Blog Archives

INSIDE JOB

11/21/2012

    INSIDE JOB

To change the face of a person,
or nation, we first have to change
the character of the inner man.

To apply new economic programs
or social reforms as a balm to our
national ills is merely treating surface
symptoms.

To solely blame industry, business,
education or politics for our country's
woes is to simply skirt around the real
culprits...you and me.

Everyone has the responsibility to
continually re-examine themselves and
their motives...to ask, "What is my
moral direction, where am I going?"

Walt Kelley was right, you know,
when he had his possum, Pogo, exclaim
"We has met the enemy and he is us."

   (First published on November 21, 2012)

HISTORICAL NOVELS

11/21/2012

  HISTORICAL NOVELS

                                                           "What I like in a good author," wrote
                                                           Logan Smith, "is not what he says...but
                                                          what he whispers."

                                                           Each of us daily writes his own historical
                                                           novel. We fill our pages with...

                                                           Bravado and anxiety
                                                           Faith and fear
                                                           Hope and doubt
                                                           Sins and blessings
                                                           Successes and failures

                                                           We write not on flimsy parchment that
crumbles quickly to dust and blows
   away with the wind. Oh, no, Our
lives and actions are indelibly
                                                           inscribed on the sinews of our souls.

                                                           In chapters yet to come, may we whisper...

                                                           About great ideas and ideals
                                                           About the beauty of nature
                                                           About concern and compassion
                                                           About good times and traditions

                                                           May we be wary of what we write.
                                                           May our chapters steadily improve and
                                                           give joy and blessings to those around
                                                           us, and silent satisfaction at the end.

FACETS OF LOVE

11/21/2012

FACETS OF LOVE

                                                            "Love," wrote Katherine Anne Porter,
                                                            must be learned, and learned again and
                                                            again; there is no end to it. Hate needs
                                                            no instruction, but waits only to be provoked."


Who among us has learned all there is to learn
                                                            about love? Love is like a continually rotating,
                                                            smoothly polished diamond with an infinite
                                                            number of sides and facets.
                                                            And, each day we see more and more ways in
                                                            which love may be extended, expanded and
                                                            bestowed.

                                                            Just as we hope we have mastered one small
                                                            facet of love, numerous more sides appear and
                                                            we learn...that we have, oh so much more
                                                            to learn...about love and loving.

                                                            We are presently learning that it is necessary
                                                            to receive love from a God of love before we may
                                                            attempt to pass His love along to those around us.

                                                            We are leanring that economic or social status
                                                            may or may not have a great deal to do with
                                                            the amount of love we receive from or give to
                                                            others.

                                                            However, this we know, the facets go on and on.
                                                            And, we shall never see their end in our lifetime.

TASKS SO IMPORTANT

11/21/2012

TASKS SO IMPORTANT

                                                        In writing on how to cope with despondency,
                                                        Harry Emerson Fosdick made the following
                                                        suggestion...

                                                        "Remember that some tasks are so important
                                                        that they must be gone through with whether
                                                        we are depressed or not."
                                                        When we, at first, think of "tasks so important,"
                                                        we might think of some deeds that are highly
                                                        heroic or that are terribly dangerous to our
                                                        physical well being or our emotional security.

                                                        But, we would suggest two "important tasks"
                                                        that are daily commonplace in their occurrence...

                                                        One is...earning a living and the second is...
                                                        keeping a home.
                                                        These two are with us most of our days and are
                                                        "tasks so important" that we cannot, dare not,
                                                        avoid them regardless of our moods or our mental
                                                        dispositions.

                                                        Our moods and thoughts change continually and,
                                                        whether melancholy or happy, our "tasks so
                                                        important" still remain.

    (First published on November 21, 2012)

THANKSGIVING (1975)

11/15/2012

  THANKSGIVING (1975)

                                                               Dear Father, Thank you...
For peace in our land.
                                                               For sons and daughters home
from wars.
                                                               For our material prosperity.
                                                               For our Spiritual promptings and
                                                               learnings.
                                                               For mothers and fathers and loved
                                                              ones everywhere.
                                                               For this free land, this great America
                                                               For thy tender mercies toward
                                                               an oft-time wayward folk.
                                                               For this beautiful season of reflection
                                                               and renewal.
                                                               For thy Son who gives meaning and
                                                               and purpose to our lives.

                                                               Thank you Heavenly Father, in Jesus'
                                                               name. Amen.

THE MASTER CRAFTSMAN

11/15/2012

    THE MASTER CRAFTSMAN

                                                           Near the close of summer, we are did a bit
                                                           of remodling in our home, patching ceilings
                                                           filling cracks, and painting walls,

                                                           At first, it seemed as though we would never
                                                           finish. And yet, as each day progressed, we
                                                           could see further progress, and this gave us
                                                           hope that we might eventually finish our tasks,
                                                           which after a few weeks we actually did.

                                                           That's the way it is in our personal lives. At
                                                           some point in our lives we realize that we
                                                           need a refurbishing.

                                                           Damage to our soul, due to lack of concern
                                                           and care, had taken its toll through the years,
                                                           and the task of renovating called for the skills
                                                           of the Master Craftsman. We needed to have
                                                           Him restore our soul. It was obvious that we
                                                           badly needed Him to be our interior decorator.

                                                           We were greatly in need of repairs. Because of
                                                           the material he has had to work with, progress
                                                           has been slower than we would have desired.

                                                           We often become impatient with Him. We
                                                           so often have wanted immediate results. We
                                                           have wanted the job done yesterday.
                                                           But, we are learning to be still and trust and
                                                           have faith in Him.

                                                           And, we are confident that the results shall one
                                                           day be grand. They always are when the builder's
                                                           tools are wielded by the hand of the Master
                                                           Craftsman.

(First published on November 15, 2012,
with revisions made on December 3, 2012}

WINTERTIME (2012)

11/15/2012

   WINTERTIME (2012)

   Winter is a time...
Of homecomings and parades
Of gentle embraces and tender caresses
Of sugar cookies and candy canes
Of silver 'cycles frost-pasted on pastel skies
Of pleasant fires, hot chocolate and
buttered pop-corn
Of soft sentiment and serenity sublime
Of bounteous harvests from prior plantings
Of walking softly as in shoes of snow
Of cold noses and warm hearts

Winter is a time...for pondering the past in
preparation for the future

(First written on 11.15.2012 with revisions
on 1.28.2018)

BUTTON, BUTTON

11/15/2012

BUTTON, BUTTON

Many years ago, the following notice
appeared in the Sunday program of the
Scotch Presbyterian Church, Scotland...

"Will those of you who have been putting
buttons in the collection basket, kindly put
in your own buttons, and not those from the
church upholstery."

While it is true that much honest criticism
could be legitimately aimed at our religious
institutions, much could be done to instill and
increase the spirituality needed withing those
hallowed walls if perhaps we who occupy the
pews were to pray more positively and praise
more expectantly, give thanks more abundantly,
and glorify God for all the blessings yet to come,
and for those blessings that our churches actually
provide.
Then, perhaps we could soon see the day when
we might bust our spiritual buttons with holy
love and sacrificial service.
Ah, button button, who's got the button?
Why, we have, of course!

ON RAISING CHILDREN (THOUGHT FOUR)

11/10/2012

  ON RAISING CHILDREN (THOUGHT FOUR)

                                                    Wrote Arnold Glasow...

                                                    "Parents can tell, but never teach, unless they
                                                    practice what they preach."

                                                    This couplet has given us reason to ponder...

                                                    Are there words we say or actions we take
                                                    or thoughts we think that would take away from
                                                    the natural beauty and innocence of our children?
                                                    Have we told our children to speak with softer
                                                   voices and then shouted at our spouse?

                                                    Have we encouraged our children to view only 'G'
                                                    rated movies and then attended those rated 'R' or
"X."

Have we encouraged our children to go to Sunday
                                                    school and then crawled back into bed?

                                                    Our children usually desire to act like their parents,
                                                    and shall continue to do so. Therefore...May we,
                                                    this day, light well our children's path.

GOOD PEOPLE

11/10/2012

GOOD PEOPLE

"Years ago," commented Soloman Freefhof,
"I preferred clever people...Now I like good people."

Used to, we also tended to mingle with those who
could casually carry on clever conversations.

We mingled with those who had inside knowledge
concerning the latest Broadway shows, the newest
political swindles, and the fastest money-making
schemes.

But of late, we more readily enjoy the company...
of those who care about people as real-life human
beings.
of those who have cultivated listening ears and
have forsaken condemning lips.
of those who enjoy confessing the efficacy of
Scripture-readying and quite and silent prayer.
of those who understand the soul's desire for
the upward reach and who encourage us to go
forward in that direction.

Yes, years ago, we too preferred clever people.
Today, we just enjoy...good people.