These Boots REALLY aren’t Made for Walking

I know I wrote about a pastors’ meeting last week, but wouldn’t you know it, I found myself at another one this week! Both Kristie and I were part of a gathering of Minneapolis and St. Paul Synods’ annual Bishops’ Theological Retreat, where we heard two great teachers give some lectures on Romans, and on “Bearing the Marks Upon the Body of Christ.”

On Monday afternoon, we had some free time, and the Lord had gifted us with an absolutely beautiful fall day with a sterling blue sky and the first bursts of the autumn palette. I decided to go for a hike on one of the many trails at Heartland Conference Center, outside of Trego, WI.  While out hiking, I made a couple of observations.

“Going” Toward the Light

At a pastor meeting this week, I had too much coffee – I tend to do that at pastor meetings because there is so much talking and they go on for so long – and so had to excuse myself. I walked down the hall, went into the men’s room, and then stopped dead in my tracks, because the room remained pitch black. I waved my arms to try to get the motion detectors to notice me so the lights would come on for me. I was already halfway into the unlit room, and I couldn’t really see what I was about to bump into. Why won’t the motion detectors see me? 

Short and to the Point

I recently received the following parable from a fellow ELEA (Evangelical Lutheran Education Association) preschool director, and I’d love to share it with you today.

A pencil maker told the pencil five important lessons just before putting it in the box:

Living Our Name

For the month of September, around Family of Christ, we are “Living our Name.” Family.

There are so many different definitions for a family. There is the family you are born into — your parents and siblings. As we get a bit older, and if we are really lucky, there is the family that you create with your significant other, maybe even including the blessing of your own children. There are the people you work with, the people you choose as your friends, and your church. For me, I am triply blessed that these last three are all the same great wonderfully loving group of people.