Word for Today

From Philippians 4:

Rejoice!

(The word of the Lord, Thanks be to God!)

We tend to favor certain emotions rather than others, and so we get much of life backward. William Butler Yeats hit the nail on the head and says it so well, "Being Irish, he had an abiding sense of tragedy, which sustained him through temporary periods of joy."

The longer version of that verse from Philippians is "Rejoice in the Lord always! Again I say, rejoice." There is much wisdom here. As we are nearer and nearer to the fulfillment of God's promise at Christmas, joy percolates up from within, and we may even (in temporary periods of joy) feel like our insides are fluttering, much like the child in this picture.

What is the joy all about? It's about being captured in the mystery of God born to this world, the mystery that I believe to the point that it's the most real reality I know, the mystery that you share it with me, and the mystery that others around you are about to be captured as well.

May your life mature into the joy of God through Jesus so that you can now live right side up, saying "being (insert nationality or heritage), s/he had an abiding sense of joy, which sustained her/him through temporary periods of tragedy."

pastor James Aalgaard

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Ontario Oregon

Word for Today

From Luke 1:

⁷⁸In the tender compassion ^| of our God

the dawn from on high shall ^| break upon us,

⁷⁹to shine on those who dwell in darkness and the shad- ^| ow of death,

and to guide our feet into the ^| way of peace.  

Sometimes it's good to pay attention to VERBS. "Break upon", "Shine," "Guide."

This is what the Dawn from On High is going to do to us, and I would say, through us. There is something quite powerful about living with expectation. These few verses are all about expectation. About hope.

The Christian faith has a wonderful way of talking about God. God is not cold and distant. At the end of the day God is not even angry. God is compassionate and loving. Since that's true, God must know fully and deeply the particulars of our selves. We might want to keep ourselves at a distance, shy or ashamed, but in the tender compassion of God, we need not live in fear.

When the dawn from on high breaks upon us, he will not wait for our permission, or for us to be ready. He will come in such an innocent and even powerless way that we are drawn to him, to the Christ-Child, and by being drawn to him, the dawn from on high, we will be changed. We will be able to walk in the way of peace. Peace with ourselves, our neighbors, our enemies.

Pastor James Aalgaard

St. Paul Lutheran Church, Ontario Oregon

Word for Today

From "Evangelical Lutheran Worship" prayer of the day for the First Sunday of Advent:

Let us pray.

Stir up your power, Lord Christ, and come. By your merciful protection alert us to the threatening dangers of our sins, and redeem us for your life of justice, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

From Jeremiah 33:

.. In those days Judah will be saved and Jerusalem will live in safety. And this is the name by which it will be called: "The LORD is our righteousness."

Do you know the story behind your name? There is power in stories like that! The more spectacular the story, the more a name becomes the core of a person's identity. I would love to hear your naming stories.

The little verse from Jeremiah is a naming story. Judah has been having trouble with its identity. Wayward worship in particular made her fall away from God's favor. Judah, and Jerusalem especially, could be a definition of "unrighteousness."

So God promises to intervene. God promises to rename the people. When the Lord acts, they will be called "The LORD (Yahweh) is our righteousness." God will be righteous for them.

God will be righteous for us. This is the promise of Advent. It calls forth honesty and humility, but also faith in One who comes to make all things (including our hearts) new.

We start lighting Advent candles this Sunday.

If you are part of another faith community, you might like to start the practice of inviting a member of the community to light the candles. Here's how we do it at St. Paul:

Advent One: the oldest (or near oldest) member of the church lights the first candle.

Advent Two: someone retirement age lights the first and second candle.

Advent Three: a young adult lights the first three candles.

Advent Four: a young child or infant (with mom or dad helping) lights all four candles.

We're counting down, backward through the years, to the Promised Christ-Child.

Advent blessings to you!

James Aalgaard

St. Paul Lutheran Church

Giggles & Grace Early Learning Center

Ontario Oregon

Word for Today

From Revelation chapter one:

  ⁸I am the Alpha and the Omega, says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.

Christ the King Sunday is this week. It marks the end of the liturgical church year. The Sunday coming next is the first Sunday in Advent, which begins the time of waiting for the Christ Child.

When you think of endings, do you think of the "end of the line," the "final mile," or the "last hurrah?" I think of endings in such a way. As if it's a line on a page.

But in Christ, there is something else working. It is as different as time is to eternity. Christ teaches us that he is the beginning and the end, the first and the last letter of the alphabet. Simultaneously! Only the Lord of heaven and earth can be both the beginning and the end, never becoming less of the other!

The picture here is a celtic pattern. You can trace the pattern until you become exhausted, but you will not find the end of it. You will come to the end of your patience before you find the end of the pattern!

This must be a very simple picture of the eternity we get to know in Christ. The ruler of all, Jesus the Human One, has always been and always will be. The Word today, is that because you belong in him, you get to find yourself somewhere there, in Eternity.

Alleluia.

Word for Today

From Psalm 16,

⁷I will bless the LORD who ^| gives me counsel;

my heart teaches me night ^| after night.

⁸I have set the LORD al- ^| ways before me;

because God is at my right hand, I shall ^| not be shaken

Dear friends, I have a prayer for you today, that your heart will teach you what you already know; namely that God is at your right hand, steadying you through life.

Night after night, I hope you will hear that reminder from your ver own heart, fluttering and pulsing within you. I also hope you will gain the fortitude, the steadiness it takes to experience the steadiness of God through you into the life of a neighbor.

That is all.

Pastor James Aalgaard,

St. Paul Lutheran Church

Word for Today

From Mark 12,

 ⁴²A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny.

Do you have a solar powered calculator? Probably. Maybe you received one in the mail as a thank you from your realtor some time ago.. exactly how long ago you can now calculate! We have a handful of them around the home. What an awesome technology. The calculator is able to sip enough energy to keep on going even when the lights have gotten quite dim.

Jesus has a Son-powered calculator. One would think he would want to upgrade someday, get one of those fancy graphing calculators perhaps, or an adding machine. With such contraptions he could even figure out derivatives and amortization schedules. No, his Son-powered one is all he wants. It comes up with crazy calculations, but he likes it that way.

He said in this Sunday's Gospel reading, as he was watching the donations come into the temple treasury, that this widow's little gift was worth more than the large sums of money from the "major donors." That Son-powered calculator was operating like it always has, finding value where the world would find.. well.. nothing.

What is the value in the widow's gift? With her very scarce donation, she gave her self. Jesus noticed it right away. No one else did. He had to point it out to others. She almost got trampled, jostled about and ignored by the movers and shakers. She was not ignored by the Messiah. Jesus recognizes immediately when the self is given, because it's what he does. There's an affinity coming out loud and clear in this episode. According to Jesus' calculations, he's looking through a window to the New Creation. In the New Creation nothing is "amortized."

Thank you to James C. Christensen for this provoking artwork. I find myself leaning in toward this widow's face, wanting to accept her gift with celebration while at the same time wanting to shrink away in humility. There is power in that little gift of two coins that equal one penny. Standing in front of her, I am on holy ground.

Pastor James Aalgaard

Fwd: ...In the Meantime

Here's an email devotional I look at from time to time.

Blessings to you!

Pastor James A.

Begin forwarded message:

From: "...In the Meantime" <DavidJLose@gmail.com>

Date: November 3, 2012 12:13:00 PM MDT

To: aalgaard@gmail.com

Subject: ...In the Meantime

...In the Meantime

---

• Daring Greatly
• Philippians 2:17-18
• Campaign Fatigue

Daring Greatly Posted: 03 Nov 2012 10:25 AM PDT Today's poem is, well, not a poem. Rather, it is a portion of a speech given by Tedding Roosevelt at the Sorbonne, in Paris, in 1910. I was introduced to it by reading Brene Brown's recent book, Daring Greatly, which is not only a fantastic read but whose title is inspired by Roosevelt's measured and even metered speech. I thought of it today as we approach the end of the election cycle and an opportunity to exercise our civic right and responsibility to vote. After so many accusations…and promises…and attempts to blame others…and calculated presentations of oneself and all the rest, the person I want to vote for the is man who is ready to enter the arena and give it his all. The man, that is, who will not be changing positions or platforms at each turn, shaping himself into a more attractive candidate but who will come forth as himself, ready to stake his claims, take responsibilities for his mistakes, shoulder his responsibilities, and dare great things whether he succeed or fail. What I want, I guess, is integrity. You will be making your own decision soon for your own reasons, but as you read Roosevelt's lines, I'd invite you to allow them to inspire you to want and expect more from our leaders – all of our leaders – than the media barrage we've endured of late suggests we should expect. And in the meantime, make sure you get out to vote. It is not the critic who counts: not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood, who strives valiantly, who errs and comes up short again and again, because there is no effort without error or shortcoming, but who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, who spends himself for a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows, in the end, the triumph of high achievement, and who, at the worst, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who knew neither victory nor defeat. "Citizenship in a Republic," Speech at the Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910

Philippians 2:17-18 Posted: 03 Nov 2012 07:10 AM PDT But even if I am being poured out as a libation over the sacrifice and the offering of your faith, I am glad and rejoice with all of you— and in the same way you also must be glad and rejoice with me. And now it gets hard. Paul really has no idea if he will survive his present ordeal. Except for him this isn't hard. He has not only reckoned with the very real possibility of his death but even sees its advantages. It would be good, senses Paul, to be able to set down his task and labors and move to the nearer presence of God. Moreover, if his death solidifies the faith of the Philippians in that he has provided an example of faithfulness to the end, that also would give Paul joy. That may seem an odd sentiment to us, but Paul does not see death as the end, but only as another beginning. There is a danger here of reading too much into Paul's imagery. He does not imagine, for instance, that he is in some way dying for the Philippians. The sacrifice of which he speaks is not the sacrifice of exchange, as if he were implying some form of sacrificial atonement that he is imitating. Rather, he is employing the rich imagery or first century worship, where a glass of wine would be poured out at the time of religious ritual or commemoration. Think of it as akin to lifting a glass in tribute to the deceased at a funeral, where rather than drink the wine the one making the toast pours it into the ground in tribute. So also, Paul reckons that if his life is to be "poured out" in death, it will only be as an act of thanksgiving for and tribute to the faith, friendship, and partnership in Christ that he has shared with his beloved Philippians. This may all sound very odd to our ears because we live in a culture dominated by the ideal of perpetual youth, such that the worst thing that can happen is to grow old and die. But sometimes life is sweetest when you know it will not last forever. As the poet Ranier Maria Rilke once said, "the knowledge of our impermanence that haunts our days is their very fragrance." So also with Paul – knowing he will die, perhaps soon, gives the present moments he shares with the Philippians a piercing joy and rich fragrance, and Paul wants them to know that it is the fragrance of thanksgiving. Prayer: Dear God, let us live mindful that we will one day die, and allow this knowledge not to daunt us but, by faith in you, to enrich every moment of our living. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Campaign Fatigue Posted: 02 Nov 2012 11:06 AM PDT The young girl pictured here is Abigael Evans, and this is her reaction after seeing one – or maybe one hundred and one – too many campaign commercials. Abigael's mother posted this on YouTube this past Tuesday and four million views later I think it's captured the way a lot of us feel as we approach the end of this election season. So much so, in fact, that NPR posted an apology to Abigael: "On behalf of NPR and all other news outlets, we apologize to Abigael and all the many others who probably feel like her. We must confess, the campaign's gone on long enough for us, too." So there it is: we've got 5 days left until we can not just see this election come to an end but help make it a good end by voting. In the meantime, we can remember the wise words of Abigail's mom, "It'll be over soon." Note: If you are receiving this post by email, you may need to click here to watch the video.

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Word for Today

From Revelation 21:

 ⁵And the one who was seated on the throne said, "See, I am making all things new." Also he said, "Write this, for these words are trustworthy and true."  ⁶Then he said to me, "It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give water as a gift from the spring of the water of life.

The artwork here is titled "Liminal Air" by Shinji Ohmakidi Shinji. 

I think this is a good opportunity to talk about "liminality." 

Today is All Hallows Eve, a night that some talk about as if there is a crack in the border between the spirit world and the world we know better. This coming Sunday is All Saints Sunday, an opportunity to remember those who came before us and who also entered eternal rest before us. These are occasions when we recognize that we are on the edge of something. The threshold.

What is "liminality?" Surely not a word we use every day (but I challenge you to find an opportunity to use it today, tonight or tomorrow!), this is the concept of being on the threshold between. Between familiarity and un-familiarity.

How many times have you thought to yourself, "I'm not sure how this is going to go, but here I go"? How many times do you think nervously into the future, spinning scenarios until you're dizzy? There  is something inside us that detects we are on the edge, the edge of what? We don't yet know. I believe people and organizations, when they take on risk, can realize there is something energizing about that openness. Liminality. We are at a liminal moment.

Scripture here from Revelation 21 points to Jesus Christ, the one who has passed through the threshold. "I am the start and the stop, the 'A' and 'Z', the beginning and the end," he says to us. Quite a bold statement, but one I sorely need to hear! When I don't know what's past the threshold, Jesus is there. When I review where I've been, Jesus is there. When I notice I'm having a liminal moment, I would do well remembering that the threshold IS the very throne of Jesus.

Blessings! Let's stand at the threshold together.

Pastor James Aalgaard

St. Paul Lutheran Church

Word for Today

Words can at times Inhibit the Word

From Isaiah 53,

  ⁷He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,

yet he did not open his mouth;

like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,

and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,

so he did not open his mouth.

There are portions of the books of Isaiah that are called the "Servant Songs." This is one of the most well-known among Christians. We wear Jesus-Lenses throughout life, and so we see this described servant as a match for our Lord. 

How striking it is, that when the servant gave himself up, he spoke not a word, he did not even open his mouth.

When we hear something very startling, we too at times can't even open our mouths. Or we open them, but nothing comes out. Isaiah's suffering servant doesn't open his mouth because in part he needed to give himself entirely to the sacrifice. The experience of the sacrifice was too intense for words. The noise of no sound was louder than any word spoken.

There are times when silence is necessary, and there are times when we cannot be silent. In the moment the Lamb of God went to the Shearer, there needed to be silence, so the Good News could be heard loud and clear. In the quietness there, we can hear the very voice of God:

I love you.

James Aalgaard, pastor, St. Paul Lutheran Church

Word for Today

From Hebrews 4

¹⁴Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.  ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.  ¹⁶Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Disney Pixar's "Up"

Dear friends, what happens when dreams change? What happens to your dream when the one who dreamt it with you is gone?

This was the situation for Mr. Carl Fredriksen. He is the best animated grumpy old man ever. Carl had one love, and that was his energetic wife Ellie. They had created a dream together, to travel to a certain point in South America when they had saved enough pennies. It was going to be an adventure. An adventure for two. They even started a book of adventures that had plenty of extra pages.

But as time went on, the car needed new tires. The house needed a new roof. Their dream was nickeled-and-dimed away. Finally, sadly, Ellie dies. (Carl's grumpiness really kicks in here, and for good reason). By the way, I triple-dog dare you to watch that opening sequence of the movie "Up" and come out of it with dry eyes.

In his lingering grief, Carl's world narrows around him, squeezes his understanding of self and neighbor until finally instead of cracking, he elevates. Carl and his house flee the stresses of life. He has attached hundreds of balloons filled with helium to his house, and literally floats away. He is on his way toward the adventure he and Ellie had spent their life planning.

Un-planned-for companions along the way make his adventure more complicated, and to make a long story very very short, Carl learns that he can create new adventures, especially since the first one wasn't going to work out. In fact his cherished book of Adventures had more entries than he knew. Before she died, Ellie had written there that she was thankful for every moment of that adventure of their life together. Now, she wrote, go make some of your own.

The writer of Hebrews lets us know there is One who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Christ. In EVERY respect, Jesus is able to sympathize with the death of our dreams, adventures never taken. In so doing, his death and resurrection become an adventure inside each of us. The wonder of it all, is the amazing array of unlikely companions we have now, with whom we dream.

Pastor James Aalgaard
St. Paul Lutheran Church

"Joy is a net of love that can catch souls" (Mother Teresa)

Word for Today

From Hebrews 4

¹⁴Since, then, we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast to our confession.  ¹⁵For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who in every respect has been tested as we are, yet without sin.  ¹⁶Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Disney Pixar's "Up"

Dear friends, what happens when dreams change? What happens to your dream when the one who dreamt it with you is gone?

This was the situation for Mr. Carl Fredriksen. He is the best animated grumpy old man ever. Carl had one love, and that was his energetic wife Ellie. They had created a dream together, to travel to a certain point in South America when they had saved enough pennies. It was going to be an adventure. An adventure for two. They even started a book of adventures that had plenty of extra pages.

But as time went on, the car needed new tires. The house needed a new roof. Their dream was nickeled-and-dimed away. Finally, sadly, Ellie dies. (Carl's grumpiness really kicks in here, and for good reason). By the way, I triple-dog dare you to watch that opening sequence of the movie "Up" and come out of it with dry eyes.

In his lingering grief, Carl's world narrows around him, squeezes his understanding of self and neighbor until finally instead of cracking, he elevates. Carl and his house flee the stresses of life. He has attached hundreds of balloons filled with helium to his house, and literally floats away. He is on his way toward the adventure he and Ellie had spent their life planning.

Un-planned-for companions along the way make his adventure more complicated, and to make a long story very very short, Carl learns that he can create new adventures, especially since the first one wasn't going to work out. In fact his cherished book of Adventures had more entries than he knew. Before she died, Ellie had written there that she was thankful for every moment of that adventure of their life together. Now, she wrote, go make some of your own.

The writer of Hebrews lets us know there is One who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Christ. In EVERY respect, Jesus is able to sympathize with the death of our dreams, adventures never taken. In so doing, his death and resurrection become an adventure inside each of us. The wonder of it all, is the amazing array of unlikely companions we have now, with whom we dream.

Pastor James Aalgaard
St. Paul Lutheran Church

"Joy is a net of love that can catch souls" (Mother Teresa)

Word for Today

From "Evangelical Lutheran Worship": Let us pray... Sovereign God, you have created us to live in loving community with one another. Form us for life that is faithful and steadfast, and teach us to trust like little children, that we may reflect the image of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

from Psalm 8:

¹O LORD our Lord,

how majestic is your name in all the earth!—

²you whose glory is chanted above the heavens

 out of the mouths of infants and children;

you have set up a fortress against your enemies,

to silence the foe and avenger.

From Mark 10

¹³People were bringing little children to him in order that he might touch them; and the disciples spoke sternly to them.  ¹⁴But when Jesus saw this, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs.  ¹⁵Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it."  ¹⁶And he took them up in his arms, laid his hands on them, and blessed them.

What are the characteristics of a child that YOU would like to have toward your Lord? Let me know what you come up with!

I would like  to assume that Jesus is a friend of mine.

Pastor James Aalgaard
St. Paul Lutheran Church

Word for Today

From Numbers chapter 11

Would that all the LORD's people were prophets, and that the LORD would put his spirit on them!"

From Mark, chapter 9:

Whoever is not against us is for us.  ⁴¹For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.

Nikola Tesla was a pioneer in the field of electricity and radio. He worked for Thomas Edison for a time and then struck out on his own. I have been interested in Tesla's story ever since I heard that he was developing a method of electricity conduction that would not rely on wires for transfer. Imagine that! Wireless electricity. Electric cars could simply receive an electric signal and never need fuel. Computers would not need batteries... so many possibilities if only the "access" question were solved.

There is an  "access" question in today's scripture. First, Moses has brought leaders from the Israelite community together to receive a portion of the spirit that had been resting on him. But something remarkable happened. A few leaders who were registered were not in the tent when the spirit was distributed, yet, they began to speak like prophets. When questioned why the spirit had leaked into these other men, why the spirit had jumped wirelessly to them, Moses said "I wish that happened to everyone."

When it's reported to Jesus that his name was being used by unauthorized persons, his simple reply was "Let them do their thing." His priorities are very different from those of us who need to get it right with the right people all of the time. He was comfortable knowing his name was arcing in a rather haphazard, or Spirit-directed way.

Worrying about access is like trying to rely on a system of wires and powerhouses to conduct a power that was never meant to be tied down in such a way. I don't think I mentioned that Nikola Tesla was the son of a Serbian Orthodox priest. Could it be that Tesla worked so passionately on electromagnetic fields because he recognized something that reminded him of the Spirit of God? When it comes to God, who we know in Jesus Christ, you and I have unlimited access. The ultimate joy is when you hear about how your joy has arced into the life of another.

Pastor James Aalgaard
St. Paul Lutheran Church

Word for Today

From Mark 9:

³⁵He sat down, called the twelve, and said to them, "Whoever wants to be first must be last of all and servant of all."  ³⁶Then he took a little child and put it among them; and taking it in his arms, he said to them,  ³⁷Whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes not me but the one who sent me.

My friend Ken Jones shared this picture with me. It's a panel that spins around its center. Martin Luther's quote is on the top and bottom, "A Christian is a free lord of all, subject to none; a Christian is a dutiful servant of all, subject to all." This doublet is held in tension with itself, like a double-helix. It declares two simultaneous truths, that in relation to those around us the Christian perspective is to be at the same time freed and bound to the other. An incredible dialectic, it somehow makes sense in a deep way. We live this out every day. The closer people are to us (emotionally speaking), the more we sense this tension.

Jesus talks about greatness, and says that greatness on his terms has to do with being a servant, being last of all. Then he scoops up a child and uses it as an object lesson. Let's pause for a moment and consider what it's like to be a child.

Children have a happiness in them that comes from a certain kind of freedom. Maybe we can say they're care-free, or that they don't have the capacity to get bogged down by the complexities of life. Regardless, if you want to experience joy, hang around with a bunch of happy healthy kids! Their imagination is unlimited. Their ability to accept the rest of us is boundless. Their generosity is natural.

Yet, if a child were turned loose to try to survive in this wild world, they wouldn't do so well. Children as so dependent on the safety we create for them. Even if they don't realize it, they depend on our contingency-planning. They are subject to us.

So we treat our children tenderly. We are surprised by their creativity and even glimpses of wisdom, and we build whole societies around their protection. They are a picture of us, in the eyes of God.

Thank you Kenny for keeping this plain-spoken wisdom in front of me. I like to spin that panel in my imagination, around and around, as a picture of the spiritual life.

Pastor James Aalgaard
St. Paul Lutheran Church

"Joy is a net of love that can catch souls" (Mother Teresa)

Word for Today

From Isaiah 35:

  ⁵Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened,

and the ears of the deaf unstopped;

  ⁶then the lame shall leap like a deer,

and the tongue of the speechless sing for joy.

For waters shall break forth in the wilderness,

and streams in the desert;

From Mark 7:

They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him.  ³³He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue.  ³⁴Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, "Ephphatha," that is, "Be opened."  ³⁵And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.

"Ephphatha" is pronounced "Ef-fa-tha". When you say it aloud (go ahead, if people think you're strange you can tell them why you're speaking Aramaic), you can feel your breath leaving your body, first controlled, then in total release. Mark tells us what that word means. When Jesus said it, when he did those odd things to the deaf and mute man, the power to communicate was suddenly uncorked! Then in classic Markan form, Jesus demanded they keep a lid on their experience. Yeah right.

The ability to hear, to listen, is rare these days. In this election season I get the impression that candidates and their parties have their fingers in their own ears, and they're saying "LaLaLaLa.. I can't HEAR you!" What will it take for our candidates to be opened, uncorked, so that the great responsibility of sharing life with one another can become easier and more abundant?

Really, God has given the ability to hear, to listen. God hasn't been selective or stingy with that gift. Not only is it part of creation.. it is part of the New creation.

May you have the ears of a cat. Each cats-ear has 31 distinct muscles with which to focus attention on the subject of choice. A cat can tell when you're opening the cat food cupboard, and when you're opening the meaningless cupboard next to the cat food. What's your subject? Tune in! Be opened. Ephphatha. I'm not much of a cat person, but this, I have deep respect for.

Pastor James Aalgaard
St. Paul Lutheran Church

"Joy is a net of love that can catch souls" (Mother Teresa)

Word for Today

Hebrews 11:8-10: Looking forward by faith

⁸By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to set out for a place that he was to receive as an inheritance; and he set out, not knowing where he was going. ⁹By faith he stayed for a time in the land he had been promised, as in a foreign land, living in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. ¹⁰For he looked forward to the city that has foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

May your gracious blessing descend like dew from heaven upon all whom you will gather here for us to serve. Through us we pray that you will care for and love the children of our community, and we pray that we may faithfully show the joy and grace that comes from your Spirit.

We praise you for the joy of beginning a work in your name and for all whose gifts and labor have prepared for this day. May we soon celebrate your presence in this new place of learning and care, and, in the time to come, praise you forever in our eternal home; through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord,who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Dear friends, St. Paul Lutheran Church is in the midst of raising up a ministry that will change the look, feel, nature and mission of our congregation. This week the forms are being set for the foundation. It's my prayer that mixed into the concrete will be faith, hope and love. 

What's your prayer for Giggles & Grace? Let me know!

(Thank you Dylan for reminding us to have fun while we learn!)

Pastor James Aalgaard
St. Paul Lutheran Church

"Joy is a net of love that can catch souls" (Mother Teresa)

Word for Today

From "Love Divine, All Loves Excelling" by Charles Wesley

Love divine, all loves excelling,

Joy of heav'n, to earth come down!

Fix in us thy humble dwelling,

all thy faithful mercies crown. 

Jesus, thou art all compassion,

pure, unbounded love thou art;

visit us with thy salvation

enter every trembling heart.

"Pure unbounded love." Those words bring about a feeling of amazement in me! After being amazed, I think to myself "I want some of that!" Pure unbounded love. May you be touched and held by Pure Unbounded Love.. "Jesus" for short!

In Mark chapter 7, Jesus tells us how much he knows about us, that we cannot keep sin on the outside. It can't be kept at arms' length. Rather, it grows from the heart outward. 

Acknowledging this condition is the fist step in God's work of creating space in our hearts for faith to dwell. "Visit us with your salvation, enter every trembling heart!" When Pure Unbounded Love enters the chambers of our heart, the Unbounded is contained by the Bounded, but when we live our lives of faith, the Unbounded spills out!

Here is yesterday's 

sermon audio

Pastor James Aalgaard
St. Paul Lutheran Church

Word for Today

Living a sheltered life (In Christ)

So if anyone is in Christ, there is a new creation: everything old has passed away; see, everything has become new! (2 Corinthians 5:17)

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¹³Those who are planted in the house of the LORD

shall flourish in the courts of our God;

¹⁴they shall still bear fruit in old age;

they shall be green and succulent;

¹⁵that they may show how upright the LORD is,

my rock, in whom there is no injustice. (From Psalm 92)

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²Thus says the Lord GOD:

I myself will take a sprig

from the lofty top of a cedar;

I will set it out.

I will break off a tender one

from the topmost of its young twigs;

I myself will plant it

on a high and lofty mountain. (From Ezekiel 17)

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(the kingdom of God) 

is like a mustard seed, which, when sown upon the ground, is the smallest of all the seeds on earth;  ³²yet when it is sown it grows up and becomes the greatest of all shrubs, and puts forth large branches, so that the birds of the air can make nests in its shade." (from Mark 4)

Below is the Boulderfield Shelter, also known as the Boulderfield Hotel. Elevation 12,750 feet in the mountains of Colorado. Its heyday was the late 1920's. Modest accommodations.. a four-hole privy (two for male, two for female) and a Victrola make for a welcome sight for a mountaineer.

God is our shelter. The kingdom of God is our new home. And in Christ, we live a sheltered life. It's so much better than falling victim to the elements!

Where has your hike taken you? And where did you find the Shelter which is Christ? When did you hike right past the Shelter, discovering later that you missed out on a Sheltered night of rest?

Pastor James Aalgaard
St. Paul Lutheran Church