POT POURRIE
Of
SONGS, SAYINGS, AND STORIES
ã
1999, by P. WellsPart VII
WIT, WISDOM, AND WINNING WAYS
"THE GRAY LINE"
I don’t know how or when it happened,
The day I slipped past the gray line,
When I seemed to lose my altogether,
The confidence, that had always been mine.
Gradually, I observed I was leaving
Daily, stone after stone unturned,
Becoming more dependent on others
Who humored me with favors unearned.
I found myself repeating instructions
To those who took over my work.
Some replied with impatience, "I know, Ma’am,"
And made me feel like a jerk.
Don’t they know that I need reassurance
That my jobs are going to be done?
It’s my competence--not theirs--I am doubting,
My own helplessness--second to none.
The next time "Some old biddy"
Reminds you again and again and again!
Put yourself in her place and be patient
With what sounds to you like, "just din."
Your answer to repetitions should be,
"Thank you for prompting me, Ma’am.
The first chance I can get, I will do it,"
Or, "Hey, I forgot! Thanks, Gram."
If you let her fretting annoy you,
And shrug with your eyes going dim,
She is convinced that you are heedless--
Won’t even grant her least whim.
Reassure her she’s not really senile--
That you care about all of her needs.
Then she can relax with a smile,
And you will earn crowns for your deeds.
LOVE, MONEY, AND HEALTH
The young pine for love. The middle-aged--gold.
But regret their wasted their health, when they are old.
A POEM
WITHOUT RHYME, RHYTHM OR REASON
Are totally dependent on one another.
How did this happen, Darwin?
Did one organism remain in suspended animation
While the other evolved for thousands of years
To meet the first organisms needs?
Or did the other organism wait in limbo
While the first evolved to ensure the survival of the second?
Or were they both at one time totally independent?
Then at the same precise moment--
They accidentally evolved in proximity of one another
To suddenly be able to supply those exact needs
Which determined that they would be totally dependent
On one another from that instant?
Sounds plausible!
The first organism suddenly became totally dependent
On the other for survival.
And the second suddenly developed
Those characteristics through the process of evolution
That made it impossible for the second organism
To do without the first?
How can anyone argue with that?
That makes sense to me! Listen and think.
It is just a matter of logic. One organism was suddenly
Able through a genetic mutation to supply that which was--
And is--absolutely essential for the survival of the other.
And vice versa. What is so hard about that?
Men must be the ones in limbo!
Men must be the ones in suspended animation!
There is nothing mysterious about symbiotic relationships,
That man cannot explain and understand.
What man needs to understand is your sense of humor
To appreciate the monkey jokes
Which you told us with a straight face.
Unfortunately, some of us have taken you seriously, Darwin.
You may have gone too far. Are you laughing?
Are you even permitted to laugh where you are?
Do you know what is really funny?
Some men who believed you--
Some men who took you seriously--
Will spend the rest of their lives
Trying to prove you were right!
Burns was right when he wrote,
"Oh, what tangled webs we weave,
When first we practice to deceive."
Shame on you Darwin!
Your monkey jokes are not one bit funny.
You always were one to tell lies
Because it made you feel superior
When others believed you.
I cannot believe that you do not feel
At least a bit of remorse for the chaos and confusion
That you have caused, which can only contribute
To man’s destruction. And just for a laugh!
Even your name gives you away.
It is a corruption of "Demon."
Damn you, Satan.
Damnation to you and all your demons!
DARWIN’S THEORY OF EVOLUTION
With each fresh breeze, it mutates to hide flaws.
It is well-named, and has evolved so much
That Darwin would think it was written in Dutch.
SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST
Grandpa saw the world realistically through Victorian glasses.
And not through rose-colored glasses which cause
Humanistic blindness--a distorted view of reality.
People today do not realize that
"You can’t keep your cake and eat it too."
Or that "Every pleasure has a price, or it gives no pleasure."
Or that "It is no fun to win, if you have to cheat."
The "fittest" according to Jesus, is one who doesn’t sin.
According to Satan, "It’s one who doesn’t get caught."
Or "One who can lie their way out of it, if they do get caught ."
Who is right? Who is going to survive?
Who does survive, even now?
DARWIN’S THEORY ABORTED
A man once said that unfit die and do not breed their kind.
Thus bad instincts will disappear and only good you’ll find.
If true, that just the fit survive, then Grandpa may be right.
He told about some chicks deprived, due to their mother’s fright.
It rained. The hen flew to her shed. Her chickens couldn’t fly.
The mother hen had poor instincts and left her babes to die.
Grandpa advised, "Don’t be that kind; Don’t seek your pleasure first.
The wench who’s negligent and wild; Her kids go wrong and worst."
It rains. Some fly to save their skins and some kiss chicks, "Good-bye."
Some mother hens that have bad ids will leave their babes to die.
A WHOLE NEW PERSPECTIVE
When you get to be my age, you suddenly realize that the parents, teachers, editors, journalists doctors, lawyers, politicians and all other so-called authorities are really just a bunch of dumb kids touting the same trash and making the same mistakes that we made forty years ago. And they are no more willing to listen to us old fogies than we were willing to listen to "out-dated, proved-to-be-false, quaint notions." That fact gives one a whole new perspective on life!
THE "HUMAN RIGHTS" SCANDAL
Those who equate the so-called rights of homosexuals with other human rights are exactly like anyone who would say that alcoholics have the "human right" to drink and drive. Sexually active persons who fail to report having a deadly conmmunicable disease--such as AIDS--are murderers. No one has the "human right" to commit murder.
While we are on the subject, no one has the "human right" to murder one’s own child--before or after the child is born. Many very narrow-minded special-interest persons are misinterpreting the original intentions of our forefathers when they formulated the Bill of Rights. Actually, no one has the "human right" to jeopardize the health and safety of another "living human organism," no matter what stage of development it is in.
THE NEW "BILL OF RIGHTS"
(According to This "Me-First" Generation)
THE MEEK SHALL INHERIT THE EARTH
Meekness is not weakness, but it is humility plus teachable. According to Numbers 12: 3, Moses was the meekest man who ever lived, because he listened to God, but he was not weak in any way. He fearlessly defended a Jewish slave by killing an Egyptian guard, and then led his enslaved people out of Egypt, forty years later.
Do not confuse meekness with weakness, as most persons do today.
Proverbs 28: 1, "The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are bold as a lion." As you can see, the wicked are the weak, but the faithful and believing are bold and meek. The meek shall indeed inherit the earth, because of their bold defense of righteousness, justice, and truth.
Sometimes, my children would tell me that I would never inherit the earth, because I was not meek. Imagine a mother of six kids being their idea of "meek!"
When I finally realized that "meek" did not mean being a namby-pamby mom, who agreed with all their plans, I said to them, "What do you want me to do to prove to you that I am meek: Kill an Egyptian or smash two tablets of stone?" Nyeh! Nyeh! Nyeh!
IS LOVE NEEDED TO SURVIVE?
A friend of mine was sick which seemed to be a threat to her husband’s plans to go hunting. He accused her of getting sick just to get his attention. In her defense, I began expounding on the basic human need for attention. I even included the classic example of the experiment in which babies in an orphanage who received no love or cuddling but were cared for "mechanically" died within days after the experiment began--even though their physical needs had been met.
My friend suddenly interrupted, "I admit that I am sick to get your attention!
So, what are you going to do about it? Let me die?"
BITS FROM THE HORSE’S MOUTH
Necessity may be the mother of invention, but greed is the father of contention.
Pride is recognized most often in others and least often in our selves. If you want to know if you are guilty, ask your closest enemy! He will most assuredly be right!
Why does the world believe we are descendants of apes, when our behavior is more like wolves, which travel and raid in packs?
If I am only able to get my toe in the door to Heaven, I’ll have the happiest toe the Good Lord ever created.
Why do the advice givers give this advice, "Don’t give advice!" Which is bad advice. Successful men seek advice and wise counsel from any and every source, and then pick and choose that which applies best to their situations to help them achieve their fondest goals. Anyway, nowhere in the Word of God, does it say, "Don’t give advice," and any number of Proverbs advise us to listen to wise counsel--preferably from parents and one’s elders.
What the world needs is prayer-conditioned houses.
Treat wrinkles from worry and care by getting your faith lifted.
If the sun and the moon should doubt, then both those lights would go out!
Happiness is a conscious choice--not an automatic response to one’s environment.
It is no accident that "humor" and "humility" begin with the same syllable. You cannot have one with out the other.
Health and goodness are in mirth. An honest laugh will give them birth.
Adam was the first human manifestation of God’s spoken Word. Eve was an afterthought, as in "hearsay." So, Satan tempted Eve instead of Adam, knowing that "hearsay" is not admissible in court.
My dad told me over sixty years ago, that it was better to trust everyone and be hurt on occasion, than to trust no one and be miserable all of the time. Nowadays, everyone is paralyzed by fear, because no one trusts anyone at any time.
When I was a child, my dad told me never do anything that would make me feel uncomfortable if everyone else did the same thing. That advice kept me from making many foolish mistakes.
"Actions speak louder than words," we used to say. But we don’t see actions alike: Those who see the good in others are looking for examples to follow. Those who see only evil are looking for excuses to wallow.
It isn’t circumstances that hurt us. It is how we react to them. In this respect, we do have a choice.
Satan sometimes answers a wicked man’s prayers to prevent him from realizing he needs to reform and meet certain requirements before God can answer them. When it is too late, Satan squeals, "Gotcha!"
Hell is often called the PIT, and many say hell is located here on earth. If that is true, the turning PoInT is on earth, and there is only one way to go--UP! Hell on earth is not the PoInT of no return, but an excellent reason for turning around.
I confess that I am too often tempted to unfairly shoot from the lip at those with unloaded heads. I think my compulsive behavior is triggered by my obsession to target the Father of Lies.
I should be more like the one who refused to engage in a battle of wits with an unarmed man, but I cannot let anyone remain a half-wit, if I have it in my power to fire my passion at his lukewarm indifference.
You can lock men up for life for rape, murder, theft, child abuse, vandalism, and/or mayhem, or you can lead them to the Lord Jesus Christ and set them free from sin and the desire to serve Satan. Which costs less in dollars? Which saves more in "sense"?
A professor told the class that he would grade their papers severely, if they expressed any of their ideas in "absolutes," such as using words like: "never," "always," and/or "without any doubt." A student asked, "Are you absolutely certain that there are no absolute truths?"
THE GAME OF LIFE
The pleasure of winning is lost, if we cheat to win some fool’s game.
Life has no meaning for those who break God’s rules. It is the same.
ON RECYCLING
Recycling our money; Recycling our labor.
The government robs us, and calls it a favor.
Ninety per cent of all money is lost in the translation from taxes then back to the people.
Taxes were adequate when they were only 10% of what they are now!
Honest government could--and at one time did--provide all the public services needed for less than 10% of anyone’s income. The amount of money needed should increase in direct proportion to the increase in population, but the percentage of our income required in taxes should remain the same, unless the government takes on unnecessary and/or dishonest expenses. Private enterprise is still the most efficient way of getting any job done, because businessmen cannot afford to waste their own money, and politicians do not care how much they spend of ours as long as they get reelected by satisfying special interests!
FROM THE FRYING PAN
Kids seek freedom and fortune by moving to the city.
They wind up in bondage. What a shame! What a pity!
ON AUTHORITY
Money doesn’t buy authority.
Fame doesn’t bestow authority.
Worldly power makes no one an authority.
Knowing the Truth and being Right--
Now, that is Authority!
ON INFLATION
that money can buy, and both are highly inflated!
MEN, WOMEN, AND MOTIVES
Men sin to satisfy lust.
Women sin to obtain security.
Neither cares about satisfying others.
Caring is a sign of maturity.
WHY IS IT?
Until we reach the depths of despair.
To shake up a man, call him a poor provider.
To shake up the world, call a woman a bad mother.
ADULT BLINDNESS
And some see shades of gray.
Right is right and wrong is wrong,
And that’s what children say.
Ask any child about divorce
And black is what they see.
An adult pleads, "It all depends;
My sins look gray to me."
THE GOVERNMENT
They reduced the living of the aged and the poor.
They said individuals should be doing more.
Then they cut tax deductions on our giving to the core.
They are robbing God to feed the devil’s roar.
THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL
The Word of God tells us that the love of money is the root of all evil. Freud said as much about sex. Perhaps, it depends on whether one is speaking of men or of women. Men will lie, steal, and cheat for sex. Women do the same for security.
FREEDOM AND JUSTICE ARE TWINS
Freedom without restraint is license. People lose their freedom because they do not behave responsibly. Then they complain, "No one let’s me do anything!" Only the very immature think that being an adult means that one can do as he pleases.
ON CHASING RAINBOWS
People who chase rainbows for the pot of gold end up jogging on a treadmill.
THE RIGHTEOUS ATTRACT PERSECUTION
Anyone who has not been persecuted for righteousness sake, has not been giving Satan any trouble!
TRUTH IS STRANGER
I never write fiction. The truth is so much more incredible!
FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Ideas are more important to me than material possessions, but you cannot eat ideas. I have had to eat my words a few times, though.
THICK OR SICK IN THE HEAD
The problem is that you cannot tell anyone anything that they do not already think or believe. And if you do tell them something they already think or believe--they resent it!
THE PROTECTION RACKET
Gang members who conspire to steal and then to sell protection from "the thieves" are said to be in the protection racket. Too many lawyers are in the same racket.
BI-PARTISAN POLITICS
Our son asked his dad if he were a liberal or a conservative. His dad answered, "I am registered as an Independent, but that was a dumb idea! Now, both parties think they have a right to ask me for donations!"
SOAP OPERA SUSPENSE
I am waiting for the day when a soap opera character in deep trouble refuses an offer of a drink by saying, "No, thank you. I need to think."
DYING TO HEAR
The last thought one need’s to have come into his mind just before he goes under the anesthesia is: "This doctor is only practicing."
STOP AND THINK
All of us are striving to simplify our lives, when we probably should simply stop striving.
ORIENTAL INSIGHT
Our Filipino daughter-in-law was trying to convince the principal that our very bright grand daughter was underachieving. The principal was patronizing and implied that she was the child’s problem. In exasperation, my daughter-in-law exploded, "You cannot teach a kid who doesn’t want to learn. Obviously, you do not want to learn." In times gone by, I wish I had said that!
THE FOOLPROOF WAY
Do you want to prevent your children from engaging in undesirable behavior? You can do so in two ways: Poke fun of those who do it as do comedians, or pity those who indulge in it as do the saints. No one wants to be ridiculed or pitied.
RECIPE FOR SPINNING YOUR WHEELS
AND GOING NOWHERE
Those who refuse to regard the past are doomed--even damned--to repeat it. We must admit our past mistakes, take full responsibility for them before we can learn from them. Pity the one who says, "Drop it!" or "Forget it!" concerning his own guilt. He shall never be set free until he confesses (admits his guilt) and repents (turns from it).
THE TRUTH IS IN FICTION
The truth I write is sometimes fiction.
But that is not a contradiction.
Facts lead astray,
And seldom convey
The truth with any conviction.
"V" IS FOR VICTORY
Love, give, serve, and forgive.
Believe in the Lord, and you shall live.
BANK NOTES
Many men work at menial jobs for years while dreaming of the day they can afford to work at the job they would enjoy. They do not realize that happiness is a matter of attitude and gratitude, and joy can be found by seeking God’s plan for one’s life. The solution is "CHANGE"--not dollars--A CHANGE IN ONE’S HEART.
No one can be truly happy living by "give and take," although many think that is the basis for good relationships. The bookkeeping we are required to do to live by that maxim only results in lost sleep. Since we all have bad memories, we end up bickering over "who did what and when," which can wear our nerves very thin, making us irritable.
Long ago, I decided that those who saw a need and promptly did the deed without fanfare were the happiest of all. The reward for not keeping score as to "whose turn it is to do what" is gaining relief from a great deal of stress.
A bonus is the grateful look on the face of the one who knew it was his turn to do the job. That really makes one feel great! It is a much better feeling than that which results from getting or keeping even!
Don’t give from the top of your purse, but from the bottom of your heart.
When your outgo exceeds your income, then your upkeep is your downfall.
Some of us grumble about the noise when opportunity knocks.
I am an opportunist. When I have no money to buy food, because my enemies robbed me, I laugh and say, "I have always prayed for my enemies. Now, I have the opportunity to FAST and pray for them." Maybe they’ll be saved against their will! That thought is pure joy--the "sweetest revenge" of all!
PRACTICAL MATH
At one time women were fee-males, because they expected a fee for their services or at least room and board. Now, they should be called free-males, because they give it away free. Don’t they know about the infallible law of economics called THE LAW OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND?
Men are only willing to pay a price for that which is hard to get. The greater the supply, the less the demand, and the price goes way down. If women do not believe that, consider what men were willing to pay for Jackie Onassis’s trash, or any other one-of-a-kind atrocity that sells for millions at Sotheby’s Auction. Do not just play hard to get. Be hard to get. It pays very well! It pays a lifetime of love and support for both you and your offspring. It is worth waiting for!
GIVERS AND TAKERS
You can go through life being a giver and sometimes get kicked in the teeth, or you can be a taker and end up kicking yourself in the end. Takers waste their lives taking advantage of others to collect that which is nothing but a burden to dust, move, repair, pay someone to take it off, or it may just wear you out trying to make up your mind which ungrateful so-and-so you should leave it to.
The Chinese have a custom of giving away whatever one owns to anyone who admires it. What a wonderful idea!
A poor man who must make sacrifices to pay for his simplest pleasures enjoys them more than the rich man who squanders on luxuries without making a dent in his wealth.
MONEY TALK
Most of us have everything we need. It just isn’t paid for.
These days, a credit card can be used to buy anything--except peace of mind.
For credit card syndrome, some doctors, I understand, are recommending plastic surgery.
PROSPERITY: POSSESSIONS OR POSSESSED
We need food, clothes, and a bed.
We need a roof overhead.
Every other possession
Is a burden or obsession--
An enslavement that wise men all dread.
GOD’S PLAN FOR YOU
Ask any kid what he would like most to do even if he received no pay for doing it. If he answers seriously, then his parents or teachers should encourage him to become an expert in that area and make it his career.
A man who loves his work will be successful doing it and will be happy whether he makes a fortune or not. God created each man to perform a certain service, and it is usually a service he would enjoy doing more than anything else.
Matthew 6: 33, "Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness (His will for our lives); and all these other things shall be added unto you (your needs and desires)."
I haven’t always had enough money to pay my most pressing debts, or even my bills, but I know that I am not poor. My Father is the richest Jew who ever lived in the world, and He made me His heiress when I accepted Him as my Lord and Master by adoption. I know He shall never disinherit me, and shall always provide for my needs.
Paul, the Apostle spoke of winning a race and compared winning races to what one must do to earn crowns for our services to the Lord according to His will. He stressed that we must be diligent and persevering as an athlete who wants to win the "GOLD." I want to win races for the Lord, too: the white race, the red race, the black race, and the yellow race, because I know the Lord came to save ALL!
PUT YOUR TESTIMONIES
WHERE YOUR LIP SERVICE IS
Admit that you have sinned and testify as to what the Lord did for you, because the Word of God states in Revelations 12: 11, "And they overcame him (Satan, the accuser) by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their TESTIMONY; and they loved not their lives unto the death."
No where in the Word of God does it say that Satan was defeated by "holier-than-thou" attitudes, which say, "You are a rotten sinner." Lip services--advising others to go or come to church, listen to sermons, read their Bibles or Christian literature, pray more, praise more, pass laws against immorality (pornography, drugs, and abortion), or accusing and condemning sin and sinners--none of these lip services to God will overcome Satan.
The only way Christians can overcome the enemy and win souls to Christ is by their TESTIMONIES as to the power of Jesus Christ in their lives. An honest Christian will testify as follows: "This my story--" The sincere Christian will then continue to testify as to how Jesus Christ delivered him/her from bondage to Satan by healing diseases or by forgiving sins after confessing and repenting of those sins that brought them into bondage in the first place.
The attitude of a testifying Christian must be one of expressing true humility, "If Jesus Christ would save me--and He did--He will surely save you."
I repeat that the Blood of the Lamb and our sincere TESTIMONIES in which we recognize our own sinful and depraved natures are the only way that will overcome and defeat the enemy. Humility will also help us to obey the Lord and practice what He preached in reaching out to those most wretchedly in need of the saving Grace of Jesus Christ.
MY SON CONCLUDED
I’m not strong like Mr. T--
Not grim enough to be Clint E,
Nor suave Ricardo Montalban;
I’m not hardhearted L. Hagman.
I"d like to be Tom Selleck’s twin,
Or Burton’s, who can Oscars win,
But I have neither fame nor wealth,
So guess I’ll have to be my--(gulp, slap, stagger)--self!
MY ADVICE
BE PERFECT, MY SON
The man who is perfect is invincible. The man who is perfect is not vulnerable to attack. The man who is perfect can forge ahead in truth, justice, and mercy--wreaking havoc against lies, injustice, and corruption in high places, AND WITHOUT FEAR.
BE PERFECT, MY SON
But if you fail in some respect or make a mistake, then admit it at once without excuses or self-justification. Admit that you were wrong; Say you are sorry, and make restitution freely and generously--even profusely--if at all possible. And it is always possible in one way or another BY THE GRACE OF GOD.
BE PERFECT, MY SON
And you can--by walking in the Spirit and ever seeking and obeying God’s will-- you can have the power to overcome, because, "With God, ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE," Matthew 19: 26.
The Lord can make silk purses from sow’s ears, because that is what He did for me. "What He has done for others, He’ll do for you." BE PERFECT, MY SON.
THE WICKED FLEE
Proverbs tell us: "The wicked flee,
When no man pursueth." These fools are not free.
Those who hurt others are always afraid,
That the ones they hurt cannot wait to upbraid.
They hide, gnash their teeth, and buy guns for defense.
Though no one attacks, they build fences immense.
The way to have peace--the way to be free--
Is to love thy neighbor and forgive your enemy.
PROMISES! PROMISES! PROMISES!
Why don’t congressmen go back to being common, ordinary, everyday politicians who promise to give us what we really want to get our votes, instead of promising services we do not want or need just as an excuse to raise taxes.
GET DRUNKS OFF ROAD
A sheriff locked up drunken kids. When asked the reason why he did,
He said, "I’m sick of mangled dead--just in their teens--not even wed."
A mother’s tears were stained with "beer," because her son’s last words did jeer,
"I’ll be all right; you fret too much." He hit the ditch; now wears a crutch.
An older man who should have known--was drunk and killed a lass half-grown.
She wasn’t in the road at all! He had to drive right through a wall!
Drunks boast that they can drive as well as sober drivers. I do tell!
Then why do most of accidents involve some drunk who drives hell-bent?"
The drunk who drives will drive us "MADD," for he will kill or maim a lad,
Or injure others who are dear. Get drunks off roads or dump their beer.
WHO LOVES A LIE?
JESUS CALLS YOU SNAKES AND VIPERS
But I thought you wanted--Indeed, really needed--
To know what is true, but you haven’t heeded.
You favor fiction and fables, myths, and fish stories.
What’s incredible to me is your faith in vainglories.
Secular relativism! Where do you get it?
You obviously prefer guessing games that you edit.
I have told you the Truth--Just how it was--
Not how it might have been, but what God really does.
I cannot agree with supposition and suspicion,
When I know the Truth. Consider my position!
I can only presume from your Pharisee attitude,
That you don’t know your crass from the hole in your gratitude.
NOBODY
My body is just the clothing
My soul wears away on this earth.
The Salvation Army would reject what it’s worth.
WHY KID YOURSELF?
If you know what he says to accuse everyone.
You know a man’s guilt by what he defends,
Or when he says, "It all depends."
The innocent ones don’t try to win
By putting others down, or hiding their own sin.
The man who has sinned and confesses to others
Will denounce it with passion, but will not blame his brothers.
EASY MONEY (ROCK STYLE)
A gambling man cheats!
EASY MONEY, O YEAH!
A girl walks the streets.
EASY MONEY, O YEAH!
Cops take on their beats
Political treats.
EASY MONEY, O YEAH! O YEAH!
Taxpayers cheat.
EASY MONEY, O YEAH!
A jock throws a meet.
EASY MONEY, O YEAH!
Armed thieves prowl the street--
Drug traffic. I repeat,
EASY MONEY, O YEAH! O YEAH!
Men do as they please--
Even live lives of ease.
If caught, they lie;
Or pay those they can buy.
EASY MONEY, O YEAH! O YEAH!
These men have their ways,
But work isn’t one.
They number their days,
Which soon will be done.
O YEAH! O YEAH!
WHICH SOON WILL BE DONE.
O YEAH! BELIEVE IT. O YEAH!
FLEECING THE LAMB OF GOD
In Romans, we read that observers of nature
Will know God’s Creation bears His nomenclature.
The problem is that no one knows nature!
We see men’s creations that bear Satan’s signature.
The Lord raises the question, "When I return,
Will there be faith?" If not men will burn.
The creations of man destroy faith in all.
Even saints and angels are tempted to fall.
Honest study of science proves God is true.
But men fleeced the Lamb, and cynicism grew.
Will the Lord find faith? Possibly not!
Is gut wrenching grief to be man’s final lot?
I sincerely hope not! I pray earnestly--NOT!
Get back to God’s Word, the ORIGINAL PLOT.
TO DRUG DEALERS AND SORCERERS
Will give the "MOST HIGH." And drugs won’t be needed.
To those who would stop wicked drug dealers:
Fight fire with fire. Be drunk Holy Healers.
See Scripture: Acts 2: 1-40 and receive the Holy Spirit (fire).
A QUOTATION WHICH APPLIES TO THE DRUG SITUATION
"Laws are spider webs through which the big flies pass and the little ones get caught." Honore de Balzac (l790-l850)
MESSAGE TO CLAY PIGEONS
Who fearlessly scoff at hypocritical vogues.
Those forgiven most will love God the best.
But if they don’t know Him, they cannot be blessed.
This is God’s will. What can you do?
Stop dealing in drugs. Ask the Lord to help you.
Who offends God’s chosen; this I confess:
Will wear a millstone for a necklace,
And be cast in the sea, take a bath in the slough.
Do not mock God; it can happen to you!
You have been and still are a regular hell-raiser.
You understand motor bikes and wearing a blazer.
You have a snake pit right in your midst.
Drug dealers and vipers--two snakes just hissed.
Be tough, if you must, if that’s what it takes,
But not on God’s kids. Be tough for their sakes.
God has his hand right on your shoulder.
Count the cost and consider before you are older.
Persecution with blessings, if you answer His call--
Not to preach (Thank God!)--but to run with the ball.
Pray without ceasing. But your only request
Is to ask for guidance, then give Him your best.
The Lord set us up for this moment in time.
Your feelings were hurt, but fear not my rhyme.
Instead, be grateful that he can use you.
That’s a sign you are loved by Faithful and True.
Does anyone think these words are folklore?
Read the BIBLE, my friend. It has been said before.
GOOD HOUSEKEEPING TIP
Med. labs after hours are dens of iniquity.
Bringing shame and dishonor on schools of antiquity.
NO SECRET RAPTURE
As a thief in the night, but not secretly.
Every eye on the earth will see Him shining forth.
He’s in ALL saints; take that for what it’s worth.
Weeping and wailing will encompass the earth.
Only fools will regard this warning with mirth.
Persecution of Christians has already begun,
But this generation won’t pass, before it is done.
See II Thessalonians: one through twelve.
Graves will be dug; so, you need to delve. (Study in depth)
GIVE US A CHANCE!
But an "early Rapture" is to me scary.
I want ALL to know that you save.
I do not want to go to my grave,
Until ALL are saved. Please, Lord, Please tarry!
I promise: I love your appearing. I DO!
But thoughts of any lost make me feel BLUE!
You know that I’m giving all that is due,
And I pray that you save each and every Jew.
MARANATHA! And soon! But not "TOO!"
Give us a chance to be true,
And seek to save from your point-of-view.
JESUS CHRIST IS LORD
Jesus is the Truth. Jesus is the Way.
Jesus is the Source of life, and we are the clay.
He is the Way to God, or the Way to the Over soul.
He is the only Way to Nirvana--the Only Way to go.
I can say it in any language. The Truth is the same.
No one can come to the Father, except in Jesus name.
NO EARLY RAPTURE
I believe with my whole heart, soul, mind, strength, and by the Holy Spirit that has been speaking to my heart for more years than I can remember that:
The Bible is to be taken literally and is the Word of God inspired by the Holy Spirit of God--and must be taught by the Spirit of God (Rhema). I do not take ANYONE’S word for the interpretation of any Scripture out of context, if another Scripture apparently says the opposite.
I know without any doubt that the Word of God does not contradict itself. If it seems to do so, we must pray, until The Lord answers all apparent contradictions.
I am not afraid to question God’s Word sincerely, because experience has taught me that the Lord is eager to respond to honest, sincere questions. I also know that conclusions must not be based on wishful thinking.
Now, I am not satisfied with most conclusions as to when the RAPTURE will take place, even though I know, and agree, and sincerely pray it will take place as soon as possible. I find the argument that the Lord would not allow Christians to suffer through the Tribulation, particularly ludicrous. Try telling that to missionaries who have been tortured in the worst possible ways since the beginning, or those who suffered in the Inquisition, or those Christians who were fed to the lions!
That idea is wishful thinking, and definitely contradicts the statement in Revelation 12: 11, "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and THEY LOVED NOT THEIR LIVES UNTO THE DEATH."
Also, Luke 9:24, "For whosoever will save his life shall lose it, but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it." Jesus does not want anyone to suffer unnecessarily, but these are perilous times. These bodies we are in are temporal at best. THE LORD IS CONCERNED ABOUT OUR ETERNAL SOULS, AND THAT SHOULD BE OUR CONCERN FOR ALL. If it is not our concern, we may be too lukewarm to make it into the Kingdom of Heaven, ourselves.
Matthew, 10: 16-23 speaks of every kind of torment that will be suffered by ALL
Christians and positively states that this will be the state of affairs until Jesus returns.
Verse 22, states "And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that ENDURETH TO THE END shall be saved." Have you even considered what The Lord meant by the "END"? Could it possibly be the "end" of the tribulation?
In Verse 23, ... "Ye shall not have gone over the cities of Israel, till the Son of man be come." I do not believe that there are two "Second Comings." How can there be a secret Rapture, when the Lord said, "every eye shall see." The metaphor comparing the Lord’s Second Coming to "a thief in the night," refers to His sudden and unexpected return. It was not intended to be a reference to a secret coming in the dark of night--unseen. People are not going to "disappear" as depicted in the movie, Apocalypse.
Revelations 14: 3-4, is another passage that contradicts the speculation that the
Church (Gentiles) will be taken out of the way first, and the 144,000 Jews will remain to save those not taken up in the alleged early Rapture. If that were the case, then one might suppose that the Church would be the "first fruits." But Verse 4 states that the 144,000 are to be "the first fruits unto God and to the Lamb."
Charles Capp, one who defends the alleged early Rapture, stated that the "NEW SONG" mentioned in Revelations, chapter 5, was sung by the Church, but the passage clearly states that the NEW SONG was sung by the angels and 24 elders, while the Church was still on the earth.
If the twenty-four elders, mentioned as being seen when the FIRST seal was opened were symbolic of the saints, and they sang the "new song", then it is certain that they had been slain. However, "when He had opened the fifth seal" the Lord said,
"And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season until their fellow servants also and their brethren that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled." (Revelations, 6: 9-11). Were they killed during the Tribulation? Are they the ones who cannot be numbered? Read on.
I believe the so-called "Blessed Hope" of an "early Rapture" has nothing to do with godly "hope" or godly "faith" but is born of FEAR. I also believe that Christians will be protected on earth as Noah was protected. Keep in mind, God did not take Noah out of the world, but He was able to preserve him and his family.
However, the main reason that I cannot believe that a third Rapture will take place is found in Revelations, chapter 7. Please consider the following verses carefully:
Verse 9, "After this I beheld, and, lo, A GREAT MULTITUDE, WHICH NO MAN COULD NUMBER, OF ALL NATIONS, AND KINDREDS AND PEOPLE, AND TONGUES, STOOD BEFORE THE THRONE, AND BEFORE THE LAMB, CLOTHED WITH WHITE ROBES AND PALMS IN THEIR HANDS;
Verse 10, And cried with a loud voice, saying, "Salvation to our God which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the lamb."
(I am skipping to Verses 13 and 14 to make this particular point.)
Verse 13, "And one of the elders answered,saying unto me, "What are these which are arrayed in white robes and whence came they?" (He is referring to those that "no man could number" that are mentioned in Verse 9.)
Verse 14, "And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said unto me, These are they which came out of great TRIBULATION, AND HAVE WASHED THEIR ROBES, AND MADE THEM WHITE IN THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB."
What do the early "secret Rapturists" want us to believe? That a greater number of Christians than any man can count were saved after the Holy Spirit (The Church) was "taken out of the way?" Since when could anyone be saved without the Holy Spirit! No man was ever saved by promises, threats, the law, or preaching, and certainly by a movie, called the Apocalypse invented by men! How arrogant--or how scared--can these men be?
So, how were these billions of souls that came through the GREAT TRIBULATION saved--by the l44000 Jews after the Holy Spirit was "taken out of the way?" Even the Jews need the Holy Spirit to accomplish that feat!
I am certain that all of you know that I am referring to II Thessalonians 6 and 7, that many believe is referring to the early Church being "taken out of the way" or "Raptured". I sincerely hope these arrogant, fearful men do not have too much pride to reconsider their serious mistake, which could lead to the discouragement of many!
IS SATAN THE ONLY ONE WHO READS THE WORD?
The Lord Jesus Christ has revealed many things to me. He said that Satan raised up Hitler to persecute the Jews so that the prophecy that God made concerning Israel would never come to pass. Yes, Satan knows about all the prophecies, and he is working his forked tail off to prevent them from coming to pass.
Satan knew the prophecy that in the last days, Israel, which was totally destroyed in 70 A. D., would become a new nation in one day. As it happened, a treaty was signed by the leaders of the United States, Russia, and Great Britain, declaring that Israel would be given their land back, in order to prevent the terrible tragedy of another holocaust ever happening again. The Diaspora was over as prophesied in both the Old Testament and the New Testament.
I remember the event, since I was in my early twenties, and my oldest son was born that same year. I am certain that his generation will still be alive to see the Second Coming. He was born in l948, the year the treaty was signed, and at least one person born in that year must still be alive, when Jesus returns, at the latest! ("This generation shall not pass.")
I also remember hearing any number of sermons concerning the prophecy about Israel becoming a new nation in one day before the event. Not one of the preachers I heard spoke of a literal interpretation of that Scripture, because it was too incredible an idea for mere men to grasp, even dedicated men of God. They spoke of a "spiritual Israel," probably made up of Gentiles who were adopted into the kingdom.
But it did happen--literally! And even more incredible is that the number of Israelites who are returning to their homeland is "in the millions." The Jews are fulfilling Christian prophecies, because The Lord God Almighty is in control. The Word says that prophecy is given (not so that men will know the future), but so that when it comes to pass, men will know the Lord is alive and well and in control. John 13: 19, "Now I tell you before it come, that, when it is come to pass, ye may believe that I AM He."
"HOW INCREDIBLE"
The Lord warned us all, "Watch Israel fall;
Then watch her arise. And those who are wise
Will mark that fateful date (It was in forty-eight),
For that generation in every nation
Will not pass away, before I’m on my way!
Then all shall be decided, and men shall be divided
Between damned if they doubt and believers who will shout.
But the worst mistake any man can make
Is to ignore and deny that Judgment is nigh--
That his destiny throughout eternity
Shall be spiritual life without any strife
Or eternal night and separation from light."
All men heard His call. They knew He said, "ALL"--
That NONE he’d refuse. He said, "Each may choose
Between heaven and hell." Yet, some shrugged, saying,
"OH, WELL!"
CLAY PIGEONS
We are all clay pigeons set up by God.
The potter who made us molds with His rod.
Do not be offended. All can be mended,
If we praise the Lord, and give Jesus the nod.
ON JOGGING
Everyone is jogging, but no one is getting anywhere!
THE HALF-ASS MULE
There are plenty of half-asses in the world and they are all stubborn mules.
FOOLS IN HIGH PLACES
A fool in a position of authority is an abomination unto the Lord, and unto everyone else as well.
WHO ARE YOU KIDDING?
God laughs at the Privacy Act, because it cannot protect any man--any more than hiding his head in the sand can protect an ostrich. On Judgment Day, every life shall be an open book, and all things shall be revealed.
The darkest corners shall surrender the fugitives that sought refuge in them, and the Light of the World shall shine forth to reveal the most sinister secrets of mankind.
Why should any man lie, when the truth would set him free from fear of discovery? Open confession is health to his body and repentance--the resolve to turn away from one’s sins--is salvation for his soul.
God laughs at the ignorance and innocence of his children as any father in this world laughs at his two-year-old who insists on performing complex tasks without help or guidance.
Have you ever smiled at a child who said, "I want to do it myself?" and then brings his tangled shoestrings in shoes on the wrong feet to you for help? Yes, God laughs at us, because He loves us, and our feeble attempts to be independent are amusing to Him. Furthermore, He knows He will be there, when we are ready to let Him help.
COMMUNICATION GAPS
The trouble with the world is that the old and wise are being told to shut up and listen, and the young and foolish are doing all the talking.
Little children agree with all we have to say.
Teenagers disagree with all any adult has to say.
And adults don’t even hear what you say, but
Expect you to agree with what they have to say.
Why should I "feel the need to talk?" Because I am
Not the one who is hurting. I know how to live!
You need to listen!
GREEK TRAGEDIES--BUT ONLY CHRISTIAN COMEDIES
There is no such thing as a Christian tragedy, because those who live, serve, give and forgive as only those with the Holy Ghost and eternal life can--without exception--triumph over evil and death.
Christian bodies do die and are buried, but the Christian SOUL lives forever with the Lord. Revelations 20: 6, assures all believing Christians that... "on such (Christians) the second death (death of the soul) hath no power,"
I Kings 17: 20-24: These verses describe how a dead child is revived by the prophet, Elijah, who said, "Let this child’s soul come into him again." And the record shows that the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.
This passage demonstrates that the body dies, but the soul separates and survives. However, the souls of unbelievers will be destroyed or separated from God the Father forever. No Christian has any reason to be afraid, because they are assured of having eternal life with the Lord.
The definition of a Greek tragedy is that the hero, heroine, or both die forever at the end of the drama. The definition of a Greek comedy is that both the hero and heroine live "happily ever after" at the end of the drama. A Greek comedy does not make the audience laugh, as modern comedies allegedly do. According to the Greek definitions, I repeat, there can be no such thing as a Christian tragedy.
GIVE ME A BREAK!
At my age, just going to the bathroom gives me all the exercise I need. You laugh, because you do not know how often we "old folks" need to go!
BLUE-CAT PROMISES (bureaucrats)
In spite of "blue-cat" promises, no money is being used to solve any real problems. Millions are being spent to heal our acne (ecological problems), rashes
(war scares that these cats invent themselves and hump their backs with their hair standing on end to convince us that they are real), and allergies (polls, committee meetings, and conferences half-way around the world). And all the while, these "blue-cats"--typical of their breed--think they can cover up their filth by kicking up their heels!
INTERESTING STATISTICS
July 25,1998
The center of population of the United States of America before 1800 A. D. was between Delaware and Maryland or on the very doorstep of the seat of our Government, according to the Encyclopedia Britannica World Atlas. The 1850 census listed the total population of the United States as 23,191,376.
Even so, the people before 1850 lived in relatively remote rural areas and were not too much affected personally by the shenanigans of Congress. However, California, in the U. S. census of 1980 had 23,667,555 people counted--more than that listed for the whole United States in 1850.
Furthermore, Californians are more than 2000 miles away from Washington D.C., and the decisions of Congressmen touch every area of their lives. Are those men with so much power really better qualified to govern well over 200,000,000 people than our forefathers were able to govern 23,000,000?
A better question, "Can government by a relative few bureaucrats, who have little or no interest in the welfare of millions of people so distant from them in interests, and problems, and actual miles, be the source of our problems rather than the solutions?" Specifically, how did Congress usurp the power to collect taxes from residents in one state to pay for projects in another state, when they originally were assigned only that which affected all states? Finally, were "country boys" better qualified to govern 23 million, than "sophisticated citizens" are qualified to govern citizens of their states today?
THE DIFFERENCE AN ATTITUDE MAKES
My father-in-law gently rebuked my mother-in-law for spending so much time weeding her garden and yard. She replied, "I might as well be doing this as something else."
That remark plucked my philosophy string into strumming a new tune. She was right! It doesn’t take any more energy to do constructive work than it does to go bike riding, jogging, work out at a gym or on gym equipment, play golf, or go fishing--and it takes less energy than playing tennis, pumping iron, or swimming.
So, why not do what gives us double pleasure? We can get our exercise while accomplishing something useful--and have something to show for our efforts. The only difference between sport and work is our attitude toward them. We have been conditioned to believe that we must work, which we resent, while engaging in a sport that is optional is fun, a privilege that we earned by working.
Evidence that this commentary makes sense is that gardening is now one of the most popular hobbies. But in the past, gardening was a necessary chore to put food on the table, and the "boys" could not wait to get away from the farm and its "drudgery." Now they happily play racquet ball at the local gym! Gardening is still hard work, but not considered drudgery by those who choose to do it. The only difference between what most of us do for recreational exercise and drudgery is attitude.
THE MOTIVE MAKES THE DIFFERENCE
The one who serves others for gain is smart.
But the one who gains to serve others is wise.
THE LUST THAT BLINDS
Who want glory and honor with no responsibility.
QUICKSAND LOGIC
Any hypothesis based on a false premise is like a house built on quicksand. It cannot stand. In fact, it keeps sinking as fast as it is being built--or faster. The ancient Sophists of Greece deliberately began many of their discussions based on what everyone acknowledged as being either a false premise ("The moon is made of green cheese."), or one they could not prove ("The moon is made of green cheese.").
They considered it a challenge to convince others that the basic premise was valid by the arguments they presented that followed logically from that premise. Socrates hated the practice, and made many enemies, when he asked questions that they could not answer with their hair splitting logic.
Incidentally, the word "sophisticated," now has a somewhat positive connotation, but is usually used to described those who apparently take pleasure in convincing others that black is white, white is black, and everything is some shade of gray, just as the Sophists of old did. These modern-day Sophists ridicule those who ask simple, common-sense questions that they cannot answer, while they continue to expound their hypotheses in ponderous tomes, during numerous committee meetings, and in talk shows on T V.
I pray to high heaven that no one ever calls me "sophisticated," because I would consider it the most slanderous statement anyone can make about another human being--the same as calling someone a liar. Satan is the father of all lies, and the middle name of Jesus Christ is "Truth."
TO PARAPHRASE MARK TWAIN
Mark Twain wrote, "I have no ill feelings whatsoever against those who have injured me in the past. Most of them are dead, anyway. If I could, I would send them all fans." But the sobering truth is that those who persecute Christians will pay. If they don’t pay in this world, they will in the next. I sincerely pray for my enemies. How could anyone wish eternal damnation on the most wicked of souls? I certainly could not!
BODY AND SOUL ARE NOT THE SAME
Death is separation of the soul from the body. The soul leaves the body at death.
I Thessalonians 5: 23, ... "And I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."
Hebrews 4: 12, ... "piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit,"
Matthew 10: 28, "And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both SOUL and BODY in hell."
Revelations 20: 4... "And I saw the SOULS of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus.
Genesis 35: 18, " And it came to pass, as her SOUL was in departing, (for she died,) that she called his name Benoni: but his father called him Benjamin."
I Peter 3: 18-20, "For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit. By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the long-suffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water."
I Peter 4: 6, "For this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit." How could the gospel be preached to the "dead," unless the SOUL lives on.
I Kings 17: 12, "And he (Elijah, the prophet) stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the Lord, and said, O Lord my God, I pray thee, let this child’s
SOUL come unto him again." Verse 22, "And the Lord heard the voice of Elijah; and the SOUL of the child came into him again, and he revived."
Matthew 27: 52, "And the graves were opened; and many BODIES of the saints which slept arose." (This event occurred at the same time Jesus Christ arose from the dead in His BODY.)
See Luke 24: 39, "Behold my hands and feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see: for a SPIRIT HATH NOT FLESH AND BONES as ye see me have." And in
Verse 42, Jesus showed them further proof by eating broiled fish and honeycomb. Jesus Himself said that He did these things to show that prophesies concerning His BODILY resurrection was fulfilled.
John 2: 19-21, ... "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then said the Jews, forty and six years was this temple in building, and wilt thou rear it up in three days? But He spake of the Temple of his BODY."
In three of the Gospels, Jesus confirms that we have living souls that survive after death, Matthew 22: 32, Mark 12: 27,and Luke 20: 38. They all refer to the same statement that Jesus made to the Sadducees, who believed that there was no resurrection of the dead. In Matthew, Jesus is quoted as saying in Verses 31, 32, "But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying, ‘I AM the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?’ God is not the God of the dead, but of the living." Jesus must be referring to their living souls in all three of these Gospels, which gave an account of this same event.
An account of Jesus taking Peter, James, and John into a high mountain--at which time Moses and Elijah appeared and were talking with Him is given in three Gospels,
Matthew 17: 3-4, Mark 9: 45, and Luke 9: 30-33. How could these two men, whose bodies had died speak to Jesus in front of three witnesses, if they were not living souls?
Romans 14: 9, For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living." Why would Jesus want to be Lord of the dead, if the "dead" had ceased to exist? Or is this verse also referring to souls that were living, even though their bodies were "dead"?
If you think that Jesus Christ was a great teacher and prophet, then why don’t you believe Him, and the Scripture verses that He quoted from the Old Testament as being the factual Word of God the Father? Either He is the "greatest" or He is a liar! Which?
GET THEE HENCE, SATAN
I say what I mean, and mean what I say.
Then let the chips fall where they may.
If I make a promise or a long-term commitment,
Only an act of God can prevent its fulfillment--
Or cause its annulment.
GULLIBILITY IS ALSO A SIN
I just read a report in the March 5 edition of The National Enquirer--statistics which originally were reported in Crime Control Digest--concerning murders committed in major cities of America during the past year (1991). From the report, I estimated the number to be about 13 or 14 a day. I doubt if even the insurance companies can hazard a wild guess as to how many deaths from accidents or disease occur each day which are drug and/or alcohol related.
On the other hand, I understand that eighty-nine Americans died honorably on the battlefield in Desert Storm for a worthy and just cause to save thousands from torture, persecution, and murder by a tyrant. Yet, alleged peace-loving hypocrites all over America marched in protest against the eighty-nine honorable sacrifices for liberty. But no one is marching in protest against the vile practices that are touted and promoted in our schools and in the media that cause crime, suicide, broken homes, death, and destruction on the home front.
Apparently, it is more of a crime to die to save lives, than to cause death, disease, and destruction for the almighty dollar! (My husband was a disabled veteran, so do not think for one second that I do not appreciate the sacrifices made in war.)
THE ABORTION OF WOMEN’S RIGHTS
You would think the political guarantee of rights is a license for men to do as they please--take advantage of women sexually. Freedom is guaranteed under the law--not in
spite of the law. Men at one time took full responsibility for their sexual pleasures.
THE HUMAN RACE IS BROWN
In all my life, I have never seen any human being with white skin, red skin, yellow skin, or black skin. Every member of the human race that I have seen has skin that is some shade of brown--from a very light beige to a very rich walnut--but definitely some shade of brown. Is everybody else color blind or am I?
The only exceptions to the above include yellow pigment of skin caused by the disease, yellow jaundice; red or deep pink skins caused by sunburn or some rash; the white-as-snow skin of albinos, and the black skin of one person I saw, who was horribly burned.
I do not think these count, but I mentioned these cases to give the readers the opportunity to think of REAL exceptions. All too often, we think we see something, when we really see what we think we see, because we go by habit.
Yes, and I can demonstrate that fact. This has happened to everyone. You look at your watch to see how much time you have before you must keep an appointment. Within minutes, someone asks you what time it is. And you don’t have the slightest idea. Why? Because you looked to see how many minutes you have left, and did not notice the time at all. It is a habit that we all have fallen into. I do it myself--every time!
I think that is the way we look at the color of another person’s skin--through eyes that are conditioned by habit to see what we think we see, but really don’t.
THE BIGGEST FREUDIAN SLIP
A CHAUVINIST is one who is excessively or blindly patriotic. The word originated from the name of a man, Chauvin, who was blindly and fanatically devoted to Napoleon. Because the word is based on the characteristic of one human being, it cannot have any other meaning, as root words from classical languages may have.
On the other hand, a Shavian is a disciple of George Bernard Shaw, who hated the feminine nature of women so much that all his female characters in the plays that he wrote had unnaturally aggressive personalities. They assumed masculine roles in society for which Shaw depicted them to be greatly admired. Few women can identify with his female characters. Normal women often feel uncomfortable and even inferior!
His masculine characters were depicted as being rejected by these women in favor of pseudo-intellectual males who chose to be celibates dedicated to social reform. (Shaw’s women were astonishingly like his own mother whom he both revered, but felt she rejected him, and his heroes were what he imagined himself to be--superior to all others intellectually.) Shaw was the inventor of the unisex idea--that we are "all alike."
Shaw also wrote essays in which he expressed his admiration for Nietzsche, the philosopher who declared that God was dead--or was created by man. He also suggested that peasant women were healthier than city women, therefore should be encouraged to have babies by healthy men--out of wedlock to improve the human race. (An idea later adopted and enforced by Hitler to create the Master Race in Germany.)
At one time, Shavians were considered woman-haters--not Chauvinists. How did it happen that the most erudite and sophisticated members of society today equate woman-haters with Chauvinism--from the president down to the commonest laborer. I call it the biggest Freudian slip in all history--imitated by parrots all over the land. But then, most men don’t think for themselves. In this case, nobody did! They didn’t even bother to question it. Now the new dictionaries define Chauvinists as "woman-haters."
CONFESSION AND REPENTANCE
Confession is agreeing with God that one has sinned. To be complete, we should also confess to the one we offended and make restitution, if possible. Confession is saying, "I was wrong." Love is saying, "I am sorry"--not because we must, but because we really are sorry. Repentance is making a point to never repeat the mistake, and telling your victim that you will never, never do it again--and then don’t.
THE "HYPOCRITICAL" OATH
(Not to be confused with the Hippocratic oath.)
The hypocrite says, "If you quit, I will."
Or, "I’m sorry but--?" Or, forgive, but still--?"
The hypocrite sees all the faults of his brothers,
But is totally blind as to how he hurts others.
THE FASHIONABLE DISEASE
She showered and primped. Her features were fair.
But diarrhea of the lips changed each stare to a glare.
Jesus Christ said that the dirt from our lips
is worse than that which falls from our hips.
Matthew 15: 17-18, "Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
ON POSITIVE THINKING
Positive thinking is bees in your bonnet.
"You cannot grow an inch by thinking upon it."
That’s what the Lord said, and He ought to know.
He made us all, and only He makes us grow.
Luke 12: 25-26, "And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?"
SERENDIPITY
Which makes the whole world ours with joy and health ahead.
THE BIG SECRET
The quickest and easiest way to health, wealth, and happiness is to learn to be content with one’s circumstances. The major cause of poverty of mind and body is discontent with what one has. And we make ourselves miserable trying to obtain that which we really do not need and do not even use once we acquire it. A thankful
heart is never depressed. Counting one’s blessing, instead of coveting another’s, will
make you healthy, prosperous, and at peace with yourself.
CHASING RAINBOWS
People who dream of chasing rainbows for the pot of gold wake up to find that they are really running on a treadmill.
A POOR MAN’S JOY
"When God wants to make a poor man happy, he causes him to lose his only possession and then find it again." (Author unknown) But it happens to me all the time!
THE WAGES OF SIN
When God wants to punish a man for not believing Him, He gives him knowledge gained from experience. That is why He does not intercede. We are justified by faith.
THE BIG DECISION
If everyone lived by the Golden Rule, then the whole world would be a wonderful place to live; But I cannot make anyone live by that rule except myself. I shall appoint myself as a committee of one to see that I obey the Golden Rule so that one place on earth will be like Paradise--that place shall be with me.
LOVE IS AN ACTION
It’s a matter-of-fact:
God’s love is an action,
And the only action
That gives satisfaction.
HONOR THY FATHER AND MOTHER
If the Lord had said, "Honor thy father and mother,
If they deserve it," none of us would be honored.
A FACT
Jesus talked about money more than he did anything else.
He certainly knew how to get our attention!
IT CAN’T BE DONE
Trying to explain a personal spiritual experience with the Lord to someone who has never had one is like trying to explain sex to a five-year-old kid. The reaction is the same, "I don’t believe it. My parents would never do that!" or "Yuck, how disgusting!"
CORN-FED FOOLS
Those who have riches and honor in this life are possibly being fed corn by the devil. What do you think? Is he fattening them up for the slaughter?
FACTS CAN BE STUMBLING BLOCKS
Never let the facts get in the way of the truth. The devil and hypocrites have a few facts, but Jesus Christ never let that stop Him.
EXPERIENCE IS THE BEST TEACHER
BUT NOT NECESSARILY YOUR OWN
One of our children asked, "Why don’t you just let me learn from my own mistakes instead of always giving me advice?"
I explained, "Because it would be much less painful for you, if you could learn from mine."
GENERATION GAP
Adults trying to say from bitter experience what children cannot hear because of lack of experience.
TO TELL THE TRUTH
If it is a kid’s word against that of adults, many kids lie, deny, and/or comply--or else!
MATH LESSON
Possessive love divides and strangles to death, while love shared and given freely multiplies and lives forever. I know that lust also "multiplies," but God’s love is the kind that makes us free to be concerned about everyone without causing a fear of loss.
CONFESSION HEALS
It is never too late to make amends. Just wipe out your pride with these words,
"I was wrong; I am sorry." Pride is expendable, but love is not.
IT IS YOUR CHOICE
Some build the good life for themselves.
Others get revenge and destroy.
No one can do both, but must decide:
What turns them on--glee or joy.
LINE-ITEM VETO POWER
Instead of "speed readers" capable of parroting back what they read, we need slow, thoughtful, and more critical readers, who exercise their line-by-line veto power.
ON PORNOGRAPHY
I believe that the correct legal definition of pornography is: "Any graphic or written material that demonstrates, illustrates, or promotes the exploitation of persons and/or the natural environment as if that exploitation were desirable and/or beneficial."
It is not illicit sex, violence, and destruction per se, that influences others to do evil; it is presenting all of the above as if it were exciting, fun, heroic, and capable of producing ecstasy, and/or happiness--all lies. Lying about it is evil. Tell the truth about the consequences of all of the above, and it would lead to constructive behavior.
There are two kinds of examples or role models that lead to constructive behavior.
A good example to inspire, and the bad example to deplore. But we need to make sure our kids can tell the difference.
MESSAGE TO JEHOVAH’S WITNESSES
The stench of the Watchtower reaches High Heaven.
Get off that pot; stop eating their leaven.
MESSAGE TO JEWS
When God’s chosen awaken, the world will be shaken.
God’s first Evangelists are neither fools nor mistaken.
The best will cry out for Christian revival.
Because they are faithful, they will effect our survival.
Some will claim to be Jews, so be a fruit-picker.
By their fruits, you shall know them, but liars will bicker.
It is in your Bible, Galatians five: twenty-two.
True Jews will have faith--feel liable for you.
Read Revelations, chapter seven, again.
Glory to God. Amen and Amen!
WHATEVER YOUR STARS, YOU CAN WIN OVER DEFEATS;
THE LORD TAKES THE WISE IN THEIR OWN CONCEITS.
Astrologers ask me, "When were you born."
The Lord has the answer. Hearing, they will mourn.
February 10, 1927,
At one p.m., my credentials in heaven!
See the tenth house, ablaze with God’s Glory.
All the benefics in Pisces tell the Lord’s story.
Sun in Aquarius! How about that!
Moon in Gemini, I wear the author’s hat.
The rulers of the signs where the malefics fly
Are all at the zenith, so I will not lie.
So, weep and sigh, all liars who thieve.
No man can doubt what most men believe.
The sign of the Cross is clear in my chart.
I have taken it up, so am free from the start.
No karma for me; the battle is won.
Christ bears my burdens; and that’s how it’s done.
I cannot lie; you shall not die.
If you call on the Lord, He’ll lift you on High.
FOUL MOUTHS
I would not touch with the tips of my fingers.
What you held in your mouth and in your heart lingers.
NAME-CALLING PROVES NOTHING
If being broadminded, fair, and objective (or just polite) means that I must consider and respect the arguments of self-aggrandizing exploitative liars, fools, and hypocrites, then I must remain an opinionated jackass--if you will--or even a prejudiced bigot--if you insist. Sticks and stones will break my bones, but the lies and catcalls of fools and hypocrites serve only to light my fire.
THE BIG DECISION
The only decision anyone has to make to change his life is to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. The only decision mankind has to make to change the world is to proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord of lords and King of kings.
Any deviation from making The Big Decision makes all other decisions futile--a complete waste of time, energy, labor, money, and lives--all interchangeable--but going nowhere. So let us stop spinning our wheels and shift into High--
THE MOST HIGH GOD, OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
AMEN! AND AMEN! MARANATHA!
SIN IS INTOLERABLE
Christians hate sin; they must not justify it.
They do not have a choice. They must defy it.
Sin is destructive--causes death and disease--
Begets grief and sorrow--bears no mercy or ease.
RESPONSE TO THOSE WHO SLANDER CHRISTIANS
With the color of anyone’s skin.
Darkness is absence of light
Where we can’t see where we’ve been.
Blindness is absence of truth
And the love that casts out all fear.
Darkness is where one gets lost
On the road to hating one’s peer.
Lincoln and King raised up torches.
Both were Christians who knew the way.
Both had God’s spirit and both had His light.
Neither man dealt in dark shades of gray.
Liars will lead men astray,
Holding the Lord’s name in vain.
Christ warned against these false teachers
Whose message is for their own gain.
So, why do you believe these liars
Who misrepresent all that is true?
Why do you slander all Christians
Because of these blabbering few?
The prejudiced bigots are those
Who slander and crucify Light.
The Way and the Truth is the Lord.
Those who serve Him know what’s right.
THE LORD’S JUDGMENT
But many folks believed lies.
They served Satan in fear,
And turned down my best prize.
Did any of you visit or
Check out her home?
You could have walked in
Any time--free to roam.
She lived without fear.
Her love and her faith
Made her place a haven
For any lost waif.
She was my chosen,
But you drove her away.
You plotted against her.
Whom did you betray?
The least of my brethren,
You persecuted with glee.
What did I say to that?
You persecuted ME.
Matthew 23: 15, "Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows houses, and for a pretense make long prayers: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation."
It is not too late to repent. Without repentance, however, there can be no forgiveness. I sincerely hope you have come to your senses by the time that you read this! I have been praying that you do. YOU ALL KNOW WHO YOU ARE!
WHAT’S IN A NAME
We have always owned one or more dogs--most of which were dumped on the little road that goes by our home. Our little road connects a very busy highway at one end with an equally busy county road at the other end. Folks find it very convenient to leave one of these roads, cut through ours which curves back to the other, and dump their trash, old appliances, and unwanted pets without even slowing down enough to say, "Please" or "Thank you!"
However, when our last dog had to be put to sleep at the Humane Society, because of recurring and incurable seizures, we decided to pick out another pup at the same time, thinking he would help us deal with our grief over the loss of Alice.
We named the mixed breed--mutt-type pup--Alex. He is agile, alert, intelligent, active, and barks furiously, if he detects any unnatural noise anywhere near the little road that I mentioned above. Since his sense of hearing is phenomenal, he barks a great deal, but is quite friendly to strangers who actually come to our door.
One of his virtues is very short straight fur and not much of it, which means he sheds very little hair, but his coat sheds mud, water, and any type of soil, so that he remains amazingly clean and dries off quickly, regardless of the state of his environment.
Alex is all muscle, lean, and totally loyal and faithful. He immediately recognizes any gesture he regards as threatening and stands between that threat and any of us he believes might be in danger--barking and even snarling a little, protectively. His courage is even more admirable, because he is a relatively small dog--about the size of a terrier.
In appearance, he is just a common, plain, brownish, but well proportioned dog--the kind little kids would draw, if asked to draw "a dog." He is a basic-type dog without frills or distinguishing characteristics, yet he is strangely unique.
Not long after we brought the "perfect dog" for us home, our son, who was living with us, bought an A K C registered Lhasa Apso for his daughter to play with when she visited him. Our granddaughter fell in love with a Lhasa Apso she saw in a pet store, but it was much too expensive. However, our son could not refuse to gratify her heart’s desire, when he saw the same breed of pup advertised by a local breeder for less than one-third the cost of the one our granddaughter saw in the pet shop.
This adorable pup was the first thoroughbred we ever had in our family. We were amused to learn that because of his noble birth, he was required to have two names. Our granddaughter wanted to name him "Indiana Jones" after her hero to meet the requirement for two names, but she also wanted to call him, "Josh." I suggested that since we were from Illinois that "Illinois Josh" would be more appropriate, and it would still be suggestive of "Indiana Jones." She loved the idea, and that is how Josh got his name.
In any event, it was obvious from the beginning that Alex felt inferior--and even jealous of Josh. When no one was around, they played together happily, snarling and nipping at one another--just for fun, but when they were alone, Alex was more aggressive.
Josh, who was much smaller and younger, was greatly admired for his spunk and willingness to keep coming back for more. At first, we kept admonishing Alex for being a bit too rough, until we realized that Josh really enjoyed the sparring, because he refused to back off even one inch.
Nevertheless, we could not help but notice that part of Alex’s aggressive behavior was just short of being a bit hostile, and obviously an expression of an inferiority complex. Our hearts went out to the mutt, because it wasn’t his fault that he had no pedigree and was not an "A K C registered thoroughbred!
We knew that we could do nothing about Alex’s mongrel status, so we tried to think of some other way to build his self-esteem, before he ended up killing or maiming his rival in a fit of jealous rage when nobody was looking. Eureka! Why not give him two names? That should at least give him the aura of "nobility," that he so craved.
We thought and thought. What second name could we give him that would be appropriate to his nature, and be positive and even edifying?
His most outstanding traits were his sensitivity, alertness, and intelligence. Nothing got past Alex. When the phone rang, he was waiting there before we answered.
He answered the doorbell, before it rang, and before any of us knew it was going to ring. He understood the English language so well, that he responded quickly and aptly to words he overheard in ordinary conversation such as the word, "go," which prompted him to run to the doggie door, run outside, and wait by our car door for us to "go."
Since he had not quite mastered the vocabulary that goes with the word, "go," such as the difference between "go to town" or "go to the bathroom," sometimes he was left waiting by the car door for some time. Nevertheless, we decided that such intelligence should be rewarded, so we decided to officially rename him, "Smart Alex."
We called Alex to us, and explained to him the honor that we had decided to bestow on him. He listened alertly with his ears perked forward, exactly the same way they folded forward when he was expecting a treat. We knew that he was excited about his new name, because in the days that followed, we noticed a new poise, self-confidence, and a definite rise in his self-esteem.
Smart Alex, became more tolerant of Illinois Josh’s aggressiveness, and even became protective toward him. If Illinois Josh tried to leave the premises, Smart Alex herded him back, and held him down gently until we caught him and brought him into the house to safety.
If we said "No" to Josh for chewing on the furniture or other items that Smart Alex had already learned were not for chewing, then Smart Alex would run to Illinois Josh and gently nudge him away, and assisted us in Josh’s training.
I explained to Smart Alex that I was writing about his dramatic change, and that he should be especially proud, because he made a name for himself! Smart Alex let me know that he wanted me to tell you that when you name your children, to give them names of distinction and honor to live up to--names that express positive, constructive, and desirable behavior--like Smart Alex. It makes all the difference in the world!
ANOTHER GOOD STORY FOLLOWS:
My grandpa told me the following story, when I was a small child, and it made a profound and lasting impression on me. I learned to love the truth, and the importance of being trusted, which has been a factor in all my decisions ever since. It is an old story, retold to many children over the years, but I have never seen it published. Therefore, I wrote it down and read it to my grandchildren. You all have heard it, I am sure. I also believe that this story is one of the best legacies that any parent or grandparent can leave their children or grandchildren. I hope you tell it to your children and grandchildren as I did.
THE BOY WHO CRIED WOLF
Once upon a time, a long time ago, there was a little boy who was a shepherd--which means that he tended or looked after sheep. Sheep are very timid animals which means they are easily frightened. Even the slightest noises can make them run away and cry, "Baaaaa!"
They are so timid, that they never fight to defend themselves. They never bite; they never kick; they never butt anyone with their horns, because they do not have any horns. Sheep are very gentle and respond quickly to their shepherd’s voice, depending on him to guide and protect them. They have no way of defending themselves, as almost all other animals do.
Goats butt with their horns. Horses bite and kick. Cows butt and kick. Pigs bite ver hard. Dogs bark, snarl, and bite. Cats scratch and bite. Skunks can give off a terrible odor that would make their enemies very sick, so that they flee. Porcupines are covered with needle-like quills, which stick their enemies and are very painful like thorns.
Even some butterflies taste so bad that their enemies leave them alone to keep from getting sick. Snakes bite and poison their enemies, or can wrap themselves around their prey and squeeze them to death. Chameleons change colors to match their environment which makes them difficult to be seen by their enemies. Deer and many other animals are swift at out-running their enemies. It seems that all other animals have ways to defend themselves, except sheep. They try to flee, but they are not swift.
Sheep not only do not defend themselves, but they do nothing to hurt or injure anyone else. That is the reason sheep must be watched by a shepherd to keep them from harm or from getting lost. The shepherd must watch his sheep at all times and take good care of them, because sheep have many enemies who want to eat them. Lions, wolves, and even dogs have been known to kill and eat sheep. Eagles will swoop down and carry off lambs or baby sheep.
The good shepherd loves his sheep very much, and takes them up into the hills where the grass is green and the mountain streams have sweet and cool water for the sheep to drink. At night the good shepherd leads his sheep down from the hills and counts them everyone as he puts them to bed in a sheepfold, a fenced in area, which keeps their enemies out while they are sleeping. If any of the sheep are missing, then the good shepherd will search all night until the lost are all found.
If a fox, wolf, or lion comes in the night to steal the sheep, they cry out, "Baaaa!"
And the good shepherd uses his long staff to drive their enemies away. Sometimes, sheep become so frightened, if they are not rescued at once, they can die of heart failure. The shepherd’s staff also has a crook on the end of it, so that if one of his sheep falls over the side of a cliff or into brambles, he can used the crook to grab hold of the sheep and help him free himself.
Sheep are so gentle, that they brush their noses up against the good shepherd, and their noses feel so soft, just like velvet. They like to hear the good shepherd’s voice, and they know his voice. If a stranger calls to them, they are terrified. They never follow strangers, and they try to run from anyone who tries to take their shepherd’s place.
Jesus created sheep to be exactly the way they are, just as He created all animals to be the way they are. He often used animals in His Word to explain the wicked ways of men, and the way He wanted men to behave. He compared the donkey to the stubbornness and stupidity of some men. He compared the lion to the courage that he wanted men to have, and Jesus Himself is called the Lion of Judah for His courage.
He spoke of the ox for his ability to do heavy labor, and the wolf for his taking advantage of the weak and helpless, devouring them without mercy. But He compared sheep to the way that he wanted men to be in their relationship to Him, and called Himself the "Good Shepherd," who would always take care of us, just as good shepherds take care of real sheep. Keep in mind that a good shepherd loves his sheep and leads them to green grass and sweet water, and watches over them and protects them both day and night.
When I began this story, I said that once there was a little boy who was a shepherd who tended his sheep, but this little boy was not as good a shepherd as he should have been. He did his job of tending his sheep, but he was sometimes very lonely with no one for company up on the hillside, and he made a terrible mistake.
One day he said to himself, "I am tired of being all alone up here in the hills with no one to keep me company but these sheep. I think I will cry, ‘Wolf, wolf,’ and the men in the village will think a wolf is getting my sheep, and they will come up here and help me chase away or kill the wolf, and I won’t be alone any more."
The little boy was going to tell a big lie, wasn’t he? Because he wanted company, he was planning to deceive the men below into thinking his sheep were in danger, but his sheep were not in danger, nor was he. He knew he should not lie, and call the men away from more important things they had to do, but he cried, "Wolf, wolf," anyway.
The men heard him, and they did run up into the hills, but when they saw that the sheep were safe and no wolf was around, they were very angry. They said, "You are a bad shepherd, calling us from our work for no reason." But the little boy just laughed. He thought his joke was very funny.
A few days later the boy said to himself, "I think I’ll cry ‘Wolf, wolf,’ again, and play another joke on the men down in the village, and I won’t be alone anymore." So, He cried out again, and the men left their work and came running again. And again they were very angry at the little boy for lying about a wolf that was not there. Again, the little shepherd boy just laughed and laughed, because he thought lying was fun, and caused great excitement. He thought lying was just a funny joke.
One day the little boy heard a noise, a howling noise like "Howoowhoo." He was very frightened, because he knew that the noise he heard was the cry of a real wolf. The noise became closer and closer, "Howoowhoo! Howoowhoo!" And it was much louder. It came right up to the edge of the herd of sheep, and the little boy screamed, "Help! Help! A wolf is getting my sheep!" But nobody came. The men in the village thought the little boy was just playing another joke. They thought that he was lying again.
A whole pack of wolves carried off many sheep, while the poor frightened sheep were crying out, "Baaaa, Baaaa, Baaaa," and nobody came to save them. The little boy had lied too many times, so that nobody believed him, when he was finally telling the truth.
That night the little boy was very sad. He did not laugh this time. He said to him self, "I am never going to tell a lie again!" And he never did!
I hope you liked this story, my beloved grandchildren. It is one of your grandma’s favorites. I love you all very much, and I am sure you will tell this same story to your children and to your grandchildren.
God bless you all,
Grandma
THE LORD’S HEIRS
And receive Jesus Christ to "inherit" his favor.
ARE YOU ON DRUGS?
You can fool your mother, yourself, and your wife.
But you can’t fool your nature; don’t bet your life!
THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON
In John 3: 16. Have you forgotten?"
He said of Himself, "I AM the Truth and the Way
To come to the Father; Others lead you astray."
You either believe Him and know others are false,
Or you will grieve Him and that would be your loss.
Or maybe you think He’s a fraud and a liar,
When He claimed He could save us all from hell fire.
You say, "He’s a prophet, a son of God,
But other sons on earth have trod."
How can this be? Do you think He’s a "Craze"?
A prophet is true. You can’t have it both ways!
THE FOOL IS THE ACCUSER
If any person calls another, "old fashioned," the accused has probably just advocated that which has survived challenging and testing for thousands of years by many generations. The accuser is just another fool insisting on his right to learn the hard way.
HOW CAN YOU TELL?
If it makes you want to live, God did it!
If it makes you want to die, Satan did it!
If it makes you want to hide, you did it!
ON POVERTY
"Most folks in this land have not been so poor
That they couldn’t buy soap, or keep the wolf from the door.
"Only bums are poor," I’ve heard people say.
But that’s not true. Some work hard, but cannot pay.
For many, many years--too many to tell--
We picked up bottles, the kind we could sell.
The kids hauled the bottles for two cents a piece.
We bought powdered milk--so hunger would cease.
One lady saw the kids reaping bottles one day.
She said, "What a shame that folks litter that way!"
What she did not know was how thankful we were
For the litter we gathered. That thought wouldn’t occur!
We had bad debts from a business we lost.
To avoid bankruptcy, we paid what that cost.
We didn’t have heat. We had no telephone.
Our food was scarce. We cut to the bone.
We did have "pride." We tried not to complain.
We asked God to forgive us our debts, but in vain.
The struggle was long, and the very worst part
Was denying our kids. That breaks any heart!
My better half said, "I’d pick fly-poop from pepper."
I laughed and agreed, "I’d beg like a leper."
But we never had sitters. "No one else," we both thought,
"Was qualified to do what I knew that I ought."
So I worked at home in spite of temptation.
I just couldn’t shirk my true occupation.
A lady from church, seeing our plight,
Said, "It’s no disgrace to be poor but right."
She told of a woman who once served her tea
On a white tablecloth, though was poor as can be.
I almost laughed. I had no tablecloth.
And if I did, it would connote sloth.
Trying to keep it clean. White cloths in our "shed,"
Was a horrible thought that I’d only dread.
She was trying to be kind, but could not relate
To the problems we had that seemed not to abate.
Self-employed can’t get aid. The disabled aren’t hired.
Not that we’d ask! Who wants to get fired?
So, we lived by faith. Each day brought some good.
We prayed our way through, and shared what we could.
I knew we were rich without having a sou!
We had priceless love and peace--yes, and joy, too.
Those who love worldly goods are poor to the bone.
Good gifts from heaven feed the faithful alone.
The Lord spoke to me near the end of our tunnel.
He called me into service without being subtle.
He said, "You’ve been faithful with the little you’ve had.
Now, you shall have more which should make you glad."
By this time I’d noted national deceiving--
Bad stewards of millions and Christians were grieving.
God said, "They will pay. I’ll remove them from service.
The media serves me; they shall give the world notice.
"And I have called you to let everyone know
That I AM not dead, and men reap what they sow."
ON CONTENTMENT
Or by a change of attitude; we want what we acquire.
But getting what we want will never make content,
If at time of getting, we cause others to resent.
For if we acquire by hurting one another,
We will lose self-respect, and guilt becomes our brother.
TABLETS OF CLAY
What is my religion? I have none.
I am a member of God’s Only Son.
Religion is a sham. Religion cannot save.
Religion is death--the home of "deprave."
Those with religion believe in the law,
But they don’t have love. That is their flaw.
"An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth--"
Such despise Jesus. They don’t love the Truth.
These tend to doubt the "Second Person of "One."
That He came to save ALL as God’s Only Son.
They have not asked for the power to obey.
Not filled with God’s Spirit; They are tablets of clay.
NINEVAH, PROTOTYPE OF THE WORLD
God said, "John is like Jonah. Read Jonah tonight.
And learn prophecies fail, if men see the light."
God called Jonah, to warn the Ninevites
That He’d destroy their city in forty days and nights.
Jonah did as he was told--made the Ninevites believe.
They repented, wearing sackcloth, and begged the Lord for reprieve.
They put ashes on their heads, and asked God to forgive.
The Lord changed His mind and said they would live.
Jonah felt betrayed. He sulked and said,
God made him a false prophet, which could get him dead.
God spoke to Jonah, "What should I do?
Harden my heart just to please you?"
I Corinthians, thirteen, tells that prophecies fail.
If we confess and repent, must John’s prophecy prevail?
Jonah’s prophecy failed. Must Revelations come true?
Must the whole world end, because we made it a zoo?
Could Revelations fail? Could we receive a fresh start
Without all that destruction? Could we change the Lord’s heart?
That is what I would call the "Blessed Hope."
That is the thought that helps me to cope.