"For all the saints who from their labors rest...."

November 1 is "All Saints Day" and at Grace Lutheran Church in Hendersonville, NC, we celebrated as a congregation the saints on Sunday, November 6.  Lighted candles on the altar burned brightly throughout the service to remind us of all who have gone before us and that we are "surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses."

So many country churches have their cemeteries flanking the church, some even surrounding the building so that those coming to worship literally are "surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses."   And at the church when we came forward to receive communion, as we knelt at the rail that surrounded the altar, we communed with those witnesses as well.  It is an awesome thing to commune not only with the flesh and blood about us, but also with those who have gone before us.

When I go to communion ANY Sunday, not just All Saints Sunday, I am communing with my dad, with my grandparents,
with my Sunday School teacher Sis,
with my drill-sargent-like confirmation teacher Mr. Liebert,
with my in-laws, Margaret and Bernard (yes, Catholics and Lutherans can commune together!)
with my dear neighbors Jerry and Linda,
with over 1,000 residents of Emmanuel Nursing Home, Lamplighter Manor and Madison Apartments who were part of my "flock" as I served as their chaplain for almost 20 years,
with.....oh, my, how do I end this list!

I also commune with the Apostle Paul,
the disciples of Christ,
Dietrch Bonhoeffer
and the Kennedys!

The body of Christ is indeed massive for it includes the saints, the believers, those made in the very image of Christ from all the ages who now from their labors rest along with those of us who are walking this earth, living our faith (fragile though it may be), and praying for the Kingdom to come in its fullness.

The fullness will be full!  And as we draw near to Thanksgiving all I can say is "Thanks be to God!"
Now and forevermore,
Amen.

You OK?

You OK?  You good today?  How is your day going?  How are you? 

It seems that every day, whether on the phone talking to family/friends or walking the neighborhood and being greeted by neighbors, this is a standard greeting.  I have to say that I live within a caring world of family and friends and most often my response is: "Doing well!  Yup, good today.  Things are going great!  I am fine."  And, for the most part I mean it.

However, like the picture so clearly reveals, the answer to "You OK?" can sometimes take a bit of time to "untangle" and the reply may be be more than the asker is bargaining for!

Thank you, George Peters, for this great cartoon.  I have kept it tucked in my Bible and never tire of reflecting on it!  It makes me smile.  It makes me laugh!  It also makes me reflect on the tangles, knots and mess in my life that aren't so easily seen by the naked eye.

There are days in my life when I feel all snarled up.  When the tangles of questions, answers, decisions and responsibilities are all tightly held together with no clear beginning or end.  There seems to be nothing but a snarled up ball of life moments and I am stuck in the middle of the whole mess.

So, what can we do when this picture is an accurate picture of our current state of mind? What can be done when we feel like we are in the middle of snarled up tangles that are overwhelming and that leave us stuck?  

First, as the picture so clearly shows - share with a friend.  The value of a friend can never be  overstated.  A friend, of course, may not have any more answers than you do, but a friend can stand with you as you undo the tangles and straighten out the snarls.  A friend can encourage and support plus prove to be a great helper in times of trouble! 

Secondly, be a friend to yourself.  Allow yourself time to sift and sort, to undo tangles and restore your line to what it was meant to be.  Practice positive self talk:  "I can do this.  I am smart.  I can figure this out.  Rome wasn't built in a day - this may take some time, but that's OK.   I can ask for help.  I will ask for help!"  

Thirdly, celebrate each step going forward!  Cultivate thankfulness and gratefulness.  Find the blessing in each tangle, every knot, no matter the circumstance, 

"Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18)

and lastly, Pray.  You have a Friend who is close than a brother (yes, that is a name to a wonderful Gospel hymn!)  Jesus will always stand with you and be available to you.  His eye is upon you and He loves you.  He has promised to hear every prayer and He offers guidance and strength to persevere through the tangles and snarls of this life.

Verses from Psalm 119:
"My eyes fail, looking for Your promise;  I say, 'When will You comfort me?'....'How long must Your servant wait?'.......Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path....I have put my hope in Your Word...Sustain me according to Your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed......Deal with Your servant according to Your love and teach me Your decrees....The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.....Direct my footsteps according to Your word;.....Make Your face shine upon Your servant and teach me...."

You OK? 

However you answer that question today, be assured the Lord Jesus is with you and He desires for you to be OK.  

In His Name and for His sake, I pray this day that you are and will be forever OK.  Amen.

Shining Faces

For my morning devotions I read a prayer written by Pastor Charles R. Flanders of London, Ontario, Canada from:

"God's Minute, A Book of 365 Daily Prayers Sixty Seconds Long for Home Worship"

Portions of the prayer include:

"Our Father, teach us how to speak to Thee.   May Thy Spirit lead us into the light, for we know so little about Thee and are so dull and slow to learn.....Bless our home today and all who are in it.  May we always be gentle and loving, and seek to make all about us happy.  

Help us to have a shining face

and especially when we meet Thy other children who are sad and in trouble.  ...."

A shining face.

Moses had a shining face when he came down from the mountain after having a face to face with God.  In Exodus 34, it tells us that the people were afraid of Moses and his shining face.  Moses then put a veil over his face so he could share with the people the Words of God.  And the people believed.  

Jesus came to this earth and walked as the presence of God.  He was light and He even stated in the Gospel of John "I am the LIght of the World."  The Gospel of John begins: "In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning....  In Him was life and that life was the Light of men.  The Light shines in the darkness....."

To me shining faces are faces that look to the Light of God, to those that hear His Word, to those who reflect His love.  When I first read the prayer and read the petition "help us to have a shining face," these two pictures came immediately to my mind:

My granddaughters, Lily and Betty certainly have shining faces!  They radiate love and joy, happiness and life itself!  I believe that these shining faces come about because Lily and Betty know that they are loved and cared for.  They have experienced delight and joy and are safe in that keeping therefore they reflect the light that results in all that love and care.

I, too, desire to reflect God's Light of love and care.  I, too, desire to show forth a shining face, a face that reflects the Light of God.  That is my prayer today.  

Thank You, O Heavenly Father, for Your unfailing love and care.  For Your many blessings, for Your watchful eye over me and my family.  Thank You.  Now, make me a reflection of Your Light, Lord.  Make my face shine forth of Your love and goodness, Your healing and hope, Your forgiveness and transforming power.  Grant me a shining face, all for Your glory,  Amen.

Precious and Priceless, Apple Picking in Vermont

This picture was taken at an apple orchard in Vermont.  I am holding our youngest granddaughter, Lily (age 2...or, "big," in her words) and she is picking apples.

Of all the pictures that were taken on our last visit, I keep going back to this one.  The two heads together - one head with short, woman-made curls and startling white hair; one head with long, natural wavy curls and soft auburn colored hair  

and the two arms - one bigger and stronger wrapped in bright plaid supporting the smaller body and providing a way to reach higher; the other arm smaller and wrapped in soft fabric with stripes that intimately holds close where it is safe so the other arm and can reach out and explore.  

Two bodies - one older; one younger- sharing a task, sharing moment  - a holy, sacred moment in time.  A moment that cannot be recaptured though there will always be apples to pick.  

Precious and priceless are these moments that are shared with loved ones.
Precious and priceless are these moments that make up our memories and make us smile.
Precious and priceless are these moments that create a foundation for love to grow.
Precious and priceless are these moments that sustain us when moments are not so precious.

Today I pray you will have opportunity to partake and make a few precious and priceless moments of your own.  Hands holding hands.  Hearts holding hearts.  

May the Lord bless you and keep you,
May the Lord make His Face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you,
And may the Lord look upon you with His favor and give you His peace,
In the Name of the Father, in the Name of the Jesus, His Son, and in the Name of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

Bless the Lord, O my soul!

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name!"
Psalm 103:1 (NKJV)

(This picture was taken at the Concordia College Daycare years ago when friend, Cara Bjornlie was working in the 0-18 month room.  A sweet picture that says so much about friends looking out into the world together!  This picture has blessed my heart!)

Oh, how I love hearing a song sing Scripture.  Matt Redman wrote and sings the praise song, "10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)" and it mirrors the Scripture verses of Psalm 103. 
(If you go the Youtube website and type in "10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)"  it will take you to a music site to listen to the song.)

 The chorus is:

"Bless the Lord, O my soul, O my soul;

Worship His Holy Name.

Sing like never before, O my soul;

I'll worship Your Holy Name."

Verse 1:

"The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning,

It's time to sing Your song again

Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me,

Let me be singing when the evening comes..."

Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me....

I believe it takes courage to sing that, to proclaim that, to believe that.  The day holds the unknown.  Every morning as I listen to the news, people around the world have met all kinds of things that have come to pass and met them on their daily path - storms, accidents, tragedies, violence along with comfort, friendship, celebrations and accomplishments.  

What does your day hold?  What does my day hold?  Not sure.  But, I am convinced that it is very important and imperative that the day begin with a prayer acknowledging the Lord who has promised to go into the day with me.  

One of the prayers from last Sunday's bulletin ( I keep all the bulletins and continue to pray those prayers throughout the week) prepares one for the day:

"Just and Gracious God,

we come to You for healing and life.

Our sins hurt others and diminish us; we confess them to You.

Our lives bear the scars of sin; we bring these also to You.

Show us Your mercy, O God. 

Bind up our wounds, forgive us our sins, and free us to love,

for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Savior, Amen."

Yes, show us Your mercy, O God, that we may continue to sing the song into its second verse:

"You're rich in love and You're slow to anger.

Your name is great and Your heart is kind.

For all Your goodness, I will keep on singing;

Ten thousand reasons for my heart to find.."

May you find 10,000 reasons to sing, to care, to grow in faith, to love yourself and one another.  Whatever your day may hold, know that you are not alone.  

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name.
Amen.

Comfort the sorrowing

"The Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7

There is a portion of a prayer written by Pastor J. W. Conley of Fresno, California, that prays:

"Preserve us from selfishness.

Help us to learn patience and self-control.

Keep us from hasty, thoughtless and unkind words,

and from misunderstanding and misjudging others,

and deliver us from anxiety and complaining.

Fill Thy Church with missionary zeal and

with the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.

Strengthen the weak,

comfort the sorrowing, 

restore the wandering.."

This morning I am centered on "comfort the sorrowing."  

Our good friend, Jerry Doebbert, died this week and his funeral will be Saturday.  

Our good friend, Jean, will be burying her father on Friday.  

Our good friend, Tim, will be attending his brother's funeral on Saturday. 

All of Minnesota is mourning Jacob Wetterling who was tragically taken, abused and killed 27 years ago and now that his body has been found, he will be properly laid to rest.  

And then we have family and friends who are sorrowing over the loss of health and abilities, the loss of the familiar due to moving....loss comes to us in so many ways!  

Yet God knows the heart.  

He knows the burdens.  

He sees the breaks, the fissures, the gaping holes of the heart.  

Outwardly the smile can be put on the face and the expectations of life going on goes on. Inwardly, though, there is a cry for healing, for justice, for help.  

God knows. 

God sees. 

God hears.  and.....thankfully, God acts.  

God acts through every card sent, every call made, every hug given.  God acts through every prayer prayed and every tear shed.  God acts through His people and through His people there is the demonstration of love and care that brings comfort.

I applaud Patty Wetterling, Jacob's mom, for being concrete in her response to the question:  How can we help you?  What will bring you comfort?  She spoke from her heart:

"Say a prayer.

Light a candle.

Be with friends.

Play with your children.

Giggle.

Hold hands.

Eat ice cream.

Create joy.

Help your neighbor.

That is what will bring me comfort today."

So today I will pray for God to comfort my friends.  

I will send cards and share memories of joy shared.  

I will call and check in to let them know I care.  

I will be more aware of those in my life that I see and interact with every day.  

I will offer words of encouragement.  

I will smile and offer a friendly touch.  

I will enjoy eating ice cream and I will remember my neighbor.  

Today I ask God to help and guide me in providing comfort.

As He knows the many hearts in need, 

may there be healing and strength granted,

hope and faith renewed and 

grace and mercy imparted in generous portion,

now and forevermore.

Amen.

Thinking of and praying for Jerry Doebbert

"Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart." (Psalm 27:14)

"Fear not, for I am with you; 
be not dismayed, for I am your God.  
I will strengthen you, yes, 
I will help you, 
I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." (Isaiah 25:4)

"..I have redeemed you.  I have called you by name and you are Mine." (Isaiah 43:1)

Darla Doebbert Weiss, Mark, Jerry Doebbert  (May 2016)

Today I am thinking about and praying for our long-time Lake-Avenue neighbor, Jerry Doebbert.  Jerry and Linda were our neighbors for over 38 years.  

And after 38 years of watching over each other, 

celebrating the milestones in life,

laughing, 

crying and 

just sitting and sharing a cold beer at 4 pm on a lovely summer afternoon, 

.....somewhere along the way the transformation happened and a neighbor who was a good friend morphed into family.  

Jerry and Linda will always be family to Mark and me.  

Jerry has always been well noted for his amazingly big, gruff commanding voice.  Man, that guy can bellow!  To many - especially his math students at the high school -- Mr. Doebbert was the guy to be feared!  Though he had long put away the baseball bat that would be quite useful in bringing any class to full attention when he brought it crashing down on his desk to make a point, his voice never diminished and served him well those teaching years. 

The Marthalers, however, never feared neighbor Jerry.  Jerry was kind hearted and generous.  He was quick to adapt to any situation.  Many a time our boys would be found running next door with a tie in hand to have Jerry quick whip it into a tidy slip knot so they could then slip the tie over their heads and look presentable.  

Jerry's garage was chuck full of tools and equipment -- all which were available to a neighbor with the only requirement that it be returned when mission accomplished.  There was one glitch, however, and that was the code for the garage.  Being a very capable and dedicated math teacher, Jerry picked the simplest and easiest code he could think of:  the square root of 2.  I'll let you figure that one out for yourself!  Mark and I were always asking our mathematically-minded son for the code because we never could remember it.

One of Jerry's favorite responses to any question or invitation to come help was:  "Your what hurts?"  We would be raking our lawns as the oak and maple leaves freely fell from our trees and when one would holler to Jerry "Hey, your tree is dropping leaves on my lawn!  Come and rake them up!"  We would hear the much anticipated "Your what hurts?"  Smiles all around.  All was well with the world.

Jerry made sure our boys had what they needed to be successful in high school.  Jerry designed aggressively challenging math courses for the students of Detroit Lakes High.  Students who took his classes were well prepared for anything college could throw at them. Tony took every course Mr. Doebbert offered and when he attended college, Tony was hired as a college math tutor and said he didn't learn anything new about math until he was a junior in college!  Andy, who had no desire to excel in mathematics, had Mr. Doebbert as an advisor.  Mr. Doebbert refused to let Andy slide through his senior year by taking mediocre classes.  Mr. Doebbert excelled in stretching students and propelling them into new and more challenging arenas.  

As gruff as Jerry could sound, he was really a gentle soul.  One summer Mark and I were painting our two-story house.  Mark usually was the one who would go up the ladder and onto the scaffolding to do the higher areas, but one day while he was at work, I decided I could do that, too.  The paint cans were already up on the scaffolding so I grabbed a paint brush and headed up the ladder.  The first steps were no problem, but as I got higher off the ground I began to experience a weird sensation.  By the time I forced myself to the scaffolding boards, I pretty much froze in place.  I was too scared to stand up on the scaffolding boards and yet too scared to backup and find the ladder rungs.  I stayed on my hands and knees gripping the scaffolding boards for dear life.  Mark wouldn't be home for hours and the boys were gone for the day.  I felt myself begin to panic.  It was then that Jerry sauntered out of his back door and took a look my way.  He hollered up at me and when I didn't respond, he wandered over and quickly assessed the situation.  Within a minute he was up the ladder and talking me down.  It took me forever to back onto the ladder, but Jerry kept his voice calm and his arms were strong as they guided my feet to the rungs.  We went down the ladder rung by rung with Jerry letting me set the pace while he literally covered me with his body giving me confidence that I would not fall.  

The summer of 2004 will always be a summer etched in my husband's memory.  It was the summer we steel sided our two-story home.  Mark had spent the summer of 2003 replacing all the windows in our 100 year old home and now it was the summer to remove the old shakes and put up steel siding.  It would be an immense job.  2004 was also the year that Jerry retired from his teaching career.  Thus, with time now available, Jerry and our other retired neighbor, Mel, became Mark's "crew."  And what a crew they were!    Mel measured and cut.  Jerry nailed and snapped steel into place.  And Mark tried to keep ahead of them preparing the way!  Mark, or course, was still working his day job, but as soon as he was spotted walking over the hill returning home, Mel and Jerry strapped on their construction belts and they were ready for orders.  What a gift our neighbors gave to us.  What a gift.

When Andy made the move to North Carolina, there was a problem.  His car - a Corvette - was undergoing some transmission work and unfortunately, the parts and the work that needed to be done did not coincide with the day Andy and Mark were leaving for North Carolina.  How was Andy going to get his car 1,400 miles to his new place of residence? Answer:  Jerry.  Yes, Linda called it a "Doebbert Idea" and said Jerry had them often.  When the car was road worthy, Jerry would drive it himself to North Carolina and take the Amtrak back since he had always wanted to go for an Amtrak trip.  Well, Jerry did drive that Corvette to North Carolina and he did take the Amtrak back to Minnesota.  It was a much longer trip via Amtrak and Jerry discovered that he couldn't sleep in a moving vehicle so he was very worn out by the time he came home!  

Oh there are so many more stories:  

Jerry calling Mark to come over and look at his car because of some noise or light or trouble; 

needing muscles to put in a hot tub in the new Doebbert porch and then having to take it out again to check for a leak; 

the Christmas fire in the Doebbert house that sent Linda and Jerry running for their very lives through the bushes to our place so we could call 911; 

the borrowing of our pop up for their trip to Boston and then on the trip home their car dying so they had to buy a new car to get home; 

Jerry's devotion to Linda; 

his annoying singing as he puttered about the yard;

 the classical music he played loudly at the end of a long day of yard work as he sipped on a refreshing drink... 

In July when Mark and I visited Jerry at Ecumen Emmanuel's Transitional Care Unit, Jerry was struggling with his health.  He had an open sore on his foot that was not healing.  His heart wasn't working at 100% and neither were his kidneys.  It was very serious.  Yet, he announced in his gravelly, authoritative voice that he has had a full life, a good life, and however this is going to end, he is OK with it.  

Yup, I'm thinking of and praying for Jerry today.  Today he is undergoing surgery that will amputate a leg above the knee.  Jerry's heart and kidneys are quite compromised.  His health is so poor.  The doctors are not very optimistic about the outcome, but they have to try.  So Doug and Darla wait at the hospital.  Other family and friends wait, too, with thoughts and prayers going forth. 

May the Lord and bless and keep Jerry.

May the Lord make His face to shine upon Jerry and be gracious unto him.

May the Lord look upon him with favor and 

Grant Jerry peace - deep and abiding peace,

Now and forevermore,

Amen.

Can you see it?

"Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see."

Hebrews 11:1

When our son, Tony, was three years old, he came to me and said,

"I have a headache, Mom.  See it?  It hurts!  Can you see it, Mom?"

Truth be told, I couldn't see the headache but I certainly believed it was there.

There are so many things I can't see.
I can't see electricity, but I believe that when I flip a switch, electricity goes to the light bulb and there is light!
I can't see gravity, but I believe that if I trip, I will fall d-o-w-n.  

There are many things I can't see, but that doesn't mean they aren't there.

Faith.

Hope.

Love.

Hard to see, but they do exist.

Let us s-t-r-e-t-c-h today and believe a little more in the God who created us, 
in the God who sustains us.  
Let us grow in faith and trust and walk in confident hope.

Heavenly Father, increase in me Your gifts of faith, hope and love.  Open my eyes to see Your goodness and may I be a visual witness of Your love.  In the Name of Christ, Amen.

Joy in trusting

(This picture was taken on a sunny day at the nursing home where Fay had been a resident for several years already.  She was journeying through Alzheimers.)

"Whoever trusts in the Lord, happy is he." Proverbs 16:20b  (or she  :-)

I would like to introduce you to one of the greatest mentors in my life.  Her name was Fay.  She was a dynamic lady, full of life and love with a faith as big as the all outdoors!  Her exuberance for daily living never dimmed even though the disease of Alzheimers did its very best to rob her of memory, judgment, abilities, dignity and life itself.  

Fay came to live at the nursing home when I was a chaplain and she blessed my life.  I can see her arms up in the air during hymn sings!  She would be praising God as we declared Him Savior and Lord through song.  She was the picture of devotion when it was time for prayer.  Her hands would be folded tightly and her head bowed in sincerity.  When I would read Scripture or share a message, her twinkling eyes would literally bounce with joy and often times she would shake her finger at me like "Yes, tell us more!" or "That's right!  Listen to what the Lord is saying!"  

One day after a time of worship on the Special Care Unit, Fay approached me with a look of uncharacteristic seriousness.  Her two hands gripped my shoulders as she looked deeply into my face.  And though her words were often times gibberish, this time her voice was clear and strong and the words were precise.  She said,

"I hope that you have lots of trouble in your life...."

Now that took me aback but Fay was not done speaking.

"because," she continued "then you will know more of God."

Profound.

The New Living Translation of the Bible translates Proverbs 16:20b this way:

"Those who trust in the Lord will be joyful."

That was Fay.  She was joyful.  
To me, joy is deeper than happy and Jesus says in the Gospel of John 15:11:

"I have told you this so that My joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete."

Fay was living her life and though Alzheimers had marred her life in so many ways, the joy of the Lord which was gifted to her through faith was not tarnished nor diminished in any way.  The Lord was with her, abiding within her and shining through her all the days of her earthly life.  

I do not have the answers on why people are bombarded in life with disease, disaster, turmoil and chaos.  Especially good people, people we love and cherish, people of faith.  But I do believe and it has been my experience that because of the strong witness of Fay and others like her (Steve, Ethel, Gladys, Dorothy, Charles, Bud, Elsie...oh, the list could go on and on), trusting in the Lord through the thick and thin of things allows joy to remain and grow, to sustain and strengthen through the battles knowing the Lord will be victorious and the victory will be ours!

Whatever battle you are facing today, trust in the Lord.  He is your Shelter, your Refuge.  He is faithful and strong.  He will protect and defend.  Stand in His Presence with confident hope and trust in the Lord.  Trust in the Lord. Open your arms wide!   And may His joy be yours, now and forevermore, Amen.

Worn and torn

Saturday, August 27

From "Daily LIght" the Bible Verse:
"..Uphold my steps in Your paths, that my footsteps may not slip." (Psalm 17:5)

And an excerpt from a prayer written by E. E. Violett, D.D. from Kansas City, MO for a prayer book written in 1916: 
"...constantly save us, Father, lest we should break down under the wear and tear of the world..."

The "wear and tear of the world" chips away at our heart, our mind, our body and our soul.  Fortunately, the Lord walks with us on our life journey every step of the way.  He doesn't just wait at the finish line or sends us a note that says "I'll catch up with you later."  No, He upholds our every step and journeys with us through the "wear and tear of the world."  

If you are feeling worn and torn today, please know the Lord cares.  
He cares deeply.  
May you know of His love and care this day.  
May you bask in His healing strength and sweet, sweet Spirit 
and become renewed and repaired, 

in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, (+) Amen.

Still walking, feeling overwhelmed....

Psalm 142: 3  (NKJV)  "When my spirit was overwhelmed within me, then You knew my path."

A portion of a prayer written for August 23 by Charles Wood, D.D. of Washington, D.C. and included in the book "God's Minute, A Book of 365 Daily Prayers Sixty Seconds Long for Home Worship" printed in 1916, prays as this:

"May all the duties of the day, 

however distasteful in themselves, 

become a delight 

as we hear Thy voice calling us to go forward 

fearlessly into the heart of them,

in the assurance that we shall find Thee waiting for us there,

ready to give us the strength we need."

I'm tempted to change the word "distasteful" into "unknown" since heading into the unknown of the day often makes me anxious or hesitant or conflicted or ...as you can see...quite a host of emotions, feelings and disjointed thoughts!  

Yet - God knows my path.  That's the bottom line.  God knows my path.  God knows.

"I Know Who Holds Tomorrow" is a wonderful Gospel song that reminds us that God knows. The first verse is:

"I don't know about tomorrow, I just live from day to day

I don't borrow from its sunshine, for its skies may turn to gray.

I don't worry o'er the future, for I know what Jesus said.

And today I'll walk beside Him, for He knows what is ahead...."

and verse three is my favorite:

"I don't know about tomorrow, it may bring me poverty.

But the One who feeds the sparrow, is the One who stands by me.

And the path that be my portion, may be through the flame or flood.

But His Presence goes before me, and I'm covered with His blood!"

CHORUS:  Many things about tomorrow, I don't seem to understand

But I know Who holds tomorrow, and I know Who holds my hand."

   
Feeling overwhelmed today?  May you find a peaceful assurance and strength in knowing and believing that God knows your path.  He does stand beside you.  He does want the best for you.  Be fearless.  Be not afraid.  For all that is unknown, God knows.  He will not abandon you, nor forsake you. 

Whatever path is your portion today, celebrate the fact that you are not alone.  God knows your path and has provided His Son to go the distance and be present to you with His unfailing Spirit.  

Now and forevermore, this is most certainly true!  Amen.

August 19, 2016 Walking, walking....

August 19, 2016   Walking, walking...

"..that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory." (1 Thessalonians 2:12)

"Walk as children of light...finding out what is acceptable to the Lord."  (Ephesians 5:8-11)


And the tour guide says:   "And we're walking, walking..."  
And Jesus says "Follow me."  

(Taken November 23, 2015 when son, Tony, and family came for a visit)

Walking, walking, walking.... Mark and I walk around Riverwind every morning.  We walk in the morning air which is sometimes muggy, sometimes fresh and crisp.  We take note of what is flowering, how clear the mountains look and make predictions about the weather based on the blueness of the sky.  We greet fellow morning walkers and always welcome the puppy dogs enjoying their morning walk.  It is a nice start to the morning.  Our initial aches and pains are allowed to evaporate as the muscles move and stretch.  The ol' heart pumps and the bloods flows and we praise and thank the Lord for this walk and the beginning of a new day.

The two Bible verses shared were from my morning devotion and I am reminded that our faith journey is an active thing.  Walking means moving and Jesus would have us walking with Him (as the beloved hymn declares "and He walk with me and He talks with me..")  as He moves with us through the days of our lives.  

And, as we walk, there are discoveries to be made.  We discover what is acceptable to the Lord.  What we are to be about is made more clear to us, revealed bit by bit.  For that, I am glad.  There are days, numerous days, that I am not sure what I am to be about.  I yearn to know clearly.  

Today I know clearly that I will continue to walk with confident hope and that the Lord will show me what needs to be known.  My trust is in Him. 

Myrtle Larson was a resident of Emmanuel Home where I served as chaplain.  She had a prayer written on a recipe card that was kept by her bedside.  She told me she prayed this prayer every morning.  When she passed away, the family blessed me with that handwritten prayer on the recipe card. 

 I continue the tradition:

"Thank You, Lord, for my sleep and wakening.  

Bless me in my understanding.

Keep my steps in Your pathway now.

Guide my thoughts in Your Words so holy.

When my time in this world is finished, take me, Lord, to abide with You."  Amen.

May your walk today be blessed from above and be a blessing to others.
And, we're walking, we're walking......

"Happy Birthday, Dad. Happy Birthday, George."

August 13, 2016

Happy birthday, Dad.  Happy Birthday, Uncle George.

Yes, 89 years ago twin boys were born in Pelican Rapids, Minnesota.  They were born to Clarence and Christina (Weik) Nettestad and were welcomed by two big brothers, Obert and Vernon.  The twins were named after their grandfathers, Ole and George.  They grew up on a farm in the Pelican Rapids area and attended school through the 8th grade which was an acceptable practice at the time.  They attended a delightful country Lutheran church just down the road, South Immanuel, where they were confirmed in the faith 

and later Ole (my Dad) and Betty Toso (my Mom) were married and Uncle George, of course, was the best man.

Ole and George joined the Army and signed up to take paratrooper training.  

They were stationed in Fort Campbell, Kentucky.  This paratrooper training was important to Dad as he was about to be married and taking paratrooper training increased his pay by an extra $30 a month.  Pretty good for the 1950s.  It seems like a "no brainer" until it is revealed that Ole was scared of heights!  Wow, what a husband won't do to provide for his family!  Fortunately, Ole and George first served between WWII and the Korean War so they were stateside for their service commitment.  Uncle George will "re-up" and make the Army his career.  Ole, however, will come back to Minnesota and become a business owner (The Crowbar in Sabin, Minnesota) and with his wife, Betty, raise their family of three girls: Vicki Lynn, Cheryl Renae and Kimberly Kay.

Ole dies at the age of 45 leaving behind a legacy of friendship and love.  When I remember my Dad, I remember how no one was ever a stranger to him.  New people were just friends he hadn't met yet.  No matter where we would visit, someone was bound to shout across the room or greet Dad on the street with a wide smile, an outstretched hand and a hearty "Hey, Ole!"  Dad had a great sense of humor, a compassionate heart and a Peter Pan complex - he just didn't want to grow up!  He loved playing tricks and pulling shenanigans!  It was hard to be mad at him.  He was too much fun!  Dad had an over sized stuffed gorilla named "Samuel."  Quite often, Dad would put Samuel in the front seat of his car and drive around.  You can only imagine the looks he would get!

One of my favorite memories of my Dad is spending time with him on his day off - Thursday.  It came to be called "Holy Ole Thursday."  In the summertime, because school was not in session, I would spend the afternoon with him.  Dad loved to put a big cooler in the trunk of the car and fill it with ice, beer and soda.  Then we would drive around the Minnesota farmlands and look for farmers out in their fields.  When Dad would spot a farmer driving a tractor or some other field equipment, he would find an approach and drive into the field.  Then he would open the trunk and sit on the bumper waiting for the farmer to make his round.  The farmer would invariably stop and get down from the tractor and come over.  Dad would offer him a refreshing cold drink while Dad would climb up in the tractor and make a round giving the farmer a much needed break.  I can still smell the sweet smell of soil as it was being tilled or the pungent smell of grain being harvested.  I would sit with the car door open, my feet dangling over the bench seat of the car as I sipped a Nesbitt orange soda watching my Dad make a round in the field.  It was a scene of peace, a feeling of kindness, a sense of everything being perfect in the world.  

Dad always wore black slacks, a white shirt with a bolo clip tie and at times a vest with black dress shoes...even on Holy Ole Thursdays.  I do not remember my Dad ever wearing jeans or a sweatshirt.  He did have a polo shirt - his bowling shirt, but otherwise it was a white cotton shirt that Mom would have to iron and starch with black dress slacks.  One grand harvest "Holy Ole Thursday," Dad and I were driving through the countryside and came around a corner where a very elderly man was "shocking" grain.  Shocking grain is the way wheat was harvested before combines.  The grain is cut with a scythe and then bundles are tied with twine and the bundles are tipped together to look like a teepee  or "shocks" so the grain can dry.  It is back breaking, hot miserable labor!  Dad shouted with delight at this "find!"  He barreled into the field, scrambled out of the car and ran to the man hollering "I haven't shocked grain in years!" Dad was absolutely delighted to be lifting the bundles and making shocks all over the little corner field!  I can only imagine what the farmer thought when he saw this man dressed in a white shirt and black slacks with black dress shoes running across the field, waving his arms with a huge smile on his face!   I remember sitting in the car waiting patiently not wanting to venture out into the stubbled field because I was barefoot.  So I just sat and watched Dad and the farmer tidy up the field of its scattered bundles before the farmer came to the car and enjoyed a refreshing drink from the stash in the trunk cooler.  

Dad's life wasn't very long in days, but it was large in living life.  He made a difference in many lives.  He invested himself in others.  He showed kindness and demonstrated friendship and he loved his family.  

My devotional prayer book shares this prayer written by Pastor Hugh R. Monro, (New York City, NY): "Gracious Lord....Help us to walk in the spirit of constant prayer, to increasingly delight in Thy Holy Word, to love one another and to have some part in bringing the Light of the Gospel to those in darkness.  In the midst of the confusion and stress of earth, may our souls rest in Thine own perfect calm, and may we be able to comfort those in trouble with the comfort wherewith we are comforted of God...."

I find comfort in Christ's words " “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in Me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with Me that you also may be where I am."  (John 14:1-3)

I am confident that my Dad is with the Lord right now, walking the heavenly realm, continuing to greet one and all and sharing his joyous spirit.  I'm not sure if shenanigans are allowed, but I'm confident I'll know all about it when my feet entered those pearly gates one day.  I know I'll hear "Hey, it's Ole's daughter!" and I, too, will be at home.

Happy birthday, Dad.  Happy birthday.