A Quiet House

This weekend my wife is staying with her mother who is recouperating from a broken leg. This morning the house is very quiet. I am aware of how empty this house is when she is away. Not only does she make this house feel like a home by the way she takes care of it; by the way she displays items, pictures, reminders of family, events, times we have spent together; by the little things I notice that she adds or changes which keeps the house fresh and more alive; but she also makes this house feel like home because she is here with me. No place would feel like home if she were not there with me. As I sit in this house, empty of her, I am reminded of how empty my life would be without her in it. She adds the spice, the decoration, the warmth, the excitement, the anticipation of life, the love; she adds everything I need in a companion, a helper, a friend, a lover. Yes, she is indeed God's complete gift to me as my life's mate. I don't like these times of loneliness without her, but they do serve as a reminder of just how much she means to me; of just how blessed I am to have her in my life

The First Easter Celebration

I wrote this Easter of 2011 as I contemplated what must have taken place in heaven on the first Easter as the angels, unaware of the complete plan of the Father, witnessed the events among men. I thought I would share again this year as the celebration approaches once more.


All heaven stood aghast as they nailed Him to the cross.
The Hope of man to be crucified; would all Hope now be lost?
The angels gathered ‘round the throne as if the Father to console.
No singing from within was heard; no words of praise to extol.
There He hangs ‘twix Heaven and Earth, life slowly slipping away;
The Savior of Man, the Son of God, shouldn’t need die this way.

The sky turned black. All angels mourn. Death has had its due.

The men on earth had failed to see the Love which they all knew.
They laid Him in a borrowed grave and placed a seal thereon.
Therein lay the Prince of Peace who once sat on His throne.
In darkness, still and quiet, the grave held tight its prey,
Three days passed, heaven stilled, as death held life at bay.

The Father summoned His messengers, His plans to them revealed.

The shout came forth, the earth did shake, death at last must yield!
He chose one to go and tell, The Son has risen from the grave
The debt is paid, the way is made, mankind now to save.
The angels sing in unison once more, Hallehlu Yah.
The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, has risen to live for Aye.

The Class of '65

A couple years ago I wrote this for my high school class' 45th year re-union. Since the next one will be upon us before I know it, I thought I would just share this once again. Maybe some inspiration will come before the next re-union. I hope so; it has been a long dry spell.

And here’s to us, the class of sixty-five.

We’re glad we’re here; we’re glad to be alive!
The years have gone and caught us by surprise.
Oh, looking-glass, we don’t believe our eyes!
What are those bulges in our clothes we see?
That silver in our hair, what could it be?
We’ve made it through the war of Vietnam.
It’s sad but some of us did not come home.
For most of us the sev’n’ties were so good.
We’d like to r’turn to those days if we could.
And then, the eighties, we were thirties bound,
And kids were there, seemed always were around.
And now the kids have children of their own.
And, most the time, we’re still glad they’re gone.
Although, we’ve learned, they never really leave.
Their times away bring just a short reprieve.
We’re glad to see the grandkids come to see.
We’re even gladder when they decide to leave.
For our role in life we all still search.
Our reputations we would not besmirch.
Retire or not retire bewilders us.
Will our funds hold out? Oh what a fuss!
It’s time to live our dreams before they’re gone.
We’ve worked so hard, it’s time to build thereon.
Give back to those who’ve given us so much,
But give a little for our own delights and such.
At last, give thanks that we are still alive,
For, cheers, we are the Class of Sixty-Five.

Slow Dance

This is not original with me. I don't remember where I got it, but found it again today. It is good advice for all. Enjoy.

Have you ever watched kids

on a merry-go-round

Or listened to the rain

slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic flight

Or gazed at the sun into the fading night?

You better slow down

Don't dance so fast

Time is short

The music won't last

Do you run through each day on the fly

When you ask "How are you?"

do you hear the reply?

When the day is done,do you lie in your bed

With the next hundred chores running through your head?

You'd better slow down

Don't dance so fast

Time is short

The music won't last

Ever told your child,

We'll do it tomorrow

And in your haste, not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch,

Let a good friendship die

'Cause you never had time

to call and say "Hi"?

You'd better slow down

Don't dance so fast

Time is short

The music won't last

When you run so fast to get somewhere

You miss half the fun of getting there.

When you worry and hurry through your day,

It is like an unopened gift....

Thrown away...

Life is not a race.

Do take it slower

Hear the music

Before the song is over.

When I Pray

I think that I
Shall never say
Aught as good
As when I pray.

For when I pray

I do converse
With Creator
 Of the Universe.

In prayer I leave

All the mundane
And find the source
That does sustain.

I open heart

And soul and mind
For thoughts that are
Of nobler kind.

Through this language

So mystique
I find the peace
For which I seek.

I find the One

Who for me seeks,
I listen close,
As He then speaks.

He tells me of

His love so sure,
A love so strong
A love so pure.

Now I’m refreshed

All things are new.
I find new strength
In all I do.

So when I’m down

When things look gray
I lift my eyes
To Him I pray.

Where Do We Go From Here?

I am not a fatalist. I am not a pessimist. I don’t make any claim to prophecy. However, if one is any student of history; and if one believes in the Sovereignty of the Creator over His creation; if one believes in the Sovereignty of the Creator over history, it seems to me there can be only two conclusions applicable to the future of the United States of America. The first is that the United States will make a significant return to the values of the founding fathers, although undergoing some degree of purging within. Those values are found in the Holy Bible, the Sacred Scriptures of the Christian faith. The second is that the United States will collapse under the weight of its own decadence.  And if one would analyze the past path of decline, it would be reasonable to expect the beginning of this collapse to happen within the next fifty years, two generations. The Sovereign of history has repeatedly raised up peoples and nations to answer the call, that is, the promise, of  1 Peter 2:9-12.

⁹ But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. ¹⁰ Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

¹¹ Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. ¹² Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.

The founding Fathers and the Presidents and leaders of the past have viewed the role of the United States to fulfill this promise. Not only is this no longer true, but this view is held by a very small minority of the people of the United States. It has been historically true that such nations, those who continuously and obviously reject this role, have been replaced and other nations have been raised up to take their place. Tragically, the United States has become so arrogant in our might, that most do not believe that this great nation can be brought down. History would tell us different. Much greater nations have been brought down and relegated to the forgotten pages of history.

It is not apparent at this point in history which nation or people which the Sovereign Judge might raise up to meet His call, but it would not be unreasonable to expect, that for those who are perceptive and looking, this may begin to become apparent within the next generation. Neither is it a foregone conclusion that this nation, this United States of America, might not make a strong and significant return to our purpose and founding values. May each and every one of our citizens who call themselves Christian; who believes that God raises up nations and brings down nations for His particular purposes; who believes that we have strayed so far from our founding values that we are indeed in danger of losing our role, earnestly pray for a return of the United States to Him who raised us up before it is too late.

A Second Chance

You only go ‘round once in life so make it all you can.
There are no do-over’s to make it right, no chance to start again.
Words that once escape your lips can never be recast.
And the opportunity that comes today may very well be the last.

This wisdom seems self-evident to all the human race.

Of course the past is past and the outcomes we must face.
But let each new day remind us of the Grace that comes so free
That offers now to all who seek, a Second Chance to be.

To be the friend who encourages, lifts up and makes one glad.

To be the one to lead the way through valleys deep and sad
To be a beacon shining out, a light in which to dance.
To be all that He intends when He gives the Second Chance.