Posted in Authorized Version, Bible, christmas poems, history, Jesus Christ, KJV, philosophy, poem, uncategorized, worship, tagged RIGHT TIME on January 17, 2015|
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At the right city, In the right time,
By the right mother, From the right line,
To the right nation, In the right tribe;
Christ came to earth humanity to imbibe.
– eab, Jan. ‘81 [Gal 4.4]
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Posted in Authorized Version, Bible, christmas poems, Free will, holy living, Jesus Christ, KJV, nature, philosophy, poem, uncategorized, worship, tagged BEYOND Beginning on January 5, 2015|
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The shepherds have returned
To wooly flocks on the hill
The inn keeper now wishes
He could his small inn fill
Mary, post-delivery
Is not longer pregnant, ill.
The world’s most famous morning now is past.
The wise men have returned
To their studies in the East
Herod has completed his
Contemplated blood “feast”
Joseph, Family in Egypt
Are “visitors” at least.
Jesus is a growing “toddler” at last.
And you, friend, have returned
To living glad, or forlorn
Returned to shops and streets
Filled with scurry and loud horn
Remember, remember
Christ for you was gladly born.
Hold to His redeeming love, hold it fast!
– eab, 1/5/08
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WORDS (24th card)
I’m sure it has already come to light,
That what you now hold in your hand,
Started out as a very plain post card,
(On which some fellow acted like a “bard”)
Card-stock from trees grown in our land.
But its not just a plain card now, right? Right!
CHRISTMAS LOVE & GREETINGS it shares.
And though it cannot replace a handshake,
(Nor the of “Alexander Graham” take,)
Communication it still dares!
Words come from this card, clad in “black and light.”
Words which hurry along cold miles
To say, “Oh, we remember those good years”
(Who could forget Blessings, Hard Work, and Tears?)
Words say, “We’d love to see YOUR smiles.”
Christ also, on that far Judean night,
Appeared as a “plain” Jewish Child
He seemed to be made of regular stock;
(Till He gave, at twelve, the doctors a shock.)
He was the Father’s, meek, mild.
God expressed His Word – expressed it so right.
The Divine Logos showed His love.
The Word, His Word, was wonderful we know,
(Far exceeding what this small card can show.)
Because His Word was from above.
With thoughts, terms, phrases a writer must fight;
The Lord with majestic insight
Has His syntax air-tight.
(God’s words delight!)
Outright.
– eab, Dec. ‘89
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Posted in Bible, christmas poems, Jesus Christ, today in history, uncategorized, worship, tagged awake, Christians, John Byrom, salute the happy morn on December 25, 2014|
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ON THIS DATE
John Byrom on 12/25/1745 presented this carol to his daughter. Byrom attended Cambridge (graduated MA) & became a Fellow of Trinity College. He declining to take Holy Orders & married Elizabeth Byrom (a cousin). He earned a living teaching shorthand (invented his own system). In 1723, he was elected Fellow of the Royal Society. Byrom was born 2/29/1691 & died 9/26/1763 – both at Manchester, England.
He wrote several hymns but wrote this one for Dolly.
Christians, awake, salute the happy morn Whereon the Savior of the world was born. Rise to adore the mystery of love Which hosts of angels chanted from above, With them the joyful tidings first begun Of God incarnate and the virgin’s son.
(5 more stanzas follow see http://www.hymntime.com/tch/htm/c/a/s/casthamo.htm for music)
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HE WAS OUTSIDE (23rd card)
He was born outside the warmth of
His heavenly home.
He was born outside the INN doors,
Born where cattle roam.
He was born outside the house in Nazareth,
Where He’d later play.
He was born outside, outside it all,
On that Special Day.
He was run outside of Judah’s boundaries
When a child.
He was found outside the clan circle;
Giving answers mild.
He fed them outside, five thousand plus;
After He preached the Word.
He was oft outside, outside,
Till the poorest sinner heard.
He was lead outside
Old Jerusalem to be killed.
He was left outside the city walls;
Because it was willed.
He thus died outside, for all our sins;
He had none of His own.
He died SO outside, outside,
The human race He had sown.
He is now inside, inside my life
And there to stay.
He is now inside, our glad heart door –
Christmas every day.
He is now inside, of every saint,
In all the world around.
He’s forever inside,
BECAUSE outside He then was found!
– eab, Dec. ’88
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Its symmetrical shape points toward the sky
Like no other.
And that could be one reason why,
We would rather,
Use it for our Christmas-time tree.
It points toward God, you see.
Its needles are always the same color
The year ’round.
Not affected by the changing weather.
It might be found,
That this would be good for you and me,
To be as changeless, as we could be.
It looks in March as it did in June.
Little age shows.
And its essence won’t be changing soon,
If no foes.
It’s an example to be seen free,
That gives us a glimpse of Eternity.
– eab, Dec. ’65
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Posted in Bible, christmas poems, Jesus Christ, Literature, poet British, today in history, uncategorized, worship, tagged Angels from the realms of glory, on this date on December 24, 2014|
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ON THIS DATE
James Montgomery published 12/24/1816, his now famous “Angels From the Realms of Glory.” It was printed in the Sheffield Iris, the newspaper he edited for 31 years. He was born to John Montgomery, a Moravian minister at Irvine, Ayrshire, Scotland 11/4/1771. His parents died (when James was young) as missionaries to West Indies & he was a strong supported of missions. Twice while editing his paper he was imprisoned; once reprinting a song in commemoration of the fall of the Bastille & the second time for giving an account of a riot in Sheffield. He died 4/30/1854.
Verses omitted from many hymnals:
5. Sinners, wrung with true repentance, Doomed for guilt to endless pains, Justice now revokes the sentence, Mercy calls you; break your chains.
Refrain: Come and worship, come and worship, Worship Christ, the newborn king.
6. Though an Infant now we view Him, He shall fill His Father’s throne, Gather all the nations to Him; Every knee shall then bow down:
7. All creation, join in praising God, the Father, Spirit, Son, Evermore your voices raising To th’eternal Three in One.
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A CHRISTMAS CARD? (22nd card) [1]
I really have no l-o-n-g standing need,
To sit and sit and read, read and read
About the facts of “southern living,”
(Laura is now a baby sitter!)
I like the plain Christmas Card giving.
Spare me from the mammoth form letter.
Plain Christmas Cards have been no doubt proved,
(You did change pastorates? What you moved?
I thought you liked Loogootee people.
Didn’t Don and Mary treat you right?
God lead you? Sounds a little feeble.
Maybe Bedford or Sankey’s “bite”?)
I was saying, Uh, we keep our cards.
– Letters don’t rhyme like jingles by “bards” –
Our pretty ones we have on display,
(I heard you resigned – that’s not the word,
As head of W E A A.
Felt lost? Unless that’s what you preferred.)
It’s OK if one must write on card,
(Oh! You found leaving them all quite hard!
Well, we DO understand, don’t you fret.
– But let me get this next very straight.
[Cause I thought it was concrete set]
You’re working on a Master’s of late ? ? ?)
You do-o-o agree with me, do you not.
Cards say it all – that’s why they are bought.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, no words contrary.
(Jackson’s a long way to drive, I’d say.
Wesley Biblical Seminary!
Interstates! You don’t go every day!)
You will pardon please my views about
Holiday Cards and how they’re sent out.
Can’t stand letters with head line stories –
SON IS MARRIED TO A GREAT MAN’S GIRL
(Andrew got hitched? Tell me the “Gories”!!
Love to have been there, caught in the whirl.)
And another thing I don’t care for
Is the computerized letter, nor
Its matching label on the outside.
(Poncha what? Pon-cha-tou-la, What names!
So that’s were you pastor and abide,
You and all three the fair Bryan dames?)
I hope I’ve set out, clear as a bell;
Send a plain card, buy just what they sell.
(And Lincoln’s in Florida – dating?
Heather is doing paces at home?
And Laura is working and waiting,
Next year she off to college will roam?)
Cards yes. Letters are so dull and long.
(So you’re getting along like a song.
A great pounding a few weeks ago?
Glad you like people, parsonage, and all.
God’s entire family is nice to know.
You’ve had a fine move, summer, and fall!)
Well, I’ve said enough about my peeves.
And pardon my long parentheses.
(May you have a Great Remembrance
Of HIS coming as a Baby King.)
And if YOU send a letter by chance.
Don’t ask; You’ll know I read the whole thing!!
– eab, Dec. ‘87
[1] Written my first year at Wesley Biblical Seminary. If it seems too light, it was probably a release valve after all that study.
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Posted in christmas poems, history, love, nature, philosophy, poem, the home, time, uncategorized, tagged SEASONS TOGETHER on December 22, 2014|
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SEASONS TOGETHER (21st 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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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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