A Wretched Scullery Maid

Matt Harrison writes in "A Little Book on Joy" regarding the paradox of the holiness of the Church even though Christendom is divided, full of sinners, with flawed leaders, and plagued by false doctrine:

This is at once disturbing and comforting.... It is comforting because --despite its outward appearance, despite the fact that there have been times in the history of the church when the pure teaching of the Gospel all but disappeared from the public confession of the Church and its practice-- nevertheless, the "gates of hell shall not prevail against it." The Church endures because Christ endures...." (page 164)



My pastor has an additional reason to explain the comfort found in the simultaneous aspects of the Church's holiness and her sinfulness.

I am a saint and sinner. If I expect a sinless Church, then what does it say about me who is not sinless? The holiness of the Church is an article of faith [as per the Creeds] and not something we see. As I learn to believe that, I learn to believe that my own holiness is an article of faith, a gift of God, a declaration that is true even when my experience is less-than-holy.

If God can call the Church "holy," then maybe He can call ME "holy" too.

Whatever God Pleases

The Lord is great.
Our Lord is above all gods.
Whatever the Lord pleases, He does,
in heaven and in earth,
in the seas and in all deep places. (Psalm 135:5-6)

God gets to do whatever He wants to do. He is the head honcho, the bigwig, the super guy who gets His way. Everything bends to what He wants.

If it were us, there would be maniacal, power-hungry laughter:
mwaaaa haaaa haaa haaa ha!

So ...
what does God want to do, since He can do whatever He wants?

It pleased the Lord to bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief.
When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed,
He shall prolong His days,
and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. (Isaiah 53)

His pleasure is not in the strength of the horse,
nor His delight in the legs of a man;
the Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
who put their hope in His mercy. (Psalm 147)

Whatever He wants to do, He can do, eh?

No wonder God said "My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways."

Sick Maggie

Maggie has not been healthy since she first came down with that bad cold on December 14. The round of antibiotics seemed to have no effect on the coughing. And then she started throwing up. So we needed to get back to the doctor.

When we first moved here, two doctors came highly recommended. The one in town was not accepting new patients, so we went to the one 15 minutes away. We think he's great, but he just recently moved to a new office yet further away. So today we visited the doctor in town. Oh my goodness! He's wonderful too!

Maggie got on the scale today and my eyes about popped out. She's lost 17 pounds in the last three weeks. I guess that's what comes from not being able to keep any food down for five whole days.

Doctor first suspected asthmatic bronchitis. But when he heard her wheeze through a coughing spell, he wondered about whooping cough. So she is on antibiotics for germies, steroids for the inflammation in her lungs, an inhaler, and non-narcotic cough pearls (perles?). When the radiologist saw Mag's x-ray, he was concerned about a spot on her lung which might be pneumonia, but given the absence of fever, it's likely that the spot is from her collapsed lung following the surgery four years ago.

Things are improving. In the last several hours she has eaten a banana, a small bowl of applesauce, and two crackers! Whoo hooo! We're headed in the right direction! This is a big relief.

Sacrifices of Joy

In Psalm 27, David writes, "I will offer sacrifices of joy in His tabernacle."

What is that?

A sacrifice of joy? If it's joy, why is it a sacrifice? If it's a sacrifice, then what do we mean by the word "joy"? Why is singing a sacrifice?

Car Prices

Yesterday our mechanic suggested looking into the cost of leasing a car instead of buying. His point was that --with used-car prices so high-- it might be cheaper to lease a new & reliable vehicle than to buy used. He said with a leased vehicle, you have no maintenance costs; maintenance is the responsibility of the dealer. He said that people often object to leasing because you have nothing to keep at the end of the lease period. But he said if we buy a 10- or 12-yr-old car with 100,000 or 150,000 miles on it, we won't have anything to keep after five years either. He has a point.

I looked at our old maintenance records. Given the cost of buying our used vehicles (whether we bought gently used or very very used) it appears that we've been spending somewhere in the vicinity of $2000 per year for each car. That's the cosst of the car plus the maintenance and repairs (but not gas, oil, insurance, etc). I don't know if that's low or high compared to other people, but it gives me a guideline when I'm looking at used cars. If it's a $2000 car, can I expect to get a year out of it without maintenance costs? If it's a $4800 car, is it reasonable to expect it to hold out faithfully for another 3 years? If it's a $12,000 car, is it realistic to expect it to last a minimum of 8 years without repairs besides the necessary tires and brakes and belt-changes?

Not Much Progress

I'm nearly ready to give up on car shopping. We just can't bring ourselves to pay the going rate for a car that's 10 years old. We thought we'd found a pretty good deal on a 4-yr-old car; when our mechanic looked at it today, he said it was okay. Not good, not bad. He said we'd do much better to wait until spring when private-sale cars are more plentiful. The kind of used car that we want is a car that costs more than my parents' house did when they bought it. That just seems wrong.

Maggie is still sick. It's been six weeks now. After two weeks of confinement, she did go to church Sunday. She did go to Matt's grandpa's funeral today. The cough has lessened somewhat (especially when she's careful to keep a scarf over her face when she's in cool or cold air), but the stomach problems have worsened. She's not able to eat.

Nathan has put together the new computer parts. I need to install my old programs, figure out how to work the new operating system, make sure the old files (emails, documents, etc) are restored where I can find them and use them, learn about security measures on the new machine. Overwhelming at the moment! Easier (for the most part) to keep using Gary's machine.

Going to a Catholic funeral (where the priest commented favorably on the deceased's pride) sure does make me love my pastor all the more. Y'know, I don't think the priest believes in the resurrection of the body. He kept talking about the soul being raised to be with Jesus in heaven. Not once in the whole hour-long service was there any mention that Matt's grandpa's body would be resurrected from death to eternal life. This morning, the priest preached how grandpa's good deeds would cause God to open heaven to him. This evening, my pastor catechized on Mark 4 (the stilling of the storm) and how Jesus saved those unbelieving disciples who accused Him of not loving, not caring. My pastor spoke of a Lord who forgives those who are weak, who heals those who have no goodness of their own, who saves those who aren't "good Christians." My pastor talked about how we come to despair of ourselves and our goodness so that we cling to Jesus' goodness, His atonement, His works and worth. It is good to be a Lutheran; it is good to know that the Lord does for me what I cannot in any way do for myself; it is my only hope.

Today's Laugh

Two men have been sitting out on a lake all day long, ice fishing. One has been having no luck at all, while the other has been pulling fish after fish out of his hole in the ice. The man having no luck finally leans over and asks the other what his secrect is.

"Mmmmm mmm mm mmm mmmm mmm mmm."

"I'm sorry, what did you say?"

The successful fisherman replied, "Mmmmm mmm mm mmm mmmm mmm mmm."

"I'm sorry, I still didn't understand you."

His companion spits something into his hand. "You've got to keep your worms warm."

Naughty Kitty

Rosie has been on a cord-chewing spree along with her let's-intimidate-Athena quest. This morning I found the answering machine dead. She chewed through the electrical cord on it. I'm not having much luck finding a replacement cord online. It's one thing to ruin the answering machine, but another thing entirely when I'm trying to make arrangements to meet people about car possibilities and car shopping. I'm about ready to banish the cat to the outdoors for the next couple of months. We can't afford to have her ruining phones and headphones and radios and computers!!

Shopping for a Used Car

Now that I have a couple of appointments lined up to see and test-drive some cars, all sorts of safety issues are running through my mind. Meeting strangers that you contact via the internet or telephone? Going for a drive in a car with a stranger? (After all, why should they let me --a stranger-- take off in their car for a test-drive?) Is their car-title clean and clear? What if the person says "cash only"? I mean, the guy may not want to risk a counterfeit bank-check, but do I want to walk around with that much cash (especially when meeting a stranger)?

I'm getting nervous. I'm even thinking about going to a dealer and paying more.

Missing Symposium

I knew I'd have to stay home from Fort Wayne this week because of my job. (I'm so glad Jane and Colin came here to visit earlier this month!) But then Pastor had to miss the week. And now Deacon is ill and cannot head to Fort Wayne either. I can't remember the last time there was no CCA booth at symposium; when Deacon couldn't go, I was always able to sub for him. Bummers.

Been Busy

Phew -- it's not pneumonia or bronchitis. Just a sinus infection. Maggie has been sick for four weeks. No fever the whole time. But it definitely took a turn for the worse this week! Saw the doctor last night, and I'm now thinking that if I'd been home to nag her into using the neti-pot multiple times daily (or if she'd been responsible about using it as I told her to) (or if I hadn't assumed that she obeyed when I did nag her) this wouldn't have developed into the sinus infection. She has plans to do better today. She also has drugs in case it's bacterial. The coughing has been unbelievable, but yesterday was a wee bit better than Wednesday, so I hope we're headed in the right direction.

My drawer has been balancing at work. Hooray! Making fewer mistakes. I still feel bad for the customers who come to me with transactions that I'm not 'smooth with' yet, so that they have a sloooow teller. Some of them are fine with it; others get a tad impatient. But I foresee a day when I will no longer be struggling. I don't know how far away that day is, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel somewhere.

Computer parts have arrived. I hope when the new computer (motherboard and processor) is put together with the old appendages (hard drive, video card, etc) we find that I haven't lost too many functional pieces and that my documents and photos are still there. I did back-up (woo hoo!) the week before the computer was fried, but it would be nice if I didn't have to go to the trouble to restore everything.

Andrew and I haven't had clashing work schedules since the car died, so he's only had to chauffeur me to work one day so far. I wonder how long we'll continue to luck into this?

Naughty kitty has been chewing through cords again. What IS it with her? She destroyed Andrew's phone charger two days ago, and she chewed through Gary's headphone cord yesterday.

On the final stretch of editing Catechist edition. I discovered yesterday (on my second pass over some devotional material) that I am not so thorough with my proofreading on my lunch breaks at work as I should be. I can't be as good a proofreader when I'm reading with my eyes alone instead of while my mouth is reading the sentences aloud. Theology is supposed to be oral/aural, isn't it?

Off to shovel snow and put supper in the crockpot before work. Looking forward to a healthy kid, a repaired computer, a car for Andrew --and thus a less hectic life-- in another couple of weeks!

OUR Father

At Didache last night, Pastor said something he's said a gazillion times before. But I never remember it until he's in the midst of bringing it up in class again.

When we pray "Our Father who art in heaven," the "our" does not refer merely to all us Christians throughout the whole world and throughout all history, joined in prayer. It refers also (and especially) to the Father being Jesus' Father and our Father.



So when we pray the Lord's Prayer, why don't I ever think of that?

Today's Laugh

Sign seen today outside a church:

Bi-lingual Pentecostal services.

(C'mon. Think about that...)

Not Much ...

Nothing has been done toward car shopping or computer replacement. That's a little stressful.

Lots of editing to cram in this week and next.

Went to the company Christmas party today so that Gary could meet the people I work with, the ones who trained me, and the people who were in training with me. Tasty brunch. Pleasant enough company. But staying for second service (with choir) would have been far more refreshing and comforting.

Maggie's EKG on Thursday (her annual cardiology check-up) showed up some quirks. She came home from the appt on the 24-hour heart monitor. Waiting to hear results. Doctor also suggested we contact our family doctor to put us in contact with an immunologist. Maggie hasn't seen an immunologist since she was about 18 months old, and the results then were inconclusive. We realized Thursday evening that her apparent improvement in immune function in her early teens was probably not actual improvement but less exposure to germs; since she joined the academy's choir in Sept 09 she has suffered more illness.

I have a long way to go to become decent at my new job, but at least I'm making headway.

Yesterday's haircut revealed that my recent bad-hair days are not due to excessive length, but due to texture changes and far too much hair loss over the last couple of months.

Back to editing ...

Failing Mechanics

The new year isn't going as happily as people were wishing me last week.

Rachel, Oz has died. Probably our biggest mistake of 2010 was trying to resurrect a 13-yr-old Corolla whose engine had cracked. Putting a different engine in a car with more than a quarter-million miles is not a good plan. I meet the junk man this afternoon to turn over her title and collect enough money from him to pay for yesterday's tow-truck.

My computer was fried yesterday. One tiny little repair/improvement resulted in a crash which means I need a new computer -- or that I at least need a new motherboard and processor and power source and operating system. My sons (of the Nerd Herd) are looking into it for me, and they think many pieces of my current [but deceased] computer can be used in the new computer. Main point of this paragraph (besides the whining) is that, if you need to contact me, you should do it via gmail instead of my usual email address if possible.

I have tons of work to do, especially editing, but right now I have very little ability to concentrate when my brain keeps drifting to "Where am I going to find a car?"

So now the question is, "What is going to happen next?"

Commas with Adjectives

Coordinate adjectives.

I know the rule to use a comma between words in a series. For example, When the child lost his marbles, his Matchbox cars, and his pet snake, the mother lost her marbles. Or Obama promised to pay for my groceries, my rent, and my utilities.

But there are adjectives that may not be equal in importance and therefore should not have commas ... because the words aren't really in a series. For example, The exuberant golden retriever chased the bone under the table. Or The lovely, fashionable Bethany picked up a Wisconsin accent this week. Or Some of the new LSB hymns we sang last year were very good. Or The decrepit, rattle-trap, slow-as-molasses computer makes me scream.

IF you can switch the order of the adjectives,
IF you can put an and between the adjectives,
THEN you use a comma. "The fashionable and lovely Bethany" or "the decrepit and rattle-trap computer."

But if you can't toss in an and, if you can't switch the order of the adjectives, then your words are not "coordinate adjectives" and ought not have the comma. The golden and exuberant retriever? The LSB and new hymns? Nope!


I usually have a good sense of how to employ the commas in these situations, but I've always been a little unsettled because I Learned The Rule in grade school and didn't learn the exceptions. So here's the qualifier for when the comma rule is and is not employed with multiple adjectives. And thus ends my grammar note to myself.

Grungy Grates on the Stovetop

Lesson #1. If you're going to bother turning on the Self-Cleaning feature on the stove, do it for the highest, most intense, longest setting available. The stove is always dirtier than you thought it was.

Lesson #2. The cast-iron grates on my gas stovetop were getting icky. I'd wiped them and washed them, but they were still icky with baked-on spill-overs. I stacked them in the oven while I was cleaning it, and the grates baked clean, quite nicely. Hot dog!

Philip and Tapco on TV

Mom, you're going to want to see this clip!

I Must Be a Grandma

I don't care if the ornaments are clustered in one spot on the tree. I don't care if there are big bare spots. That unevenness is simply evidence that Somebody was here, taking ornaments off the tree, playing with them, making Pooh and Piglet talk to the fireman and the Santa. And that's a happy thing!

Chocolate in the Socks

Lesson learned on Christmas afternoon (the very firstest Christmas in which we hung our socks by the fireplace):

If you want to start a fire for a cozy atmosphere, either
a) remove the socks from their hooks, or
b) remove the chocolate from the socks.

Yup. It's a plan that we shan't forget next year.