Receiving Good Gifts from God

I cannot remember the last time it happened, but it has been MONTHS since water fell from the sky around here! It’s been humid as all get out, but it has been way too long since there was real precipitation. Most of Texas is in a severe drought.

I think that we should declare a state holiday!

I sure am enjoying keeping busy! The article for the June newsletter at Zion has been turned in. I am working on a website for Responsible Diva Discounts at www.thedivadiscountcard.com and it should be up and running within 24 hours. I am ahead in my reading, and plan to do the article for the July newsletter – the dreaded July intensive classes are looming ahead! I will be learning to use the LSB builder thingy as a backup for Nathan and April in the office.

Meanwhile, I think I need a nap… Click

I finished "Books of Moses" Saturday. Professor Pulse did a delightful job of reemphasizing how Christ keeps showing up in the Old Testament – starting with Genesis 1:1.

Who knows, maybe I will talk more of that when I have vast amounts of free time. Or maybe not…

Now I am starting The Church in Missiological Perspective with Dr. Cameron A. MacKenzie. It looks to be a "rip-snorter" of a course. There will be some history, some politics, some economics,… And a lot of theology. Yes, it sounds like something I will thoroughly enjoy. For example, yesterday and Saturday, I got to finally read Martin Luther’s "Freedom of a Christian." It is one of those things that I intended to read, that in the well read person may want to read… Lots of us never get around to doing it. I figured it would be a bit dry, I thoroughly enjoyed it. I cannot wait to be done with all my classes so I can read it again – without having to gallop through it at full speed without really "getting" the full impact of what is being said.

Anyhow, here is my reading list:

Required Textbooks

Martin Luther, Three Treatises (Fortress)
Philip Jacob Spener, Pia Desideria (Fortress)
Rudolf Bultmann, Jesus Christ and Mythology (Prentice Hall)
Justo L. Gonzalez, The Story of Christianity. Vol. 2: The Reformation to the Present Day

Additional Resource Materials for Students

Luther biographies:

Bainton, Roland. Here I Stand
Haile, H. G. Luther: An Experiment in Biography
Kittelson, James. Luther the Reformer
Nohl, Frederick. Luther: Biography of a Reformer and Eugene Klug. Lift High the Cross: The Theology of Martin Luther (These two should be read as one book)
Oberman, Heiko. Luther: Man Between God and the Devil
Schwiebert, E. G. Luther and His Times
Wilson, Derek. Luther: Out of the Storm