THOUGHTS AT THREE A.M.

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

1. FINDING PROOF POSITIVE THAT YOUR WORK IS LIKED

AND APPRECIATED,AND ALL UNSUSPECTING!

2. SLEEPING IN FOR ONCE, AND HAVING THE SNORER UP AND

DOING THINGS.....LIKE COOKING BREAKFAST, WHEN YOU DO

GET UP.

3.THE WARM WINDS ARE BLOWING,THE BIRDS ARE SINGING,

AND CLOUDBURSTS COME AND GO....AHHHH! SPRING!

MAKING A CONNECTION

A FAMILY MEMBER BY MARRIAGE MADE A SPECIAL TRIP TO

VISIT ME YESTERDAY, AND BROUGHT ME  A SCRAP OF PAPER,

WITH A NAME AND NUMBER SCRIBBLED ON IT. IT SEEMS THAT

WHILE AT WORK, SHE RAN INTO A YOUNG WOMAN WHO HAD

SUCH CONFUSION IN HER MIND, THAT SHE WAS WILDLY SEEKING

ADVICE.

I WAS TOLD:

SHE NEEDS YOU TO CALL HER, I TOLD HER I DIDN'T

KNOW ANYTHING ABOUT IT, BUT I KNEW SOMEONE WHO COULD

ANSWER HER QUESTIONS.

CURIOUSLY I ASKED, WHAT WAS THE TOPIC OF CONVERSATION?

GOD, OF COURSE. YOU WERE THE FIRST PERSON I THOUGHT OF.

WELL!  I KNEW I DID NOT DESERVE SUCH A RINGING

ENDORSEMENT OF MY "KNOWLEDGE", BUT I ALSO KNEW THAT

GOD WILL USE WHOM HE WILL USE, SO AFTER PRAYING

ABOUT IT,AND FEELING TOTALLY UNEQUAL TO THE TASK,

I MADE THE CALL, CLUTCHING MY BIBLE, MY COUNSELORS

EDITION, AND THE EXPOSITORS NEW TESTAMENT.

I KNEW BEFORE SHE ANSWERED THE PHONE, PRETTY MUCH

WHAT I WOULD FIND.

A FRAZZLED YOUNG HOUSEWIFE, WITH SEVERAL SMALL

CHILDREN, ANXIOUSLY TRYING TO CONTROL HER BROOD,

WHILE CLEANING UP FROM SUPPER...( I INTENTIONALLY

WAITED UNTIL THE DINNER HOUR WAS OVER WITH) WHILE

VENTING TO ME, AND SEEKING GUIDANCE. ONCE AGAIN, I

FELT THE LORD'S PURPOSE PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN

BETTER SERVED, HAD A MINISTER BEEN ON THE LINE.

BUT IT DIDN'T TAKE LONG FOR ME TO RETHINK THAT

ASSESSMENT. ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, I WAS INFORMED THAT

"KAY" HAD ALREADY BEEN TO SEVERAL CHURCHES, AND TALKED

TO MANY MINISTERS, AND TO THE LAST MAN, SHE HAD BEEN

ASSURED HOW IT WOULD ALL WORK OUT FINE, IF SHE WOULD

JUST JOIN THEIR CHURCH.

IT WAS A LESSON IN PATIENCE FOR ME TO ATTEMPT TO CARRY

ON A CONVERSATION WITH HER. EVERY FEW MINUTES, SHE

WOULD BE INTERRUPTED CORRECTING THE CHILDREN, AND

I WAS FINE WITH THAT. IF YOU DON'T DO THIS WHEN ON THE

PHONE, SOMEHOW THE CHILDREN SENSE THAT YOU ARE

INCAPABLE OF DEALING WITH THE CALL, AND THEM AT THE

SAME TIME. I DID OFFER TO TALK TO HER LATER, IF I HAD

CALLED AT A BAD TIME, BUT SHE SAID NO, EVENTUALLY, THEY

WILL SETTLE DOWN. SHE HANDLED IT JUST ABOUT THE WAY

I WOULD HAVE, AND I KNEW WE WERE GOING TO GET ALONG.

SHE DIDN'T YELL AT THEM, AND THEN IGNORE THEM.

SHE CORRECTED THEM, AND THEN BACKED IT UP. IN A SHORT

WHILE, SHE HAD THE GROUP CLEAN-UP RUNNING SMOOTHLY

ONCE AGAIN, AND WHILE SHE CONTINUED TO BOTH DIRECT

AND ASSIST IN THAT TASK, SHE GAVE ME THE BACKGROUND

OF HER SITUATION.

SHE HAD KNOWN THE LORD IN HER YOUTH, BUT ONCE ON HER

OWN, SHE HAD BACKSLIDDEN, AND IN THAT CONDITION,

SHE HAD BEEN APPROUCHED BY MISSIONARIES, PREACHING

ANOTHER JESUS, AND ANOTHER GOSPEL, BOTH OF WHICH

WE ARE WARNED AGAINST IN THE BIBLE.

AS SHE SPOKE, I BEGAN TO REALIZE WHY GOD HAD LAID IT

ON MY HEART TO TALK TO HER, INDEED, WHY HE HAD

ORCHESTRATED OUR CONTACT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING.

I HAD ONCE BEEN IN THE VERY SAME SITUATION MYSELF.

EVEN THOUGH I HAD FELT, AS I SAID BEFORE, UNEQUAL

TO THE TASK, THE LORD HAD PREPARED ME FOR THIS

EVENTUALITY, AND IN THIS RELM, I HAD A CERTAIN EXPERTISE,

THAT, UNTIL NOW, I WAS NEARLY COMPLETELY UNAWARE OF,

BUT GOD KNEW. HE IS NEVER CAUGHT BY SURPRISE.

STILL, THE GIVE AND TAKE WAS SLOW GOING. SHE WOULD

ASK ME A QUESTION, AND THEN, BEGIN TALKING AGAIN

BEFORE I HAD THE RESPONSE COMPLETED. THIS WENT ON

FOR OVER TWO HOURS, BUT WHEN WE FINALLY SAID OUR

GOODBYES, SHE AT LEAST KNEW THAT IF SHE HAD ANY MORE

CONFUSION, SHE WOULD BE ABLE TO GET SOME STRAIGHT

ANSWERS FROM ME, AND I KNEW THAT SHE UNDERSTOOD

THAT SHE ALREADY HAD THE RIGHT PATH, SHE JUST NEEDED

TO HOLD THE LINE, STRENGTHEN HER PRAYER LIFE, AND

GET MORE FIRMLY GROUNDED IN THE LORD.

AND, AS SELF SERVING AS IT MAY SOUND, I HAD A CLEARER

PICTURE OF WHAT MY CALLING WAS ABOUT, AND HOW TO

BEST SERVE THE LORD.

AND IT ALL HAD TO DO WITH AN ERA IN MY LIFE THAT, UP TIL

NOW I HAD LOOKED UPON AS ERROR...

WHICH ONLY GOES TO PROVE, THAT NO EXPERIENCE IS

WASTED, WHEN YOU ARE LED BY THE SPIRIT.

OUI?

KATHLEEN WINDSOR SEQUELS AND OTHER TIDBITS

I HAPPENED UPON A INQUIRY AS TO WHETHER KATHLEEN

WINDSOR EVER MADE A SEQUEL TO "FOREVER AMBER". TO MY

KNOWLEDGE, SADLY THIS DID NOT HAPPEN. KATHLEEN DID

WRITE OTHER BOOKS, BUT NOTHING TO MATCH THE RICHLY

TEXTURED QUALITY OF "AMBER". NOT SURPRISINGLY,

APPARENTLY, WINDSOR LACKED THE TIME TO RESEARCH

ANOTHER BOOK IN  THE DEPTH THAT SHE HAD SPENT ON

"AMBER ", WHICH IS UNDERSTANDABLE CONSIDERING THE

LENGTHS TO WHICH SHE WENT TO BRING FORTH SUCH A

CLEAR,VIBRANT VIEW OF THE REIGN OF KING CHARLES II OF

ENGLAND, INCLUDING THE MANNERS, MORALS, ATTITUDES,

CLOTHES, FASHIONS,  FOODS, AND TURNS OF PHRASE OF THE

ERA, ALONG WITH ALL THE HISTORICAL FACTS OF THE TIME. IT

IS TRULY TO HER CREDIT AS A WRITER THAT KATHLEEN 

WINDSOR WAS ABLE TO ACHIEVE  PUTTING ALL OF THAT

INTO AN IMMENSELY  ENJOYABLE NOVEL, WHICH CAME OFF

NEITHER AS STILTED NOR AS DISJOINTED, BUT FLOWED

SMOOTHLY AND AT TIMES DELIGHTFULLY SCANDALOUS FROM

PAGE TO PAGE.

IF YOU HAVE READ THE BOOK, YOU MAY BE INTERESTED TO

KNOW THAT HOLLYWOOD DID MAKE A FILM OF THE NOVEL,

BUT IN THE STYLE OF THE DAY, THEY DID NOT TAKE AS MUCH

CARE WITH THEIR VERSION OF "AMBER" AS THE WRITER DID.

CASTING LINDA DARNELL AS AMBER, I THOUGHT WAS BASED

SOLELY ON THE FACT THAT SHE WAS A POPULAR RISING YOUNG

STARLET, COMPLETELY IGNORING THE FACT THAT SHE IN NO

WAY RESEMBLED THAT CHARACTER'S DESCRIPTION. OTHER

THAN THAT, THE MOVIE MAKERS RAN TRUE TO FORM, AND

DID THEIR OWN VERSION OF "AMBER".

HOWEVER, IF YOU'RE NOT A STICKLER FOR DETAIL, THIS IS NOT

A BAD MOVIE.

JUST AS, SAY, "GONE WITH THE WIND" WAS STILL A WONDERFUL

PRODUCTION, EVEN THOUGH THEY MADE CHANGES FROM THE

ORIGINAL BOOK, SO IT IS WITH "FOREVER AMBER", WITH THE

HUGE EXCEPTION THAT THE CASTING FOR GWTW WAS

IMPECCABLE, PUTTING VIVIAN LEIGH IN THE ROLE OF SCARLETT.

NOW, IF THEY HAD TAKEN THAT KIND OF CARE CASTING "AMBER"

THE WHOLE EXPERIENCE, FOR ME WOULD HAVE BEEN

DIFFERENT. I KNOW THIS IS NIT-PICKY, BUT WHEN THE GIRL

NAMED AMBER, IS SUPPOSED TO HAVE AMBER EYES AND AMBER

HAIR, SHE SHOULD NOT SHOW UP ON THE SCREEN WITH

REDDISH BLONDE HAIR, AND QUITE INDISCERNIBLE EYE COLOR.

THERE IS MORE I COULD SAY, MUCH MORE COMPARING THE BOOK

TO THE MOVIE, BUT THAT WOULD ONLY BE ME, OFF ON A RANT

AGAINST HOLLYWOOD'S WHOLESALE PENCHANT FOR TAKING

A PERFECTLY WONDERFUL PIECE OF WORK, AND TURNING IT

INSIDE OUT, AND DECLARING IT TO BE THIS BOOK, "COME TO

LIFE!"

ALLOW ME TO DIGRESS FROM "FOREVER AMBER" FOR THE

MOMENT BECAUSE FRANKLY,  I DON'T WANT TO TURN YOU OFF

ON THE MOVIE. YOU REALLY SHOULD SEE IT.

LET US CONSIDER INSTEAD, THE WORKS OF THORNE-SMITH.

NOW, I HAVE HIM ON MY BOOK LIST, HAVING WRITTEN

"THE STRAY LAMB". AN UPROARIOUSLY FUNNY NOVEL, WHICH

WAS COMPLETELY IGNORED BY THE MOVIE MAKERS. THEY

CHOSE INSTEAD TO DO "TOPPER", ANOTHER OF THORNE-SMITHS

NOVELS, AND A GOOD ONE, TOO. BUT I DON'T THINK THAT

THORNE DID A BAD NOVEL. THEY WERE ALL WONDERFUL.

"THE NIGHT LIFE OF THE GODS", "THE GLORIOUS POOL"

" THE PASSIONATE WITCH", JUST TO NAME A FEW. AND, I

BELIEVE ALL OF THEM WOULD HAVE BEEN SUCH FUN FILMS,

BUT THE ONLY ONE PRODUCED WAS "TOPPER".

WHY?

I BELIEVE IT HAD TO DO WITH EASE OF PRODUCTION.

ALL OF THESE BOOKS HAD MAGIC OVERTONES, AND ALL WOULD

HAVE PRESENTED DIFFICULTIES FOR THE STUDIOS TO MAKE.

POSSIBLY, COSTLY AS WELL, BACK THEN. IN THE 40'S AND

50'S.

BUT NOW, INSTEAD OF GOING BACK AND REMAKING OLD MOVIES,

OR TURNING TO CARTOONS, WHY DOESN'T HOLLYWOOD

MAKE SOME GENUINELY  ORIGINAL, TRUE TO THE BOOK

FILMS, LIKE "THE STRAY LAMB?"

OF COURSE, THERE IS ONE MOVIE I WOULD BE IN FAVOR

OF THEM DOING OVER AGAIN, AND DOING IT RIGHT THIS TIME.

"FOREVER AMBER."

OUI?

NOW, IT'S NO LONGER KILLING YOUR WIFE,IT'S PULLING A SHIAVO!

IT JUST HURTS ME THAT MICHAEL SHIAVO IS GOING TO GET

HIS WAY. I GET SO TIRED OF HEARING IT, SOMETIMES I JUST

HAVE TO EXPRESS MYSELF.

"EXPERTS" NOW SAY THAT IT WON'T BE LONG BEFORE TERRI

IS NO MORE. THE FEEDING TUBE HAS BEEN OUT TOO LONG,

AND SHE WILL NOT MAKE IT BACK FROM SUCH EXTREME

DEHYDRATION.

WELL, I HOPE THAT HER HUSBAND IS HAPPY. YA KNOW, EVEN IF

SHE DID EXPRESS THE WISH THAT SHE DIDN'T  WANT TO BE

KEPT ALIVE BY MACHINES, A WOMAN WHO CAN STILL BREATHE

ON HER OWN, WHO REQUIRES NOTHING MORE THAN FOOD AND

WATER IS NOT ON LIFE SUPPORT! I DON'T BELIEVE FOR A

MINUTE THAT SHE SAID, "HONEY, WHAT I REALLY WANT TO

DO IS TO STARVE TO DEATH OR DIE OF THIRST".

I STILL SAY THAT HE HAS BEEN SPLITTING HAIRS TO GET

HIS OWN WAY, BUT WHAT CAN YOU EXPECT FROM A SLIME-

BALL WHO IS LIVING WITH ANOTHER WOMAN, AND HAS HAD

TWO KIDS BY HER, WHILE HIS WIFE IS STILL ALIVE?

DON'T YOU THINK THAT THIS SETS A RATHER DANGEROUS

PRECEDENT? HERE IS A MAN WHO OBVIOUSLY HAS A STRONG

MOTIVE TO BE FREE OF A WOMAN WHOM CAN NO LONGER BE

OF ANY USE TO HIM,SO HE IS ALLOWED TO KILL HER. LEGALLY!

LOOK OUT PEOPLE! WRITE OUT THAT LIVING WILL, AND GIVE IT

TO SOMEONE YOU KNOW YOU CAN TRUST, OR THE NEXT LEGAL

HIT MIGHT BE YOU!

ALL ALONG I HAVE BEEN PRAYING THAT GOD WOULD BRING

TERRI OUT OF HER "VEGETATIVE STATE", DEMANDING WATER

AND FOOD, BUT IT DOESN'T LOOK LIKE THAT IS GOING TO

HAPPEN.

YET, IT COULD SERVE A PURPOSE, ANYWAY. THIS MIGHT BE

GOD'S HEADS UP, THAT POTENTIAL SPOUSES SHOULD BE LOOKED

AT A BIT MORE CLOSELY, AND ALL THOSE SENSITIVE TALKS

THAT WE NORMALLY SHY AWAY FROM, BECAUSE"THEY AREN'T

ROMANTIC" SHOULD BE TALKED ABOUT IN DEPTH FROM THE

GET-GO. BEFORE WE PLACE OUR LIVES IN THE HANDS OF THE

VERY PEOPLE WHO SOMEDAY MIGHT DECIDE THAT KEEPING

US ALIVE IS JUST MORE TROUBLE THAN IT IS WORTH, AND

WANT TO DO AWAY WITH US, OR" PULL A SHIAVO".

I'VE EVEN HEARD IT EXPRESSED BY INDIVIDUALS WHO SHOULD

KNOW BETTER. THEY SAY,"THIS SHOULD BE A PERSONAL

MATTER."

NONSENSE!

WHEN A PERSONS LIFE IS THREATENED, IT SHOULD BE

EVERYBODY'S BUSINESS. ISN'T THAT WHAT WE HAVE BEEN

TOLD?

GET INVOLVED?

I HOPE THE WOMAN HE IS WITH NOW IS PAYING ATTENTION,

AND REALIZES WHAT SHE MIGHT BE UP AGAINST SOMEDAY

WHEN SHE IS OLD, OR SICK, OR UNABLE TO COMMUNICATE

HER WANTS AND NEEDS...AND SHOULD IT COME ABOUT, I

FEEL REAL SORRY FOR HER.

OUI?

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

1.A PERFECT EASTER SUNDAY,FILLED WITH FRIENDS CALLING

ALL DAY, WISHING US A HAPPY EASTER, TWO WONDERFUL

WORSHIP SERVICES, A LONG NAP,  A DELICIOUS HAM DINNER,

AND I GOT THE EARS OFF THE CHOCOLATE BUNNY!

2. MOLLY THE CAT, CURLED UP ON THE CHAIR NEXT TO ME WHILE

I'M ON THE COMPUTER,AND OBEDIENT WHEN I SAY, IT'S TIME

TO GO TO BED!

3.COMING TO THE END OF A HOLIDAY WEEK-END IN A STATE

OF SERENITY, NOT FRAZZLED AS I USED TO BE.

LENDING A HAND

HAVE YOU EVER HAD A PHONE CALL FROM A LOVED ONE, AND

THE MINUTE YOU HEARD THEIR VOICE, YOU KNEW WHO IT WAS,

AND THAT SOMETHING WAS WRONG, OR CONVERSELY,

SOMETHING GOOD HAD HAPPENED?

I HAVE TWO SUCH LOVED ONES I CAN DO THAT WITH.

WITH THE FIRST WORD, MY RADAR IS UP AND RUNNING.

ONE IS MY CHILD. NO SURPRISE THERE.

THE OTHER IS A VERY SPECIAL FRIEND.

WHICH IS STILL NO SHOCKING NEWS.

SO WHAT, YOU SAY?

AHA!

BUT I AM A FIXER.

IT IS IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO HEAR OF A PROBLEM, WITHOUT

TRYING TO COME UP WITH WAYS TO RESOLVE IT. NOW, I

ATTEMPT TO BE A HEARER ONLY, LET THEM VENT, AND

I CONSOLE. BUT DOWN DEEP, IN THE FILE ROOM OF MY MIND,

THERE IS A LITTLE MAN RUNNING AROUND MADDLY, LOOKING

FOR SOLUTIONS.

FORTUNATELY, NONE OF THE PROBLEMS, SO FAR, HAVE BEEN

WHAT YOU MIGHT CALL, EARTH SHATTERING.NO. JUST

COMMON, ORDINARY, EVERYDAY RUN OF THE MILL STUFF.

SOME MAJOR HEALTH PROBLEMS, BUT NOTHING HUGE.YET.

MOSTLY MISSED CONNECTIONS, BILLS, THAT TYPE OF THING.

IF I CAN'T THINK OF A SOLUTION, IT WILL BOTHER ME FOR DAYS,

EVEN IF THE SITUATION WILL HAVE NO IMPACT ON ME,

PERSONALY, I FIND IT IMPOSSIBLE TO BE OBJECTIVE

AND INVARIABLY I PRAY FOR THEM. SO FAR, THANK GOD,

USUALLY, A REMEDY WILL PRESENT ITSELF WITHIN A DAY OR

TWO.

ON THE OTHER HAND, WHEN IT IS GOOD NEWS, I AM SO PLEASED

I'M AFRAID SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET THE IDEA THAT I AM

BEING MERCENARY WHEN I SAY, OH, I AM SO HAPPY FOR YOU!

THAT IS WONDERFUL. WE SHOULD CELEBRATE!

BUT I AM JUST SHOWING MY SUPPORT, NOT INVITING MYSELF

ALONG.

THERE IS A DIFFERENCE. BUT, IT SEEMS EITHER WAY, UNLESS

THE PERSON IS A LOVED ONE, NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO OR

SAY, GOOD OR BAD, THERE IS  A CHANCE THAT WHOMEVER YOU

TRY TO ADVISE, COULD TAKE IT WRONG, AND I GUESS THAT IS

THE REASON THAT MOST WON'T TAKE YOU INTO THEIR

CONFIDENCE.

TOO BAD.

IT'S THEIR LOSS...

OUI?!

CAMPMEETING!

THIS HOLY WEEK, AND THIS CAMP MEETING EXPERIENCE HAS

BEEN AN IMMERSION IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, AND SPIRITUALITY

IN GENERAL. TONIGHT'S SERVICES  FEATURED THE MOST

GORGEOUS, THE MOST GLORIOUS MUSIC I HAVE EVER HEARD,

AND I WAS BOWLED OVER."When HE WAS ON THE CROSS, I WAS

ON HIS MIND",AND " I SAW LOVE",AND "THE STONE'S BEEN

ROLLED AWAY"!

WE SANG AND WORSHIPED FOR OVER TWO HOURS, HEARD

TONGUES AND INTERPRETATIONS OF TONGUES, WHICH EDIFIED

ALL WHO HEARD IT, AND BLESSED ME SO MUCH...AND THEN, THE

PREACHER STEPPED UP AND AND PREACHED ON STRANGE FIRE,

AND FALSE DOCTRINE, AND THE WHOLE CONGREGATION WAS 

SHOUTING AND PRAISING GOD FOR YET ANOTHER HOUR,AND

BEFORE I  KNEW IT OVER THREE HOURS HAD GONE BY, AND IT

SEEMED LIKE SO MUCH LESS TIME...I WAS AMAZED HOW

QUICKLY IT WENT. I WANTED THE SERVICE TO GO ON AND ON.

AND THERE'S MORE CAMP MEETING TOMORROW, AND I AM

GOING TO BE THERE, BY THE INTERNET, LIVE T.V.!

CAN'T HARDLY WAIT! I LOVED IT! YOU MIGHT TOO!

IF YOU GET A CHANCE, CHECK IT OUT!

EMAIL ME FOR PARTICULARS.

OUI?

THE MOST HOLY...?

THIS IS HOLY WEEK. THE FINAL DAYS LEADING UP TO THE

RESURRECTION MORNING, OR EASTER SUNDAY, AS IT IS MORE

POPULARLY KNOWN.

SADLY, MOST PAY LITTLE OR NO ATTENTION TO WHAT ACTUALLY

LED UP TO "EASTER". THEY ARE SO BUSY, RUNNING AROUND,

GETTING  NEW OUTFITS FOR CHURCH ON SUNDAY, BUYING

CANDY AND PUTTING TOGETHER BASKETS FULL OF CANDY AND

TOYS FOR THE KIDS, AND COLORING EASTER EGGS, AND

PLANNING A BIG SUNDAY DINNER FOR THE FAMILY, THEY'VE

TOTALLY LOST SIGHT OF  WHAT CHRIST WAS GOING THROUGH,

AND WHAT HE WAS PREPARING TO DO FOR US, 2000 YEARS

AGO THIS WEEK.

HE KNEW WHAT AWAITED HIM IN JERUSALEM, AND YET HE SET

HIS FACE LIKE FLINT TO GO THERE, AND BE GOD'S PERFECT

LAMB.

HE SENT AHEAD FOR A DONKEY TO RIDE IN ON, AND IT WAS

THERE, JUST AS HE SAID IT WOULD BE, AND HE RODE IN TO

PALM BRANCHES AND CRIES OF HOSANNA! WELCOMING HIM.

ONCE AGAIN, HE SENT AHEAD FOR THE ROOM TO BE PREPARED

FOR THE LAST SUPPER, OR PASSOVER FEAST, OF CHRIST WITH

HIS  FOLLOWERS, WHICH IN THE CHRISTIAN CALENDAR, IS

TONIGHT, THE NIGHT IN WHICH CHRIST SPENDS IN THE GARDEN

OF  GETHSEMANE,WHEN WE ARE TOLD HE PRAYED SO HARD

THAT GOD DASH THIS HORRIBLE CUP FROM HIM, AND SWEAT

BLOOD IN DOING SO, AND FINALLY YIELDED TO THE FATHER. WAS

TAKEN BY THE ROMAN GUARDS, BETRAYED BY JUDAS AND

ALSO DENIED BY PETER, AND SPENT THE NEXT SEVERAL HOURS

BEING TRIED, SCOURGED, TORTURED, AND MOCKED,

ABANDONED BY THOSE WHO PROFESSED TO LOVE HIM, AND

ALL IN SILENCE, WITH NO WORD IN HIS OWN DEFENSE, SUCH

AS A LAMB, BEING LED TO THE SLAUGHTER.

(AND YOU THOUGHT YOU'VE HAD A BAD DAY!?)

THE BIBLE SAYS HE HAD LEGIONS OF ANGELS SET ROUND HIM

TO RESPOND, SHOULD HE CRY  OUT, SET TO KEEP HIM FROM

DASHING HIS FOOT AGAINST A ROCK, BUT HE DID NOT CALL

UPON THE HEAVENLY HOSTS, BECAUSE HE LOOKED DOWN

THROUGH THE AGES,AND HE SAW YOU, AND HE SAW ME,

AND HE LOVED US, AND WANTED TO SET US FREE FROM THE

LAW OF SIN AND DEATH, AND BLOOD SACRIFICE WAS THE

ONLY WAY.

SO, PERHAPS, THURSDAY WAS THE MOST HOLY DAY.

BUT, WHAT ABOUT THE ACTUAL SACRIFICE? SO STRANGELY

CALLED "GOOD FRIDAY?"

THE DAY THAT MIMICKED THE TEMPLE SACRIFICES?

AFTER CARRYING HIS OWN CROSS TO THE SITE, HE WAS

NAILED TO IT.

AT 9 A.M., THE TIME OF THE MORNING SACRIFICE, HE WAS

LIFTED UP,  AND THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB CAME STREAMING

DOWN, JUST AS IT WAS STREAMING IN THE TEMPLE, BY THE

VERY PRIESTS WHO HAD CONSPIRED TO HAVE HIM DELIVERED

TO PILATE.

AND, AT 3P.M.,THE TIME OF THE EVENING SACRIFICE, HE DIED,

AFTER SAYING," IT IS FINISHED " AT THE SAME TIME THE

PRIESTS WOULD HAVE BEEN SAYING IT IS FINISHED, IN THE

TEMPLE...NOW, YOU CAN'T PLAN A THING LIKE THAT UNLESS YOU

HAVE THE ABILITY TO LAY DOWN YOUR LIFE WHENEVER YOU

CHOOSE, WHICH, OF COURSE IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.

NO MAN TOOK JESUS LIFE, HE LAID IT DOWN FREELY.

HE MUST HAVE HELD THAT THOUGHT FIRMLY IN HIS MIND

AS HIS CAPTORS CRUSHED THAT CROWN OF THORNS INTO

HIS SCALP, RIPPED HIS BEARD FROM HIS FACE WITH THEIR

CRUEL HANDS, AND SHREDDED HIS BACK WITH THE CAT-O-NINE

TAILS.

AND THROUGHOUT IT ALL, CHRIST ENDEAVORED TO FULFILL

EVERY PROPHESY CONCERNING THE COMING MESSIAH, AND

HE DID. RIGHT DOWN TO THE FACT THAT THEY DID NOT

BREAK HIS LEGS, AS THEY DID MOST OTHERS. THE SABBATH

WAS  COMING, AND THE CHURCH LEADERS TOLD THEM,

HASTEN THEIR DEATHS, SO THEY COULD BE TAKEN DOWN AND

BURIED BEFORE THE SABBATH.

BUT JESUS HAD ALREADY COMMENDED HIS SPIRIT TO HIS

HEAVENLY FATHER, AND " GAVE UP THE GHOST", AND SO

IT WAS NOT NECESSARY.

SO, PERHAPS FRIDAY WAS THE MOST HOLY DAY?

OR, MAYBE IT WAS SATURDAY, WHEN CHRIST WAS IN PARADISE,

REDEEMING THE RIGHTEOUS WHO "SLEPT  IN ABRAHAM'S

BOSOM"?

BUT SUNDAY, THE DAY OF RESURRECTION IS THE DAY MOST

OF CHRISTENDOM HAS FIXATED UPON TO CHOOSE AS THE

HOLIEST DAY.

THE DAY CHRIST ROSE FROM THE DEAD, AND SHOWED HIMSELF

ALIVE TO THOSE OF HIS FOLLOWERS WHO REMAINED.

THE DAY OF TRIUMPH OVER THE GRAVE! YES, IT IS GLORIOUS!

PROOF POSITIVE THAT HE WAS IN FACT, THE REDEEMER,

SO THAT NOW, ALL HIS FOLLOWERS COULD IN CONFIDENCE

GO AND PREACH THE GOOD NEWS, THAT THE MESSIAH HAD

COME.

AND SUNDAY IS INDEED A MOST HOLY DAY.

BUT LET US NOT FORGET, THAT IT IS BY THE SHEDDING OF HIS

BLOOD THAT WE ARE SAVED.

SO, GOOD FRIDAY, IN BETWEEN ALL ELSE, STOP FOR A MOMENT,

AT NINE A.M. AND AGAIN, AT THREE P.M. AND THINK OF HIS

PASSION, HIS PAIN, HIS SACRIFICE.

AND GIVE THANKS.

THE WHOLE WEEK IS HOLY, BUT FRIDAY, IS WHEN HE DID

THE DEED.

OUI?

THREE BEAUTIFUL THINGS

1.WAKING UP TO A GOOD HAIR DAY, WHEN ALL YOU HAVE TO

DO IS RUN A BRUSH THROUGH IT, AND IT LOOKS JUST RIGHT.

2.A GOOD SALAD, WITH ICE COLD LETTUCE,CRISP AND SWEET.

3.LOOKING AT THE INSIDE  OF YOUR EYELIDS, FOR HOURS ON

END...SPEAKING OF WHICH, I'M ON MY WAY TO BED RIGHT NOW.

NIGHTY-NIGHT!

CLOUD FLUFF

Last night, I dreamed of flying again. I was night, which one would think was a given, But, not always. I mean, in dreams, you can do anything, go anywhere, and even though you may be sleeping at night, doesn't mean that it will be  Perennial night everywhere in your dream. Not only was it night, but it was a beautiful night. I was up at cloud level,and there was a full moon.The sky was deep velvet blue, and the stars shone with a diamond quality, and the moonlight glancing off the clouds turned them to spun sugar. There was a delicious sweet wind, cool, scented like wildflowers,and down below, I could see silver rivers and lakes,all bounded all around by trees that tossed their leafy heads, as if they might be laughing up at me, saying, come and play.I had wings, which I extended to glide wherever the breezes would take me, Not to flutter like a butterfly, and all was  silent,and I was alone. There was no pressure, no pain, no demands upon me, no worries. It was glorious. But even in dreams, such perfect peace does not go on and on uninterrupted. As when you write a story. If there is no conflict, there is no story.The conflict came. I was awakened. Time to get up, take pills, and eat.But all I wanted to do, was to go back to my dream, in the clouds. But in this world, one must do, what one must do.The pain, the pressure, the demands were back. And real life goes on...

OUI?