Birds of God's Creation

We are wandering in a maze when we do not think of life all around us as the intricate work of Creation.

We had wonderful warm, sunny weather when another round of freezing hit. The daffodils were flat on the ground this morning, as if they surrendered to the cold. But this afternoon they were upright again and more flowers were coming up.

Freezes and rain threats are good reasons to put extra bird (and squirrel) food out. I put some on each of two barrels, some on a broken chair, some scattered in the lawn. Right now they are shelled peanuts. Peanuts in the shell are great for attracting larger birds (grackles, starlings, cardinals, blue jays). Raw peanuts are attractive to all creatures great and small. Squirrels are omnivorous, so they eat anything and everything. 

God has built in their needs, their nesting habits, food favorites, bathing style, and songs. Bethany Lutheran Church now has a bird choir that sings during the broadcast. They get up every morning, without food prepared, and sing the Matins service. They create happiness in all they do.

Sermon Quotations from Luther Will Continue

A powerful and influential Lutheran layman suggested daily Biblical or Lutheran quotations, so I decided to use Luther's Sermons as my quotation source. There will continue to be those quotations each day and also conveniently in the masthead. 

• Posting on the main page means the RSS reader will pick it up, perfect for charter members of RSS. 
• Copying to the masthead means having it easy to spot, whether there are two or ten posts that day.
• The entire sermon is linked in both places, assuming some want it read it all.
• Luther's Sermons are great resources for pastors, who are then relieved of copying from each other - a strange and dishonest practice in WELS, encouraged by the Mordor faculty.

Luther Quotation for Judica Sunday

 

Complete Luther Judica Sermon

1. This Gospel teaches how hardened persons become the more furious, the more one teaches them and lovingly stirs them to do their duty. For Christ asks them here in a very loving way for a reason why they still disbelieve, since they can find fault neither with his life nor with his teaching. His life is blameless; for he defies them and says: “Which of you convicteth me of sin?” His teaching also is blameless; for he adds: “If I say truth, why do ye not believe me?” Thus Christ lives, as he teaches.

2. And every preacher should prove that he possesses both: first a blameless life, by which he can defy his enemies and no one may have occasion to slander his teachings; secondly, that he possesses the pure doctrine, so that he may not mislead those who follow him. And thus he will be right and firm on both sides: with his good life against his enemies, who look much more at life than at his doctrine, and despise the doctrine for the sake of the life; with his doctrine then for the kind of life he leads and will bear with his life for the sake of his teaching.

The Daylight Savings Trap Has Been Solved!