My trusty desk calendar tells me that today we begin the season of summer...a time when time off rules and vacations are the norm not the exception.  Marianne mentioned to me that we've published "The Last Word" for a hundred and some weeks in a row without a break...suggesting that maybe we could "go dark" for the summer and pick the column back up in the fall.  Of course I could not agree to that on the off chance I would either be forgotten or get too used to it.  So I split the difference and told her that since everybody needs a break, even the dear reader, I would cut the volume in half...shooting for 25 dozen words instead of 50! 

I love my big sis...she feeds me food for thought.  All of it is worthy but I only write on it from time to time to avoid feeding her ego.  She sent me this and I loved it.  "Once all villagers decided to pray for rain.  On the day of prayer all the people gathered...but only one boy came with an umbrella."

We'd all like to think we are people of great faith...in fact "sola fides" is one of the three hallmarks of being Lutheran.  And there are few years in the previous 50 at Nativity or 500 since Luther that would seem to challenge our faith more than this one.  We remember that when Jesus says "NO FEAR" three times in this next Sunday's gospel our response is to believe it...not just in thought, feeling, or word.  We are called to faith that shows in our deeds. 

We don't just gather.  We don't just speak.  We believe "enough" that we would not be caught praying for rain without an umbrella...although through baptism we know getting wet isn't so bad either!

I almost made it...better luck next week!

Pastor Brent,