"My beloved is unto me as a bundle of myrrh." Song of Solomon 1:13
Wednesday, April 23rd, 2014
“Anyone who wishes to receive the Holy Sacrament must offer to God Almighty an empty, single, and hungry soul. Therefore it is most fitting soul is least fit; that is, when the soul feels altogether wretched, poor and devoid of grace, it is most receptive for God’s grace and least fitted to receive it.” Martin Luther
Tuesday, April 22nd, 2014
We survived Holy Week which for a pastor’s family can be quite the exercise in patience. A good Lenten discipline! I loved what Rebekah had to say about that. Now I’m left to play catch up here on the bloggy blog and document what we did so elderly Aubri can look back fondly. (Pastor Wife Perk above: All the left over palms from Palm Sunday!)
I love Palm Sunday. There’s a sense of the Easter joy in the Hosannas but without all the fuss that can come (thanks to us) with Easter Sunday. A big crowd at church for Confirmation, the kiddos singing, the palm branches swishing in the pews.
We had a gloriously strange Sunday, cold and lo, a blizzard! Phil had taken all the babies out in the stroller to the confirmation parties in town when all this started picking up. They made it home just in time, thankfully only having to run through the ice pellets.
Sunday, April 13th, 2014
“See how Christ the king abandons possessions, body and life. Learn from this that his kingdom is not of this world. To enjoy the Christian faith here on earth does not mean to have all things in abundance and lack nothing. Look at your king, the Lord Jesus. Of what does he boast? What comfort has he in life? How highly is he praised?
He has nothing but suffering, scorn, and disdain, and he dies in shame. One little thing he has with which to rule. It is his testimony to the truth, the holy gospel. Through this he pours the Holy Spirit into our hearts, forgives sin and bestows the hope of eternal life.
But all these things remain in faith and in the Word. They are not see, nor are they handled. They exist in hope.
All those who know the way of this king and his kingdom willingly bear the cross. For they not only know that Christ, the eternal king, fared in the same way and is thus himself willing and ready to suffer, but they also take comfort in the knowledge that life in the eternal kingdom is full of joy and splendor, even though suffering must be endured on earth.
That makes Christians joyful even in the midst of sorrows and trials.”
Martin Luther Sermons from the year 1545. WA 52:768
Sunday, March 30th, 2014
I am so excited to have received this beautiful set of ornaments for our Lenten Jesus Tree! My sweet friend Rachel was so kind to order these for me from Jesse Tree Treasures. She ordered them on Friday and they got here on Saturday, I couldn’t believe it!
So we still have a couple weeks of Lent to enjoy them this year. But the set also includes 10 additional discs for Easter Monday through Pentecost! Love that!
