Eeyore, the donkey from Winnie the Pooh, is renowned for his pessimism. "Good mornin’, if it IS a good mornin’. Which I doubt." There are people who walk around looking for what's wrong in the world, and perhaps you think I am just one of them. Maybe I am, but ladies, its time to take a hard look at that fortress of feminine fortitude, the LWML.
What is the purpose of the LWML? Why was it originally established? I always thought it was to support missionaries in the field with our mites, offerings, and service, as they brought Word and Sacrament to the peoples of the world. I suspected something had slipped over the years, and, sure enough, there in the Summer, 2005, Quarterly was my answer: “The Right Person for the Right Time”. It was most interesting to read the goals of the LWML’s past presidents, especially how we went from a league whose “sole purpose and focus must be MISSIONS!” (late 40’s-early 50’s) to a focus on “Women in Mission” and throwing out tradition (late 90’s). Speaking of the Quarterly, the only thing that kept me coming to LWML at all was our pastor‘s skillful turning of its doctrinally weak, Law-driven devotional studies into uplifting Law and Gospel-filled encouragement. Ah, but he paid dearly for his audacity. And so as tribute to him, and all faithful pastors braving the jungles of the LWML, I offer the following.
Armed with His breastplate, sword, and shield,You did dare go among the Amazon.
They hunted; they prowled for weakness, daring all naysayers
To squeak, and thus readied their pounce.
A tasty morsel they desired: their prey stripped of his black skin,
His stiff, white collar claimed as trophy,
Anxious to place it 'round their own throats,
Perhaps only figuratively, but in practice, fact.
Yes, the Amazon were hungry and served dessert and chatter
To cover their more deadly appetite.
In your Office Call, they realized not Christ's presence
And the feast of Word you wished to bestow.
To risk your life at the hands of these basement-jungle queens
Was His charge to you; so with a shepherd's love,
You squeaked not, but clearly spoke, that their ears mayhap have heard
God’s Truth, to give them pause before they dined.
Though most protested and did roll a matriarchal stone
Before their aural caves,
Some softer hearts were spared from savage, hunting ways,
Led on to peaceful, greenest pastures, there on Christ to graze.
3 comments:
I joined LWML because it is our only Ladies Aid. I just want to help out at the funerals and have some time to hang with what I hoped to be like minded women. Don't get me started. Oh so much to say and so little time.
Side note ... I just came across your little blog and am enjoying it's first fruits. I hope you continue to write. I look forward to visiting again.
Thanks for your comments, Caroline. I can especially relate to "what I *hoped* to be like minded women."
Brilliant blog! I heard about it through Caroline. LWML-Canada's mag, Tapestry, has the same kind of problems, of course. Now, if all we confessionalists submitted loads and loads of Bible studies, they'd have to publish at least some of them, right?
Post a Comment