Crazy Week!

Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.  This week was already going to be a busy week, and it got even busier.  I already had a book report, a big project on a book, a in-class test, and a take home test all this week.  Then to top it off, one professor decided that our work in another class needed to be due.  So that added another book report and finishing my reading journals for two books.  However, I have buckled down and am slowing crossing more things off the list.  I got all the reading journals done, the big project on the book done, and the study guide for the test almost done.  Today, I have two book reports to write, but I have both books read well enough to write about them.  Then tonight I will study the study guide for a while and be ready to finish off this week strong.  Since I made such good head way yesterday and have the rest of today to finish the rest, I decided to take time to say a quick hello to all of you.  I truly do appreciate all of you who take the time to read this, and I hope it always proves to be satisfactory of your time.  

I haven't done much this week besides classes, homework, work, and try to sleep.  We do register for spring quarter tonight which is exciting for three reasons.  One, because it reminds me that the classes I am in are almost done and I get to move on to the next set of classes, two because I am excited for and looking forward to the classes that are coming up, and three I get to start making the schedule for next quarter's work schedule.  I do love the classes I am in now, but at the end of week seven with final tests and projects right around the corner, classes are seeming less fun and more stressful.  My favorite class this quarter has easily been Lutheran Confessions I.  I love it partially because Dr. Arand is an amazing man who knows his stuff and has a great way he teaches it, but also because we are studying the Augsburg Confession and Apology which are both amazing pieces of work that our church is fortunate to have.  I am excited for next quarter to have Confessions II.  Dr. Kolb, who edited the Book of Concord is teaching that class, so he knows his stuff too.  I am really excited for Homiletics I.  After I finish this class, or maybe even before I am officially done according to my field work pastor, I will be in the pulpit preaching.  I have heard preaching is less nerve racking than giving liturgy because you are the only one who really knows if it doesn't go exactly according to plan.  However, I imagine I will still be shaking in the last verse of the hymn of the day just as I was in the opening hymn for liturgy.  The third reason registration is exciting is because part of my job as student supervisor for the cashiers is to make the schedule.  Everyone emails me their schedules and I try to piece together a schedule that gives everyone equal hours when they are able to work.  It literally is a giant puzzle that can be challenging, but feels good once it is accomplished.  I will write again either tomorrow or Saturday to let you know officially what classes I got into.  

My thought for the day comes from a discussion last night with my friends Chris and Stein.  We saw a picture on Facebook of a woman with her mouth taped shut, and then the tape continued to make a cross on her forehead.  Who ever made this picture took the time to find every little piece of the Bible where something bad happens to a woman and list it below the picture.  Of course the theme text was 1 Timothy where Paul is talking about a woman being submissive.  This really bothered all three of us for several reasons.  I will list the reasons it bothered me.  For starters both their usage of 1 Timothy as well as many of their other "quotes" of Scripture take the text out of context and misuse the passages.  You can make a lot of very bold very untrue heresies using Scripture if you simply pull out random verses out of context.  That is the important part of Scripture is to look at the entire selection using critical analysis to accurately interpret the passage.  The second thing that bothers me about this is if you wrote down every bad thing that happened to men, it would be a very long list too.  The Bible is about real people living real lives, and guess what bad stuff does happen.  However, that is not the point of the Bible.  We can look at all those bad things that happen because of sin and then look at all the good and wonderful things God has done for His people, including us and see He is always in control.  It is just frustrating when people misuse Scripture to try to make Christianity a bad thing.  But yet, the Devil loves to use ignorant people to put things like this in our world to turn other people who know nothing about Christianity against God.  It is frustrating and discouraging, but we as Christians must still show all those people love and kindness, find an appropriate way to correct them and never get upset or down grade them.  If you treat them with disrespect, they will not be convinced that Christianity is good thing.  Then also never make the same mistake of misusing Scripture, but know it well enough to use it as God’s Word as He intended it to be used.  All Praise to Him who gave us His Word as one more gift to us.   

LSB Prayer148

Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning.  Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them that, by patience and comfort of Your Holy Word, we may embrace and ever hold fast the blessed hope of everlasting life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord.  Amen.