The Centerpiece - November 2005

THE CENTERPIECE
November, 2005
The newsletter of the
Pittsburgh Lutheran Center for the Blind

535 North Neville Street
Pittsburgh, Pa 15213
PHONE: 412 682-1800

Bob Mates, Director
Sherri Crum, Associate Director

The Pittsburgh Lutheran Center for the Blind seeks to reach out to the visually impaired of Pittsburgh, feeling their needs, and touching them with the love of Jesus, that they may reach out and touch others with the love of Jesus.

THE CENTERPIECE is available in Braille, large print, and on cassette tape. You may also read it online, at our web site: www.plcb.net.

Terri Winaught Editor next
THE CENTERPIECE
November, 2005
FROM THE EDITOR
Pumpkin pie, a sweet and spicy dessert which I have loved since I was a little girl, will probably be on many of our Thanksgiving tables this month.
Usually when I think of pumpkins, I think not only of the pies I love so much but also of other equally delicious desserts, roasted pumpkin seeds, and jack-o-laterns.
What I have never thought of until I received an e-mail from a friend, however, were the similarities between being a pumpkin and being a Christian. How, you might ask, are the two alike?
Well, just as the farmer harvesting pumpkins in the fall goes out to the patch, picks the pumpkins and brings them in, so, too, does God go out to the patch of humanity where He picks us and then brings us in. Just as the conscientious farmer then cuts the tops off of his pumpkins so he can clean out the "yucky" stuff, so God also cuts out of us what we no longer need and scoops out the "yucky" stuff so that we can put on Christ and become new creations in Him.
Finally, just as the farmer or a family member preparing pumpkins for cooking or decorating removes the seeds, so God removes our seeds of doubt and hatred and carves on us the smiling faces that brightly radiate our happiness with and love of Jesus as our Lord and personal Savior.
As you enjoy fine food and even finer fellowship at your Thanksgiving table this year, I pray that you will also thank God for transforming you from a pumpkin with a sin-sick soul to a pumpkin with a renewed soul saved by God's amazing grace.
If you have a suggestion for this column, please don't hesitate to phone Bob Mates at 412-682-1800 or e-mail him at bluesbob at earthlinkddnet.
May God richly bless you with a Happy and fellowship-filled Thanksgiving.
Terri Winaught
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OCTOBER's MEAL
Before meal atendees enjoyed a sumptuous meal of roast pork, sauerkraut, mashed potatoes and peas, Director Mates welcomed new attendee Rich Lynch and asked him to say a few words about himself.
After the meal, Bob thanked Associate Director Sherri Crum for doing such a great job in his absence at September's meal, and the young men from Central Catholic whose excellent volunteer service at October's meal really added to the enjoyment and the fellowship.
Bob then presented a Spirit-filled devotion as only he could. The theme of Bob's devotion, which was based on Scripture from Saint Peter about suffering for Christ, was entitled, "Being a Christian in a post-Christian world."
Bob began his presentation by telling the story of a lady with whom he recently rode the bus. Specifically, Bob's fellow bus passenger asked Bob if he was a Christian and then went on to say that God had revealed to her when the world was going to end.
Instead of focusing on how strange this lady was, Bob used his knowledge of Scripture to share the truth of the Gospel.
Bob also pointed out how important it is to really know the Gospel and to convey our hope in Christ with gentleness and sensitivity but never by trying to ram anything down's anyone's throat.
Bob next lifted up many concerns in prayer, all of which--or as many as the editor can remember--will be in the Prayer Section at the end of this newsletter.
Before turning this spiritual evening over to Pastor Spittel to lead us in prayer, song and Scripture through his monthly Vespers service, Bob made several announcements about revitalizing groups which have existed in the past.
Bob's first announcement was about the Moorhead Tower Bible study that will start on Thursday, November 3rd, and then take place at 2:00 PM in the Community Room the first and third Thursdays of each month.
Next, Bob mentioned that the Center is willing to teach a Braille class and added that anyone who is interested in either teaching this class or enrolling in it should contact him.
Also, if there is enough interest, Bob is willing to facilitate a Guide Dog Users Group at which there would be speakers from time to time to address topics of interest and relevance to guide dog users. This group would take place on a Saturday afternoon at either 2:00 or 3:00 PM but not on the same day as the meal so that it won't be too long of a day for meal attendees.
Finally, and again if there is enough interest, Bob would like to revitalize the LIFE Group, this acronym standing for Living in Faith and Encouragement. Bob explained the purpose of the LIFE Group by also saying what it is not: It is NOT a therapy group, nor is it a group whose facilitator claims to have all of the answers. LIFE is, however, a group which is guided by the philosophy that God has the answers which He reveals to us in his Living Word.
This evening of food, fellowship, and spirituality was concluded by Pastor Spittel's Veppers service.
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CONTRIBUTOR's CORNER
IN SICKNESS AND IN HEALTH by Kathy Susany
In October's newsletter, Kathy did a light-hearted and well-written job of presenting her cat, B.J4's perspective, on ten pet peeves pets have against people. Kath also used her significant repertiore of scientific knowledge to cite studies which have documented the therapeutic value that pets can have on the elderly and the disabled.
Before Kathy came up with that idea for last month's column, however, she had been planning to finish her series on blood. So just what will she do this month, given such talent and such a potpouri of possibilities? Well, unfortunately, Kath won't have a column for us this month because there are several articles she is researching. But I guess that just gives us even more of a combination of the spiritual and the scientific to look forward to in Deember.
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A LITTLE HUMOR ... VERY LITTLE by Bob Mates
Even though I will always begin by saying what a wonderful job Bob does writing this column, which means that I know I'm not nearly as good at this as he, I love contributing to this part of the newsletter nonetheless.
Those of you who read the September humor column know that I contributed the first half of a humorous look at the English language. Shortly after that, my BrailleNote crashed, and I thought I had lost that humorous contribution. I didn't lose it, however, and now that my BrailleNote is fixed, here is my contribution to what I always love to call, A Lot of Humor ... Quite a lot!
15. Local Area Network in Australia: the LAN down under. 16. He often broke into song because he couldn't find the key. 17. Every calendar's days are numbered. 18. A lot of money is tainted. 'Taint yours and 'taint mine. 19. A boiled egg in the morning is hard to beat. 20. He had a photographic memory which was never developed. 21. A plateau is a high form of flattery. 22. The short fortuneteller who escaped from prison was a small medium at large. 23. Those who get too big for their britches will be exposed in the end. 24. When you've seen one shopping center you've seen a mall. 25. Those who jump off a Paris bridge are in Seine. 26. When an actress saw her first strands of gray hair she thought she'd dye. 27. Bakers trade bread recipes on a knead to know basis. 28. Santa's helpers are subordinate clauses. 29. Acupuncture is a jab well done.
PONDERISMS
I used to eat a lot of natural foods until I learned that most people die of natural causes.
Gardening Rule: When weeding, the best way to make sure you are removing a weed and not a valuable plant is to pull on it. If it comes out of the ground easily, it is a valuable plant.
The easiest way to find something lost around the house is to buy a replacement.
   Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
   There are two kinds of pedestrians: the quick and the dead.
Life is sexually transmitted.
   Health is merely the slowest possible rate at which one can die.
The only difference between a rut and a grave is the depth.
   Some people are like Slinkies. Not really good for anything, but you still can't help but smile when you see one tumble down the stairs.
Health nuts are going to feel stupid someday, lying in hospitals dying of nothing.
Have you noticed since everyone has a camcorder these days no one talks about seeing UFO's like they used to?
Whenever I feel blue, I start breathing again.
All of us could take a lesson from the weather. It pays no attention to criticism.
In the 60's, people took acid to make the world weird. Now the world is weird and people take Prozac to make it normal.
How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?
Who was the first person to look at a cow and say, "I think I'll squeeze these dangly things here, and drink whatever comes out?"
Who was the first person to say, "See that chicken there? I'm gonna eat the next thing that comes outta its butt."
Why is there a light in the fridge and not in the freezer?
   If Jimmy cracks corn and no one cares, why is there a song about him?
Why do people point to their wrist when asking for the time, but don't point to their crotch when they ask where the bathroom is?
Why does your OB-GYN leave the room when you get undressed if they are going to look up there anyway?
   If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests?
If electricity comes from electrons, does morality come from morons?
   Do illiterate people get the full effect of Alphabet Soup?
Did you ever notice that when you blow in a dog's face, he gets mad at you, but when you take him on a car ride, he sticks his head out the window?
   Does pushing the elevator button more than once make it arrive faster?
Why doesn't glue stick to the inside of the bottle?

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LUTHER's SMALL CATECHISM: Part 3

This is part three of a six-part series, in which Luther's Small Catechism will be printed in its entirety. In this part, we will spotlight the "Our Father. or Lord's prayer.
This prayer is set forth in the gospels of St. Matthew and St. Luke. The form is slightly different in each place, but it is essentially the same. Jesus, at the request of His disciples, spoke it, as a model prayer. In this part of the Catechism, Luther gives a wonderful explanation of the prayer, and its meaning for us. May you be blessed as you read it.

III. The Our Father The Simple Way a Father Should Present it to His Household
Introduction
Our Father, Who is in Heaven. (Matthew 6:9)
What does this mean?
In this introduction, God invites us to believe that He is our real Father and we are His real children, so that we will pray with trust and complete confidence, in the same way beloved children approach their beloved Father with their requests.
The First Request
May Your name be holy. (Matthew 6:9)
What does this mean?
Of course, God's name is holy in and of itself, but by this request, we pray that He will make it holy among us, too.
How does this take place?
It happens when God's Word is taught clearly and purely, and when we live holy lives as God's children based upon it. Help us, Heavenly Father, to do this! But anyone who teaches and lives by something other than God's Word defiles God's name among us. Protect us from this, Heavenly Father!
The Second Request
Your Kingdom come. (Matthew 6:10)
What does this mean?
Truly God's Kingdom comes by itself, without our prayer. But we pray in this request that it come to us as well.
How does this happen?
It happens when the Heavenly Father gives us His Holy Spirit, so that we believe His holy Word by His grace and live godly lives here in this age and there in eternal life.
The Third Request
May Your will be accomplished. As it is Heaven, so may it be on Earth. (Matthew 6:10)
What does this mean?
Truly, God's good and gracious will is accomplished without our prayer. But we pray in this request that is accomplished among us as well.
How does this happen?
It happens when God destroys and interferes with every evil will and all evil advice, which will not allow God's Kingdom to come, such as the Devil's will, the world's will and will of our bodily desires. It also happens when God strengthens us by faith and by His Word and keeps us living by them faithfully until the end of our lives. This is His will, good and full of grace.
The Fourth Request
Give us today our daily bread. (Matthew 6:11)
What does this mean?
Truly, God gives daily bread to evil people, even without our prayer. But we pray in this request that He will help us realize this and receive our daily bread with thanksgiving.
What does "Daily bread" mean?
Everything that nourishes our body and meets its needs, such as: Food, drink, clothing, shoes, house, yard, fields, cattle, money, possessions, a devout spouse, devout children, devout employees, devout and faithful rulers, good government, good weather, peace, health, discipline, honor, good friends, faithful neighbors and other things like these.
The Fifth Request
And forgive our guilt, as we forgive those guilty of sinning against us. (Matthew 6:12)
What does this mean?
We pray in this request that our Heavenly Father will neither pay attention to our sins nor refuse requests such as these because of our sins and because we are neither worthy nor deserve the things for which we pray. Yet He wants to give them all to us by His grace, because many times each day we sin and truly deserve only punishment. Because God does this, we will, of course, want to forgive from our hearts and willingly do good to those who sin against us.
The Sixth Request
And lead us not into temptation. (Matthew 6:12)
What does this mean?
God tempts no one, of course, but we pray in this request that God will protect us and save us, so that the Devil, the world and our bodily desires will neither deceive us nor seduce us into heresy, despair or other serious shame or vice, and so that we will win and be victorious in the end, even if they attack us.
The Seventh Request
But set us free from the Evil One. were Matthew 6:12)
What does this mean?
We pray in this request, as a summary, that our Father in Heaven will save us from every kind of evil that threatens body, soul, property and honor. We pray that when at last our final hour has come, He will grant us a blessed death, and, in His grace, bring us to Himself from this valley of tears. Amen
What does this mean?
That I should be certain that such prayers are acceptable to the Father in Heaven and will be granted, that He Himself has commanded us to pray in this way and that He promises to answer us. Amen. Amen. This means: Yes, yes it will happen this way.

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DEVOTION by Bob Mates
In addition to presenting part 2 of his 6-part series on Luther's small Catechism, Bob also included a wonderful devotion in October's CENTERPIECE about being a Christian in a post-Christian world.
To find out what wonderful words of wisdom Bob has for us this month, let's eat Bob's spiritual chicken soup, followed by a healthy drink of living water:
BECOMING REFINED
by Bob Mates
Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we [1] Or let us] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 5:2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we [2] Or let us] rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. 5:3 Not only so, but we [3] Or let us] also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 5:4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5:5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.

Recently, I had a conversation with a lady, who was going through a severe family crisis. While the crisis had been both physically and emotionally draining, the lady told me that it had actually made her stronger, and was, therefore, something to praise God for.
This conversation made me think about something, which is very important to remember, in our Christian journey. That something is this: God shows His great love for us, not by always making the way smooth, but by helping us over the rough spots. This has the efficacious result of refining us.
We Christians are, to say the least, rough around the edges--"broken vessels", as it were. To be useful in the kingdom of God, we have to be refined; made smoother, and more polished. One might well think of gold. When gold comes out of the ground, it's practically useless. The way it becomes a useful commodity is that it's put through a refining process, in which impurities are eliminated, and the soft metal is tempered--made harder--by mixing it with other metals. That's precisely what God does for us, by putting us through various crises.
Romans, chapter 5, verses 1-5, gives us a wonderful explanation of this. In verse 1, we are told that, because we have been justified by God, (that is, we have been declared innocent), we have peace with God. No longer need we fear His wrath. No longer are we His enemies. Our sin has been cast from us, and it's no longer charged to us Jesus took it in our stead! Because of this, we now have peace with God. He is our Father; Jesus has called us "friend".
Verse 2 points out that, not only do we have peace with God, but we have direct access to Him. We can talk to Him, and He, to us. This can be done through studying His Word, or through our prayers. We don't have to be afraid to tell Him what's on our hearts, and we don't have to be afraid of what He has to tell us. Because of this, we have hope; indeed, we have a confident expectation, or assurance, that God is with us. We can rejoice in that.
And not only that, but, as verses 3-4 show, we can rejoice, even when we're going through something.
Now, when a person is going through a crisis, he or she has two choices. A person can either (1) completely give up; or (2) go through it, to the end. (Actually, sometimes, we do a bit of both, don't we? We try to give up, but, when that doesn't work, we go on.)
As Christians, with access to God, who has given us His peace, we are able to go through the crisis. It isn't always easy, and it's never fun, but we go through it. And, as we do so, we find hidden strengths we didn't even know we had! We find that we are able to persevere, or go on, in spite of the difficulties. Because of this, we out new, exciting things about ourselves, and about our strengths and, in fact, about our character. We become stronger, and more resilient. This is exactly what these verses say.
In verse 5, we are told that the reason we can rejoice in all of this, and the reason we can hope, is that God has given us His Spirit! We have a helper; a paraclete; one who walks beside us, guiding, comforting, exhorting, and encouraging us, until we are through the hard time, and have tasted the sweet victory. No wonder the psalmist could say,
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, [4] Or through the darkest valley] I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
The veterans of World War II used to have a saying about army food: "If it doesn't kill ya, it'll make ya strong.". God, who loved us so much that He sent His Son to die for us, and to be raised, that we might live, wants us to have life, and to have it more abundantly. He also wants us to be useful workers in His kingdom. To accomplish that end, He sometimes has to refine, or temper us. It's not a pleasant, thing, but, oh, what a great victory we enjoy when it's over, and how wonderful, at the end of it all, to hear those precious words, "Well done, thou good and faithful servant.".
Amen.
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PERSONAL PROFILES
Although the editor is not profiling anyone this month, she hopes to interview Peggy Walsh for December's newsletter. if you want to be profiled, I'd love to hear from you and tell your story.
To be the brightly shining star of a future Personal Profiles column, call Bob Mates at 412-682-1800 or Terri Winaught at 412-403-1431.
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BIBLE BITS
As I always say, the best way to grow in our love of and walk with the Lord is to grow and learn from Scripture.
The theme around which we'll be doing that this month is, "God's amazing universe."
The Old Testaments books from which we'll be getting this month's lesson are Joshua and Kings. What will they tell us? What can we learn?
To find out, let's now open our hearts, minds and souls to God's vital, vibrant and living Word:
For all the scientists out there, and for all the students who have a hard time convincing these people regarding the truth of the Bible, here's something that shows God's awesome creation, and that He is still in control.
Did you know that the space program is busy proving that what has been called "myth" in the Bible is true?
Mr. Harold Hill, President of the Curtis Engine Company in Baltimore, Maryland, and a consultant in the space program, relates the following development.
I think one of the most amazing things that God has done for us today happened recently to our astronauts and space scientists at Green Belt, Maryland.
They were checking out where the positions of the sun, moon, and planets would be 100 years and 1,000 years from now.. We have to know this so we won't send up a satellite and have it bump into something later on in its orbits.
We have to lay out the orbits in terms of the life of the satellite and where the planets will be so the whole thing will not bog down.
They ran the computer measurement back and forth over the centuries, and it came to a halt. The computer stopped and put up a red signal, which meant that there was something wrong with either the information fed into it or with the results as compared to the standards.
They called in the service department to check it out, and they said, 'What's wrong` Well, they found there is a day missing in space in elapsed time.
They scratched their heads and tore their hair out.. There was no answer.
Finally a Christian man on the team said, 'You know, one time I was in Sunday School, and they talked about the sun standing stillbled' While they didn't believe him, they didn't have an answer either, so they said, 'Show us1'
He got a Bible and went to the book of Joshua where they found a pretty ridiculous statement for any one with 'common sensebled'
There they found the Lord saying to Joshua,
'Fear them not, I have delivered them into thy hand; there shall not a man of them stand before Theebled'
Joshua was concerned because he was surrounded by the enemy! And if darkness fell, they would overpower them. So Joshua asked the Lord to make the sun stand still! That's right... 'The sun stood still and the moon stayed and lasted not to go down about a whole day6'
(Joshua 10:12-13)
The astronauts and scientists said, There is the missing day! They checked the computers going back into the time it was written and found it was close but not close enough. The elapsed time that was missing back in Joshua's day was 23 hours and 20 minutes ... not a whole day.
They read the Bible, and there it was about [approximately] a day. These little words in the Bible are important, but they were still in trouble because if you cannot account for 40 minutes, you'll still be in trouble 1000 years from now.
Forty minutes had to be found because it can be multiplied many times over in orbits. As the Christian employee thought about it, he remembered somewhere in the Bible where it said the sun went BACKWARDS.
The scientists told him he was out of his mind, but they got out the Book and read these words in 2 Kings that told of the following story: Hezekiah, on his death bed, was visited by the prophet Isaiah who told him that he was not going to die. Hezekiah asked for a sign as proof. Isaiah said 'Do you want the sun to go ahead 10 degrees`
Hezekiah said, 'It is nothing for the sun to go ahead 10 degrees, but let the shadow return backward 10 degreesbled' Isaiah spoke to the Lord, and the Lord brought the shadow ten degrees BACKWARD! Ten degrees is exactly 40 minutes!
Twenty-three hours and 20 minutes in Joshua, plus 40 minutes in Second Kings make the missing day in the universe! Isn't it amazing?
References: Joshua 10:8 and 12,13 and 2 Kings 20:9-11.
QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION AND REFLECTION
1. Do you feel that there is a conflict between science and creation? Why or why not?
2. Do you feel that this account in Joshua and Kings is "myth," or do you feel that it can't be myth since it's in the Bible?
3. As I read the story about the NASA scientists, I couldn't begin to imagine the sun standing still, letalone it going backward 10 degrees. Is this a story with which you're familiar, or was it as unusual to you as it was to me?
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LOOKING AHEAD
November's meal of roast beef will take place on Saturday the 19th from 5 to 7 PM, with a Bible study preceding it from 4 to 5 PM.
To sign up for this meal, call Bob Mates by 6 PM on Saturday the 12th at 412-682-1800.
December's meal will take place on Saturday the 17th with ham being on the menu for this mealstChristmas party. (At November's meal, our Dashing Director will announce the reservation deadline for December's meal.)
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PRAYER REQUESTS
As you lift the following people and their intentions up to the Lord's loving intervention, remember that you--and those whose needs you're lifting up--were formed, fashioned, minted and mined in God's never-ending and unconditional love.
1. May God help Carol Taylor as only He can in her recovery from gastric bypass surgery.
2. The Lord's healing, also, for Bob Taylor who will soon be having a gastric bypass.
3. May Jesus' gentle hands place their healing touch on Jane Royal who recently injured her head and sprained her wrist in a fall.
4. We ask our Trinitarian God to heal Linda Terrell's father who is in the hospital for the second time this year with serious stomach and intestinal problems.
5. May the soul of Michael Manfredi, who died of Lou Gehrig's Disease and pneumonia on October 30th, rest in peace at God's table of plenty in paradise.
6. Thanks be to God for the Pittsburgh Lutheran Center for the Blind, Director Mates, Associate Director Sherri Crum and the Spittel family.
7. May our dear Lord bless Bob Mates and Sherri Crum with safe travel to and from California this month.
8. For Mitzi Apelman: that our faithful father would continue to be with her as she struggles with the loss of her eyesight.
9. For God to honor Sue Etter's request that Terri Winaught will be successful in her new job that started on November 1st.
10. For divine healing to continue to take place in Jeanne Kaufmann, whose cancerous tumor has begun to shrink.
11. Thank You, Lord, that Dave Summers' ankle is healing so well from having been broken, dislocated and fractured.
12. For healing and comfort for Carol Summers' mother who is hospitalized at Mercy North Shore with a nervous breakdown.
13. For our Savior to be with the nurses and doctors as they administer to Jeffrey Winaught during surgery he is scheduled to have this month.
14. Christ's comfort for Ethel and rapid recovery from risky surgery for Ethel's daughter-in-law.
15. May Maggie Fagliano's cousin, who died at age 42 of cancer on November 11th, rest in peace, and comfort for Maggie.
16. For Susan's stay at Mayview to be brief and her recovery successful.
17. That God would continue to heal Ellie Goldfon's mother, Dorothy Weinberg, and that He would continue to strengthen Ellie and her family, with the peace of God, which passes all understanding.
THE SERENITY PRAYER
Lord, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time, enjoying one moment at a time, accepting hardships as pathways to peace; taking, as Jesus did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it.