O God our loving Father, help us rightly to remember the birth of Jesus, that we may share in the song of the angels, the gladness of the shepherds, and the worship of the wise men. May Christmas morning make us happy to be Thy children and Christmas evening bring us to our beds with grateful thoughts, forgiving and forgiven, for Jesus’ sake, amen.

—Robert Louis Stevenson

The God of all creation humbled Himself to become a human being—our Savior, Christ the Lord. Because Jesus was born He could die, bringing the abundance of life we enjoy through Him. May each of you rest in the security of the Babe who’s birth we celebrate this day.

Just did another photo shoot for a local bakery….the camera fails to capture the delicious smells and warmth of the room.  I’m busy with exam prep, so I’ve posted just one new shot:

On Thanksgiving Day

“Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good and His mercy endures forever. Lord God, heavenly Father, You have created me and endowed me with all that I am or have as a pure gift of Your “fatherly, divine goodness and mercy, without any merit or worthiness in me.” You sustain me from day to day with the gifts of daily bread in the food that I eat, the family that surrounds me, the friends I enjoy, the country where I live, and countless other benefits that I constantly receive from Your open hand. On this Day of Thanksgiving, cause me to gratefully remember the good gifts that You shower upon me. Deepen in me the knowledge of Your goodness, and awaken my heart to praise You for all of Your gifts, especially the forgiveness of sins that You have purchased and won for me and the whole world in the atoning death of Your Son, Jesus Christ. Keep me mindful of Your mercies every day, and grant that I may thank, praise, serve, and obey You not only with my lips but also with a life dedicated to the service of my neighbor. To You, O Lord, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, be all honor and glory, praise and thanksgiving, now and forever. Amen.

Lutheran Book of Prayer

Last week I took photos for the UO Law School Alumni Association.

From the press release

Hon. David Brewer will receive the third annual John E. Jaqua Distinguished Alumnus Award on Friday, November 13, 2009. Judge Brewer is being honored for his lifetime dedication to Oregon Law and the legal community. Judge Brewer has served as the Chief Judge of the Oregon Court of Appeals since 2004, and has been a judge on the court since 1999. Prior to his elevation to the appellate court, Judge Brewer sat on the Lane County Circuit Court from 1993-99. Before that, he ran a practice in Eugene concentrating in civil litigation, family law, commercial law, probate, and real property law. The Jaqua Distinguished Alumnus Award is presented by the Law School Alumni Association and is given to individuals who exemplify the highest quality and ethical standards of the school. The award recognizes personal and professional achievements and loyalty to Oregon Law. The LSAA named the Distinguished Alumnus Award after its first recipient, the late John E. Jaqua, in 2007.

2010 National Rankings…but who cares?

University of Oregon School of Law

#77 – Overall Ranking

#6 – Legal Writing Program

#7 – Dispute Resolution Program

#10 – Environmental Law Program

#8 – Quality of Life

 

UCLA

#24 – Overall Ranking

#2 – Public School Ranking

#9 – Philosophy Department (overall)

#3 – Philosophy Department (philosophy of law, worldwide)

Yes, it rains in Eugene, but don’t imagine that it’s all gray and dreary.

This is the first Veterans Day that we cannot call my grandpa to thank him for his service.

Richard Davies Sawyer, September 25, 1922—May 20, 2009

From his obituary (written by my dad):

“As a Founding Member of the 390th Memorial Museum Foundation (1980), Dick was an original Board member, serving 10+ years. He provided logo jackets, t-shirts and inspiration for the many volunteers building the new museum in Tucson, AZ. He ran the PX for all the veteran reunions and contributed the proceeds to the Museum in the early days when funds were badly needed. He funded the Wittan stained-glass display, initial “Nose-Art” exhibits, the embroidered displays mounted on the east hanger wall and the quality flag case for displaying flags of the 13th combat Wing among many other contributions. Both he and Sharon have been strong supporters of the 390th Memorial Foundation.

“Dick earned the rank of Technical Sergeant in the 8th Air Force. He was a Flight Engineer & Top-Turret Gunner (568th Bomb Squadron) on the B-17 Flying Fortress known as “Free Delivery.” On December 31, 1944, he and the crew were on their 27th mission headed to an oil refinery over Hamburg, Germany. The plane was hit by enemy flack, veered out of formation and never came home to the airfield at Framlingham, England. While losing altitude quickly, Dick alerted the crew that their B-17 would no longer fly. Pilot, Ron Nash rang the ‘bailout alarm’ bell and Dick parachuted at 3500 feet, watching the tail of the “Free Delivery” go past. He soon landed hard on the frozen German countryside and interrogated by German military officials; then eventually marched to the Nurnburg – Stalag XIIID, POW camp and stayed there until the end of the war. His service to our country earned him the Purple Heart Medal, several Oak Leaf clusters and the Air Medal. Details of Dick’s WWII B-17 story are published in the book: The 390th Bomb Group Anthology Vol.2. “

Last week the UO Law’s admission’s office asked me to contribute to their student life blog: Life at Law. I agreed and have two posts up already. Its primary readership includes prospective students, current students, and alumni – in roughly that order. Anyway, just thought I’d mention it here.

A Brief Order of Confession and Forgiveness from our church’s weekly liturgy (a good daily confession I might add)…this is from memory, so may not be perfectly accurate:

P In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen

P Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid: Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Jesus Christ our Lord.

C Amen.

P If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. But if we confess our sins, God who is faithful and just will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Silence for reflection and self-examination.

P Most merciful God,

C we confess that we are in bondage to sin and cannot free ourselves. We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed, by what we have done and by what we have left undone. We have not loved you with our whole heart; we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We justly deserve your temporal and eternal punishment. For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us. Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

2P Almighty God, in his mercy, has given his Son to die for us and, for his sake, forgives us all our sins. As a called and ordained minister of the Church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

C Amen.