Finding the kingdom within and an introduction...

Friends,   It occurred to me that we should start sending out our weekly podcast episodes by email... in case you might be interested in some episodes but not others. Other than mentioning them casually here or there, we haven’t been calling much attention to them.   So I’d like to share this past week’s episode with you today. But before we get there, I’d like to introduce you to Ice:     This little guy has lived with us up here at the Withrow Estate for just over a week now. He was part of a litter of eleven pups that needed a good home, and we adopted him when he was nine weeks old.   We named him Ice in honor of his steely gray eyes... and for no other reason. To my knowledge, he has not been involved with any deportations.   But he’s certainly a handsome little fella. His mother is a Saint Bernard mix and his father is a cross between a Rottweiler and husky.    It’s a fascinating combination... and we can see a little of each in Ice.    He has the lighter eyes and the face markings of a husky. But he has the head and floppy ears of the Saint Bernard. Much of his coat appears to be a Saint Bernard’s coat as well, except he has a streak on his back that’s the standard black and brown Rottweiler coloring.   He’s been an absolute joy to have. And I’d like to think that our wide open spaces have been a joy for him too. I’m going to take him down to the river this afternoon.   Adopting a puppy was not at all in my plans. But when the person with the litter reached out to me about it – it took exactly one day to make the decision. The timing is just too perfect... so it struck me as somewhat fortuitous.    But Ice has served as a great reminder for me of what’s truly important in life. And that brings me to Episode 15 of The Phoenician League podcast.     Do you remember when the Pharisees cornered Jesus of Nazareth on the road between Jerusalem and Galilee? There was an exchange there that I think is often cherry-picked and used to validate religious doctrine. But to me, I think there was a deeper meaning to it all.   Jesus loved to talk about the “kingdom of God”, but it’s clear to me that his disciples didn’t really understand what he meant. And I think we’ve largely missed the point for the last 2,000 years also.   So this past week’s episode of the podcast goes philosophical on you. But I promise, there are direct takeaways that are relevant for us still today.    And I’m not talking about religion at all here.    We look at this particular exchange from the standpoint of an objective analyst, as I’m trained to do. We also add some historical context that is largely missing in the Bible, and in so doing, I think Jesus’ real message becomes clearer. And it has direct implications for those of us concerned about financial independence today.   Of course, this is all just my perspective. I don’t claim to be any kind of expert or authority on the subject matter. But I always enjoy introspective endeavors like this.   So if you haven’t checked it out yet, you can find this past week’s podcast at: https://phoenicianleague.com/podcast-episode-15-the-kingdom-of-god-is-in-your-midst-what-jesus-actually-meant-about-money-and-independence/   Looking forward, I’m wading back into research mode to press forward with our essay series on the American System. I’ll have the next installment ready for you later this week or early next.   Have a great weekend!   -Joe Withrow

 

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