Jan 21 - John the Baptist loses about 18 lbs.

So Joseph is now messing with his brothers. He tells them if they are really honest men, choose one of your brothers to remain in prison and the rest of them may go home with the grain but they have to bring back the youngest brother. They start thinking they are being punished because of what they did to Joseph.....well technically they are but not by God. Joseph over hears them and is touched. Joseph orders his servants to fill the men's sacks with grain, but he also gave secret instructions to return each brother's payment at the top of his sack. On their travel home they stop fo rthe night and noticed the money was in thee top of the sacks. So now they start freaking out over that! Well they get home explain the whole thing to Jacob and his answer to sending his youngest son back is "My son will not go down with you. His brother Joseph is dead, and he is all I have left." OK not the best thing to say to your sons. I'm telling you a family therapist would rake in the dough back in biblical times!

Ultimately they run out of grain before the famine is over so they have to go back. How would you feel if you were that one sap that was left in jail all that time. They weren't even going to return if they hand't run out of food. Lot of love in this family! So they return with they youngest, Benjamin, the best products of their land as gifts and double the money that was put in their sacks so they could return the original money and buy more food with the extra. When they get there Joseph sees Benjamin and has the family eat with him and gets the other brother out of jail. They still don't know that he is their brother.

Matthew - again Jesus mentions fiery furnice, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. That just doesn't sound like a good place to hang out for all of eternity. Todays reading is an unfortuneate day for John the Baptist for he is beheaded. Matthew 14:3-11 Herods wife wanted it done, so she has his daughter ask for it because he is pleased with a dance she did at his birthday and says he will give her anything she wanted. "I want the head of John the Baptist on a tray!" What kind of request is that! I think I would be a little worried if my daughter started asking me for heads on platters.