December First Dusting

 
 
 
 


Cold Silent Beautiful

Up around the bend

We ought walk together and talk together and get quiet all together,
yet we never know just what it is that's layin' up around the bend.

So we walk together and talk together and get quiet together,
so that we can sure remember just where it might be that we prob'ly been.

Then we walk away and part our ways awhile and quit us each to his own,
and we see what it is that was calling to us from up around the bend.

And we walk together and talk together and get loud with each other,
and again we find just what it is that we thought we could never have lost.

So life is that we can walk and talk and laugh and sit a spell together,
until we're pert sure we know just what it is that lies up around the bend.

Around the bend, farther along, down the road apiece, we will find that joy
we look for when like Johnny we plant a seed and whistle to the big end.

So talk together and walk together and get quiet a bit together
and soon you and I can see the smile is just up on both ends of the bend.

Can it be?

As recently as September 30, 2009 we, my pastor and several members of the church were discussing among other thigs, God's manifestatioin in our lives. Surely it wasn't just me. Then on Friday following that Wednesday i called the pastor to discuss a little further what I had uncovered in my study relating to the Hebrew resistance to the idea that Christ has already come based in Isaiah the second chapter which relates that the expected one will usher in an age of peace.

I have this 'new' watch. It is only three months old. It has too many bells and whixtles and is very large and cumbersome even on my large frame. The digital portion of its functions quit in its second week.

So I had called Dr. Rogers and surmised to him to him that while verse 4 seems to require peace at the Messiah's coming, previously in verse 2 is a description of the establishment of God's House on a high mountain, similar in connotation to that descent of the New Zion. The desscending of Zion has traditionally been connectred to Messiah's self prophecy of His second coming. It made profound sense to me, and simple Friday morning philosophy to Dr. Randy.

As I hung up I glanced at my watch to check the time on the swinging hands and noticed amazing rejubenation to the digital portion of my watch.

Stardate: 08192009AD

Mickey M. sits gazing into her eyes, knowing there has never been, and there is no, and there never will be another so fair and precious and beautiful as the one from whose limpid pools of sparkle and light he fertively draws his very essence. It seems to emanate from their glance. He has no other view but this, no other time but this, all action is paused for this: he begins a smoothe quick glide to his left and KISS KISS KISS...Minnie M. of course gathers his gaze as one picking big sweet delicious juicy apples, enchanted by his proffer and with her own return squeals quietly in delight. Mission accomplished!

I love my wife I believe since the beginning of time, today, of course, more than before because now I know her, and tomorrow because I cannot but do so.

Thank you, my love, thank you for our time, thank you for your love!

Robert to Kathy hers always and forever

Fishers

There is actually a group of Fishers in my family tree. They are found somewhere on my Mother's father's branch. But the real point of this point is a phrase my grandfather, I called him Charlie, everybody else called him Chas but us grandchildren called him Charlie, used to repeat from the bible. Jesus said it to Simon and Andrew and James and John. To wit Mark 1:17"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men." The search did not find this but there it is just as I remember it. Fishers of men. To men who were fishers of fish. In another Gospel he teaches them how to fish for fish and then calls them. It is the way He left them also by helping them catch a great catch.

So there must be something to this fishing thing for followers of Christ. I remember the days of planning and dreaming, the hours of preparing, the hours of driving and the hours of sitting and waiting for that nibble and wondering if the fish had gone home or were just hiding under the ripples and waves laughing at me. But it was all worth it when the right fish came by for the right bait and wham the line tautened and the reel buzzed. After a few failures the line didn't break and the fish didn't drop the hook and in came the cacth. Netted and stringered without flipping back into the water. Though it did take some time and effort to get there, there was nothing like the exuberance of landing that first one and even the second one or even one today.

Charlie loved to fish, and though he may have not caught many the last time he was already to go the next time. He had an encyclopedic mind of all the nooks and crannies and bends and pools he had ever fished and they must have been legion.

I think more than fishing Charlie loved to read his Bible and help me understand the love of God as best he could. A lot of people thought Chas was the best teacher they had had. I tend to agree with 'em. patience and perseverence, kindness, love, joy, peace, goodness, gentleness, self control. God put fish on the Earth to teach us how to be fishers of men.

Go fishing!

Money over Heart?

Archie!

Archie!

Archie!

Bettie will ever be the same--Veronica won't(at least not for you).

Steps to God's Eternal Spirit (prologue to Front Porch I)

When I was young, so young I only remember the sense of my life, not so much the particular, I became alone, or if not alone at least lonely. My constant companion, my protector, my bud, my teacher, my older brother was taken from me in a terrible boating accident. I was left lonely if not alone. My father was left distracted, if not alone. My mother was disheartened, if not alone. My grandparents were bewildered, if not alone. My Great Aunts and Uncles befuddled, if not so alone.

'Where? Where is Tommy', I ask. 'He's not here.' 'Where is he?',
I return. 'He went away.' 'Can I go?', I pursue. 'No!!' 'Why?',
I demand.

'Why don't we read?'

'yieahhhowoooaahhh!' I protest.

'Your father, Paul, thinks he is a 'Jonah'.'

I learn about fish.

'One grandfather thinks he is a 'Peter'.'

I learn more about fish.

'The other thinks he is a 'Job'.'

I learn about loss.

'One uncle is a lot like 'Saul of Tarsus'.'

I learn about cost.

'The other thinks he is a 'Matthew'.'

I learn about opportunity.

'Your great auntie thinks she is an 'Esther'.'

I learn about courage.

'Your mother and grandmothers are a lot like 'Mary'.'

'I learn about purity patience and love.

'Your cousin thinks he is a 'King Saul'.'

I learn about death.

'Your aunts are a lot like Mary and Martha.'

I learn about sevice and humility.

'Your great uncle thinks he is a Benjamite and a Lazarus!'

'Oh no he didn't!' I hear?!

'When will I see Tommy?', I respond.

'Tommy is with Jesus'! they tell me, the Good News!

How can I not?

'Now you need to tell someone!'

'I told you!?'

'Is there anyone else?'

I rush out the door onto the Front Porch and as I descend the steps to the ground between me and the known Mission field, feet peddling fast and hard and constant, ...One..., dressed in a white flowing robe with golden borders, places an eternal hand on my shoulder, tells me softly and tenderly and confidently (my feet flying), 'I will be with you always! in a moment frozen to stillness, and on across the yard '.Mommy! Mommy! Mommy! Guess what!?'...

I often pause on the Front Porch and wanderingly wonder 'Am I alone?'

The response, 'Are you still?'...'Are my feet flying?',...