Glowing.

Kings and Emperors have worn clothes woven with gold and place golden crowns on their heads. When they rode about in the sunlight wearing their regal clothing they would glow. The people would take notice and be amazed.

During the middle ages some monks in the Greek East would glow with uncreated light. It was amazing, apparently their auras would light up for all to see. They did not need golden threads woven in their garments.

Light

My pastor preached about reality and what is real on Sunday. When asked what we thought was more real, a book, or light, I replied the light is more real because of light we perceive colors and shapes. I see something as red because the red light reflects from it. If the light changed it would look different, purple or perhaps or even black.

The type and intensity of the light determines what we and how we see.

Writing with Wine

While I was taking notes at our council retreat in January I drank a few glasses of Chardonnay. The wine relaxed me enough to write freely and listen. The problem was my handwriting deteriorated throughout the evening and I wasn't sure of all that I had written.

I was glad to be scribe for the night. I really enjoyed writing that out for everyone. I tried to capture the feel of the night.

There was one moment during the dinner that I stopped talking and just listened to everyone. There was a lot of talking and laughter. I truly believe that Peace Lutheran acts out peace with joy and laughter.

Doctrine

My pastor is very passionate for the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Through his teaching of the Gospel I have come to a deeper understanding of my own beliefs, and I lean away from traditional statements which lack imagery or description. Allow me to exemplify, I do not say Jesus Christ is my personal Lord and Savior; I do say that Jesus is the Way and I imperfectly follow Him.

I tend to express what faith is using the words of Martin Luther, "Faith is like fire giving off both light and heat." Faith is inexact and requires language that stirs the imagination. Bold blanketing doctrinal statements leave me cold and make me cringe. Although every Sunday we use the words of the Nicene Creed to confess our faith, corporately, personally I strive to state my faith using adverbs. Faith is moving and active.

The Creeds are there to get us all on the same page, and in Lutheran worship this is quite literal as was as figurative. We need something that we can confess together to edify one another and Creeds do that. I do not rely on the Creeds to express my beliefs in conversation or in my blogs.

Faith should grow beyond the Catechism answers. Yes, the Catechisms helped me by asking the right questions, but I want to give answers that express what I trust as well as what I have experienced.

I cringe when I hear people speak the words, "I am saved," or ask, "are you saved?" I cringe because it seems so shallow and two dimensional to me. The Word became flesh, God entered into the human condition, there is no need to fear anything even death. The Holy Spirit gives me visions, and I the more I see and learn, I come to understand how little I do know. And then I am asked, "are you saved?" I trust a promise.

And what is faith than trusting a promise and living in that trust.

Snow Day

My wife is upset with me that I did not go into work today. I shoveled the driveway which was about a foot deep and had drifted closer to three feet on the west side.

My fingers were getting really cold so I put on two pairs of gloves on my left hand.

Pop in the outside refrigerator froze and one can of Diet 7 Up exploded.

Snow days here are nothing like the Chevy Chase movie.

School Canceled

It is three degrees outside without the wind chill. It has been so cold that I haven't shoveled the driveway.

They could close work. It has been done before.

Anyway, the Colts won the Super Bowl. I am glad about that! Any team that can beat the Patriots in the AFC Championship should win the Super Bowl. It was a good game.

Church was canceled. I wrote a sermon on my other blog page. I wish I could make a living writing from my computer.

Groundhog's Day

I have had migraine headaches just about everyday in January. I managed to keep the pain under control enough to work everyday. Wednesday and Thursday I was really tired.

This morning I got up with my alarm and took the trash to the "curbside." The sky was beginning to turn blue and the full moon was shining brightly while framed in an opening in the clouds. It was a beautiful morning.

It was a good way to end the dead of winter. Now that winter is half over, I hope my migraines will lessen and I will have more energy.