Receiving Good Gifts from God

Don’t look for e-mail from me today, I am not going to be on the computer very much. Before I get entirely wrapped up in my classes, I am enjoying

http://www.abilitiesexpo.com/houston/

See you next week

Lalalalala! Classes are starting Monday! Here is what I’m taking this fall:

• HIT 125D – 1-D1, History of Office of Deaconess, 3.0000, , Full Term James Bushur Distance Learning
• PMM 152D-2 – 1-D1, Field Ed – Deaconess Studies I, 2.0000, , Full Term Cynthia Lumley Distance Learning
• SYT 143D – 1-D4, Lutheran Confessions: Introduction & Overview, 3.0000, , Full Term Lawrence Rast Distance Learning

They are not overwhelming us this semester. Starting Monday, I get to focus on “The History of the Office of Deaconess”… and it really looks like I’m going to savor it.

For a minute, though, I thought I was in trouble. One of my textbooks is not here in digital format. Since the first exam is minutes away, I was preparing to

1. Panic
2. Run my wheelchair in circles until I barf, and
3. E-Mail the Professor to see what arrangements can be made

None of that was necessary because of Google Books

I must’ve been worrying about my classes because last night I was dreaming about my calculus class. (No, I’ve never taken calculus.) I dreamt I was really struggling, not being able to make sense of what was being said. I went to the tutor, who only spoke Mandarin Chinese and Romanian? I went to “Drop and Add” to drop the class, but missed the deadline so I would receive a zero. Then I went to sign up for the next classes, and my money was frozen.

So… I woke up, very tired.

Another textbook has been converted for download to my digital thingy for disabled people and visually impaired. It is a history book, “In the Footsteps of Phoebe,” a history of deaconesses in the Lutheran Church… I suppose in the Christian church at large. If I was getting ready for Bible study, I would download and read it immediately.

Dr. Bushur is supposed to be an excellent teacher. I’m just nervous and twitchy.

I hope that you had a good day. Today in Bible Class, we started in first Thessalonians — after four years in Galatians. Also, Yes, I was at church… I did not really stay long at the Rally Day Event, though. And I always enjoy singing this :

696 O God, My Faithful God

1 O God, my faithful God,
True fountain ever flowing,
Without whom nothing is,
All perfect gifts bestowing:
Give me a healthy frame,
And may I have within
A conscience free from blame,
A soul unstained by sin.

2 Give me the strength to do
With ready heart and willing
Whatever You command,
My calling here fulfilling.
Help me do what I should
With all my might, and bless
The outcome for my good,
For You must give success.

3 Keep me from saying words
That later need recalling;
Guard me lest idle speech
May from my lips be falling;
But when within my place
I must and ought to speak,
Then to my words give grace
Lest I offend the weak.

4 When dangers gather round,
Oh, keep me calm and fearless;
Help me to bear the cross
When life seems dark and cheerless;
Help me, as You have taught,
To love both great and small
And by Your Spirit’s might
To live at peace with all.

I am getting excited about the next batch of text books for my Deaconess classes. I still wish that I could hold books, but I am now a member of www.bookshare.org, and that has given me access to these books:

Pastoral Care Under The Cross: God In The Midst Of Suffering
by Eyer, Richard C.

This book brings the theology of the cross into practice as a source of comfort for the sick and dying, the elderly, the depressed and mentally ill, persons with AIDS as well as the families of those afflicted.
Copyright: 1994

Through Faith Alone: 365 Devotional Readings From Martin Luther
by Luther, Martin

A devotional based on Luther’s writings and freshly translated from the original German into today’s English, this edition is conveniently divided into daily readings for personal use to understand the importance of faith.
Copyright: 1999

Meditations On Divine Mercy: A Classic Treasury Of Devotional Prayers
by Gerhard, Johann and Harrison, Matthew C.

Meditate on these classic devotional prayers. A prolific writer, professor, and pastor, Johann Gerhard is regarded as one of the greatest theologians and thinkers of his time.
Copyright: 2003

Lutheran Service Book: Pastoral Care Companion
by The Commission on Worship of The Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod

The Pastoral Care Companion provides numerous practical resources like Services and Rites, Resources For Pastoral Care, and Other Resources for visitations and crisis intervention.
Copyright: 2007

Visitation: Resources For The Care Of Souls
by Kinnaman, Scot A. and Just Jr., Arthur A.

Because we need God to keep coming to us, we need visitation. Members of the body of Christ need to go to one another and share the Word that opens our narrow hearts to all the blessings that come from the faith, hope, and love in Christ Jesus. Visitation serves that need and is an essential tool for comforting others in their difficult times.
Copyright: 2008

You have no idea how delighted I am to have access to these. It would be different if I wasn’t constantly running into hurting people, but I really want these tools — I just didn’t know how much. And no, I don’t want to be a pastor or play one on TV!

I thought that using Joomla would make keeping the ZionTomball.org updated much easier. I was hoping that it would allow the pastors and secretary to add things without much knowledge.

I was way wrong!

That software package made my head explode from what I didn’t know. Instead of making things easier, it made things harder. So… in the middle of my classes and paper writing, I started moving things back to a normal website design. I’m not finished. There’s lots of fake Latin still on the site, but every day or so… I’m doing something.

I finished the last paper for this semester, and turned it in five minutes ago. It isn’t the best paper I’ve ever written — none of them were this time around. I’m not nearly as quick as when I was in school before. I’m not quite as sharp, either.

Yes, I turned in my paper. I cannot allow myself to celebrate, though… I need to work on the Zion website.

Another week has gone by, and I have not posted here. The “Dreaded July Intensives” have run into August, and… in spite of my muttering and complaining, I am enjoying my studies.

The papers for Dr. Peter Scaer are still intimidating. I just have to feel the fear and go ahead anyhow. Just do it and turn it in. I finished one of these and both papers for the “Diakonal Counseling” class — just turned in the book review for Scott Floyd’s Crisis Counseling: A Guide for Pastors and Professionals. I appreciate and enjoy the book in spite of my suspicion that I would be something like this as a counselor.

Just one more paper to finish for this semester. I have most of the books for the fieldwork and next semester.

I also have a new helper. Kathy D.

.