Receiving Good Gifts from God

Last month, Mother had to go get work done on her teeth. She really find some of theFinds some of the most creative people, though. This list was on the wall in the front office, and made her smile. The good endorphins probably made the entire procedure a lot less painful than it could have been.

Blessed Sunday to you!

Every so often, someone will ask me why I go to a church that does almost exactly the same thing all the time. I have to smile at that, I cannot see much pleasure in team sports – they have the same things happening all the time. (Just wildly…)

The language of the church takes a little learning. It is offensive to our ears to hear that we are not the center of the universe. It is hard to learn that we, in, are honest-to-goodness SINNERS instead of the politely mistaken. The liturgy and repetition are teaching tools to help us learn.

When you look into things further, you see that most of the liturgy is made up of Bible verses. People do not realize that one of the side effects of participating regularly in a liturgical service is memorization of Scripture – Scripture verses that are quite useful in difficult times.

These gifts (and knowing these verses are gifts) are with us in good times and bad, giving words to the prayers that we do not know how to utter. It frees us to take the language of God and tell it back to Him in faith and Doubt.

Remember the miners trapped underground in Chile? They needed the air, water, and food from the realms above them to survive. God’s Word, spoken back to Him, touching our ears and hearts is the "oxygen" pipe down to us living in a broken world full of darkness.

I found a nifty quote that touches on all this from a book from one of my classes. It is published by Concordia Publishing House, and is called Lutheran Service Book Pastoral Care Companion. While it is primarily for pastors, those of us laypeople who will also be visiting the sick and dying can find useful tools and encouragements. Here is what it has to say about the liturgy itself:

The liturgy itself provides the language for pastoral care. We are not left with the poverty of our own words or with the grammar of self righteousness. The stability of the liturgy, both in terms of form and text gives both pastor and people a common language. In times of crisis, people do not need creativity or novelty but forms and words that are well-known and reliable.
    – Lutheran Service Book Pastoral Care Companion

I went to Muscular Dystrophy Clinic today. Yep, I still have a disability. They did the breathing test, my lung capacity is 15% of what they expect it to be. Definitely am not in danger of using up all the oxygen on planet Earth this week!

They drew blood and scheduled a cat scan and an x-ray to see what’s going on with the pain in my hip and shooting pain in my legs. Cannot do an MRI because of the metal rod in my back.

All in all, it was a pretty good day.

I wonder if my fascination for freerunning is partly because I know it is absolutely impossible for me to participate in, and I absolutely must be interested in things I’m not supposed to be interested in.  Yes, I’m a little bit contrary-minded.

Happy Tuesday!
I’m taking a deep breath of relief. I had been a panic mode because I needed to redo one of the papers I turned in last semester. While I was incredibly grateful for the chance, I’m also still questioning my abilities, etc.
It happens every so often.
Anyhow, while I am planning to post the results of the Bible study I wrote here, I have a couple of other papers to write first. Meanwhile, I thought I’d like to post these Lenten devotions before Easter. They were written by my fellow students At Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne Indiana.
Anyhow, I would like to get back to work… After I post these.

Lenten Devotions from Concordia Theological Seminary, Ft. Wayne Indiana

Yes, I am looking forward to it… But I am already behind!

The readings are going to keep me going in circles,

I have got a paper due the 27th. That one is going to be quite fun, "Needs of Those with Physical Disabilities," specifically within church settings. Yes, you could say I am a sucker for punishment!

Another paper is due April 26.

A Devotional Reflection is due May 23.

And yet… I could not be happier!

Blessed Ash Wednesday!

The "Evangelism Committee" at my church has asked me a question that I can’t answer.

Is there a place that can make use of old publications like…  The last month’s "Lutheran Witness" or a last quarter’s "Portals of Prayer." Members of Zion has been faithfully returning these pre read magazines and whatnot since before I’ve been a member there.  I have been asked to find a good use for them…

Any suggestions?

You can reply to me here…  The discussion itself will probably be very enlightening.

I had such plans for this blog this week!

First, I was going to tell you all about a retreat I went to this Saturday.  It was at Living Word Lutheran Church in The Woodlands.  It was sponsored by Higher Things and was called "Invocation. " it was well done and thoroughly enjoyable -› it really pointed to Christ.  I’m not going to tell you about That, but I will show you the link http://higherthings.org/news/invocation-retreat.html

Another one is coming up in Conroe, but I cannot find information on that topic or the date.  I think it is in the fall, but I’m not sure…

There were two other things that I was going to tell you all about…  I can’t for the life of me and remember what they were.

I’m tired and I think my allergies are running rampant.  Tree pollen is turning everything that peculiar shade of yellow-green, including me.  It’s quite lovely NOT!

If I’d tell you anything, it would be that I need to quit fairly quickly today.  The Evangelism Committee will be meeting later tonight.  Yes, I’m going…

I wonder if everything is still working here?  It’s been about a bajillion years since I’ve posted anything!

School has been keeping me busy.  From the latter part of January through the early part of February, I had "Dreaded Intensives".  For some reason, I was off kilter for all of that.  I finished the six papers on Wednesday, but none of them were worth reading.  I just hope they don’t throw me out of school for being completely illiterate!

Even if they do, I haven’t lost anything.  The privilege of studying Scripture, sound doctrine, and history this intensively is such a treat!  I highly recommend this for any woman with interests in this area.  The only thing is that now I want to learn Greek and Hebrew…  And Aramaic…  And Latin.