Homeschool tidbit

Something to keep in mind for those with little ones approaching first grade. Hopefully it'll be me in a few years. :) HT Ellen, via Tony Woodlief!

A day of preparation

Saturday was the Jewish day of rest. On Friday were preparations for the Sabbath. Should we not also, as Christians, use this day (Saturday) as our preparation to listen to God? For ears that are not paying attention will not hear what is spoken.

Confession is part of this. From a classic hymn:

Alas! my God! my sins are great,

My conscience doth upbraid me;

And now I find that at my strait

No man hath power to aid me.

And fled I hence, in my despair,

In some lone spot to hide me,

My griefs would still be with me there,

Thy hand still hold and guide me.

Nay, Thee I seek—I merit naught,

Yet pity and restore me;

Be not Thy wrath, just God, my lot,

Thy Son hath suffered for me.

If pain and woe must follow sin,

Then be my path still rougher,

Here spare me not; if Heaven I win,

On earth I gladly suffer.

But curb my heart, forgive my guilt,

Make Thou my patience firmer,

For they must miss the good Thou wilt,

Who at Thy teachings murmur.

Then deal with me as seems Thee best,

Thy grace will help me bear it,

If but at last I see Thy rest,

And with my Savior share it.

Soli Deo gloria.

A Lenten conundrum

At breakfast, while listening to an adjacent women's Bible study that happened to be on Psalm 149, I was struck by the fact, known to many, that "Praise the LORD" is equivalent to "Hallelujah" or "Alleluia." Yet we Lutherans (and other denominations) say farewell to Alleluia on Transfiguration Sunday. Are we thus forbidden from praising God during Lent?

I know that's not a simple question, but have at it, you theological types.

Update 3/7/10: Several Facebook friends have posted informative comments. Excerpts:

• "Instead the purpose of removing the alleluias is to promote a more reflective view of praise."
• "It isn't necessarily a time of sadness. But, it isn't a time the church has chosen to rejoice about our sins. Its a time to consider them. I personally don't know why we 'can't' say Alleluia, or why Hallelujah is verboten. I get happy when I think of what he'd done for me. BUT, it is good to remember what he has done, and that I needed Him to do it."
• "Now, as for the Alleluia thing... the point is not to keep you from praising, i.e. confessing God's work for you. In fact, the entire point of it IS to make a confession! In Lent, the Church Catholic refrains from alleluias in order to set aside this time for special reflection of how sinful we are. It is a time when the Church confesses her sin and the need for repentance. Also, consider this: by refraining from the alleluias now, it makes saying alleluia all the more significant during Easter, where the Church Catholic confesses the reason why we are no longer enslaved to sin and doomed to death."
• "Sometimes it is good, right and salutary to be sad and filled with sorrow! I certainly hope all of you feel sorrow when the Law crushes you and you feel the weight of your sin. For only if the Law crushes does the Gospel bring sweet relief."
• "I guess my point is this: praising = confessing; and one can make a pretty darn good confession simply by refraining from singing alleluias for forty days."

Good stuff! This is why I hang out with preseminary majors. :)

Quotes

HT Steve Martin at The Old Adam Lives! Some of my favorites (quotes attributed to Luther):

• Pray, and let God worry.
• There is not a word in the Bible which is extra cruem, which can be understood without reference to the cross.
• Do not suppose that abuses are eliminated by destroying the object which is abused. Men can go wrong with wine and women. Shall we prohibit and abolish women? The sun, moon, and stars have been worshipped [sic]. Shall we pluck them out of the sky?
• Grant that I may not pray alone with the mouth; help me that I may pray from the depths of my heart.
• In the worst temptations nothing can help us but faith that God's Son has put on flesh, is bone, sits at the right hand of the Father, and prays for us. There is no mightier comfort.
• One ought to love one's neighbour [sic] with a love as chaste as that of a bridegroom for his bride. In this case all faults are concealed and covered over and only the virtues are seen.

Soli Deo gloria.