QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Time is short. Eternity is long. It is only reasonable that this short life be lived in the light of eternity.”
Charles Spurgeon
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U.S. NEWS
Ahmaud Arbery Verdict
It was a racially-charged trial with national attention: three white men (Travis McMichael, Greg McMichael, and William Brian) killed a black man (Ahmaud Arbery) out on a jog, saying they were executing a citizen's arrest and only fired the shotgun out of self-defense.
Last week, a largely white jury disagreed and found all three men guilty of murder. Each faces a minimum of life in prison, while the judge will decide their eligibility for parole.
Unlike the polarized response to Kyle Rittenhouse’s recent acquittal, there has been widespread and bipartisan support for this jury’s decision. Georgia Governor Kemp (R) said he hoped the guilty verdict would create “healing and reconciliation,” and President Biden hailed it as the “justice department doing its job.”
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ABOVE ALL, LOVE
Christians have a hard job. We must simultaneously celebrate justice and come alongside victims in their pain without letting a guilty verdict lessen our love for those convicted.
Apart from Christ, we’re no better than them.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” - Romans 3:23-24 (CSB)
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SPONSORED
Giving Tuesday
Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday… but we’d love for you to be set up to give more than once a year.
With Charityvest, you can create a personal donor-advised fund (DAF) in just 90 seconds. DAFs are like charitable savings accounts; you can make the tax-deductible contribution today and recommend cash grants to any church or charity at any time (immediately, or ten years from now).
Charityvest also makes it easy to donate stock and crypto.
If your stock/crypto has gone up in value this year, then you’re going to pay taxes… unless you donate it. Instead of Uncle Sam taking a cut, the charity will get 100% of the value! Learn more.
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COVID-19
Omicron, the Variant
There’s a new variant in town.
Uh oh. What happened?
- Last Wednesday, epidemiologists in South Africa alerted the World Health Organization (WHO) of a new COVID variant
- The WHO quickly convened, named it “Omicron,” and labeled it as a “variant of concern”
- The world started scrambling
One step at a time. Start in South Africa…
Very little is known, but scientists in South Africa say Omicron has more than 30 mutations on the spike proteins, the part that binds to human cells.
This could mean that Omicron is more contagious and may lead to more re-infections.
One South African doctor says Omicron patients he’s seen have had “ unusual but mild symptoms,” with tiredness and sore muscles replacing the classic losses of taste and smell.
What did the WHO decide?
The potential of being extra contagious was enough for the WHO to slap it with a “variant of concern” label.
For those of you tracking closely, yes, the WHO did skip over the Greek letters Nu and Xi because they believed “new” could be confusing and Xi is a common last name (including that of China’s president).
And the reactions?
- Travel bans from South Africa have been issued in at least 8 countries, including the U.S.
- The DOW had its worst day of 2021, dropping 900 points, with airlines dropping as much as 10% (“pandemic stocks” like Zoom and Peloton were up ~5%)
- Health officials worldwide are ramping up testing to learn more about Omicron, specifically whether it causes more severe illness or is resistant to vaccines
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ETERNAL PERSPECTIVE
There may be good reasons to be worried or feel hopeless about this day, month, or year. God does not promise good days, He promises a great eternity. Stay focused on eternity, it changes everything.
“I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.”
Psalms 121:1-2 (CSB)
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New unemployment claims dropped from 270,000 to 199,000 last week, the lowest since 1969. The 52-year low seems to be due in part to a surge in seasonal hiring but even the extra delivery drivers on Santa’s Amazon’s payroll can’t entirely explain the surprising drop.
The trial of Ghislaine Maxwell, the British socialite and affiliate of disgraced financier Jeffery Epstein, begins today. Maxwell is charged with six counts related to grooming and enticing minors for Epstein's sexual exploitation, as well as lying to federal investigators. She has vehemently denied any wrongdoing.
Stephen Sondheim, who wrote the music and lyrics to West Side Story, Sweeney Todd, Into the Woods, and a dozen other Broadway musicals, died at the age of 91 last week. His work earned him an Oscar, 8 Grammys, and 8 Tony awards, and his death prompted tributes from around the world.
Cities all across the U.S. reported smash-and-grab robberies on Black Friday, including a flash mob breaking into a Best Buy in Minnesota to steal electronics and four robbers in Monterey, California, stealing $30,000 worth of sunglasses.
Canada tapped into 50M pounds of its strategic reserves, combating a concerning shortage that’s been driving up prices. No, not oil… another liquid gold, maple syrup. Bad weather meant a low yield this season, but don’t worry, they still have another 50M pounds stockpiled.
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WHIPPED CREAM ON TOP
With a lot of editing, even prepping vegetables can be fun…
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What We’re Listening To
Cozy Christmas by Dalton Storm
Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, it’s officially the time of year for us all to get sick of hearing the same old Christmas music. Instead of contributing to the “make Mariah Carey even richer” fund, mix it up with something new!
Dalton Storm, an independent singer & songwriter just released an EP of his holiday favorites titled, Cozy Christmas. From “Happy Holidays” to “Another Christmas Without You,” this mellow collection of covers and originals will have you curled up by an open fire faster than you can say “Feliz Navidad.”
Mitch Larson | Business Development
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