dear, foolish agnos
fuddy-duddy
A memorial to 4 dogs
Prayer in school???
Deeeep roots!
Born twice, die once
God among sinners? Oh My!
Allegro con brio
A *Rewind Button* for your life
One nation under _______?

dear, foolish agnos
"There is no God," the foolish saith, But none, "There is no sorrow." And nature oft the cry of faith, In bitter need will borrow: Eyes which the preacher could not school, By wayside graves are raised, And lips say, "God be pitiful," Which ne'er said, "God be praised." "Convinced by Sorrow" by Elizabeth Barrett Browning		The wicked in his proud countenance Does not seek God. God is in none of his thoughts. His ways are always prospering. God's judgments are far above, out of his sight. He has said in his heart, "God has forgotten. God hides His face; He will never see." Psalm 10.4-5a Psalm 10.11

fuddy-duddy
1- The boys wink at the boys: "Here comes Sir George." Yes, here he comes, punctual as nine o'clock with bad jokes buzzing at his ramrod back -- "Victoria's Uncle," "Rearguard of the Raj." They do not know or, if they know, forget the old fool held a province down larger than England; not as a Maharaja prodigal with silver and bayonet; but with cool sense, authority, and charm that still attend him, crossing a room with the Odes of Horace under one arm and in his button-hole a fresh-cut bloom.		2- Honor the rearguard, you half-men: for it was, in retreat, the post of greatest valor. He -- last of the titans -- is worth your study. You are not worth the unsheathing of his wit. "Here Comes Sir George" by Jon Stallworthy
		3- {God commanded...} You shall rise before the gray headed And honor the presence of an old man, And fear your God. I am the LORD. Leviticus 19.32

For Wulfgar, Gertrude, Pepper, & Kuro Worthy parties to God's Covenant with Earth
{God said to Noah...} This is the sign of the covenant which I make between Me and you, And every living creature that is with you, For perpetual generations: I set My rainbow in the cloud, And it shall be for the sign of the covenant Between Me and the Earth. Genesis 9.12
Though prejudice perhaps my mind befogs, I think I know no finer thing than dogs: The young ones, they of gay and bounding heart, Who lure us in their games to take a part, Who with mock growls their antics cloak And, from their wagging tails, admit the joke; The old ones, with their wistful, fading eyes, They who desire no further paradise Than the warm comfort of our smile and hand, Who tune their moods to ours and understand Each word and gesture; they who lie and wait To welcome us -- with no rebuke if late. Sublime the love they bear; but ask to live Close to our feet, unrecompensed to give; Beside which many men seem very logs -- I think I know no finer thing than dogs. "I Think I Know No Finer Thing Than Dogs" by Hally Carrington Brent		Epitaph To A Dog Near this spot Are deposited the Remains of one Who possessed Beauty Without Vanity, Strength without Insolence, Courage without Ferocity, And all the Virtues of Man Without his Vices. This Praise, which would be unmeaning flattery If inscribed over Human Ashes, Is but a just tribute to the Memory of "Boatswain," a Dog Who was born at Newfoundland, May, 1803, And died at Newstead Abbey Nov. 18, 1808 From Lord Byron's "Tribute to Boatswain," on a monument in the garden of Newstead Abbey

Prayer in school???
Jesus said: "Let the little children come to Me, And do not forbid them; For of such is the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 19.14		This is OUR school. Let peace dwell here, Let this room be full of contentment. Let love abide here: Love of one another, Love of country, Love of life, Love of God. Please remember -- Though your taxes built this building, Only our hearts make it a school.

Deeeep roots!
Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. Psalm 1.1-3		O like a tree Let me grow up to Thee! And like a tree Send down my roots to Thee. Let my leaves stir In each sigh of the air, My branches be Lively and glad in Thee. Each leaf a prayer, And green fire everywhere ... And all from Thee The Life within the tree. And let Thy rain Fall -- be it as joy or pain, So that I be Yet unforgot of Thee. Then shall I sing The new song of Thy spring, Every leaf of me Whispering love in Thee. "The Tree" by John Freeman

Born twice, die once
1- Jesus said: Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a person be born of water and of the Spirit, He cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; And that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it wishes, And thou hearest the sound thereof, But canst not tell whence it cometh, And whither it goeth: So is every one that is born of the Spirit. John 3.5-8		2- Waked by the Gospel's joyful sound, My soul in guilt and thrall I found, Exposed to endless woe: Eternal truth aloud proclaimed, The sinner must be born again, Or else to ruin go. Surprised I was, but could not tell Which way to shun the gates of hell, For they were drawing near: I strove indeed, but all in vain -- The sinner must be born again, Still sounded in my ear.
3- Then to the law I flew for help; But still the weight of guilt I felt, And no relief I found: While death eternal gave me pain, The sinner must be born again, Did loud as thunder sound. God's justice now I did behold, And guilt lay heavy on my soul -- It was a heavy load! I read my Bible; it was plain, The sinner must be born again, Or feel the wrath of God. I heard some tell how Christ did give His life, to let the sinner live; But Him I could not see: This solemn truth did still remain -- The sinner must be born again, Or dwell in misery.		4- But as my soul, with dying breath, Was gasping in eternal death, Christ Jesus I did spy: Free grace and pardon He proclaimed; The sinner then was born again, With raptures I did cry. The Angels in the world above, And saints can witness to the love, Which then my soul enjoyed. My soul did mount on faith, its wing, And glory, glory, did I sing, To Jesus Christ my Lord. Come, needy sinners, hear me tell What boundless love in Jesus dwell, How Mercy doth abound; Let none of mercy doubting stand, Since I the chief of sinners am, Yet I have mercy found. "Wak'd by Gospel's Joyful Sound" Samson Occum, 1774

God among sinners? Oh My!
Now it happened, as Jesus sat at the table in the house, that many tax collectors and sinners came and sat down with Him and His disciples. When the Pharisees saw it, they said to His disciples, "Why does your Teacher eat with tax collectors and sinners?" When Jesus heard that, He said to them, "Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. Go and learn what this means: 'I desire mercy and not sacrifice.' For I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance." Matthew 9.10-13		I love the name of Christ the Lord, the Man of Galilee, Because He came to live and toil among the likes of me. Let others sing the praises of a mighty King of kings; I love the Christ of common folks, the Lord of common things. The beggars and the feeble ones, the poor and sick and blind, The wayward and the tempted ones, were those He loved to find. He lived with them to help them like a brother and a friend, Or like some wandering Workman, finding lives to mend. I know my Lord is still my kind of folks to this good day; I know because He never fails to hear me when I pray. He loves the people that He finds in narrow dingy streets, And brings a world of comfort to the weary ones He meets. My job is just a poor man's job, my home is just a shack, But on my humble residence He never turns His back. Let others sing the praises of a mighty King of kings; I love the Christ of common folks, the Lord of common things. "The Christ of Common Folks" by George T. Liddell

Allegro con brio
The day before April Alone, alone, I walked in the woods And I sat on a stone. I sat on a broad stone And sang with the birds. The tune was God's making But I made the words. "The Day Before April" by Mary Carolyn Davies		1- Speak to one another in psalms and hymns And spiritual songs. Sing and make melody in your heart to the Lord. 2- Oh come, let us sing to the LORD! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. 3- Shout joyfully to the LORD, all the earth. Break forth in song. Rejoice and sing praises! Sing to the LORD with the harp, With the harp and the sound of a psalm, With trumpets and the sound of a horn. Shout joyfully before the LORD, the King. Let the sea roar, and all its fullness, The world and those who dwell in it. Let the rivers clap their hands. Let the hills be joyful together before the LORD, For He is coming to judge the earth. 1- Ephesians 5.19, 2- Psalm 95.1, 3- Psalm 98.4-9a
God, my Father, hear me sing Praises to you in Jesus name. Angels 'round me, join my song. Sing to my Father, clear and strong. Creator, Provider, sustaining all things Artist who painted the butterfly's wings Engineer, Architect, Maker of all Maestro composing the mockingbird's call. From "A song for Father" by William Tisdale

A *Rewind Button* for your life
1- According to God's promise, We look for new heavens and a new earth In which righteousness dwells. Therefore, beloved, looking for these things, Be diligent, spotless, and without blemish, To be found by Him in peace. 2 Peter 3.13-14
2- I wish that there were some wonderful place In the Land of Beginning Again: Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches And all of our poor selfish grief Could be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door And never put on again. I wish we could come on it all unaware, Like the hunter who finds a lost trail; And I wish that the one whom our blindness had done The greatest injustice of all Could be there at the gates like an old friend that waits For the comrade he's gladdest to hail. We would find all the things we intended to do But forgot, and remembered too late, Little praises unspoken, little promises broken, And all of the thousand and one Little duties neglected that might have perfected The day for a friend or a mate. -->		3- It wouldn't be possible not to be kind In the Land of Beginning Again, And the ones we misjudged and the ones whom we grudged Their moments of victory here, Would find in the grasp of our loving hand-clasp More than penitent lips could explain. For what had been hardest we'd know had been best, And what had seemed loss would be gain; For there isn't a sting that will not take wing When we've faced it and laughed it away And I think that the laughter is most what we're after In the Land of Beginning Again. So I wish that there were some wonderful place Called the Land of Beginning Again, Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches, And all our poor selfish grief Could be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door And never put on again. "The Land of Beginning Again" by Louise Fletcher Tarkington

One nation under _______?
{God says...} When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, Or command the locusts to devour the land, Or send pestilence among My people... If My people who are called by My name Will humble themselves, And pray and seek My face, And turn from their wicked ways, Then I will hear from Heaven, And will forgive their sin and heal their land. Second Chronicles 7.13-14		"What Makes a Nation Great?" Not serried ranks with flags unfurled, Not armored ships that gird the world, Not hoarded wealth nor busy mills, Not cattle on a thousand hills, Not sages wise, not schools nor laws, Not boasted deed in freedom's cause -- All these may be, and yet the state In the eyes of God be far from great. That land is great which knows the Lord, Whose songs are guided by His Word; Where Justice rules 'twixt man and man, Where Love controls in art and plan; Where, breathing in his native air, Each soul finds joy in praise and prayer -- Thus may our country, good and great, Be God's delight -- man's best estate. by Alexander Blackburn

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