Mondrian's Steps

 

Lilies return

 

Valentine Day

Road Heart
Put down wet

Came upon this pink  heart on Divison Street. Seems not all find this day to their liking. I have never been one for the day. Another contrived attempt to part us from our funds, all in the name of something we should be doing beyond one day.

Once in Mail

This morning I came to the Camp Street garage apartment, now vacant. Mr and Mrs Gray have both gone on, the large two story house empty. The apartment where Melanie and I started out as if we never left. I paused and took a look at the mailbox. It was in the mailbox under the steps that Melanies letter awaited me. I never received mail in the box and something told me that day to look. It was her letter inviting me down to Williston to teach her photography. I had just returned from the St Marks River where I had thrown a note in the bottle. Little did I know the reply would come so soon.

Let us draw near

Let us draw near
Hebrews 10:22

"In all thy troubles, look unto God and be saved.  In all thy trials and afflictions, look unto Christ and find deliverance." Spurgeon

The old gentleman was sitting alone on the bench in the back of the facility. You could hear him in a conversation with himself. It was a troubled conversation. At times, he would cry out in profanity, God! Jesus!
I walked past as it was upon the other side of the road. I thought what type of deliverance is there for such as these? In the book of Mark 5, Christ encountered  Legion and sent them into the swine.
And the man was found sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind, and the people were afraid.
And why fear for a sane man and not the once mad man?
To be able to look unto Christ and offer deliverance to the Legion's among us. Our trials and troubles are mere by comparison.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon
1834-1892
Perhaps the most quoted minister of all time.

Legion

There are situations, times, you wish for the power of Christ, to bid the demons come out. Today walking to one of the homes for troubled souls, this gentleman was deep into carrying on a conversation with his many demons. Interspersed in his conversation were cries of  God! Jesus!
Sadly, we walk little of the time in the fullness of the Spirit. Had I not been immersed in my own so called troubles, perhaps I could have walked over and said, peace be still.
Yet even Christ's own disciples were unable to deliver, as Jesus told them it takes much prayer and fasting.

Be Ye Holy

Be Ye Holy, for I am Holy.  2 Corin.6:17

This is our standard. Very lofty and uncompromising; very noble and solemn! Like God in holiness and purity and hatred of sin! This is to be our watchword and our aim.
Dr. H Bonar

Horatius Bonar was a Scottish churchman and poet.
1808-1889
Holy Father, hear my cry;
Holy Savior,bend thine ear;
Holy Spirit, come thou nigh;
Father,Savior,Spirit,hear.

Father,save me from my sin;
Savior, I Thy mercy crave;
Gracious Spirit, make me clean:
Father,Savior, Spirit,save.

Father, let me taste Thy love;
Savior, fill my soul with peace;
     Spirit, come my heart to move:
Father, Son, and Spirit, bless.

Father, Son and Spirit--Thou
One Jehovah, shed abroad
All Thy grace within me now;
Be my Father and my God.
                   Bonar

Anniversary of a first date

Today after work I met Amber and Nathaniel at the Alligator Lake Park. It was good to be able to spend time with Nathaniel and watch him play and run about. With Landon in Texas going through a tough boot camp, Amber has been subdued and much in concern for him, missing him.
I was simply missing Nathaniel.
Toward five o'clock, as we were sitting on the bank of the lake watching Nathaniel and the clouds, Amber got a call. She thought it was the car dealership at first, but it was Landon calling.
She went on to say he was doing well in Air Force basic training in San Antonio, that he was near the top of his class. That was an answer to prayer.
Today as well was the anniversary of their first time together three years ago.
Afterwards, I was able to bring Nathaniel home with me. We watched Sprout TV, gathered the chicken eggs before he fell asleep in my arms. I took him home around seven and returned to watch Florida beat Kentucky in basketball. Oh well, almost a perfect day.

That I may know

That I may know Him, and the power of His resurrection. Phil.3:10

But none honors God like the thirst of desire,
Nor possesses the heart so completely with Him;
For it burns the world out with the swift ease of fire,
And fills life with good works till it runs o'er the brim.
                                                             Faber

Frederick William Faber

1814-1863

Having not seen

Whom having not seen, ye love.  I Peter 1:8

"The trust we put in God honors Him much, and draws down great graces. It is impossible not only that God should deceive, but also that He should long let a soul suffer which is perfectly resigned to Him, and resolved to endure everything for His sake."  Nicholas Herman.

Nicolas Herman or Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection
Born 1614 Died 1691
Author of The Practice of the Presence of God

 

He that loveth not

He that loveth not know not God, for God is love. John 4:8.

Love is the main principle of Christian life. Herein consists Christian liberty: a Christian is freed from the law, yet he does what the law requires, and more, because his obedience is not of the letter but of the spirit.  Thomas Chalmers

1780-1847

So much as to eat

Jesus said, Come ye yourselves apart into a desert place, and rest awhile: for there were many coming and going, and they had no leisure so much as to eat.  Mark 6:31.

God loves to be longed for, He longs to be sought, He died for desire of us,---marvelous thought!
And He yearns for us now to be with Him above.  Faber.

We were on our way to the Bonefish Grill to celebrate the 97th birthday of Helena Powers. Melanie was driving, I was in the passenger seat, Jordon in the back seat. The Camry pulled up to the Archer exit and the light was yellow. Jordon said, Run it,Mom! Mom stopped. To our left was the man with the sign, Hungry, Need Food. Melanie fished for her purse as the light turned. We sped on.
In our silence we pondered the man at the corner, hungry, as we went toward the restaurant.
We speculated on him. Probably a drunk, probably not really homeless, etc.
To no avail. The Holy Spirit had already pricked at the run the light! And thus, into our leisure we went, not into a desert, but into an oasis of plenty.
And where did the man with the sign wind up tonight?