First Graders

 Burton's first grade teacher in Mason City, years later, after his family moved to San Diego, turned out to be my supervising teacher when I was doing student teaching at the same school in Mason City. She was a fine teacher. I remember her saying to the first graders when they stood up to talk, "Begin by saying if this is a true story or one I made up." The children did. They knew the difference and said so. In the current administration, the president is often called a child. What an insult to children. Would that Trump knew the difference between truth and "made up." We deserve it. 

 We took a ride around Mason City and a walk down a "pretty" street, only to return home and discover the most beautiful tree was right out our front windows. I am enjoying watching the leaves fall, slowly, as I write this. Brought the coleus in before the first frost.

Joel at WTS

 Son Joel stopped by Wartburg Seminary today. He first met Luther in 1979 at age 11.  For decades Joel and his wife Rachel--they were married at Wartburg--have been inspiring and mentoring hundreds and hundreds of students through choral music at Mason City High School and North Iowa Area Community College.

Buchheim death at 103

 Durwood "Bud" Buchheim, Professor of Homiletics at Wartburg Theological Seminary from 1979-1992, died peacefully September 29. He was 103 years old.  Deeply loved and respected, Bud served the church as pastor, bishop, and professor. We can give memorials to Wartburg Seminary, the Buchheim Rural Ministry Fund. We thank God for this man of the Church.

Orange Shirt Day

 September 30 is Orange Shirt Day: Also known as the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, honoring the Indigenous children harmed by residential and boarding school systems. Many died when taken from their homes and families. The survivors carry that trauma with them through generations. 

Bishop's message

 

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Presiding Bishop of the ELCA, Yehiel Curry:

"As a church, we collectively continue to celebrate the diversity with which God has created the world. Scripture tells us that, from the very beginning, we were made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27). In the book of Acts, many were gathered in one place when the Holy Spirit came upon them. Each was given the power to witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ and the promise of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:32-33). In 1 Corinthians 12:12-14, the human body serves as a metaphor, demonstrating that a healthy Christian community relies on the many distinct gifts and qualities of each unique member—emphasizing unity through continuing to be a connected church.

Free Press Not

On a globalization trip to China some years ago we had a meeting with a government official. Suddenly the translator was dismissed--thrown out. He was replaced by a translator to the official's liking. That experience came back to my mind this week when some news reporters were banned from the White House.  The ban has been lifted for 14 days, but will this stop this administration's efforts to control the media? Freedom of speech and freedom of the press are crucial to a democracy.

UN

I remember when the United Nations was founded in 1945. I remember Eleanor Roosevelt serving as chair of the UN Commission that drafted and adopted the Declaration on Human Rights. The UN has been so important in the world. I am thankful for all its work. I even dedicated one of my books to the United Nations for peacemaking, partnership and interdependence in the world. Even though the current U.S. President denigrates it, we must support and cherish the United Nations.

Autumn

 Today is the first day of Autumn, my favorite season. Blessings during this beautiful time. We thank the Creator for all the seasons and pledge to care for Creation.

Forty-nine years ago on September 18 I was ordained into public ministry of Word and Sacrament at Yale Divinity School's chapel. I was consecrated a deaconess on Pentecost 1960. I am thankful to Burton for his support all these years. I cherish the years I have been able to serve as a deaconess, a pastor and a professor. My first call after ordination was from ALC to teach at Yale Divinity School and work with Lutheran students there. 

Freedom of the press

Trump: You are a terrible reporter writing fake news, Piggy (especially to women reporters). First Amendment to the Constitution: "Congress shall make no law . . . abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble..." 

Constitution Day 2026

 Today, September 17, is Constitution Day. This morning I taught a class at North Iowa Area Community College, on "The U.S. Constitution and Voting Rights." So many people came that we had to move to a large conference room. The Constitution with its 17 articles and 27 amendment is a small document. It is comprehensive enough that scholars and legislators have debated it all these years.  The attendees, through vigorous, respectful conversation, empowered each other to vote and how to encourage others to vote.

 

Mail-in voting

 The Supreme Court yesterday ruled against President Trump's executive order, thereby rejecting his efforts to enact new mail-in voting restrictions for the midterm election. The ruling means the U.S. Postal Service is expected to continue delivering ballots as usual. However, Trump may try other ways to stop people from voting. Therefore it is important for people who receive a mail-in ballot to fill it out and return is as quickly as possible.  People who want to vote in person should go to their Court House and vote early. For people in Iowa early voting starts October 14.

Children at Church

 All the little children gathered at the early service at Trinity Lutheran Church this morning before Sunday School.

9/11

 Where were you on 9/11? Burton called me in my seminary office, twice, to tell me when each of the Twin Towers were hit. Then, while team teaching a class a while later a student came in and said one had fallen.  Then in chapel we heard the second fell. I give thanks for the people of small Gander Newfoundland who welcomed 38 planes and 7,000 strangers, and took care of them all.

A U.S. president cannot rename a State, but that doesn't stop Trump from trying. I have good friends in New Mexico and respect the State. Deb Haaland is a member of Pueblo of Laguna and if elected as governor would become the first woman native American to become governor of a state.

Labor Day

 

Do we really understand the origin of Labor Day? The TV ads think it is the day we should all buy a new mattress. (Every holiday seems to be the time to buy a new mattress.) Nor is it "the end of summer" or "the beginning of school."

Labor Day became a U.S. federal holiday in 1894. President Grover Cleveland signed the legislation making the first Monday in September a legal national holiday following the turbulent Pullman Strike.

RFK

 

Oversight and control for special education programs across the country will now be under the  control of anti-vaccine fanatic Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. He wants to “reparent” a wide range of children on “wellness farms”: including kids with special needs, kids taking prescribed medication for anxiety or depression, and “Black kids” (in his own words) who are on drugs which he believes cause violence.

Gloria Steinem

I give thanks for the life and work of Gloria Steinem. I was part of the feminist/womanist movement of the 1970's. I was at Yale Divinity School then. Joan Forsberg, and Letty Russell led us as women students and faculty. Today I sent to Wartburg Seminary library a complete copy of 27 years of writing/editing "The Persistent Voice" which told the history of women in ministry and women in men in partnership. We wrote history as we made it. 

Final guess answer

 Answer to yesterday's guess:  Both!  I did become a refugee during the Detroit uprising and I did get stuck in a church tower, each when I was 8 1/2 months pregnant with Joel and Kirk.

Final guess

 The answer to yesterday's guess: A. I have never been to Guyana. Today's guess (A. B. or both) A. When I was 8 1/2 months pregnant with Joel in 1967 we had to escape to a refugee camp in Ann Arbor because fires were burning throughout Detroit in one of the bloodiest and most destructive urban uprisings in American history. B. In 1969 When I was 8 1/2 months pregnant with Kirk, we (including the staff) of Gethsemane Lutheran Church climbed to the top of the bell tower to watch the joint Canada/U.S. July 4th fireworks and the staff had a hard time getting me down.

Another guess

 Guess which one or both are true: A. I have been to Jamaica twice, once for a conference and once to teach at the theological school.  B. I have been to Guyana twice, going with Wartburg students to learn and serve there.

Jennaya Hope

 MUSICAL CELEBRATION OF HOPE  People from various local churches in Mason City, Iowa, organized the event “Notes of Hope.” Featured speaker and soloist this afternoon was Jennaya Everist, recent Wartburg College music therapy graduate, who shared the impact of music in her life as she lives with a severe case of Crohn's disease. 

Naming water lakes and gulfs

 Trump may sign an order to rename the Gulf of Mexico "The Gulf of America, but the rest of the world calls it the Gulf of Mexico. Trump may sign an order to name Lake Ontario "Lake America" but the rest of the world calls it Lake Ontario. And even "America" can't just be the United States, there is North America, Central America and South America. We are the "United States of America." Words matter. Names matter. 

sailor

 The young sailor who suffered so much on the aircraft carrier Lincoln that he jumped overboard in an attempt to end his life, is now facing punishment. He is charged with malingering, faking an illness and going AWOL. If this is not enough, the national news report after showing this compassionate story went for a "commercial break" trying to sell the viewers a "luxurious ocean cruise."

 "O Canada, we stand on guard for thee. God keep our land glorious and free! O Canada, we stand on guard for thee."  We love you, Canada. We have traveled through nine Canadian provinces. They are not and do not want to be the 51st state of the U.S. They deserve our respect so that we can again be good neighbors.

Trump!

 Trump starting a trade war with Canada. Trump wanting an aircraft carrier named after him (no ship ever named after a sitting president) instead of a black WW 11 war hero. What else can he possibly do? We have to stop him! Vote, people vote! 

 The answer to my latest question is B. I have been to Carnegie Hall more than three times to hear the Mason City High School choir sing.

Guess 3

 The answer to yesterday's "guess" is "A" I have never been to Egypt. Today's guess: A. B. or both: A. I have been to more than 3 Carnegie free public libraries. B. I have been to Carnegie Hall 3 or more times.

Guess 2

 It is true that I both body surfed in the Southern Ocean and walked across the Red. Guess today: either A or B or both: A. I taught in Cameroon, Central African Republic and Tanzania all in one trip. B. I attended an international religious conference in Alexandria, Egypt and traveled up the Nile River. 

voting

 Be aware of voting requirements. It would be wise to register to vote now, e.g. if you have changed your address or not voted in awhile. The Save Act (The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility Act)  is a federal bill that would fundamentally change how Americans register to vote. If it passes voters would need to present documentary proof of citizenship in person before completing registration, effectively eliminating most current online and mail registration methods. For most people, that means a passport or certified birth certificate and for women who have changed their name, a marriage certificate.

Women's Equality Day

 August 26 is celebrated as Women’s Equality Day, marking the 1920 day U.S. Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby signed the proclamation certifying the 19th Amendment. This action officially added women's constitutional right to vote into the U.S. Constitution

I remember: Guess which one or both are true. A. I went body surfing in the Southern Ocean, off the coast of South Australia, near Adelaide. B. I walked across the North Sea to Holy Isle off the Northeast coast of England at low tide which was 3 miles and took about l 1/2 hours. 

I Remember 1

 From time to time I will post two "I remember" items for you to guess which one or both are true. A. In Des Moines I rode "Curbliners," electric trolley busses with the ability to pull directly to the curb to load passengers safely. B. In Mason City I rode busses that went all the way directly up and down Federal Ave.

Burton and Norma

 Burton and Norma Everist, 64th wedding anniversary, married August  26th, 1962 August 26th is also celebrated as Women's Equality Day marking the 1920 day U.S. Secretary of State signed the proclamation certifying the 19th Amendment. This action officially added women's constitutional right to vote into the U.S. Constitution

Joseph, Mary, and Jesus statue

 

Trump and vaccines

 President Donald Trump signed an executive order on Monday to reshape the federal government’s approach toward childhood vaccines, insisting that infants should receive fewer immunizations over a longer period despite little scientific evidence supporting such sweeping changes. Trump is not a scientist. He is not a doctor. This executive order will endanger our children. 

The wide-ranging order proposes reducing the total number of immunizations recommended for children in their earliest years and dividing the nation’s childhood vaccine schedule into three categories.

It also advises that the mumps, measles and rubella (MMR) vaccine be separated into three individual shots — a dramatic change that goes against broad scientific consensus but is in keeping with Trump’s insistence in recent months that the widely administered shot be altered.

Orchid still blooming

 My orchid started blooming on Epiphany. It bloomed on Easter and Pentecost. It is still blooming on my Baptismal birthday. August 6 is also the baptismal birthday of our youngest son Kirk.  And Hiroshima Day, when we dropped the Atomic bomb on Japan. A sign of life in a deathly world.

Med

 I suggest you keep a list of your medications in your billfold or purse. We do. A few years ago a friend of ours was out to dinner with a number of us, and she, sitting beside me, collapsed. Neither we nor the medics that came knew what was going on since we didn't know what meds she was on.  A list could save your life.

The Save Act

 The SAVE Act would require American citizens to show documents like a passport or birth certificate to register to vote. More than 21 million Americans lack ready access to those documents. Roughly half of Americans don’t have a passport. Millions lack access to a paper copy of their birth certificate. The SAVE Act would disenfranchise Americans of all ages and races, but younger voters and voters of color would suffer disproportionately. Likewise, millions of women whose married names aren’t on their birth certificates or passports would face extra steps just to make their voices heard. Call your Congressional Representatives and Senators 202-224-3121 to object.

Poem Color

 Color

Seeing

Sewing

Coloring

Growing

Marbles

Quilts

Vibrant People

Subtle

Contrasting

Colors

ADA anniversaryh

July 26, 2026 is the 36th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act signed into law in 1990. Many people still do not know what to say to a person with a disability, e.g. "You look fine to me," "You're getting better aren't you?" (Most people with a disability live with it their entire life."  "I get tired, too" (They either try to identify with or dismiss the struggles a person has.) Rather, listen, ask what help the person needs, be friends with people with disabilities.

climate crisis

Have you noticed? National TV news broadcasts are now every day having to spend the first 15 minutes on reporting heat, floods and storms. The Climate crisis is here and becoming worse. Rising temperatures fuel deadly heatwaves. We have having longer droughts and catastrophic floods.  Yes, loss of life and threats to  food and water security. We need NOW to replace fossil-fuel and expand solar and wind energy. 

Canadian fires

 Over 800 wildfires are burning through forests in Canada. We care about our neighbors to the North and pray the fires will be brought under control soon.

anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

 July marks the anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. We've come a long way since 1990, but we continue to work on accessibility for all CONSISTENTLY.  I have a disability parking placard but sometimes find the parking space is by a door that is locked. What if there is a ramp up to the front of a building, but a flight of stairs right inside? What if a public open house is announced, but too many stairs out front, and going around to the back one can get in but the elevator is not yet working? And what about people saying they will make some accommodations but can't be bothered with too many? Have you with disabilities ever been laughed at?  How can we plan together so that everyone can be included?

Call Congress

It takes but a few minutes to call U.S. Senators and Representatives. Call the Congressional Switchboard 202-224-3121 and ask to leave a message by name for a senator or representative from your state or any state. Give your brief opinion against the SAVE America Act which will keep many people from voting or against ICE arresting and killing people, or any other legislative issue.  

Sitting with me

 Because of my disability I have not been able to stand in worship since 1997. So I sit. At Wartburg Seminary one day the person beside me sat with me in support. Then, the next day another person who was beside me stayed sitting. And so, without a community decision or policy, or even a discussion, people just noticed and every day in chapel for the next 20 years the person beside me did not "please stand" but sat.  I am thankful. My son, Joel, sits with me in the front row at church now. 

River MC

Mason City, Iowa, Wednesday night in different places in town received 2 1/2 to 5 inches of rain in about 1/2 hour. Flooding all over. In this picture this afternoon the flood had already receded from the grass in East Park but was still a roaring river.               

Lap

What do you have only when you are sitting down? 

Orchids

I posted a picture of our orchids blooming for Epiphany. I posted another picture when an orchard was still blooming at Pentecost.  And here one of the orchids is still blooming the 6th Sunday after Pentecost, after the 4th of July weekend.  I give thanks for God's good, long-lasting creation. We are called to care for it. 

 

4th of July

 Oh beautiful for spacious skies for amber waves of grain, for purple mountain majesties, above the fruited plain. America! America! God mend thine every flaw, confirm thy soul in self-control, thy liberty maintain.

Canada Day

July 1 is Canada Day celebrating the anniversary of Canadian Confederation on July l, 1867. Canada achieved legislative independence from Great Britain in 193l, separation of citizenship in 1947. The red maple leaf flag was adopted in 1965. Full sovereignty was gained in 1982. When we lived in Detroit, July 1 through July 4 was celebrated together with fireworks across the Detroit River south (yes, "south") to Windsor, Canada. We have been privileged to travel in the provinces of Nova Scotia, Prince Edwards Island, New Brunswick, Quebec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. We love Canada!

 The Texas State Board of Education approved a new statewide curriculum that makes Bible reading mandatory. This goes against the 1st amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It presumes this nation and its public schools are and should be Christian (Christian Nationalism). Public Schools should teach youth about all religions, not teach what they should believe. The board also approved a curriculum that glosses over racism and the history of slavery in the United States. This is not God's chosen, perfect nation. We need to recognize our flaws. We need to respect all people.

Moon in June

The moon in June shines brightly in the sky. 

Central Gardens

 A trip to Central Gardens, Clear Lake, Iowa. Beautiful and refreshing.

Visits from grads

 What a joy and privilege to have recent visits from Wartburg Seminary graduates who have been faithfully serving for many years. Rev. Kathy Gerking and husband Andy.  Rev. Carolyn Pflibsen and Rev. Dr. Troy Pflibsen. 

Father's Day 2026

I give thanks for my husband, Burton who has been and continues to be a great dad--and granddad. Oldest son Mark (in Phoenix) with daughter Aimee, Next Joel (in Mason City) , father to Jennaya and Jackson, and youngest son, Kirk (Dennison, Texas) pictured with taking a picture of the family. 

 

Obama Presidential Center Opening

Yes, there was music at the Grand Opening of the Barack Obama Presidential Center. There were thousands of people, ordinary people from the neighborhood. I also saw Angela Merkel from Germany and Justin Trudeau from Canada. I heard wonderful speeches by Valerie Jarrett, Michelle Obama and Barack Obama himself. I appreciated the focus on the South Side of Chicago where Michelle grew up and Barack was a community organizer.  Years earlier Burton and I had our first urban street experience canvassing on the South Side of Chicago. Everyone in this diverse country needs to feel welcome.

June 18 and 19

 June 18 is the celebration of the opening of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago, a place where new generations will be empowered to find their own voice. June 19 is Juneteenth, the Federal Holiday celebration when the Emancipation Proclamation which set enslaved people in Confederal states free finally reach Galveston, Texas 2 1/2 years after it was issued by President Abraham Lincoln. 

Flag Day

 It's Flag Day, a time to recognize the stars and stripes, adopted in 1777. (I remember when we changed from 48 stars to 50). There are also hundreds of people having birthdays today. Most important, the U.S. flag belongs to everyone. We dare not be separated over the flag as we were during the Viet Nam War. We dare not wrap the flag around a cross; we reject Christian nationalism. We honor the flags of all nations. 

 An eight-year-old girl in Topeka had already understood intuitively from the school bus window — that the message sent to a child by telling her she cannot attend the school four blocks from her home is not a neutral administrative decision. It is a statement about her worth.

The unanimous ruling of Brown vs. the Board of Education overturned Plessy v. Ferguson, the 1896 decision that had enshrined "separate but equal" as constitutional law for 58 years. It was one of the most significant legal decisions in American history — a turning point not just for education but for the entire Civil Rights Movement that would follow.

Linda Brown grew up to become a teacher and educational consultant. She spent her adult life working on school integration and equal education — continuing the fight that had begun with her father walking her to a school four blocks away.

"Looking back on Brown v. Board of Education," she said in an interview, "it has made an impact in all facets of life for minorities throughout the land. I really think of it in terms of what it has done for our young people, in taking away that feeling of second-class citizenship."

She was born on this day in 1943.

She passed away in 2018.

In between, she gave her name — without ever choosing to — to the case that told every child in America that the school four blocks away was theirs too.

Climate crisis

 "Severe Storms" "Tornado Warning" Those words trail across our TV screen.  Have we become used to floods, tornados, record heat and cold? Former Vice President Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth" was written 20 years ago. King Charles was concerned about the environment decades before.  We rarely hear words about "Climate change" anymore. We should be working on the "Climate CRISIS" all the time. The current administration doesn't care. When will be a "convenient" time to be concerned?

Votes in California

Donald Trump is saying the voting in California was rigged.  No rigging, no fraud.  It simply takes time to count all those votes when so many people vote by mail.  Don't fall for Trump's false claims.  We need to encourage all people to vote. We need to save "vote by mail." We need to help people register to vote in the remaining primaries and in November. 

Jennaya voting

 Jennaya Everist, recent college graduate, was interviewed by the press as she voted in the Iowa Democratic Primary June 2.  Years ago, when the national press was covering the first-in-the-nation Iowa Caucuses, Jennaya, then 3 1/2, was interviewed by a New York reporter. Jennaya said she was for "Obama." Whatever age, we need to be ready to speak about our views. 

Tulsa race massacre

 The Tulsa race massacre was a two-day-long terrorist massacre perpetrated by white supremacists that took place between May 31 and June 1, 1921. As news of the violence spread throughout the city, mob violence exploded. White rioters invaded Greenwood that night and the next morning, killing people and burning and looting stores and homes. About 10,000 black people were left homeless. 

 Trinity Sunday in 2026 falls on Sunday, May 31. Celebrated on the Sunday immediately following Pentecost, this Christian feast honors the foundational doctrine of the Holy Trinity: one God existing in three distinct divine persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. I prefer to say, "The Creator, Jesus Christ, and the Empowering Spirit."

Tama

 

Leave messages for Congress

 It's time to leave messages for U.S. Senators and Representatives (even when they are not in session) by calling 202-224-3121. We can make a difference by speaking against the "war of choice" in Iran, deportation, the 8.1 billion dollar slush fund, corruption, lies. Speak up for the U.S. postal service, voting rights, social security and so much more.