Someone asked yesterday--"What occasioned this last post??" What didn't?
--some long, bitter discussions at other blogs;
--friends acting contrary;
--controversy in our denomination and other church bodies;
--Bailouts;
--temptations (tenatio) all around.
This means it is a good Lent. Satan is testing, prayer increasing, mercy unfolding.
It seems that in this Lent, no sleeping dogs lie, no pot goes unstirred, no status quo is over-turned, no temptation withdrawn, no church unaffected, no matters left to peace, no accusation left unsaid, no defense left open, no scandal un-blogged.
It's more repenting I need. Kyrie Eleison!
The family arrived home safely Saturday evening. It is really good to have them back. While they were gone someone asked how lonely it was in an empty home. Lunch and dinner time were the worst. It was so quiet, I'd have to turn the TV on to have a little noise. The irony, of course, is that when the house is full, M and I are always telling the kids to be quiet and eat.
The time away was good for the kids, though. I've noticed that Elli seems a bit more mature and considerate than she had been. She also stopped taking Zyrtec. What's the connection? Marjorie took some a week or two ago and felt very angry and irritated, and realized that Elli acted like that all the time. It is a rarely reported side-effect. Makes us wonder.
Heard on "A Prairie Home Companion":
"Bach was revolutionary. He was revolutionary because he was old-fashioned. That's how we know he was a Lutheran."
In other matters: I had posted something on political correctness, then thought better of it and removed it. But it made it through to several feed burners before I removed it. It turned out a little too insensitive.
I guess this means I am more politically correct than I thought I was.
I am no fan of President Obama. I cannot support his deathworks policies.
But let's go easy on his sense of humor.
Here's where people said he was making fun of Jessica Simpson:
The girl is on the cover of a national magazine publicizing how she used to be fatter. What Obama said is pretty mild...and amusing.
Now some rail against him for making fun of the Special Olympics. Here's what happened on the Tonight Show:
Give the man a break, please. He was making fun of himself and everyone who was buttering him for bowling a 129.
Until he does something like this, he's not making fun of anyone (it begins in a familiar fashion, then goes off the tracks at 0:13)
One of my dear members died Monday afternoon--Dorothy Spillman. She made the good confession. May our Lord receive her in His Kingdom and give peace to all who mourn her.
The other member who is near death is still with us. Continue to pray for Robert, servant of God.
UPDATED with correct day. I'm loosing it. :(
I just realized the hymn "Be Thou My Vision" is not in the newest LCMS hymnal. Nor does it seem to be in the previous hymnal.
How do I know this song so well?
Why is it not in them?
Here is the text:
Be Thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
Be all else but naught to me, save that Thou art;
Be Thou my best thought in the day and the night,
Both waking and sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my wisdom, be Thou my true Word,
Be Thou ever with me, and I with Thee Lord;
Be Thou my great Father, and I Thy true son;
Be Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Be Thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight;
Be Thou my whole armor, be Thou my true might;
Be Thou my soul's shelter, be Thou my strong tower:
O raise Thou me heavenward, great Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man's empty praise:
Be Thou mine inheritance now and always;
Be Thou and Thou only the first in my heart;
O Sovereign of Heaven, my treasure Thou art.
High King of Heaven, Thou Heaven's bright sun,
O grant me its joys after victory is won;
Great Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be Thou my vision, O Ruler of all.
I should just link to this, but I'm afraid you won't follow it. Matthew Archbold should do stand-up. Here's his theory and reprint of his post: Parenting According to Monster Movies, from Creative Minority Report.
I’ve developed a theory on parenting informed by monster movies and based on my own life. In the beginning I was King Kong. The King of all Monsters. Nobody messed with Kong. Nobody. Until…I fell in love. That’s the downfall.
I’m sure you can relate. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby daughter in the baby carriage. I’m sure this path happened similarly for you. Let’s walk along the Monster Movie timeline of parenting.
Birth of baby. You are The Fly.You are an unsuspecting victim who dabbled with powers far beyond your comprehension and changes come upon you unbidden. You’re not yourself anymore. You don’t know what you are. But it’s not pretty.
1-3 mos. –You are a Vampire– You’ve been cursed to walk the night seemingly for eternity. As a nocturnal creature with red bloodshot eyes you frighten all who come in contact with you. As the sun rises, you curse it and only wish for sleep, peaceful sleep.
3-6 mos. - Frankenstein– Mornings see you as a near brainless groaning grumpy creature with a mean streak. You plod around your castle like the living dead. You yourself don't know if you're more dead than alive. Your visage is offensive to all.
6 mos. to 1 yr. - You are a Ghost.To everyone who knew you pre-baby you have disappeared. Nobody ever sees the ghost you and they even start suspecting you don’t exist at all. And when you show up among old friends they scream, gasp, and question you. And you begin to feel unconnected to them and slowly beging fading away...forever.
1 -2 yrs. You are Quasimodo– You walk around the house hunched over trying to protect your newly walking child from every corner in the house until you’re permanently deformed. (This is especially bad for the first child and almost non-existent by the fifth when you say things like, “Hey, how else will she learn not to walk into walls?)
2-4 yrs. You are Jekyll and Hyde– You have a split personality. You are the authoritarian figure of a lunatic asylum at home and somehow you’re supposed to not instinctively tell people to finish their drink all gone at business lunches.
5-12 yrs. – You are the Wicked Witch of the West–The scourge of your young girl who seeks only to escape your clutches. You pester her and come after her but all she wants to do is hang out with her friends who she calls weird names like Scarecrow and Tin Man. You are surrounded by monkeys who fly around crazily and no matter how many times you give them jobs to do they just mess it up.
12 -15 yrs. - You are Hal 9000 from A Space Oddysey 2001–You're trying to patiently and logically explain everything you do to uncooperative little humans. The little humans who once thought you were great now can’t stand the sound of your voice, think you’re crazy and are trying to shut you off.
15-18 yrs. – You are the Invisible Man.–Nobody sees you. You can do and say whatever you want, it doesn’t matter. Nobody can see you.
18 yrs. – You are Annie Wilkes.–The person you love is trying to leave you. Oh no, Mr. Man. We won’t be having any of that. You’re staying right here. Don’t even think about getting in that Cockadoodie car and leaving. I go out of my way for you! I do everything to try and make you happy. I feed you, I clean you, I dress you, and what thanks do I get? You think you can just leave now?!
25 yrs.- You are the Mummy.You wander around slowly causing mayhem until you are placed back in your tomb.
