My Grandpa!

Hello, and happy Tuesday to you all. Today was a pretty good day. I got up and went to Lutheran Mind. It was a really good continuation of two kinds of righteousness. We focused more on the idea of justification and sanctification. It was a great mind opening discussion as always. Then after class I went back to my room and ordered and printed out my deer tag for deer season! I am so excited I can't wait to be back in my bin top in the crick waiting for those Nebraska deer to try to walk past me. I am so glad I get to go again this year, since it just happened perfectly that my first week of our break at the end of this quarter lines up with deer season in Nebraska. Then I went to chapel, where I sat up front and heard everything, and then went to lunch. After lunch, I hung out with some guys and listened to them jam out their guitars. My unmusical talents just listened and enjoyed. Then I took a quick nap, which was much needed after the huge amount I ate at lunch. Then I went to work which lasted five minutes. We had to move one couch, so our three hour shift was over in in the five minutes. I am going to be picking up quite a few hours with this new cashier job I think. Since I have experience with the system, I offered to be kind of like a supervisor, and while they didn't exactly like that idea, I think they have plans to use me as more than just a cashier. I have a meeting tomorrow to find out. So it will be good to be getting more hours, but I really am going to have to organize my free time. So far the last two days, my work outs have been the time crunch that got cut out; imagine that. I did; however, get two of my papers done last night, and I read almost the entire book for the third paper today. So I just have to write that one paper, and study for Hebrew test and I will be keeping up with this week. That was pretty much my day, other than watching part of the Cardinals game, since it was on in the lounge. I am not really a baseball fan, but when I have been forced to pick a team, I have always picked the Cards, so it's fun to watch them.
Last night was the highlight of my week. I called my Grandpa, who for those of you who don't know, is my entire inspiration for being here at the seminary. Growing up in a small town, where he had been a pastor in the past, I always heard how much he was able to help people, or just always been a positive influence to people, even non-church members. So I from a very young age decided the vocation of a pastor, just helping people both with their faith and in any other way you can, would be a great life for me as well. Without hearing of how wonderful of a pastor and a man he was, I probably would have never given up my dream to be a cowboy driving cattle on the open range. So it was great to hear his voice again, and to hear he is doing well. He went in for surgery today to move the dialysis tube from his chest to his arm. I haven't heard how he came out, but he was certainly in my prayers today. He was honored with a plaque from his church in San Antonio for his anniversary of 70 years in the life of ministry. The Lord has used him to reach so many lost people, I can only hope to be half as great as he has always been. He spent his first several calls and many years going to mission churches and helping to start them as established congregations. He started the first Lutheran church on the main island of Hawaii, before if was an official state of the U.S. Not only did he bring uncountable people into the faith, he was a father of seven children, and many, many grandchildren and great grandchildren. He is now 94, and he graduated from the seminary here in St. Louis in 1941. While I doubt I have any of the professors he had, we were able to talk about dorms and buildings still being the same. It was so good to be able to talk to him, and he kept telling me how happy he is I am here and doing well. If I ever once think I can't make it here, all I have to do is remember I have his support and I know I will be just fine. I haven't gotten to see him in quite a while, and I do sincerely miss him. Thank the Lord for phones, so I can call him and talk to him.

My thought for the day is from chapel. We did something that I thought was really neat. After the sermon, we knelt to sing our hymn. The Pastor stated that we would kneel to sing, because it is also our prayer. It made me remember, we aren't singing those hymns just for any old reason. They are a serious part of the service. We are singing our praises to our Lord, and with certain hymns like today's, we are actually praying the lyrics to Him. It seems kind of obvious; however, I feel like most people who go to church every Sunday forget the little things like that. Singing a hymn may be just a chance to sit down, or a chance to think about what is on their mind since it's not an important part of the service to be listening to. Every part of our liturgical service, no matter how simple or short, is an important part. We need to be singing the hymns, loud and proud. One to remember that we are worshiping our Lord and we want to sing His praise for all He has done for us, and also that the words are pretty important themselves. They are normally either scripture based, or just straight up a prayer asking God to hear us. So I know this is a pretty quick, short point, but I think it's a good chance to remind myself, and maybe even you that we are at His service to grow in our faith and relationship with our Lord. That includes actually singing and listening to the hymns. All Praise be to Him!
Luther's Evening Prayer:
My Heavenly Father, I thank You, through Jesus Christ, Your beloved Son, that You have protected me, by Your grace. Forgive, I pray, all my sins and the evil I have done. Protect me, by Your grace, tonight. I put myself in your care, body and soul and all that I have. Let Your holy angels be with me, so that the evil enemy will not gain power over me. Amen.