Claimed, gathered and sent

Rural Pastor had mentioned in an email that we were having a baptism this morning. That's always exciting and I made the assumption that the family was from the area. When I went to put on my alb, I saw a woman changing a baby and then realized they were the baptismal family. I greeted them and mentioned I was away last weekend at my granddaughter's baptism in Rochester, NY. The mother exclaimed, "We're from Rochester!" I was amazed. I then inquired where they live in the Rochester area. She said, "Penfield." I told her I graduated from Penfield High School--as did she. She mentioned she had attended St. Joseph's Church in Penfield. That is where I was confirmed. We even went to the same elementary school, though she's much younger than I. It gets even more amazing. I mentioned that my daughter lives in Greece, NY. That's where one of the godparents lives! This is in a small, rural, MD church!! They had family here though and that's why t

It's just Abby and myself home this wet, rainy Saturday morning. Ray and Amity are at S. O. S., Seminary on Saturday. This is a program for the community that's held twice a year. The first session on Nov. 1 was "Holy Time-Holy Space-Holy People," taught by a couple of my profs. Ray missed last week's session because of our being in Rochester. Today's is "Luther and the Jews," taught by my adviser and her husband. One of the tremendous blessings of being at this place is the learning opportunities for both of us and the community. We are grateful to be here in this place, gathered with God's people. LTSG picture

Please take a look at Clint's post on sabbath rest , particularly as we approach Advent. It's a challenging read. What do you do to add sabbath to your busy days? For myself, night prayer, or compline, nicely closes the day and helps me to remember why I'm here at seminary. Flickr picture

I received a call a short time ago from my daughter that her grandfather has gone home to be with the Lord. The chorus from an old Gaither song kept going through my mind: It is finished, the battle is over It is finished, there'll be no more war It is finished, the end of the conflict It is finished and Jesus is Lord It seems very fitting that today, Veterans Day, should be the time of his homecoming as a World War II veteran. Thank God for the hope we have in Christ. As Paul wrote, "If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied" (1 Cor 15:19). It is good to know that he is in God's loving care and has no more pain or sorrow. Thanks be to God for this amazing gift.

Birth, baptism, marriage, and many other times of our lives are defining moments. Yesterday, I participated in several of these, culminating in one profound one. At the left is my granddaughter, Grace, who was baptized yesterday. After Greek class, which ends at 5:45 Friday afternoon, we packed and started the trip to Rochester, NY for Grace's baptism. We rejoiced as we witnessed this momentous event in her life. Hearing, "Grace, child of God, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever" ( Evangelical Lutheran Worship , p. 231), was an answer to prayer. For Grace, this was a defining moment. This was the capstone of our visit and why we were here, or so we thought. That was only part of the reason as far as God was concerned however. We found out that Grace's great-grandfather was in a hospice and was not expected to live much longer. His name is Fred and he has been like a father to me from the time I met him. I felt closer to

My thoughts on the meaning and importance of baptism as well as the mode and timing of one's baptism have changed significantly over the years. I was baptized as an infant into a family that did not participate in the life of the church. As a teenager I had a religious experience that some would refer to as being "born again." After some time, I was baptized again, as a believer by immersion. I then, saw no validity in my infant baptism. I have now been a Lutheran since the late 1980s. Lutherans primarily baptize infants. This is something I have struggled with for a long time. Was it really valid if the recipient was not exercising faith? What if the parents of the child did not believe? What if it was being done simply for "fire insurance," just in case there might be something to this God thing? Or, what if the baby is baptized because the parents have caved into pressure from other family members? My appreciation of infant baptism, including my own, began w

Thanks to Singing Owl for this interesting quiz. Here are my results. Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz... You Are a Bette! "I must be strong" Bettes are direct, self-reliant, self-confident, and protective. How to Get Along with Me * Stand up for yourself... and me. * Be confident, strong, and direct. * Don't gossip about me or betray my trust. * Be vulnerable and share your feelings. See and acknowledge my tender, vulnerable side. * Give me space to be alone. * Acknowledge the contributions I make, but don't flatter me. * I often speak in an assertive way. Don't automatically assume it's a personal attack. * When I scream, curse, and stomp around, try to remember that's just the way I am. What I Like About Being a Bette * being independent and self-reliant * being able to take charge and meet challenges head on * being courageous, st