Wit & Whim

 The covenants of the Old Mill™ addition clearly state that thou mayest not sell thy house to an Italian. Neither a moor, not a mongoloid of any type. It is all right out. So say the covenants. Of course, these bylaws have not been enforced, nor has anyone attempted to enforce them in a great long count of years, though perhaps that is only because no obvious Italians have proven so bold as to move onto the street. Got some Mexicans, though, and I'm sure the rule would have included them if the writers had the foresight. What is the force of a law that is not upheld?  When the ark is returned to Israel from the Philistines they are dumb enough to open it, because they are unsure whether God in Heaven is still insisting upon His sovereignty. And so they died. Stare decisis. The binding precedent. And the law that ceases to be enforced ceases to be binding. And so, my sympathy is actually with illegal immigrants who have made their abode lawfully and peacefully after the first o...

 Last week the men of my parish had a spirited discussion. My fiery and pious younger brother took up the position that we ought not to speak of the boomers so negatively as a generation, as a 4th commandment issue, and as a failure to honor our fathers. I backed his idea. I agree. There are many faults ascribed to the boomers that are accidents of economics, failures of their fathers, and even if it was their fault, we should seek not to damn them as a first response. But that was last week. This week I walked past the front yard of one of my boomer neighbors. In the front yard of his large and well appointed house, which he shares with his wife and dog, sat a sign. "Hate Never Made America Great." Well, obviously, hate has never made anything great. I mean, there might be a wrinkle, where God is great and he hates things, namely sin, but I agree with the phrase as a general maxim. Hate does not make one great. But that is not actually what they mean. What they mean, is that...

In Babylon Thou Still Art Lord Wenn Ich im Höchsten Nöten Sein Life of Faith A psalm of grilling in the rain EDIT: Credit to Jonathan for inspiring the topic In Babylon Thou Still Art Lord Tis thou alone that wields the sword Thy people to protect and shield All who in prayer to you have kneeled Thy sword is righteousness and peace Against which hell hath no surcease Thou sent fair Esther to reveal How with the evil thou shalt deal Gentle as as doves and meek was she Yet wiser than the serpent he For she cast on the Lord her care With prayer and fasting did prepare Satan a gibbet he hath wrought And madly ‘gainst your church hath fought So by that snare that he hath laid His accusations you have paid Lord crucified on Haman's tree That thence from death we might be free Lift up thy countenance on me Let us thy holy people be  In Esther's triumph let us see That none who place their hope in thee Shall lack for aught that thou dostt give That we with you in joy may live

 My younger brother Jonathan, partly inspired by Memento, but actually because he is mulishly determined to rekindle folk music in the breasts of his people, has instituted a hymn writing competition in the congregation. Really a fabulous idea to get the laity engaged in poetry and song. The rules are simple: Choose a tune in the public domain, ideally in one of our hymnals Write 3-5 verses Adhere to the metre of the tune Don't be a heretic Okay, so the last one is not a real rule, but its between the lines. I’ve been writing a hymn a day this week, and my wife convinced me to start putting them on my blog, so the first 4 from this week are posted. I'll add another tonight. She gave me both the challenge to use Thaxted, and then also to do one that alludes to The Good Samaritan. Shewoof told me to add more baptism to one of them, so it is not a solitary exercise. My process is the same each time. I choose a topic, I choose a tune, and then I create a phrase to the tune that I t...

This one I did on a prompt from Emcat. She said I should do a topical one on the good Samaritan. Liked how it came out. I'm taking suggestions. The Word That Bringeth Life Leoni Justification  The Word that bringeth life Departs his heavn’ly throne He wends his way through virgin womb The Fathers son He comes in humbleness He comes  in human frame He comes a stranger sets aside His mighty fame  He would not pass us by When in the ditch we lay The law and works of mortal men Were our dismay He bears our weakness up Our filth and woe and grief He drinks for us the bitter cup To grant relief   He pours on ointments rare An all sufficient flood He pays for all the debt ye owe With his own blood The third day He returns In glory and in power To snatch thee from the jaws of death In life's last hour In his blest realm above With angel hosts we’ll raise With Jew and Greek and without cease A hymn of praise Where clothed in robes of white All Abrams children sing Eternally i...

My third hymn. Probably my favorite that I've managed to this point. O Holy Ghost from Heaven Descend Ordination Deo Gracias O Holy Ghost from Heav’n Descend Anoint thy priest whom thou dost send Unto thy church thy chosen herd To preach in joy thy sacred word By Christ’s decree and in his stand Dispense his gifts at his command And pray the words which he has taught Proclaim the righteousness he bought Feed thou my sheep on holy bread Give them to drink the blood I shed Tend them with mercy care and love Prepare them for their home above And wash them with my holy name That cleansed from stain of sin and shame My pascal blood may mark their door That death’s dread angel passes o’er What ye shall bind that bound shall be What ye shall loose that shall be free Be bold and preach the law to sin That there the gospel enter in With strength from God the Father, Son And Holy Spirit Ever one Now therefore go disciples make Preach feed baptize and ne’er forsake Matthew 28, Matthew  18, Jo...

So, I've been writing a hymn every day. Jonathan challenged us to write hymns, and I used to write poetry every day when I was a younger man. I can also sing my way from judgement to easter without looking at the hymnal, so I have the benefit of the richness of all the saints who have written such a powerful body of hymns before me. Two words: Catherine Wink worth. The quality will vary, I wrote this one when I could not sleep one night this week, so it is a little rougher. Uphold Thy Church o Father Church militant (cause had to have Benaiah) Thaxted (on a goad from Emma) An Imprecatory Psalm of Insomnia  Uphold thy church o Father Preserve her gracious Lord Though all the earth despise her Establish Thou Thy word The world against her rages Confounds on every hand Sins wounds and evils wages With wrath against her fanned Yet thou hast granted pardon Get hence all earthly foes! Remembering the passion Of Jesus Christ your son Lord plant a new Benaiah A David in this world Send Joh...

 Part one of our Great Lutheran Hymnody Series Lord Revealed in Power at Cana Holy Matrimony Set to Helmsley 1 Lord revealed in power at Cana Turning water into wine Prayer and praises and hosanna Work again a holy sign Alleluia Alleluia alleluia One flesh made by grace divine 2 Male and female Thou created Them in bliss before the fall Of one substance separated Consummated and made whole Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia Thus to worship at Thy call 3 Husbands love thy wives and nourish Her as Christ his holy bride Wives, submit, uphold, and cherish Let no trial thee divide Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia All thy cares to God confide 4 Life Thou givest in their union Breathed as into the dry bone Brought to font and to communion Guard them keep them as Thine own Alleluia Alleleluia Alleluia Let Thy will be in them done 5 Build O Lord this house and bless it Let them be of one accord Father, Son and Holy Spirit Comfort, peace, and grace afford Alleluia Alleluia Alleluia Found them in Thy holy ...