The Maker

Oh, Oh Deep water
Black, and cold like the night
I stand with arms wide open
I've run a twisted mile
I'm a stranger
in the eyes of the Maker

I could not see
for fog in my eyes
I could not feel
for the fear in my life
From across the great divide
In the distance i saw a light
John Baptist
walking to me with the Maker

My body is bent and broken
by long and dangerous sleep
I can work the fields of Abraham
and turn my head away
I'm not a stranger
in the hands of the Maker

Brother John
Have you seen the homeless daughters
standing there
with broken wings
I have seen the flaming swords
there over east of eden
burning in the eyes of the Maker
burning in the eyes of the Maker
burning in the eyes of the Maker
burning in the eyes of the Maker

oh river rise from your sleep....

--Emmylou Harris

Go Boldly

2 Timothy 1:7

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.


Go boldly into this world. Love yourself, others and God. Give to yourself, others and God. If you have these three things in check and in the proper order you have nothing to fear.

In the words of Roosevelt, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself"

All Men are Equal

I submit to you when I took off on that plane this morning, I saw men go out there in their overalls. (Yes, sir, Every time) I saw them working on things here and there, and saw some more going out there to put the breakfast on there so that we could eat on our way to Atlanta. (Make it plain) And I said to myself that these people who constitute the ground crew are just as significant as the pilot, because this plane couldn’t move if you didn’t have the ground crew. (Amen) I submit to you that in Hugh Spaulding or Grady Hospital, (Preach it) the woman or the man who goes in there to sweep the floor is just as significant as the doctor, (Yes) because if he doesn’t get that dust off the floor germs will begin to circulate. And those same germs can do injury and harm to the human being. I submit to you this morning (Yes) that there is dignity in all work (Have mercy) when we learn to pay people decent wages. Whoever cooks in your house, whoever sweeps the floor in your house is just as significant as anybody who lives in that house. (Amen) And everybody that we call a maid is serving God in a significant way. (Preach it) And I love the maids, I love the people who have been ignored, and I want to see them get the kind of wages that they need. And their job is no longer a menial job, (No, sir) for you come to see its worth and its dignity.

Are we really taking this thing seriously? "All men are created equal." (Amen) And that means that every man who lives in a slum today (Preach it) is just as significant as John D., Nelson, or any other Rockefeller. Every man who lives in the slum is just as significant as Henry Ford. All men are created equal, and they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights, rights that can’t be separated from you. [clap] Go down and tell them, (No) "You may take my life, but you can’t take my right to life. You may take liberty from me, but you can’t take my right to liberty. You may take from me the desire, you may take from me the propensity to pursue happiness, but you can’t take from me my right to pursue happiness." (Yes) "We hold these truths to be self-evident that all men are created equal and endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable Rights and among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness." (Yes, sir)

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Moment

Current Reading: A Knock at Midnight
Current Music: Don't Drink the Water by Dave Matthews
Mood: Contemplative and proactive
Sounds: A bass guitar and sax blaring out of my computer speakers
Smells: Autumn Candle
Sights: Horses Running
Temp: 73
Thoughts: Finally a path and the first step

Bend in the Road

BEND IN THE ROAD

When we feel we have nothing left to give
and we are sure that the song has ended.
When our day seems over
and the shadows fall
and the darkness of night has descended.
Where can we go to find the strength
to valiantly keep on trying
Where can we find the hand that will dry
the tears that the heart is crying.

There's but one place to go
and that is to God
and dropping all pretense and pride.
We can pour out our problems
without restraint
and gain strength with Him at our side.
And together we stand at life's crossroads
and view what we think is the end.

But God has a much bigger vision
and He tells us it's only a bend.
For the road goes on and is smoother
and the pause in the song is a rest.
And the part that's unsung and unfinished
is the sweetest and richest and best


So rest and relax and grow stronger
let go and let God share your load.
Your work is not finished or ended
you've just come to a bend in the road.

~ Helen Steiner Rice ~

Sing With Me

Dream on, dream on
Dream yourself a dream come true
Dream on, dream on
Dream until your dream come true
Dream on, dream on, dream on...

Sing with me, sing for the years
Sing for the laughter and sing for the tears
Sing with me, if its just for today
Maybe tomorrow the good lord will take you away

Aerosmith

Good One

Pray and let God worry.

Martin Luther

Wait and Seek, Wait and Seek, Repeat often....

The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.

Lamentations 3:25

It is good to wait on the Lord for what He wants. Do not get in a hurry, frustrated or mad. Also do not miss the bus on the Lord. He does not need to wait on you. You see the calling, sign, nudge etc. pray on it and then act on it. Seek Him always and you will find the answers to the questions you have. They may not be the answers you want, but none the less they are answers.

Varvel comes through again

Look at his cartoon here


What shall we do with no TV drama...oh my.

Clarity Through Pain

Isn't it funny how in the darkest moments, the most painful moments life becomes a little more clear. We think to ourselves, "wow, that doesn't matter as much as I thought it would" or "I never thought that person would care".

Because pain is more times than not an individual thing, during times of pain we are forced to concentrate on ourself and our bodies to heal. While concentrating on healing we go through introspection. We constantly see how we feel and a by product of that we see other things about ourself as well. And because of this intense focus we see with clarity and we see the truth.

The reason I bring this up is because for the past week I have had excruciating shoulder pain which landed me in the hospital on Thursday night. Since then I have been recovering with the aid of my wife.

Some observations from my pain:

1. I love spending time with my wife.
2. I was surprised at who cared and who didn't.
3. Feel free to be honest about all your feelings.
4. Hard decisions are not that hard.
5. Who you are is who you are, but acknowledge the same thing in others.
6. Family is what matters, good friends are right up there too.
7. Your sanity outweighs any financial reward.
8. There is a reason for everything and search hard for that reason.
9. Give kindness and love freely.
10. It is good to be quiet and still sometimes.

A nice article on a friend in Iraq

A very well written article on a friend of mine in Iraq.

God Bless Ryan Scott and thank you for serving our Country. Come home safe!

Top Classic Books

Article from my Alma Mater.

I have read 3/4 of those books. Very good reads, although I would add and subtract some.