Martin Jackson - National Assisted Living Week, 2026.This Is Your Life. Family Tribute, Gregory Jackson

 

WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

Greg Jackson was born and grew up in Moline, Illinois. His mother and father were both from farm families and were familiar with the farm lifestyle - getting up early and working hard all day - but neither of them went into farming. His father, Homer, was a baker, he owned and operated the Melo Creme Donut Shop for many years, famous for its cinnamon fries and long johns. His mother was an elementary school teacher until she retired.

KNOWN FOR

"Did you know that I worked in a doughnut as a kid?" Greg was very fond of telling his grandchildren about his experiences working in the Melo Creme Donut Shop in his childhood. Even after he got married and moved away, Greg and his family were still occasionally featured in Melo Creme advertising, including calendars. Pictures (and lots of devotional material and other commentary can be found at his blog "Ichabod, the Glory Has Departed" at https://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com.

WHAT THEY DID

Greg's work is defined by two major categories - his work as a Lutheran pastor and later a teaching career of his own. He earned a master's degree at Yale and a PhD at Notre Dame. He wrote many books about Lutheran history and also devotional material, including a biography of his now sainted wife Christina. In the latter part of his working life,  he taught online classes for a number of institutions, including the University of Phoenix and Grand Canyon University. His reviews were stellar and his classes were packed.

A TREASURED MEMORY

When his son Martin's family was fairly young, he organized a trip to Disneyland in California for the whole family, including Greg and Chris. Together with Martin, his wife, and two children (at the time) they rode the rides, ate the food, and enjoyed  the park and each other. One of the best parts was a character breakfast where Josie (the older sister, about four at the time) helped feed Danielle (the younger sister, who was two then). Pictures from this event still hang on the younger Jacksons' wall in Bentonville, Arkansas. 

AND ONE MORE THING

Greg was married to Christina for fifty-two years. The classic marriage views say it, and they did it - they were together for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health. They met at Augustana (college) in Rock Island and were inseparable from the age of 18.

With thanks to [Martin Jackson] for sharing these memories.

Boxing Day - Today - British and Canadian Custom

 

Boxing Day is bound to perplex Americans, but it is honored by Canadians. The day is marked after Christmas Day and known for helping household helpers. Christina thought it was a great idea to visit a couple from my vicarage, and so we went on an icy day when streets were empty except for the sleet falling. I slid down the driveway before I could ring the doorbell, so everyone (except me) was laughing and laughing.

Since nothing really happens in Canada on December 26, the sliding vicar was discussed for a long time afterwards. Christina even asked the older couple for a chance to live upstairs since the seminary duties and degrees were finishing. We were going to fly to England on an incredibly cheap flight because the University of Waterloo club offered an extremely low price for the trip.

Last night, our son Martin was told that he was on the way soon after the two tickets to England were bought. "We can go another time," we imagined. Christina attended her MA degree in German literature at UniWat, and we all enjoyed her honors, Opa and Oma especially. Waterloo Lutheran Seminary faculty paid for my required MDiv stole, which arrived later. 

A few months later, a famous Yale professor was glad to use Christina's research skills at Yale Medical School, where they hosted children's works. I xeroxed next door for the Yale Medical Library, so we often took the little bus together.

The three of us went to Yale Divinity together in the fall of 1972. The first greeter (at the married dorm) was Connie Youngdahl, who said to Christina from the upstairs window, "Are you expecting?" Her husband, decades later, met up with Martin, very considerate.

I put this together last night, for Martin and me - great fun.

The Day Missions Library is next to Yale Divinity Library, where the Revised Standard Version changed the Virgin Birth (Isaiah 7:14), using the National Council of Churches of Christ in the USA.

Very little happened at the impressive but ancient Yale Medical Library, on one side. The other, modern side, the latest books, were very small in number, because they were replaced so quickly.

Hugh Jackman Came to the Walmart Saturday Morning Meeting for Little Ichabod's Birthday

David Hobson - one of the singers, above.
4 years ago (edited)
I lead a blessed life, and part of that blessedness is being afforded the opportunity to sing with the most talented people on earth. This Christmas special was an example of this "sharing of voices" to proclaim the birth of Jesus Christ, Hugh Jackman's personal Lord and Savior. I was thrilled to exchange stories with Hugh between costume changes concerning the Holy Scriptures and our mutual faith, and, of course, our mutual love for shark hunting. As you know Hugh has a ravenous appetite for shark (or "sharkies" as they are called down under) and loves to hunt them on his own terms, by hand. When the Christmas special was over everyone picked up their wraps and coats, walked outside in the cold air, departed in carriages, or some in their cars, and vanished into a black night, thinking of something we knew long ago.

We were very impressed with Hugh Jackman at the Christmas Walmart meeting, a year or so ago. He accepted a card from a little girl, during his talk, and came out into the audience after the meeting - unheard of! - to meet the little girl and say hello to her mother. Jackman then stayed around to shake hands, and Team Jackson headed over to him to say hello.

No other celebrity has stayed around to sign more than an autograph or two. Usually they are spirited out, like Paul being let down in a basket at night (Acts 9:25).

This time a little boy dressed as P. T. Barnum, so the CEO and Hugh waved the boy down for photos. More kids arrived for photos. Jackman posed with all of them.

When Jackman was at the Christmas meeting, he sang full-force from Le Miz and belted out the Christmas hymns with the WM choir.

At a junior talent show in Australia,
Hugh Jackman played the role of Wolverine. A prodigy!

 Formal Greek lessons started later, after Marty translated all of John's Gospel from Latin. Later, we did the same in Greek.