The sight of you, dear..

How many can write such words as these...from the heart:

The sight of you inside my day
wondrously appears...
a thought of you, and time itself
completely disappears...
I thought I heard your voice today,
it caused my heart to sing,
yet as I turned, 'twas only sparrows
rising on the wing...
The flutter of their wings is like
the flutter of my heart
each time the sight or sound of you
unto me does impart!
The very thought of you, or just
the mention of your name,
it is all I need to turn
the flicker to a flame!


The fire deep inside, it burns
for only you, my dear.
It is that flame that, just once in
a lifetime, does appear.
Daily to be kindled as
together we do share
that precious love that, in this life,
has come to be so rare!


With mere words could I describe
our love upon this sheet?
I could write forever, and
'twould still be incomplete!
No mortal e'er could pen the words
to so describe my love;
'tis fully known to just one else:
our Father up above!

May everyone be able to know such love just once!
540

Who is my brother?

How many times has that question been asked?
I will never be able to see God fully until I see Him individually.
I can never see God fully until I see that He is black, Mexican, Chinese...
And until I see each of them as God does, I am blind.
Until I look at them as God does, I won't be able to see.
Until WE do the same...
Open your eyes.
"Father, open my eyes.
You see the hindrances I have,
You see the prejudices I have.
You see the ignorance I have.
Such should not be, oh God!
If I would be Your child, Your servant, such should not be!
How can I minister to THEM, unless I see THEM as You do?"
Father, open my eyes."

Quiet Place

Drawn unto a quiet place
to hear His gentle voice,
Him Who makes my very soul
to gleefully rejoice!
Though it is Him to Whom I draw,
'tis Him Who draws me nigh:
the Father, Holy Spirit and
my risen Lord on high!
If only I would so respond
each time He gently calls,
of a truth, this man would surely
have much fewer falls!
If only I would seek His face
each time I venture out,
I would have much more success,
and I would have less doubt!
Regardless, when I come to Him
His arms are there, unfurled,
providing me a quiet place
for to escape the world.
He speaks to me of life and hope
as long as I endure:
that life beyond, that hope for living
unto Him, so pure!

The quiet place. Know it. It is so simple to know, to utilize.
The calm availed there is perfect.
The quiet place. Know Him.
Jesus is The Quiet Place.
539

20/20!

"Look! THERE IT IS!"
Each and every one of us who are born-again long to shout those words as we behold Jesus coming in the clouds at the sounding of that trumpet!
No more imagining...no more hoping...
However, until then,

Shadows of eternity
are all I vision now...
but a glimpse of glory is
all Heaven will allow.
Everything envisioned is
but darkly, through a glass;
oh, but soon, all misconceptions
will forever pass!

"Soon and very soon..." My Father,
hearken to my prayer!
The desire of my heart,
oh God, is to be there!
Not to be envisioned, Lord,
except by these two eyes;
and nothing but "reality"
then to realize!

Envisioned e'er eternally,
yet through a glass so clear
with two very perfect windows
if I persevere!
Yea, will I press on, oh Father,
be it darkly so,
just to so partake of Thee,
Thy precious love to know!"

Even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!
912

My Offering

Offering.
What does it mean?
Is it only a "church" thing?
Thus, is it only the money someone puts into that bag?
Oooohhh. That's enough scare some out the doors!
My offering. Rest assured, there have been times when there has been NOTHING in the wallet to put into that bag! Stay out of that hallowed building then? NO WAY! That would make my 'religion' no more than a place to go and "pay admission!"
My offering must be far more than "money," because I am not always going to have money.
My offering must be my living itself...

Rejoicing in the One Whose love
makes me ever whole.,
Him Who bringeth sweet salvation
to my very soul!
Oh, the joy of Jesus-
could my mortal tongue recite?
And even if it could, would even
this man have the right?!

Oh, but I will do my best
to exalt His Name!
The very right to do so, He has
given me the same!
I was made to worship Him,
this He has told me so!
And was this man made to, oh,
His endless blessings know!

"Forever, my sweet Jesus, will
Your adoration be!
Daily, indeed constantly,
such words will flow from me!
Words alone, Lord? Nay! Indeed,
but in ALL that I do!
'Twill be my meager offering,
oh Father, unto You!"

Rejoice with me in such OFFERING, won't you?
It is a gift that ALL can participate in. ALL can afford to offer praise to God. ALL can give an offering of praise to Jesus. He is certainly worth it!
911

Love for Yours

Affection.
So many 'things' does man have such for.
I love the creation of God.
I am so very blessed with vision.
Together...

Oh Lord, why am I so in love
with that made by Your hand?
Why am I so moved as I
gaze out upon the land?
In the reaching, aged pines,
majestic mountain peaks,
and the raging river there,
Your spirit ever speaks!

Stricken very deep am I
by that beyond my script!
To put it into words, oh Lord-
will e'er I be equipped,
equipped to so portray the mountains
beautiful and proud...
to communicate the forest
beauty to enshroud?

My affection, Father, for
the valleys and the peaks.
Does it even permeate
as Your servant speaks?
I know that You can sense it as
it emanates inside.
Oh Father, see my gratitude,
I shall not ever hide!
Amen
1151

$5

"Attention."
How do you define that word?
Some people do almost anything to get it! (Just ask my folks!)
There are others, however, that do nothing out of the norm to get attention. They are not necessarily "seeking" it. And usually, they are the ones who appreciate it the most.
Shall we call them the "humble?"
There is a lady at our church. She is an octogenarian. She just keeps going and going and...
I have had the blessing of learning from her and her husband for the past 15 years. Her husband passes away just a few years ago. Up until just a few years before he passed, he was driving for one of those companies that runs lab work from hospitals to testing facilities and back. Yes, one of their drivers!
This lady, however, attracted attention by just that: her attention for others. Thus, she remained transparent, and Jesus showed through her.
She would come to me at some point during service and shake my hand. Her hand was never empty. When she began doing this I thought to myself "Five dollars! What am I going to do with this?"
"Doesn't she know about today's economy?"
I eventually learned that the more I took her gift for granted, the worse the economy in my house became!
Miss Jane is not back yet because she fell. I miss her with tears! Not for those covert handshakes, but for the genuineness of her person. The love she had was visible.
You could see her love in her eyes.
You could see her love in her smile.
She has the softest voice I have ever heard, and her speech was filled with love.
We miss her horribly.

I just got an email from the church. The 'subject' line said "$10."
I clicked on it.
"Jim, Miss Jane sent you $10 in her envelope. Do you want me to give it to you Sunday?"
I wipe the tears.
Ten dollars.
What am I going to do with ten dollars?
TWICE AS MUCH!