That Man a Godly Life Might Live

Diess sind die heil'gen zehn Gebot'~Martin Luther

Melody from an old German Processional- Wittenberg, 1525

That man a godly life might live,
God did these ten commandments give
By his true servant Moses, high
Upon the mount Sinai.
Have mercy, Lord.

I am thy God and Lord alone,
No other God besides me own;
On my great mercy venture thee,
With all thy heart love thou me.
Have mercy, Lord.

By idle word and speech profane
Take not my holy name in vain;
And praise not aught as good and true
But what God doth say and do.
Have mercy, Lord.

Hallow the day which God hath blest,
That thou and all thy house may rest;
Keep hand and heart from labor free,
That God may so work in thee.
Have mercy, Lord.

Give to thy parents honor due,
Be dutiful and loving too;
And help them when their strength decays;
So shalt thou have length of days.
Have mercy, Lord.

Kill thou not out of evil will,
nor hate, nor render ill for ill;
Be patient and of gentle mood,
And to thy foe do thou good.
Have mercy, Lord.

Be faithful to thy marriage vows,
Thy heart give only to thy spouse;
Keep thy life pure, and lest thou sin
Keep thyself with discipline.
Have mercy, Lord.

Steal not; oppressive acts abhor;
Nor wring their life-blood from the poor;
But open wide thy loving hand
To all the poor in the land.
Have mercy, Lord.

Bear not false witness, nor belie
Thy neighbor by foul calumny;
Defend his innocence from blame,
With charity hide his shame.
Have mercy, Lord.

Thy neighbor's wife desire thou not,
His house, nor aught that he hath got;
But wish that his such good may be
As thy heart doth wish for thee.
Have mercy, Lord.

God these commandments gave, therein
To show thee, son of man, thy sin,
And make thee also well perceive
How man for God ought to live.
Have mercy, Lord.

Help us, Lord Jesus Christ, for we
A Mediator have in thee;
Without thy help our works so vain
Merit naught but endless pain.
Have mercy, Lord.

Sing with Cyber Hymnal

Lutherhaus

One of the fun things we did in Germany was to walk the streets where Martin Luther once walked as a schoolboy. We first visited the home where Bach was born and then walked down the street to Luther's house that he lived in from 1498-1501. How exciting to step back in time! The first two pictures are from Luther's house and the others are from the town to give an idea of what modern Eisenach looks like today, probably not too different from the past. (Even though there are remnants from the effects of communism, many of the buildings have been restored.)

Luther's Little Instruction Book

The Ten Commandments:
~Martin Luther

The Simple Way a Father Should Present Them to His Household

A. The First Commandment
You must not have other gods.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear, love, and trust God more than anything else.

B. The Second Commandment
You must not misuse your God's name.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that we will not use His name to curse, swear, cast a spell, lie or deceive, but will use it to call upon Him, pray to Him, praise Him and thank Him in all times of trouble.

C. The Third Commandment
You must keep the Sabbath holy.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that we will not look down on preaching or God's Word, but consider it holy, listen to it willingly, and learn it.

D. The Fourth Commandment
You must honor your father and mother. [So that things will go well for you and you will live long on earth].
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that we will neither look down on our parents or superiors nor irritate them, but will honor them, serve them, obey them, love them and value them.

E. The Fifth Commandment
You must not kill.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that we will neither harm nor hurt our neighbor's body, but help him and care for him when he is ill.

F. The Sixth Commandment
You must not commit adultery.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that our words and actions will be clean and decent and so that everyone will love and honor their spouses.

G. The Seventh Commandment
You must not steal.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that we will neither take our neighbor's money or property, nor acquire it by fraud or by selling him poorly made products, but will help him improve and protect his property and career.

H. The Eighth Commandment
You must not tell lies about your neighbor.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that we will not deceive by lying, betraying, slandering or ruining our neighbor's reputation, but will defend him, say good things about him, and see the best side of everything he does.

I. The Ninth Commandment
You must not desire your neighbor's house.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that we will not attempt to trick our neighbor out of his inheritance or house, take it by pretending to have a right to it, etc. but help him to keep & improve it.

J. The Tenth Commandment
You must not desire your neighbor's wife, servant, maid, animals or anything that belongs to him.
Q. What does this mean?
A. We must fear and love God, so that we will not release his cattle, take his employees from him or seduce his wife, but urge them to stay and do what they ought to do.

K. The Conclusion to the Commandments
Q. What does God say to us about all these commandments?
A. This is what He says:

"I am the Lord Your God. I am a jealous God. I plague the grandchildren and great-grandchildren of those who hate me with their ancestor's sin. But I make whole those who love me for a thousand generations."

Q. What does it mean?
A. God threatens to punish everyone who breaks these commandments. We should be afraid of His anger because of this and not violate such commandments. But He promises grace and all good things to those who keep such commandments. Because of this, we, too, should love Him, trust Him, and willingly do what His commandments require.

Luther's Hymns

The following words have been quoted from Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)

"Luther did as much for the Reformation by his hymns as by his translation of the Bible. In Germany the hymns are known by heart by every peasant; they advise, they argue from the hymns, and every soul in the church praises God like a Christian, with words which are natural and yet sacred to his mind."

We Now Implore God the Holy Ghost
Verse 1 unknown, vers­es 2-4 Martin Luther, 1524

We now implore God the Holy Ghost
For the true faith, which we need the most,
That in our last moments He may befriend us
And, as homeward we journey, attend us.
Lord, have mercy!

Shine in our hearts, O most precious Light,
That we Jesus Christ may know aright,
Clinging to our Savior, whose blood hath bought us,
Who again to our homeland hath brought us.
Lord, have mercy!

Thou sacred Love, grace on us bestow,
Set our hearts with heav’nly fire aglow
That with hearts united we love each other,
Of one mind, in peace with every brother.
Lord, have mercy!

Thou highest Comfort in every need,
Grant that neither shame nor death we heed,
That e’en then our courage may never fail us
When the foe shall accuse and assail us.
Lord, have mercy!

Sing with Cyber Hymnal

Reformation Day Celebration

Who is Martin Luther and why do we celebrate Reformation Day?

Martin Luther (November 10, 1483 – February 18, 1546) was a German monk, theologian, university professor, Father of Protestantism and church reformer whose ideas influenced the Protestant Reformation and changed the course of Western civilization. ~Wiki

Reformation Day is a religious holiday celebrated on October 31 in remembrance of the Reformation, particularly by Lutheran and some Reformed church communities.

On this day in 1517, Martin Luther posted a proposal at the doors of a church in Wittenberg, Germany to debate the doctrine and practice of indulgences. This proposal is popularly known as the 95 Theses, which he nailed to the Castle Church doors. This was not an act of defiance or provocation as is sometimes thought. Since the Castle Church faced Wittenberg's main thoroughfare, the church door functioned as a public bulletin board and was therefore the logical place for posting important notices. Also, the theses were written in Latin, the language of the church, and not in the vernacular. Nonetheless, the event created a controversy between Luther and those allied with the Pope over a variety of doctrines and practices. When Luther and his supporters were excommunicated in 1520, the Lutheran tradition was born.

The fact that Reformation Day coincides with Halloween may not be mere coincidence. Halloween, being the Eve of All Saints' Day might have been an entirely appropriate day for Luther to post his 95 Theses against indulgences since the castle church would be open on All Saints' Day specifically for people to view a large collection of relics. The viewing of these relics was said to promise a reduction in time in purgatory similar to that of the purchase of an indulgence. Dr. Luther may have been shrewd in his choice of that day to post his theses.

~From "Reformation Day"-Wiki

Previous post on Martin Luther

The Book Club

Our new book selection is The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, an award winning children's novel written in 2007. Stewart has a website with fun stuff for the kids, an interview where you can hear him read an excerpt from his book, and another which tells of his Top 10, interesting facts you may not know.

Interviews

The Mysterious Benedict Society Website

Open, Obedient, Occupied

Words from Warren Wiersbe, speaking about our hearts:

Read Psalm 119:25-32

An enlarged heart, in the physical sense, is dangerous. But spiritually speaking, an enlarged heart can be a blessing. "I will run in the way of Your commandments, for You shall enlarge my heart" (v. 32). If you have an enlarged heart physically, you don't do much running. But if you have an enlarged heart spiritually, you are ready to walk and run with the Lord and accomplish His purposes. When an athlete is running, he is on a path and has a goal in mind, which gives him the energy to continue. That's what God wants for us today. He has a goal for us to reach and a path for us to follow. And He gives us His strength through His Word. What does it mean to have an enlarged heart? First, an enlarged heart is open to God's truth. It's a heart that's honest and says, "Lord, I want Your truth even if it hurts."

Second, an enlarged heart is obedient to God's will. It's a humble heart that says, "O God, what You have said, I will do. I am the servant. You are the master."

Third, an enlarged heart is occupied with God's glory. It's a happy heart. Some people's hearts are small and narrow. They live in their own little world and have their own narrow view. What a wonderful thing it is to grow in grace and the knowledge of truth (II Pet. 3:18)! Our horizons are expanded. We can see what we haven't seen before. We can hear what we haven't heard before. God gives us an enlarged life because we have an enlarged heart.

~Warren Wiersbe (1929-)

The Cat's Tail

"If you hold a cat by the tail you learn things you cannot learn any other way."~Mark Twain (1835-1910)

Goody O'Grumpity

A nice book to read during this time of year. The book summary reads," Children come from near and far to taste Goody O'Grumpity's wonderful spice cake."

The 1937 poem is written by Carol Ryrie Brink and in 1994, Ashley Wolfe, illustrated it by using linoleum block prints painted with watercolors. Wolfe says this about the name Goody:

"I knew that it was a custom in early America to call a married woman "goodwife", so perhaps Goody was a shortened term of endearment."

She also was able to find a 17th century spice cake recipe which is at the end of the book.

Goody O' Grumpity was a Pilgrim woman with a great big heart!

The Book Club

We'll be meeting Thursday night at Midnight Oil @7:30 to discuss The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Remember to bring your list of the Top 5 worst books you've ever read and please, please don't forget a new book to vote on. Hope to see you there!

Praise God

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto Thy name, O most High: to show forth Thy lovingkindness in the morning, and Thy faithfulness every night.-Psalm 92:1,2

Miller Family

Remember the homeschool family that is touring Europe by bike? They're currently in Italy and have posted some new pictures. If you subscribe, you can follow along as they travel and view their photos.

Edventure Project

Chocolate Gravy

I didn't grow up with chocolate gravy but my husband did. His grandma used to fix it, his mom and aunts all fix it, and now of course we do. Serve it with hot buttered biscuits, bacon or sausage, and scrambled eggs. This recipe makes enough for 8 allowing plenty for seconds.

Chocolate Gravy

1 cup butter
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
4 cups milk

Melt butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add cocoa and flour; stir until a thick paste is formed. Stir in sugar, vanilla and milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until thick.

Churchill Quote

Personally I'm always ready to learn, although I do not always like being taught. -Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

Soft, Simple and Strong

We picked up this cute little one when my youngest was a baby and it has become a favorite. Viking Toys, a Swedish company, makes cars, trucks, planes, etc. in bright, bold colors. Chubby in design, and perfect for little hands to hold. You can wash them in the dishwasher but I'm really drawn to them because of the rubber wheels, they are super quiet when rolled around on the hardwoods!

Viking Toys

Mushrooms 2008

Corn Recipes

Corn Casserole

1 can whole kernel corn-drained
1 can cream style corn
1 small onion, minced
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
1 package Jiffy cornbread mix
3 eggs
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup half & half
2 cups cheddar cheese

Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Mix all ingredients and pour into baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake 45 minutes at 350.

Creamed Corn
~Great for the crockpot

1 cup milk
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup Bisquick
3 pounds frozen sweet corn
1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Cheese
2 tablespoons parsley

Whisk together: milk, cream, sugar, salt, Worcestershire and Bisquick until smooth. Thaw corn under warm running water; drain. Place in crockpot. Add milk mixture and stir to coat well. Cook in crockpot HIGH for 3-4 hours. It will not look like anything is happening until the very end of the cooking time. Stir occasionally - especially the bottom. Flour may settle and stick, so scrape well.

Garnish with cheese and parsley when serving.

Tiny Little Things

~Elisabeth Elliot

When we were growing up our parents taught us, by both word and example, to pay attention to little things. If you do a thing at all, do it thoroughly.

When I went to boarding school the same principles I had been taught at home were emphasized. There was a hallway with small oriental rugs which we called "Character Hall" because the headmistress, Mrs. DuBose, could look down that hall from the armchair where she sat in the lobby and spot any student who kicked up the corner of a rug and did not replace it. She would call out to correct him, "It's those tiny little things in your life which will crack you up when you get out of this school!" In the little things our character was revealed. Our response would make or break us. "Don't go around with a Bible under your arm if you didn't sweep under the bed," she said, for she would have no pious talk coming out of a messy room.

"Great thoughts go best with common duties. Whatever therefore may be your office regard it as a fragment in an immeasurable ministry of love." ~Bishop Brooke Foss Westcott, (1825-1901)

God's Love

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. ~ 1 John 4:10

Propitiation - In theology, the atonement or atoning sacrifice offered to God to assuage his wrath and render him propitious to sinners. Christ is the propitiation for the sins of men.

Propitious - Disposed to be gracious or merciful; ready to forgive sins and bestow blessings; applied to God.

~ Webster's 1828 Dictionary

Gift of Laughter

kb- this one's for you!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROwPoxwqG5Y&feature=related

White Rock Mountain

I've told the story of going to White Rock Mountain in my dad's Volkswagen Bus and all along wondering if we were gonna make it up the hill. So for an adventure, we all decided to go. The way there was just like I remembered, except we took a shortcut through the creek. We also saw interesting floral rock designs on a house, a Stonehenge replica, friendly cows and even an antique car that passed us. Once to the top the view was covered in a fog but the countryside was beautiful.

Chinese Proverb

I hear, and I forget. I see, and I remember. I do, and I understand.

Bleak House

A friend recently recommended several movies for us to watch. The first one off the list was BBC's Bleak House (Charles Dickins). It took a few nights to watch it all but well worth it. Especially seeing my 5 year old daughter's face light up during the ending and my 3 year old's imitation of Smallweed. (In case anyone else is wondering - we did some research and those are not Smallweed's real teeth) I must leave you with:

"Judy, shake me up!"

Baked Potato Soup

12 slices bacon
2/3 cup margarine
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
7 cups milk
4 large baked potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 green onions, chopped
1 1/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper

Place bacon in large, deep skillet. Cook over medium heat until browned. Drain, crumble, and set aside.

In a stock pot or Dutch oven, melt the margarine over medium heat. Whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually stir in milk, whisking constantly until thickened. Stir in potatoes and onions.. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Mix in bacon, cheese, sour cream, salt, and pepper. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until cheese is melted.

A great way to use leftover baked potatoes.
~Sherry Haupt

Thanks for your Prayers

Jo is doing well and the doctors are pleased with her progress.

Amazing Love

You, O Lord, who know the hearts of all. Acts 1:24

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

And Can It Be That I Should Gain?

And can it be that I should gain
An interest in the Savior’s blood?
Died He for me, who caused His pain—
For me, who Him to death pursued?

Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?
Amazing love! How can it be,
That Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?

~Charles Wesley (1707-1788)

Baby Beluga

My husband and I both agree that our favorite song of Raffi's is Baby Beluga. Raffi, was born in Egypt and immigrated to Canada with his family in the late 50's. He ran a coffee house, where he played the guitar. He was asked to play at a school and even though he wasn't sure about it, he did anyway and became an instant hit with kids. He was popular when our oldest two were little, so we have fond memories of his tapes, yes, cassette tapes. All of his songs are great and lots of fun. Baby Beluga will stay with you forever - but in a good, pleasant way.

Baby Beluga

Baby Beluga CD