I keep bumping into people who seem
1) surprised that I think inflation is a certainty, and
2) can't really understand why I care about inflation.
As for the second one, I suddenly realized that much of the country doesn't know what it's like to live with inflation. Actually, I'm about the youngest of the folks who do. I got my first jobs during the Carter years. I took my high-school and college econ classes during the Carter years. My husband and I were engaged during the Carter years and started planning out our budget and looking for apartments. Some of the money we received as wedding gifts was invested in a CD that paid 18% ... just before a new president changed some policies and began to rein in inflation. (So we really benefited from the rates on that CD!)
People younger than I am didn't have the experience of "buy it NOW because it's going to be more expensive next month!" People younger than I am don't remember what it's like to have a passbook saving account that paid the standard 5% interest (which sounds outrageously high now, in the days of 0.4% interest) and have that money be losing losing losing value.
As for the first (that inflation is a certainty) there is a simple economic principle. If the government has to start printing money to pay out what it wishes to subsidize, then there's more money without anything of value to back it up -- no wealth created but just more paper dollars floating around. This can't do anything BUT result in inflation.* And so when I "worry" about inflation, it's not speculation or irrational fear; it's just an expectation that things will happen according to the way they must happen. If you push the car off the cliff, it will fall and crash, because gravity is an unavoidable law. If you crank up the govt printing presses, we will see inflation. Actually, right now, what I expect to happen with inflation might make the double-digit inflation of the Carter years (that is, just barely slipping past the single-digits) look like "the good old days."
*If this isn't obvious to you, there's a simple book, written for kids, that explains economics in a most understandable way. If only we could get all the Congressmen to read it! Whatever Happened to Penny Candy by Richard Maybury should be available at your library, and it can be read in a few hours or less. But you oughtn't read it that quickly, so that you have time to let it soak in, and time to figure out the ramifications of what he's explaining. Don't let it intimidate you because it's economics; it's perfect for pre-teens and even for bright 3rd-graders.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Comfort Food
We've been listening to some Garrison Keillor tales, including ones about Lutherans and eating.
A little later I was making mashed potatoes for supper, and wondering how often a person would bother making mashed potatoes if he was cooking only for one person. But mashies are one of the easiest ways to serve potatoes to a crowd. There are certain foods that are much easier to make for 1 or 2 people, and other foods that I'd rather make for a crowd. When you're feeding a big family (or 30 or 100 people at a church dinner), it's simpler to serve spaghetti than stir-fry, easier to serve meatloaf and mashed potatoes than chicken-stuffed crepes.
Does it seem that "comfort food" is usually the kind of thing that is more likely to be served in a family-sized crowd? Mac-n-cheese. Beef-n-noodles. Chicken-noodle soup or chili.
It makes me wonder if those kinds of food remind us of days/years past when we ate with a bigger crowd of cousins, or with many siblings around the table. And maybe that's part of the reason it evokes comforting memories?
A little later I was making mashed potatoes for supper, and wondering how often a person would bother making mashed potatoes if he was cooking only for one person. But mashies are one of the easiest ways to serve potatoes to a crowd. There are certain foods that are much easier to make for 1 or 2 people, and other foods that I'd rather make for a crowd. When you're feeding a big family (or 30 or 100 people at a church dinner), it's simpler to serve spaghetti than stir-fry, easier to serve meatloaf and mashed potatoes than chicken-stuffed crepes.
Does it seem that "comfort food" is usually the kind of thing that is more likely to be served in a family-sized crowd? Mac-n-cheese. Beef-n-noodles. Chicken-noodle soup or chili.
It makes me wonder if those kinds of food remind us of days/years past when we ate with a bigger crowd of cousins, or with many siblings around the table. And maybe that's part of the reason it evokes comforting memories?
Dissection
Yuck!
In high-school biology, I didn't dissect anything. My lab partner didn't want to do the lab write-ups and reports, and I didn't want to cut or look at anything. He did the dissections and told me what to write (while I tried not to throw up), and I made it sound good for the teacher. A lovely symbiotic relationship!!
Needless to say, we don't dissect things in our homeschool. A kid can get that opportunity from some teacher at a community college if he needs to.
Sunday, at the education fair (like a science fair, but history and art and music are welcome too), one of the girls there was dissecting a cow eyeball. My kids watched. I hid in a different room and socialized there instead of being educated about eyeballs. Well, I suppose it was a good experience for my students.
Blech!
In high-school biology, I didn't dissect anything. My lab partner didn't want to do the lab write-ups and reports, and I didn't want to cut or look at anything. He did the dissections and told me what to write (while I tried not to throw up), and I made it sound good for the teacher. A lovely symbiotic relationship!!
Needless to say, we don't dissect things in our homeschool. A kid can get that opportunity from some teacher at a community college if he needs to.
Sunday, at the education fair (like a science fair, but history and art and music are welcome too), one of the girls there was dissecting a cow eyeball. My kids watched. I hid in a different room and socialized there instead of being educated about eyeballs. Well, I suppose it was a good experience for my students.
Blech!
Today's Laugh
One beautiful morning, my husband and I decided to go for a drive in the country. Unfortunately, no matter which road we took, we kept seeing dead raccoons lying on the shoulder.
After several miles of this, my husband turned to me and said, "Now I think I know the answer to the age-old question 'Why did the chicken cross the road?'"
"What is it?" I asked.
"Well," he replied, "it was to prove to the raccoons that it could be done."
After several miles of this, my husband turned to me and said, "Now I think I know the answer to the age-old question 'Why did the chicken cross the road?'"
"What is it?" I asked.
"Well," he replied, "it was to prove to the raccoons that it could be done."
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Dumb Cat
The cat loves fresh, running water.
The cat hears me brushing my teeth. Ah ha! That means running water.
She comes galloping into the bathroom, wheels around the corner, leaps onto the toilet as a jump-point to make it to the counter by the sink, and discovers ...
the toilet lid is up.
I never saw a cat scramble out of a toilet so quickly!!!
The cat hears me brushing my teeth. Ah ha! That means running water.
She comes galloping into the bathroom, wheels around the corner, leaps onto the toilet as a jump-point to make it to the counter by the sink, and discovers ...
the toilet lid is up.
I never saw a cat scramble out of a toilet so quickly!!!
Highways
The interstate highway system was built not to make it easier to visit Grandma, not to make the drive to your vacation destination quicker, but for military purposes. The highways provide a way to move troops and equipment around the country in a timely way. They also can be pressed into service as landing strips for airplanes should an emergency arise.
But something else crossed my mind. What if "the walls are breached"? Then the interstate system allows for the enemy to make inroads into the country much more easily.
I remember in the Luther movie, where Cajetan was telling Luther that the Turks were at the door of Vienna and here was Luther making a silly little commotion about theology. You know, Vienna is not that far from Wittenberg! That would be (for me) like having the enemy attacking St Louis, not just New York or San Francisco. And yet, given that we are one nation and not a bunch of feudal states, and given that we do have a system whereby we can easily move around the country, there really isn't any safety in being far away from the battle-lines, is there?
So the roads that are designed to help with defense could very well make it easier for the country to be overrun too.
But something else crossed my mind. What if "the walls are breached"? Then the interstate system allows for the enemy to make inroads into the country much more easily.
I remember in the Luther movie, where Cajetan was telling Luther that the Turks were at the door of Vienna and here was Luther making a silly little commotion about theology. You know, Vienna is not that far from Wittenberg! That would be (for me) like having the enemy attacking St Louis, not just New York or San Francisco. And yet, given that we are one nation and not a bunch of feudal states, and given that we do have a system whereby we can easily move around the country, there really isn't any safety in being far away from the battle-lines, is there?
So the roads that are designed to help with defense could very well make it easier for the country to be overrun too.
The Way Out of Temptation
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? (1 Cor 10:16)
This is our Bible verse for the week, and it is connected to our focus on the Lord's Supper for the next few weeks. In the context of yesterday's [three-year series] epistle which follows shortly after this passage, it has a lot to say about closed communion.
But what I'm noticing is what comes prior to the verse-of-the-week. Earlier in the chapter we hear about the Israelites' idolatry, and how their unbelief resulted in sexual immorality, sassing the prophet, complaining, and tempting Christ. And then Paul says, "Hey, there's a reason I'm telling you this, so that you can watch out for yourselves and your own sinful nature."
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
And then what does he say? He says to "flee temptation" and starts right in on talking about the Holy Communion.
Like as if it's the "way of escape." Like as if it would set our faith aright. Like as if that true faith and that connectedness to Christ's holy body and the Church would result in behavior consistent with right faith, so that we might behave rightly right alongside believing rightly.
This is our Bible verse for the week, and it is connected to our focus on the Lord's Supper for the next few weeks. In the context of yesterday's [three-year series] epistle which follows shortly after this passage, it has a lot to say about closed communion.
But what I'm noticing is what comes prior to the verse-of-the-week. Earlier in the chapter we hear about the Israelites' idolatry, and how their unbelief resulted in sexual immorality, sassing the prophet, complaining, and tempting Christ. And then Paul says, "Hey, there's a reason I'm telling you this, so that you can watch out for yourselves and your own sinful nature."
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
And then what does he say? He says to "flee temptation" and starts right in on talking about the Holy Communion.
Like as if it's the "way of escape." Like as if it would set our faith aright. Like as if that true faith and that connectedness to Christ's holy body and the Church would result in behavior consistent with right faith, so that we might behave rightly right alongside believing rightly.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Vows
We were reading in Bible class recently about Jonah and how he was ready, after being in the great fish, to fulfill his vows. Roger brought up the connection to Psalm 116 which we sing in the offertory: I will pay my vows to the Lord now in the presence of all His people. What are those vows anyway?
We so often think of vows as my promises of what I will do (with the Holy Spirit's help, of course).
Pastor asked us, instead, to think of vows as confessions of faith. In baptism when we renounce the devil and all his works and all his ways, when we make a vow that we will hold to the faith in the Creed, these are not ideas that I come up with about what I will do. Rather, it is the New Man of faith in me --Christ in me-- who desires these things. And since I am in Christ, and He is in me, and I trust in Him, and He has joined me to Himself, therefore I will of course confess the truth. So my vows are not made because of arm-twisting, or because I have been conquered, or because I am showing off my piety. But my vows are made because I am agreeing that what God says/wants is true and good.
We so often think of vows as my promises of what I will do (with the Holy Spirit's help, of course).
Pastor asked us, instead, to think of vows as confessions of faith. In baptism when we renounce the devil and all his works and all his ways, when we make a vow that we will hold to the faith in the Creed, these are not ideas that I come up with about what I will do. Rather, it is the New Man of faith in me --Christ in me-- who desires these things. And since I am in Christ, and He is in me, and I trust in Him, and He has joined me to Himself, therefore I will of course confess the truth. So my vows are not made because of arm-twisting, or because I have been conquered, or because I am showing off my piety. But my vows are made because I am agreeing that what God says/wants is true and good.
Psalm 147
Our psalm-0f-the-week last week was 147. I was confused. There was all this good stuff: God sends rain for the grass to grow, He feeds the animals, He makes the stars twinkle, He forgives our sin, He protects us from harm, etc. Aren't those nice, happy things?
But then there was the part about snow and hail and frost and cold. Now, to my way of thinking, those are bad things. I like summer! I am not interested in snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. When I asked, "So are those things good too?" Pastor answered, "Of course, because they are from God."
Snow? Good. Hmmm.
But as he continued to talk, I began to realize that I'd asked the wrong question. I should've asked, "Are those happy things?" Pastor was making the point that what God ordains is always good, even if it's illness or poverty or death. Or snow and hail and cold. Or illness or poverty or death.
But then there was the part about snow and hail and frost and cold. Now, to my way of thinking, those are bad things. I like summer! I am not interested in snowmobiling and cross-country skiing. When I asked, "So are those things good too?" Pastor answered, "Of course, because they are from God."
Snow? Good. Hmmm.
But as he continued to talk, I began to realize that I'd asked the wrong question. I should've asked, "Are those happy things?" Pastor was making the point that what God ordains is always good, even if it's illness or poverty or death. Or snow and hail and cold. Or illness or poverty or death.
Genesis 2:8
The Lord God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.
God created this lovely home, full of already-grown trees and canes and shrubs and vines, and put Adam there to tend it. Adam didn't have to start from scratch.
That's what God did for Israel too. When He brought them out of Egypt, He sent them into Canaan where they would receive houses already built, vines already mature and producing, fig trees that they did not have to plant themselves, and even barns that already had critters in them.
God created this lovely home, full of already-grown trees and canes and shrubs and vines, and put Adam there to tend it. Adam didn't have to start from scratch.
That's what God did for Israel too. When He brought them out of Egypt, He sent them into Canaan where they would receive houses already built, vines already mature and producing, fig trees that they did not have to plant themselves, and even barns that already had critters in them.
Today's Laugh
The 8-yr-old boy had never spoken a word -- ever. One afternoon, as he sat eating his lunch he turned to his mother and said, "Soup's cold."
His astonished mother exclaimed, "Son, I've waited so long to hear you speak. But all these years you never said anything. Why haven't you spoken before?"
The boy looked at her and replied, "Up until now, everything's been okay."
His astonished mother exclaimed, "Son, I've waited so long to hear you speak. But all these years you never said anything. Why haven't you spoken before?"
The boy looked at her and replied, "Up until now, everything's been okay."
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Why I Blog
Someone told me once that I had no business blogging if I were going to say anything theological and then not engage in whatever debates might arise from it, and then this person told me I ought to shut down my blog. That conversation crosses my mind whenever somebody asks, "So why do you do that?" or "Don't you think you should consider using your time in a different way?"
I started blogging because Maggie's open-heart surgery was coming up. With previous surgeries, there were SO many phone calls to make, so many people waiting to hear the news from each day. Hospitals now having "caring bridge" websites which certainly help with updating the loved ones. Instead, I started a blog.
Now, I blog for a couple of reasons. One is to show pictures of my grand-daughter to my mommy. (I really ought to put up some pictures of the house too.) Similarly, it lets me keep my kids and my mommy and a few friends up-to-date on the mundane aspects of life, so that during phone calls we don't have to get up-to-speed on those things.
Another reason to blog is because sometimes there are things I've figured out that other people want to know: kombucha brewing, or my bleach-and-milk stain remover, or stove-cleaning. A blog is also a handy place to store recipes or to share them with friends who asked for a particular recipe.
And then I also blog about things that I'm pondering from church or about something Pastor said that I want to remember. I don't write those things for anybody but me; it's an entirely selfish endeavor. It helps me think through those concepts, or remember them. Or sometimes it's just that it's easier to write a paragraph on my blog than attempting to squeeze it into the margin of my Bible, and it's easier to find those notes later when I have only a vague recollection of the topic (seeing as how the blog has a "search" feature while my Bible has tissue-papery pages that have to be flipped by hand).
So now, with my computer-time being SO limited, and the computer being relatively inaccessible, my brain is filling up with stuff I want to remember, but cannot think about and ponder whilst my brain is full and whilst my body is busy/distracted by the laundry and the dishes and the onion-chopping which all need to be done. For those who know what's in Dumbledore's office, my blog is my pensieve. And I get discombobulated when my pensieve is unavailable to me.
I started blogging because Maggie's open-heart surgery was coming up. With previous surgeries, there were SO many phone calls to make, so many people waiting to hear the news from each day. Hospitals now having "caring bridge" websites which certainly help with updating the loved ones. Instead, I started a blog.
Now, I blog for a couple of reasons. One is to show pictures of my grand-daughter to my mommy. (I really ought to put up some pictures of the house too.) Similarly, it lets me keep my kids and my mommy and a few friends up-to-date on the mundane aspects of life, so that during phone calls we don't have to get up-to-speed on those things.
Another reason to blog is because sometimes there are things I've figured out that other people want to know: kombucha brewing, or my bleach-and-milk stain remover, or stove-cleaning. A blog is also a handy place to store recipes or to share them with friends who asked for a particular recipe.
And then I also blog about things that I'm pondering from church or about something Pastor said that I want to remember. I don't write those things for anybody but me; it's an entirely selfish endeavor. It helps me think through those concepts, or remember them. Or sometimes it's just that it's easier to write a paragraph on my blog than attempting to squeeze it into the margin of my Bible, and it's easier to find those notes later when I have only a vague recollection of the topic (seeing as how the blog has a "search" feature while my Bible has tissue-papery pages that have to be flipped by hand).
So now, with my computer-time being SO limited, and the computer being relatively inaccessible, my brain is filling up with stuff I want to remember, but cannot think about and ponder whilst my brain is full and whilst my body is busy/distracted by the laundry and the dishes and the onion-chopping which all need to be done. For those who know what's in Dumbledore's office, my blog is my pensieve. And I get discombobulated when my pensieve is unavailable to me.
Computer Repairs
Weeks spent hobbling through days with a computer that wasn't functioning properly. A day here, or two days there, spent researching problems and fixing and repairing. And the machine got sicker and sicker. After two full days early last week of finding bigger problems every time I "fixed" something, I gave up. I was going to wipe the hard-drive and reinstall everything and start fresh.
So, with much trepidation I did so. It took two days, and I thought I was almost done. Things were working properly. I had begun loading back into the computer WordPerfect and the driver for the printer and Adobe Reader and all those things. I hadn't yet put back the photos and the word-processing documents, but I had re-installed the old emails and the addresses.
And the garbage came back.
The spyware is nabbing the nasties again.
Hard-to-eradicate trojan horses are back on the computer.
And the system is beginning to be unstable again (that is, shutting itself down of its own accord).
So, back to the drawing board.
I get to re-wipe the hard-drive, and re-re-install all the programs.
But now I'm skeptical.
I think the personal files I backed up are done for.
A couple of people told me to try deleting all the emails that have attachments and then going through the process. Maybe I won't lose ALL the emails this way. I'm still pondering whether I want to try that, knowing that it might not work, and that I might be stuck with yet another re-install this week. Of course, if that happens, I'll be getting better and better at all this computer stuff.
One person suggested running a virus-scan on the external hard-drive where the emails were backed up. That might tell me something before I resort to deleting all those precious old files.
My thought was to go ahead and re-install all my personal files on the contaminated machine, and spend several days printing out whatever I find that I absolutely must keep (certain letters, kids' high-school transcripts, articles I've written for magazines, etc). I'm also wondering if it would be spreading the infection if I sent all our digital photos to Walgreens for regular print-copies and/or uploaded a bunch of them to blogger before I lose them. When that is done, I could just wipe everything off the computer and reload nothing personal.
Y'know, a person prays for self-discipline. So God says, "Okay, here's what we'll do. I'll take the computer away from you so that you can't keep wasting time on it."
So now four of us are sharing Gary's computer. That computer is in the cold basement, downstairs, away from the family, away from whatever is cooking on the stove (and ought not to be burning!), in the dark. I am, against my will, learning to not be quite so dependent on the computer. Even though I am spending unbelievable numbers of hours trying to make these repairs (as Lauri mentioned happens at her house too), I am learning to skip some topics on my homeschool email list, and I am learning that the world will not come to an end if I don't read all the blogs I want to read. But I betcha I haven't learned that lesson well enough yet....
So, with much trepidation I did so. It took two days, and I thought I was almost done. Things were working properly. I had begun loading back into the computer WordPerfect and the driver for the printer and Adobe Reader and all those things. I hadn't yet put back the photos and the word-processing documents, but I had re-installed the old emails and the addresses.
And the garbage came back.
The spyware is nabbing the nasties again.
Hard-to-eradicate trojan horses are back on the computer.
And the system is beginning to be unstable again (that is, shutting itself down of its own accord).
So, back to the drawing board.
I get to re-wipe the hard-drive, and re-re-install all the programs.
But now I'm skeptical.
I think the personal files I backed up are done for.
A couple of people told me to try deleting all the emails that have attachments and then going through the process. Maybe I won't lose ALL the emails this way. I'm still pondering whether I want to try that, knowing that it might not work, and that I might be stuck with yet another re-install this week. Of course, if that happens, I'll be getting better and better at all this computer stuff.
One person suggested running a virus-scan on the external hard-drive where the emails were backed up. That might tell me something before I resort to deleting all those precious old files.
My thought was to go ahead and re-install all my personal files on the contaminated machine, and spend several days printing out whatever I find that I absolutely must keep (certain letters, kids' high-school transcripts, articles I've written for magazines, etc). I'm also wondering if it would be spreading the infection if I sent all our digital photos to Walgreens for regular print-copies and/or uploaded a bunch of them to blogger before I lose them. When that is done, I could just wipe everything off the computer and reload nothing personal.
Y'know, a person prays for self-discipline. So God says, "Okay, here's what we'll do. I'll take the computer away from you so that you can't keep wasting time on it."
So now four of us are sharing Gary's computer. That computer is in the cold basement, downstairs, away from the family, away from whatever is cooking on the stove (and ought not to be burning!), in the dark. I am, against my will, learning to not be quite so dependent on the computer. Even though I am spending unbelievable numbers of hours trying to make these repairs (as Lauri mentioned happens at her house too), I am learning to skip some topics on my homeschool email list, and I am learning that the world will not come to an end if I don't read all the blogs I want to read. But I betcha I haven't learned that lesson well enough yet....
Today's Laugh
A blonde woman was sick and tired of all these blonde jokes and how all blondes are perceived as stupid. She made up her mind that she would show her husband that blondes really are smart.
One day, while he was at work, she purchased a can of paint and decided to repaint the living room. Her husband arrived home at 5:30 and smelled the distinctive odor of paint. He walked into the living room and found his wife lying on the floor in a pool of sweat. He observed that she was wearing a ski jacket as well as a fur coat. He went over to her and asked if she was OK. She acknowledged that she was.
He then asked what she was doing. She replied that she had set out to prove to him that not all blondes are dumb and, to do so, she had elected to paint the living room. He then asked why she was wearing both a ski jacket and a fur coat. Her response was that she had read the directions on the paint can which said, "For best results, put on two coats."
One day, while he was at work, she purchased a can of paint and decided to repaint the living room. Her husband arrived home at 5:30 and smelled the distinctive odor of paint. He walked into the living room and found his wife lying on the floor in a pool of sweat. He observed that she was wearing a ski jacket as well as a fur coat. He went over to her and asked if she was OK. She acknowledged that she was.
He then asked what she was doing. She replied that she had set out to prove to him that not all blondes are dumb and, to do so, she had elected to paint the living room. He then asked why she was wearing both a ski jacket and a fur coat. Her response was that she had read the directions on the paint can which said, "For best results, put on two coats."
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The Screwdriver Meets the Computer ....
So the computer-duncehead has to backup her computer, wipe her hard-drive, and re-install everything from scratch.
Hoo boy.
So yesterday I slowly and painstakingly read what was written on the screens, translated it into English from computo-jargonese, and figured out which button to push. With only two or threes pleas for help from my son-in-law, I re-installed the operating system. But I couldn't continue with Spybot, Zone Alarm, and AVG (much less anything interesting) until I could access the internet. That means I needed access to the wireless monitor in the house. That means I needed a "driver" for my computer to talk to the little box that slurps the Internet off the cables, into the house, and sends it beaming out into the airwaves of my home.
That means we had to reinstall not only the software but also the hardware. Okay, that means we need to unscrew the little doober-jobbie that hooks the antenna into the hard-wiring of the computer. Okie-dokie. Grab the screwdriver from the kitchen drawer.
But, man! We were having problems. A screen would disappear. Or the machine would say, "Okay, we're halfway through the installation. Now turn off the machine. Attach the hardware piece. Turn the machine back on. And we'll pick up the software installation where we left off." And then it wouldn't! The nerve of it!
After repeated tries, and we were finally on a roll, thinking we would make it, suddenly we plopped out of Proper Installation Mode and had the screen go belly-up on us again. And it crossed Gary's mind:
We're using a magnetized screwdriver.
We were fine as long as we turned the screws by hand. But the second we touched the screwdriver to the screw, we were messing with the magnetism in the machine, and it flipped out.
Good grief.
Everybody knows to keep magnets away from the computer.
But then there are those tricksy tools, disguising themselves as helping-hands, when they're really computer-crashers.
As much as I'd rather pay somebody to do this, we just can't afford that. So I guess I keep learning lessons about the computer these days. (Boy, I'm glad Nathan is just a phone call away!)
Hoo boy.
So yesterday I slowly and painstakingly read what was written on the screens, translated it into English from computo-jargonese, and figured out which button to push. With only two or threes pleas for help from my son-in-law, I re-installed the operating system. But I couldn't continue with Spybot, Zone Alarm, and AVG (much less anything interesting) until I could access the internet. That means I needed access to the wireless monitor in the house. That means I needed a "driver" for my computer to talk to the little box that slurps the Internet off the cables, into the house, and sends it beaming out into the airwaves of my home.
That means we had to reinstall not only the software but also the hardware. Okay, that means we need to unscrew the little doober-jobbie that hooks the antenna into the hard-wiring of the computer. Okie-dokie. Grab the screwdriver from the kitchen drawer.
But, man! We were having problems. A screen would disappear. Or the machine would say, "Okay, we're halfway through the installation. Now turn off the machine. Attach the hardware piece. Turn the machine back on. And we'll pick up the software installation where we left off." And then it wouldn't! The nerve of it!
After repeated tries, and we were finally on a roll, thinking we would make it, suddenly we plopped out of Proper Installation Mode and had the screen go belly-up on us again. And it crossed Gary's mind:
We're using a magnetized screwdriver.
We were fine as long as we turned the screws by hand. But the second we touched the screwdriver to the screw, we were messing with the magnetism in the machine, and it flipped out.
Good grief.
Everybody knows to keep magnets away from the computer.
But then there are those tricksy tools, disguising themselves as helping-hands, when they're really computer-crashers.
As much as I'd rather pay somebody to do this, we just can't afford that. So I guess I keep learning lessons about the computer these days. (Boy, I'm glad Nathan is just a phone call away!)
Dressing Up for Church
This week I could finally wear a dress to church on Wednesday night. For the preceding weeks, it had been cold. Cold in the house. Wicked cold outside. And not exactly toasty warm in the church. I could not bring myself to change out of my jeans and put on a dress [read: "have naked legs"] for church.
I suppose it may be due in part to how I was raised, but I feel funny when I don't dress up for church. I don't think it's a rule, so don't think I'm condemning people who show up to church in play-clothes or sweatsuits. Sometimes that's necessary. And to some extent, it's a relief to know that you are free to go to church in not-so-nice clothes, like when the time got away from you in the garden or on errands, and it's "go a little grubby or don't go at all," or when a kid is going through a big growth spurt and you can't afford nice clothes that will last him only 4-6 wearings before he outgrows them.
But still, I feel funny when I'm at the Divine Service in pants.
I suppose it may be due in part to how I was raised, but I feel funny when I don't dress up for church. I don't think it's a rule, so don't think I'm condemning people who show up to church in play-clothes or sweatsuits. Sometimes that's necessary. And to some extent, it's a relief to know that you are free to go to church in not-so-nice clothes, like when the time got away from you in the garden or on errands, and it's "go a little grubby or don't go at all," or when a kid is going through a big growth spurt and you can't afford nice clothes that will last him only 4-6 wearings before he outgrows them.
But still, I feel funny when I'm at the Divine Service in pants.
Today's Laugh
A little boy comes home from first grade and tells his father that he learned about the history of Valentine's Day. "As Valentine's Day is for a Christian saint and we're Jewish," he asks, "will God get angry at me for giving someone a valentine?"
The father thinks for a moment and then says, "No, I don't think God would get mad. Who do you want to give a valentine to?"
"Osama Bin Laden," the boy says.
"Why Osama??" his father asks in disbelief.
"Well," David says, "I thought that if a little American Jewish boy could have enough love to give Osama a valentine, he might start to think that maybe we're not all bad, and maybe start loving people a little bit. And if other kids saw what I did and sent valentines to Osama, he'd jump with joy. And then he'd go all over and tell everyone how much he loved them and how he didn't hate anyone anymore."
Father's heart swells and he looks at his son with newfound pride and joy. "David, that's the most wonderful thing I've ever heard."
"I know," David says, "and once that gets him out in the open, the Marines shoot him."
The father thinks for a moment and then says, "No, I don't think God would get mad. Who do you want to give a valentine to?"
"Osama Bin Laden," the boy says.
"Why Osama??" his father asks in disbelief.
"Well," David says, "I thought that if a little American Jewish boy could have enough love to give Osama a valentine, he might start to think that maybe we're not all bad, and maybe start loving people a little bit. And if other kids saw what I did and sent valentines to Osama, he'd jump with joy. And then he'd go all over and tell everyone how much he loved them and how he didn't hate anyone anymore."
Father's heart swells and he looks at his son with newfound pride and joy. "David, that's the most wonderful thing I've ever heard."
"I know," David says, "and once that gets him out in the open, the Marines shoot him."
Friday, February 13, 2009
Matthew 18:20
If two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask, it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My name, there I am in the midst of them.
I have heard that verse used to assure people that it's okay if only a few show up for church services. After all, God is still there with them. And that's true.
I have heard that verse used to support social activities at church, like dartball or potlucks or an outing to the roller rink. That's just totally taking the verse out of context, where the "agreement" and the "gathered" is clearly about bestowing the absolution on the penitent.
Pastor said during prayers today that he has heard this verse used to claim that God's will was being done whenever the church voted on matters of carpeting or refinancing the mortgage or whatever.
What I'd never heard (until today) was that there are two people together in the confessional, and they agree. That is, they CONfess. The sinner agrees with God about his sin. The sinner agrees with God about His remedy for sin. The pastor obviously agrees with God because he's the one speaking God's message. And so "what they agree upon" --that is, the forgiveness applied to the sinner-- will be done for them by My Father in heaven. Jesus is surely in that place where confession is heard and the absolution is spoken.
I have heard that verse used to assure people that it's okay if only a few show up for church services. After all, God is still there with them. And that's true.
I have heard that verse used to support social activities at church, like dartball or potlucks or an outing to the roller rink. That's just totally taking the verse out of context, where the "agreement" and the "gathered" is clearly about bestowing the absolution on the penitent.
Pastor said during prayers today that he has heard this verse used to claim that God's will was being done whenever the church voted on matters of carpeting or refinancing the mortgage or whatever.
What I'd never heard (until today) was that there are two people together in the confessional, and they agree. That is, they CONfess. The sinner agrees with God about his sin. The sinner agrees with God about His remedy for sin. The pastor obviously agrees with God because he's the one speaking God's message. And so "what they agree upon" --that is, the forgiveness applied to the sinner-- will be done for them by My Father in heaven. Jesus is surely in that place where confession is heard and the absolution is spoken.
Exercise and Depression
"They say" that exercise helps with depression. Every now and then you get a chance --against your will-- to check that out with a nice, scientific experiment. For the last week, sores on my feet prevented my 2-3 miles of brisk walking daily ... even on those absolutely gorgeous and sunny (and warm!) days. And boy, my mood sure has taken a hit. Of course, the "stimulus" package from Congress, the notice that there will be no raises at work, and the broken computer haven't exactly brought cheer -- although "no layoffs at work" IS good news.
I've learned this lesson before about the exercise. It's important for me to remember that the daily outdoor exercise is critical to health, and not just for long-term health, but even for next week's health. But there's not a lot you can do when you have to walk around the house gingerly to do simple things like set the table or throw in a load of laundry. My owies are improving, though, and I'm hoping to give it a whirl again soon for the walking.
I've learned this lesson before about the exercise. It's important for me to remember that the daily outdoor exercise is critical to health, and not just for long-term health, but even for next week's health. But there's not a lot you can do when you have to walk around the house gingerly to do simple things like set the table or throw in a load of laundry. My owies are improving, though, and I'm hoping to give it a whirl again soon for the walking.
Today's Laugh
A man walks into a post office one day and sees a middle-aged, balding man standing at the counter methodically placing "Love" stamps on bright pink envelopes with hearts all over them. He then takes out a perfume bottle and starts spraying scent all over them.
His curiosity gets the better of him; he goes up to the balding man and asks him what he is doing.
The man says, "I'm sending out 1,000 valentines signed, 'Guess who?'"
"But why?" asks the man.
"I'm a divorce lawyer," the man replies.
His curiosity gets the better of him; he goes up to the balding man and asks him what he is doing.
The man says, "I'm sending out 1,000 valentines signed, 'Guess who?'"
"But why?" asks the man.
"I'm a divorce lawyer," the man replies.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Jonah 3:9
Who can tell if God will turn and relent,
and turn away from His fierce anger,
so that we may not perish?
I had always thought this was a "contritionism" (i.e. a belief that God forgives me because I'm sorry) and it didn't make sense to me. The Ninevite king was brought to repentance and called upon his people to repent and turn from their evil ways. "And maybe God will decide not to zot us after all??"
But in Bible class today Pastor pointed out that this wasn't so much an attempt to manipulate God by making a nice sorry-face and sorry-words. This was more like when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego declared that their God was able to save them from the fiery furnace, but that even if He didn't, they still would worship the true God and not bow down to Nebuchnezzar's idol (Daniel 3:17). Or like when Job told his pietistic friends, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" (3:15).
What matters is that we do not perish eternally. God may choose to spare us on earth from cancer or war or poverty. But whether or not He spares us temporally, He will without doubt not permit us to perish forever.
and turn away from His fierce anger,
so that we may not perish?
I had always thought this was a "contritionism" (i.e. a belief that God forgives me because I'm sorry) and it didn't make sense to me. The Ninevite king was brought to repentance and called upon his people to repent and turn from their evil ways. "And maybe God will decide not to zot us after all??"
But in Bible class today Pastor pointed out that this wasn't so much an attempt to manipulate God by making a nice sorry-face and sorry-words. This was more like when Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego declared that their God was able to save them from the fiery furnace, but that even if He didn't, they still would worship the true God and not bow down to Nebuchnezzar's idol (Daniel 3:17). Or like when Job told his pietistic friends, "Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him" (3:15).
What matters is that we do not perish eternally. God may choose to spare us on earth from cancer or war or poverty. But whether or not He spares us temporally, He will without doubt not permit us to perish forever.
Three Days
In Bible class today, Pastor mentioned how Jonah was a picture of Christ in his own self, in that he was "dead" and then came alive again when the fish vomited him out onto dry land. Saul/Paul was the same: Saul "died" on the road to Damascus and then was made alive again.
Interestingly enough, Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days, and Paul sat waiting for Ananias to arrive for, also, three days.
Interestingly enough, Jonah was in the belly of the fish for three days, and Paul sat waiting for Ananias to arrive for, also, three days.
Today's Laugh
The drunk was driving home after an evening at his favorite bar. A policeman pulled him over. The policemen asked the driver if he had been drinking. The driver admitted he'd "had a few."
The policeman then asked the driver, "Did you know your wife fell out of your vehicle about two intersections back down the street?"
The drunk threw his hands in the air and shouted, "Thank heavens! Thank God! I thought I suddenly went deaf!!"
The policeman then asked the driver, "Did you know your wife fell out of your vehicle about two intersections back down the street?"
The drunk threw his hands in the air and shouted, "Thank heavens! Thank God! I thought I suddenly went deaf!!"
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Computer Frustrations
For the last six weeks my computer problems have been growing. I have spent two full days now with a computer full of messes -- days when it was beautifully sunny and there was something better to do than pull my hair out over computer repairs at which I am quite inept. The computer shuts itself down repeatedly. I have to keep running the programs that find and remove spyware and viruses. It refuses to open new windows until rebooted twice or more. I may be a computer addict, but this is bad enough that even I don't want to have anything more to do with the machine. I can borrow Gary's or the library's, but my computer is worse than useless at this point.
Now we have to figure out whether to risk the bill to repair it, not knowing how big the bill will be. Or whether to buy a new one. Or whether to learn to live without it. None of those are good choices.
Now we have to figure out whether to risk the bill to repair it, not knowing how big the bill will be. Or whether to buy a new one. Or whether to learn to live without it. None of those are good choices.
Today's Laugh
A lawyer was driving much too fast down a country road. He ran a stop sign and broadsided another car. The lawyer jumped out of his car, ran to the other driver, and pulled him out of the wreck. The other driver said, "I'm fine. I'm just a bit shaken up."
The lawyer then reached into his jacket and gave the driver a flask and said, "Here's some brandy that I keep handy for medicinal purposes." The driver took several large swigs of the brandy and handed the flask back to the attorney, who promptly put the cap back on and returned it to his jacket.
"Aren't you going to have some?" the driver inquired.
"Sure," said the attorney, "right after the cops leave."
The lawyer then reached into his jacket and gave the driver a flask and said, "Here's some brandy that I keep handy for medicinal purposes." The driver took several large swigs of the brandy and handed the flask back to the attorney, who promptly put the cap back on and returned it to his jacket.
"Aren't you going to have some?" the driver inquired.
"Sure," said the attorney, "right after the cops leave."
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Pollyanna
Maggie and I recently read Pollyanna. I'd never read it before; I only knew that calling somebody "Pollyanna" was usually used as an insult which meant the person lived in Lala-land and couldn't see the reality of suffering and distress around them, somebody who always put on a fakey cheerful exterior for the rest of the world to see.
But that's not what I got from the book. Now, granted, we read an abridged version because I am a bear of very little brain. (My pride really took a hit when I was visiting at our church-school's open house, and the girls were reading Sense and Sensibility and I was pretty well clueless. Good thing my daughters taught Jane Austen to themselves!) The story of Pollyanna was fun to read. There was a bit of romance. A bit of childhood fun and wonder. A bit of adult drama. And the story of how love changes people. And it's about mercy and forgiveness. And for those who love to talk about "vocation," the story handles that well too. But honestly, some of what I'm writing makes it sound stuffy. It's really a fun book to read. Well, at least, our dumbed-down, abridged version was fun to read!
One of the things Pollyanna did was play the "glad game" her father taught her. They would try to find something to be glad about, no matter how terrible a situation might arise. Every cloud has a silver lining. God works in all things for the good of those who love Him, the ones called according to His purposes.
Since we finished Pollyanna, I've been noticing the word "glad" as I pray my psalms each day. Wow! "Glad" is in there a lot! But it's not "glad" that the sun is shining (even though I am very happy about that!), or "glad" that my old car hasn't bit the dust, or "glad" that my grown-up kids attend church. The "gladness" in the psalter is almost always the joy of sins forgiven, the comfort that we are IN Christ, the blessing that we have eternal life with the Lord. As Moses wrote, God makes us glad according to the days He has afflicted us. That's just weird -- the gladness in the midst of affliction.
And yet, there is no true joy, even in the happy things of life, unless we have forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. And even when the happy things of life are missing, even when our minds play tricks on us and make us miserable, even when the world and the demons attack, they cannot take away what God has done for us. When we believe that, when we really really believe that, against all evidence to the contrary, there is no way that we can be robbed of gladness of heart. [God have mercy on me for all the unbelief and idolatry which makes me focus on my circumstances instead of trusting in what His Word gives.]
I'm getting far afield. I just wanted to say that Pollyanna is a good book. But now my brain is full of Gerhardt hymns:
If God Himself be for me, I may a host defy....
Rejoice my heart, be glad and sing....
O Love, how cheering is Thy ray! All pain before Thy presence flies...
But that's not what I got from the book. Now, granted, we read an abridged version because I am a bear of very little brain. (My pride really took a hit when I was visiting at our church-school's open house, and the girls were reading Sense and Sensibility and I was pretty well clueless. Good thing my daughters taught Jane Austen to themselves!) The story of Pollyanna was fun to read. There was a bit of romance. A bit of childhood fun and wonder. A bit of adult drama. And the story of how love changes people. And it's about mercy and forgiveness. And for those who love to talk about "vocation," the story handles that well too. But honestly, some of what I'm writing makes it sound stuffy. It's really a fun book to read. Well, at least, our dumbed-down, abridged version was fun to read!
One of the things Pollyanna did was play the "glad game" her father taught her. They would try to find something to be glad about, no matter how terrible a situation might arise. Every cloud has a silver lining. God works in all things for the good of those who love Him, the ones called according to His purposes.
Since we finished Pollyanna, I've been noticing the word "glad" as I pray my psalms each day. Wow! "Glad" is in there a lot! But it's not "glad" that the sun is shining (even though I am very happy about that!), or "glad" that my old car hasn't bit the dust, or "glad" that my grown-up kids attend church. The "gladness" in the psalter is almost always the joy of sins forgiven, the comfort that we are IN Christ, the blessing that we have eternal life with the Lord. As Moses wrote, God makes us glad according to the days He has afflicted us. That's just weird -- the gladness in the midst of affliction.
And yet, there is no true joy, even in the happy things of life, unless we have forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation. And even when the happy things of life are missing, even when our minds play tricks on us and make us miserable, even when the world and the demons attack, they cannot take away what God has done for us. When we believe that, when we really really believe that, against all evidence to the contrary, there is no way that we can be robbed of gladness of heart. [God have mercy on me for all the unbelief and idolatry which makes me focus on my circumstances instead of trusting in what His Word gives.]
I'm getting far afield. I just wanted to say that Pollyanna is a good book. But now my brain is full of Gerhardt hymns:
If God Himself be for me, I may a host defy....
Rejoice my heart, be glad and sing....
O Love, how cheering is Thy ray! All pain before Thy presence flies...
Today's Laugh
What do fishermen and hypochondriacs have in common?
They don't have to catch anything to be happy.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What do Attila the Hun and Kermit the Frog have in common?
The same middle name.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
How can you tell if a blonde is making chocolate chip cookies?
There are M&M shells on the kitchen counter.
They don't have to catch anything to be happy.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
What do Attila the Hun and Kermit the Frog have in common?
The same middle name.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
How can you tell if a blonde is making chocolate chip cookies?
There are M&M shells on the kitchen counter.
Monday, February 09, 2009
What the Rates Indicate
We're refinancing the house. Interest rates dropped low enough that it was clearly advantageous to us to pay the costs of refinancing so that we could lower the monthly mortgage payments. (Quick, quick, before the rates go up. Because they're gonna go up.) Our mistake last year was that we didn't know something that "everybody" knows -- that you can lock-in the rates when they get to a number you like.
What's weird this year is that the rates for shorter-term mortgages are higher than for the 30-yr mortgages. That's not the way it was last year. And it's not even reasonable. The banks like to give better rates to the people who will have the money for a shorter time. But we keep finding the 15-yr rates to be the same as the 30-yr rates, or even slightly higher. The 20-yr rates are higher yet.
Seems to me that there is trepidation out there about what interest rates and inflation are going to be doing in the next years, but that the banks expect (or hope?) things will even out in the long term.
And still, Congress is promising us a "bail out package" that will "bail out" the representatives from those who accuse them of not bringing home enough pork, while leaving the taxpayers holding the bag full of IOUs. I'm wondering if maybe it's a good sign that the banks are at least expecting that the economic times will actually begin recovering in 20 years. I guess I'm not even that optimistic.
What's weird this year is that the rates for shorter-term mortgages are higher than for the 30-yr mortgages. That's not the way it was last year. And it's not even reasonable. The banks like to give better rates to the people who will have the money for a shorter time. But we keep finding the 15-yr rates to be the same as the 30-yr rates, or even slightly higher. The 20-yr rates are higher yet.
Seems to me that there is trepidation out there about what interest rates and inflation are going to be doing in the next years, but that the banks expect (or hope?) things will even out in the long term.
And still, Congress is promising us a "bail out package" that will "bail out" the representatives from those who accuse them of not bringing home enough pork, while leaving the taxpayers holding the bag full of IOUs. I'm wondering if maybe it's a good sign that the banks are at least expecting that the economic times will actually begin recovering in 20 years. I guess I'm not even that optimistic.
Cutting Costs
Our local newspaper is running some stories on how people in the area are coping with the recession and what effects the national economic conditions are having on local businesses.
Most interesting to me was the interview with the manager of the grocery store. The grocery store has seen its business improve. This I expected.
But here's what got me. The manager said the MEAT DEPT is leading in sales now. His reason was that people aren't eating out. So they're buying their steaks and roasts from Piggly Wiggly instead of from Outback.
And I'm thinking....
WHAT??? The MEAT DEPT is leading sales? So my version of cutting costs is less meat and more legumes, more potatoes and cabbage and less of apples or berries. And other people's version of cutting costs is buying meat to cook at home instead of eating at restaurants. Oy.
Most interesting to me was the interview with the manager of the grocery store. The grocery store has seen its business improve. This I expected.
But here's what got me. The manager said the MEAT DEPT is leading in sales now. His reason was that people aren't eating out. So they're buying their steaks and roasts from Piggly Wiggly instead of from Outback.
And I'm thinking....
WHAT??? The MEAT DEPT is leading sales? So my version of cutting costs is less meat and more legumes, more potatoes and cabbage and less of apples or berries. And other people's version of cutting costs is buying meat to cook at home instead of eating at restaurants. Oy.
Today's Laugh
Julie, the blonde, was getting pretty desperate for money. She decided to go to the nicer, more affluent neighborhoods to look for odd jobs, as a handy-woman.
At the very first house she came to, a man answered the door and told Julie, "Yeah, I have a job for you. How would you like to paint the porch?"
"Sure, that sounds great!" said Julie.
"Well, how much do you want me to pay you?" asked the man.
"Is fifty bucks all right?" Julie asked.
"Yeah, great," said the man. "You'll find paint and brushes and all you'll need in the garage."
The man went back inside his house where his wife had been listening. "Fifty bucks! Does she know the porch goes all the way around the house?" asked the wife.
"Well, she must know, she was standing right on the porch when we made the deal!" her husband replied.
About 45 minutes later, Julie knocked on the door and the man let her in the house. "I'm all finished," she told the surprised homeowner.
The man was amazed. "You already painted the entire porch?" he asked.
"Yeah," Julie replied, "I even had some paint left so I put on two coats!"
The man reached for his wallet to pay Julie. "Oh, and by the way," said Julie, "that's not a Porch. It's a Ferrari."
At the very first house she came to, a man answered the door and told Julie, "Yeah, I have a job for you. How would you like to paint the porch?"
"Sure, that sounds great!" said Julie.
"Well, how much do you want me to pay you?" asked the man.
"Is fifty bucks all right?" Julie asked.
"Yeah, great," said the man. "You'll find paint and brushes and all you'll need in the garage."
The man went back inside his house where his wife had been listening. "Fifty bucks! Does she know the porch goes all the way around the house?" asked the wife.
"Well, she must know, she was standing right on the porch when we made the deal!" her husband replied.
About 45 minutes later, Julie knocked on the door and the man let her in the house. "I'm all finished," she told the surprised homeowner.
The man was amazed. "You already painted the entire porch?" he asked.
"Yeah," Julie replied, "I even had some paint left so I put on two coats!"
The man reached for his wallet to pay Julie. "Oh, and by the way," said Julie, "that's not a Porch. It's a Ferrari."
Sunday, February 08, 2009
Singing
I love to sing. I don't have a very pretty voice, though. Just kinda "adequate," good enough to teach my kids to sing the liturgy and hymns, good enough croon to babies while rocking them or nursing them, good enough that I haven't been kicked out of choir yet.
When we had our high-school church-choir reunion a few years back, somebody had put on an audio-tape of one of our musicals. The girl with the prettiest voice in choir heard the part of the tape where I had my tiny little solo one year and said, "Oh, that's bad enough to hurt your ears. WHO was that???" I didn't volunteer the answer, I was so embarrassed. But it didn't surprise me; I actually kinda agreed with her.
But Rachel and Katie have beautiful voices. They sound especially awesome together -- there is, after all, something about genetically similar voices that amplify the beauty of the other. Even when the voices are merely average, they sound more lovely in combo.
Today I heard the same thing from two different people at church: not only does Rachel look like me, but they said that our singing voices are just alike. When Rachel sat behind somebody at church, they were sure it was me behind them. I'm stunned. If I sound like Rachel....
wow....
(I'm sorry if this sounds braggy. But I've been wondering recently if choir would be better off without me, and this makes me think that I can't be dragging them down too terribly. And that is a happy relief because I really really like being in choir.)
When we had our high-school church-choir reunion a few years back, somebody had put on an audio-tape of one of our musicals. The girl with the prettiest voice in choir heard the part of the tape where I had my tiny little solo one year and said, "Oh, that's bad enough to hurt your ears. WHO was that???" I didn't volunteer the answer, I was so embarrassed. But it didn't surprise me; I actually kinda agreed with her.
But Rachel and Katie have beautiful voices. They sound especially awesome together -- there is, after all, something about genetically similar voices that amplify the beauty of the other. Even when the voices are merely average, they sound more lovely in combo.
Today I heard the same thing from two different people at church: not only does Rachel look like me, but they said that our singing voices are just alike. When Rachel sat behind somebody at church, they were sure it was me behind them. I'm stunned. If I sound like Rachel....
wow....
(I'm sorry if this sounds braggy. But I've been wondering recently if choir would be better off without me, and this makes me think that I can't be dragging them down too terribly. And that is a happy relief because I really really like being in choir.)
For the Sake of the Other
Sometimes we make jokes when someone's patience is tried: "Well, you prayed for patience, didn't you? What did you expect?" Or maybe we pray for humility, and then God sends situations that take away everything we're proud of, and we end up embarrassed. Or maybe we pray for contentment, and God sends poverty, and we end up learning that it's not possessions which instill contentment.
I have had Protestant friends tell me, "If you could just learn the lesson that God wants to teach you, then you could be done with this struggle." They essentially are saying that it works like this: a woman prays for patience, becomes the mother of an especially exuberant and strong-willed child, and begins to learn patience. But if she could just get patient faster, then God would be free to resolve the issue with her strong-willed kid. Somehow, it seems to me that this paints a false picture of a God. Somehow, it seems to me that this viewpoint is more consistent with the theology of glory than with the theology of the cross.
But even more than that, this kind of theology smacks of an American brand of individuality. I have a lesson to learn. God is teaching me this lesson. Once I learn my lesson, I can go on to a new lesson.
But we are one body of Christ. Sometimes things happen to us for the sake of someone else.
Pastors see these kinds of situations. Why does Grandpa Schmidt linger so long in the nursing home? Maybe there's something he needs to learn about dependence upon God alone. But maybe not. Maybe there's something his children and grandchildren need to do in caring for him. Why did Gary have his non-heart-attack? Because there was something for him to learn? Maybe, but I don't think so. It was because of that man who was his roommate in the hospital, the one who needed to be returned to the fold so that he might have a pastor in the last year of his life.
Sometimes our suffering is because of a work God is doing in someone else's life. It may not make sense to us; we probably cannot see what God is accomplishing. Whether or not we can discern God's reasons, no amount of "learning my lesson" is going to bring an end to my suffering in that case. We just have to be content that God knows what He's doing, even if I can't make sense of it.
I have had Protestant friends tell me, "If you could just learn the lesson that God wants to teach you, then you could be done with this struggle." They essentially are saying that it works like this: a woman prays for patience, becomes the mother of an especially exuberant and strong-willed child, and begins to learn patience. But if she could just get patient faster, then God would be free to resolve the issue with her strong-willed kid. Somehow, it seems to me that this paints a false picture of a God. Somehow, it seems to me that this viewpoint is more consistent with the theology of glory than with the theology of the cross.
But even more than that, this kind of theology smacks of an American brand of individuality. I have a lesson to learn. God is teaching me this lesson. Once I learn my lesson, I can go on to a new lesson.
But we are one body of Christ. Sometimes things happen to us for the sake of someone else.
Pastors see these kinds of situations. Why does Grandpa Schmidt linger so long in the nursing home? Maybe there's something he needs to learn about dependence upon God alone. But maybe not. Maybe there's something his children and grandchildren need to do in caring for him. Why did Gary have his non-heart-attack? Because there was something for him to learn? Maybe, but I don't think so. It was because of that man who was his roommate in the hospital, the one who needed to be returned to the fold so that he might have a pastor in the last year of his life.
Sometimes our suffering is because of a work God is doing in someone else's life. It may not make sense to us; we probably cannot see what God is accomplishing. Whether or not we can discern God's reasons, no amount of "learning my lesson" is going to bring an end to my suffering in that case. We just have to be content that God knows what He's doing, even if I can't make sense of it.
Obama's Nominees
Another tidbit that I came across while reading my tax instruction booklet. Check out the inside cover for a message from the tax commissioner:
We should be proud that the vast majority of American citizens pay their taxes honestly and of their own free will. In an ever more complex and global world, we cannot take for granted this cornerstone principle of our democracy.
and later in the message:
Unfortunately, there will always be some that cheat their fellow citizens by avoiding the payment of their fair share of taxes. The IRS owes it to the millions of you who promptly pay your taxes in full to pursue these people through strong enforcement programs.
We should be proud that the vast majority of American citizens pay their taxes honestly and of their own free will. In an ever more complex and global world, we cannot take for granted this cornerstone principle of our democracy.
and later in the message:
Unfortunately, there will always be some that cheat their fellow citizens by avoiding the payment of their fair share of taxes. The IRS owes it to the millions of you who promptly pay your taxes in full to pursue these people through strong enforcement programs.
Petitions
We pray in ["forgive us our trespasses"] that God would not look at our sins, nor deny our prayer because of them. We are neither worthy of the things for which we pray, nor have we deserved them, but we ask that He would give them all to us by grace ....
I don't know about you, but I usually think about "prayer" as "asking God for things." I am not worthy of such a great husband, nor a pantry full of flour and peaches and peanut butter, nor a house with a furnace. I have not deserved my Camry, nor my rabbit-killing huntress, nor a neighborhood free of crime. But God gives me all these things by grace.
At least, that's how I normally think of this petition.
But this week the light-bulb finally clicked for me about something that Pastor has been saying for years. "Our prayer" and "the things for which we pray" are particularly the things we just said. In other words, the other petitions of the Lord's Prayer.
We are not worthy for there to be true doctrine anywhere on earth.
We are not worthy that God would send prophets and preachers out into the world.
We are not worthy that God would give His Holy Spirit into our hearts.
We are not worthy that the devil's will be thwarted.
Somehow it's easy to see how I do not deserve to have my sins forgiven, that I do not deserve for God to guard me from temptation, that I do not deserve the material "stuff" that sustains my physical life, etc. But it seems so much bigger to realize that we --the whole human race-- we do not even deserve for any true doctrine to exist anywhere on the face of the whole earth. Even before I can be saved, even before the Holy Spirit can work faith in my heart, there is the wonder that God in His grace ensures that His word is taught in its truth and purity at all.
Our unworthiness doesn't stop God. His loving nature gives and gives and gives, even though we most surely do not deserve it.
I don't know about you, but I usually think about "prayer" as "asking God for things." I am not worthy of such a great husband, nor a pantry full of flour and peaches and peanut butter, nor a house with a furnace. I have not deserved my Camry, nor my rabbit-killing huntress, nor a neighborhood free of crime. But God gives me all these things by grace.
At least, that's how I normally think of this petition.
But this week the light-bulb finally clicked for me about something that Pastor has been saying for years. "Our prayer" and "the things for which we pray" are particularly the things we just said. In other words, the other petitions of the Lord's Prayer.
We are not worthy for there to be true doctrine anywhere on earth.
We are not worthy that God would send prophets and preachers out into the world.
We are not worthy that God would give His Holy Spirit into our hearts.
We are not worthy that the devil's will be thwarted.
Somehow it's easy to see how I do not deserve to have my sins forgiven, that I do not deserve for God to guard me from temptation, that I do not deserve the material "stuff" that sustains my physical life, etc. But it seems so much bigger to realize that we --the whole human race-- we do not even deserve for any true doctrine to exist anywhere on the face of the whole earth. Even before I can be saved, even before the Holy Spirit can work faith in my heart, there is the wonder that God in His grace ensures that His word is taught in its truth and purity at all.
Our unworthiness doesn't stop God. His loving nature gives and gives and gives, even though we most surely do not deserve it.
Today's Laugh
A baby seal walks into a bar, and the bartender says, "What'll you have?"
The seal replies, "Anything but a Canadian Club!!"
The seal replies, "Anything but a Canadian Club!!"
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Rich versus Poor
Working on the taxes, I'm reading through the 1040 Instruction Book.
For 2009, a family (two parents, and one or more children) is poor enough to claim the Earned Income Credit if their income is $43,415 or less.
For 2009, a family is rich enough to fill out forms to determine their Alternative Minimum Tax (aka, extra tax on the rich folks because they're rich enough to pay it) if their adjusted gross income is $45,000 or more.
Do these numbers look funny to anybody besides me???
For 2009, a family (two parents, and one or more children) is poor enough to claim the Earned Income Credit if their income is $43,415 or less.
For 2009, a family is rich enough to fill out forms to determine their Alternative Minimum Tax (aka, extra tax on the rich folks because they're rich enough to pay it) if their adjusted gross income is $45,000 or more.
Do these numbers look funny to anybody besides me???
Federal Deficit
Some of you were lucky enough to hear one of my favorite talk-show hosts when he substituted for Rush this week. Mark has the solution to the huge federal tax deficit.
Obama keeps nominating Democrats for positions in the cabinet and judicial offices, etc. They are vetted and their tax evasion is uncovered so that they must pay their back taxes. Hey, there are so many of them, and what they owe the IRS is so large, the deficit should be solved in a hurry!
Obama keeps nominating Democrats for positions in the cabinet and judicial offices, etc. They are vetted and their tax evasion is uncovered so that they must pay their back taxes. Hey, there are so many of them, and what they owe the IRS is so large, the deficit should be solved in a hurry!
Meal Prayers
The fourth petition:
Give us this day our daily bread.
God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayer, even to all evil people, but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.
God would lead us to realize this.
and
Receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.
Turn a few pages further back in the catechism, to the section on daily prayers. What is the prayer before meals? Both the psalm verse (and You give them their food at the proper time) and the little prayer (which we receive from Your bountiful goodness) are words which lead us to "realize this."
And the prayer after the meal? Give thanks to the Lord for He is good.
We pray that "God would lead us to realize this" and "God would lead us to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving" and so it is HIS words we use in our meal-time prayers.
I was so tickled and so surprised when I noticed that Luther's words under the Fourth Petition were in sync with the meal prayers. I don't know why I was surprised. Now it seems so obvious. (But I still think it's really cool!)
This discovery is kinda sorta like my shock (and delight) to discover once-upon-a-time that the Close of the Commandments has "fear, love, and trust" in it just like the meaning of the First Commandment does. Maybe I'm just really weird that these things interest me so much.
Give us this day our daily bread.
God certainly gives daily bread to everyone without our prayer, even to all evil people, but we pray in this petition that God would lead us to realize this and to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.
God would lead us to realize this.
and
Receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.
Turn a few pages further back in the catechism, to the section on daily prayers. What is the prayer before meals? Both the psalm verse (and You give them their food at the proper time) and the little prayer (which we receive from Your bountiful goodness) are words which lead us to "realize this."
And the prayer after the meal? Give thanks to the Lord for He is good.
We pray that "God would lead us to realize this" and "God would lead us to receive our daily bread with thanksgiving" and so it is HIS words we use in our meal-time prayers.
I was so tickled and so surprised when I noticed that Luther's words under the Fourth Petition were in sync with the meal prayers. I don't know why I was surprised. Now it seems so obvious. (But I still think it's really cool!)
This discovery is kinda sorta like my shock (and delight) to discover once-upon-a-time that the Close of the Commandments has "fear, love, and trust" in it just like the meaning of the First Commandment does. Maybe I'm just really weird that these things interest me so much.
Today's Laugh
The pope dies and goes to heaven. St Peter welcomes him. "Everything heaven has is yours," he tells the pope.
The pope asks, "Do you happen to have transcripts of the conversations Jesus had with His followers?"
"Yes, we do," says St Peter, and shows him to an enormous library. He pulls an enormous book off the shelf, hands it to the pope, and leaves him alone.
Hours later, he returns to find the pope pounding his fists on the table and sobbing. "I don't believe it!" cries the pope, "There's an r! There's an r!"
"Are you all right?" St. Peter asks with alarm.
"There's an r!" yells the pope again. "It says celebrate!"
The pope asks, "Do you happen to have transcripts of the conversations Jesus had with His followers?"
"Yes, we do," says St Peter, and shows him to an enormous library. He pulls an enormous book off the shelf, hands it to the pope, and leaves him alone.
Hours later, he returns to find the pope pounding his fists on the table and sobbing. "I don't believe it!" cries the pope, "There's an r! There's an r!"
"Are you all right?" St. Peter asks with alarm.
"There's an r!" yells the pope again. "It says celebrate!"
Friday, February 06, 2009
Split Pea Soup
When I married my husband, I knew he did not eat soup, he did not eat vegetables, and he would never never never eat peas.
Well, over the years he learned to eat and enjoy vegetables. Out of love for me, he learned to tolerate soup-in-general and even like some soups. And he even began to eat peas. After about twenty years of feeding him, one day I about fell off my chair when he said the peas were so good that he wanted a second helping. (Hey, I gotta admit, that was one good sauce I put on the peas that day!)
But never had I made split pea soup. I don't recall my mother ever making it for us. I figured combining soup and peas into one dish would be pushing Gary beyond his limits. No matter how hard he tried to be pleased with my cooking, I was afraid split pea soup would be hopeless to attempt.
And then Erin had us over one night for a soup party. Everything she made was totally awesomely delicious! And one of the soups was split pea. The people in my family, in an effort to be polite, tasted it. And they liked it!!!!! So now I've made split pea soup twice. Yummy!
The only problem slowing us down is that I never seem to have enough ham bones to flavor all the legume dishes I desire to cook. Maybe next time we take a piggy to the butcher, I should ask him to give me no hams, but just ham-steaks, so that I can have small chunks of bone to put in beans and lentils and soups.
Well, over the years he learned to eat and enjoy vegetables. Out of love for me, he learned to tolerate soup-in-general and even like some soups. And he even began to eat peas. After about twenty years of feeding him, one day I about fell off my chair when he said the peas were so good that he wanted a second helping. (Hey, I gotta admit, that was one good sauce I put on the peas that day!)
But never had I made split pea soup. I don't recall my mother ever making it for us. I figured combining soup and peas into one dish would be pushing Gary beyond his limits. No matter how hard he tried to be pleased with my cooking, I was afraid split pea soup would be hopeless to attempt.
And then Erin had us over one night for a soup party. Everything she made was totally awesomely delicious! And one of the soups was split pea. The people in my family, in an effort to be polite, tasted it. And they liked it!!!!! So now I've made split pea soup twice. Yummy!
The only problem slowing us down is that I never seem to have enough ham bones to flavor all the legume dishes I desire to cook. Maybe next time we take a piggy to the butcher, I should ask him to give me no hams, but just ham-steaks, so that I can have small chunks of bone to put in beans and lentils and soups.
Psalm 78:60
In this psalm, Asaph is working his way through Israel's history, showing God's faithfulness and Israel's rejection of His goodness, over and over. They sin. God gets angry. But He remains faithful and rescues them because they belong to Him, and it is for the honor of His name [His Jesus] that He continues to love and save and give of Himself.
So getting toward the end of the psalm, we find another one of those summaries of how the children of Israel disbelieved, and Asaph says,
They provoked Him to anger with their high places,
and moved Him to jealousy with their carved images.
When God heard this, He was furious,
and greatly abhorred Israel,
Ack! Scary!
God's mad!
What's He gonna do?
so that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh,
the tent He had placed among men.
And delivered His strength into captivity,
and His glory into the enemy's hand.
Wait a minute? God gets ticked at Israel for their willful disobedience and their selfishness and their unbelief, and so He does what?
He forsakes His Son????
Okay, in history, when Asaph was praying this psalm, Jesus wasn't born yet. And it is true about the ark: 1 Samuel 4 tells the story of how God forsook the tabernalce in Shiloh, how He let the ark of the covenant be captured by the Philistines. The glory of Yahweh was delivered into captivity, into the temple of Dagon.
But we know Who is the real tabernacle (John 1), the tent that was placed among men. We know Who is "His strength". We know Who is "His glory."
Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani!
My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
Why are You so far from helping Me,
and from the words of My groaning?
Like in the psalm, we provoke God to anger with our unbelief and our idolatry. We make Him furious. And in His hatred of this sin, He resolves it by delivering His Son into the hand of those who would kill Him. God's anger is vented on us by letting His glory [Jesus] be delivered over to the enemy.
That is SO not fair.
Thanks be to God!
So getting toward the end of the psalm, we find another one of those summaries of how the children of Israel disbelieved, and Asaph says,
They provoked Him to anger with their high places,
and moved Him to jealousy with their carved images.
When God heard this, He was furious,
and greatly abhorred Israel,
Ack! Scary!
God's mad!
What's He gonna do?
so that He forsook the tabernacle of Shiloh,
the tent He had placed among men.
And delivered His strength into captivity,
and His glory into the enemy's hand.
Wait a minute? God gets ticked at Israel for their willful disobedience and their selfishness and their unbelief, and so He does what?
He forsakes His Son????
Okay, in history, when Asaph was praying this psalm, Jesus wasn't born yet. And it is true about the ark: 1 Samuel 4 tells the story of how God forsook the tabernalce in Shiloh, how He let the ark of the covenant be captured by the Philistines. The glory of Yahweh was delivered into captivity, into the temple of Dagon.
But we know Who is the real tabernacle (John 1), the tent that was placed among men. We know Who is "His strength". We know Who is "His glory."
Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani!
My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?
Why are You so far from helping Me,
and from the words of My groaning?
Like in the psalm, we provoke God to anger with our unbelief and our idolatry. We make Him furious. And in His hatred of this sin, He resolves it by delivering His Son into the hand of those who would kill Him. God's anger is vented on us by letting His glory [Jesus] be delivered over to the enemy.
That is SO not fair.
Thanks be to God!
Today's Laugh
Stolen from a Garrison Keillor tale:
He was so ugly that the banks turned off the cameras when he came in the door.
He was so ugly that, when he tried to enter an "Ugly Contest," they refused his application with the notation, "Sorry, no professionals allowed."
He was so ugly that the banks turned off the cameras when he came in the door.
He was so ugly that, when he tried to enter an "Ugly Contest," they refused his application with the notation, "Sorry, no professionals allowed."
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Let the Little Children Come to Me
Lauri writes about her 3-yr-old's desire to commune. Joy too writes of her toddler's distress over not being communed. All my children have been communing now for four years. I am stubbornly sticking my head in the sand and refusing to acknowledge the fact that my grand-daughter is not communing; I'm trying desperately to convince myself that I don't know she's excluded from the altar. [Fingers in my ears. La lala la lala lala la. Not gonna open my eyes to the fact. Blindfold on! La lala la la la la....]
What is a parent to DO when they have no answer for a child as to why he cannot eat Jesus' body and blood??? And my gut-level reaction is to say, "Don't let him know about it in the first place." If we do not teach them the sixth chief part of the catechism, they won't learn it, and thus won't know what they're missing. If we don't talk about the Lord's Supper at home, and how we long for it, and what a treasure it is, the kids won't learn. Oh sure, they'll still know that this is something we do every Sunday and they will deduce that it's important. But the less we talk about it, the less we teach them of their sin and their need for forgiveness, the less we let them know about our own deep desire for Sunday to come so that we may be joined yet again with Jesus' body, the less the children will be taunted by their exclusion.
And then I thought,
WHAT AM I THINKING?
The solution is to hide God's word and His blessing from them? The solution is to avoid parts of the catechism? The solution is to refrain from teaching certain hymns?
I'm not going to discuss infant communion or age of first communion right now. But here's the question: Why has this become such a huge issue for parents in recent years?
We didn't used to have toddlers holding out their hands, begging the pastor. We didn't used to ache over this denial of Jesus to our little ones. We didn't used to care. Why do we care now?
And I think....
the answer has to do with ...
what we're teaching now,
what we believe about the Supper now.
We used to commune once a month. Now it's every Sunday (or hopefully more frequently). The children see that this is something we do every week. It must be important.
We used to have children begin learning the catechism in 7th grade. They didn't start learning when they were only 1 or 2 that "it is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself, for us Christians to eat and to drink" and that "in the Sacrament, forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given us."
Sunday School used to be about Bible history and learning to be nice to our friends and telling other people about Jesus. Now our children are learning that the Bible is not just history stories, but also stories about how we have failed and how our God rescued us and continues to give of Himself to us who are not worthy. We are teaching our children about their baptism and about the Lord's Supper in a way that we didn't several decades ago.
The pastors are preaching more now than in years past about the Sacraments, connecting the Gospel reading to what Christ gives at the Table. The pastors wish to incite in their parishioners a yearning for the Supper.
And you know? Those little urchins LISTEN. They hear what we're teaching them. They hear the hymns and liturgy. They hear the catechism. And they believe it. And they long for that Supper which Jesus has provided for His lambs.
What else would be expect the children to do?
So we have only three choices. We can put off teaching them. Or we can take Jesus' words to heart: "feed My lambs." Or we can continue to weep over the fact that we are tongue-tied when our wee ones ask why they cannot commune.
What is a parent to DO when they have no answer for a child as to why he cannot eat Jesus' body and blood??? And my gut-level reaction is to say, "Don't let him know about it in the first place." If we do not teach them the sixth chief part of the catechism, they won't learn it, and thus won't know what they're missing. If we don't talk about the Lord's Supper at home, and how we long for it, and what a treasure it is, the kids won't learn. Oh sure, they'll still know that this is something we do every Sunday and they will deduce that it's important. But the less we talk about it, the less we teach them of their sin and their need for forgiveness, the less we let them know about our own deep desire for Sunday to come so that we may be joined yet again with Jesus' body, the less the children will be taunted by their exclusion.
And then I thought,
WHAT AM I THINKING?
The solution is to hide God's word and His blessing from them? The solution is to avoid parts of the catechism? The solution is to refrain from teaching certain hymns?
I'm not going to discuss infant communion or age of first communion right now. But here's the question: Why has this become such a huge issue for parents in recent years?
We didn't used to have toddlers holding out their hands, begging the pastor. We didn't used to ache over this denial of Jesus to our little ones. We didn't used to care. Why do we care now?
And I think....
the answer has to do with ...
what we're teaching now,
what we believe about the Supper now.
We used to commune once a month. Now it's every Sunday (or hopefully more frequently). The children see that this is something we do every week. It must be important.
We used to have children begin learning the catechism in 7th grade. They didn't start learning when they were only 1 or 2 that "it is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself, for us Christians to eat and to drink" and that "in the Sacrament, forgiveness of sins, life, and salvation are given us."
Sunday School used to be about Bible history and learning to be nice to our friends and telling other people about Jesus. Now our children are learning that the Bible is not just history stories, but also stories about how we have failed and how our God rescued us and continues to give of Himself to us who are not worthy. We are teaching our children about their baptism and about the Lord's Supper in a way that we didn't several decades ago.
The pastors are preaching more now than in years past about the Sacraments, connecting the Gospel reading to what Christ gives at the Table. The pastors wish to incite in their parishioners a yearning for the Supper.
And you know? Those little urchins LISTEN. They hear what we're teaching them. They hear the hymns and liturgy. They hear the catechism. And they believe it. And they long for that Supper which Jesus has provided for His lambs.
What else would be expect the children to do?
So we have only three choices. We can put off teaching them. Or we can take Jesus' words to heart: "feed My lambs." Or we can continue to weep over the fact that we are tongue-tied when our wee ones ask why they cannot commune.
Psalm 73:22
In Psalm 73, Asaph is talking about how things seem to go just swimmingly for the unbelievers. How come life is swell for those who sass God? Asaph is getting perturbed about this. He says it's just not right!
Thus my heart was grieved,
and I was vexed in my mind.
I was so foolish and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.
Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You hold me by my right hand.
You will guide me with Your counsel,
and afterward receive me to glory.
Nevertheless.
NEVERTHELESS.
So the unbelievers sass God and oppress His saints. And what do the saints do? Sass God by saying, "What's up with THAT? This ain't right!! What's the matter with You? Don't You know how to work this world?"
Nevertheless, He doesn't leave us nor forsake us.
Nevertheless, He hangs onto us.
Nevertheless, He guides us by the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, who lays Jesus onto our hearts, forgiving our grief and vexation and foolishness and ignorance. We may be like a beast before God, but He will still receive us into His glory.
Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
Thus my heart was grieved,
and I was vexed in my mind.
I was so foolish and ignorant;
I was like a beast before You.
Nevertheless I am continually with You;
You hold me by my right hand.
You will guide me with Your counsel,
and afterward receive me to glory.
Nevertheless.
NEVERTHELESS.
So the unbelievers sass God and oppress His saints. And what do the saints do? Sass God by saying, "What's up with THAT? This ain't right!! What's the matter with You? Don't You know how to work this world?"
Nevertheless, He doesn't leave us nor forsake us.
Nevertheless, He hangs onto us.
Nevertheless, He guides us by the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, who lays Jesus onto our hearts, forgiving our grief and vexation and foolishness and ignorance. We may be like a beast before God, but He will still receive us into His glory.
Whom have I in heaven but You?
And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You.
My flesh and my heart fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
Today's Laugh
A Lutheran joke I heard last weekend.
But I'm not sure it works when written:
Did you hear about the new WELS church in the next village over?
They're naming it St Mark-and-Avoid.
But I'm not sure it works when written:
Did you hear about the new WELS church in the next village over?
They're naming it St Mark-and-Avoid.
Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Cotton Kills
While growing up, I hated wool. It itched.
Most colleges have PE requirements. One of the classes Philip considered taking was Winter Camping. Friends told him that the class requirements were one weekend away with the whole class, camping, and to know that COTTON KILLS.
Yeah, right. Those little balls of fluff grab the daggers from the Killer [Dust-]Bunnies and plunge then into people who are using the cotton-balls for first-aid purposes??
Okay, here's the scoop from the kids who took the class. When cotton gets wet, it cannot hold warmth. Wool is different. If your wool socks or your wool sweater is damp, the clothing can still keep you warm. But not cotton clothing. On my paper route once, I bumbled into discovering the truth of this. It was below freezing, but I managed to step into a puddle of slushy water that had melted partially because of the salt on the roads. Wet socks. Wet cotton socks. After a few minutes of really really cold feet, I peeled off the socks and went bare-footed in my sandals for the rest of the paper route. It was warmer to have naked skin than to be clothed in wet cotton. But when I've shoveled the driveway in wool socks and gotten wet feet, I'm okay.
That warmth thing kinda makes up for the itchiness, eh?
Makes me covet more wool.
Most colleges have PE requirements. One of the classes Philip considered taking was Winter Camping. Friends told him that the class requirements were one weekend away with the whole class, camping, and to know that COTTON KILLS.
Yeah, right. Those little balls of fluff grab the daggers from the Killer [Dust-]Bunnies and plunge then into people who are using the cotton-balls for first-aid purposes??
Okay, here's the scoop from the kids who took the class. When cotton gets wet, it cannot hold warmth. Wool is different. If your wool socks or your wool sweater is damp, the clothing can still keep you warm. But not cotton clothing. On my paper route once, I bumbled into discovering the truth of this. It was below freezing, but I managed to step into a puddle of slushy water that had melted partially because of the salt on the roads. Wet socks. Wet cotton socks. After a few minutes of really really cold feet, I peeled off the socks and went bare-footed in my sandals for the rest of the paper route. It was warmer to have naked skin than to be clothed in wet cotton. But when I've shoveled the driveway in wool socks and gotten wet feet, I'm okay.
That warmth thing kinda makes up for the itchiness, eh?
Makes me covet more wool.
Psalm 71:15
My mouth shall tell of Your righteousness
and Your salvation all the day,
for I do not know their limits.
I will go in the strength of the Lord Yahweh;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
Well, I guess there's one thing good about the intense struggle with sin and doubt and fear and unbelief. A person discovers that he can never find the limit to God's salvation and righteousness.
I have heard stories about Pr Korby. His beloved students say that he made mention of the phenomenon of how a person would "get more sinful" as he continued to avail himself of the blessings of private confession. Hey, shouldn't it be making me more holy? But it doesn't seem to work that way. My sinful flesh seems to get stronger, I seem to be attacked more by situations in the world, and the devil just gets more persistent. Once upon a time when I asked my father-confessor about that, I wanted to know whether I really am getting more sinful, or whether it just appears that way to me. He said he thinks Dr Korby meant that, through private confession, we come to know our sin in a way which we didn't before, ... and that makes it seem to us that we are therefore becoming more sinful. It's not an actual increase in sinfulness, but an increased awareness of the depth of the corruption. Furthermore, in private confession, the word of forgiveness is preached into the sinner's ear ... and that isn't something about which the devil is going to say, "Okie-dokie, good plan."
But what happens then? We discover [even experientially] that there are no limits to God's salvation and righteousness. We learn more and more how corrupt we are; we see ourselves more and more as God would see our sin. And yet, His love never quits. It never fails. It is always bigger than our sin. Always. We can't find the end of it. I do not know their limits. We go in the strength of the Lord, because we sure ain't goin' in our own strength. We make mention of His righteousness, His only, because we learn more and more that we have no righteousness of our own, no, not even as Christians.
I do not know the limits of His salvation and righteousness.
and Your salvation all the day,
for I do not know their limits.
I will go in the strength of the Lord Yahweh;
I will make mention of Your righteousness, of Yours only.
Well, I guess there's one thing good about the intense struggle with sin and doubt and fear and unbelief. A person discovers that he can never find the limit to God's salvation and righteousness.
I have heard stories about Pr Korby. His beloved students say that he made mention of the phenomenon of how a person would "get more sinful" as he continued to avail himself of the blessings of private confession. Hey, shouldn't it be making me more holy? But it doesn't seem to work that way. My sinful flesh seems to get stronger, I seem to be attacked more by situations in the world, and the devil just gets more persistent. Once upon a time when I asked my father-confessor about that, I wanted to know whether I really am getting more sinful, or whether it just appears that way to me. He said he thinks Dr Korby meant that, through private confession, we come to know our sin in a way which we didn't before, ... and that makes it seem to us that we are therefore becoming more sinful. It's not an actual increase in sinfulness, but an increased awareness of the depth of the corruption. Furthermore, in private confession, the word of forgiveness is preached into the sinner's ear ... and that isn't something about which the devil is going to say, "Okie-dokie, good plan."
But what happens then? We discover [even experientially] that there are no limits to God's salvation and righteousness. We learn more and more how corrupt we are; we see ourselves more and more as God would see our sin. And yet, His love never quits. It never fails. It is always bigger than our sin. Always. We can't find the end of it. I do not know their limits. We go in the strength of the Lord, because we sure ain't goin' in our own strength. We make mention of His righteousness, His only, because we learn more and more that we have no righteousness of our own, no, not even as Christians.
I do not know the limits of His salvation and righteousness.
Today's Laugh
The square root of -1 asked pi, "Why can't you be more rational?"
Pi retorted, "Oh, get real!"
(Stolen from a t-shirt slogan that I saw on a banner-ad on the Drudge Report recently.)
Pi retorted, "Oh, get real!"
(Stolen from a t-shirt slogan that I saw on a banner-ad on the Drudge Report recently.)
Tuesday, February 03, 2009
Primary
Wisconsin people need to mark their calendars for February 17 and April 7 to go vote.
Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson is up for re-election. She is rather activist. Her opponent is Randy Koschnick who has a constructionist perspective on judging the law. One Journal-Sentinel article is here, but there's plenty of info out there on the differences in the candidates.
The position of DPI superintendent is up for grabs. The current superintendent is not seeking re-election. Candidates are:
Tony Evers -- the current deputy superintendent. He has the backing of a variety of organizations in the educational establishment. He is in favor of repealing the QEO (which limits the annual raise teachers may receive in salary/benefits).
Rose Fernandez -- no previous political experience (both a plus and a minus). She recently ran the organization which fought for public e-schools (aka virtual schooling). She has ideas for large changes in how the schools are funded and how the Mwkee schools are run.
Van Mobley -- tv-preacher hair and ambitious (which makes me nervous). But strongly in favor of reducing the mandates on the schools, wants smaller school districts, and thinks that we should hold the line on property taxes so that the schools spend only as much as the public can afford. Also says he's in favor of teaching the basics, character education, and wants to maintain the QEO.
Lowell Holtz -- superintendent and principal, primarily in smaller school districts. Wants the QEO to be eliminated.
Todd Price -- tv-preacher hair. Supported by the Green Party and by Educators Roundtable. In favor of scrapping "No Child Left Behind." Wants to rework funding for schools so that they aren't stuck with such limited funds like they are now.
WisPolitics has a brief run-down on the candidates.
Ten-minute interviews with each candidate can be found at "Here and Now" which is a PBS show aired on Friday evenings. (I assume Holtz is scheduled for this coming Friday since his interview isn't listed yet.)
As noted in an AP story, the position of DPI superintendent is largely an administrative post with little authority to set policy. Honestly, I think I'd be more comfortable with a liberal who "just does the job" than with a conservative who has an agenda to use the position for advocating. All of the candidates have good points and bad points -- although some have significantly more good points and some have significantly more bad points. More information can be found on each candidate by googling his name and "dpi superintendent."
Supreme Court Chief Justice Shirley Abrahamson is up for re-election. She is rather activist. Her opponent is Randy Koschnick who has a constructionist perspective on judging the law. One Journal-Sentinel article is here, but there's plenty of info out there on the differences in the candidates.
The position of DPI superintendent is up for grabs. The current superintendent is not seeking re-election. Candidates are:
Tony Evers -- the current deputy superintendent. He has the backing of a variety of organizations in the educational establishment. He is in favor of repealing the QEO (which limits the annual raise teachers may receive in salary/benefits).
Rose Fernandez -- no previous political experience (both a plus and a minus). She recently ran the organization which fought for public e-schools (aka virtual schooling). She has ideas for large changes in how the schools are funded and how the Mwkee schools are run.
Van Mobley -- tv-preacher hair and ambitious (which makes me nervous). But strongly in favor of reducing the mandates on the schools, wants smaller school districts, and thinks that we should hold the line on property taxes so that the schools spend only as much as the public can afford. Also says he's in favor of teaching the basics, character education, and wants to maintain the QEO.
Lowell Holtz -- superintendent and principal, primarily in smaller school districts. Wants the QEO to be eliminated.
Todd Price -- tv-preacher hair. Supported by the Green Party and by Educators Roundtable. In favor of scrapping "No Child Left Behind." Wants to rework funding for schools so that they aren't stuck with such limited funds like they are now.
WisPolitics has a brief run-down on the candidates.
Ten-minute interviews with each candidate can be found at "Here and Now" which is a PBS show aired on Friday evenings. (I assume Holtz is scheduled for this coming Friday since his interview isn't listed yet.)
As noted in an AP story, the position of DPI superintendent is largely an administrative post with little authority to set policy. Honestly, I think I'd be more comfortable with a liberal who "just does the job" than with a conservative who has an agenda to use the position for advocating. All of the candidates have good points and bad points -- although some have significantly more good points and some have significantly more bad points. More information can be found on each candidate by googling his name and "dpi superintendent."
Clean Headlights
I had just washed the van the previous week. But boy, with the thaw over the weekend, we were picking up some heavy-duty grime on the windows of the van. I had to wash them over and over at the gas station, and the muddy water just rolled off the windshield onto the hood.
We hopped into the van Saturday evening to go from our hotel room to the college to enjoy the musical there. Something was wrong with the headlights. Never before had both headlights gone out at the same time; that seemed a very odd coincidence. But we could detect a change from the running lights to the headlights to the brights. So it didn't seem the lights had burned out. And yet, we could hardly see. We wondered how well the other drivers could see us.
Turned out that the dirt on the lights was SO HEAVY that they were severely dimmed.
I was aware of wiping snow from the headlights when I scrape the car windows. But washing the headlights when I wash the windows was something that had never occurred to me before this weekend!
We hopped into the van Saturday evening to go from our hotel room to the college to enjoy the musical there. Something was wrong with the headlights. Never before had both headlights gone out at the same time; that seemed a very odd coincidence. But we could detect a change from the running lights to the headlights to the brights. So it didn't seem the lights had burned out. And yet, we could hardly see. We wondered how well the other drivers could see us.
Turned out that the dirt on the lights was SO HEAVY that they were severely dimmed.
I was aware of wiping snow from the headlights when I scrape the car windows. But washing the headlights when I wash the windows was something that had never occurred to me before this weekend!
Today's Laugh
From Polly,
New Drugs for Women
BUYAGRA: Stimulant to be taken prior to shopping. Increases potency and duration of spending spree.
MENICILLIN: Potent anti-boy-otic for older women. Increases resistance to Latin heartthrobs.
ST. MOM'S WORT: Plant extract that treats mom's depression by rendering pre-schoolers unconscious for up to six hours.
EMPTY NESTROGEN: Highly effective supplement that eliminates melancholy by enhancing the memory of how awful they were as teenagers and how you couldn't wait till they moved out.
PEPTO-BIMBO: Liquid silicone for single women. Two full cups swallowed before an evening out increases breast size, decreases intelligence, and improves flirting.
DUMMEROL: When taken with Pepto-bimbo, can cause lowering of IQ, causing enjoyment of loud country music and cheap beer.
FLIPITOR: Increases life expectancy of commuters by controlling road rage and the urge to flip off other drivers.
ANTI-TALKSIDENT: A spray carried in a purse or wallet to be used on anyone too eager to share their life stories with total strangers.
RAGAMET: When administered to a husband, provides the same irritation as nagging on him all weekend, saving the wife the time and trouble of doing it herself.
DAMMITOL: Take two and the rest of the world can go to heck for 8 hours!
New Drugs for Women
BUYAGRA: Stimulant to be taken prior to shopping. Increases potency and duration of spending spree.
MENICILLIN: Potent anti-boy-otic for older women. Increases resistance to Latin heartthrobs.
ST. MOM'S WORT: Plant extract that treats mom's depression by rendering pre-schoolers unconscious for up to six hours.
EMPTY NESTROGEN: Highly effective supplement that eliminates melancholy by enhancing the memory of how awful they were as teenagers and how you couldn't wait till they moved out.
PEPTO-BIMBO: Liquid silicone for single women. Two full cups swallowed before an evening out increases breast size, decreases intelligence, and improves flirting.
DUMMEROL: When taken with Pepto-bimbo, can cause lowering of IQ, causing enjoyment of loud country music and cheap beer.
FLIPITOR: Increases life expectancy of commuters by controlling road rage and the urge to flip off other drivers.
ANTI-TALKSIDENT: A spray carried in a purse or wallet to be used on anyone too eager to share their life stories with total strangers.
RAGAMET: When administered to a husband, provides the same irritation as nagging on him all weekend, saving the wife the time and trouble of doing it herself.
DAMMITOL: Take two and the rest of the world can go to heck for 8 hours!
Monday, February 02, 2009
Christmas Pictures
Not many of my pictures turned out. This is about the extent of what isn't too fuzzy or too dark. Katie's turned out much better.
Uncle Paul
Grandma enjoying the most comfy way to nap
Aunt Maggie
Uncle Matt
Grandpa deep in conversation with his sweetie
Mommy, Daddy, and baby
Uncle Paul
Grandma enjoying the most comfy way to nap
Aunt Maggie
Uncle Matt
Grandpa deep in conversation with his sweetie
Mommy, Daddy, and baby
Mankato
A rather sizable snowman. Or snow tower. Or snow slug. Or something.
Paul in his costume for the play.
You put some eye-liner and lipstick on Paul, and put a goatee on Rachel, and the similarity gets frighteningly amazing. But, hey, when Rachel and Philip were little enough to be in their pre-hair days, they looked nearly identical. And we know that Philip and Paul look nearly identical. And our mathematical axioms teach us that if a=b and b=c, then a=c. So you get Paul's hair out of the way under a bald-cap, and put make-up on him....
Paul in his costume for the play.
You put some eye-liner and lipstick on Paul, and put a goatee on Rachel, and the similarity gets frighteningly amazing. But, hey, when Rachel and Philip were little enough to be in their pre-hair days, they looked nearly identical. And we know that Philip and Paul look nearly identical. And our mathematical axioms teach us that if a=b and b=c, then a=c. So you get Paul's hair out of the way under a bald-cap, and put make-up on him....
Transfigurations
I seem to be developing a knack for this.
Yesterday we were visiting Paul and celebrated Transfiguration (1-yr series) and will be celebrating it again here at home in three weeks (3-yr series).
Last year we celebrated Transfiguration in January at Triune, and then in February at Peace.
The previous year we celebrated Transfiguration at Triune and Peace (1-yr series), and then happened to be visiting in South Bend the Sunday before Lent which there (3-yr series) was Transfiguration.
That's SIX Transfiguration Sundays in 25 months. This is somewhat unsettling for someone so settled into the rhythms of the church year. Next year I think I need to pay attention to this and stay put.
Yesterday we were visiting Paul and celebrated Transfiguration (1-yr series) and will be celebrating it again here at home in three weeks (3-yr series).
Last year we celebrated Transfiguration in January at Triune, and then in February at Peace.
The previous year we celebrated Transfiguration at Triune and Peace (1-yr series), and then happened to be visiting in South Bend the Sunday before Lent which there (3-yr series) was Transfiguration.
That's SIX Transfiguration Sundays in 25 months. This is somewhat unsettling for someone so settled into the rhythms of the church year. Next year I think I need to pay attention to this and stay put.
Today's Laughs
Not to be outdone by the Americans, UN officials held their own Groundhog Day.
In their own Groundhog Day ceremony, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), tying in reports on global warming, announced that there would be six more weeks of winter
... followed by 1000 years of summer.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Over breakfast one morning, a woman said to her husband, "I'll bet you don't know what day this is."
"Of course I do," he answered as if he were offended, and left for the office.
At 10:00 a.m., the doorbell rang and when the woman opened the door, she was handed a box of a dozen long-stemmed red roses. At 1:00 p.m., a foil-wrapped, two-pound box of her favorite chocolates was delivered. Later, a boutique delivered a designer dress.
The woman couldn't wait for her husband to come home.
"First the flowers, then the chocolates and then the dress!" she exclaimed. "I've never had a more wonderful Groundhog Day in my life!
In their own Groundhog Day ceremony, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), tying in reports on global warming, announced that there would be six more weeks of winter
... followed by 1000 years of summer.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Over breakfast one morning, a woman said to her husband, "I'll bet you don't know what day this is."
"Of course I do," he answered as if he were offended, and left for the office.
At 10:00 a.m., the doorbell rang and when the woman opened the door, she was handed a box of a dozen long-stemmed red roses. At 1:00 p.m., a foil-wrapped, two-pound box of her favorite chocolates was delivered. Later, a boutique delivered a designer dress.
The woman couldn't wait for her husband to come home.
"First the flowers, then the chocolates and then the dress!" she exclaimed. "I've never had a more wonderful Groundhog Day in my life!
Sunday, February 01, 2009
Away
It's funny when you're missing home and yet glad to be where you are.
The kitties must be suffering terribly with our being out of town. You know Rosie ate up all Athena's food right away.
I hate missing church at home on Sunday, even when we're at a good place.
Gus's baptism is today. We're missing the party -- boo hoo! We'll have to figure out another time to go meet him.
Aaron posted the same quote on his blog that Gary and I absolutely loved.
We came to Mankato to see Paul and friends in the school musical. (With it being a very quick trip and with wanting to go to church with Paul, we missed out on the opportunity to see nearby friends.) The weather is warm, the day was sunny, the snowman-building was fun to watch, and the play was quite funny.
Going to have to go on a detox diet tomorrow and Tuesday. Fast food for breakfast and supper yesterday. Hotel continental breakfast today. Fast food later today for lunch. I do love those Junior Whoppers! But too many of those meals in a row will get to me. I did bring an iron skillet and picnic supplies so that we could eat oranges, fry eggs and real ham, and toast homemade bread for a big dinner in the dorm lounge on Saturday afternoon. Sure smelled good in there!
For Paul's first time on the stage, I was impressed. He was part of the chorus and had no lines of his own. But you could see that he was comfortable there, and he had a really good stage presence.
Time to go pack up the hotel room and get to church....
The kitties must be suffering terribly with our being out of town. You know Rosie ate up all Athena's food right away.
I hate missing church at home on Sunday, even when we're at a good place.
Gus's baptism is today. We're missing the party -- boo hoo! We'll have to figure out another time to go meet him.
Aaron posted the same quote on his blog that Gary and I absolutely loved.
We came to Mankato to see Paul and friends in the school musical. (With it being a very quick trip and with wanting to go to church with Paul, we missed out on the opportunity to see nearby friends.) The weather is warm, the day was sunny, the snowman-building was fun to watch, and the play was quite funny.
Going to have to go on a detox diet tomorrow and Tuesday. Fast food for breakfast and supper yesterday. Hotel continental breakfast today. Fast food later today for lunch. I do love those Junior Whoppers! But too many of those meals in a row will get to me. I did bring an iron skillet and picnic supplies so that we could eat oranges, fry eggs and real ham, and toast homemade bread for a big dinner in the dorm lounge on Saturday afternoon. Sure smelled good in there!
For Paul's first time on the stage, I was impressed. He was part of the chorus and had no lines of his own. But you could see that he was comfortable there, and he had a really good stage presence.
Time to go pack up the hotel room and get to church....
Today's Laugh
What do you call a black man who flies an airplane?
I dunno. What?
Duh -- a pilot, you racist!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
One penguin said to the other penguin, "It almost looks like you're wearing a tuxedo."
The second penguin responded, "How do you know I'm not?"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
If at first you don't succeed,
look in the trash for the instructions.
I dunno. What?
Duh -- a pilot, you racist!
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
One penguin said to the other penguin, "It almost looks like you're wearing a tuxedo."
The second penguin responded, "How do you know I'm not?"
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
If at first you don't succeed,
look in the trash for the instructions.
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Today's Laugh
One day at the office, a man noticed that his very conservative co-worker was wearing an earring. "I didn't know you were into that kind of stuff," he said to his friend.
"It's not a big deal," the guy said. "It's just an earring."
"How long have you been wearing it?" the first man asked.
"Since my wife found it in my car last week."
"It's not a big deal," the guy said. "It's just an earring."
"How long have you been wearing it?" the first man asked.
"Since my wife found it in my car last week."
Friday, January 30, 2009
Church Sign
BIG notice seen on the church sign on Main Street today:
UNDEE SUNDAY
Undee? What's Undee?
In smaller print beneath was the notice that they are collecting underwear and socks for the local clothing bank.
Oh, "undies."
And we'll be talking about casting out demons or some such irrelevant topic....
UNDEE SUNDAY
Undee? What's Undee?
In smaller print beneath was the notice that they are collecting underwear and socks for the local clothing bank.
Oh, "undies."
And we'll be talking about casting out demons or some such irrelevant topic....
Too Much Law
A Wall Street Journal article by Philip Howard hits the nail on the head: America is being paralyzed by laws and the fear of being sued. I'm afraid to start a business to supplement the family income because I have no idea how I'd maneuver my way through all the legalities. Children may not run on the playground, doctors order too many tests, and a teacher cannot hug a crying child. All because we're afraid of gazillions of laws. The article is good reading, not too long, and broaches the topic of how to fix the problem, how we might be made safe from our fear of transgressing laws at every turn.
Later addition: Come to think of it, there are connections between this societal problem and the theological problem. Christians who have been set free from the law are able to serve their neighbor in freedom and do what needs to be done as their pour out their lives in love for one another. But those who are bound by the law are busy keeping an eye on themselves, for fear of a wrathful god. When the govt is crazy-in-love with laws, the citizenry is bound and cannot go about solving their own problems and creating their own prosperity.
Hat tip: Jane.
Later addition: Come to think of it, there are connections between this societal problem and the theological problem. Christians who have been set free from the law are able to serve their neighbor in freedom and do what needs to be done as their pour out their lives in love for one another. But those who are bound by the law are busy keeping an eye on themselves, for fear of a wrathful god. When the govt is crazy-in-love with laws, the citizenry is bound and cannot go about solving their own problems and creating their own prosperity.
Hat tip: Jane.
MythBusters
The kids have watched episodes at Jane's house. I'd never seen the show until last night.
We loved it!!!!
Funny.
Interesting.
And they follow the scientific method step-by-step. (See, kids? They have a question or a problem. They come up with a guess. They do research by asking others, as well as by setting up experiments to do their own research. They limit variables in the experiments. They carefully record the data. And at the end, they clearly state their conclusions. This show is, like, the poster-boy for showing kids how real people follow the scientific method.)
The guys love how they blow up things.
Netflix carries the tv series.
(Probably not appropriate for kids under 10, but you know your own kids....)
We loved it!!!!
Funny.
Interesting.
And they follow the scientific method step-by-step. (See, kids? They have a question or a problem. They come up with a guess. They do research by asking others, as well as by setting up experiments to do their own research. They limit variables in the experiments. They carefully record the data. And at the end, they clearly state their conclusions. This show is, like, the poster-boy for showing kids how real people follow the scientific method.)
The guys love how they blow up things.
Netflix carries the tv series.
(Probably not appropriate for kids under 10, but you know your own kids....)
Engraving
For quite a few years I've been taking care of annually getting a certain winner's name engraved on a certain plaque. The engraver I used was right across the street from the bank, on my way to the grocery store or the library or the butcher. Nice small-business fellow who did good work for a good price.
We moved. I keep giving myself the speech that I need to get settled HERE and not keep solving problems by running back to where we lived before. We found a doctor, found a dentist, found a mechanic, found a hardware store. Now, where am I going to find an engraver? I have looked through the Yellow Pages and online. I have made phone calls. There's something just not right. After multiple phone calls and attempts to "make an appointment" (what? to drop off a little piece of metal with the spelling of the name to be engraved? an appointment with a salesman??) I finally got to one of the prospects today. I had a bad feeling about it, but kept telling myself that I can't expect things to work the way they do in Podunkville. (Read: the right way the work in Podunkville!) As I drove closer to the place where the company was located, I'm thinking, "This is a huge industrial park. This is not what I'm looking for." Sure enough, they couldn't do the job. And what big company would want to mess with one $5 job per year anyway?
Every now and then I get a jolt as to how close I'm walking to the edge of the cliff. So I spent 20 minutes driving there and 20 minutes driving back and 5 minutes waiting to meet with the salesman who said "Nope, can't do that" but refused to tell me that on the phone before I came in. And I'm driving home, crying. Buck up, Susan -- this is nothing to cry about.
But sometimes it truly seems LOADS easier to make the two-hour roundtrip to drop off the plaque and the two-hour roundtrip to pick up the plaque than it is to keep making the stupid phone calls and driving to companies that aren't going to do the job anyway. I've probably already spent four hours on this and am still no closer to getting the tiny little engraving job done. It would've saved time to just get in the car and drive to the place I know, the place that is reliable, the place that is far away.
Surely there must be somebody around here who is capable of doing this little job. But I'm tired of trying to find him.
We moved. I keep giving myself the speech that I need to get settled HERE and not keep solving problems by running back to where we lived before. We found a doctor, found a dentist, found a mechanic, found a hardware store. Now, where am I going to find an engraver? I have looked through the Yellow Pages and online. I have made phone calls. There's something just not right. After multiple phone calls and attempts to "make an appointment" (what? to drop off a little piece of metal with the spelling of the name to be engraved? an appointment with a salesman??) I finally got to one of the prospects today. I had a bad feeling about it, but kept telling myself that I can't expect things to work the way they do in Podunkville. (Read: the right way the work in Podunkville!) As I drove closer to the place where the company was located, I'm thinking, "This is a huge industrial park. This is not what I'm looking for." Sure enough, they couldn't do the job. And what big company would want to mess with one $5 job per year anyway?
Every now and then I get a jolt as to how close I'm walking to the edge of the cliff. So I spent 20 minutes driving there and 20 minutes driving back and 5 minutes waiting to meet with the salesman who said "Nope, can't do that" but refused to tell me that on the phone before I came in. And I'm driving home, crying. Buck up, Susan -- this is nothing to cry about.
But sometimes it truly seems LOADS easier to make the two-hour roundtrip to drop off the plaque and the two-hour roundtrip to pick up the plaque than it is to keep making the stupid phone calls and driving to companies that aren't going to do the job anyway. I've probably already spent four hours on this and am still no closer to getting the tiny little engraving job done. It would've saved time to just get in the car and drive to the place I know, the place that is reliable, the place that is far away.
Surely there must be somebody around here who is capable of doing this little job. But I'm tired of trying to find him.
Today's Laugh
A young nun who worked for a local home health care agency was out making her rounds when she ran out of gas. As luck would have it, there was a gas station just one block away. She walked to the station to borrow a can with enough gas to start the car and drive to the station for a fill up.
The attendant regretfully told her that the only gas can he owned had just been loaned out, but if she would care to wait he was sure it would be back shortly.
Since the nun was on the way to see a patient, she decided not to wait and walked back to her car. After looking through her car for something to carry to the station to fill with gas, she spotted a bedpan she was taking to the patient. Always resourceful, she carried it to the station, filled it with gasoline, and carried it back to her car.
As she was pouring the gas into the tank of her car, two men watched her from across the street. One of them turned to the other and said, "I know that it is said that Jesus turned water into wine, but if that car starts, I'll become a Catholic for the rest of my life."
The attendant regretfully told her that the only gas can he owned had just been loaned out, but if she would care to wait he was sure it would be back shortly.
Since the nun was on the way to see a patient, she decided not to wait and walked back to her car. After looking through her car for something to carry to the station to fill with gas, she spotted a bedpan she was taking to the patient. Always resourceful, she carried it to the station, filled it with gasoline, and carried it back to her car.
As she was pouring the gas into the tank of her car, two men watched her from across the street. One of them turned to the other and said, "I know that it is said that Jesus turned water into wine, but if that car starts, I'll become a Catholic for the rest of my life."
Thursday, January 29, 2009
Today's Laugh
Is it just me, or does anyone else find it amazing that our government can track a cow born in Canada almost three years ago, right to the stall where she sleeps in the state of Washington? And, they tracked her calves to their stalls. But they are unable to locate 11 million illegal aliens wandering around our country. Maybe we should give them all a cow.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
Friendly Teasing
I don't know about you, but I'm really drawn to people who are friendly and light-hearted and fun to be around. In choir I sit between Mark and Kara, in front of Randy. Randy is definitely not shy and retiring, Mark is a little quieter, and Kara is bubbly, but they all make jokes and witty comments and brighten the day of the people around them. They're just so likable! As Matthew (who sits next to Randy) says, "I guess you can tease anybody, but it's so much FUN to tease Kara!"
"Out there" in the big wide world, we're getting serious. And thin-skinned. And touchy. For several decades now, political correctness has been killing our sense of humor. And it comes in many forms. I remember one homeschool meeting where an agenda item was some cartoons poking fun at homeschoolers. Personally, I thought they were kind of funny. Granted, the cartoons' punchline was based on the idea that homeschoolers are at home "not doing anything." But, hey, what do we expect other people to think about homeschooling? Can we laugh at ourselves or even others' misperceptions of us? It sure seems to me that the ability to laugh at ourselves and others (good-naturedly, not meanly!) does a lot to preserve sanity. And joy. And relationships.
What I'm finding sad right now is my reticence to tease or make jokes. I even worry sometimes about whether my daily jokes on the blog will offend someone dear to me. When you're in the midst of a conversation, having a good time, joking around, and suddenly you're snapped at, it makes you leery of goofing around with that person again. And if it happens repeatedly, maybe you learn to keep your distance for fear of upsetting that person you care about. And then... if several people around you are weary or depressed or weighed down with pain, so that they can no longer laugh (and get upset when you do), the gravity spreads. Everybody walks on eggshells. Everybody becomes afraid of joking and light-heartedness. We withdraw and become serious when what we really need is to come closer together and bring cheer and comfort to one another. And yet, sometimes cheer is seen as flippancy, which may make matters worse for that friend who's down.
I wish I knew what the solution was.
But I do know that my solution (avoiding people so as not to inadvertently offend) is not the right solution.
"Out there" in the big wide world, we're getting serious. And thin-skinned. And touchy. For several decades now, political correctness has been killing our sense of humor. And it comes in many forms. I remember one homeschool meeting where an agenda item was some cartoons poking fun at homeschoolers. Personally, I thought they were kind of funny. Granted, the cartoons' punchline was based on the idea that homeschoolers are at home "not doing anything." But, hey, what do we expect other people to think about homeschooling? Can we laugh at ourselves or even others' misperceptions of us? It sure seems to me that the ability to laugh at ourselves and others (good-naturedly, not meanly!) does a lot to preserve sanity. And joy. And relationships.
What I'm finding sad right now is my reticence to tease or make jokes. I even worry sometimes about whether my daily jokes on the blog will offend someone dear to me. When you're in the midst of a conversation, having a good time, joking around, and suddenly you're snapped at, it makes you leery of goofing around with that person again. And if it happens repeatedly, maybe you learn to keep your distance for fear of upsetting that person you care about. And then... if several people around you are weary or depressed or weighed down with pain, so that they can no longer laugh (and get upset when you do), the gravity spreads. Everybody walks on eggshells. Everybody becomes afraid of joking and light-heartedness. We withdraw and become serious when what we really need is to come closer together and bring cheer and comfort to one another. And yet, sometimes cheer is seen as flippancy, which may make matters worse for that friend who's down.
I wish I knew what the solution was.
But I do know that my solution (avoiding people so as not to inadvertently offend) is not the right solution.
Today's Laugh
One day while he was at the track betting on the ponies and nearly losing his shirt, Mitch noticed a priest who stepped out onto the track and blessed the forehead of one of the horses lining up for the 4th race.
Lo and behold, that horse - a very long shot - won the race.
Mitch was most interested to see what the priest did the next race. Sure enough, he watched the priest step out onto the track as the 5th race horses lined up, and place a blessing on the forehead of one of the horses. Mitch made a beeline for the window and placed a small bet on the horse.
Again, even though it was another long shot, the horse the priest had blessed won the race.
Mitch collected his winnings and anxiously waited to see which horse the priest bestowed his blessing on for the 6th race.
As the day went on, the priest continued blessing one of the horses, and it always came in first.
Mitch began to pull in some serious money, and by the last race, he knew his wildest dreams were going to come true. He made a quick stop at the ATM, withdrew his savings and awaited the priest's blessing that would tell him which horse to bet on.
True to his pattern, the priest stepped out onto the track before the last race and blessed the forehead, eyes, ears and hooves of one of the horses. Mitch bet every cent, and watched the horse come in dead last.
Mitch was dumbfounded. He made his way to the track and when he found the priest, he demanded, "What happened, Father? All day you blessed horses and they won. The last race, you blessed a horse and he lost. Now I've lost my savings too, thanks to you!!"
The priest nodded wisely and said, "That's the problem with Protestants: you can't tell the difference between a simple blessing and the Last Rites."
Lo and behold, that horse - a very long shot - won the race.
Mitch was most interested to see what the priest did the next race. Sure enough, he watched the priest step out onto the track as the 5th race horses lined up, and place a blessing on the forehead of one of the horses. Mitch made a beeline for the window and placed a small bet on the horse.
Again, even though it was another long shot, the horse the priest had blessed won the race.
Mitch collected his winnings and anxiously waited to see which horse the priest bestowed his blessing on for the 6th race.
As the day went on, the priest continued blessing one of the horses, and it always came in first.
Mitch began to pull in some serious money, and by the last race, he knew his wildest dreams were going to come true. He made a quick stop at the ATM, withdrew his savings and awaited the priest's blessing that would tell him which horse to bet on.
True to his pattern, the priest stepped out onto the track before the last race and blessed the forehead, eyes, ears and hooves of one of the horses. Mitch bet every cent, and watched the horse come in dead last.
Mitch was dumbfounded. He made his way to the track and when he found the priest, he demanded, "What happened, Father? All day you blessed horses and they won. The last race, you blessed a horse and he lost. Now I've lost my savings too, thanks to you!!"
The priest nodded wisely and said, "That's the problem with Protestants: you can't tell the difference between a simple blessing and the Last Rites."
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Ring Around the Collar
What is it with men's white shirts?
I spent all those years laundering black clericals, and there wasn't any problem with the necklines. Okay, okay, the white albs had some stains around the neck, but that's why we have amices.
But these white button-down shirts just get terrible at the neck. Why is the white so much worse than the colors? Is it just that it shows more? I keep putting Shout on the necklines when I wash them, but that seems to rough up the fibers so that it wears out faster.
Boy, clergy shirts last a long time and are easy to take care of!
I spent all those years laundering black clericals, and there wasn't any problem with the necklines. Okay, okay, the white albs had some stains around the neck, but that's why we have amices.
But these white button-down shirts just get terrible at the neck. Why is the white so much worse than the colors? Is it just that it shows more? I keep putting Shout on the necklines when I wash them, but that seems to rough up the fibers so that it wears out faster.
Boy, clergy shirts last a long time and are easy to take care of!
A Bad Thing for Jonah
In our story today, Pastor pointed out the response of the people on the ship to the storm. When the boat was in danger, when their lives were in jeopardy, the conclusion of the men was, "Oh my goodness, what have we done to deserve this?" They wanted to find the guilty party. They wanted to appease the gods who were ticked. Pastor said that this particular [bad] theology was common then, and actually it's still quite common now. When bad things happen, we tend to think God is zotting us for what we did. He was making the point that this is faulty theology, that God doesn't send bad things to punish us.
Okay, I understand.
BUT...
in this case
God really HAD sent the storm.
It really WAS because of Jonah's sin.
So I asked.
And the answer was:
Why did He send the storm? To harm? To exact payment for Jonah's sin? No. To save. God sent the storm to call Jonah to repentance that he might trust in God's mercy (and also to save the people of Ninevah). This storm was not punishment but a call to repentance. We too often stop at the first part, 'This is a result of my sin,' and think that God is angry with us. Even if something is a result of my sin, what's really happening is that God is saving us.
What was that Luther said, about how God puts to death that He might make us alive, that He brings us through hell to get us to heaven?
Okay, I understand.
BUT...
in this case
God really HAD sent the storm.
It really WAS because of Jonah's sin.
So I asked.
And the answer was:
Why did He send the storm? To harm? To exact payment for Jonah's sin? No. To save. God sent the storm to call Jonah to repentance that he might trust in God's mercy (and also to save the people of Ninevah). This storm was not punishment but a call to repentance. We too often stop at the first part, 'This is a result of my sin,' and think that God is angry with us. Even if something is a result of my sin, what's really happening is that God is saving us.
What was that Luther said, about how God puts to death that He might make us alive, that He brings us through hell to get us to heaven?
One Greater Than Jonah
Today's story on baptism is from Jonah. As we read the story this morning, Pastor was pointing out similarities between the story of Jonah and the story of Jesus, particularly the story about the disciples in the boat during the storm (Mark 4). One of the items he mentioned was the 14th verse of chapter 1, where Jonah's shipmates pray to Yahweh before pitching Jonah into the stormy seas of God's judgment, begging Him not to to hold this sin against them and not to charge his innocent blood to them. Almost makes a person think of Pilate (Matthew 27).
Today's Laugh
Twelve Ways To Maintain Your Sanity
1. At lunch time, sit in your parked car with sunglasses on and point a hair-dryer at passing cars. See if they slow down.
2. Page yourself over the intercom at work. Don't disguise your voice.
3. Put decaf in the coffee-maker for three weeks. Once everyone has gotten over their caffeine addictions, switch to espresso.
4. In the memo field of all your checks, write "for smuggling diamonds."
5. As often as possible, skip rather than walk.
6. Order a "diet water" whenever you go out to eat, and do it with a serious face.
7. Specify that your drive-through order is "to go."
8. Go to a poetry recital and ask why the poems don't rhyme.
9. Put mosquito netting around your cubicle and play tropical sounds all day.
10. When money comes out of the ATM, scream, "I won! I won!"
11. When leaving the zoo, start running towards the parking lot, yelling, "Run for your lives! They're loose!"
1. At lunch time, sit in your parked car with sunglasses on and point a hair-dryer at passing cars. See if they slow down.
2. Page yourself over the intercom at work. Don't disguise your voice.
3. Put decaf in the coffee-maker for three weeks. Once everyone has gotten over their caffeine addictions, switch to espresso.
4. In the memo field of all your checks, write "for smuggling diamonds."
5. As often as possible, skip rather than walk.
6. Order a "diet water" whenever you go out to eat, and do it with a serious face.
7. Specify that your drive-through order is "to go."
8. Go to a poetry recital and ask why the poems don't rhyme.
9. Put mosquito netting around your cubicle and play tropical sounds all day.
10. When money comes out of the ATM, scream, "I won! I won!"
11. When leaving the zoo, start running towards the parking lot, yelling, "Run for your lives! They're loose!"
Monday, January 26, 2009
Burdening Consciences
For my conscience is ensnared and misled just as much when it must refrain from doing something, which it is not necessary to refrain from doing, as when it must do something, which it is not necessary to do. When men must refrain from doing that from which they need not refrain and are compelled to do what they need not do, Christian freedom perishes in either case.
Luther's Works (vol 40, p 128)
Lutherans are quick to say that someone is "burdening consciences" when a person calls something a sin that is not [necessarily] a sin. For example, we might say that it "burdens consciences" to tell someone that trick-or-treating is wrong or that they shouldn't drink liquor or eat shrimp.
However, sometimes a person knows his own sinful motivation behind an activity that is not sinful in and of itself. I am inclined to think it would not be "burdening consciences" to talk about the sin which is admittedly there.
When I look at the Confessions, I see a couple of different ways the phrase is used. Sometimes a "burdened conscience" is one that is burdened by the true demands of the Law which we can in no way fulfill apart from Christ. The relief from the burden is the word of Christ's forgiveness.
But usually when the Confessions speak of "burdening consciences," it's about putting demands on a person and requiring him to fix whatever wrong he was doing. In the examples above, to burden the conscience would be to say, "Well, trick-or-treating is wrong, so don't let your kids dress up on October 31st and ask the neighbors for candy." Or "Because the Bible says shrimp are unclean, you've got to give up your scampi."
Let's say a sinful, selfish motivation nudges a person toward a behavior which isn't inherently sinful. What happens when sin is acknowledged by someone else? Does that "burden consciences"? It may, if the solution is for the person to eliminate the sin. But what if the solution is to [gasp] go ahead with the behavior, living in the freedom of the Gospel, rejoicing that the sinful motivation is covered by Christ's blood, thankful that He never had any sinful motivations with regard to saving us? Is it still a burden to the conscience to be told that something is sin or weakness if it is not incumbent upon the sinner to resolve the problem?
Luther's Works (vol 40, p 128)
Lutherans are quick to say that someone is "burdening consciences" when a person calls something a sin that is not [necessarily] a sin. For example, we might say that it "burdens consciences" to tell someone that trick-or-treating is wrong or that they shouldn't drink liquor or eat shrimp.
However, sometimes a person knows his own sinful motivation behind an activity that is not sinful in and of itself. I am inclined to think it would not be "burdening consciences" to talk about the sin which is admittedly there.
When I look at the Confessions, I see a couple of different ways the phrase is used. Sometimes a "burdened conscience" is one that is burdened by the true demands of the Law which we can in no way fulfill apart from Christ. The relief from the burden is the word of Christ's forgiveness.
But usually when the Confessions speak of "burdening consciences," it's about putting demands on a person and requiring him to fix whatever wrong he was doing. In the examples above, to burden the conscience would be to say, "Well, trick-or-treating is wrong, so don't let your kids dress up on October 31st and ask the neighbors for candy." Or "Because the Bible says shrimp are unclean, you've got to give up your scampi."
Let's say a sinful, selfish motivation nudges a person toward a behavior which isn't inherently sinful. What happens when sin is acknowledged by someone else? Does that "burden consciences"? It may, if the solution is for the person to eliminate the sin. But what if the solution is to [gasp] go ahead with the behavior, living in the freedom of the Gospel, rejoicing that the sinful motivation is covered by Christ's blood, thankful that He never had any sinful motivations with regard to saving us? Is it still a burden to the conscience to be told that something is sin or weakness if it is not incumbent upon the sinner to resolve the problem?
Today's Laugh
The real reason that we can't have the Ten Commandments in a courthouse ...
You cannot post "Thou Shalt Not Steal,"
"Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery," and
"Thou Shalt Not Lie"
in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians -- it creates a hostile work environment.
You cannot post "Thou Shalt Not Steal,"
"Thou Shalt Not Commit Adultery," and
"Thou Shalt Not Lie"
in a building full of lawyers, judges and politicians -- it creates a hostile work environment.
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Homeschooling Cartoons
Hilarious cartoon,
but I'm not sure non-homeschoolers would get it.
It reminds me of one of my favorite Calvin & Hobbes cartoons:
Today for show and tell I've brought a tiny marvel of nature: a single snowflake.
I think we might all learn a lesson from how this utterly unique and exquisite crystal ...
... turns into an ordinary boring molecule of water just like every other one when you bring it in the classroom.
And now, while the analogy sinks in,
I’ll be leaving you drips and going outside.
but I'm not sure non-homeschoolers would get it.
It reminds me of one of my favorite Calvin & Hobbes cartoons:
Today for show and tell I've brought a tiny marvel of nature: a single snowflake.
I think we might all learn a lesson from how this utterly unique and exquisite crystal ...
... turns into an ordinary boring molecule of water just like every other one when you bring it in the classroom.
And now, while the analogy sinks in,
I’ll be leaving you drips and going outside.
Today's Laugh
It's always darkest before the dawn.
So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.
So if you're going to steal your neighbor's newspaper, that's the time to do it.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
