BEYOND BURNOUT *

* Source:  Reader's Digest, Sept 2022

"America is seriously stressed out. According to the American Institute of Stress, even before the pandemic 94% of workers said they regularly felt stressed. And more recently, the American Psychological Association reported that the country's collective stress had reached alarming levels. We all get busy sometimes, but feeling constantly & chronically swamped, worried, & overwhelmed can lead to burnout, which can have serious consequences . . . 

"Living at a burnout level of sustained stress can lead to serious health consequences, including problematic sleep patterns, digestion woes, & even a greater risk for depression, heart problems, diabetes, & weight gain  . . . Before the stress in your life ramps up to that level, know that experts say there are proactive steps you can take to prevent burnout:

* Look for meaning at work

* Look for meaning outside of work

* Try to separate work & home/outside life

* Don't neglect yourself

* Recognize when it has become too much

A PERSONAL NOTE:  In NOV 2014, I had to take a leave of absence from my position as administrator of Lutheran High Northeast. I was burned out, & I can totally relate to the complications described above. Ultimately, I did not return, & I blame my inability to cope with the stress & take positive steps to get help. I was suffering from clinical depression, which still affects me today. If you think you may be suffering from burnout, talk to a mental health professional. Be willing to get help & to take positive steps in relieving your stress.

ROAD TRIP ROUND-UP

Last SAT we took our 10-yr-old grandson with us to Ponca State Park, which is about 70 miles northeast of us, located next to the Missouri River. From a scenic overlook in the park, you can actually see from Nebraska into S. Dakota & Iowa. It was a gorgeous fall day with lots of fall colors in the bluffs. We had a delicious picnic lunch & hiked several trails. Our faithful companion, Sammy the Dog, joined us, & he had a ball. Not much wildlife was on display, except for a wild turkey. Technically, it doesn't count as a road trip, which requires 2 overnights. 

Next up is a trip to Wichita Falls, TX, to visit Lois' little brother David, his wife Carmen [who happens to be my 1st cousin], our niece Katie, & her boyfriend, whom we've yet to meet. Lois little sister Anita & our brother-in-law Jerry from Ft. Walton Beach, FL, will be there, too, so it will have the feel of a family reunion of sorts. We'll leave on WED & arrive on THU after an overnight stay in Wichita, KS. And it counts as a road trip!

CHRIST LUTHERAN SCHOOL

On SUN afternoon we attended the open house at CLS SCHOOL to join with many others in celebrating the ribbon-cutting of their $10 million addition. It was awesome! The CLS principal recognized not only the current faculty & staff but also former staff, which included Lois. She taught at CLS from 1997, when we moved from Hawaii back to Norfolk, until 2019, when she retired. That was very moving for me. And she still volunteers & subs from time-to-time! Several dignitaries spoke, including Mike Flood, our congressman. He remarked that it was nice to recognize an organization that was well-run. LOL.

CRIMINAL MINDS

"Man fakes heart attacks to avoid paying the bill at 20 restaurants." Fox News Online, 10/21.

"65,000 stayed on food stamp rolls after winning big in lotteries, government data show." FNO, 10/21

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE IOWA

"'Raging' bedbug infestation at IA senior living apartment complex." FNO, 10/21

HERE'S TO YOUR HEALTH

"Even short runs have major health benefits." Drudge Report, 10/21

POLITICAL POTPOURRI

"Biden announces he has secured pinky promise from Hamas not to use $100 million for terrorism." Babylon Bee

"White House assures reporters that Biden will be very concerned about Gaza hostage situation once he finds out." Babylon Bee

TRENDING NEWS FROM THE BABYLON BEE *

* Your trusted source of fake news

> Pope Francis glues himself to Sistine Chapel ceiling to protest climate change.

> CNN blames fog of war for errant reporting on Gaza bombing, Russian collusion, Jussie Smollett, Covington Catholic, Hunter's laptop, the Steele dossier, Kyle Rittenhouse, origins of COVID.

> Lia Thomas confused as to why teammates keep asking her to open pickle jars.

DEPT. OF SHAMELESS JOKE-STEALING *

* Compliments of Reader's Digest, Sept 2022

Nick's mother stops for a moment as her son reads the Bible to their cat. "Isn't that sweet?" she says. But an hour later, she hears a terrible racket. Running out the door, she finds Nick trying to dunk the cat in a bucket of water. "Nick, what are you doing?" "I'm baptizing Muffin," he says. "But cats don't like to be in water." "Well, then he shouldn't have joined my church."

TODAY'S AWESOME TRIVIA *

* SOURCE:  Uncle John's Awesome 35th Anniversary Bathroom Reader

> According to one estimate, it would take about 23 bales' worth of hay to break a camel's back.

> Globally, 10% of all marriages are between cousins.

GOD FORGIVES

For Your name's sake, O Lord, pardon my guilt, for it is great . . . Turn to me & be gracious to me, for I am lonely & afflicted. The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Consider my affliction & my trouble, & forgive all my sins. (Psalm 25:11, 16-18)

THE GOOD NEWS

"For me, the good news is that the great One who is totally other & past finding out has humbled Himself & presented Himself to us not in power but in love." Tony Campolo, Men's Devotional Bible

THE PROMISED COMFORT OF HEAVEN

All authority in heaven & on earth have been given to Me. (Matt. 28:18) "Jesus has eternal heavenly authority. He gave that authority to His Church. God delays the end of the world so that the Gospel may be proclaimed for the salvation of all His elect." Rev. Matthew Harrison, The Lutheran Witness, Nov. 2022

IS IT WRONG TO JUDGE?

Jesus said, "Judge not, that ye be not judged." (Matt. 7:1) Not many passages of the Bible are quoted as often as this one, even by people who otherwise do not go to the Bible to learn the truth. Nor is there any passage in the Bible which is misused as often & grossly as this one. People say:  Here Jesus has once for all laid down the rule that we should not give expression to any judgment with respect to others & their relationship to God . . . Anyone who is somewhat acquainted with the Bible knows that the above interpretation is based upon a complete misunderstanding of the words of Jesus. Only a few lines farther on Jesus asks His disciples to beware of false prophets. From this it follows that we not only have the right, but that it is also our duty to make up our minds about other people's relationship to God . . . No, what Jesus wishes to get at here, as otherwise, is the attitude of the heart with which we give expression to our judgments of others. Why do we discuss the failings of others? Is it to injure them & to exalt ourselves? If so, we are doing that which Jesus means by judging." (O. Hallesby, "God's Word for Today)

THE HINDRANCE OF WISDOM

"One hindrance to hearing a word from God may be our own wisdom . . . Religious people with the most knowledge are sometimes the ones least responsive to God's Word. Knowledge can easily lead to pride, & pride impedes us from seeking God. How do you know if you are a 'Pharisee'? When you do not have a teachable spirit. When you become defensive if a fellow Christian shares a concern about your spiritual condition. When you do not seek to hear from God, believing you already know what He thinks. When you feel that you are capable of helping others in their spiritual lives, when no one can teach you anything. Don't allow the limited knowledge you now have to blind you to the great truths God still wants to reveal to you." (Henry & Richard Blakaby, "Experiencing God Da-By-Day) 

PRAYER OF THE DAY

"O God, the protector of all who trust in You, have mercy on us that with You as our ruler & guide we may so pass through things temporal that we lose not the things eternal; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who loves & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. Amen. Grace Lutheran Church Bulletin

TODAY'S HYMN

God of Grace & God of Glory, LSB 850, Sts 1, 3

God of grace & God of glory, On Your people pour Your pow'r; Crown Your ancient Church's story; Bring its bud to glorious flow're. Grant us wisdom, grant us courage, For the facing of this hour, For the facing of this hour.

Cure Your children's warring madness;Bend our pride to Your control; Shame our wanton, selfish gladness, Rich in things & poor in soul. Grant us wisdom, grant us courage Lest we miss Your kingdom's goal, Lest we miss Your kingdom's goal.

RESOLUTIONS ROUND-UP

Here are my 2023 New Year's resolutions & results to date.

> Average 1 road trip per month. A+  11 so far w/trips planned for TX in OCT & FL in DEC.

> Lose 5 lbs. A+  I've lost 11 lbs but have put on some weight since last month. Time to get serious again.

 > Add to our National Park list. A+ We visited Biscayne NP in FEB.

> Avoid desserts. C

> Exercise and/or walk at least 4X/week. C  I did pretty well when I was prepping for our trip to Europe. Time to get serious again.

> Publish my "Buzzwords" devotion book. C-  I've been stalled. Time to get serious again.

> Write my "Chapter & Verse" devotion book. A  Finished. Next step is for Lois to proof it.

G.P.A.    B+

SPEAKING OF ROAD TRIPS

We were in Eagan, MN, last week. We attended my 7-yr-old grandson Calvin's Lutheran school for his Grandparents Day. Its name is Trinity Lone Oak, named after the huge oak tree that once was a landmark in Eagan. The city's "crest" is, in fact, an oak tree. Yes, we learned something we didn't know. Prizes were awarded to the grandparents who traveled the farthest & those with the most grandkids. I thought we might have a shot at the former, but we were easily beaten by a couple from the United Kingdom. Didn't even came close to the latter. There was a couple with 28 grandchildren! All our children have to produce is 23 more grandchildren. Time to get serious again.

FOOTBALL FOLLIES

I loved watching Cornhusker highlights. Well, that would be the Cornhusker VB teams. They won their last 2 contests, both against ranked teams. They are undefeated & ranked #2 in the nation. Our football team? They lost to #2 ranked Michigan 45-7. The good news? They scored a late touchdown to preserve their streak of 344 games without being shut out. The Chiefs beat the Jets 23-20 but still don't look like Super Bowl champs. At least Taylor Swift showed up to cheer for Travis Kelce & the Chiefs.

Bentley's Y team won on SUN. He had 2 sacks! We don't keep track of the score. LOL. The won, 3 TD's to 1.

HERE'S TO YOUR HEALTH

"Fishing & its health benefits:  The more men go fishing the better their mental health." Fox News Online, 9/30

"STUDY:  Climbing 5 flights of stairs daily cuts heart disease risk 20%." Drudge Report, 9/30.

POLITICAL POTPOURRI

"Congress passes trillion dollar stopgap bill that will fund government until about 2:00 p.m. tomorrow." Babylon Bee

"Rep. Bowman pulls fire alarm again while trying to flush urinal." Babylon Bee

"Democrats propose $12 billion study to determine what this strnge red handle thingy does." Babylon Bee

THERE IS NO PLACE LIKE PHILADELPHIA

"A Phillies fan & his emotional support animal, an alligator named WallyGator, were denied entrance to watch Philadelphia host Pittsburgh . . . WallyGator is a working emotional support alligator owned by Joie Henney of Jonestown, PA . . . Citizen's Bank Park's policy on support animals is posted on the Phillies' official website. It states, 'Guide dogs, service animals, or service animals are welcome. All other animals are prohibited.' Henney said . . . WallyGator helps him battle depression & that 'he likes to give hugs.' Henney said then that the gator had never bitten anyone." Norfolk Daily News, 9/30. I thought Philadelphia was the city of brotherly love!

LIKE CALIFORNIA

"Homeless pirates marauding through San Francisco Bay." Drudge, 10/2

TRENDING NEWS

"Disney sued over 'severe' injuries from water slide 'wedgie.'" Drudge, 10/2

"Church elder pulls fire alarm to delay vote on new carpet." Babylon Bee

THE WIT & WISDOM OF CAL THOMAS

"There are other problems [with electric vehicles], including paying China for the Lithium needed for car batteries. Rep. Chris Smith (R-N.J.) claims forced labor is being used to mine cobalt, exploiting children in impoverished Congo, the world's largest producer of the mineral that is also needed for batteries. Should we be morally comfortable with this? Then there's the cost. Among the cheapest prices I found in an online search was for a tiny 2-door car costing nearly $44,500. If you need a bigger car for a larger family, the price quickly escalates.

"What happens when the British & Americans force their people to buy electric cars & world temperatures do not even modestly decline? Estimates of what it will cost are all over the place. Bloomberg calculates lowering global temperatures will cost $200 trillion. Morgan Stanley says the cost will be $50 trillion. 

"This is all about politics, more government control of our lives, & the loss of individual freedom. What happens when Britain & America have gone all electric & the results are not as predicted? Who will take responsibility? Certainly not those now promoting this fiction. If you're in government & pushing something that doesn't pan out you never have to admit error." Column by Cal Thomas in NDN, 9/30

THRIFTNESS

"God wants us to be thrifty, contented, & careful in the use of the gifts He bestows upon us, that nothing may be lost, as Jesus said to His disciples after He had fed the multitude in the wilderness. Never has it been more necessary to be thrifty than at the present time. Nothing but economy, thrift, & work can put the world back on its feet again. We might well ask if any generation has been less accustomed to thrift than ours. The prosperous times that we have had during the past century have made us all extravagant & demanding. Here we Christians should take the lead & live industrious, economical, & thrifty lives in the midst of the poverty & distress of our times . . . The thrifty person saves, in the first place, in order not to become a burden to any one, &, in the second place, to have something with which to help others." O. Hallesby, God'w Word for Today

WHY SUNDAY MEDITATIONS?

If it seems as if my selections for my Sunday Meditation & Theological Thursday posts are meant to be directed toward others, that would be a "no." I usually include thoughts that strike close to home for me, then maybe strike close to home for others. Far be it for me to be judgmental toward others & presume to know what they need to hear. These thoughts are usually what I need to hear.

THE GOOD NEWS

"For me, the good news is that the Great One who is totally other & past finding out has humbled Himself & presented Himself to us not in power but in love." Tony Campolo, Men's Devotional Bible

LIFT UP YOUR HEADS!

"Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory!" Psalm 24:9-10

PAINFUL REMINDERS

"God is absolutely just. He loves, & He forgives, but He does not comprise His righteousness. God deals with us uniquely. He draws upon our experiences to teach us about Himself. God will forgive us of our sin, but He may provide stark reminders of the ugliness of sin. Let us thank God that He loves us enough to remind us of the destructive consequences of sin in our lives." Henry & Richard Blakaby, Experiencing God Day-By-Day 

ONE OF THE GREATEST TEMPTATIONS

"Both the Scriptures & experience prove to us that money is one of the very greatest temptations that come to God's people. Avarice is the hidden virus which quietly but surely destroys the life in God for many a child of the Heavenly Father. Jesus speaks not only of avarice, but also especially of covetousness. Are these not the same sins? Yes, essentially they are. But they manifest themselves in ways that differ to such a degree that many think they have been delivered from covetousness when they have only been set free from avarice.

"The difference is this:  the avaricious person desires money in order to accumulate it, while the covetous person desires money in order to use it. Common to both of them is greed for money, the worship of mammon. To Jesus our attitude of heart is the important thing. It is for this reason that He would destroy our inner dependance on money." O. Hallesby, God's Word for Today 

THE PROMISED COMFORT OF HEAVEN

Luke 23:43  "And He said to Him, "Truly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in paradise." Jesus promised this to the repentant thief on the cross. This was a promise made to one man that comforts us all in the face of death & tells us all what happens when we die in Christ. We shall be with Jesus immediately upon death, to await the blessed resurrection. How we 'wait' for the resurrection, our souls in eternity with Christ & our bodies in time disintegrating, burned to ashes, dispersed at sea & so on, is a mystery." Rev. Matthew Harrison, The Lutheran Witness, Nov. 2022

TODAY'S PRAYER

"Almighty God, You exalted Your Son to the place of all honor & authority. Enlighten our minds by Your Holy Spirit that, confessing Jesus as Lord, we may be led into all truth; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives & reigns with You & the Holy Spirit, one God, now & forever. Amen." Grace Lutheran Church Bulletin

TODAY'S HYMN

Praise the Almighty, LSB #797, Sts. 2-3

Comment:  Isn't it a mark of our culture that we look to political leaders for guidance, for solutions, maybe even for a sort of salvation? This is true of both sides of the political spectrum. It's certainly true altogether too often for me. That's why I chose today's hymn.

Trust not in rulers; they are but mortal; Earth-born they are & soon decay. Vain are their counsels at life's last portal, When the dark grave engulfs its prey. Since mortals can no help afford, Place all your trust in Christ our Lord. Alleluia, alleluia!

Blessed, oh, blessed are they forever Whose help is in the Lord Most High, Whom from salvation can nothing sever, And who in hope to Christ draw nigh. To all who trust in Him our Lord Will aid & counsel now afford. Alleluia, alleluia!