The Voice of Katie Luther

Catching Up

noreply@blogger.com (The Voice Katie Luther) — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 16:37:00 +0000

I haven’t posted in a while, mostly because time has flown by since my last post. So, I’m taking today to play “catch up”.

Okay, something unexpected happened after Christmas. ILLNESS!!! Of course we’d all get sick! Marty shook several hundred hands at the Christmas Eve service. He then became very ill with influenza over New Years. This is unusual because Marty NEVER gets sick. And as often happens, his illness spread to our children in early January. Our son became ill with pneumonia and missed almost the whole month of school. However, we had great support from our church community, and Hans is back up on his feet and back to school. We were even blessed by his wonderful school teacher. She came over to the Black Cloister after school to teach him, so he wouldn’t get too far behind in his studies. God bless her!

Not much is happening right now. I’m in the throes of preparing for the Lenten season. As always, I’m looking forward to this time of reflection and rebirth. Many people find Lent to be a dreary season and a burden of a tradition, but I have always found comfort in this practice.

I’m beginning to feel more settled in our new home and community. I finally put pictures up on the walls. I guess this means that I am “home”. Now, I’m beginning to feel the itch to meet people and make friends. There is a book club in town that meets monthly at the local coffee shop. I love to read (ask my family, they probably wished I read less)! I might try this club out and see what unfolds.

While accompanying Marty on a hospital visit, I noticed the receptionist looked very similar to a woman who recently left the church. She was one of many that left due to a huge church conflict that resulted in the previous pastor being kick out of his call. This all happened a year before Marty interviewed. I only recognized her from her picture in the church directory. So while Marty was making his visit, I went up to her and asked her if she was who I thought she was. It turns out I was correct. I decided to engage her in conversation and invited her back to church. It turns out she is going through a very difficult time right now. She has a son who is mentally disabled and her husband recently became very ill. I told her if she didn’t feel like she could come back, at least know that she can call Marty and he will pray with her any time. When Marty and I left, he informed me that I am officially a Pastor’s Wife now! LOL!

So, that is January in a nutshell! We learned one really valuable lesson… keep hand sanitizer hidden somewhere usable during big services! LOL!

Silent Night

noreply@blogger.com (The Voice Katie Luther) — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 18:16:00 +0000

Silent night,

Holy night,

All is calm,
All is bright…

These are the opening words of one of the most recognizable of Christmas hymns. Whether Catholic or Protestant, this hymn will be sung at Christmas Eve services all over the world. But as a first call pastor’s wife, I’m finding that all is not calm. Between Advent services, two Christmas Eve services, and a Christmas morning service, where is the calm?

Since Marty feels called to be a pastor, this isn’t bothering him in the least. But I wonder if the kids and I will need some time to adjust to the new Christmas schedule. No longer will we be able to wake up to a leisurely morning of opening gifts and playing with our new toys. And since we have three services in a two day time span (with different sermons, bulletins and order of worship) where do I fit in the time for a feast preparation? Lastly, since the Black Cloister is between six hours and two day’s drive from our families, from here on out we celebrate on our own too.

Or do we? As I’m writing, I’m reminded of another young family far away from home. The mother was pregnant and due any day. The father was frantically trying to find them a room for the night. You guessed it; I’m talking about Mary and Joseph. As Mary and Joseph stood witness to the first Christmas (Mary, a more active participant than witness. LOL!) Did they lament the lack of in-laws, cousins, feasting, gifts, ect? Well, possibly; after all, it was the birth of her first child. But they had another comfort. In the quiet of the manger, they had each other. They did not have the distractions of the world. They did not have the distractions of a holiday sometimes blow so far out of proportion that they could hardly recognize it for what it was/is; a day to celebrate the birth of our Lord and Savior.

Oh, I’m sure I will find some new traditions to make Christmas special in our new home and new life in the parsonage. But I think I’ve decided that being forced to do away with so much of the Christmas comings and goings will be a blessing for our family, liberating us of our secular holiday commitments and replacing them with the knowledge and hope of Jesus’ birth.

So maybe, I started this post wrong. I should have earlier said “without the hustle and bustle of our many Christmas traditions and commitments, Christmas is free to be ‘silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright’.”

Give Us This Day Our Daily Bread

noreply@blogger.com (The Voice Katie Luther) — Tue, 22 Nov 2011 15:57:00 +0000

Martin Luther wrote in his Catechism that before our feet touch the floor each morning we should recite the creed and pray the Lord’s Prayer. I must admit, I fail in this Lutheran dictate more times than I succeed. Between my alarm clock blaring the “best mix of 80s, 90s and today”, the sound of my cat crying to be fed, thoughts of the upcoming morning battle with my pre-teen daughter, and the call of the bathroom, thoughts of my God seem to find their way on to the back burner of my mind.

But even though it isn’t done before “my feet touch the floor”, each morning after the kids and Marty leave the house, and I sit down in the new quiet of my home with my coffee cup, I pray for my family ending with the Lord’s Prayer. As I prayed this morning, I was struck by a particular phrase. Jesus instructed us to pray “Give us this day our daily bread.”

“Daily bread”.

These words kept repeating in my mind. Maybe it is because of the proximity of Thanksgiving, but the thought of not having “Daily Bread” horrifies me. I opened my pantry and found three boxes of cereal, one box of oatmeal, one package of bagels, one box of baking mix, two bottles of maple syrup, two jars of cranberry sauce, and two gift boxes of mixed chocolates hidden from my kids in the back. And this was only on my second self alone! Even if this was the only food I had for the week, my meals for the near future would be provided for.

As most of us do, especially in today’s economy, I stress about our finances. We live on a Pastor’s salary, paying back too many student loans, while trying to raise two children. I am always trying to save money where I can. I cut coupons, read store flyers, shop at places the price match and buy generic whenever I can (hence the baking mix instead of Bisquick).

But today, as I head into the Thanksgiving Feast preparations, all I really need to do is look in my pantry and realize God has not only answered my daily prayer, but He has done so with abundance and zeal. And instead of focusing on how tight my own finances are, I should be sharing some of my blessings with those who do not have “daily bread”.

Matthew 6: 31-34

So then, don’t worry saying, ‘What will we eat?’ or ‘What will we drink?’ or ‘What will we wear?’ For the unconverted pursue these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But above all pursue his kingdom and righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. So then, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Today has enough troubles of its own.

What would Katharina do?

noreply@blogger.com (The Voice Katie Luther) — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 23:10:00 +0000

What would Katharina do?

Two months ago, my Marty and I were getting some much needed “us” time at a local dinner. While we were enjoying our BLTs a single lady of our approximate age struck up a conversation with us. As it turns out, she is Lutheran and shopping for a church since she is new to the area. So, as I often do, I invited her to church.

Oh how I have come to regret that invitation. Although, Marty assures me that since she was church shopping she would have shown up without my invitation anyway.

At first, everything seemed fine. She has become a regular attendee and has even decided to attend the many prayer services throughout the week. But shortly after she started to attend service, she requested to meet privately with my Marty. As her new pastor, he agreed and a time was set up. Well, this one time meeting turned into a standing weekly meeting where she would come to the church and shoot the breeze with Marty. For confidentiality reasons, Marty can’t tell me what is discussed in these meetings, but he has shared these meetings are making him uncomfortable because she appears to just want to “hang out” instead of get pastoral counseling.

And then there are the emails. Many, Many emails.

And now she appears to be trying to spend as much time as possible with Marty. When the church is unlocked during business hours, she’ll show up unexpectedly to “read”. After church she hangs around until everyone has left the building and then follows Marty around as he closes up. And when Marty tells her he has an appointment he has to get to, she will burst into tears expecting consoling.

Here’s the short of it, my Marty has done everything by the book. If he knows she is going to be at a meeting or prayer service, he always makes sure he is not alone with her. He has asked her to stop emailing him and he doesn’t answer when she does (which is often). He has requested she find a professional councilor (which really made her angry), and he has informed the church president, a handful of peer pastors, his wife (me), and his bishop about the situation. He has been given loads of good advice, all of which he has tried; but the woman just isn’t getting it.

What would Katharina do? I know what I would have done in my earlier life, before I became a Katie Luther. I would not have been this patient. I would have let my cat claws come out and told this woman to back off. However, if I’m being rational, I know that if Marty telling her to “go away” hasn’t worked, why would adding my voice make a difference? And to be honest, even if I tied, I’m not very scary.

So, I ask again, what would Katharina do? Would she trust her Martin to handle the situation? Would she pray for the misguided woman? Would she make friends with the woman and hope that Christian love and charity would help her see how badly she is behaving?

My father warned me about misguided woman who fall for their pastors. And of course I had heard stories while Marty was attending seminary, but I didn’t expect it to happen to us or at the very least to happen so soon. And while I don’t want to label her “crazy” I do wonder what has gone so wrong in her life that she would push herself at her married pastor in this way.

As I look to the future, I know that it is inevitable that she will leave our church. She will have to, and soon. But as sure as the sun sets in the west, it will not be a clean or tidy ending. And even if I don’t know how Katharina would handle this woman, I know she would stand behind her Martin and be there for him to lean on. I intend to do no less for my Marty!

Things that make you go hmmm

noreply@blogger.com (The Voice Katie Luther) — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 00:08:00 +0000

Marty had a situation this last week that got me thinking. A few times late in the week, we received some hang up calls at the Black Cloister. Since we have caller I.D. on our phone, we noticed these calls were all from the same caller. When we returned from church on Sunday, there was a message from this same number on our answering machine. On returning the call, Marty discovered the caller was a previous member of our congregation. She had been a member for a few years, but due to a disagreement at church she decided to worship elsewhere.

It turns out; she was calling to give Marty a piece of her mind. She was upset over a donation of technical equipment she made to the church a few years ago. At the time, the church was in need an updated computer. She graciously donated a new computer to the church office. At the time, it was a wonderful gift that was much appreciated. But as we all know (and most of us loathe) our technology is constantly in need of upgrading and replacing.

When Marty came to this parish only two months ago, he brought his own computer with him. Since it is new, it works much better than the previous computer left in his office. So, in effect, he doesn’t use this previous member’s donation.

When word got back to her that he wasn’t using the computer she had donated to for the pastor’s use, she was very upset, to say the least. And felt she had to call and personally tell Marty how he has wronged her.

Since we didn’t even know of this woman’s existence, you can imagine how blind-sided Marty was by the call.

As I was doing my evening chores, I could hear some of Marty’s side of the conversation. As I listened, I got to thinking.

How can you avoid the pitfall when you don’t even know there is a hole? Sure, we’ve been warned about how people will watch us more closely, but being new, we didn’t know this lady existed or that she had donated the computer.

What do you do with donations that are obsolete? In this case, it was a computer. What if it were linens that have turned yellow? Or communion ware that has tarnished? Or a piano with a cracked sound board? Most things donated are done in the memory of a loved one. They are given with the hopes that the memory will live on. But what do you do when the donation needs to be replaced?

Should we even accept donations for things that need to be replace every few years, such as technology, knowing that it is going to upset the person that donated it?

Here’s a good one… Should the person that donates an item to the church then feel a sense of ownership over it? Does the giver even have a right to think that because they donated it, they have a right to say how it should or shouldn’t be used?

And here is the biggest question of all, how did the “boss of Zulsdorf” (Katherina Luther) handle it when people complained about the way her Martin did things at the Cloister?

My Marty handled it with grace. He explained his choice and apologized for the hurt feelings. He spent a considerable amount of time getting to know the woman over the phone and in the end tried to persuade her to return to her church family. As I listened to him, I was a proud wife! I would not have handled it so well.

This is one of those things that make ME go “hmmm”.

Beauty is only skin deep... or is it? Beauty Secrets of the Bible

noreply@blogger.com (The Voice Katie Luther) — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 01:22:00 +0000

We’ve all heard the adage “beauty is only skin deep”. And of course, for the most part, this is true. But even our ancient sisters of the Bible understood the importance of putting their best face forward.

The most important part of any beauty routine is cleansing. Most dermatologists will recommend a lady to wash her face twice a day. But as Christian women, we can add a spiritual cleansing to that routine as well. Taking time to meditate daily (preferably on God’s word) will help to “wash away” the dead layers of impurities we are surrounded by daily. I am convinced that daily cleansing of our souls will rejuvenate our lives and spirits, making our inner selves glow for all to see.

Just as cleansing our insides are important, so is cleansing our outsides. Cleansing our faces is a major factor in our outer beauty. Last year, I was introduced to a book written by Ginger Garrett titled Beauty Secrets of the Bible. In her book, Ginger reintroduces the reader to beauty techniques used by our biblical sisters before us. One of my favorite recipes is the facial cleanser (with my own twist). Like so many women today, I personally suffer from acne and dry skin. Ginger researched ancient beauty techniques and discovered that many women of time past used milk and honey to keep looking young and fresh. Cleopatra even wrote a book on the benefits of bathing in milk. Using Ginger’s research and combining my own twist, I have come up with a formula that works miracles for my skin.

First, I wash my skin using a modified milk cleanser:

1 cup powdered goat’s milk

1 cup quick-cooking oats

Squirt of local honey

Process powdered milk and quick oats in a blender or food processor until very fine. Store mixture in an airtight container. To cleanse face, sprinkle a small amount of powder into the palm of your hand and mix into a paste with a squirt of honey and a drop or two of warm water. Massage onto face and rinse.

After rinsing, I moisturize my face with a gritty moisturizer:

1 cup cocoa nut oil

½ cut sea salt

In an air tight container, combine coconut oil and salt. After washing face with milk wash, massage onto face letting salt dissolve into skin. Rinse.

Using these techniques crafted by the wise woman of ancient times, my skin has never been better. Yes, I still sometimes have a break out, and my spirit sometimes doesn’t shine so brightly; but using these all natural, God made ingredients to cleanse my face and God’s living Word to cleanse my soul makes me feel and look beautiful both inside and out.

Since I believe “all things wise and wonderful, the Lord God made them all”, I wanted to share these Bible beauty secrets with you all.

Blessings+

Katie Luther

P.S. I wonder if Katharina Luther would appreciate the frugality of making my own cleanser instead of buying designer brands from the store.

The Black Cloister

noreply@blogger.com (The Voice Katie Luther) — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 15:23:00 +0000

Marty and I are making our way to the Black Cloister later this week. I feel like a new bride who is preparing to see her new home for the first time. I am overflowing with both excitement and anxiety.

Marty isn’t as excited about moving to a new home as much as he is excited about meeting his first “flock”. When Luther first returned to Wittenberg after the reformation, he laid the ground work for his ministry at the cloister by preaching a series of sermons called the Invocavit Sermons. Luther was distressed to see how the Devil had taken a foot hold in the lives of the people he served. And while my Marty isn’t worried about starting his ministry with fire and brimstone sermons, he does plan to start his time in our new village by preaching a series of sermons on faith stories, starting with his own.

Much like Katharina, the thought of presiding and managing the Black Cloister excites me. I have pretty good home management skills and I can’t wait to put them to use in the parsonage. I pray that I am up to the task of creating as welcoming and hospitable of an environment as Katharina did in Wittenberg. This may be a rookie mistake, but I would like the Cloister to be a welcoming environment for parishioners seeking audience with my Marty. And I would like to be able to share my home brewed wine with the villagers attending “table talks” in our kitchen.

Gentle reader, please keep Marty and I in your prayers as we navigate this new phase in our lives.

Blessings+

Katie Luther

Justification Through Faith

noreply@blogger.com (The Voice Katie Luther) — Fri, 03 Jun 2011 18:17:00 +0000

Ask me a question and I will have an answer. It's a character flaw. I ALWAYS have an answer.

When my children were two years old...

"Momma, what is that?", "a microwave, it helps Mommy cook food."

"Momma, what is that?", "a train, it helps people travel to far away places."

"Momma, what is that?", "a telephone, it helps us talk to people who are not here right now.

"Why?"

Ah, the "why" question. How I know it well.

Now that my children are a little older, their questions have become harder to answer...

"Momma, who was Princess Diana and how did she die?", "she was a nice, English lady that married the prince and was killed in a car accident."

"Momma, what is a bigot?", "someone who doesn't like you for being born who you are."

"Momma, what is the gestational period for the great white shark?", "(sigh) I'll have to get back to you on that one."

Sometimes, I'm not quite sure of the answer, but I feel I MUST have all the answers for my children. So, I muddle my way through and hope I get it right; or at least close to right.

"Momma, why did Jesus die for my sins?" Here is where you would insert a 30 minute conversation where I try desperately to explain to an eight year old the same concepts that millions of people around the world still debate. There are, just to name a few -

Ethical answers
Ethnic answers
Biblical answers
Confessional answers
Apologetical answers (is that even a word? LOL!)
Constructive answers
Contextual answers
Dogmatic answers
Philosophical answers
Scientific answers
ect.

At some point, my child will interrupt me with the request "Can I go play now?"

Yup, I blew that one! My Marty is always telling me that I don't need to have an answer for everything. And sometimes, he's right! Last week, while I was braiding my Magdalena's hair, she asked me "Momma, how do airplanes fly?" Well, I answered her with my limited understanding of aerodynamics, filling in the gaps with my own logic and trying to do it with an air of authority. But I could tell, she knew that I didn't know. Marty is right, I don't need to have an answer for everything.

I think, as christians, this can apply. There are too many answers for too many questions. And these answers and questions have split church after church, denomonation after denomonation.

I'm not saying that we shouldn't ask the questions, I just simply saying that sometimes, it's okay to leave it to the theologians to argue and defend the text.

I don't have to have all of the answers, it's not my answers that pleases the Lord... it's my faith.

I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and life everlasting.

For I am justified by faith, not of my own understanding.

Blessings+

Katie Luther

Movin' Movin' Movin'

noreply@blogger.com (The Voice Katie Luther) — Wed, 25 May 2011 16:31:00 +0000

Okay, I know it’s been a month since I’ve last blogged; but that’s life in the fast lane…

Marty graduated from seminary a few weeks ago! I know, it’s HUGE! A feast was had. Much ale and victuals was consumed to celebrate. Now to get back on the Weight Watcher wagon, ugh.

Marty has also interviewed at a wonderful upper mid-western village church. We were told the interview went well and the committee will recommend Marty to the church council. And even though I am not a “cheese-head” I was promised by the parish elders that the villagers would not egg the parsonage (thank you very much). But they could not promise that if we were to move there that I would be safe from mockery for my indiscretion. Boy, these people take their football seriously!

Hans and Magdalena, with Marty’s help, are finishing up their end of the school year projects. And I am scrambling to finish up some work projects as I prepare to take a summer sabbatical to prepare for our upcoming move.

It’s very surreal to be packing for a long distance move and not quite know for certain where you are moving to. But I know, by the grace of God, it will all work out.

Blessings+

Katie Luther

Parents Just Don't Understand...or do they?

noreply@blogger.com (The Voice Katie Luther) — Tue, 26 Apr 2011 01:03:00 +0000

The fourth commandment reads “thou shalt honor thy father and thy mother”. Luther’s Catechism puts honor higher than love. I love reading, pizza, and watching TV. But, while love is a great emotion, to honor a person is to comprehend not only a love for them but also a kindness, reverence, and most of all that we act in a way that shows high regard.

I came across this video clip today on YouTube from the show Britain’s Got Talent. It reminded me of Luther’s wisdom found in his Large Catechism. I decided to take a minute and read it over to refresh my own understanding and refocus on the amazing things my elders have to teach me.

This week, I plan to pay extra attention to Marty and I's parents and the lessons they can teach us. I also encourage you, my gracious reader, to refresh your awareness of the things you can learn from the generation before us. Talk to your parents, read their pop culture books, watch “old” movies or simply observe the elders all around you. I would also endorse brushing up on the lessons taught in the large or small catechism.

I have realized that when I put aside my attitude of “parents just don’t understand”, I can see that old dogs not only learn new tricks, but teach them as well.

Blessings+

Katie Luther

Help Wanted:

noreply@blogger.com (The Voice Katie Luther) — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 16:36:00 +0000

HELP WANTED: Pastor's wife. Must sing, play music, lead youth groups, raise seraphic children, entertain church notables, minister to other wives, have ability to recite Bible backward and choreograph Christmas pageants. Must keep pastor sated, peaceful and out of trouble. Difficult colleagues, demanding customers, erratic hours. Pay: $0.

There is no doubt in my mind that the “job” of Pastor’s wife is a difficult and demanding one. The prospect of which I find daunting, to say the least.

My guess would be that the basic job description for a clergy wife hasn’t changed that much since Martin and Katharina took their wedding vows. So, with this job description, how are all of the Katie Luthers out there supposed to find time for their own careers?

Marty and I have been struggling with this issue for the last few months. My dear Marty has all the faith in the world that I can undertake the challenge with ease and confidence. I, on the other hand, worry about how I can keep my job (which I love) and still be everything to everyone in his upcoming call.

I do find encouragement in the life of Katharina Luther. I have studied her in detail over that last few months. I have learned that she zealously took on the task of managing Luther’s vast holdings. She bred and sold cattle, managed a brewery, and nursed the ill. Luther referred to her as the “boss of Zulsdorf”. And he even teased her for her tendency of waking at 4am to care for her many responsibilities.

Truly, I am in awe of her oomph! How did she have the energy to keep up both the responsibilities of being Luther’s wife and also have not just one, but three jobs? I know that some of this came from necessity. Luther’s position demanded hospitably; yet their money was limited. Katharina had to find a way to be frugal, while still keeping an open table for friends and students.

Maybe Katharina, like me, found it overwhelming. I wonder how she found her balance? Did she say “well, I can sing, but not play music”. Did she tell Luther “Marty, dear. I will rear our own seraphic children, but you are responsible for the youth in our parish.” I’d like to think she agreed to keep Luther sated and out of trouble in exchange for him reciting the Bible backward! LOL!

I might be grasping at straws here, but I believe no one person can live up the standard of Pastor’s Wife alone. It MUST be a partnership between my Marty and me, filled with love, compromise, understanding and above all…faith.

I don’t yet know if I will keep my job when Marty gets his first church, but I do know he supports me in whatever choice I feel I need to make.

Blessings+

Katie Luther

Let Me Introduce Myself...

noreply@blogger.com (The Voice Katie Luther) — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 21:39:00 +0000

Let me introduce myself. My name is Katharina Luther. You can call me Katie. I am married to the Protestant Reformer, Martin Luther. (I like to refer to him as Marty). Some consider me to be one of the most important participants of the Reformation. Why? Well, because I helped to define the Protestant family life. I am also credited for setting the tone for clergy marriages. The powers that be felt I was even important enough to be commemorated on the Calendar of Saints. Look me up…Dec. 20.

Actually, as much as I would like to think of myself as such a significant person as Katie Luther, I am not. I am however married to a Lutheran Minister… or soon to be minister. You see, my husband is finishing his seminary training as I type. In a few short weeks, he will be ordained, by the grace of God, as a Lutheran Minister.

I am not sure what the future holds for me and my family. With that in mind, I started this blog as a place to share my experiences, thoughts, and stories of the life of a new Lutheran Minister’s Wife.

Just as my favorite Dec. pin-up girl didn’t know what she was getting into as the first clergy spouse, I am uncertain myself and feel a kinship in her. For that reason, I will refer to myself as Katie and my husband as Marty.

Let me share a bit about myself.

Marty and I have been married for 11 yrs. God has blessed us with two children: Hans (9yrs) and Magdalena (10yrs). And just like the real Katie, I have also suffered miscarriages. However, in contrast to the real Marty and Katie, we have not adopted any children... yet.

We are currently participating in what the Lutheran Church refers to as the “Call Process”. Simply put, we are waiting to be “called” to a church somewhere in the U.S. Once I know where Marty’s call will be, I will refer to it as The Black Cloister, where the real Marty and Katie took up residence.

I am excited about the journey Marty and I have ahead of us. To borrow a phrase from the real Marty "the Lord has plunged me into marriage" with a wonderful man of God. He is a blessing to me as I hope to be a blessing to him and the ministry God has called him to.

Blessings+

Katie Luther