Twas the night before classes

 Twas the night before classes, when all through the Sem

Not a person was stirring, not even in the gym;

The classrooms where ready for next day lectures,

In hopes that the students would have read their chapters;

The students were all off on their weekend break,

While preparations for Christmas they must make;

For next weekend begins the long winter break,

And I know me and mine have lots to partake!

When down in the basement there rose such a clatter,

The kids ran down the hall to see what was the matter.

After the kids, I flew like a flash,

Afraid they would leave me behind with my stash.

Down dark hallways barely lit,

Me and my boxes felt like we wouldn’t fit.

When what to our wondering eyes did we see,

But students scurrying around like honey bees,

Much like we imagine Santa’s workshop might be

With aromas of fresh wood, paint, and coffee

But the things they were making,

were not toys for the taking.

With one giving orders, here and over there,

I knew at that moment that must be a second year.

More rapid than our quarter the nail guns where shooting,

And others where grabbing and gluing;

Paint in such colors of bright pink and blue,

Where quickly applied and sent on to dry too.

Others collecting the dry into boxes,

So many boxes, full of these little crosses.

These little crosses so small yet so dear,

For each represents a small soul that was near.

A small soul that never knew life in this world,

Only the life inside their mother’s womb.

A choice was made, without their consent,

Which sent them to heaven as a consequent.

2,699 is the number of crosses we’ll deploy,

Each one a life of a girl or a boy.

When that number you visualize, it brings tears to your eyes.

For each cross could be a child, with beautiful eyes.

Their voices never heard; they spoke not a word.

All these crosses together, a message to be heard.

They tell of God’s love and what his Son did,

How he died on a cross, for even these kids,

Who share in the hope of his return to this world.

Where things will be made right as has been foretold.

We will post the placing of these crosses in January,

After celebrating the birth of Christ Jesus with family.

(These crosses are going to be placed in January to honor the 2,246 aborted babies found in the possession of the doctor who aborted them.)

First Quarter Reflections From a New Deaconess Student

Seminary here is in Quarters which I did not think was going to be much different from my past college courses in semesters. I admit I was naive about it. Quarters are like taking a semester class on steroids! 10 week theological studies are Intense, all mind consuming and so good too! I only took two classes this past fall quarter and here are my thoughts on them.

History of the Office of Deaconess with Dr. James G. Bushur

What a great course! I was able to look into Deaconesses and when in time they started and gain popularity and where! Including in the Bible! The course ended with a focus on the Deaconesses in the Lutheran church. It was interesting to learn that they started in the early church to help the priest with baptisms because baptisms where full submersion and the baptized person was naked. There was also an anointing of oil afterwards that was over the whole body. Deaconesses would be the ones to shield the eyes of the priest from the naked women, and then the Deaconess would anoint the women. Deaconesses where also needed when it came to home calls where there were only women in the home. She would make those calls for the priest. The current expectations for me once I complete the program are as follows:

1. Embody the mercy of Christ, as it is revealed in the Scriptures, in their service to the church.
2. Exemplify faithful participation in the liturgical life of the church as a devoted hearer of the Word and partaker of the Lord's Supper.
3. Respect and support the Spiritual authority given to pastors for the public proclamation of the gospel and the administration of the sacraments. 
4. Understand the deaconess vocation according to its roots in the Scriptures, the theological tradition of the church, and the testimony of the Lutheran Confessions.
5. Articulate the Gospel of Christ as it relates to those especially in need of mercy in accordance with the Scriptures and the Lutheran Confessions.
6. Foster strong bonds of fellowship between members of the body of Christ.
7. Lead the church in its service to the larger community and in so doing connect the community to the church.
8. Recognize and respond to human suffering in a manner that reflects Christ's compassion and care.

In this course we took a close look at Genesis and how God created. He spoke things into existence! All except for man. With man first he made the plan then followed through. He did not just speak man into existence, he sculpted, created (artistically). Humans are the medium of the artist, God. Creating humans is how God shows his creativity integrating heaven and earth. God is not pias or above dirty dirt, no! He actually enjoys playing in it, he chose it as his medium for his precious creation that is in his own likeness! Then God breathed the breath of life into his creation. God's name YHWH in the Old Testament when you say it it sounds like a breath exhaling, like the breath of life. 

Then there are directives given to Adam. Be fruitful which I always thought went with multiply but what it actually means is to grow or mature. Then multiply, fill and subdue the earth. There is just so much more in the scripture than I thought! I want to skip ahead in my notes to the repercussions of the eating of the forbidden fruit in the garden. God does not curse the man or woman! He actually curses the serpent and the earth! The punishment for the women is "pain" in childbearing. Pain is the wrong translation. It is actually sorrow and grief like at the death of a loved one. At first I thought why? But think about it the real repercussion is death! Women will bear children that will die. Eve herself will grieve over loosing Able! Mothers do not like the thought of loosing their children! Also man in "pain" will work the ground, again it is not physical pain but the same word as with women sorrow and grief because of death. This is where Adam names Eve (Zoe), which actually means life! Out of woman the living one will come. The  promised one who will redeem the world! 

I have so much more information and more studies I want to do from this class! This is just a tiny piece of it. But if I continue on about it I will never finish this post so on we move to...

Gospels I with Dr. Charles Gieschen, Dr. David Scaer and Dr. William Weinrich

This class was a study of Matthew. It is one thing to read the book of Mathews in any given version of the Bible but a whole other world when you bring in Greek and the multiple studies of interpretation and read then discuss the book! I really enjoyed this class. It was a good challenge to think for myself and start to form opinions on translating. Of course I do not know Greek so I rely heavily on my interlinear Bible. This course could have been longer! We did not get to look at every passage!

I was assigned my first Exegetical Papers in this class! Lots of research, and study involved in the preparation of and then discussion of these papers. 

There is so much to learn and available to learn here at the seminary if I just had the time! This past quarter I had the two classes twice a week and was able to attend chapel between them! Chapel is my favorite on those days! Don’t forget you can watch live the whole chapel or in the archives just the sermon.

The majority of my time is spent at Serenity’s school LSUS. My job as bookkeeper (financial administrator) and Secretary keeps me on my toes literally! I am attempting 40 hour weeks plus my 7 hours of Seminary last quarter and then I can not forget to be mom and wife. Lets just say sometimes the dishes and laundry pile way up. We made it through the first quarter and are now into the second! Starting week number two! This quarter I am taking Church History I and Confessions. I have really enjoyed the first couple classes and can't wait to learn more! Bryan will post his own thoughts about his classes, when he gets a free moment but he is taking a very full load of classes so he has more to tell! My 2 classes look dismal compared to the many he is taking. We will do our best to keep you updated! If you even have questions or thoughts please feel free to comment or message us! 

November Fun

National Take a Hike Day

Another Seminary family joined us as we visited Lindenwood Nature Preserve on National Take a Hike Day! Although most of the snow had melted away in the wood of the preserve we found plenty to play with!

Hot cocoa served near a camp fire was a welcome site for the cold hands and feet!

The pond was so frozen nothing they threw on it would break through the ice!

We really enjoyed the park and cannot wait to return in warmer weather for more exploring!

The Seminary here has a food co-op which provides many of the students with food. This food does not cost the students family money but only cost a couple volunteer hours monthly. Bryan has been doing what they call the "bread run" for our hours. One Saturday a month he rises way early and goes to Panera Bread to collect their Donation Bread from the week. So here is what it looks like! First picking it up then bagging the different breads and organizing them in bags for the students and their families.

Thanksgiving break marked the end of our first quarter of seminary classes. We made it through the first quarter! More to come on that in a future post. 

With the break came company! Nana and Papa Payne came to visit us! Again we are so bad about taking pictures! But Bryan did capture Nana teaching both kids to play her ukulele! 

Dalton got a bed upgrade! From toddler to big boy!

We went to a train show!

And of course celebrated Thanksgiving together! At Serenity's school they had a Thanksgiving festive day! Rory chose the name Soaring Eagle.

Meal Prep! We smoked the Turkey!

We even started our Christmas decorating. We are not done yet but we got a lot done. 

October and the November Cold

We volunteered at Serenity's school for their Harvest Festival and Trunk or treat. Our Honda made a very nice monster and we happened to bring along Spider man and a cute little dear!

As November entered we had to work on getting our leaves from the back yard to the curb. In Fort Wayne the City picks up the leaves. Residents are not allowed to put them in their trash bins or let them go to the sewars. They ask that you rack them to your front and pile them up. So we did.

Here is the story of what happened in pictures:

We received our first snow! It was beautiful! And when it melted away it revealed more leaves! 

The Snow sure was beautiful! And of course I will leave you with some pictures of the kids