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The will to win, the desire to succeed, the urge to reach your full potential . . . these are the keys that will unlock the door to personal excellence.
Legendary football coach Eddie Robinson served as the head coach at Grambling State University for 56 years. He molded the lives of numerous young men through his renowned football program.
From Ecclesiastes 3:1: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.
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Life’s journey moves into another season
Advancing time, with its definite reasons
Memories of seasons, they forever last
Recalling God’s creation, from seasons past
Life renews each and every spring
Arriving now, robins begin to sing
Harsh, dark winter—absent for good
Sending nourishing rains, because God could
Spring’s greenery gives way to summer
Seeing color-filled blossoms, never a bummer
Gardens filling with color and shapes
Maturing crops, waiting for harvest’s date
With summer’s waning days, autumn arrives
Changing colors, bring another fall alive
Maples, oaks, and others astound us
Feeling cooler temperatures, without any fuss
Autumn exits too soon, winter approaches
Bundling up, frigid cold boldly encroaches
Snow deepens from another Arctic blast
Asking, how long will winter last?
God guides lives through each season
Bringing hope, never question His reason
Eventually, another season arrives once again
Witnessing God’s creation, He decides when
Each season fuels life’s humble needs
Living with God, offering glorious deeds
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There are times when to speak is to violate the moment–when silence represents the highest respect. The word for such times is reverence.
From Psalm 46:10: “Be still, and know that I am God! I am exalted in the earth.”
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From Mark 9:41: “For truly I tell you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because you bear the name of Christ will by no means lose the reward.”
Our faithfulness calls God at night
Please send renewing rain, so bright
Rain clouds congregate over the woods
Moisture joyously arrives, as God could
Bringing life to Eden’s vast garden
God creates rain, no longer starving
Tiny drops journey towards the ground
Lightly splashing leaves, barely a sound
God refreshes His creation, starting new
Raining days and nights, never through
Elevate all acclamation in God’s sight
Restore His heritage and Holy might
God’s rain yields a harvest, bountiful
Blessing our empty lives, how beautiful
Nature receives food from God’s hand
Adding greener foliage, across the land
From the Heavens, flow God’s blessings
Bring sustaining rains to life’s settings
Dry, thirsty landscape welcomes the rain
Renews life’s spirit, while conquering pain
Ask God, to forgive sinful ways
He restores lives with rain today
Faithfully, God quietly satisfies nature’s thirst
Christ rises, paying our transgressions first
Though our shortcomings are always present
Quench our thirst Lord, Heavenly pleasant
Drink heartedly from the rushing rain
Experience God’s love, easing our pain
With His blessings, our cup overflows
God identifies our needs, here below
From Psalm 23:5: “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies; you anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.”
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The Bible is a Christian’s guidebook, and I believe the knowledge it sheds on pain and suffering is the great antidote to fear for suffering people. Knowledge can dissolve fear as light destroys darkness.
From 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work.
Lost in the darkness
God, please be with me always—
He lights a new way
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Long before I was born
God already knew about me—
He made me His own
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A life shattered, lost
Feeling refreshing waters—
Transformed by God’s love
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During my days of deepest grief, in all of my shock, sorrow, and struggle, I sat at the feet of God. I literally spent hours each day reading God’s Word, meditating on Scripture, and praying. I intentionally spent a significant amount of time being still before God.
From Psalm 23:1-4: “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside still waters; He restores my soul. He leads me in right paths for His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff–they comfort me.”
Far older than every one of the neighboring trees
Standing taller than many, all take notice and see
The prized King of Walnut Woods reigns today
Calling him Mister Sycamore, his subjects say
With branches elevating up towards the sky
Measuring his girth, takes many hands to try
Visitors pause to salute nature’s monarch
Standing in reverence as park’s landmark
The Woods change from season to season
Watching over all, is the King’s main reason
He holds on to his leaves longer in fall
Guarding the land in winter, always tall
His leaves take some time to fill out in spring
Providing ample shade in summer is his thing
His expansive canopy of branches spreads wide
Peeling off sections of bark, creates whitish sides
His heir, the Prince, waiting in the wings
Rising lean and tall by a creek, he sings
Farther away, a thick grove of younger ones wait
Dreaming who will grow to be the tallest, so great
Mister Sycamore loves many Bible stories
Lifting Jesus up in total and brilliant glory
The story of Zacchaeus climbing a Sycamore tree
Being much too short for Jesus to find, there he be
Ohio’s biggest recorded tree is an American Sycamore found in Ashland County near Jeromesville. The tree is at least 200 years old, stands 88 feet tall, and measures 326 inches around its circumference.
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I love the melodies in the Old Testament, how preachers highlight them when they read from the Scripture. But I was influenced forever by the New Testament. I love the Beatitudes, informing us that the meek shall inherit the earth.
From Matthew 5:1-12: “When Jesus saw the crowds, He went up the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him. Then He began to speak, and taught them, saying:”
Here is another edition of Monday Memories, where Big Sky Buckeye brings back a previous post from months ago. Today’s poem was written back in October, 2018, and the content has been updated just a bit. Enjoy some fun with this short, yet humorous poem.
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Down the road skips the cat with the fiddle
Singing and playing, but ready with a riddle
Feeling happy and joyous on a sunny morn
Always looking at his life without any scorn
Passing by, a child asks the friendly cat
Why don’t you trade that fiddle for a bat
Replying back, a bat was used many years in the past
Playing as a member of a regretfully bad baseball cast
Leaving a life on the ball diamond without a smile
Skipping to an exciting destiny to walk many a mile
Now days are filled with music and merry vibes
Feel free to join me on my journey and be alive
Big Sky Buckeye 