Worship into the Week- O Give Thanks

 Worship into the Week-

 Thanksgiving Day

Luke 17: 11-19
Jesus Cleanses 10 Lepers
On the way to Jerusalem.
In that place called Samaria.
The unclean made clean.
We are all unclean.
We might think we would 
have been the one to return.

But, day in and day out-

we forget to give thanks.

What am I thankful for?

So many things.....

I have to keep a daily list.

Because I forget.....

just like that leper.

Thankful that Jesus has mercy on me.

Every Day. All Day.

And Tomorrow.

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Worship into the Week- Christ the King

Worship into the Week-

 Luke 23: 27-42

Christ the Ling Sunday

 Last Sunday of the Church Year

Truly, I say to you, 

today you will be 

with me in Paradise."

More hope for today's world 

than we can understand 

with our human capabilities.

Our lives are transformed 

because this changes everything.

Yes, Jesus died on the cross for me-redemption.

But, He also rose again-

and transformed both my earthly life

 and my heavenly promise.

We must never stop telling the truth

 of what Jesus has done for EACH of US.

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LCEF Leadership Conference

 Things in Texas are well-

 Texas style.

At the Marriott Marquis downtown.
Right across from Minute Maid stadium.
For the Nationals fans-
 we didn't win here- but we did win it all.

I don't know too much about football,

 but this Heisman Trophy winner was humble and

moving. 

The Leadership Conference always

 has great and inspiring speakers.

Kechi, an AGT Golden Buzzer standout

 was super. 

Then as we moved into the lobby,

 we were standing right by Kechi and her mom.

We were able to visit a minute 

and offer a prayer of blessing over them.

 Saturday evening was a fun experience 

to see the Houston Zoo lights.

Good to be together

 and see family and friends.

Serving together in the Kingdom.

Tim Tebow is a great story teller and presenter.

Encouraging to live with a Big God.

Once again - 

a blessing to be present at the 

Lutheran Church Extension Fund- 

Leadership Conference.

Worship into the Week- The Word Endures

Worship into the Week-

Luke 21:5-28

Jesus Foretells Destruction of the Temple

Jesus Foretells Wars and Persecution

Jesus Foretells Destruction of Jerusalem

The Coming of the Son of Man

These readings are hard to go through-

challenging, scary, and pointing

 to a really challenging future.

If not in our own generation, 

these predictions

 shadow one to come.

 "And then they will see the Son of Man

 coming in a cloud 

with power and great glory. 

Now when there things begin to take place, 

straighten up and raise your heads,

 because your redemption is drawing near."

Hope returns.

 Seeing Beyond 

what is right in front of me.

Added a tip-in because it goes along

 with the next section of Scripture-

The Lesson of the Fig Tree.

v. 31-"Truly, I say to you, this generation

 will not pass away until all has taken place. 

Heaven and earth will pass away, 
but my words

will not pass away." 

 Found a section of a Lutheran Witness article

 that connected these 2 sections with a bit of history.

 We rest on our Baptism promise, 

claimed and marked with His Word.

"Heaven and earth will pass away, 

but my words will not pass away."

This is from the One 

who must keep His promises.

The "end" of the church year-

also pulls back the curtain on the beginning

 of the waiting of "the coming."

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Galveston,Texas Takes

 Some great seafood in T

exas on Galveston Island.

Fun antique shops to poke around in too.

The one shop had interesting pieces

 of memorabilia history. 

There was a prostitution license issued to Rosita

 for $2.50 and sign by Marshall Wyatt Earp.

He issued multiple documents in 1876.

There are cool old buildings on 

The Strand in Galveston.

We had fun waving to all the cruisers on this 

Carnival cruise ship headed out on a journey.

 We also got a glimpse of Tall Ship Elissa.

Quite the contrast at almost the same pier

 for sailing on the ocean a century and half apart.

Galveston Historical Foundation brought ELISSA,
 an 1877 square-rigged iron barque, 
from a scrapyard in Piraeus Harbor, Greece 
to Galveston to begin restoration work in 1978.
 By 1982, GHF staff and volunteers completed restoration 
and transformed this rare, historic vessel into a floating museum 
that would actively sail. Today, the 1877 Tall Ship ELISSA 
is one of only three ships of her kind in the world
 to still actively sail and welcomes over 40,000 visitors annually. 

There are many great ocean houses to view
 on this beautiful island.
Even though we were there for a
record setting streak of cold, 
it was a wonderful couple days of respite.

The Bishop's Palace- Galveston, Texas

 The Bishop's Palace-

also known as Gresham's Castle,

is an ornate 19,082 square feet Victorian-style house, 

located on Broadway and 14th Street
in the East End Historic District of Galveston, Texas. 

The Gresham mansion was made all of stone, 

and was sturdy enough to withstand the great hurricane of 1900.

The Greshams welcomed hundreds of survivors 

of the hurricane into their home.

The house was built between 1887 and 1893 

by Galveston architect  Nicholas J. Clayton 

for lawyer and politician  Walter Grisham, his wife Josephine, 

and their nine children. 

In 1923 the Roman Catholic Diocese of Galveston 

purchased the house situated across the street 

from the Sacred Heart Church. 

It served as the residence for Bishop Christopher E. Byrne. 

After the diocesan offices were moved to Houston, 

the diocese opened the mansion to the public in 1963.

The home is estimated to have cost $250,000 at the time,

today its value is estimated at over $5.5 million.

The house is owned by the Galveston Historical Foundation 

and self-guided tours are available daily. 

The house has ornate woodwork and paneling,

beautiful stained glass windows, fireplaces and lighting.

Details and authenticity strike the visitor in this place,

as only the furnishings that can be traced to either the Greshams 

or Bishop Byrnes are currently in the house.

One of the former bedrooms for the Gresham's children

 was converted into a small chapel. 

Stain glass windows and the painted ceiling were added.

Even today a visit here makes it easy 

to see the opulence of a bygone era. 

Challenges today are roof repairs, and the upkeep

to preserve a very grand structure.

And Yes- we were really here.

Here is a bit about the original owner-

Colonel Gresham was a veteran of the Civil War. 

This excerpt was taken from his obituary in the November 7, 1920, 

Galveston Daily News:

"He attended a preparatory school in Carolina County, Virginia, Edge Hill Academy, and from there he attended the University of Virginia, receiving his bachelor of law degree in 1863. Before Colonel Gresham had completed his education, however, the war between the states broke out and he immediately enlisted in the confederate army, serving first with Jackson and later with Ewell. It was while convalescing from a wound that he received leave of absence to complete his university work. He was again in the field at the time of the surrender."

He was admitted to the bar in 1867 and commenced practice in Galveston, Texas. He served as district attorney for the Galveston judicial district in 1872, and Texas House of Representatives- 1886-1891. He was elected to Congress and served 1893-1895 ad then returned to law in Galveston, Texas. He died in Washington, DC in 1920.

Sacred Heart Church- Galveston, Texas

 Sacred Heart Church in

Galveston, Texas

on a beautiful November day.
This is the current structure on the site.

The Sacred Heart Parish was established on June 21, 1884 

when a division was due to the growth of population of Galveston 

and the east end of the city was assigned to the new parish. 

Initially the parish held Mass in the 

St. Mary's University Chapel until 1892.

On January 17, 1892 a new structure was dedicated. 

The new church was the largest in Texas at the time. 

The new church designed by architect Nicholas Clayton 

was very ornate and in a French Romanesque style. 

The life of this beautiful church building 

was short-lived as on September 8, 1900,

 Galveston was hit by a devastating hurricane 

and demolished the building.  

            The parish immediately set upon building a new church building 

and the current building was built. The present church building 

was designed by a Jesuit brother Name Jimenez 

with the corner stone laid on June 21, 1903 

by Bishop Gallagher and the church was consecrated 

on January 17, 1904. 

The church shows both Moorish and Byzantine influences

 and gives a wedding cake effect with fleur de lis 

and pineapple finials, stilted, Gothic 

and ogee arches and vertical and horizontal bands. 

View from the Bishop's House 

across the street- upper floor.
 
The 1915 storm destroyed the dome of the church 
and Nicholas Clayton designed the present onion-shaped
protuberance which graces the building today.  

The church has been restored following 
the damage it incurred during Hurricane Ike.

Worship in the Week- Hope NOW

Worship into the Week- HOPE NOW

Luke 20: 27-40

Jesus for the next Generation

 and the next Generation.

Christ is the HOPE NOW.

The Sadducees had come to Jesus

 with a question about the resurrection.

Basically about who is married

 to whom at the time of the resurrection.

But, it was a trick question, 

since they didn't believe in the resurrection.

Jesus said,

 "Now he is not God of the dead, 

but of the living, for all live to him."

 This week my dear mother-in-law- Florene Denninger

died at the age of 99, on November 12, 2019.

Half a year short of her century birthday celebration.

Now she rejoices in heaven, 

because we 

DO BELIEVE IN THE RESURRECTION.

I give thanks for faith of loved ones

 from one generation to the next.

 We lift up the hope of the Resurrection, 

because Jesus LIVES. Alleluia!

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Illuminated Bible

 The Lifeway Christian Bookstore 

closed near us recently.

 There are no more Christian bookstores

 in my normal driving radius anymore.

Bibles went on sale 

and I looked at many that interested me.

But, this beautiful one was 

the one that came home with me.

The Illuminated Bible- 

English Standard Version,

Art Journaling Edition.

As I sat down to read a section today, 

I came to one of my favorite verses.

Mark 8:36.

The pages are just beautiful.

Not really sure if I will add 

art processing in this Bible.

It is beautiful just the way it is-- 

will have to see.
That makes me think 
of a favorite song by Toby Mac-

"Lose My Soul"
(feat. Kirk Franklin, Mandisa)

Man I wanna tell y'all something, man.
Man I'm not gon' let these material things get in my way, y'all.
I'm tryna get somewhere.
I'm tryna get somewhere,
That's real and pure and true and eternal.

Toby, can you go with your boy
Let's go!

Father God, I am clay in your hands,
Help me to stay that way through all life's demands,
'Cause they chip and they nag and they pull at me,
And every little thing I make up my mind to be,
Like I'mma be a daddy who's in the mix,
And I'mma be a husband who stays legit,
And I pray that I'm an artist who rises above,
The road that is wide and filled with self love,
Everything that I see draws me,
Though it's only in you that I can truly see 

that it's a feast for the eyes- a low blow to purpose.
And I'm a little kid at a three-ring circus.

I don't wanna gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
Don't wanna walk away, let me hear the people say.
I don't wanna gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
Don't wanna walk away, let me hear the people say.

Mr. Franklin, step up to the mic, sir

Check it out,
The paparazzi flashes, and that they think that it's you,
But they don't know that who you are is not what you do,
True, we get it twisted when we peek at the charts,
Yo before we part from the start,
Where's your heart?
You a pimp, hustler?
Tell me what's your title,
America has no more stars, now we call them idols,
You sit idle while we teach prosperity,
The first thing to prosper should be inside of me.
We're free...
Not because of .22s on the range,
But Christ came in range, we said yes now we changed,
Not the same, even though I made a fall,
Since I got that call, no more Saul, now I'm Paul.

I don't wanna gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
Don't wanna walk away, let me hear the people say.
I don't wanna gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
Don't wanna walk away, let me hear the people say.
Don't wanna walk away,
Don't wanna walk away

Mandisa come on

How do I sense the tide that's rising?
De-sensitizing me from living in the light of eternity, eternity, watch me now
How do I sense the tide that's rising?
It's hypnotizing me from living in the light of eternity

Tell me how do I sense the tide that's rising?
De-sensitizing me from living in the light, living in the light of eternity.

Lord what we gonna do,
We're relying on you,
All eyes are on you Lord,
All eyes are on you, all eyes are on you Jesus.

I don't wanna gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
Light a candle y'all lift it higher y'all come on

I don't wanna gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
...man against the whole world and lose your soul
I don't wanna gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
Every ... now every ...
This is my honest plea, Father, won't you cover me.
Come on

I don't wanna gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
Don't wanna walk away, and all those people say
I don't wanna gain the whole world, and lose my soul,
Don't wanna lose, I don't wanna lose my soul.

Lord forgive us when we get consumed by the things of this world,
That fight for our love, and our passion,
As our eyes are open wide and on you.
Grant us the privilege of your world view,
And may your kingdom be what wakes us up and lays us down.

Hallelujah, hallelujah,
Don't wanna lose our soul,
No, don't wanna lose my soul.

Hey excuse me,
I'm looking for some dude named Toby.
Ha ha, yeah, last door on the left, you'll hear it.
Thanks,
No problem.

Don't let me lose my soul, I never wanna walk away,
I don't wanna lose my soul,
No, no, no.
Don't let me, don't let me, lose my soul,
I don't wanna walk away,
Don't let me walk away,

Don't let me lose, my soul,
I'm never gonna walk away.

AMEN.

Worship into the Week- Blessed

    Worship into the Week-

Matthew 5: 1-12

The Sermon on the Mount

5 Seeing the crowds, he went up on the mountain, 
and when he sat down, his disciples came to him.

The Beatitudes

2 And he opened his mouth and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 “Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.

5 “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.

6 “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
 for they shall be satisfied.

7 “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy.

8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.

9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.

10 “Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, 
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you 
and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 
12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, 
for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

  Some tough times for some 

loved ones right now.

Health challenges, farewells,

unknowns.

After I read over this section of Scripture,

 I sat back and closed my eyes

 and remembered sitting there along the Sea of Galilee.

 Perhaps on the very hill that Jesus spoke these words.

How close He seemed then,

How close His nearness with these words.

When we utter desperate pleas to be heard,

the Savior turns everything upside down.

What makes sense with our limited view lens-

gets replaced with a new kind of equation.

 And in all the mess--- "rejoice and be glad.

For your reward is great in heaven."

May this be the fuel for this journey.

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