Lutheranism

I found myself perusing the Blog Topic Generator again, just for fun, and stumbled across this gem of a topic in the "Religion" section.
Lutheranism.
Really, how could I not seize this opportunity?

I am, by definition, Lutheran. I was baptized at Lutheran Church of the Atonement when I was seven, and I was Confirmed at St.Stephen Lutheran Church last fall. I have gone to camp at both Lutherock and Camp Agape, been a member of the Western Cluster Board of The Lutheran Youth Organization of North Carolina, I annually attend the LYO Assembly each February, and, next summer, my dad and I are both going to the National Lutheran Youth Gathering in Detroit. I love Lutheran rapper Agape, and recently met him, as you can see in one of the photos above. I love Lenoir-Rhyne University (which is the only Evangelical Lutheran Church of America-affiliated university in North Carolina) and annually go there for Lutheran Youth Day in Septemeber. I have a tendency to become irritated if I do not get to sit in whatever spot I consider mine (because I sat there last time, so it is my spot.) and I am very much a creature of habit who is rather attached to the cranberry hymnals. I sometimes end sentences with the words, "This is most certainly true," and when I hear, "(Insert anything here) be with you," I invariably respond, "And also with you." If asked, I can spout off a Martin Luther quote. If asked to choose a favorite year, I would say 1517. I have, more than once, explained the Martin Luther quote on the back of my tee-shirt to the lady in line behind me at the store when she comments on the "Martin Luther King, Jr. quote" by calmly saying, "No, this is Martin Luther. He was a sixteenth century reformist, not a twentieth century activitst." (I usually get a blank look, but that's okay.)
I am a Lutheran.
Words like 'bishop', 'synod', and 'liturgy' are commonplace for me, a fact of which I am reminded each time I say them and am asked what on earth they mean. The usual mealtime prayer is "Come Lord Jesus." A call of, "The Lord Be With You" is sufficient to quiet everyone down in seconds. Liturgical colors are wildly important, and I even know a song that explains them. Covered dish dinners are the highlight of my life, and I have a Lutheran Handbook that explains exactly what you should do should you ever be faced with being burned at the stake. I wear my white robe at least once a month, and I find myself in other denominational churches wondering when we're going to stand up. I literally know entire songs that are only about standing up and sitting down. I loved Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen a lot more when I realized they, too, were Lutheran. Bach is my favorite composer...just because he was Lutheran. (Lou Gehrig, Steve Jobs, Felicity Huffman, Kris Kristofferson, David Hasselhoff, Steve Zahn, Lyle Lovett, and William H. Macy also make the Lutheran List.)
Yes, I am Lutheran.
I love Lutheranism. I love the ceremony of it, the little jokes that most Lutherans understand, and I love the simple fact that I know what it means to be Lutheran. I love owning the Lutheran Handbook, the Lutheran Book of Prayer, and Luther's Small Catechism. I love the fact that Lutheranism is part of my identity, part of who I am. I love that my church feels like home to me. I love the eccentricities and familiarity of the Lutheran church. I love that Lutheranism is a part of me. But even more than that, when you strip it all away, I love that I am a child of God.
Always, Cassie