Memento Mori

 Cindy Williams, the actress, is dead at 75. She was born at the same time I was. This is my "Memento Mori."

The Bible tells us that “We live for 70 years, or 80 years if we're healthy, yet even in the prime years there are troubles and sorrow. They pass by quickly and we fly away.” (Psalm 90:10) 

Princess Alice, who was the mother of Prince Phillip, the husband of Queen Elizabeth, once said, “When you reach seventy you are no longer a participant but only an observer. Your only responsibility is to wait patiently and stay out of the way."

In "Paradise Lost," an epic poem by the 17th-century English poet John Milton, the Archangel Michael spoke to Adam as he and Eve were ushered out of Paradise and gave them some advice. He said, “If you watch what you eat and drink and don’t overdo it you can live a long life. Then, when you get old you will die a more peaceful death. However, your eyesight and your hearing will get weak and you won’t have much fun anymore. You will lose your youthful enthusiasm for life and become melancholy. Don’t hate your life or love it too much. Just live the best way that you can, come what may. Learn to be patient and happy. That is the best way to live. Don’t worry, God will still love you no matter what if you keep your faith in Him. His Holy Spirit is present in everything living thing and He is just a heartbeat away, listening for your prayers which He will answer bye and bye. Even a short repentant sigh or a good deed done in His name will go a long way, for He is always listening and watching." I would only add, "In the meantime, muddle through and carry on, stick it out, stay alive, and keep breathing."

Where were you...?

 We can't know what we don't know if we never even thought about it. 

God asks us, “Where were you when I laid the foundation of the Earth?”

We answer, “We were there, Lord, potential and implicit, at the Big Bang,

By the grace of God, an inevitable and unstoppable force majeure,

Like a hurricane wind in that overwhelmingly deep womb of creation. 

We, who answer you, your anointed and  ever evolving children,

Who strive toward enlightenment for your honor and glory, 

While opening our eyes to a reality whose wonders never cease.

Hear us, O Lord, and guide us on our journey to your Paradise.

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Forgive us Lord, please.

Perdónanos El Señor, por favor.
Hablamos casi cada día
Con el chisme y de la chusma,
O de la pobreza y de los proles,
Y del costo de los frijoles.
O “¿Va a llover, o no?”
Y “¡Que caliente el sol!”
También de mal gobierno.
Por y para, todo y nada,
Platicamos día tras día,
Y no pasa nada todavía.
Ayúdanos Papa Dios,
Evitar las tonterías.
Señor, Señor, Señor,
M​á​ndanos pena y dolor,
Pero discutir con los locos,
No nos manda Señor...¡Por favor!
¡Amen! 

Forgive us Lord, please.
We talk almost every day
With the gossip about the riff-raff,
Or of poverty and common folk,
And the cost of the beans.
Or, “Is it going to rain or not?”
And “How hot the sun is!”
Also about bad government.
By and by, everything and nothing,
We talk day after day
And still nothing happens.
Help us Heavenly Father,
To avoid foolishness.
Lord, Lord, Lord,
Send us sorrow and pain,
But to argue with the crazy ones,
Don't send us Lord... Please!
Amen! 

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Hell to pay?

I didn't ask to be born into this world.
The terms are very tough indeed.
If it be thy will Lord, turn me into dust again,
For it is not for me to make endless misery for myself.
Thy will be done and not mine but please have mercy dear God 
The choice between eternal life or eternal damnation 
Makes no sense to me at all. Of course I choose eternal life, 
I am not stupid nor am I complaining, I'm just puzzled.
I'm trying to enjoy all of the good things that you have given me 
But I am fearful of the hell to pay if I make the wrong choice.
I know you chose to give me life and the free will to choose you,
And reward me when I do, but at times I worry about it.
When sinful behavior appears more tempting than good 
And I am weak, I fear eternal damnation. 
What if I am trapped in my grave or some cold dark abyss 
And and physically be dead but still alive spiritually to contemplate 
Forever the poor choices that I had made in life.
Heavenly Father, please save me from myself. 
Take away my useless worrying, anxieties and fears.
Forgive my sins and grant me peace in my heart.
Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done,
On Earth as it is in Heaven. Amen!

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Keep the Faith

God has a message for you, and is waiting patiently for your call.
Get in touch with Him through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit.
He wants you to know that He loves you and that if you believe in Him,
He will take away your anxieties and fears and forgive your "mistakes."
Call on Him and He will answer you and show you many great things.
Wait patiently for His blessings and tread a righteous path.
In the meantime keep the faith and never give up, for He is our strength.
Eternal life will set us free and this freedom is free for the asking.
The bill was paid by Jesus Christ on the cross long ago.
I found the Lord Jesus and Jesus loves me.
Thank you Lord Jesus for setting me free! 

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When will we ever learn?

Political corruption in a society is like a cancer.

When a cancer spreads all over a body,

Cutting off a finger will be of little help.

Elections happen so that the old money can go out

And come back masquerading as new money.

The country is no longer run by elected leaders.

The country is run by money and purchased leaders.

Leadership becomes the appearance of leadership.

Those brave and honest souls who try and buck the system

Are dragged down like a deer by a pack of wild dogs.

When the skeletons are found and removed from the closet,

Plenty of new skeletons will take their place.

Violent revolution is not a good thing. It goes on forever.

Peace is the first rule of civilization, and,  

Without morality there can be no peace.

"Science" is not our creator, nor our savior.

Almighty God isn't dead. He is alive and well.

He was, and is, and forever shall be the same.

He is telling us for the umpteenth time:

"If My people who are called by My name

Humble themselves and pray, and seek My face,

And turn away from their wicked ways,

Then I will hear their prayers from Heaven, I will

Forgive their sins, and heal their land." (2 Chron 7:14)

Please tell me, Oh Lord. When will we ever learn?  

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Here is solace, let worries cease.

Threescore and ten is the beginning of the end,

When one begins to understand the reality of mortality.

Don't be blinded by only what you can see, but

Break the bond between your mortal eyes

And your immortal soul, and fix upon the essence

Of what lies beyond our earthly experience.

The answers are in the realm of the metaphysical.

Don't be blind to the certainty of the Creator,

And don't be willfully blind to your blindness.

All will eventually be revealed at the end of time.

It's just a matter of putting patience to the test.

Life is like a book and every day is a new page,

Until you find yourself on the last one and then

It says, "The End!" but if you believe in God,

It will say instead..."To Be Continued!"

We have God's Word on it!  (John 1:1-3)

"In the beginning the Word already existed.

The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

God created everything through Him."

When you finally see His face the Word will say.

"Come weary traveler, take your ease,

Here is solace, let worries cease."

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Drenched in Sunshine

 I spend my nights holding back my fears,

Thinking about all of those poor souls

Who are lost in indecision, depression, and gloom.

The empty idols of money, power, and sexual desires,

Hide the real truth from their dissonant consciences.

The conflict is in the choice to believe in God or not.

Devil inspired temptations lead people into mental obscurity,

Where the compromise seems to be simple but deadly,

"If it feels good, do it, and if it hurts, just avoid it."

Men search for a Rapunzel who spins straw into gold

Women hope for a husband with the touch of Midas,

But there is no king Midas and no lady Rapunzel.

They are just fairy tales and are not part of reality.

Wishful thinking alone cannot make dreams come true.

The way, the truth, and the life of Jesus Christ is the treasure.

He lives in the hearts of each and every person of good will

That loves Almighty God, the Creator of Heaven and Earth,

With their whole heart, and soul, and mind...AND,

Who loves their fellow human beings without exception.

Sunshine lives within me and I am drenched in spiritual sunlight.

Nothing's more beautiful under the sun than to be with the Son!

The Strongest Medicine

Tears shed before God are the strongest medicine.

It takes a lot of tears to mend a broken heart,

And prayer is what comes from your soul.

It is the voicing of all that was left unsaid,

That helps your heart find the peace you seek.

My soul awaits the coming of the Lord,

More than watchmen wait for the morning,  

Where there is no vision there is no rainbow.

Dream of Paradise, Don't give in to the dark side.

It is always a beautiful Sunday morning in Heaven.  

I'm headed there at sixty minutes an hour,

And no one can stop me but me, myself, and I.

Oh Lord, you delivered Daniel from the lion's den.

You delivered Jonah from the belly of the fish, and

Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from the oven.

Lord, please deliver me from evil also, Amen!

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The Strongest Medicine

Suddenly, at the cheerless threshold of old age,

And with a nagging touch of hypochondria,

I'm caught between skepticism and optimism

About my voyage in life and my cargo of regrets,

My soul has scars that were left by errors

In the quest for my share of sun, sky, air and light,

My daily bread, water, and shelter for the night,

From the rising of the sun to the going down thereof.

One's past is not a life sentence. It's a lesson to be learned.

Destiny always seems decades away, but suddenly it's not.

It's right now, this minute, right here, upon this very spot.

I want an end that comes towards me slowly, like my old dog,

Who would place his head in my lap wanting to be petted.

I am a defender of the status quo, not ready for the future shock

That is already here, but isn't equally distributed.

Doubts may flit about me and block my access to the light,

But tears shed before God are the strongest medicine.

The Holy Spirit lives within me and will never let me down.

I will pray continuously for peace of mind and peace on earth

Even to the last clod of dirt thrown upon my grave. 

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