Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty

I had this hymn on my heart this morning as I drove to work. We sung this also at our wedding some18 years ago, loudly and with guitar strumming...

"Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty"
by Reginald Heber, 1783-1826

1. Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee;
Holy holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity!

2. Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore Thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea;
Cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee,
Which wert and art and evermore shalt be.

3. Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide Thee,
Though the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see,
Only Thou art holy; there is none beside Thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

4. Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy name in earth and sky and sea.
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty!
God in Three Persons, blessed Trinity!

The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #246
Text: Rev. 4:8
Author: Reginald Heber, 1827
Composer: John B. Dykes, 1861
Tune: Nicaea

Saturday, August 23, 2014

Saturday Prayer

Dearest Lord of Heaven and Earth,

Into Your loving care I commit this day. I lay at Your feet all my wants, hopes, aspirations, and dreams, all I will do and all will say and all I will think this day. I commit my plans to You and ask for Your grace and guidance in carrying this out. 
I pray for Francis and all the priests, bishops, and shepherds of Your people. I pray for Your Church all over the world, that You would comfort and guide Her.
I pray for each child conceived to-day, each child born to-day, and each child living to-day; that they would be brought up in a loving, nurturing home, and grow to know and love You.
I pray for Stan and Rita, for Stan and Charlotte and Kathy and Justin and Joey and Dana and Stosh (rest his soul) and Stacie and Carter, for Ryan and Emma and Dean and Mary Ann and Brett M and Kacie E and Court and Rusty and Mason and Drew and Meggie and Jake and Quinn and Quinns little sister! and Moni and Bob and Jon and Jay (rest his soul) and Liam and Joslin and Jen and Denise and Meredith and Kenny and Pam and Ken and Kendall. I pray for Carolyn and Doug and Terrence David and Jeanie and Rindy and Tigh and Sofia and Trent and Kevin Paul and Kaley and Kristine and Tori and Michael and Michael's mom.
I pray for mom and dad and Nancy and Ruben, Ray, Carlos, Alex, Belle, Rick, Benjamin, Gary, Susie, Joshie, Taylor, and Jeremy. I pray for Kevin and Hilda, Roger, Sheri, and Benjamin, Tommy and Shelly, Vic and AJ, Peggy, Ninny, John, Betsie, Little John, and their daughter.
I pray for Ron and Jeana, Sofie, Cas, and Nina, for Mike and his wife and kids, for Mike and Drake and Drake's mom, and for Mr and Mrs Mijal.
I pray for the two guys I sat at table with last fall and for the both the Mens and Womens #55 team, as well as the participants you have chosen for these weekends. I pray for Bob and Kurt, my brothers in Christ, and for Monica, the wife of my youth.
Protect us, guide us, lead us to eternal life with You.
Thank You for Your love, Your mercies, Your graces. Thank You for calling us into fellowship with You and each other. Bind us together Lord, with ties that cannot be broken. 
Lord to whom shall we go, You have the words of eternal life - alleluia!
Lord, I am not worthy to receive You, but only say the word and my soul shall be healed.
All praise and honor and glory to You, almighty and everlasting God, and to You Jesus Christ, Son of the Father, and to You Spirit of God.

Amen and Amen

Friday, August 22, 2014

Finally...

I have decided to make some lifestyle changes toward a healthier me. Yestreday, 21 August 2014, I took a walk around the block and thought I was going to pass out from heat exhaustion and lack of oxygen. So the time has come, and hopefully it did not come too late.

I am committing to make wiser choices regarding my physical state of being.

Primus, I am giving up alcohol for a time. The severe swelling in my right lower leg will be diminished as a result I am sure.

Secundus, I am greatly reducing the amount of processed food I intake. All that sodium!! My leg will benefit from this also.

Tertius, I am going to go for the brown carbs, as opposed to the white ones. This will help with my blood sugar levels as well.

Quartus, I plan to move my body around vigorously (well, at least to a degree greater than 'sedentarily') at least six days a week at least until Christmas of this year. This will help my blood sugar levels and also my general overall well-being.

Coffee, ice cream, and acocadoes are still in; Burger King, gin and diet dews, and my favourite Pioneer Woman Chicken Rice Soup are all out, for a time. I need to see progress, and I believe I will sooner rather than later with these changes. After a time, when I get to the point that I don't need to see any more changes and just want to maintain the healthy lifestyle, then maybe I can indulge myself once in a while.

I have begun a separate weblog to document my progress toward these goals:
http://blogtolose.com/profile/DavidFrederickBaldner


Dearest Father in Heaven, I commit my journey to You. May You bless my efforts at attaining a healthier heart, mind and body; may You give me the persistence and grace to make the choices I need to make. And You get the glory, Lord! Praise God from Whom all blessing flow!!

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

Prayer to Our Father

Merciful Father,
on the night before his Passion
your Son prayed for the unity of those
who believe in him:
in disobedience to his will, however,
believers have opposed one another,
becoming divided,
and have mutually condemned one another
and fought against one another.
We urgently implore your forgiveness
and we beseech the gift of a repentant heart,
so that all Christians, reconciled with you
and with one another,
will be able, in one body and in one spirit,
to experience anew the joy of full communion.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.


from http://www.ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/JJP2UNPR.HTM 

Friday, August 15, 2014

The Church's One Foundation

1. The Church's one foundation
Is Jesus Christ, her Lord;
She is His new creation
By water and the Word.
From heaven He came and sought her
To be His holy bride;
With His own blood He bought her,
And for her life He died.

2. Elect from every nation,
Yet one o'er all the earth,
Her charter of salvation
One Lord, one faith, one birth.
One holy name she blesses,
Partakes one holy food,
And to one hope she presses,
With every grace endued.

3. The Church shall never perish!
Her dear Lord, to defend,
To guide, sustain, and cherish,
Is with her to the end.
Though there be those that hate her.
False sons within her pale,
Against both foe and traitor
She ever shall prevail.

4. Though with a scornful wonder
Men see her sore oppressed,
By schisms rent asunder,
By heresies distressed,
Yet saints their watch are keeping;
Their cry goes up, "How long?"
And soon the night of weeping
Shall be the morn of song.

5. Mid toil and tribulation
And tumult of her war
She waits the consummation
Of peace forevermore,
Til with the vision glorious
Her longing eyes are blest
And the great Church victorious
Shall be the Church at rest.

The Lutheran Hymnal
Hymn #473
Text: Eph. 2:20
Author: Samuel J. Stone, 1866, cento
Composer: Samuel S. Wesley, 1864
Tune: "Aurelia"

Thursday, August 14, 2014

Prayers

Pray with me for the Ladies who will be making their LVCCM Weekend #82 starting tonight in Midland (lvccm.org, @LVCCM) - that their hearts would be open to the message presented.

Also, for those of us called to serve on GNVDC #55 team in October - that we might be self-less servants.

Also, for every child conceived to-day, every child born to-day, and every child living to-day - that they may be brought up in a safe and loving home to know and love God.

Also, for my friends Roger, Kevin, Tommy, John, AJ, and Ron - that God would guide their decisions and would bring each to a closer relationship with Him.



Tuesday, August 5, 2014

In The Light

By Charlie Peacock, and my prayer to-day

I keep trying to find a life
On my own, apart from You
I am the king of excuses
I've got one for every selfish thing I do

What's going on inside of me?
I despise my own behavior
This only serves to confirm my suspicions
That I'm still a man in need of a Savior

[chorus]
I wanna be in the Light
As You are in the Light
I wanna shine like the stars in the heavens
Oh, Lord be my Light and be my salvation
Cause all I want is to be in the Light
All I want is to be in the Light 

The disease of self runs through my blood
It's a cancer fatal to my soul
Every attempt on my behalf has failed
To bring this sickness under control

Tell me, what's going on inside of me?
I despise my own behavior
This only serves to confirm my suspicions
That I'm still a man in need of a Savior 

[chorus]

Honesty becomes me
(There's nothing left to lose)
The secrets that did run me
(In Your presence are defused)
Pride has no position
(And riches have no worth)
The fame that once did cover me
(Has been sentenced to this Earth)
Has been sentenced to this Earth


Tell me, what's going on inside of me?
I despise my own behavior
This only serves to confirm my suspicions
That I'm still a man in need of a Savior 

[chorus]
[chorus]


(There's no other place that I want to be)
(No other place that I can see)
(A place to be that's just right)
(Someday I'm gonna be in the Light)
(You are in the Light)
(That's where I need to be)
(That's right where I need to be)

Friday, August 1, 2014

Beautiful Friday!

Another glorious morning in southeastern lower Michigan. Rent being due, I stopped and dropped off our envelop designated as such. Had time for a quick CVS stop (no, I don't need help finding anything) for morning biscuits and later lunchtime sandwich buns.

Prayer vigil for LVCCM Men's #82 began last night and there are still slots to commit to if you will: http://www.3dayol.org/Vigil/GetVigil.phtml?pvid=9384&commid=130 

I recently talked to three brothers in the Lord whom I have not talked to in years and thank God for their friendship: Kurt - we've laughed, cried, and sung loudly together; Ervin was Rector on the weekend I gave the Apostolic Action talk - my first rollo; Bob - high school religion teacher (back when religion meant little to me) and then cursillista one time I was on team, now a spiritual director for the Lutheran Via de Cristo of Central Michigan and serving on team for the Women's #82 later in August (http://www.3dayol.org/Vigil/GetVigil.phtml?pvid=9490&commid=130  for prayer sign-up).

Homeowner's insurance, life insurance, ceramic tile, getting out of out trailer and into a stick home, vehicle issues, fantasy baseball slumps, .... I give it all to You, LORD; guide and direct me, that my decisions are based on Your wisdom and bring you honor and glory!


Blessed be God forever!