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A well-worn but profitable Internet gem:

When I was a kid, my mom liked to make breakfast food for dinner every now and then. And I remember one night in particular when she had made breakfast after a long, hard day at work.

On that evening so long ago, my mom placed a plate of eggs, sausage and extremely burned biscuits in front of my dad. I remember waiting to see if anyone noticed! Yet all my dad did was reach for his biscuit, smile at my mom and ask me how my day was at school. I don’t remember what I told him that night, but I do remember watching him smear butter and jelly on that biscuit and eat every bite!

When I got up from the table that evening, I remember hearing my mom apologize to my dad for burning the biscuits. And I’ll never forget what he said: “Honey, I love burned biscuits.”

Later that night, I went to kiss Daddy good night and I asked him if he really liked his biscuits burned. He wrapped me in his arms and said, “Your Momma put in a hard day at work today and she’s real tired. And besides – a little burnt biscuit never hurt anyone!”

Life is full of imperfect things……and imperfect people… I’m not The Best at much of anything, and I may forget birthdays and anniversaries just like everyone else. But what I’ve learned over the years is that learning to accept each others faults – and choosing to celebrate each others differences – is one of the most important keys to creating a healthy, growing, and lasting relationship.

And that’s my prayer for you today. That you will learn to take the good, the bad, and the ugly parts of your life and lay them at the feet of God. Because in the end, He’s the only One who will be able to give you a relationship where a burnt biscuit isn’t a deal-breaker!

We could extend this to any relationship… In fact, understanding is the base of any relationship, be it a husband-wife or parent-child or friendship!

“Don’t put the key to your happiness in someone else’s pocket – keep it in your own.”

God Bless You Now, and Always

So Please pass me a biscuit, and yes, the burnt one will do just fine.!.!.!.! And PLEASE make this available to someone who has enriched your life… I just did! HAPPY NEW YEAR!

New prayer request: Please remember DG this week. She has asked us to pray with her as she begins her campaign against breast cancer. Ask for success physically, mentally, and spiritually as she forges ahead in her treatments.

Today’s Bible Verse is Genesis 3:15. Spoken to the Serpent, it is the first glimmer of hope that God will intervene to restore us to a state of Grace.

NAB:
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

KJV
And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Beloved

chick

*today’s date is a palindrome 012 210 😉 ♥♥♥

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The first part of this message circulates often on the Internet. I’m not a big fan of messages that “shame you” into professing Jesus Christ as Lord, messages which make it sound as if failing to forward the content makes you less faithful. I generally just thank the person who sent it to me, but do not fill hyperspace with more chain-letter-email. For that reason, I have deleted the portions that promise good luck or forwarding to a specific number of people. If you see something you like – even just one portion of this message – certainly you should share it; but share it out of love for others, not out of pride. Remember the Pharisee who called attention to himself by comparing his righteousness with the “obvious sinfulness” of the tax collector. That said, the text between the borders designated by +=+=+=+ is the text that usually goes around the ‘net. The text that comes after that is from the MBN Library.

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Read only if you have time for God
Let me ask you, please make sure you read all the way to the bottom. I almost deleted this email but I was blessed when I got to the end. I edited it to take out all the extra line breaks and misspellings so it would be easier to read. I especially want you to read the part in purple, but please, read the WHOLE thing.

God, when I received this e-mail, I thought, “I don’t have time for this, and, this is really inappropriate during work.” Then, I realized that this kind of thinking is exactly what has caused lot of the problems in our world today.

We try to keep God in church on Sunday morning, maybe Sunday night, and, the unlikely event of a midweek service. We do like to have Him around during sickness, and, of course, at funerals. However, many of us don’t have time, or room, for Him during work or play, because, that’s the part of our lives we think we can, and should, “handle on our own.” May God forgive me for ever thinking that there is a time or place where HE is not to be FIRST in my life. We should always have time to remember all HE has done for us.

If you aren’t ashamed to do this, please follow the directions. Jesus said, “If you are ashamed of me, I will be ashamed of you before my Father.” Not ashamed? Pass this on ONLY IF YOU MEAN IT!!

Yes, I do Love God. HE is my source of existence and Savior. He keeps me functioning each and every day. Without Him, I will be nothing. But, with Christ, HE strengthens me. (Philippians 4:13: I can do everything through Christ who gives me strength.) This is the simplest test! If You Love God, and are not ashamed of all the marvelous things HE has done for you, share this. No limits, no suggestions, no promises. In fact, if you love Jesus, you don’t have to forward this to prove it. You just have to live as a true child of God, a person who knows Jesus the Christ as his or her personal savior. Easy enough.

Jesus is with us every moment of every day. He is completely available anytime you look for Him. Even when you don’t make time for Him, he has time for you. Even if you just shout His name as some sort of exclamation, He hears you. Even if your love for Him is more intellectual than spiritual, He loves you so much He died for you so you could spend eternity with Him. Even if you don’t believe in Him, he believes in the value of your spirit enough to give you an everlasting gift of living through eternity with Him.

Now do you have the time to pass it on?
Make sure that you scroll through to the end.

Easy vs. Hard
Why is it so hard to tell the truth, and yet so easy to tell a lie?
Why are we so sleepy in church, but right when the sermon is over we suddenly wake up?
Why is it so hard to talk about God, and yet so easy to talk about nasty stuff?
Why is it so easy to delete a Godly e- mail, and yet we forward one of the nasty ones?
Why are the churches getting smaller and yet the bars and dance clubs are getting larger?
Which are we more likely to say: “Good morning, Lord!” or “Good Lord! Morning!”?

Do you give up? Think about it. Are you going to forward this, or delete it? Just remember-God is watching you. Prayer Wheel-Let’s see the devil stop this one! Here’s what the wheel is all about. When you receive this, say a prayer for the person that sent it to you. That’s all you have to do. There is nothing attached. No good-luck promise, no miracle in just a few days. This is so powerful. Do not stop the wheel, please. Of all the free gifts we may receive, prayer is the very best one.

There are no costs, but wonderful rewards, GOD BLESS! May God keep you and bless you.

Notes:
Isn’t it sad how simple it is for people to trash God and then wonder why the world’s going to hell?
Isn’t it sad how someone can say “I believe in God” but still follow Satan (who, by the way, also “believes” in God)?
Isn’t it sad how you can send a thousand jokes through e-mail and they spread like wildfire, but when you start sending messages regarding the Lord, people think twice about sharing?
Isn’t it sad how when you go to forward this message, you will not send it to many on your address list because you’re not sure what they believe, or what they will think of you for sending it to them? As you think about that, can you see yourself sending it to someone you know is NOT a Christian?
Isn’t it sad how I can be more worried about what other people think of me than what God thinks of me? Let’s pray for everyone who sends this to his or her entire address book, each will be blessed by God in a way special for him or her.
Take a moment to relax your mind and humble your heart to focus on Christ. Allow God to be the only person on your mind while you read this prayer. If we can take the time to read long jokes, stories, etc., we should give the same respect to this prayer. Friends that pray together, stay together.

Dear Lord, what a wonderful God You are, and all that you have created, including my loved ones (). I thank You for this day. I thank You for my being able to see and to hear this morning. I’m blessed because You are a forgiving God and an understanding God. You have done so much for me and You keep on blessing me.

I pray that every eye that reads this knows there is no problem, circumstance, or situation greater than God is. Every battle is in Your hands for You to fight. I pray that these words be received into the hearts of every eye that sees them and every mouth that confesses them willingly.
May your name be praised forever. AMEN.

Your turn.

Just sincerely pray this prayer, even if you’ve prayed it hundreds of times before and especially if you’ve NEVER prayed like this before, and see how God moves!!

Lord I love you and I need you, come into my heart, please. I know I am a sinner, but I also know You have set me free from sin. I accept you as my Savior, and give my heart to You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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In a small town in West Texas, drought had nearly destroyed every crop for the past two years. The community decided to ask their pastor to hold a prayer service so they could pray for rain.

As the people filed into the church, the pastor was there at the door to meet them. He looked solemn, and had an air of firm resolve. Some of the congregation eve thought he looked a little sad.

Once everyone was inside, the pastor went up to the dais and sat down behind the pulpit. No one could see him there. He stayed there for a long, long time. After several minutes, one of the men stood up and spoke.

“Um, Preacher? Ain’t you gonna lead us in prayer? I mean, we DID come here to pray for rain, right?” And he sat back down amid murmurs of agreement.

Finally the pastor stood up, placed both hands on the edges of the pulpit, and looked into the faces of the congregation. It looked as if he had tears in his eyes. After another long moment, he cleared his voice, and spoke.

“I’d like to have the following people come up to the front of the church and stand here, in front of the pulpit: Sister Annie, Sister Esther, and you too, Brother Willis.” The persons named dutifully went up front. The pastor spoke again. “The rest of you can go on back to your homes now.” Again, murmurs ripples through the rest of the congregation. Finally, another man stood up and demanded, “What do you mean, Pastor Bob? Are you calling off this prayer meeting?”

“No,” the pastor replied. “I’m going to still hold the prayer meeting, but only with these people.” “Why?! Why just them? Aren’t the rest of us entitled to pray, too?”

“Yes, of course you are. But look around, all of you. There must be close to 200 people here, and only these three,” he said as he reached for something inside the pulpit, “had faith enough in their prayers to bring an umbrella! If you’re going to pray for rain, you’ve GOT to have faith your prayers will be answered.” The pastor held his umbrella in the air for all to see. Then he motioned the other three umbrella bearers to join him on the dais.

Slowly, quietly the rest of the congregation filed out of the church and went home surprised and saddened because they had overlooked an easy opportunity to demonstrate their faith.

Here’s an easy opportunity for you: Pass this on. Have enough faith to pray for peace. Commit your life to Christ. Be a witness. Let your light shine. It’s all good.

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Beloved
chick

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Twenty bucks

Sometimes we just need to be reminded!

A well-known speaker started off his seminar by holding up a $20.00 bill. In the room were about 200 people. He asked, “Who would like this $20 bill?”

Hands started going up.

He said, “I am going to give this $20 to one of you but first, let me do this.”

He proceeded to crumple up the $20 bill.

He then asked, “Who still wants it?”

Still the hands were up in the air.

Well, he replied, “What if I do this?”

And he dropped it on the ground and started to grind it into the floor with his shoe.
He picked it up, now crumpled and dirty. “Now, who still wants it?”

Still the hands went into the air.

“My friends, we have all learned a very valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the money, you still wanted it because it did not decrease in value. It was still worth $20. Many times in our lives, we are dropped, crumpled, and ground into the dirt by the decisions we make and the circumstances that come our way. We feel as though we are worthless. But no matter what has happened or what will happen, you will never lose your value.”

Dirty or clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who DO LOVE you.

The worth of our lives comes not in what we do or who we know, but by WHO WE ARE and WHOSE WE ARE

Beloved, always remember:
You are special
Don’t EVER forget it.

If you do not pass this on, you may never know the lives it touches, the hurting hearts it speaks to, or the hope that it can bring. Count your blessings, not your problems.

And remember: amateurs built the Ark.
Professionals built the Titanic.

If God brings you to it – He will bring you through it!!!

Thanks to DT for sending us this.

Today just do one small thing, for yourself or someone else, but do it with love. Think about what Randy Carlson says:

One thing done once is an experience.
One thing done twice has your attention.
One thing done often is a pursuit.
One thing done always is a habit.
From The Power of One Thing: How to Intentionally Change Your Life . Copyright © 2009 by Randy Carlson. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188.

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Happy Aloha Friday, Beloved! Today I am thinking about waiting. We are just days away from Christmas 2009, it is the Advent Season, and we are waiting for…

Hmm, what are we waiting for? When I was a kid I was waiting for Christmas morning. Santa would be up most of the night putting stuff under the tree and into stockings. Dad pile a few dining room chairs in the middle of the hall so the six of us kids couldn’t get into the living room without making a lot of racket. I never did find out where Santa hid all the treasure until Christmas Eve.

One of the things we waited for back then was reading the Christmas story. We had this big, thick, red book called EGERMEIER’S BIBLE STORY BOOK. It is in my library now. We would all sit down and listen eagerly while mom read that story. At least that’s how I remember it. I think I may have gotten to read it once or twice. Getting to that part of the year always meant waiting. Whether it was the spiritual waiting for the birth of Jesus, or the temporal waiting for the arrival of Santa Claus, we waited.

I am not particularly good at waiting.

I am an impatient person. I don’t like to be. I don’t want to be. But, I am impatient. When I take and internal inventory sometimes, I admit I am surprised by how many things tick me off, irritate me, and make me impatient. Traffic is one of the worst. I very consciously watch the speed limit, do my defensive driving thing, and try to be courteous. Then something happens and courtesy flies out the window with a few choice invectives to carry it along.

I can be explosive, too. Some of us can make a big boom and it’s over. I’m more like Kilauea Volcano here on the Big Island. I can make a big boom and then “go-off” for a long time. I hate that, but I have to admit it happens and I don’t seem to be able to do much about the continuing after-shocks. I know it’s wrong, but I also know it’s part of me; it’s a part that needs to be tamed. Easy to say. Hard to do. But I learned something last Sunday, and all of this is preamble to sharing it with you.

Psalm 46:10: BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

Here’s a tactic I learned from Fr. Roland Bunda as a way to learn how to increase one’s patience, one’s capacity to wait. Pray this verse. Find a place and a time when you can practice this process. I’m going to put it into a little box so that if you want to, you can print it out and put it someplace special.

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD
BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM
BE STILL AND KNOW THAT
BE STILL AND KNOW
BE STILL
BE
—– —– —– —– —– —– —– —– —–
BE
BE STILL
BE STILL AND KNOW
BE STILL AND KNOW THAT
BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM
BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD

Use the first part to help clear you mind and center your thoughts. It’s not difficult to remember the process. What could be difficult is taking the time to do it deliberately. That takes patience. It takes practice. Practice patience. This is Patience Practice, so make time to give it a fair go. You can read though the words in that little box in maybe 12 seconds. Take 12 minutes instead. Too long? Make it six minutes. Still too long? OK then, make it 3.

Then pick a word that you can think about. Just one word, a name of God for example. Jehovah, Abba, Jesus, Father, Spirit, Adonai, Elohim, Eli. My favorite is El Shaddai. Just think about that name and repeat it slowly for up to 10 minutes.

This is how we often ask God for patience: “God! Teach me to be patient! And make it snappy!” Being still and waiting for the Lord is an amazingly effective way to “attract” God’s presence. We are made in His image and therefore have an innate, irresistible affinity for Him. Our selfish impatience resists that affinity. Waiting is an act of humility. Humility is something else I need to learn. In fact, I think I need to learn that more than I need to learn to be patient.

See how easy it is to be impatient? I want to learn patience, but that requires learning humility. “It’s always something.” I guess I could try learning them side-by-side. I am going to be still now, and continue working on that.

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Please pray
All the Peoples
MG – possible stomach cancer, facing surgery
JP – Lung cancer, continuing chemo
JC – Sphenoid tumor, much suffering
MH – very difficult family situation
JH – also a very difficult family situation
JT – continued health problems
NC – drug rehab
CD – difficult work situation, away from family due to job
Justin – making progress but still has a long way to go
Every impatient person you know

A very special Mahalo to Fr. Roland for permission to share his thought on Psalm 46:10.

Age quod agis.

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Beloved!
chick

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Happy Aloha Friday, Beloved. Here is another gift from an MBN member. Please remember that “regifting” is perfectly acceptable in the MBN. Shopping for “The Holidays?” Look around wherever you go, and you will see ….

I saw Jesus

I Saw Jesus Last Week.
He was wearing blue jeans and an old shirt.
He was up at the church building;
He was alone and working hard.
For just a minute he looked a little like one of our church members.
But it was Jesus, I could tell by his smile.

I saw Jesus last Sunday.
He was teaching a Bible class.
He didn’t talk real loud or use long words,
But you could tell he believed what he said.
For just a minute, he looked like my Sunday School teacher.
But it was Jesus, I could tell by his loving voice.

I saw Jesus yesterday.
He was at the hospital visiting a friend who was sick.
They prayed together quietly.
For just a minute he looked like our pastor.
But it was Jesus, I could tell by the tears in his eyes.

I saw Jesus this morning.
He was in my kitchen making my breakfast
He then fixed me a special lunch to take with me.
For just a minute he looked like my Mom.
But it was Jesus, I could feel the love from his heart.

I saw Jesus today.
He was praying on his knees all alone.
He then began to cry for those he prayed for.
For just a minute he looked like a lady from our church.
But it was Jesus, I could see the compassion poured out in his prayer.

I saw Jesus one night.
He was carrying a wounded child.
In the middle of all of the chaos surrounding them,
He sheltered the child with his own body
as bullets and shrapnel filled the air.
I thought for a second he was a Marine, but it was Jesus.
He gave his life to save the life of the child.

I saw Jesus the other day.
He was at the grocery store talking to a friend.
He then put his arms around them to comfort them.
For just a minute he looked like a young mother in our Ladies Class.
But it was Jesus, I could see the concern for others who hurt.

I see Jesus everywhere,
Taking food to the sick,
Welcoming others to his home,
Being friendly to a newcomer,
Visiting prisoners, or comforting the sick or sorrowing,
And for just a minute I think he’s someone I know.
But it’s always Jesus, I can tell by the way he serves.

I saw Jesus this just a moment ago.
He was sitting in front of a computer.
He was typing an e-mail to a friend.
Once and a while he would pause,
take a moment to pray for inspiration,
and then write a little more.
It surprised me how much He looked like
one of my dearest friends.
But, it was Jesus, all right.
I could tell but the loving care He put into every word.
And then he pressed Send and this message ended up
In my mailbox.

May someone see Jesus in you today, and may everyone you see really be Him.
Remember to encourage those you see living for Jesus!

“You are My witnesses,” says the LORD.” (Isaiah 43:5)

He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:7-8)
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Beloved, do not let the present times confuse you with movies about “The End” or messages about foolishness. Find someone who needs help – be it food, or prayer, or work, or comfort, or just a smile or a thank-you – then give that and move on to the next one.

If you’re not sure who to pray for, pray for everyone. If you’re not sure what to pray, ask the Holy Spirit to pray within you.

If we want a love message to be heard, it has got to be sent out. To
keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it.
Mother Teresa

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Beloved!

chick

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Happy Aloha Friday, Beloved! Today I am thinking about you. There is a place in my heart for each of you. This means that it is not really my heart, but our heart. Here is a little story by that famous author, Anonymous, that illustrates what I mean.

A Piece of My Heart

One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered and they all admired his heart for it was perfect. There was not a mark or a flaw in it. Yes, they all agreed it truly was the most beautiful heart they had ever seen. The young man was very proud and boasted more loudly about his beautiful heart.

Suddenly, an old man appeared at the front of the crowd and said “Why, your heart is not nearly as beautiful as mine.” The crowd and the young man looked at the old man’s heart. It was beating strongly, but it was full of scars. It had places where pieces had been removed and other pieces put in, but they didn’t fit quite right and there were several jagged edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gouges where whole pieces were missing.

The people stared — how can he say his heart is more beautiful, they thought? The young man looked at the old man’s heart and saw its state and laughed. “You must be joking,” he said. “Compare your heart with mine. Mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars and tears.”

“Yes,” said the old man, “yours is perfect looking but I would never trade with you. You see, every scar represents a person to whom I have given my love – I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they give me a piece of their heart which fits into the empty place in my heart, but because the pieces aren’t exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we shared.”

“Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart away, and the other person hasn’t returned a piece of his heart to me. These are the empty gouges — giving love, is taking a chance. Although these gouges are painful, they stay open, reminding me of the love I have for these people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?”

The young man stood silently with tears running down his cheeks. He walked up to the old man, reached into his perfect young and beautiful heart and ripped a piece out. He offered it to the old man with trembling hands. The old man took his offering, placed it in his heart and then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man’s heart. It fit, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges. The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man’s heart flowed into his.

~~Author Unknown

I am very grateful for the pieces of your hearts I carry in our heart. Should the time ever come when the pieces of your hearts far outnumber the leftover pieces of my heart, then our heart will begin to look a little bit more like His heart. That is why I pray each day, “Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto your heart.”

Pray, Beloved. Pray as if the future depends on it, for truly it does. Pray for ALL the people. Pray about the hearts in your heart. Pray with anyone and everyone who has loved, does love, or will love you. Remember, “When we pray FOR each other, we act as intercessors, “in-the-place-of” praying. It’s making a prayer on behalf of someone else rather than on behalf of ourselves.

When we pray ABOUT each other, we’re making prayers that are intended to be blessings. We ask God for this favor or that outcome for one another. I might pray for your health or you might pray for me to find strength in a trial.

When we pray WITH each other, ah, there’s a power in that. Usually this is focused on something outside of both of us, like the people who are suffering in troubled areas of the world, or a child who has been kidnapped.”

Whatever, whenever, wherever, whoever, however, if ever, forever — at your service, Beloved!

Chick Todd
Age quod agis.

Gracious and ever-living God, I thank you for these 63 years I have spent in your presence because of the graces given to me through your Son Jesus Christ by the action of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

One quiet note

If it is a gift, then
it is in poor taste.
Burdens like this are
unfair somehow. I
keep it only because
it was given to me
and I would not
offend the Giver
by laying it aside.

Sometimes it bangs and clatters
against my insides, howling
to be let go.
If I let it out
it whimpers and fawns
like a beaten cur
who fears its master
but fears freedom more.
It is a fickle friend to me.

Sometimes I could burst
with tremulous arrays
of directionless emotions.
I am stretched like catgut
between urges to belt anyone
or embrace everyone.
Like a guitar string,
I exist poised and tense
ready for someone to
pluck from me some sound,
some tone of existence.
But only I can sound that note.

Other times I am disconsolate
and seek to get in touch
with that fleeting instant
of gratifying resolution.
I search in desperation
for relief.  I am
addicted to the pains
of searching, but more
to the pains of finding.
I must become singer and song,
poet and poem, pain and pleasure.

The exhaustion is exasperating.
I am too weak to fight the thing.
Once again I submit.
I surrender. I am possessed.
This muse is a terrible mistress.

Each encounter is a
struggle, sometimes arduous,
sometimes
surprisingly brief, like
a stroke of lightening,
a stroke of genius.
For an instant, then, there is balance
between what I know will happen
and what I know is happening.
I perceive the way,
cued by some subtle change,
and charge off in a new direction.

Everything, then, is different
merely because I am different’
but, if I can catch that moment,
ah, that is sufficient.
I can rest, at which time
I am most vulnerable,
and most in need of vigilance.
I know my rest is hopeless
until, if ever, I become
that one shimmering chord
ringing across eternity.

© Charles O. Todd, III; 1979, 2003