Road Trip Odyssey to Minnesota Part III

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Some Quiet Time Reflections

It' a little after 8:00a. I am in my room at the Grand Kahler Hotel in Rochester, MN, & I just finished my quiet time. Every morning I find things in my devotions, scriptures, & hymns that are timely. Some mornings this is especially true, & here are some thoughts.

From "Savior of the Nations, Come" (LSB #332), stanzas 1, 3, 4 

• "Savior of the nations, come, virgin's Son, make here Your home! Marvel now, O heav'n & earth, that the Lord chose such a birth.
• "Here a maid was found with child, yet remained a virgin mild. In her womb this truth was shown:  God was there upon His throne.
• "Then stepped forth the Lord of all from His pure & kingly hall; God of God, yet truly man, His heroic course began."

MY REFLECTIONS:  This is an Advent hymn, but it was part of my morning devotions from "Blessings & Prayers for Men," Concordia Publishing House. Jesus truly is the Savior of all nations. My work at Orphan Grain Train has really made this truth hit home for me. 

• The hymn triggered this thought:  Jesus had reigned in heaven from eternity. He lived in the presence of His Father's love & the joy & worship of the angels. Then He "stepped forth" from His "pure & kingly hall" & became a human baby--still God but also one of us. Jesus was no longer in the heavenly presence of His Father & the angels. That must have been a blow for them, but it must have been a blow for Jesus, as well.

From the Preface to the Christian Book of Concord, pp. 3-4.  

• " . . . the doctrine included in it (the Augsburg Confession) was both supported by firm testimonies of Scripture & approved by the ancient & accepted creeds . . . We (the thousands who signed off on the AC) conclude that nothing more agreeable could happen or should be sought more eagerly & prayerfully from almighty God than the following:  (a) both our churches & our schools should persevere in the pure doctrine of God's Word & in that longed-for & godly oneness of mind . . . "

MY REFLECTIONS:  Many have the misconception that Lutherans prize their confessional writings more than scripture. No. We do, however, subscribe to them. I've learned or re-learned from Concordia-The Lutheran Confessions (CPH) how much time was spent by our forefathers in thoroughly searching the scriptures, writing up draft after draft of our confessional teachings, discussing them, revising them, & ultimately agreeing on them . . . & not without great sacrifice from them. More than a few were severely persecuted & even martyred because they refused to back down from these confessions. 

• Even yet today our ordained & commissioned ministers of the Word--& that would include myself, as a commissioned teacher (emeritus) in the LCMS--affirm in our public testimony that we hold completely to the truths in the Lutheran Confessions, including the Augsburg Confession, since these truths are thoroughly & properly grounded in Holy Scripture. 
• The comment made about "our schools" reinforces for me the need for & blessings of Lutheran schools, since public schools cannot espouse the truths found in scripture. Parents would do well to consider enrolling their children in Lutheran schools if for no other reason that those who serve in these schools are not only committed to the academic welfare of their children but also their eternal, spiritual welfare, as well.

One last thought . . . as I opened the curtains to my luxurious accommodations this sunny morning, I noticed for the first time the sign on the Marriott Hotel, which is directly across the street. The sign is big enough that I couldn't mistake it from my 8th floor perch. It reads:

• "Serving you with all our heart." There is a graphic of praying hands included on this sign.

I think that I remember hearing at some time previously that the Marriott hotel chain is or was owned by the Mormons. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints is not a Christian church, but this sign & graphic still give testimony to what our Lord & Savior has called us to do.

• We are to love the Lord our God with all our hearts & with all our souls & with all our minds & with all our strength. AND we are called to love our neighbors as ourselves. And who is our neighbor? Jesus clearly taught that our neighbors are all people . . . "all" as in people of every race & culture. 
• This sign would make a good mission statement posted on our churches & schools.

Man (& Woman's) Best Friend

Lois shared this story with me on TUE night. We put Sammy in the kennel for the day--by "we" I mean almost always "me."--so when Lois was ready to go to school in the morning, she said, "Kennel!" Sammy dutifully went to his kennel. We always reward him with a treat when he goes into his kennel w/o any stink-eye. Feeling sorry for him, since she knew that she wouldn't get home until late, late afternoon, Lois put a chew bone into his kennel. He didn't move other than to look at her with what could best be described as incredulity. She pointed at the chew bone & said, "Look, Sammy!" He gave it a quick glance, then gave her that look again. Knowing that we usually just give him a bacon snack, she offered it to him & he quickly snapped it up. She directed his gaze back to the chew bone on the floor of his kennel, but he wasn't having any of it, so she closed the door & left.

She got home around 5:00-5:30 & immediately went to Sammy's kennel to let him out. He was already visibly excited to see her. * She unlatched the kennel & stepped back, as he joyfully shot out of his cell & jumped at her. She said, "Let's go," pointing to the living room. He started after her, thought better of it, went back to his kennel & grasped the chew bone in his canine canine's. He obviously had let it sit in his kennel, untouched, all day long. He promptly took it to the throw rug in the kitchen, which is where he ALWAYS chews on his bones inside the house, settled into a comfortable gnawing position & went at it. In fact, he started on his bone before he took off to the living room to try to leap on Lois who was reposing in her chair.

Of course, Lois concluded. He doesn't DO chew bones in the kennel. He only does them on his favorite throw rug in the kitchen. That's why he left his bone untouched all day long. That's why he wouldn't touch his bone in the kennel. That's why he cocked his head [you know how dogs do] when she offered him the bone when he got into the kennel.
* Just for the record, "my" dog is actually Lois', the Dog Whisperer's, dog.

Conclusion #1:  Sammy possesses an incredible sense of self-discipline.

Conclusion #2:  Sammy has a case of COCDBD. *

* Canine obsessive compulsive dog bone disorder.

Today's Road Trip

• My first stop at 9:30a this morning was at the Executive Health Plan desk, where I picked up the "hardware" to do any overnight, do-it-yourself sleep test tonight The data will be read at the clinic tomorrow, & before I leave for the day, I'll have a consultation.
• My second & most awe-full appointment was for my colonoscopy. If you were expecting details, you will be sadly disappointed . . . And I would have to scold you for your prurient interests in my intestinal health.
• They did give me an understated yet functional gown with a charming print pattern that was obviously meant to obfuscate gender identification; & which I had to wear under my robe. My instructions were to leave the print gown unfastened in the back.
• When I got to the procedure room, I asked what would have happened if I showed up in the procedure room with my gown snapped together in back. Would I be severely reprimanded & forced to go immediately back to my hotel, do the prep treatment for the 2nd day in a row, & have my colonoscopy rescheduled for the next day? I was assured that they were not that anal * about those instructions, since it only involved one snap.

* That may be a poor choice of words in this circumstance.

Tomorrow's Trek

This is where my OCD is kicking in, so please bear with me. Also, as I've reminded my readers many, many times, it's my blog. You can always find another less intellectual, less entertaining blog to replace me.

• 7:45a:  Exercise Test
• 8:45a:  Cardiac Consultation
• 9:50a:  Audiogram/Hearing Test
• Lunch break w/real lunch food!
• 10:45:  Consultation (why??)
• 1:15:p Office visit (why??)
• 3:05:  Dermatology Consultation
• 4:15:  Return visit w/my executive health program physician
• Hit the road for Eagan, home of my almost 2-yr-old grandson Calvin, my daughter-in-law, & my son, for a long weekend visit. [SIDEBAR:  My son drove all the way down from the Twin Cities today, so he could be my official "companion," which is required for a colonoscopy victim after he's released back into the general population of the Mayo Clinic.