For the Chevy Fans

In the Clouds

And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
And then shall they see the Son of man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.
And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.  Luke 21:25-28 (KJV)

American Politics

The pot and the skillet had a terrible spat.
They screamed and they yelled and all that.
They gouged and they poked,
Piled up insults, stack upon stack.
When it's over both are still black.

A pox, I say. . .

Vision Returns

The second corneal transplant was four weeks ago.  My right eye which was done five years ago will test 20/25.  The vision in my left eye is gradually improving.  For your entertainment, I tried to simulate my vision in that eye with the camera.

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 When I look at the printed page I can now see that there are lines of type but I am not yet able to read them.

 I can now look around a room and identify objects.  Items on my lavatory counter.

This is my coffee mug.  I cannot yet read the logo but I can readily identify the object as "mine."

And of course I don't have to rely on the left eye alone.  There is still that clear vision in the right eye.  You may think that what I see is indistinct but trust me, it is a far cry from blindness.  And binocular vision has already enhanced my life.

And there will probably be continued improvement and there are always corrective lenses.  I haven't worn glasses in a decade, but I could live with that.

Happy eighty-second birthday to me. 

A Quick Trip

A drive to Mt. Vernon, IL, a funeral and visiting with relatives.
A night's sleep, a drive home through rain, rain, rain.
Elapsed time: 32 hours, 15 minutes.Condition: Exhausted.

Frame of mind:  Thanks be to God for travel mercies and safe arrival home.

Run Through a Troop, Leap over a Wall

²⁸ And the afflicted people thou wilt save: but thine eyes are upon the haughty, that thou mayest bring them down.
²⁹ For thou art my lamp, O Lord: and the Lord will lighten my darkness.
³⁰ For by thee I have run through a troop: by my God have I leaped over a wall.
³¹ As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.
³² For who is God, save the Lord? and who is a rock, save our God?
³³ God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect.  2 Samuel 22:29-33, also Psalm 18:27-32 (KJV)

The maze of roads we must travel in this life is blocked by many walls and some of them are guarded by the minions of evil.  In our human frailty it would be impossible to thwart the guards or surmount the barriers of the walls. 

Praise be to God we need not be in this journey alone!  Who is God, save the Lord? Who is our rock, save our God?

"I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me."  Philippians 4:13

"God is my strength and power: and he maketh my way perfect."

Sparrow Revisited

I was reading this verse I wrote two years ago and enjoyed it such that I think not that it is prideful to reprint it today.  Hope you like it, too.

The sparrow stands upon the fence, 

his fight for survival is intense.

Think not that he merely flits around

filling the air with lovely sound.

This bird's every sense is heightened

By each nearby movement he is frightened.

That cat, yon hawk, the monster with machine in hand

Could any one bring his life to end.

Poor bird.  And he must find insect or seed

He is required to fulfill every need.

And that not of himself alone

Nestlings await him there at home

With open mouth and unseemly squawk.

Oh, thinks he, could I only talk

I'd lecture the Maker of this universe.

No, wait, I would doubtless make it worse.

Oh, look! A cricket there!

Snatch it now, say a prayer.

"For what we are about to receive

Make us truly grateful."

 With this little update free of charge: 

Little Sparrow in the yard

I know that your life is hard

In spite of wings on which you soar.

You must always find one bug more

Or seed lying in the grass.

Two years ago did I watch

Your parents in that same swatch

Struggle to feed you as you now tend 

Fledglings there in yonder hedge?

I think so; life rushes on.