At tenth this morning

 

the Sphinx Ralph Waldo Emerson

 THE SPHINX

The Sphinx is drowsy,
Her wings are furled:
Her ear is heavy,
She broods on the world.
"Who'll tell me my secret,
The ages have kept?—
I awaited the seer
While they slumbered and slept:—

"The fate of the man-child,
The meaning of man;
Known fruit of the unknown;
Dædalian plan;
Out of sleeping a waking,
Out of waking a sleep;
Life death overtaking;
Deep underneath deep?

"Erect as a sunbeam,
Upspringeth the palm;
The elephant browses,
Undaunted and calm;
In beautiful motion
The thrush plies his wings;
Kind leaves of his covert,
Your silence he sings.

"The waves, unashamèd,
In difference sweet,
Play glad with the breezes,
Old playfellows meet;
The journeying atoms,
Primordial wholes,
Firmly draw, firmly drive,
By their animate poles.

"Sea, earth, air, sound, silence,
Plant, quadruped, bird,
By one music enchanted,
One deity stirred,—
Each the other adorning,
Accompany still;
Night veileth the morning,
The vapor the hill.

"The babe by its mother
Lies bathèd in joy;
Glide its hours uncounted,—
The sun is its toy;
Shines the peace of all being,
Without cloud, in its eyes;
And the sum of the world
In soft miniature lies.

"But man crouches and blushes,
Absconds and conceals;
He creepeth and peepeth,
He palters and steals;
Infirm, melancholy,
Jealous glancing around,
An oaf, an accomplice,
He poisons the ground.

"Out spoke the great mother,
Beholding his fear;—
At the sound of her accents
Cold shuddered the sphere:—
'Who has drugged my boy's cup?
Who has mixed my boy's bread?
Who, with sadness and madness,
Has turned my child's head?'"

I heard a poet answer
Aloud and cheerfully,
'Say on, sweet Sphinx! thy dirges
Are pleasant songs to me.
Deep love lieth under
These pictures of time;
They fade in the light of
Their meaning sublime.

"The fiend that man harries
Is love of the Best;
Yawns the pit of the Dragon,
Lit by rays from the Blest.
The Lethe of Nature
Can't trance him again,
Whose soul sees the perfect,
Which his eyes seek in vain.

"To vision profounder,
Man's spirit must dive;
His aye-rolling orb
At no goal will arrive;
The heavens that now draw him
With sweetness untold,
Once found,—for new heavens
He spurneth the old.

"Pride ruined the angels,
Their shame them restores;
Lurks the joy that is sweetest
In stings of remorse.
Have I a lover
Who is noble and free?—
I would he were nobler
Than to love me.

"Eterne alternation
Now follows, now flies;
And under pain, pleasure,—
Under pleasure, pain lies.
Love works at the centre,
Heart-heaving alway;
Forth speed the strong pulses
To the borders of day.

"Dull Sphinx, Jove keep thy five wits;
Thy sight is growing blear;
Rue, myrrh and cummin for the Sphinx,
Her muddy eyes to clear!"
The old Sphinx bit her thick lip,—
Said, "Who taught thee me to name?
I am thy spirit, yoke-fellow;
Of thine eye I am eyebeam.

"Thou art the unanswered question;
Couldst see thy proper eye,
Alway it asketh, asketh;
And each answer is a lie.
So take thy quest through nature,
It through thousand natures ply;
Ask on, thou clothed eternity;
Time is the false reply."

Uprose the merry Sphinx,
And crouched no more in stone;
She melted into purple cloud,
She silvered in the moon;
She spired into a yellow flame;
She flowered in blossoms red;
She flowed into a foaming wave:
She stood Monadnoc's head.

Thorough a thousand voices
Spoke the universal dame;
"Who telleth one of my meanings
Is master of all I am."

Love Lifted Me...Wondrous Love of Jesus!

 1

I was sinking deep in sin,
  Far from the peaceful shore,
Very deeply stained within,
  Sinking to rise no more;
But the Master of the sea
  Heard my despairing cry,
From the waters lifted me,
  Now safe am I.

 

Love lifted me!
Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help,
  Love lifted me.
Love lifted me!
Love lifted me!
When nothing else could help,
  Love lifted me.

2

All my heart to Him I give,
  Ever to Him I’ll cling,
In His blessed presence live,
  Ever His praises sing.
Love so mighty and so true
  Merits my soul’s best songs;
Faithful, loving service, too,
  To Him belongs.

3

Souls in danger, look above,
  Jesus completely saves;
He will lift you by His love
  Out of the angry waves.
He’s the Master of the sea,
  Billows His will obey;
He your Savior wants to be—
  Be saved today.

It is just a bonnet!

 Although just a bonnet, the effect was tangible.  Elaine Stricht wore one in her birthday episode of Two's Company.  It seemed to frame the day for her.  Even if every obstacle was placed before her for the messing up of her "day", the bonnet seemed a shield against it.  

I said, let me try it on my chosen "day".  I tried it Saturday on our outing.   It was a magical addition to an ordinary day.   I found the hardware for my staircase project, at Lowes.   I found some wondrous plants to insert into my yard the Portolacas, and it seemed to quench some of the complaining that would ordinarily become part of the day!   

Who knew???

God's Great Glyphs. messages in part. "Now we see in part..."

 Great

Life giving

Young

Patient

Help

Louder than a thousand thunders is the voice of the Lord     these are meditations of the 7 Thunders in Revelations 10

This week I took a week to meditate on the combination of readings that providentially was in my reading schedule and think on them

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%2014&version=NKJV

https://legacy.sermonaudio.com/biblesearch.asp

https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/luk/15/1/s_986001

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Revelation%2010&version=NKJV

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Malachi%201&version=NKJV

https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/lam/4/1/ss0/rl0/s_801001

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm%2078&version=NKJV

https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/psa/6/1/ss0/rl0/s_484001

https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermons/scripture/PSA/126

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Proverbs%2019&version=NKJV

https://www.blueletterbible.org/audio_video/popPlayer.cfm?type=nkjv_n&b=20&c=30

https://www.blueletterbible.org/kjv/pro/3/1/s_631001

From Jan 16-Jan 23rd I am meditating on the group of readings and special readings    I interjected Psalm 45 and Psalm 51 and plan to insert Psalm 73 and Psalm 91 along with Psalm 78 and the corresponding Proverbs of the day.   The other readings stayed the same.   The special Psalms have additional reading and this Sunday I listened to Paul Tripp speak on Psalm 78 as the telling of the Secrets of God to our children to my souls great profit.   

“Whatever our children become, if God isn’t in their lives the wrong answer will result in their existence.”  that was the paraphrased gist of Paul Tripp’s message to my heart.

I usually listen to my Bible reading on Sermon Audio on Sundays because the voice is so dear to me.   I didn’t this morning because there was such significance in the combination that the endearment of the voice didn’t matter, this Sunday.    Thank You Lord for your embracing our hearts with Your Word and Your providences.

Also discovered two new songs this month, one from Gary Oliver,  You Are Holy  and one from Shelly Hamilton, You are Always Good.   I am basking in their majestic regality.   Thank You Lord!

I Will Glory in My Redeemer! {Hymn}

 I will glory in my Redeemer

Whose priceless blood has ransomed me
Mine was the sin that drove the bitter nails
And hung Him on that judgment tree

I will glory in my Redeemer
Who crushed the power of sin and death
My only Savior before the holy Judge
The Lamb who is my righteousness
The Lamb who is my righteousness
My righteousness

I will glory in my Redeemer
My life He bought, my love He owns
I have no longings for another
I'm satisfied in Him alone

Yes, I will glory in my Redeemer
His faithfulness, my standing place
Though foes are mighty and rush upon me
My feet are firm, held by His grace
My feet are firm, held by His grace
Held by His grace

I will glory in my Redeemer
Who carries me on eagles' wings
He crowns my life with lovingkindness
His triumph song I'll ever sing
I'll ever sing, sing, sing

And I will glory in my Redeemer
Who waits for me at gates of gold
And when He calls me, it will be paradise
His face forever to behold

I will glory in my Redeemer
Who waits for me at gates of gold
And when He calls me, it will be paradise
His face forever to behold

His face forever to behold
His face forever to behold
Oh-oh-oh-oh
I will behold
I will behold

What happens at Midnight?

 Behold the Bridegroom cometh!

Does the Holy Spirit oil your lamp? or are you in the dark on the road to a store, when you should be entering into the marriage feast?

God has redemption and God has renewal for His people and the last day of the year is always a remembrance of that reality all over the world.

Watch-meeting services all over the world create a praying place for people to gather and await the possible second coming of the Lord.  The Lord is merciful, but we are either wise or foolish virgins, in His eyes.   Have we confessed our sins to the Lord?  Have we given him the glory and expected Him to appear, ultimately?  But also in our circumstances?  Is He coming on the clouds to cleanse our souls and our minds from our own devices?   Are we awaiting His Word to move to the next thing in our lives or are we living as a pragmatic Atheist.   Jesus is coming by and by we think.  I have time to sneak this one more thing past him, perhaps.  That is the foolishness that Jesus has come to cleanse and renew.   Get the Holy Spirit.  Get the confidence that He can and will cleanse us from all unrighteousness.   We are His people and the workmanship of His created in Christ Jesus and it is our job to be the light and salt of preservation to our culture and live in the light of the eternal God of the universe being in charge of the outworkings of providence.    We believe this, but we need to live like we believe this! 

Today is Tuesday, December 10, 2024. It is a rainy day!

 

Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

2 Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away.
Change and decay in all around I see.
O thou who changest not, abide with me.

3 I need thy presence every passing hour.
What but thy grace can foil the tempter's power?
Who like thyself my guide and strength can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, O abide with me.

4 I fear no foe with thee at hand to bless,
ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death's sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if thou abide with me.

5 Hold thou thy cross before my closing eyes.
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven's morning breaks and earth's vain shadows flee;

in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me. 

Yesterday is Yesterday!

Today is Saturday December 7th, 2024 and it is freezing cold!        

     I said to myself, as I left work today, "when was the last time it was this cold in NC.  I don't remember, because that is not something that I document or record.  I should, though"

         I was freezing cold when I left work at 9 pm tonight.  It is only 36degrees, but it feels much colder.   Tomorrow is supposed to go up to 63, and when that happens you totally forget the chill in your bones that happened the day before.  I was cashiering, near the doors and it was chilly enough for me to keep my coat on half of the shift that I worked.   Some of the young people had on coats and hats and some had on shorts and short sleeves, as usual, some have sense and some have none.

I am afraid that, the cold hit me hardest when I walked out the door.  Bundling up is not my strongsuit.  I had my Davidson jacket on, but the hundred yard dash to Qdoba didn't feel doable once my lungs got a whiff of the 36 degree chill.

I will wait in the vestibule, was my consensus with myself, after trekking half the way.  It is funny how the bathroom cues hit you and every other bodily function kicks in when an unusual temperature is the tale of the day.   I won't travel all the way to the bathroom,  I won't travel all the way to Qdoba, I will wait in the vestibule, it is warmer and I am tired.

Tired wasn't factored into the equation earlier.  Tired was an afterthought.  I am up at 4 am and asleep at 8pm, like clock work.  I had drunk an extra cup of coffee for insurance of alertness, still, I am sure that my brain was only on half function.  Mistakes were aloof and even I was aware that my mind was on cruise control.   Tonight is another moment of night goggles on my brain.  I will see how it goes...