Will my homeless family find a home today? In today’s interesting episode, Swag continues the design of Otterview by adding a place to temporarily house the homeless until homes can be built for them behind the graveyard, and starting the upgrade of a road to stone from dirt. What other things happen? Watch this episode in full to find out!
Episode 23: Gluttony and Temperance
In this episode, Swag examines the deadly sin of gluttony and its opposing virtue of temperance in his mini-series on the Seven Deadly Sins.
People of the First Christmas: Simeon and Anna
Welcome back to my mini-series here on Ko‑fi entitled People of the First Christmas. While Christmas may have come and gone for another year, now is the perfect time to reflect on those who encountered Jesus during His early years—long before He was a young lad of twelve or began His ministry around the age of thirty. This week, I will focus on two remarkable individuals, Simeon and Anna, who recognized Jesus as the Messiah when He was still a baby. They witnessed His presentation in the Temple by the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, in accordance with the Law of Moses.
I shall begin by examining what the Gospel according to St. Luke has to say about Simeon. The Bible describes him as a righteous and devout man, eagerly anticipating the consolation of Israel, with the Holy Spirit upon him. The Gospel also states that Simeon knew he would not die until he had seen the Messiah. Before I dive into what Simeon prophesied about Jesus and the Virgin Mary, I want to take a moment to reflect on what the Bible says about his character. The main thing I noticed is that he was righteous and devout while looking forward to the Messiah’s coming. Do we look forward to our Lord’s second coming and strive to be faithful to Him, or do we live for ourselves without concern? This is something we need to think deeply about and decide what path we need to follow going forward.
The Gospel says that when Simeon’s eyes laid upon Jesus, he took the young child in his arms and praised God for fulfilling the word He had spoken to him—namely, that Simeon would see the Messiah before his death. Jesus’ earthly parents were amazed by what Simeon said about Him. Simeon then blessed Mary and gave her the following prophecy from Luke 2: “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”
Now, I want to examine Simeon’s encounter in the Temple. Firstly, Simeon praised God for fulfilling His Word. We too ought to praise God whenever we witness His promises being fulfilled in our lives. Secondly, Jesus’ parents were amazed by what Simeon had said about Him. One might think that by this time, Mary and Joseph would have realized that Jesus was no ordinary child, but rather the fulfillment of divine prophecy. Yet, it appears they still hadn’t fully grasped the significance of who He really was. Finally, let’s consider Simeon’s prophecy to Mary. Throughout the Gospels, we see how Jesus’ ministry revealed the inner thoughts of many. I believe the sword Simeon mentioned symbolizes the deep sorrow Mary would experience, especially as she witnessed her Son’s suffering and death on the Cross for our sins.
Now I want to examine the other person in this story: Anna. According to St. Luke, she was the daughter of Phanuel and a prophetess from the tribe of Asher. She had been faithful to her husband during their brief seven-year marriage and then lived as a widow. She never left the Temple, fasting and praying both night and day. What a powerful testimony of someone who was faithful to God their whole life—never wanting to leave His house and always seeking to speak with Him after fulfilling her duties as a wife.
The Gospel says that when Anna saw Jesus, she began to praise God and shared the truth about the child with all who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem. I wonder, do we do the same thing when we witness what God has done in our lives? Perhaps we just say a quiet prayer of thanks and then forget about it, instead of sharing the good news with others who could use something to brighten their day. This is something we should commit to doing if we are not yet doing so already.
Both Simeon and Anna had profound encounters with the baby Jesus. Though Jesus may no longer be a baby, our encounters with the Lord are no less significant. If anything, they are more important, for He is the only Way to the Father and the sole means of being saved. If you haven’t already trusted Him with your life, I encourage you to consider doing so today—it’s a decision you will never regret.
Thank you once again for reading another blog post in this mini-series. Next Saturday, I will be concluding this mini-series by examining the visit of the Magi to the young Jesus when He was about two years old. If you don’t want to miss it, consider following me here on Ko‑fi if you aren’t already!
If you enjoy what you see here on my Ko‑fi page and my other channels, please consider supporting me on Ko-fi. Any contribution is welcome and will be used to help me produce more family-friendly content for you to enjoy!
Creative Engineering E4: Preparing for Create
In today’s episode, I built a cobblestone generator, an alloy furnace, and a waterwheel power generator using the Create mod.
I started by building a cobblestone generator using iron, glass, and buckets of lava and water. This generator can produce up to 324,000 cobblestone per hour. Next, I built an alloy furnace using clay bricks and Immersive Engineering. This furnace can be used to create a variety of alloys, including brass. Finally, I built a waterwheel power generator using water and the Create mod. This generator can provide power for all of my machines.
Key Points:
- I used the CobbleForDays mod to build a cobblestone generator.
- I showed how to make clay bricks using dust and water.
- I built a waterwheel power generator using the Create mod.
Exciting News – A Streaming Change
I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be returning to live streaming on Twitch! To ensure you never miss a moment, I’ll be exporting my VODs to YouTube and adding them to a dedicated “Twitch VODs” playlist.
Initially, I planned to transition to YouTube Live, but a few factors have led me back to Twitch. First, Twitch offers superior latency for real-time interaction with my audience. Second, Twitch’s 14-day VOD retention limit for affiliates necessitates exporting VODs to YouTube for permanent archiving. Third, Twitch’s monetization features and established infrastructure provide a more immediate opportunity for generating income. Finally, without a significant subscriber base on YouTube, I can’t currently monetize my live streams there.
I’ll be using Google Calendar to schedule my live streams. For those who are part of my Discord community, you’ll receive automatic notifications whenever a new stream is scheduled. ChronicleBot will keep my Google Calendar synced with Discord events, ensuring you’re always in the loop. And remember, there are exclusive events for members, so consider supporting me on Ko‑fi for a closer connection. I also announce my live streams on Twitter/X, Gab, and relevant Discord servers, so following me on those platforms will keep you updated.
I’m excited to return to Twitch and share more great content with you all. Thank you for your continued support. Be sure to follow me on Twitch and subscribe to my YouTube channel for more exciting updates. My next scheduled live stream is tentatively planned for Boxing Day, but keep an eye on my socials and Discord server for the latest updates. Please note that my work schedule can be unpredictable, so I can’t guarantee a consistent streaming schedule. I’ll do my best to keep you updated on any changes.
Swag Plays Banished S2 E10 – Planning Town Center
Will Swag’s ambitious building project succeed? In this exciting episode, Swag designs the vibrant center of Otterview and embarks on a daring home renovation, temporarily displacing one of the families. Witness the challenges and triumphs as he transforms a humble wooden home into a majestic stone dwelling. Don’t miss this thrilling episode to find out the fate of the family and the future of Otterview!
Episode 22: Lust and Chastity
Struggling with wandering eyes? This episode delves into the deadly sin of lust and explores the power of chastity as a path to freedom. Discover practical strategies for overcoming temptation and cultivating self-control.
People of the First Christmas: The Shepherds
Welcome to another blog post in my series on the individuals present at the First Christmas I will be examining the final witnesses to the Nativity: the shepherds who tending their flocks in the fields near Bethlehem.
Before delving into the biblical account, it’s important to understand the social context of shepherds during Jesus’ time. While they played a vital role in the local economy, providing food and wool for their communities, shepherds were often seen as somewhat marginalized in Jewish society. 1 This was due to a combination of factors, including their close contact with animals, which was considered to have ritual implications, concerns about their honesty, and the perceived “wildness” associated with their isolated lifestyle, often spending long hours outdoors tending their flocks. Despite these challenges, shepherds remained an integral part of the social fabric, providing food and wool for their communities.
It’s crucial to remember that sheep were raised for various purposes, not solely for temple sacrifices. However, the purity of the animals was paramount for those designated for religious offerings. This likely required specialized knowledge, which might have been passed down within certain families, although there’s no evidence suggesting shepherds were exclusively from the tribe of Levi.
Now that the background of the shepherds in the time of Jesus is clear, let’s dive into what the Bible says happened that night. The Gospel of Luke, in his second chapter, describes how the shepherds were ‘terrified’ when an angel unexpectedly appeared to them. It’s worth considering why the shepherds were terrified by the angel’s appearance. Perhaps they felt unworthy of receiving a message from God, or perhaps they were simply overwhelmed by the unexpected and dramatic nature of the angelic visitation. Are we scared of what God has to say to us, or are we willing to listen? Maybe we need to examine our hearts and find out the answer this Christmas so we can be better prepared to receive Him.
Luke then tells after the angels had left, the shepherds spoke among themselves and decided to go see ‘which the Lord has made known to us’ and they went to see the baby Jesus in Bethlehem. This exemplifies true obedience: immediate decision and action. We need to examine our own motives and ask ourselves: ‘Do I prioritize immediate obedience to God’s commands, or do I tend to procrastinate and delay my response?’ If it is the latter is more common for us, perhaps we can learn from the shepherds and strive for greater promptness in our response to God’s will.
After witnessing the baby Jesus in the manger, just as the angels had foretold, the shepherds returned to their flocks overflowing with joy. They couldn’t resist sharing the good news with everyone they met, praising God along the way. For us, Christmas should be a time of profound joy, for Jesus, the Savior of the world, has come among us! God loved us so much that He sent His only Son to bear the punishment for our sins and to reveal His love and will for humanity.
In conclusion, let us examine ourselves in light of the shepherds’ example. Are we fully committed to following God, or are there areas of our lives where we are resisting His will? When we experience God’s love, are we eager to share that joy with others, or do we tend to keep it to ourselves? These are important questions to ponder as we approach Christmas, so that we too can be faithful witnesses to the world of the true joy of Christmas.
Thank you for reading this installment in my series on the individuals present at the First Christmas. Next week, we’ll shift our focus to individuals who encountered Jesus during his childhood, before the events of his visit to the temple when he was twelve and his public ministry. Our first encounter will be with Simeon and Anna, whom Mary and Joseph met when they brought the infant Jesus to the temple for dedication.
Thank you for joining me today as we explored the shepherds who witnessed the first Christmas. I appreciate you taking the time to read and reflect on this important event. Be sure to come back next Tuesday for an important update on my content creator plans. I have some exciting news to share!
Creative Engineering E3: Grinding for Iron
In today’s episode, Swag builds a super-easy iron farm with the Easy Villagers mod!
With just a few simple materials – a bucket of lava, a piece of stone, two iron ingots, and five glass panes – I created a one-block iron farm that produces iron every 5 minutes. All I had to do was pop a villager inside!
Key points:
- Used the Easy Villagers mod: This mod simplifies the process of building an iron farm.
- Built a compact iron farm: Requires minimal resources and space.
- Efficient iron production: Produces iron every 5 minutes.
Swag Plays Factorio S2 E19: Preparing for Blue Science
In this episode, Swag expands his iron mining setup, tries to improve his bio-oil production efficiency, and prepares to start producing blue science which he needs for more advanced research.