Faith

I’ve never been to Bethlehem,

Nor walked by Galilee.

And the hills that knew my blessed Lord,

I may never live to see. 

But I’ve tried to trace His footsteps,

Across the Sacred Page. 

And by faith, I know He rules today,

As He has in every age.

 

O, Faith, faith without it, 

You just cannot please the Lord.

Have faith, faith, to doubt it, 

Brother, you cannot afford.

For faith is the substance

Of things hoped for and yet not seen.

And lack of faith is why the church is so awfully lean.

                                                                         –eab, 11/1973   

 

Written while principal of Wyandot Christian School in Ohio

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Away

Creatures of time for a moment,

Creatures of eternity for aye,

Living once and so briefly,

Then passing forever away.

 

But away to what? Is the question,

To freeze the very soul;

Away to the place where one had

Planned to make his final goal?

 

Or away to the unexpected? 

Away to the undesired?

Where the sky is never blessed

With a morning sun, newly fired.

 

Away to the region of sorrows and griefs,

Here-to-fore unknown,

Away to reap the abundant harvest

Of “wild oats” carelessly sown.

 

Away to a place without babies,

To divert from the problem at hand.

Away to a scene, worse by far,

Than Alamo, or Custer’s Last Stand.

 

Away to separation – Separation  

– How sad that word, how sad!

Separation from a praying Mother,

Separation from a faithful Dad.

 

O God, may I die as the righteous,

Peaceful, Calm, Prepared.

And come to the brink of the river,

Knowing I have not spared.   -eab, 11/1973

 

Written in Nevada, Ohio

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Heather C B Dickinson – Birth, Nov 6, 1973

~My Phillip~
Thank you for asking me to that picnic at G.B.S.
I will be FOREVER GLAD that I said, “YES!”
Those dating days were wonderful you see…
Thank you for being YOU, and loving me as ME.

 

Thank you for asking me to marry you on April Fool’s Day…
I’m glad you weren’t fooling, and I’m yours for ALWAY!
Thank you for that portrait that you drew of me…what a beauty
Thank you for being YOU, and loving me as ME.

 

What fun memories we have of our newlywed days…
We have had a strong Christian home, to God be praised!
These 12 1/2 years of Marriage have been just as fun as they could be.
Thank you for being YOU and loving me as ME.

 

Thank you for being such a wonderful Daddy to our precious 4;
Thank you for loving Jesus, spending time with us and more.
Thank you for the awesome memories we have as a family
Thank you for being YOU and loving me as ME.

Thank you for letting me treat you like a KING…
And Thank you for treating me like a QUEEN!
Let us grow old together…until we are 103
Thank you for being YOU, and loving me as ME. ~Heather

Heather C B Dickinson was born 11/6/1973, in Marion, Ohio the younger daughter of the Edgar A Bryans.  Phillip, as an engagement gift painted (three different size pens, pointillism*) a large portrait of Heather and upon her saying “yes” (in the Black Hills of South Dakota) gave it to her.  They as, I hope you see, are happily married.  103 may sound fantastic but Heather’s paternal grandma is 101 and counting.  SEE HEATHER’S HIGHLIGHTS (Blogroll)

*  The theory or practice in art of applying small strokes or dots of color to a surface so that from a distance they blend together – Merriam-Webster

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