Constant effort and frequent mistakes are the stepping stones to genius.
A failure is a man who has blundered, but is not able to cash in the experience.
Elbert Hubbard (1856-1915) was an American writer, philosopher, and artist. Much of his work became more recognized in the years following his death when both he and his wife perished with the sinking of the RMS Lusitania during World War I.
Relationship
With Father
Through timeless prayer
Grace connects us together
Hope
Guidance
Holy Spirit
Empowering our obedience
Following God’s sacred will
Faith
Revelation
God’s Word
Strengthens our character
Transforming life’s imbalanced alignment
Believe
Let every man of whatsoever craft or occupation he be of . . . serve his brethren.
From Joshua 24:14-15: “Now therefore revere the Lord, and serve Him in sincerity and in faithfulness; put away the gods that your ancestors served beyond the River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. Now if you are unwilling to serve the Lord, choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served in the region beyond the River or the gods of the Amorites in whose land you are living; but as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”
Howling wind joins darkness
From mountains standing tall
Screaming into valleys
Her spirit lives to bawl
River bottom cuts through
Shudders at her loud cry
Escaping into night
Her spirit never dies
Myths and legends live on
Woman wanders away
Never noticed again
Her spirit roams to prey
Crazy Woman Mountains
Dramatic island range
Lives into eternity
Her spirit must not change
Another winter night
Shivering voice calls out
Noisy lungs never sleep
Her spirit lives throughout
Montana’s Crazy Mountains stand as a sentry above the valley near the town of Big Timber. Nicknamed the “Crazies,” the wind always seems to be blowing. If you wish to read more about them, here is a link to the mountains.
Real friendship, like real poetry, is extremely rare–and precious as a pearl.
Poetry is a form of mathematics, a highly rigorous relationship with words.
Tahar Ben Jelloun is a Moroccan-born novelist and poet. Living in Paris, his published works are written in French. His writings have been honored with numerous awards, and he was nominated for a Noble Prize in Literature
From Psalm 27:1: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”
Father walking nearby
Hearing heartfelt prayers
Healing life’s brokenness
Always present, God cares
Dark fears and emotions
Steps stumble, almost fall
Slowly confidence grows
Feeding faith from God’s call
Recalling faithfulness
God’s hope covers this place
Healing former despairs
Love shining through His grace
During days of trouble
Stirring praises of joy
Father’s shelter protects
Grace’s refuge deploys
Once withdrawn in darkness
His light calling lives out
Always present, God cares
Love covering throughout
From Psalm 27:13-14: “I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”
Everywhere in life, the true question is not what we gain, but what we do.
All that mankind has done, thought or been: it is lying as in magic preservation in the pages of books.
Perseverance roams
Ingenuity flies high—
Planet “Mars” explored
Hidden by dense woods
Living through generations—
Treasured, seasoned home
Sowing fertile fields
Nurturing with tender care—
Tomorrow’s goodness
Instead of seeing our difficulties as loss, we need to view them as a means God uses to build endurance.
From James 1:2-4: “My brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of any kind, consider it nothing but joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance; and let endurance have its full effect, so that you may be mature and complete, lacking in nothing.”
Searching the local bookstore for one of the all-time classics to read, I find myself wandering the nearly infinite rows of bookcases, overflowing with books of every kind. I am not looking for just any book, mind you. My reading appetite hungers for something rich in prose, but the book needs to fit my personal definition of a classic.
As I walk around, my eyes notice many classics of American literature. I flip through pages of book after book. Hmm, “not this one” becomes my common response. Frustration is beginning to set in, and the time is growing late.
The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne
The Last of the Mohicans by James Fenimore Cooper
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
While these books would fill many lists of some of the most treasured novels to read, my appetite is still looking for something with the “crowning glory” of literature. My vigilant book search continues.
Coming around a corner, the final section of the enormous store is laid out in front of me. This overly small section of is buzzing with activity. A large gathering of book lovers are digging all over its shelves. What stories are these readers of classic literature finding here?
“Jonah and the Whale”
“Moses Leads Israel Home”
“Daniel in the Lion’s Den”
“David vs. Goliath”
“Abraham and Isaac”
“Noah Builds an Ark”
Feeling the excitement now as well, my eyes capture a beautiful volume with the above stories, but I also discover “The Greatest Story of All-Time” about a Galilean named Jesus Christ.
My spiritual journey has finished at last. The Holy Bible will fill my spiritual hunger for an eternity. Amen!
Big Sky Buckeye 