It feels like slow progress, if at all. Things just seem...off. I spend mornings in the office, and I get work done, but it feels more difficult to do it. I get a sermon written, but it doesn’t feel like I’ve said everything that needs to be said. I find myself questioning if I’m doing what I normally do, what is part of my normal routine. Well, such was this week...

What if I told you that Jesus’ conclusion to the parable in today’s Gospel, “...everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted,” does not necessarily refer to the Pharisee and the tax collector, respectively? Well, not ultimately, anyway. Bear that in mind as we continue through this sermon.

I’m just not feeling it. It’s been kind of a weird week. Then I wake up this morning sore and tired. So, this will be another shorter entry.

Sunday was pretty normal in the morning. The Divine Service celebrated God’s gift of St. Bartholomew. I didn’t have my one class after church, but I did have the boys. Following that, we went to Park Meadows Mall to buy some jeans for the kids at greatly reduced prices. Monday was a day off like any other. Tuesday was a day in the office like any other Tuesday. Wednesday I spent preparing for class that evening. Before I left, though, the phones went out, as did the internet. They’ll have a tech at the church Friday morning. Thursday started out like it normally does, with Bible Study at the Egg and I. Then, back in the office for the usual; hey the phone in my office works, as does the internet, but the rest of lines throughout the building do not. Time at home that afternoon started off with some cleaning inside, as we host Bible Study on Friday, but it ended with some tree trimming outside, including climbing into one of them to cut out some of the dead limbs with my chains saw. Friday was the usual, with a visit from Centurylink Tech; as it turns out, a wire came loose from the jack in my office, off of which all of the other jacks are fed. Getting back home, we finished up cleaning the house in time for Bible Study. Only two people showed up, so it turned into a review of some vacation photos. Saturday was a day of pain and lethargy. I reviewed Sunday’s sermon, as usual.

The man is in the wilderness. He has grown weary and tired from the chase. The day has grown long and the sun is beginning to set. There is no one and nothing else around, and he has no provisions for the night. In his weariness, however, he lays on the ground and falls asleep. For a pillow, he uses a stone.

It’s been difficult to get back into the routine, and this week was no different. It was difficult to prepare the sermon for Sunday, but I was able to get one out. I tried something a little different on Wednesday as an attempt to kick start my brain (some stuff I had to do anyway), though I don’t know if it worked. And the rest of the week went like I normally take one, though it took a little more effort.

You’re probably wondering why there was no update last week. Well, if you don’t know me, you may be wondering. The answer will follow. It will also explain why we did all that we did to the car in week 31. So, following a short entry will be a longer one.

I think I might make this another short entry.

This week began with church, as usual, gathered around the amazing mysteries of God—His gifts. A potluck lunch followed, and the voters’ meeting. I thought it might be a short meeting, and it was, mostly. I was still tired and sore from the events of last week, so the rest of the day was spent mostly vegetative.

Monday was unusual in that I was called into work, so it wasn’t my day off.

I did spend the rest of the week according to my usual schedule. Tuesday was normal. Wednesday was normal, though the Confessions Study was something of a review as the folks that missed the session before attended this week, and those that were there before missed this week. Thursday started off especially early, as I didn’t check my alarm clock, and Tirzah had changed the time zone to Eastern; I didn’t notice how early I was up until I was almost to Breakfast Bible Study...2 hours early. When I finally got back to the office, I wrote the sermon. It feels like something is a little off about it.

I turned Friday into my day off. I washed and waxed the car that day. Saturday was spent doing some other cleaning, specifically the inside of the car. It was a couple of days of added soreness and fatigue.

I spent most of this week in Logan, UT, on the campus of Utah State University for a Higher Things conference with one of my members and his daughter. As anyone who goes to these conferences would tell you, the highlight of each day is the worship services; three the first day (Opening Divine Service, Evening Prayer, and Compline), four each the next two days (Matins, Vespers, Evening Prayer, and Compline), and two the last day (Matins and Closing Divine Service). However, the catechesis and free time activities are something to behold, too.

The king had just died, so a man goes to the temple to burn some incense before the LORD to commemorate the king. He knew what to do, he had seen it done many times before. This time, however, something was different. He was sure that the bit of robe that he saw out of the corner of his eye wasn’t there when he first got to the temple. As he looks around, he notices that the surroundings are just a bit different, too.

So, he follows the train that he saw out of the corner of his eye; it keeps going and going and going, filling the temple. It comes to a throne, and seated on the throne was none other than the Lord. In awe, and not quite aware of what’s going on, he looks around and sees six-winged seraphs flying around; with a pair of wings they covered themselves out of modesty—they are in the presence of the Almighty with a man among them—with a pair they covered their faces as was reverent. Flying around, they cried out to each other in one voice, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; The whole earth is full of His glory!” The whole place shook at their cry, and smoke of incense filled it.

Incense...that’s when the man realizes what’s going on; that’s when he comes to his senses. He’s standing in the heavenly temple in the presence of the only, true God, Creator of the universe. The man falls down on the ground, prostrate, face-down. “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.” (cf. Isaiah 6:1-5)

Dear hearers, this confession did not come to him from himself. He received it by faith as it was given to him by the Father in whose presence he found himself.

Another short entry this week, as I’m pressed for time. The week was pretty normal, as there were no major events. Sunday was a pretty typical Sunday. Monday was a regular day off. Tuesday was back in the office, though I did make a shut-in visit. Wednesday I had my time in the office and Confessions class in the evening. Thursday was a regular office day. Friday was a regular office day, too.

However, Friday is where something out-of-the ordinary happened. We made our way to Golden to pick up an in-window air condition unit. It’s a little something to keep the living room comfortable on extremely hot days, at the hottest time of the day. I’m amazed at how such a small unit really helps, but then, we do have a small living room.

Then, it was back to normal after that. Bible Study in the evening.

Saturday was spent preparing for a trip to Utah on Monday. That day, two members and I spend the week at Logan—Utah State University—for a Higher Things youth conference.

It was a short week in one regard, but it ended on a bang.