Protestant?

Usually Christians are divided into 3 groups: Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant. Obviously, Lutherans are not the first 2, so we must be in the third catagory, right? Well, I really don't like being associated with most of the so-called Protestants. I doubt that most know what they are protesting against. That central doctrine of Justification by faith alone will really only be confessed with us by some of the Presbyterians, Reformed, Anglicans and some Baptists. But the belief that Christ delivers his grace to us through Word and Sacrament is straight up rejected by pretty much every protestant group, especially by those Evangelicals who hijacked our awesome word.

so I looked up the merriam-webster def of protestant:

* Main Entry: 1prot·es·tant
* Pronunciation: \ˈprä-təs-tənt, 2 is also prə-ˈtes-\
* Function: noun
* Etymology: Middle French, from Latin protestant-, protestans, present participle of protestari
* Date: 1539

1 capitalized a : any of a group of German princes and cities presenting a defense of freedom of conscience against an edict of the Diet of Spires in 1529 intended to suppress the Lutheran movement b : a member of any of several church denominations denying the universal authority of the Pope and affirming the Reformation principles of justification by faith alone, the priesthood of all believers, and the primacy of the Bible as the only source of revealed truth; broadly : a Christian not of a Catholic or Eastern church

See I agree with that narrow definition (which nobody thinks of anymore). I would like to be more catholic and orthodox (little "c," little "o").

World's oldest bartender, 95, is retiring.

Cheers!

NYC

As I birthday present, I got to go to New York and watch a Tigers/Yankees game in some great seats and hang out with some dear friends. Here's a visual recap:
Meow.
Matt in CP

Me and B in YS

my boy CG gettin ready to go yard. OH SNAP!

Me, snakin on delectables.



WE IS FAMUS TV STARS!!!SWEET! Granderson homer!

Row from L-R: my boy Marcus Thames' big head, Lisa, Matt, Brent, me

We gots a mean case of the blurries.

Sad. Yankee home run.

Rain delay after Zumaya blew the game.



Coney Island.

"You are righteousness, Lord Jesus. My sins will not prevail against you. You are the life and the resurrection. My death will not prevail against you. You are God. Satan will not prevail against you. You have given me the gift of your Spirit (2 Corinthians 1:22). I glory in this, I triumph in this, and I believe most firmly in this, doubting in no way that it has been granted that I may enter the marriage feast of the Lamb (Revelation 19:7). You are my wedding clothes, most loving Sponsor, which I have put on in Baptism (Galatians 3:27). You cover my nudity. May I never sew onto this precious and most beautiful dress any patch of my own righteousness. What is the righteousness of man except menstrual rags (Isaiah 64:6)? How then will I dare to sew this abominable cloth onto the robe of righteousness? In this robe, I will appear before your face in your Judgment when you will judge this orb of the earth in justice and equity (Acts 17:31). In this robe, I will appear before your face in the heavenly kingdom. This robe covers my confusion and impropriety, lest any of it be recorded anymore in eternity. There I will appear glorious and holy in your eyes and this flesh of mine, this body of mine clothed with most blessed glory — glory everlasting and forever—shall never perish. Come, Lord Jesus, and he who loves you, come (Revelation 22:20)!"

-Johann Gerhard, Sacred Meditations

What's up?
one more week in missouri.