March 9, 2025
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Lent worship this Wednesday at 6:30 pm! Holden Evening Prayer service. Come join us!
Lent Meal from 5:30 pm till 6:30 pm. This week the meal is the Baked Potato Bar served by the Confirmation Youth. Free-will offering taken to support them going to Luther Park Bible Camp.
We are collecting items for our FREE FOOD, FREE STUFF, FOR ALL. This event will be on May 3rd and will be open to our community to help those in need. We are collecting the following items: soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant, dish soap, laundry detergent, underwear (men’s & women’s), socks).
Crew is on Wednesday, March 12th, at 3:30 pm till 5 pm for all 3rd-6th grade youth
Butter Braid sales have begun! Purchase Butter Braids to help our youth attend Luther Park Bible Camp this summer! See any confirmation youth or the form on the table in the Narthex or use this link: https://store.myfundraisingplace.com/2136d1a2-8b11-4008-a855-701d9dca29c0
Lagers with the Lord March 24th at 6 pm at Buckshot’s.
Voices of Praise every Wednesday night at 7 pm! Come join us for a time of song. A great time to sing with others and have some fun!
We are collecting Cereal for the WestCAP food pantry! Bring your boxes and place them by the altar in the Narthex. Please make sure the cereal is not expired.
Order your Easter Lilies! Order deadline is March 30th. See form that is with this email.
Confirmation Lock-In, Thursday, March 20th, 6pm till March 21st, 7 am. Sign-up in the Narthex. I need parent drivers for the Scavenger Hunt from 6:30 pm till 7:30 pm.
Youth in Christ from United Lutheran Church in Prairie Farm will be at Trinity on Sunday, March 23rd at 9 am to lead worship.
New Member Class Sunday, March 30th, 6pm.
MUSINGS FROM PASTOR BRAD
In my life, there are many things I have inherited from my Dad. My loud voice. My love of the Cubs and the Bears. Enjoying the movie “The Blues Brothers.” Having Psalm 23 as my favorite Bible verse. The tradition of never, ever, ever, ever leaving a game early. An insane work ethic and perfectionism. A commitment that a person should give back to their community. And there is nothing better than a nap.
As many of you know, I love a good nap. I try to take a little lunch nap every day, with the dogs on my lap (I often have to set an alarm so I don’t sleep to long). But on the weekend, there is no need to worry about going back to work or having to be somewhere, so I am free to nap to my hearts content. Frankly, I plan our free Saturday’s so I can nap as long as possible. I front load my Saturday to get all the stuff I want to get done so that when lunch is over, napping can happen. Amy will head up upstairs to read and take the dogs with her (she is such a saint), because nothing can ruin a good nap like either a phone call or the dogs barking at people walking by. Amy heads upstairs and I get ready for bliss.
Time for a quick aside: I can’t nap in my bed. I’m sorry, but napping needs to happen outside of your bed. It is meant for a recliner, a couch, a love seat. But not for the bed. The bed is for deep sleep, multiple hours of sleep. The only time I’m going into the bed during daylight hours is coming off of a lock-in. Otherwise, my naps stay out of the bed. Now, you may disagree, and you have the right to do so, but you are wrong.
This Saturday, I got myself comfortable in the lazy boy, put on some golf on TV, and got ready to nap. By the way, golf and baseball are the two best sports to watch when you want to nap. Otherwise, I put on either Star Wars movies I know very well or I put on music. And in due course, I was ready to be taken away into nap land. A good nap is between twenty and forty minutes. But this one was over an hour and it was a little too good. I woke up like a drunken man who had been on a three day bender. Wasn’t’ sure where I was. My body felt sore. I fell back asleep at least three more times for ten minute stretches. Sure, it was a good nap, but I almost felt more tired than refreshed. But that is sometimes the risk with a nap with no limits.
That is true with all things in life. Limits. One or two chocolate chip cookies are good. Seven in one sitting is bad. But taking some time to rest, to take a nap, to take a break from the world and get refreshed I will always cherish. Much of life is always go, go, go, especially for me. I will always appreciate my naps till the end of time. Frankly, many days I will later in the day do a workout, pairing my time of rest with a chance to be extra active. My hope is that for you that you have something in your life that you use to take a break from the hectic pace of life, whether it be a nap or not. Just as I start my day taking a moment to center myself with scripture and prayer, I use the nap to renew my energy and take a rest from craziness that usually accompanies my days. I hope you take a moment every day to remember what is most important in life, take a breath, and remember that life is more than the tasks and work you are doing. To get a chance to be renewed and refreshed.
May God bless you today and always!