With but hours to go.
Looking back on the past year. Now there is a way to waste some time. How about investing that time
in looking forward to the next year, planning your moves to make it a
good one. What are you going to do in 2017 to make someone's life
better? How are you going to position yourself to be a positive
influence on someone? What can you do to make things better in this
world?
We might start by giving up whining about the
way things are. We might consider being considerate. We might stop
thinking only of self and think of the needs of others. Cliches?
Sometimes the things we need most can be expressed in just such ways.
We have come to denigrate and disparage when we ought better to accept
and encourage. Accept "wrong"? No, accept that it may be the case that
I am not the only one who is right, that it may be the case that I am
sometimes wrong myself.
The term a**h*le has become so
common place that we should all be ashamed for using it and for allowing it to be used in print, in confrontation, and in conversation. People are not
a**h*les. People are people. People are flawed. Are you not a flawed
person? People make mistakes; people behave stupidly. People are
often annoying. But it is our role to live with them, even to care for
them and to love them. Difficult? We've no idea until we try it.
Celebrate the beginning of a better world, a world that is better beginning with a better you!
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Friday, December 30, 2016
Writer's Picks 2016 Part Two
Wednesday, December 28, 2016
Writer's Picks 2016 Part One
January a little dickens lives with us.
February during which I was resident in nursing home. All month plus.
March noodles and wedding bands
April missionary squabble
May a bit political
June conversation in an elevator
These are the writer's choices for each month of 2016. The second six months to follow in a day or two. As I observed on another occasion, much like designating a child as "favorite."
February during which I was resident in nursing home. All month plus.
March noodles and wedding bands
April missionary squabble
May a bit political
June conversation in an elevator
These are the writer's choices for each month of 2016. The second six months to follow in a day or two. As I observed on another occasion, much like designating a child as "favorite."
Tuesday, December 27, 2016
The day Monkey Wards
quit monkeying with the government.
On December 27, 1944 President Franklin Roosevelt ordered the National Guard in several states to seize Montgomery Wards and its chairman, Avery Sewell. Sewell had refused to recognize the government's authority to impose agreements between management and labor. As Wards was a major supplier to the government for the war effort, Roosevelt was having none of it. Finally his patience came to an end and Sewell was carried bodily from his Chicago headquarters office.
On December 27, 1944 President Franklin Roosevelt ordered the National Guard in several states to seize Montgomery Wards and its chairman, Avery Sewell. Sewell had refused to recognize the government's authority to impose agreements between management and labor. As Wards was a major supplier to the government for the war effort, Roosevelt was having none of it. Finally his patience came to an end and Sewell was carried bodily from his Chicago headquarters office.
Sunday, December 25, 2016
Christmas Comes But Once a Year
Parties are over, She Who Must Be Obeyed relaxes with a coloring book!
Wise Ones Still Come to Him
Wishing you a blessed Christmas!
--All the gang at Chez Vanilla
vanilla and BBBH, Bob and Mrs. Warr, Herkimer and Tildy
David and JoAnn
Friday, December 23, 2016
A Christmas Eve Story Retold
The Cat and the Christ Child
The cat crept into the cave. Stripy, she was, in the daylight. But now, well past sunset and the settling of darkness, she was as black as any other cat. The tabby's left ear twitched, cocked to her left as she heard the rustling in the straw strewn over the floor. A great ox lying nearby snorted softly as he dropped his head to the ground. His horn clacked as it made contact with the rock. He exhaled. His nares vibrated briefly then all was still.
The cat remained motionless. Long moments dragged slowly by. In the distance an owl called to its mate. Then the rustling began again as the mice resumed feeding on the loose grain in the straw. The cat's right fore paw inched forward, settled softly, then the left paw raised, advanced, soundlessly touched the rock, then pounce! Her prize in her claw, then between her jaws, she nestled close to the belly of the ox and dropped the mouse. Stunned and addled but still with a will to live the creature staggered and attempted to run. But the cat casually reached out, dragged it back. Again she released it, this time allowing the creature to "get away." But the cat sprang, recaptured the mouse and lay down again. She played her cruel game with the small captive for several minutes, but finally tired of it and overcome with hunger she crunched its skull between her teeth, then dined on her catch.
So Stripy, sated, slept.
A ruckus arose within the stable. A pair of human creatures shuffled into the space, one carrying a blazing fagot in one hand as with the other he supported the woman who staggered in and collapsed on the floor. A donkey followed them. Then entered a large nondescript dog close on the heels of the ass. He went to the female human creature and started licking her cheek while the man wedged the torch into a notch in the wall that served as a sconce. The presence of the canine got the attention of the sleeping cat, which started and sprang to her feet. She scaled the flank of the ox where she settled, thus attaining a full view of the goings-on. The ox slept on.
Soon there was frantic activity, the man bustling around the woman, the woman writhing and screaming in obvious pain. All the creatures in the stable stirred restlessly, the sheep bleated, and even the ox raised its head and voiced his concern. Following a protracted episode of heavy breathing and intermittent screams, everything fell silent for a few moments. Then suddenly the mewling of a new man-child pierced the quiet.
The man handed the infant to its mother then patiently worked at clean up chores. All creatures except the man, the woman, and the cat finally went back to sleep. Then the woman laid the tiny human creature in a cradle of straw the man had constructed. The tabby, her tail erect and switching from side to side drawing esses and zees in the air, left her perch on the ox and sauntered casually toward the small human. As the cat approached the child the dog lifted its head, raised itself up on its two forelegs. The cat made not a sound but gave the canine the evil-eye. The dog lay back down. The cat circled the child and we might imagine that she was thinking, "Big deal. Just another human." Then she went back and snuggled into the warmth of her bovine friend again.
©David W. Lacy 2015
The cat crept into the cave. Stripy, she was, in the daylight. But now, well past sunset and the settling of darkness, she was as black as any other cat. The tabby's left ear twitched, cocked to her left as she heard the rustling in the straw strewn over the floor. A great ox lying nearby snorted softly as he dropped his head to the ground. His horn clacked as it made contact with the rock. He exhaled. His nares vibrated briefly then all was still.
The cat remained motionless. Long moments dragged slowly by. In the distance an owl called to its mate. Then the rustling began again as the mice resumed feeding on the loose grain in the straw. The cat's right fore paw inched forward, settled softly, then the left paw raised, advanced, soundlessly touched the rock, then pounce! Her prize in her claw, then between her jaws, she nestled close to the belly of the ox and dropped the mouse. Stunned and addled but still with a will to live the creature staggered and attempted to run. But the cat casually reached out, dragged it back. Again she released it, this time allowing the creature to "get away." But the cat sprang, recaptured the mouse and lay down again. She played her cruel game with the small captive for several minutes, but finally tired of it and overcome with hunger she crunched its skull between her teeth, then dined on her catch.
So Stripy, sated, slept.
A ruckus arose within the stable. A pair of human creatures shuffled into the space, one carrying a blazing fagot in one hand as with the other he supported the woman who staggered in and collapsed on the floor. A donkey followed them. Then entered a large nondescript dog close on the heels of the ass. He went to the female human creature and started licking her cheek while the man wedged the torch into a notch in the wall that served as a sconce. The presence of the canine got the attention of the sleeping cat, which started and sprang to her feet. She scaled the flank of the ox where she settled, thus attaining a full view of the goings-on. The ox slept on.
Soon there was frantic activity, the man bustling around the woman, the woman writhing and screaming in obvious pain. All the creatures in the stable stirred restlessly, the sheep bleated, and even the ox raised its head and voiced his concern. Following a protracted episode of heavy breathing and intermittent screams, everything fell silent for a few moments. Then suddenly the mewling of a new man-child pierced the quiet.
The man handed the infant to its mother then patiently worked at clean up chores. All creatures except the man, the woman, and the cat finally went back to sleep. Then the woman laid the tiny human creature in a cradle of straw the man had constructed. The tabby, her tail erect and switching from side to side drawing esses and zees in the air, left her perch on the ox and sauntered casually toward the small human. As the cat approached the child the dog lifted its head, raised itself up on its two forelegs. The cat made not a sound but gave the canine the evil-eye. The dog lay back down. The cat circled the child and we might imagine that she was thinking, "Big deal. Just another human." Then she went back and snuggled into the warmth of her bovine friend again.
Which
all took place before the gaggle of rough and ragged men began to fill
up the space, babbling about a Heavenly Presence that came to them in
the fields praising God and telling them that this child in the stable
was The Christ!
Merry Christmas!
and let there be peace, at least between you and me.
©David W. Lacy 2015
Tuesday, December 20, 2016
Honoring the Spouse
This was posted nearly eight years ago. BBBH has put up with me, stood by me, cared for me during the intervening years and she still sings! So in her honor here is a repost.
Several years before I met her, BBBH published a book of poems and songs she had written. I submit here lyrics to one of the songs. I particularly enjoy hearing her sing this.
Several years before I met her, BBBH published a book of poems and songs she had written. I submit here lyrics to one of the songs. I particularly enjoy hearing her sing this.
Take a Look It's All in the Book
The Bible says we can be free
From all our sins and misery
That the Lord's the only way
Not many paths, like people say
Says we can claim His every word
Of His promises be assured
That we can know He loves us so
And that He just wants us to know
Says in the word that we can find
In the book He left behind
That He shed His blood for me
Took my stripes at Calvary
In His kingdom we can share
Because He'll always be there
He came to set us free from sin
So open your heart and let Him in
So take a look, take a look,
It's all in the book
So take a look, take a look
It's all in the book
John 3:16
Copyright Grace JoAnn Harrison 1995. Used by permission.
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