Blog Archives

THE FIRST AMENDMENT

1/30/2021

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

SKYLAB HAS FALLEN 644

1/30/2021

  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

1/30/2021

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

1/30/2021

     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

FAITH IN GOD AWARD 643

1/23/2021

FAITH IN GOD AWARD 643

Recently our son, Billy and one
of his friends, Charly Grogan,
received the Cub Scout "Faith
in God" award by fulfilling certain
church duties and requirements.

    While basking in the natural pride
parents should have on such an
occasion, we also reflected on
the possibility of one day having
to stand before God and declaring
whether we would be worthy of
receiving our own "Faith in God"
award.

We suspect that many of us who
claim to be Christians have staked
our lives on our own weak abilities,
and finite frailties, and much less
in God's infinite power and wisdom.

Faith in God...perhaps we all have
sufficient faith to meet our needs.
All we need to do is utilize and
exhibit the faith that we have.

(First published on July 12, 1979)

HIGHWAY 77

1/17/2021

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)

HOLD ON

1/17/2021

   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}

A SMILE AND A HELPING HAND 645A

1/17/2021

A SMILE AND A HELPING HAND

When our hearts were hurt and heavy
You came along in time
And gave us what we needed...
A smile and a helping hand.

There were no looks of accusation
No cutting words of scorn
You gave us what we needed
A smile and a helping hand

When the path looked quite impossible
And snares wrapped around our feet
You gave us what we needed
A smile and a helping hand.

We may stand now on the mountaintops
And see for miles around
But, it wasn't always that way,
Then you came along
And gave us what we needed
A smile and a helping hand

(First published on January 17, 2021)

IF OUR HEARTS ARE RIGHT WITH GOD 224

1/10/2021

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)

LIFE ITSELF 641

1/10/2021

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