Irene’s estate. 

Meanwhile, I’m dealing with Medical issues, but looking forward to “Bucket List” travel next year!

And the family God gave me keeps growing!

With their spouses  &  Grand children  &  GREATGrand children,
  The family God gave me keeps growing and now totals 52 with still more to come!
That’s 13 Children & Spouses  +  23 GrandChildren  +  16 GREAT GrandChildren.

Christmas has become a season of gifting and …

“The greatest Gift I have received from Our Lord is
a family of this size with ALL of them knowing, loving and serving the Lord.
(I can’t type this without shedding a tear!)

Joe  Brusherd
Joe Brusherd      710 Summit Loop, Rogers, AR 72756            479-644-5262    Brusherd@cox.net   

P.S. When I go to my refrigerator umpteen times a day, I’m reminded of my many blessings.