Planting Between the Raindrops - When Straw Bales Are the Best Option

Bee Balm is also attractive to hummingbirds.

We had a break in the rain and drizzle for a short time. The postman brought strawberry plants, bee balm, and potatoes. The potatoes had to be sliced and dried a bit, so I planted strawberries and three monarda (bee balm) plants. I dunked the bee balm plants in rainwater while I worked on strawberries.

I hope to capture rainwater more this year, very handy for many gardening uses - like manure, compost, and mulch.

This is my first straw bale gardening experience. I poked the strawberry plants into the bales and wetted them down with the hose. The rain continued to fall and should continue tomorrow as well.

Borage is one of those bee plants that will nurture
the hard work of the bees by providing constant supplies of food.
The flowers are herbs, good to eat.
"I borage, give thee courage."

Someone suggested planting flowers in the front side of the bales. I decided not to bend over or kneel in the mud, so I put about 200 Borage (bee bread) seeds on the top of the bales and soaked them in.

Potatoes will go in tomorrow, God willing.

Earthworm Paradise
How fertile is the soil, you wonder? The norm is one earthworm in a shovel of soil. I had several worms per trowel in the soil I was digging. It was fun seeing them come up out of the soil. I tossed several over the fence from the backyard into the straw bale area. I could see one wiggling to grasp the straw, fail, and drop to the ground, only to bury itself underneath the bale. Earthworms do not like the sun and plant themselves fast when exposed.

I have earthworms in abundance because I distributed red wigglers twice last year and fed them with mulch, dead weeds, mushroom compost, and newspapers all winter. The straw bale garden is sitting on newspapers on top of mulch and ragweed from the explosion of ragweed there last summer. Our helper said, "What are we going to do with all the weeds?" I said, "We will leave them alone, harvest the tomatoes from them, and cover them with newspapers for the winter.

No need to get hysterical over ragweed. When a former ragweed area is covered with newspapers and mulch, the weds will not grow. Instead, seeds and plant material will decompose and feed the soil creatures and ultimately the plant roots. Fresh, growing ragweed will blacken and rot when covered with newspapers and wooden mulch.

Bee Balm
Bee balm (monarda) is also called Oswego Tea, Horsemint, and Bergamot. The plant has several medicinal uses.

I planted the three varieties in the open sun, in relatively new garden space. During our earlier outbreak of spring we created a new row of garden with newspapers and mulch. The grass was still rotting under the newspaper and mulch, but it was easy to dig and loaded with earthworms.

Scarlet runner bean flowers.
Order early, because supplies dry up.

Nearby I will have scarlet runner beans, whose flowers are also attractive to hummingbirds. I am too lazy (or cheap) to fill hummingbird feeders, so I grow them. If all goes well, many vines in the yard will provide addition food and shelter for the tiny flying rainbows.

Bird Spa Update
The birds had a riot eating and bathing today. They were wary of the new digs, since I mulched the area. Once a scout starling landed and found no trouble, all the rest came in for the feast and pleasures of the bath. A male cardinal showed up again for the seeds and suet. Mourning doves covered the area looking for seed.

Now the tiny birds are dominating the feeder by the bedroom window. Nothing compares to having a bird land a few inches from my face, swing on the Jackson EZ Bird Swing, drop down for food, and fly away.

"Birds? Where?"

Midweek Lenten Service - John 10 - I AM the Good Shepherd. March 18, 2015. 7 PM Central Daylight Time

Mid-Week Lenten Vespers, 2015

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Worship, 7 PM Central Daylight Time 

The Hymn #145 - Jesus Refuge of the Weary           
The Order of Vespers                                             p. 41

The Psalmody                   Psalm 23                  p. 128
The Lections                            The Passion History

                                                 John 10:11ff

The Sermon Hymn #436 - The Lord's My Shepherd                  

The Sermon –     I AM the Good Shepherd

 
The Prayers

The Lord’s Prayer

The Collect for Grace                                            p. 45

The Hymn #660 - Heaven Is My Home            

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep.

13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

I AM the Good Shepherd

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.

These words are so familiar to us, so it is good to look at them anew and think about their meaning. We would tell an English student, "Do not move from one metaphor to another." This chapter has Jesus saying "I am the door" and also "I am the Good Shepherd."

But this is not an English exercise but the revelation of God. The I AM sermons are so important that John's Gospel gives them special meaning. The seven I AM sermons are unique to the Gospel, so the Spirit led the Apostle to preserve them for us.

1. John 6:48 I am that bread of life. KJV
2. John 8:12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. KJV
3. John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. KJV
4. John 10:11 I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep. KJV
5. John 11:25 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: KJV
6. John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. KJV
7. John 15:1 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. KJV

There are two important lessons in this single verse - John 10:11. We have no adequate way of translating the first statement and making it sound right. In Greek, it is literally "I AM the Shepherd the Good." But we use good in a different way. Good means not the best in common speech. This word really means "noble." The way in which it is statement really means "I AM the ultimate Shepherd" or "I AM the Shepherd above all shepherds."

Because hundreds of passages about sheep and shepherds are drawn together here, the familiar words are the best, just as we remember them. What is more natural, through the revelation of God, than to think of Jesus as our Good Shepherd. He leads us into green pastures, protects us from evil, and guides us into eternal life, as Psalm 23 teaches us.

Jesus then defines His role as "giving His life for the sheep."

This is where the metaphor does not match human experience. Ordinary shepherds watch over their flocks and lead them to food. They protect them against predators, but they do not die for the sheep. This is another example of John's Gospel taking the definition to a higher level through repetition and clarification. 

Jesus taught this way so His disciples could memorize the sermons and pass them along to believers. All believers, in any language can memorize the short, simple cadences and dwell on their meaning.

The Word of God is efficacious when heard, read, and recalled from memory. It is the same Word and has the same power. That is why faithful hymns have kept Christianity alive during eras of rationalism and apostasy. The liturgy and creeds did the same, which is why the Left wing of the church wants to dump the liturgy and creeds forever.

The same sect that never taught the Book of Concord to its seminarians and "had" to have a feminist creed is the one that raised up Mark Jeske to teach New Age paganism to the masses. The cure for this is faith in Christ, study of the Scriptures, and clarification of doctrine through the Confessions.

Today we had a break when it was not raining, and I had strawberries to plant in the straw bale garden. I got out this bundle of stringy things outside and said, "Wait, I need directions for this," and looked it up on the Net - how to plant strawberries. It told me the dangers of planting too deep and too shallow - with pictures. The Confessions are very much like that.

12 But he that is an hireling, and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. 13 The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep.

This may offend some - it always does offend someone. Jesus also contrasts His role as the Good Shepherd with the work of the hired hand. That is also the role of Confessions - they define what is and also the opposite - what is not.

I use that for directions. I look for where I am going and write down what I will see when I have gone too far. If I have been lost on the way to your home, please do not laugh. The method works when I follow it.

We live in an era where the hired hands are shepherds, ordained pastors (shepherds in Latin) and run away instead of protecting their flocks from the wolves. These hired hands refuse to teach about false doctrine and let everything peacefully rot away. 

Many ALC pastors long ago knew the difference between sound doctrine and false doctrine. One told me, "If I let my congregation know what the denomination was doing, i would lose them all." In a few years his conservative ALC church was an ELCA church, owned and controlled by the new Leftists, not the congregation. The "new truths" are now being taught in a parish where Lenski was an honored Biblical expert and another famous Lutheran preached even earlier than that.

14 I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine.

15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep.

This is another one of the overlapping descriptions, which reveal our relationship to God as the same as the Son's to the Father. Jesus knows who the believers are, each and every one of them. And believers know His voice and listen to Him.

This knowledge of Christ comes to us through the work of the Holy Spirit in the Word. It is not persuasion but the power of the Word, and this is so certain that no one can tell us otherwise. In fact, when others try to mock the Faith, it only makes believers more trusting in God. The Spirit testifies that we belong to Him.

This relates to the intimate knowledge of the Father and the Son. The Father knows the Son, and the Son knows the Father, just as He knows us, and we know Him. The Father loves us because we know His Son and love Him.

How is His love shown - He lays down His life for us.

16 And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.

17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.

18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

This is not Jesus praying for the World Council of Churches, but His statement that there is only One Church, made up of those who trust in Him alone for their salvation. There can only be One Shepherd, One Fold. Diversity of doctrine is never taught in the Scriptures - there is only One Truth revealed by the Holy Spirit.

This is Isaiah 53 taught again - the Gospel - Jesus lays down His life for the sheep. What more shepherdy chapter is found in the Old Testament than Isaiah 53?

If the disciples did not know this at first, they did by the time they were taught after the Resurrection. Isaiah 53 became the Old Testament Gospel by revelation. It was there all along. It was known but not understood fully. When Jesus became that Suffering Servant, then each verse took on meaning for believers and for preaching the Gospel to Jews. Jesus is the fulfillment of Isaiah 53. All who believe in Him have forgiveness and everlasting life.

CLC Pastor David Koenig - Enemy of Lutheran Doctrine

CLC Pastor David Koenig devoted an entire service
to an hour long tirade against Lutheran doctrine.
Members quit in disgust.
He and Paul Tiefel published tirades against Lutheran doctrine.

 European Lutherans upset with David Koenig and Horst Gutsche working together.

Court records from Horst Gutsche being arrested and forbidden to be alone with minors.

Initial Questions about Horst Gutsche and David Koenig in Europe.

Koenig and his pal Paul Tiefel
launched constant personal invectives
to protect their beloved Church Growth Movement.
No one dare suggest that WELS was less than perfect.

This joyous photo came from India.
Koenig considers himself the great missionary to all people,
unless they agree with Luther's doctrine.

One of many funny moments with the clown prince of the CLC 

Koenig decided to check me out about Valleskey studying at Fuller Seminary, which Valleskey denied when I asked him at the Gibsonia Conference, WELS.

Valleskey told Koenig that he did study at Fuller Seminary, and Koenig wrote that to me in a letter.

I published the information. Next came a furious letter from Koenig that Valleskey was blaming him for telling the truth. Although Valleskey was clearly a liar, somehow I was the bad guy.

Convict Horst Gutsche (ELCiC Pastor) Working with CLC Pastor David Koenig - German Conference - Europeans Very Upset

Why is the Church of the Lutheran Confession (sic)
working with Horst Gutsche - center?

"Do not be alone with minors while on probation."

"Required to disclose conviction..."

CLC Pastor David Koenig, on the extreme left, is a great friend of Church Growth
and simply loathes Lutheran doctrine.
Is Gutsche also a former WELS pastor? See below.

lfk.lutheranmissions.org" - LutherQuest

Revelation

A study of the book of Revelation by Pastor David Koenig.

Koenig worked with Gutsche on this conference

A WELS pastor too?
Gutsche's LinkedIn profile links to
St. John WELS, Libertyville, Illinois

School and Preschool  

St. John connects children and families with Christ through our growing preschool and school.  We offer 3 year old Preschool through 8th Grade... 

"St. John Lutheran School exists to nurture children in faith and intellect, equipping them for Christian lives of service."

Horst Gutsche phoned me to claim the dismissal
of his court case made him innocent!
Why was he forbidden to be alone with minors?
The dismissal clearly states otherwise - it simply means
the court is done with the parole or any other stipulations
from his arrest and conviction.
He was an ELCA pastor in San Francisco at the time - and ELCA dumped him.
The Canadian version of ELCA hired him as a pastor.

Glende Hires Andy Stanley Disciple Jim Buske

Andy Stanley joined the massive Evangelical tidal wave
endorsing gay marriage.

Jim Buske posed with Andy Stanley at the Drive Conference.
Bishop Katie reported 8 other WELSians attending the coven.

Thirty pounds ago, Ski posed with Stanley.

Buske, Rev James G         St Peter - Appleton WI               02/16/2015
         Associate Pastor

Ski's Journal Still Online: Drive ’08 - Pastor’s Conference - North Point

Drive ’08 - Pastor’s Conference - North Point: 

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW:

WHO WENT THAT YOU MIGHT KNOW?

Pastor Ski - St. Marcus - Milwaukee

Pastor John Parlow - St. Mark - Depere

Pastor Jim Buske - Lighthouse Youth Center - Milwaukee

HOW LONG WERE WE THERE?

May 3rd - May 7th

WHERE WAS THE CONFERENCE?

North Point (Babtist) Church, Alpharetta, GA

FAVORITE PART OF THE CONFERENCE:

Final Main Session with Andy Stanley

FAVORITE BREAK OUT SESSION:

A Healthy Staff Culture

- Jeff Henderson

FAVORITE QUOTE FROM DRIVE ‘08

“Leaders don’t get people, they attract them”

- Andy Stanley

DRIVE ’08 JOURNAL

Whew!  Day 5, it has been a heck of a road trip.  Today was the last day.  As you can see it was jam packed.  Before I get into Day 5... Let me just say this, “We should have sat in traffic to go to the Brown Bridge Campus!”  Buske & I were bitter.  Remember that I had said John got frustrated sitting the parking lot for 30 minutes?  So we went to dinner & called it a night.  Well, on Day 5 they showed the video for what happened at Brown Bridge.  Sweet cookout, the food looked awesome, games and fellowship outside (without snow or cold, I might add) and then a surprise JEFF FOXWORTHY show.  Man, how are they gonna top that next year?

Anyway, Day 5.  It is kind of crazy, just when you think it can’t get any better, it does.  Well, sort of.  In the morning they had Q & As for different groups.  I went to one that was about linking adults into small group studies.  It was well done, but for me it is difficult because everyone is looking for concrete answers on how to solve their own personal small group issues.  Many of the questions didn’t apply for us at St. Marcus.  However, the leaders were great and had a ton of info.

My final breakout session was entitled Parental Guidance Required.  The leader was Clay Scroggins.  He kind of looked like Steve James (he’s a St. Marcus member, Steve that is) but he talked with a Texas drawl.  He was high energy.  Based on his presentation and his passion for kids, I imagine that he rocked it out with kids.  The gist of his session was that what happens in the home has a greater influence on the spiritual life of children than what happens at church.  Based on that it becomes imperative that parents & the church partner.  Here are the steps that North Point uses:

1. 1.Inform Parents - inform them about what is being taught to their children.
2. 2.Partner With Parents - invite parents to be in an environment with their children.
3. 3.Equip Parents - provide parents with the tools to assist in the spiritual development of their children.

Pretty good points and a really good session.  

After that session we broke for lunch.  John took off for the airport, so Buske and I were on our own.  That might sound a little scary, but it is true.

The final Main Session with Andy Stanley was just phenomenal.  We began with awesome worship. Today though, they began with a Christian rapper, Toby Mac.  Our school kids would have loved it.  I’m not sure that they would have believed that it was church though.

When Andy began his session.  He started by saying that he was not going to follow his notes in the Drive ’08 Journal Book.  Instead he was going to do something that he called, “Recent Random Thoughts On Church Leadership.”  He shared 5 points and 5 takeaways.  I think that he was at his absolute best this afternoon.  Here are the 5 point & takeaways:

1. 1.To reach people no one else is reaching we must do things no one else is doing.

Takeaway - Become preoccupied with those you haven’t reached as opposed to those you keep.  This is easier said than done.

Wow, it seems so simple.  And yet so hard.

2. 2.The next generation product almost never comes from the previous generation.

Takeaway - Be a student not a critic.

What more can be said?  How do we approach things?  When things are different & involve change are we scared?  Do we criticize or do we look to learn and implement?

3. 3.What do I believe is impossible to do in my field?  But if it could be done it would fundamentally change my business.

Takeaway - Pay attention to the people who are breaking the rules.

Crazy sounding isn’t it?  We can fight technology and change, but in the end it will pass us and we will become archaic and irrelevant.  Not our Message, but the manner in which we present it.  Who would have ever thought texting would be as big as it is?  How about multi-site church?  Video church?  These are all things that have changed how we worship.

4. 4.If we got kicked out & the board brought in a new CEO what would they do?  Why shouldn’t we walk out the door & then come back in & do it ourselves?

Takeaway - Acknowledge what is NOT working & own up to why you are unwilling to change it.

Some thoughts on this - rarely does the church (in general) get concerned about change until they run out of money.  What if we asked some questions before it was too late?

1. a.What’s in decline?
2. b.Where are we manufacturing energy? In other words pretending something is important.  An example would be if I continued to say that Bible Study was important, but never attended.  I’m blowing hot air, “manufacturing energy.”  I don’t believe that anyone wants to stand behind that or get involved in something like that.
3. c.Finally, when are we going to unearth all underlying assumptions?  Sometimes, what we assume, is not the reality.  Are we willing to dig to find out the truth or are we happy with assuming? 
5. 5.When your memories exceed your dreams the end is near.

Takeaway - Don’t let success or momentum overshadow your vision.  Keep the out front.

How quickly can we be satisfied?  How often do we look at things and say, “Well, it’s not great but it is better than such and such church.” Scary, but we sometimes fool ourselves into thinking like this.  Some questions to ponder:

1. a.What the burden on your heart? (sic, yo)
2. b.What breaks your heart?

That was it.  After that Andy just ended and prayed for all the people there & for there (sic) ministries.  As you can see from the pictures above, Buske & I got to get a picture with Andy, pretty cool.  He is way down to earth.  His wife Sandra was there also and she is just great.  We actually got to talk to her a little more than Andy.  You also notice John with the North Point member who played Bender in one of their sermon series called “Twisted”.  The series was all about how Satan twists God’s Word.  Finally, there is a photo of Buske & Todd Fields.  I’m a little bitter about that one, but you’ll need to ask me why.

Thanks to everyone who read this while I was gone.  Be looking for some cool stuff that we will be implementing at St. Marcus, especially in Sunday Night.  Thanks also for all the patience.  Writing this thing mostly between 1 AM & 2 AM means that there are probably a ton spelling and grammar mistakes.  I can’t wait to see you guys on Sunday.  Check out the Picture Page for some added photos from Drive ’08.

I’m out!

Want to be a leader in WELS?
Get trained by Babtists
and abuse women staffers,
then sue their husbands for being outraged.

---

Febreze

2 years ago

The WELS COP will hunt down and find out who attends the Intrepid Lutheran conference and therefore put them on a, uh, let's just say, "watch" list. But when a WELS pastor wants to go down and learn from people who don't believe in the means of grace, then they will be defended and promoted.