Whimsical? Whatever? You be the judge.

Grandkids Are the Best + There Is No Place Like Nebraska *

* Well, no place like Cornhusker football fans.

Conversations w/My Grandchildren

When I picked up Bentley, my 4-yr-old grandson, from Christ Lutheran Pre-school on MON 11/27, he informed me that he had a girlfriend. It was in the context of a conversation about his pre-school friends. He volunteered this information. I didn't ask him any questions. He mentioned her by name, & when we drove by the daycare playground, he pointed her out to me & said, "Look, Papa, there's S------, my girlfriend."

Fast forward to WED 11/29. I'm picking him up @ pre-school again. The conversation begins as we're getting into the car.
Bentley: "Nathan's zipper broke on his back-pack."
Me:  "Is Nathan your friend?"
Bentley: "Yeah."
Me:  "Do you still have a girlfriend?" [I admit that this could be construed as a leading question.]
Bentley:  "I have LOTS of girlfriends. Drive by the playground. I'll show you."
We drive by the playground but no one is outside playing.
Me:  "Looks like no one's on the playground."
Bentley:  "My girls are all inside. [Pause] There's more girls than boys in pre-school."
My conclusions: (1) He's using the word "girlfriend" in the generic sense for friends in general. A good test would be asking him if he has any boy friends, but I don't want to go there. (2) My grandson is a player who will break many hearts before this is all over.

There Is No Place Like Nebraska

From Omaha World Herald (11/15):  "Moos:  A.D. says football can restore 'magical brand' . . . "We still have that magical brand that, in any FB person's mind, is one of just a few through the years," Moos said. "It's slacked off in recent years but that doesn't mean we can't get it back. That's what fans are longing for, & they deserve that." What does a well-coached team look like? Moos had a frank * answer, & he told the reporter, 'Print that. They're disciplined. They play with passion, they have focus, they're in excellent shape, they're disciplined in their lives in all aspects--not just in the field of play, but in the classroom & in the community . . . They are good teammates, they are leaders, they care about how they are perceived, how they look, how they dress, how they talk. All those things add up to the ingredients of a successful program. And good, solid FB programs produce good teams. It has a different makeup. But if the program is solid in the ways I just mentioned, the teams will be competitive year in, year out." **
* Not in the sense of Frank Solich. Get it? Frank. Frank? Sometimes I crack myself up.
** Don't forget "We need to pay a good coach at least $6 million a year. ***
*** We will be paying severance packages totaling over $6 millions, nor counting assistant coaches' salaries. We're still paying off at least one other former coach, plus our former AD.

Omaha World Herald (11/25):  "Bleak Friday. Iowa 56, Nebraska 14. Riley's likely finale is a broken record of mistakes & porous defense, though coach states his case to keep job . . . A miserable 4-8 season--Nebraska's worst since 1961--remained that way to the bitter end . . . " MY COMMENT:  Bill Moos fired Riley & all but one of his assistants on SUN.

OWH (11/28):  "Husker fans take wooing of Frost into own hands. Michael Fitzpatrick wants Husker athletic officials to hire Scott Frost * as the next FB coach, so he did more than just talk about it. He did what any lifetime Nebraska fan would do. He had 15,000 red coasters made with the message 'Hire Scott Frost Now!' & handed them out at 2 dozen Omaha-area bars . . . " * Scott Frost is a former Cornhusker quarterback who helped win our last national championship. He's currently coaching an undefeated UCF team that is one win from qualifying for the national championship. MY COMMENT:  I'm considering having 25,000 coasters printed that read, "Donate $6 million dollars to Orphan Grain Train. We'll spend it wisely.

Thanksgiving 2017, Deep Reflections Part II

CONTINUED from FRI 11/23

Speaking of WED (11/22) evening worship, we joined in traditional thanksgiving hymns. Here are some excerpts from those hymns that really struck me. [Speaking of "struck me," nobody struck me for trying to get my grand-kids worked up during church.]

Come, Ye Thankful People, Come" (LSB #892)

"For the Lord, our God, shall come And shall take His harvest home,
From His field shall in that day All offenses purge away.
Give His angels charge at last In the fire the tares to cast,
But the Fruitful ears to store In His garner evermore." (St. 3)

We Praise You, O God (LSB #785)

"We worship You, God of our fathers, we bless You;
Through trial and tempest our guide You have been.
When perils o'er take us, You will not forsake us,
And with Your help, O Lord, our struggles we win." (St. 2)

For the Fruits of His Creation (LSB #894)

"For the harvests of the Spirit, Thanks be to God.
For the good we all inherit, Thanks be to God.
For the wonders that astound us, For the truths that still confound us,
Most of all, that love has found us, Thanks be to God."  (St. 3)

Praise and Thanksgiving (LSB #789)

"Father, providing Food for Your children, By Your wise guiding Teach us to share
One with another, so that, rejoicing With us, all others may know Your care."  (St. 3)

O God, Our Help in Ages Past  (LSB #733)

"Before the hills in order stood Or earth received her frame,
From everlasting Thou art God, To endless years the same."  (St. 3)

Have No Fear, Little Flock  (LSB #735)

"Have no fear, little flock; Have no fear, little flock,
For the Father has chosen To give you the Kingdom;
Have no fear, little flock!"  (St. 1)

Now Thank We All Our God  (LSB #895)

"Now thank we all our God With hearts and hands and voices,
Who wondrous things has done, In whom His world rejoices;
Whom from our mothers' arms Has blest us on our way
With countless gifts of love And still is ours today.

"All praise and thanks to God The Father now be given,
The Son, and Him who reigns With them in highest heaven,
The one eternal God, Whom Earth and heav'n adore;
For thus it was, is now, And shall be evermore."  (St. 1 & 3)

Thanksgiving 2017, Deep Reflections, Part I *

* Well, maybe not THAT deep.

Yes, it's Black Friday, NOT Thanksgiving Day. I told myself that I was going to write something "inspirational" for Thanksgiving. Then I told myself that just about the most trite entry a person can write for a holiday is an inspirational one. Well, I changed my mind, because--wait for it, wait for it---it's my blog. End of discussion. End of debate.

So here goes . . . 

Things that I'm thankful for as I reflect on Thanksgiving 2017.

• Worshipping with my kids, grand-kids, & wife at our Thanksgiving worship service on WED evening at Grace Norfolk. Joining in the Sacrament of the Altar with my wife & kids. **
• Grilling on THU 11/23. We grilled steak, chicken, & hamburgers last evening, along w/grilled potatoes. That's how nice the weather was. [And is . . . Today is pretty balmy, too, for the end of November.]
• Fishing with my son Nathan, also on THU 11/23. Fishing, but not catching, yet I treasured the time I got to spend with him. We reminisced. We caught nothing. We shared about our mutual medical conditions. We caught nothing. And, although I caught nothing, neither did he. Does that make me shallow? [LCBLAC * :  "Yes, it does."] * Leckband Cornhusker Blog Lite Advisory Committee
• Watching one son-in-law triumph over some of the most viciously competitive Monopoly players that you will ever find. He won last night's match hands-down, despite multiple attempts to cheat by the afore-mentioned competitors. [I don't want to mention any names & embarrass anyone. * It was Lois, Sarah, & Brianna.
• The "wow" factor of our basement, bathroom makeover, courtesy of my other son-in-law [with some help from others, including his spouse, my spouse, the other son-in-law, & my oldest grand-daughter].
• Watching my daughters & daughter-in-law fawn over each other's kids. My grand-kids are blessed with godly mothers [& fathers] . . . 
• . . . And a godly mother & grand-mother Lois, the love of my life. Watching her joy as she spends time with these children is a real joy for me. [They ADORE her. They tolerate me.]
• My grand-sons--both the 4-yr-old & 1-yr-going-on-2-yr-old--bringing me books to read. Watching them "read". [Nobody does sound effects like Papa.]
• My grand-daughters' love for which I am especially grateful, since I can be a grumpy grand-pa occasionally. [My spouse:  "Occasionally?"]
• Finally * , my Lord & Savior who has called us out of the darkness & into the light. I've been blessed to witness the baptisms of my 3 children & 4 grand-children . . . also blessed to know that my daughter-in-law, two sons-in-law, Lois, & I are all baptized. 
• * Just kidding. I am also blessed to be a part of two families, my own brother & sisters, sister-in-law, brother-in-law. nephew-in-law, niece, & their kids, my great-nieces & nephew; also the Hill family brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews, et al. We get together & they tolerate me!
• ** Speaking of WED evening worship, we joined in traditional thanksgiving hymns. Here are some excerpts from those hymns that really struck me. [Speaking of "struck me," nobody struck me for trying to get my grand-kids worked up during church.]

TO BE CONTINUED!

Whatever Wednesday Reappears!

Volleyball...Bowling...Roller Skating...Coffee Drinking...Pig Chasing

There Is No Place Like Nebraska!

• From Norfolk Daily News (10/30):  "A striking success for bowling couple. Both bowled a perfect 300 game, on same night. Jasmine & Michael Snell are the perfect bowling couple. They both bowled for UNL & now spend their spare time hitting local lanes. But last week the Papillion couple pulled off something really striking. Each bowled a perfect 300 game on the same night, in the same league." MY COMMENT:  "Striking success?" "Spare time?" "Something really striking?" This story must have been super fun for the OWH headline editor. 
• From Omaha World Herald (10/30):  "No stopping Huskers--once they get to arena. After bus mishap, NU uses block defense to complete 'tough' weekend sweep. Nebraska has been able to navigate a mine-laden path through the country's toughest conference. For the most part, handling whatever the Big 10 could put in the way. But before finishing another unbeaten weekend on the road, the Huskers had a new obstacle to overcome--arriving at the match. After the team bus broke down, players scrambled to line up Uber rides to Keen Arena [Michigan, Ann Arbor]. But that was the most drama #7 Nebraska faced SUN." MY COMMENT:  Let's not talk about football just yet.
• From OWH (10/31):  "Rooftop skating rink will open on Dec. 2. People will be able to skate on surface made of synthetic material even with temps above freezing. Rooftop ice skating--w/o the ice--will soon be available at Midtown Crossing [in Omaha], as a benefit for the Salvation Army. The skating rink, made of a slick synthetic material instead of actual ice, will open to the public Dec 2 on a garage rooftop next to Wohlner's Neighborhood Grocery & Deli, near 33rd & Dodge Streets . . . With a $5 minimum donation for admission & optional skate rental, skaters will be able to glide on the lubricated plastic surface even when temperatures rise above freezing. All of the proceeds will benefit the Salvation Army & the 100,000 people they help in the Omaha-Council Bluffs area each year . . . " MY COMMENT:  Although the article didn't reference the manufacturer of this surface, my guess is that it originated in the UNL Technology Park in response to the global climate change crisis & warmer winters. 
• OWH (10/31):  "Army vet is getting new roof as thanks for her service. U.S. Army veteran Rebecca Holbrook is getting a new roof on her Omaha home this week thanks to the Owens Corning Roof Deployment Project, a national program aimed at thanking those who served their country . . . Holbrook, 78, was selected for the project through a partnership with Habitat of Humanity of Omaha. She said she served in the Army from 1957-1963. She swerved as a medevac nurse in Southeast Asia during part of her military career."  No need for any comments here.
• OWH (11/3):  "Scooter's reached for local link with holiday cup design. Papio-LV South grad is a designer whose work will be sipped this season. A college student from Bellevue took on an important task this year for a coffee shop chain--she designed its 2017 holiday cup. Mariah Adams' design is appearing on thousands of Scooter's Coffee cups in 14 states during the holiday season . . . "  MY COMMENT: Too bad I couldn't "enclose" a picture of the cup. I can assure you that it's a cheery, traditional Christmas design unlike the pagan designs that PC Starbucks will undoubtedly place on their Christmas cups again this year.
• OWH (11/4):  "Pig tracked down by trooper finds a home. Life keeps getting better for a piglet named Wilbur. Last month a NE state trooper rescued the little guy after finding him loose in a median along I-80 near Lincoln. Now he's been adopted by a local woman--& he's got a friend. The woman last week adopted Wilbur & another piglet, named Chubbs, from the Capital Humane Society in Lincoln . . . Though both animals are your typical farm pigs, the woman plans to keep the young porkers as pets on her acreage near Lincoln . . . The 2 pigs were adopted a day after the shelter posted their availability on Facebook . . . " MY COMMENT: Wilbur? Chubbs? That's a little trite, don't you think? If these were Iowanians I have a sneaking suspicion that these piglets would be destined to grace the Thanksgiving table.

Special TUE edition of Mental Health MON

Ups & Downs . . . Highs & Lows

Ups . . .

• On SUN 10/29, we attended the Reformation Service at Concordia Seward. Music, message, hundreds of believers with hearts & minds lifted up together . . . And the German buffet that followed didn't hurt either. [Sauerbraten, German potato salad = Yes! Asparagus & brussel sprouts = Yuck. I let Lois have my share, although she wouldn't trade her black forest cake with me.]
• On SUN 11/5, we attended the Norfolk Circuit Reformation Service at Christ Norfolk. I was afraid that it would be a letdown after the awesome event at CUNE the Sunday prior. "O ye of little faith." It was awesome.
• On SAT 11/11, we attended a concert at Century Link in Omaha. It was Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, & Jordan Smith [no relation]. We both felt a little letdown at intermission time, but not because the pretzel & cheese sauce we enjoyed cost $7.50. Most of the music thus far had been secular. Although the musician-ship of the featured players, their band, their back-up singers, & the orchestra behind them was amazing, we had hoped to hear more Christian music. 
• Well, the 2nd half of the concert lifted us up . . . lots of Christian music, familiar & new Christmas songs, a sing-along by the whole gallery, & Jordan Smith. Not to take anything from Michael W. Smith & Amy Grant, but this young man has a set of pipes. We weren't familiar with him, although it turns out that he had performed on The Voice. I think he actually got bigger ovations than the two featured singers, & they didn't seem to mind a bit.

And downs

The Cornhuskers lost to MN last SAT 11/11. They lost ugly. They lost big. I really don't feel like "talking" about it.

Highs . . . 

• Last SUN 11/12, Lois & I attended the annual Christ Lutheran Church S.O.S. event @ Divot's in Norfolk. Gary Thies from Mission Central was the M.C. Grant Schmidt, our fearless leader at Orphan Grain Train, served as the main speaker. Funds were raised to help support 4 missionaries, including the Freese's, preparing for service in Congo. [Lois & I "adopted" these missionaries & also help support them.] Funds were also raised for OGT.
• Orphan Grain Train has "boots on the ground" in the Houston area, so now we're not only providing material support but also helping with volunteer support. OGT has mobile housing units, kitchens, showers, water tanks, etc., which have now been deployed. We are also working to bring relief to Haiti, Puerto Rico, Florida, plus all the other "destinations" we serve both domestically & abroad.
• DYK? About 97% of our monetary donations are [is?] channeled directly toward the relief of those who need help. Let that soak in for a moment. Only 3% of our donations are used for administrative costs. You can compare that to the Red Cross, but it's starting to sound like I'm bragging, so you'll have to check out their % yourself.

And lows

• I typically struggle this time of year for a variety of reasons. My father was taken home to be with His Savior ten years ago this month. He's in a better place, but I still miss him. 
• Three years ago this month I went on a medical leave from Lutheran High Northeast. At the time I had every intention of returning to my position. It turns out that my "temporary" leave of absence turned into a long-term "leave," & I never did return. God has led me to see that this was a blessing for Lutheran High & for me personally, but even after understanding this & even after 3 years, it still stings.
• I was invited to participate in an LHNE Listening Post last SAT 11/11, which was very much appreciated. I felt that I helped contribute to this effort for the school leadership to put together a strategic plan for both the near future & long term. On the other hand, I was reminded of my many failures. Now I can tell that I'm slipping into a pity-party, so time to move on.
• Although I like falling back way more than springing ahead, the change from daylight savings back to central standard time also affects my mood, I think in the same way as those who suffer from Seasonal Affective Disorder.

Trying to end on a positive note

• For a variety of reasons, I have been able to help Rachel & Derek by taking care of Bentley fairly often. Some days I take care of him all day. Some days I pick him up from pre-school at 11:00 & take him to his day-care provider. Some days I pick him up & take him home with me until one of his parents can pick him up. Some days I pick him up from day-care around 5:00 & take him home until Rachel or Derek can pick him up. He is every bit of a 4-year-old, & he is a hoot. Yesterday I made the mistake of taking him grocery shopping at Hy-Vee. Here's our conversation as we walked up & down the aisles.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 
Bentley:  "Papa, I want a donut." Me:  No.
"Can I have a donut?" No.
"Papa I want a donut." Not today.
"There are my donuts, right there! [Pointing to the bakery dept.] Me:  NO!
"Can I have a donut?" 
Me:  Okay, but no more whining & begging, okay?
"Okay." [We choose a donut.]
Pause for a respite.
"Papa, can I have chips?" No. "Can I have BBQ chips?" No, we have some at home. "Are they BBQ?" No. "Papa, can I have those chips?" Okay. [Am I a doting grandfather? You be the judge.]
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * 

• Last weekend our son-in-law Craig brought Brianna & Hadley along while he worked on a bathroom project in our basement. When he was deployed last school year, I traveled just about every week to Lincoln to help Sarah & the girls. Their visit this past weekend reminded me how much I miss that frequent interaction with them.
• Nathan & Laura "share" Calvin [1 going on 2 in JAN.] with us on FaceTime. He's a gem, & we look forward to seeing them at Thanksgiving.
• I am representing OGT at this weekend's Nebraska District Youth Gathering in Omaha. And I am thankful that it won't be up to me to help chaperone the hundreds of youth in attendance.
• My therapist reminded me yesterday that journaling, which includes writing for OGT & blogging, has helped provide relief for my depression & anxiety. I needed that reminder & will try to blog more. [A relief for you? You be the judge.]

There Is No Place Like Nebraska

A Lutheran bias? Ninja girlfriends? Black vultures? Giant pumpkins?

Good Ol' Martin Luther

The Norfolk Circuit Reformation service last SUN 11/5 was a mountain-top experience. Keep that in mind as you read the following excerpt.

From Omaha World Herald (11/1):  "Germany marks 500th anniversary of Reformation. German leaders on TUE marked the 500th anniversary since the day Martin Luther is said to have nailed his theses challenging the Catholic Church to a church door, a starting point of the Reformation. German Chancellor Angela Merkel & President Frank Walter Steinmeier took part in a service in the famous Castle Church in Wittenberg, where Luther supposedly posted his 95 theses on 10/31/17 . . . Roman Catholics & some Lutherans have been taking deliberate steps toward ecumenism for 50 years. They are trying to restore the unity that was lost when Luther started the split from the Catholic Church in 1517."  MY COMMENT:  Is said to have nailed? Supposedly posted? I suppose the Allies supposedly won World War II. And it was Luther's fault that unity was lost when he started the split from the Catholic Church? I'll jump on THAT bandwagon. "He tore the world to pieces with his five-and-ninety theses. Good Ol' Martin Luther, he's our man. I'm so glad that I'm a Lu-ther-AN."

Criminal Minds

OWH (11/7):  "Woman is accused of running after boyfriend with sword . . . Police said the woman admitted to punching her boyfriend in the face & then chasing him with the sword. But she told officers that she wouldn't have harmed him . . . "   MY COMMENT: You don't pull the mask off the ol' lone ranger, & you don't mess around with GIRLFRIENDS CHASING YOU WITH A SWORD!

Go Big Red!

OWH (10/22): "Leaving Duck Dynasty. 'I guess I'm at a point in my life where I'd rather step in it than put up with it. The classic Moos quote, given to Oregonian columnist John Canzano in a 2007 podcast, explained why he decided to leave a burgeoning Duck dynasty to raise cattle on a ranch. Basically, ensuing reports indicated, it's hard running an athletic department when you disagree with the leading mega-donor on various strategic decisions. So with that, Moos stepped away to work on another dream:  Special K Ranch . . . "  MY COMMENT:  Do I really have to explain that we're talking about Bill Moos, the newly hired A.D. of the Cornhuskers? Apparently for some of you, I do.

From 'Breaking Brad' by Brad Dickson in OWH (10/24):  "How powerful is the position of athletic director in Nebraska? Gov. Pete Ricketts is looking forward to meeting his new boss." MY COMMENT:  Not everyone in Nebraska will think this is funny. Most will read this & say, "So?"

Flora & Fauna

OWH (10/31):  "Black vulture flies north for Halloween. A creature that's dark as night & rare in Nebraska has landed here just in time for Halloween. A black vulture was found alive in a backyard in Lincoln earlier this month.It's the first documented case of a black vulture in Nebraska since 1916 . . . " MY COMMENT:  P.E.T.B.V. * has already threatened to sue if this black vulture is not loaded onto a climate-controlled, luxury vulture-bago(?) & carted back to wherever it is that black vultures come from. * People for the Ethical Treatment of Black Vultures

OWH (11/1):  "Gardening experiment nets 680-lb pumpkin . . . Carl Fleming Jr. isn't a gardener, but this year he & his family harvested a pumpkin weighing 680 lbs. Fleming, a welder at Lozier, & his 8-yr-old son, Bubba, planted 3 seeds in the backyard of their La Vista home the 2nd week of May . . . The Fleming family watered the plant every day & watched the vines grow throughout the summer & fall. The kids grew so fond of the pumpkin, they named it 'Blimpy.' The pumpkin grew to 680.5 lbs . . . " MY COMMENT: Take that, Iowanians! We may not be able to beat you in football, but we MORE than beat you in growing giant pumpkins. And in sword-wielding ninja girlfriends.

When the Saints Go Marching In

How We Became Saints, Part I

When I was a freshman at St. Paul's College High in Concordia, MO--circa 1967-68--there was a move to change our name from the SPCH Bluejays, as we sought to establish an identity separate from St. Paul's College. *

As I remember it, out of many suggestions that were made, 6 names showed up on the ballot. Everyone was allowed to vote, including us lowly freshmen. On the day before or day of the final vote, I was in the high school library with a few other freshmen. [Was it a study hall? Was it over the lunch period?] A group of seniors dropped in to explain to us that we were going to vote for "Saints." [Where was the librarian?] Their "logical" persuasion convinced us to follow their lead, & the vote to change our name to the St. Paul Saints was a landslide.
* Back in the day, we were a 6-yr "campus," a 4-yr high school & a 2-yr junior college.

How We Became Saints, Part II

Many Lutheran churches, including our own, observed All Saints Day last SUN 11/5. Lutherans appreciate saints. We do not worship them, nor do we pray to them. We celebrate the lives of brothers & sisters in Christ who have passed before. One of our texts last SUN was from Rev. 7:9-17. As St. John was observing the glory & majesty of heaven around 90 A.D., a special privilege before he died, he wrote, "After this I looked and behold, a great multitude that no one could number from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, 'Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!'" . . . Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, 'Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?' I said to him, 'Sir, you know.' And he said to me, 'These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made white in the blood of the Lamb.'" (Rev. 7:9-10, 13-16)

My sainted father was taken to heaven 10 years ago in early November, 2007. In early February it will be 10 years ago since my sainted father-in-law was taken to heaven. And in early March it will be 10 years since my sainted mother was taken to heaven. How do I know that they are saints? How do I know that they were already saints at the time of their death? I know this because they were blessed with faith to believe in Jesus as their Lord & Savior. This was accomplished through the grace--the undeserved love--manifested in the life & death & resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

It is an awesome comfort to know this. St. John continues, "Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will shelter them with His presence. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat. For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and He will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (7:15-17)

A common practice in our churches is to read the names of our brothers & sisters who died in the faith during the past year. These are the brothers & sisters who were part of our earthly community at Grace Lutheran Church. As those names were read, I was moved to silently "celebrate" members of our own personal family who passed before us--some many years ago.

These included a niece who died from complications following major heart surgery when she was just a toddler . . . Lois' mother & father . . . my mother & father . . . some dear aunts & uncles, several of whom died just within this last year.

They are in heaven! They are "before the throne of God." They are past the suffering they endured during their lives on earth, sufferings that included cancer, dementia, heart problems, strokes & more. They are no longer suffering from hunger, no longer suffering from thirst. We have God's promise of this.

And we who are believers by God's grace will join with this "great multitude that no one could number." How do I know this? Because Jesus the Lamb of God will be our Shepherd. Who IS our shepherd, & whose promises are always true. 

Yes, I choked up more than once during last Sunday's worship service. There were tears in my eyes, but the time will come when we join our loved ones in a place where God will wipe away every tear.

Our name change at St. Paul's College High lent itself to a great school anthem, "When the Saints Go Marching In." [Fellow St. Paul Saints may have expected me to choose "Good Old Martin Luther."] When our loved ones die, they are marched into heaven. As far as I know, the great multitude of saints is doing some marching now & for eternity. TIMCT! *
* "This Is Most Certainly True." **
** That's a "Lutheranism," thanks to "good old Martin Luther."

For All the Saints *

(St. 1) "For all the saints who from their labors rest, 
Who Thee by faith before the world confessed, Thy name, O Jesus, be forever blessed. Alleluia! Alleluia!

(St. 2) "Thou wast their rock, their fortress and their might;
Thou, Lord, their captain in the well-fought fight; 
Thou, in the darkness drear their one true light. Alleluia! Alleluia!

(St. 7) "But lo, there breaks a yet more glorious day; 
The saints triumphant rise in bright array;
The King of Glory passes on His way. Alleluia! Alleluia!

(St. 8) "From earth's wide bounds from ocean's farthest coast,
Through gates of pearl streams in the countless host, 
Singing to Father, Son, and Holy Ghost: Alleluia! Alleluia!

* LSB, #677

A Shorter Reflection on Reformation + Another Bonus Reflection

Reflection #1

Lutherans & many others celebrated TUE 10/31 as Reformation Day. On SUN 10/29, our church, like many others, focused our attention--not on Martin Luther--but on the Rock of our Salvation, namely Jesus Christ. Luther may have set things in motion 500 years ago, but his actions & writings were inspired by the Lord. Martin Luther was blessed by the Lord to be a blessing for others. Lutherans don't hold up Martin Luther as our object of worship. We hold up his & our rock of salvation.

Here are some more highlights from our worship servicer @ Grace Lutheran in Norfolk last Sunday.

From Psalm 46

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble. Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging . . . The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress . . . 'Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among nations, I will be exalted in the earth.' The Lord Almighty is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress."

MY COMMENT:  It is a great source of comfort to know that despite all the sadness & tragedies & obstacles that we face in this world, we have a God whom we can fall on for help & salvation. This holds true both for this life & the next. It all depends on God, not us. It is impossible for us to be "mighty fortresses." Praise God that He becomes a mighty fortress for us.

A Mighty Fortress" *

This hymn, written by Martin Luther, is rightly called the Battle Hymn of the Reformation.

(St. 1) "A mighty fortress is our God, A sword and shield victorious;
He breaks the cruel oppressor's rod And wins salvation glorious.
The old satanic foe Has sworn to work us woe.
With craft and dreadful might He arms himself to fight.
On earth he has no equal.

(St. 2) "No strength of ours can match his might. We would be lost, rejected. 
But now a champion comes to fight, Whom God Himself elected.
You ask who this may be? The Lord of hosts is He.
Christ Jesus mighty Lord, God's only Son, adored. He holds the field victorious."
* LSB (CPH) #657)

MY COMMENT:  Satan is the "satanic foe" that Luther identifies as one who is much too powerful for us to defeat on our own. Therefore, our heavenly Father sent His only Son to fight the battle for us. "To God Be the Glory."

Reflection #2

• After 5 years in Chicago, Lois & I moved to Lincoln, NE. We looked forward to our first Halloween, since our landlords in Chicago wouldn't let us hand out treats. They also insisted that we keep the front door locked & all lights off. They had good reasons. They feared the dangers that we were too naive to fear. We were pretty naive after growing up in a rural part of the country.
• For that 1st Halloween back in Nebraska, we made a huge batch of caramel popcorn--something you couldn't get away with handing out today--& separated it into individual baggies to hand out. We sat back & waited for the doorbell to ring.
• And waited & waited & waited. We saw a plethora of little, costumed trick-or-treaters wandering about in our neighborhood. [Uni Place for those who know Lincoln.]
• We watched as gang after gang of of them walk by our apartment building.Really?
• It turns out that we had neglected a very important detail. We had failed to turn our front porch light on. It took us about an hour into our perplexing evening before we figured it out.
• The front porch lights were turned on in most of the other homes & apartments in our neighborhood. Trick-or-treaters were stopping at these places.
• We turned on the front porch light. We started getting trick-or-treaters to ring our doorbell.
• We ate a lot of leftover, homemade, carmel corn. [Every cloud has a silver lining.]