Ok, I said I would talk about Facebook. I talked to a lot of people before I started the blog. Since I had not done either, I needed input. Here is a summation of what I believe they told me. On Facebook there would be a lot of interaction, OR people would be expecting a lot of interaction and people would be posting messages much more frequently and maybe more colorfully and on random subjects. I think they told me that a blog was more for posting what was going on without much of the interaction or expected interaction and there was much less chance someone was going to post a colorful comment. That is why I decided to go with a blog vs. Facebook, I just don’t have time to be on reacting to comments as much as I see Deb, Sam, or Danielle. I also have people of all ages that I hope will be following me. At some point maybe all of this will change but right now I have only one job; pass this semester and be open to my spiritual growth in this loving community environment. My reality right now is that passing this semester means lots of homework and doing all extra workshops and study groups that I can because I don’t really know what it takes to succeed at graduate school since I have never done it. In fact, I have not succeeded at school of any kind for almost 30 years.  So, for those Facebook fans I am excited for you. For me, I hope you keep reading my blog as this is my best opportunity to let you know what is going on in my life at seminary.


We had a spiritual development presentation today about the way Martin Luther suggested to his barber, that he had known for 18 years, how to pray. His barber had asked him if he could tell him how to pray so Martin Luther being Martin Luther he wrote a long paper of about 34 pages on the way that he prays. It was interesting to listen to the thoughts that went through his mind. He was probably one of the most impactful people of the last 1000 years. He changed history while he was still alive. Not many are able to do this. Most of his prayer time focused on his Small Catechism. The best line was that he considered a sermon from the spirit worth 1000 of his prayers. He said in a sermon from the spirit he could learn more than reading and contemplating for many days. Of course a sermon from the spirit is God speaking to us when we are able to be quiet in our prayer time. I need to work on this part of my prayer life. I think I do well in my prayers, but it is mostly about me speaking to God about what I think is important. There goes that I word again. Sometimes I am sure God just looks at me and says “shut up, I have something to tell you”. I make Him work overtime on me when He could be helping someone else. This is one thing that my good friend SueAnn does better than anyone I have ever met. I aspire to listen to God as she does. Of course it is not surprising that He speaks to her as she is so open to what He has to say. I would like to think I am open to what He has to say, I just need to shut up so He can say it. Maybe it is time to take my own advice and shut this down for tonight.

I have not seen any favorite Bible verses yet.

In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. Romans 8:26 NIV