Beautiful Poem from Jeff
Please read this when you get the chance, it is so beautiful and touching.
http://jeffcavanaugh.blogspot.com/2007/09/for-j.html
I love this line that reminds me (maybe intentionally) of LOTR.
O death, close my eyes
So I may see
White shores to the West
Of a shining sea.
Jeff is the husband of Andrea whom I knew from Bob Jones. She was my sister's apartmentmate.
quote of the day
A prose writer gets tired of writing prose, and wants to be a poet. So
he begins every line with a capital letter, and keeps on writing prose.
- Samuel McChord Crothers
Favorite Poems 8
Prayers of Steel ~ Carl Sandburg
Lay me on an anvil, O God. Beat me and hammer me into a crowbar. Let me pry loose old walls; Let me lift and loosen old foundations.
Lay me on an anvil, O God.
Beat me and hammer me into a steel spike.
Drive me into the girders that hold a skyscraper together.
Take red-hot rivets and fasten me into the central girders.
Let me be the great nail holding a skyscraper through blue nights
into white stars.
This poem reminded me of this Ephesians 2 passage profoundly. This is the first time I've come across this Sandburg poem, so I don't have any idea of the context around it.
18For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.
cease
Panic waves crash over me; Combers frantic as far as I can see Are trying to, hoping to crush me. For I am not, cannot be free Until I stop striving and see that He Has all power and is life’s Key. Once again, I’ve forgotten my ABC’s. I can’t, I must not trust my ability. I’ll fail, always fail abysmally. I must focus on Him actually; Gaze on Him and only on Him admiringly. He will change my life mightily. So be still and trust in Him exultingly!
Favorite Poems 7
The Flea and the Fly
A flea and a fly got caught in a flue. Said the fly, "Let us flee." Said the flea, "Let us fly." So together they flew through a flaw in the flue.
reporting
I suppose I should say that all went well on Thursday. I'm sorry for not saying so earlier.
My doctor and I did not discuss the spinal chord stimulator as I had believed we would. But I have scheduled an appointment that is necessary before the trial of the device. Taking the first step probably means I will have the trial in the near future. Probably after the wedding of some friends of mine.
Also, the trial is what determines whether I will need the IPG (internal battery) or RF (external battery) device. This is nice because it effectively takes the decision out of my hands. A good place to be. My hands are a little shaky.
I leave you with words from three men. The lyrics have been playing over and over on my speakers and in my head. (They are used in the song Made Me Free, music by David Danner.)
~ Isaac Watts
Alas! and did my Savior bleed
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For sinners such as I?
Was it for crimes that I had done
He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!
~ Ralph E. Hudson
At the cross, at the cross where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away,
It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day!
~ Isaac Watts
But drops of grief can ne’er repay
The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give my self away
’Tis all that I can do.
~ Philip P. Bliss
Sing, oh sing, of my Redeemer,
With His [precious] blood, He purchased me.
On the cross, He sealed my pardon,
Paid the debt, and made me free.
[Paid the debt and made me free.
Made me free, Made me Free!]
come tune
I said that I would start looking at some hymn lyrics. I am going to paraphrase/reword the lyrics to help me better understand them. And I might only look at one line at a time. It depends on how well I feel or how late it is when I think about a certain song. Finally, I know that the Bible is our source of Truth, not the hymnal. But hopefully, our hymnals and certainly our lips should be filled with Truthful lyrics that praise the Lord (hallelujah Psalm 146). That's why I wanted to do this in the first place.
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
You fountain of every blessing, come tune my heart to sing your grace;
It makes me wonder if I want God really to work in my heart to be "on key" with Him. This line suggests to me that the starting process is a sole work of God. He must do the work in the heart. He is the One who gave us a song (Psalm 40:3); and the natural result of our being filled with the Spirit is singing (Ephesians 5:18). The part we must play is presenting our members as slaves to righteousness (Romans 6:19) and not resisting the Spirit's work (1 Thessalonians 5:19; Ephesians 4:30; Acts 5:3 ff).
You know, a dictionary definition of fount can include the idea of one that initiates. So we have God, the Great Initiator of every blessing, as our Father (Luke 11:9-13; James 1:17).
from everlasting to everlasting
But the lovingkindness of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children's children, To those who keep His covenant And remember His precepts to do them.
~ Psalms 103:17-18 (NASB)
in honor of spring
For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land.
It was a windy day in Virginia Beach, but a wonderful first day of Spring. It was nice. I got a tall tazo chai latte. And, alas, I got my hair chopped off. 
But it really was a good day.
lyrics
I love posting things (poems, articles, songs), but I haven't been writing as much as I would like. Therefore, I have decided to change that.
I played Come, Thou Fount at church tonight on the organ in what is referred to in our church as fellowship time. It is that time when many Baptists (and perhaps other denominations) sing a verse or chorus then make the rounds and shake hands and say, "how do you do?" or some such variation.
My friend Deborah came up to the organ as I played, and as I started the verse over again, we said almost simultaneously, "I love this song."
It really made me think. I wondered why "I love this song"? I consider my experience unique (which in fact seems redundant in that each person's experience is ultimately unique, no matter how much in common the experience). What I mean, and I realize I am rambling, is that I have been a pianist or organist in church from the time I was in 8th grade. The only time I was part of congregational singing was at Bob Jones for a few years.
I realize that one is not limited to singing in church, but even at home, I play, not necessarily sing.
My point, yes, I'll get to it. I don't know the words to hymns.
There...I've said it. I know some of them. But only very generally. I can tell you that Crown Him with Many Crowns is on the left side of the page, or that Blessed Assurance is hymn 157 (in our hymnal) and that Great God of Wonders is in Eb, but I only have a cursory knowledge of many of the hymn lyrics that we sing.
So...I am going to start studying some of the hymns from my church hymnal. I haven't decided what form this study will take, but I'll think about it.
~ Robert Robinson, 1758
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing,
Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy, never ceasing,
Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
Sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it,
Mount of Thy redeeming love.
Here I raise my Ebenezer;
Here by Thy great help I’ve come;
And I hope, by Thy good pleasure,
Safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
Wandering from the fold of God;
He, to rescue me from danger,
Interposed His precious blood.
O to grace how great a debtor
Daily I’m constrained to be!
Let Thy goodness, like a fetter,
Bind my wandering heart to Thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
Prone to leave the God I love;
Here’s my heart, O take and seal it,
Seal it for Thy courts above.
O that day when freed from sinning,
I shall see Thy lovely face;
Clothed then in blood washed linen
How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace;
Come, my Lord, no longer tarry,
Take my ransomed soul away;
Send thine angels now to carry
Me to realms of endless day.
Favorite Poems 6
Pippa's Song ~ Robert Browning
The year's at the spring,
And day's at the morn;
Morning's at seven;
The hillside's dew-pearled;
The lark's on the wing;
The snail's on the thorn:
God's in His Heaven—
All's right with the world!
Favorite Poems 5
Trees ~ Joyce Kilmer
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is pressed
Against the earth's sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
Favorite Poems 4
Who has seen the wind? ~ Christina Rossetti
Who has seen the wind? Neither I nor you: But when the leaves hang trembling, The wind is passing through.
Who has seen the wind? Neither you nor I: But when the trees bow down their heads, The wind is passing by.
high in the maple tree
There is a cardinal high in the maple tree*
Singing for Spring quickly to come.
Cries for sunbeams and buds to break free,
Nothing will stop his rowdy enthusiasm.
Neither rain, nor wind, nor these cloudy gray skies,
Neither solitude on his barest perch;
For his voice is all he needs to advertise,
And maybe come Spring a Lady will end his search.
* based on a true story
Incidentally, this kind of goes with the Verse of the Day...
"For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh."
~ Genesis 2:24 (NIV)
Favorite Poems 3
My Valentine ~ Robert Louis Stevenson
I will make you brooches and toys for your delight Of bird song at morning and starshine at night. I will make a palace fit for you and me, Of green days in forests And blue days at sea.
Favorite Poems 2
The Embarrassing Episode of Little Miss Muffet ~ Guy Wetmore Carryl
Little Miss Muffet discovered a tuffet, (Which never occurred to the rest of us) And, as 'twas a June day, and just about noonday, She wanted to eat--like the best of us: Her diet was whey, and I hasten to say It is wholesome and people grow fat on it. The spot being lonely, the lady not only Discovered the tuffet, but sat on it.
A rivulet gabbled beside her and babbled, As rivulets always are thought to do, And dragon flies sported around and cavorted, As poets say dragon flies ought to do; When, glancing aside for a moment, she spied A horrible sight that brought fear to her, A hideous spider was sitting beside her, And most unavoidably near to her!
Albeit unsightly, this creature politely Said: "Madam, I earnestly vow to you, I'm penitent that I did not bring my hat. I Should otherwise certainly bow to you." Though anxious to please, he was so ill at ease That he lost all his sense of propriety, And grew so inept that he clumsily stept In her plate--which is barred in Society.
This curious error completed her terror; She shuddered, and growing much paler, not Only left tuffet, but dealt him a buffet Which doubled him up in a sailor knot. It should be explained that at this he was pained: He cried: "I have vexed you, no doubt of it! Your fist's like a truncheon." "You're still in my luncheon," Was all that she answered. "Get out of it!"
And the Moral this: Be it madam or miss To whom you have something to say, You are only absurd when you get in the curd But you're rude when you get in the whey!
Favorite Poems
Once A Big Molicepan
Once a big molicepan
Saw a blittle lum,
Sitting on the sturbcone
Chewing gubble bum.
"Hi!" said the molicepan.
"Better simmie gome."
"Tot on your nintype!"
Said the bittle lum.
clarity
Liquid fire fills the empty steel wire stretched stretched to its limit. There is a desert where water is plenteous but it is so dry every mouth is parched. Palms are slick with sweat so that weak and trembling fingers grasp at air and music undanced is unheard. Seeing red is common when falling from the heights, gravity pulling, pulling, velocity gathering, gathering until terminal moments find terms of endearment at reach by hands that reach for stop signs. Crying eyes are no good, for what can a little wetness do? Cause more pain? Tossing from side to side to side the ride is rough, the Author tough but gracious in this eternal pain. There is no I in Why? Only You.
finally villanelle
Thanks to Joy's perseverance and a stern exhortation from Stephanie yesterday, I present you with a Villanelle.
Let me turn, and never again walk this way.
Often too distracted and caught in the night.
O keep me Lord and these desires help slay.
When all darkness surrounds, let me see Your day!
Bind me by Your Word. Thus keep me in the fight.
Let me turn, and never again walk this way.
When prisoned by pain with all these nerves affray,
Afraid, alone, weak, I scream with all my might:
"O keep me Lord and these desires help slay!"
When caught in problems, general dissarray,
And I am lost, then Your love shines clear and bright.
Let me turn, and never again walk this way.
When confused by the World and tossed in its sway,
Surround me with Your love, and show me Your light.
O keep me Lord and these desires help slay.
When I would rather sit--dream my life away--
You show me that only dreaming is not right.
Let me turn, and never again walk this way.
O keep me Lord and these desires help slay.
crimson thread
I worked on this poem for a long time. Then I let it sit for a long time. Now I am publishing it. I might yet tweak it, but I am happy to let it be seen now.
Words to comfort and
to make well that which was lost.
See the crimson thread.
(Genesis 2:7, 20, 25)
Feeble dust formed, framed
red earth named and spirit life
now naked, shameless.
(Isaiah 14:12; John 8:44; Revelation 12:10; Ezekiel 28:14)
Fallen from heaven,
(Father of lies, accuser!)
annointed cherub.
(Genesis 3:4-6)
Moments eternal--
A poison bite and death bite--
All in a moment.
(Genesis 3:17-19, 21; Hebrews 9:22)
Death the curse, promise
dirt and work with blood and sweat.
Crimson drops atone.
(Genesis 4:1)
The mother of all
from new life aquired hope,
dashed quickly by innocent blood.
(Genesis 4:8)
Breath's vapor fades now
as red hot anger subsides.
Brothers now no more.
(Genesis 4:9-10)
Blood calls from the ground!
Can you hear the crimson drops
fall by the meadow?
(Genesis 4:11-14)
Wandering man marked,
you see not the crimson thread,
free to all who ask?
(Genesis 5:29; Genesis 7:16)
Promised rest from your
weary work rest in the ark
the hands of God shut.
(Genesis 9:12-13)
"In the tent of clouds
I place my bow, this is
My lovingkindness."
(Genesis 11:4; Genesis 8-9)
Disobedient name
seekers! Mixed and confusion,
who can fight God's Gate?
(Job 1:1; Job 38:1)
Hated eschewer,
Patient man, persecuted.
Hear now the Whirlwind!
(Job 38)
"Can man answer God?
Can he know all God's council?
Answer, if you can."
(Job 42:6, 10)
Retracting, he repents.
Dust, ashes his covering.
And God gives to him.
(Genesis 18:10-12; Romans 4:11)
A covenant made
father of all who believe
(aged princess laughing).
(Genesis 22:2)
Father's laughter must
be sacrificed on the mount.
Picture things future.
(Genesis 22:8)
See here the thread of
crimson through time and space:
God will provide a lamb.
(Genesis 32:26, 28)
As the day dawned bright,
a new name revealed to him:
"God strives, rules, and heals."
(Exodus 2:10; Exodus 20; Exodus 6:1-2)
The prince of Egypt
brought stones written by God's hand
after plagues freed slaves.
(Joshua 2:18; Joshua 2:21; Joshua 6:23)
Arrogance humbled,
afflicter is afflicted
saved by scarlet thread.
And running through all
(judges, prophets, priests and kings)
shadows things future.
(Matthew 3:1; Matthew 3:2)
Preaching man, baptist,
Calling now for repentance.
The LORD is gracious.
(Matthew 9:27-30; Matthew 15:30-31; Matthew 1:23)
And by His hand did
blind men see and the lame walked,
For God is with us.
(Matthew 26:39)
And in the garden
of the oil press, He prayed God's
(not His) will be done.
(Matthew 26:48-49; Matthew 26:42)
And knowing all things
yet was met with traitor's kiss,
but He did Your will.
(John 19:28; Mark 15:33-34)
Thirst, darkness, pain:
(His Father's back now has turned.)
What is this but hell?
(Romans 6:10)
Bloodied on that tree
dying to sin once for all,
leads captive a host.
(Mark 16:6; 1 Corinthians 15:55)
But He is not here.
Death is not victorious.
Just as He has said.
(Acts 1:9-11)
Returning like His
leaving in clouds with glory
majesty, power!
(1 Thessalonians 5:2; Revelation; Psalm 2:9)
Like a theif in night;
then tribulation and peace.
Peace by iron rod.
(Revelation 21:23)
There is a thread in
eternity; there is no
sun to shine nor moon.
(Revelation 21:23; John 20:26-28)
God is the light of
heaven, the Lamb is now our
reminder by prints.
Prints that were opened
by nails and bleeding for us:
this our crimson thread.
jbo, the haiku
So I wrote this poem on Simplicity today because I had gotten in touch with a good friend whom I had neglected to call back. This person, Q, wrote me back with a haiku:
"jbo"
by Q
man without a foot
doesn't like to make phone calls
please come out and play
This is particularly funny because I am not only uncomfortable on the phone, but am horrible about calling people even when I know I should. Bad, jbo, bad.
sweet dreams
the crisp air mixes
with satisfied tiredness.
so sweet the abeyances
of the night--my accomplice.
sovereign shepherd
By His grace I have a Wonderful Counselor
Who catches and teaches me when I doubt.
Helping my poor intentions as Adviser,
When I am ready and willing to burnout.
He is a Mighty and Awesome God.
With His righteous right hand I am upheld!
By His gentle whisper I am awed;
In His sweet voice my fears are quelled.
Prince of Peace, yet He comes with the sword:
He gives perfect peace, and hardens hearts.
In His body He took every sin that Heaven abhorred.
To His Holy Ones new life and grace He imparts.
He is my Sovereign Shepherd: indeed, He knows me well.
How can He restore my soul? Every trial Him befell.
Isaiah 9:6; Isaiah 41:10; Matthew 10:34; Isaiah 26:3; Romans 9:18; 1 Peter 2:24; Titus 3:7; Psalm 23
lovingkindness
midnight is not dark.
this is darkest: before dawn.
my soul remembers
His lovingkindess to me.
You will never fail me LORD.
simplicity
If you have never been to simplicity, I hope you will go and see the poems that are there. All of them are good. There are poems there that range from wacky and light, to the very serious.
And there are these gifted people (most of whom write with aliases) that amaze me with their insight! I am inspired by their words. I hope that you can visit simplicity.
Poem
So I finished my long poem. I sent it to Jennifer and my sister for their opinions and ideas. Christa's criticism wasn't too harsh: she knows I'm on "drugs." Overall, I think the poem is coming along nicely, but it isn't ready to post. I just feel so relieved that it is done and needs only revision that I thought I would give a little post in its honor.
eternity's minutes
wake.
clock 4:11...
what?!
wake.
clock 4:22...
eternity in
ten minutes.
Heaven's Veil
Heaven's Veil
When veiled by clouds, Thy glory hid,
When moved by doubt and fear, I cry.
Thy Spirit wilt move; Thou wilt not forbid
Mine eyes to see Thy grace on high.
If dark the path to Thy gates,
If full of fire, of falls, of fright,
I pray that I may contemplate
Thy Word, O Lord, which is my Light.
Since by Thy Word I understand,
Since by Thy Blood I am made free,
Thy grace is sufficient for me to stand.
Pray let Thy Spirit illumine me.
And this same Wind by breath or gale,
Revealeth to me Thy Heaven�s Veil.
October 19, 2002
james m. bohannon
The idea for this poem came from sunset in Maryland and sunrise in Michigan on my 20-something-odd hour journey to Saginaw.
Isn't it great that even when we feel that God is veiled from us "The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God" (Romans 8:16). We have not seen God, but we have seen His Veil: His grace and love.
jmb
A Song of Praise
I was filling sorry for myself today. Then I realized I was thinking of myself when I could have been praising the Lord. Here's my song:
"Praise the LORD! Praise God in His sanctuary; Praise Him in His mighty expanse. {2} Praise Him for His mighty deeds; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness. {3} Praise Him with trumpet sound; Praise Him with harp and lyre. {4} Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. {5} Praise Him with loud cymbals; Praise Him with resounding cymbals. {6} Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!"
Building Each Other up with Dynamite
I haven�t written a blog in a while. I�ve been pretty down in recent days. I had a few things in mind for a blog, but I hadn�t felt motivated to write one until tonight. I am going to try to please everyone.
When Danielle (not Danielle Jennifer) and I were talking on Instant Message the other day, I said I would write a blog on compliments. You know as Christians we should be nice people. We should say nice things about each other. Often though, we talk about the bad things people do and not the good things. I know I am guilty of that. Our focus is wrong. (Forgive me, this won�t be deep, I am just going to ramble: this last sentence for example. Our focus is wrong. We say that a lot, I suppose. But what do you think about when you say it? I just really thought about what that sentence is saying. Yes, you guessed it: analogy time. Let�s talk about photographs. Have you ever taken a beautiful picture, well, it would have been but it was a little out of focus? That�s what that sentence means.) So (if you are still following me) if our focus is wrong what should it be on? Jesus.
See, no deep thoughts tonight. Just Jesus. And isn�t it great that He is enough? My inspiration to write about Him tonight is because of a poem that my cousin sent me. She based it on II Corinthians 12:9:
�And he said unto me, �My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.� Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.�
Let�s talk about that �power of Christ.� (This is for Casey!) The word �strength� and the word �power� in the King James is the same word in the Greek: dunamis. That�s the word from which we get dynamite. And what we need to remember is that it means �miraculous power.� We have �miraculous power� because of God�s grace.
I�m sure now, you want me to tie it all together. Well, let me try: When we are weak, let�s get our focus on Jesus. His grace is our �miraculous power.� When our focus is right, we will build up our brothers and sisters in Christ (I Thessalonians 5:11), not tear them down. So now I want to compliment my sister in Christ, Wendy O. Thank you for honoring Christ in your life by being so kind.
God bless and keep you. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,
james micah bohannon
____________________________________________________________
My Grace is Sufficient for Thee
M. Snider
As the path I travel seems drear,
Remind me, O Lord, You are near.
Close beside me, to lead and to guide me,
Jesus, what have I to fear?
You've said, "My grace is sufficient for thee,
For my strength is made perfect in weakness."
Empty before Your throne I grieve,
Father I fall down to my knees,
For when I am weak, then am I strong
Because Your grace is sufficient for me.
I delight to do Thy will, O my God,
Yea, Thy law is within my heart,
But often times I am so weak,
I stumble before I can start.
Show me the way You'd have me to go,
Never leading me to wrong,
And when I feel frail, remind my heart,
You alone are my strength and my song.
You've said, "My grace is sufficient for thee,
For my strength is made perfect in weakness."
Empty before Your throne I grieve,
Father I fall down to my knees,
For when I am weak, then am I strong
Because Your grace is sufficient for me.