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BEFORE I GO TO BED 569 poem Heavenly Father Help me write a letter To a friend Before I go to bed Help my family Say their prayers And me too, Lord Before I go to bed Help me read The Holy Scriptures And take their words to heart Before I go to bed Help me Thank You For your blessings Given me this day Before I go to bed (Written December 31, 1978)
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THE LONG WINTER GLOW Snow peaks, snow peaks The valley is surrounded by lofty snow peaks Packed almost solid at the tops Silently cascading down the mountain sides Changing quietly into ribbons of white Slowly breaking apart into vertical streams of frozen creamy custard Until they reach the downward slopes of the brackish hills on the soft valley floor Rapidly melting Beautiful snow Giving to us the last look of the long winter glow (Written on March 29, 2019) ISAIAH 53:1,3,4,5 Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? He is despised and rejected of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief And we hid as it were, our faces from him He was despised and we esteemed him not Surely he hath Borne our griefs and carried our sorrows He was bruised for our iniquities The chastisement of our peace was upon him And, with his stripes, we are healed WATT'S UP DOC? 564 Every year at this time, after the end of daylight saving time, the early darkness is most noticeable. Recently, Donna and I were discussing this phenomenon. "Bill, what with the children having homework, you simply must replace these ten-watt bulbs with something stronger." "Okay honey...Double the wattage!" "We've heard of people hiding their light under a bushel, dear. But, this is ridiculous. You're the only man I know who can hide his light under a lampshade." "Well I have wanted to put my light on top of a hill, but its very difficult to find one here on the Eastern Shore. And besides, we don't want to overload the fuse box." "Dear, if you don't give us more light, we're going to blow a fuse!" Reluctantly, I relented. and new and brighter bulbs were purchased. I don't think we'll keep them very long, though. The first night they were installed, I was sitting on the couch reading, and Tammy entered, peered over the sofa and exclaimed... "Oooh...Look at Daddy's bald spot!" (Written on December 19, 1978) PROCRASTINATION "Procrastination," wrote Don Marquis, "is the art of keeping up with yesterday." Keeping up with yesterday is almost as difficult as getting ahead of tomorrow. While it is pleasant to have fond memories of yesterday... And glorious dreams and hopes for the future... The present time is the time for the work at hand. If we are to strengthen our character, it must be done today. If we are to repent of sins, it must be done today If we are to love our families, and neighbors, it must be done today. Seldom do we procrastinate in the right direction, at the proper time. May we look well to this day. OPEN ARE THE WINDOWS Open are the windows Spring air coming through Gone are the lonely Winter nights Gone cold, blue Spring, spring Is on its way Daffodils coming out To play, ah Nothing like your tulips On a balmy, spring day (Written on March 18, 2019 while snow still tried to filter down. By the 21st, spring and summer were obviously on their way) TOUGH, THIS WINTER Tough, this winter Begrudging and begrudgingly hanging on Snow falling on top of snow Covering the mountain sides with eternal beauty and calm Waiting patiently for the spring with all its flowing flowery splendor and its warm comfortable sunshine Come daffodils, come tulips Come Spring (Written on February 28, 2019) ISAIAH 52:11,12 Depart ye, depart ye Go out from thence Touch no unclean thing Go ye out of the midst of her Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord For ye shall not go out with haste, nor go by flight For the Lord will go before you And the God of Israel will be thy rear guard BE KIND 576 Wrote T. H. Thompson, "Be kind." "Remember, everyone you meet is fighting a great battle." It is very easy for each of us to visualize ourselves as though we were fighting an individualized battle, all alone. If we could only see that "the battle is the Lord's," and we are simply his watchmen on the towers of ti If one family is broken by the slashing sword of divorce, do we not all bleed? If one of our comrades is fallen mortally wounded from a battle with sin, should we not all mourn, and then offer healing where we can? If one of God's warriors is struggling to stay in the fight, should we not pray for him to have renewed courage and more spiritual strength? We are all in this battle together. The battle is extremely difficult at times. So, let us strive to be kind, to one another. (Written on January 16,1979 with some revisions on March 14, 2019) SERENITY
Serenity lives expectantly, one day at a time Serenity welcomes the powerful pause Serenity peacefully pursues patience Serenity turns tribulation into exultation Serenity is the fruit of a clean conscience Serenity is the song of the seraph Serenity bears burdens beneficently Serenity is a sacred soliloquy Serenity tolerates, contemplates and meditates Serenity tip-toes softly down the streets of clamor Serenity offers the balm of Gilead to a wounded world (First published on March 11, 2012) |
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