But how are they to call on one in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in one of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone to proclaim him? And how are they to proclaim him unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” (Romans 10:14-15)

Dear brothers & sisters in Christ,
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.
It is often the most precious treasures that we take for granted. The gift of faith is unparalleled in its value, yet we it is easy to relegate it as an afterthought while giving greater attention to less important aspects of our lives. Faith has often been, in practice at least, deemed an insurance policy. People frequently function as though faith (or God) is available in emergencies but of no use in the meantime. Nothing could be further from the truth. The reality is every single one of us needs God all the time. There is no meantime.
We were created by God to be in relationship with Him and one another. We were made to be connected. Jesus came into this world, lived, died, and rose to facilitate that connection. That connection, that relationship, is True Life. Life is faith. It cannot be set aside or relegated to the bottom of the priority list in life. Without faith, without God, there is no life.
“For by grace you have been saved through faith.” You have been given Life. You have been blessed with the greatest treasure in heaven and earth. God gives you the treasure of faith.
Someone cared enough about you to share with you the Good News of Jesus Christ. God used them to connect to you – to give you faith. Thanks be to God for those beautiful feet that walked into your life. May your feet be beautiful to those around you as you share that precious gift of faith.
The grace and peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

In Christ,
Pastor Carla

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God— not the result of works, so that no one may boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

But what does it say? “The word is near you, on your lips and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith that we proclaim); because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:8-9)

Dear brothers & sisters in Christ,
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.
During worship on September 9th, seven young people will affirm the faith that began when their parents brought them to the font. They will stand before friends, family, and other believers, confessing their faith in the on True God. They will publicly announce their intention to ‘run the race’ of faith.
Affirmation of Baptism is a commissioning rite. These young people are being commissioned to go forth into the world as disciples. They are commissioned as adult workers with us in the Gospel. They are take on new responsibilities, continue to grow, and to remain in communion with the church.
Commissioning has a long tradition. Joshua was commissioned to lead the Israelites after Moses. Kings and prophets throughout the Old Testament were commissioned to lead. The disciples were commissioned to heal the sick and drive out unclean spirits. The apostles, like Paul and Silas, were commissioned to continue the mission of the church. Bishops, priests, deacons, and evangelists have been commissioned throughout the history of the church to use their God-given talents to further the Gospel. Each of us is commissioned to follow Christ and proclaim Him to the world.
We are workers together. God gathers us to do His Will here on earth. He calls us and enlightens us with His gifts to make Himself known to a hostile world. None of us works alone. None of us worships alone. None of us runs the race alone. Being commissioned means to work ‘with.’ Our mission is to bring others into the mission – to commission the world in the name of Christ – baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. We affirm our own baptism along with the confirmands. We too confess our faith in Jesus Christ the Lord.
The grace and peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

In Christ,
Pastor Carla

I do it all for the sake of the gospel, so that I may share in its blessings.
Do you not know that in a race the runners all compete, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may win it. (1 Corinthians 9:23-24)

O sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
his marvelous works among all the peoples. (Psalm 96:1-3)

Dear brothers & sisters in Christ,
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.
Living in the rural wilds, we certainly have ample opportunity to experience God’s creation. We are blessed to live somewhere we can witness vegetation, undomesticated animals, and fresh air.
Oftentimes we can be distracted from God’s goodness all around us. We notice pungent smells rather than the strength and power of animals. We notice the weeds more than the flowers. We notice the blight more than healthy fruit. Our society has taught us that the environment is something we should control. Nature itself has taught us that it cannot be controlled.
Recently, I was reading a book that emphasized a need for communities to have the opportunity to commune with God’s creation. She was bemoaning the disconnect that many civilizations have developed between humans and the created world. Within that disconnect, comes increased separation between humans and humans, and between humans and God.
As we, as society, drift further from the world God created, we drift further from the one who created it. We retreat into ourselves and become more and more isolated. Yet, a world full of wonder exists right outside of ourselves.
This world inspired Psalmists to sing and dance. This amazing world has nurtured humans for millennia. God’s marvelous creation has been the catalyst for poets and hymnists, musicians and dancers, artists and orators. Creation yokes God and the human spirit. God’s awesome creativity sparks our own.
The theme for this summer’s Vacation Bible School is ‘God’s Creation Nature Camp.’ Join our youngest disciples as they connect to God’s creation and revel in the work of His hands. Pray with them. Play with them. Be in awe with them! “For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.” (Psalm 95:3)
The grace and peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

In Christ,
Pastor Carla

For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
he is to be revered above all gods.
Honor and majesty are before him;
strength and beauty are in his sanctuary. (Psalm 96:4,6)

But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” (Matthew 28:5-7)

Dear brothers & sisters in Christ,
Alleluia! Christ is risen! Alleluia! Grace and peace to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.
The angel’s message to the women was not complicated, yet completely unexpected and amazingly difficult to believe. Almost everything in their experience with life and death went against this simple message. Dead people are supposed to stay dead. It is highly doubtful this was the first time they had gone to anoint a body. However, every other time they had visited a tomb to anoint a body, the afore-mentioned body was still there. The notable exception, of course, being Lazarus – but even Lazarus’ resurrection was post-anointment and more importantly – – – Jesus was there and did that. Jesus is not standing outside the tomb this time telling Himself to get up. For the women, as well as likely most of the disciples, the hope of miracles and resurrection presumably died along with Jesus. Surrounded by sin, evil, and death, the women came to their own (logical given the circumstances) conclusion of grave robbery.
The women struggled with the news. The Gospel according to Mark’s original ending has the women going away scared and silent. Obviously, they didn’t stay silent forever (or we never would have heard). Eventually, they shared the message with the disciples, who also had a difficult time with it. They too struggled with the message. They also had difficulty believing that Jesus really did exactly what He had told them He would. The supposition of those who first heard the message was ‘death won’. Their grief was informing and encouraging a belief that sin and evil won and were, in fact, still winning. Even while receiving the news that Jesus was raised from the dead, those closest to Him experienced attacks on their faith.
Jesus has explained the upcoming course of events to them several times. Now that it had transpired, they struggled. Mark describes Jesus foretelling His death and resurrection to His disciples three times. Yet, despite having just witnessed His death, they still struggled with the news of His resurrection. He had prepared them for the message, but it still seemed impossible to them. With the amount of sin, death, and evil surrounding them, Jesus’ death seemed more believable than His resurrection. They seemed to grasp the despair, but not the hope. It was easier to believe the anguish, while the joy floated out of reach. The fear seemed nearer than the assurance.
Yet the voice of the angel proclaimed, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said.” The messenger reminded those early followers of Jesus’ promise. The message brought the hope, the joy, and the assurance all front and center. That message is a reminder that sin, death, and evil did not defeat God, but God defeated them. Death did not get the last word. Life did. Specifically, life in Christ gets the last word. Resurrection is greater than death.
The message was not just for Jesus’ followers in the 1st century, it is also for us. Like disciples of time past, we too often find the words of hope, joy, and assurance drowned out by the sin, death, and evil in around us. We too find it easier to believe despair. We struggle with events around us that seem to point away from God’s kingdom and divine will.
The evangelist John begins his account of the life of Jesus, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.”
The apostle Paul reminds us, “But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 6:8-11)
Jesus bestows life on you – now and forever. Jesus gives you light. Jesus is the “resurrection and the life.” You have been united to Him. Despair did not, does not, and cannot overcome hope. Doubt is curtailed by faith. Grief retreats in the face of joy. Fear is restrained by assurance. Christ is your light. Jesus is your resurrection and life. The darkness could not overcome the light years ago and darkness does not overcome the light now. The Son of God conquered Death. Death was and continues to be defeated by life – the life of Christ and your life in Christ. Jesus lives! You live!
Alleluia! Christ is risen! Alleluia! Alleluia! You are raised in Christ! Alleluia! The grace and peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in the crucified and risen Lord. Amen.

In Christ,
Pastor Carla

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord, I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, the one coming into the world.” (John 11:26-27)

Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited, but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form, he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8)

Dear brothers & sisters in Christ,
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.
The oldest known ‘Christian’ hymn is thought to be found in Philippians 4. Many scholars believe that in this passage of his letter to the Philippians, Paul was reciting a known hymn used by early Christians during worship. It is believed that these words were not a new revelation to the congregation in Philippi, but a reminder of already familiar words of a beloved hymn. Like many more modern hymns, this passage of Philippians extols the nature of Christ and the work accomplished on the cross.
Very few hymns are theologically sound. It is nearly impossible to compose a piece for congregational singing that concisely comprises the whole of Christian theology within it.
Many 16th century passion cantatas and oratorios (such as Handle’s ‘Messiah’) did manage to encompass an entire Gospel narrative, however few, if any, are adaptable for congregational singing in either due to duration and/or vocal range. My sheet music for the ‘Messiah’ is 252 pages. Even if we managed to sing a page in 30 seconds – it would still take 2 hours. The soprano arias require a range much higher than comfortable (or possible) for most adult women while the bass range is also strenuous. Most oratorios were commissioned and composed for professional performance. They were intended for congregational listening, not singing. They do however convey the complete narrative of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.
Facing far less than two hours and amateur vocalists, hymnwriters have a different goal than the Baroque oratorio composers. Hymns do not attempt to convey the entire story into one piece of music. Oftentimes hymns focus on the pathos of a moment within the common faith journey. They aim to evoke a certain emotional response from the singers and/or listeners. The aspiration of a hymn is often simply to nurture the faith of the believer. Hymns are aiming at bringing the hearer into an emotional bond with God and other believers. They aim to evoke a common emotion within the community of believers. Most hymns are not written with the intent to encourage intellectual understanding.
The focus of this hymn recited in Philippians is to evoke awe – the awe inspired by the crux of the incarnation. Jesus came into this world. God came to earth in human form. He died a human death. The hymn is a poignant reminder that God is greater than all things. He willingly lived and died to give us eternal life. This hymn in Philippians is assigned to be read within the context of the whole passion. It summarizes the lengthy passion narratives in the Gospels. The last night and day of Christ’s life is the narrative of His exceptional obedience. This hymn reflects the epitome of what it means to be Christ during Holy Week.
It also reminds us what Holy Week means to us as believers. We seek to emulate that ‘mind’ of Christ. We seek to empty ourselves of pride and follow the Lord. God has made such an amazing sacrifice for us. He gave up His Son. He gave up His own life to become fully human while remaining fully divine. God experienced the suffering, pain, and isolation of death on our behalf. We are filled with awe, humility, and gratitude at the reminder of the work of God on that cross long ago. The work that God continues to this day in our lives and in the world.
God was able to use something as crude and disgusting as public execution to do His work. He used a despised form of punishment and humiliation to accomplish His Will. Crudely constructed wood was utilized by the Lord to bring about life for His people. God used what was ‘despised’ by the world to make you Holy and righteous in His sight.
The grace and peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

In Christ,
Pastor Carla

He was despised and rejected by others;
a man of suffering and acquainted with infirmity;
and as one from whom others hide their faces
he was despised, and we held him of no account.
Surely he has borne our infirmities
and carried our diseases;
yet we accounted him stricken,
struck down by God, and afflicted.
But he was wounded for our transgressions,
crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the punishment that made us whole,
and by his bruises we are healed.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have all turned to our own way,
and the Lord has laid on him
the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:2-6)

From the Pastor…

There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in all.
The gifts he gave were that some would be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until all of us come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to maturity, to the measure of the full stature of Christ.
But speaking the truth in love, we must grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by every ligament with which it is equipped, as each part is working properly, promotes the body’s growth in building itself up in love. (Ephesians 4: 4-6, 11-13, 15-16)

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.
It is difficult to work together. It is not easy being the Body of Christ here on earth with other believers. Yet, we are called to be exactly that. We are called to work together doing God’s Will here on earth. It has never been easy.
The earliest portions of the New Testament are letters to congregations who were struggling. They struggled with figuring out how to be a community. They struggled how to live together as followers of Jesus. They struggled with how to evangelize and relate to the world around them. They were experiencing angst, conflict, and uncertainty.
Two thousand years later, the core of our struggles as the Christian Church on earth is still pretty much the same. Even though our context looks drastically different from a 1st century Christian community, the basic struggles remain the same. Congregations (& denominations, synods, districts, regions, etc.) still struggle with the basic task of working together to follow God’s Will. There is still angst, conflict, & uncertainty. The Church has not yet hit perfection.
And it won’t hit perfection until the apocalypse. The Body of Christ is made up of forgiven sinners – humans beings who continue to be forgiven because they continue to sin. The church on earth will never reach perfection while still on earth. When it is no longer on earth, it also ceases to be the church on earth. This means we have to rely on the One who is perfect to help us do our best here on earth.
We are one and we are many. “For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:12) Logically, this reality seems diametrically opposed, yet the paradox does best describe our reality as the church. We are many voices working together to do one Will – God’s.
As many, we are blessed with a myriad of differing gifts. Together we can accomplish so much more than any of us would accomplish alone. This blessing of many gifts also has a side-effect: we do not do things the same way as one another.
The old adage, “if you want it done well, do it yourself” can be detrimental to our life together. Albeit God did do exactly that when it came to salvation. In order to save us – He did do it Himself. However, God has the distinct advantage of omnipotence. He alone rules on the definitive verdict of what ‘well’ or ‘right’ entails. He, and He alone, determines His Will. He alone is perfect.
Those of us who are not God lack that attribute. None of us are perfect. Humans usually equate ‘doing it well’ as doing it our way. We forget that we are all trying to live God’s way. And God is not required to do it our way. This attitude has been wreaking havoc in the lives of congregations for centuries.
It takes commitment, prayer, and a lot of divine intervention to counteract human pride and unconscious sabotage. The New Testament contains letter upon letter revealing the difficulties early congregations experienced. Most of those difficulties were self- inflicted. Being community has never been easy.
Yet, despite their challenges, they continued to proclaim the Gospel. They continued to seek out God’s Will and God continued to work through them, even using their foibles to further the Gospel. They did not give up. They did not let their differences deter them from the mission of the Church. If they had, the church would have ceased to exist during that first century of its existence. It obviously didn’t.
We too push forward. We will continue to face challenges, but we will face them head-on and trust that God continues to be active amongst us. We will continue to seek out God’s purpose for our community and reach to fulfil that purpose. We will continue to proclaim Christ in Word and Deed in our corner of His creation.
We have many blessings. We have many voices. We remain One Body in Christ. We are “called, gathered, enlightened, and sanctified” by the Holy Spirit. We will find ways to live together in faith and mission – doing God’s Will. We will use our varying gifts together to be God’s field and building. Together we will act as One body to serve the one God.
The grace and peace of God which passes all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
In Christ,
Pastor Carla

So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. The one who plants and the one who waters have a common purpose, and each will receive wages according to the labor of each. For we are God’s servants, working together; you are God’s field, God’s building. (1 Corinthians 3:7-9)

Then he (Jesus) said to them all, “If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me. (Luke 9:23)

Dear brothers & sisters in Christ,
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.
Once again, Lent is quickly approaching. Ironically, Ash Wednesday coincides with Valentine’s Day this year. What greater love exists than the love of Christ given in absolution? “This is my body, given for you. This is my blood, shed for you for the forgiveness of sin.” The love shown in God’s gift of His Son surpasses all understanding.
As disciples, our lives emanate out of that amazing love. Discipleship is following Christ and spreading that love. It is not always easy. In fact, Jesus warned His disciples that it would rarely be easy. Various things in us and outside of us tempt us away from lives of discipleship. Life is full of challenges. We face these challenges with God’s help. We face these challenges and temptations with Christ Himself walking with us.
This year, our theme will be to explore some of the struggles of discipleship. Our Midweek Gospel canticle is ‘Take Up Your Cross, the Savior Said.’ We will hear from various witnesses to Christ’s crucifixion. Each week two soliloquys will react to an event described in the gospels. Following Jesus has always come with challenges. The struggles of generations past continue to speak to our own struggle to ‘take up the cross.’ We will conclude our service praying for God’s continued guidance through the challenges in our own lives of discipleship.
Each day, we begin anew, forgiven by the great love of Jesus. Each day, by the power of the Holy Spirit, we take up our cross and follow the one true God. Each and every day, the grace and peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
In Christ,
Pastor Carla

“Take up your cross,” the Savior said,
“If you would my disciple be;
Forsake the past, and come this day,
And humbly follow after me.”
(Charles W. Everest, 1814-1877)

Sola fide – by faith alone
Sola Scriptura – by Word alone
Sola gratia – by grace alone
Solus Christus – by Christ alone
Soli Deo Gloria – glory to God alone

Dear brothers & sisters in Christ,
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.
On October 31st of 1517, a young Franciscan monk posted a list of 95 thesis on the church door in Wittenberg in modern-day Germany. This list was intended as an invitation to church leaders of the Roman Catholic Church to discuss those 95 issues. Due to various political, technological, economic, and social realities and perceptions of the time, that list was not received as an invitation to discussion. The Reformation was born and history took a sharp turn.
One of the motifs of the Reformation is the Luther Rose used in Martin Luther’s coat of arms. The five petals of the ‘rose’ signify the 5 ‘solas’ – faith alone, Word alone, grace alone, Christ alone, to God alone be the glory. These ‘solas’ provide a succinct synopsis of the Biblical ideals of the Reformers. They continue to ground us in our confession of faith.
Leading up to the 500th anniversary of that fateful All-Hallows’ Eve, we will be focusing on those 5 ‘solas’ during October. Each Sunday we will examine one of these key principles. Looking at the past, the present, and into the future – these 5 ideals impact our lives of faith. You are invited.
The grace and peace of God which surpasses all understanding keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.
In Christ,
Pastor Carla

Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)

 

And God said, “Let there be lights in the dome of the sky to separate the day from the night; and let them be for signs and for seasons and for days and years, and let them be lights in the dome of the sky to give light upon the earth.” And it was so. (Genesis 1:14-15)

 

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

 

Grace and peace to you from God our Father and Jesus Christ the Lord and Savior. Amen.

 

God created the earth to have a system “for signs and for seasons and for days and years.” Despite being described by Genesis as being ‘good,’ humans can find seasons in both weather and life to be trying. Most of us are not huge fans of change, yet we live in a climate of constant flux and change. God even created signs to help us navigate that flux and change.

 

To the best of my knowledge, no one has successfully initiated time travel. This means we are stuck in a chronological existence for as long as we inhabit this earth. Time moves forward, not backward. Despite the yearning for summer come January, we know that we cannot go back in time. We will have to wait for another summer, one perhaps similar but still different, from the last.

 

Human beings can have difficulty accepting this fact. For some inexplicable reason, we struggle to grasp that things are not going to return to some idyll of the past. Recently, our dog learned (the hard way) that while playing in the snowdrifts was still a lot of fun, his subsequent stiffness and soreness was absent from his memory. Most of us have had similar experiences. The activities we used to do no longer seem the same. Even if the activities themselves have not changed, we have – despite our best efforts. That is inevitable in life along this time continuum. The future is constantly becoming the present. Days, weeks, years, and seasons continue to come and go while we observe the signs of time’s onward march.

 

The same is true for congregations. As communities, we continue to evolve.  We continue to experience change. We move forward in time. Those same exact activities that reached people 50 years ago, will not have the same exact effect today. Even those who participated 50 years ago are no longer the same as they were then. The community is not the same. Just as none of us can go back in time, neither can the community.

 

Yet, communities often have even more difficulty than their individuals with this concept. There is a powerful communal memory that tells people that if we could just go back, things would be the same. We can get trapped into a mindset of only looking back, never forward – only remembering, never dreaming. We ensnare ourselves with our own attitudes.

 

Attempts to recreate the past are futile. Time does not work that way. God did not create time to work that way. The underlying message that we give when we get stuck in the past, is that the present is somehow inferior. God did not create time to be superior or inferior. “And God saw that it was good.” (Genesis 1:18b)

 

Unfortunately, the message of the past being better than the present can easily be interpreted as the people now are inferior. That is definitely not a message we want to deliver. Evangelism becomes nearly impossible if we inadvertently give the impression that the people or the congregation will never be as good as they used to be.

 

It is imperative to be mindful of this danger and recognize that different does not mean worse. Change is part of life. We experience it in all aspects of our life. None of us stay the same through the years, neither does our community. We are all different now.

 

There is a difference between remembering the past and being stuck in it. We can honor our past without diminishing the value of the present or the future. We can remember and dream, while living in the present. We can march with the signs God has given us.

 

Take time to weep and mourn, but also take time to laugh and dance. Move forward with the seasons of your own life and the life of the congregation. Observe the signs and pace yourselves alongside them instead of fighting them. Celebrate all the seasons of your life and the life of the community. They are all gifts from God.

 

The grace and peace of God which surpasses all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Amen.

 

In Christ,

 

Pastor Carla

 

For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:

a time to weep, and a time to laugh;
a time to mourn, and a time to dance; (Ecclesiastes 3:1, 4)