Veterans Day

 “You are welcome.”

 We celebrated Veterans Day yesterday and enjoyed some free offerings from area businesses. We got “The Works” from Tommy’s Car Wash, a haircut coupon from Great Clips, wings and fries from Buffalo Wild Wings, and preferred parking and a 10% discount from Lowes. These gifts typically include the words “Thank you for your service.” To which I responded,

“You are welcome.”

I come from a family of vets. My father, Uncle Bill Braunius (survivor of the Normandy invasion), Uncle Norm Jonkman, and Uncle Bill Sharp served in World War II. My brother Roy and I were in the Naval Reserve and each on active duty for 2 years during the Vietnam era.

Our service was in response to a commitment as citizens of the United States. While I cannot speak for other family members, we can be proud of our service to this country. It is a place where we have freedom to acknowledge a history that proclaims, “We the people,” “In God we trust,” and “that all men (and women) are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

This is not to say that I am proud of everything about our country. I lament slavery, racial discrimination, and the relocation of indigenous peoples. I grieve over the government’s position on abortion. And, I am frustrated by authoritarian political leaders who govern by deceit, lies, and manipulation.

Yet, “this land is your land, and this land is my land.” I thank God for our country and continue to consider it a privilege to have defended it. We are the “land of the free and the home of the brave.” While, not a perfect country, I think that we are better than most. There is no place where I would rather be. The freedoms that we enjoy are because of those who serve and have served. So, it is fitting that we express appreciation to our veterans, and when the words “Thank you for your service” come my way I say,

“You are welcome.”

Trees

Trees are around us all year long, but the Fall is a season of special splendor. In the Winter, we pretty much ignore most of these brown stick-like figures. In Spring, we welcome back their emerging blossoms and bright green leaves. During Summer, we think more about the shade that they provide than the trees themselves. But in Fall, as if not being able to tolerate passivity any longer, we are forced to acknowledge their brilliance as they pop into bright yellows, oranges, and reds.

Acknowledging this awakened brilliance, many Michiganders take to the roads to “ooh” and “ah” over this wardrobe change. We call these road trips “color tours.”

Marlene and I recently took our color tour up to the Harbor Springs, Michigan area for a drive along route M-119, also called the “Tunnel of Trees.” Focusing on these beauties opened up a compartment in my brain where tree memories are stored. So, here are a few of my cranial memories. I think psychologists call this cluster of thoughts a “schema.” The following are excerpts from my schema on trees as they were organized in my head. Click on the titles to link with the full text.

The first was Joyce Kilmer’s poem, “Trees.”

“I think that I shall never see/A poem lovely as a tree…

Poems are made by fools like me, 

But only God can make a tree.”

Then came words from a picture book by Shel Silverstein called “The Giving Tree.”

"Once there was a tree and she loved a little boy. and every day the boy would come and he would gather her leaves and make them into crowns and play king of the forest..." 

After that, the “Tree Song” by musician Ken Medema came to mind.

“I saw a tree by the riverside/One day as I walked along,/Straight as an arrow,/And pointing to the sky,/Growing tall and strong./ ‘How do you grow so tall and strong?’/ I said to the riverside tree./ This is the song my tree friend sang to me…”

The “Tree Song” led my thoughts to a biblical song, Psalm 1, where a righteous person is compared to a healthy tree.

“Blessed is the one (vs.1)…

whose delight is in the law of the Lord (vs. 2)…

That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,

which yields its fruit in season (vs. 3).”

The words of Christ also came to mind.

“So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit” (Matthew 7:17).

Thinking further, I am finding trees throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation. For example, the Tree of Life appears in Genesis, Proverbs, and Revelation and at least 19 Bible books have references to trees.

Finally, I started brainstorming about the many functions of the trees that are all around us. Trees are:

bearers of blossoms and fruit,

changed into fossil fuels,

chopped into firewood,

converted into treehouses,

cut into lumber,

designed to be climbed,

made into furniture,

preservers of soil,

preventers of erosion,

providers of oxygen,

contributors of pulp for paper,

nests for the birds,

sources of maple syrup,

supporters of wildlife, and

symbols of Christmas.

While the above “tree-mendous” thoughts have “branched out” in a number of different directions, they point to the wonderful role of trees in teaching us about life. They remind us of beauty, service to others, nourishment, strength, and righteousness. They are icons of nature that God uses to tell us about himself and how we should be rooted, grow, and bear fruit.

*******************************************

The tree-related images in this blog are as follows.

--Michigan’s tunnel of trees

--A view of our house with trees in the background (7^th house from the left)

--Tree of Life by Joel Schoon Tanis in atrium of Fellowship Reformed Church, Holland, Michigan

--Cartoon about supporting and being supported by trees

Connecting Rods and Self-maintenance

“He who is without oil, shall throw the first rod” is a saying found on t-shirts and car repair shop signs. Car people understand. It says, check your oil lest your crankcase become dry and a piston rod seize up and you blow the engine.

In continuing to attend a five-week church education class on mental health, I have become increasingly aware of the importance of self-care. Not paying attention to our own mental health is like not maintaining a car’s oil level. Something is likely to be blown or thrown.

Marlene and I, almost daily, have breakfast and devotions overlooking Lake Michigan at Holland State Park and in the afternoon have coffee at Windmill Island Gardens. We are not sure if this is the best use of our time and resources and wonder about the long-term effect of too many donuts and muffins. To help us feel better about this indulgence, we occasionally say, “It’s cheaper than a therapist.”

Coffee and donuts is one of our mechanisms for maintaining mental health and coping with life-challenges. It keeps us from “running out of oil.” There are other things that can also be done to enrich personal health. We work on these as well, sometimes more successfully than others. Here is a list. Please note. I am not a mental health professional and can only say that these make sense to me, from my own unique and, admittedly, sometimes quirky perspective. Some of these ideas come from the website, www.therapistaid.com.

Exercise. Only do the kind of exercise that you enjoy. The key word is “enjoy.” You will not stay with activities that are not fun for you. Exercise for me is walking while listening to mystery-action audiobooks, using an elliptical machine, triking (biking), and most recently, pickleball. Other exercise options could include exercise videos, running, spiritual exercise (e.g., 1 Timothy 4:8), swimming, weightlifting, or yoga. Pick what is right for you.

Be sociable. For us, this means getting together with our kids and grandkids, with a church small group, and attending adult church education classes. We often have a Friday night meal with our kids and grandkids. Being with family and friends is somehow invigorating. Other examples of healthful group experience can involve things like organizing a group dinner, calling or texting a friend, playing a board or card game, attending a concert or football game, and joining a class or club or group. Isolation is often associated with depression. So it can also be worth participating in a social experience even when we may not feel like it.

Have projects. Some projects are more fun than others. We try for those that intrigue, satisfy, bring joy, and are fulfilling. For example, Marlene enjoys gardening, but gardening makes me depressed. Instead, I like planning trips, writing research proposals (strange, hey?), and fixing things. I just finished restoring a garden lighthouse and am now looking for the next broken or deteriorated thing to redeem. It might be a windmill. Other projects could include home maintenance, car restoration, sewing, or quilting.

Develop special interests. I have three “go-to” areas of special interest: computers, cruises, and cooking. When we go to Sam’s Club, the computer department is always my first stop. We average one cruise a year. I subscribe to cruise podcasts and several news feeds. Marlene and I discuss meal preparation daily because we both like to cook. I specialize in chili, ribs, and flaming desserts, and my culinary equipment includes pressure cookers, cast aluminum and iron cookware, sou vie, and induction cooking. Marlene creates incredible crème brules, sausage biscuits, birthday cakes, and so much more. Examples of other interests are art,  Bible memory, church activities, coaching or mentoring, collecting antiques, hiking, meditation, music, pets, or professional development.

Serve others. We like to invest in friends and family. The words of Jesus as quoted by Paul are, “It is more blessed to give than receive” (Acts 20:25). Serving was a characteristic of the early church and should be for us as well. We look for ways to support family members, serve as volunteers in a citizenship class, and coordinate a Fellowship Group (small group). Marlene fixes meals for friends and neighbors who are ill. I trike with a friend who uses a handcycle. Churches and community organizations abound with service opportunities. The key is to participate in ways that affirm one’s gifts, abilities, interests, and strengths, rather than draining our energy, bringing unhealthy stress, and causing us to feel that we are being used or even abused.

I began this post with a saying about car maintenance. “He who is without oil, shall throw the first rod.” This is actually an adaptation of John 8:7, “Let he or she who is without sin throw the first stone.” One of the truths underlying these quotes about “throwing a rod” and “throwing a stone” is that we ought to spend more time focusing on maintaining our mental and spiritual health than neglecting self and criticizing others. This self-maintenance for me includes exercise, being social, having projects and special interests, and serving others. How about you?

Nutty as a Fruitcake

 A pastor once said to me, “I’m not taking any of those personality tests. I’m afraid that they would find that I’m as nutty as a fruitcake.” And, when I was coordinating a church-based seminary extension program in Boca Raton, Florida; the Director of the Counseling Center and I had a weekly lunch meeting. He always liked it when I would come to the waiting room of the Counseling Center to meet him. He wanted clients to see a church staff member in his facility.

Even though these experiences took place some years ago, they illustrate what is still a prevailing reluctance by many to talk about mental health.

Marlene and I attended a class on mental health this past Sunday at Fellowship Reformed Church. The attendance was smaller than it should have been, and I was the only male in the room. It is unfortunate that so many missed this helpful session. Maybe the fear of being thought of “as nutty as a fruitcake” remains. Now, for those who are brave enough to read on, following is a summary of some of the main concepts that I appreciated from the class.

Exercise: People who exercise regularly tend to be more resistant to many mental illness-related challenges including depression, anxiety, substance abuse, bulimia, Alzheimer’s, sleep difficulties, stress, low energy, and self-esteem. A beginning exercise plan of walking as little as 30 minutes 3 times a week can make a difference.

Sleep: Set a regular schedule; avoid caffeine, alcohol, and nicotine; avoid too much napping; exercise regularly; and avoid big meals for two hours before bedtime.

Boundaries: Establish personal boundaries. Types of boundaries that each of us should set and protect include the following:

--physical: personal space and touch

--intellectual: thoughts and ideas

--emotional: feelings and emotions

--sexual: touch, comments, mutual respect

--material: money and possessions

--time: amount of time spent in work, relationships, hobbies, etc.

Several Bible passages were also shared including these:

Psalm 34:8, “Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.”

Psalm 139:14, “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made.”

Luke 10:25-37, Parable of the Good Samaritan.

Reflecting on the above class notes, I think that we tend to be more careful about our physical health than our mental health. However, the two are connected and may vary from person to person. Let us find ways to, as Lester Holt says when closing the NBC nightly news, “Take care of yourself and each other.” Please contact me if you would like handout sheets on any of the above topics.

Lessons from Triking

I am a “triker.” But not just any kind of “triker;” I am a “recumbent triker.” To be even more specific, I ride a TerraTrike Rambler. It is tangerine-colored, tadpole style, 16 speed, 43 pounds, 24” front and 26” rear wheeled, pedal-propelled vehicle. Marlene rides a TerraTrike Rover, blue, 24” wheels, with Bafang pedal e-assist. We haul the trikes around in our Honda Odyssey minivan.

The pictures are of recent trike experiences. One is of Marlene and me with our son Stephen and his wife Lisa, and the other is with a friend, Vern Sterk.

I have been triking for about two years, long enough to have learned a few things along the way. Many of the lessons learned may be similar to those of conventional bikers, but some are unique to triking. [Check Google.] There are a lot of sites with “lessons from biking,” but not many are on triking. So here are a few of my observations.

HEADS UP. Keep alert and be on guard. Triking forces me to concentrate on what is going on around me. Since trikes are low to the ground, even with headlights, taillights, and a flag, they can be invisible, especially to distracted drivers. Life lesson. We all should travel assertively on our journeys through life, watching out for fellow travelers who are dangerous, while smiling and waving at the others.

 SET MY OWN PACE, SCHEDULE, AND ROUTE. Triking does not have to be primarily about speed, distance, or destination; but, rather, the simple joy of being able to ride. There are days with blustery winds and cold weather when it is difficult to ride; therefore, when I can, I ride in my own way. Life lesson. Normalcy, in life and on a trike, has its up-hills and down-hills, headwinds and tailwinds, rain and sunshine. All are part of the journey and all have their own challenges and should also have their own celebrations.

 HAVE A SUPPORT PERSON OR NETWORK. So many things can challenge the triker, including accidents, mechanical breakdowns, threatening dogs, and flat tires. I always carry a cell phone and ask Marlene to keep her phone nearby so that I can contact her if help is needed. Life lesson. Never go it alone. Love and be loved. Cultivate supportive relationships.

 STAY CLOSE TO OTHERS. When triking with others, stay close, but not so close that your wheels get tangled; just close enough to talk or at least call out to one another. Part of savoring the ride is to enjoy one another during the ride. Sharing in the ride multiplies its pleasure and provides a common connection for future experiences. Life lesson. By being with another person or with others, we are able to give and receive constructive feedback in order to improve our future journeys together. Pedaling is not the only reciprocal part of riding. Reciprocal interaction with one another helps to determine the best pacing, distances, break times, sightings, and other shared experiences.

 DIFFERENT SPOKES FOR DIFFERENT FOLKS. Put yourself in the other person’s pedals. One of the beauties of triking is that there are so many styles of trikes, from those that are low, light weight, and built for speed, to those that are the heavier, more upright comfort-cruisers, to those that provide support for persons with physical limitations. Two or three times a week, I ride with my friend Vern Sterk. He had a bike accident about four years ago that caused a spinal cord injury and paralysis. He now pedals a hand cycle. Life lesson. While he and I are not going to beat any speed or distance records, the rewards of triking together include the privilege of supporting a friend, having stimulating conversations, and enjoying life as a shared journey.

So, here they are, lessons from triking:

--Keep alert and on guard

--Set your own pace

--Cultivate a support network

--Stay close to those you care about and who care about you

--Put yourself in another person’s pedals (life).

These lessons remind me of two Bible passages: “Love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31) and ^“Carry each other’s burdens…” and “each one should carry their own load” (Galatians 6:2,5).

The above text is my beginning summary of “lessons.” Are there lessons that you would add from your experiences in biking or triking?

Story Sharing Circle

Marlene and I are planning to start a Story Sharing Circle this Fall at Fellowship Church, Holland, MI. Friends in West Michigan are invited to join this group that will meet to share life-related stories. The stories are written and spoken for the purpose of learning from each other’s journeys, experiencing community, and gaining spiritual insights that are connected to the Biblical story.

The format for each meetings includes the following components.
--Bible or inspirational story by facilitator or group member (5-10 minutes)
--One-on-one story sharing in answer to a question posed by the group facilitator (5-10 minutes)
--Reading or telling by one or two individuals of their story(ies) to the group (10-20 minutes)
--Affirming, encouraging, empathizing response by group members (5-10 minutes)
--Prayer by facilitator or group member

Participants have freedom to choose their own topics. Stories that are shared may cover any area of life-experience that the narrator is willing to share, from describing single events to reflecting on a life-journey to sharing spiritual convictions.

Examples of starter questions include:
--Memories that you would like to share about your family
--Work and education experiences
--A time when you felt especially powerful or powerless
--Innovations and inventions that have made the biggest impact on your life
--Difficult experiences you have had, and what you have learned from them
--Changes you have seen in churches over the years
--A deeply moving spiritual experience that you have had
--What you would like your children, grandchildren, and future generations to remember about you

The group will function according to these guidelines.
1. Everyone is asked to share a story with up to two people sharing at a single meeting. Anyone may delay sharing until they feel ready. Story content may range from lighthearted to serious and sobering.
2. Participants listen to one another’s stories deeply, empathetically, non-judgmentally, and respectfully. The intent is to accept, understand, and encourage; not to advise, fix, solve or direct.
3. What is said in the circle stays in the circle and will not be passed on to others without explicit permission.
4. Stories may be up to 20 minutes long. They are timed with a “one minute left” indication given to presentations approaching the time limit.
5. Stories are scheduled in advance, written for a specific meeting, and read aloud to the group.
6. After a story, one of the facilitators will coordinate a brief time of group affirmation, connectivity, and blessing.

Marlene and I have recently published our own stories. Burt’s are in a book entitled My Stories of a Road Less Traveled and Marlene’s book is Joy in the Journey. These were done through StoryWorth (storyworth.com), a web-based, life-story sharing site. Writing our stories has helped us realize afresh the many ways that our lives have been blessed and the unique ways that God’s grace has been experienced, often through the most unlikely events and individuals. We look forward to sharing some of our stories and enjoying the stories of others.

If you are in the West Michigan area and interested in participating in the upcoming meetings of the Story Sharing Circle, please contact me for specific information about meeting times and dates. I wonder if there may be interest by friends who are in locations outside of our area to participate in a Story Sharing Circle remotely through video conferencing by means of Zoom or Skype.

Blog: https://bloggerburt.blogspot.com/

Travel

One of our favorite books is by Dr. Seuss, Oh, the Places You’ll Go! The first page says, “You’re off to Great Places! You’re off and away!” We have had the privilege of being off and away to many great places and, Lord willing, we are hoping for more. Our travels usually fit into one of three main categories: overnight get-a-ways (e.g., Shipshewana), road trips (e.g., Route 66), and cruises (anywhere).

Last week’s get-a-way was to Shipshewana, Indiana where we stayed at the Blue Gate Inn. It is one of our favorites, with great breakfasts that include omelets to order and a full buffet. The hotel is next to the Blue Gate Performing Arts Center where we enjoyed a Mark Lowery concert.

This week I am thinking about and continuing to plan possible future travels. We make these plans tentatively and hang on to them loosely. I have as much fun planning as I do with the experiences themselves. So, if a trip does not work, it is okay because we have enjoyed the planning.

There are expressions or maxims related to travel that we have discovered over the years. For example, on a past cruise, the ship had floor mats in the elevators with sayings about travel. Here are some of them.

   Those that travel far know much.

   There are seven seas but infinite possibilities.

   It's not just where you look, it's what you see.

   A great voyage is a journey that never ends.

   Until you've traveled, you haven't lived.

   Even the shortest journey expands the world.

   Whatever you pack, there's always room for memories.

   Measure a journey by the friends you discover.

   No matter what happens, travel gives you a story to tell.

   The value of travel is the baggage you leave behind.

   You return from a trip, but not from a true journey.

Reflecting on the above sayings brings to mind Bible verses that are relevant for planning future journeys.

“The Lord himself will go before you. He will be with you; He will not leave you or forget you. Don’t be afraid and don’t worry” (Deuteronomy 31:8).

“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path” Psalm 119:105).

“For He will command His angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways” (Psalm 91:11).

“The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore” (Psalm 121:8).

“If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me” (Psalm 139:9-10).

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring… you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-16

To all who are reading this post, whether new or seasoned travelers, I share the following blessing over you and your travels, often referred to as the “Irish Blessing.”

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields, and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.

Blog: https://bloggerburt.blogspot.com/

Evening Prayers

 

I intended to write just one blog about prayer. However, the response from my siblings to that blog has given me reason for further reflection. Roy commented about “someone” getting a detention in the Eastern Christian High School class of ‘65 for praying, “Lord, bless this bunch as we munch on our lunch."

Helen suggested that I write about a nighttime prayer that we said as children:

“Now I lay me down to sleep,
I pray the Lord my soul to keep.
If I should die before I wake,
I pray the Lord my soul to take.”

I remember praying this “Now I lay me…” prayer at bedside on my knees as a child. I wonder if children are still being taught this prayer. I am curious to know if there are adults who continue to use this prayer. I want to take a few moments to reflect on the prayer and the idea of ending the day with a prayer.

The prayer, “Now I lay me down to sleep…,” became popular after being included in the New England Primer. This was one of the first reading textbooks of the American colonies and was published at around 1690 AD. Other similar rhyming prayers are recorded in German and English literature in the early 1600’s and even as far back as 1100 AD.

The prayer appears to have emerged from Scripture and the context of the times. Psalm 4:8 is thought to be the basis for part of the prayer. “In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.” The time period when the prayer was written included a high infant mortality rate which provided a good reason for children, and their parents, to pray, “If I should die before I wake.” Even in the 1800’s, the child mortality rate was 462.9 per 1,000 or 46%. This is in dramatic contrast to the 2020 rate of seven deaths per thousand.

https://www.statista.com/statistics/1041693/united-states-all-time-child-mortality-rate/

Evening prayers have never been limited to children. There are examples of evening prayers (as well as morning prayers) throughout church history. These are formally referred to as Vespers, Evensong, or as a part of Liturgy of the Hours. Most of these are fairly long (long enough to put this feeble writer to sleep). Here are a few prayers, or excerpts of prayers.

Watch, O Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep tonight,
and give Your Angels and Saints charge over those who sleep.
Tend Your sick ones, O Lord Christ.
Rest Your weary ones.
Bless Your dying ones.
Soothe Your suffering ones.
Pity Your afflicted ones.
Shield Your joyous ones.
And all for Your love's sake. Amen.
A prayer of Augustine, 354-430 AD, https://www.beliefnet.com/prayers/catholic/bedtime/watch-o-lord.aspx

I adore You, my God, and I love You with all my heart. I thank you for having created me, for having made me a Christian, and for having preserved me this day. Pardon me for the evil I have done today. If I have done anything good, be pleased to accept it. Protect me while I take my rest and deliver me from all dangers. May your grace be always with me. Amen.  
A Catholic prayer, https://www.ourcatholicprayers.com/evening-prayers.html

I thank You, my heavenly Father, through Jesus Christ, Your dear Son, that You have graciously kept me this day; and I pray that You would forgive me all my sins where I have done wrong, and graciously keep me this night. For into Your hands I commend myself, my body and soul, and all things. Let Your holy angel be with me, that the evil foe may have no power over me. Amen.
A Lutheran prayer, https://catechism.cph.org/en/daily-prayers.html

Lord God,
Since Thou hast made the night for man to rest as Thou hast created the day for his work, I beseech Thee to give my body a restful night and to grant that my soul may be lifted up to Thee and my heart always filled with Thy love.
Teach me, O God, to entrust all my cares to Thee and constantly remember Thy mercy, so that my soul may enjoy spiritual rest…
Grant, O God, that just as now Thou hast hid all things in the shadows of the night, Thou wilt also bury my sins in Thy mercy, through Jesus Christ my Savior. Amen.”
A prayer of John Calvin, https://tollelege.net/2011/04/25/an-evening-prayer-by-john-calvin/

The above prayers, childhood and adult, include a variety of meditative ways to approach the night. My own pattern involves meditating on selected Bible passages before going to sleep and reflecting on memories of these verses when waking during the night. I currently am drawing from fourteen passages. The following are especially meaningful to me as a way of entering the hours of evening sleep.

Matthew 6:9-13, Luke 11:2-4, The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Ephesians 3:16-21
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord's holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge---that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.

Hebrews 13:20-21
Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

I close this post in wishing you eventide blessings. Whether you enter into the night with a simple, “Now I lay me down to sleep…” or a more theologically sophisticated prayer like that of Augustine saying, “Watch, O Lord, with those who wake, or watch, or weep tonight…;” I pray that…
“The Lord bless you and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you;
the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.”
Numbers 5:24-26

 

 

Prayer Before Meals

There is a unique prayer that caught my attention. We were watching the movie, Sister Act (1992), starring Whoopi Goldberg as Sister Mary Clarence. She prays, “Bless us, oh Lord, for these thine gifts which we are about to receive. And uh... yeh, Lord, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of no food, I shall fear no hunger. We want you to give us our day of daily bread. And to the republic for which it stands. By the powers vested in me, I pronounce us ready to eat. Amen.”

I come from a tradition of offering prayers before meals. As a child, we recited, “Dear Lord, bless this food and drink, for Jesus’ sake, Amen.” When in Bible college I learned that one of the reasons for offering thanks (or grace) before meals is because Jesus did so in the Gospels. In Matthew 14:19, for example, it says, “He gave thanks and broke the loaves.” And, in Matthew 26:26, we are told, “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, and broke it.” 

Marlene and I continue the practice of prayer before meals. We generally take turns praying. Whoever fixes the meal, offers the prayer. I admit that I am not always prepared or have not thought through what I am going to say in the prayer. This lack of preparedness has led me to seek out prayers-before-meals that are offered by different Christian groups and to learn from them. Following are representative prayers. Since these are prayers from the distant past, they use some terms that seem archaic today. These include Thy, Thee, Thou, givest, and openest. Most of the sources for these prayers are internet-based and are noted at the end of this post.

"Bless us, O Lord, and these, Thy gifts, which we are about to receive from Thy bounty. Through Christ, our Lord. Amen." (Preceded and followed by the Sign of the Cross.) Latin Catholic

"The eyes of all wait upon Thee, O Lord, and Thou givest them their meat in due season; Thou openest Thine hand and satisfies the desire of every living thing. Our Father... Lord God, Heavenly Father, bless us and these Thy gifts which we receive from Thy bountiful goodness, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen." Luther's Blessing and Thanks at Meals

"Come, Lord Jesus, be our Guest, and let Thy/these gifts to us be blessed. Amen." Lutheran

"Be present at our table, Lord. Be here and everywhere adored. These mercies bless and grant that we may feast in fellowship with Thee. Amen." Methodist/Wesleyan

"Come, Lord Jesus, our Guest to be and bless these gifts bestowed by Thee. Amen" Moravian

"Come, Lord Jesus, be our Guest, let this food of ours be blessed. Amen." Australian (any denomination)

"For what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly thankful/grateful. Amen." Church of England

"Our Father, for this day, for our friends, for this food, we thank Thee. Amen." Used at some YMCA summer camps

"Gracious God, we have sinned against Thee and are unworthy of Thy mercy; pardon our sins, and bless these mercies for our use, and help us to eat and drink to Thy glory, for Christ’s sake. Amen." Presbyterian

“Almighty God, faithful Father, you have made the world and uphold it by your powerful Word. You provided Israel in the desert with food from on high. Also bless us, your humble servants, and renew our strength by these gifts, which, through our Lord Jesus Christ, we have received from your bountiful, fatherly hand. Give that we may use them in moderation. Help us to put them to use in a life devoted to you and your service, for we do acknowledge that you are our Father and the Source of all good things. Grant also that at all times we may long for the lasting food of your Word. May we so be nourished to everlasting life, which you have prepared for us by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Savior. In his name we pray. Amen.” Canadian and American Reformed

Based on the above, I have written my own prayer before a meal, and it looks like this:

“Bless us, Lord, and these the gifts that you have so generously and graciously given. May we show moderation in our eating and drinking and extravagance in our love and spiritual service. Forgive us our sins and help us to live with joy and thanksgiving through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.”

The above prayers are reminders of our dependence on God, his faithfulness to us, the many ways that he blesses his people, and that we are to give him glory and praise continually. I have enjoyed reflecting on the above prayers and hope that you have as well. May God help us to honor him with our prayers before meals.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grace_(prayer)

https://canrc.org/prayers/7/a-prayer-before-meals

 

Basic English Language Learning

 

B.E.L.L. was the name given to the program that Marlene and I developed for teaching a Basic English Language Learning. It was a ministry of LifeQuest Church to Vietnamese, Cambodian, Bhutanese, Hispanic and other employees of a company in Zeeland, Michigan called Integrated Fabric Resources. We have been asked to provide an overview of BELL for a group from another church. This blog is a summary of my part of the presentation.  

Most of the resources that we developed are available on the BELL web site and its companion site Bells and Whistles. https://sites.google.com/view/english-language-learning/home, https://sites.google.com/view/bellsandwhistles/supplemental-resources

The goal of BELL was to provide training, supervision, and resources for mentors who are helping beginning English language learners. BELL mentors established relationships and support, conducted informal assessments, and provided beginning English tutoring. It was not a formal English learning program. The amount of one-on-one time spent was about an hour a week; most participants did not do homework and outcomes were not measured.  

The remainder of this page summarizes resources that I (Burt Braunius) found especially helpful as an educator who is not a literacy specialist.

ABC English: Books One and Two: The abc English books can be used as primary textbooks in teaching basic English. The goal of these books is to have teachers and students systematically, page by page, work their way through the books at a comfortable pace. The Teacher’s Activity Guide: abc English gives creative ideas for teaching each page in the student book. The abc English books can also be used as a basis for assessing progress. https://www.teachabcenglish.com/book-1-activities.html

Relational Conversation discussion sheets: We used these along with questions and sentence completions to help connect with the lives of students. The idea is to learn about one another and find topics that mentors and students can enjoy discussing together.

These are examples of relational sentence stems regarding background and free time. (The discussion sheet is available through the provided link.)

 1. I am from...

 2. I work at...

 3. My family is made up of...

 4. I spend weekends... 

 5. My favorite TV program...

https://sites.google.com/view/english-language-learning/processes/planning

Southwest Adult Basic Education Project: This is an online program of Minnesota Adult Basic Education. It aims “to provide adults with educational opportunities to acquire and improve their literacy skills necessary to be self-sufficient and to participate effectively as productive workers, family members, and citizens.” The activities on this site provide multi-leveled stories to read together, along with pre-reading questions, definitions, and post-reading questions.  https://www.readingskills4today.com/level1

Two other areas seem especially important; i.e., developing a student’s personal dictionary and having a relevant way to document lessons (journaling or record keeping). The following links give examples of each of these. https://sites.google.com/view/english-language-learning/processes/planning

https://sites.google.com/view/bellsandwhistles/supplemental-resources

Additional support: Feel free to contact me. bbraunius@yahoo.com

A Wedding Prayer

Petra, our favorite granddaughter, was married this weekend to Daniel Gonzalez in the presence of family and friends at Fellowship Reformed Church, Holland, MI. The officiating pastors were Rev. Ross Dieleman and Petra’s mother, Rev. Lisa Braunius. The spiritually moving wedding ceremony included the couple partaking in communion together. Music was by members of the worship team from Daniel’s church.

A reception was held on the front lawn of Fellowship Church under three large white tents and with a bounce house for kids.  The granddads, Burt Braunius and Garrett Veld were asked to give an opening prayer at the reception. Following is the prayer.

Prayer

We pray for your blessing on Daniel and Petra as we celebrate their marriage with this wedding reception. May their reception of us as their guests, be reciprocated by our desires to receive Daniel and Petra into our hearts and lives throughout the journey of their life together.

As we fellowship and feast with them and with one another, may their lives and ours be guided and grounded in your Word. We pray that you would help Daniel and Petra, as well as us all, to live in commitment to these biblical truths.

• What God has joined together, let no one separate.
• Outdo one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves.
• Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.
• Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. 
• Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
• Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
• In the words of Christ, "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you."
• And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

We also pray, Lord, that you would care abundantly for Daniel and Petra as is testified to in Psalm 23 where David writes, “I have all that I need” and “my cup overflows with blessings.”  We pray that you would provide them with enough:

·        enough goodness and grace to meet their daily needs, 

·        enough sunshine to brighten their days no matter how challenging they may be,

·        enough rain to bring refreshment and an appreciation of the sun,

·        enough joy to keep them celebrating each day of their shared journey,

·        enough good memories so they will not forget your blessings,

·        enough faith to endure difficulties,

·        enough hope to look forward to whatever the future may hold, and

·        enough love to sacrifice for one another as Christ gave of himself for the church.

 

We pray this benediction on Daniel and Petra.

Now may the God of peace… equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in you what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

----------

We are blessed to see the faith and love of this couple. Being at such a wedding is not only witnessing the beginning of a new home and family, but also experiencing God’s faithfulness in being true to his covenant promises, building his church, and expanding his kingdom. Thank you, Lord!

(Scripture references: Mark 10:9, Romans 12:10, Ephesians 5:21, Proverbs 3:3,4, 1 Corinthians 13:4, Ephesians 4:32, John 15:12, Hebrews 13:20,21, Colossians 3:14)

 

Health Update

This is my first post since 2015. It is time for an update. 

For much of the time since then, up until about a year ago, I was dealing with one form of cancer or another, chemotherapies, or surgeries. As I write this, those issues seem to be behind me, and I feel myself to be in excellent health. . .

Though I am missing a big piece of my large intestine because of surgery for colon cancer. The doctor said I did not need that much intestine and I will not miss it. He also took out my appendix without telling me (as far as I can remember);

Though there was a malignant spot on my liver. The doctors removed it and said that the liver was not a bad organ from which to have a spot removed, since the liver is the only body part that regenerates itself. And, because it was difficult to get at the cancerous spot since it was behind the gallbladder, they removed the gallbladder saying, “You’ll never miss it;”

Though on two occasions, incisional hernias developed that required laparoscopic and open surgeries to insert mesh patches. The open surgery finally proved effective;

Though ureter cancer was discovered during a “routine” checkup, making it necessary to remove the right kidney and ureter. Afterward, the doctor said, “The remaining kidney is healthy. No need to change your lifestyle. One kidney is enough.” 

In summary, though within a six-year period I have been diagnosed with three kinds of cancer (this includes surgery for three episodes of basal cell carcinoma on my face) and had all or part of my colon, appendix, liver, gallbladder, kidney, and ureter removed, I feel myself to be in excellent health.

Navigating through the above health issues has reminded me of the "though" phrases in Psalm 46, verses 2-3:

“Though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

Though the waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging...”

These "thoughs" are preceded by the words, "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. Therefore, we will not fear..."   And the "thoughs" are followed by, "The Lord almighty is with us... he says, 'be still and know that I am God.'"

As I begin posting occasional blogs, I want to give testimony to the goodness of Almighty God as my refuge, strength. I have learned not to fear and to be still. Thanks be to God!