Monday, August 30, 2010

Inspired From Isaiah 6

I dropped to my knees in the dark of night
Broken down so no longer could I stand
My heart split in half begging for his sight
It hemorrhaged from my body to hand

He appeared with thunder and quaking earth
A presences which shook my very core
Innards of my body froze and rattled at once
Time stopped in place for it did not exist

All man’s invention became rudimentary
All life seemed to open with the heavens
I stood awed and ashamed to be in his presence
Never could I consider myself a clean man

Purity I had never witnessed lifted on high
On high before me, and I could not look
The sight too powerful for human eyes
To truly see him is too much for man
Lord God is too perfect for our eyes

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Inspiration From A Morning Devotional

“Our Purpose”


Hand of the Lord laid upon our hearts
takes the fear from a soul which had,
Once surrendered to dark mal whispers
Conquered are those whispers by a kingdom

Life now becomes an adventure always seeking,
Searching for ways to serve his master plans,
Plans unthinkable to our earthly minds except for
Glimpses of the hope we may some day understand

Fears washed from the soul in a pool of water
We find ourselves craving his words to fill a hunger
Our bodies ache for his healing touch, joyous bliss
If asked to, we will lay down our lives for his plan

We fear no death in his presences for surely death,
Would only bring us closer to our father above
Our dilemma of reunion with our God, and our
Earthly suffering to spread his gospel is everlasting

Until the day of his return we shall brighten the darkness
Attract them like moths to a flame in the dark of night
Leading them into his presence, always with hope and love
In our hearts we shall serve a perfect God

Sunday, July 18, 2010

"1776" The Year a Nation Was Born


A solider camped out in the mud and muck late in the year, as bullets sling passed his head and cannons blow in his years, he wonders to himself what on earth is he doing fighting in this hell of a war. Probably at ripe old age of 15, idealistic and eager to contribute to something the young boy marches off into battle against the redcoats. With more than bullets to kill a man, disease, hunger and intense weather could easily have warded off any volunteers. What would have been like at that age to be fighting a battle, that in turn, would change an entire dynamic of a country; ultimately cause a shift in a status quo foreign nations had become comfortable with? Could that young man realize the impact of what his sacrifice meant to generations after him? I know at 15 years old my biggest problem was acne and learning to drive.
Finishing David McCullough’s “1776” was at times a bit of a process for me and took a little longer than desired, granted I tend to read three or four at one time, I decided to make my last effort of the race. Detailed with facts, but written in a way it almost sucked the reader in as fiction novel would this book fascinated me. At first glance the book was alarming in the sense it seemed as if this would be a British sympathy book, due to the generous words used for King Henry’s demeanor and life style. This was not the case in any sense. The author, if anything, is a fan of our most popular founding father General/President and Virginian to the core
George Washington.
The book Gives us a great background into the nation’s first president. I learned a great deal about the general. He was a fascinating human being, and I use the word human being it’s because that is what he was, a man with a wide spectrum of emotions and complexities you can’t find anymore. Being mostly a military book, I believe this is why David focused on Washington with his rag
tag scoundrel army. The year was filled with utter failed attacks on the British; not to mention the numerous of successful attacks made on us. We are given an insight into both camps with amazing journal entries from soldiers and ranking officers. The pain and sorrow the Americans went through almost is unthinkable, due to the lack of provisions they often fought without shoes. Disease, infectious wounds and the living conditions were so numerous and awful, it would seem to me, a quick death was all but rare in this war. Being this is a military book loaded with numerous facts and dates and a little bit of data, it is hard to say weather I recommend reading it. History buffs should be drooling over this enjoyable read. I do believe anyone who does not know our history well and/or does not like it very much should seriously consider the book. A new found respect will be found in a never say die General Washington. You will feel the pain of soldiers as they face defeat each day, and begin to loath the Hessian mercenaries of Germany, which the British hired. In all this book was rich in American culture, it kept my fingers turning pages and my hunger for the words in David’s book.










Thursday, June 17, 2010

Hondo Lane: A Review


Hot sun beating down on him, turning him hard and rusted with life, as he walked on through the desert Hondo Lane ventured on from his dead horse. “Hondo” written by Louis L’amour is in my mind one of his classic western stories. The master of describing the west brings a world of dust and harsh heat to us through this story. L’amour paints such vivid pictures of the west with this story I could almost smell the gun powder in the beginning shout out; then taken to a the smell of hot steel as he shoes a horse for a “widowed” woman. We walk with a man, raised by Indians of the west, as he navigates through the desert, and takes on a mission of virtue. The character Hondo Lane, a well known gunfighter, becomes intertwined in an unexpected romance and justice for a slaughtered army. He works his way through adversity using the skills taught to him by Native Americans, which allows him to survive the wild west. The story sucks you in from the very beginning with twists and turns that will keep pages turning. Even if you are not fan of westerns this is a story that is timeless. I give it 5 horseshoes.

Wednesday, June 16, 2010

A Quick Short: Inspired by a Stranger

His stomach burned with pains of lacking nourishment, due to a week long fasting, but he carries on with his work as growls rise up. Only this man filled with hunger begins to gain a greater ability of self control. The daily temptations bother him less and less with each agonizing day, he grows only closer. Muscles ache and strain with every motion of his body, coinciding with a week of no food, it is a wonder how he is still standing. Strength seems to be endless, and only increases rather than logically fail. His body explodes with power, and yet without a source of power. One would think he is plugged into an outlet or runs on gasoline. Wisdom of life is seen in his eyes, dust and dirt swirls around his work, his soul shines bright through the cloudy haze. He has a lot to give, anyone can see this without even a word spoken from his mouth.
Moving from task to task effortlessly is astonishing, and as the dirt and dust beat on sun soaked bare skin, with shovels, hammers and tools he maintains and builds what he loves. With each hammer swing a new piece of furniture for his family to rest themselves on. Every hole dug for vegetation feeds the mouth of hungry children that work along side him everyday. Every room remodeled so that they might just be a little more comfortable in a well built home. What drives a man to work this hard and be able to withstand such pain?
He walks with a walk only few really truly know and understand. It is a walk of peace and serenity that allows our human form to withstand more than we know. He walks through that dust storm shinning, and able to be seen clearly. A light has been given to him that is his light and his alone, it is something that can not be blown out if protects it. This is a light that burns deep and bright through darks times. Even if it is hard to see this light it still burns strong. No one can measure it or even replace it because it is not of man. It gives us joy and peace when none is to be found in sight; the light creates joy and peace for us. He walks with this, he speaks with this, he loves with this and he lives with this light given to him.
A gift given by the one true God is a blessing; a light given to by him is hard to understand. A promise he gave us is everlasting, but we can not ever grasp the level in which this is true. Wisdom is given to us through words left by a father for us to follow. It gives us guidance, it gives us strength, it gives us peace and it gives us a light. A light to shine through dark tunnels of earth as it caves in around you. A promise to give us honest and true hope unlike this earth has ever seen. He gives us wisdom through a book that holds true through changing times, which can lift our spirits and allow us to speak with him. We were created as creatures just shy of the angels, we know God as they can never know him, God created us and redeemed us. We are his only creatures to know God as creator and redeemer, and that is our gift from him.

A Real Education

In reading a wonderful book, which was recommended to me through a grandfather figure, “The Education of a Wandering Man” by Louis L’amour was an eye opening experience into this writers mind. The book is filled with anecdotal stories of Mister L’amour’s life and as the title describes his education. Being an informally educated man myself it was easy to draw in close with his story. Though my travels are a extensive, nor as adventurous as the great novelist’s, but my spirit and love for education is similar to his. In his, what I call a biography, there is much description of books he read over time while working as a longshoreman and on shipping vessels. He describes them in such detail it seems they are freshly read, but all honesty at the time this book was written it probably had been a good forty years later. Books were found everywhere he went, on boxcars, ships, old apartments, mining claims and the local library. He took the initiative to educate himself. This book has one reoccurring themes that resonated with me, and believe with most people.
Mister L’amour in his book advocates education strongly, although not being a formally educated man, he endorses the universities. However, that being said, he makes a wonderful point in this book that the education system we see is executed poorly. This is not an attack on teachers by any means, but simply an attack on the “cookie cutter” education used in today’s schools. It is not the same for everyone. This is not an attack on teachers by any means, but simply an attack on the “cookie cutter” education used in today’s schools. It is not the same for everyone. Being a survivor of the public school system I can testify to his point. Being a student with a learning disability, which I would rather keep private, it is sufficed to say standardized testing does not fit in my realm. However, this is not taken into account when the brain trusts of the school system make their test. You are either student type A or B, but there is no room for L or M. So I have found self education, reading what I can and where I can and as much as possible the best method for me. I believe this is part of the problem in today’s society. We are not truly allowed to think freely. This so called free thinking education has become so standardized and conformed that students are smothered of any creativity, except what brain trusts find creative. On a final note, and something to think about, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein and Louis L’amour…all self educated men of their time, and that should make the case.