Last Sunday's Old Testament was from Job 38. I understood the obvious point that it meshed with the Gospel reading (Mark 4 -- Jesus' stilling the storm). But Pastor chose verses 4-6 as our verse for the week.
Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
Tell Me, if you have understanding.
Who determined its measurements?
Surely you know!
Or who stretched out the line upon it?
To what were its foundations fastened?
Or who laid its cornerstone?
And I thought, "WHAT???"
But you know what? It's kinda nifty.
Where else do we hear about the "line" being stretched out? In Psalm 19, where it's talking not just about the creation of the world and the sun and stars, but about the angels being created in the heavens too, and that they preach the Gospel and their voice goes out into all the world.
Where else do we hear about a cornerstone? Psalm 91 and Psalm 118 & Matthew 21.
Oh, and then in Ephesians 2 we hear about the household of God which is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone.
What was Job's problem? Was it that he didn't believe God was powerful? Did Job think that God had somehow lost control of the world? Or was it that he was doubting whether God cared about him?
The disciples in the boat? Was their problem unbelief in God's raw power? Or was it also found in their doubt that Jesus cared whether they were perishing? They were wow-ed by the fact that the wind and sea obeyed Jesus, but not just that ...
He whom the sea and wind obey
doth come to serve the sinner in great meekness.
Thou, God's own Son, with us art one --
dost join us and our children in our weakness. (TLH 81)
So when Job sasses God and when the disciples holler that Jesus doesn't care about them, God's response in these verses is not Calvinistic. It's not just that God's the Big Cheese who's got all the power. The response is that Job didn't understand who this God is. Job and the disciples didn't understand His mercy. This God knew from the very beginning that His Son would save sinners, that the Gospel would be preached by the apostles, and that the angels would rejoice over the salvation of the lost. The foundation and cornerstone of the earth was laid when the angels shouted for joy ... which they did over the Lamb who was slain to rescue the lost sheep.
Would you sass back to a God who planned from before He made you that He would save you? Would you sass back to a God who took every one of your griefs and bore it for you? Would you sass back to a God who arranged for the means to draw you to Himself? If saving you took some pretty humongous pains on His part, maybe it's only our blindness to His suffering which makes us so quick to sass back when we get a little suffering like Job's or some storms like the disciples'. If God had said to Job -- if Jesus had said to the disciples -- "Hey, I'm in charge here and I have all the power" that wouldn't cause them to put their hands over their mouths and shut up as happened when the message (Mark 4:39 and Job 40:2) was rather "Hey, I'm in charge here and I have all the power and I'm using it for your good because I love you."
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Angels Sing
Then, when the earth was first poised in mid space,
Then, when the planets first sped on their race,
Then, when were ended the six days employ,
Then all the sons of God shouted for joy. (TLH 255)
In last Sunday's [three-year-series] Old Testament (Job 38) we heard that the angels rejoiced when the foundations of the earth were fastened and its cornerstone laid.
The angels sang the Gloria in Excelsis when Jesus was born (Luke 2).
When Isaiah saw heaven (Isaiah 6), the angels were singing the Sanctus around the Lord who was high and lifted up.
In Luke 15, Jesus tells us that there is much rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents.
In Revelation 7, John lets us know what the angels are singing as they join in the song of the elders and the saints.
When the Bible tells us about the angels' joy and their song, there seems to be a tightly unified theme.
Then, when the planets first sped on their race,
Then, when were ended the six days employ,
Then all the sons of God shouted for joy. (TLH 255)
In last Sunday's [three-year-series] Old Testament (Job 38) we heard that the angels rejoiced when the foundations of the earth were fastened and its cornerstone laid.
The angels sang the Gloria in Excelsis when Jesus was born (Luke 2).
When Isaiah saw heaven (Isaiah 6), the angels were singing the Sanctus around the Lord who was high and lifted up.
In Luke 15, Jesus tells us that there is much rejoicing in heaven over one sinner who repents.
In Revelation 7, John lets us know what the angels are singing as they join in the song of the elders and the saints.
When the Bible tells us about the angels' joy and their song, there seems to be a tightly unified theme.
Friday, June 26, 2009
Jam
The guys went strawberry picking with me this morning. One pie and five batches of jam later (37 half-pint jars) I am way past ready for bed.
Didn't do schoolwork today, or clean house, or hoe the garden, or haul manure, or do the grocery shopping. So much still on the to-do list. But at least we aren't bereft of jam for the PBJs!
Tomorrow the dump truck arrives with the load of topsoil that will fill in the messy spot left from the spot the pool vacated 14 months ago. Some of that dirt will go into my raised beds. I really wanted to get a good pile of manure under the topsoil, but we don't have to move all that dirt into its proper place tomorrow already. That's something we can pick away at over the next week or two, and then sow the grass seed.
Didn't do schoolwork today, or clean house, or hoe the garden, or haul manure, or do the grocery shopping. So much still on the to-do list. But at least we aren't bereft of jam for the PBJs!
Tomorrow the dump truck arrives with the load of topsoil that will fill in the messy spot left from the spot the pool vacated 14 months ago. Some of that dirt will go into my raised beds. I really wanted to get a good pile of manure under the topsoil, but we don't have to move all that dirt into its proper place tomorrow already. That's something we can pick away at over the next week or two, and then sow the grass seed.
Worried about Organizing
I've been thinking about the post over at Dark My Road on keeping track of all the things there are to do, and how we become anxious over it, and fail to take care of our own need for rest when there's so much to do.
After some time to consider it, I realize the biggest problem for me is not organization. Karin and I have both bemoaned, "If only I could just be a little more efficient, a little more organized, I'm sure I could pull all this off."
No matter how organized I am, no matter what kind of program I can set up to help me, I will never do it well enough. Of course, I'm still gonna try to do what I can to keep up with my duties and serving my family and neighbors. But my biggest crash-and-burn is the expectation that I will find a way to do it right, to make it work, if I just try hard enough or find the right system.
I think the admission that I can't do it has to come first. Then an organizational plan that helps (but doesn't "solve"!) may prove to be of some assistance. But as long as I go on the assumption that I will be able to juggle all the demands on me and somehow keep track of my to-do lists, as long as I continue to listen to the voices saying "do this" and "do that," those demands will cripple me. For me the first step has to be acknowledging, "Yup, I won't get most of it done, and the world will go on."
But I am so reluctant to admit that.
After some time to consider it, I realize the biggest problem for me is not organization. Karin and I have both bemoaned, "If only I could just be a little more efficient, a little more organized, I'm sure I could pull all this off."
No matter how organized I am, no matter what kind of program I can set up to help me, I will never do it well enough. Of course, I'm still gonna try to do what I can to keep up with my duties and serving my family and neighbors. But my biggest crash-and-burn is the expectation that I will find a way to do it right, to make it work, if I just try hard enough or find the right system.
I think the admission that I can't do it has to come first. Then an organizational plan that helps (but doesn't "solve"!) may prove to be of some assistance. But as long as I go on the assumption that I will be able to juggle all the demands on me and somehow keep track of my to-do lists, as long as I continue to listen to the voices saying "do this" and "do that," those demands will cripple me. For me the first step has to be acknowledging, "Yup, I won't get most of it done, and the world will go on."
But I am so reluctant to admit that.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Pretty Well Settled
When we were visiting my folks and Katie in January, whenever I'd wake up in the middle of the night, before I had my bearings I'd be thinking I was in my bedroom back in the parsonage. But when I was visiting Mom this month, in my half-way-awake moments in the middle of the night I expected to find myself in my bedroom in the house where we live now. I think that means I must be settled in here now, and not still thinking of the parsonage as "home."
And it only took a year and a few months....
And it only took a year and a few months....
My Migraine Cure
I'd never had migraines until this spring when I started getting some pretty awful "ice pick" headaches. (Or at least, I'd never noticed migraines before. Maybe the persistent headaches were so bad that the migraines didn't stand out like they do now that the regular headaches have become rarer.)
Cherí and Gary were talking about neti pots after choir one night. I realized that I had not been using my neti pot because I hadn't felt stuffy from a cold. I thought maybe I should try it. I found that feeling like you have blocked-up sinuses may have nothing to do with what's really going on in there. I couldn't get any water to flow through. After a couple of days of whittling away at the rot in my head, I began to be able to use the neti pot properly. But I knew that, whenever I used it, I would get one of those ice-pick headaches --temporarily-- but aiming from the inside to the outside of my skull. It was the exact same pain as the migraine, only backwards. The good thing, though, was that it lasted only 5-10 minutes. Still, it was hard to force myself to the bathroom sink when I knew how badly it was going to hurt. Over the weeks, as I kept at it, I happily realized that I was no longer having migraines. And the mini-migraine pain that had initially accompanied the neti pot had also disappeared.
I get to feeling fine, and then I don't bother with the neti pot. If I forget for more than a week, headaches start sneaking up on me again. Then I have to diligently use the neti once or twice a day to get myself back to being comfy enough to ... well... y'know... forget to keep at the regimen again.
I know there are a gazillion causes for migraines, and a neti pot certainly won't cure most people. It probably wouldn't even help most people. But I was pleased to find that something this easy did so much to ease my pain.
Cherí and Gary were talking about neti pots after choir one night. I realized that I had not been using my neti pot because I hadn't felt stuffy from a cold. I thought maybe I should try it. I found that feeling like you have blocked-up sinuses may have nothing to do with what's really going on in there. I couldn't get any water to flow through. After a couple of days of whittling away at the rot in my head, I began to be able to use the neti pot properly. But I knew that, whenever I used it, I would get one of those ice-pick headaches --temporarily-- but aiming from the inside to the outside of my skull. It was the exact same pain as the migraine, only backwards. The good thing, though, was that it lasted only 5-10 minutes. Still, it was hard to force myself to the bathroom sink when I knew how badly it was going to hurt. Over the weeks, as I kept at it, I happily realized that I was no longer having migraines. And the mini-migraine pain that had initially accompanied the neti pot had also disappeared.
I get to feeling fine, and then I don't bother with the neti pot. If I forget for more than a week, headaches start sneaking up on me again. Then I have to diligently use the neti once or twice a day to get myself back to being comfy enough to ... well... y'know... forget to keep at the regimen again.
I know there are a gazillion causes for migraines, and a neti pot certainly won't cure most people. It probably wouldn't even help most people. But I was pleased to find that something this easy did so much to ease my pain.
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Hanging onto Independence
Older people say they don't want to be a burden on their children. Ill people try to do things for themselves instead of admitting they need help. Two-year-olds demand that mother step back: "I do it MYSELF." Poor people do not want to accept charity. Even apart from human relationships, we sinners don't want to approach God as empty-handed beggars.
But what has happened to our society that so many now are willing to be dependent on government? Is it because we see the government as some far-away non-entity with unlimited resources and no face? Or have we simply belittled hard work and self-sufficiency for so long that we're no longer ashamed of laziness?
But what has happened to our society that so many now are willing to be dependent on government? Is it because we see the government as some far-away non-entity with unlimited resources and no face? Or have we simply belittled hard work and self-sufficiency for so long that we're no longer ashamed of laziness?
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Random Stuff
Some small strips of cilantro, parsley, and basil are now planted between some of my baby berry bushes. We also replanted the corn, cucumbers, and cantaloupe, none of which came up before. The asparagus trench is nearly filled in; the shoots have grown high enough. The sweet potatoes look like they're going to fail.
Several years ago, when the eye doctor told me I needed bifocals, I refused. I said I wasn't getting them until not having them was driving me totally bonkers. I'm not quite there yet. But I must be getting close because I'm considering it. Boy, my eyes have gone downhill a lot in the last month or so.
We thought about turning on the air conditioner today. Didn't do it. If we can get through tomorrow, the weather looks like it will become more pleasant. But, hey, the beans and tomatoes are probably lovin' this!
I took the kids out shopping today. We bought jeans for those of us who only have one or two pairs that aren't raggedy. We bought underwear and socks for those who hadn't raided my dad's dresser drawers two weeks ago. Normally we manage to get along with far fewer pieces of clothing than most people. But so much of it is shabby. And I keep wondering what's going to happen to the economy, and that maybe we shouldn't count on there being a steady supply of merchandise to the stores by the time we finally relegate our worn clothes to the dumpster.
Two friends from church are undergoing major surgeries next week.
I think I'm going to be helping out a friend with respite care for her mom. (C -- I left a message on your cell phone.)
A young man stopped by the house today to try to sell me some books and computer programs to help my kids keep up in school and get better grades. I wasn't interested; I didn't lead him on. But he was persistent. Not pushy persistent, but nevertheless he kept trying to find something I would spend money on. When I told him we homeschool, he smoothly began asking about what curriculum we use. "Oh, we make it up as we go. Libraries are great." That was only the beginning of the confusing responses the poor guy encountered.
I hope Alia is getting to the swimming pool every day. Hey, maybe Maggie and I should try a lake tomorrow.
While I was stopped at the gas station today, two different sets of lost people got themselves straightened out by a few moments with my local map. Neither one trusted the oral directions given by me and others. The map overrode their skepticism.
Several years ago, when the eye doctor told me I needed bifocals, I refused. I said I wasn't getting them until not having them was driving me totally bonkers. I'm not quite there yet. But I must be getting close because I'm considering it. Boy, my eyes have gone downhill a lot in the last month or so.
We thought about turning on the air conditioner today. Didn't do it. If we can get through tomorrow, the weather looks like it will become more pleasant. But, hey, the beans and tomatoes are probably lovin' this!
I took the kids out shopping today. We bought jeans for those of us who only have one or two pairs that aren't raggedy. We bought underwear and socks for those who hadn't raided my dad's dresser drawers two weeks ago. Normally we manage to get along with far fewer pieces of clothing than most people. But so much of it is shabby. And I keep wondering what's going to happen to the economy, and that maybe we shouldn't count on there being a steady supply of merchandise to the stores by the time we finally relegate our worn clothes to the dumpster.
Two friends from church are undergoing major surgeries next week.
I think I'm going to be helping out a friend with respite care for her mom. (C -- I left a message on your cell phone.)
A young man stopped by the house today to try to sell me some books and computer programs to help my kids keep up in school and get better grades. I wasn't interested; I didn't lead him on. But he was persistent. Not pushy persistent, but nevertheless he kept trying to find something I would spend money on. When I told him we homeschool, he smoothly began asking about what curriculum we use. "Oh, we make it up as we go. Libraries are great." That was only the beginning of the confusing responses the poor guy encountered.
I hope Alia is getting to the swimming pool every day. Hey, maybe Maggie and I should try a lake tomorrow.
While I was stopped at the gas station today, two different sets of lost people got themselves straightened out by a few moments with my local map. Neither one trusted the oral directions given by me and others. The map overrode their skepticism.
Monday, June 22, 2009
A Benefit of Being a "First-Career" Pastor
Subtitled: Why We Should Not Change the Words in the Hymnal and Agenda
Also subtitled: Another Plus for the Historic One-Year Series
When his eyesight starts to fail,
it's awfully good when the pastor is very familiar with the words.
He may not have the book memorized, but if he's used those words year after year for about twenty years before the eyes start playing tricks on him, and the bifocals don't quite have the solution to his problem, his memory in combination with his aging eyes will be enough for him to rightly see the words on the page.
Also subtitled: Another Plus for the Historic One-Year Series
When his eyesight starts to fail,
it's awfully good when the pastor is very familiar with the words.
He may not have the book memorized, but if he's used those words year after year for about twenty years before the eyes start playing tricks on him, and the bifocals don't quite have the solution to his problem, his memory in combination with his aging eyes will be enough for him to rightly see the words on the page.
Comportment in Church
There were two pithy and insightful statements made during symposium that I really wanted to remember. One was Pr Bender's on Wednesday afternoon, and I didn't write it down, and of course I got caught up in the rest of what he said and forgot that one line. So when I heard something fantastic from Pr Stuckwisch on Friday, I grabbed scrap paper immediately and started scribbling.
Pr Stuckwisch was asked about congregants' crossing themselves, bowing, genuflecting, etc. Some people do. Most people don't. Those who do, don't all do it at the exact same time. What about that? Shouldn't we be instructed on those matters so that we can be unified?
Pr Stuckwisch said that the people are free to engage in those gestures or not. There is no compulsion. He seemed a little leery of giving instruction in such matters to those who haven't asked, as if it might make laws or rules where there ought not to be any.
However, he said, there's a difference between the people and the pastor. Unlike the people, the pastor is not free to choose his motions and behaviors during the Service. How a pastor comports himself in the chancel is part of his teaching. What is he teaching the people about the presence of Christ? What is he teaching his people about forgiveness? What is he teaching the people about reverence?
Duh. Of course. I had never been able to figure it out, but once he put it that way, it seemed so obvious!
Pr Stuckwisch was asked about congregants' crossing themselves, bowing, genuflecting, etc. Some people do. Most people don't. Those who do, don't all do it at the exact same time. What about that? Shouldn't we be instructed on those matters so that we can be unified?
Pr Stuckwisch said that the people are free to engage in those gestures or not. There is no compulsion. He seemed a little leery of giving instruction in such matters to those who haven't asked, as if it might make laws or rules where there ought not to be any.
However, he said, there's a difference between the people and the pastor. Unlike the people, the pastor is not free to choose his motions and behaviors during the Service. How a pastor comports himself in the chancel is part of his teaching. What is he teaching the people about the presence of Christ? What is he teaching his people about forgiveness? What is he teaching the people about reverence?
Duh. Of course. I had never been able to figure it out, but once he put it that way, it seemed so obvious!
Pea Shoots
Our CSA vegetables last week included pea shoots. It was a new idea to me. You can harvest the top 4-8" of the pea plant. It can be eaten raw -- in salad or just nibbling. It can be stir-fried. It tastes very very much like unto snow peas. This idea lets you enjoy your pea harvest even before the pods have begun to develop.
So as not to be too harsh to the plant, I waited until I had quite a few flowers on my pea plants at home before I tried snipping the tops.
So as not to be too harsh to the plant, I waited until I had quite a few flowers on my pea plants at home before I tried snipping the tops.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Clovered Laundry
We do not have a golf-course yard. When we drove up to the house after church today, I thought our yard looked so pretty with many patches of white clover.
I just brought in a load of laundry off the line. It smells like clover!!
The moral of the story is:
next time I should make sure to wash the sheets the day before the lawn is mowed, so that I can have the wonderful clover perfume in my bed. Mmmmmm.
I just brought in a load of laundry off the line. It smells like clover!!
The moral of the story is:
next time I should make sure to wash the sheets the day before the lawn is mowed, so that I can have the wonderful clover perfume in my bed. Mmmmmm.
At Church
It's always hard when there's a visitor there (or unfortunately, sometimes even a member) who's scoffing. There's something that just gives me the creeps when somebody is laughing about the hymns we're singing or something in the Psalms. I should be glad they're there, in the presence of God's word, hearing it. But there's something about people sitting there with us, making fun of what's going on, that makes me really uncomfortable.
There's a totally different discomfort when somebody has a favorite issue and outspokenly goes to pastors and says, "Here is where they need some improvement. Would you please start preaching more about how they should behave? They need to be told these things so that they can improve their Christian walk."
There's a totally different discomfort when somebody has a favorite issue and outspokenly goes to pastors and says, "Here is where they need some improvement. Would you please start preaching more about how they should behave? They need to be told these things so that they can improve their Christian walk."
June 17, 2010
Just to make sure people aren't getting their hopes up...
I am not anticipating that a Thursday night supper and/or party at my house will be a regular part of what my family does during symposium week. When we were in the parsonage, it didn't phase me in the least to invite 25-60 people over for a day. There was more room. This week we had 17 people over in addition to the people who were sleeping here, and the house was plenty full even though most of the people spent most of the evening on the deck. In this smaller home, it would be impossible for us to invite everybody we'd like to have.
I am not anticipating that a Thursday night supper and/or party at my house will be a regular part of what my family does during symposium week. When we were in the parsonage, it didn't phase me in the least to invite 25-60 people over for a day. There was more room. This week we had 17 people over in addition to the people who were sleeping here, and the house was plenty full even though most of the people spent most of the evening on the deck. In this smaller home, it would be impossible for us to invite everybody we'd like to have.
Saturday, June 20, 2009
Naps
It's so quiet here today. Andrew took a morning nap and now he's asleep again. Gary and Maggie both napped this afternoon. I don't know if Paul's asleep or not, but he's awfully quiet.
Church was very crowded on Wednesday night; it was lovely. The party afterward was fun; not enough time to visit with all the people I wanted to see.
The house was full. We had Katie and Alia here, as well as our friend Jonathan from Fort Wayne. Philip stayed here two nights to take a half-hour off the drive from his condo to the hotel where symposium was held. Matthew stayed with us on Thursday night. So the time-allotment for your turn in the shower was not luxuriously long.
With the deacon out on disability right now as he recuperates from knee surgery, I had the CCA booth to myself. I think I missed a lot of Pr Stuckwisch's lecture as I tried to catch up on the paperwork & record-keeping from the sales I made during the morning coffee-break. It was fun to meet new people who'd never been to CCA before, and I got to talk to them about what kind of materials we have, and which materials would be more suited to whatever-it-was that particular person was looking for. For somebody like me who is a tightwad and encourages other people to be tightwads and who is the most low-pressure salesman you could ever meet, I think I sold a lot of stuff!
Gary and I tried to amuse Alia as much as possible, ostensibly to "give Katie a break" but really because we just like kissing her little piggy-toes and playing peek-a-boo and giggling at her.
After church on Thursday, Karin and Sandy brought supper for a crowd. Four homeschooling families and four other adults and two spare teenage boys (who thought my house, with its plethora of teenagers, sounded more fun than the party where the symposium speakers were dining -- mmmwha ha ha) feasted on barbecue and pasta salad and salsa and other sides, with of course beer for the adults because it was a bunch of Lutherans. Since I'm a lousy excuse for a Lutheran, I tried out those cranberry-vodka cocktails that people were telling me about. Pretty tasty!
We fell into bed exhausted. Some of us were disturbed by a humongo storm, but some of us snoozed through it. They tell me the hotel was out of power for two hours during the night. When we got up in the morning, there was evidence of abundant rain. Streets had flooded. There was about 5" of rain in the wheelbarrow. I thought maybe that was a fluke, y'know, because of the uneven depth of the wheelbarrow, but all the local folks who had rain gauges were telling tales of 4-6" overnight. (Notice I'm on the computer and not gardening in the mud right now.)
Friday morning were more sessions for the symposium. Then the teens helped me pack up the van. I took a lot less stuff back to church than I hauled to the hotel, and that was even with Webers doing a run to church to refill my empty piles on Thursday afternoon. We had much better weather for the picnic than the forecast had indicated. We unpacked everything back at church, came home, and not long afterwards we got us another doozy of a storm. Nothin' like the one 15 hours earlier, though.
Maggie got herself involved in helping at the academy's fund-raising fish fry while we unpacked books in the storage room. She wanted to stay at church and keep helping. Today she asked if she could help every month. Okay by me!
But now, we are very tired.
Church was very crowded on Wednesday night; it was lovely. The party afterward was fun; not enough time to visit with all the people I wanted to see.
The house was full. We had Katie and Alia here, as well as our friend Jonathan from Fort Wayne. Philip stayed here two nights to take a half-hour off the drive from his condo to the hotel where symposium was held. Matthew stayed with us on Thursday night. So the time-allotment for your turn in the shower was not luxuriously long.
With the deacon out on disability right now as he recuperates from knee surgery, I had the CCA booth to myself. I think I missed a lot of Pr Stuckwisch's lecture as I tried to catch up on the paperwork & record-keeping from the sales I made during the morning coffee-break. It was fun to meet new people who'd never been to CCA before, and I got to talk to them about what kind of materials we have, and which materials would be more suited to whatever-it-was that particular person was looking for. For somebody like me who is a tightwad and encourages other people to be tightwads and who is the most low-pressure salesman you could ever meet, I think I sold a lot of stuff!
Gary and I tried to amuse Alia as much as possible, ostensibly to "give Katie a break" but really because we just like kissing her little piggy-toes and playing peek-a-boo and giggling at her.
After church on Thursday, Karin and Sandy brought supper for a crowd. Four homeschooling families and four other adults and two spare teenage boys (who thought my house, with its plethora of teenagers, sounded more fun than the party where the symposium speakers were dining -- mmmwha ha ha) feasted on barbecue and pasta salad and salsa and other sides, with of course beer for the adults because it was a bunch of Lutherans. Since I'm a lousy excuse for a Lutheran, I tried out those cranberry-vodka cocktails that people were telling me about. Pretty tasty!
We fell into bed exhausted. Some of us were disturbed by a humongo storm, but some of us snoozed through it. They tell me the hotel was out of power for two hours during the night. When we got up in the morning, there was evidence of abundant rain. Streets had flooded. There was about 5" of rain in the wheelbarrow. I thought maybe that was a fluke, y'know, because of the uneven depth of the wheelbarrow, but all the local folks who had rain gauges were telling tales of 4-6" overnight. (Notice I'm on the computer and not gardening in the mud right now.)
Friday morning were more sessions for the symposium. Then the teens helped me pack up the van. I took a lot less stuff back to church than I hauled to the hotel, and that was even with Webers doing a run to church to refill my empty piles on Thursday afternoon. We had much better weather for the picnic than the forecast had indicated. We unpacked everything back at church, came home, and not long afterwards we got us another doozy of a storm. Nothin' like the one 15 hours earlier, though.
Maggie got herself involved in helping at the academy's fund-raising fish fry while we unpacked books in the storage room. She wanted to stay at church and keep helping. Today she asked if she could help every month. Okay by me!
But now, we are very tired.
Salsa
Gary and I ate Glenda's salsa for our breakfast today. Andrew found the leftover salsa as I was hauling out the contents of the refrigerator for lunch. "Oh, hey, that's good salsa!" and he grabbed a snack as the food was warming. Excellent salsa. I may have to try my hand at it ... if it ever gets warm enough here for the tomatoes to start producing.
Party Dress
Sometimes other people know things about you that you don't know yourself.
I got dressed Wednesday night for church and the symposium reception afterward. Andrew says, "So, you're wearing your party dress." What? Party dress? I have a party dress? What makes him say such a thing?
And then he rattles off to me a few of the instances where I've worn the dress -- weddings, parties, receptions, etc. Sure enough! He's right! When I want to be dressed up and have fun, this is usually the dress that comes out of the closet. Funny how I'd never noticed.
I got dressed Wednesday night for church and the symposium reception afterward. Andrew says, "So, you're wearing your party dress." What? Party dress? I have a party dress? What makes him say such a thing?
And then he rattles off to me a few of the instances where I've worn the dress -- weddings, parties, receptions, etc. Sure enough! He's right! When I want to be dressed up and have fun, this is usually the dress that comes out of the closet. Funny how I'd never noticed.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Today's Laugh
Once upon a time we were reading a children's science book.
What do you call a group of birds?
A flock.
What do you call a group of wolves?
A pack.
What do you call a group of cows?
A herd.
And then we got to the page that made this pastor's wife bust a gut laughing. (Oh, this is so naughty of me!)
What do you call a group of alligators?
A congregation.
What do you call a group of birds?
A flock.
What do you call a group of wolves?
A pack.
What do you call a group of cows?
A herd.
And then we got to the page that made this pastor's wife bust a gut laughing. (Oh, this is so naughty of me!)
What do you call a group of alligators?
A congregation.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
At the Visitation
I think I heard "I'm so sorry for your loss" about a hundred times last week. Then there were the subtle variations: "I'm very sorry for your loss," or "My condolences to your family," or "You have my deepest sympathy." I was surprised by how comforting those short sentences could be. I always feel like I should say more to the bereaved, and that I want to say something to help. But hearing "I'm so sorry for your loss" really meant a lot.
There were two other expressions that left me with mixed emotions, though. Some people would say something to the effect of, "At least your dad is out of his pain now." And others would offer comfort in "You'll always have your memories."
Those things are both true. I am comforted that God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death nor sorrow nor crying. There will be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. And there definitely are good memories to keep with us.
But what is sad is when the memories or the alleviation of pain IS the comfort. As in, the only comfort. When Christians have confidence in Christ's atonement, they can also find joy in the memories of time spent with loved ones. They know too that the pain is no more for the dear one. But when non-Christians say the same basic thing, there's just an emptiness there that makes you really ache for their loss.
There were two other expressions that left me with mixed emotions, though. Some people would say something to the effect of, "At least your dad is out of his pain now." And others would offer comfort in "You'll always have your memories."
Those things are both true. I am comforted that God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death nor sorrow nor crying. There will be no more pain, for the former things have passed away. And there definitely are good memories to keep with us.
But what is sad is when the memories or the alleviation of pain IS the comfort. As in, the only comfort. When Christians have confidence in Christ's atonement, they can also find joy in the memories of time spent with loved ones. They know too that the pain is no more for the dear one. But when non-Christians say the same basic thing, there's just an emptiness there that makes you really ache for their loss.
Sunday, June 14, 2009
Philip's Place
Finally got over to see Philip's condo today. Here are Gary and Philip carrying in some spare counter-space that Paul built for his brother.
The living room --
The bedroom --
The kitchen --
The patio between the buildings. The entry to the locked garage is underneath this.
The living room --
The bedroom --
The kitchen --
The patio between the buildings. The entry to the locked garage is underneath this.
Kneelers
We worshiped in the nave on Easter. But then we spent all of Eastertide worshiping in Loehe Hall. (For some of you, that will be remembered as the room where Rachel and Matt's wedding reception was. For others of you, that's where the awesome hors d'oeuvres reception during symposium is held.) For two months we had what was irreverently referred to as "drive-by communion." In college we called it "walking communion." Whatever it is, it makes me very uncomfortable.
So eventually the renovations were close to being finished. Pastor announced that we wouldn't have the kneelers for the communion rail until mid-July, so we'd still be having the drive-by. Several of us asked if we couldn't pleeeeease commune in tables, even if we still had to stand. Okay. That was the new plan.
So last Sunday was the first Sunday back in church. I wasn't here, but my family told me what happened. Pastor announced that we wouldn't be kneeling, but we'd be back to communing in tables. First table goes forward. And people knelt. I don't know if it was habit or what. I'm glad they did, because I wanted to. I didn't care if I had to kneel on hard tile; it somehow seems disrespectful to me to stand while receiving the body of the King of the Universe. (Disclaimer: I am NOT saying anything negative about those whose bodies can't take the kneeling -- pads or no pads. It's part of what some of us must live with in this valley of sorrow.)
Pastor announces at every service that the kneeler-pads won't be arriving for another month, and so it's expected that we will stand but that we may kneel if we so choose. And yet most of us kneel.
I'm glad I'm allowed. I didn't want to be the one to be different, and possibly scandalize everybody else by kneeling when we were told to stand.
So eventually the renovations were close to being finished. Pastor announced that we wouldn't have the kneelers for the communion rail until mid-July, so we'd still be having the drive-by. Several of us asked if we couldn't pleeeeease commune in tables, even if we still had to stand. Okay. That was the new plan.
So last Sunday was the first Sunday back in church. I wasn't here, but my family told me what happened. Pastor announced that we wouldn't be kneeling, but we'd be back to communing in tables. First table goes forward. And people knelt. I don't know if it was habit or what. I'm glad they did, because I wanted to. I didn't care if I had to kneel on hard tile; it somehow seems disrespectful to me to stand while receiving the body of the King of the Universe. (Disclaimer: I am NOT saying anything negative about those whose bodies can't take the kneeling -- pads or no pads. It's part of what some of us must live with in this valley of sorrow.)
Pastor announces at every service that the kneeler-pads won't be arriving for another month, and so it's expected that we will stand but that we may kneel if we so choose. And yet most of us kneel.
I'm glad I'm allowed. I didn't want to be the one to be different, and possibly scandalize everybody else by kneeling when we were told to stand.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Tulips and Gladiolas
I just can't seem to get going. There's so much to do that I can't figure out which one to do. I've been fudging along with the basics: catching up on grocery shopping, mail, bread, kombucha, laundry, dinner. Mowing and schoolwork and housecleaning should be right up there too, as well as gobs of garden and yard projects, but I'm not moving too fast on those. Today, rather than vacuuming and dusting, I decided to go outside and mess with the tulip bed. It's one of those things on the garden list ... not too near the top. But nevertheless, it's good to be outside and have my hands in the dirt, doing something real, and away from my computer addiction.
I could SEE the tulip bulbs. This is not good. I'm not sure why they ended up so shallow this spring. It makes for very floppy tulips. I pulled 'em all out, re-dug the bed and chopped up & crumbled a bunch of those clay chunks. And then I replanted the tulip bulbs and also planted a bunch of gladiolas that I couldn't find space for in the garden. I really enjoyed the two gladiolas we grew last year. I bought these bulbs at Home Depot or Walmart, so they aren't exactly going to be the highest quality, but I expect to find some prettiness and smiles from them anyhow.
And I get to check one thing off the list (even if it's nowhere close to the priority items that should've been checked off today's list).
I could SEE the tulip bulbs. This is not good. I'm not sure why they ended up so shallow this spring. It makes for very floppy tulips. I pulled 'em all out, re-dug the bed and chopped up & crumbled a bunch of those clay chunks. And then I replanted the tulip bulbs and also planted a bunch of gladiolas that I couldn't find space for in the garden. I really enjoyed the two gladiolas we grew last year. I bought these bulbs at Home Depot or Walmart, so they aren't exactly going to be the highest quality, but I expect to find some prettiness and smiles from them anyhow.
And I get to check one thing off the list (even if it's nowhere close to the priority items that should've been checked off today's list).
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Missing Somebody
I usually think of "missing someone" as being an emotional thing. A loneliness. Pining away. Sorrow over a loss.
But sometimes missing someone is kind of like forgetting that they're not there, and then suddenly being reminded. Like the time we were on vacation without Rachel, and I went to the counter of the fast food restaurant and ordered eight sandwiches. As we divvied up supper, the boys are wondering who gets the extra sandwich. And the ditzy mom says, "WHAT extra sandwich?" Ah. I missed someone; I had failed to account for her absence.
Or before Karen's wedding, when Mom said there were so many things she wanted to call her sister about and just talk to her. Or when I want to phone up Pastor Wiest and ask a question -- but can't. Or when I kept setting a place for Paul at the dinner table after he'd left for college.
I think of Polly and Melody, with their military sons off protecting the rest of us. I think of Karin losing Anna's help and companionship next fall when her baby heads to college. I think of the dear widows at church who had to learn to make half a pot of coffee in the morning instead of a full pot, or learn to cook and shop for one instead of two, or re-arrange the dresser drawers. Sometimes it's those little, practical details where the loneliness becomes vivid.
But sometimes missing someone is kind of like forgetting that they're not there, and then suddenly being reminded. Like the time we were on vacation without Rachel, and I went to the counter of the fast food restaurant and ordered eight sandwiches. As we divvied up supper, the boys are wondering who gets the extra sandwich. And the ditzy mom says, "WHAT extra sandwich?" Ah. I missed someone; I had failed to account for her absence.
Or before Karen's wedding, when Mom said there were so many things she wanted to call her sister about and just talk to her. Or when I want to phone up Pastor Wiest and ask a question -- but can't. Or when I kept setting a place for Paul at the dinner table after he'd left for college.
I think of Polly and Melody, with their military sons off protecting the rest of us. I think of Karin losing Anna's help and companionship next fall when her baby heads to college. I think of the dear widows at church who had to learn to make half a pot of coffee in the morning instead of a full pot, or learn to cook and shop for one instead of two, or re-arrange the dresser drawers. Sometimes it's those little, practical details where the loneliness becomes vivid.
Lifted Up
From Sunday's readings:
Isaiah 6: In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple....
John 3: As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ...
I suppose most of us think of the first "lifted up" as being very different from the second one. But I am wondering.
Isaiah 6: In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the temple....
John 3: As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ...
I suppose most of us think of the first "lifted up" as being very different from the second one. But I am wondering.
Monday, June 08, 2009
Enlightenment
The Holy Spirit has called me by the Gospel,
enlightened me with His gifts,
sanctified, and kept me in the true faith.
I spent all last week thinking on this (and didn't get around to posting). We usually think of enlightenment as something with our brains, where reason becomes the authority.
In John 8, Jesus says that He is the light of the world. In John 1, Jesus is described as the light shining in the darkness. The Second Person of the Trinity spoke to Moses from the burning bush. The Second Person of the Trinity was in the pillar of fire that led the Israelites through the wilderness when they left Egypt. He is the Sun of Righteousness that will arise with healing in His wings. As the Apostle John describes the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, he says that there is no need of sun or moon, for the Lamb is its light.
As Luther expounded on the Creed in the Small Catechism, I don't think he was talking about the Holy Spirit spiffing up my brain so that I catch onto the religious things God wants me to know. Luther wasn't talking about the gifts of the Spirit whopping some "pious reason" into me to trump my "logical reason."
He was talking about laying Jesus on the heart of sinners.
The Holy Spirit enlightened me with His gifts.
He "Jesus-ed" me.
He brought light into my life
by giving me the Light of the World
and uniting me to Him.
enlightened me with His gifts,
sanctified, and kept me in the true faith.
I spent all last week thinking on this (and didn't get around to posting). We usually think of enlightenment as something with our brains, where reason becomes the authority.
In John 8, Jesus says that He is the light of the world. In John 1, Jesus is described as the light shining in the darkness. The Second Person of the Trinity spoke to Moses from the burning bush. The Second Person of the Trinity was in the pillar of fire that led the Israelites through the wilderness when they left Egypt. He is the Sun of Righteousness that will arise with healing in His wings. As the Apostle John describes the New Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, he says that there is no need of sun or moon, for the Lamb is its light.
As Luther expounded on the Creed in the Small Catechism, I don't think he was talking about the Holy Spirit spiffing up my brain so that I catch onto the religious things God wants me to know. Luther wasn't talking about the gifts of the Spirit whopping some "pious reason" into me to trump my "logical reason."
He was talking about laying Jesus on the heart of sinners.
The Holy Spirit enlightened me with His gifts.
He "Jesus-ed" me.
He brought light into my life
by giving me the Light of the World
and uniting me to Him.
Integrity
Vindicate me, O Lord,
for I have walked in my integrity.
I have also trusted in the Lord;
I shall not slip....
Do not gather my soul with sinners,
nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
in whose hands is a sinister scheme,
and whose right hand is full of bribes.
But as for me, I will walk in my integrity;
redeem me and be merciful to me. Psalm 26
Chaplain Shaw was talking to us once about integrity. To over-summarize, he said that it's about being true to your priniciples. So theoretically, it seems to me like a person who believes in selfishness and greed could be showing "integrity" when they expect other people to take advantage of them, y'know, like as if we all run by the same rules of self-centeredness.
Now, most of us don't have respect for that kind of integrity. We value the kind of integrity that causes people to stand up for what's right even when it's not popular.
So we get to these psalms that talk about my integrity. Granted, the psalms belong in the mouth of Jesus, and He certainly had integrity. But it's interesting to think about our integrity, especially with that verse where we're praying for redemption and mercy. After all, if we had integrity, we'd be so good in ourselves that maybe we wouldn't need redemption and mercy.
But what if our integrity is in "being true to our principles" insofar as we admit our unworthiness, and admit that we need a Savior, and "walk in integrity" by confessing our sins and hearing God's Word of absolution?
for I have walked in my integrity.
I have also trusted in the Lord;
I shall not slip....
Do not gather my soul with sinners,
nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
in whose hands is a sinister scheme,
and whose right hand is full of bribes.
But as for me, I will walk in my integrity;
redeem me and be merciful to me. Psalm 26
Chaplain Shaw was talking to us once about integrity. To over-summarize, he said that it's about being true to your priniciples. So theoretically, it seems to me like a person who believes in selfishness and greed could be showing "integrity" when they expect other people to take advantage of them, y'know, like as if we all run by the same rules of self-centeredness.
Now, most of us don't have respect for that kind of integrity. We value the kind of integrity that causes people to stand up for what's right even when it's not popular.
So we get to these psalms that talk about my integrity. Granted, the psalms belong in the mouth of Jesus, and He certainly had integrity. But it's interesting to think about our integrity, especially with that verse where we're praying for redemption and mercy. After all, if we had integrity, we'd be so good in ourselves that maybe we wouldn't need redemption and mercy.
But what if our integrity is in "being true to our principles" insofar as we admit our unworthiness, and admit that we need a Savior, and "walk in integrity" by confessing our sins and hearing God's Word of absolution?
Saturday, June 06, 2009
Dad
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See this guy? I think he's pretty great. He died last night. His baptism is completed; the Old Adam is defeated; he is with his Jesus; he awaits the resurrection of the body.
Funeral is Tuesday morning.
I love Pastor W. He knows how to read the book, and he knows what to say when the book is closed too.
Dad was 75. He died of cancer. Morphine is a lovely blessing from God. So are doctors. So are faithful pastors.
It's not real yet. With all the company this afternoon, I found myself wondering how long Dad was going to nap today. He's been sick long enough, and when we visit he often absents himself from the hullaballoo in the living room to go lie down for a while. But it seemed today like he'd been gone for quite a while, and I felt the need to go to the bedroom to check on him. He wasn't there. Oh. Yeah. Right. I guess he wouldn't be.
It's going to take a while to get used to this.
Thursday, June 04, 2009
Meals
So far this week we've had baked salmon, mashed potatoes, lettuce salad, deli-meat sandwiches, ham & beans on cornbread, lentil soup, spanish rice, hamburgers, fried eggs, pbjs, creamed spinach, fruit smoothy, and some frozen veggies.
As we divvied up the seconds on the creamed spinach tonight, we wondered how much less we would've eaten if we'd had to share with Philip. Which made us wonder (especially after Philip's last stint cooking for himself in an apartment) what is he eating this week? Hopefully he IS eating.
As we divvied up the seconds on the creamed spinach tonight, we wondered how much less we would've eaten if we'd had to share with Philip. Which made us wonder (especially after Philip's last stint cooking for himself in an apartment) what is he eating this week? Hopefully he IS eating.
Wednesday, June 03, 2009
Cancer
When I was little, I remember hearing how horrible cancer was, that it was an extremely painful way to die.
Now we have all these drugs, all these pain-killers, oral drugs, patches to put on the skin, and intravenous morphine. When you see the pain that cancer inflicts today, a person wonders what it must have been like 50 years ago to have cancer. When you see how bad it is now, it's hard to fathom how it used to be even worse.
Now we have all these drugs, all these pain-killers, oral drugs, patches to put on the skin, and intravenous morphine. When you see the pain that cancer inflicts today, a person wonders what it must have been like 50 years ago to have cancer. When you see how bad it is now, it's hard to fathom how it used to be even worse.
Mosquitos
Last time the previous owner of the house stopped by here was more than a year ago. It was the day the septic was installed, and she had to see that the job was done and turn over the payment for the work. We chatted about her lovely tulips and about where they'd had gardens in the past. She pointed out the area in the back corner of the lot, but said it became very frustrating to work out there because of all the mosquitos.
As I planted raspberries yesterday afternoon, I knew what she meant. As it drew closer to supper time, I was slapping myself like crazy. However, when planting bare-root canes, there's a lot of water necessary, going into the holes so as to ensure no air-pockets around the roots. Water plus dirt equals mud. Muddy muddy hands. Swat the mosquito here. Swat the mosquito there. Gary took one look at me when I came home and suggested that covering myself with a thicker layer of mud --and covering all the skin instead of most of it-- would be more effective at protecting me from mosquito bites.
When I went out to plant the strawberries today, I was careful to start earlier in the day!
As I planted raspberries yesterday afternoon, I knew what she meant. As it drew closer to supper time, I was slapping myself like crazy. However, when planting bare-root canes, there's a lot of water necessary, going into the holes so as to ensure no air-pockets around the roots. Water plus dirt equals mud. Muddy muddy hands. Swat the mosquito here. Swat the mosquito there. Gary took one look at me when I came home and suggested that covering myself with a thicker layer of mud --and covering all the skin instead of most of it-- would be more effective at protecting me from mosquito bites.
When I went out to plant the strawberries today, I was careful to start earlier in the day!
Monday, June 01, 2009
Stuff To Do
Hi, Mom. We're still here. I didn't fall off the face of the earth. We've been working on the garden. On Sunday afternoon we went to a graduation party. Saturday there's another one, and next Sunday there's another.
Sure enough, with all the errands I had to do today, this was the day my order from Jung's Nursery arrived. Gary and I planted the blueberry shrubs this evening. The roots of the blackberries and raspberries hadn't soaked long enough by this evening, so I guess the kids and I will tackle those tomorrow, after they've absorbed more water. And we need to do the strawberries. And the asparagus. And the potatoes.
I feel like such a neglectful mother. Philip did gobs of cleaning and moving this weekend, with help from his brothers. Gary and I haven't even seen the place yet. But the tomatoes and the cucumbers and other veggies are planted. For a few hours today we got a glimpse of summer: it made it to 80. Then the wind changed. Tonight the lows are in the low- to mid-40s. Tomorrow the high may make it to 50, they tell us. Somehow, I don't think my green beans and my peppers and tomatoes are going to thrive.
Sure enough, with all the errands I had to do today, this was the day my order from Jung's Nursery arrived. Gary and I planted the blueberry shrubs this evening. The roots of the blackberries and raspberries hadn't soaked long enough by this evening, so I guess the kids and I will tackle those tomorrow, after they've absorbed more water. And we need to do the strawberries. And the asparagus. And the potatoes.
I feel like such a neglectful mother. Philip did gobs of cleaning and moving this weekend, with help from his brothers. Gary and I haven't even seen the place yet. But the tomatoes and the cucumbers and other veggies are planted. For a few hours today we got a glimpse of summer: it made it to 80. Then the wind changed. Tonight the lows are in the low- to mid-40s. Tomorrow the high may make it to 50, they tell us. Somehow, I don't think my green beans and my peppers and tomatoes are going to thrive.
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Cardinals
We watched A Man for All Seasons tonight. Excellent movie about Sir Thomas More. Lots to think about. Has some scary ramifications for politics today. Has some pretty hilarious one-liners scattered throughout the show.
But one totally inconsequential thing makes me curious. Was the bird named for the priestly office because the birdies were all dressed in red like the higher-than-bishop guys? Or was the office named after the bird? I'm guessing the bird-name was based on the guys-in-red in the church hierarchy, but I don't know.
But one totally inconsequential thing makes me curious. Was the bird named for the priestly office because the birdies were all dressed in red like the higher-than-bishop guys? Or was the office named after the bird? I'm guessing the bird-name was based on the guys-in-red in the church hierarchy, but I don't know.
Friday, May 29, 2009
Delivering Latin Books
My daughter's brother-in-law happens to be the part-time Latin teacher at our church's Lutheran school. Today was the last day of school. Teachers are cleaning out desks. One of my kids volunteered to take home Greg's box of Latin books, and get them to my son-in-law to pass on to his brother.
Gary had a better idea. What if we took them to Matt's folks' house? They live closer to us than the grocery store; it's only 8 minutes away. Rachel's in-laws are greeeeat people, but we almost never see them. So we called. We drove over this evening with Greg's books. We spent an incredibly pleasant hour and a half chatting with them. Oh, it just makes me smile!
Gary had a better idea. What if we took them to Matt's folks' house? They live closer to us than the grocery store; it's only 8 minutes away. Rachel's in-laws are greeeeat people, but we almost never see them. So we called. We drove over this evening with Greg's books. We spent an incredibly pleasant hour and a half chatting with them. Oh, it just makes me smile!
Remembering Sin
Amos 8: The Lord has sworn by the pride of Jacob, "Surely I will never forget any of their works."
Jeremiah 31: "For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."
So the one prophet says God will never forget their sin. The other prophet says God will never remember their sin.
In class today, Pastor was explaining how both are true. The first is true according to the Law. The second is true according to the Gospel. But isn't that rather paradoxical?
Amos goes on in chapter 8 to talk about the earth quaking and about the sky being darkened at noon. He talks about feasts being turned to mourning, and songs being turned to lamentation -- like mourning for an only son. This sounds to me like Amos is prophesying about Jesus' crucifixion.
How can it be true that God will never forget their sin? Because every single sin ever committed was laid upon His Son. He didn't forget one of them. Not a single sin remains. They were all placed upon Him, and they were all punished. God did not forget those sins, but made sure He remembered to gather them all into one place to make atonement for them.
But for us who are in Christ, God will not remember our sin. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. There is nothing left for Him to remember because the punishment was fully meted out.
It's so cool how both God's remembering and God's forgetting come to pass in that one place on that one Friday afternoon of darkness and earthquake and lamentation.
Jeremiah 31: "For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."
So the one prophet says God will never forget their sin. The other prophet says God will never remember their sin.
In class today, Pastor was explaining how both are true. The first is true according to the Law. The second is true according to the Gospel. But isn't that rather paradoxical?
Amos goes on in chapter 8 to talk about the earth quaking and about the sky being darkened at noon. He talks about feasts being turned to mourning, and songs being turned to lamentation -- like mourning for an only son. This sounds to me like Amos is prophesying about Jesus' crucifixion.
How can it be true that God will never forget their sin? Because every single sin ever committed was laid upon His Son. He didn't forget one of them. Not a single sin remains. They were all placed upon Him, and they were all punished. God did not forget those sins, but made sure He remembered to gather them all into one place to make atonement for them.
But for us who are in Christ, God will not remember our sin. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. There is nothing left for Him to remember because the punishment was fully meted out.
It's so cool how both God's remembering and God's forgetting come to pass in that one place on that one Friday afternoon of darkness and earthquake and lamentation.
Big Day
Philip signs the papers and takes possession of his condo today. He found a nice wood dining room table and a credenza at Goodwill this week. (I always wondered what a "credenza" was. And when he brought this thing home, I wasn't sure what it was. Then I saw the word stamped on the back. Ah ha!) He called last night from the store, asking for advice on saucepans and cookware. He'll be taking my spare 3-qt Reverware until he can get to central Illinois and raid my sister's and brother-in-law's pre-wedding stuff.
After taking on his mortgage, he will be spending the rest of the day cleaning cupboards and shampooing carpet and such. I guess tomorrow is the day to haul stuff back and forth in the van.
I bet Paul will be glad to move upstairs to the bedroom, out of the depths of the basement.
I should spend the day in the garden, but I keep wondering if putting seeds in that cold soil is going to rot them. Hey, at least the grass we planted on Monday should be doing well, with the persistent gentle rains and drizzles we've had for three days straight. It's nearly June and we're still running highs in the 50s and low 60s. Global warming, my foot.
After taking on his mortgage, he will be spending the rest of the day cleaning cupboards and shampooing carpet and such. I guess tomorrow is the day to haul stuff back and forth in the van.
I bet Paul will be glad to move upstairs to the bedroom, out of the depths of the basement.
I should spend the day in the garden, but I keep wondering if putting seeds in that cold soil is going to rot them. Hey, at least the grass we planted on Monday should be doing well, with the persistent gentle rains and drizzles we've had for three days straight. It's nearly June and we're still running highs in the 50s and low 60s. Global warming, my foot.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
1 Samuel 18
In our stories about David in the last few weeks, we heard about how Jonathan took off his robe and gave it to the one anointed to be king -- just like the believers on Palm Sunday took off their robes and laid them out for the path of the Christ.
We also heard how Saul tried to do in David. Twice he set up a situation where David was supposed to go fight in battle, in hopes that the Philistines would kill off David. So that's where David got the idea to get rid of Uriah the Hittite.
We also heard how Saul tried to do in David. Twice he set up a situation where David was supposed to go fight in battle, in hopes that the Philistines would kill off David. So that's where David got the idea to get rid of Uriah the Hittite.
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Finches
The finches have been flitting around the yard. They are so cheery!! With the grass seed we put out on Monday, crowds of finches are visiting us now. (I hope they left some seed to germinate and grow...) I love how the finches fly all zigzaggy up&down, like as if they're dancing a jig and are too exuberant to fly in a mundane straight line.I tried to get photos, but the little guys would fly too far away whenever I opened the window. So this picture is from the Ohio DNR website.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
A Jasper Stone
At the end of Revelation, the angel is showing John the new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven, and he writes that she has "the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal."
I don't know about you, but that never made much sense to me. I ain't seen no stones that light up. They're usually pretty dull. Even sparkly precious stones like diamonds and rubies need to be polished and cut so that the facets reflect the light in a pretty way.
During Israel's wilderness wanderings, God was in the pillar of fire that led His children. He was their light. Paul tells us that the rock which followed them around in the wilderness gave them their water of life, and that Rock was Christ.
In the psalter (119) we sing that the Word of God [Jesus] is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. In the psalter (118) we sing that the Stone which the builders rejected [Jesus] has become the chief Cornerstone.
This line from Revelation makes a lot more sense if you look at it in the background of Scripture's vocabulary instead of from the background of Earth Science.
Enlighten our darkness by the light of your Christ.
May His word be a lamp to our feet
and a light to our path.
For You are merciful,
and You love Your whole creation,
and we, Your creatures, glorify You,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
And, hey, you know what else? A few verses later in Rev 21, we hear that the walls of the heavenly city are made of jasper stone. Plug that into your "A mighty fortress is our God"!
I don't know about you, but that never made much sense to me. I ain't seen no stones that light up. They're usually pretty dull. Even sparkly precious stones like diamonds and rubies need to be polished and cut so that the facets reflect the light in a pretty way.
During Israel's wilderness wanderings, God was in the pillar of fire that led His children. He was their light. Paul tells us that the rock which followed them around in the wilderness gave them their water of life, and that Rock was Christ.
In the psalter (119) we sing that the Word of God [Jesus] is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. In the psalter (118) we sing that the Stone which the builders rejected [Jesus] has become the chief Cornerstone.
This line from Revelation makes a lot more sense if you look at it in the background of Scripture's vocabulary instead of from the background of Earth Science.
Enlighten our darkness by the light of your Christ.
May His word be a lamp to our feet
and a light to our path.
For You are merciful,
and You love Your whole creation,
and we, Your creatures, glorify You,
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.
And, hey, you know what else? A few verses later in Rev 21, we hear that the walls of the heavenly city are made of jasper stone. Plug that into your "A mighty fortress is our God"!
Monday, May 25, 2009
Seems Like Saturday
Seeing as we didn't used to live on a M-F work-week or school-week, this is our first experience with a 3-day weekend after settling into the pattern of Monday through Friday. Gary hauled some topsoil today, and he built some raised beds that will be filled with compost & dirt eventually. We planned out the garden, placed a large order with Jung's, and planted some grass seed where we're patching rough ankle-twisting spots left over from last spring's repairs to the septic system.
And now I'm ready to go to church tomorrow morning. And there is no Service! Not only that, but Wednesday's Divine Service is being replaced by Graduation Vespers. It's gonna be a long long six days until Sunday.
And now I'm ready to go to church tomorrow morning. And there is no Service! Not only that, but Wednesday's Divine Service is being replaced by Graduation Vespers. It's gonna be a long long six days until Sunday.
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Some More Wedding Pictures
The head table -- 
Nathan, Andrew, Paul, and Philip --
Philip, Matt, Rachel, Katie & Alia
(and cousins at the next table over) --
an especially good shot of Philip--
Robert's parents --
This waitress couldn't wait to get her hands on Alia, just to help, y'know, so that we'd have free hands to eat. Nasty job, holding a baby, but it was all in the line of duty, sacrificing herself to serve the guests... (It was so cute!)
Maybe Karen can help me out with this one. All I remember is that they're Robert's extended family (I think) --
There was a discussion of cameras at our table. I wonder what's going on at the next table. Looks like it turned out to be a good plan to put Matt, Eric, and Tim with the rocket-club guys.
There should be some great thing we could put in a word-bubble over Mary's head, but it's not coming to mind at the moment --
Zack needed to see the baby. And Alia liked him too.
The part of the wedding that choked me up most was probably when I looked at Robert as Karen was coming down the aisle. His face was full of joy, watching his bride approach. But that wasn't what did me in. We were on the third stanza of "He's Risen, He's Risen" and this guy was singing it from memory. I don't know about you, but in my mind, a man who can sing "The conquering Lord lifts His banner on high. He lives, yes, He lives, and will nevermore die" while he gazes upon his approaching bride is going to be a man who is likely to treat her as Christ cherished His church. And that is a very happy thought.
Nathan, Andrew, Paul, and Philip --
Philip, Matt, Rachel, Katie & Alia
(and cousins at the next table over) --
an especially good shot of Philip--
Robert's parents --
This waitress couldn't wait to get her hands on Alia, just to help, y'know, so that we'd have free hands to eat. Nasty job, holding a baby, but it was all in the line of duty, sacrificing herself to serve the guests... (It was so cute!)
Maybe Karen can help me out with this one. All I remember is that they're Robert's extended family (I think) --
There was a discussion of cameras at our table. I wonder what's going on at the next table. Looks like it turned out to be a good plan to put Matt, Eric, and Tim with the rocket-club guys.
There should be some great thing we could put in a word-bubble over Mary's head, but it's not coming to mind at the moment --
Zack needed to see the baby. And Alia liked him too.
The part of the wedding that choked me up most was probably when I looked at Robert as Karen was coming down the aisle. His face was full of joy, watching his bride approach. But that wasn't what did me in. We were on the third stanza of "He's Risen, He's Risen" and this guy was singing it from memory. I don't know about you, but in my mind, a man who can sing "The conquering Lord lifts His banner on high. He lives, yes, He lives, and will nevermore die" while he gazes upon his approaching bride is going to be a man who is likely to treat her as Christ cherished His church. And that is a very happy thought.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
A Few More Wedding Pictures
The pictures of Jenna and Tina and Karen being escorted in didn't come out. Not enough light in the picture. Kinda freaky that Maggie's picture turned out fine.About to throw the bouquet --
Kinda funny picture, Matt with his armful of decorative tulle to be stashed in somebody's trunk --
Some pretty nice men --
Words of Law or Gospel?
If you've seen Everybody Loves Raymond or any number of movies with a stereotypical Jewish (or Polish or Greek or Italian) mother, you know the jokes about how mothers can heap guilt onto a kid. Spoken with many a sigh and a pained look on the face -- "Of course, you can go to the beach with your friends on my birthday. Don't mind me. I'm just your mother. I spent 37 hours in labor bringing you into the world. I changed your diapers and sacrificed myself for you in countless ways. It's not important to me that you spend a few hours with me on my birthday. I live to make you happy. And if being with your friends is what makes you happy, then you have my blessing to go to the beach with your friends while you ignore your mother. I just want you to be happy!"
I'm beginning to see that some pastors and many of our Christian friends are capable of the same thing.
Look at the bald words: "Trust Me." With tone of voice and facial expression, some pastors can make those words into a law or demand that condemns us because we don't "do" the trusting well enough. But those words can also be seen as a comfort: "I have poured out my life for you. I want only the best for you. You can trust Me. I have saved you, and I love you. I forgive you and will do everything to bring you into the safety of heaven with Me. It's okay; I've got it all under control; you can trust Me."
Some Christians will talk about vocation by saying that we are free in the Gospel to do whatever we want. Then they will say, "So, what do you want to do?" with a tone of voice that implies there really is no freedom. Those who are truly captivated by the Gospel will, on the other hand, say the same words but somehow suggest --with no manipulation, no arm-twisting, no scolding-- that we truly are free. This freedom and forgiveness creates in us a new heart which actually does desire to do what's right ... without compulsion.
Same thing can happen with "Go and sin no more" or "Be fruitful and multiply" or "Follow Me" or "Love one another" or any number of other words from God.
It is amazing how we can take a word from our Savior, a word that shows His mercy and His commitment to us, a word which shows Him to be gentle and wooing and kind, and somehow manage to turn those words into manipulation that we might expect from a sinful person that uses a pretense of self-sacrifice as a tool to get what he wants.
Does this mean there should be no law preached? Of course not. Christians need the law until they've "assumed room temperature." What I am speaking about is the sinful nature's propensity to twist even sweet words of Gospel into Law.
I'm beginning to see that some pastors and many of our Christian friends are capable of the same thing.
Look at the bald words: "Trust Me." With tone of voice and facial expression, some pastors can make those words into a law or demand that condemns us because we don't "do" the trusting well enough. But those words can also be seen as a comfort: "I have poured out my life for you. I want only the best for you. You can trust Me. I have saved you, and I love you. I forgive you and will do everything to bring you into the safety of heaven with Me. It's okay; I've got it all under control; you can trust Me."
Some Christians will talk about vocation by saying that we are free in the Gospel to do whatever we want. Then they will say, "So, what do you want to do?" with a tone of voice that implies there really is no freedom. Those who are truly captivated by the Gospel will, on the other hand, say the same words but somehow suggest --with no manipulation, no arm-twisting, no scolding-- that we truly are free. This freedom and forgiveness creates in us a new heart which actually does desire to do what's right ... without compulsion.
Same thing can happen with "Go and sin no more" or "Be fruitful and multiply" or "Follow Me" or "Love one another" or any number of other words from God.
It is amazing how we can take a word from our Savior, a word that shows His mercy and His commitment to us, a word which shows Him to be gentle and wooing and kind, and somehow manage to turn those words into manipulation that we might expect from a sinful person that uses a pretense of self-sacrifice as a tool to get what he wants.
Does this mean there should be no law preached? Of course not. Christians need the law until they've "assumed room temperature." What I am speaking about is the sinful nature's propensity to twist even sweet words of Gospel into Law.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
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All That Jesus Did
The last verse of John's Gospel states: There are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written.
Turn the page in your Bible. The very next verse, the beginning of Acts, states: The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach ...
John says there's no way to record everything Jesus did. Luke says he wrote to Theophilus "all" that Jesus began to do and teach. Some might think this is a contradiction.
But IF "all" that Jesus did and taught was intertwined with His suffering and death for the salvation of sinners, then Luke did tell it all. He might not have included every single detail. As John says, there are plenty of other stories that were not told in his gospel. But that doesn't mean the story wasn't all told.
If all of Scripture is about Christ, and about God's love and mercy poured out to us, and how He saved us, then both John and Luke are right about the level of "completeness" to their gospel accounts. But if it's all about mere history and/or tales, then one of those guys is wrong.
Turn the page in your Bible. The very next verse, the beginning of Acts, states: The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and to teach ...
John says there's no way to record everything Jesus did. Luke says he wrote to Theophilus "all" that Jesus began to do and teach. Some might think this is a contradiction.
But IF "all" that Jesus did and taught was intertwined with His suffering and death for the salvation of sinners, then Luke did tell it all. He might not have included every single detail. As John says, there are plenty of other stories that were not told in his gospel. But that doesn't mean the story wasn't all told.
If all of Scripture is about Christ, and about God's love and mercy poured out to us, and how He saved us, then both John and Luke are right about the level of "completeness" to their gospel accounts. But if it's all about mere history and/or tales, then one of those guys is wrong.
The Trumpet
Our psalm for the week is an ascension psalm, #47.
God has gone up with a shout,
the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
Speaking of the Second Coming, Paul points out in 1 Thessalonians 4:
The Lord Himself will descend from heaven
with a shout,
with the voice of an archangel,
and with the with trumpet of God.
God has gone up with a shout,
the Lord with the sound of a trumpet.
Speaking of the Second Coming, Paul points out in 1 Thessalonians 4:
The Lord Himself will descend from heaven
with a shout,
with the voice of an archangel,
and with the with trumpet of God.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
This Same Jesus
Acts 1:11 -- "Men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen Him go into heaven."
In Acts 2, Peter preached about Jesus. The Jesus who walked among them. The Jesus who preached in the synagogues and temple. The Jesus they had nailed to the cross. "This Jesus" God has raised up from the dead. "This Jesus" God has made to be Lord and Christ.
At the ascension, the disciples hear that "this Jesus" was taken up into heaven and will come again in the same way He went into heaven. THIS Jesus. Not a "spiritual" Jesus. Not an ephemeral Jesus. Not some god-guy Jesus. THIS Jesus. The one with a body. The one with fingernails and bones and eyelashes. The one with pierced hands and feet and side.
So many Christians think that Jesus is no longer a man. But Jesus never quit being a man. He still has a body. A man --THE Man-- sits on heaven's throne. "This Jesus" --the one whose body, born of Mary, that our sins and sorrows did carry-- is reigning now and will return.
Thou hast raised our human nature
on the clouds to God's right hand.
There we sit in heavenly places;
there with Thee in glory stand.
Jesus reigns, adored by angels.
Man with God is on the throne.
Mighty Lord, in Thine ascension,
we by faith behold our own.
In Acts 2, Peter preached about Jesus. The Jesus who walked among them. The Jesus who preached in the synagogues and temple. The Jesus they had nailed to the cross. "This Jesus" God has raised up from the dead. "This Jesus" God has made to be Lord and Christ.
At the ascension, the disciples hear that "this Jesus" was taken up into heaven and will come again in the same way He went into heaven. THIS Jesus. Not a "spiritual" Jesus. Not an ephemeral Jesus. Not some god-guy Jesus. THIS Jesus. The one with a body. The one with fingernails and bones and eyelashes. The one with pierced hands and feet and side.
So many Christians think that Jesus is no longer a man. But Jesus never quit being a man. He still has a body. A man --THE Man-- sits on heaven's throne. "This Jesus" --the one whose body, born of Mary, that our sins and sorrows did carry-- is reigning now and will return.
Thou hast raised our human nature
on the clouds to God's right hand.
There we sit in heavenly places;
there with Thee in glory stand.
Jesus reigns, adored by angels.
Man with God is on the throne.
Mighty Lord, in Thine ascension,
we by faith behold our own.
Piano Practice
It's 82°. The sheets are drying on the line and smell luscious. I'm wearing a tanktop and wanting to get outside to read aloud to Maggie from a new book. And what is floating through the airwaves indoors?
Incessant repetitions of JINGLE BELLS.
{sigh}
Incessant repetitions of JINGLE BELLS.
{sigh}
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
David Anointed King
Our story today was from 1 Samuel 16. Interestingly, the story starts with God saying that He will provide for Himself a king, just like Abraham said in Genesis 22 that God would provide for Himself a lamb for the burnt offering in place of Isaac.
I asked why God didn't just make the right guy king in the first place. Why start with Saul who ended up turning away from the Lord? Is it because of the pattern through Scripture, where there always seems to be a replacement? Jesus is the New Adam. Pastor said that would be part of it. But he said it's also because it was catechetical for the people. They rejected their Lord; they insisted on a king; they received what they asked for; they learned that it was not good. What God had for them was good. But they had to learn experientially that their sinful desires brought them only trouble.
I asked why God didn't just make the right guy king in the first place. Why start with Saul who ended up turning away from the Lord? Is it because of the pattern through Scripture, where there always seems to be a replacement? Jesus is the New Adam. Pastor said that would be part of it. But he said it's also because it was catechetical for the people. They rejected their Lord; they insisted on a king; they received what they asked for; they learned that it was not good. What God had for them was good. But they had to learn experientially that their sinful desires brought them only trouble.
Jobs
Paul isn't having much luck finding a summer job. Right now, he's thinking about taking a 3-week job at his college, right smack dab in the middle of summer. Those three weeks would pay as much as a 15-hr-per-week job for the whole summer. So it's a risk. Does he grab the little job while he still can, even if it makes other jobs unavailable, or does he keep trying for a full-time job that would last for 12 weeks? The job at college would look a whole lot better on his resumé.
I keep looking at the want ads too. Gary's hours were cut again. It was kind of shocking to realize that we'd be better off (financially) now if we'd stayed at our old home/congregation with no paycheck but only the parsonage to live in, because Gary would still have his teaching for CUW and I'd still have my part-time job. So we're trying to figure this out. If I got a job, would I earn enough to compensate for the frugality measures we'd probably forego? If I got a job, would we have to put Maggie in school? Can we get good enough at gardening --and turn enough yard into garden-- that we can drastically cut the food bill? Is there anything I can do (maid work? painting?) that would permit the kids to work with me and not have to be micro-managed by the govt (as catering or baking would)? Is our family ready for money-earning to be a higher priority for me than teaching/cooking/housekeeping?
Thankfully, Gary still has a job; there have not been lay-offs at his company. And thankfully, we have a neighbor who has tilled up a nice big patch of the back yard for us (and tilled repeatedly) so that we can get started on gardening without loads of grass pestering us. And also thankfully, we have another neighbor who has a big pile of horse manure and straw available free for anyone who wants to haul it. As I'm looking at the seed catalogs, the heirloom seeds are looking mighty attractive, in that I would not have to keep buying seeds year after year, but could just save them.
I keep looking at the want ads too. Gary's hours were cut again. It was kind of shocking to realize that we'd be better off (financially) now if we'd stayed at our old home/congregation with no paycheck but only the parsonage to live in, because Gary would still have his teaching for CUW and I'd still have my part-time job. So we're trying to figure this out. If I got a job, would I earn enough to compensate for the frugality measures we'd probably forego? If I got a job, would we have to put Maggie in school? Can we get good enough at gardening --and turn enough yard into garden-- that we can drastically cut the food bill? Is there anything I can do (maid work? painting?) that would permit the kids to work with me and not have to be micro-managed by the govt (as catering or baking would)? Is our family ready for money-earning to be a higher priority for me than teaching/cooking/housekeeping?
Thankfully, Gary still has a job; there have not been lay-offs at his company. And thankfully, we have a neighbor who has tilled up a nice big patch of the back yard for us (and tilled repeatedly) so that we can get started on gardening without loads of grass pestering us. And also thankfully, we have another neighbor who has a big pile of horse manure and straw available free for anyone who wants to haul it. As I'm looking at the seed catalogs, the heirloom seeds are looking mighty attractive, in that I would not have to keep buying seeds year after year, but could just save them.
Friday, May 15, 2009
Boasting
For by grace you have been saved through faith,
and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God,
not of works,
lest any man should boast.
So the question in chapel, as we discussed this verse, was "Can we boast?" The children's answer was NO.
This seems a reasonable answer, especially for us who know that Pastor usually wants the answer to come straight out of the text. Oh, how often someone will give a correct answer and he'll say, "Yes, that's right, but give me another way to say it, using the language in the text itself."
But the answer this time was YES. In Galatians Paul writes, "God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Isn't that an antiphon or versicle or something during Holy Week? I can't remember for sure, but I suspect that is why it came up in connection with this week's verse.) Oddly enough, the other place where Paul talks a great deal about boasting is in 2 Corinthians. There it is about boasting in his infirmities (which might also be called "the cross") that we might boast in God's mercy and grace.
and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God,
not of works,
lest any man should boast.
So the question in chapel, as we discussed this verse, was "Can we boast?" The children's answer was NO.
This seems a reasonable answer, especially for us who know that Pastor usually wants the answer to come straight out of the text. Oh, how often someone will give a correct answer and he'll say, "Yes, that's right, but give me another way to say it, using the language in the text itself."
But the answer this time was YES. In Galatians Paul writes, "God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ." (Isn't that an antiphon or versicle or something during Holy Week? I can't remember for sure, but I suspect that is why it came up in connection with this week's verse.) Oddly enough, the other place where Paul talks a great deal about boasting is in 2 Corinthians. There it is about boasting in his infirmities (which might also be called "the cross") that we might boast in God's mercy and grace.
Thursday, May 14, 2009
God Provides
Our verse for this week is from Ephesians 2:
By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, lest anyone should boast.
Pastor has been persisting in asking what the that refers to. Answer: and that faith is not of yourselves. Even faith is a gift of God, and not something we do.
Similarly, I noticed something in Sunday's [3-year] reading from Acts. The story is about Philip preaching to the Ethiopian eunuch. The story starts off with an odd little geographical detail about where the story was happening and tells us "This is desert." Those kinds of details aren't put into the Bible just to satisfy our curiosity or give us an education about Social Studies.
I think a person could make an analogy to the unbeliever being in a wilderness or desert. But what I'm noticing is more direct -- there isn't water in a desert. Luke makes sure to tell us upfront that Philip and the Ethiopian are in a waterless place. And yet, eventually they come upon water, and the Ethiopian requests baptism. Not only did God create faith where there was none (as Paul tells us in this week's Bible verse) but also God ensured that there was water in that desert so that His sacrament could be administered.
By grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, lest anyone should boast.
Pastor has been persisting in asking what the that refers to. Answer: and that faith is not of yourselves. Even faith is a gift of God, and not something we do.
Similarly, I noticed something in Sunday's [3-year] reading from Acts. The story is about Philip preaching to the Ethiopian eunuch. The story starts off with an odd little geographical detail about where the story was happening and tells us "This is desert." Those kinds of details aren't put into the Bible just to satisfy our curiosity or give us an education about Social Studies.
I think a person could make an analogy to the unbeliever being in a wilderness or desert. But what I'm noticing is more direct -- there isn't water in a desert. Luke makes sure to tell us upfront that Philip and the Ethiopian are in a waterless place. And yet, eventually they come upon water, and the Ethiopian requests baptism. Not only did God create faith where there was none (as Paul tells us in this week's Bible verse) but also God ensured that there was water in that desert so that His sacrament could be administered.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Mandatory Kindergarten
The Wisconsin legislature is considering AB 119 and SB 89. State law mandates school attendance from age 6 to 18. This bill, while not changing mandatory attendance age, would require attendance at a kindergarten program prior to enrolling in 1st grade. This would be true for both public schools and charter schools. If this bill passes, the same attendance/truancy laws would apply to 5-yr-olds (who are not even required by law to be in school) as apply to older students. I just find it hard to imagine that parents could be jailed for keeping a sleepy and/or overwrought 5-yr-old home from school. But then, we don't trust parents to know when a 10-yr-old should be kept home from school.
Still, ... 5-yr-olds being prosecuted for truancy???
More information available at WPA's website as well as how to find your legislators.
Still, ... 5-yr-olds being prosecuted for truancy???
More information available at WPA's website as well as how to find your legislators.
Matthew 20:12
In the parable of the workers in the vineyard, the owner of the vineyard pays the same wages to those who worked all day, to those who worked a half-day, and to those who worked only an hour. The complaint of the men who began work in the early morning was, "These last men have worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden and the heat of the day."
I usually hear the parable explained with several different points. First and foremost is that God's grace is given abundantly and generously, even though we might think it's unfair. Many pastors will point out that "cradle Christians" should rejoice and not begrudge the grace given to those who come to faith late in life or on their deathbeds.
But think about the charge. What is the complaint, really? "Hey! I've been a Christian all my life, and I think I deserve something more than that guy who was a Christian for a week before he died." Okay, that betrays a lack of love. And it betrays a sense that the person thinks he's earned whatever God has to give him. But it also betrays something else that I've never heard mentioned.
What does it say about my perspective of my Christian life? Doesn't that complaint come off as though it were something I'm enduring and that there is no joy in it? I mean, think about it this way:
"Hey, I'm ticked. I've been eating fresh strawberries and alfredo seafood and cantaloupe and hotfresh cinnamon bread and blueberries and teriyaki steak all my life. And that other guy has been eating gruel and soda crackers all his life up until the last week. And now the master is going to bring both of us to his feast? That ain't fair: I deserve better than he gets." I mean, really now, how stupid is that?
Granted, the theology of the cross is real. There is suffering in the Christian life. And yet, those who have been lifelong Christians have known the sweetness of His love all along. They have come to His Supper week in and week out for decades. They have prayed to Him and heard His answers. They have soaked in the sermons full of mercy and kindness. They have again and again absorbed those dear words of forgiveness. He has sustained them through their trials, and given them temporal blessings too. And we begrudge the late-in-life convert for missing those things?
I think the complaints of the vineyard workers --and the complaints of Christians like them-- betray an idolatry of the self-centered life. If what I want more than anything is to indulge myself, to be lazy, to live for my own self, and to care nothing for my Savior, THEN I have a complaint against the master of the vineyard.
Is it really that unbearable, that intolerable, to be a Christian for your whole life?
I usually hear the parable explained with several different points. First and foremost is that God's grace is given abundantly and generously, even though we might think it's unfair. Many pastors will point out that "cradle Christians" should rejoice and not begrudge the grace given to those who come to faith late in life or on their deathbeds.
But think about the charge. What is the complaint, really? "Hey! I've been a Christian all my life, and I think I deserve something more than that guy who was a Christian for a week before he died." Okay, that betrays a lack of love. And it betrays a sense that the person thinks he's earned whatever God has to give him. But it also betrays something else that I've never heard mentioned.
What does it say about my perspective of my Christian life? Doesn't that complaint come off as though it were something I'm enduring and that there is no joy in it? I mean, think about it this way:
"Hey, I'm ticked. I've been eating fresh strawberries and alfredo seafood and cantaloupe and hotfresh cinnamon bread and blueberries and teriyaki steak all my life. And that other guy has been eating gruel and soda crackers all his life up until the last week. And now the master is going to bring both of us to his feast? That ain't fair: I deserve better than he gets." I mean, really now, how stupid is that?
Granted, the theology of the cross is real. There is suffering in the Christian life. And yet, those who have been lifelong Christians have known the sweetness of His love all along. They have come to His Supper week in and week out for decades. They have prayed to Him and heard His answers. They have soaked in the sermons full of mercy and kindness. They have again and again absorbed those dear words of forgiveness. He has sustained them through their trials, and given them temporal blessings too. And we begrudge the late-in-life convert for missing those things?
I think the complaints of the vineyard workers --and the complaints of Christians like them-- betray an idolatry of the self-centered life. If what I want more than anything is to indulge myself, to be lazy, to live for my own self, and to care nothing for my Savior, THEN I have a complaint against the master of the vineyard.
Is it really that unbearable, that intolerable, to be a Christian for your whole life?
Holstein vs Jersey
Back when I was wishing for enough stability that I could justify a small cow shed and a family cow, I wanted a jersey. Less milk, about right for a family. Richer milk, so there'd be butter and cream. But I learned something else today that nobody ever mentioned in polite company. (Who said this blog was polite company? Nobody, right?)
Jerseys poop less.
A neighbor milks Jerseys. They've taken in some loaner Holsteins. And they say the new cows poop like crazy. They say it takes twice as long to clean the barn after milking now that they've added a few Holsteins. Another reason to keep a Jersey on my wish list.
Of course, when I asked last week at town hall about regulations regarding chickens, they told me "No livestock on less than three acres." So I guess my Jersey continues to live only in my dreams.
Jerseys poop less.
A neighbor milks Jerseys. They've taken in some loaner Holsteins. And they say the new cows poop like crazy. They say it takes twice as long to clean the barn after milking now that they've added a few Holsteins. Another reason to keep a Jersey on my wish list.
Of course, when I asked last week at town hall about regulations regarding chickens, they told me "No livestock on less than three acres." So I guess my Jersey continues to live only in my dreams.
Unavoidable Suffering
Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away. And every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. (John 15:2)
So, either you are cut off and thrown away,
or you are cut for the sake of trimming and eliminating the dead wood.
Looks like there's no avoiding the snips.
So, either you are cut off and thrown away,
or you are cut for the sake of trimming and eliminating the dead wood.
Looks like there's no avoiding the snips.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
My Kombucha's Air Flow
When Barb got me started on kombucha, she told me I needed to brew in a bowl with a wide top. She was brewing hers in mixing bowls. I didn't want to go out and spend money on Pyrex mixing bowls, and I wasn't about to tie up the few I had from Nanna for a week at a time. What would I serve salad in? What would I use to make granola? So I resorted to wide-mouth canning jars, covered with a cloth to cut out light. It worked decently enough. I've been making kombucha for five years now, and in "full production mode" for about three. Using sun-tea jars (the kind withOUT the spigot!!) had been working okay.
But something changed. I had to throw out a whole batch last week. It just wouldn't finish brewing. That set me behind. And now this week, well behind what we need, it seems that another batch is going to be stubborn. I anticipate that I may have to pour that one down the drain too. (Silver lining: it ought to be excellent for the septic system!)
Last week I purchased more "cracker jars" from Walmart. Those have served me well. There is proportionately more air space at the top of the cracker jars than there is for my sun-tea jars. But I sure would like to know why my taller jars worked for so long and no longer do.
But something changed. I had to throw out a whole batch last week. It just wouldn't finish brewing. That set me behind. And now this week, well behind what we need, it seems that another batch is going to be stubborn. I anticipate that I may have to pour that one down the drain too. (Silver lining: it ought to be excellent for the septic system!)
Last week I purchased more "cracker jars" from Walmart. Those have served me well. There is proportionately more air space at the top of the cracker jars than there is for my sun-tea jars. But I sure would like to know why my taller jars worked for so long and no longer do.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Bethany Lutheran College
I love this place! (The price-tag scares the dickens out of me, but that's another issue.)
I can't put my finger on what it is, but the college is just wonderful. The buildings and the landscaping are gorgeous, but that's window-dressing. The bulletins and newsletters are never filled with goofy weirdness (which is something we see altogether too often in some other alumni material that arrives at our house).
Gary and I drove to Mankato this weekend to pick up a bunch of Paul's stuff so that he'd be able to transport himself and his remaining stuff home in a sedan after finals this week. Walking around campus, meeting his friends and some of the staff and profs, I can't get over what great people he's been living with this past year. I am so impressed with the way the adults interact with the kids in the hallways, in chapel, in the cafeteria, etc. The students aren't stick-in-the-muds; they're fun people; but they are also polite and engaged and ... well... really super. Chapel isn't quite what I'd want for it to be --using Matins or some versicles would be really nice-- but nevetheless, chapel is better than might be expected from certain other Lutheran colleges.
Now, if Paul can get through one more year without the student loans getting too large, by 2010-11 he'll probably be getting all sorts of student aid as did his older siblings.
I can't put my finger on what it is, but the college is just wonderful. The buildings and the landscaping are gorgeous, but that's window-dressing. The bulletins and newsletters are never filled with goofy weirdness (which is something we see altogether too often in some other alumni material that arrives at our house).
Gary and I drove to Mankato this weekend to pick up a bunch of Paul's stuff so that he'd be able to transport himself and his remaining stuff home in a sedan after finals this week. Walking around campus, meeting his friends and some of the staff and profs, I can't get over what great people he's been living with this past year. I am so impressed with the way the adults interact with the kids in the hallways, in chapel, in the cafeteria, etc. The students aren't stick-in-the-muds; they're fun people; but they are also polite and engaged and ... well... really super. Chapel isn't quite what I'd want for it to be --using Matins or some versicles would be really nice-- but nevetheless, chapel is better than might be expected from certain other Lutheran colleges.
Now, if Paul can get through one more year without the student loans getting too large, by 2010-11 he'll probably be getting all sorts of student aid as did his older siblings.
Overflowing
Oh, the sermon yesterday was wonderful. At the moment, I can't recall which things actually came out of Pastor's mouth, and which things were just barely touched on but were especially picturesque for me because of some recent conversations.
Pastor was talking about how the person who is joined to Christ is filled with His love and mercy and grace, and that love cannot help but overflow to the people around us.
Some Christians worry that we need to spend more time telling people how to be good. But I'm still picturing that cup. If a person isn't constantly being filled up with Jesus and His forgiveness, then the forgiveness won't just naturally spill out all over to the place to other people. Then, maybe, good works do become a chore. Then, maybe, there needs to be some concentration and effort expended on trying to be good. But when a person's self-righteousness is smashed, and the absolution is bestowed frequently and massively and abundantly, it can do nothing but spill out. And the more the person's "cup" is filled up with forgiveness, the more will spill out in service to the neighbor.
And so it is the Gospel, not the Law, which makes us good.
Pastor was talking about how the person who is joined to Christ is filled with His love and mercy and grace, and that love cannot help but overflow to the people around us.Some Christians worry that we need to spend more time telling people how to be good. But I'm still picturing that cup. If a person isn't constantly being filled up with Jesus and His forgiveness, then the forgiveness won't just naturally spill out all over to the place to other people. Then, maybe, good works do become a chore. Then, maybe, there needs to be some concentration and effort expended on trying to be good. But when a person's self-righteousness is smashed, and the absolution is bestowed frequently and massively and abundantly, it can do nothing but spill out. And the more the person's "cup" is filled up with forgiveness, the more will spill out in service to the neighbor.
And so it is the Gospel, not the Law, which makes us good.
Friday, May 08, 2009
Beauty
I love violets!
This is what I'm looking at as I wash dishes ...
... and hang laundry on the clothesline.
Product Registration
Oh, I seldom fill out those little white postcards that come in the package with appliances and electronics. I guess I always saw them as one more way for companies to snatch your name and address so that they could send you junk mail and phone you and try to sell you more stuff.
But yesterday changed my mind.
We received a letter in the mail addressed to the former owners of the house OR "current resident." It turns out that our refrigerator is being recalled. A component of the compressor has been discovered to be causing fires. The repairman will be here on Wednesday. In the meantime, though, I'm nervous. Granted, the fridge is 4-5 years old, and it's no more dangerous today than it was last week when I didn't know about the problem.
But now I know.
Our smoke alarm hasn't worked properly since we moved in. A new one has been duly purchased and installed!
And from now on, privacy issues or not!, I will fill out those little product-registration postcards so that the manufacturer can hunt me down when there's a recall.
But yesterday changed my mind.
We received a letter in the mail addressed to the former owners of the house OR "current resident." It turns out that our refrigerator is being recalled. A component of the compressor has been discovered to be causing fires. The repairman will be here on Wednesday. In the meantime, though, I'm nervous. Granted, the fridge is 4-5 years old, and it's no more dangerous today than it was last week when I didn't know about the problem.
But now I know.
Our smoke alarm hasn't worked properly since we moved in. A new one has been duly purchased and installed!
And from now on, privacy issues or not!, I will fill out those little product-registration postcards so that the manufacturer can hunt me down when there's a recall.
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
How the Holy Spirit Comes
The Large Catechism teaches us that where the Word is preached, and only where the Word is preached, there is the Holy Spirit. Even life-long Lutherans have a problem with this sometimes; we want to think the Holy Spirit comes to our feelings, or zaps us with power, or kinda sorta not-exactly-magically works in us. But our Confessions teach that He works through the Word alone.
In recent years, Pastor has been pointing out places where inspiration results from the Word given earlier. For example, Simeon knew that Jesus would be in the temple because of what he'd heard via the shepherds and Zechariah. Zechariah's song at the birth of John was very similar to one of the psalms. Mary's song (the Magnificat) is remarkably like Hannah's song. And so forth.
So what do we hear in Acts 1? Jesus tells the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit is poured out. Interestingly enough, what are the disciples doing during those ten days? They are in the temple. They are immersed in the prayers and in supplication. Even here, at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit did not come beaming magically through the air, but He came with and through the Word.
In recent years, Pastor has been pointing out places where inspiration results from the Word given earlier. For example, Simeon knew that Jesus would be in the temple because of what he'd heard via the shepherds and Zechariah. Zechariah's song at the birth of John was very similar to one of the psalms. Mary's song (the Magnificat) is remarkably like Hannah's song. And so forth.
So what do we hear in Acts 1? Jesus tells the disciples to wait in Jerusalem until the Holy Spirit is poured out. Interestingly enough, what are the disciples doing during those ten days? They are in the temple. They are immersed in the prayers and in supplication. Even here, at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit did not come beaming magically through the air, but He came with and through the Word.
The New Star Trek Movie
We recently saw an advertisement for this month's Star Trek movie. Certain people who are related to me are very excited about the release of this movie. But it's new. It's different. I'm not into "new and different." So I see this picture of some guy in the movie. And what do I complain to Andrew?
"That's not Spock! That's just some guy pretending to be Spock!"
Oh, good heavens -- I have lived with my geeky family too long! (And Andrew is still laughing at me.)
"That's not Spock! That's just some guy pretending to be Spock!"
Oh, good heavens -- I have lived with my geeky family too long! (And Andrew is still laughing at me.)
Chicken
Hit the jackpot at the grocery store yesterday: found some already-frozen (can't be refrozen) chicken breasts getting close to expiration date for ONE DOLLAR per pound. That's cheaper than apples or spinach. Guess what? I brought home a lot of chicken breasts. We had chicken for supper. I put a dozen big breasts in the crockpot yesterday afternoon. This morning I pulled them out to cool enough to debone.
And suddenly I have kitty friends who think I'm so wonderful, and don't I think they're so wonderful? Smooch smooch smooch. "I'm such a good kitty... don't you want to share your chicken?"
And suddenly I have kitty friends who think I'm so wonderful, and don't I think they're so wonderful? Smooch smooch smooch. "I'm such a good kitty... don't you want to share your chicken?"
Tuesday, May 05, 2009
The Count of Monte Cristo
I'm bad. I never read the book. We watched the movie, though, the other night, and it was GOOD. We especially liked Richard Harris (the true Dumbledore) playing a fellow-prisoner alongside the main character.
I loved the first Dumbledore.
I loved the first Dumbledore.
Eating Meat
Charlotte's Web was copyrighted in 1952. It's been a long time since I read this; I think the older kids read it on their own instead of having it be a read-aloud. Maggie and I started it yesterday.
The story begins with 8-yr-old Fern begging her father not to kill the runt of the pig-litter. She says that he wouldn't have killed her if she had been born particularly small. The dad tries to explain that that's different; Fern is a person. But she says that doesn't make any difference. And there is no answer to her claim.
Later in the story, when one of the sheep tells Wilbur that he's being fattened up, the phraseology is that the people are going to "murder" him in late fall. The word "butcher" is not used. It's always "kill" or "murder."
Ten years earlier than Charlotte's Web was the movie Bambi where we learned about evil Man in the forest who shoots innocent animals and sets fire to their homes.
The PETA-type people have been working subtly for many decades. Their work is finally paying off. Small wonder that things are finally falling into place so fast that it seems there's no way to stop it.
The story begins with 8-yr-old Fern begging her father not to kill the runt of the pig-litter. She says that he wouldn't have killed her if she had been born particularly small. The dad tries to explain that that's different; Fern is a person. But she says that doesn't make any difference. And there is no answer to her claim.
Later in the story, when one of the sheep tells Wilbur that he's being fattened up, the phraseology is that the people are going to "murder" him in late fall. The word "butcher" is not used. It's always "kill" or "murder."
Ten years earlier than Charlotte's Web was the movie Bambi where we learned about evil Man in the forest who shoots innocent animals and sets fire to their homes.
The PETA-type people have been working subtly for many decades. Their work is finally paying off. Small wonder that things are finally falling into place so fast that it seems there's no way to stop it.
Monday, May 04, 2009
All Things Jesus Has Done
One of last week's Bible stories ended with John's statement that
And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. (John 21:25)
And today's Bible story (Acts 1) begins with Luke telling Theophilus about the former account (the Gospel According to St Luke) that he made of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.
I find this fascinating. On the one hand, John says there's no way to write down everything Jesus did. And yet Luke says that what he recorded in the Gospel was ALL that Jesus began to do and teach. Some have mentioned that Luke says in Acts 1:1 that the word "began" is there, and that is definitely important. But I'm also thinking that there is a unity, a wholeness, a singleness-of-purpose, to which Luke is referring.
Luke DID record "all" that Jesus taught and did: the miracles/signs, the doctrine, the suffering and death and resurrection. And yet, as John notes, not every individual event could be recorded. That fact, however, does not detract from the truth that Luke recorded it all.
I think this says something about Jesus' work, as well as about the Scriptures.
And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. (John 21:25)
And today's Bible story (Acts 1) begins with Luke telling Theophilus about the former account (the Gospel According to St Luke) that he made of all that Jesus began both to do and teach.
I find this fascinating. On the one hand, John says there's no way to write down everything Jesus did. And yet Luke says that what he recorded in the Gospel was ALL that Jesus began to do and teach. Some have mentioned that Luke says in Acts 1:1 that the word "began" is there, and that is definitely important. But I'm also thinking that there is a unity, a wholeness, a singleness-of-purpose, to which Luke is referring.
Luke DID record "all" that Jesus taught and did: the miracles/signs, the doctrine, the suffering and death and resurrection. And yet, as John notes, not every individual event could be recorded. That fact, however, does not detract from the truth that Luke recorded it all.
I think this says something about Jesus' work, as well as about the Scriptures.
Sunday, May 03, 2009
Jean Styles
Given that I wear only jeans, I shouldn't expect them to last forever. I owned three pair of pants, and in the space of two weeks, two of those pairs became worn/torn enough to be unwearable in public. I mean, like, they were only about 4 or 5 years old, which means each pair had been worn about 450-500 days. How dare they wear out already?!!
Hating shopping with a passion, I got online and discovered that my favorite jeans are no longer manufactured. Boy, I couldn't find anything without Spandex. Okay, okay, I'll order two with a little bit of stretchiness to them. But I made sure to buy the high-waisted ones. When they arrived and I tried them on, I discovered that the "high-waisted" jeans don't even come up to my belly button. I can't even imagine what I might've found if I'd chosen the hip-huggers or the low-rise jeans.
After a couple of weeks of wearing these, I'm beginning to tolerate the style. But they are not flattering. I am not a chubby person by any means, but this style makes me look like I have love-handles bulging at my waist. And Gary said the jeans make me look pregnant. (He's right.) If these jeans make scrawny ME look fat, why does a normal woman buy these? How does this company stay in business?
Eventually I discovered that Lands End has some high-waisted jeans that look like they might actually come all the way up to a person's waist, and they're all-cotton and no spandex. I might have to find space in my dresser drawers for a fourth pair of jeans.
Hating shopping with a passion, I got online and discovered that my favorite jeans are no longer manufactured. Boy, I couldn't find anything without Spandex. Okay, okay, I'll order two with a little bit of stretchiness to them. But I made sure to buy the high-waisted ones. When they arrived and I tried them on, I discovered that the "high-waisted" jeans don't even come up to my belly button. I can't even imagine what I might've found if I'd chosen the hip-huggers or the low-rise jeans.
After a couple of weeks of wearing these, I'm beginning to tolerate the style. But they are not flattering. I am not a chubby person by any means, but this style makes me look like I have love-handles bulging at my waist. And Gary said the jeans make me look pregnant. (He's right.) If these jeans make scrawny ME look fat, why does a normal woman buy these? How does this company stay in business?
Eventually I discovered that Lands End has some high-waisted jeans that look like they might actually come all the way up to a person's waist, and they're all-cotton and no spandex. I might have to find space in my dresser drawers for a fourth pair of jeans.
Who Did More Work?
Let's say I make a list for myself of today's jobs:
brush teeth
drink a pint of water
take my vitamins
eat breakfast
clear table from breakfast
get dressed
do a 10-minute grammar lesson with kid
grade an algebra worksheet
cut bread for sandwiches
make sandwiches
clear table from lunch
wash dishes
brush teeth
Let's say my neighbor's to-do list for today consists of painting the living room. She does it.
Who did more? I crossed 13 things off my list. She only crossed 1 off her list. If we were working in the private sector, should I be paid more because I finished more tasks than the other gal did? Seems pretty obvious that the answer should be NO. But sometimes it doesn't work that way in real life. Sometimes racking up the numbers takes priority over a genuine assessment of the work that was accomplished. But why should that surprise me? It's the way things work in public schools and the way things work in government. Why would it not eventually spill over to private business and even the church?
brush teeth
drink a pint of water
take my vitamins
eat breakfast
clear table from breakfast
get dressed
do a 10-minute grammar lesson with kid
grade an algebra worksheet
cut bread for sandwiches
make sandwiches
clear table from lunch
wash dishes
brush teeth
Let's say my neighbor's to-do list for today consists of painting the living room. She does it.
Who did more? I crossed 13 things off my list. She only crossed 1 off her list. If we were working in the private sector, should I be paid more because I finished more tasks than the other gal did? Seems pretty obvious that the answer should be NO. But sometimes it doesn't work that way in real life. Sometimes racking up the numbers takes priority over a genuine assessment of the work that was accomplished. But why should that surprise me? It's the way things work in public schools and the way things work in government. Why would it not eventually spill over to private business and even the church?
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