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A Bundle of Myrrh

"My beloved is unto me as a bundle of myrrh." Song of Solomon 1:13

Archive for the ‘Being Lutheran’ Category

More on the Pastor’s Family

Tuesday, October 28th, 2014

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Marriage was given to man and woman right from the beginning. And God blessed the man and woman and said be fruitful, multiply. The family is the foundation of civilization. Martin Luther had much to say about this. In our marriages and families is where Satan loves to attack all of us. We see these institutions belittled, hated, mocked and “redefined” all around us.

So this is another reason I’ve been so glad to bring all of you more on the pastor’s wives and families. We should praise the institutions of marriage and family whenever we get the chance. Yes they bring crosses, all of God’s gifts bring crosses, but these have become holy crosses for the Christian to bear.

Marriage and family are great blessings from God. Luther pointed the church back to that truth especially by example when he himself finally took a wife!

I asked my sweet friend Jenny to share her perspective on her life as a pastor’s wife. Here is what she shared.

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Listening To Luther

Monday, October 27th, 2014

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Joy Under The Cross

I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. Acts 9:16

“If you would be a joint heir with your Lord Jesus Christ, but will not suffer with him and be his brother and be made like him, he will certainly not accept you as his brother and joint heir at the last day. But he will ask you where your crown of thorns, your cross, your nails and scourging are, and whether you too have been an abomination to the world, as he and all his members have been from the beginning of the world. If you cannot give proof of this, he will not be able to accept you as his brother. In a word we must suffer with him, and must all be made like the Son of God, or else we cannot be exalted to his glory.

The marks, nails, crown of thorns, and scourgings I must bear, and so must all Christians, and not just painted on the wall, but stamped in our flesh and blood.

Here St. Paul admonishes every Christian to bear the marks of Christ our Lord. And he comforts them that they should not be afraid even if all human suffering should be laid on them, as now for some years has been the lot of our brothers and sisters. But it will become even worse when the hour of our foe and the might of the darkness comes. But let it be. We must suffer or we shall not come to glory.” Martin Luther

Our Reformation Sunday

Monday, October 27th, 2014

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Yesterday we Lutherans observed the Reformation (“Reformation Day” – Oct. 31). We added a book to our library I thumbed through it and am looking forward to sittting down with the babies with this one. Look like good teaching tool! Oh and Lily was so excited about her First Catechism!

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Life for A Pastor’s Child

Saturday, October 25th, 2014

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Since my friend Kristi was so kind to share her thoughts on being a pastor’s wife, I groveled at her feet again for thoughts on being a pastor’s child. She kindly obliged me.

She writes:

I’ve always known the life of a church worker’s family. My parents were both Lutheran school teachers. Once I was born, my mom stayed home to take care of me, and eventually my brothers as well. My dad taught for a number of years in Lutheran schools and then attended the seminary to be a Lutheran pastor. I don’t regret that my parents were teachers or that my dad is a pastor. I have been blessed tremendously by their vocations.

Some people will tell you that the life of a pastor’s family (as well as a Lutheran teacher’s family) is like living in a fishbowl. I suppose, to some degree, that is correct. Because the pastor is the “public face” of the family, people really do keep their eyes on him. That’s how it should be: eyes on him. Even better would be if their ears would be on him, for he brings God’s good news to them in Word and Sacrament.

I can recall having family prayer-time every evening before going to bed. Dad would read the Bible story and then catechize me and my brothers further on the story. We would say prayers and then go off to bed. Dad was a busy pastor. He served two churches and attended countless meetings. He would be gone in the evenings, but he would always make sure he ate dinner with us before heading out the door for a long evening. Dad was Dad; he wasn’t “the pastor” all the time in our family. I never saw him that way. He was my dad, and he was also my pastor. He confirmed me. I had to know all of the answers to all of the questions because I was the only one in my class. Talk about pressure. It was parental pressure, not pastoral pressure.

We kids ate lots of cake. Our family was always invited to the baptism dinners. We attended confirmation dinners. We cleaned up on graduation cakes as well. After funerals, the ladies would send home extra sandwiches and pans of bars for our family. I liked that; I think my mom did, too.

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