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Sittes'
Prepare to Bring Balance to the Force
Family
Adding a Sitte daughter to the clan will
balance the family. With three girls in Bellevue and three boys in
Auburn, the recently announced baby Sitte due in October will be a girl,
the sister of Galen in Berrydale. When asked if he preferred a
sister or a brother, Galen wisely chose a sister. Galen and I had
the pleasure of keeping her gender a secret this time. I learned
the news when I hung out with him on the 22nd. I was surprised how
hard it was to keep the secret. But then Jean shared the news that
same evening with Annie and Nancy.
These kids are all members of "Generation
Alpha" which runs from 2010 through 2024.
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 The
Apostle Paul's Letter to the Galatians:
Grace Alone through Faith Alone
 Attendance
picked up this year at the Emerald Heights Retirement Community Thursday
morning Bible study. I was a little surprised when I saw the
poster outside the dining room that called me a, "Presbyterian
Reverend." That was at least half right. I did include this
disclaimer early in my first lecture on March 7th. "I mentioned
that I am a layman, not a deacon, elder, or minister of any kind. But I
did fit in a year of seminary classes before starting my own doctoral
work. And one of those classes, with easily more required reading than
any two of my other courses, was Church History from the book
of Acts to the Reformation. And, as you might imagine, it seemed to be a
fifteen-hundred-year slog through every conceivable heresy thrown up
against Jesus Christ and his gospel of grace alone."
After giving that first lecture, I thought I'd go online and see what
was involved in becoming ordained as daughter Jean had done with Christian Global
Outreach. My intent was not to perform a wedding service, but
rather, to teach God's Word. (I did conduct the graveside
service for our mother Jean back in 2011.)
The organization
I chose to become affiliated with was the
National
Association of Christian Ministers (NACM).
I approved of their
purpose and their conservative
Statement of Faith.
Their
requirements for ordination were not trivial.
Back in 1982, I made the decision to pursue the Ph.D. instead of the
M.Div. and that was a difficult decision then. Later, in 2000, I
met with Associate Pastor Jim Berkley at Bellevue Presbyterian Church
and he assured me that I could continue to teach in both the "Academy"
and the Church. Why did that simple, sane answer seem so novel?
I had been, "anxious for no particular reason," something of which I had
occasionally accused Nancy.
I spent many hours documenting my testimony, and my history with Grand
Rapids Baptist Seminary back in 1982-83, and my service over the past
thirty years as a Bible teacher. On May 13th I learned that I had
been accepted as a member of NACM. Then on the 15th, they approved my
application for ordination. My friends at Emerald
Heights could now call me "Reverend" if they liked. Their front
desk receptionist called me "Pastor" which is even more specific. I will continue to
prefer "Dr."
My second of the four lessons went 67 minutes, seven minutes over, yet
the residents gave me an ovation at its conclusion. And I'm
pretty sure they weren't applauding out of relief that it was over!
Here are a few excerpts
from my four Thursday lectures. Even my chauffeur, Nancy, enjoyed my lessons.
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On Galatians 2:16
Up to this point, we’ve been wading in
the shallows of history – we’ve heard about what had been happening in
the Galatian churches, and Paul’s been giving some of his own back story
to set up his main message. But here we’ve reached the point where
the shallows end and wading needs to become swimming.
“...by the works of the Law no flesh
will be justified.”
Said more clearly: Obeying the Law
of Moses won’t earn anyone the perfect righteousness God requires of
those He welcomes into His Kingdom. Except, of course, for the one
person who actually did keep all the Law, though it cost Him his life on
a Roman cross. Everybody else sins. (And that includes
Jesus’ mother Mary, despite what the denomination headquartered in Rome
teaches). Everybody else breaks nearly every commandment and stipulation
of God’s law at sometime – even repeatedly – in thought if not in actual
deed.
On Galatians 3:15-18
God’s dealings with Abraham and Moses
were based on two different principles. To Abraham He gave
promises. “I will show you a land… I will bless you… all peoples
on earth will be blessed through you.” But to Moses He
gave the law, summarized in the Ten Commandments.
Martin Luther wrote that the
distinction between God’s law and His promises is like the
difference between heaven and earth. In the promises to
Abraham God said, “I will… I will… I will…” But in the law
of Moses God said, “Thou shalt…” and “Thou shalt not…”
Try as I might, I don’t do the things
God’s law says I must do, and I do the things God’s law says I
must not do. The sad truth is that this constant failing
to obey God’s law is the condition of every human being not born
of a Jewish virgin.
The promises to Abraham, and to His
singular seed that Paul says here is His Son Jesus, depend on
just one party, God Himself. If we agree that God the
Father is the promise keeper
par excellence, then we,
as those living in Christ and Christ by His Spirit living in us,
can count on His promises given to Abraham as if they were given
directly to us.
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On Galatians 3:1-5
Paul is going to stick to his main topic of explaining the
difference between “hearing with faith” and “works of the law.”
Was your salvation guaranteed by a single historical event of
sacrifice on a Roman cross, a finished offering of the Savior's
blood – which the Father accepted by raising Him from His tomb?
Or is the fate of your eternal soul now back in your own hands
as you attempt to justify yourself by way of the law? (Which
Paul had already shown had no power to save anyway.) It’s
the difference between what was done completely for
you by God’s
Son or something not quite finished that you have to get ‘er
done yer’self.
On Galatians 4:4-7
When they get to that place in the Sunday service where the
congregation recites together the Lord’s Prayer, we often sound
collectively like Eeyore the donkey from Winnie the Pooh. “Our
Father…” We don’t seem to appreciate that “Our Father”
should be two of the most joyful words we can utter.
On Galatians 5:22-23
Just as Paul corralled mankind’s vices into categories in the
previous verses, he lists these nine fruits, these indicators of
the Spirit’s work in one’s life, into three groups of three
characteristics each.
Together, these two passages contrast the works of the flesh
with the fruit of the Spirit – and these fruits are deliciously
sweet. I for one am very glad Paul didn’t call these nine
marks of the Spirit’s work in us – the vegetables of the Spirit.
The first triad of characteristics, love,
joy, and peace, are general
Christian virtues. Their primary focus is Godward. 1 John 4:19
"We love because he first loved
us." And again, at the Last Supper, Jesus told His eleven
remaining disciples, John 15:11 "I have told you this so that my
joy may be in you and that your joy
may be complete." And earlier that same evening he said, John
14:27 "Peace I leave with you; my peace
I give you."
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Happy Anniversary #43
The morning of "Pi Day" found Nancy
driving me to Emerald Heights for the weekly Bible study.
Afterwards, one of the residents, a first time attender, kept us
afterwards for over an hour. This older Lutheran saint was
delighted with my lesson and had questions about the Holy
Spirit.
The afternoon was spent playing with
Valerie and Irene as Thomas continued to pack for the Disher's
five day trip to a memorial service in Sacramento for Thomas'
uncle.
Nancy baked a berry pie to celebrate
our day, Pi Day, 3/14, (and to make room in the freezer!) I actually skip many desserts as I
did this one. My weight had gotten down to 177.4 that
morning.
I cared for Galen much of the 16th, and
17th. The 16th was in Berrydale where Joel was celebrating
his 30th birthday with a dozen of his gamer and school friends.
On the 17th, Joel and Jean left Galen with us so they could go
watch Dune: Part Two. See the photos below
of Galen helping me in the garden.
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"Ordained Independent Minister of
the Gospel"
 Here
are the first few paragraphs of the email I received on the 15th
that ran to fifteen pages when I copied it into a Word document.
Richard
Lynn Sleight,
We, the National Association
of Christian Ministers have considered your request for the
recognition of ordination. The following is an official
report of our decision.
We are convinced that you
hold a devout belief in the Christian faith, accompanied by a
calling of service to our God in the ministry of His Kingdom.
You cleared our background investigation. Upon prayerful
consideration, the sincerity of your testimony
passed the scrutiny of our Elder Council.
Therefore, by the authority
given to us in Christ (Matthew 28:19-20), this religious
organization hereby validates your calling by holding you
accountable to the responsibilities, expectations, holy rites,
and conduct of an Ordained Independent Minister of the Gospel.
. . .
NACM evaluated a wide variety of
factors and granted me ordination as an independent minister,
"independent" because
I am not serving on a church staff of a
denomination requiring their own approved ordination process. |
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  Dr. Susan E. Rutherford Elected to the
West Seattle High School Hall of Fame
It had been on my mind for a few years to
nominate Aunt Susan for the West Seattle High School Hall of Fame.
It had become something of a "bucket list" project for me. After
her 3W Women's Clinic won the Seattle Times People's Choice Award last
year,
I knew this was the time to prepare the nomination. I
interviewed Susan and wrote up a four page nomination letter. I later learned
these were to be limited to one and a half pages. After a rewrite,
the new
version was emailed out to the class representatives who do the
voting. There were seven nominees in the first round of voting and
Susan came out on top by a large margin. But that round only cut
the field down to the top four. The second round of voting ended
on the 25th. My friend Ted Foss, Class of '55, oversaw the Hall
of Fame voting.
At the WSHS Alumni Association monthly meeting,
held on Monday night the 25th at the Hope Lutheran Church (right) just
northeast of the West Seattle Junction, the final votes were tallied.
Susan (Class of '70) got 25 votes. Thomas
Jensen ('66) in Law Enforcement got 17 votes. The other two got
less than six
votes each but they had amazing bios too. John Guenther ('53) was
a Pro Bowler and won the 1973 PBA National Championship. Bob
Miller ('47) was a master swimmer with seven world records, a swimming Hall
of Fame coach, and a world champion in the Pentathlon. Despite all
this, Susan was all the folks at the meeting wanted to talk about.
She and Thomas Jensen, who helped catch the Green River Killer, will be
the front page stories in this May's Alumni Chinook newspaper.
And I'll get to take her portrait photo which will hang permanently in
the school. Congratulations, Susan!
Here are just a few of the other names
recorded in the West Seattle High School Hall of Fame.
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  Our
First Emeriti Tea
On the afternoon of the 28th, Nancy and I
greatly enjoyed the annual SPU Emeriti Tea. I'd passed on my
earlier two opportunities to attend this Spring event. But now, as
an officer of the Emeriti Faculty as the newsletter editor, I wanted to
cover the event as a reporter.
I was happy that I was allowed to speak to the
group and in my humorous way encourage them to submit their own Emeriti
Faculty Updates to the newsletter.
Interim Chief Academic Officer Les Steele
shared about a time of transition at SPU. His successor, Dr. Kathy
Lustyk, had been announced the day before. She was
previously a Professor of Psychology at SPU and will return from her
current position as Vice Chancellor and Professor of Psychology at
Embry‑Riddle Aeronautical University.
Nancy and I enjoyed sitting at the "German"
table by the invitation of Herr Doktors Michael Ziemann and Michael
Macdonald. Dr. Macdonald had been Nancy's German Professor.
He also greatly enjoyed my last lesson, on Galatians 5:13-6:18, earlier
that day at Emerald Heights.
While the Emeriti Tea is an afternoon event
instead of a full luncheon, the three types of small sandwiches, two
types of quiche, a variety of fresh fruit and scones, pastries, dipped
strawberries, and cookies made for more than a full meal deal.
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  Easter
at Susan's
Easter fell on the last day of the month.
Nancy and I made it to the 8:00 AM service at UPC, but the Disher's
watched online because Valerie was not feeling well.
Before Noon, Nancy, Annie, Charis and I headed
up to Susan's for a big Easter lunch/party. We had 16 adults and 8
children this year. There was plenty of food including Corned Beef
from Susan and a cake from Julie.
We took this opportunity to celebrate Reuben
Sleight's 4th birthday. We had a 41-egg Easter egg hunt.
David James helped me hide the eggs. He and Heidi and their
daughter Bonnie and her family joined us.
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I Hate Avocado
Everything I've read and watched online says
avocado is really good for me. But I detest it. Despite
that, COSTCO is selling a new smoothie mix that includes the dreaded
fruit and I am actually enjoying a healthy smoothie with it in a daily
meal substitute. Here below are the ingredients I select from when
blending my smoothies. Valerie always wants some too. And
occasionally I'll share with Annie and Thomas. Let's see what my
weight will be at the end of April. I'm now at 178 and counting
(down).
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Grandkids Corner
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The "Yellow" Songs and One More
Ever since my own children were infants, I've
sung two songs to them more than any others. I find I still sing
these two songs to my grandchildren when changing diapers or "just
because." I also recall that in the Sleight family of my youth, it
was our dad that was the singer, often crooning songs from his youth.
He would sing while driving in the late evening, coming home in the wee
hours after long family vacations in our Pontiac Star Chief Custom
Safari station wagon. Everyone else in the family would be asleep,
but I would stay awake and listen.
I note the same theme of love
and loss in all three songs.
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Lemon Tree
Peter,
Paul and Mary
When I was just a lad of ten, my father said to me
"Come here and take a lesson from the lovely lemon tree"
"Don't put your faith in love, my boy" my father said to me
"I fear you'll find that love is like the lovely lemon tree"
Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat
Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat
One day beneath the lemon tree, my love and I did lie
A girl so sweet that when she smiled the stars rose in the sky
We passed that summer lost in love beneath the lemon tree
The music of her laughter hid my father's words from me
Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat
Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat
One day she left without a word, she took away the sun
And in the dark she left behind I knew what she had done
She'd left me for another, it's a common tale but true
A sadder man but wiser now I sing these words to you
Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat
Lemon tree very pretty and the lemon flower is sweet
But the fruit of the poor lemon is impossible to eat
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Yellow Bird
 The
Brothers Four version.
Yellow bird, up high in banana tree
Yellow bird, you sit all alone like me
Did your lady friend leave your nest again?
That is very sad, makes me feel so bad
You can fly away, in the sky away
You're more lucky than me
I also had a pretty girl
She's not with me today
They're all the same, the pretty girls
Take tenderness, then they fly away
Yellow bird, up high in banana tree
Yellow bird, you sit all alone like me
Let her fly away, in the sky away
Pick a town and soon take from night to noon
Black and yellow you, like banana too
They might pick you someday
Wish that I were a yellow bird, I'd fly away with you.
But I am not a yellow bird, so here I sit
Nothing else to do.
Yellow bird, yellow bird, yellow bird . . .
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Ramona
Gene
Austin (1928) Dad would have been age 9.
I wander out yonder over hills
Where the mountains high seem to kiss the sky
Someone is out yonder, over hills
Waiting patiently, waiting just for me
Ramona, I hear those mission bells above
Ramona, they're ringing out our song of love
I press you, caress you
And bless the day you taught me to care
To always remember
The rambling rose you wear in your hair
Ramona, when day is done you'll hear my call
Ramona, we'll meet beside the waterfall
I dread the dawn
When I awake to find you gone
Ramona, I need you my own
Ramona, when day is done you'll hear my call
Ramona, we'll meet beside the waterfall
I dread the dawn
When I awake to find you gone
Ramona, I need you my own
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Bits and Pieces
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  Ted
Foss, President of the Monogram Club, asked for a photo of Randy and me
in our letterman's jackets highlighting the letters. I understand
he wants it for the West Seattle Alumni Chinook newspaper.
I am a bit anxious about what he might say about us. He is 87
years old and prone to some mental errors.
Car
troubles struck twice this month. Nancy and I were heading from
Kent to the airport to pick up the Disher's when the engine warning
light came on. I saw we were overheating. The radiator had a
leak. We managed to get water into it, pick up the Dishers and make it
home. But a new radiator cost over $1,900. Then the oil leak
in Sillie, our 1998 Mercury Sable, almost kept me from getting to my
Bible class. We added two quarts of oil and Nancy left Sillie at
TLC Automotive when she picked up Goldie. We opted to repair
Sillie to the tune of over $3,500.
  Although
I planted tomato seeds in January, their seedlings have been meager.
I transplanted them to larger cups on the 24th. I also
planted Gardner's Delight and Strawberry Tomato seeds from my 2022 crop
to see if I could get some of those two-year-old seeds to germinate.
And, yikes, I have over 70 new little seedlings!
In addition, I started my annual crop of Evergreen bunching onions from
my own seeds.
I
sold my 80 shares of RTX stock purchased 1/11/24 for $85.91/share and
sold it on the 25th for $95.69/share, a $782 profit. I also sold
my 6000 shares of Nokia at $3.555 for
$21,330, which I had bought at $3.14 on 12/11/23 for $18,840 and made a
$2,490 profit. I'm getting mixed signals in the Market. My index
funds are doing fine but my other individual stocks are down. I
may follow the old, "sell in May and go away" rule. There is so
much uncertainty in politics and the world economy right now.
 My
first Social Security payment of $3,170.00 arrived as expected on the
13th. And the  wisdom of putting off Social Security until age 69
proved itself correct in our particular case. Last year we paid
$25,485.94 in property taxes. This year, due to the brief window
of our Senior Property Tax discount, we'll only need to pay $4,797.32.
It's
P.E.O. Yearbook season for Nancy. She has 44 booklets to print and
assemble on Easter night. I bought her
a new HP Color LaserJet Pro MFP M283cdw from COSTCO late on the 29th and
it was delivered here just after 11:00 AM the next morning.
Nancy
and I had a rare date on the 30th as we enjoyed Taproot Theatre's
production of How to Write a New Book for the Bible.
"Playwright and Jesuit priest Bill Cain moves home to care for his
strong-spirited mother. Through his eyes we
witness his long-dead
father, a brother coming to terms with his service in Vietnam, baseball
games, and birthday pumpkins. In this bracingly personal and
frankly funny play, Cain shows us why the details in our lives matter."
My Quote from
March
But now she (Queen Mary) made her great
mistake. Her personal hatred for Cranmer
was such that even though she had his
recantation, she insisted on burning him
anyway. The execution was on 21st of
March, 1556, and Cranmer was allowed to
preach before the massive crowd to
publicize his recantation. In his last
masterly speech, he repented of all his
sins -- as he was meant to -- but ended by
repenting his greatest sin of all, denial
of the Protestant gospel. Amid uproar and
commotion, he was led off to the fire and
burnt. He put his right hand into the
flames first. "As my hand offended," he
said, "writing contrary to my heart, my
hand shall first be punished."
From workoutyourfaith.org/timeline/cranmer |
