Memorial Day is when we should ponder and honor the fallen soldiers. Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr., associate justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, wrote “Our dead brothers still live for us, and bid us think of life, not death -- of life to which in their youth they lent the passion and joy of the spring.”
The American soldiers who rendered their lives for U.S. citizens to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness won’t be telling us how to observe the holiday. However, Holmes’ quotation to “think of life, not death” would respect the fallen soldier. Their sacrifice follows the example of Jesus Christ giving His life for our freedom. It's selfless love for others – not so others can mourn forever, but live!
The American soldiers who rendered their lives for U.S. citizens to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness won’t be telling us how to observe the holiday. However, Holmes’ quotation to “think of life, not death” would respect the fallen soldier. Their sacrifice follows the example of Jesus Christ giving His life for our freedom. It's selfless love for others – not so others can mourn forever, but live!
One of the most decorated American soldiers, Ranger Kristoffer Domeij, was killed in action in Afghanistan on his 14th deployment with the Elite Army Rangers. Regular troops may have completed about four deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan but Special Operations troops such as Domeij’s tend to have served 10-12. The 75th Ranger Regiment typically deploys on 105-day deployments, shorter than the average year-long Army or marine deployment, but they are acknowledged as unusually intense tours with one operation every single night.
Domeij served for a combined total of 48 months deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan alone. He was also posthumously awarded another Bronze Star to bring his collection to three and Meritorious Service medals.
Domeij served for a combined total of 48 months deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan alone. He was also posthumously awarded another Bronze Star to bring his collection to three and Meritorious Service medals.
The combat operation in which he died, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, also claimed the life of Lieutenant Ashley White, 24. Female soldiers could do things that the males cannot do, and they are starting to realize that according to Sgt. Christine Baldwin, who like White was among the first groups of women deployed to Afghanistan this year as specially trained ‘cultural support’ troops.
Male soldiers often cannot talk to an Afghan female because of the strict cultural norms that segregate the sexes and the tradition of women remaining behind closed doors most of the time. U.S. women have been on the front lines in Afghanistan since the war began, and over time they have been used to reach out to the Afghan population through health care initiatives and other programs.
We pray for families of fallen soldiers.
Psalm 27:3-4 states,
Male soldiers often cannot talk to an Afghan female because of the strict cultural norms that segregate the sexes and the tradition of women remaining behind closed doors most of the time. U.S. women have been on the front lines in Afghanistan since the war began, and over time they have been used to reach out to the Afghan population through health care initiatives and other programs.
We pray for families of fallen soldiers.
Psalm 27:3-4 states,
“If an army surrounds me, I will not be afraid.
If war breaks out, I will trust the Lord.
I ask only one thing from the Lord. This is what I want:
Let me live in the Lord’s house all my life.
Let me see the Lord’s beauty
and look with my own eyes at his Temple.”
Lord, we pray You will assist us to be grateful for the sacrifices that have been made to secure the U.S. the land of freedom. May it always prevail so. Amen
~~Pastor Andy
Lee Strobel, who graduated from Yale University and became a lawyer and Chicago Tribune journalist, had been an atheist for a lengthy period. He was intrigued to investigate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Eventually, he was convinced that Jesus Christ indeed resurrected and is the Messiah. He became a pastor and professor of Christian thought at Houston Baptist University.
Did Jesus die on the cross?
Yes, it is true based on evidence. Lee Strobel consulted Dr. Alexander Metherell who examined the crucifixion. The doctor determined that there is no way that Jesus survived the crucifixion due to extreme brutal suffering from being flogged, nailed, and tortured. It is impossible for anyone to stay alive and wake up from the tomb.
The Bible says that during Jesus’ suffering, He sweat blood. “This is a known medical condition called hematidrosis. It’s not very common, but it is associated with a high degree of psychological stress,” the doctor noted.
Jesus’ suffering and passionate prayers over His tremendous torture could certainly have been enough to cause this medical condition. A 1996 article in the Journal of Medicine analyzed 76 cases of hematidrosis and determined that the most common causes were acute fear and intense mental contemplation.
Strobel asked Dr. Metherell what affect this bloody sweat would have had on Jesus. “What this did,” he replied, “was set up the skin to be extremely fragile so that when Jesus was flogged by the Roman soldier the next day, his skin would have been very, very sensitive.”
Strobel asked, “What could have prompted Jesus to willingly endure the misery of Gethsemane, the brutality of the flogging and the unspeakable torment of the cross?” Dr. Metherell replied, “I suppose the answer can be summed up in one word – and that would be LOVE.”
Strobel, Lee. The Case of Christ. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1998. Plus, a movie, The Case of Christ (2017) on the Internet!
~~Pastor Andy
The Bible says that during Jesus’ suffering, He sweat blood. “This is a known medical condition called hematidrosis. It’s not very common, but it is associated with a high degree of psychological stress,” the doctor noted.
Jesus’ suffering and passionate prayers over His tremendous torture could certainly have been enough to cause this medical condition. A 1996 article in the Journal of Medicine analyzed 76 cases of hematidrosis and determined that the most common causes were acute fear and intense mental contemplation.
Strobel asked Dr. Metherell what affect this bloody sweat would have had on Jesus. “What this did,” he replied, “was set up the skin to be extremely fragile so that when Jesus was flogged by the Roman soldier the next day, his skin would have been very, very sensitive.”
Strobel asked, “What could have prompted Jesus to willingly endure the misery of Gethsemane, the brutality of the flogging and the unspeakable torment of the cross?” Dr. Metherell replied, “I suppose the answer can be summed up in one word – and that would be LOVE.”
Strobel, Lee. The Case of Christ. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1998. Plus, a movie, The Case of Christ (2017) on the Internet!
~~Pastor Andy
COVID closed our access to Deaf in Maryland prisons for over two years. Our only way to keep connected with the men inside has been through this Mustard Seed newsletter.
Just when we thought that we could go back in, the omicron variant shut everything down again! We had one inside Bible study in December 2021. Then the notice came that programs and family visits are back on hold. Thankfully, this hold has only been temporary.
Families are able to visit in person again. The State department of corrections has given prisons permission to resume volunteer programs like ours. Each institution sets its own schedule and protocols for returning to in-person gatherings.
A couple weeks ago on Sunday, April 17, was a turning point at the institution we serve. Men inside were given permission to gather in the chapel to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And celebrate they did!
Following that event, we have been notified that Bible study for Deaf and Hard of Hearing will be back on the schedule. It is our hope that by the time you read this, we are inside meeting again every week.
Two years of separation feels like a long time. But when we see in the Bible how long and how often God allows His faithful servants to be confined for simply being faithful* we are encouraged and challenged to be as faithful.
* Joseph in Genesis 39-41;
Jeremiah in Jer. 37-38;
Paul in Acts 24-28;
and many others.
~~ Pastor Ron
Just when we thought that we could go back in, the omicron variant shut everything down again! We had one inside Bible study in December 2021. Then the notice came that programs and family visits are back on hold. Thankfully, this hold has only been temporary.
Families are able to visit in person again. The State department of corrections has given prisons permission to resume volunteer programs like ours. Each institution sets its own schedule and protocols for returning to in-person gatherings.
A couple weeks ago on Sunday, April 17, was a turning point at the institution we serve. Men inside were given permission to gather in the chapel to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. And celebrate they did!
Following that event, we have been notified that Bible study for Deaf and Hard of Hearing will be back on the schedule. It is our hope that by the time you read this, we are inside meeting again every week.
Two years of separation feels like a long time. But when we see in the Bible how long and how often God allows His faithful servants to be confined for simply being faithful* we are encouraged and challenged to be as faithful.
* Joseph in Genesis 39-41;
Jeremiah in Jer. 37-38;
Paul in Acts 24-28;
and many others.
~~ Pastor Ron
Remember those who are in prison
as if you were in prison with them.
Hebrews 13:3
as if you were in prison with them.
Hebrews 13:3
Worship & Fellowship opportunities at Christ/Deaf
We meet in person in the chapel
the 3rd Sunday of the next few months 9:30AM
We meet on Zoom
Sunday worship & fellowship 10:00AM
Wednesday Bible Study 10:00AM
To receive log-in information,
Please contact us for log-in information,
We meet in person in the chapel
the 3rd Sunday of the next few months 9:30AM
We meet on Zoom
Sunday worship & fellowship 10:00AM
Wednesday Bible Study 10:00AM
To receive log-in information,
Please contact us for log-in information,
| Save the date: Great Lakes Regional Conference October 7-9, 2022 (Columbus Day Weekend) Location at Holy Cross Deaf Lutheran Church 360 Morse Rd, Columbus, Ohio 43214 Theme: “For the Joy of the LORD is your Strength.” Nehemiah 8:10 |  |
A Junior High School science teacher taught a lesson on the properties of magnets. The next day he gave his students a quiz. The first question asked: “My name begins with an “M,” has six letters, and I pick things up. What am I?” Half the kids in the class wrote, “Mother.”
“What can you do to promote world peace? Go home and love your family.” – Mother Teresa
“I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.” – Martin Luther
“There are two ways to get enough. One is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.” – G.K. Chesterton
“Let no one grieve that he has fallen again and again, because forgiveness has risen from the grave.” – Saint John Chrysostom
“I have held many things in my hands, and I have lost them all; but whatever I have placed in God’s hands, that I still possess.” – Martin Luther
“There are two ways to get enough. One is to continue to accumulate more and more. The other is to desire less.” – G.K. Chesterton
“Let no one grieve that he has fallen again and again, because forgiveness has risen from the grave.” – Saint John Chrysostom
Three buddies were discussing death and one asked the group: What would you like people to say about you at your funeral?
#1 answered:
“He was a great humanitarian, who cared about his community.”
#2 answered:
“He was a great husband and father, who was an example for many to follow.”
#3 answered:
“Look, he’s moving!!”
#1 answered:
“He was a great humanitarian, who cared about his community.”
#2 answered:
“He was a great husband and father, who was an example for many to follow.”
#3 answered:
“Look, he’s moving!!”
Annual Events, American and International
Continued from March/April 2022.
Library Events
The nation’s libraries annually for observing events of special interest to library communities and the local community.
March Week – Teen Tech Week
April is National Poetry Month
April is School Library Month
April week – National Library Week
April day – National Library Outreach Day
April day – National Library Workers Day
April week – Preservation Week
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month
September week – Banned Books Week
October week – National Friends of Libraries Week
October /November week - International Games Week
November is Picture Book Month
Ages, Ethnicities and Interests
There are national annual events that would apply to interested libraries and organizations serving the Deaf to observe.
Name, year of founding, and link – US Presidential proclamation.
May- June
Ages
May - Children’s Book Week (1919) https://everychildareader.net/cbw/
May - Older Americans Month (1963) https://acl.gov/oam/history
Ethnicities
May - Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (1978)
https://nationaltoday.com/asian-american-and-pacific-islander-heritage-month/Proclamation
May – Jewish American Heritage Month (2006) www.jewishheritagemonth.gov
Interests
May - Mental Health Awareness Month (1949) https://whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/04/30/a-proclamation-on-national-mental-health-awareness-month-2021/
June - Rainbow Book Month (1990) www.ala.org/news/2020/04/launch-rainbow-book-month
June Week – Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week (1984)
www.helenkeller.org/hknc/dbaw
Continued from March/April 2022.
Library Events
The nation’s libraries annually for observing events of special interest to library communities and the local community.
March Week – Teen Tech Week
April is National Poetry Month
April is School Library Month
April week – National Library Week
April day – National Library Outreach Day
April day – National Library Workers Day
April week – Preservation Week
September is Library Card Sign-Up Month
September week – Banned Books Week
October week – National Friends of Libraries Week
October /November week - International Games Week
November is Picture Book Month
Ages, Ethnicities and Interests
There are national annual events that would apply to interested libraries and organizations serving the Deaf to observe.
Name, year of founding, and link – US Presidential proclamation.
May- June
Ages
May - Children’s Book Week (1919) https://everychildareader.net/cbw/
May - Older Americans Month (1963) https://acl.gov/oam/history
Ethnicities
May - Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (1978)
https://nationaltoday.com/asian-american-and-pacific-islander-heritage-month/Proclamation
May – Jewish American Heritage Month (2006) www.jewishheritagemonth.gov
Interests
May - Mental Health Awareness Month (1949) https://whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2021/04/30/a-proclamation-on-national-mental-health-awareness-month-2021/
June - Rainbow Book Month (1990) www.ala.org/news/2020/04/launch-rainbow-book-month
June Week – Helen Keller Deaf-Blind Awareness Week (1984)
www.helenkeller.org/hknc/dbaw
Telling Stories, the Deaf Way
The Deaf of many cultures, from disability to heredity.
Local communities of the nation, the public library.
The following books have stories related to the three first deaf historical events in our American history that save lives:
March 13, 1988 (the first deaf civil rights victory);
April 8, 1864 (first liberal arts college for the deaf, and
April 15, 1815 (first public school for the deaf)
The Deaf of many cultures, from disability to heredity.
Local communities of the nation, the public library.
The following books have stories related to the three first deaf historical events in our American history that save lives:
March 13, 1988 (the first deaf civil rights victory);
April 8, 1864 (first liberal arts college for the deaf, and
April 15, 1815 (first public school for the deaf)
- Pictures in the Air: The Story of the National Theatre of the Deaf, by Stephen C. Baldwin
- Through Deaf Eyes: A Photography History of an American Community, by Douglas C. Baynton, Jack R Gannon and Jean Lindquist Bergey. The Companion Volume to the Public Television Documentary
- Deaf Persons in the Arts and Sciences, A Biographical Dictionary, by Harry C. Lang and Bonnie Meath-Lang
- From Oaks to Acorns, by Frank R. Turk
- Introduction to American Deaf Culture, by Thomas K. Holcomb
