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About bigskybuckeye

Born in the Big Sky Country of Montana and now living in the Buckeye State of Ohio, Richard is the creative mind behind Big Sky Buckeye. Retired after 40 years of teaching, I enjoy writing, photography, traveling, and following a healthy lifestyle.

Monday Memories: Capturing Courage

Written and published in June, 2019, this poem witnesses acts of courage through Scripture and history.   Each and every day, people from all walks of life exhibit unwavering courage in the face of overwhelming odds . . . and they succeed through the convictions found in their hearts.

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Appreciate the substance and strength of courage

Witnessing acts of bravery that always encourage

 

History and the Bible endorse many courageous acts

Honoring men and women from these truthful facts

 

A lost and sinful world moves without direction

God offers a living sacrifice with His only Son

Witnessing mockery, death, and Resurrection

 

Dutch people step out from safe location

During a horrible world war’s persecution

Hiding people from arrest and deportation

 

God listens to His people in Egypt under bondage

Choosing Moses, He dispatches this man to deliver

Bravely leading Israel to freedom and a new age

 

In America, runaway slaves flee to seek new lives

A network of collaborators facilitate their escape

Following the Underground Railroad, they survive

 

The Philistines prepare Israel’s army for defeat

A young boy’s valor and faith astonishes everyone

With God, David brings down Goliath, at his feet

 

A young boy faces serious and critical circumstances

Cancer ravages and impairs his brain and small body

Facing pain-filled treatments, he accepts his chances

 

Saul persecutes Christians, constant and persistent

Jesus transforms him on the lonely road to Damascus

Apostle Paul moves forward as God’s faithful assistant

 

American soldiers confront an overwhelming fate

Fighting their way out at Korea’s Chosin Reservoir

Legendary deeds of bravery, they no longer wait

 

Jesus models the Spirit of God in humble, human form

He faithfully obeys His Father, toward a bloody Cross

Bringing Salvation to a world filled with endless storms

 

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Making a Difference

From 1 Corinthians 1:8-9:  “He will also strengthen you to the end, so that you may be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.  God is faithful; by Him you were called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.”

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Responsible actions

Stir God’s amazing grace

Making a difference

Foundation’s caring base

 

Lord, master, creator

From heaven to this earth

Making a difference

Anchors ships at His berth

 

Inviting each of us

Share His Word with others

Making a difference

Love sisters and brothers

 

Lord calling us to serve

Caring for those in need

Making a difference

Loving each tender reed

 

Blessed with Father’s goodness

Fortunate with enough

Making a difference

For others, do enough

 

Our Lord reaches deeply

Into souls, hearts, and minds

Making a difference

Servant’s gifts will He find

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From 1 Peter 4:8-10:  “ Above all, maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins.  Be hospitable to one another without complaining.  Like good stewards of the manifold grace of God, serve one another with whatever gift each of you has received.”

Robert Schuller Quote

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Faith is the courage to face reality with hope.

From Lamentations 3:22-24:  “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.  ‘The Lord is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in Him.'”

Missing the Bus

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Little Johnny hurried down the sidewalk.  Catching his breath upon reaching his school bus stop, he waited and waited.

Soon his fate began sinking in.  He had missed the bus . . . again!

The warm and sunny morning invited him to walk across the street to a park.  Curious and feeling playful, he explored and enjoyed some spontaneous fun.  Readin’ and writin’ and rithmetic could wait a spell.

Minutes turned into a couple of hours.  Feeling hungry, Johnny discovered a perfect hideout under a nearby pine tree.  He pulled out his brown bag lunch.

Following a quick lunch, he felt a bit sleepy.  Fresh air, plenty of exercise, and a filling lunch made him drowsy.  Curling up under the tree, Johnny was soon snoozing on a bed of soft needles.

Stirring awake, the noise of his rickety school bus shuttling down the street reminded him that school was over for another day.

Upon reaching his house, Johnny’s loving mother met him at the door.  Her stern-looking frown told him to watch out . . . caught again!

 

Thomas Carlyle Quote

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The great law of culture:  Let each become all that he was created capable of being.

From Proverbs 24:27:  “Prepare your work outside, get everything ready for you in the field; and after that build your house.”

Christian Guideposts (Elfchen Series #48)

Growing

Actions

Strengthen faith

Praise in worship

Bible study and prayer

Maturity

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Reshaping

Love

None greater

Taught by Jesus

Transforming us today . . . and

Forever

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Living

Beginnings

Life’s quest

Dust we are

Dust we shall return

Endings

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This series of poems (written in the German-inspired style of Elfchen or Elevenie) shares a total of eleven words in each poem, with a sequence by line of one, two, three, four, and one words.

Grace Taking Root

From John 1:16-17:  “From His fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.  The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.”

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Best and worst of times

God’s grace always chimes

 

Loving and caring

Promises bearing

 

God remains at hand

Faith and hope shall stand

 

Seeking empty hearts

Molding time’s restart

 

Life’s melody plays

Offer Him our praise

 

God’s grace taking root

Peace filling love’s flute

 

Gloom and doom appear

Allow Him to steer

 

God’s love shows He cares

Guiding day’s affairs

 

Hope’s beacon awaits

In His hands, our fate

 

Witness as His child

Life no longer wild

 

Forgiveness and love

Shared from God above

 

God’s grace shapes life’s frame

Praise His Holy name 

 

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From Lamentations 3:22-23:  “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

This poem is inspired from some past entries in my “Take-Aways” journal.  Each entry is based upon something read and studied in a morning devotional.

Oswald Chambers Quote

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We can never fathom the agony . . . Gethsemane and Calvary stand for something unique; they are the gateway into Life for us.

From Matthew 26:36-38:  “Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, ‘Sit here while I go over there and pray.’  He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated.  Then He said to them, ‘I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with me.'”