respublica

Look!

Walk up to a Nativity Scene and you'll see all the figures looking at the baby Jesus. Stand a little closer and you'll see the baby Jesus looking at you. As He still does. With love.

Last Easter was a different time

The beauty of the lilies we have taken for granted each Easter, are no where to be seen today. At least in person. Here is Holy Cross during past Easters and by the grace of God, will be next year.

Good Friday in Collinsville

For the first time in at least a month, Dale and I went over to our house in Collinsville. He was to preach at Holy Cross Good Friday evening and we used the daytime hours to get some much needed yard work and in home work done. It was interesting to watch the new process for getting Friday night fish at the American Legion across the street from our house. With the quarantine going on, people could not go into the building or gather in groups in the park. It was all call in and outside, drive-up-pickup. 

The parking lot was filled with orange cones which directed cars to move in a circular fashion beginning on the Legion exit drive and manuvering across the lot to where men pointed the way to the pickup lane. It never became as crowded as the days when you could go inside. People came and went quickly while the Legion people assigned to run out the bags of food did their job efficiently. At least as far as we could tell from our porch. 

We did not get fish, but had our traditional Good Friday meal which is a big salad with various lettuces, chopped tomato, chopped hard boiled eggs, radishes, cheese pieces and avocado. I make an olive oil and lemon juice dressing with minced garlic and salt and pepper. Some crunchy bread to go with it. We've done this for years and it's a tradition which I believe began during Dale's days as a parish pastor who would preach that evening. A light meal would mean he'd be able to stay awake and be sharp mentally.

 

And as it happened, he did preach last night at Holy Cross.

But before that he looked like this:

Looking at this picture, I'm embarrassed by the messy kitchen, but when you show up to this house with all kinds of things you'll need, everything gets plunked on the island or counters. Camping out is what we call our times here.

Good Friday

For many of us, Good Friday has a more effecting meaning. Not only have we been sequestered for weeks, but the future is uncertain. The cross is becoming a lifeline and that is a good thing in all this. What we can be sure of on this day and the days following is that there is hope, a certain hope. And so we pray with faith that the Jesus who went to the cross, died and rose again is with us still.

We pray as He did before he was arrested, "Come with me and Pray."

 

Jesus at our door

It's Maundy Thursday and time to consider Jesus.

Surely I am with you always, even until the end of the age. 

Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world

Palm Sunday, lamb at our door.

They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD!" "Blessed is the king of Israel!"

Good idea

One of our pastors suggested that on Palm Sunday (this coming Sunday) we all put palm branches on our front door or front windows in order for us to be connected while apart. Any branch will do if no palm branches are available.

Lamb at the door

Today being Sunday I placed a small sheep at our front door. We're all listening for our Shepherd's voice today and listening more intently than ever before. Praise God for promising to hear us. And, living in times like this we are thankful for the technology which allows us to be part of our churches' worship services online. In our case, Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Collinsville.

 

Last Sunday a large number of people came to Holy Cross in Collinsville for a concert by Concordia Seminary's special choir, Laudamus. Yesterday a big crowd filled the seminary chapel to listen to the Concordia University Nebraska's A Cappella Choir. Beautiful music both Sundays.

Holy Cross

Concordia Nebraska

Acolyting

This past Sunday our family had a milestone in church. The two oldest grandsons acolyted together for the first time. This was Connor's debut and he was all smiles. There is something so wonderful about this.