Blog Archives

ISAIAH 38:1,4,5,7,8,20

5/31/2018

     ISAIAH 38:1,4,5,7,8,20

In those days, was Hezekiak,
sick unto death. And Isaiah
the prophet, the son of Amos,
came unto him, and said unto him,
  Thus saith the Lord:
Set thine house in order, for thou
shalt die and not live.

  Then came the word of the Lord
to Isaiah, saying...
Go and say to Hezekiah:
  Thus saith the Lord, the God of David,
  thy father:
I have heard thy prayer, I seen thy
tears...
Behold, I will add unto thy days,
fifteen years.

  And this will be a sign unto thee
from the Lord, that the Lord will
do this thing that he hath spoken:

Behold, I will bring again the shadow
of the degrees, which is gone down
in the sundial of Ahaz, ten degrees backward.
So the sun returned ten degrees, by which
degrees it was gone down.

  The Lord was ready to save me:
Therefore we will sing my songs
to the stringed instruments
all the days of our life
in the house of the Lord.

STILL THE TRUMPET SOUNDS

5/31/2018

STILL THE TRUMPET SOUNDS

Many men have started
on their journey
down the open road
but the blistering sun
has parched their souls
and they have gone astray

Many have travelled long
down the open road
rapidly and surefooted
while the path was smooth
but lo, the rocks and stones
have forced them turn away

Many have sought
the thorny comfort
of deceitful riches
and the beautiful life
causing their good fruit
to wither and decay

And still the trumpet sounds
for men and women
like you and me
to give of our best
to give of our all
and to point the stranger home

Aye, still the trumpet sounds
for stout hearts
and gentle souls
courage and love to show
for pilgrims coming after
the King's way for to go

And still the trumpet sounds
raise up your heads and listen
for the tones are clear
and the notes are pure
oh help some soul
down the open road
help him now, today

(Written on January 8, 1976 #117.
The "thorny" verse and the "King's
way" line were written and added
on May 31, 2018)

FILL US, HOLY SPIRIT

5/31/2018

FILL US, HOLY SPIRIT
We recently came across
an interesting statement...

   "The human spirit fails unless
the Holy Spirit fills."
   (Author unknown)

Fill us Holy Spirit with persistency.
Help us become habitual commandment
keepers. Permit us to never weary
in well doing.

Fill us Holy Spirit with patience. Give
us the trust and faith we need to rejoice
in all things and endure to the end.

Fill us Holy Spirit with meaningful prayer.
Help our every thought become an heavenly
petition so that we might daily walk with thee.

Fill us Holy Spirit with power. Let us see Thee
as our source of all things good and true and
spiritual. May we see thee as the source
of all we have. Indeed, of all we are and do.

Fill us Holy Spirit and make us right with thee
Yea, make us one with thee, O God.

(Written on September 5, 1978. #522.
Revisions added on May 14, 2018)

A SHORT PRAYER (5.30.2018)

5/30/2018

A SHORT PRAYER (5.30.2018)

Dear Heavenly Father
Help us
Heal us
Comfort us
Empower us
Guide us
Teach us
And most importantly,
Love us and
Have mercy upon us
Now and forevermore
In the name
Of Jesus Christ
(Written on May 16, 2018)

DAFFY DUCK 523

5/27/2018

DAFFY DUCK

Having engaged in name calling
since we were little children, it
thrilled us to read that some of
our Washington elite have elevated
this ancient sport to new heights
(or should we say new depths) of
national notoriety).

According to our newspaper, Hamilton
Jordan, President Carter's Chief of Staff,
referred to Zbigniew Brzezinski as
Woody Woodpecker. Brzezinski retorted
by calling Jordan, Porky Pig.

Now, while we have never met Woody
or Porky while visiting Washington, we,
nevertheless, have suspected that there
is more than one Daffy Duck in our Capitol
barnyard.

What with all the high-costing bureaucratic
shenanigans taking place in D.C., it's enough
to make the folks back home whistle a
Looney Tune.

(First published on September 7,1978.
Ah, those were the good old days when
disparaging remarks were still courteous
and mild). #523

ISAIAH 37:14,15,16,32

5/25/2018

ISAIAH 37:14,15,16,32

  And Hezekiah received the letter
from the hand of the messengers,
      and read it: and Hezekiah went up
unto the house of the Lord, and
spread it before the Lord.

  And Hezekiah prayed unto the Lord,
saying, O Lord of hosts, God of Israel,
  that dwellest between the cherubims,
  thou art the God, even thou alone,
of all the kingdoms of the earth:
  thou hast made heaven and earth.

  For out of Jerusalem shall go forth
a remnant, and they that escape out
of mount Zion: the zeal of the Lord
of hosts shall do this.

DAY BY DAY

5/25/2018

DAY BY DAY

We give Thee thanks, Oh Lord...

For our sweet wives
For our beautiful children
For cool calming breezes
For silent moments
For the adventure of life
For each new sunrise
For thy patience and love
  For rolling away the stone
For listening and caring
For the joy thy Spirit bestows

Indeed, Oh Lord, our cup runneth over...
day by day.

(Written on December 12, 1975)

A CHILD OF GOD

5/22/2018

A CHILD OF GOD

Looking backward, over the past
(too many) decades, we observe
that we let go of God's hand, too
often, too much.
The good news is that he has never
taken his hands off our life.

Because we have personally experienced
his unfailing and everlasting love, we
cannot help but believe that God holds
the same compassion and concern
for all his children, regardless of their
past sins.

We are the children of a very loving
heavenly father who loves us still.
Seek him while he may be found.
Be willing to repent.
His blessings are infinite.
His mercy is wide and deep.

(Written on August 24,1978 #517;
contains some revisions,)

ISAIAH 36:9,20

5/18/2018

ISAIAH 36:9,20

How then wilt thou turn away
from the face of one captain
of the least of my master's servants,
and put thy trust on Egypt for chariots
and horsemen?

Who are they among all the gods of these lands, that have delivered
their land out of my hand, that
the Lord should deliver Jerusalem
out of my hand?

WHILE IT IS DAY

5/18/2018

    WHILE IT IS DAY

                                                While it is day, let us...
                                                Release ourselves from all bitterness
                                                Become a vessel filled with love
                                                Learn the importance of eternal truths
                                                Acquire the art of affirmation
                                                Realize the power in pondering and prayer
                                                Love ourselves so that we may love others
                                                Vocally tell our family that we love them
                                                Lay down the sword of malice
                                                Pick up the shield of faith
                                               Enjoy the simple rhythms of nature
                                                Make of our lives a holy psalm
                                               While it is day let us bask in the sun

(Written on November 18, 1975 #97)