The Four Freedoms

This week is Thanksgiving Week. It's a unique American Holiday that celebrates the blessings we have in the United States. Last year in our homeschool I learned about Norman Rockwell and his famous paintings called The Four Freedoms. I was initially drawn to the painting called Freedom from Want -- it reminds me of Thanksgiving. Actually there are 4 paintings:

Freedom of Speech
Freedom of Religion
Freedom from Want
Freedom from Fear

The Four Freedoms were goals that President Franklin D. Roosevelt spoke in the State of the Union Address in 1942. It is often referred to as the Four Freedoms speech. Roosevelt listed four points as fundamental freedoms humans "everywhere in the world":

Freedom of speech and expression
Freedom of every person to worship God in his own way
Freedom from want
Freedom from fear

Norman Rockwell painted the series in 1943, during World War II. He completed the series in seven months. The Saturday Evening Post published them in 1943. As Thanksgiving approaches there is so much to be thankful for. I am incredibly blessed to be an American.

AWE

My pastor preached a message at church last weekend that resonated with me in a profound way. The message was based on Acts 2:42-47.

The Fellowship of the Believers

They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe, and many wonders and miraculous signs were done by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.

The title of his message was " Awe." Pastor's message talked about what often happens in church and described it as being WOW. That's not Women of Wittenberg, but rather WOW as in the music was great or the pastor had a good message or I really got something out the service. He described WOW as entertain me; give me what I want; make it big; MAN-ufacture it; something's going on around me; and we add.

He contrasted that with AWE. AWE means change me (redemption); give me what I need; GOD-breathed; something's happening TO and IN me; God adds.

Which brings me to The Fire and the Staff, Lutheran Theology in Practice. (http://www.cph.org/cphstore/product.asp?part_no=155060).


For the last 3 months I have been thinking about buying this book, but hesitated as it didn't fit into the budget. But today I got it. I spent 2 hours sipping coffee at the local Panera's as I skimmed through the book. It dealt directly with the issue at hand for me -- WOW vs AWE.

I love to read about theology (new development in the last few years) and Pastor Preus says I am a theologian because I am reading this 350+ page book on theology. In the beginning of the book is a short story about an old Norwegian woman (that could be me!) who loves to read her Bible and study books on Lutheran theology. She was asked why she does this and her reply was "Lebre er Liv" which means "Doctrine is life."

Happy Birthday Martin Luther

German reformer Martin Luther was born in Eisleben, Germany on November 10, 1483!

"Our faith is an astounding thing—astounding that I should believe him to be the Son of God who is suspended on the cross, whom I have never seen, with whom I have never become acquainted."

http://www.educ.msu.edu/homepages/laurence/reformation/Luther/Luther.htm

Worship

What is Worship?

I have attended church for as long as I can remember. I always went and it didn't feel right if Sunday morning didn't include church. I maintain that even more strongly today. For a variety of reasons I am on a quest to better understand what worship is. Since Lutheran is my church of choice, it is Lutheran worship I read about.

Worship is not as the dictionary defines it. For many worship means coming together with other Christians to sing praises to God and thank him for what He has done in our lives. In other words it's in one direction and that is the worshiper gives to God. There are numerous verses in the Bible which talk about our responding to God with praises, but that's not the primary 'thing' that occurs when you come to worship in a Lutheran church.

Worship in a Lutheran church is God GIVING the gift of forgiveness of sins and eternal life through the means He has set up. The means are Word and Sacrament. Within the worship service, called the Divine Service in some Lutheran congregations, are many places where God GIVES. And there is a place for the children of God to respond with thanks and praise.

Here's a wonderful 2 hour interview about The Myths of Worship:

Myths About Worship Part 1
Myths About Worship Part 2

On Being Lutheran

I am proud to be a Lutheran. I was blessed to be born into a Lutheran family, but it's only in recent years that I have understood what it means to be Lutheran in this evangelical society and often secular society we live in. I have had many stops along the way that have helped me in more fully understanding what it is I believe. I'm grateful to the people who believe(d) differently than me as they unknowningly spurred me on as we have engaged in lively email discussions. Sometimes the discussions go wrong, but I grow nevertheless!

Thanks to the Internet pastors who encourage me, preach to me, and teach me. I listen to them on the Internet. (Update: I can't listen to my favorite Lutheran radio show anymore because it was unexpectedly cancelled on Holy Tuesday!)

http://augsburg1530.wordpress.com/(Why did they cancel Issues Etc?????)

http://www.kfuoam.org/ (Used to be Lutheran radio at its best -- streams live on the Internet. You can still listen to Law and Gospel with Pastor Baker.

http://wittenbergmedia.org/ (Archives of Issues Etc programs)

http://www.whitehorseinn.org/ (4 Reformation pastors from different denominations)

The bloggers:

http://cyberbrethren.typepad.com/
http://www.extremetheology.com/
http://weedon.blogspot.com/
http://www.geneveith.com/

Summer 2008 Update: I can listen to all kinds of Lutheran radio now! Issues Etc has returned in a new and improved format. In addition I have now have Lutheran Public Radio. Check out this wonderful list for your listening pleasure:

http://www.piratechristianradio.com/
http://www.issuesetc.org/
http://www.fightingforthefaith.com/
http://www.godwhisperers.com/


Another new development is Brothers of John the Steadfast.

http://www.steadfastlutherans.org/


Now that I have an ipod, I can listen to Christ-centered, cross-focused 'radio' all day long.

WOW

WOW

The Women of Wittenberg

Desiring to learn about and help others understand Lutheran doctrine in this mixed up Christian world we live in.

Away We Go

Well....it's been 8 months and I have done nothing with this blog. Quite a bit has happened in that time.

First, Alex has returned to school and now attends Our Shepherd Lutheran School. It's been the right thing to do for him. Homeschooling was a great adventure and I'm glad we did it for 2 years. That has allowed me to return to active Bible study at church. I'm thrilled about that.

Second, I'm finding that I want to know more about what it means to be a Lutheran and have my eyes clearly focused on the Triune God -- Father, Son and Holy Spirit.

So my prayer is that my blogging this time will be to the Glory of God.