Today's Readings and Stuff -- Wednesday, 29 August 2018

A good morrow to all.  (Been wanting to use that Shakespearean phrase for a while.  Why not now.)

Today is a tough day in several ways, a good one in others.
Good -- we were in the garden last evening picking a bunch of tomatoes.  A whole lot, truly.  So today I have been "volunteered" to assist Dear Wife in some preparation work.  Plan is to cook down a whole lot of them with peppers and onions and then into the freezer, to be used through the coming months for things like home made chili.  Yumm!!  She and I both grew up in the "putting food by" cultures, where the stuff you grew in the summer was a big, well majority, of what you had to eat the rest of the year.  The neighbor's groundhogs destroyed the bean plants and thus we have about none of that to put up.  But tomatoes we have.

Good but a change -- the little great-niece next door formally began kindergarten this morning.  Riding the bus and all of that. She's Wife's namesake, and when we moved in here she was less than a year old.  Now, off to kindergarten all day.  The other great-niece, living about 2 miles away, and only a year older, began 1st grade today.  Big change for everyone and yes it's great and wonderful but it makes everyone feel old.

And then this.  Today, had he lived, my father would have turned 100 years old.   I want to talk about him some, it has import for me and perhaps you'll see why.  Forgive the dolorous thoughts.

Dad was born on a farm about 30 miles south of here, the youngest of five, and not that far from the Ohio -  Pennsylvania line.   His parents, my grandparents, were members of a faith community that most people can't imagine, the more conservative of the Mennonite movement.  His father, like so many  others, suffered a good bit more than most people know as a result of the vile Woodrow Wilson and his gang of thieves.  Dad grew up speaking what most people call Pennsylvania Dutch at home, not learning English until he started school at the little one-room school house about 3/4 mile walk from home.
It was a time of great turmoil in the world, what with the end of what Wilson and his co-thieves advertised as the 'War to End All War" (a lie if there ever was one) and then the Great Depression that hit before Dad turned 10.  Not a good time.  They made it through, somehow.  Barely.  Along the way, one of Dad's sisters contracted polio, from which she died when I was 4 or 5 years old.  One of his brothers, and his wife, also died rather suddenly, leaving two small children to raise.  Then grand-dad died.
As mentioned, they were part of a barely known faith community.  Dad, as the youngest child, and with a passion for learning (and not much work to do courtesy of FDR and the Depression) was allowed to finish high school, the first one in the family and that community to do so.  He was a "reader" just about his whole life, as was Mom, as am I, as are my brothers and sister, as are our daughters.
He did not have an easy life, and I am part of the burden he bore.  But I am grateful for him.

As mentioned, he was a reader, until blindness overtook him.  Some, a good bit of it, was poetry, which he loved.   Much of it was regular time in the Bible, and some commentary as well.  He was for MANY years an adult Sunday School teacher in the church in which he, and we kids, grew up.  But at some point, he began to write as well.  Probably not the stuff of accolades and to be taught in snooty colleges.  But it has meaning for me and for some others.  He had a few books of his poetry printed and distributed at his expense.  I am going to show a few of them here.

From the book, Darkness Gives Way To Light, which contents were accumulated from April 1, 1997 to May 20, 1998

The foreword:

This is my fourth book of writings in a little over four years.  In this period I have written over five hundred poems.  Why this has happened I hardly know.

In my writing I do not try to preach; others are much better equipped and talented to do this, as a matter of fact I do not even try to write poetry.  I never sit down to write poetry.  At this point I have no idea of anything I will ever write again.  However, if a thought, inspiration, or insight comes to me, I sit down and write down whatever comes to me, and often to my surprise I find that it is a message to me, but I feel that perhaps it is something that I should share if it has meaning to others.  If I wouldn't feel obligated to do it, I most certainly would not go to the effort and considerable expense of putting these books into print.

Less than five years ago I found that blindness is something that would soon be my lot.  During this time I traveled to  Alaska, and took my fourth trip to Europe, to see the beauty of Vienna, and traveled in Austria.  I did this to put the beauty I saw into my storehouse of memories.

Now it  has happened.  Macular Degeneration has left me legally blind.  I  have written about this, and how it affects my life, and faith posture.  I trust you will find no sign of discouragement in it, for I am being blessed beyond measure.  I trust I did not belabor the subject.  I feel the experience has sharpened my vision and my faith.  I refer to this, not for sympathy, but for understanding.  Save your sympathy for those who have eyes, and see who have sight, but have no vision.  This is the most lamentable kind of blindness.  If anything I write helps to open an eye or warm a heart, perhaps my efforts were not in vain.

Not so bad for a farm boy, is it?

The next was written to commemorate the 50th wedding anniversary that he and mom celebrated.
June 12, 1998.

Though we were born in humble homes
Of noble birth are we;
To claim the King as father
Grants us nobility.

Once we walked our paths alone,
Then God brought us together;
And so we formed a loving home
That only death can sever.

Fifty years ago we chose
No more to walk alone;
Through all these years He blessed us well,
How quickly the years have flown.

Still our home was not complete
Till children came to birth;
And here were formed the warmest ties
That can be found on earth.

Our family of faith has done its best
To give us loving care,
While friends and neighbors lend a hand,
We find them everywhere.

The sunset comes before the dark,
So soon the day is gone;
But darkness must give way to light, 
Soon comes eternal dawn.


Pardon me a sob or two there.  OK?

or

THOUGH THE DARKNESS GATHERS

I know the morning sun is there,

I'm sure the day is bright and fair,

The day will end with sunset bright,

All this must come before the night.

But darkness must give way to light,

I am content, and all is right,

The Lord will lead me on my way

That leads me to eternal day.

He gives me friends to guide my way,

They encourage me by things they say;

Save your pity for those with sight

Who turn their back upon the light.

My cup o'er flows, my needs are met,

I live in faith, and not regret;

Now I see beauty, all the more,

That's what memories are for.

That is the sort of thing he tried to teach us.  I miss  him, but we shall see him again.


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Today, chapters 39 and 40 of Job.  This is the Lord speaking.  Regard it as such.

Job 39

1Knowest thou the time when the wild goats of the rock bring forth? or canst thou mark when the hinds do calve?

2Canst thou number the months that they fulfil? or knowest thou the time when they bring forth?

3They bow themselves, they bring forth their young ones, they cast out their sorrows.

4Their young ones are in good liking, they grow up with corn; they go forth, and return not unto them.

5Who hath sent out the wild ass free? or who hath loosed the bands of the wild ass?

6Whose house I have made the wilderness, and the barren land his dwellings.barren…: Heb. salt places

7He scorneth the multitude of the city, neither regardeth he the crying of the driver.of the driver: Heb. of the exactor

8The range of the mountains is his pasture, and he searcheth after every green thing.

9Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib?

10Canst thou bind the unicorn with his band in the furrow? or will he harrow the valleys after thee?

11Wilt thou trust him, because his strength is great? or wilt thou leave thy labour to him?

12Wilt thou believe him, that he will bring home thy seed, and gather it into thy barn?

13Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?wings and…: or, the feathers of the stork and ostrich

14Which leaveth her eggs in the earth, and warmeth them in dust,

15And forgetteth that the foot may crush them, or that the wild beast may break them.

16She is hardened against her young ones, as though they were not hers: her labour is in vain without fear;

17Because God hath deprived her of wisdom, neither hath he imparted to her understanding.

18What time she lifteth up herself on high, she scorneth the horse and his rider.

19Hast thou given the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder?

20Canst thou make him afraid as a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible.terrible: Heb. terror

21He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength: he goeth on to meet the armed men.He paweth: or, His feet digthe armed…: Heb. the armour

22He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword.

23The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and the shield.

24He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage: neither believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet.

25He saith among the trumpets, Ha, ha; and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.

26Doth the hawk fly by thy wisdom, and stretch her wings toward the south?

27Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?at…: Heb. by thy mouth

28She dwelleth and abideth on the rock, upon the crag of the rock, and the strong place.

29From thence she seeketh the prey, and her eyes behold afar off.

30Her young ones also suck up blood: and where the slain are, there is she.

Job 40

1Moreover the Lord answered Job, and said,

2Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.

3Then Job answered the Lord, and said,

4Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.

5Once have I spoken; but I will not answer: yea, twice; but I will proceed no further.

6Then answered the Lord unto Job out of the whirlwind, and said,

7Gird up thy loins now like a man: I will demand of thee, and declare thou unto me.

8Wilt thou also disannul my judgment? wilt thou condemn me, that thou mayest be righteous?

9Hast thou an arm like God? or canst thou thunder with a voice like him?

10Deck thyself now with majesty and excellency; and array thyself with glory and beauty.

11Cast abroad the rage of thy wrath: and behold every one that is proud, and abase him.

12Look on every one that is proud, and bring him low; and tread down the wicked in their place.

13Hide them in the dust together; and bind their faces in secret.

14Then will I also confess unto thee that thine own right hand can save thee.

15Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.behemoth: probably an extinct animal of some kind

16Lo now, his strength is in his loins, and his force is in the navel of his belly.

17He moveth his tail like a cedar: the sinews of his stones are wrapped together.He…: or, He setteth up

18His bones are as strong pieces of brass; his bones are like bars of iron.

19He is the chief of the ways of God: he that made him can make his sword to approach unto him.

20Surely the mountains bring him forth food, where all the beasts of the field play.

21He lieth under the shady trees, in the covert of the reed, and fens.

22The shady trees cover him with their shadow; the willows of the brook compass him about.

23Behold, he drinketh up a river, and hasteth not: he trusteth that he can draw up Jordan into his mouth.he drinketh up: Heb. he oppresseth

24He taketh it with his eyes: his nose pierceth through snares.

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Proverbs 2

1My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

2So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

3Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;liftest…: Heb. givest thy voice

4If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

5Then shalt thou understand the fear of the Lord, and find the knowledge of God.

6For the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

7He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

8He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.

9Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

10When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

11Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

12To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;

13Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

14Who rejoice to do evil, and delight in the frowardness of the wicked;

15Whose ways are crooked, and they froward in their paths:

16To deliver thee from the strange woman, even from the stranger which flattereth with her words;

17Which forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God.

18For her house inclineth unto death, and her paths unto the dead.

19None that go unto her return again, neither take they hold of the paths of life.

20That thou mayest walk in the way of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous.

21For the upright shall dwell in the land, and the perfect shall remain in it.

22But the wicked shall be cut off from the earth, and the transgressors shall be rooted out of it.

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Ephesians 4

1I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

2With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

3Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

4There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling;

5One Lord, one faith, one baptism,

6One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

7But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.

8Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

9(Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?

10He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things.)

11And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

14That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

15But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

16From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

17This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind,

18Having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart:

19Who being past feeling have given themselves over unto lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

20But ye have not so learned Christ;

21If so be that ye have heard him, and have been taught by him, as the truth is in Jesus:

22That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts;

23And be renewed in the spirit of your mind;

24And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.

25Wherefore putting away lying, speak every man truth with his neighbour: for we are members one of another.

26Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath:

27Neither give place to the devil.

28Let him that stole steal no more: but rather let him labour, working with his hands the thing which is good, that he may have to give to him that needeth.

29Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers.

30And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

31Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger, and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you, with all malice:

32And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.