The Pour Over Today - Friday, September 16, 2022

Episode Date: September 16, 2022

Today we’re talking about a post-COVID leader meet-up, a railroad strike averted, a welfare scandal in Mississippi, and other top news for Friday, September 16th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Pay What You Want for The Pour Over (and get The Bible Study if you pay annually)

Today we're talking about a post-COVID leader meetup, a railroad strike averted, a welfare scandal in Mississippi, and other top news for Friday, September 16th. Stay informed while remaining focused on Christ with The Pour Over. Here's the quote of the day. If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world. C.S. Lewis. Let's get started with some espresso shots.

President Xi left China for the first time since March 2020 for a summit in Uzbekistan, where he met with President Putin. Back in February, the two claimed that their friendship had, quote, no limits, but Russia's invasion of Ukraine has certainly been a rocky patch, and Xi came to their playdate with, quote, questions. China's stance on the conflict is precarious. They've undermined Western sanctions by gobbling up discounted Russian oil and trade contracts, but they've stopped short of sending military supplies to Russia. Officially, China blames both sides. Putin, not in a position to be picky, has praised Beijing for its, quote, balanced position. Meanwhile, Ukraine has continued its winning streak.

President Zelensky traveled to the recaptured city of Izyum to see the Ukrainian flags raised, and the Kremlin made a rare acknowledgement that some troops have pulled back. It's easy to feel helpless when reading about war, but the Bible promises that prayer is powerful and effective, that it causes things to happen that would not have happened otherwise.

James 5.16 says, the prayer of a righteous person is very powerful in its effect. No strike after all. The White House announced early Thursday that a railroad strike that was set to begin this morning at 12.01 a.m. Eastern had been averted. President Biden personally called negotiators who were being hosted by Labor Secretary Marty Walsh late on Wednesday to warn that a strike would lead to catastrophic damage to the already beleaguered economy. The details weren't immediately clear, but it's believed to include raising wages 24 percent over five years, retroactively beginning in 2020, and addressing quality of life concerns, including significant on-call times and unpaid sick leave.

The deal still must be approved by the union, which is not guaranteed. The Association of American Railroads praised the deal, thanking President Biden and the unions for getting it done. Thomas, the tank engine, couldn't be reached for comment. Our goal is to keep the big things big and the small things small. It's not that a railroad strike and its effect on our economy isn't important, it's just not God of the universe important. Stay focused on eternity, it changes just not God of the universe important.

Stay focused on eternity. It changes everything. Romans 12.12 says, Rejoice in hope, be patient in affliction, be persistent in prayer. Texts from 2017 have taken center stage in Mississippi's welfare fraud scandal. Here's some background. State auditors found that a non-profit misspent $77 million in welfare funds. Instead of going to Mississippians in need, it went to lobbyists, concerts, and $1.1 million in speaking fees for Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, despite Favre never making any speeches. Favre returned the cash and claimed he didn't know it was misspent welfare, but texts now show him asking, quote, if you were to pay me, is there any way the media can find out? The non-speaking speaking fees appear to be part of a larger plan to turn $5 million of welfare into a new volleyball stadium

at the University of Southern Mississippi. That's where Favre's daughter played. And then-Governor Phil Bryant was, quote, on board with it. Neither Favre nor Bryant have been charged with a crime. It's easy to become angry and indignant over current events, but much more difficult to live with the tension of desiring change while simultaneously loving everyone involved. Followers of Christ are called to live in that tension, loving the very people we work against. Matthew 5, 44-45 says, But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven. For he causes his Son to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. At The Poreover, we believe that the news can

actually be a force for good, helping people find rest and comfort in Christ while spurring them on to loving action, instead of, you know, creating division, anger, and a persistent feeling of impending doom. For example, keep this in mind when reading today's news. Even if everything goes wrong, your eternity is secure. Operating the pour-over costs about 20 cents per subscriber per month. Many unreaders are unable or unwilling to pay, but you can sling seven of them on your back and support our staff and mission for just $1.99 a month. You can pay what you want for the pour-over and get our Bible study if you pay annually. We've got links for you in the show notes. In other brews, here's a rapid round of updates.

In an unprecedented move, Patagonia's founder, Yvon Chouinard, and his family announced they are transferring ownership of the $3 billion outdoor apparel company to a charitable trust. The trust will donate all future profits, that's an estimated $100 million annually, to fighting climate change. The company's website now lists Earth as its owner. Father Time claimed its latest victim as 41-year-old Swiss tennis star Roger Federer announced his retirement yesterday after multiple knee operations thwarted his latest comeback attempt. Federer, the winner of 20 majors, will represent Team Europe in the Lever Cup next week in his final professional event. Father Time, meanwhile, remains undefeated.

COVID may soon lose its pandemic status from the WHO. In the last week, global cases dropped 28% and deaths dropped 22%. That marks the fewest COVID deaths since March 2020. Last month, the CDC loosened its guidance, saying that 95 percent of Americans aged 16 and over had, quote, some level of immunity from either vaccination or infection. Florida Governor DeSantis took credit for sending a group of 50 immigrants to Martha's Vineyard on Wednesday, stoking the immigration debate. Democrats accused Republican governors of using vulnerable migrants as political pawns, but Republicans say they deal with unannounced arrivals every day and accuse Democrats of refusing to acknowledge a crisis they created. Adnan Saeed, whose murder trial was chronicled by the hit 2014 podcast Serial, may soon be out of jail. Prosecutors in the case asked

a judge to vacate his conviction for the 1999 murder of Hayman Lee, saying they lacked confidence, quote, in the integrity of the conviction. Saeed has unwaveringly professed his innocence. That's all we have for today. Thanks so much for listening. Here's a breakdown on how you can best support us. If you're listening on the Apple Podcast app, you can give us a five-star rating and drop a review. If you're listening on Spotify, you can give us a follow and hit that notification bell to never miss a new episode. And finally, the simplest way to help us grow is to send this episode to a friend. We hope you have a great rest of your weekend, and we'll see you back here on Monday.