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Fall Means New Starts - Spinach, Bushes, Autumn Leaf Mulch. Gardeners Should Read More

September 24, 2014, 4:56 am
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I admitted  to pruning the crepe myrtle bush severely, giving it the Lyle Lovett look. Now the top looks like pink cotton candy, with every branch showing off bright pink panicles. The bush is the only one in the neighborhood in full bloom, because I trimmed it for that second bloom.

Gardeners should read more. I did the pruning with our helper because I found out about the second bloom after late summer pruning. I used most of the trimmings for compost. The additional trimmings have been added to the mulch below the bush. Since dead wood holds back roses, dead wood must also slow down bushes. I found about 100 dried up twigs where growth started and then stopped. I have cut them off, added them below, and have done the same with new growth in the wrong places.

Spinach seeds arrived, reminding me to pull back vegetable garden mulch to uncovered bare soil for a wide row of spinach. The sunny, cool weather is perfect for a spinach start. The last time I did this was before a bitterly cold Minnesota winter, where a nurse kept telling me my spinach was deader than a Mondale speech. "It was the winter of our discontent." I won. The spinach emerged from the snow and grew well with cold spring rains and no bugs.

Autumn is the best time to plant trees and bushes. In many areas all gardening supplies go on sale when it gets colder. The bushes that ought to be planted are discounted due to lack of sales. If they are planted now, the root system will develop during the fall rains and the bush will have a great start in the spring.

Suddenly I realize that much of tree/bush health is related to fungi feeding the root hairs nutrition in exchange for carbon. Since fungi are fragile, keeping the soil undisturbed and mulched with wood is essential for future growth. Fungi multiply tree root nutrition by many times, but people rake their bushes down to bare soil for that stranded on a dinner plate look.



The worst example of Knockout roses in the neighborhood are the ones left in the middle of bare soil.
Speaking of pruning - they are "self-pruning" roses. That really means - prune them yourself. Left alone, they look wretched and do not bloom worth a hoot. Repeat after me, timid rosarians - Prunes are good for roses and all bushes.

Autumn Leaf Mulch
Autumn leaves should be treasured rather than sacked and hauled away.

  • They can be mulch mowed into the lawn, which is good for it.
  • They can be composted in a bin.
  • They can be bunched up in chicken wire around roses - great insulation and soil renewal.



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WELS Has Members and Pastors Who Do Not Want Coverups - Not To Mention Hauling Victims into Court. Victims!Glende, Ski, Engelbrecht, and Mark Schroeder Should Be Ashamed.

September 24, 2014, 7:03 am
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Homosexual themed video, created at Martin Luther College, WELS,
and uploaded to YouTube.

"As the twig is bent, so grows the tree."



  • Bryan Spiff Grefsheim I'm playing catch up on this, but sadly, I've seen called worker abuses myself in my own neck of the woods, although those abuses weren't sexual but incredibly abusive none the less. I'm disgusted by all of it. Disgusted by this Ski, (I'm really glad not to call him Pastor) and anyone else who uses their calling for their own twisted gain, but my biggest concern is the way it was handled and how leaders just stood by and allowed wounded sheep to be dragged into the courts for simply wanting to shed light on a situation. Glende should be ashamed and reprimanded too. 

    I would say that guys like Ski, Glende, and the people I've dealt with are the exception, as we all know. What concerns me is that our leaders don't seem to realize that they are playing a major role in creating perceptions that lead to talk of a good old boy system, criticism of our worker training system and worse by choosing to deal with situations like this in the way that this was dealt with. Dealing more swiftly, decisively and yes, severely with called workers who are proven to cross these lines would actually serve to protect the reputations of the thousands of called workers who don't deserve this mud splashed onto them. If I were a pastor, I would be letting those DP's know that they created a situation that potentially stained the reputation of many more than the two involved here. Our workers are a gift from God, as is our training system and those who labor in it. Protecting those who abuse it does more damage than the leadership must realize and I submit that Satan loves it. 

    I'm glad this thread is allowed to be played out. It would have been shut down on another page. While we hash this out, let's also focus on protecting those workers who most likely join us in our concerns about behavior like these guys displayed.
    19 mins · Unlike · 1
  • Paul Lidtke Thanks Bryan Spiff Grefsheim for your comments. Having spoken with some leaders who are still dealing with the fallout of this case, they wish there was some time machine where they could go back and handle this better. So much of this cannot be changed, but let's really hope that we never have a repeat!
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Facebook - Not Everyone Hymns the Glories of the WELS School System

September 24, 2014, 4:07 pm
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Fun in a WELS synodical school.



  • Paul Lidtke Honestly, Dan, I believe you overstate the case of the WELS worker training system. I am an MLS grad, NWC grad and WLS grad. While I don't purposely wish to run down any of those schools or their grads, I wouldn't say that by the time I graduated from WLS we were "all one big family." It's silly, in my estimation, to paint that picture. As called workers we may be serving in the same synod, but no matter how hard we were made to think that after all those years together in school unite us, we aren't "one big family" even now. 

    Think carefully, Dan, about the pastor who says, "I was at a conference run by Google and I was received better there than I've been at most pastoral conferences." That's what I was told by someone just a year or two ago. And he's someone I expected to be a "we're one big family" type of WELS guy.

    When I attend district and synod conventions, I usually seek out laypeople. It's often easier to strike up a conversation with a rancher or grocer than it is a WELS called worker who is not familiar with you. I'm glad that you find the WELS educational system to be stupendous, but I'm not sure it's realistic.
    5 hrs · Like · 3
  • Paul Lidtke By the way, we really do need to start a new thread about schools to make these latest comments "fit" the thread. 
    5 hrs · Like · 1
  • Dan Babinec Maybe it's part of my perspective from having been in a very cutthroat and competitive job situation for most of my adult life before returning to the WELS system that I find so refreshing... "one big family" doesn't preclude dysfunction. I too seek o...See More
    5 hrs · Like
  • Paul Lidtke I recognize, Dan, that your perspective is different than mine. Yet, in one small way I share it. I worked as a fill-in on air personality during the early years of my time in ministry. Country radio is as cutthroat as it comes. Granted, I wasn't full-time, so people around each station loved a part-time guy who can handle himself on air and is dependable. Even then, I found more camaraderie and team work than I have found among neighboring WELS churches and called workers at times. In fact, I still hear more from my radio friends than most of my WLS classmates!
    5 hrs · Like · 2
WELS church workers do prison ministry from the inside,
from vicars to DPs to headquarters staff.
***

GJ - Too bad the pressure for conformity means covering up for the right people and expelling those who can think for themselves.

As one defender of WELS said, the sooner the sect falls apart, the better.
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WELS Discussion Group Expects a Public Apology from Glende and Ski - To Their Victim and Her Husband - Whom They Sued in Court Because the Couple Told the Truth!

September 24, 2014, 7:29 pm
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Both of them were guilty, but only Ski was forced to resign.



  • Jeffery Clark At this point, what I think we should be looking for is:
    1) Apologies to the victim and her husband. - this is an important step for "Pastor" Ski to truly repent of his sin. If he can't apologize to the victims, how can he be above reproach and continu    e in the ministry?
    2) How we can make sure we don't drop the ball again.

    I know the CoP was supposed to discuss changing how CRM is done, but we have heard nothing as to what was discussed or decided.
    1 hr · Edited · Unlike · 5
  • Joe Jewell There should also be open and sincere apologies from the DPs who approved his CRM over the objection of many in the relevant district and shuttled him down to Texas on an insta-call, as well as from Glende (especially for his role in the frivolous, sheep-flaying lawsuit--truly odious).
    1 hr · Edited · Unlike · 6
  • Bryan Spiff Grefsheim I wish I could like that 100 times
    1 hr · Unlike · 5
  • Joe Jewell Liking it once is a start! 
    19 mins · Like · 1



***



GJ - WELS, Engelbrecht, Patterson, and Mark Schroeder repeatedly violated their own Canonical Law, as Steve Spencer pointed out before, to get Ski a job in Texas.

All the pastors of the Anything Goes District had to be notified - they were not. The praesidium had to agree to approve - they did not. Zank approved and he was elected to replace Deputy Doug.

Ski had already been turned down for CRM status but got it reviewed again.

The silent consent of these synodical drones in victimizing the victims is an indictment of the entire sect.

I have said many times that SP Mark Schroeder, the DPs, and the CPs should issue a public apology for their lies, deceits, cover-ups, and slander - devised to deny the victims of their church workers justice and peace.

There are many Biblical passages about this, but they are not visible to the obstinately blind, the cold and flinty-hearted.





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Warning from a Contact - "Beckie Has 8th Commandmented You"

September 25, 2014, 4:03 pm
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https://www.facebook.com/groups/1649010391990081/1700857093472077/?notif_t=group_comment_reply

Beckie Grunewald I think a widespread campaign like that would require some lengthy and complex communications and it would also possibly hurt ministries who are not tied to this at all. I guess I'm not a huge fan of punishing Peter for Paul's mistake.




Gregory L. Jackson Instead, punish "Jane." That makes sense.


  • Beckie Grunewald Hmmm....are all pastors in your church as skilled at putting words into people's mouths as you are, Greg? Do they all have the same knack for disregarding the 8th commandment? I NEVER said to punish Jane.
    47 mins · Like

  • Gregory L. Jackson I don't answer logical fallacies like the double question, Beckie, and I have a graphic just for you. See above.

***



GJ - WELS Pastor Steve Spencer suggested sending $1 a month for the mission offering. If 100 congregations did that, the WELS leaders might start listening to the congregations.

Beckie's response was that it would "hurt ministries" even though Spencer was arguing for sending the mission money directly to those who needed it. Hint - most mission offering money sent to the synod goes to the bloated salaries of the bloated staffmembers.

The discussion is about the utter lack of support for the woman and her husband who objected to the sexual harassment by Ski and Glende.

Several have jumped into the discussion to say they do not believe the woman and her husband, even though Glende had to admit to the court (since he sued the husband for telling the truth) that the charges were true. Ski admitted to showing the x-rated photo to his executive assistant when he talked to Deputy Doug Engelbrecht, so there is nothing to deny at this point.

The synod minders continue, and the women are the worst.


---

The synod minders are an amazing lot. You can glean from their writings that they are a part of Team WELS. It reminds me of Packers fans. When they talk about their team, they will use the pronoun we, as if they were also on the field and were part of the game. 

My not so deep psychological theory is that they feel the need to be part of Team WELS. Therefore, any actions and events which tarnish Team WELS will likewise tarnish them. The 8th Commandment and Matthew 18 are like a pair of broken crutches that they try to hold themselves up with. There are a multitude  of analogies for them which cross my mind. 

The worst part is that Whack-a-Mole game that they engage in when the victims go public. 

In Christ,
Randall L. Schultz


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Fall Planting Illustrates Teamwork

September 25, 2014, 8:20 pm
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White Profusion Buddleia - Butterfly Bush

Springhill Nursery sent me a White Profusion Butterfly Bush today. Hummingbirds and butterflies love the scent of this plant, but some gardening sourpusses say - "Don't plant it! Butterflies need more vegetation to keep them fed and breeding, and the bush can spread."

I lost track of the junk bushes in my yard. I have been carving away on one, which was aspiring to be a tree. Others want to grow around my big, dead tree (where I hang garden hose). If all of them were butterfly bush, I would let them grow to their full height.

Some nurseries sell short versions of the bush, since there are many varieties. Large ones can grow 12 feet in height.

Recently I read of bushes keeping large birds from raiding the feeder. Small birds navigate the branches better. I will check out the theory when we have something taller than a knee-high starter. Meanwhile, I will put suet bags around the yard, to see what they attract.

Giant aliums look like large purple versions of the garlic flower,
because they are garlic too.


The bulbs also arrived, so our helper dug holes with me for tulips, daffodils, giant alium, and crown imperial. He saw a new bag of newspapers and asked, "Are we going to mulch again? There won't be any yard left!" I said, "No, you are going to mulch the entire park - about three acres."

Later, when Sassy and I walked by his home, we stopped for a drink of water for her and some kidding with his wife. I said, "Would you ask how to use a big bag of money? I get a free bag of newspaper - I don't wonder what to do. I have plans."

They thought a bag of money was more useful. Sassy barked some hellos at the cat, who never takes her seriously now.

Crown Imperial is the spectacular cousin of the guinea hen plant,
both fritillarias.


Crown Imperial will grow in the middle of the two tulip drifts. They are stinky (for flowers) and should keep cute little rodents away from the tulips. I gave up on crocus after squirrels dug them up and reburied them.

By the way - order all bulbs from Dutch Gardens. They offer the largest bulbs for the best prices. Other supplies - it depends on who is selling what. One place will have a lot of butterfly bushes and ask "What?" about the white profusion, even though they have a very large selection.

I may consider tender bulbs in the spring. Dutch Gardens has all the main types and some unusual ones. Perhaps I can leave them in the ground in Arkansas and not dig them up and store them.

Mulching works
Our combination of wood mulch over newspapers has worked very well to turn the lawn into garden soil with earthworms galore. Today I also raked back mulch to expose soil for two packets of spinach seed.

The ground was soft and easily dug. I used a metal rake to pull the mulch and newspaper layer away. Softening the soil and sowing the seed was easy.

The soaker hose became a squirter hose with Sassy's chewing. This resulted in random spraying of the gardener when adjusting the hose placement. The final result was a good soaking for the new bush and the row of spinach.

Teamwork
Our helper enjoys the gardening and making money. I have done many more projects with him because the laborious work - like mulching the first time - is not motivating. And yet, that is what had to be done to reclaim a yard that ran wild for some time.

I work with various people on the book projects. Norma Boeckler does the artwork, and others participate in the research and editing. I would not have anything done without that help, and we all gain from working as a team.

One pastor noted that he has experienced more friendship from the people he knew at a secular job than from the ministers of his own denomination. That sense of competition and alienation has become increasingly destructive in church bodies. One faction sets itself against the others and gathers its own leaders into positions of authority. They ignore the most common aspects of honoring another person's call.

WELS talks big about brotherhood, but it is more of a sisterhood of Jeske clones, who gloat over getting away with plagiarism and run faithful pastors into the ground, often through the laity. If anyone wants to knock gossipy old ladies, stop - the WELS clergy are without peers in that regard. They even call it "their grapevine" and use it to feed their toxic waste into the system. No wonder they are killing their grapevine. "Apart from Me you can do nothing."

When the branch is separated from the Vine, the Means of Grace, it withers and becomes deadwood. The deadwood is cut off, withers, is gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned,


Every plant tested has a fungus within that helps it in some way. In addition, fungi feed the roots by delivering nutrition in exchange for carbon. In some cases, fungi help several several plants at the same time.

That symbiotic relationship is largely gone in the visible church today. If getting rid of people made a denomination run more smoothly, WELS would be a model organization instead of a laughing-stock.

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Didja Ever Wonder Why WELS DPs Seem So Dumb?Their Education Is in Conformity, Not in Lutheran Doctrine

September 26, 2014, 5:02 am
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The fruit of the WELS educational system -
no knowledge of Lutheran doctrine, worship, or the Confessions -
and they bow the knee to Holy Mother WELS.
WELS Coven of Presidents.


WELS Discussion Page, Facebook

Daniel Baker I spent 14 years in the WELS educational system, preschool through my senior year of high school. At one time I intended to supplement that with WELS college and seminary, but obviously did not. 

I am not a called worker, though my dad used to be. I just play the organ. 

As for perceptions, I have a very low opinion of the WELS educational system. Not only did it crush my joy for learning, but it created an awful environment to grow up in, particularly with regard to the grade school portion of my experience. High school was much better, but academically I was entirely unimpressed. Many of the teachers seemed like they didn't know much of anything about the subject matter. Some would read an outline out of a binder, essentially dictating to us what we should write down. Of course, that wasn't difficult to begin with, since the classwork consisted of fill-in-the-blank type worksheets based on what the teacher was reading. All very unimpressive (however, we had exceptional phy. ed. and sports programs!). 

The worst of it was the religious education. NEVER was theological meat delved into (except, to the teacher's credit, two senior religion classes I attended: studies of Revelation and Biblical Archaeology, respectively). Everything repeated the same spiritual milk, such as learning the Genesis story for the 8 thousandth time (we even had a unit on the same in my *science* classes!) without ever delving into the types and meanings latent in these texts. Most regrettably, I had NO foundation in Confessional Lutheran orthodoxy after 14 years of WELS education. I was essentially Reformed in my thinking. I didn't understand the Liturgy. I didn't comprehend the point of worship and the Means of Grace. And I certainly wasn't familiar with the Book of Concord. It wasn't until I started reading that same Book of Concord for myself *while attending a secular university* that I started to become truly Lutheran. 

Suffice it to say, you couldn't pay me enough to send my children to a WELS institution for anything, much less education.

BTW: Someone mentioned that WELS College and Seminary are reminiscent of High School parts two and three. I had the exact same impression. When I visited the seminary (while I was still planning to go to MLC and the sem), I was immediately underwhelmed by how remedial the classes that we sat in on were on an academic level. Based on first-hand accounts I've heard, the environment is relatively juvenile as well.

***

Lemme see - Hagedorn head of  American missions, hotter than Georgia asphalt for Church Growth.
Wayne - head of Perish Services and First VP, Confessions encourage changing doctrine!?
Lawrenz - president of the portable Asian mini-sem, a founder of Church and Change.
Huebner - board member, Church and Change.
Kelm - honored heresiarch, self-styled promoter of every false teacher.
Rutschow - another illiterate DP.


GJ - WELS remains the only Lutheran group with a secret hazing ritual at the seminary, preceded by hazing at the synodical schools. Lower level hazing gets the boys ready for the latest version of GA, now called HB, so they can lie about GA continuing to this day.

Two ways to be one of the guys in the WELS clergy -

  1. Get falling down drunk - often.
  2. Sexually assault other young men, calling the ones who object "gay."

Anyone who questions the abuse is given a double-dose and  will probably be hated out of seminary. Talk to the dean about it? He is in favor of GA/HB, its crafts and assaults.

WELS seminarians are so brain-washed that they say all seminaries have a hazing for incoming students. No, I graduated from one seminary, took classes at an LCMS seminary, and I never had to take off all my clothes, eat chili laced with cigar ashes, or have beer poured on my head.

Travel the world on Other People's Money -
and call it missions.


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WELS Forces Another Blogger To Quit - Ski and Glende Must Be Smirking

September 26, 2014, 3:30 pm
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Friday, September 26, 2014


My Final Blog Post

As I sit here and struggle to write my final post and end my blog, I am filled with sadness and tears. It is not by choice, but rather, too many people at the Synod level feel that I am doing more harm than good; and “strongly encourage” me to end the blog. It has become painfully clear that no one wants the victim’s side to go public… doing that only creates more problems for the church and is extremely sinful for me to do. I honestly never meant for that to happen. I simply wanted to connect with other victims for my own healing, and I didn’t know how to find any; except to reach out.

To other victims, DON’T EVER come forward and report it… especially don’t ever tell anyone in the church what happened. The pain it causes you to come forward and report it to the church, will be more than you can bear, and will seriously drive you to suicide. The pain of pouring out my heart trying to help other victims will be the death of me; because I was told that by doing that, I was harming the Synod and its pastors instead. How can I possibly live with myself knowing all of the harm that I did to the Synod when I was onlytrying to help other victims? I can’t. I haven’t stopped crying for days now because I have received so many emails from various Synod people stating that I am harming both pastors & the Synod with my writing; and by allowing other victims to write. 

By coming forward and trying to help other victims recognize the red flags, I caused damage to the church…just like I did when I let that pastor do that to me. I destroyed God’s kingdom then with sexual sins and, once again, I’m told, not by one or two, but several at the Synod level that I am causing damage to the church, with writing and by allowing other victims to write. I am so sorry. There is no way God will even want me back now after I destroyed his kingdom twice. I ruined any remote chance I ever had to come back to God. I am too ashamed and guilt-ridden now to ever approach God again. 

When I started writing, I did it for me. I honestly thought only other victims would read my story about loss of faith and how this destroyed me. I wanted my pain to have some meaning and to do some good in the world so I could have value again and not feel worthless after all the sexual sin I caused at the hands of the pastor but apparently I can’t even do that right… it damages the church and pastors when I try. I can’t live with myself knowing I did that. No one wants to hear from the victim... it’s too much of a disruption for the church. I am so sorry.

It felt so good to release the bottled up pain and hurt. I felt like I could finally bury my dirty secret and start healing. I also did it because I blame myself more than I even blame the pastor – I don’t know why I was so stupid and didn’t recognize it, but I was. And because I was, I wanted to write so other potential victims could recognize the signs earlier than I did. Maybe it would have saved them from the emotional and spiritual hell that I am in. 

To the Synod, and all those who contacted me, I am sorry for the harm that I caused you with my writing and by allowing others to write. I didn’t mean to hurt the Synod and its pastors. I will stop writing the blog, keep my mouth shut, and tell all other victims who I run across to not make the same mistake I did by trying to speak up.

Victims, if you can learn one thing from all of this, and the pain I feel now...it's DON'T speak up to the church. If you do, you will feel a thousand times worse. I would sell my soul right now if I could take back reporting anything to the church or speaking up to help other victims. The worst mistake I ever made in life was thinking I should report it to the church.
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Typical WELS Response to the Bitter Medicine of the Truth

September 26, 2014, 4:00 pm
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As I wrote before, WELS forced Otten to grovel because of my review of Volume I of The Rite of Sodomy. I simply pointed out that the criticisms of the  Roman Catholic Church (homosexual abuse, child abuse, cover-ups) could easily be applied to WELS, Missouri, and the Little Sect on the Prairie (ELS).

Little did I know. I often feel like I just got off the bus from Our Lady of Obligation Convent School. No matter what I say about the Olde Synodical Conference, it is far worse - grisly, bad, disgusting, gross, and degenerate.

For example, after Otten fell over dead for WELS, the FBI raided the WELS headquarters and found Joel Hochmuth's homosexual child porn files at his desk. They also confiscated WELS computers there. Did you wonder why? According to my police detective friend, Hochmuth ratted out his file swapping friends in return for a plea bargain - a much lesser charge. He got an extremely light sentence (with work release) and went to town violating the agreement. He returned to government housing and his long-suffering wife divorced him.

She caught him before, and he received counseling, but "nobody knew," said Mark Schroeder.

Front page of Christian News with an apology to me? Not at all. Instead, the story was buried.

Later, WELS students reported various accounts of homosexual assaults by future WELS pastors -- routine -- part of the good ol' boy network. Anyone who objected was "gay," according to the criminals.

Several other WELS child porn pastors have been revealed since that time. One was still on the official pastoral roll. He was not removed until the blog reported it.



---

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1649010391990081/

  • Austin Becker Seriously? Someone told her to shut up because she was 'harming the Synod'? When did an artificially created expression of the visible church become more important than the souls of the *invisible* church? When did the warm and fuzzy feelings of a man who violated his DIVINE MISSION to tend souls become more important than the souls he betrayed? I've seen BS like this happen before. But I thought it was because the church it happened at was in the fringes, relatively isolated from WELSdom, and I had thought it was an isolated incident. This gets my blood boiling... 
    1 hr · Like · 1
  • Sherrie Rardin I agree that this should not happen and is not right. BUT, right now, I am seriously worried for this young woman. If someone personally knows her, PLEASE reach out to her immediately. The language in that blog is a pure cry for help. At best she is seriously depressed (and who would not be?); at worst, I shudder to think of where she could end up. PLEASE if someone knows her, do not wait.
    1 hr · Like · 6
  • Bryan Spiff Grefsheim This poor soul is seriously wounded and we all need to storm Heaven in prayer on her behalf right now.
    1 hr · Like · 9
  • Sherrie Rardin I believe we should also begin praying for the WELS leadership in heartfelt earnest right now too.
    1 hr · Like · 8
  • Phyllis Jedele Risdon "Will be the death of me"????? I hope someone knows this blogger and will be with her asap! Those words are NOT something we want to hear from someone who has gone through that kind of abuse and sounds desperate!! She needs help...and NOT because she did anything wrong, but because she has been harmed!
    1 hr · Like · 6
  • Bryan Spiff Grefsheim I would like to hear from any pastors in this forum on this. Have you been harmed? You see the agony and misplaced guilt this sister is burdened with. Do you agree with our synod leaders pressuring her and apparently guilting her into shutting up? Have you men been in contact with synod? Do you know if they are caring for this soul as much s they are trying to quash this? Do you think this is right? I surely must be missing something here and I'd like blanks filled i is at all possible. While I have 0 respect for a pastor who would drag people before the courts, I do respect our synod leaders and hope and pray that they are doing more than just turning a blind eye to these two "pastors" and sweeping the scraps of what they left behind under the rug.
    1 hr · Like · 5
  • Sherrie Rardin Phyllis, what concerns me, as the wife of a man who lives with chronic major depressive disorder is a lot more than that one sentence. While it is indeed troubling, there are many statements in her last blog post that cause concern. I also know first-hand how depressives sometimes hear what is said to them. I am NOT saying she is lying or misconstruing info but that there is a lot going on here and we can't know it all. Nor are most of us trained to deal with something of this magnitude (and apparently neither are those in leadership positions right now) but we may be the closest thing she has right now to some help. And, even if she has not been diagnosed with depression, I fail to see how anyone who has gone through what she has could possibly come out with anything less than situational depression. Bottom line, someone please get in touch with her. I am more than willing to listen and I can promise my pastor won't tell her to shut up or go away.
    57 mins · Like · 4
  • Bryan Spiff Grefsheim I don't think that any of her words should be taken at less than face value right now. If there are inaccuracies that come out down the road, fine. I hope someone contacts this family and offers some sort of help.
    53 mins · Like · 5
  • Jason Sturgill I tried very hard to counsel her. I corresponded with her from 8/6 to 9/13. She trusts very little. She blames God for her situation and is held captive by thoughts of Satan. She is a very troubled person and needs our continuous thoughts and prayers. She will not pray and will not open a bible. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will grant her the ability to do so very soon, as healing and peace reside there. I have pleaded with her to revisit God's word, but she is so hurt by these events that she doesn't believe that she can. There is hope for her, but she will not allow it to grab hold just yet. She is actively resisting the Holy Spirit. Indeed, pray for her. Lillian, if you are seeing this, my door is always open. Please don't give up. We all love you and care for your well-being. You have great value. Jesus demonstrated this when he gave up his last breath on the cross.
    16 mins · Edited · Like · 3
  • Duane Vance Thank you for your work, Jason.
    42 mins · Like · 1
  • Jason Sturgill Duane, please don't thank me. I have nearly wept over her situation and my weak use of God's word. I have never met her, but I care for her deeply as a sister in Christ. She needs to hear the truth of God's saving power.
    33 mins · Like · 1
  • Bryan Spiff Grefsheim We do our best and leave the results to God. I pray that one day she thanks you too.
    30 mins · Like · 1
  • Steve Spencer OK, from a WELS Pastor, me (although there are those who would question this) - Has "Lillian" hurt the organization? Sure. Is this "extremely sinful?" Of course not. One cannot sin against an inanimate object! That's just plain nuts! Now, are there WELS Pastors, Teachers, and laypeople offended by what she has written? No doubt about it. Are some leaders stung and hurt by her comments? I'm sure. However, it should be remembered that if the pastor in her case had admitted his own sins, resigned, the reason clearly stated to his peers and congregation, and then he received counseling and re-training for another career - in other words, what SHOULD have happened - Lillian would not have needed to write what she did. "Jane" either, for that matter. So, where does the fault lay? Certainly not with her, or them, but with the pastors involved and their superiors. Now those or other leaders are crying foul. Methinks the fellows doth protest too much! As for her stopping the blog, I don't understand this at all. Why should she? What power do any WELS leaders have over her? Have they threatened to take her to court? As I understand it she doesn't even go to any church anymore. Why should she be intimidated by anyone in WELS? I don't get it. At the same time, I can understand not wanting to get any more emails, phone calls or whatever from people telling her to shut up. Been there, has such done me more times than I can count. Goodbye, Lillian, and God bless you. Sadly, you will be replaced, I'm sure, before the new year comes. So it goes.
    23 mins · Unlike · 7
  • Duane Vance Jason, as a fellow called worker, I attempt to share your humility (of course I am assuming you are in the called ministry. Even if you are not, then as a fellow Christian I still appreciate your efforts). I understand how hard this must be for her and for those who are in contact with her. I want to encourage you as a brother in Christ.
    21 mins · Like · 1
  • Jason Sturgill I am an elder, but have no formal training. I appreciate your words, but I was never seeking applause. I really do appreciate what you said but this has effected me too.

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WELS Bullies

September 27, 2014, 7:50 am
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WELS Conference of Presidents try on their new clerics.

Who are the bullies shutting down The Shattered Pulpit blog?

They are all squeezed out of the same system of drunken bullies doing whatever they want, especially those allied with Church and Change.

The Ski scandal has been a Jeske operation from the beginning. Glende and Ski both worked for him, and Ski was on the board of Jeske's in-house Church and Change coven.



The biggest liar about Church and Change is Kudu Don Patterson. He denied being a member, though he was on the "secret" discussion list and led one of the C and C meetings. He also went to the "last" Church and Change meeting and took a crew to the Exponential all-denominations Emergent Church fest.

Looking at Kudu Don's websty - there is the Jeske link. Time of Disgrace - getting worse all the time.

Kudu Don created the insta-call for Ski, so the boy wonder could skip town five seconds after the CRM status was forged in Sauron's Lair.

Kudu Don is paranoid about information leaks. When I began lobbing smart-bombs at his operation, he closed off potential leaks, one after another.

Patterson is also a pint-sized bully. When Joe Krohn wanted to ask a doctrinal question at the voters' meeting, he was silenced. Patterson told him that they would visit him, but only to tell him off. He was not to open his UOJ-doubting mouth at all.

"Don't be afraid, lil darlin', that is DP Patterson
trying to make Easter relevant to children."
Patterson promoted live bunnies! to pet,
but hid that when I found it on the Net.
Ski probably misunderstood "Live bunnies."
Ski and live bunny.

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Plants Are Chemical Factories - Even at the Cellular Level

September 27, 2014, 8:40 am
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As others have observed--Darwin's Black Box--the famous evolutionist could get away with guessing about activities at the microscopic level, because he could not see them at work. A very good optical microscope at the time could barely see a bacterium - 500,000 fit on the period at the end of this sentence.

We can use scanning electron microscopes to see structures and to spoof the real image by assigning colors to each component. The complexity grows at the microscopic level. I read the book passages over and over to grasp all that is going on with chemical exchanges, protozoa, bacteria, fungi, algae, and nematodes: Teaming with Nutrients, Teaming with Microbes.

The next level of activity is gigantic in comparison - sowbugs, pillbugs, spiders, ants, and earthworms. On that level, they are like humans eating from the garden, so great is the size differential.

The health of the soil determines the productivity of the plants, and the health of the plants determines our own health. I have large and small pole beans hanging from skinny looking vines, but they have have soaked up sun and mined the soil to turn light and chemicals into complex carbohydrates while fixing nitrogen in the soil. We know the fungus needed for that to happen at the root level. The fungus swaps nitrogen for carbon.

I said to Mrs. I - "Look at those giant bean pods." I keep pulling them off the vines, and they keep producing. We have about three weeks of growing weather left. The tomatoes have almost quit but have not frosted. The pumpkins only had enough time to establish a canopy of vines across the lawn and on top of the chain-link fence. They needed more time for pumpkin production.

 Amanita muscaria


A fungal hypha is considerably larger than a bacterium, the average length being 2 to 15 micrometers with a diameter of 0.2 to 3.5 micrometers— still so thin that it takes hundreds of thousands of individual hyphal strands to form a network thick enough for the human eye to see. A teaspoon of good garden soil may contain several yards of fungal hyphae, invisible to the naked eye; millions upon millions merge together to produce something as obvious as a king bolete or an intricate Amanita muscaria in all their fruiting glory. These and other mushrooms are simply the fruiting bodies of fungi. Consider the energy and nutrients required to produce them.

Lewis, Wayne; Lowenfels, Jeff, (2010-09-10). Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web, Revised Edition (Kindle Locations 840-844). Timber Press. Kindle Edition. 
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The Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity, 2014. Consider the Lilies

September 28, 2014, 7:03 am
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The Fifteenth Sunday after Trinity, 2014

Pastor Gregory L. Jackson

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bethany-lutheran-worship

Bethany Lutheran Church, 10 AM Central Time


The Hymn #396   O For a Faith                                                            4:18 
The Confession of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual       
The Gospel              
Glory be to Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed             p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #657                Beautiful Savior                                4:24

Consider the Lilies of the Field


The Communion Hymn # 305:1-5                       Soul, Adorn Thyself             4:23
The Preface p. 24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #23    Hallelujah! Let Praises Ring                                        4:77

KJV Galatians 5:25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another. 6:1 Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.  2 Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ. 3 For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself.  4 But let every man prove his own work, and then shall he have rejoicing in himself alone, and not in another.  5 For every man shall bear his own burden.  6 Let him that is taught in the word communicate unto him that teacheth in all good things.  7 Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.  8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.  9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.  10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.

KJV Matthew 6:24 No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. 25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? 26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? 27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? 28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: 29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

FIFTEENTH SUNDAY AFTER TRINITY
Lord God, heavenly Father, we thank Thee for all Thy benefits: that Thou hast given us life and graciously sustained us unto this day: We beseech Thee, take not Thy blessing from us; preserve us from covetousness, that we may serve Thee only, love and abide in Thee, and not defile ourselves by idolatrous love of mammon, but hope and trust only in Thy grace, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, one true God, world without end. Amen.

http://ichabodthegloryhasdeparted.blogspot.com/2013/04/norma-boecklers-new-book-treasury-of.html

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Consider the Lilies of the Field

Matthew 6:28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:  29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 

The Scriptures are based upon the foundation of Creation through God's Word. God commanded through the Son. When He said, Let there be light, light came into existence. And thus the entire universe came into being through the Word. It is one of those great ironies - and a sign of the times - that this Creation by the Word is so neglected.

One would never know from reading today that the great scientists of the past were also Creationists. They observed and saw Creation. There is perfect harmony between Creation and the efficacy of the Word in Lutheran doctrine, because that is the Biblical teaching. Just as God willing the universe into being by the Word, so He declares the Gospel Promises, fills us with faith, and gives us forgiveness through faith.

I am not going to prove Creation through the scientists of the past, but they had no trouble being pioneers in science who communicated in the language of Creation. America was described by one of the early scientists exactly that way. This land has more natural blessings than any other.

One is the Great Plains. The prairie grass sent down enormously deep roots, which were the foundation of creating soil, with the help of microbes and soil creatures. Prairie fires only made the soil more productive, since ash is good for the soil and roots simply sent up more plants to enjoy the sun and bison contributions. One herd ran beside an observer for days. We talk about man's wisdom, but how many can even imagine such a large system, the bison herd, sustained by food and water.

The Great Plains set up America as a great agricultural nation with the richest soil on earth, except for the Ukraine, a similar area. And it is based on the lilies of the field, the wild flowers that gave us 20 feet deep topsoil across the Midwest - with no trees in sight.

We all love flowers or no one would ask about flowers on the altar. The hybrid flowers are fun to grow. I recall one gardening specialist talking about "roses the size of dinner plates" and "Tropicana, which you can identify from 200 feet away." He was rather scornful of hybrids, but we like them.

There is no reason to scorn the wild flowers. My mother was a specialist in them. She would bend over and say, "Shepherd's Purse." From that time on I would spot Shepherd's Purse, a modest flower and seedpod, yet one our pet rabbits loved. 

The structure and beauty of the wild flowers should fill us with as much joy and wonder as the new editions of the flowers God created. Consider the lilies of the field. They do not worry and work. They have no human skills of sewing and embroidery. Yet Solomon at the peak of his wealth never wore such beautiful clothing as these wild flowers.

This is a Gospel lesson about teaching us not to worry. God often delays answering our prayers. We wonder if we are forgotten, since the crooks and bullies are doing so well. But God rewards us with blessings that make us that much more thankful.

Here is one wild flower - the dandelion. The roots can make coffee. The leaves are packed with nutrition. The flowers are among the sweetest of all and can be used for making wine. People fret over getting rid of it.

Yesterday I began studying a book on planting for birds. I wanted to encourage the birds with a variety of easy to grow plants that were needed by many species. High on the list - dandelions. Birds love their seeds and use the parachute fuzz to line their nests.

Dandelions are good for the soil, drilling down with their taproots and bringing up nutrition, fanning out with their leaves and providing a shelter and food source for bacteria, protozoa, fungi, and earthworms. 

And yet they are despised, plucked, poisoned, and cursed. When we had rabbits, we kept a special area where the dandelions grew without any interference, with enormous flowers and long stems. The rabbits jumped for joy when they saw their treats coming near. 

Naturally, or Creationly, the rabbits recycle the soil's abundance by eating the greens and flowers. This shows the intricacies of God's design, where what we see and the unseen all work together to provide various material blessings.

Jesus says - look at these wildflowers and consider how much God has designed for your own benefit.

Matthew 6:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? 

This is the Jewish comparison, from the lesser to the greater. If God can do this for the wildflowers that we often overlook, how much more will He do for you - O ye of little faith.

The closing statement is one we find often in the Gospels. The problems begin with lack of faith among believers. The disciples believed in Jesus and followed Him, but they panicked when difficulties arose, even when they were short on food. 

If people knew about the design of every single plant cell, a factory system by itself, they would be less likely to wonder if God can provide for them. I am not saying that as if it never occurred to me. We have had to start over many times, and yet God provided.


One plant cell makes the Ford River Rouge plant look like Tinker-Toys.


Henry Ford invented the integrated factory site, the River Rouge Plant, where everything was made in one place and assembled. People wrote about that for decades, but they overlook the wildflowers that do the same without thinking.

Every plant cell has a wide variety of self-regulating mechanisms to feed the plant, generate the flowering and fruiting cycle. And the cells have to reproduce. New cells have their own jobs, just as "I am the flower that will fruit." And - "I am the fruit that will produce seed."

Because Jesus is the Creating Word, His teaching always directs us toward the Creation so we can see and experience what He is capable of doing.

31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 

God takes care of believers and unbelievers alike. Luther says, "Go about your duties and God will direct you." The human condition is such that we become paralyzed with worry at times, as if God is no longer active, interested, or able. But the Promises of God say otherwise. This is directed at all of us so we do not crumple with anxiety but do our jobs with thankfulness to God. He knows our needs and will supply them.



33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

People are either seeking material gain first or spiritual wealth first. There can be no tie. I am always astonished by the cleverness of people who invent new jobs to survive. They invent ways to make a living from the shabbiest surroundings or the least likely circumstances. So Jesus says to start with the Kingdom and the righteousness of faith. If we lose that, we lose all, no matter what we have.


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Massive File Swapping Scandal at the Other Vactican

September 28, 2014, 7:48 pm
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Vatican's previous envoy to the Dominican Republic Jozef Wesolowski who has been sacked amid an investigation in Rome into accusations he had sex with children
seen here in Santo Domingo, on August 12, 2011.

http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/vatican-paedophilia-scandal-archbishop-jozef-wesolowski-stored-over-100000-child-porn-videos-1467410
A former Vatican archbishop accused of paedophilia stored tens of thousands of child porn videos and photos on a computer in his office at the Holy See diplomatic compound in the Dominican Republic, it has emerged.
Details of Jozef Wesolowski's massive child porn stash have been revealed after the 66-year-old was arrested at the Vatican earlier this week.
He is the highest-ranking Vatican official ever to be investigated for sex abuse, and the first top papal representative to receive a defrocking sentence. He has been charged with sexually abusing minors and child porn possession and might face up to seven years in the Vatican's tiny jail.
Vatican detectives analysed the PC Wesolowski used in his office in Santo Domingo, where he served as Holy See envoy from 2008 to 2012 as part of an investigation into the alleged sexual abuse of underage boys.
The probe reportedly revealed a collection of horrors. The Polish native held more than 100,000 sexually-explicit files, Il Corriere della Sera newspaper reported....
***
GJ - Many disgusting details follow, but nothing about absolving him and getting him a top lawyer and work release.
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Mulching Is For the Birds

September 29, 2014, 2:55 am
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Many butterflies only feed from a specific plant.

A book on raising plants to attract birds made this point - A mulched garden will draw many birds, because they will search for food just beneath the layer of organic matter.

You're traveling through another dimension, a dimension not only of sight and sound but of mind; a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's the signpost up ahead—your next stop, the Creation Zone.

Exhibit A - Picture if you will an unusual bush, not just any bush, but a very special bush. The gardener has placed a layer of mulch underneath - no soil or weeds are visible through this layer.

Exhibit B - In contrast, imagine the typical American plant, standing alone with all the leaf litter cleared and raked away to the soil below. Weeds have also been removed, since they grow where sun reaches bare soil.

The Monarch lays its eggs on milkweed and the related butterfly weed.


Exhibit A Examined
The first plant will always have moist soil underneath, because wind and sun have been blocked from drying the soil. Besides that, rotting organic matter will hold moisture while it is decaying. Since the sun is blocked, the recycling soil creatures can toil in the shade, shredding the mulch. Earthworms will be active in rising to the surface for food and restroom facilities, creating tunnels for air, root penetration, and rain channels.

Since the mulch favors the plant, more material will rain down to feed the mulch layer, as leaves form, age, decay, and drop off.

The lawnmower will not be pushed beneath the bush, because no one wants to choke the blade with mulch. There are no weeds or grass to cut where mulch is placed.

Exhibit B Examined
The second plant exposes its best soil, the top soil, to wind and water erosion. That soil is always dry from sun and wind evaporation. Soil creatures will work underneath, but only during bankers' hours for decay, when darkness reigns and they are safe.

The bush will need more watering, so it will be somewhat hampered by mixing chlorinated city water with rain water. Only the rain brings fixed nitrogen to green up the plant and promote growth. My mother was famous for her classroom flowers that always bloomed. She stored the water to let it evaporate the chlorine out - before she put it on her plants.

Birds may nest in this bush but will not feed much beneath it. They sleep when the soil creatures come out to feed in the darkness.

Since weeds and grass continue to grow underneath the bush, the mulch-free gardener will disturb the soil with various tools for stopping the beneficial action of soil creatures - the lawnmower, the rake, and the three-toothed hoe.

Bluebirds love suet because they are insect eating birds.


Trapping the Nutrition
When the soil population is increased, many good things happen at once.

  • Moisture is held in the top twelve inches of soil, part of each bacterium, nematode, fungus, earthworm, ant, spider, sowbug, pillbug, and springtail. 
  • A billion creatures here, a billion creatures there - it starts to add up. No springtail is an island, each to his own. Every springtail  is a piece of the continent, a part of the main; if a bug be washed away by the sea, America is the less.
  • The nutrients pass from creature to creature instead of being drained from the soil. That bag of fertilizer ends up in the water table, with only a little of the nitrogen in the soil. Rainwater's nitrogen is trapped in the root layer and fed into the plants' roots by fungus.
  • The soil population attracts a larger and healthier bird population to keep harmful insects under control.

God is in charge of the soil, in spite of man's worst efforts, so plants continue to grow in the wreckage caused by misinformed gardeners, who do more work for fewer results, spending a lot more money.

Dandelion seeds feed birds, and the down parachutes line their nests.
Leave that herb alone, you Scotts Weed and Feed slave!


From Crabgrass to Green Manure
I had a patch of garden go wild with crabgrass - not much different from entire rose gardens not far from our house. My excuse was the fence where water dripped down for the pole bean crop. Lacking mulch, the weeds flourished. Instead of hacking, thrashing, and cutting through the jungle, which would have ended the bean crop, I threw down soggy masses of newspapers, which blocked the sunlight and ended the brief reign of crabgrass. They turned into green manure. The pole beans continue to produce.

That took five minutes work.

Keeping organic matter in the yard will increase the population fed by decomposition. Adding organic matter will also be beneficial.

These laws of Creations were fixed at the beginning, with a perfect balance between prey and predators,

Butterfly weed is a beautiful flower that favors the Monarch.



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Sassy Sings the Blues Again - And Delivers Roses

September 30, 2014, 6:12 am
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Sassy loves to catch her ball - for a cheering audience.
We walk the neighborhood twice a day, and her fans come out to greet her.
I was near our helper's home when his little girl, playing outside, opened the front door
and told her parents, "Sassy's here."

Last night we sang another chorus of the Cattle Dog Blues. Sassy joined in and howled at the right places.

She helped me deliver roses to our neighbors earlier, barking to hurry me up. Sassy's walk is so important that she barks me away from conversations, if possible. I ask her, "Do you have an appointment somewhere? What's the hurry?" At other times she will sit and scan the area, keeping track of all activity and sound. Between her talkative Cattle Dog energy and her German Shepherd protection, she never rests.

Mrs. Gardener answered the door and admired the roses. Her husband opened a front window and said, "Are you the guy who keeps giving my wife roses?" He laughed.

I said, "You ordered them," so she mentioned an old song about a man losing his girlfriend to a guy who brought her roses. Right in the middle was a very large red rose with powerful fragrance and bronze to green foliage, certainly the best single bloom among many marvels.

Knockout - small, rapid bloomer, intense color.


The roses go through their bloom cycle a bit differently. The hybrid tea roses are slower but yield much bigger blooms. The small, red Knockout roses bloom constantly, especially when Alex has been there to prune all the old blooms off.

The only soil amendments are newspapers, wood mulch, earthworms, and Epsom Salt. I read some more about the Epsom Salt, which is especially good for roses.

I sprayed a couple of roses once but never again. I do have some black spot on one rose, but I expected that on one or another rose. The old Persian rose introduced colors into the rose family - and vulnerability to black spot. The only thing I can do is prune black spot away and throw away the affected parts (see John 15:1-10).

Epsom salt is good for germination of seed, so I added some to the new spinach row and the White Profusion butterfly bush. The tiny flowers already had a Monarch butterfly sipping from them.

Epsom salt dissolves instantly in water, so I laugh at all the websites that say "Stir Epsom salt into the top layer of soil." (Martha Stewart too.) I sprinkle it on top before I water the plants or  I go out during a rain. Very few advice pages come from active gardeners. They often read like public relations blurbs written by city slickers who don't know which end of a shovel to use.

I have never had such strong and productive roses in the first year. Our yard is blessed with clay soil, and a concentration on soil health has made that clay even more beneficial.

Clay exchanges mineral ions better than any other type of soil, but clay needs organic matter to lighten up its cement-like heaviness. Given a feast of organic matter on the surface (mulch, manure, leaves, compost) - the soil creatures will tunnel, dig, and mix that clay into supersoil with a great ability to hold water.


Let's skip the laxative. Great for human feet and rose feet (roots).


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Thank You SNAP - And the Shattered Pulpit Blog. Lesson Learned - Do Not Contact a DP, Especially Not Kudu Don Patterson

September 30, 2014, 6:55 am
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A Catholic blogger is not happy with the general situation,
but glad Melnick got the Left Foot of Fellowship.

Bishop to new priests - "Infiltrate the world."


  2. Yell County Priest Removed For Alleged Sexual Misconduct



    ARKANSASTimes Record

    By John Lyon

    Arkansas News Bureau jlyon@arkansasnews.com

    LITTLE ROCK — The bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock says a Yell County priest has been removed from the ministry and will not be allowed to function as a priest again because of “credible allegations of sexual misconduct.”

    In a homily that Bishop Anthony Taylor delivered Sunday in Russellville, Dardanelle and Danville and that was posted on the the diocese’s website, Taylor said church officials received allegations the previous weekend that Father James Melnick had committed “multiple acts of sexual misconduct with multiple adult victims” over a period of less than a year.

    Melnick, 30, was ordained in 2009 and was assigned to Danville and Dardanelle in March 2013, according to the diocese.

    “Since there were multiple victims, we seem to be dealing with predatory behavior, not romance,” Taylor said in the post.

    Taylor said church officials verified the allegations by interviewing Melnick and some of the victims. He also apologized to any who were harmed by Melnick.

    “I sincerely regret the harm you have suffered and in the name of the Church I apologize to you for what Father Melnick has done. Given what was shared with you today and what Father Melnick has admitted to doing, the Church would never allow a priest in situation like this to ever to function as a priest again,” Taylor said in the post.


  4. SNAPJudy  11 hours ago

    It takes a lot of courage to speak up and take action about being sexually abused. This is not an easy thing to do. But let's hope that anyone who may have knowledge or may have been harmed by Father James Melnick, will come forward and contact law enforcement, not the church officials. They are not the proper officials to be investigation sex crimes no matter how long ago it happened.
    Sex abuse thrives in secrecy and secret systems that allow it to continue to this day.
    Silence only hurts, and by speaking up there is a chance for healing, exposing the truth, and therefore protecting others.
    Judy Jones, SNAP Midwest Associate Director, USA, 636-433-2511. snapjudy@gmail.com,
    "SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests)

http://www.arkansas-catholic.org/news/article/3998/Father-Carrasco-to-begin-new-assignment-Oct.-1

Effective Sept. 21
  • Rev. James Melnick relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Augustine Church in Dardanelle, St. Andrew Church in Danville and associate pastor for Hispanic Ministry in St. John Church in Russellville. He is suspended from active ministry.
- See more at: http://www.arkansas-catholic.org/news/article/3998/Father-Carrasco-to-begin-new-assignment-Oct.-1#sthash.0FFLHg3Q.dpuf

Author Archive: Fr. James Melnick


A priest of Little Rock, a fan of St. Philip Neri, Pope Benedict XVI, the New Evangelization and the Washington Nationals. Addicted to coffee and mexican food.
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Immigrant Children: Refugees from Failed States

 • July 28, AD2014 • 11 Comments
Immigrant Children: Refugees from Failed States
Bishop Anthony Taylor, ordinary of the Diocese of Little Rock, released a statement concerning the young immigrants who have arrived on our borders. If people understood the hardships of the situation in Latin America, we would not only invoke the inalienable right to immigrate but also the mercy due to refugees.  For many dioceses in […]
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MARRIAGE: A Well-Defined Union

 • June 17, AD2014 • 5 Comments
MARRIAGE: A Well-Defined Union
“Many well-meaning people think same-sex marriage is just about equality and spreading the benefits of marriage. Its more radical supporters know it’s about destroying marriage itself.”   ~Robinson and Richards, Indivisible “We must continue to witness to the truth about marriage, find new ways to make the reasoned case about what marriage is and work to […]
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http://www.arkansas-catholic.org/news/article/1784


  • Age: 25 
  • Hometown: Cabot 
  • Parish: St. Jude, Jacksonville 
  • Education: Cabot High School, bachelor's degree from Holy Trinity Seminary in Irving, Texas, seeking licentiate in sacred theology from the John Paul II Institute at the Lateran University in Rome 
  • Parents: Marvella Melnick of Cabot and Jim Melnick of Lonoke 
  • Influential priests in his life: Father Thomas Keller, Father Thomas Arackal, Father Les Farley

    • - See more at: http://www.arkansas-catholic.org/news/article/1784#sthash.IZYe3efl.dpuf

    ***

    GJ - What have we learned today? The Roman Catholic Church can kick someone out of the priesthood, not just transfer the criminal to a new place. Melnick had been recently moved, but that is hard to decipher in regards to a priest. Melnick admitted what he did with a number of adults and is therefore labeled "a predator." He was suspended about one week ago, but kicked out of the priesthood as of today.

    Secrecy really helps. If a Lutheran pastor is moved around by cooperative District Presidents, no one really knows why he has been in four congregations in four different districts. Leaving the state seems to grant absolution and total memory loss.

    Dealing honestly with these predators is not a Lutheran priority. SNAP has worked this in the Catholic Church for decades now, pioneers in identifying the "transfer the drunken predator" method of church management.

    Lillian and the rest - If you have been victimized by a Lutheran pastor, do not contact the officials at all. Get your facts together and go to an attorney. A series of lawsuits will help thwart this, but certainly not overnight. Many legal settlements have been made already and hidden from the sight of innocent members.

    One LCMS DP screamed at an honest pastor, "If this goes to court, it will cost us $10 million - there goes your mission to Russia."

    Kudu Don Patterson, SP Mark Schroeder, and DPs Zank and Engelbrecht do NOT want to help. They want -

    • To Silence
    • To Intimidate
    • To Stop the Lawsuits
    • To Break Up Trusted Relationships.
    Buchholz knew all about Ski and chuckled about it. That is a typical WELS reaction, especially among the "leaders." Does anyone thing that Buchholz would help with predators? His mission in life is to wipe out justification by faith.


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    When You Try To Go to Church Officials Because of an Abusive Pastor

    September 30, 2014, 7:50 am
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    Someone asked me why I did not join a particular group. He must think I miss the beatings.

    I am content to view apostasy from the outside, so someone does not try to claim, "This applies to everyone except us."

    God save me from the "confessionals" on the inside, who disappear faster than rabbits into the warren  - when an official stamps his feet. The number of "confessionals" decreases by 90% at the first thump.

    Thirty seven years of sending leaders to Fuller Seminary,
    Willow Creek, and Trinity Divinity for training - and now this.
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    From Virtue Online - PB Schori Not Running for a Second Term

    September 30, 2014, 9:15 pm
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    The big news of course was the announcement by Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori that she would not run for a second term, even though age wise she is still eligible. She made the announcement that she would not run again, but didn't tell us much about her plans for the future. Perhaps scuba diving for squid might once again appear on her horizon or flying planes low over the Utah desert just for fun.

    What is a male leader doing among
    the bosses of Episcopal-Lutherans in North America?
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    A Universe in Compost - The Numbers Game

    October 1, 2014, 6:38 am
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    The ideal compost pile layers high carbon (leaves)
    and high nitrogen (grass, weeds, and greens),
    but tossing all the garden trash in will also do the job over time.


    Compost is a whole universe of diverse soil food web organisms. Never mind the huge numbers in good, fertile garden soil: the numbers of organisms per teaspoon in compost, especially the microbial populations, are simply too large to fully comprehend: 
    • Up to a billion bacteria, 
    • 400 to 900 feet (150 to 300 meters) of fungal hyphae, 
    • 10,000 to 50,000 protozoa, and
    • 30 to 300 nematodes . 
    In addition to extremely high microbial numbers, compost contains all manner of microarthropods [springtails] and sometimes worms. It teems with life.

    Lewis, Wayne; Lowenfels,(2010-09-10). Teaming with Microbes: The Organic Gardener's Guide to the Soil Food Web, Revised Edition (Kindle Locations 1862-1866). Timber Press. Kindle Edition.


    Earthworms are the visible reminder of the microscopic activity of the soil.

    Most soil life is microscopic, so people count earthworms to measure its health. Compost begins with bacterial action heating up the pile and ends with earthworms worming their way into the pile and mixing it thorough, leaving egg capsules to inoculate every place where the compost is distributed.

    The Creating Word determined at the beginning of time that a collection of organic matter would attract and feed a large array of soil creatures, building and renewing the foundation of all life on land. What happens naturally can be magnified with a little planning.

    As I retire the summer garden, vines and cuttings will be added to the compost for spring. Leaves will be mulch-mowed into the front yard and raked up in the back yard. The back yard leaves will be good for some mulching and also for including in the compost.

    Teaming with Microbes argues that compost adds billions of microbes and miles of fungi to the soil. Earthworms concentrate the positive values in the soil, while adding calcium, but fungi delivers nitrogen directly to the roots. Fungi use carbon from the plant to grow and extend its network (hyphae). Bacteria, protozoa, and nematodes hang around the roots to feed and to give up what the plants need.

    The microbes work together tirelessly and vastly improve the soil when the principles of Creation are respected.



    The Numbers Game
    The last few decades of Lutherdom have been a clownish farce where all the wrong things are done and the results are ignored. Rototilling for success - Their Mission Vision Statement - embrace it or be gone, varmints.

    The ELS-LCMS-ELCA-WELS division of Thrivent is in a death spiral. The leaders want the numbers from the congregation. What are theirs? They have decimated Lutheran worship and disparaged the Means of Grace every way they can.

    They only need to teach faithfulness to the efficacious Word, but no - they stomp those who trust in what they despise. No one should wonder that the clergy abuse of members continues to increase faster than the speed of the cover-ups. The DPs abuse the pastors and congregations, so why shouldn't their pals abuse the members?

    It is like the chemical gardener saying, "My roses won't bloom. I need more chemical salts."

    The numbers game in the Word is simply and clearly taught in Matthew 13 - Mark 4. Sow the seed, which is the Word, and production will follow.

    My chair-link fence is all green because I planted seed along its 50 foot stretch. Gourds have taken the high ground. Along the top, the vine grows perfectly with its leaves outstretched and blossoms every few inches. Did I ask this? plan this? order this? envision this? No I simply planted and watered, but God gave the growth.

    Our little congregation simply broadcasts the Word on the Net - blogging, Facebook, Ustream, Lulu, Amazon, etc. Results follow from the faithful teaching of the Word.


    The Lincoln rose grows where it is planted.
    The Lutheran synods plant weeds, and say, "Look at the growth there!
    Follow the example of Apostasie, our new mission at a bankrupt bar."
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    Lillian Armstrong's Pastor Speaks Out - Supports Her Story

    October 2, 2014, 5:47 am
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    Parlow, Jeske, Kelm, Patterson.
    The same Church and Changer names keep coming up.


    http://shatteredpulpit.blogspot.com/2014/10/a-word-from-lillians-safe-pastor.html

    Wednesday, October 1, 2014


    A Word from Lillian's Safe Pastor

    Lillian is a real person. I first met her about a year ago when she worshiped with our congregation for a number of weeks. She always slipped quickly out of the narthex after church. I didn't have a chance to shake her hand. That was okay, I figured. She kept coming back to worship.

    Eventually she contacted me via email. All I knew then was that she was a former WELS member who was trying to find her way spiritually. She wanted to please God, but I soon found out that she didn't know quite how to do it.

    When finally we had a chance to meet face to face and have a discussion, Lillian began to slowly peel back the reasons why she and her family had left a local WELS congregation. But after a number of times together, and the more she began to trust me, Lillian poured out from her soul a story too vile to make up. It was a story of betrayal by a veteran pastor. It was a story of how this pastor had taken advantage of his position of authority to groom a hurting woman to feed his overwhelming need for sex. And all the while, as this woman starved for God's forgiveness, the pastor kept telling her that her only way to find relief from stress and trouble was in his arms.

    Throughout the many times Lillian and I met those first months, I was taken aback each time she was amazed that I answered her questions and counseled her by taking hold of the Bible on my desk and reading directly to her from God's Word. "That's what I always wanted him to do," she would say referring to the pastor who had abused her. "But all he ever did was tell me that only he, and not God, could relieve my stress. And he did it his way."

    What I'm now about to tell you may answer the questions of those who haven't read all of Lillian's posts on this blog, or those who even now doubt the veracity of her story. When Lillian seemed stable in her relationship with me as a pastor, I encouraged her to speak with the district president of our WELS district. She agreed to do so, and because she trusted me as much as she did, she even allowed a second member of district leadership to be present.

    There were several reasons why I wanted her to speak with these men. First, they needed to know that such a thing had happened in their midst over the course of a decade and a half. Secondly, I wanted them to know who the abusive man was, so they could assure Lillian that he would never again receive CRM status in our synod. You see, this man had resigned from the ministry a number of years ago.  I did indeed know the offender, though not very well. He is still in our area and attending a WELS church served by a man who has been a friend of his since their college days. I'm not sure what if anything he's told his pastor/friend about his "secret life."

    Lillian began to write Shattered Pulpit as a way for her to express her feelings. She was surprised by how many people became interested in "her little blog." It's become a source of empowerment for her as she receives correspondence from a number of WELS pastors and laypeople. She's touched when other victims of abuse reach out to her. And because of the caring woman she truly is, she wants to help each and every one of them.

    That's what has led to Lillian asking "Jane" to share her story on Shattered Pulpit. After corresponding with Jane over a number of weeks, it became apparent to Lillian that Jane hadn't the same opportunity as she to "tell her side of the story." Doing so, Lillian thought, might also help Jane heal from her wounds and empower her to rise above her situation. And maybe--just maybe--people all over the WELS would understand the injustice that had taken place so publicly, yet so silently, during the course of the past year.

    Lillian's empowerment is becoming a burden to her. She wants to be a leader, but is realizing that leadership brings with it many responsibilities and even difficulties. Lillian wants to help each and every victim who writes her, but then she realizes that each victim's story drags her back into the muck and mire of her own troubling past. And she still  has not recovered fully from her past troubles.

    Lillian wishes to help district and synodical leaders fully understand what victims of clergy sexual abuse need, as well as help them know just how many women have been abused and need help. Yet, Lillian is now all too well aware that some synod leaders don't see her as helpful. And despite the fact that she is no longer a WELS member, she still has extended family members who are quite involved in the WELS. That's why she fears emails from leaders that seem less that supportive.

    So, where does this leave Lillian now?

    Well, she's physically, emotionally, and spiritually tired. She's trying to be so much to so many that she really wants to close up the Shattered Pulpit blog altogether. Yet, deep down, I know that she does want to continue her fight to overcome her own abuse and help others do the same. All the while, "this little blog of hers" could very well be a turning point in how we in the WELS view, discuss, and correct clergy sexual abuse among us.

    Lillian has accepted my offer to take some of the burden off of her for now by helping her administer Shattered Pulpit. I hope you understand if she is slow to respond to some of your correspondences. If she doesn't post for some time, please know that she hasn't given up. She simply needs some time to regroup and recharge.

    As her safe pastor I do all I can to encourage her in the study of God's Word. Still, I know that undue pressure will only lead her further from me and her God. So, I support her in her recovery and pray for her best. I'm sure you do the same.
    Posted by at  


    2 comments:

    1. Please, please, please insulate Lillian from cruel messages such as those she apparently received from Synodical leadership. A great many of us were very worried for her after the last post.
      Reply
    2. DPs like Don Patterson only want to crush people so they can feel powerful and needed by the hierarchy, with rewards handed out for service to the cause. I am glad you have helped Lillian and taken up her cause. I tried dealing with this in Columbus, speaking directly to the Circuit Pastor, the District President, and pastors in the Michigan District. That was about 26 years ago - and nothing has changed. They laughed about clergy adultery and made sure their guy got another congregation, where he is today.
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