Little White Dustmop and the Cow Squares

 The cover is Norma A. Boeckler's garden, not mine! Amazon paperback.

Today, the Military Gardening Group convened in the back yard for some pour-over coffee, waiting for the storm to arrive. Stage Left - the Great Pyranees Porchi and the Little White Dustmop were playing around. Charlie Sue gave both dogs sharp little barks to get them running along the chain-link fence. Two and three at a time, they raced along the fence together, turned around, raced back, etc.

Charlie Sue herself is a dog trainer. Patterdale Terriers are considered domineering. She is smart, funny, affectionate, and gentle with her staff.

Suddenly, LWD was in our yard and Charlie Sue was trying to start something with the little guy, who is only half the size of my dog. No one is doubting Charlie's skill in training other dogs. She began fence digging, and Porchi followed. Then LWD wanted to connect the two sides and crawled under the fence where two or three of them had dug. They saw it as a demilitarized zone for friends, but the LWD staff thought otherwise - a bit scared.

I picked up LWD in one hand and gently handed him over to a nervous teenage girl. I asked if he was going to be as huge as his buddy. "No, he will stay small."

This second breech guaranteed that I would have a barrier fence dug in, right after our stormy weather. I may have even more cow squares to use as rugged, portable fencing.

Since the rain was coming I dumped the rain barrels and looked for signs of growth, even without planting something new. There they were, after a few weeks - three delicate strands of morning glory working their way up into the sunlight. Mr. Gardener first used them on his side of the fence, but I did not want them strangling the roses.

Like putting tiny ships in bottles, gardening is a relaxing way to shift Creation this way and that. What some think is labor turns out to be fun, educational, and inspirational.

Ranger Bob is now done with daily IV infusion to ward off infection. I was the driver and got to know the infusion nurses. I brought in roses several times and lit up the staff, especially the three we knew best. Bob told them I wrote books and gardening, so I brought three copies of Creation Gardening. They loved the roses, the fragrances, and the books.

 

Lenski Resources - The Gospel of John - From the Lutheran Library Publishing Ministry

 

Preaching on John by R C H Lenski

Richard C. H. Lenski

September 2023  Lutheran Library Publications

PDF Buy LL a Coffee

“Preaching on John is a series of exegetical-homiletical text studies in which the person of John the Evangelist and some of his choice teachings are treated. After submitting each text to a thorough and satisfying exposition in which applications to present-day life are constantly made, the author presents some sermon outlines and offers homiletic hints.”

“There is an abundance of helpful material here for a series of sermons on the disciple whom Jesus loved.” — From the back cover

Level of Difficulty: Intermediate: Some subject matter knowledge helpful.

Book Contents

• Titlepage
• A word of introduction
• Contents
• The First Contact. John 1:35-42
• A Fisher of Men. Mark 1:14-20
• The Great Ambition. Matt. 20:20-23
• “Whom Jesus Loved.” John 13:21-26
• A Personal Trust. John 19:25-27
• God is Love. 1 John 4:7-11
• John’s Vision of Christ in Glory. Rev. 1:9-20
• The Thousand Years. Rev. 20:1-6

Publication Information

• Lutheran Library edition first published: 2023
• Copyright: CC BY 4.0

Lutheran Theology Gospels Sermons

Richard C. H. Lenski

(1864-1936)

PREVIOUS

The Story of Our Hymns by Ernest Edwin Ryden

Hebrews - Daily Verses - Chapter 13 - Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

Hebrews - Chapter 13

13 1 Let brotherly love continue.

2 Be not forgetful to entertain strangers: for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.

3 Remember them that are in bonds, as bound with them; and them which suffer adversity, as being yourselves also in the body.

4 Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

6 So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me.

7 Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.

8 Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

9 Be not carried about with divers and strange doctrines. For it is a good thing that the heart be established with grace; not with meats, which have not profited them that have been occupied therein.

10 We have an altar, whereof they have no right to eat which serve the tabernacle.

11 For the bodies of those beasts, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned without the camp.

12 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate.

13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.

15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

16 But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices God is well pleased.

17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

18 Pray for us: for we trust we have a good conscience, in all things willing to live honestly.

19 But I beseech you the rather to do this, that I may be restored to you the sooner.

20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

22 And I beseech you, brethren, suffer the word of exhortation: for I have written a letter unto you in few words.

23 Know ye that our brother Timothy is set at liberty; with whom, if he come shortly, I will see you.

24 Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you.

25 Grace be with you all. Amen.

Daily Luther Sermon Quote - Trinity 16 - "...God lets himself be known, as to what kind of a God he is, what he thinks of us, and what we must think of him."

 

Duerer - Adoration of the Trinity

Complete Sermon -> Trinity 16 - The Widow's Son Raised. Luke 7:11-17.

7. At times God permits some man to fall into anxiety and need, into pain and distress, so that the world seems as though it had no God, and it makes a person blind, lame, dropsical, and lets anyone die, as here the widow’s son; for they are his creatures, he can do with them what he will. Now, why does he do this? He does it in such an abundance only that we may continually experience his lovingkindness. Therefore as the disciples in John 9:2 asked the Lord concerning the man blind from his birth, whether he or his parents sinned, the Lord answered and said: “Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents; but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” As though he would say: God desires to be praised in this blind person, for he sees that the treasures of the whole world do not move us, wherefore he floods us with his goodness out of pure grace, that he may present a blind person before our eyes, for us to see what a costly treasure we have in the blessing of our sight, although we cannot recognize his grace and kindness in our fortune, that we at least might know and identify them then in our misfortune. Therefore this man had to be blind in order that the others might know themselves, and say: Alas thou good God, what a precious gift I have, what a good thing a healthy body is and a bright countenance! But no one takes it to heart! Yea, it is true we say: have not the cows eyes also! Now, if you were blind you would of course feel the loss, which you do not now feel, because you are well and overshowered with God’s blessings. 

8. So it was in the case of this widow, in whom God lets himself be known, as to what kind of a God he is, what he thinks of us, and what we must think of him. This woman has two misfortunes around her neck. First, she is a widow. This is misfortune enough for one woman, that she is forsaken and alone, and has no one to whom she dare look for comfort. And therefore God in the Scriptures is often mentioned as the Father of the widow and orphans, as in Psalm 68:6 and Psalm 146:9: “God setteth the solitary in families. The Lord preserveth the strangers and orphans, he delivers the widow.” Again: she has an only son about to die, who should have been her comfort. Now, God comes and takes away her husband and son. She had much better have lost house and home, yes, her own life, than her son and husband. But the Lord turns it around. While the husband lived the woman did not appreciate what a blessing a husband was; but when he died she first became aware of it. When he lived, she thought: O, other women have husbands, too! And thought her husband was like other husbands. But afterwards when he was dead, she became aware what kind of a man she had lost. So, too, when her son was bright and well, she did not appreciate the blessing of God, but as soon as he died, she then first saw what a treasure she had lost. Before she did not desire to spend on him; but now, since he is dead, she spends all she has and even herself upon him. And thus it is also with us. There are many of you who do not expend ten dollars that your child may be reared better; if the child dies the parents wish and say: O would to God he were alive, I would give many hundred dollars! Why did you not give something before that he might have learned a little? What is the reason you do not appreciate the grace and blessings of God? In short, the world remains world, and it will not change into anything else. 

9. Now, the woman went ahead and did not know what God had given her; but she was soon obliged to experience it. For before she turns around, and she thinks she is the safest, God comes, tries the wife a little and teaches her certain things, takes her husband and her son. This all has been written for us that we might have an example and learn to acknowledge God when he blesses us with a healthy body, a bright countenance, and bestows upon us other blessings. He does not give them to the end that you should rejoice in them; but that you may know what to think of him. When he takes a member out of your family, permits your wife to die, or destroys one of your eyes, all this is done that you may see what you have enjoyed from him. 

10. And this is now the common teaching through all the Gospels, that we may see what kind of a God we have. It is also shown us here in this Gospel that God will forsake no one; therefore he permits the wife to see in a new light what kind of a God she has. For when she was forsaken and had neither son nor husband, then Christ manifests himself to her and says: Learn to believe, trust God, know him to whom death and life are alike: have a good heart, be of good courage, weep not, there is no need of it. He then goes and awakens the dead, and gives him again to his mother.