Mr. Fun's Marigolds

Today's photo explanation is below.

When I was growing-up in my mom and stepdad's household, we went to church every Sunday morning. My stepdad is German and he was born and raised in Wisconsin and a Lutheran all his life, still today. So my younger days were enhanced by the culture and beliefs of a liturgical church experience. Many times in my adult life I have thanked my stepdad for raising us with a foundation in faith: the bible and the hymns. As a kid, I know I didn't think church was all that fabulous and I wasn't thankful.

So when I read a friend's FaceBook statement today explaining that this is "Reformation Sunday" I was interested. He went onto write: "Thank you Martin, Ulrich, John, William, Theodore, and all the rest for daring to recover the Scriptures, the Gospel, and the true nature of God from the darkness of medieval superstition and greed. May the church be reformed, and always reforming, according to the Word."

His words made me wonder if I could identify all the names mention. I'm sure Martin is Luther from Germany; John is Wesley from England; Ulrich is Zwingli from Switzerland; William is Tyndale from England; but I'm a little stumped with Theodore. My friend's words also seemed to have an echo of the song from years ago about leaders in America who had been gunned down: Martin Luther King, Jr., Bobby Kennedy, John Kennedy.

I used to know more about the numerous church holidays when Grammie Teele was alive because she attended a liturgical church that honored those days.

At the small church I currently attend, the sermon this morning was from the little new testament epistle written by the Apostle Paul to Timothy. It was the second letter/book to Timothy. Actually it was the size of a postcard. The preacher called it Paul's Swan Song. Paul wrote the postcard while he was a prisoner in Rome. It was the last message he wrote before his death. The preacher asked this morning, "What would you write if you knew it would be your last message?"

I've thought about that all day. I don't know what I'd write. I hope I would write something encouraging. Paul's second letter to Timothy was filled with encouragement.

Today my words have nothing to do with my photo -- marigolds, but I couldn't find a swan to photograph as my illustration for "Swan Song." I think Mr. Fun's marigolds are beautiful and definitely "autumn."

Good Night from Southern California.
Rosie (& Mr. Fun), aka Carol

P.S. From Wikipedia: "Swan song" is a metaphorical phrase for a final gesture, effort, or performance given just before death or retirement. The phrase refers to an ancient belief that the Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) is completely silent during its lifetime until the moment just before death, when it sings one beautiful song. The belief, now known to be incorrect, had become proverbial in Ancient Greece by the 3rd century BC, and was reiterated many times in later Western poetry and art.