A Special Christmass Eve

When my daughters were much younger, I made it a practice to write them a short letter on Christmass Eve before I went to bed, recalling the "good" and the "bad" of that year. Most of all, I reminded them of my love for them ... of my gratitude for their continuing growth in faith ... and of God's love for them in the new-born Christ child.

Now, one of those daughters has a daughter of her own--my granddaughter. Tonight, as a 2nd grader, she participated in her first Christmass Eve Children's Service at the church where we worship.

What a joy it was for me to watch and listen to her as she joined with other children in proclaiming the story of sin and redemption and of God's promise fulfilled in the Incarnation of God's Son. Once again, I became a child, listening to that "old" story with new ears ... seeing the excitement of the story-tellers with new eyes.

And, the "frosting on the cake" was that my granddaughter's artwork was chosen to be on the cover of the worship folder tonight!

So much to be grateful for ... so much to rejoice in ... so much to reflect on.

A Blessed and Merry Christmass to all!

A Mini-Reunion

I just returned from a weekend in Sheboygan Falls WI where I participated in a "mini-reunion" of my junior college graduation--now 51 years ago. The weekend was intended to be an extension of our 50th reunion last year. Some of us felt that the conversation that started last year needs to continue. And, what's better than the conversation of good friends, especially when it's shared over good food and drink?

Tho' there were only six of us who gathered for the "continuing conversation," the weekend will be one of this summer's highlights for me. A bond of friendship that was forged when we all began high school together at Concordia in Milwaukee in September of 1953 continues to be strengthened each time we get together.

As we reminisced about those six years we spent together at Concordia in Milwaukee, we were reminded again of God's goodness and grace that took young boys and formed them into proclaimers of the Gospel. We remembered the godly teachers we had during those six years who helped to shape and form us. Tho' they also had their flaws, they helped to shape our spiritual lives.

So tonite I give thanks for Abie and Ungie, for Joel, Truebs and Juice--good friends for 57 years. I'm glad we could share the weekend together (along with our spouses) and "keep the conversation going."

Holy Lent 2010

Tonight I began my 72nd journey into Holy Lent, though I have no recollection of the very early journeys when I was an infant and small child.

My earliest memories of Holy Lent are wrapped in feelings of sorrow and darkness and lack of joy. I recall sad hymns, sung during mid-week Lenten services. It was almost like attending a funeral every week for six weeks. And the focus during those six weeks was always on the suffering and death of Jesus. At every mid-week Lenten service (tho' they were actually held on Friday nights during my childhood!!), we always heard a portion of the conflated story of our Lord's passion and death, pieced together from the Synoptics and John.

Thank God for Vatican II, as well as for the Inter-Lutheran Commission on Worship (and its wonderful production, Lutheran Book of Worship,) for reserving the major focus of our Lord's suffering and death to Holy Week ... and for making of Holy Lent a time of the Christian's participation in the discipline of Lent--repentance, fasting, prayer and works of love--which help me to wage spiritual warfare during this season.

And, as ashes, in the form of a cross, were traced on my forehead tonight, I am reminded again that I am mortal and will return to the dust from which I was taken.

I am grateful for another opportunity to join fellow pilgrims during Holy Lent 2010.