Spring Rains

"Come, let us return to the Lord:

for he has torn us, that he may heal us;

he has struck us down, and he will bind us up.

After two days he will revive us;

on the third day he will raise us up,

that we may live before him.

Let us know; 

let us press on to know the Lord;

his going out is sure as the dawn;

he will come to us as the showers,

as the spring rains that water the earth."

~ Hosea 6:1-3

God declares himself to us in two ways:  through His word (both written, and the Word made flesh) and in His creation; and it is through His creation, specifically springtime, that I am gently reminded of His word of hope, of newness, of redemption.  The cold hardness of our hearts begins to warm and soften under the work of his sun and soft rain, and there begins to stir the hope of seed laid dormant.  Dare we hope for life?Sometimes, however, the workings of the Lord are not so soft and gentle, and he tears us as a plowshare tears fallow ground.  He strikes us down as a gardener prunes his vines.  But, he does these things that he may heal us; that he may cause us to grow in the way that is best.  

If you note, though, in verse 2, the Shepherd of our souls was first the Lamb that was torn and struck down in order to rise again; in order to defeat sin and death, in order to bring us out of our cold, dead lives into life abundant.  This is a sure thing.  So let us press on, as Hosea says, to know the Lord; for he comes to us as the spring showers, the spring rains that water the earth.  "O, Lord, rain upon the fallow coldness of our hearts that life may come once again."

...Out Like a Lamb?

March certainly came in like a lion, but isn't so sure she's going to go out like a lamb.  At least we've got two more days to find out, and I sure hope she decides to be lamb-like.

Yesterday, after days of warm, rainy weather, the skies cleared beautifully and we were all enjoying the brilliant afternoon; when suddenly out of nowhere, huge cells erupted and swept through middle Tennessee and Kentucky one after the other.  Though the tornado sirens went off (just when did they install sirens out here??) and funnels and hail were apparent in areas, we fortunately escaped with only rain, wind, and a spectacular cloud show.

                                      Here is one of the cells roaring past us.

                                       It just skirts us to the west . . . 

                                             . . . continues to fly by . . .                                              . . . and blows on past.However, the next cell got us.  But, it wasn't nearly as photographically interesting.  Now for some lamb-like weather, please?

Shattering

"We're not necessarily doubting that God will do the best for us; we are wondering how painful the best will turn out to be."  ~ C.S. Lewis

"God's glory often lives in the deepest recesses of our pain."  ~ Calvin Miller"Christ chargeth me to believe His daylight at midnight."  ~ Samuel Rutherford"Let Christ's love bear most court in your soul, and that court will bring down the love of other things."   ~ Samuel Rutherford

"The pain of our shattered plans is for the purpose of scattered grace."  ~ John Piper

Flying Quickly Away

Prior to last fall's election we watched the news one night which announced the passage of the first Bail-Out bill.  Besides being shocked and awed by the unbelievably tremendous amount of dollars involved, we were even more shocked by the fact that the Government Camel had firmly and solidly thrust its head into the tent of the private sector, of your life and mine.  As we listened to the news reports that evening, I told John that we were witness to the beginning of a coup - a coup on the rights, freedoms, and liberty of the American people - and since then, with each passing day, our liberties continue to fly out the door as the Government Camel crowds further and further into the tent.  

The latest move of the camel goes even beyond nationalization of the banking industry.  Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has now "asked Congress...to give the White House unprecedented powers to seize large insurers, investment firms and hedge funds..."  Unprecedented powers to seize.  That phrase should send chills down your spine.  Our Constitutional rights, our freedoms and liberties are flying away.  

Furthermore, the New York Times reports that Obama's Administration is calling "for increased oversight of executive pay at all banks, Wall Street firms and possibly other companies as part of a plan to overhaul financial regulation..."  Obama's all-out war on wealth continues to ramp up steam, but the American people must realize that this attack is not on "Them", it's on "Us."  Any government regulation on the private business sector is regulation on the private citizen and his ability to conduct his business and his life.  Our Constitutional rights, our freedoms and liberties are flying away.

So what to do about the Government Camel taking over our tent?  I can send all the tea bags to Washington I want (and I will); I can mail red envelope after red envelope (and I have); I can email my Representatives and the White House (and I do): but if true, principled, conservative leadership does not arise, the America we grew up in - the Land of the Free - will not be the America our children and grandchildren will grow up in, for our rights, freedoms, and liberties will have flown.

Dogs Jumping

Sometimes a photo's just too good to keep to yourself!  Wouldn't you just love to have this kind of determination, energy, and joy?

"A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself."  

~ Josh Billings  (1818-1885)

St. Patrick's Breastplate

"St. Patrick's Breastplate has taken its place as one of the favorites in our little Parish community.  It was written by the venerable saint himself, who was born in Ireland way back in the year 372.  The song is set to a traditional Irish hymn melody and is not an easy feat to sing, for it trips merrily up and down and all around the scale.  

Today I dedicate St. Patrick's Breastplate to our little Beau.  It was sung in his honor at his memorial, and I know that he trips merrily along with St. Patrick himself  in the emerald fields of heaven.

"I bind unto myself today the strong name of the Trinity,

By invocation of the same, the Three in One, and One in Three.

I bind this day to me forever, by pow'r of faith, Christ's incarnation;

His baptism in the Jorday river; His death on cross for my salvation;

His bursting from the spiced tomb; his riding up the heavenly way; 

His coming at the day of doom:  I bind unto myself today.

Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself to day the virtues of the starlit heav'n, the glorious sun's lifegiving ray,

The whiteness of the moon at even, the flashing of the lightning free,

The whirling wind's tempestuous shocks, the stable earth, the deep salt sea

Around the old eternal rocks.

I bind unto myself to today the pow'r of God to hold and lead, His eye to watch,

His might to stay, His ear to hearken to my need,

The wisdom of my God to teach, His hand to guide, His shield to ward,

The word of God to give me speech, His heav'nly host to be my guard.I bind unto myself the Name, the strong name of the Trinity;

By invocation of the same, The Three in One, and One in Three;

Of whom all nature hath creation, Eternal Father, Spirit, Word.

Praise to the Lord of my salvation:  Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

Christ be with me, Christ within me, Christ behind me, Christ before me, Christ beside me, Christ to win me, Christ to comfort and restore me, Christ beneath me, Christ above me, Christ in quiet, Christ in danger, Christ in hearts of all that love me, Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

Why Should We Be Surprised?

Why is everyone reacting with shock and surprise when Bail-Out Recipient AIG execs were paid over $165 million in bonuses?  AIG's mismanagement was rewarded, so what other lesson would they learn?  Screw up - get bailed out - screw up again.  It's just business as usual.  If any corporation or individual has been foolish with their assets, they should experience the consequences (fail), learn the lessons, and proceed again in a wiser fashion.  Quit bailing out the losers!  But when you do, don't be surprised at what they do next.

One thing that concerns me greatly, though, is that there is talk in Congress  to tax the AIG exec's bonuses - even as much as 100%.  As much as I think AIG's actions have been deplorable, setting the precedence of taxing bonuses at 100% is dangerous.  It opens up a whole Pandora's box of new taxes on honest people.