Receive with Meekness the Engrafted Word,Which Is Able To Save Your Souls. James 1:21 KJV

Jesus and the Apostles taught people who knew Creation and made their living by paying attention to that Creation.

Today people are not aware of the stars above or the soil below, and they can enjoy grafted plants without knowing what they are.

The illustration above shows how to graft roses, when a wild rose root base is grafted together with a showy rose above.

The first phrase from this part of James is a sermon by itself.

Receive is a synonym for believe, a concept never grasped by the Enthusiasts. Receiving the Word is another way of saying - Believe in the Word. Since the Word conveys Christ and all His benefits, believing the Word means placing our trust in Christ.

John 1:11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

This faith not a work, not a decision of the mind, but the divine effect of the Word.

Likewise, a graft comes to the rose. The rose, or olive tree, or apple tree does not seek the graft. The plant begins with one genetic code and takes on another.

with meekness - This assumes the work of the Holy Spirit in creating a contrite and grateful heart. When a great and everlasting treasure is given to someone, he knows it is not earned by him. That faith in the Gospel--generated by the Word--opens his eyes to the greatness of God's gracious forgiveness and his own lack of merit.

The Double Delight graft is impossible to ignore or deny.

The engrafted Word, which is able to save your souls.

When the Gospel is preached to us, since faith comes by hearing (Romans 10), we have a graft placed in our hearts. Christ is in us and we are in Christ, just as He is in the Father and the Father is in Him.

Can one graft a Double Delight rose onto a wild rose and still have a simple wild rose, endowed with only those wild characteristics? That is simply not possible, because God created certain plants to be able to grow into each other and thrive. The Double Delight graft must show its true nature, which is unlike any wild or old rose.

The entire Bible is based upon this grafting concept, because the Scriptures are a sermon about Christ, how we come to faith in Him, trust in Him, receive His righteousness in faith, become justified and saved through this faith.

Those who do not believe in Him clearly lack this graft and also those characteristics of Christ - His love, grace, and meekness. They are proud and haughty, bullying people, devouring estates, and binding people with man-made laws they choose to ignore.

Those who trust in Him for their salvation have that graft giving them spiritual energy from being entwined with Christ. We are no longer our own selves, but grafted onto Him. His Gospel Promises will always bear fruit.

Even the new easy-care roses need care. They need to be pruned or they look like weeds. They require water during dry spells or they die. God seeks us and grafts the Savior onto us through the Word, and we have the pleasant task, the easy yoke and light burden of bearing the yoke of the Gospel. Taking part in the Means of Grace, studying the Word, and learning from faithful books will nurture that faith. 

Easy care roses, like the KnockOut
are treated like weeds and look like weeds.
The Christian faith is a gift to be nurtured,
not to be taken for granted,
or sold to the highest bidder.

WELS Professor's Son Marries Roman Catholic at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.

The New York Times writes relatively few marriages up.
Jackpot.

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/28/fashion/weddings/erica-leinmiller-and-micah-dose-how-to-catch-a-navy-man-off-guard.html?_r=0

Brian Dose

Professor of English, Martin Luther College

Email: dosebl@mlc-wels.edu

Office Phone: (507) 354-8221 ext 300

Download as vCard

Erica Ann Leinmiller, a daughter of Pamela T. Leinmiller and Mark W. Leinmiller of Atlanta, was married there Saturday to Micah Donald Dose, a son of Donna J. Dose and the Rev. Brian L. Dose of New Ulm, Minn. Kevin Tracy, a Roman Catholic deacon, performed the ceremony at Holy Spirit Catholic Church.

The bride and groom, both 24, are in the Navy, each holding the rank of lieutenant, junior grade. They are stationed at the Naval Nuclear Power Training Command in Charleston, S.C. They met at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., from which they graduated.

The bride, who is keeping her name, received a Master in Public Policy from Harvard last month.

Her father, who works in Atlanta, is a global account manager for Schneider Electric, a Paris-based energy management company and maker of electrical components. Her mother, who is based in Atlanta, trains medical professionals in public speaking for EDC Communications, a company in Pompton Lakes, N.J., that trains executives and other professionals in communication skills. She is also a certified personal trainer at Peachtree Presbyterian gym in Atlanta.

This month, the groom completed a Master in Public Policy at the University of Chicago.

His mother is the food service director at Minnesota Valley Lutheran High School in New Ulm. His father, an Evangelical Lutheran pastor, is a professor of English at Martin Luther College in New Ulm.

The couple met in January 2011, at a Navy seminar at which those speaking, including Mr. Dose each began their prepared remarks with the words “I believe in …”

While Ms. Leinmiller heard one speaker talk about believing in America, and another who believed in the United States military, it was what Mr. Dose said he believed in that made her believe in him.

“I believe in reading to your children at night,” he said.

“It was not something I would expect from a 20-year-old Navy man,” she said. “His scope wasn’t just limited to the Navy and national security. He cared about other aspects of life, including family.”

After his speech, Ms. Leinmiller introduced herself and they became acquaintances more than friends.

During another seminar that November, Mr. Dose gave a presentation on the history of alcoholic beverages. Immediately after, Ms. Leinmiller, who had never been out socially with Mr. Dose, asked if he wanted to celebrate at a local brewery.

“I really liked him, he was just so genuine,” she said. “It was a good excuse to ask him to go on a date.”

The Navy man she sought was caught off guard.

“I was a bit stunned,” Mr. Dose said. “I was also flattered. Up until that moment, dating was the furthest thing from my mind.”

In January 2012, they went to a brewery as an unofficial first date, and on Valentine’s Day, he presented her with a bouquet of origami roses that he had folded himself, and officially asked her out.

“I was smitten,” he said. “My thinking about not wanting to date had shifted 180 degrees.”

They fell in love that summer during a four-week Marine Corps endurance course in Quantico, Va. “He was very good at it, but I wasn’t and I was miserable,” Ms. Leinmiller said. “He really empathized with me and helped get me through it.”

In June 2013, they took a road trip through Germany and Italy, and the next month, the Navy allowed them to take two years off to study for their master’s degrees, which created a long-distance relationship that grew shorter with occasional road trips between Chicago and Cambridge, and frequent dates via Skype.

“We figure if we can’t handle being apart when we can talk regularly, there’s no way we can handle it when one or both of us are underwater,” Ms. Leinmiller said jokingly.

Former Martin Luther College Football Player - Now Out at Out Sports Jeff Schoen - "We Didn't Know!"

College football linebacker was openly gay and embraced by his teammates

http://www.outsports.com/2014/2/5/5379200/scott-cooper-gay-football-linebacker-augsburg-college

By Scott Cooper on Feb 5, 2014, 7:47a 6 

Scott Cooper and his partner, Dan, during Senior Day for the Augsburg University football team.

Scott Cooper just finished his senior season. He found true acceptance on his Augsburg College football team, which included him being asked by a coach to speak on National Coming Out Day and introducing his partner at Senior Day.

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On that crisp fall Saturday this past November, there was nowhere else I’d rather be than in "The Cage" with my Auggies. Countless hours had been spent in that stadium in Minneapolis and on that field -- sweating together, laughing together and growing together as a team. We were all in our maroon uniforms, gray pants, and any other "swag" we might have added. That day was Senior Day, the last home football game of the season, and the last time us seniors would be playing in that stadium where we had battled in for years. It was an exciting day, but also a sad one, knowing we’d never get to play here again in front of loved ones and our loyal fans.

Senior players are walked onto the field by persons who they feel have supported them and been there during the highs and lows of their athletic career. Auggie senior football players were escorted by parents, siblings, fiancés, grandparents and loved ones. The Augsburg University underclassmen cheered and clapped for each senior being introduced and the crowd applauded to acknowledge the efforts put in by these soon-to-be graduating players. 

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LGBT athletes tell their coming out stories

Outsports

For me, it was no different. As they introduced "Senior linebacker Scott Cooper" and "his partner,  Dan," I looked at him, smiled big, took a deep breath, and walked out onto the field with the person who had been there for me. We entered to applause from the crowd, hugs from coaches, and cheering and "Atta boy, Coop!" from the younger players. There were no boos from the crowd, no gasps from the cheerleaders, or weird looks from my teammates. We were accepted and loved just like every other group that walked on the field that day. This, is why I am extremely proud and happy to call myself an Auggie. 

Acceptance of this nature is a relatively new thing to me. I grew up hearing from my church that being gay is bad, and that if you "struggle with those feelings" then you need to repent and repress them. Not exactly what a kid who is trying to pray away the gay likes to hear. I tried, and that "gay" stuck like glue. 

I was just your normal kid who loved farm animals, sports and picking on my brother. No one had a suspicion that I really had crushes on boys. And I planned to keep it that way. Through my childhood and high school I tried to ignore those feelings, and just focus on the things kids should focus on. I played three sports in high school, sang in the choir, performed in some theater production, and then found myself going to a college for ministry. That’s when life changed for me. I was so unhappy with who I had to pretend to be and what was being told to me. I remember the day clearly when my professor in the adolescent psychology class told us that "being gay is a choice." Excuse me? That was the day I knew I had to leave. 

Being at Augsburg College was a completely different experience. Not only was I out totally by then, but I was myself. I loved football, and just needed to be on a team. I missed the competition, the camps and the camaraderie. Yes, I was gay and out, but I didn’t want to lead with that fact. I just wanted to be a college athlete, while also being accepted off the field for who I really was. My teammates could not have been any more supportive of me than they were and still are. I don’t feel I was being a hero by being out and being honest about it with them; these guys are the true heroes. 

In a sport were masculinity and aggressiveness is celebrated, most men don’t think twice about calling another guy "fag" or "queer." I even said it in my high school closeted days. When guys figured out I was gay, those kinds of sayings started to become extinct. Any time I’d hear "Well, that’s gay," I loudly reply back, "What the hell is wrong with being gay?" "Oh! Sorry, Coop!" Many guys hadn’t thought about what those words meant to someone like me. I saw maturity and growth in those guys. I was able to joke with them, talk about things with them they normally wouldn’t get to talk about, answer "weird" questions, and just really enjoy getting to be myself around a group of guys who were completely accepting and non-judgmental. 

 
When Coach Mike Matson asked me if I’d be interested in speaking for chapel on National Coming Out day in October, I happily accepted. Coach Matson served as chaplain to student athletes, plus he was my linebacker position coach; and the campus ministry office asked him if he knew anyone that might be able to speak for chapel that day. Knowing me well enough to know I’m happy to share my story and am happy to stand for a cause I believe in, he asked me and I prepared a speech. I wanted to share my thoughts on faith and religion (since it was, after all, chapel), my story, talk about what National Coming Out Day meant to me, and, most importantly, how great of an experience I’ve had at Augsburg. Here is what I said:

Last week in football practice, we had a Christian rock station -- which I personally despise -- playing over the loud speakers. We played Bethel [College] last week, and I guess Coach Haege thought it’d put us in a salty mood. Well, it worked. After a few complaints about the music, Coach turned to me and asked if I was an atheist. Before I had a chance to really answer, we moved on to something actually pertaining to practice. But it made me think; it made me think about who I am and what I’m all about.

I had an interesting upbringing. My family was and still are Wisconsin Synod Lutherans. Now, Wisconsin Synod, if you’re not familiar, is different from the ELCA, which is what Augsburg College is affiliated with. ELCA is a pretty liberal sect of Lutheranism. The Wisconsin Synod is not. The WELS doesn’t believe that you’re allowed to pray with other people from different churches, women are not allowed to have any leadership over men, and marriage is only allowed between a man and a woman. I was raised in this strict, very conservative bubble. My siblings and I went to Lutheran grade school, Lutheran private prep school, and a few of us even went on to Martin Luther College in New Ulm, Minnesota, to pursue a career in the WELS ministry. I studied scripture and doctrine basically non-stop for 20 years. To say my life revolved around the church was an understatement. All of my friends, family, and teammates were WELS and affiliated with the church. It was my world. I didn’t know much else beyond the small church bubble I was in. But I never really felt like I fit completely. 

There is something else the WELS teaches: it is not OK to be a homosexual and live your life as such. Gay people who don’t repent of their sin and try to repress any gay thoughts will go to hell. Man is not supposed to lie with another man, and to have a life together is beyond bad. Gay people will burn in the fires of hell along with murders and robbers. These are the teachings I listened to growing up. 

For those of you who don’t know me or don’t already know yet, I’m a proud member of the GLBTQIA community. I’ve known for as long as I can remember that I was gay. Even though I had these feelings and knew, I was a smart enough kid to know not to tell anyone around me about my feelings. Anti-gay therapy and hours of counseling would have probably followed. So for my entire upbringing, I tried to suppress who I was and just do what I was told. Being preached at that any gay would go to hell scared the crap out of me. I didn’t know what to do. I prayed to God to change me, but the change never came. All the hate and the condemnation really made me hate myself; I was not content with myself as a person. 

But once I got into college, I really started questioning faith, God, and the Bible. I didn’t just lie down and take the beating anymore. After getting to know other people in the gay community (secretly, because I couldn’t let anyone at Martin Luther know), I started to become more comfortable with who I was and what I could be: and that is I could be myself. I had to make a tough choice to leave the church and everything I knew, or else stay and suffer. I left Martin Luther, left the WELS church, and suffered through the condemnation and rejection of my family, the rejection of my friends, and the letter from the Pastor telling me I’m going to hell now. My parents hardly talked to me, and my dad signed the letters from the Pastor and church elders that condemned me to hell. Going through that was tough, and I’d be lying if I say it didn’t hurt. I do have a thick skin, and I stand strong, but constant words of condemnation are never easy to hear.

In September of 2011, I found the greatest place on earth: Augsburg College. Little did I know it at the time, but this place was a gift from God. I was just coming here to finish my degree and get off to life in the grown-up world, but Augsburg has given me more than that. 

When I started here, I had been out for a couple of years. I started off school here, and throughout my classes I met other gay people, and was able to talk about myself candidly and openly. It was awesome. At Martin Luther I could have never done that! I finally felt like I was at a place where I could really be myself.

A few months later, I emailed Coach Haege and asked if he wanted another football player. I’ve always loved sports and played all through high school. I missed competing and wanted to use my eligibility. He invited me to come on board, and I was happily on a team again.

Now, you don’t hear of very many football players who are also gay. Honestly, I was terrified of how my teammates would take it. But I knew that hiding myself and my personality was a) not going to be possible and b) something I told myself I’d never do again. The first year on the team, I didn’t make it a big deal, and I really didn’t talk about it much. I wanted guys to get to know me for me, as a person and a football player, not just as the gay guy. However, my spot-on lip-sync to Whitney Houston may have given it away. 

I couldn’t have asked for a greater group of guys to be around. And over the off season, I made it known (if they hadn’t figured it out already) that I am gay. Just like true Auggies, they didn’t even bat an eye. I have had more support from this group of guys and from my coaches than I could ever imagine. These guys are my brothers; actual true brothers that stand up for each other no matter what, even if he happens to like guys.

Today is National Coming Out day if you haven’t heard. That’s what brings me up here to tell my journey and my story. This is honestly the first time I’ve really celebrated this day in any way. This day exists to give people who may be struggling with the decision to let people really into their hearts and head an opportunity to come out and be exactly who they are. I know I struggled for many years with how to deal with the backlashes and the condemnation and the hate. But I stood up for myself, and I found support. My support is in the form of my friends, my partner, my team, my coaches, and this institution. My fellow Auggies, if you are one of those people who is afraid to come out, I have two things for you: 1) don’t let anyone pressure you, and you do it on your own time, and 2) know that if you decide to come out, or already are, you are in a safe place. This college is one of the most accepting and nurturing places on Earth. You are among family here, no matter their sexual orientation, race or creed. 

I also believe that this day can be celebrated by everyone. It doesn’t have to be about your sexual orientation. Auggies, I urge you to use this day to look inside yourself and find what you struggle with. Find what is holding you back from being your true self. Find that insecurity that causes you to act like someone you’re not. Once you find that, meet it head on, and get rid of it. Come out as your true self, and know that no matter who you are and what demons you may face, you have a support system. When I do go to church, I’ve found the ELCA which accepts me for who I am, and I have a school and a team that lift me up and support me as a student, an athlete, and a citizen. I feel like I can finally have a normal relationship with God. I don’t have to fear condemnation and hell. I know I can be loved without changing.

So, who am I? I know I’m made up of many part of my identity: I’m a "recovering Lutheran," I’m a student, I’m an athlete, I’m a partner, I’m an intern, and I’m a gay man. Not one of these defines me as I am, but make up my whole being. And to truly love myself, I had to embrace and love each part of me. That’s what each and every one of us needs to do in order to be truly happy in our own skin. 

Augsburg, I thank you for who you are, and I urge you to continue being awesome. Auggies are a diverse group of people, and that’s what makes us special. Whether you’re gay, straight, bi, white, black, Latino, Asian, African, disabled, or whatever makes you unique, you are in a place that is supportive and loving. I couldn’t ask for a greater place to call home. Thank you for all the support, and I know whatever crap life deals us, we can stand together. Auggies: Here We Stand.

After I finished, I turned around to give Coach Matson a hug as the assembly applauded heartily. As I looked back around, I then saw that every person was on their feet, showing their support, love, and acceptance. That was one of the best moments of my life. 

When people tell me I’m brave, I don’t really know how to react. I’m just me. I just find what I’m passionate about and stand up for it. I found myself in a place that welcomed that and embraced that. And for that, I couldn’t be any more thankful.

There are three reasons I wanted my experience to be told. First, I wanted to give confidence and encouragement to anyone who is unsure about themselves; and in this case, especially other gay athletes. Secondly, more stories about gay athletes should be told; because the more we hear about gay athletes, the less of a big deal it is. One day, I hope it is a complete non-issue. Until then, we have to stay vocal. 

And last, but in no way least, I want people to know that there are teams out there where this is a non-issue. My Auggies deserve so much credit for breaking every stereotype that male athletes tend to have regarding gays. They accepted adversity, embraced their brother, and stood together. After all, isn’t that what sports are supposed to teach us?

Scott Cooper is a December 2013 graduate of Augsburg College in Minneapolis with a B.A. in Communications. He played linebacker for the school for the 2012 and 2013 seasons. He  can be reached on Twitter at @shc2112 or by email at shc2112@hotmail.com.

Scott Cooper talks to Jim Buzinski and Cyd Zeigler from Outsports:

Rainbow Profiles from Martin Luther College, WELS

 From Gizmodo:

Friday’s Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage was a historic moment for civil rights in America, and for the first time ever, Facebook released a tool that encouraged people express solidarity with a rainbow profile picture. Naturally, Facebook is also keeping track of who’s using it. [Update: Facebook didn’t deny it.]

The Atlantic recently asked if all those rainbow profile photos were “another experiment.” A Facebook spokesperson responded to that question directly: “it’s not an experiment or test—everyone sees the same thing.” Facebook has conducted studies on profile pic memes like this in the past, but this is the first time that Facebook has built a tool for the expressed purpose of showing political support with a profile picture. That said, the Facebook spokesperson didn’t deny that the social network was tracking which users support gay marriage and adding that to the database of personal information the company has on its billion users.

One source noticed 20 different rainbow profiles on Facebook - from Martin Luther College graduates. Many disappeared as people noticed and asked synod officials about this. That works better than an FBI raid.

 Samantha Lily Birner, aka Sam Birner - "Nobody knew."

Zak Stowe - "Nobody knew."

Matt Harrison and the LCMS Finally Found a Heretic in Their Midst - And Al Benke Laughs

Wednesday, July 1, 2015

Less Room in the LCMS Brotherhood

http://matthewlbecker.blogspot.com/2015/07/less-room-in-lcms-brotherhood.html

Becker:

Since my ordination into the ministry twenty-six years ago this month, I have had to address several informal and formal accusations against me for "teaching false doctrine" or "doctrine inconsistent with the public teaching of the LCMS." These accusations have included:

(1) denying the inerrancy of the Scriptures;
(2) advocating for the ordination of women to the pastoral office;
(3) rejecting rectilinear prophecy in the OT; and
(4) denying that the first chapters of Genesis must be understood literalistically, as an actual historical account (and holding that the data explained by the theory of evolution need not necessarily contradict our faith in God the Creator).

Prior to April, 2015, I have endured four formal charges of false teaching. Three of those trials had to do with the first, second, and fourth issues above. The process for each of those three cases took between four and five years, lots of energy, lots of money, and reams of paper. (The fourth case--having to do with the third issue above--was dismissed by my District President almost immediately for reasons I will not share here.)

I endured the process of those four cases because I thought the principles involved were worthy of exploring/defending and I thought my accusers were setting up a doctrinal standard that was sub-Lutheran and inconsistent with Article II of the LCMS Constitution. I thought those struggles were worth the effort. I leveled my dissent within the Synod for the same reason.

All of these previous cases ended with my exoneration. That includes the most recent case (issue number two above), the one a NW District Referral Panel finalized in my favor last October.

What was supposed to be "final," however, turned out not to be "final." President Harrison attacked me on his Facebook page, as did others elsewhere on the internet. Several LCMS district conventions have now also passed resolutions that call upon me to repent of my teaching. For more on this, see my "For the Record" here.

But now a new charge has been brought against me that deals, once again, with issues one and four. Last April the Rev. Terry Forke, the Montana District President, initiated this latest case. He accuses me of failing to defend the LCMS position that Gen 1-3 are "an historical record." He's also upset that I have failed to reject the theory of evolution. In his letter he calls upon me to recant what I have written in my online essay, "The Scandal of the LCMS Mind," which you can read here.

In light of this most recent charge--and given everything else that has happened since President Harrison's Facebook post against me--last week Rev. Paul Linnemann, the NW District President, asked me to resign from the LCMS.

After a few days of thinking over and praying about his request, I let him know on Friday that I could not in good conscience resign. I told him that I thought such a decision would lend credence to the accusations of my accusers in the Synod, namely, that I have indeed acted improperly and taught falsely. More importantly, I believe that for me to resign would go against my ordination vows and undermine the principles I have sought to defend in each of the cases against me.

Perhaps in some future post I will comment further on the theological issues here. I do think the synod is hamstrung by some of its official documents from its past (e.g., Brief Statement; A Statement of Scriptural and Confessional Principles). As I've tried to point out over the years, there is a better way of articulating the confessional doctrines of creation, sin, and redemption than by insisting on six-day creationism and a literalistic approach to the first chapters in Genesis.

Today I received official notice that President Linnemann has decided "to initiate formal proceedings under Bylaw 2.14.6 and request [my] expulsion from Synod." As an automatic result of this action, I am on "suspended status" under Bylaw 2.13.4.

According to Bylaw 2.14.6c, I have 15 days to appeal my suspension.

Nevertheless, I have told President Linnemann that I will not appeal his decision. Having suffered through those three previous heresy trials--which burdened nearly 17 of the past 26 years of my ministry--my family and I have come to the point of saying, "Enough! No more!"

Consequently, on July 15, I will be removed from the LCMS.

Yesterday I began to make inquiries into the process for becoming rostered in the ELCA. Later this summer my family and I will be joining Christ Lutheran Church (ELCA), here in Valpo.

My imminent expulsion from the synod has saddened me, since this church body that has been my spiritual home for nearly 53 years will no longer be that. As one of my seasoned LCMS teachers told me over the weekend, when I spoke with him about the situation, "This is no longer the synod of Emil Jaech and Emil Becker..."

I am also at peace. I have a clean conscience. Vis-a-vis these five official cases, I don't believe I have said or written anything that goes against my ordination vows or that contradicts or muddies the doctrinal content of the evangelical-Lutheran faith. I do believe that God's grace is sufficient to cover my sins, errors, and failures--and I remain open to correction. (I'm sorry, but the district resolutions that call upon me to repent of my teaching have not convinced me that I am guilty of teaching false doctrine in these matters.)

So I am shaking the dust off my worn sandals and moving on. I am grateful to be able to continue my teaching ministry here at Valparaiso University.

I am grateful, too, for the support I have received from many kindred spirits across and beyond the LCMS. They and the LCMS remain in my prayers.

***

They agree with ELCA that everyone is forgiven and saved.
They are not Lutheran, but they are united in false doctrine
with their big, rich dying sister sect, ELCA.

GJ - If they ever award a gold medal for doctrinal hypocrisy, Matt Harrison will get it.

Matt the Heretic Impaler made his career from working with ELCA and continues to do so. He is happy to have Missouri gather $50 to 60 million a year from Thrivent, a pan-religious business that ardently supports abortion on demand and rainbow marriage.

Becker is representative of a broad swath of LCMS and WELS pastors who ache to agree with ELCA while remaining where they are.

Will Matt toss DP Al Benke for his unrepentant velcro attachment to all things ELCA, various pagan religions, and his computer?

Will Matt offer Paul McCain to the howling mob, for plagiarizing Rome and various blogs while posing as a "confessional" Lutheran, whatever that means today?

Fun Morning at Almost Eden Nursery Sassy Does Iberia Bank

Elderberry close up.

Elderberry - tall and loaded with flowers and berries.

I am seldom scheduled for anything, but when that happens, there is a conflict. I expect my 50th high school reunion will coincide with two absolutely crucial events the same weekend.

Almost Eden Nursery's owner was available Wednesday morning and I had a business phone call scheduled at the same time. Sassy and I went over early, at 7 am, but knocking on someone's door at that hour is not a good idea. We connected on Facebook and agreed on a later time, after the call, which took all of six minutes - the July 4th effect - get out of Phoenix before it is 120 degrees again. Add to the heat, steady, hot, mummifying winds. Dust storms - not a gardening state - but cacti grow like dandelions.

There is no relief from any day over 105 in Phoenix. If the humidity is up too, watch the electric bill soar. But here I am in the Natural State with rain and cooler temps. The afternoon heat gives way to tree shadows falling across the house as the sun sets.

The later trip to Almost Eden was fun. The owner was working. We have talked several times and he walked the last buy over to our house, pulling them on his gardening wagon. He knows plants very well, and my knowledge is rather narrow - roses, vegetables, and weeds.

I told him about my expanded wild garden, so we lined up elderberry plants, two more Chaste Trees, and several others that attract insects, bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. He said, "Going down that road, it's a slippery slope."

Almost Eden also has a large grape arbor.

"More like an addiction?" I asked.

He is developing the property, which I would covet, except for the exponential increase in labor. He has the space and equipment to do anything he wants. 

I said, "I like all types of plants beneficial to the creatures. I am not proud. I like goosefoot, Queen Ann's Lace, and pigweed."

He said, almost like David Caruso on TV, "A little goes a long way."

I bought seven plants, quart and gallon sized pots, for $50. The Internet companies would charge $30 plus shipping for most of those - each. And these plants are alive, in great soil.

When I left I pointed out a potential name change. "I call our place the Jackson Rose Gardens, but since you are Almost Eden, I am calling it Eden." He laughed and said, "I'll take that."

Eden, by Thomas Cole

I looked up Roses without Chemicals, a good introductory book on roses and organic gardening. That is another author who had to have a conversion experience before giving up chemical fertilizers and pesticides. He sold them all.

A lot of gardeners had the wrong mothers. Mine had her own compost pile and knew all about beneficial insects.

The book agrees with me, citing research, that wood mulch is the best way to feed the soil when growing roses. 

And of course- grow plants that harbor beneficial insects. That includes weeds.

Sassy and I went to Iberia Bank to deposit a check and withdraw a dog treat. Sassy loved getting that little treat. Later, she met two police officers working on a lawnmower. One lives here. She made friends with them.

July Issue of ELCA's The Lutheran Makes People Wonder - "Why Are WELS and LCMS Working with ELCA and Thrivent?"Mark Jeske Sells to the Gay Marriage Issues Crowd

July 2015, The Lutheran.

Caption for the July 2015  photo from The Lutheran

Photo and caption together, The Lutheran, July 2015.

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WELS Pastor Mark Jeske Shovels Money at ELCA, Then Sells CDs and DVDs on the Issue - Love of Money Wins!

 "Each night I count the stars in the skyHoping that you aren't telling me lies."
A Thousand Stars in the Sky, Kathy Young

Learn from ELCA, WELS and LCMS - Change or Die!
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