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In The Fullness Of Time

This first week of Advent brings us to a Biblical phrase Paul used in his letter to the church in Galatia: “But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:4-5) he repeats this phrase in another letter, this time to the church in Ephesus: “…as a plan for the fullness of time, to bring all things in heaven and on earth together in Christ.” (Ephesians 1:10). Paul may or may not have been ‘in the Spirit’ at the time of these ...

Tips For A Meaningful Christmas Celebration

Q: We usually travel to see relatives at Christmas, but this year we’ll be staying home as “just” our immediate household. Do you have any suggestions for making the season especially meaningful? Jim: I have a couple of ideas. First, I strongly encourage you to slow down. A common complaint about this time of year is that it’s too hectic. Parties, events, decorating, shopping -- everything can add up and pack your calendar before you even realize it. So, I suggest you block out time for quiet reflection on the meaning of the season, as a family. Reserve space for ...

Santos Refuses To Step Down, Warns Expulsion Would Set A Precedent

WASHINGTON (AP) — In his closing arguments for remaining a member of the House, a defiant Rep. George Santos depicted himself as a victim of a smear campaign by some of his colleagues and made clear that he would not resign before a vote today on whether he should be expelled. The first-term Republican congressman from New York could well become just the sixth member of the House to have been ousted by colleagues. While Santos survived two earlier expulsion efforts, a critical House Ethics Committee report released on Nov. 16 has convinced more members that his actions merit the ...

OPEC+ Members Will Cut Oil Production In Attempt To Boost Prices

LONDON (AP) — The OPEC oil cartel led by Saudi Arabia and allied producers including Russia made another big swipe at propping up lagging crude prices Thursday, expanding some output cuts into next year and bringing up-and-coming oil supplier Brazil into the fold. Lower oil prices have been a good thing for U.S. drivers, who have been able to fill their gas tanks for less money in recent months. But it’s bad news for OPEC+ countries whose oil income bolsters their economies and who have faced setbacks in pushing prices higher despite initial fears that the Israel-Hamas war could ...

Man Likes To Let Others Do Heavy Lifting

DEAR ABBY: Our son plays a college sport for which he receives four complimentary tickets for each game. It works out well because there are four of us in his immediate family. However, my husband has been asking friends of his to join us at games by offering them free tickets. Our son then must find a teammate with unused tickets and ask for them. My husband gives no warning. He just announces a couple of days prior to a game that he has invited so and so. Then, on game day, we are responsible for getting these friends in and seated with us. More than once, we haven’t been able ...

PSA Score Calculation Can Vary

DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m 77 and have an enlarged prostate. My PSA score has been between 5.2 and 5.9 ng/mL for years. Recently, my internist had me take a PSA test, and it was 9.5 ng/mL. Two weeks later, my urologist did another test, and it was 5.7 ng/mL. The two tests were done by different lab groups. Are PSA scores calculated differently by different labs? — T.W. ANSWER: Yes, there are several different manufacturers who make devices to measure PSA levels, and each is slightly different. A 2021 study evaluating three of the most common devices showed that they were very similar ...