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Just say, “Thank-you.”
I can’t remember the source of the title of this post. I think it’s from an old movie. My husband and I use the phrase often. If one or another receives a compliment and bumbles for an appropriate response, if one of our dear children blesses us with a less than desirable token of his love, or sometimes just for fun and because it seems to fit. Just say, “Thank-you.” I was reminded of this line today when my husband brought me a lovely cup of freshly brewed coffee. I had already reheated and enjoyed the last of yesterday’s coffee, so I didn’t necessarily need more. But I can always drink…
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Unmerciful Servants: in Marriage and Life
By Mary Abrahamson Peter asked Jesus, “How many times do I have to forgive my brother?” Remember Jesus’ reply? Jesus answered with what is often called The Parable of the Unforgiving Servant, which we can read in Matthew 18:21-35. A servant owed his master a great debt. In the parable, these represent God (master), and us (servant), and the debt of sin under which we live and which separates us from God (the debt). The master forgave the great debt. God, of course, forgives us our very great debt of sin, every one of our sins, and even the innate sin of our natures. For Jesus’ sake. Continuing on in the parable,…
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An open letter on Marrying Young
I HAVE BEEN VERY HAPPY in my marriage, thank God. I have a faithful wife, according to Solomon: “The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her” (Prov. 31:11). She spoils nothing for me. Ah, dear Lord God, marriage is not something natural and physical; but it is a gift of God, the sweetest, nay, the most chaste life; it is above all celibacy. ~ Martin Luther To my niece I read on your wedding website this phrase, “We know we are pretty young… But…” This gave me pause and here’s why. I don’t know how old your intended is, but I do know you are almost twenty-three. Your…
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How do I help my son to stop hitting others?
Note: This question has been adapted from a different venue and used here with permission. Dear Sisters of Katie Luther, I have a 9 year old that wont stop hitting people! He doesn’t do it all the time. He only does it when people won’t stop what they are doing to him, after he repeatedly asks them to stop. Instead of walking away he hits. He also feels that when he tells a teachers they don’t do anything. Dear Sister, I’m going to start at the end of your question first. A sad truth of life in this sinful world is that there will always be someone trying to provoke…
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Psalm 6 Domine, ne in furore tuo arguas me
O Lord, rebuke me not in thy indignation, a Psalm of David The emotions of the Psalmist David are powerfully expressed. We can likely all recall times during which the weight of our sins is equally great. Right away in the first few verses God’s anger is referred to as hot displeasure. We can understand the troubled bones and soul that cry out for God’s help. O Lord, do not rebuke me in Your anger, Nor chasten me in Your hot displeasure. Have mercy on me, O Lord, for I am weak; O Lord, heal me, for my bones are troubled. My soul also is greatly troubled; But You, O Lord—how…