THE CENTERPIECE

November, 2006

The newsletter of the

Pittsburgh Lutheran Center for the Blind

535 North Neville Street

Pittsburgh, Pa 15213

PHONE: (412) 682-1800

E-MAIL: director@plcb.net

WEB SITE: www.plcb.net

Sherri Crum, 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

THE CENTERPIECE,

November, 2006

FROM THE EDITOR

Hi Everyone, Thank you all, so very much, for your positive feedback on
the October issue. I hope this issue provides you with some new insights,
thought-provoking information, and entertainment.

Because November is the month of the General Election, Veterans Day and
Thanksgiving, those types of themes will be featured in this issue.

This time of year gets to be pretty busy, so I want to remind you that
the next meal will be on Saturday, December 16. I hope to see you all
there!


OCTOBER'S MEAL

On Saturday, October 28, 2006, the Pittsburgh Lutheran Center for the
Blind celebrated Oktoberfest--our German-themed meal.
As the following day was Reformation Day, the Reverend Eric Andrae used
that as the Bible Study topic.
Sixteen guests, two of whom were new visitors to the PLCB, enjoyed a meal
which featured pork, sauerkraut, bratwurst, salad, rolls, etc. and
caramel-walnut or traditional apple pie and ice cream for dessert.
Our ears also had a treat as the entertainment that day was provided by
Lou Schreiber, with an impromptu appearance by Ellie Goldfon. Between the
two of them, they played the piano and saxophone, and Ellie even sang
some vocals. Pastor Andrae then conducted the Vespers Service which
followed.
Many hands go into making the dinners successful. Among those in October
were: members from the congregation of First Trinity, a group from
Central Catholic High School, and a young lady from International Student
Ministries.
The meals are always a great time of friends, fun, food and fellowship.


A LITTLE HUMOR ... VERY LITTLE
by Sherri Crum

I hope you will get a few laughs with these two jokes I've selected for
you this month.

Best Patients
Five surgeons are discussing who makes the best patients on the operating
table.
The first surgeon says, "I like to see accountants on my operating table,
because when you open them up, everything inside is numbered."
The second responds, "Yeah, but you should try electricians! Everything
inside them is color coded."
The third surgeon says, "No, I really think librarians are the best;
everything inside them is in alphabetical order."
The fourth surgeon chimes in: "You know, I like construction workers ...
those guys always understand when you have a few parts left over at the
end, and when the job takes longer than you said it would."
But the fifth surgeon shut them all up when he observed: "You're all
wrong. Politicians are the easiest to operate on. There's no guts, no
heart, and no spine, and the head and butt are interchangeable."

While walking down the street one day a US senator is tragically hit by a
truck and dies.
His soul arrives in heaven and is met by St. Peter at the
entrance. "Welcome to heaven," says St. Peter. "Before you settle
in, it seems there is a problem. We seldom see a high official around
these parts, you see, so we're not sure what to do with you."
"No problem, just let me in," says the man.
"Well, I'd like to, but I have orders from higher up. What we'll do is
have you spend one day in hell and one in heaven. Then you can choose
where to spend eternity."
"Really, I've made up my mind. I want to be in heaven," says the senator.
"I'm sorry, but we have our rules."
And with that, St. Peter escorts him to the elevator
and he goes down, down, down to hell. The doors open and he finds
himself in the middle of a green golf course. In the distance
is a clubhouse and standing in front of it are all his friends and
other politicians who had worked with him.
Everyone is very happy and in evening dress. They run
to greet him, shake his hand, and reminisce about the good times
they had while getting rich at the expense of the people.
They play a friendly game of golf and then dine on lobster, caviar and
champagne.
Also present is the devil, who really is a very friendly guy who has a
good time dancing and telling jokes. They are having such a good time
that before he realizes it, it is time to go.
Everyone gives him a hearty farewell and waves while the elevator
rises ...
The elevator goes up, up, up and the door reopens on heaven where St.
Peter is waiting for him. "Now it's time to visit heaven."
So, 24 hours pass with the senator joining a group of
contented souls moving from cloud to cloud, playing the harp and
singing. They have a good time and, before he realizes it, the 24 hours
have gone by and St. Peter returns. "Well, then, you've spent a day in
hell and another in heaven. Now choose your eternity."
The senator reflects for a minute, then he answers:
"Well, I would never have said it before, I mean heaven has been
delightful, but I think I would be better off in hell." So St. Peter
escorts him to the elevator and he goes down, down, down to hell.
Now the doors of the elevator open and he's in the
middle of a barren land covered with waste and garbage. He sees all his
friends, dressed in rags, picking up the trash and putting it in black
bags as more trash falls from above. The devil comes over to him and puts
his arm around his shoulder. "I don't understand," stammers the senator.
"Yesterday I was here and there was a golf course and clubhouse, and we
ate lobster and caviar, drank champagne, and danced and had a great time.
Now there's just a wasteland full of garbage and my friends look
miserable. What happened?"
The devil looks at him, smiles and says, "Yesterday we were campaigning
... Today you voted."


MISCELLANY

This month I have selected three pieces for this column. The first, Deck
of Cards, tells of how a soldier spends time with our Lord. The second is
about The Flag Draped Coffin. And the third article was reproduced from
another publication and tells of Jeremy Feldbusch--some of you may
remember Mr. Feldbusch visiting the center three or four years ago.


DECK OF CARDS

It was quiet that day, the guns and the mortars, and land mines for some
reason hadn't been heard. The young soldier knew it was Sunday, the
holiest day of the week.
As he was sitting there, he got out an old deck of cards and laid them
out across his bunk. Just then an army sergeant came in and said, "Why
aren't you with the rest of the platoon?"
The soldier replied, "I thought I would stay behind and spend some time
with the Lord."
The sergeant said, "Looks to me like you're going to play cards."
The soldier said, "No, sir. You see, since we are not allowed to have
Bibles or other spiritual books in this country, I've decided to talk to
the Lord by studying this deck of cards."
The sergeant! asked in disbelief, "How will you do that?"
"You see the Ace, Sergeant? It reminds me that there is only one God.
The Two represents the two parts of the Bible, Old and New Testaments.
The Three represents the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost.
The Four stands for the Four Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.
The Five is for the five virgins there were ten but only five of them
were glorified.
The Six is for the six days it took God to create the Heavens and Earth.
The Seven is for the day God rested after making His Creation.
The Eight is for the family of Noah and his wife, their three sons and
their wives - the eight people God spared from the flood that destroyed
the Earth.
The Nine is for the lepers that Jesus cleansed of leprosy. He cleansed
ten, but nine never thanked Him.
The Ten represents the Ten Commandments that God handed down to Moses on
tablets made of stone.
The Jack is a reminder of Satan, one of God's first angels, but he got
kicked out of heaven for his sly and wicked ways and is now the joker of
eternal hell.
The Queen stands for the Virgin Mary.
The King stands for Jesus, for he is the King of all kings.
When I count the dots on all the cards, I come up with 365 total, one for
every day of the year.
There are a total of 52 cards in a deck; each is a week - 52 weeks in a
year.
The four suits represent the four seasons: Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter.
Each suit has thirteen cards - there are exactly thirteen weeks in a
quarter.
So when I want to talk to God and thank Him, I just pull out this old
deck of cards and they remind me of all that I have to be thankful for."
The sergeant just stood there. After a minute, with tears in his eyes and
pain in his heart, he said, "Soldier, can I borrow that deck of cards?"


WHAT THE FLAG DRAPED COFFIN REALLY MEANS
OUR FLAG, LONG MAY IT WAVE

This is truly awesome.... what a lesson to learn. Here is how to
understand the flag that laid upon it and is surrendered to so many
survivors.
Do you know that at military funerals, the 21-gun salute stands for the
sum of the numbers in the year 1776?
Have you ever noticed the honor guard pays meticulous attention to
correctly folding the United States of America Flag 13 times? You
probably thought it was to symbolize the original 13 colonies, but we
learn something new every day!
The 1st fold of the flag is a symbol of life.
The 2nd fold is a symbol of the belief in eternal life.
The 3rd fold is made in honor and remembrance of the veterans departing
the ranks who gave a portion of their lives for the defense of the
country to attain peace throughout the world.
The 4th fold represents the weaker nature, for as American citizens
trusting in God, it is to Him we turn in times of peace as well as in
time of war for His divine guidance.
The 5th fold is a tribute to the country, for in the words of Stephen
Decatur, "Our Country, in dealing with other countries, may she always be
right; but it is still our country, right or wrong.
The 6th fold is for where people's hearts lie. It is with their heart
that they pledge allegiance to the flag of the United! States of America,
and the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible,
with Liberty and Justice for all.
The 7th fold is a tribute to its Armed Forces, for it is through the
Armed Forces that they protect their country and their flag against all
her enemies, whether they be found within or without the boundaries of
their republic.
The 8th fold is a tribute to the one who entered into the valley of the
shadow of death, that we might see the light of day.
The 9th fold is a tribute to womanhood, and Mothers. For it has been
through their faith, their love, loyalty and devotion that the character
of the men and women who have made this country great has been molded.
The 10th fold is a tribute to the father, for he, too, has given his sons
and daughters for the defense of their country since they were first
born.
The 11th fold represents the lower portion of the seal of King David and
King Solomon and glorifies in the Hebrews eyes, the God of Abraham, Isaac
and Jacob.
The 12th fold represents an emblem of eternity and glorifies, in the
Christians eyes, God the Father, the Son and Holy Spirit.
The 13th fold, or when the flag is completely folded, the stars are
uppermost reminding them of their nation's motto, "In God We Trust."
After the flag is completely folded and tucked in, it! takes on the
appearance of a cocked hat, ever reminding us of the soldiers who served
under General George Washington, and the Sailors and Marines who served
under Captain John Paul Jones, who were followed by their comrades and
shipmates in the Armed Forces of the United States, preserving for them
the rights, privileges and freedoms they enjoy today.
This is just one of the many traditions and ways of doing things that
have deep meaning.


BLINDED SOLDIER BUILDS NEW LIFE HELPING OTHERS TO SEE
by Jeffrey Y. Gettleman
(Reprinted from The New York Times, May 4, 2006. Copyright 2006 by The New
York Times Company.)

The moment Jeremy Feldbusch walked into the bar in Manhattan, with his
hand on his father's back to guide him, the crowd burst into applause.
Drinks were raised, glasses clinked and hoorays hollered.
Mr. Feldbusch, a 26-year-old former Army Ranger who was blinded in Iraq
three years ago, had come a long way.
He was nearly killed by shrapnel and then fell into a coma, only to wake
up with no sight and racked by seizures and mood swings. Slowly, though,
he pulled himself together, and recently he has emerged as a national
veterans' spokesperson and the star of a new documentary film, which the
crowd in the bar was about to see.
"I feel great," Mr. Feldbusch said.
In the last three years, Mr. Feldbusch has learned to read braille and
use a cane, gone skiing--though he almost crashed head first into a maple
tree--lobbied senators, met President Bush and even bagged a deer with a
.44 Magnum (his father helped him with aiming).
This week he was in New York promoting the film Home Front, which
premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and chronicles his recovery.
Filmmakers essentially embedded for a year with the Feldbusch family in
Blairsville, Pa., near Pittsburgh, and recorded everything they saw
--tender moments, frustrating moments, arguments, prayers, and Mr.
Feldbusch chugging Jagermeister with friends. "That was probably the
greatest challenge of this project, trying to structure 130 hours of
day-to-day life," said Richard Hankin, the director, whose previous
credits include being editor and co-producer of the documentary Capturing
the Friedmans.
For the Feldbusches, it was important that the film be neutral, not antiwar.
"We told Richard, as long as it's nonpolitical and positive, we're game,"
said Brace Feldbusch, Jeremy's father.
Home Front reveals that however compelling Mr. Feldbusch's story may be,
it is just one of many. The film opens with a simple line of text that
says, "Over 17,000 American soldiers have been wounded in the war in
Iraq," and goes on to weave in the stories of young men and women who
have lost legs or arms or had their faces burned and are now dedicating
their lives to helping others.
Mr. Hankin said this material made the film "fundamentally antiwar." But
he said he had resisted pressure from other filmmakers to slant his
picture.
"There's a whole school of films out there preaching to the converted,"
Mr. Hankin said. "We didn't want to make one of those."
Mr. Feldbusch's story begins in Blairsville, where he was the middle
brother of three and a star wrestler in school. His father was a coal
miner, and his mother worked in an office. He was the first in his family
to go to college, and after graduating, he joined the Army Rangers. On
April 3, 2003, shortly after American troops invaded Iraq, Sergeant
Feldbusch was guarding the Haditha Dam northwest of Baghdad when an
artillery shell burst 100 feet away and an inch-long piece of shrapnel
struck his face.
The shrapnel sliced through his right eye, went through his sinuses and
lodged in the left side of his brain, severely damaging the optic nerve
of his left eye and spraying bone splinters into his brain.
He was in a coma for more than a month. Two weeks after he came out, his
parents told him he was totally--and irreversibly --blind.
He was also brain-damaged, prone to seizures and so sensitive to pain
that it hurt his skin when the wind blew.
In December 2003, Mr. Feldbusch and his family were the subjects of a
front-page article in The New York Times. His condition has improved
since then. He has fewer seizures and more energy. He says he feels more
independent, thanks to the cane and his growing mastery of braille.
"It's like learning your ABC's again, just with bumps," he said.
In the spring of 2004, he linked up with the Wounded Warrior Project, a
nonprofit group that raises awareness --and money--for wounded veterans.
The group's biggest achievement has been lobbying federal lawmakers to
pass a measure last year that has delivered millions of dollars to
severely wounded soldiers.
Mr. Feldbusch has tried to resume his former active life, like hunting
deer with his father, and skiing with his mother, Charlene, who almost
never leaves his side.
Occasionally, he chafes at the parental yoke, and he cringes at the
thought of going on dates with mom and dad as chaperones.
He plans to get a guide dog so he can do more on his own, and to return
to college for a doctorate in psychology so he can counsel veterans. And
to lose weight. He has put on 40 pounds in the past two years, bringing
his weight to 260 pounds.
Now, though, it is all about generating buzz for Home Front, which heads
next to the Maryland Film Festival.
The best part about the film, Mr. Feldbusch said, is that it represents
the struggles of all wounded veterans and "opens people's eyes."


THANKSGIVING DEVOTION

by Sherri Crum

The Lord Jesus ... took bread, and when He had given thanks, ... said,
"This is My body." (1 Corinthians 11-23-24)

Jesus always gave thanks to God. Before feeding the five thousand, "He
gave thanks" (Matthew 14-19).

As He instituted the Lord's Supper, our Lord Jesus again "gave thanks"
(Luke 22-16).

What does the word Thanksgiving bring to mind? Well, food, of course. I
fondly remember the wonderful aromas of Thanksgiving feasts from my
childhood. The table was laden with all types of delicious food--more
food than we really needed.
Other things that may come to mind when the word Thanksgiving is
mentioned include: the Thanksgiving Day parade, football games, a day off
of work, the start of holiday shopping, etc.
Despite all of the commercialism that surrounds us these days, I hope
that it is also a day of remembering Jesus who sets the feast of
thanksgiving before us. His is a feast of finer food and drink than the
turkey dinners we enjoy. The feast of thanksgiving our Lord gives to us
is the feast of salvation, the feast of His body and His blood, the feast
that nourishes us upon eternal life.
In this Supper, He gives us the means to offer Him the highest thanks.
The highest and best thanks is to say back to Him what He has first said
to us. In this Supper, it is to say "Amen" to all that He promises us in
this sacred feast. He comes to us, feeds us His body and blood, forgives
our sin, and nourishes us to life eternal. What else can we say but
"Amen! Thanks be to God!"

Almighty God our Father, your generous goodness comes to us new every
day. By the work of your Spirit, lead us to acknowledge your goodness,
give thanks for your benefits, and serve you in willing obedience;
through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.


PRAYER REQUESTS

1. For continued strength and comfort for our soldiers who are being sent
away, putting their lives on the line fighting. Lord, hold our troops in
your loving hands. Please protect them. Bless them and their families.
Amen.

2. For B. and M. as they deal with a terminal illness.

3. For Aphia who is undergoing treatment for lung cancer.

4. For Joe Otts who is undergoing treatment for cancer.

5. For those who are losing vision.

6. Thanksgiving that O's recent test results were negative.

7. For Linda: please guide her in dealing with a difficult situation.

8. A prayer of thanksgiving for all who are associated with the
Pittsburgh Lutheran Center for the Blind.

9. For compassionate care for all who are in nursing homes, and healing
for all who are in hospitals.

10. A prayer of thanksgiving that no life was lost during the recent fire
at Concordia Haven. Lord, please comfort those who lost everything, and
help them to regroup emotionally after their deep sentimental losses.

11. "Risen Christ, be present at all our meals where the menu is love and
acceptance, equality, pardon and non-judgment. Thank You for showing us
the way." --I ask this in the name of Jesus, our Lord and Savior. Amen.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE! May Our Lord bless and keep you.
Hope to see you all again in December--our Swedish-themed meal.

THE END