Blog Archives

EASTER (1981)

3/30/2018

   EASTER (1981)

It was finished
The last nail driven in
Drops of blood fell from the cross
From the one who knew no sin

The earth trembled
The wind grew deadly still
Darkness came upon the land
There was silence on the hill

The Christ was taken from the cross
And laid in a borrowed tomb
As the mourners left that ghastly scene
Returning home amid the gloom

In a rock hewn sepulchre
Christ's body they did lay
Some offered up feeble prayers
But there was nothing more to say

Came the morn, the sun arose
On a bright and dew drenched dawn
And as of yet, no hint was in the air
That a new age had been born

Jesus' friends gathered at the tomb
Found the stone had been rolled away
Found no body in that vault
No hint of human clay

Then they saw a man
And heard his voice
These friends whose cheeks were stained
And whose eyes were sore and moist

Do not look for Jesus here
He's no longer in the grave
He arose a little while ago
Pronouncing freedom for the slave

For death and hell
Both conquered he
This Son of Light
And author of liberty

Go spread the word, go tell the town
He's coming back real soon
Be ready for him when he comes
Whether midnight, morn or noon

(Written April 19, 1981 #885)

POCKETFUL OF MIRRORS

3/30/2018

  POCKETFUL OF MIRRORS

When we were youngsters, we read
about a magician (Houdini, perhaps),
who, by the clever manipulation of a
series of mirrors was able to produce
the illusion of making an elephant
disappear.

We thought of this wizardry as we pondered
the power of Satan. For you see, he has
power over us and our circumstances only
to the degree that we permit him to have
control of our imagination.

So when he says, "I have power over you
and there's nothing you can do about it,"
Satan knows he is bluffing us out of the
blessings our Heavenly Father has promised
us.

Satan knows that if we resist him and rebuke
him in the name of Jesus, that he is forced
to disappear.

By the Spirit and by the Word, we can have
dominion over Satan. So don't let that old
trickster trick you.
After all, all Satan's got going for himself,
is a pocketful of mirrors.

(Written on August 15, 1978 #513)

ISAIAH 29:4,11-14,18,19

3/28/2018

ISAIAH 29:4,11-14,18,19

And thou shalt be brought down
and shalt speak out of the ground
and thy speech shall be low
out of the dust
And thy voice shall be as one
that hath a familiar spirit
out of the ground
And thy speech shall
whisper out of the dust

And the vision of all is become unto you
as the words of a book that is sealed
which men deliver to one that is learned
saying, Read this, I pray thee
And he saith, I cannot; for it is sealed

And the book is delivered to him
that is not learned, saying,
Read this, I pray thee
And he saith, I am not learned

Wherefore, the Lord said,
Forasmuch as this people draw near me
with thou mouth, and with their lips
do honour me, but have removed their heart
far from me, and their fear of me is taught
by the precept of men:
Behold, I will proceed to do a marvellous work,
among this people, even a marvellous work
and a wonder
For the wisdom of their wise men shall perish,
and the understanding of their prudent men
shall be hid

And in that day shall the deaf hear the words
of the book
And the eyes of the blind shall blind shall see
out of obscurity, and out of darkness

The meek also shall increase their joy
in the Lord
And the poor among men shall rejoice
in the Holy One of Israel

ISAIAH 28:5,6,9,10,16,29

3/24/2018

   ISAIAH 28:5,6,9,10,16,29

   In that day shall the Lord
of hosts be for a crown of glory,
and for a diadem of beauty,
unto the residue of the people

And for a spirit of judgment
to him that sitteth in judgment
and for them that turn the battle
to the gate

Whom shall he teach knowledge?
And whom shall he make
to understand doctrine?
Them that are weaned from the milk
and drawn and drawn from the breasts

   For precept must be upon precept
Line upon line, line upon line
Here a little and there a little

Therefore, thus saith the Lord, God
Behold I lay in Zion for a foundation,
a stone, a tried stone, a precious corner stone,
a sure foundation
He that believeth shall not make haste
This also cometh forth from the Lord of hosts
which is wonderful in counsel
and excellent in working

TAKE TIME

3/24/2018

  TAKE TIME

Today is a good day to
take time...

to write a poem
to sing a happy song
to hug our children closer
to think more positively
to get started
to finish up
to rest
to make a new friend
to love an old enemy
to cherish family traditions
to put our homes in order
to increase our prayer time
to read the Good Book
to rejoice in the Lord
Take time...to be blessed

(Written on July 3, 1975 #39)

10 POUND KNEES

3/24/2018

10 POUND KNEES

After weighing myself the other morning,
our youngest daughter, Heather, (age 4),
stepped on the scales.
Heather then proceeded to bend over and
place he hands on the scales.
"Daddy, my hands weight five pounds. I'm
going to see how much my knees weigh."
Heather then proceeded to kneel down on
both knees.
"How much do your knees weigh, Heather?"
"Ten pounds," she replied.
O, the charm, wit, and innocence of children.
Enjoy your children while they are young, for
the years go swiftly by.

(Written on August 20, 1978 #515)

TO FILIBUSTER

3/22/2018

TO FILIBUSTER

Having been a registered Republican all
our voting life, we took special interest
in the findings of a recent Des Moines
Register newspaper poll.

The poll focused on heaven and hell.
It indicated that only one Republican
out 35 expectsl to wind up in hell,while
one out of 9 Democrats assume that
they will.

In analyzing these findings, we have
concluded that the reason so many more
Democrats wind up in hades is because
more of them, over time, have served in
Congress, than have Republicans.

Wouldn't it be terrible for a Republican to
be sent to hell, only to find that more than
3 out 4 occupants were Democrats?

As a Republican, it makes us truly desire
to repent and be born again...or at least
to filibuster.

(Written on August 22,1978 #516)

ISAIAH 27:4,5,12,13

3/17/2018

  ISAIAH 27:4,5,12,13

Fury is not in me
Who would set the briars
and thorns against me
in battle?

I would go through them,
I would burn them together

Or let him take hold of my strength
that he may make peace with me
and he shall make peace with me

And it shall come to pass in that day,
that the Lord shall beat off
from the channel of the river
unto the stream of Egypt

  And thou shall be gathered
one by one, ye children of Israel

And it shall come to pass in that day
   that the great trumpet shall be blown
And they shall come that were ready
to perish in the land of Assyria
and the outcasts in the land of Egypt
shall worship the Lord
in the holy mount of Israel

ALL ROADS LEAD SOMEWHERE

3/17/2018

   ALL ROADS LEAD SOMEWHERE

                                        In the space and time allotted to us all,
                                        we travel down many roads.
                                        Occasionally, because of confused
                                        directionality or erroneous judgment we
                                        may accidentally wind up on the wrong road.

                                        One important principle we have
                                        discovered is this…
                                        As long as we have breath, it is
                                        never too late to get off the wrong road.

                                        We may have to back up and turn around.
                                        We may lose some time,
                                        But, with patience - persistence -
                                        and faith - we can get back on the right road.

                                        Some roads lead to palaces of kings
                                        Some roads lead to dead ends
                                        Some roads lead to happiness of heart
                                        Some roads lead to cherished friends

                                        I love the roads that lead to home
                                        Roads that bless, that give, that care
                                        Oh, Father, let me no more roam
                                        From roads that lead to loftier air

    (Written on 29 June 1975 #37)

LONELY HEARTS CULB

3/17/2018

LONELY HEARTS CLUB

When we were kids, you could scan
any movie magazine, and near the back
there would be several advertisements
encouraging those with pining hearts
to write in and join a lonely hearts club.

Now, it's been awhile since we perused
a movie magazine (after all, we now have
a wife and four kids. They, the magazines,
not the wife and kids, have lost their
allure.

But we have lived long enough to realize
that the world is filled with lonely people
with lonely hearts.

A prayer for lonely hearts...
Heavenly Father, bless those whose hearts
are lonely this day. Fill their hearts with your
love and compassion.
To the weeping and the widows, attend their day.
Give solace to the misunderstood, and peace
to every troubled heart who reads this prayer,
this day. In Jesus' name, Amen.

(Written on August 10,1978 #511)