Adventure with Pastor Aaron

It’s a new year! What is your response? Positive or negative? “Yippee!” “Ho-hum.” “I’m excited!” “Just another day.” Responses to anything new, including a different number on the yearly calendar, vary widely from person to person.

Some new things in our lives are certainly worthy of unfettered excitement and joy. The birth of a child or grandchild. A new job that holds a lot of promise. A new relationship that seems full of potential for solid friendship or lifelong romantic love. A new opportunity in business, travel, or a hobby. We appreciate new things, especially when the downside or challenge seems low.

But what about the new things that are more challenging? A renewed commitment to a marriage that is faltering. A job that has been seriously impacted by economic circumstances or mismanagement within the organization. An unexpected revealing of a hidden weakness within oneself or even more publicly. A desire to improve some aspect of life (New Year's resolutions, anyone?). Some new things require a lot more energy, focus, and even patience to accomplish. It’s more like climbing a mountain than coasting down a hill.

But newness must include change. And many changes are good. In fact, as Christians we must insist that God continue to make changes in our lives. This is the essence of repentance, which is central to our life with God and one another. We trust Him to mold and shape us to look more like Him. Sometimes this sanctification process is easy, and even enjoyable, as we lean into new opportunities for which we are well-equipped, or dive deeper into the depths of God's love and grace for us. Other parts of this process are much more difficult, as we surrender parts of ourselves to God that are unhealthy in repentance, or even let loved ones go. Change isn’t always easy, but in the hands of God, it can be a powerful force for growth and goodness in our lives.

In the midst of so many things that constantly change, it’s good to know there are some things that don’t change. There’s a passage in Lamentations that communicates beautifully the truth of God‘s unchanging care for us: “Because of the Lord’s faithful love we do not perish, for His mercies never end. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness! I say, ‘The Lord is my portion, therefore I will put my hope in him’” (3:22-24, CSB). “Great is Thy Faithfulness” consistently ranks as one of Western Christianity's favorite hymns, and its popularity can be attributed in large part to the promises contained in this verse. When a new day dawns and the change from night to day is almost complete, we still have the steadfast and unchanging love, grace, mercy, and joy that God promises us each day.

Our world is changing. Your life is changing. What will happen in the midst of those changing circumstances is uncertain. But you can find comfort in the fact that the unchanging, unchangeable God, Who made you, Who went to the cross for you, Who continues to love and shape you, will not change. So how is God calling you to lean into healthy changes this year? How is He beckoning you to walk in His footsteps, to follow His path, to be more like Him? It’s a lifetime journey, and yet when we take moments to examine where we are on the path, and how God’s grace and care has attended us each step of the way, we are often delighted to rediscover that…

Adventure is (still) out there!
Pastor Aaron

"'Tis the season to be ______." Yes, it's a beautiful, joyous, JOLLY season. But it's so many other things, too...and many of them could easily fit within that two-syllable portion of that Christmas song. "Busy." "Crazy." "Tired out." "Silly." "Bonkers." I'm sure you can come up with a few yourself to fit your mood and situation. The truth of the matter is it's a busy season in which you probably have as little time to read this as I have to write it, so I'll be brief.

God's people have always been in a pattern and cycle of being gathered and scattered: gathered together in His house and the company of His family, and then scattered to the places where we live, work, and play. In the Old Testament, the Israelites gathered at God's house to worship, whether it was the tabernacle in the wilderness or the temple once it was built in the Promised Land. On other occasions, they gathered together to fight their adversaries. But then they went back to their tents or their designated tribal lands. They were scattered during their time of exile, but always longed for the gathering of God's people one day in the Land He had promised.

In the New Testament, we certainly see this in Jesus' ministry as well. He gathers His disciples together to teach and train them, then sends them out. They come back with stories to tell and a renewed hunger to follow Jesus and serve alongside Him. He gathers them for the Last Supper before they flee during His trial and execution. Jesus' resurrection and promised return after His ascension is what naturally binds His people together and prepares them for the exponential growth of the young church at Pentecost. When persecution hits, it only serves God's plan to scatter them to new places where they tell the story of Jesus and what it all means.

Yes, the cycle of being gathered in places of unity and family, then scattered to places of work and play has been in place wherever God's people have been found. Gathered in Temple spaces to be with God. Scattered to Table spaces where we do life with others. It's natural. It's God-honoring. We need both.

Where does this season find our most important gathering place? Simply put, it's around a manger. Why do the shepherds, angels, animals, and Jesus' parents focus so intently on Him? Why do they marvel at such a seemingly small and insignificant event as the birth of a little boy in a backwater town in one little corner of this planet? It is because they are gazing into the radiant glow of pure goodness, mercy, love, and affection that our tender heavenly Father has always held for His creation. And now He's here, in human form. How could you NOT be mesmerized by that? God comes to earth, and gathers all creation to look and see.

This season, we will do the same. We will gather in our Temple space to "come and worship, come and worship, worship Christ the newborn King." The King is here! Hooray!!! We will also spend time with others in our Table spaces, with opportunities to gather around a real source of celebration: the coming of the Savior of the world. Wherever we go this Advent and Christmas season, God goes with us, our Immanuel.

By now you know that I always sign off with "Adventure is out there!" (see last month's post for more insight into that catchy phrase). But the opposite can be true. Adventure is also "in here." In God's house. Even in our own hearts, His tabernacle within us. Trusting God isn't always easy, but there is plenty of adventure to be found when the King sets off on a quest to invade our hearts with His grace and goodness. Maybe it isn't lost on you that the beginning of the word adventure is Advent, which means "arriving" or simply "coming." When Jesus comes to town and invites YOU to follow Him, there is plenty of adventure to be found. It's my prayer that you know the joy and exhilaration of that journey all throughout the year, but especially at Christmas, because...

Adventure is out there (and in here, too)!
Pastor Aaron

ad·ven·ture
/adˈven(t)SHər, ədˈven(t)SHər/
noun - an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks.

Every once in a while, it's a healthy practice to look back on where you've been, enjoy the highlights, learn from the disappointments and failures, and reflect on what got you here. When I started writing this article for the newsletter almost 4 years ago, I made the choice to use a line from one of my favorite Pixar movies, Up, as a final flourish and sign-off, and the name stuck. Reflecting on that choice of words, I have wondered if the title has served its purpose, if it still fits, and what encouragement it can still express to hearers, regardless of what format this bit of communication may take.

What is the nature of an adventure? You've got Webster's definition above...an undertaking usually involving danger and unknown risks. It's the heroic episodes of the characters of Lewis's Chronicles of Narnia, Tolkein's Lord of the Rings, Rowling's Harry Potter and Andrew Peterson's Wingfeather saga. It's Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. It's Tintin and Katniss Everdeen and Sherlock Holmes. These characters have exciting lives full of danger, struggle, loss, and quite often, victory. Their stories are inspirational, and make us feel a longing to be in their shoes, to experience the zest of a life well-lived. We live vicariously through them, even as we sit comfortably on our couches, a world away from their struggles and triumphs.

The ancient stories of God certainly fit within the genre of adventure stories. Using our roaming ears on our whistle stop tour through the Bible these past few weeks, we have heard of the wondrous tales of Abraham and Sarah, Moses and the children of Israel during the Exodus, the exploits of the 12 spies in Canaan, the intrigue of Rahab's turning against her native city to follow God, Gideon's fleece and conquest of the Midianites. This is to say nothing of the many other characters from the Bible and their stories that are ahead in our journey. If that weren't enough, we also have the godly examples of those who came after Paul and early church, from Polycarp to Cyril, Ambrose to Augustine, Martin and Katie Luther, CFW Walther, and the list goes on. Their stories can encourage us and inspire us to walk with Jesus where we are, in much different circumstances than they probably could have ever imagined.

In light of all of these fantastic stories, it can be easy to look at our own lives and wonder how our stories could even come close to containing even a sliver of the kind of life-giving adventure that these heroes of the faith experienced. We participate in their stories without going anywhere, doing anything, and often without leaning into the abundant life our heroes and heroines experienced personally. There is a rich story of steadfast trust in God woven in to the warp and woof of the Biblical narrative, and all of the most admirable people in the Bible are known to live and walk "by faith" (Hebrews 11). If we read this grand narrative as it's intended, God intends our response to be "I long for my faith to be strong like that. God, grant me strength and wisdom to walk with you like that!" The writer of Hebrews rightly points in this direction, too: "As you carefully observe the outcome of [your leaders'] lives, imitate their faith" (13:7b). There is adventure in their faithful exploits.

All of these bits of truth lead to a very poignant and crucial question: "Why don't I see more of that kind of adventure in my life?" Maybe your immediate and visceral response to that question is akin to something like, "MORE adventure in my life? Are you crazy? I feel like every day I face the shifting landscape of another jungle, and it's a pretty good day if I can hack my way through it, survive the multitude of deadly critters and make it home in time for dinner. More adventure? No thanks! I'll take a pass!" Some days certainly feel like that. I have those days, too.

But more often than not, I find that my response could be better described as longing or wistfulness. "I wish there was more adventure in my life. Overall, I lead a pretty routine life. Nothing particularly special, and nothing truly spectacular. Nobody would call me an adventurer!" It reminds me of another Pixar favorite of mine, a short called "Inner Workings" that ran before the feature-length movie Moana. The protagonist has to be forced by his internal organs to get on with a very hum-drum, boring life, with certain death lurking behind any deviation from the mechanistic track he's on. He longs for a bit of simple adventure in his life, but is too afraid to follow his heart's impulse to live a little, step just a little out of line, and see what happens. Eventually he does, and his life is richer for it. He doesn't become a pirate or knight or hacker or hobbit or wizard, or some other kind of heroic character, but he's been transformed by a simple act of daring and faith.

Living a mundane, boring life that only consists of routine is not what God desires for His people. He's not necessarily calling us to travel far and wide to seek out adventure in daring and heroic exploits. However, if we have eyes to see and hearts to pay attention, I truly believe we can find adventures in faith in the everyday cadence of interactions He sends us. That adventure can be in our own homes and inside a church building. It can be found where we go to school or do our work. It can sometimes be found in the company of those who share hobbies and similar interests, or in the worlds opened up to us by electronic communication and social media. It can be found in the simple pleasantries between neighbors, or just about anywhere. Wherever God is sending you today, adventure can be found. Trust the power of His Spirit to guide you to the conversations He's preparing for you. Trust Him to lead you to live out His image in your contacts with those around you; trust Him to fill your mouth with the words that need to be spoken, and sometimes with the restraint to hold off. Jesus enters the world every day incognito through you and me, and when we embrace that mission He has given us we are bound to find out that...

Adventure is out there!
Pastor Aaron

There are certain phrases, proverbs, and even songs that are so pervasive in our society that all you have to do to get someone to say or sing them with you is to start them off. See if you can finish these: "Better late..." "A bird in the hand is worth..." "Take me out to the..." See what I mean? There are some bits of language that are so embedded in our culture that the chances of someone raised in the culture NOT knowing them is slim to none...and this is just a tiny sampling. Feel free to come up with several more of your own.

This also applies to other cultures or even subcultures within our own. In particular, I am thinking of words or idioms that we use in the church that those outside it may not readily understand or may require some explanation. I usually call these "churchy words." Others have called it "churchese." Urbandictionary.com defines churchese as "Words that are common within the church setting and are familiar to only those who attend church." Example: "Jim was speaking in churchese and I had no idea what he was talking about." Whether it is big theological words like justification and Vicarious atonement, or certain hymns that everyone in our tradition is expected to know, we have some common language to describe our experience as God's people, to lean into it, and even to celebrate it. All of this helps to forge a common identity, but it can also be offputting for those who don't initially get it, or don't stick around long enough to have someone explain it to them. That's a different issue that we won't address here, but it can be one of the reasons why people are hesitant to cross the threshold of a church building.

Regardless, one of the most important pieces of our vernacular as a Christian community, and specifically as Lutheran Christians, is the Creed. Or we could use the plural "creeds" to refer to the 3 ecumenical creeds. Whether it's the brevity and efficiency of the Apostles' Creed, the defense of Jesus' divinity that we declare in the Nicene Creed, or the deep, rich complexity of the Athanasian Creed, the time we spend expressing verbally what we believe is foundational for us. Luther rightly places his emphasis on the first of these three ecumenical creeds in his small catechism to ensure that anyone who has been properly trained in Christian belief comes into contact with a set of statements that begin to express the most important touch points of our faith. For New Testament believers in the God of the Old Testament (YHWH, as His Hebrew name is often transliterated), the Apostles' Creed is our expression of faith in a nutshell.

For the Old Testament believers, who trusted in YHWH God to lead them to the Promised Land and establish them there, the record of their beliefs and stories were written down in what we know today as the first 5 books of the Bible: the Torah or Pentateuch. These were the books Moses wrote down for God's people by His direction as a record of their history to that point. Most members of God's family knew these words by heart, much like we memorize Bible verses and parts of Luther's Small Catechism during the faith-forming journey of Confirmation. In that era, there were no chapters and verses assigned to these passages. They were so well known that if someone from that community began reciting a few words of a passage, everyone would be able to pick right up with them, like singing "Happy Birthday" in our culture.

Firmly ensconced in the tradition of the Torah is the creedal statement of the Old Testament people of YHWH. It's called "The Great Shema," a title based on the first word in the sentence. It's found most clearly in Deuteronomy 6:4: "Hear, O Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is one." Monotheism was the most important theological doctrine of God's people, all the way up to Jesus' time. In fact, the idea that Jesus was God Himself flew in the face of this, and was the motivating factor in the Sanhedrin's inciting the crowd to call out, "Crucify Him! Crucify Him!" on Good Friday. The Christian doctrine of the Trinity would have been just as odious to them, even though it was clearly expressed by Jesus (Matthew 28:19) and is at the heart of our beliefs. Just look how the Apostles' Creed is arranged.

So, why am I bringing all of this up? Because I want you to focus on that first word in that sentence. The Great Shema. "Hear" Or, better translated, "Listen." Listen in to what God is saying. Lean in to hear...sometimes He whispers. His Word is full of plenty of episodes where He shouts. Where His power is writ large (i.e., the parting of the Red Sea, the fire and smoke on Mt. Sinai). Where He is absolutely clear about His will and plan (the Ten Commandments). But there are also ways that these faithful words whisper to us from across the millennia, inviting us to walk with Jesus. Some people search for THE Truth their entire lives, with ears roaming all over the place, hoping to catch just a tiny fragment. Yet we know One who is the Way to walk with YHWH, the abiding and solid Truth, and a Life that never ends. Jesus. He's whispering through the pages of Scripture, and His Spirit continues to nudge you to follow Him, to get going. Will you "hear"? Will you "listen"? Will you follow? When you do, I'm certain you will find that...

Adventure is out there!
Pastor Aaron

As the last vestiges of summer begin to slip away, as "sweater weather" approaches, as we sigh and fondly remember the vacation moments of the last few months, I have a question for you to ask yourself: whether you traveled near or far, did you get a chance to see and do everything you wanted to during that time? Did you get to spend as much time as you possibly wanted at every stop or location you visited? Did you get a chance to take your time, or did you have to rush through? I think it's a safe bet to say that your vacation time was probably much like my family's: fun, enjoyable, a few unexpected circumstances and a few difficult moments, but not long enough, and never enough time for everything. Even one stop in a vacation can provide a plethora of opportunities to explore, learn, eat, drink, and enjoy… But you can never do it all. As human beings, trapped in time, we will always be limited.

When I was growing up, there was a member of our church who attended the seminary in preparation to be a pastor. He came back home on one of his breaks, and while I don't remember much of what he shared with the congregation, there was one thing that stuck with me. He told us that the more that he studied God's Word, the more he realized he would never be able to learn or understand it all. This truism applies to any field of knowledge, but especially to theology. The Bible is a vast ocean of insight, wisdom, narrative, prophecy, miracles. The span of years we have in this mortal life could not bring us even close to having the amount of time we would need to sail every corner of that expansive sea.

Any season of exploration is naturally going to be met with a degree of limitation. If you're going to sail the seas and explore every corner of the globe, you use a ship; but if you want to explore the depths, you need a submarine or underwater exploration vessel of some sort. If you travel by train, you may be taking a whistle-stop tour of spots that you will have to revisit later. If you want to go deep, you will not also be able to go wide at the same time, and vice versa. Sometimes the best approach to exploration is going "an inch deep and a mile wide."

Jesus was a master at finding the balance between deep and wide. He traveled widely, taking the Good News of His Father's Kingdom's coming to people throughout Galilee, Judea, Samaria, and landing finally in Jerusalem. Historians estimate that according to the Gospel texts, Jesus walked over 3,000 miles during His ministry. During that span of over 3 years, He met many people, but He did not have the opportunity to go as deeply into the will of His Father as with others. Yet we have records of His conversations with his disciples as well as a collection of other people here and there (i.e., Nicodemus, John 3) with whom He delves deeply into the purpose for which He was sent and the meaning of His life, ministry, death, and resurrection. Jesus sent the message of God's love and compassion for humanity as wide as one person could go at that time, with the intent that others coming behind Him would go deep, watering, fertilizing, and tending to the seeds of His Father's promises that He had sown.

Jesus' methodology is evidenced in Luke 10, in His sending of the 72 disciples in pairs to prepare the way for Him. While John the Baptist prepared the hearts of people before Jesus' ministry started in one spot, by the Jordan River, the 72 were sent out. These early disciples (Greek mathetes or "learners") of Jesus were told to go out into the surrounding towns and villages with one simple message: "The kingdom of God has come near" (Luke 10:9 & 11, CSB). They were also given the power by Jesus not just to tell the news of the Kingdom's coming, but also to manifest it through wonders and miracles. The 72 were able to spread this simple initial message wider than Jesus was physically capable of accomplishing as a single person. They were His advance team, preparing peoples' hearts to receive the most potent dose of God's presence they would ever experience. When Jesus arrived in a region or town, and crowds of people gathered around him, they weren't looking for something completely new. They had already heard of Jesus. They had already seen a tiny glimpse of what He would bring. They were ready to meet Him in person.

Throughout the seasons of your life, you will have different opportunities to delve into the truth and promises of God as a follower of Jesus. Some opportunities will go deep. Others will go wide. This month we begin our whistle-stop tour of the books of the Bible, which will examine the full swath of Scripture, an inch deep and a mile wide. My prayer is that our exploration of the broad strokes of Scripture will encourage you to continue your study and enjoyment of God's Word outside of our time together. I fully trust that by the power of God's Spirit, it will continually reveal to you the adventure that is found in a life with God, a life enriched by imitating Jesus and empowered by the work of the Holy Spirit. There is plenty of adventure to be found between the two covers of this book we call the Bible. However, I pray that you don't stop there. I pray that you discover and embrace the adventure of living in a broken world, "in" but not "of" it (John 17:14-19), and loving real, broken, beautiful people around you, just like Jesus did. Following in His footsteps, letting Him take the lead, I'm sure you will discover that…

Adventure is out there!
Pastor Aaron

What is the definition of a "summer read?" My understanding is that it is something akin to a literary snack. Something light, fun, enjoyable, and easy to read. Not something that demands a whole lot of attention or focus to be able to work through. Something to read at the beach, by the pool, outside a rustic cabin. A book that is the perfect companion to a vacation or even a short getaway. As summer starts to wind down, maybe you've had a chance to enjoy one or more of these narrative morsels.

The Bible can be viewed as the exact opposite of a summer read. It is deep, rich, profound, and life-changing because it is God's own voice to us. However, reading Scripture doesn't always have to be mental and spiritual "work;" it can certainly be a deeply enjoyable experience. Aside from being the most profound piece of literature ever written coming from God's own heart, written down over many centuries by many authors, it is also beautiful, poetic, sometimes funny, and often ironic. But its intent is always to give us real life with the God who made us, loves us, and walks with us still. It is meant to be read thoughtfully and inwardly digested, but it is also meant to be enjoyed.

Have you ever read the Bible all the way through? Some people will put themselves on a reading plan and feel the pressure to read it just to "check a box" so they can answer that question in the affirmative. And if you haven't taken the opportunity to read through this library of God's Word yourself, that question may involve the complex emotions of regret or guilt. God certainly desires us to hear His voice, both spoken and written. He wants to have THE say in our lives. Scripture is how He speaks to us. So reading the Bible from cover to cover should be the goal of every Christian at least once in a lifetime, but hearing from God through His Word is a practice that can and should be an everyday delight to the hearts of all people who know the God who wants the best for them.

A quote from the longest chapter in the Bible, coming from the longest book, reads like this: "Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light on my path" (Psalm 119:105, CSB). I've read that passage hundreds of times in my life. I've sung it dozens of times. But the thing that God brought to my attention recently is one of the many facets of its meaning. All of Scripture does reveal the magnificent nature of God in all the universe, and the profound reality of His plan for us to save us and buy us back from the slavery of sin, death, and the power of the devil...this is most certainly true. But His Word, His tender speech to you and me, is also designed to guide us on our individual path and walk with Him. The light of a lamp doesn't shine very far. In fact, many times it can only illuminate the next few steps in front of you. God rarely reveals all of His plan for His people. But He is steadfast and faithful in His commitment to provide enough light for the next step in your walk with Him. This is the purpose and function of Scripture in our lives.

Over the next year or more, we will be taking a tour through the library of God's Word contained in the Bible, one book at a time. Some books can't possibly be distilled down into one message, so focusing in on a key event or insight will be our method. Other shorter books will require a little bit more nuance and context to even make sense of them for our lives in 21st-century America. There are many important ways God uses His Word to speak into our lives. We can hear the Word spoken verbatim in church. We can learn from a sermon or other exposition of the Word. We can sit with a group of other Christians and discuss what we're hearing, like we do in Bible studies. My prayer is that you would seize this opportunity to read the books of the Bible on your own time, or come to Bible study and get a deeper, richer appreciation for what God is saying than might be expressed in a brief message. My hope for you is that as we walk through the pages of Scripture together, you would always hear the tender voice of God calling you to walk with Him, shedding a little bit more light on your next step, and empowering you by His Spirit to walk in faith. 

You may have noticed that I always sign off with one of my favorite quotes from the Pixar movie Up: "Adventure is out there!" It is equally true that adventure is IN there… in the pages of Scripture, ready to be discovered. It far outstrips the momentary lightness we might find in a so-called summer read, but rather contains a profound joy that comes from discovering the riches of God's narrative, in which we play a crucial role in our present time. So like Saint Augustine heard so many years ago, my admission to you is, "Pick it up. Read it." Adventure is IN there, in the pages of God's Story. And when you know the heart of God it'll be easier for you to see that...

Adventure is out there!
Pastor Aaron

"Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from Him.
Truly He is my rock and my salvation; He is my fortress, I will not be shaken.
My salvation and my honor depend on God; He is my mighty rock, my refuge.
Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your hearts to Him, for God is our refuge" (Psalm 62:5-8, CSB).

Vacation is good. Vacation can be relaxing. But vacation can also be a lot of work. Planning. Packing. Double-checking everything. Auto maintenance or purchasing airline tickets. The mad dash to the airport or the long hours in the car. Finding and paying for accommodations. Discovering delicious and unique options for food that won't break the vacation bankroll. And if all that wasn't enough, sometimes it's even work to find the right place to get comfortable, plop yourself down, and just BE. A patch of sand? A rock on a mountain vista? Feet dangling in the pool? Decisions, decisions. There is a reason that people who come back from vacation often quip, "now I need the vacation after 'the vacation!'"

I think what everyone is actually looking for, in real life and also in "vacation mode," is true, satisfying, soul-restoring rest. What we seek is something that is truly not available to us in a sin-broken world. The rest we are able to achieve is, at its best, just a shadow of what God would have for us. We can search the world for ways to be relaxed and rejuvenated, but the only way we find satisfying rest is in the arms of God. Jesus often beckoned His disciples to come away with Him to a quiet place so that they could be bolstered and restored for the work ahead. The work of the Holy Spirit in our lives is to draw us closer to the heart of the Father, who created us as human beings and wants us to stay human beings, not become human doings that find their identity in good works. He truly does want you to know the peace of having a place in His family... simply because He loves you.

Our souls can only truly find rest in God. Our hope can only come from Him and His plan. If we want to be on solid ground, we will look for Him to be our Fortress that cannot be destroyed or shaken. Our salvation truly does depend on Jesus' loving sacrifice, and we can trust that His resurrection has given us an eternal refuge in God's house and family.

Whether or not you are able to get out and find some enjoyment and temporary rest in a longer vacation this year or not, my prayer for you is that you would find rest for your soul and the only One who can give it to you: God. Blessings on your travels. May your homecomings be sweet. And may the (true but imperfect) rest you receive encourage you to long more passionately for the Day when you will be completely and totally HOME.

Adventure is out there!
Pastor Aaron