It matters not how important that you become.
It matters not how wealthy that you have become.
It does not matter how smart that you are my friend.
It matters not how successful that you have become.
What matters is how much you love God and others.
For to be loved by everyone , for how you made them feel.
For Love is the Greatest Gift that we can share with others.
For it is by far greater then diamonds and Gold coins.
Love can heal the brokenness that lives within you too.
But just imagine what one whom loves with Gold and Love combine.
How much Christ uses them to love and bless others here on the earth.

life and death intertwined in a mysterious embrace
meaning embedded in the flesh and carved into the soul

beauty finds a way even in suffering and in the end
we all become one

A man went for a walk one day. He seemed to be searching for something as he hurried about, "Just a rock covered in dirt nothing special he says while he walks away".
  A little girl walking down the same path carefully inspects each rock
  She examines each one and than picks up the same rock that the man
  had rejected.
  She holds it in her hands lifts it up toward the sun and says," you may not look like much outside , but I have a feeling that your true worth lies within you".
She excitedly skips down the path and brings it home and proudly presents the rock to her father.
He carefully takes the rock and breaks it open and discovers the treasure that lies within, a geode that is sparkling like diamonds in the light.
In life people at times are too quick to judge according to appearances alone. They hurry through life seem to be searching for something but not taking time to discover what life has to offer us through one another. They might even perceive that another person is like dirt,and with that misconception they miss out in discovering another's true worth.
Upon closer examination they might discover that the other person has many great qualities and can become a treasured friend.
If only they would slow down and take the time to take a closer look so that they don't miss the hidden treasure that lies within.

"How do you know which one to choose", my granddaughter Emily asked , as we pulled into the parking lot of the shelter. "It will be the first one that gets up to meet us" I said, with a bit of anxiety.
After registering at the desk, we began the walk down the aisle, looking at the occupants of those cages that lined both sides. All of a sudden, about 10 feet in front of us, a grey and black striped leg with a white foot, came protruding out from the front of a cage. The paw began "flexing", as if signaling, "Hey! Over here!"
As I held her, and Emily stroked her forehead, she emanated a very strong, exuberant, vibrating, purr; contented, unafraid, her head tucked into the crook of my arm. We had found my Guardian Angel!

I whispered to her as softly as I knew how:

"We are going home-
I will always keep you safe,
I will never harm you
You will always have shelter, food, and water-
I will keep you warm in the winter........
and cool in the summer.......
You will not 'want', for love."


As I whispered those words, her purr grew stronger, her paw flexing against my arm. For you see, I am convinced that God told her we were coming, and to give us a sign to let us know where she was. It was He, who chose her for us. Some of you may not agree with that, and that's okay. It's important that me and Emily believe it. Regardless of which room I'm in(except the bath), she is there, as she is now, asleep on the foot of the bed as I write. My home isn't empty.... anymore.

copyright: richard riddle-11-11-2015

Here, and over here -
The fortunate sons

Those who made it home
To fields and hills of native tongue
In the soil their people toiled
- They listen quietly when we come


There, and over there -
Beneath crossed lines too many

Still - they man the trenches
Along the Marne and Somme
Below the woods of Belleau
And the forest of Argonne

No sonnets in a foreign language
Rendered where they languish -
The distant rest far and away
In a cold November grave


We should remember
Here and there
The old lie -

And the young.

r ~ 11/11/14

Would you be free from your burden of sin?
There's power in the blood, power in the blood;
Would you o'er evil a victory win?
There's wonderful power in the blood.

There is power , power , wonder-working power,
In the blood of the Lamb;
There is power , power, wonder-working power,
In the precious blood of the Lamb.

Would you be free from your passion and pride ?
There's power in the blood , power in the blood;
Come for a cleansing to Calvary's tide;
There's wonderful power in the blood.

Would  you be whiter, much whiter than snow?
There's  power in the blood , power in the blood,
Sin stains are lost in its life-giving flow,
There's wonderful power in the blood.

Would you do service for Jesus your King?
There's power in the blood, power in the blood;
Would you live daily His praises to sing?
There's wonderful power in the blood.

In Winnipeg
they dig the winter graves
in autumn
before the sun sleeps
and the ground freezes.

They guess the number
of holes to dig.
They respect the cold
and the winter dead.

Death prediction
is a fine art
in Winnipeg.  


© M.L.Emmett

calculating heart of mine
be gone!
and may unbridled generosity take its place

Party on Friday-
Same on Saturday-

Go to church on Sunday-
Pray for forgiveness

Start over again on Monday-
After all, you've been forgiven-

Or............have you?

You'll find out............later!

(Just because you think you're safe..."your **** could still be in a vise!")

copyright: Richard riddle 11/05/2015