May the LORD judge between us what is true
and lead us graciously to higher ground,
grant peace to each of us where discord’s found,
correct us when our ways have gone askew.
May we be open to His gentle ****
which keeps and guides us safely back toward home,
stay close upon His heels, not idly roam,
find comfort in His Shepherd’s staff and rod.
He has right paths prepared where we might grow
into His likeness, freed from chaining sin.
And one way or the other He will win—
to sanctify by truth or chastise-blow.
In mercy, loving-kindness, faithfulness
He disciplines His own for Heaven’s bliss.

A vision of us standing on that Day—
before Christ, eye to eye with souls’ Delight—
ignites heart’s fire to reach toward richest height,
forsake world’s common road for Glory’s Way.
I crave that sacred path—its holiness—
where wisdom and humility join hands,
where purifying difficulty stands
while prudence often feels like loneliness.
Brother, can you see this vision also,
as dross all burns away and gold shines forth,
displaying precious gems of our faith’s worth?
Let’s chase it hard and Christ more closely follow!
In Heaven—fixed on Jesus all the while—
our eyes shall catch, then nod with knowing smile.

I.
In the beginning
God was,
And the blackbird
Was not.

II.
And Adam called it a blackbird;
And that was the name thereof.

mosquito
made by
God
con spirito,
buzzzinging
by my
ear
(while birds are singing),
God
made u
& i

Eternally accepted in God’s Son,
His righteousness now credited to me,
I’m pardoned, justified, set fully free.
By grace through faith, hesed is ne’er undone.
No merit of myself on which to stand,
my works of flesh and law won’t favor earn.
But God Himself in Christ, I’d finally learn,
had satisfied each holy, just demand.
And by same grace through faith that justifies,
Christ’s working out His righteousness in those,
by covenant before the world, He knows,
e’er keeps, upholds, protects and sanctifies.
Because in Jesus Christ I am approved,
from trusting in His love I’ll not be moved.

As true as the Trinity
And Christ's divinity,
And as heavy as gravity,
My total depravity
Is undeniable.
But God created me justifiable,—
Me, who's more of a Don Knotts
Than an Isaac Watts.

As I breathed in deep fresh air,
its sharpness a timely kick to my lungs,
I uttered words of praise to God –
these words were unfeigned honest feelings.
Instantly a smothering weariness slackened its grip, faith and nature the sure-fire tonic to fragments of a bruised soul.
Overhead, Terns coasted: side to side like a pendulum.
Swirling unseen, the wind stroked my exposed skin
as the springy grass began to waltz between my uncovered toes –
the sunlit reflections on a glassy brook
unveiling a gaiety
etched on my widening smile.
Crisp water in cupped palms slapped against my butter-soft cheeks
that flushed a plump-wine-red
(full of fruitful vigour),
and satisfied the thirst for assurance – invariably found within the Lord.

I place my empty vessels with the King.
Once filled with longing, sentiment and pride,
they sated no one’s thirst, though ego tried—
sin, disappointment, sorrow, hurt ’t would bring.
Knowing devilish poison these contained,
reminded old, dead dregs drained from each spout,
all sediment’ry visage I poured out
of Dionysian wine heartstrings had feigned.
Now in God’s presence, as He cleans smeared crocks
from motives, meanings, memories of words
and clears my mind from myths’ entangling cords,
a tale-abating door behind me locks.
I’m freed! The Gospel story’s what I’ll tell
and offer Living Water from Christ’s well!

What does it mean to be begotten
does adam think jesus is spoiled rotten
is eve still holding an ace up her sleeve
who is the serpent trying to deceive