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| By Norma A. Boeckler |
Luther and Melanchthon lived to be 63 years old, which was quite remarkable for their time. That has always made me think of any years beyond that point as bonus time to do something worthwhile.
My high school classmates have taken the burden of retirement travel and entertainment away from me. I can view their photos and stories on Facebook - Viet Nam, China, Europe, South America, and various festivals in the US.
Our two favorite exotic places to go are the rose garden in front - now devoid of grass - and the backyard, where I have started several Crepe Myrtles that should have three different colored blooms on them, by planting them together and letting them merge into one bush.
Our birds abandoned our yard during our Indian Summer, but they have returned for frosty nights. I no longer call them ingrates, summer soldiers, and sunshine patriots. I save those descriptions for the "conservative" Lutheran pastors who have passively let everything fall apart, without a protest, perhaps with a wry joke, quietly spoken, so only a friend hears it.
Bethany Lutheran Church is a congregation of people who want to hear Luther's Biblical doctrine. The necessity of streaming video has also made it an international congregation as well as one for people shut-in by weather or the infirmities of age. Our disabled next door neighbor became a Lutheran before she died, from watching the service on her computer. She also became a dear friend.
Our little group is publishing books, and one project led to another, with the people needed volunteering to help.
I do not consider the day started unless I make pour-over coffee for the two of us and get at least one post started on the blog. I intended the original blog effort for about 20 people, the ones who did not bend the knee for Baal. But yesterday, we had over 6,000 views.
These are some things I consider productive and worthwhile after going beyond Luther's and Melanchthon's 63 years:
- Offering Biblical sermons and classes.
- Teaching the Gospel in the Old Testament to people around the US - in a graduate program.
- Publishing Lutheran books and encouraging others to do the same.
- Emphasizing Justification by Faith Alone in a world where "Lutheran" leaders hate, ridicule, and teach against it. The UniSynod (ELCA-LCMS-WELS-ELS-CLC sic) has adopted a cowardly Universalism that twists and bends in every direction, like air dancers promoting a pizza parlor.
