My lessoning today was virtual, in that we used Skype for the first time.  I will admit that I was not altogether enthusiastic about this, but, as Bettina pointed out, virtual lessoning is better than no lessoning.  However, the time turned out much better than I anticipated.  Yep, I was wrong!  Granted, there was no blessing, but still...I savored my lesson!

Pastor read three psalms, not one, and we sang three hymns together.  He even gave me a bonus in a preview of a hymn he is writing for Lent!

The first bit we did was for him to answer a question I had from Psalms.  Many times I read of God shattering the doors of bronze, most particularly in Psalm 107:16.  What are doors of bronze?

Well, the explanation went something along the lines of how most cities they went up against in battle were walled cities.  The strongest part of their defense could have been great big doors of bronze.  Simply put, God is stronger than the greatest strength of man.  Blast!  Boom!  Those "impenetrable" doors are shattered.  Our greatest adversaries are but twisted, broken metal before God.

We then moved back to the Holy Spirit.  This was the last bit of teaching before I gained the alter, but I find that I cannot re-tell it as well as I could wish, give a defense of my faith so to speak.  I understand the Holy Spirit's role in giving us faith, but not so clearly as to have the words fall easily from my tongue.

The wonderful part was that he came at it from a completely different direction than the first time, painting a larger picture for me that clearly sets the difference between how early Protestants, at least, and Lutherans differ as to the role of the Holy Spirit.  Once again, I find myself resonating with the Lutheran teaching.

Read through John 16:5-15 and ponder a bit on the Holy Spirit.
Then read John 14:25-26 and ponder more.
Then read John 14:16-17 and ponder even more.

Backwards I know, those verses, but sometimes starting with the big picture and then falling back to the simple promise makes those promises greater, more magnificent.

Now read Acts 8:4-17.  Why could it be that Peter and John came? And what could this have to do with the "gifts of the Holy Spirit," such as speaking in tongues?

I shall answer, hopefully clearly, after you have had a chance to meditate on these passages for a while!
 
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I found this quote on another blog's comment section.  Remember what I wrote about how the Reformation ought really to be called the Restoration?  Well, I find this articulates the reasoning behind such, although a bit differently.

It is not we who call ourselves Lutherans. Rather, our adversaries call us that. We allow this to the extent that this title is an indication of the consensus that our churches have with the orthodox and catholic doctrine that Luther set forth from Holy Writ. Therefore we allow ourselves to be named after Luther, not as the inventor of a new faith but as the asserter of the old faith and the cleanser of the church from the stains of Papist dogmas. Consequently, we also do not reject the names “Christian” and “catholic,” nor do we render ourselves unworthy of them by the approval of any heretical dogma, as did the Arians, Nestorians, Eutychians, etc. Rather, we are called “Christians” from Christ as the only Author and Teacher of our faith. We are called “catholics” from our consensus with the catholic faith. We are called “Lutherans” from Luther as the asserter and defender of that faith, but especially as the reformer whom God raised up.

—Johann Gerhard, On the Church (Theological Commonplace XXV), § 156.

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I still need help.  Don't do that!

Pastor invited me come over to his abode to watch the first half of the Cowboys-Eagles game (oh, my 'Boys did me proud) when I lamented that I wished I did not have to watch the game alone.  But he said I had to come early enough to play a game with his Lovely Bride and his Eldest Daughter.  I thought the game was at 7:00, so I was sure that it would not be too much past their household bedtime (8:30-9:00) for me to be there.  Alas, I was wrong.  It was nearly 10:00 PM when I left.

Anyhow, I sort of finagled a dinner invitation out of it and his Lovely Bride prepared a rather sumptuous, moist, tender pork roast for our consumption.  I do not know her well, but I do so like what I know of her.  When I asked what one of the two salad dressing options tasted like, she promptly handed over a piece of lettuce dripping with the dressing so that I might taste without having to commit my salad to the dressing!  What kindness!

I also was quite brazen and asked if they had grape jelly for his Lovely Bride had also prepared fresh bread.  Oh, how I enjoy butter and grape jelly on a roll or slice of bread at the end of a feast.  I had two.  And a cookie.  And I was soon quite ill.

I consider the fact that I did not puke in the Pastor's bathroom a minor miracle and great accomplishment on my part.  Unfortunately, I did moan and groan and castigate myself rather heartily for quite a while as I fought to keep my "dessert" down where it belonged.

Oh, I need help.  

I truly need help.  Pastor looked at the ingredients label and discovered the grape jelly/preserves had 10 grams of sugar per tablespoon.  It would be a generous estimate to say I only had three tablespoons between my two slices of bread; I fear it may have been four.

Sugar on top of carbohydrates followed by another sugar/carbohydrates combination.

Oh, I need help!  Don't do that, Myrtle!

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Bettina called just as I was leaving Pastor's and stayed on the phone with me until the end of the game!  Such blessing God bestowed on me today.  Both sets of company were Eagles' fans, yet both allowed my rather obnoxious fan self to not be alone during the game. How sweet and thoughtful and rather selfless...

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Uhm...well...I would HIGHLY recommend that you not remove your contacts directly following the application of Vick's vapor rub...at least not without scrubbing your fingers with much soap.  Vick's applied to the eyeball is an altogether unpleasant experience!