In evil long I took delight, Unawed by shame or fear, Till a new object struck my sight, And stopped my wild career. I saw One hanging on a tree, In agonies and blood; He fixed His languid eyes on me, As near His cross I stood. Sure never till my latest breath, Shall I forget that look! It seemed to charge me with His death, Though not a word He spoke. A second look He gave, which said, "I freely all forgive; This blood is for thy ransom paid; I die that thou mayest live." Thus while His death my sin displays In all its blackest hue, Such is the mystery of grace, It seals my pardon to ..read more

  [Young Elihu to Job & company] "God's voice thunders with marvelous things; He does great things we cannot deeply know. For to the snow He says, 'Fall on the earth,' And to the shower of rain, Be mighty rain torrents'... From the Breath of God ice is given,      And the broad waters are frozen."  (Job 37:5, 6, 10) Praise Yahweh from the earth: Fire and hail, snow and clouds,  Strong wind doing His will... Let them praise the Name of Yahweh, For His Name alone is exalted; His splendor is above the earth and heavens. (Psalm 148: 7a, 8, 13) He sends forth His ..read more

                                                            Thee, God, I come from, to thee go,  All day long I like fountain flow  From thy hand out, swayed about  Mote-like* in thy mighty glow.          Hopkins in his early years What I know of thee I bless,  As acknowledging thy stress  On my being and as seeing  Something of thy holiness.      Once I tur ..read more

  On December 25th** sing Fum, fum, fum*. On December 25th sing Fum, fum, fum. He is born of God's pure love,        The Son of God, the Son of God; He is born of Virgin Mary On this night so cold** and dreary. Fum, fum, fum.       Birds of every forest grove sing Fum, fum, fum.  Birds of every forest grove sing Fum, fum, fum.  All your fledglings on the bough, Oh, leave them now, oh, leave them now; For to make a downy cover For our Jesus, round Him hover. Fum, fum, fum.   Shining stars from heav'n above, sing Fum, fum, fum ..read more

  Refrain:  All things bright and beautiful,    All creatures great and small,  All things wise and wonderful,  The Lord God made them all.  Each little flow'r that opens, Each little bird that sings,  He made their glowing colors,  He made their tiny wings. [Refrain]   The purple-headed mountain  The river running by, The sunset and the morning  That brightens up the sky. [Refrain]   The cold wind in the winter,  The pleasant summer sun,  The ripe fruits in the garden:  He made them every one ..read more

  I ask’d the Lord, that I might grow In faith, and love, and ev’ry grace, Might more of his salvation know, And seek more earnestly his face. ‘Twas he who taught me thus to pray, And he, I trust has answer’d pray’r; But it has been in such a way, As almost drove me to despair. I hop’d that in some favour’d hour, At once he’d answer my request: And by his love’s constraining pow’r, Subdue my sins, and give me rest. Instead of this. he made me feel The hidden evils of my heart; And let the angry pow’rs of hell Assault my soul in ev’ry part. Yea more, with his own hand he seem’d I ..read more

--St. Michael's & All Angels Day will be celebrated September 29th Stars of the morning, so gloriously bright,  Filled with celestial splendor and light,  These that, where night never followeth day,  Raise the Thrice Holy song ever alway.  These are Thy servants, these are Thie own,  God of the Armies, the nearest Thy throne;  These are Thy messengers, these dost Thou send,  Help of the helpless ones, us to defend.  "Who like the Lord?" thunders Michael the chief;  God sends us others to protect us from grief;  Through Mary at Nazareth ..read more

  Though troubles assail And dangers affright, Though friends should all fail And foes all unite; Yet one thing secures us, Whatever betide, The scripture assures us, The Lord will provide. The birds without barn Or storehouse are fed, From them let us learn To trust for our bread: His saints, what is fitting, Shall ne’er be denied, So long as ’tis written, The Lord will provide. We may, like the ships, By tempest be tossed On perilous deeps, But cannot be lost. Though Satan enrages The wind and the tide, The promise engages, The Lord will provide. His call we obey Like Abram of ol ..read more

        This is the U.S. flag, being flown at McCormick Stillman Railroad Park near Phoenix, Arizona.  Next to "Old Glory" but not shown here is the French flag.  It is also here because a "Merci Car" is behind the railing.  (For more, click the link below.)      Next year for Veteran's Day, my Witticism & Aphorisms Blog should be featuring the Arizona Merci Car (November 2025).  In the meantime, enjoy this flag for our American Fourth of July celebrations.  For other related posts of the past, click the "summer" link or the arc ..read more

  I think that I shall never see A poem [as] lovely as a tree. A tree whose hungry mouth is presst Against the earth's sweet flowing breast; A tree that looks at God all day, And lifts her leafy arms to pray; A tree that may in Summer wear A nest of robins in her hair;  Upon whose bosom snow has lain; Who intimately lives with rain. Poems are made by fools like me, But only God can make a tree.   ---Joyce Kilmer, 1915   Poetry Foundation: Joyce Kilmer ..read more