THE OPEN ROAD

THE GIFT OF SILENCE

10/21/2021

THE GIFT OF SILENCE

"Let me seek, then, the gift
of silence, and poverty and
solitude;
where everything I touch
is turned into prayer,
the wind in the trees
is my prayer,
for God is all in all."
(from Thomas Merton,
"Thoughts in Solitude")

We, who live in urban areas,
are accustomed, on a daily basis,
to many sounds, and noises. They
seem to accompany us in all places
and climes. We call out for relief, but
oft times, none seem to be forthcoming.

A few days ago, as the winds blew cool,
and the leaves turned Autumn, I took a
folding chair, sat down in front of our home,
enjoyed the fall scenery, the warm sun
wrapped in the gentle breeze, touched the
quietness, felt truly blessed by the Lord.
So glad to be alive.

(Written and published on October 21, 2021.)

THE SECRET

10/18/2021

THE SECRET

"Adopt the pace of Nature," wrote
Emerson, "her secret is patience."

Would you have the best that God
has to offer you? Then perhaps you
may have to be willing to walk the long
road, the open road, with patience.

While salvation may come in a moment,
perfection may take a little longer. Indeed,
a whole lifetime, and way beyond.

Be patient with yourself, with God, with
those whom you hold dear. And, with
the stranger at your gate.

Said Ben Franklin, "He that can have
patience can have what he will."

(First published on October 18, 2013)

THERE IS A TIME COMING

10/14/2021

THERE IS A TIME COMING

There is a time coming
When the sky shall be clear
And the air shall be pure
And the fields shall be fertile
And the rivers shall be clean
And the streams shall glisten
And the oceans shall show forth
The glory of the Lord
And the land
Our land
God's land
Shall be redeemed

There is a time coming
When the lamb and the lion
Shall lie down together
Without any ire
When husbands shall love their wives
And wives shall love their husbands
And no child shall ever be mistreated
And the family shall grow
In the nurture and admonition of the Lord
And our cities and towns shall shine brightly
With the glory of the Lord

And there shall be
In the heart of everyman
Peace and joy
Joy and peace
And all the earth
With all its inhabitants
Shall be redeemed
Redeemed by the blood
Of the Lamb

THE DOORKNOB

10/14/2021

THE DOORKNOB

Problems come, problems go
May it ever be so, and so it is.

A few days ago, some of my family
members came over for Sunday dinner.
The group included several grandchildren,
ranging in age from four to eleven.

Just before the crowd left, Maguire, our
youngest grandson brought us our garage
door doorknob. "Look Granny, doorknob broke."

Suspicious me: I suspect there was a
mighty tug of war on both sides of the door
while someone was playing keep out, keep
in.

Later, my wife, Donna, and I, valiantly and
painstakingly tried for almost an hour to
put on a new doorknob. Alas, to no avail.

A few days later, our oldest son, Bill(y), age
nine, came by for a short visit. Just as he was
   about to dash out the door. I said, "Bill(y), do
   you know how to put a doorknob on?" "Yes,"
he replied.
In less than five minutes, we had a workable
doorknob in place.

I've lived long enough now to suspect that
we shall always have problems, for it is through
problem solving that we learn and grow.

I also suspect that every problem we have
comes with a solution(s). And, it is up to us
to find and apply the satisfactory ones.

   Hail to the problems. I'm now ready for my
next three.

(Truth Be Told Disclaimer: My patience and my problems
don't always get along too well together)

(Written: October 23, 2013, revision made on October 14, 2021.)

ABSOLUTELY 240

10/14/2021

ABSOLUTELY 240

"No man," wrote Owens Meredith,
"is the absolute lord of his life."

While in our youth, many of us have
thought themselves to be the total lord
of all our circumstances, always in charge.

As years went by and our responsibilities
grew greater, many of us adopted the
philosophy that "God helps them that
help themselves."

But now, as we have pushed on past
middle age and beyond, we continue to
realize our deepening and enjoyable
dependency on our Heavenly Father.

And, it becomes more evident that our
self-independence may be established at its
finest and highest degree only as we permit
Christ to become the absolute Lord of our
lives.

(First published on October 31, 2013,
with revisions made on October 14, 2021.)

GOOD MEN

10/2/2021

GOOD MEN

"Good men," wrote Christian
N. Bovee, "have the fewest fears."

Good men have no fears of yesterday...
No hidden skeletons
No regrets over failures
No gloating over successes
Good men just press on toward the mark

Good men have no fears of tomorrow...
Good men realize that tomorrow always
enters our lives as the child of yesterday,
bringing with it twenty-four hours of
bounteous and new opportunities.

Good men have no fears of today...
For on this day...
Lessons will be learned
Work will be accomplished
Confidence will be instilled
Examples will be set
Spirits will be uplifted
Prayers will be answered

Everyday this fearing world continues
to yearn for...good and faithful men.

(First published on October 10, 2012)
(Not too many good men or women
abiding in Congress or the White House,
today are there?! bm 10.02.2021)

I SMELL SMOKE!

9/26/2021

      I SMELL SMOKE!

Is it just my imagination, or am I actually
beginning to smell a few, putrid odors
coming up from the political, cultural, religious
depths of depravity leading to America's demise
before permanently settling into the abyss?

I (barely) hold out hope that those knowledgeable
and informed countrymen of mine may continue to
rise up and in any election defeat any candidate who
will not support the U.S. Constitution and its Amendments
containing the Bill of Rights and the liberties which
they guarantee.

  "... Lo! Freedom weeps. Wrong rules the land.
And, waiting justice sleeps."
(Josiah Gilbert Holland: God Give Us Men)

AT THE ALTAR

9/26/2021

AT THE ALTAR

Have you got burdens that bother
Have you got troubles and woe
Give them to your Master and Savior
Just drop them at the altar and go

With a heart that's filled with mercy
Jesus is looking for you
He knows all your faults and follies
So there's only one thing to do.

Drop your sins at the altar
Your years of battle and strife
Come, take the hand of your Master
Let Jesus be Lord of your life.
(First published on September 21, 2021)

FALL GUY

9/25/2021

   FALL GUY

                                 Once again, it is that season of the year
                                which we enjoy bragging about so much
                                 if we had a great deal to do with bringing
                                 it about).

                                 Autumn has arrived once again...
                                 With flamboyant flare the eastern skies
                                 are aflame with splashes of tangerine and gold.
Here are plucky pecans and orange plastered
                                 plump pumpkins, hot apple pie alamode.
                                 Brisk, invigorating walks down tawny leaved
                                 lanes. Yesterday remembered winding down
golden green roads.

                                 Each year we bask in the beauty of this wonderous
                                 season. With deep breaths we inhale the expectant
                                 exhilarating air as the passage of each day pushes
                                 us closer toward Thanksgiving and Christmas.

                                 Street lights, porch lights, parlor lights take on a
                                 warm after glow and homes once again become
                                 our safe harbor.

                                 To all of you who would join with us in celebrating
                                  this glorious season...We salute you...as one fall
                                  guy to another.

(First published on September 26, 2012,
with revisions made on September 25,2021)

WONDERFUL ME

9/24/2021

   WONDERFUL ME

Wrote S. Lee Luchansky...

"Humility is the ability to act
embarrassed when you tell people
how wonderful you are."

Seriously though, there is something
to be said for humility...and honest
embarrassment...and being truly wonderful.

Even in this technological, overly sophisticated
age of ours, we still admire the humble man
or woman.

And, perhaps the mark of a
real man or lady is their ability
to blush in compromising situations.

One of the better character traits
of my father was his ability to be humble
when others were complimenting him.

We also suspect that those fortunate
inhabitants of the Kingdom of God will
have to readily admit that they arrived
at their heavenly station because, in this
life, they were surrounded...by humble souls.