Personal

A difficult day and a prayer request

/ The Pastor / 10 Comments

It is going to be one of those difficult mornings…

…actually…its not like I have these often.  Today is the first time since I became a pastor that I, personally, will have to deal with the eventual death of a loved one.  You see…my grandma is close to death and we expect that to happen any moment now.  I’m having a hard time even typing this so I am wondering how in the world I will even be able to ask my congregations for their prayer support this morning.  My wife said she would handle this for me if I need her…and I just might have to take her up on that offer. 

This will leave me with one grandma left.  My first grandpa died in 1994 from colon cancer and my second grandpa died in 2000 from a massive stroke on the golf course (right where he had always told people he wanted to die).  Of course I know that we don’t live for ever on this earth.  Of course I know that eventually I will be mourning the death of my grandparents (and other loved ones), but it doesn’t make it any easier.  And to top things off, my mom asked me yesterday if I would give the eulogy for the family.  Wow…I said "yes", but now I am wondering if I can.

Now I ask you to please keep me and my family in your prayers as we prepare to say "see you later" to my grandma.  I also ask for your prayers of focus as I lead worship and preach this morning.  Just the thought of grandma sends tears running from my eyes.

But here’s the really cool thing…
we have an amazingly awesome and faithfully loving God!!!

We have a God who send His Son, Jesus Christ to die on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins…that we may have a New Life.  And because of that promise I can say with confidence, "See you later, grandma".  I know that Satan would love nothing more than to distract me all morning…keeping me from proclaiming God’s awesome love to people, but the resurrection is what gives me hope.  So…in the words of Martin Luther I say to Satan, "Go back to hell, where you belong! Because of Jesus, my grandma will live forever and I will see her again…and…I will have another chance to enjoy her delicious pumpkin pie".

So…on that note…please join me in a word of prayer as we begin our mornings/days…
Gracious and loving God, at the baptism of Jesus you sent your Spirit upon him in the form of a dove and announced, "This is my son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased."  And by sending Jesus to this earth to live and die and rise again you, in effect, are saying the same thing to us "You are my children, whom I love; with you I am well pleased".  Grant us faith to see in death the gateway to eternal life and strengthen us in that hope that we may proclaim Jesus’ sacrificial love to all.  Lord God (on a personal note) please grant my grandma peace as she leaves this world to be in your loving arms and strengthen me and my family in our faith as we say, "see you later".  In Christ’s name I pray, Amen.

Thank you and God bless!

-edh-

A brand new year

/ The Pastor / 1 Comment

Greetings and Happy New Year to all!

First of all — Thank you to all who send Christmas and New Year’s greetings.  My absence from the blogosphere has been a long one…but a refreshing one.  I feel ready to start a new year in so many ways.  So allow me to offer my blessing to you all:

I pray that your new year may be filled with happiness, joy and peace.  May you have the courage and drive to: venture to new "places" – to try new things – to strain ahead – to live a life of wild abandon – to bask in the glow of God’s love EVERYDAY – to forgive much – to love EVEN MORE – to slow down and listen to the bare voice of God – to pray more – to share your faith more.  As you begin this new year may you feel, see and experience the presence of our Lord and Savior wherever you go or whatever you do.  GOD LOVES YOU…always remember that!  Make this year the best year even for someone.  God bless!

Lastly — Carolyn over at Law and Gospel has just submitted the 500th comment to this blog.  Sorry, Carolyn, I don’t have an award or anything.  But allow me to thank everyone who has commented here.  It has been fun engaging in conversation and getting to know you over the last couple years.  I look forward to many more encounters with you.

So…on that note…I close this entry as I ponder a more reflective post to come.  Take care.

-edh-

Happy New Year

/ The Pastor / 3 Comments

I hope and pray you had a very merry Christmas…AND NOW…I hope and pray you have a fun and safe New Year.

I am still on vacation but I will be back on Wednesday (Jan. 2)…and…ready to resume my blogging activities.  I look forward to getting caught up with the many blogs I read and to writing again, but has been nice, though, to take a break.

Take care and God bless…I will "see" you next year 🙂

-edh-

Christmas prayer and blessing

/ The Pastor / 5 Comments

I still don’t know where the month has gone.  Today is Dec. 22 and Christmas is upon the doorstep.  Thankfully I have my shopping done so all that is left to do is to put the finishing touches on worship and sermons.

Today, also, will more than likely be my last post until after Christmas.  Tomorrow (Sunday) Connie and I travel to my parents, returning on Christmas Eve and then Christmas Day we travel to Connie’s family.  So as I take my leave of you I would like to leave you with a prayer that I will be using on Christmas Eve.  It is one I found on the Internet that really spoke to me, so here it is…let us pray…

Loving Father, help us remember the birth of Jesus that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the magi.  Close the door of hate and open the door of love all over the world.  Let kindness come with every gift and good desires with every greeting.  Deliver us from evil by the blessing which Christ brings, and teach us to be merry with clear hearts.  May the Christmas morning make us happy to be thy children, and the Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake.  Amen!

I hope and pray you have a joyous Christmas as we bask in the glow of God’s awesome love.  May the peace of the Christ child fill your hearts and the grace of God overwhelm you with joy.  May your travels be safe and your homecomings be happy.  God bless and take care.  Merry Christmas to all and to all a good life.

See you soon.

-edh-

Monday morning check in

/ The Pastor

Another senseless tragedy
I am sure many of you are aware of the fatal shooting at the Youth With a Mission facility in suburban Denver.  A young woman from Minnesota was killed and a couple others wounded (Click here for the story).  Tiffany Johnson, along with many people across the county, have made incredible sacrifices to serve the Lord through missionary work…an often thankless and difficult job.  Please remember Tiffany’s family and friends in your prayers as they sort though such a senseless tragedy – knowing that God can work through such events to advance His kingdom.

Another Sunday closer
It’s hard to believe Christmas is edging ever closer.  Yesterday was the second Sunday of Advent which means that Christmas eve is two weeks away.  With our open house yesterday and our home remodeling done, a lot of stress has left our lives.  Now I can put more energy in preparing for these next few worship services.  Dec. 16 is our children’s Christmas program that my wife leads.  Dec. 23 we are going to have a lessons and carols worship service and of course Christmas eve worship the next day.  These next couple weeks will be busy…of course, but ones I am very much looking forward to.

Another white Christmas
It is nice to be able to say that considering that our last couple years we have had brown Christmases.  For some reason, a dose of the "white stuff" adds to the Christmas cheer.  But the down side is that before we got a lot of our snow we got a good layer of ice (and the sidewalk between the parsonage and the church is still not shoveled. Ugh!  I got some work to do).  Oh well, at least we have snow.

Another Christmas reminder
God blessings to you as you traverse this busy Christmas season.  Always remember the reason for all the hustle and bustle.  And remember to bask in the joy of this awesome love that God shows us through the manger.  God bless and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

-edh-

A Christmas 3X3 Meme

/ The Pastor / 6 Comments

David, over at Here I Stand has tagged me for a Christmas 3X3 meme.  Christmas is my favorite time of the year so this will be a fun one for me.  So…here I go…

What are your three favorite Christmas songs and who sings them?
This is a tough one.  My wife and I have dozens of Christmas CDs that get played constantly in our home and car.  Picking three is not easy but here are three that just happen to stand out right now:
(1) Silent Night when sung during the candle lighting portion of the Christmas Eve worship service.  Watching the candle light slowing spread throughout the sanctuary while the lights slowly dim while singing this great Christmas carol always gives me goosebumps.  Others that follow close behind are "Joy to the World" and "Go Tell it on the Mountain".

(2)  "Hallelujah" by Soulful Celebration.  Imagine a Southern Baptist choir going all out singing the Hallelujah Chorus.  I still like the traditional Hallelujah Chorus but listening to Soulful Celebration also gives me goosebumps and makes me want to jump up and start clapping.  There is a part toward the end where one might think things are winding down but just then they hit you with some more "soulful" Hallelujahs.

(3) Once again let me remind you…this is far from an exhaustive list, but number three has two "non-traditional" Christmas songs:  "Breath of Heaven (Mary’s Song)" sung by Amy Grant and "A Strange way to Save the World" (told from Joseph’s perspective) sung by 4Him.  Two great comentaries on the miracle of Christmas.

What are your three favorite Christmas foods?
(1) I am with Diane here with number one — LEFSE.  My wife is a butter and WHITE sugar person and I am a butter and BROWN sugar one.  But I will use WHITE sugar if need be.

(2) My mom’s famous candy kiss cookies.  I look forward to these every year.  With me trying to lose weight, I throw that weight lose thing out the window for candy kiss cookies since this is that only time of the year I get these.

(3) Lastly…this is not a Christmas food but it is my family’s Christmas Eve tradition — homemade pizza.  One year my mom suggested we not do this but my sister and I threw a fit and my mom learned quickly not to mess with homemade pizza on Christmas Eve.  We each make our own little pizza and this is the only time of the year I have pepperoni and sauerkraut pizza (Hmmm…I am getting hungry just thinking about it).

What are your three Christmas secrets?
This is a tough one because people who know me well know I love the Christmas season and that I do not keep that a secret.  But many of you out there do not know me well so here it goes…
(1) My wife does most of my Christmas shopping for me.  Maybe that is not a surprise that a wife shops for her husband, but I think it is pretty funny.  I think I learned that habit from my dad.

(2) Of the 36 years I have been on this earth I can only remember one Christmas that we were not in Minnesota (Mom…correct me if I am wrong here).  That one year was at grandpa and grandma’s house in Yuma, AZ.  At the time Julie and I thought it was strange going swimming at an outdoor pool on Christmas Day.

(3) I love poinsettia plants.  We got one early December last year and I kept it alive until this past September.  And…as I am writing this, the church custodian and his wife have just given me and Connie a nice big poinsettia.  Wow…they must have been reading my mind.

Well…there you have it.  What a fun Christmas 3×3.  Now…let me see…I think I will now tag:  Pastor David at Posting from Prairie Hill and Chris at The Lutheran Zephyr.  Have fun and MERRY CHRISTMAS!

-edh-

My Christmas story/memory

/ The Pastor / 1 Comment

This post is a long time in coming, but here I am with my Christmas story.  A couple days back I challenged people to share their favorite Christmas story/memory.  I actually have two that are near and dear to my heart.  One began with my immediate family and the other began with Connie and me.

Christmas story
For a long time, Christmas eve was a very anxious time for my sister (Julie) and me.  We knew the routine:  Get cleaned up and dressed for church – Get to church about 45 to 60 minutes early to make sure we got a good seat – Sit in that crowded sanctuary…staring at our watches thinking that time had somehow slowed down – Worship – Return home and change clothes again – Mom and Julie would begin to make homemade pizza while dad and I hung out in the living room…with me scoping out the presents – Eat – and then the moment we all were waiting for…PRESENTS.  That was how things went when I was little.  But somewhere along the way (I think it happen after we graduated from high school; mom…help me out here), dad changed the routine.  After our delicious homemade pizza was consumed we retired to the living room where dad said that we are going to hear a Christmas story that he had found.  We were all surprised…but pleasantly. Through the years the story is usually a story that elicits a tear or two from people, and one that always makes you think…putting Christmas into perspective.  Eventually the story reading duties shifted and was shared among the family.  The Christmas story is a powerful, bonding moment for all of us; helping us keep everything in perspective.  Now…we have something else to look forward to.  Thank you dad.

Christmas shopping
I can not remember exactly when this tradition started or how we came across it, but it was not too long ago.  Connie and I started thinking about the money we spend on each other and then started thinking about those who get very little or nothing at all.  So we decided to change our Christmas spending habits.  Between Connie and me we decided how much money we would spend on each other.  Currently we are at $100 (that may go up this year).  Then we decided that 25% of that would be spent on each other and the other 75% had to be spent on someone else.  The stipulation here is that the someone else had to be someone we do not know or have any real connection to.  It has to be a random person or persons.  On Christmas eve, then, Connie and I would exchange gifts and reveal how we spent the other 75%.  But the thing is, we almost always "cheat"…by spending way more than 75% on others.  But we always forgive each other for "cheating".  Each year I look forward to figuring out how I am going to spend my 75%.  Last year, as part of the 75%, I bought a goat for a family in a third world country through the ELCA Good Gifts program.  We had a lot of fun with that one.  I wonder what I will do this year.

What is your Christmas story/memory?  I know that some of you are thinking about this and I look forward to reading your stories (as I am sure we all do).  Have a blessed Christmas season.

-edh-

Celebrating New Life

/ The Pastor / 2 Comments

It has been a few days since I have been around here.  When I last showed up I asked for prayers for two people: Lois and Gordon.  I don’t have any updates on Lois but as for Gordon…he died on Monday afternoon (Nov. 19).  Since then I have been busy with the family and doing sermon prep for three sermons (Thanksgiving Eve, Gordon’s Celebration of New Life service and Sunday’s sermon).  Needless to say I have been a little overwhelmed, busy, tired, etc. 

Today (Sat. 11/24) is the Celebration of New Life service (formerly known as a funeral service) for Gordon at 10:30am.  Gordon was a very prominent member of the Jackson community and he will be missed by many.  He was one of the founders of a corporation in Jackson called AGCO.  They manufacture terigators and other implements.  AGCO is one of those companies that keeps Jackson alive.  Besides AGCO, Gordon has been extremely generous in his giving to the church and the community.  About a month ago Jackson lost a prominent citizen and now we are losing another one – two within a couple months.  It is a heavy blow to our community. 

The sanctuary at Salem can hold up to 250 people, but we are set up for 400+.  Our fellowship hall is set up with chairs and a big screen TV (loaned to us by the Coast to Coast store in town) that will carry a live video feed.  It is going to be one awesome celebration this morning, but please remember the family in your prayers all the same.

Next week I am hoping life returns to normal somewhat.  I would be taking a little vacation time next week, but I still have a ton of Advent/Christmas stuff to finish up.  Oh well…I guess vacation will have to wait till later.

God bless you all and I will talk to you later.

-edh-

Monday morning check in

/ The Pastor / 5 Comments

A tough couple days and a prayer request
Good morning!  A very short and busy week is upon me (and many of you as well).  For me I have a heavy pastoral care load with a parishioner in hospice (Gordon) and another parishioner, who I just found out, has cancer (Lois).  It has been a tough couple days.  Please pray for Gordon and Lois as they deal with their present "suffering".  My hope is that they can look beyond this to their promised New Life in Jesus Christ and receive strength and courage to endure.  The road won’t be easy, but they are never alone.

Sermon
The sermon I preached yesterday (Nov. 18) hit home for me more than others.  The text from Luke 21:5-19 talked about the signs of the end.  The way I took this is that we are not to focus and dwell on the signs now, but put our hope in what they point to.  Suffering must and will happen in this life, but if we only focus on the now, we miss the Good News.  It is looking ahead that gives us strength.  I found myself thinking about Gordon and Lois as I preached this sermon.  Gordon didn’t hear this sermon but Lois did.  I hope she finds strength in the promise God has made to her in Jesus Christ.  It is going to be a tough road for her. 

I have just posted this sermon on my sermons blog at:  Sermons by Eric.

Personal stewardship update
My weight loss is still going well.  I have finally hit the 20 pound mark.  I had been sitting at around 17-18 pounds for a couple weeks but now I finally moved past it.  My goal is to lose another 10 pounds and then re-evaluate.  It is so nice to wear clothes I haven’t been able to wear for years.

As for my running, that has been put on hold.  I still plan to run the Twin Cities Marathon next October but right now I am waiting on some shoe inserts.  Both of my heal bones are crocked thus causing me to experience shin splints.  These inserts should help and then I can start running…hopefully next week.  In the mean time I will continue with weight lifting and stationary bike workouts.

Scripture
"For I am already being poured out like a drink offering, and the time has come for my departure.  I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.  Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing." (2 Timothy 4:6-8)

This is one of the texts the family wants to use for Gordon’s Celebration of New Life service.  Knowing Gordon the way I do, this is very appropriate.  But it is still hard talking about this.  Gordon is going to be missed.

But knowing where our hope comes from:  Praise be to God, always and forever…AMEN!!!

-edh-

Tuesday morning check in

/ The Pastor / 4 Comments

"Tuesday" check in
My Monday morning check in didn’t happen like usual.  My wife had yesterday off for Veteran’s Day (she’s a county employee) and since we don’t get days off together too often, I took a vacation day.  We slept in together which was very nice.  We then traveled down to Spirit Lake, IA (20 miles) and ate at one of our favorite places – Quiznos.  We then visited Wal-Mart and dropped a few dollars there (O.K…it was more than a few dollars).  After that we enjoyed a peaceful afternoon together.  Got to love sabbath time.

Found
I am a member of the Jackson Lion’s Club.  Last night, after we finished our meeting a fellow member approached me.  He said, "Pastor, I really enjoy your website".  At first I thought he was talking about our new church website and then I asked if he was talking about my blog.  He said "Yes".  I then asked how he found out about it (I am always curious about this).  He said that he googled "Jackson, MN" and found it.  Now my site is book marked on his computer. 

But this was a little strange for me.  You see…everyone who leaves comments here are people from out of town; people I do not see face to face (except for my mom and sister).  And besides my family and close friends I have never had anyone come up to me and say that they have my blog book marked on their computer.  That comment last night served as an affirmation of what I am doing.  Even though I am not writing this blog to receive praise…hearing a word of affirmation like that from people (face to face) is indeed a pick me up; something that came via the Holy Spirit; something that encouraged me greatly.  Thanks for comment last night…I appreciated it.

Text study
I have felt so lost the past few weeks.  I haven’t attended my weekly text study with my area colleagues for quite a while.  Today I am going and that means I need to finish up here shortly.  Having a text study group like this is indeed important.  These past few weeks have given me a glimpse of what life might be like if I was doing this alone, without colleague support.  Text studies are so important.  I thank God for this group of people.

And…in speaking of "text studies", I hope to have a regular "text study" post coming in the next day or so.  I haven’t done that for a little while either.  With that I will be pondering some themes and messages for the Thanksgiving Eve worship service next week.  Salem worships with the Methodists and the Presbyterians on Thanksgiving eve and this year is my year to preach.  Any good ideas for me?  And good sermon ideas you have heard on Thanksgiving?

Anyway…God bless you today and everyday.  May you always know the love of God surrounding you…always!  Take care.

-edh-