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Thoughts on the Giving and Taking of Offense, and the Waxing Old of Bones
By Mary Abrahamson To most things in life there are two sides. So too with the issue of offense. Is it given or taken? (As a little disclaimer, I’m not talking here about Biblical giving of offense, as in causing another to sin or to stumble in his or her faith.) I’m writing here about the word offense as we use it today, in regular English. Most often when we say, “I’m offended,” we mean, “Someone made me mad or uncomfortable.” Mostly when we say, “I don’t want to cause offense,” we mean, “I don’t want anyone to be mad at me or uncomfortable because of what we say.” If…
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Sexual Abuse and Marriage
I am a new “convert” to the LCMS because of my marriage. I was raised Baptist, in a very strict home. My parents seemed intent on keeping ALL things sexual in nature from our home. Not a mention of it, not in movies, music, nothing. I rebelled a ton as a teenager and wound up being sexually abused by a couple of men, one of whom was double my age, when I was only 15. My husband, likewise, had several one night stands during a short phase in college. We never realized how these things affected our marriage until recently. Neither of us feels any palpable jealousy or upset over…
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Just say, “Thank-you.”
Homesick
Open Letter to My Non-Christian Family and Friends
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Christ the Life of All the Living
By Holly Scheer Christ, the Life of all the living, Christ, the Death of death, our foe, Who, Thyself for me once giving To the darkest depths of woe,– Through thy sufferings, death, and merit I eternal life inherit: Thousand, thousand thanks shall be, Dearest Jesus, unto Thee. Ernst C. Homburg, the author of this popular hymn, is credited as a popular author and poet of his time– and that initially he started out writing secular works and drinking songs. Hard times in his life and that of his wife brought him closer to the church and church music and he then became a prolific hymn writer. Many of these…
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On Contention, Love, and Feelings
By Holly Scheer Have you ever found yourself in a discussion that, when it turns heated, becomes more about feelings than facts? If so, you may have found it to be a frustrating experience. I know that I do. Most people don’t want to proceed when someone says that a certain line of argumentation is upsetting to them or is hurting their feelings. Our natural care for each other can cause us to pause and reflect at this moment. It’s never, ever a bad thing to think through thoroughly whether what you are saying in the moment is true, needful, and appropriate. Sisters, sometimes we have to speak hard words…
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Article XXII: Of Both Kinds in the Sacrament
Article XXII: Of Both Kinds in the Sacrament. 1] To the laity are given Both Kinds in the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, because this usage has the commandment of the Lord in Matt. 26:27: Drink ye all of it, 2] where Christ has manifestly commanded concerning the cup that all should drink. 3] And lest any man should craftily say that this refers only to priests, Paul in 1 Cor. 11:27 recites an example from which it appears that the whole congregation did use both kinds. 4] And this usage has long remained in the Church, nor is it known when, or by whose authority, it was changed; although…
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Luther’s Preface to the Small Catechism
Martin Luther to All Faithful and Godly Pastors and Preachers: Grace, Mercy, and Peace in Jesus Christ, our Lord. The deplorable, miserable condition which I discovered lately when I, too, was a visitor, has forced and urged me to prepare [publish] this Catechism, or Christian doctrine, in this small, plain, simple form. Mercy! Good God! what manifold misery I beheld! The common people, especially in the villages, have no knowledge whatever of Christian doctrine, and, alas! many pastors are altogether incapable and incompetent to teach [so much so, that one is ashamed to speak of it]. Nevertheless, all maintain that they are Christians, have been baptized and receive the [common]…
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Parent’s Guide to Bible History
By Mary Abrahamson A Parents’ Guide to beginning Catechesis or put more simply, How do I teach my small child about God? Part III Bible History Why do we teach our children Bible History? Why do we get them Bible Story books with nice illustrations? Why do we buy those picture books portraying the more well-known stories from the Bible? Good questions. And for the basic, “Why?” many would not have a ready answer. Others might have a wrong answer. I’ve observed two primary notions or focus in the teaching and presenting of Bible History among Christians today that are wrong. Yes, there are wrong reasons to teach Bible…
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Katie’s Bookshelf- Ann Voskamp and 1000 Gifts
Life’s busy, really too busy to waste time on bad books, and The Sisters of Katie Luther are here to help! Feel free to eavesdrop on Sandra Ostapowich, Holly Scheer, Tabitha Moldenhauer, Annie Riley, and Ellie Corrow as they use technology available to regularly e-chat about books we’ve chosen to read and discuss together. These reviews are informal, probably slightly snarky, but always informative, and designed to help you determine what is worth your consideration. Pull up a chair, a cup of tea, or something else, if you prefer, and help yourself to our conclusions, as we explore what is on offer. Our book this time is One Thousand Gifts:…
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On Queens and Vocation
By Amanda Markel Today, September 9th, 2015, Queen Elizabeth II surpasses Queen Victoria’s record as the longest-reigning monarch in British history. Why should we, as Americans who have no queen, or as Lutherans, who do not answer to the head of the Church of England, pay attention to this, or care about it at all? Does it even matter to us? I think it matters a great deal. Why? Because the Queen, more than any other modern person I can think of, not only understands the concept of Christian vocation, but lives it out fully, every day of her life. To see where this understanding of vocation comes…
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Renewing My Love for the Confessions
By Holly Scheer Every weekend here at the Sisters I post excepts from the Lutheran Confessions. I do this to try to encourage others to read the Confessions, as often as they are able. The site I source from is //bookofconcord.org/. If you’ve never taken the time to poke around it I highly suggest you do– it’s filled with good Lutheran resources on the Confessions, the Bible, church history, and Lutheranism in general. I’m a millenial. I’m comfortable and at home online. Having the Confessions at my fingertips, whereever I go, is really valuable. The ability to look up specific passages that I remember but want to quote accurately has really…
