WORD

A Month from Matthew – 22

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name?

and in thy name have cast out devils?

and in thy name done many wonderful works?  7.22

[ One of the most serious verses in the Bible ! ]

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Old poem/card

SEASONS TOGETHER (21^st card)

Twenty-five firecracker chimes

Revolutionary birthday times

And twenty-five Augusts, nightly growing corn’s tower

Twenty-five September morns

Red schoolhouse bells and yellow bus horns

And kids of all ages held in learning’s strong power.

 

Twenty-five wonderful falls

Chirping squirrels, rustling leaves, wild geese calls

And twenty-five feasts of black pilgrim hat and feather

Martha and I have enjoyed

First alone and then gratefully toyed

Twenty-five celebrations of His birth together.

 

Twenty-five blue and white ways

Frost/snow filled, first-month, icicled days

Twenty-five months to remember Abraham and George

Twenty-five advents of spring

Mud on the ground and robin on wing

An’ lambs all respecting wind that came as from a forge

 

Ah twenty-five daffodils

April arrives with Easter frills

And twenty-five Mays with cricket and frog all attune

Then comes the long awaited

The one for which our breath was baited

That hot last long nineteen and sixty-one night in June

 

Twenty-five full great love years

A lot of happiness, a few tears

And the joys of Andrew, Lincoln, Laura and Heather

Now this month we celebrate

The birth of Christ, earth’s true Potentate

We’ve hallowed it these twenty-five seasons…together

– eab,Dec. ‘86

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How much do We love God?

Love God

more than you love His Gifts

more than you love His Globe

more than you love His Grace

more than you love His Great saints

– eab, 7/8/10

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BRIGHTEST OF BRIGHTS

 

Twas the darkest of nights,

Far from village lights,

In a stable, lonely, forlorn;

That the Kings of kings,

The Brightest of “brights,”

Descended to be born.

– eab, 12/22/06

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Away in a Manger

ON THIS DATE

John Thomas McFarland died 12/22/1913, at Ma­ple­wood, NJ.  He was ed­u­cat­ed at Simp­son Coll­ege, Io­wa Wes­ley­an Un­i­ver­si­ty, & Bos­ton Un­i­ver­si­ty School of The­ol­o­gy and pastored in IA, IL, RI, NY & KS.  It was while Sec­re­ta­ry of the Board of Sun­day Schools (NYC) however that he came to national attention. It was there he wrote, “Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay” (3^rd verse to Away in a Manger) in about an hour from when he started.  Some believe Mar­tin Lu­ther wrote verses 1&2, some reject that but we DO know who wrote verse 3.  Mcfarland was born 1/2/1851 at Mount Ver­non, IN.

Be near me, Lord Jesus, I ask Thee to stay Close by me forever, and love me, I pray;

Bless all the dear children in Thy tender care, And fit us for Heaven to live with Thee there.

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