Canine Intuition

As I was packing my bags this evening, our dog Reggie came in the bedroom and lay down in the middle of the room.  This was a little odd since I didn't have any food on me, and I hadn't been offering to play with him or take him for a "W."  But one look at his face told me that he was sitting there because he knew I was leaving.  He knew I had been up to something rummaging around all day, and he saw the suitcases.  He's seen them before and knows what they mean.  Poor dog.  The house has been emptying steadily for him since the summer.  Michael, Joey and I were all here together for most of the summer, but now school's back in session and even little Michael is gone to college.  Once I leave, my parents will experience an empty nest for the first time.  And Reggie will, too.

On the bright side, dogs are easy to please.  I took him for a 20-minute nighttime walk around the neighborhood, and this time I let his retractable leash extend out all the way during most of the walk.  He sniffed and peed on so many trees and fire hydrants that I bet he'll be dreaming about them all through the night.

women's ordination causing trouble in Germany...

Well, it looks like I'll be going to Oberursel during some rather turbulent times for our sister synod, the SELK.  Their church body has historically been opposed to women's ordination on the basis of the clearing teaching of Scripture, but recent events have demonstrated that there is a fair amount of dissension to that position within the SELK.  If the dissenters have their way and achieve tolerance of women's ordination in the SELK, it could mean the end of our (the LCMS's) fellowship with them.  Read more about it here:

http://gottesdienstonline.blogspot.com/2011/07/trouble-in-our-sister-church-selk.html

my first post...

This is mostly just a test post to see how it will look on my blog...
doo de doo de doo...  la de da de da...
Did you know I'm going to get an 8 week break in the Spring between semesters?!
Peter