NY's resolution

Greetings to you all.  I know it has been almost a week since I wrote last.  I do apologize.  Also, I was looking at my old posts and realized that I only had three posts in November and only three posts so far in December.  As I come up on a busy week and then another two weeks of break, I am realizing it is going to be hard to keep up with this for the rest of the year.  However, my goal of this blog is going to change slightly in 2012.  I really did enjoy it when I was writing daily, but it is not really practical with my school work, work, and time with friends.  So my New Year's resolution is to shoot for at least twice but hopes for three times a week.  That is my plan of attack.  Hope you guys continue to enjoy this blog.   

This last week has been a pretty good week.  I got through all my classes and homework last week, minus a few reading assignments.  This weekend was really fun, just spent most of it with friends.  Then this week has had its ups and downs already.  I worked a bar tending job last night and it was a very high profile event.  However, we pulled it off very successfully and got many compliments.  Then after we cleaned up, we sat around with a few bottles of left over wine and champagne, some left over plates of food, and we ate, drank, and just had a good time.  We laughed the entire time and it was a blast.  Then today I didn't get much accomplished, other than taking my car to the mechanic.  It was leaking coolant, so I took it in.  Then at six o'clock tonight my phone decided to finally receive my voice mail that the mechanic had left at four.  Some times technology makes me so angry.  So now I will have to call them back in the morning and find out what they know about my car.  Hopes and prays are that it is something simple.  

So I have two thoughts for the day.  One comes from an email from my friend.  The second one comes from my own original thinking.  I will put the second one in its own post right after this one.  My own thought for the day is from a comment that I made to a friend.  He was talking about being ready to go out in the world and start sharing the Gospel.  He wants to see if he can get a job with a church, and all his job would be is to go out, meet people, share the Gospel, and recommend the church he is working for.  He made the comment that he doesn't need a four year education to witness to people.  I told him that if that is what he wants to do, good for him.  I also told him I do not feel adequate and prepared to be out there working yet.  Then I thought about it to myself.  How lazy could I be?  What an incredibly terrible excuse for me to hide behind!  Here I am writing several times in this blog, and telling people I meet that it is EVERY Christians' duty to be a witness and spread the Word of our Lord.  And yet, even still I find an excuse to not go out and do it myself.  I use my education as a wall to hide behind instead of a tool for bettering my spreading the Gospel.  I tell myself I am not ready just because I haven't finished my classes here, when ninety-eight percent of all Christians never take a single class here.  I just wanted to look in the mirror and say, "Satin, get behind me."  But that doesn't work since I am Satin in that scenario.  I am the one who is hindering the spread of the Gospel, when I am suppose to be doing everything in my power to support and increase it.  So my thought is this, you do not have to be an ordained pastor, you do not have to be a theology major, you do not even have to be a highly educated person to tell others that Jesus loves them.  Any Christian who knows that they are a forgiven, baptized child of God can and should tell everyone about our Lord and Savior, including me.  It was a good reminder that as a pastor, if I really expect people to listen to me, I must be a witness to it through my actions first.  I do not want to be a hypocrite or Pharisee telling others to live a different way than I do.  So I am ready to be out there telling others about Jesus, because by His Spirit, I do know His love and forgiveness.  I love what I am learning here, and I do need the education to be a good pastor, however, to be a good Christian I just need to remember all my Lord has done for me and have the courage to tell others.  All Praise be to Him who has forgiven me and does indeed love me.  

My prayer is a hymn I love:

LSB 826

Hark the voice of Jesus crying, “Who will go and work for me today?

Fields are white and harvests waiting- Who will bear the sheaves away?”

Loud and long the Master calleth; Rich reward He offers thee

Who will answer, gladly saying “Here am I, send me, send me?”

If you cannot speak like angels, if you cannot preach like Paul,

You can tell the love of Jesus, You can say He died for all.

If you cannot rouse the wicked With the judgment’s dread alarms,

You can lead the little children To the Savior’s waiting arms

If you cannot be a watchman, Standing high on Zion’s wall

Pointing out the path to heaven, Offering life and peace to all

With your prayers and with your bounties, You can do what God commands;

You can be like faithful Aaron, Holding up the prophet’s hands.

Let none hear you idly say, “There is nothing I can do,”

While the multitudes are dying And the Master calls for you.

Take the task He gives you gladly, Let His work your be;

Answer quickly when He calleth, “Here I am, send me, send me!” Amen.  

Not Quite a Monk

Greetings to you all in the name of our loving Father.  Today was a very busy day, I am just now sitting down in my room for the first time all day.  I had my four classes, chapel and lunch, work, Inter-mural basketball, and then Preacher basketball.  Worship class was good this morning.  We covered vestments and then moved on to prayers.  One fun fact I never knew happened during Sem X happened here in the 70's, (if you don't know what this is, I can explain it more to you but it was not a highlight in our history here at the seminary), but I guess when the walk out occurred they took with them our campus vestments, chapel Crucifix, and several pieces of art work from all around campus with them.  We have one cope, which is a vestment, left from before the walk out.  Not really life shattering news, but a fact I didn't know until today.

Confessions was great again.  We continued to discuss the Trinity and how the seven councils effected the creeds.  I got a letter from one of my Adopt-A-Student donors, and I was so excited to read it, that I read it during the first five minutes of class.  The letter was a great letter and I am so glad to be communicating back and forth with several of them now.  Also, the first five minutes was only review so I didn't miss anything.  

The afternoon classes, Missions and Reformation, went well too.  Missions is still a struggle to get anything out of his lecture, but I think I am getting all the important stuff.  Reformation is more time covering the most random side topics one could imagine, however, it is pretty cool to see how the professor is able to relate those random topics back to the Reformation to get us back on track.   

Then I went to work, which was really not much at all.  I had to help the mail room deliver some extra packages and set up chairs in the Presidents room.  Nothing hard at all.  Plus I got it all done in time to make our IM's basketball game.  I didn't get to play a whole lot, but did get several rebounds while I was in.  I think I impressed my teammates if nothing else.  I don't know when all of a sudden I became half way decent at basketball because I haven't played since sophomore year of high school.  However, playing both pick up games and IM's I have been able to at least hold my own out on the court.  Maybe I'll tell myself I will try out for the team next year just to push myself to get into shape.  

Then after IM's and a quick walk over to Subway for a small bite to eat, we watched the Preachers actual basketball team.  They lost, but played very well against a really good team.  They are a really fun team to watch.  We try to make most home games and support them.  I know they put in a lot of time with practice and games on top of there classes and studies.  

Now I am writing this quick, need to do some reading of course, and then hit the hay.  My thought for the day   is from my Worship class's extra credit project.  Our professor gave us several different ways to get extra credit in the class.  Not because the class is hard, but because more or less it is his way of challenging us to try some of these things.  Some include attending chapel everyday, which most students do anyways, or else go to other denominations services, or chanting through the service for him.  The one I am specifically doing is reading all 150 Psalms in the quarter as personal payers.  His extra credit only requires us to read all 150 once through the ten weeks of the quarter.  I am personally raising that challenge to as many times as I can in one quarter.  In two days I am already through 20.  Now I do take the time to pray each one in a very sincere, prayer to the Lord.  However, it only takes a minute roughly for each one.  It is not hard to find time  between classes, first thing in the morning, or last thing at night, and make five minutes to pray two or three of them.  Luther as a monk used to pray all 150 each week.  The reason he knew Scripture so well was because as a monk he spent the majority of his time reading it over and over.  After a year or two of saying every Psalm every week, I bet he had all 150 memorized.  I am not trying to memorize them, and am glad I am not a monk in a dark cell reading only Scripture.  However, one thing Luther and the monks got right is, one can NEVER spend enough time reading the Word of the Lord. So I am not trying to memorize them, but if I can get in the habit of reading them regularly and daily as prayers, I could get to know them much better.  I am also using the half hour between class and work or between lunch and next class to just open my Bible and read.  I use the excuse that thirty minutes is not enough to pull out my texts books and notebooks and read very much of the assigned reading while taking notes in only thirty minutes.  However, today I got through nine chapters of Exodus in a half hour break.  If I train myself to use every free second I have to stick my nose in my pocket Bible and just read, I could possibly make my way through the entire Bible once or twice a year.  If I can do that starting now, by the time I am thirty or even forty I should know Scripture very well.  It is something that I am realizing is very easy to do, a great way to spend that time instead of wasting it, and a great way to always become more familiar to my Lord's Word.  I am setting the bar high and hoping I stick with it.  All Praise be to Him who gave us His word and revealed Himself to us in it.  

Since I am talking praying Psalms, I will use Psalm 20 (ESV) for my Prayer:

 May the LORD answer you in the day of trouble!

May the name of the God of Jacob protect you!

May he send you help from the sanctuary 

and give you support from Zion!

May he remember all your offerings 

and regard with favor your burnt sacrifices!

May he grant you your heart's desire 

and fulfill all your plans!

May we shout for joy over your salvation,

and in the name of our God set up our banners!

May the LORD fulfill all your petitions!

Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed;

he will answer him from his holy heaven

with the saving might of his right hand.

Some trust in chariots and some in horses,

but we trust in the name of our LORD God.

They collapse and fall,

 but we will rise and stand upright.

O LORD, save the king!

May he answer us when we call.

Amen.

Pastors are human?

Hello again, so I know I could have just included this post in with the last one, but for length reasons I decided to break it up. Plus, I am trying to keep up with this blog as best I can with my busy schedule, but since this week I didn't do that well with it, I decided two posts looked better than one. 

Today was another great Sunday. Tim, the fourth year at my field work church, and I went to church together. James, the second year at our church, is in Nebraska for his Grandpa's funeral. Please keep him and his family in your prayers. Since it was communion Sunday, I read the readings. Pastor gave a great sermon on the Old Testament Reading, about how God gives us double pay back for all of our sins. However, the point is the double pay back is not negative or revenge, but double blessings that we don't deserve for all our sins which should condemn us. The Gospel is always so good to hear each week.
Then after church, the Sunday School was preparing for their Christmas service so we just sat back and watched. The ladies group of the church did stop us after church and give us an early and very generous Christmas present. They told us they truly appreciate having us as a part of their church, which is always nice to hear. I really have been blessed by being assigned to Hope Lutheran.

Then we had lunch with Pastor like always.  We began discussing one kid who comes to Youth group over lunch.  He has had a rough home life, and now lives with his Grandma who is his legal guardian.  She does not come to church, however, she does fortunately bring him for church on Sundays he is an acolyte or for youth group other Sundays.  Pastor was telling us how the youth group were working on the Ten Commandments.  They were specifically looking at the last few commandments by the end of the session.  Pastor was explaining how according to these commandments even our thoughts can be sins.  This boy looked at Pastor and said, "Wow, Jesus really did A LOT for us when He died for us didn't He."  It hit a soft spot in me for a second as I silently gave thanks for this boy understanding the Gospel.  We all agreed that as Pastors it is always nice to have those moments when you see the light bulb turn on and someone really gets all that unfolds with the Gospel.  Here is this teenage boy who only comes once in awhile, is really just now working on his faith since he was never given the chance as a younger child, and the light bulb clicked on for him.  He understood that Jesus died for ALL of our sins.  Even a single bad thought that crosses our minds, even if we never once speak it or tell anyone else, it is still a sin that should make us imperfect and send us straight to our death and to Hell.  However, the Gospel lets us know that Jesus died for every sin, no matter how small or how big, they all fell on Jesus' shoulders as He hung there nailed to that cross.  That is definitely A LOT Jesus died for.  Thanks be to Him who makes us 100% pure and blameless, and because of His victory over the sin even our thoughts are forgiven and forgotten by Him.   

After church and lunch, I came back, changed, and Chris and I went to the gym. We played three games of one-on-one basketball. I beat him the first game, but then he went on a hot three pointers streak and beat me the next two games. We played some pool and ping pong on the stage which is the temporary game room to cool off. Just as we finished ping pong, two other guys showed up so we decided to play them in two-on-two basketball. Tennis Thursday, racquetball and tennis Saturday, and now basketball Sunday, I am exercising more this quarter than I have the last year. I also plan to play basketball for Inter-murals every Tuesday and volleyball for IM's every Thursday. So hopefully, just maybe, I can actually start losing some weight and be in a little better shape for once.
Tonight I am working on a bunch of Thank You's, these posts, some reading and homework, and then hopefully a good night sleep after playing so much basketball.
My other thought I wanted to include is an issue I have been thinking about a lot lately.  As I sit in class and look around the room, or when I am eating at the cafeteria and I scan across the faces, or even the other night at the faculty party as I watched the many professors all mingle together, I realized a huge fact.  Even though we are all here to worship one God, even though we are all taking the same classes, even though we graduate with the same degree, we are all our own individual self.  There are roughly six hundred students attending the seminary here in St. Louis, and several hundred more at Fort Wayne.  And yet, every pastor at every church is still his own unique self.  We use the same liturgy every Sunday, and we preach on the same text each Sunday, and yet no two services are exactly the same neither are any two sermons exactly the same.  God has given us each our own gifts and talents to use to be our selves as pastors.  So yes it is true, pastors are humans.  They have their strengths and weaknesses just like anyone else.  However, that is a pretty amazing thing in my view.  The fact that six hundred different people, who have had different back grounds and different up bringings, can all come together and work together to all serve one God.  I really appreciated it as I began mentally listing each professor's strengths.  They are all such amazing, intelligent, faithful men and yet each have their own gifts in teaching us.  Each class is its own class, offering its own education partly because each class is taught by a different man who uses his gifts to best teach us students.  Just as pastors use the gifts God has given them to best serve and guide the faith of their congregation.  Church would be pretty boring if each pastor came out of this institution a robot trained and programmed to say the same thing.  It is the personality and humanity of pastors that allows them to make personal relationships with their congregants which makes the Gospel personal and more meaningful.  If a robot tells you the Lord loves you and forgives you, or a pastor who has known you  for years, knows your whole family on first name basis, and has watched your children grow up, been there in times of death or times of celebrations like weddings and baptisms tells you the same thing, which one will actually make you feel loved and forgiven?  I think it is pretty awesome the Lord can use thousands of individuals to make up one body of believers.  All Praise be to Him that He loves us each enough to make us a special individual child of His.  

Dear Heavenly Father, 

You created every animal, bird, fish, and plant by your Word.  You created Adam and Eve with Your hands and breath and made them in Your image.  Thank you for also making us Your special children in Your image.  Please never let us forget who our loving Father that provides for and sustains us is, never let us forget ALL that our Savior, Your Son did for us as He died and rose again to forgive ALL of our sins, and keep Your Spirit with us always, that we may remain strong in the one true faith.  In Jesus name, who we worship with You and Your Spirit forever and always. Amen.  

Getting Story Time Straight!

Hello everyone. I started this post Thursday, but left the computer and never finished it. Thursday was an absolutely beautiful day here in St. Louis. It was sunny with just that perfect cool crisp air, but warm in the sun light temperature. I had my one class that morning, and then had to work lunch again. Then to celebrate the beautiful weather outside I played tennis with my friend Chris. It was an enjoyable afternoon. The rest of the day I spent reading with short periods of resting my eyes.
So far this quarter looks like all my classes are going to be enjoyable, and I think I only have three or four tests. However, I do have two or three projects/papers per class and enough reading to last me all of 2012. For most of you who know I do not enjoy reading at all and have spent all of my life avoiding these things called books at all costs, this is definitely a challenge and new experience for me. I am trying to keep up with it all and actually find the time to indeed do the readings.
Friday was another nice day, but I only knew from looking out the windows. Tuesday's and Friday's I am in class from 8 A.M. until 3:30 P.M. so I don't get to spend much time outside. Friday morning I did thoroughly enjoy one of my classes more than the rest. Lutheran Confessions 1 was the class. We started with the Seven Councils, and then began to fully dive into the Trinity. I really enjoyed it because it felt like a real theology class. I felt like I was finally attending the seminary. I mean Lutheran Mind was a good class for that, but it never covered anything as specifically as we began to cover the Trinity. I was fascinated with the entire lecture. Then that night I bar tended for the Faculty Christmas party with my friend Mark who is a second career Alternate Route Student. It was a blast because I got to introduce myself to many of my professors I had not yet met, while serving them wine and beer. Then the president's wife, who was in charge of the whole thing, sent food and a bottle of wine home with each of us.
Saturday I got up "early" (by my definition on a Saturday morning) and played racquetball with a friend. Forest Park, which is right next to the seminary, has free courts so we played over there. Then my funny story of the day began. Right as Jason, the guy I played racquetball with, and I got back to campus and were walking to the dorms, a couple stopped us and asked us where the Re-Sell It Shop was. So instead of trying to give them directions, we both led them down there. Since both the Re-Sell It Shop and Food Bank just moved into their new locations, the Re-Sell It Shop wasn't open. However, now they know where it is. The funny part of the story starts here. As we walked by the Food Bank, I saw a few students inside. Since I never went to shop at the Food Bank last quarter, I decided I would give it a try and pick up a few snacks for the room. So I walked in, and the lady who runs it met me at the door. I said, "I have never done this before." I meant I had never shopped there. She said great and led me to a huge pile of canned goods and told me they all needed to be sorted by vegetables, fruits, etc. I didn't realize they weren't open, and the students who were there were volunteering to help them get organized. She took my statement, "I have never done this before," as meaning I had never volunteered there before. That meaning was also true though. So rather than admitting that's not what I meant and feeling embarrassed, I just decided to sort those cans like a champion. I got through the whole pile and moved on to the Jell-O and pudding pile. I ended up spending two hours there helping them out. It was actually kind of fun and got to work with a great group of volunteers spending their Saturday morning helping out. I don't know if you can actually call it volunteer work though because I did get a few items of free food, plus a gift card for helping. The side scene in this story was played by my friends. They were all at brunch thinking I was supposed to be working and something might be wrong since I was skipping work. They kept calling my phone, but I wasn't getting a signal in the basement where the Food Bank is located. So I never answered which only made them more worried. When I went upstairs to eat and saw all of them, everybody new that I saw made some kind of "Glad your OK, we were worried about you, the guys are all looking for you" comment. The point of the story, I learned volunteering at the Food Bank is a pretty good way to spend Saturday mornings, and I have awesome friends who do care about me. Oh, also I really wasn't supposed to be working, so please don't think I missed work.
My thought for the day Thursday was a good one and I still want to discuss it, so I will say it here. I think I will write another post right after this with another thought or two. This thought comes from Hermeneutics class. One of our Reading Focus Questions, which is the daily questions over the readings, was from an article about how to properly interpret Scripture. The question was this, "Discuss the difference between making Scripture's story a part of your story versus making your story a part of Scripture's story." Now since you are reading this at your own pace it is OK if you want to stop here and think about that yourself before you continue reading how I took it and what we discussed in class.
My answer that I turned is was as follows: "If we see Scripture’s story as part of our story, we are making our personal story larger and more important than Scripture’s story. We are taking God’s story from creation to the second coming and trying to shrink it and cram it into our limited years of life. This doesn’t work. We must remember that the Bible, even though it is a book that is completed and published already, is the story, the whole story from creation to the second coming. The Bible is God’s story of what He has done, what He is doing, and what He promises to do. Our story is a part of this whole story."
This is pretty close to what we discussed in class with a few added ideas. One point Dr. Oschwald made that I really liked was that when we try to make Scripture's story fit into our lives, we look at the Bible and its stories specifically trying to make them fit into our lives. Rather than reading and learning the Bible as real events that did happen and show how our Father works, loves, and takes care of His children, we try to reach each section as if it has answers or keys for our lives. Also, when we remind ourselves that we are a part of Scripture’s story, it reminds us that we are indeed characters in His story. We matter to Him, because we are His children, we are a part of His story and that makes us pretty special. Not only does it give value to our lives, but also should remind us our Lord loves and takes care of us, just like He did for King David or Apostle Paul. We are His children; we are part of Scripture’s story that is still being told, because we are a part of God’s story. Even though our lives and stories will not be written down and added to the Bible, we can know we still matter greatly to our Father. It is the greatest story ever told, and each and every one of us has a lead role. All because we have a Father who loves us, forgives us, and claims us as His own. All Praise be to Him. 

Dear Heavenly Father,
You spoke at Jesus’ baptism saying You were well pleased with your Son, please let all of us as Your children live lives that are pleasing to Your sight as well. For we strive to be witnesses of Your love so all may come to You. In the name of our Savior, Your Son, Jesus Christ who lives and reigns with You and the Spirit, one God now and forever more. Amen.

Back to the old grind stone!

Greetings and God's blessings to you all.  I know I did a terrible job of keeping up with this blog over break.  However, while I was in Nebraska, deer hunting was the number one priority.  Then while I was in Adair, my parents still live in the stone ages and do not have the internet.  So it made it kind of hard to write to you all.  Plus, I enjoyed shutting my brain off for two weeks, although it is hurting a little right now trying to turn it back on.  

Before I get into the new quarter, I just want to say I had an amazing break.  Like I said I spent one week in Nebraska deer hunting and got one little buck that I thought was a doe.  I had a few shots at some pretty nice bucks, however, they were all on the run and I am not yet that good of a shot with rifle and scope.  I did enjoy being back in the creeks and stands and just enjoying the wonderful gift of nature the Good Lord has given us.  I also got to see quite a few friends, although not as many as I would have liked.  I plan to make a schedule a head of time for Christmas break to make sure I see more people.  Then I came home to Iowa for the second week.  I spent some time with friends, again not as much as I would have liked, and caught up on my relaxing and sleeping in.  I watched quite a few movies and was over all just a lazy bum.  I thoroughly enjoyed sleeping in, moving to the couch to watch a movie, and being completely unproductive.  

Thanksgiving was spent at home with my Ma and Pa.  Mom cooked a turkey and the sides while Dad and I hung a few Christmas lights.  It was an enjoyable day with a small portion of the family.  Then Friday (my birthday) I had an AMAZING day.  I took off early and went to Omaha where I met JoAnna.  We then went to Lincoln to watch our Huskers beat up those silly Hawkeyes.  We had awesome seats.  We were ten rows up from the west end zone and it was the closest I had ever sat at a Huskers game.  The game was a blast, and I am so excited for what may be the best rivalry in football history.  I then spent the rest of the day and that night with JoAnna and her friends in Lincoln and Omaha. It was just a really fun birthday.  With such a good birthday so close to Thanksgiving, I really had to stop and realize how much the Good Lord has blessed and spoiled me.  I have an amazing family who loves me, awesome friends, so many I can't even see them all when I go back, and just a wonderful life.  I cannot say thanks enough to Him who not only gives me His salvation and eternal life, but also every good thing that's in my life too. 

Sunday I went to church and then packed up the car and headed back down south.  I safely made it to the seminary and had the task of finding room in my tiny dorm room for all the winter clothes I brought back with me.  However, my creativity managed and it all found a place to call home for the next couple months.  

On Monday classes started again.  Monday's, Wednesday's, and Thursday's I only have one class at 8 in the morning.  However, Tuesday's and Friday's I am in class from 8 A.M. until 3:30 P.M.  I think I am going to really enjoy most of my classes.  I have one I am worried about simply because I can barely understand the professor's accent.  Monday's class was Biblical Hermeneutics.  We started discussing how and why language can be the number one obstacle for us as pastors.  The one exercise we worked through that was kind of fun and challenging was this:  You are approached by the government with this challenge.  They had buried radioactive waste in the desert.  It will remain radioactive for 10,000 years.  You are in charge of making sure that no matter what happens in the next 10,000 years the civilians living in this area (including the possibility of alien life form) will not be harmed by the radioactive waste.  So the challenge is how or what do you use that will be understood by all of human kind and all other possible life forms that there is a dangerous material there.  Our groups that discussed this challenge came up with all kinds of answers from titanium plates with every known language on it to booby trapped treasure beside it to distract the new civilians.  It was just a fun exercise.  I think it will be a fun class learning how to properly choose the exact terms and language that portray the same meaning to our hearers that we want to portray to them.  The professor seems to be a really good and passionate guy too.  

Today, I had all of my four other classes, starting with Worship, followed by Confessions, then Theology of Missions, and finally Lutheran Reformation.  I have Worship class with the Dean of Chapel, and he is very passionate and intentional about worship services and liturgy.  I know he has a huge knowledge bank on this subject, and I am excited to learn from him.  

Confessions had a great introduction session.  The professor admitted he fell in love with Confessions when he took the class as an M-Div. student.  He started explaining why we learn confessions before we dive into the exegetical classes (the classes that focus on Scripture, its meanings and definitions).  He said we all have "lenses" or "filters" that we use when we read the Bible.  We cannot help but already have them and use them from our life's experiences.  So we learn confessions first to hopefully help us see what the Lutheran "filters" are, and hopefully if we agree with those set "filters", then we can read the Bible using them.  One example he used was a puzzle.  As we read the Bible, we are trying to put together the puzzle of our faith and beliefs.  The confessions are the puzzle box cover that gives us a picture of what the puzzle should hopefully look like.  It is not the puzzle itself, and it does not replace or become more important than the puzzle, but is simply an aid to the puzzle.  Just as confessions do not replace or should not be held higher than Scripture, but are simply an aid while reading Scripture.  He then began to talk about how culture has shaped Jesus over history.  This was very fascinating and I am not going to type it all out, but would be more than happy to discuss it with any of you anytime.  

Theology of Missions is the class where I have a hard time understanding the professor.  He is from India and has a very unique way of speaking.  Also the class was right after lunch, so I had a very full stomach since lunch was extra good today.  Plus all the class rooms are a hundred degrees since they have the heat on full blast and it’s not really that cold out yet. The final knockout punch was the fact that he did not turn the lights on in the classroom.  I guess he must of thought the windows were enough light.  So a dark warm classroom while I sat there with a full stomach is not the ideal situation for a class where you really have to focus to understand what the professor is saying.  I never fell asleep, but I do not think I got very much out of the syllabus, which the only thing we covered today.  

Lutheran Reformation was the final class of the day.  The professor for this class is a very unique guy.  I had heard a lot of discouraging comments about him; however, I think I will actually enjoy his class.  He has a very unique way of lecturing with several side speeches and comments and a very dry but corky sense of humor.  I think it will be a good class to end the days I have four classes.  Plus I do think he will teach us some interesting stories and facts that text books do not take the time to include.  

Then after classes I bought my books and then had to work this evening.  So far it has been a good two days of classes.  It is really nice knowing I only have three weeks of classes and then another two week break for Christmas.  

My thought for the day comes from Confessions.  One thing we talked about in our discussion of how culture shapes our view of Jesus is how Americans who admire so highly their celebrities view Jesus.  It is easy to see both on T.V. with shows like Entertainment Tonight, and in magazines like People or Us Weekly, that Americans cannot get enough of their celebrities.  But what is it we really want to know about those celebrities?  Their personal lives right, including both the good and the bad, with everything from their kids, fashion, and religion to the scandals and affairs.  Well we Americans who want to know everything about all of these celebrities’ personal lives are looking to know the same thing about Jesus.  We want to know about His personal life, all the gossip both good and bad.  We focus on this so much more than the reason He came to earth.  We tend to overlook the reason He took flesh, was born of a virgin, lived teaching and preaching His Father's Word, and then died and rose again.  However, if we overlook the “what” and the “why”, only wanting to know the “who”, we are missing the whole message of the Gospel.  I am not trying to say it is a bad thing to want to know Jesus the man, but we also need to know Jesus the Triune God.  When we know this Jesus, then we know of our sins, our deserving Hell and death, God's plan of salvation, God's forgiveness, and God's eternal life.  This is the Gospel message and I do not know why anyone in any culture would ever want to over look that.  All praise be to Him.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank you so much for a wonderful break, a wonderful Thanksgiving to remind me all that You do for me, a wonderful birthday, and a safe return to the seminary.  I ask that You be with me this quarter and help me to grow in my faith and education as I form into the pastor You want me to be.  I ask that You would bless all Your children with the graciousness and kindness that You have always blessed me with.  Help this Advent season be a time of preparing our hearts for the coming of Your Son, our Savior, in whose name we pray. Amen. 

Hit the breaks on this break!

Good afternoon to everyone.  I was hoping to be able to write sooner during the break than now, however, hunting has been my primary focus.  I feel bad because I really haven't gotten to see a lot of people I was hoping to see, but I haven't gotten my deer yet either.  I did get one small "doe".  I saw the deer laying in the grass about two hundred yards out, so I shot it and got it.  I thought it was a decent size doe. But when I got up to it, it was a tiny (the size of a dog) buck.  He doesn't have antlers so he still counts as my doe.  I am still trying to get my buck.  I have had a few shots at a couple but they were all running and I am not that good of shot yet with a rifle to pick them off on the run. I still have today and tomorrow to get my buck.
I left St. Louis Friday morning and drove all day.  I got to Adair, home, about 5.  I ate supper and grabbed my winter clothes and hunting clothes.  Then I went the rest of the way to Nebraska.  I got here and saw one friend. Then I met up with Bill and Jami and saw all the improvements on the house.  The abandoned house I lived in this summer now looks like a million dollar home.  The only thing they have left is a little trim, counter tops, and carpet.  Then they have to go through and clean everything and they will be ready to move in.  It will be an awesome new home for them and I am excited to see them in it.
Saturday we pretty much hunted all day.  Sunday, we hunted all morning, and then that afternoon and evening I got really sick.  I had a stomach ache all afternoon and then that evening by the time I got to the deer blind the pain was so bad I couldn't stand it.  I walked back tot he Jeep early and was burping up all kinds of acid and gross stuff.  Then that night when I got back to their house, I was puking and sick all night.  Monday I didn't go sit that morning, but by the afternoon I felt well enough to go back out with them.  I am feeling completely normal again and back to my full eating habits.
I plan to continue to hunt and see friends in Nebraska this week.  Friday morning I am going to go to Omaha to see JoAnna, and spend most the day with her.  Then Friday night I am headed back to Iowa because Nate and Kari and the boys will be at the parents.  Then I will spend the rest of that week in Iowa.  It has been a great break so far, minus being sick, but is going by way to fast.
I just wanted to give an update and let you know I haven't forgotten about you all.  Thank you for your continued support.  Hope all is well with all of you.
Dear Heavenly Father, 
Thank you so much for this wonderful break full of fun, hunting, and time with friends.  I thank you for keep me safe while hunting and thank you for helping me get over my sickness.  I appreciate all You do for me and all my loved ones.  Please be and abide with us all, now and forevermore.  In Your Son's most holy and precious name. Amen.

To Be Continued...

Hello to you all.  I am extremely sorry I have really been slacking with this blog.  However, it is the tenth week of the quarter which means papers and text to the max.  I started the week with five papers, four tests, a vocab quiz, and a reading quiz.   However, I am now down to two papers and three tests.  The tests are all on Thursday and the two papers are due Friday.  I plan to get both papers done today and tomorrow, and then take all three tests Thursday of course.
I can't believe the first quarter is three and a half days away from being done.  It has went so fast, but has been enjoyable.  I have learned so much, and at the same time realized how much I have left to learn.  I really haven't been extremely cramped for time this past week, because I have still been able to enjoy Bible studies, tennis on the brand new courts, a movie with the guys, and enough time to not be completely deprived of sleep.  So it is not like I just did not have time to keep up with this blog.  However, after writing as many papers as I have written in the past week, and still two left to write, I am more or less just burnt out on writing.  My fingers have definitely gotten a great workout typing everything, and I have just needed the break from here to give them a rest too.  I do promise to write over my two week break as much as I can, and then next quarter start again with daily posts.  So I will most likely not write again until Saturday or Sunday, but will get back into after that.  Thank you for your patience.
My plan for break as of now is to go to class Friday, turn in my papers, then I have to work for an hour or so.  Then I will hopefully have the car packed so I can jump in and drive home.  I have to go to Iowa first to get my warm clothes, drop off my dirty laundry for mother, and eat supper of course.  Then depending on time, and how sick of driving I am, I would like to continue on to Nebraska yet Friday night.  I want to get to Nebraska so that I can get up about five A.M. Saturday morning, take the four wheeler, rifle, cup of coffee, and flash light to the creek, and then walk to my bin top and wait for sun rise. There is nothing better than sitting in your blind, tree stand, or in my case old roof of a grain bin, and waiting for the sun to rise.  Then as you watch the sun rise, you wait for the deer to walk past you and hope you get the shot at the big buck.  Last year I shot the first buck I saw, which was only a small four by three.  This year I am going to have a little more patience and wait for a decent size one.  I probably still wont be extremely picky, but hopefully at least hit a decent four by four.
Other than hunting, I will be busy hanging out with all my friends from college at Seward and trying to catch up with as many of them as possible. I also have some reading I would like to catch up on from this quarter.  Then the second half of my break will be spent back in Iowa with the family and friends there.  I think it is going to be great break, but fear it will be gone as soon as it starts.  Time only seems to go faster and faster.  
That is all I really wanted to write about.  I just wanted to let you know why I haven't been writing, reaffirm that I will be writing again very soon, and let you know my plans for break.  Thank you again for your patience and continued support.
Dear Heavenly Father, 
Please be with me as I finish my papers and tests this week.  Help me to finish the quarter strongly with good grades.  Thank you so much for the blessing to be here learning and growing in Your word and faith.  Please be with all of us seminary guys who will be traveling this weekend and grant us safe travels.  Thank you for every thing You continually give us.  We pray these things and all other prayers in our hearts in the name of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Amen.