Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Shade Tree Wisdom 8/27/14


          On these warm summer days I have been thinking of the front porch.  I recall days when every house had a front porch equipped with several rockers and maybe even an old couch for a nice afternoon nap.

          Families used to sit on their front porch after dinner and sort of close out their day.  Maybe some neighbors walked by on their evening stroll, some just called greetings and continued, others might be asked to come visit a bit and that was an invitation to stop and sit for a while.
   
          They sort of kept track of what was going on, discussing a neighbor's fine garden and asking what they were doing to make it grow so bushy.  Exchanging recipes for putting up pickles and tomatoes and stuff.  And if there was need of some sort, making plans to help where needed, or wherever they could be of assistance.  I remember one summer cutting a widow’s grass because she had sprained her ankle. Neighborly stuff like that.

          Or who can forget those rainy summer afternoons on the front porch  playing monopoly and getting a monopoly on the railroads.

          Now that I think about it, the front porch was really a place where one could and did learn about life and how best to live it, wasn’t it?  And now that it is gone, we live lives that are rather isolated.  We have a patio, but fenced with an 8 foot fence to give us our treasured privacy.  So it is, I say this sadly, a loss.  I miss the front porch.

          Our Lord Jesus one time said to his disciples when they returned from a trip, “come ye aside and rest a while”.  And I am sure they used time of rest and privacy to discuss what had happened, and to make further plans for their future.

          But the rest, the time to lay back and relax, that time is essential.  And we would benefit if we would only take, or make, the time to fit it into our busy living.

GPD 8/27/14

Monday, August 25, 2014

Shade Tree Wisdom 8/25/14



“I will praise Thee, 
for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, 
marvelous are Thy works, 
and that my soul knoweth right well.”
Psalm 139,14

          Keep that truth in mind.

          Why do we yawn?  What causes it?  What brings it on?  A study showed a greater number of parties yawned more in summer than in winter.  Our brain works best when it is at 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit, and when it heats up, cold air from yawning helps cool it down.  That helps explain why people under stress – having to make an important speech, for example, - often yawn repeatedly.


          Contagious yawning may also have a social aspect, in a group with much repetition on the agenda, yawning may help keep everyone alert.  When planning a meeting, it is best to have an air conditioned room or one that can be cooled. Warm air, boring speeches, leads to much yawning.


         So it’s true,
“I will praise Thee, 
for I am fearfully and wonderfully made, 
marvelous are Thy works, 
and that my soul knoweth right well.”
Psalm 139,14

GPD 8/25/14

Friday, August 22, 2014

Shade Tree Wisdom 8/21/14


          So here I am, worn out by the physical therapist whose favorite saying today seemed to be “Let’s do another set” and then he starts counting, "One, now Two...”

          But I did manage to read the paper this morning.  One article caught my eye.  Texas officially dropped the $500 dollar fine for handfishing for catfish in 2011.  It's also called hogging, stumping, catfisting, cat-daddling, grabbling, dogging, graveling, gurgling and tickling.  No one seems to know the origin  of the most popular term, noodling.
  
          And what, pray tell, is noodling?

          Simply put, it’s handfishing.  People enter the water where catfish are.  They find a hole where a catfish may lurk, and stick their hand into its mouth and pull it to the surface.  Since catfish don’t have sharp teeth but their mouths are like sandpaper, many noodlers wear gloves to protect them from cuts and scrapes.

          Now you  know.  There is even a TV program about it.  The History Channel’s “Mudcats” covers catfish noodling in Oklahoma.

          Now, since "the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much”, let us remember all those involved in that sad situation in Ferguson, Missouri as LWLC President Harrison suggested.

GPD 8/21/14

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

Shade Tree Wisdom 8/19/14


          Most NFL teams equip their players with tablet computers to take notes about planned plays. So the players store everything they need and learn.

          First year Brown coach Mike Pettene made sure the players also got a pad and a pencil. The coaching staff is stressing the old school notion of writing things down. The strategy is based on a new study that shows writing by hand instead of typing improves ones chances of learning something.

            A fleeting idea doesn’t leave a strong trace, but taking notes helps us remember better, because we need to put the fresh idea into our own words which helps us remember much better than if we just had a fleeting thought.

          So the theory of the Browns’ coaching staff is if they make things too easy the players simply will not remember it.

          So let the season begin.

And what of this sentence from the WSJ.
“There’s a fine line between
A bemused smile
And a superior smirk”.

GPD 8/19/14

Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Shade Tree Wisdom 8/13/14


          Hello, I have been torn lately.  Ruth's death brought so many expressions of sympathy and comfort, plus gifts in memory of her life, and they came from so many different addresses that I feel, if you will have it, I will take this means to speak thanks.

          So many words expressing comfort, praying for the needed strength really helped much in this difficult time.

Sincere thanks for your thoughtfulness.

GPD 8/13/14

Friday, August 8, 2014

Shade Tree Wisdom 8/8/14


P.S.
Meant to add, if you wish to send a memorial please direct it to the
Gerhard and Ruth Dobberfuhl Scholarship Fund at:
Concordia Seminary
801 Seminary Place
St. Louis, MO  63105

Thanks in her name.

GPD  8/8/14

Been gone a while. I spent a month in Rehab getting my walking ability back after a urinary infection.

So Ruth and I went to Rehab.  I went in the sick one, she is the person whom the Lord called home.
The Marker reads
D O B B E R F U H L
Rev. Gerhard Paul Ruth Ida
11/17/20 - 1/29/21-7/16/14

And the story is about that dash.  For that is the story of a life well lived.  A useful life, a life filled with kindness and good for so many.  So many messages pointed that out to me.

I cannot begin to describe our life together.  When we were married and were leaving the church we stopped on the threshold and Ruth turned to me and said, "What a wonderful way to Begin, the blessing of God, hearing the prayers of the congregation, and music, and she spoke the words,     "so nimm denn mein
haende, und fuerhre me,
bis auf ein seelig, ende, und ewiglick."TLH 722

And that is the story of our life together.  We were blessed indeed.

GPD 8/5/14

Tuesday, August 5, 2014

Shade Tree Wisdom 8/5/14


          Been gone a while. I spent a month in Rehab getting my walking ability back after a urinary infection.

         So Ruth and I went to Rehab.  I went in the sick one, she is the person whom the Lord called home.

          The Marker reads
D O B B E R F U H L
Rev. Gerhard Paul Ruth Ida
11/17/20 - 1/29/21 - 7/16/14

And the story is about that dash.  For that is the story of a life well lived.  A useful life, a life filled with kindness and good for so many.  So many messages pointed that out to me.

I cannot begin to describe our life together.  When we were married and were leaving the church we stopped on the threshold and Ruth turned to me and said, "What a wonderful way to Begin, the blessing of God, hearing the prayers of the congregation, and music, and she spoke the words,  
               "so nimm denn mein
haende, und fuerhre me,
bis auf ein seelig, ende, und ewiglich."

And that is the story of our life together.  We were blessed indeed.

GPD 8/5/14