11/11/18 Through 11/17/18

11/11/18 Through 11/17/18

Sunday

For the prophet, a little cake

The poor old widow had to bake.

A final offering by her

Compassion from on high did stir.

And then a year and maybe more

The oil from the jug would pour,

And flour in the jar supply 

Bread sustaining three thereby.

The widows mite a meager thing

To thus before the altar bring.

But given all her livelihood

A ransom there before them stood.

Monday

The unity the Lord desires

Forgives the wrong and thus inspires,

A oneness in both heart and mind

That one with pride can never find.

For we are ones that oft offend,

And on forgiveness we depend

That we might share His dwelling place

Of love in His abundant grace.

Tuesday

A useful servant does his task

What ere the master please or ask.

No special praise to come his way

For doing duties of the day.

Now we must recognize our place

To serve the Lord of  peace and grace.

And servants to the Master be

His servants bound, yet fully free.

Wednesday

Gratitude for all we own

Is how we grow the seed that's sown.

Renewed in love the Spirit grants

New life to seeds that Jesus plants.

To change and grow and richly flower

Death must come to Satan's power

That hoards in selfish sin and lust,

And life to simple love and trust.

Thursday

As lightning flashes in the sky

We glimpse the world around

A light enough to then supply

What's needed to be found.

In darkness, Christ will be our light

To show us clear the way,

That leads us through the dreary night

Unto the light of day.

How wrong we'll see the ways of man

We thought so wise and sure,

When we can see in Truth, His plan

to make us strong and pure.

Friday

The end is coming for us all

And we should surely know

That day we hear the frightful call

And earthly things let go.

The voice of love that day will sound

Above all other din

For then is truth and folly found

About our evil sin.

We must prepare to let it go

And follow in love's call

If we expect to Jesus know

We have to give our all.

Random Thoughts

The whisper of the garden,

Oh no!  Like gods you'll be.

With pride begins to harden

The heart so we can't see

The truth that's there before us

Becomes as fantasies

We never see the forest

Because of all the trees.

We swallow many camels

But strain the gnats we see.

And listen to the babbles

Of fools with some degree.

Learned the philosopher, 

But what a fool can be

If one can't look before her 

And tell a he from she.

The ruler and the measure

Of all there is to be

One day will end the pleasure

Of all this fallacy.

I pray His hand of mercy

Will reach beyond His wrath

And end the controversy

To put us on His path.

Saturday

To join the work along the way

We must begin to fast and pray

To find the road to Paradise

We must join in the sacrifice.

Co-workers on a common road

In joy who share a heavy load.

To reach our high resplendant goal

By sacrifice we cleanse the soul.

11/4/18 Through 11/10/18

11/4/18 Through 11/10/18

Sunday

If He is Lord, our every move

Should be in love, and firmly prove

Our faith and trust in Him we claim

Can cure the sick and heal the lame.

For love of God and neighbor will

A life of sacrifice instill

And bring to bear humility

Within a firm docility.

So, have I listened well today,

Or made it just another day?

Have I heard the Master's voice,

Before I jumped and made a choice?

It's easy to distract the mind

With drivel of near every kind,

But listening to know  His will

requires that my spirit still.

Monday

The poor are those with everything,

For their provider is the King.

Their every need, by Him supplied

To those without the sin of pride.

Lord let me see how poor I am

Within my daily self-exam.

Then grant the grace to love you more

And clearly see You in the poor.

Tuesday

Invited to the Master's feast

Apologies of rich increase.

Excuses and regrets abound

Where calls to give of self are found.

To share a meal with Him who made,

The man, and never from him strayed.

The gift of splendid daily bread,

Rejected, rather than be fed.

The poor and lame will share the feast

If not the greatest, then the least.

The ones who recognize in bread,

The body of our Lord, are fed.

Wednesday

Pick up the cross, He bids to me.

Seek not, the ease and luxury.

For those who would disciples be,

Must learn to follow well with Me.

To be poured out as I have been,

An offering for sordid sin,

All drained of human energy,

And filled with Father's love for thee.

Thursday

Repentance brings a joy to life,

A triumph here amid the strife.

A sign of hope, we found the way,

That leads us to a brighter day.

The flock includes the lost and strays,

The ones who follow crooked ways.

For all are valued in the eye

Of our Good Shepherd in the sky.

He searches for the hapless stray

Who thought he knew a better way,

But found at every novel turn

Another lesson there to learn.

The Shepherd's crook is not so mean

It leads us to the pastures green,

And to the valley where there flows

The restful water of repose.

Friday

A wasteland of utility

Is all our eyes would ever see,

Without the spaces made for man

To worship God within His plan.

The beauty of the temple grand,

A mere reflection of that planned

By God when all are one in Him,

And sing their never-ending hymn.

The place where offered bread and wine

As blood and body of Divine.

The place where earth and heaven brush

should be a palace rich and plush.

Saturday

When we give, we both receive,

Is what the holy ones believe

To have the wealth creates the need

To quench a thirst, or hungry feed.

Blessing comes as wealth is shared,

Pains relieved and lives repaired.

The giver gives and poor receive.

Both are blessed when both believe.

10/28/18 Through 11/3/18

10/28/18 Through 11/3/18

Sunday

Son of David have pity on me,

Grant the grace that I may see.

My heart's desire to follow You 

And learn to love the way You do.

I've seen enough the other way

where sin has darkened every day

I want to see in clearer light

What sin obscures in darkest night.

Monday

Let me share a word with you,

Shine a light and change the view.

Let me show the beauty where

So many eyes just see despair.

In purity is found a gem

Passed over by the likes of them.

And generosity will breed

Contentment there instead of greed.

Idolarty can have no place

Amidst a life of lavish grace.

Be not decieved, the day will come,

When all will hear the final drum.

So separate yourself from sin.

Step out of darkness and begin

No more to wander in the night,

But live as children of the light.

Tuesday

Within a mustard seed that's sown

Are mysteries no mind has known.

Unthinkable that one should find

Within that tiny seed designed,

A shelter for the little birds

Or metaphor of holy words. 

As both will grow, become mature

To be a haven safe and sure.

So feed and water tiny seeds

Give them fulfillment of their needs

To flourish and to be transformed

That many other hearts be warmed.

Wednesday

The scary thought that I should hear

Upon that final day...

"I know you not!" my greatest fear

That He, to me, would say.

I want no less than life within

The everlasting day

I want to hear, "You're welcome in,

My Father's house today." 

May I but be obedient,

Submissive to Your will.

The single main ingredient

To with the Spirit fill.

That on that day You know me well,

And narrow way I find.

Far from the dreaded gates of hell,

With Paradise, aligned.

Thursday

One day we all can hope to be,

Around the throne and praising Thee.

But now it seems so far away,

As we contend with each new day.

The troubles of the everyday

Can seem to cloud the holy way, 

But when we see in clearer light

These troubles beckon and invite,

To love in ways we never could

And follow Him the way we should.

To live as blessed holy ones

And thus become adopted sons.

Friday

The death of all the holy ones

A precious gift that often runs

Across the generation gap

Providing younger ones a map.

A way of life in harmony

With One in charge, that we can't see.

A way to fill the emptiness,

Through prayers, and love, and kindliness.

Examples of a living soul

With name engraved upon the scroll,

Who gave of self without regard,

And never kept a scoring card.

Saturday

In the humble lowest place

Dwells our source of peace and grace.

Hung upon that awful tree,

There in bread and wine for me.

King of all who chose to come

As a poor and lowly one.

In a humble stable born

On that blessed Christmas morn.

As a helpless little child

From the virgin undefiled.

Though a young precocious one,

Still as an obedient Son.

Driven in His life to be

The perfect model there for me.

Nothing left, for all He gave.

Sinners He desired to save.

Risen then, and glorified.

King of kings, once crucified.

Jesus Christ, the lowly One

Savior, and exalted Son.

10/21/18 Through 10/27/18

10/21/18 Through 10/27/18

Sunday

Only that we give away

Will last until another day.

Only when we suffer well

Will Christ, on earth, within us dwell.

To shoulder burdens with a smile,

To gladly walk the extra mile,

Will bring the kingdom here below,

And grace to all the world bestow.

So we must learn to count as loss,

All earthly gain, and bear the cross.

To drink the cup the Savior drank,

And for the priv'lege, Jesus thank.

For none like He has known our pain

Who suffered for eternal gain,

Who counted all the world as loss,

And bore our sins upon the cross.

Monday

To Him, our maker, we belong

We come to Him with joyful song.

He knows our need in every day,

He formed this simple lump of clay.

Give thanks to Him for He is good

He took our place upon the wood.

In Him alone are riches found.

The One with thorns, our sins have crowned.

Now we are called, His way to know,

To trust Him in each step we go

For He will grant our every need

When daily, on his bread, we feed.

Tuesday

If found awake on his return

Great blessing will the servant earn

If fast asleep when He arrives,

The laziness, of good, deprives.

He bids us keep a steady eye

Be wary of the wicked spy,

And search for truth along the way

That's often lost amid the fray.

Wednesday

What stewardship is given me?

Am I as true as I should be?

Have I but used my talents well?

So where's the fruit that stories tell?

I look and see abundantly

Your gifts and grace bestowed on me.

But even though the gifts abound,

So very little fruit is found.

I wish to see the nation turned

With jealousy and hatred spurned,

With life respected womb to tomb,

With Church as bride and Christ as Groom.

Though such on earth may never be,

You bid us to request of Thee

That all upon His entry be

Well-prepared, and fit for Thee.

Thursday

To grasp the height and breadth of God

No mortal mind can know

The ocean depths and shores abroad,

Or lands down far below.

This world of ours a speck of dust

Within his august mind

Yet He invites a total trust

In love of perfect kind.

And guarantees that we will see

Much more than mind can tell

If we will but disciples be

Our hearts and minds will swell.

Friday

Made for more than many know,

Be the one whose love will show

With patience and with gentleness

The beauties that His laws express.

That one day all may see the light

And build a future strong and bright

With bonds of love and unity

All grounded in humility.

Saturday

Your will brings light and clarity

If we but listen well and see

He made for one, the many parts

And bearing fruit is where it starts.

If we would use the gifts He gave

the world, from error, would be saved.

Then He would heal the many scars, 

And fruit abundant, would be ours.