Blog Archives

SEED TIME 463

4/28/2017

  SEED TIME

                                "Well, Lord, the 15th of April has come
and gone, and we feel like an abbreviated
version of "Rich Man-Poor Man."

"So? Haven't I told you to render unto
Caesar what is Caesar's and render unto me
what is mine?"

   "Yes, Lord. But, do you have any idea how
much it cost to raise a family these days?"

"Morgan...what did I see you do the other
day in your backyard?"

   "Trip over the boys' baseball bat?"
   "No, further back."

   "Oh , you mean You saw us cultivate and disc
   our land and get it ready for seed time?"

   "Yes ...Many have called Me the Lord of the
   Harvest, but I am also the Lord of the Planting
   Season."

   "Thank you for allowing us to be a
   gardener in Your vineyard. Help us to lean to
   reverence and respect the seeds that you give us,
   as well as we appreciate the harvest at summer's
   end. Help us to plant well, to plant with great joy
   in our heart."

   "You shall plant...and harvest...according to
the real and true intentions of your heart."

       "Thank You, Lord."
(First posted in April 1978)

PLAY BALL!

4/28/2017

    PLAY BALL!

                                            From out of the closets once again
                                            Come a bat, a ball, a glove
                                            As youngsters from both far and wide
                                            Warm up for the game I love

                                            Practice is about to begin
                                            For those who like to score
                                            And if you judge by anxiousness
                                            A great season is in store

                                            They're cracking bats and chewing gum
                                            My sons of the sultry swat
                                            They're eager boys who've left their toys
                                            To show us what they've got

                                            It'll be a strikeout here, a homerun there
                                            Lots of cheers and heartaches too
                                            But they will've grown into little men
                                            Before the season's through

                                            For baseball's quite a game, you see
                                            It's life before your eyes
                                            It teaches those who raise their gloves
                                            To reach gamely for the prize

                                            Around the bases they will run
                                            Footloose and fancy free
                                            And I have yet but one regret
                                            It's them instead of me

PSALM 134:1,2,3

4/28/2017

PSALM 134:1,2,3

Behold
   Bless ye the Lord
All ye servants
   Of the Lord
Which by night
Stand in the house
of the Lord

   Lift up your hands
in the sanctuary
   and bless the Lord,
the Lord that made
   heaven and earth
Bless thee out of Zion

I AM OLDER NOW

4/28/2017

    I AM OLDER NOW

I am older now
   Much
Much older
   Than I used to be
   For many years
   I deluded myself
   Thinking and believing
I would never
   Grow old
   Perhaps someone else
Might grow old
But not me
Silly
Silly me

   Please do not
   Regard the words
Above
   As a sad lament
   For I have lived
   And live now
A great and wonderful
   Life

   I am presently
In excellent health
   But in recent years
   Have seen too many
   Of my friends
And loved ones
   Pass away
   Since it happened
To them
   I suspect it
   Just might
   Happen
   To me
Someday

Upon my passing
   Sing no sad songs
   For me
Sing no sad songs
   For me

   (Written April 24, 2017)

AND IT WAS GOOD

4/24/2017

   AND IT WAS GOOD

   The other day while the family was away,
   we started to cut the grass. And, after about
   five minutes of cutting, one the wheel chain
   came off the mower.

   After working on the chain for about an hour
we appeared to have secured and ready to
   go.

After going around the house with the cutter,
   only one time, the chain came off again. So
   we gave up in great disgust and went inside
   the house.

The family eventually returned home.
   Everybody came in except Billy. After about
   five minutes, Billy came running into the
house and said, "I put the chain back on
   the lawn mower."

"What," said I. (After all Billy is only eight).

   Alas, we continue to learn that our children
   have abilities and talents that we probably
   never have.

   Later, Billy and I went our and enjoyed
   tinkering on the lawnmower, as our father-
son relationship seemed to grow a few
   inches.
   And, it was good.

   (Written in June, 1978)

PSALM 133:1,2,3

4/22/2017

  PSALM 132:1,2,3

Behold, how good and how pleasant
it is for brethren to dwell in unity

   It is like the precious ointment upon the head
   that ran down the beard
even Aaron's beard
that went down
to the skirts
   of his garments

   As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew
      that descended upon the mountains of Zion
       for there the Lord commanded the blessing
      even life for evermore

THE SPECTATOR

4/22/2017

    THE SPECTATOR

   Spring arrived quietly
                                                    Barely noticed this year
                                                    Almost like a spectator
                                                    In this game called life
                                                    Hurrying past us to her seat
                                                    Without a word or whisper
                                                    Just quickly passed by us
                                                    And sat unobtrusively
                                                    Close by our side
                                                    And nudged us
                                                    Gently on the arm
                                                    While intimating promises
                                                    Of pleasant times in store
                                                    For those willing to wait
                                                    Patiently on the Lord
                                                    With confidence knowing
                                                    That the seeds they've planted
                                                    Will blossom once again
                                                    As they've often done before

STEP UP

4/22/2017

   STEP UP

  An unknown author has written...

                                         "Mountains viewed from a distance seem
                                         to be unscalable, but they can be climbed,
                                         and the way to begin is to take the first
                                         upward step...The slopes that seem so
                                         steep from a distance seem to level off as
                                         we near them."

                                         Certainly, human history presents us with
                                         overwhelming evidence that indicates that all
                                         mountains...whether geographical, mental
                                         emotional, or spiritual...may be climbed...
                                         and conquered...one step at a time.

                                         And, isn't it interesting that the slopes,
                                         which once appeared so difficult to climb,
                                         look so simple as we view them from a higher
                                         vantage point?
                                         Never be afraid to step up higher...
                                         to where the air is purer and eagles

   (First posted in 2012)

PSALM 135

4/21/2017

PSALM 135:1,2,3

Praise ye the Lord
   Praise ye the name of the Lord
   Praise him, O ye servants of the Lord

Ye that stand in the house of the Lord
In the courts of the house of our God

   Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good
   Sing praises unto his name
For it is pleasant

PSALM 132:4,5,13,14,17

4/15/2017

   PSALM 132:4,5,13,14

I will not give sleep to mine eyes
   or slumber to mine eyelids
   Until I find out a place for the Lord,
   an habitation for the mighty God
   of Jacob

   For the Lord hath chosen Zion
   He hath desired it for his habitation
   This is my rest forever
Here will I dwell
   For I have desired it
There will I make the horn of David
   to bud
I have ordained a lamp
for mine anointed