Friday, March 31, 2006

Thank you for the prayers!

Finally, my mom is resting semi-comfortably in her own house, after having been admitted for foot surgery Wednesday. She stayed Wednesday and Thursday nights in the hospital, and was released at about noon today.

She is doing remarkably well. She's able to get around fairly well with crutches, although she's too weak yet to get too far right now. I'm really quite astonished at her progress.

This is quite a role-reversal for me. All the time I was growing up, she was the one taking care of me while I was going through my foot surgeries, and now my sister and I are taking turns caring for her while my dad is working. Strange, but I'm glad that after all she's done for me, I can finally show her my compassion and do for her what she's always done for me.

Her recovery will take about three months, so your prayers for a speedy and healthy recovery are still needed. I will probably be giving more updates as time goes along, so stay tuned.

Wednesday, March 29, 2006

Once again asking for prayers

My mom is having surgery on her right foot today at 2:30 p.m. CST. Please pray that the surgery and her recovery go well, and that her pain is minimized.

As most of you already know, I've gone through 17 foot surgeries, so I know what my mom is facing, but it's completely different when someone other than yourself has to go through the same thing. Please keep her and her surgeon and nursing staff in your prayers today, and during her three-month-long recovery period.

Friday, March 24, 2006

Good quote about marriage

"I love being married. It's so great finding that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life." -Rita Rudner

Just ask my husband: it's so true!

WU Shocka-locka-locka!

GO WICHITA STATE UNIVERSITY SHOCKERS!!!!!!!

We are the Black and Gold

"We will, we will SHOCK you!"

Sweet 16, Baby! Yeah! GO SHOX!

My alma mater kicks @$$!

You know, I'm not really much of a sports fan, but when the university I graduated from is doing so well and gaining national attention at the same time, I can't help but be proud. This is the first time in 25 years that WSU has done so well as to make it to the Sweet 16 basketball tournament. Did ya catch that? I was only an infant!

In case you're wondering, yes, I know we have one of the strangest mascots there is: a shock of wheat that's supposed to look intimidating. Well, interesting history: When Wichita University, as it was known at the time, opened, most of the students worked on farms shocking wheat into bundles during harvest times in order to earn money to attend their classes. Those who did this kind of work were called Wheat Shockers. Well, the name stuck, and for more than 100 years, those who attend Wichita State University, as it is now known, are referred to by the name Shockers. (No, Dan at NR, it's not "shucking." That's what you do to corn husks. ;D)

GO SHOCKERS!

Monday, March 20, 2006

From drought to this!

For several months, Kansas has had no rain, no precipitation of any kind. Now, we have had three days of rain in a row, and are expecting snow. This is a very welcome relief for many people, as most of the state has been in extreme fire danger for a very long time, and the crops that farmers are trying to grow have been dying.

For those of you not familiar, there are vast portions of the state that are unoccupied by people. The majority of these portions are comprised of farmland, on which is raised wheat, soybeans, alfalfa, maize (a kind of funny-looking corn used to feed cattle), some corn, sunflowers, and, of course, cows, horses, goats, pigs, etc. (These are not allowed within city limits, though.) For this reason, when the thousands of acres of land have caught fire, there were very few homes damaged, but the naturally high winds and few access roads made it difficult for these fires to be put out. Also, because these are generally unoccupied areas, there were few (if any) water lines to the affected areas.

Don't think, though, that the towns and cities have been out of danger, though. In fact, there is a greater danger where there is a large population of people, because people can be very stupid. You'd think that when the television news, radio news and newspaper have been telling people for months that we are in extreme drought conditions and that a burn ban is in effect, people would understand that this means they can't burn their trash in outdoor incinerators, and that it's not a good idea to throw their lit cigarettes into the grass or out of their car windows while driving down a road that has crispy dry grass on both sides. But, alas, people do very dumb things, and then think, "Oh, gosh, how horrible!" when they hear about the grass fires in town.

One fire got dangerously close to an LCMS church in Wichita!

We are hoping and praying that the rain we have and continue to receive will take us out of drought conditions, but we're not sure. Because our land has been parched for so long, it will take a lot of steady moisture to refresh the land enough that the grasses and crops won't catch fire after a day of no rain.

Please pray for those in the affected areas that their land and homes are spared, and that those who would be responsible for setting these fires (however ignorant of their involvement they may be) would have the common sense to properly dispose of their trash and cigarettes. Or that Divine intervention takes over and prompts them to avoid such behaviors that would contribute to the need to dispose of burning materials in the first place. :)

Wednesday, March 15, 2006

Prayer request for my mom

At the end of this month, my mom is going to be having foot surgery similar to what I had in April (just before Easter) and at the end of July in 2004. (You may look through my archives to find postings on these, if you wish.) It will take about three months after the surgery before she's able to walk without assistance again. Please keep her in your prayers. She's never had foot surgery before and is scared and experiencing a great amount of anxiety over this.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

Oh, what a laugh!

Dan the Geologist found some people looking for a Lutheran Carnival to get involved in, but they think ours is run by right-winged, disgruntled Lutheran pastors, and are comparing us to Atilla the Hun because we don't believe that the ELCA is really Lutheran anymore, and that a lot of LCMSers have compromised their faith enough that they can't be considered true LCMSers. Well, part of that is right – the latter part. As for who is running our Carnival, the administrators are none other than three LCMS laypeople! Also, most of the people who submit posts to our Carnival are also laypeople.

Those on the message board Dan mentioned (and linked to) think that those who are submitting posts are all angry LCMSers. Here's what Dan had to say on that:

"Maybe my girlfriend (who is WELS) might dispute that, along with the current LC host. She belongs to the ELS. Of course, some of our contributers come from Canada (LCC) and England (ELCE)."

Well, to those who may be looking at this blog post, I am an LCMS laywoman, born and bred. I am a quia subscriber to the Unaltered Book of Concord, and, thanks to my husband who has studied in-depth the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod, I have learned more about what it means to be a Lutheran and about why it's important to subscribe to the UBoC.

Am I a right-winged pastor? No, women have no place in conducting pastoral duties in the LCMS (or elsewhere, IMHO), and I have no desire to go against my beliefs and our Synod in order to do so. I am obviously not a feminist even though I am a very confident and educated woman. All of this, yet, I have submitted posts to the Lutheran Carnival a number of times. Hmmm... Rethinking in progress, people?

I'm no theologian, at least not in the sense of one who has done deep theological study at a seminary or otherwise, but I do know what Luther's Small Catechism teaches, and I do understand the teachings of the Unaltered Book of Concord, and I also believe that to go against these publications (which are expositions and explanations on Scripture) is to go against what the Bible teaches, the Bible being the ultimate authority since it is the inerrant Word of God.

I am not an angry person, although I disagree with much of what is going on within our Synod, and with the liberals who put 1960s and 1970s feminism and touchy-feely, pastorless group studies ahead of what the Bible teaches. There are other issues, but I'll leave it at that. But just because I disagree doesn't mean I'm an angry person, and anyone who has gotten to know me over the last couple of years that I've been blogging can testify to that. There are also people with whom I've attended church all my life who could testify to that, even if they don't agree with me.

I believe that most of those who submit posts to the Lutheran Carnival are like me, although, contrary to popular belief, not all are members of the Lutheran Church - Missouri Synod. Regardless, I consider these people friends, although there may be issues of belief on which we disagree. I still enjoy reading their posts and commenting on them, and love the fact that they contribute their thoughts and posts to the Carnival.

If you are Lutheran and you don't agree with us, you don't have to associate yourself with us. It's like a blonde who's hitting her head against a wall and saying "Ouch!" every time her head hits that wall. "Why do you hit your head against the wall like that if it hurts?" someone asks. She responds, "Because it feels so good every time I stop."

(BTW, I'm a very well-educated blonde who enjoys blonde jokes, in case you couldn't figure that out from my reference.)

One more question before I open this up to comments: Is it Christian behavior to bash other Christians for their beliefs? (Answer: NO! Don't do it. I'm simply setting these ill-informed people straight.) I do moderate my comments, and any that come across as un-Christian will be deleted and/or publically called for such behavior. Comments made in a public forum are subject to correction and admonission in a public manner by myself and/or others on my behalf, as long as they are done in a Christian manner.

Let's go to the Carnival!

TK at Be Strong in the Grace is hosting Lutheran Carnival XIX. You've got to see all the wonderful entries. There are more submissions for this Carnival than there have been for any previous Carnival! Even some newbies have sent in their submissions. Go to it!

Thursday, March 09, 2006

"Roe v. Wade for Men"

On the news tonight was a report about a man who has struck a lawsuit to make Roe v. Wade apply not only to women, but also to men. Mr. Dubay said that his girlfriend told him that she was pregnant a couple of weeks after they broke up, and that he didn't want the child. She did, and used her parental rights to collect child support for their daughter.

You can read the story here. After you do (or before, whichever you choose, but it might help to have the full background), read my commentary below.

First of all, I don't believe that Roe v. Wade should ever have been passed. Here's why: In almost every case (excluding rape), a woman gets pregnant by doing something that she chose to do in the first place – SHE HAS SEX. Now, God instituted sex for a very important reason: procreation. So, unless you're ready to parent a child, you shouldn't be having sex in the first place. Forget the popular notion of relationship bonding or security. Sex does not equal commitment unless it is performed within the context of marriage (and even that is screwed up nowadays).

So, if sex is used in the way it is meant to be used, and is reserved for marriage, issues such as Roe v. Wade would not be issues at all.

Pregnancy and birth of children are gifts from God. When a woman becomes pregnant, God is using her body to bring forth a new creation. In other words, she should not have the choice of whether to keep or kill the child. This is not a "problem" that a woman or anyone else should feel compelled to "fix" by destroying the child. Pregnancy is a choice only insofaras the mother and the father had sex by choice and created a child as a result. Choice does not come into play after the child has already been conceived. Therefore, women should not have the "choice" to destroy the life growing within them, and neither should the men who father those children.

That being said, there is no reason that a man should be able to "opt out" of fatherhood. If you sew the seed, be ready to ready to reap what you have sewn. In other words, be ready to take care of a child if you decide to have sex, because that is one of the consequences.

The "equality" issue of men not being able to choose abortion over life is, in my view, a moot point, because I, and so many others like me, see Roe v. Wade as an abomination to God's Word and His creation.

The only time an abortion should be allowed is if the life of the mother is in danger of being lost. Other than that, if a mother finds herself unexpectedly pregnant (which shouldn't happen if she's having sex within the context of marriage), she should expect to carry the child to full-term and either raise the child herself with or without the help of the father, or give the child up for adoption.

Summary: If you do the crime, be prepared to do the time and pay the fine.

Scary, but interesting.

Mount Vesuvius is waking up. This volcano hasn't had a major eruption since the year 75 A.D., but that may soon be changing. If and when it does erupt, more than 600,000 people could be affected, and a great many of those could be killed.

According to one researcher, "Using a standard statistical test, there is more than a 50 percent chance that a violent eruption will happen at Vesuvius next year. With each year that goes by, the statistical probability increases."

HT: The Discovery Channel

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Rejected

It has been 7 1/2 months since I lost my job at the local newspaper, and I have been to several interviews, inquired about countless job possibilities, and been to about five career fairs and expos (another of which is this coming Tuesday, and still another next month), and all I have to show for these efforts is a stack of rejection letters. I'm starting to wonder if God wants me to work at all.

I got another job rejection letter in the mail today from a company that would have been ideal. Incredible benefits, tuition reimbursement, opportunities unmatched by any other company out there... gone.

Sometimes I feel as though I've lost the most important race of my life, like I'm a loser at a game I thought I was the best at playing. I have the education, but I'm too young to have all the experience these employers want, and without a chance, I will never get the experience they want.

Other issues press me, too. For example, the church my husband and I joined while we were still engaged more than four years ago has adopted a practice that goes against not just our consciences, but against what is taught in the Scriptures, and they do not feel that their spiritual lives will be or are negatively affected by this. My husband and I are among six people who are leaving this church because of that position. (I will post on this later.) So, we're driving an hour each way to go to a different church, where we know we will not have to put up a fight every Sunday.

Someone told us recently that they almost think of us in terms of the fight we've put up as being somewhat prophetic. "A prophet is not welcome in his own home." No job (for me. Ron still has a good job, of course), no local church to go to... But hopefully things will look up for us soon.

If I'm not meant to work, then that must mean that God has other plans for me. I'm going to keep trying, though, just in case the right job is still out there waiting for me. It took me two years to find the last job I had, but most of that was because I was going through major reconstructive foot surgeries and it took me six months to be able to walk again. There is no such excuse this time.

Please pray that our local congregation sees its errors and repents, and that whatever God's plan for my employment or lack thereof is fulfilled according to His Will.

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Concert Excitement Meets SciFi Blues

Either Thursday or Friday, I was listening to these crazy deejays come up with a contest in which callers could call in, and if one deejay hit another with a can of pop (or soda or whatever you call it) from the top of their radio building while that caller was on the phone, that caller won tickets to see Kid Rock in concert in Kansas City, MO, this coming Friday.

As it turns out, I was on the phone when said can hit the deejay, and I won the tickets! So yesterday, I was working on finding us a motel room that's far enough away from the concert not to be booked solid, on our way to and from Kansas City, and that was within our budget. I finally found one that works, and while Ron was watching Stargate SG1 on the SciFi channel, he said, "Oh, no! The season finalies are this Friday! You have to find out if that motel gets the SciFi channel." Of course, they don't, so he told me he wanted me to find a motel that gets SciFi.

I said, "I'm sure the only hotels or motels that get that channel are in downtown Kansas City, and they charge about $90 a night, at least. We're not paying that for one night. I'll just find someone to tape it for us."

"Who's going to tape three hours of SciFi for us?" he said. "We'll just try to leave the concert at 9:30 or 10:00 so we can get back to the motel and watch the repeats."

"Ron, the concert starts at 7:30," I retorted. "I really don't want to leave if the concert isn't over at 9:30 or 10:00. I'll just find someone to tape it for you. . . Trust me. I'll find someone. Maybe my parents or my sister and brother-in-law. They get the SciFi channel."

He still wasn't satisfied, but he was tired after having taken some cough medicine with codeine in it that I got him from our doctor, so he went to bed.

In the meantime, I stayed up to chat on Tabletalk (Confessional Lutheran chat room). While grumbling about my husband's obsession, I got a very generous offer from Webcritter, whose husband watches the very same SciFi shows. She said that she and her husband will tape the shows for Ron and mail the tape or DVD to us. That way, we can still enjoy the concert, and Ron will be able to see the television shows he so covets.

So, Web, if you're reading this, let me know if I can, at any time, return the favor. My husband's begging for a different motel has ceased, and he is very appreciative of your offer.

I'll give you all an update after the concert.