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                     THE FIRST AMENDMENT to the Constitution
                of the United States of America
                                 
               "Congress shall make no law respecting
              an establishment of religion,
              or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;
              or abridging the freedom of speech
              or of the press;
              or the right of the people peaceably to assemble,
              and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances." 

              Evil men and women are presently striving to destroy
              the Constitution and the Bill of Rights therein contained,
              especially the freedom of speech.

              They are using incarceration and intimidation to close
              down the speech of those individuals, media outlets,
              and businesses who do not wish to follow their lines of 
              thinking. This is simply a power grab by those who would
              destroy the United States republic form of government
              and replace it with a socialistic/communistic form of
              government.

              The persons involved in this clandescent
               


     

                                 
                                                                             He Is Able 1.02.2021

    "If a care is too small to be turned into a prayer,"
    writes Corrie ten Boom, "It is too small to be made into
    a burden."

    When shall we who profess a dynamic Christian life
    ever stop brooding and worrying over the day to day
    problems that are continuously sent into our lives?

    When shall we learn that our most gigantic,
    serious problems as well as our smallest, bothersome 
    irritations are known by God.

    And, large or small...He is able to handle them all.

    Resist evil with good...Turn you burdens into prayers...
    Release your faith in the Lord...And He shall lift you up.
 

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​                                                              SKYLAB HAS FALLEN 644 

                                 (This article was written prior
                                 to Skylab's dramatic splashdown.
                                 If, perchance, I'm the one out of
​                                 650 billion who gets hit, you'll know
                                 better next time to pay closer attention
                                 to my predictions.)

                                 I realize that my first prediction will
                                 upset thousands of my readers (optimistic
                                 soul aren't I) who take delight in being
​                                 superstitious. Because I flatly predict that
                                 Skylab will not fall to earth on Friday 13th,
                                 1979, regardless whether there is a full 
                                 moon or not. A black cat may land on your 
                                 roof, but no Skylab.
                        
​                                 Contrary to NASA's prediction that Skylab
                                 will splash down in the Atlantic on July 11,
                                 I believe at least one piece of equipment
                                 will hang in the atmosphere until the evening
                                 of July 14, which just happens to be Donna's
                                 and my 13th wedding anniversary.

                                 It will be one of those rare occasions in which
                                 I have just finished treating my wife to a
​                                 delicious Eastern Shore seafood dinner
                                 The hit will occur two minutes after I've
                                 paid the bill.

                                 A policeman will rush to the scene and ask
                                 my wife the cause of my demise. She'll reply,
                                 "I'm not sure, officer, it was so sudden, like 
                                 a bolt out of the blue."

                                 (First published on July 15,1979)
                                 (Revisions made on January 30, 2021)

                                 





                              

 
                     THE SUN COMES UP IN THE MORNING  581
             
               "Always again," wrote Richard L. Evans, "there
               is another day. Always, eternally, there is hope 
               and faith...and tomorrow morning."

               Regardless of the clouds banked against us
               Whether things go all right or all wrong
               We have this witness to bear
               The sun still comes up in the morning
               The sun comes up in the morn

               Even if our day has been discouraging
               And our paths have been strew with stones
               This is the truth we love to share
               The sun still comes up in the morning
               The sun comes up in the morn

               So, if today's thunder has muffled our song
               And shaken our soul and rattled our bones
               With you we rejoice and with you declare
               The sun still comes up in the morning
               The sun comes up in the morn

                (Written on January 30, 1979)

                                         ALLELUIA BE OUR SONG  649
                                         
                             No matter how far we may travel
                             Over land or sea or air
                             There is no distance can separate us
                              From God's loving eternal care

                             If we were thrown for a loss
                             Every day for the rest of our life
                             Thy solace and peace we gladly confess
                             Would fit us for the struggle and strife

                             Let no sad songs escape from our lips
                             No dirges be sung to the throng
                             Glory be to the Lord of our life
                             And alleluia, alleluia, be our song 

                            (First published on July 26, 1979)
                            (Revisions made on January 31, 2021

                                                                                HIGHWAY 77


                            Many years ago, somewhere around midnight 
                            of the thirty-first of December, Donna and I some-
                            how meandered off of route 76 onto a new highway
                            ---route 77. (Highway 77 is a north-south highway
                            that extends from Sioux City, Iowa to Brownsville
                            Texas).
                            The snow was descending softly all around us.
                            Yes, indeed, it was a dark and stormy night.

                            We probably wouldn't have noticed any significant 
                            difference between the old 76 and our new 77 
                            passageway, except for the fact that we had the 
                            occasion to pickup a young couple with a new born
                            babe in arms.
                            They informed us that we were now traveling 
                            on a brand new highway. Their names have long
                            been forgotten, but we felt warm that we could
                            offer them some assistance.

                                        The scene reminded us of a young couple with a 
                            new born babe centuries ago travelling on roads
                            unsure and out of place not knowing what their
                            future might hold or where they might eventually 
                            wind up. And so it is with all of us, as it always
                            has been.

                            (First published on January 28, 2014)

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                                                                    HOLD ON
                                               
                                                 Bias, a Greek philosopher wrote that
                                                 "The greatest misfortune of all is
                                                 not to be able to bear misfortune."

                                                 In times of misfortune, what shall we do...
                                                 Hold on   with faith in God
                                                 Hold on   with hope in your heart
                                                 Hold on   wait patiently and pray
                                                 Hold on   Until the dark clouds depart
                                                 Hold on   Do not give up
                                                 Hold on   As the  Spirit gently whispers
                                                 Hold on   I understand and care

                                                 God continuously works on our behalf.
                                                 He can make a good fortune for us even 
                                                 from our greatest misfortunes.

                                                 (First published on January 27, 2013}

                                                               
                             IF OUR HEARTS ARE RIGHT WITH GOD 224

                              Wrote Charles Sorley...

                              "The gates are open on the road
                              that leads to beauty and to God."

                              No walls, no matter how thick
                              No fences, no matter how high
                              No guards, no matter how many
                              Can keep us encumbered or bound
                              If our hearts are right with God
                         
                              If our hearts are right with God
                              Walls become windows
                              Fences become rose trellises
                              Guards become our friends
                              No chains may fetter
                              The upward bound soul

                              God's gates are always open
                              To those who would enter in

                              (Written on October 3, 1976,
                              with some revisions on August 4,2019)



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​                                   LIFE ITSELF 641

                   "The happy man," wrote R.J. Baugham, 
                     "is he who lives the life of love, not for 
                     the honors it may bring, but for life itself."

                    That kind word, that reassuring look,
                    that gentle way that lifts the burdens of another...
                    This is the stuff that life's made of.

                    To share the story of our life and the mercy 
                    and grace and love which has continually
                    been poured out upon us by a merciful 
                    and loving Lord., what greater honor is there?

                   To Love, not for honors, but for the sake of
                   love only, ah, that is...Life itself.

                  (First published on July 1, 1979
 

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