Today's Earworm: Waterloo by Abba

I have a pet peeve (Things that make me go ARRRRGGGGHHHH!) about radio stations which are fixated on one song by an artist while virtually ignoring all others.

For example, did you know Bryan Adams has other hits besides Summer of '69?  And Kansas released something in addition to Carry On, Wayward Son?  Boston did more than More Than A Feeling.  You get the idea, and chances are you can add to this list.

Recently, one of the local stations began playing a lot of songs by Abba.  My theory is that the station manager recently discovered his Mom's CD collection and Abba's Greatest Hits was in there.  

In any case, I will give the station credit for this: They recognize that Abba had other songs beside Dancing Queen.  That's how the song Waterloo pierced my brain.  I also pay homage to a local town and sing Wabasha instead.  Now, if I only knew the rest of the lyrics....

Enjoy.

Things that make me go ARRRRGGGGHHHH -- Troubles with moving

The moving van departed with many of our earthly belongings on Tuesday, June 16.  I had to stick around until Thursday, June 18 because of an immunotherapy treatment.  This was just as well, as we still had some clean up to do on Wednesday.

After some last minute packing, sweeping, and double-checking, we left on Thursday afternoon to begin our trek to Lake City.  We had planned on getting past Chicago, which seemed like a very achievable goal.  (Did you hear God snickering when we made that goal?)

About 90 minutes down the road, the dashboard of our Honda Pilot noted that the transmission was overheating.  ARRRRGGGGHHHH!  We stopped at a rest area to check under the hood.  We saw some steam coming from the engine and fluid spattered across the engine.  We had just had the oil changed that morning, and we were hoping that the oil filter had not been put on correctly.  That would have been an easy-enough repair, but it would not account for the transmission alert. 

We found a Honda dealer on the west side of Kalamazoo, Zeigler Honda.  We got it there shortly before they closed, meaning the inspection would not take place until Friday.  We camped that night at Fort Custer StatePark, between Kalamazoo and Battle Creek.  If you consult a map, you will note that this is well short of Chicago.  ARRRRGGGGHHHH!

The next morning, we were informed that repairs and a new transmission would amount to $16,000.  ARRRRGGGGHHHH!  I don’t know if God laughed or not, but we kind of did—a laugh of absurdity and despair.  Sometimes an ARRRRGGGGHHHH! just isn’t enough.  We had too much packed to simply shove it all in our Flagstaff Microlite and abandon the Honda Pilot.  We ended up getting a new (to us) car.  Apparently, it was driven by a little old couple who put precious few miles on it.  A win for us!

Then came the financing.  We were asked, “What’s your address?”  That is normally a simple question.  Our response: “The one we just left, or the one we are moving to?”  Follow up: Where will the car be located?  Answer: In Minnesota.  Follow up: Do you have proof of residency there?  Answer: We haven’t even moved in yet!  ARRRRGGGGHHHH!  We got to enjoy a similar routine at the DMV in Red Wing.

After some comical back and forth (and by this time, how could it not be comical?), Ali Kabil from Zeigler Honda managed to get the work done.  Then he had the car, which had just arrived on the lot the previous day, detailed.  Then he had it done again so that he found it satisfactory.  Then he had the oil changed.  We finally left Kalamazoo about 5:00 PM EST. 

We drove around Chicago (mercifully easy) and crawled through Milwaukee due to construction—ARRRRGGGGHHHH!—and pushed on through Wisconsin as the night fell upon us.  We grabbed a short 4-hour sleep at a parking lot near Tomah, Wisconsin which was referred to us by Laura’s brother, David.  The parking lot was for a business which belonged to a shirt-tail relative of his.  We never met his relative since we were up and out of the parking lot by 5:30 AM CST. 

We rolled into Lake City about 20 minutes before our moving van.  We prayed fervently for a swift completion of their duties.  Once they moved on, we settled in for a long, glorious nap.

And that’s how we got to Lake City, Minnesota—one ARRRRGGGGHHHH after another.

Things that make me go ARRRRGGGGHHHH -- The Gen Z Bible

There are many translations of the Bible.  Some are good, some are weak, some are bad.  The danger of a paraphrase "translation" is that it begs the one who is producing it to use his own theological bias in the paraphrase.  And if the theology is flawed, the translation will steer the reader off course from what God actually says.

The goal of a translation is to put the original Hebrew and Greek into the vernacular of the modern-day reader.  Some people love the King James Version and demand its usage.   While the King James Version is a faithful translation, most people don't speak the English that was common in 1611 anymore.  In the past 50 years or so, there have been many translations marketed.  One translation that you may have never heard of is the Gen Z Bible.  The goal is to make the Bible speak like Gen Z people.

It reads like a parody.  I wish it were; I fear it's not.  Here is a small section from Genesis 3.

          1.  So, this snake, right, it was like super sneaky compared to all the other animals that God created in the field. And it goes up to the woman and says, 'Hey, did God really say you can't eat from any tree in the garden? Like, seriously?'  2. The woman was like, 'Yo, Mr. Snake, we can totally chow down on any of the fruit from these wicked cool trees in the garden! 🍎🌳'
          3.  But like, there's this tree in the garden, and God's like, 'Don't eat from it or even touch it, or you're toast.'" }  4.  And the serpent was like, 'Nah, girl, you ain't gonna die for real:'  5.  God knows that once you eat it, your eyes will be opened and you'll be able to understand good and evil, feeling a lot more enlightened, like gods.
          6.  So, the woman looked at the tree and saw that it had delicious food on it and looked really nice. Plus, she thought it would make her wise. She couldn't resist, so she took a bite from its fruit and shared it with her husband. And guess what? He took a bite too.
          7.  Then both of them suddenly became aware that they were naked. So, they quickly stitched together some fig leaves and fashioned them into cover-ups.

I suspect no Gen Z'er who seeks gainful employment speaks like that to his boss.  If a place of employment demands proper speech, certainly the Holy Scriptures do, too.  The Scriptures are sacred; they should be treated that way.  

If this translation were adopted for use in a Divine Service, do you think anyone would take that church seriously?  I bet it would be received with laughter because everyone would regard it as a parody.  Or people would leave, convinced that it is mockery of God's word.  I would be among those who would leave.

I can only laugh at this because I don't take it seriously as a translation of the Bible.  If I were to take it seriously, it would only make me angry.  Or, as my title for this post suggests, it would make me go ARRRRGGGGHHHH!

Things that make me go ARRRRGGGGHHHH! -- Abortion and woke madness

I cannot believe that this headline is not satire.

Gavin Newsom savagely mocked as ‘disgusting transphobe’ for claiming men can’t get pregnant at abortion rally (msn.com)

The layers of evil that are piled up in this headline are staggering.

1)  Abortion is the death of a baby extracted from the womb.  In a defenseless state, it is murdered.  This is not about women's rights or reproductive rights.  This is about a commandment, "You shall not murder."  I don't need a uterus to recognize that.

2) God created mankind male and female.  There are no other sexes, and there is no changing back and forth.  Chromosomes and DNA do not change on a whim.  If someone is struggling with some kind of dysphoria, that is sad.  My sympathies go out to you, the same as they go to anyone who is struggling with challenges like depression and addiction.  But we don't reward depression and addiction.  We certainly do not celebrate them.  Dysphoria is a legitimate problem for some.  It deserves our prayers, not promotion.

On the other hand, if you happen to be someone who is convinced that happiness lies in switching from man to woman or woman to man, you will not find happiness in changing your wardrobe, taking hormone replacement therapy, or mutilating your body.  If you are unhappy before you put yourself through this, you will be unhappy afterwards.  In fact, it will probably be worse.  That deserves our prayers, too. 

3)  The statement, "Men can't get pregnant," is true.  It should inspire no outrage.  Of course, in this current climate where people argue that women who feel like they are men are actually men, and therefore men can get pregnant, defies both logic and sanity.  

4)  What kind of apology will Governor Newsome have to make now?  I would think he must be losing track of what he can say without offending some group who feels slighted for some reason.  Who can keep up with each ensuing self-righteous cause?

Psalm 139 states a confession to the Lord: "For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.  My frame was not hidden from you, when I was being made in secret, intricately woven in the depths of the earth.  Your eyes saw my unformed substance; in your book were written, every one of them, the days that were formed for me, when as yet there was none of them" (Psalm 139:13-16).  The creation of a person as either male or female is God's work.  To rebel against it is to rebel against God himself and to despise what he has given so graciously.  

The Lord became a man, taking on human flesh, to deliver us from all the evils that befall our flesh, our minds, and our hearts.  He died for our sins to reconcile us to God, no matter how broken we have been.  He conquered death in order to assure us a resurrection and a perfectly restored body that will live in contentment and glory forever.  Jesus shows us that the human body is a good thing to be honored.  The sex God gave to each is a gift, not a mistake to be corrected.

Things that make me go ARRRRGGGGHHHH -- Shepherd

This is a public service announcement for whomever it may concern.  Please note the difference in the following words:

SHEPARD -- Shepard Smith is an anchor on CNBC.  Alan Shepard was an astronaut who was the first American in space and later walked on the moon.

SHEPPARD -- Sheppard is an indie pop band from Australia.  Sheppard is also the name of a software company which makes games to help children with learning.  Their stuff looks pretty cool, actually.

SHEPHERD -- One who tends a flock of sheep; a sheep-herder.  

Jesus declared, "I am the Good Shepherd."  Thus, the name of our congregation is Good Shepherd Evangelical Lutheran Church.

This is a common mistake I am hoping to make less common.  Thank you for your time and attention.

Things that make me go ARRRRGGGGHHHH -- Looking old

I was on my way out to the cemetery for the committal of Adolfine Janecke earlier today.  The driver of the hearse was in his mid-20's (I am guessing).  We had a little chit-chat on the way to the cemetery.  I had asked him how long he had been working for the funeral home.  He said since last February.  Then he said to me, "I suppose you're pretty close to retirement."

ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!  Do I really look that old???  Does my fedora make me look like I grew up in the 1920's or something?

No ego trips today.

Things that make me go ARRRRGGGGHHHH ... on ministering to the dying

Something from ... Martin Luther on ministering to the dying

Pastors serve the sick and dying.  Those who are sick and dying are often plagued by fear, doubt, and guilt.  There is no doubt that the devil shows up at the deathbed of many Christians for one final onslaught of accusations and taunting to cast doubt about God's love and their salvation.  Therefore, the pastor comes with prayer for strength, with God's promises for the assurance that the devil is a liar about our sins (he says they stand against us; Christ says they are forgiven), and with the holy sacrament by which the dying Christian will receive the body and blood of Christ which has conquered death and forgives sins.  This is no small matter, especially when death is at hand.  This is when the fears, doubts, and guilt of the Christian are usually the most intense.  They need their pastor.  Most Christians know this, and the pastor comes as soon as he is summoned.

I would like to say that it always happens this way.  It does not.  I am not surprised when unbelievers feel no need for such things.  They did not care their whole life long.  Why would it matter now?  As one of our former members who served as a hospice nurse used to tell me, "They die like they live."

But one thing that makes me go, "ARRRRGGGGHHHH!" is when people who claim that they are Christians do not call the pastor at any point in during the illness--or even to the deathbed when they know death is imminent!  When your loved one enters hospice, you know he is going to die; and by that point he is often already unresponsive.  When you wait until your loved one is unconscious, comatose, or dead, what do you expect the pastor to do???  Do people really think the mere presence of the pastor grants salvation?  Or that they should get credit before God because, even though his word was an afterthought, they thought of it at all?

As pastoral advice: To whomever is reading this--I beg and plead with you to heed the word of the prophet: "Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon." (Isaiah 55:6-7)  The pastor truly wants to declare God's mercy and forgiveness to the sick and dying.  But once a person is dead, his time of grace is done.  There is no more hope.  If you don't want to face that possibility, then beg a pastor to come to you.  If you refuse, you have forfeited your right to get angry with the pastor who must tell you that he will not preside over the funeral of one whose faith he never heard confessed.  The pastor does not bear the responsibility for someone else's negligence.  But he is most assuredly grieved by it.  

And in case I actually have to say it: Do not wait until you are sick or dying to care about this.  Many don't know when their death will come.

Here is something from Luther on serving the sick and dying, and he expresses a similar frustration for those who neglected God's word until it was too late.  I guess Luther knew how to say, "ARRRRGGGGHHHH!" too.

“If someone wants the chaplain or pastor to come, let the sick person send word in time to call him and let him do so early enough while he is still in his right mind before the illness overwhelms the patient.  The reason I say this is that some are so negligent that they make no request and send no message until the soul is perched for flight on the tip of their tongues and they are no longer rational or able to speak.  Then we are told, 'Dear Sir, say the very best you can to him,' etc.  But earlier, when the illness first began, they wanted no visit from the pastor, but would say, 'Oh, there's no need.  I hope he'll get better,'  What should a diligent pastor do with such people who neglect both body and soul?  They live and die like beasts in the field.  They want us to teach them the gospel at the last minute and administer the sacrament to them as they were accustomed to it under the papacy when nobody asked whether they believed or understood the gospel but just stuffed the sacrament down their throats as if into a bread bag.


“This won't do.  If someone cannot talk or indicate by a sign that he believes, understands, and desires the sacrament—particularly if he has willfully neglected it—we will not give it to him just anytime he asks for it.  We have been commanded not to offer the holy sacrament to unbelievers but rather to believers who can state and confess their faith.  Let the others alone in their unbelief; we are guiltless because we have not been slothful in preaching, teaching, exhortation, consolation, visitation, or in anything else that pertains to our ministry and office.  This, in brief, is our instruction and what we practice here.” (Martin Luther, “Whether One May Flee from Deadly Plague,” 1527)

Things that make me go ARRRRGGGGHHHH! -- Super Bowl reflections

The Super Bowl once again proved that the MVP is a flawed award.

I am grateful that it was not mindlessly given to the quarterback of the winning team.  Although, in just about every game, you have to argue that the QB is always the MVP just based on the fact that he handles the ball on every snap.  That kind of vaults him to a very important status over everyone else.

This year, it went to wide receiver Julian Edelman.  Now to be fair, Edelman did have a good game (10 catches for 141 yards; Brandin Cooks of the Rams had 8 catches for 120 yards--not bad either).  Running back Sony Michael had 18 carries for 94 yards and the game's only TD.  In a game where running the ball helped drain the clock and limit LA's chances to come back, that was pretty noteworthy.  These are the kinds of efforts which deserve more recognition.  Edelman, Cooks, and Michael do not touch the ball every play.  They are at the mercy of the coach who calls the plays and QB who has to get it to them.

Julian Edelman.  Good game, but not the MVP.

[Side Note: There was a sentiment in our house that the MVP should have gone to Rams punter, Johnny Hekker--9 punts for 417 yards, including a Super Bowl record 65 yard punt.]

But here is the flaw.  The MVP went to an offensive player in a game where the Patriots defense held the Rams to 3 points.  3 POINTS!!!  How does the MVP NOT go to a defensive player?!?!  Okay, Edelman's stats are easier to find and look more impressive.  A catch is more exciting than a tackle after a 2 yard gain.  But the Patriots defense won that game.

For that matter, if anyone had told the Rams before the game, "You will hold the Patriots to 13 points.  Do you like your chances?", they would have been elated, thinking about trips to Disney World and a Super Bowl parade.  The Rams defense was outstanding, too.  But of course, the MVP has to go to an offensive player because that is what we care about.  Thank you, Fantasy Football.

I suppose the argument against a defensive MVP is that no one player stood out.  Apparently, you need to have 3 interceptions before you get noticed.  I contend that in a game like this where the defense dominated so much, you have to give the MVP to a defensive player, even if it is awarded in the understanding that one defensive player represents the entire defensive effort.

Therefore, my Super Bowl MVP goes to Patriots defensive back, Stephon Gilmore with 5 tackles, 3 passes defensed, 1 interception, and 1 forced fumble.  These are the stats people will see, but what we do not see is the effort Gilmore put in on coverage in which the ball never came his way because he covered the receiver well.  This deserves more recognition than it gets, but it is not gaudy stats so we generally do not care.

Congratulations to my Super Bowl MVP, Stephon Gilmore, to the Patriots defense, and to the Patriots over all.  And to those who chose Julian Edelman as the MVP in a game where the defense owned the game, I say ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!

Things that make me go ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!! -- Pop up ads

Over the past few months, Verizon seems to think that I am interested in pop up ads that show up on my phone.  For the most part, they have been annoying, but I can usually remove them with a tap and get back to my business.  Although it is frustrating having my business interrupted by pop up ads.

This morning introduced a greater frustration.  A telemarketer called to pester me about something.  I tried to politely dismiss myself from the call, wanting to hang up immediately after saying, "Thank you, but I am not interested."  The attempt to hang up was thwarted by a pop up ad.  But it was not merely a screen shot ad.  It was a 15 second commercial.  So, I was trying to get out of the phone call, get rid of the commercial, as the telemarketer continued to try to tell me that this phone call was actually more meaningful to me than I thought.

So much for the quick end to an unwanted phone call, which was extended by an unwanted pop up commercial.  And yes, I said, "ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!"

Things that make me go "ARRRRGGGGHHHH!" -- potholes in MIchigan

This actually happened in Michigan -- a truck with asphalt
to fill in potholes actually gets stuck in a pothole.

As anyone who lives here knows, Michigan roads are notorious for being in poor condition.  But winter into spring ups the level of "poor" with potholes.  Radio stations regularly take phone calls and texts about roads which have especially bad potholes.  Cars are often seen on the side of the road with tires which have been blown out, victims of hitting another pothole.  You may also have to shell out cash to repair your allignment after you replace your blown out tire(s).

By common consensus, this year is worse than ever.  In an effort to help alleviate some of the pain, I ran across this article on Facebook about the possibility of getting reimbursed, at least in part, for expenses which come becuase of pothole damages.  I have not pursued this any further than reading the article, but you may want to pursue it yourself if you racking up expenses due to pothole damage.  (I am also logging it here for future reference in case I need it.)

You can find the article here: https://wdet.org/posts/2018/02/19/86423-got-pothole-problems/

Things that make me go ARRRRGGGGHHHH -- Hall of Fame Game

This past Sunday, after church was over, Nathanael, Andrew, and I took a road trip to Canton, Ohio for the Hall of Fame Game.  It was cancelled on account of paint.  PAINT!!!

For details, see here.

Death and Taxes

It is said that there are only two sure things in life: Death and Taxes.

Except that death does not happen annually.   ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!

For your amusement -- Word Crimes

Here is the video of Weird Al Yankovic's Word Crimes.  It is brilliant.  It is not only entertaining, it is educational.  I wonder how many English classes are showing this, and how often it needs to be viewed / reviewed throughout the year.  Some of the comments Weird Al corrects are among the things that make me go "ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!"

The one that he missed that drives me nuts is when people say something along the lines of, "If you have a comment, you may speak to myself."  Attention:  YOU CANNOT SPEAK TO MYSELF!!!  That is grammatically impossible.  Only I can speak or do anything to myself.  Not even God can speak to myself, unless I think I'm God.  And I don't.  The fact that this has pretty much been established as regular English is grieving to me.

Now I will grumble to myself.  You may leave comments for me.

Anyway, enjoy!

Basketball season is officially over

The basketball season came to a screeching halt in the Schroeder household yesterday.  Caleb and Philip played their final game at the HVL tournament at 3:20 PM.  Meanwhile, Nathanael and Andrew had their basketball banquet for MLS up in Saginaw at 5:30 PM.  There was no way we could do both. 

Of course, with six children, you have to pick and choose what you are going to see and what you have to miss.  To aid us in our decisions, we have established a rule: The kid who is in his final year gets preference over the other kids.  Okay, so Nathanael is a senior at MLS, and Caleb is an 8th grader at St. Peter's.  Now what?  Split us up.  I went to Westland; Laura went to Saginaw.

Coach Lecker offered up some very nice words about Nathanael, highlighting how the second half of his season was really strong.  I had thought so, too.  Andrew, meanwhile, was recognized for honors in the conference, getting 2nd team all-conference.  Cool!

Earlier in the day, St. Peter's was facing St. Paul's, Livonia for the 3rd place game.  We had played a very solid game the day before against St. Stephen's, Adrian who had beat us convincingly earlier in the year.  We kept it close (a 1-point game into the 4th quarter), but it trickled away late, and we lost 28-21.  So, we had high hopes for the 3rd place game.  Well, the game was sadly similar to the game the day before.  St. Paul's made their shots at the end, and we could not get anything to fall.  Caleb was especially getting frustrated as the game went on.  The hoop simply would not accept the basketball for us.  Things that make me go ARRRGGHHH!  Caleb did manage to grab a ton of rebounds.  You don't get any points for those, but at least he was recognized for it: He was selected to the all-tournament team!

We came up short, but we sure enjoyed the season.  Another set of lasts has come and gone--last MLS sports banquet for Nathanael, last HVL tournament for Caleb (Philip was already thinking of next year's teams), and last grade school basketball game for Caleb.

Here are few photos from the HVL Tournament.

Against Divine Grace in a 32-23 win on Friday.

 

Another last: Caleb and Philip playing together.

For years, Caleb has been playing against his good friend, Micah Neumann (#22) from St. Stephen's, Adrian.  Next year, they will be playing together at Michigan Lutheran Seminary.  It will be much more fun to cheer FOR Micah next year.

 

Things that make me go, "ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!"

This past Sunday, the Baltimore Ravens won the Super Bowl.  Following their win, Ravens' linebacker Ray Lewis was interviewed.  When asked about the Ravens' win, he stated (if not directly quoted, it's pretty close), "It's quite simple, if God is for you, who can be against you?"

Lewis was referring to Romans 8:31 which, I assure you, had nothing to do with who wins the Super Bowl, a football game, or any kind of earthly endeavor.  Lewis ripped this verse from its contact so badly that it hurts.  It is misleading.  It is wrong.

Contrary to Lewis' opinion, God does not care who wins Super Bowls.  To be fair, Lewis is not the first athlete to make such a ridiculous use of Scripture.  Nor will he be the last. 

If we take Lewis' claim at face value, what shall we conclude?  That the Ravens are God's chosen people and the 49er's are not?  That God loves Baltimore and despises San Francisco?  Or does it extend to Maryland vs. California?  Does it mean that there are more of God's people on the Ravens' squad than the 49er's?  Or is it the whole organization that is under God's blessing/judgment?  Or is it that God loves Ray Lewis so much that Ray had to be rewarded?  Or maybe God prefers one Harbaugh over another?  You see the idiocy in making such a claim as Lewis did.  (And, Packer fans, Reggie White made similar comments after Super Bowl XXXI.  Apparently, God did not love Reggie as much in Super Bowl XXXII.)

Earthly success and prosperity are NO evidence of God's love or favoritism.  If so, I guess God is really steamed at the Kansas City Chiefs and the Jacksonville Jaguars. 

For as much as people in Baltimore will be celebrating, and for as excited as Lewis is to end his career with a championship ring, none of this is any evidence that God loves them.  I am willing to bet that the Ravens have some heathens in their organization.  Does God suspend his wrath and judgment upon them because they are champions now?  Again, idiocy.  Or as I stated in the title, "ARRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!"

If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31)  This has to do with our salvation.  Jesus suffered and died to pay for our sins and to reconcile us to God the Father.  If God loves us so much that he would suffer and die to save us, there is no one and nothing which can remove God's favor from us.  God's favor is revealed through Jesus Christ.  It was secured through Jesus' sufferings, death, and resurrection.  It is delivered to us through the word and sacraments.  Our verdict is, "Forgiven."  Our salvation is certain.  Our home is heaven.  God has promised it with a blood-oath.   If God is for us in this way, who could possibly overrule him?  Who would dare correct him?  Since nothing can undo Jesus' sufferings, death, and resurrection, nothing can undo God's favor and salvation for us.  Therefore, who can stand against us? 

Lions' fans, as exciting as it would be to see your team hoist a Super Bowl trophy, it is no evidence of God's love or favor.  Your crucified and risen Savior is the only evidence you have of God being for you.  It is also the only evidence you need.  God IS for you -- for your forgiveness, for your salvation, for your eternal well-being, and for all time.  And nothing stands in the way of that.