A Most Beautiful Sunrise

 Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.  Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the children of one's youth. Psa 127:3-4
A Most Beautiful Sunrise

10-14-02

They called out to me,

Up there, leaning over the balcony,

Their smiles were so bright,

In the dawn's new light.

One was almost a woman so fair,

Soft and pretty with silken hair.

The other was still a child,

Innocent, happy and mild.

As I looked up at them,

I had a vision of a sparkling precious gem.

"Look Mommy, at the pretty sunrise" they said.

"It's beautiful," I replied, without turning my head.

It was the most magnificent sunrise

Because I had seen it reflecting from their eyes!

　　

Going to Hell in a Hand Basket

When I look at Christianity in the US today I wonder if my fathers prophetic words are coming true. We’re all going to Hell in an hand basket. Now I’m not sure what that means exactly or why he was so fond of saying it, but just picture the Devil on his merry way to Hell with the hand basket strung gingerly over his arm and all these Christians screaming and wailing, trying get out of it. “Where did he say he was taking us?” “To Hell in a hand basket.” “What!” “Hell in a hand basket?” “Get me out of hereeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!” It’s like “The Wizard of Oz”. Do you remember that old movie? The bad witch with the little dog Toto, in the basket hanging over the handle bars of her bicycle, peddling madly in front of Dorothy’s bedroom window in the house in the sky. I’ll get you my pretty! I guess that would be like “going to hell” in a hand basket.
I’ll never understand people who proclaim to be Christians who have “pirate birthday parties” for their tiny children. Do I have to tell you that pirates are mean people! They rape and pillage, murder and steal; they are not cool. Why do grown ups think Pirates are cool? Why is evil hip? Their symbol is a the skull of a dead person and that symbol is located on every kind of poisonous and hazardous materials you can think of. And for some reason, I think only Satan knows, we have pirate birthday cakes, and pirate decorations. I don’t get it. Tell me who in their right mind aspires their child to grow up and join that nasty dirty group of Somali pirates? Go figure!
Some Christians cry that we have to be more tolerant in order to win souls. Did God say that? Our God is not a tolerant God. It’s his way baby or the highway! God has rules and to be on his team you must play by his rules. And God is GOD so you better do it his way if you want to get to Heaven. Otherwise, you could always go to Hell in a hand basket. If we as Christians become tolerant, if we close our eyes to what deplores God, then we can not call ourselves Christians anymore. A tolerant Christian is an oxymoron. Christians must continue to defend whatever is true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, and excellence in God’s eyes not man’s eyes.
I’ve heard some Christians use Gods name in vain. The expression Oh my G__ is not cool. It’s using the Lord of the Universes’ name in vain, and God doesn’t really like you to use his name in Vain. Have you ever wondered why people use the Lord’s name as a curse word? Even people who say they believe do it. It’s abominable! Does anyone use your name as a curse word? You wouldn’t feel very good about it if they did? And here we have the name of the creator of heaven and earth , being used as a derogatory demeaning curse word by angry so called Christians.
And finally, what about people who proclaim to be Christians and buy into the theory that all gods are God, Allah is god, Buddha is god, the great spirit is god, mother earth is god, Mohamed is god. Christians, there is only one God of the Universe who created it all, and if you don’t see him through Jesus Christ the man who was God, then he is not God. That’s why we’re called Christians. We believe that Christ is the only way to God, because it’s is what God’s word says. So is the Jewish God the same as our God?
After having said all this I’m still reminded from the Word of God that tells me to first love him more than anything and second love my neighbor like him. And that my friends is what Christianity is all about. So even as these things irk me I should remember that it’s the sin that gets to me, and then remember that I’m the biggest sinner of them all, and Jesus laid down his life for me, so that I, a worthless undeserving sinner could live in paradise with him for eternity. I‘ll look for every opportunity to tell it the world.

Leaves

A cool crisp wind blusters through the tree

wrangling loose from its branch,

a single leave,

falling

fluttering like a butterfly,

glistening in the bright autumn sunshine,

whisking through the air,

gliding to the ground below,

where it lies,

silent and strong through the winter storms,

as the harsh elements ,

destroy all but the skeletal web of its remains,

a token of a life spent,

splendor lost,

but perfection gained.

2/5/05

Psa 50:2 Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God shines forth.

Poor Little Black Sheep

Well it's a brack bellie sheep!

I've been a Christian for 21 years  but when ever I read this poem, I think about the early days of my Christianity and I remember what my life was without God and how he persued me to bring me into his fold. 

 

What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray?  And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. Mat.18:12-13 ESV

Poor Lil' Brack Sheep dat stray'd away,

   Done los' in de win and rain,

An de Shepherd He say,"O hirelin',

   Go fin' my sheep again."

An' de hirelin' frowns, "Oh Shepherd,

   Dat sheep am brack an' bad."

But de Shepherd He smile like de lil' brack sheep

   Is de onliest lamb he had,

   Is de onliest lamb he had.

An' He say, "Oh hirelin', hasten!

   For de win' an' de rain am col',

And dat lil' brack sheep am lonesome

   Out dere so far from de fol',"

An de hirelin' frown, "O Shepherd,

   Dat sheep am ol' an gray."

But de Shepherd He smile like de lil' brack sheep

   Wuz fair as de break ob day,

   Wuz fair as the break ob day.

An he say, " O hirelin', hasten!

   Lo here is de ninety an' nine,

But dere way off from the sheep fol'

   Is dat lil' brack sheep of mine."

An de hirelin'  frown, "O Shepherd,

   De rest ob de sheep am here."

But the Shepherd He smile like de lil' brack sheep

   He hol' it de mostes' dear,

   He hol' it de mostes' dear.

An' de Shepherd go out in de darkness,

   Where de night was col' an' bleak,

An' de lil' brack sheep He fin' it,

   An' lay it agains' His cheek.

An' de hirelin' frown, "O Shepherd,  Don't bring dat sheep to me."

But de Shepherd He smile, an' He hol' it close,

   An de lil' brack sheep...is me!

   An de lil' brack sheep...is me!

POOR LIL' BRACK SHEEP

By: Ethel M. C. Brazelton