tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40958223883158993812024-03-18T19:34:02.992-07:00Blessed Are The Pure Of HeartAndrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.comBlogger1588125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-28694057510803319552024-03-14T18:07:00.000-07:002024-03-14T19:22:41.918-07:00Do You Want To Be Healed?<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsAu2WLWH0HryCIYkOMoJ1x8C6N-rYcXh9ZItWfD9MaDstsEknfcZAPFRxaeNhfTxKgWnTybvMOqdeuBDZzwbK_SUlPnICcZCX0NR9yKUOPk1HJKzRZ-G6lmOyFWKqBxP4qWL7Goi1j6ChUSZXah9o8c76l_CYHj_qFCOghT8AkRufgovHV8dmFirDPWx/s2560/17104223669425250655039802812342.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFsAu2WLWH0HryCIYkOMoJ1x8C6N-rYcXh9ZItWfD9MaDstsEknfcZAPFRxaeNhfTxKgWnTybvMOqdeuBDZzwbK_SUlPnICcZCX0NR9yKUOPk1HJKzRZ-G6lmOyFWKqBxP4qWL7Goi1j6ChUSZXah9o8c76l_CYHj_qFCOghT8AkRufgovHV8dmFirDPWx/s320/17104223669425250655039802812342.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjjKpcN-8kkBCxjv9515Jpz7_L7mPVcPYLxKqhWpXh3kAUlqTvLU6Y-KpSuiXlrbp00ifQxWsZqxblcb5DiHapjAaj90spq6MqWemra1gOwUURkcF7Y-KUFVQrVvPcqCgjfWZkc3Pv9Xn7KYmOmkXossRdRMLNW7EtvA-yln_PejhmEUl2gAqXTtLFd3z/s2560/17104225789973837539039952476354.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFjjKpcN-8kkBCxjv9515Jpz7_L7mPVcPYLxKqhWpXh3kAUlqTvLU6Y-KpSuiXlrbp00ifQxWsZqxblcb5DiHapjAaj90spq6MqWemra1gOwUURkcF7Y-KUFVQrVvPcqCgjfWZkc3Pv9Xn7KYmOmkXossRdRMLNW7EtvA-yln_PejhmEUl2gAqXTtLFd3z/s320/17104225789973837539039952476354.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-7rqWgSMun01QSxjd7HnKaABVUvYtIdZZc0-NSn_dz1CkKeiWPJloCjqznwMxTvIxyxHH5hFBb7_c_BB6dZ8o3j3xnm2fIODwJAgnSCzdMKr13DUNiGT1_0l6nFsB_r2Qi7HV300vR1neycP3OCWDT5RRl1N_7ymHkLttGdFr-mQPcRwQbTKY9D9EyIB/s2560/17104227475126686734975040008627.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1-7rqWgSMun01QSxjd7HnKaABVUvYtIdZZc0-NSn_dz1CkKeiWPJloCjqznwMxTvIxyxHH5hFBb7_c_BB6dZ8o3j3xnm2fIODwJAgnSCzdMKr13DUNiGT1_0l6nFsB_r2Qi7HV300vR1neycP3OCWDT5RRl1N_7ymHkLttGdFr-mQPcRwQbTKY9D9EyIB/s320/17104227475126686734975040008627.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Do you want to be healed? asked Jesus.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">That of course begs the question, <i>Why </i>do you want to be healed?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">For most people it's probably a no-brainer. They want to pick up the threads of a ruined life, kinda like Job.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But I'll wager that many don't really think past the miracle, to exactly what they're going to do with that outpouring of grace.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It's kind of like the lottery. A lot of winners wind up broke after a year, because they really had no idea what they were going to do with that windfall, and on-the-job training doesn't seem to work too well.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So if you're asking for a miracle, when all seems lost, and hope has gone...are you ready to receive it?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I don't think God keeps a scorecard, dispensing or withholding the miraculous on the basis of preparedness, so, no, being ready isn't going to help you get what you want.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It'll just make what comes after so much more worthwhile!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So throw your heart and your dreams down the years. Throw them in courage and faith, and maybe, just maybe God will hand them back to you on the other side of Grace.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And if that's not His will, you'll have journeyed in hope.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Is it a miracle you need,</div><div style="text-align: center;">the hand of God for which you wait?</div><div style="text-align: center;">If so, you must plant the seed</div><div style="text-align: center;">for that unknown harvest date.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Don't just sit with arms upraised,</div><div style="text-align: center;">tears on cheeks and mind in neutral.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Sure, the Good Lord should be praised,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but you will find your praise is futile</div><div style="text-align: center;">if you do not have a plan</div><div style="text-align: center;">that projects your heart on ahead.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Don't despair, just understand</div><div style="text-align: center;">that it's not just for lament Christ bled,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but also for the stalwart few,</div><div style="text-align: center;">who, being healed, knew what to do.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Five Minute Friday prompt this week is HURRY. I'll be quick.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hurry up, fulfill your dream,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and then move on to another</div><div style="text-align: center;">so it will always just seem</div><div style="text-align: center;">that you're outdoing your brother,</div><div style="text-align: center;">for this life's a competition</div><div style="text-align: center;">of cool virtues and hot sins,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and culmination of the vision</div><div style="text-align: center;">is he who dies with most toys wins.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Toss a buck for the collection,</div><div style="text-align: center;">let people think that it's a ten,</div><div style="text-align: center;">for on serious reflection</div><div style="text-align: center;">you'll find now has come to then</div><div style="text-align: center;">and you'll find on fun you've spent</div><div style="text-align: center;">every last benighted cent.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I have no idea where I was going with that, but hey, it's under four minutes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Music from Glen Campbell, with <i><a href="https://youtu.be/8kAU3B9Pi_U?si=gg-lqBJzGMyex6ue" target="_blank">Rhinestone Cowboy</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sylvia regards ice cream as miraculous enough.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-55222064958505098472024-03-12T04:00:00.000-07:002024-03-12T04:00:00.138-07:00Pistol Packin' Jesus (Tell His Story)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9sJFHxP3HpfT6FiH5liRmV9rlWRHVRRu7EZW5DKvx2YLIavEWg4rKuMCs1WNg1_uEM0Kp6diLTwulID4al4NTGC23lNOUTeTBFMQmpG2d_HDB3bHahvvuGPH6ULrWmk9SwQnoCJ6k2w3Z0VlXz5znEywaFYzHIDptYludxTSro01k6_E0cUV4ZsX6685/s2560/16933988840256850010226579172208.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjg9sJFHxP3HpfT6FiH5liRmV9rlWRHVRRu7EZW5DKvx2YLIavEWg4rKuMCs1WNg1_uEM0Kp6diLTwulID4al4NTGC23lNOUTeTBFMQmpG2d_HDB3bHahvvuGPH6ULrWmk9SwQnoCJ6k2w3Z0VlXz5znEywaFYzHIDptYludxTSro01k6_E0cUV4ZsX6685/s320/16933988840256850010226579172208.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVQ5j7NCn1DvME0gtgMl4xIfhRotw-6VwGocbcHFND5jt5WR5phSz-UIV2E4SHJKwwdACod_gJHdg6ZPF-gPEALvxI1KGbq_lvU4PLZcpFhLrl9F-awZD8seTwvn8LJVSaMpy9vCHCaN2SNGzZbIcp1wwqhg9gIDTQNNM9fTBZy8-x4AZHJDRN-_6xBc-/s2560/16933989134147447629329113883541.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitVQ5j7NCn1DvME0gtgMl4xIfhRotw-6VwGocbcHFND5jt5WR5phSz-UIV2E4SHJKwwdACod_gJHdg6ZPF-gPEALvxI1KGbq_lvU4PLZcpFhLrl9F-awZD8seTwvn8LJVSaMpy9vCHCaN2SNGzZbIcp1wwqhg9gIDTQNNM9fTBZy8-x4AZHJDRN-_6xBc-/s320/16933989134147447629329113883541.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /> </span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9XLd30x-5u8e-LndtrE4cotChc6GsvEFXIhAngECFbxK_bqwQhZJY_EF_w-2_C80Y_5OzoGYbtwyfXtuEOEl1Bayhc7LkDv2UgUuGoMtpdg2YzBa4cjHiuU-bqw_keyYzYMI_ooplTOxseL8LYn8m4wL3vUfD_zgTOlxC1hsOkoYoDhOvwBVILk5RYPhi/s2560/1693399703356899090756181109523.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9XLd30x-5u8e-LndtrE4cotChc6GsvEFXIhAngECFbxK_bqwQhZJY_EF_w-2_C80Y_5OzoGYbtwyfXtuEOEl1Bayhc7LkDv2UgUuGoMtpdg2YzBa4cjHiuU-bqw_keyYzYMI_ooplTOxseL8LYn8m4wL3vUfD_zgTOlxC1hsOkoYoDhOvwBVILk5RYPhi/s320/1693399703356899090756181109523.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><p></p><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 2.4rem; min-width: 0px; text-align: center;">From Luke's Gospel, chapter 22...</div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 2.4rem; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="text Luke-22-36"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="background-color: white; box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 2.4rem; min-width: 0px; text-align: left;"><span class="text Luke-22-36"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-family: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">36 </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Then said he unto them, But now, he that hath a purse, let him take it, and likewise his scrip: and he that hath no sword, let him sell his garment, and buy one.<br /></span></span><span class="text Luke-22-37" id="en-KJV-25902"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">37 </span>For I say unto you, that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me, And he was reckoned among the transgressors: for the things concerning me have an end.<br /></span></span><span class="text Luke-22-38" id="en-KJV-25903"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="versenum" style="display: inline; font-weight: 700; line-height: normal; position: relative; top: auto; vertical-align: text-top;">38 </span>And they said, Lord, behold, here are two swords. And he said unto them, It is enough.</span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Bible has a lot of sections that are puzzling (read Revelation lately?), but hearing Mr. Turn The Other Cheek suggest that it's time to buy a sword is in a class by itself.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There's any amount of commentary.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some think it's heavy irony.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Some say that Jesus, knowing he was reckoned among transgressors, wanted to seal the deal by having the Apostles dress up as terrorists. (Presumably, two swords would be enough proof to convict Him.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Many call this passage figurative, with swords as symbolic of the strength they'd need to endure the coming trials (remember, this scene takes place at the Last Supper).</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There are problems with each of these interpretations.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Previously, Jesus had sent the Apostles out in pairs, with only the clothes they wore. But now, with His death imminent, He's telling them to take precautions. The purse bit is there, and it doesn't sound like irony.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As for lending credence to His criminal reputation, He wasn't arrested for leading an armed revolt. So was that suggestion an Oops on His part?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As for a figurative interpretation, this device was usually used in parables, and not in this kind of context.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But hold on...what <i>about </i>Turn The Other Cheek?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There are those who think He meant, turn the other cheek when struck, take one more blow, and <i>then </i>punch out your opponent.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Though it's tempting, and seems to go with doing two miles with someone when one has been demanded (<i>two</i> miles, not twenty), it doesn't seem consistent with His other teachings.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And cutting back across the aisle, He didn't tell the centurion whose servant He healed (and whose faith He highly braised) to find a job with Oxfam...as He advised the rich young man to do.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And then again,.He knew Peter had a sword at the Garden of Gethsemane (I mean, He's <i>GOD</i>, yeah?). He didn't tell Pete to leave it at home. He just said that it was not...or no longer...the time.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">So I'm left puzzled.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">What about you?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Just what kind of sidearm</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">do you think Jesus would carry?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A 44 to cause alarm,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">homage to Dirty Harry?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">He said go ye and sell a cloak</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">if you have got two</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and buy a sword...was this a joke,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">or was He quoted true?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It's really hard to reconcile</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">with Turn The Other Cheek,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">but He didn't call for change in style</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">from the centurion who'd seek</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">his servant's healing and relief</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">based solely on his own belief.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Here's Bing Crosby and the Andrews Sisters, with <i><a href="https://youtu.be/PjgqQcKE3DY?si=dGxNkzBlowam6xkM" target="_blank">Pistol Packin' Mama</a></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sylvia doesn't need a gun. Her teeth do the job. Besides...<i>no opposable thumbs!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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<!-- end InLinkz code -->Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com5New Mexico, USA34.9727305 -105.03236356.6624966638211518 -140.1886135 63.282964336178843 -69.8761135tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-6018072303653680012024-03-07T17:54:00.000-08:002024-03-08T06:07:56.182-08:00The Reality <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9topVwxCxH0zN_sQRgqlKHvNldPwrQcDk9EhmXYUR6u8XdmrJRwTwZ3GcEvQR5W-oIIqGvklz3IsEmWEz-yhAyuoYFINFatb-6GiuEbadL96D5ijFJJsengdZkUxDmBoM8TAwjzUYNLOMHgyFadq7o8vMB8EqKdN39XhDXrBd5qB299jAvzG2KNwYWnHR/s2560/17063647338829119983195437613682.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9topVwxCxH0zN_sQRgqlKHvNldPwrQcDk9EhmXYUR6u8XdmrJRwTwZ3GcEvQR5W-oIIqGvklz3IsEmWEz-yhAyuoYFINFatb-6GiuEbadL96D5ijFJJsengdZkUxDmBoM8TAwjzUYNLOMHgyFadq7o8vMB8EqKdN39XhDXrBd5qB299jAvzG2KNwYWnHR/s320/17063647338829119983195437613682.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> Why did they not want me, God?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Was it something that I did?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Or was it that I may be flawed,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and that they would be rid</div><div style="text-align: center;">of the love I held within,</div><div style="text-align: center;">all that I had to give?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Was, for them, my heart a sin?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Why'd they not let me live?</div><div style="text-align: center;">And God held me much closer still,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and said He didn't know,</div><div style="text-align: center;">that it had been part of His will</div><div style="text-align: center;">that I'd be born and grow</div><div style="text-align: center;">and learn to laugh and learn to play...</div><div style="text-align: center;">and then He had to turn away.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Let this be an engraving</div><div style="text-align: center;">upon your Christian heart,</div><div style="text-align: center;">dedication to the saving</div><div style="text-align: center;">of those who stand apart</div><div style="text-align: center;">and weeping watch the great parade</div><div style="text-align: center;">of life go passing by.</div><div style="text-align: center;">For them the party is charade</div><div style="text-align: center;">for they are marked to die.</div><div style="text-align: center;">They are merely in the way,</div><div style="text-align: center;">an inconvenience,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but you can do much more than pray</div><div style="text-align: center;">with the best intents,</div><div style="text-align: center;">so rise and carry home the fight,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and roll back their coming night.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Under three minutes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It was Barb writing the second sonnet. She didn't want to claim credit.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I can't think of any music to go with this</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Neither can Sylvia.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><p></p>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-41703782698557304112024-03-05T04:00:00.000-08:002024-03-05T04:00:00.152-08:00Do You Believe In Miracles? (Tell His Story)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSL1jDC3-MxhaNiYfxWD77fr_aNvcj_LG1maUht09rMWYNQTuZpoNx9rOPbmyMZErT3Q9-nA7ewNApwWa7oKaiUNvc29GOlnMwjMs-Ts8R5HfGOGO6LJjWZ2CnbbnmmxMud0HCMYbUy7Qyic0Xo3Qrt_5bKWsNT1wJlzmlPGDVb1YyZNNxVpule3Xop34/s2560/17065745908485288793635033192374.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUSL1jDC3-MxhaNiYfxWD77fr_aNvcj_LG1maUht09rMWYNQTuZpoNx9rOPbmyMZErT3Q9-nA7ewNApwWa7oKaiUNvc29GOlnMwjMs-Ts8R5HfGOGO6LJjWZ2CnbbnmmxMud0HCMYbUy7Qyic0Xo3Qrt_5bKWsNT1wJlzmlPGDVb1YyZNNxVpule3Xop34/s320/17065745908485288793635033192374.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix24awhndOCMhanNykHKcjhhRLG13TJhcB6H0qoWkM-2J_1mpAcdkqDZb452Ax-Ey_EzRnfAJrdD_zf9OtjIXmNnb06RUTvNXIAfDcIP06FcNkG4_iTxLQsKtKI-KeCo4fytlROoxLC4hKl1Iw43yhGvqj8Fw1ZK-TcZz0RmfUGW2Sos9s_Kae2G_4dOkM/s2560/17065746574814820860197903545343.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEix24awhndOCMhanNykHKcjhhRLG13TJhcB6H0qoWkM-2J_1mpAcdkqDZb452Ax-Ey_EzRnfAJrdD_zf9OtjIXmNnb06RUTvNXIAfDcIP06FcNkG4_iTxLQsKtKI-KeCo4fytlROoxLC4hKl1Iw43yhGvqj8Fw1ZK-TcZz0RmfUGW2Sos9s_Kae2G_4dOkM/s320/17065746574814820860197903545343.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As you light the votives,</div><div style="text-align: center;">is your faith a fraud?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Do you doubt the motives</div><div style="text-align: center;">of Almighty God?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Do you feel that miracles divine</div><div style="text-align: center;">have forever passed,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and that the Mets of '69</div><div style="text-align: center;">surely was the last?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Or will you wait, though sad and broken,</div><div style="text-align: center;">yet knowing you were not fed lies,</div><div style="text-align: center;">with your heart wounded but open</div><div style="text-align: center;">to the glory of the skies,</div><div style="text-align: center;">that the God of Three Cross Hill</div><div style="text-align: center;">may show you some wonders still?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Music from Mike And The Mechanics, with <i><a href="https://youtu.be/rlm-SlJOhwg?si=EIl5tKs8BbFBa6GM" target="_blank">All I Need Is A Miracle</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sylvia counts ice cream as miraculous.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><p></p>
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Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com4New Mexico, USA34.9727305 -105.03236356.6624966638211518 -140.1886135 63.282964336178843 -69.8761135tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-22893642812345650782024-02-29T17:50:00.000-08:002024-03-01T08:21:16.757-08:00The Saddest Words Of All<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAR7K41WFv4XkRAFiUWwXEftW5uBGUdLVq-KxLFa5UtRw7EqstScKXE3uYvnqghxEXjwkbRsxW1a2jVVeZftZjAphMV9ZnJbo_CSyv7Xvp4nm7eDwfX2ZTUK29zbG0QymI7TqrV9eI5kCwusV4gLmUMCRGJSCYe8-DFtvvjsKu4i8N9hDtOQC7OPE7UYz/s2560/17084769383243443906064438211795.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuAR7K41WFv4XkRAFiUWwXEftW5uBGUdLVq-KxLFa5UtRw7EqstScKXE3uYvnqghxEXjwkbRsxW1a2jVVeZftZjAphMV9ZnJbo_CSyv7Xvp4nm7eDwfX2ZTUK29zbG0QymI7TqrV9eI5kCwusV4gLmUMCRGJSCYe8-DFtvvjsKu4i8N9hDtOQC7OPE7UYz/s320/17084769383243443906064438211795.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSNnocUv-wqYAu1SbzzwDrFv4vyqc5LC4eJhzHrldjXC_uBjWNOfTSIZi0xLAZJuKAfTiGIC_Naw3sacZqeAu4myxBSuQTlgnvAWwrZ4G8jwOQ-w1RixO2A78LEmk3VG2Wv-QNC8H4KequeK14SYygmWC6zkmlD8yIE_IsHzOuY4EC8Ra0WsxCcYptEoj/s2560/17085224790808333715153510885256.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBSNnocUv-wqYAu1SbzzwDrFv4vyqc5LC4eJhzHrldjXC_uBjWNOfTSIZi0xLAZJuKAfTiGIC_Naw3sacZqeAu4myxBSuQTlgnvAWwrZ4G8jwOQ-w1RixO2A78LEmk3VG2Wv-QNC8H4KequeK14SYygmWC6zkmlD8yIE_IsHzOuY4EC8Ra0WsxCcYptEoj/s320/17085224790808333715153510885256.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><p></p><div style="text-align: center;">The cancer thing is rough and horrible, and I don't want to write about it today.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Still, it does leave room for thinking, and regret.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The saddest words were ever spoken,</div><div style="text-align: center;">words that flaming hell portend</div><div style="text-align: center;">illume a grace that has been broken,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and chill the soul, 'a former friend'.</div><div style="text-align: center;">What fell road led to this place</div><div style="text-align: center;">in which we see fellowship killed?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Can we still not find a trace</div><div style="text-align: center;">of love, or has the heart been stilled?</div><div style="text-align: center;">What is it, that is worth the fight</div><div style="text-align: center;">that comes between what should be whole?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Why pick we Egyptian night,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and let it fester on the soul</div><div style="text-align: center;">when we might yet chose to forbear</div><div style="text-align: center;">insult, and still consent to care?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Five Minute Friday prompt this week is SUFFER. Can you suffer through another sonnet?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Will you bow, and choose to suffer</div><div style="text-align: center;">through an insult meant to wound?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Will you let God be your buffer,</div><div style="text-align: center;">when you've wept enough, and swooned</div><div style="text-align: center;">into the arms of black despair,</div><div style="text-align: center;">into the vale that floods with tears.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Will you let Him find you there,</div><div style="text-align: center;">let Him shield you from your fears?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Let the pride go out and pass,</div><div style="text-align: center;">let surrender be your all</div><div style="text-align: center;">that you may lay the looking glass,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and with fresh eyes behold the wall</div><div style="text-align: center;">behind which for years you have hidden,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and to surmount you now are bidden.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Three minutes thirty.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Barb does say I make her climb the walls, sometimes.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Music from The Sandpipers, with <i><a href="https://youtu.be/icwPsVLdFEM?si=Ln3w1eRGX1SUcsOx" target="_blank">Come Saturday Morning</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Come bearing ice cream, and all insult is forgotten.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-63159064463083157162024-02-27T04:00:00.000-08:002024-02-27T04:00:00.159-08:00Will You Say Hullo? (Tell His Story)<p style="text-align: left;"></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwBpDtYKxJM7Daun8fhw3_qEfKugQz7W8ZC66GK7mUYf3nc2V3p3W9-odnB9dRZGRy-rLLBm5cVb9PMerwuI1uBprl-0eu7STMvGVwcdkNDGcW2MjpMNYpiuy0BkMh4rF79Ue3FJm1LQzBhmXGkK3EmsRhIZfrQbOLjyHTqfllWG2RIn8T0ORyyGmTo86/s2560/17089542061771129164604254807132.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJwBpDtYKxJM7Daun8fhw3_qEfKugQz7W8ZC66GK7mUYf3nc2V3p3W9-odnB9dRZGRy-rLLBm5cVb9PMerwuI1uBprl-0eu7STMvGVwcdkNDGcW2MjpMNYpiuy0BkMh4rF79Ue3FJm1LQzBhmXGkK3EmsRhIZfrQbOLjyHTqfllWG2RIn8T0ORyyGmTo86/s320/17089542061771129164604254807132.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQfS_o-7JaNT-jJOGBitVT9PUt3WMJ2-g5FNFCq7X8WkGSgXVXNovE4KJ-Gimo-D6ii0e5Do234zNSlcibYMyRcjYBrHkYgrsBXJDkhnXpufYa1ER_R2jH6WOFbQHgdZMxEnjEIOcVhtDaZAPsDAGAv45Gnc_6T1Z641BP7yJ17F9TDVb4MNIk3qkk4CH/s2560/17089542317743172580828042359128.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXQfS_o-7JaNT-jJOGBitVT9PUt3WMJ2-g5FNFCq7X8WkGSgXVXNovE4KJ-Gimo-D6ii0e5Do234zNSlcibYMyRcjYBrHkYgrsBXJDkhnXpufYa1ER_R2jH6WOFbQHgdZMxEnjEIOcVhtDaZAPsDAGAv45Gnc_6T1Z641BP7yJ17F9TDVb4MNIk3qkk4CH/s320/17089542317743172580828042359128.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> He slipped into the rearmost pew,</div><div style="text-align: center;">a denim vest, no shirt.</div><div style="text-align: center;">No telling what he had gone through,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but clearly he'd been hurt</div><div style="text-align: center;">by the turns his life had taken </div><div style="text-align: center;">by drugs and fights and alcohol.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Not broken yet, but he was breaking,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and he'd hit a wall</div><div style="text-align: center;">in which, by some wonderment</div><div style="text-align: center;">a door had opened wide.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Was it choice, or was he sent?</div><div style="text-align: center;">No matter now, he stepped inside,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and when it was collection time,</div><div style="text-align: center;">he offered up his final dime.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Music from Switchfoot, with <i><a href="https://youtu.be/rk9Pj3ID0UE?si=Y2GCYcQQEmmaM5pp" target="_blank">Love Alone Is Worth The Fight</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sylvia says ice cream is worth the fight, as well.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div></div><p></p>
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<!-- end InLinkz code -->Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com6New Mexico, USA34.9727305 -105.03236356.6624966638211518 -140.1886135 63.282964336178843 -69.8761135tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-90011456290450356962024-02-22T17:41:00.000-08:002024-02-22T19:28:14.895-08:00From Good To Great To Really Stupid <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLPyrTgJUrEu4HVt45oVRMagle2QxiRWn2I5Ym58rLejQlUbc8aP2XRWCeaucl4-4tOk7yK5iCix1i29eqGn6GQJdTzHOuXibu3eMZpmrOcczbectGuFns59IcKAmBiQruqgd_QxVIWStd3jHRqTXV6mXU2S4HFP2nH39jbwdLzGil7h86sE8BP3etT52G/s2560/17086088788506503814023180021331.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLPyrTgJUrEu4HVt45oVRMagle2QxiRWn2I5Ym58rLejQlUbc8aP2XRWCeaucl4-4tOk7yK5iCix1i29eqGn6GQJdTzHOuXibu3eMZpmrOcczbectGuFns59IcKAmBiQruqgd_QxVIWStd3jHRqTXV6mXU2S4HFP2nH39jbwdLzGil7h86sE8BP3etT52G/s320/17086088788506503814023180021331.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YzgF-ZWIkXbFQ7727WEXZHlXunh4Wqz-Yau3VL0z5muOAt9SaI2JP3eep7J1Qj-0pXsffhf-neyfo35tAzPWjvrH3leo4c4Si5TFQ2LOrYLLl0w0P23vmDK0RcHLE2nGsR7WjrRnHREy1P79CPk2rrlRV-l_wWUsNeqqqdrTjcM3tbkhcuNTsPdjTtEk/s2560/17086088962526657111831813639261.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3YzgF-ZWIkXbFQ7727WEXZHlXunh4Wqz-Yau3VL0z5muOAt9SaI2JP3eep7J1Qj-0pXsffhf-neyfo35tAzPWjvrH3leo4c4Si5TFQ2LOrYLLl0w0P23vmDK0RcHLE2nGsR7WjrRnHREy1P79CPk2rrlRV-l_wWUsNeqqqdrTjcM3tbkhcuNTsPdjTtEk/s320/17086088962526657111831813639261.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Tolstoy said it best.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>If everything is possible, then nothing is true.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This country's gotten very weird</div><div style="text-align: center;">with stranger days to come.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I'll bet that's not how it appeared</div><div style="text-align: center;">to ol' George Washington.</div><div style="text-align: center;">They want us in electric cars</div><div style="text-align: center;">(Stop global warming! Do your part!),</div><div style="text-align: center;">and though their dreams reach to the stars,</div><div style="text-align: center;">in winter they won't start,</div><div style="text-align: center;">which proves that you can't legislate</div><div style="text-align: center;">Mother Nature's laws,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but the self-proclaiming great</div><div style="text-align: center;">just cannot see the flaws,</div><div style="text-align: center;">or that it's a load of bull,</div><div style="text-align: center;">to say that All Is Possible.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>The Five Minute Friday prompt this week is RESPITE. Yeah, I need a break. Not happening.</div><div><br /></div><div>I wish that we might have a respite</div><div>from the morons in DC,</div><div>who daily have a happy fit</div><div>when they think of doing me</div><div>some damage with their regulations</div><div>to make the whole wide world so green,</div><div>and so they offer strangulations</div><div>on each and every good machine</div><div>that makes the rural life worth living,</div><div>gas stoves and cheaper ceiling fans.</div><div>It seems they think we should be giving</div><div>carbon credits to the lands</div><div>that would happily replace</div><div>our nation, once held in God's grace.</div><div><br /></div><div>Three and a half minutes of real irritation. </div><div><br /></div><div>How do YOU feel?</div><div><br /></div><div>Music from The Monkees, with <i><a href="https://youtu.be/TiQUnxNEDqk?si=QGQrz8IBZYd8RuGY" target="_blank">I'm A Believer</a></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Sylvia is happy to eat ice cream when it's cold. She has a warm heart.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-63947004801007831562024-02-20T04:00:00.000-08:002024-02-20T04:00:00.333-08:00What Heaven Awaits? (Tell His Story)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLZ_EC0VScfqfNfYtcq3scR0O3vDFRWuqpRzknXOzfNIrgx09XinARt5lOyxPFf01tH04wLf6bkG4BQARwZNYhtY293eyVzRaC3cMjdhIUouWHcosnPNIDKL-EUWnDQhOYgyAqyAeIFnqGUMwF87fV17RO0Ct7040vhNdFJSuYJ2PVU4ya3-6D-mj3eg7/s2560/17082638601366603125372985936426.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyLZ_EC0VScfqfNfYtcq3scR0O3vDFRWuqpRzknXOzfNIrgx09XinARt5lOyxPFf01tH04wLf6bkG4BQARwZNYhtY293eyVzRaC3cMjdhIUouWHcosnPNIDKL-EUWnDQhOYgyAqyAeIFnqGUMwF87fV17RO0Ct7040vhNdFJSuYJ2PVU4ya3-6D-mj3eg7/s320/17082638601366603125372985936426.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1p1nhc9Id4sGt6u6L-cr8DGOyu0mkFE0KL-frNQxLVc-pBGW5tprFCNYPUX7PtYT4YhLuRoeVdu5YAkRYBoWpapXmr3JQyjYwbI_PSBwuFhkPSzUPqYW46kiCA-Pf0mLa4sQFG3eTpYXrkBJTlZNm5L0OUZEVuw8lJUyAINt2uMW2_lZXUQWxzoDQCx8/s2560/17082638851762070171799304820046.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE1p1nhc9Id4sGt6u6L-cr8DGOyu0mkFE0KL-frNQxLVc-pBGW5tprFCNYPUX7PtYT4YhLuRoeVdu5YAkRYBoWpapXmr3JQyjYwbI_PSBwuFhkPSzUPqYW46kiCA-Pf0mLa4sQFG3eTpYXrkBJTlZNm5L0OUZEVuw8lJUyAINt2uMW2_lZXUQWxzoDQCx8/s320/17082638851762070171799304820046.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> What is your Heavenly vision,</div><div style="text-align: center;">what is the Paradise you see</div><div style="text-align: center;">beyond this life, this fallen prison...</div><div style="text-align: center;">what will come, what is to be?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Is it like King Arthur's court,</div><div style="text-align: center;">vasty halls and angel choirs,</div><div style="text-align: center;">or is it more Valhalla's fort,</div><div style="text-align: center;">swords and mead and roaring fires?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Are there streets all paved in gold,</div><div style="text-align: center;">or is there grass beneath bare feet?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Is it warm, or ski-ing cold,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and is there chocolate to eat?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Will you arrive by flight or stair,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and who'll be first to greet you there?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Please share your thoughts in the comments!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Music from the Alan Parsons Project, with <i><a href="https://youtu.be/EQYklBu4C4M?si=1fyccbrvb-evOJ48" target="_blank">Closer To Heaven</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sylvia expects ice cream and belly rubs.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
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<!-- end InLinkz code -->Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com12New Mexico, USA34.9727305 -105.03236356.6624966638211518 -140.1886135 63.282964336178843 -69.8761135tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-38721635993360565292024-02-15T17:46:00.000-08:002024-02-15T19:38:38.163-08:00Lesson From An Elephant <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnzBZd9TZKby0Jk2zu-dXkrOLnbdg9WbXHuIEuV9CZcj8Y215Zob6nCoejcjOYDJsznw-7Iz3THlqucY39q3-HJm2NJGgxFgzvwKm98Hs4ypgHaqyRVtF-3-nQ2azShHQlqBNR3qvRWAso0YWrlfMPLeV1I8ZNFVZc99fhFLOzMZzrovG5Z6htWjjSWfv/s2560/17069200957076418417543681277013.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsnzBZd9TZKby0Jk2zu-dXkrOLnbdg9WbXHuIEuV9CZcj8Y215Zob6nCoejcjOYDJsznw-7Iz3THlqucY39q3-HJm2NJGgxFgzvwKm98Hs4ypgHaqyRVtF-3-nQ2azShHQlqBNR3qvRWAso0YWrlfMPLeV1I8ZNFVZc99fhFLOzMZzrovG5Z6htWjjSWfv/s320/17069200957076418417543681277013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ35dyFv4y8LRn73nJVJX5FNCG83K-BkJEBICBJZcuYYnBh2w7GmFJfTx6Bi1EoPPStI07S8a1qY2z9vE6_cd3S1IC8JcHl_DD85qNFXWFJcls-b_fh_FHszh2uPQP3aPiN5CEATERSplteAaPaCplB0bSOKzPSJ-1ZzaPKHpqNZRnKYEgjxZjq7wZXyGm/s2560/17069175763765074307161021305093.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQ35dyFv4y8LRn73nJVJX5FNCG83K-BkJEBICBJZcuYYnBh2w7GmFJfTx6Bi1EoPPStI07S8a1qY2z9vE6_cd3S1IC8JcHl_DD85qNFXWFJcls-b_fh_FHszh2uPQP3aPiN5CEATERSplteAaPaCplB0bSOKzPSJ-1ZzaPKHpqNZRnKYEgjxZjq7wZXyGm/s320/17069175763765074307161021305093.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqB5jIHuhkxf2VJsgsiyOXiOGg_kMdS6bU85A2BbhEnsz58sb4sywgRzvF_3sr54ugBjbqCA6LEs-ymdWoRTxKAjH2TSa1OWdyiWxYV5ZYV2cKZr190QQ9sEq_ioIyG-0E8gzK4QPU8t5WlKcPKJYofMtRg2qaVod6D7nuDaf8ZqCyyFHk1DWpRYSD-wSJ/s2560/17069176202983606466392279953144.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqB5jIHuhkxf2VJsgsiyOXiOGg_kMdS6bU85A2BbhEnsz58sb4sywgRzvF_3sr54ugBjbqCA6LEs-ymdWoRTxKAjH2TSa1OWdyiWxYV5ZYV2cKZr190QQ9sEq_ioIyG-0E8gzK4QPU8t5WlKcPKJYofMtRg2qaVod6D7nuDaf8ZqCyyFHk1DWpRYSD-wSJ/s320/17069176202983606466392279953144.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> These days I am on the brink,</div><div style="text-align: center;">stuck upon the downhill track,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and as I write these words I think</div><div style="text-align: center;">that I just had a heart attack.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Pressure like an elephant</div><div style="text-align: center;">taking his ease on my chest;</div><div style="text-align: center;">full-grown bull, not a runt,</div><div style="text-align: center;">administering me this test:</div><div style="text-align: center;">will I quail, and will I cry</div><div style="text-align: center;">out to God to make it pass?</div><div style="text-align: center;">That I do not want to die</div><div style="text-align: center;">and be, to Him, pain in the (donkey)?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Or will it be that I cash in</div><div style="text-align: center;">my final chips, wearing a grin?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div>I think that I'm kinda spoiled,</div><div>facing stuff like heart attack</div><div>and cancer that has really roiled</div><div>my life, but I don't feel the lack</div><div>of golden opportunity;</div><div>I had enough in olden days</div><div>to know that it is not for me,</div><div>and I far prefer the maze</div><div>of pain and fright and good ol' dread</div><div>because it is a challenge.</div><div>Sure, I'm gonna wind up dead,</div><div>but being dead I'll manage</div><div>to give the Holy Lord a laugh</div><div>by giving Him my autograph.</div><div><br /></div><div>Four minutes of fun.</div><div><br /></div><div>Music from 30 Seconds To Mars, with <i><a href="https://youtu.be/esjtiM7nO5o?si=PP8WgWW8VGCI5JwK" target="_blank">Do Or Die</a></i></div><div><i><br /></i></div><div>Sylvia forbids my dying. Period, Pit Bull Style.</div><div><br /></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div></div><p></p>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-62082401676240791082024-02-13T05:59:00.000-08:002024-02-13T06:03:37.726-08:00The Prodigals Among Us (Tell His Story)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA2jmED4NUmgVt6qJ_xxRqp_ZZgP6tYy7KuvdnlZGmxSHBaWAdvFNR_KZoO9LFNMG2HTkCxXacP7oYhO-l8RpI1EhHzPcNSZA0-vaAO4UhedqPViU1KlHEFQ07gjXCxLWDLI-zKNrBWDNgDeWAGFGp_yFOzCUY29eFeRb36fqFrfduyCNX-dnSd_VjHpVE/s2560/17073204275415134937282912689727.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiA2jmED4NUmgVt6qJ_xxRqp_ZZgP6tYy7KuvdnlZGmxSHBaWAdvFNR_KZoO9LFNMG2HTkCxXacP7oYhO-l8RpI1EhHzPcNSZA0-vaAO4UhedqPViU1KlHEFQ07gjXCxLWDLI-zKNrBWDNgDeWAGFGp_yFOzCUY29eFeRb36fqFrfduyCNX-dnSd_VjHpVE/s320/17073204275415134937282912689727.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> They will do the worst of things,</div><div style="text-align: center;">viciousness to make you weep,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but to our gentle King of Kings</div><div style="text-align: center;">they're the lost and precious sheep</div><div style="text-align: center;">for whom Heaven will rejoice</div><div style="text-align: center;">if after having been astray,</div><div style="text-align: center;">they return, and angel voice</div><div style="text-align: center;">will in triumph mark the day.</div><div style="text-align: center;">And what is it we will have done</div><div style="text-align: center;">as the Good Lord chased them down?</div><div style="text-align: center;">We will be that elder son,</div><div style="text-align: center;">standing, arms crossed, with a frown,</div><div style="text-align: center;">resenting Father's greatest joy,</div><div style="text-align: center;">the once lost and new-found boy?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Music from Lacrae, with <i><a href="https://youtu.be/tlWvx0wdySk?si=D5-xJ5wrJub0wDhR" target="_blank">Church Clothes</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sylvia will celebrate with anyone, as long as Ice Cream is invited.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; 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<!--end InLinkz code-->Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-21583760804288107092024-02-08T17:58:00.000-08:002024-02-08T19:28:44.732-08:00No, The Grapes Aren't Sour<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_-RblKThVEXFoXFpw1EuU_wintuxnKNCvOlbVX0QcvG9sBTxkzmbVXS7qWcx0lZHbll24zYZV4yEpze1bE-8vXV16sAlipq7A1mK0jxJyIOVVd8opkiCbJZnk7PIjESsFor1Mm2N_XVA87rmqtiQ9q8sN8zSPDwAxf0yc3jZ6mYFe1Q1vmMCQO1e0OAw/s2560/17073530161918434988877199590257.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp_-RblKThVEXFoXFpw1EuU_wintuxnKNCvOlbVX0QcvG9sBTxkzmbVXS7qWcx0lZHbll24zYZV4yEpze1bE-8vXV16sAlipq7A1mK0jxJyIOVVd8opkiCbJZnk7PIjESsFor1Mm2N_XVA87rmqtiQ9q8sN8zSPDwAxf0yc3jZ6mYFe1Q1vmMCQO1e0OAw/s320/17073530161918434988877199590257.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKEWH3k4ESqpTrhUEEUMktwmOzQ56rJjKo5-BEYGTS8KYBUWecK7JxcgibayyCVk2-vjIGFaoZi38_9x-geO6UqD99xhLHlQLPypYBty-9UNIEv1iJ9O_R5V5kmc9mWIVlEcJeT52nW079bMfGI2b-J_A3SiQxKvhFc4EbvIU2ZieJFy4hN2vX5Xql1GJ2/s2560/1707353438397173385724457400375.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKEWH3k4ESqpTrhUEEUMktwmOzQ56rJjKo5-BEYGTS8KYBUWecK7JxcgibayyCVk2-vjIGFaoZi38_9x-geO6UqD99xhLHlQLPypYBty-9UNIEv1iJ9O_R5V5kmc9mWIVlEcJeT52nW079bMfGI2b-J_A3SiQxKvhFc4EbvIU2ZieJFy4hN2vX5Xql1GJ2/s320/1707353438397173385724457400375.jpg" width="180" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijni0TQdPVYB74h9y7ajQyjXHgBH5rejDVOY-5ZbLibGBS0dB7nMmA_HZMa6vQ3s6WPEovs9SJhIVLbWBFdteTnJzGsFQyI6vJhDNthn3m264zhyphenhyphenfKDHvFf2KABaJqy548My7CvQ4v-N6Fjg5gzAkWiWKisXtlD_qKeZnprQgp-LOvchKq3zd61lcNIK_4/s2560/17074007552786208682622699590796.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijni0TQdPVYB74h9y7ajQyjXHgBH5rejDVOY-5ZbLibGBS0dB7nMmA_HZMa6vQ3s6WPEovs9SJhIVLbWBFdteTnJzGsFQyI6vJhDNthn3m264zhyphenhyphenfKDHvFf2KABaJqy548My7CvQ4v-N6Fjg5gzAkWiWKisXtlD_qKeZnprQgp-LOvchKq3zd61lcNIK_4/s320/17074007552786208682622699590796.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">'The grapes are probably sour, anyway,' said Aesop's immortal fox.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">When your dreams drift completely out of reach, the temptation is to dismiss and devalue them.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And sure, maybe they were vain and self-serving, but you know...probably not. Like those grapes.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">They were probably pretty worthwhile.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Some people will tell you, 'let it go'. Great advice, but it's not that easy.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">You have to say goodbye, with love and longing.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">A shibboleth I'd like to shatter</span></span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">is that all those things what never was</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">did not, do not really matter,</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">'cause they really did, and does.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And you have to reach that point;</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">on this, I must be sadly clear</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">that it's no good to light a joint</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and down another case of beer,</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">for chickens will come home to roost</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">in the corner of your mind,</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and no escape lies in 'confused',</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and no relief in being blind.</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Face the monsters, now, of sorrow,</span></div><div dir="auto" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">'cause they'll only grow until tomorrow.</span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The Five Minute Friday prompt this week is CONSUME. Eat this!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">The fox could not consume the grapes</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">for they were much too high,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">suited better for great apes,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and jumpers such as I.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Now we all know white men can't jump,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">but I'm not white, you see,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and you really should not lump</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">white folks in with Chinese me,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">who can leap unto the stars</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">on legs of banded steel,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">trained well upon the monkey bars</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and thus can make a meal</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">of the grapes upon the vine,</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">and I won't share, they're mine, all mine!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Oh, very well, fox. Here ya go.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Four minutes.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Music from Jackson Dean, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/xH2hFHiteRQ?si=52hMef2FrSf-3iBW" target="_blank">Don't Come Lookin'</a></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Sylvia WILL come lookin'.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-48869960423856498252024-02-06T04:00:00.000-08:002024-02-06T04:00:00.138-08:00Dancing King (Tell His Story)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgg8wGHIINTL0wz1ZG5dPSz3GJDxpu_iTM6PnjYcf6ry7sJKmqOIYmcw0AorRnsMOjzyIi9BICumqg0GnFWXcmBy-pFC5j60Xmqbv3YCQj3ryxeNA-FtDQrtPW4jiOPdAb1WBCGNvRZBYdiy1wpcSY2S7CweG6zQpw8LpHk23GwvJ6gGk3sLn7vFKl3u-/s2560/17071411070067030054900676262328.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgg8wGHIINTL0wz1ZG5dPSz3GJDxpu_iTM6PnjYcf6ry7sJKmqOIYmcw0AorRnsMOjzyIi9BICumqg0GnFWXcmBy-pFC5j60Xmqbv3YCQj3ryxeNA-FtDQrtPW4jiOPdAb1WBCGNvRZBYdiy1wpcSY2S7CweG6zQpw8LpHk23GwvJ6gGk3sLn7vFKl3u-/s320/17071411070067030054900676262328.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Th0mrzFo0smiOKPiiFjk6oPOikoo_pgycCTIk50klVjIUR0EXD8Ux6dgiC_Z0h_a7K3yQtfSK_TRLHULihyphenhyphen3mQC18vsI1ZO9C4OjazlstnLrKDtPpYf2hZGDGhboK8-2o8B9ahNazEXyT8y9czKyiU2nZYlN9xH8zl40DZeXL2AJyTFlA8h4Qd8Z0xaO/s2560/17071413748255058222665669401491.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Th0mrzFo0smiOKPiiFjk6oPOikoo_pgycCTIk50klVjIUR0EXD8Ux6dgiC_Z0h_a7K3yQtfSK_TRLHULihyphenhyphen3mQC18vsI1ZO9C4OjazlstnLrKDtPpYf2hZGDGhboK8-2o8B9ahNazEXyT8y9czKyiU2nZYlN9xH8zl40DZeXL2AJyTFlA8h4Qd8Z0xaO/s320/17071413748255058222665669401491.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Will you live out loud for God?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Will you dance before the Lord,</div><div style="text-align: center;">as Dave the King was bidden?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Or do you think you can't afford</div><div style="text-align: center;">this show, and must keep hidden</div><div style="text-align: center;">your faith and trust, and yes, your love,</div><div style="text-align: center;">that you might not be flamed</div><div style="text-align: center;">on Facebook for the One Above...</div><div style="text-align: center;">are you, dear heart, ashamed</div><div style="text-align: center;">of all the things that you believe</div><div style="text-align: center;">(I might lose some friends!)?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Will by omission, you deceive</div><div style="text-align: center;">those who would condemn your ends</div><div style="text-align: center;">to make them think you're like them too,</div><div style="text-align: center;">faint of heart, and not quite true?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And yes, of course, here's ABBA with<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/xFrGuyw1V8s?si=MtVh1CbgS5npo0SU" target="_blank">Dancing Queen</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sylvia is the ORIGINAL Dancing Queen. If you ain't seen a Pibble dance, you ain't seen nuthin'.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><p style="text-align: left;"> <span style="text-align: center;"> </span><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></p><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>
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<!-- end InLinkz code -->Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com6New Mexico, USA34.9727305 -105.03236356.6624966638211518 -140.1886135 63.282964336178843 -69.8761135tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-23457111544097085122024-02-01T18:05:00.000-08:002024-02-01T19:18:01.989-08:00Nope<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylYf7EJxbJSNs7ZSCapl8QtcDAJHyFJ4ckFTkMuUFh42-X69xcIoyFRKUQyeWiNDMO34KemJsbZbUnmAEebXQa3ZYh4QgO4Ba5wfOG0ClAEgmMsFvUdwU8yzGtJiTNcokUg-DJxl2iSCYsJks0CLzbwfnwpOnkdvngXINjikkDVCqHeXrNBSAI5pjj8GG/s2560/17067943028627123331035008490286.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgylYf7EJxbJSNs7ZSCapl8QtcDAJHyFJ4ckFTkMuUFh42-X69xcIoyFRKUQyeWiNDMO34KemJsbZbUnmAEebXQa3ZYh4QgO4Ba5wfOG0ClAEgmMsFvUdwU8yzGtJiTNcokUg-DJxl2iSCYsJks0CLzbwfnwpOnkdvngXINjikkDVCqHeXrNBSAI5pjj8GG/s320/17067943028627123331035008490286.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTAmi2z_MRqu8x_wUfsGYr7GQ5hA8hW_3jN2bmXNPPwNdWOLsFahwg7EZ9zQn76ooN_BoviGD6lNyjUF2BGfyAdfoUzLEdGhWOBqA3PfD4wAjG9wuqDydYV7IJO4QvGH7r7OTD8YP0H6v67twrfPjbQNV0oA2KBAsOgFR9d7nKjk_yJIgPCutZt1R-Ta5U/s2560/17067956568146181040658322462581.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjTAmi2z_MRqu8x_wUfsGYr7GQ5hA8hW_3jN2bmXNPPwNdWOLsFahwg7EZ9zQn76ooN_BoviGD6lNyjUF2BGfyAdfoUzLEdGhWOBqA3PfD4wAjG9wuqDydYV7IJO4QvGH7r7OTD8YP0H6v67twrfPjbQNV0oA2KBAsOgFR9d7nKjk_yJIgPCutZt1R-Ta5U/s320/17067956568146181040658322462581.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStuOl59RydeMKrU6G5MQOaX30LZCuwfTiMkf2HFOEmiVtWKKX7_b8Iut7PxYanPiwmHy8zVnj_Yn0Qwso9fsSaFIlPFggUdx6pnJOK6sTLrbKokkJO1DmQWsbE9elZi1RPba21MdQi5bjD7LfOOtCtSj7StAuRgP5ApoIpxBoL0H23CZKkynsTRdkP0mO/s2560/17067956197625762918988773255667.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhStuOl59RydeMKrU6G5MQOaX30LZCuwfTiMkf2HFOEmiVtWKKX7_b8Iut7PxYanPiwmHy8zVnj_Yn0Qwso9fsSaFIlPFggUdx6pnJOK6sTLrbKokkJO1DmQWsbE9elZi1RPba21MdQi5bjD7LfOOtCtSj7StAuRgP5ApoIpxBoL0H23CZKkynsTRdkP0mO/s320/17067956197625762918988773255667.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjw0MkW35BdXO8Q3-8B3NRuQOg2rKCLN_4dmcHXhp9VcPDksVfE1xI_jtgq4uEH-V-nce8FWbWN5v7FzKOq4jMsjVxAaD8US3hFfwWIDtLjwY-ek7VfWVtzVHKuPdvUBWNBfh0pGpnRNXarI47e-XOPr2i2NNxHTpNa8S4DLTOi2R4RhOKfDDKZe7MCon/s2560/17067956011616750762115964840061.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKjw0MkW35BdXO8Q3-8B3NRuQOg2rKCLN_4dmcHXhp9VcPDksVfE1xI_jtgq4uEH-V-nce8FWbWN5v7FzKOq4jMsjVxAaD8US3hFfwWIDtLjwY-ek7VfWVtzVHKuPdvUBWNBfh0pGpnRNXarI47e-XOPr2i2NNxHTpNa8S4DLTOi2R4RhOKfDDKZe7MCon/s320/17067956011616750762115964840061.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I'm really sorry that I've been negligent in responding to y'all's comments, and haven't commented on as many of your posts as I'd like to. It's gotten pretty hard to concentrate when I try to write.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">But...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Every moment's glorious,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">every hour holds it all,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">and that's why I'm notorious</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">in standing hard against the fall</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">that so many have predicted</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">is coming down the no lane;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">why not let go when life's inflicted</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">so much heartache, so much pain?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The answer ain't so very tough,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">and I will give it here:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">I will never have enough</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">of all that I hold dear,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">God's palette of bright sunrise skies,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">and the glow of loving eyes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">The Five Minute Friday prompt this week is WASTE. Let's not waste any time!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Let us not waste any time</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">in the spread of the Good News</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">by spoken word, by prose or rhyme</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">to dissipate the leaden blues</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">of those who have not yet found Christ,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">or those who failed to heed the call.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Our comfort must be sacrificed,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">and we must dare to cross the wall</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">and go into the wilds beyond</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">to meet doubt and grim skepticism</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">with that Sunday's gay palm frond</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">and, week later, He Is Risen!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">to give those feeling misbegotten</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">the knowledge that they're not forgotten.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Four minutes and change, because I got hung up on a rhyme for beyond.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Music from the Foo Fighters, with <i><a href="https://youtu.be/qz9vTaWDq9s?si=f0PG2EhAKkM-QW3A" target="_blank">Walk</a></i></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;">Sylvia says, Ice Cream. Don't forget ice cream.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div></div>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-50902348447987471692024-01-30T04:00:00.000-08:002024-01-30T04:00:00.131-08:00I'm A Racist (Tell His Story)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFNQBEYyFbG2jlzx7KhAEaLBXvWZrP0GBVczaC5VwfXWMXYBukDxtIh76xHRrsLN8xg4wxQ3pPJLH8yAJm8mDY1f79yN7kLn8umwRBSAKSFDOpv2_NPOondUdhB8RinXEuG9mdfKwX3PCAhnQnfzE53bqy65FofpGXWttJlYRGDMKuHQATzXvS9cgxkdtX/s2560/16945649576905562189645712588674.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFNQBEYyFbG2jlzx7KhAEaLBXvWZrP0GBVczaC5VwfXWMXYBukDxtIh76xHRrsLN8xg4wxQ3pPJLH8yAJm8mDY1f79yN7kLn8umwRBSAKSFDOpv2_NPOondUdhB8RinXEuG9mdfKwX3PCAhnQnfzE53bqy65FofpGXWttJlYRGDMKuHQATzXvS9cgxkdtX/s320/16945649576905562189645712588674.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> I'm Mongolian, and white people smell funny.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Can't tell them apart, either.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Fortunately, Barb is an Indian (don't EVER say Native American), so I can kinda pick her out at Walmart.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And my genetic world is different; someone once said, Better fifty years of Europe than a cycle of Cathay.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">To me, that's idiotic. Life is the cycle of seasons and years, not Great Men and Great Events.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I don't understand white people. I avoid them, but I know this is wrong, and I have to do better. I have to be open to learning, and maybe the first step is to steel myself not to cross the street when I see Caucasians coming </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">What about you?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sylvia doesn't have this problem. A dog's a dog, except for Chihuahuas, who are something more than minor gods.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
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<!-- end InLinkz code -->Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com5New Mexico, USA34.9727305 -105.03236356.6624966638211518 -140.1886135 63.282964336178843 -69.8761135tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-83625853258068377072024-01-25T18:03:00.000-08:002024-01-25T19:27:25.699-08:00The Question <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiTiY3KwdRGq_rBj91roEOo431fM9pKochoo8vTuDV4-usXUgX3bZjXRfaNYPOm2rOYVgzYgUInx6F9syNDpYdwCWZlLlxLW0BvpsNYajcq9Az7ODV1oTc5VPn1evt7JEMJ1OteEsDYR0uWmsoSqgVYFqdg-fkvgsA9wFuyViCvWOjGBmXL8uEkYg2MN-R/s2560/17061898223382641122180079882959.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgiTiY3KwdRGq_rBj91roEOo431fM9pKochoo8vTuDV4-usXUgX3bZjXRfaNYPOm2rOYVgzYgUInx6F9syNDpYdwCWZlLlxLW0BvpsNYajcq9Az7ODV1oTc5VPn1evt7JEMJ1OteEsDYR0uWmsoSqgVYFqdg-fkvgsA9wFuyViCvWOjGBmXL8uEkYg2MN-R/s320/17061898223382641122180079882959.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">These have been, physically, the worst of days, and can beg the question, <i>Why?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Am I cursed, or worse, forgotten?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Or is it something else, something whose boundaries I cannot see?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I am tempted to complain</div><div style="text-align: center;">about the turn my life has taken,</div><div style="text-align: center;">to shout at God that He explain</div><div style="text-align: center;">(after, of course, He doth awaken)</div><div style="text-align: center;">exactly what He meant by this;</div><div style="text-align: center;">was my life so really wrong?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Did I make His Bad Guy list?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Was the smell of sin so strong</div><div style="text-align: center;">that He had to hold His nose</div><div style="text-align: center;">and turn His holy head away?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Or was it, maybe, that He chose</div><div style="text-align: center;">this dread place by my side to stay,</div><div style="text-align: center;">weeping with me in the dust,</div><div style="text-align: center;">tears on His cheeks that show His trust?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Five Minute Friday prompt this week is FAR.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I feel so very far from life,</div><div style="text-align: center;">locked into these bitter days</div><div style="text-align: center;">of pain, exhaustion, endless strife</div><div style="text-align: center;">that stays and stays and stays and stays,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but somehow I was made for this,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and know that I cannot return</div><div style="text-align: center;">to a place of peace and bliss;</div><div style="text-align: center;">no, the fact is I must burn</div><div style="text-align: center;">and smell of smoke down to the bone</div><div style="text-align: center;">here in this refining fire,</div><div style="text-align: center;">choosing this place to atone</div><div style="text-align: center;">for my wallowing in mire</div><div style="text-align: center;">of sin that I with joy embraced,</div><div style="text-align: center;">a soul whose core's through flame replaced.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Man, I hate introspection. But at three minutes flat, truth is truth.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This <i><a href="https://youtu.be/KZDvcEkjthA?si=maczM2PfDM5K2fj_" target="_blank">scene</a> </i>from <i>The Chosen</i> gives me a lot of comfort.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Nonetheless, sometimes Sylvia wants to bite God.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><p></p>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-11016963216021507832024-01-23T04:00:00.000-08:002024-01-23T04:00:00.129-08:00Got Church? (Tell His Story)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTZGKmRBpHgqkyXX0uh9fvXCb4ZMhvnlw_LXUt0Zub1U96oAFu8HAYycfFNyG-NO6GGQL_Gt6OzbY2f-8dZ2JNC_GU6QHcWwWTxvAxA-ucfP0p8jcJtut-uNjfT5bHNUwvstst5H4ovjuUXGcZiqHyuvJmki7bbV6GW7HcE0yXEK1NfOvIvikknvp--6_/s2560/16955137874138508570060885651885.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJTZGKmRBpHgqkyXX0uh9fvXCb4ZMhvnlw_LXUt0Zub1U96oAFu8HAYycfFNyG-NO6GGQL_Gt6OzbY2f-8dZ2JNC_GU6QHcWwWTxvAxA-ucfP0p8jcJtut-uNjfT5bHNUwvstst5H4ovjuUXGcZiqHyuvJmki7bbV6GW7HcE0yXEK1NfOvIvikknvp--6_/s320/16955137874138508570060885651885.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Got church?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Got cliques?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Got nutcases?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Got valium?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The cliques that make it seem like junior high, the worship team that's absolutely determined to alienate the older members of the congregation, the music minister who figures church music goes downhill from Gregorian chants, and the hardcore vegan meal organiser...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">...and their <i>kids!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">It's enough to make one want to be a stylite...you know, those monks who lived on top of pillars.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>My pillar's taller than yours!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Yeah, well I have less room so I'm more holy!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>'<u>I</u> get more wind here!'</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Long pause.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>'Yo' mamma!'</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">It can be seriously tough to deal with a church family...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">...uh, oh, hold the phone...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">...<i>family.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">That's really what it's all about. If you're really a Christian, you're a sibling of Jesus.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And all of those exasperating irritating maddening doofuses are...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">...oh, <i>NO!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Your brothers and sisters.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But hey, all that delicious sibling rivalry, it's <i>not behind you!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">You get to play it out again, with pastor and spouse as Dad and Mom!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And you can, once again, hold your face until you turn blue!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">You threaten to <i>run away from home!</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">You may be tempted. You may be driven to the edge of reason.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But however much you think of leaving, don't.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">They're family.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And besides, <i>you get to give </i>someone else the reason to want to run away!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sylvia suggests mixing peyote in with their ice cream. Down, girl!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><p></p>
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<!-- end InLinkz code -->Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com6New Mexico, USA34.9727305 -105.03236356.6624966638211518 -140.1886135 63.282964336178843 -69.8761135tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-9702937905499464512024-01-18T18:05:00.000-08:002024-01-18T19:28:59.457-08:00Parable Of The Sower <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBrUv0-cnuWTZ5LJUJPxPq9VgOrr9WvE3PCjvV1dJIB6MI6xFrxDDAO8uEX1Zox6UUSJMD-cjJLClzjGk1DhCrcq7_uiAr2zqcO_4pcOh-idf_t0cWHivPHo4o8c3dgU7CbpQu3-9biDA5nKLP7mnTJOfRPIkjzJ-XyX5rvbjf933AGb15r87MryFOmo4/s2560/17055864455019076100857479434143.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaBrUv0-cnuWTZ5LJUJPxPq9VgOrr9WvE3PCjvV1dJIB6MI6xFrxDDAO8uEX1Zox6UUSJMD-cjJLClzjGk1DhCrcq7_uiAr2zqcO_4pcOh-idf_t0cWHivPHo4o8c3dgU7CbpQu3-9biDA5nKLP7mnTJOfRPIkjzJ-XyX5rvbjf933AGb15r87MryFOmo4/s320/17055864455019076100857479434143.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcs6OQ9C7lczlxD9AN0aA1Tn9I32X3_v8phNVk4oiMcAqyo6Y7th2muwKDHyIdtCOthqPPt0e4FK1V4YQkunpxGqJ0hSYu0qdaHFDjv0jNs7jyQt-afYptCLiseI_FkO1VNus5qhlX9U7KaqZ2urybsL6Wq7JulhLGsDQsRTdqr4tCiIyM_MAU0J72Gqye/s2560/17055864656325913925117761322479.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcs6OQ9C7lczlxD9AN0aA1Tn9I32X3_v8phNVk4oiMcAqyo6Y7th2muwKDHyIdtCOthqPPt0e4FK1V4YQkunpxGqJ0hSYu0qdaHFDjv0jNs7jyQt-afYptCLiseI_FkO1VNus5qhlX9U7KaqZ2urybsL6Wq7JulhLGsDQsRTdqr4tCiIyM_MAU0J72Gqye/s320/17055864656325913925117761322479.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> And now my feet are swelling,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and there is a fearsome cough.</div><div style="text-align: center;">It feels like God is telling</div><div style="text-align: center;">me, son, time to get off.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I can see His point of view;</div><div style="text-align: center;">He's after all, divine,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but leaving ain't what I will do</div><div style="text-align: center;">for it is not my time.</div><div style="text-align: center;">There are things that are worthwhile</div><div style="text-align: center;">even if it's getting rough,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and as for going out in style,</div><div style="text-align: center;">for me that is not near enough</div><div style="text-align: center;">compensation for my going</div><div style="text-align: center;">when there are seeds left for sowing.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Five Minute Friday prompt this week is SAY.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I think I shall choose not to go,</div><div style="text-align: center;">for I would really rather stay,</div><div style="text-align: center;">so what to do, hey, babe, I know,</div><div style="text-align: center;">let's go dancing, whaddaya say?</div><div style="text-align: center;">Let's go to the Grand Palais,</div><div style="text-align: center;">underneath the mirror ball,</div><div style="text-align: center;">'cause disco is the bestest way</div><div style="text-align: center;">to speak and understand it all,</div><div style="text-align: center;">to translate feeling into motion,</div><div style="text-align: center;">to show the style that never died,</div><div style="text-align: center;">to disabuse folks of the notion</div><div style="text-align: center;">that polyester shows no pride,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and as I strut across the floor</div><div style="text-align: center;">I am Travolta to core.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Four minutes! Ok, messed up the rhyme scheme, but in the Five Minute Friday spirit I shall let it stand.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Or dance!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My apologies to those whose comments have gone unanswered. They are appreciated, very much. It's just very hard to collect my thoughts to write.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Music from The New Radicals, with<i> <a href="https://youtu.be/DL7-CKirWZE?si=PPIkwMZDpNOSCfrk" target="_blank">You Get What You Give</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sylvia says that if you get ice cream, you should give it to her.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><p></p>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-63221916467107183372024-01-16T04:00:00.000-08:002024-01-16T04:00:00.143-08:00How Can I Keep From Singing? (Tell His Story)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYaIbCMhV-ItBlfX_UKzqzkVPAA-VepNvYyTuT9HFsy3pEaaSx9J2uCeHlm-vmuMNi7ZcNIMCuiNWcesw5Td-F2wMxHW0IoOn6CVmVm7WjzlwWDs413xvlo0ggkZSJbiZpPl0xzBWn9f_XvU5R0yX0HVgLMWB_CSPn66pLoeNby1iFDKnJ79gxh9lhqEy/s2560/17053730991802376536431402434002.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguYaIbCMhV-ItBlfX_UKzqzkVPAA-VepNvYyTuT9HFsy3pEaaSx9J2uCeHlm-vmuMNi7ZcNIMCuiNWcesw5Td-F2wMxHW0IoOn6CVmVm7WjzlwWDs413xvlo0ggkZSJbiZpPl0xzBWn9f_XvU5R0yX0HVgLMWB_CSPn66pLoeNby1iFDKnJ79gxh9lhqEy/s320/17053730991802376536431402434002.jpg" width="180" /></span></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Meet our 2024 calendar dog, Buddy Mercury, the Singing Beagle. A rescue, he taught himself to play the piano and sing along with himself.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />How about you? Do you play an instrument, or sing? How does music play a part in your life?</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br />Music certainly has a role in the Christian faith, starting with what can be taken as song in Genesis (Genesis 2:23):</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #121212; font-family: inherit; text-align: start;"><i>And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man.</i></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #121212;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">The Psalms are both song and poetry; an excellent example is Psalm 146:2.</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #4d5156; font-family: inherit; text-align: start;"><i>While I live will I praise the LORD: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being.</i></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #4d5156;"><br /></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: start;">And Jesus sang with His Apostles, as recorded by Matthew (Matt. 26:30).</span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; text-align: start;"><i>And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives.</i></span></div></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">Music's important. Participatory music is really important.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">This, from Revelation 5:</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"> <i>9 And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i>10 And hast made us unto our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.</i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">Now over to <a href="https://youtu.be/39xq5AATMp4?si=-IvYlqXNMzxV_Iai" target="_blank">Buddy Mercury.</a></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
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<!--end InLinkz code-->Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com7New Mexico, USA34.9727305 -105.03236356.6624966638211518 -140.1886135 63.282964336178843 -69.8761135tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-77105755365735437192024-01-11T18:17:00.000-08:002024-01-11T19:40:53.213-08:00One Word To Rule Them All<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJUBc1G9yqEsfzoyhezPDUGsTeqalJDpaSL1_ohg9Elk6QCg1jboVyr62q0702gwkPyzUsYCvXF_tBOcesB9U_Dj_CPftl8Prm-a0FhyzAFhAYhskRjGLqZACXrKo2qXU3rTQH6tjhq-BN8MOkqVj-ClLDVO68Xm2O33Y9clgKWcoVCv-AatHnxN0qN-cd/s2560/17035317177435588114735077880576.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2560" data-original-width="1440" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJUBc1G9yqEsfzoyhezPDUGsTeqalJDpaSL1_ohg9Elk6QCg1jboVyr62q0702gwkPyzUsYCvXF_tBOcesB9U_Dj_CPftl8Prm-a0FhyzAFhAYhskRjGLqZACXrKo2qXU3rTQH6tjhq-BN8MOkqVj-ClLDVO68Xm2O33Y9clgKWcoVCv-AatHnxN0qN-cd/s320/17035317177435588114735077880576.jpg" width="180" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKm5LbluWm_hEySmmwD2Y1tTWdALhmkfn737df7prLQTEYm717UeOlIFOrZFuQTQzjDse4ocqKk7CgCt63DxhaZZLf8sSYFwwVutLMFBf9mKotfm9EBtGmRvwrzkt7o5xwFNRtL2sdOnBEtf-9XTKemqIx4a6GYNu_LhjYj3ajjOTxjxhcmwbpvwuC8Z5c/s2560/1704982140835768605411421258490.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKm5LbluWm_hEySmmwD2Y1tTWdALhmkfn737df7prLQTEYm717UeOlIFOrZFuQTQzjDse4ocqKk7CgCt63DxhaZZLf8sSYFwwVutLMFBf9mKotfm9EBtGmRvwrzkt7o5xwFNRtL2sdOnBEtf-9XTKemqIx4a6GYNu_LhjYj3ajjOTxjxhcmwbpvwuC8Z5c/s320/1704982140835768605411421258490.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Happy 2024, everyone! I hope y'all's had a wonderful holiday, and are ready to do it to it in the coming year.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I spent the past couple of weeks sipping mai-tais on death's bright tropic shore, but am still here. Barb confided that the last time she saw my doctor he told her I was ten years past my sell-by date. He was completely baffled.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Don't know what to make of that, so I won't.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Do you do the One Word thing for the coming year? Here's mine...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Supercalifragilistic-</div><div style="text-align: center;">expialidocious</div><div style="text-align: center;">is the word that I will pick</div><div style="text-align: center;">for a year that seems ferocious.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Don't know if the word will stick,</div><div style="text-align: center;">sounds quite stuck-up and precocious,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but I think it's pretty slick,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and so now it has my focus,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and there you have my party trick,</div><div style="text-align: center;">conceited and loquatious,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and though I'm dumber than a brick</div><div style="text-align: center;">my appetite's voracious</div><div style="text-align: center;">for words that make me look real fine,</div><div style="text-align: center;">not just your av'rage Frankenstein.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Five Minute Friday prompt this week is PATTERN. Hokay.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There's a pattern to the fabric,</div><div style="text-align: center;">houndstooth, herringbone, and twill</div><div style="text-align: center;">on clothing stuffed up in the attic</div><div style="text-align: center;">that I don't wear, and never will</div><div style="text-align: center;">because they really make me look</div><div style="text-align: center;">like the veriest of squares,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and that thought doth leave me shook,</div><div style="text-align: center;">for you should really be awares</div><div style="text-align: center;">that I'm a hippie to the core,</div><div style="text-align: center;">headband to my sandaled feet.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Being normal's quite the bore,</div><div style="text-align: center;">so if you drop by you should greet</div><div style="text-align: center;">me with 'Namaste!' and peace sign,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and watch eyes roll in wife of mine.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Three minutes, and truth is truth.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The 'praying hands' above were printed on an old Ender 3 3D printer which I got at scrap value and rebuilt. It took awhile to get it running but it's fun. The filament is an Ender PLA+ 'rainbow'.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Music from The Youngbloods, with what I hope can become a retro anthem for this sadly divided land, <i><a href="https://youtu.be/DqpVnOrG2a0?si=GeZSUzPYbuaugwRr" target="_blank">Get Together</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sylvia thinks ice cream is supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, but she shortens it to woo-woo-WOOF!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><p></p>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-20281999400116612142024-01-09T04:00:00.000-08:002024-01-09T04:00:00.147-08:00The Problem We Wish Would Go Away (Tell His Story)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLaDsEv993Hoch6X3uQ-h6FxMaAptKof6E9onk_ivdJdOvFxUI1ZkSPQljktGIi-GF0VrJ4C9O7nVy6uLACW_KkdUkj2G6hMeoc38HcTp889by1zwZdxVRtRC1jrnSae0tBojgceWts7GJkRFin1aiNyvpLiN13JZ-_exTJCesh8ZZ1W5iKo1jAE2Ox6Uf/s2560/1704290824319562416477390390180.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLaDsEv993Hoch6X3uQ-h6FxMaAptKof6E9onk_ivdJdOvFxUI1ZkSPQljktGIi-GF0VrJ4C9O7nVy6uLACW_KkdUkj2G6hMeoc38HcTp889by1zwZdxVRtRC1jrnSae0tBojgceWts7GJkRFin1aiNyvpLiN13JZ-_exTJCesh8ZZ1W5iKo1jAE2Ox6Uf/s320/1704290824319562416477390390180.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> There are some questions that just seem to defy answers, and one of them is particularly important to those of us who live in borderlands.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">What do you do with the illegal alien?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Some say deport 'em all, some say make them citizens immediately, and most of us just wish the problem would go away.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But the problem has a name, a face, and a heart, and a Father in Heaven.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Some are looking for opportunity, some have evil intentions, and some are desperately fleeing an unspeakable horror.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">What might the Bible have to say?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Well, in Leviticus 19:33-34 we find...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And if a stranger sojourn with thee in your land, ye shall not vex him. But the stranger that dwelleth with you shall be unto you as one born among you, and thou shalt love him as thyself; for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt: I am the LORD your God.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Hmmm. That makes me a bit uncomfortable, a responsibility I don't really want.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Let's try again.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Deuteronomy 27:19 says,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cursed be he that perverteth the judgment of the stranger, fatherless, and widow. And all the people shall say, Amen.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">That doesn't help me ignore the issue, either.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Another shot at it... maybe the New Testament will be more reasonable.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Paul said, in Galatians 3:28,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And that brings us 'round to everyone having a Father, and a Saviour.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I am not comfortable with that, but I suspect God doesn't care about my comfort.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">He cares about my soul, and about making me truly His heir, right alongside Jesus.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Scary stuff.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">To break the serious mood, here's Genesis, with the very non-PC <i><a href="https://youtu.be/aqQv3qef21A?si=CBmmXLff6c0D2s-D" target="_blank">Illegal Alien</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
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<!-- end InLinkz code -->Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com7New Mexico, USA34.9727305 -105.03236357.2764280121481733 -140.1886135 62.669032987851821 -69.8761135tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-31681813777551906922024-01-02T04:00:00.000-08:002024-01-02T04:00:00.137-08:00Help Stamp Out New Year's Resolutions! (Tell His Story)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9vFUTlE9XrepJJF1L2Lypz0ArXoYUglzYwvXrfFdTy1VtNfNYGhLeQ6hK2UgyyhxGKN8F2zq8qhaQh5c5lfQRJfTl8f_xJzLuQPJ5HKdZgPDDAfXmhpaibru4ZWf_4F62hZtsp2Mv1rEs_7_zk-M4UC7YQ1z_qwmEp753-kmLr1UuI9ixBXM60rBeN1T/s2560/16938315036218493732205591525872.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiE9vFUTlE9XrepJJF1L2Lypz0ArXoYUglzYwvXrfFdTy1VtNfNYGhLeQ6hK2UgyyhxGKN8F2zq8qhaQh5c5lfQRJfTl8f_xJzLuQPJ5HKdZgPDDAfXmhpaibru4ZWf_4F62hZtsp2Mv1rEs_7_zk-M4UC7YQ1z_qwmEp753-kmLr1UuI9ixBXM60rBeN1T/s320/16938315036218493732205591525872.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2EG2dsi9HN3P_-7fBKdMwlM5Ci1f3Gbor90PX7R32UmMmmF1NNI0eFdxvgGOJlbvl6pgQsANFkxPbA8jTz44XCbVsEsGxtLGzrG0P9gLDEULireOGhc7ADCzFqkCIJLF8oxMB5B9nz-ZLoUnqghidFp9nd4kvF8Avo28BO-4RxarOi4QlMT0bNYDrqNQ/s2560/16938315220378721184792281767622.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiz2EG2dsi9HN3P_-7fBKdMwlM5Ci1f3Gbor90PX7R32UmMmmF1NNI0eFdxvgGOJlbvl6pgQsANFkxPbA8jTz44XCbVsEsGxtLGzrG0P9gLDEULireOGhc7ADCzFqkCIJLF8oxMB5B9nz-ZLoUnqghidFp9nd4kvF8Avo28BO-4RxarOi4QlMT0bNYDrqNQ/s320/16938315220378721184792281767622.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> So it's another year, a seeming fresh start, and time to make some resolutions!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Which will be broken forthwith, leaving us feeling pretty miserable about ourselves, our character, our apparent weakness of will. The resolution broken breaks part of the year. (It's hard to measure, but some say that a quarter of all new year's promises Gail in the first week, half are done by the end of January, and less than 10% make it through the year. Your milage may vary; mine is worse.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">But what if...<i>it's not us?</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">What if that kind of oath taking <i>itself</i> is the problem?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">After all, didn't Jesus Himself say, in the fifth chapter (verses 34-37) of Matthew's gospel,</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #121212; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Again, ye have heard that it hath been said by them of old time, Thou shalt not forswear thyself, but shalt perform unto the Lord thine oaths: but I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God's throne: nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. Neither shalt thou swear by thy head, because thou canst not make one hair white or black. But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #121212; text-align: start;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #121212;"><span style="background-color: white;">And so, a resolution, even one sworn in the privacy of the heart, is a problem.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #121212;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #121212;">There's history to this; the Babylonians would make promises to their gods on the new year, which, if fulfilled, would bring blessings. Likewise, the Romans sacrificed to the two-faced God Janus (one face looked ahead, the other looked back), and believed that living up to new year's promises, along with touching his sculpted faces, would bring good fortune in the year ahead</span>.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">And, yes, that's where 'January' comes from.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;">The pagan roots of new year's resolutions, then, may be the heart of the matter. It's a turning away from God to a muttering of incantations, a worship of the calendar, and a descent into, as Kipling put it, 'our loved Egyptian night.'</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #121212;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #121212;"><span style="background-color: white;">There's clearly nothing wrong with making a decision to follow a better path, but it's a decision that has to be made afresh each day. There's just nothing special about January, and a lot wrong with tying turning over a new leaf to a specific day.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #121212;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #121212;">Music from the late, great Dan Fogelbe</span>rg, with <i><a href="https://youtu.be/-w8zLg4kNms?si=KdjE_UPXSlk9j2s1" target="_blank">Another Auld Lang Syne.</a></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #121212;"><span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #121212;"><span style="background-color: white;">Sylvia doesn't do calendars.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #121212;"><span style="background-color: white;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="color: black; text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; color: black;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></span></div><p></p>
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<!-- end InLinkz code -->Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com5New Mexico, USA34.9727305 -105.03236356.6624966638211518 -140.1886135 63.282964336178843 -69.8761135tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-55179158753327113512023-12-26T04:00:00.000-08:002023-12-26T04:00:00.159-08:00Boxing Day (Tell His Story)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhjRb3_IBcZP59IEY-8fhRk-9WTBHK1QptHhgZO0W_YBgAbU6RQO97wDnZYg-2N54TXJIEbGHe_kqf9iN4J2lQSkBCEIXyIdgyaLZ8TNrvma4b8vkuKzAEMbo1D4d4gNxpCg3KjPWO0I8sBXsaS3UuEgwKuE2nBq_4SyAR86C67Ojy2jZgnI9Go94ObTE/s2560/16990577917336582812038356186113.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjhjRb3_IBcZP59IEY-8fhRk-9WTBHK1QptHhgZO0W_YBgAbU6RQO97wDnZYg-2N54TXJIEbGHe_kqf9iN4J2lQSkBCEIXyIdgyaLZ8TNrvma4b8vkuKzAEMbo1D4d4gNxpCg3KjPWO0I8sBXsaS3UuEgwKuE2nBq_4SyAR86C67Ojy2jZgnI9Go94ObTE/s320/16990577917336582812038356186113.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the night of Christmas Eve, Santa comes down the chimney to bring presents to all the good little children.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">On the night before Boxing Day, Mike Tyson comes down the chimney to deal with the bad kids.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">And hey, it's even kinda Scriptural!</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">Blessed be the </span><span class="small-caps" style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; font-variant-alternates: normal; font-variant-caps: small-caps; font-variant-east-asian: normal; font-variant-numeric: normal; font-variant-position: normal; text-align: start;">Lord</span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"> my strength which teacheth my hands to war, and my fingers to fight... - Psalm 144:1</span></i></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 16px; text-align: start;">I hope that you had a great Christmas. I was pretty sick, and so this post is short..</span><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">.but Tell His Story continues.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">Music from Bill Conti with <i><a href="https://youtu.be/r81AviZECUE?si=zzz7vux4xo0oF4d4" target="_blank">Gonna Fly Now </a></i></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;">Sylvia's a lover not a fighter, unless the ice cream runs out.</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; text-align: start;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></span></span></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><p></p>
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<!--end InLinkz code-->Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com4New Mexico, USA34.9727305 -105.03236356.6624966638211518 -140.1886135 63.282964336178843 -69.8761135tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-43106839102422065852023-12-21T17:59:00.000-08:002023-12-21T17:59:44.763-08:00Be Not Afraid <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT4ncW1QX-9DS0S8dwSou25x01ddXsL_buYZVEap0VB4EscoSkIXVqEodzeQZSy3BupNYD7r_akKNbydyAsXukfcaDkIFrzzZeI3_uywg9Er5fhRp1LXRtkNeIiIKD4qnBqdplfRsBK7fZq3c1lXaly0YhV3Q0rsa4nVYJMY0Kxzxk4magpjKRyDopmb6-/s2560/17030808438765525021776202718328.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhT4ncW1QX-9DS0S8dwSou25x01ddXsL_buYZVEap0VB4EscoSkIXVqEodzeQZSy3BupNYD7r_akKNbydyAsXukfcaDkIFrzzZeI3_uywg9Er5fhRp1LXRtkNeIiIKD4qnBqdplfRsBK7fZq3c1lXaly0YhV3Q0rsa4nVYJMY0Kxzxk4magpjKRyDopmb6-/s320/17030808438765525021776202718328.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> I had the chance to go Home this morning.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Wasn't feeling terrible, but suddenly everything got distant and the ceiling opened with a bright golden light that drew me up. It was all so peaceful and wonderful. There was the truth there, if no need for fear. I was going Home.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And I decided against it. I had freedom of choice, and I chose to stay.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It's not over yet. Dogs and cats to care for, people to help, and most important, a dear wife to support with everything I have.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Don't regret it, but the decision broke my heart.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The ceiling just dissolved away,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and I saw the golden light</div><div style="text-align: center;">that said I need no longer stay,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and could cease my fight.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I was drawn up to that peace</div><div style="text-align: center;">that I had never understood,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and I reached out for sweet release</div><div style="text-align: center;">as God knew that I would.</div><div style="text-align: center;">But then I heard the quiet call</div><div style="text-align: center;">of my obligation.</div><div style="text-align: center;">I let my hand, and heart, too, fall,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and said, 'This is my station,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and I'll pursue my war right here</div><div style="text-align: center;">for everything that I hold dear.'</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Music from John Michael Talbot, with <i><a href="https://youtu.be/2oSiX1WKg4w?si=9VtqfgHfcYd8v4L1" target="_blank">Be Not Afraid</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sylvia's only fear is that the McDonald's soft serve ice cream machine breaks.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><p></p>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-51412941485008756472023-12-19T04:32:00.000-08:002023-12-19T04:36:02.083-08:00Travelling Mercies (Tell His Story/<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMXeorLcC2_onnsgYVu6BZlt7SXqtukSD2vSXbt3KsuepxPnONe2VpgRmMB9kdaYPS3OD5sGOjr0zjTlq-j1iIlpxbjxl-gRtIE_Rt7CZmSUFg-Ta2ccrMMlwn4NCw6EKlebwUiTiF7_R7SFZb9VMhPbgYHd6ae_CQ6RHRPq1fYzQeVq2UlO2IrMiuoaf/s2560/17029083867188911348394567625984.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhUMXeorLcC2_onnsgYVu6BZlt7SXqtukSD2vSXbt3KsuepxPnONe2VpgRmMB9kdaYPS3OD5sGOjr0zjTlq-j1iIlpxbjxl-gRtIE_Rt7CZmSUFg-Ta2ccrMMlwn4NCw6EKlebwUiTiF7_R7SFZb9VMhPbgYHd6ae_CQ6RHRPq1fYzQeVq2UlO2IrMiuoaf/s320/17029083867188911348394567625984.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifetoSqdxo2LbIO_yFQZj30NhWQhDqet8TKd1estU-LpNVtzWBBR_ZdKG5O_nFq0FKtTw7pwGrit8n1vpPKAfFaf1vdUW-fwVrIMHceU_UCqYi-xRD4AY0KfjAMDzDcepunPzlL6VH4UeyVgaqtBg2w_g_QPjjRRnGeEBNE5HwQPSrlCdK0UlsmAtl4x1J/s2560/1702908411107241179870370057658.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifetoSqdxo2LbIO_yFQZj30NhWQhDqet8TKd1estU-LpNVtzWBBR_ZdKG5O_nFq0FKtTw7pwGrit8n1vpPKAfFaf1vdUW-fwVrIMHceU_UCqYi-xRD4AY0KfjAMDzDcepunPzlL6VH4UeyVgaqtBg2w_g_QPjjRRnGeEBNE5HwQPSrlCdK0UlsmAtl4x1J/s320/1702908411107241179870370057658.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> I would bet that many of you will be travelling over the next couple of weeks, and in do doing you'll be fulfilling one of the great themes of Christmas.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">God leaving Heaven to come to Earth...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Joseph and Mary having to go from Nazareth to Bethlehem...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The shepherds coming down from the hills...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Magi following the star...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">And later, Joseph and Mary fleeing to Egypt...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Buddha is quoted as saying that it is better to travel than to arrive, but hey, that's just him.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">For a Christian, the arrival is everything. Like it says in Luke 13:29...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div style="text-align: center;">Music from The Traveling Wilburys, with <i><a href="https://youtu.be/UMVjToYOjbM?si=_hyr6EZtQi4OvVl0" target="_blank">End Of The Line</a> </i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sylvia suggests we travel now to McDonald's for some ice cream.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><p></p>
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<!--end InLinkz code-->Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4095822388315899381.post-631974844920763702023-12-14T18:11:00.000-08:002023-12-14T19:44:31.791-08:00Unread<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHsTFuDKVqW43O0BrlvoFVpZv7UJmN4ECAYPIxmnRY_T2PvZBq7kF6RO36iu6l7BFvHNrsYo44WA2kkoW-vrxtPOlNLFur-RkfH5h7HWgdFy6Hn8xrrMwtQNgjA2vTsG3fIhJuCPA9C7iT6LVVEAvfycV2LrI5vFP_-OtUDplk_3hnC6YZG3dnnFF2whW/s2560/17024263136816155384310904665675.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1440" data-original-width="2560" height="180" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjHsTFuDKVqW43O0BrlvoFVpZv7UJmN4ECAYPIxmnRY_T2PvZBq7kF6RO36iu6l7BFvHNrsYo44WA2kkoW-vrxtPOlNLFur-RkfH5h7HWgdFy6Hn8xrrMwtQNgjA2vTsG3fIhJuCPA9C7iT6LVVEAvfycV2LrI5vFP_-OtUDplk_3hnC6YZG3dnnFF2whW/s320/17024263136816155384310904665675.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> I was always an avid reader, and now, with shelves bowing under the weight of accumulated books...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">...it's getting really hard to stay focused on anything I read. I'll pick up a book, read a few chapters, then put it down and start another. Too often I forget what I was reading. I just can't connect with a story any more.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I don't know if it's cancer, or the result of too many recent high fevers...or maybe I've changed.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Writing's harder, too. I bet you can tell.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Whatever. Life is still good, there's lots to do, and I don't mourn a vanished past.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm putting this out there for anyone who may see this in a loved one, or see it in themselves.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Change, and a feeling of loss that might be related to it, are not to be hated. They may be uncomfortable, may be frustrating, but in the end, God's in control. Maybe He's doing this for a reason.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Maybe He wants you to put aside others' stories, so He can tell you your own.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I drew such inspiration</div><div style="text-align: center;">from all the tales of derring-do,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and in part became creation</div><div style="text-align: center;">of the stories I lived through,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but now the words don't resonate,</div><div style="text-align: center;">falling empty at my feet,</div><div style="text-align: center;">and I am forced to contemplate</div><div style="text-align: center;">that what I thought made me complete</div><div style="text-align: center;">was a step upon a road</div><div style="text-align: center;">that leads...I don't know where!</div><div style="text-align: center;">The principles that were a goad</div><div style="text-align: center;">have vanished into crystal air,</div><div style="text-align: center;">leaving me to understand</div><div style="text-align: center;">that it's time to take God's hand.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">The Five Minute Friday prompt this week is STORE.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Always loved the bookstore,</div><div style="text-align: center;">Barnes and Noble, Borders too</div><div style="text-align: center;">(and when the latter shut its door,</div><div style="text-align: center;">I was really, really blue).</div><div style="text-align: center;">There's something 'bout the smell of books</div><div style="text-align: center;">that nothing else can truly reach;</div><div style="text-align: center;">it might be the domain of cooks,</div><div style="text-align: center;">a recipe no-one can teach.</div><div style="text-align: center;">But all that is now nearly gone,</div><div style="text-align: center;">BN has more knick-knacky stuff.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Books now come from Amazon,</div><div style="text-align: center;">but somehow that's not quite enough</div><div style="text-align: center;">to re-create a lovely past</div><div style="text-align: center;">that was just too good to last.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Three minutes, and it kinda hurt to go there.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Music from Enya, with (well, why not) <i><a href="https://youtu.be/LiBwr4U59EI?si=GHBuqF6c1J_UZjbb" target="_blank">Book Of Days</a></i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sylvia says there are only two words worth reading.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Ice.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Cream.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s2048/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2048" data-original-width="1536" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8iMohXL7lR-R-GoSBGuGLyt8sN85-B-RGUgrjxk-sCTrmCDghQBexJfgNwLP7LYXktXJBR93uonEDwafHGWtjWT73b_bSIS98EuKoaCEuaecorsNWHv8Ue3nZzmfUJBk-gsgD8hUkdPtQ/s320/Sylvia+Ride.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br style="text-align: left;" /><div class="separator" style="clear: both;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s1184/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1184" data-original-width="1184" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuYWogyBhmYBvGuHNwBGE2XZt6laqxNjcraKeh3kb1zkIgdvI1Zzr3AeGGZKJIKNbetczR7Cp3lg1qzFv_888WrqYF4m7EyUjtv-sAIPy-L62Q1re84x7xEutMQ-nUKxZRAitfdrkmlwLt/s320/Sylvia%2527s+Day+Out.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><p></p>Andrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13230537202427640540noreply@blogger.com14