The Grave Is Still Empty!

Throw out all religion
discard all pretense
repent from your dead works
stop burning incense
the grave is still empty
The Lord lives today!
He's already done it
He'll make you OK

He needs not your praises
attendance or tithes
those things are for us
but here's the surprise
the One of great glory
the One of pure love
defeated the darkness
shines light from above

The empty grave speaks
that Our Lord is alive
that death is defeated
that hope can abide
that Jesus has power
to change who you are
no matter your station
poor beggar or star

Yes Jesus has risen!
this world has no hold
He's given you purpose
if only you're bold
you'll gain by surrender
you'll rise to the skies
the grave is still empty!
new life is your prize!

Thoughts Of Big Red On This Windy Day

Before the gate house, the cottage association
the historical commission and let's not forget the rich
there sat on our southern pier a large red lighthouse
years past it's working life but available I was told 

by my younger brother to rent to a college age guy

like him, who thought it'd be so cool

Even if he had to risk life and limb getting to the rusty door 

chopping off thick layers of sprayed on ice to enter

what to me seemed like a dark metal tomb 

where condensation would drip upon his drawn in head 

while he dreamed of sailing inland seas and vast oceans 

unencumbered by access rules

Early this March on a cloudless day
sky as blue as it ever gets in Michigan

when winds were steady past thirty

my wife and I braced ourselves

against clouds of pelting sand 

while near the edge of the northern pier

Once more we were in total awe of surging water 

wondering how any man made structure could survive

but there, still on the southern pier
though leaning a bit
was the past, the present
and who knows - the future

The Pond

Some goldfish swan in twiggy light inside a garden pond

while morning ducks splashed all about, which made me think beyond

of galaxies spread far and wide too vast to comprehend

and protons circling a spot with no apparent end

It seemed too much for me to know

too small to say I knew

was there somehow a God who held 

this all within His view?

I pondered this for many years while laying on my bed

cried out unto the mystery for insight to be shed

my answer then was silence back, it roared within my brain

must we be made to live and die, with death nothing to gain?

Then brightness shone through leafless trees upon that primal scene

a different view of flesh and stone, showing a golden mean

one could not know by measuring the width that lay before

or pace it out and understand what futures were in store

We must accept by simple faith, just like the common man

to find the Maker of all hearts who gave all life its plan

and so on knees surrendered I - deep pride and filthy sin

asked Jesus to forgive it all and make His home within

Dear friend believe me when I say that light shone through my fog

the Lord my God revealed Himself and saved me from the bog

now life is simple as some fish who dart as they respond

and happy as an early bird atop this garden pond

What Awaits The Saints In Glory

His mystery, His majesty
His might upon the throne
the thunderstorm of praises born
engulfed in Him alone
thick rolling clouds His glory shrouds
approach we on our knees
then bursting light around Him bright
across deep crystal seas

How can it be that we don't see
how awesome is that place
explosions of emotions
in the center of His grace
by faith we'll know it tells us go
approach with godly fear
to lay it down and throw our crown
such is the atmosphere

And gathered by the brilliant sky
vast armies of the Lord
with elders near who lead a cheer
The Savior be adored
gold trumpets blown the seeds are sown
fall all before our King
He's placed inside where once was pride
new songs for us to sing

We will be dressed in garments blessed
by blood shed once for us
time standing still in His great will
no need to make a fuss
and I will wait for Him to state
that righteousness prevailed
then raise a shout with those about
PRAISE GOD! HIS GLORY HAILED!

Clay Pots

She lived as a clay pot
away from the pain
of people who hurt her
who all said the same
you'll never be happy
I'm better than you
just stay where you are
while I paint you deep blue

She stayed there so quiet
up high on that ledge
just watching life passing
while close to the edge
but one day a door slammed
her pot tottered round
it fell away quickly
and smashed to the ground

Sharp pieces were scattered
they flew everywhere
some cut her quite deeply
since life wasn't fair
then boots trampled over
and ground those to dust
which lay there a moment
then swirled in a gust

This brought bitter tears
which filled up her room
turned dust into clay lumps
not minutes too soon
scraped up by a potter
laid sure on his wheel
who formed a new vessel
of wondrous appeal

Now He is the potter
and we are the clay
we're formed with a purpose
though life has its sway
He'll bear all our burdens
and heal all our woes
assures us great beauty
from head to our toes

Valentine's Day

There was, see, this alligator
who liked to sun itself by day
and wait for splashes by night
which is why, besides the blasted heat
I'm not trolling around in the Everglades
while frigged February winds
rake across our glazed asphalt roads
on a dreary mid-February day
just like the last and prequel to the next

She came down to visit one July
when I was working Florida
having talked her parents into a long drive
so they and the youngins might spend a few days
and she could surprise me with a knock on my door
and we could drive around Ft. Lauderdale being silly
or walking barefoot by the water's edge
making memories more durible
than an alligator purse

When We Left The Catholic Church

I have another blog which is called - For Ex-Catholics Only. Usually I post essays from my You Done Say What blog which apply to Catholicism but here one I just wrote that is going the other way.

Our assistance pastor at St. Francis de Sales (born somewhere in South America) always preached very passionately. I remember one Easter mass (Easter being the most crowded) when he chided those poor visitors, "To all of you here who only attend mass twice a year - HAPPY EASTER, AND MERRY CHRISTMAS TOO!"

During another summer Sunday mass the good father was getting himself worked up about nuclear disarmament. It was somewhere in the middle of this non spiritual blah blah that the thought entered my brain that change of any substance in Catholic doctrine was simply not going to happen. The vested interests in the bureaucracy of the Catholic Church would make it almost impossible for the Holy Spirit to blow through and enlighten either staff, cardinals or popes. Even if a pope ended up believing just like me no doctrine would be revised.

Although Jackie and I had been theologically moving away from Catholicism for a dozen years I had always felt that perhaps our presence there would be beneficial, representatives of a change that might one day work itself up to affect higher regions of the Church. I realized at that moment how naive I had been.

A second thought made it's way forward. Some of our children were getting to the ages where they would be learning more about Catholic doctrine at the parish school they attended. It didn't seem right for us to send our kids to a Catholic school, or have them hear a Catholic sermon, and then have to debrief them once home to counter any doctrine that we did not agree with.

Jackie and I talked about it later that afternoon and decided to enroll our children that fall in the public school system and to immediately look for another church, which was not easy since we had never even been to a Protestant service except for weddings or funerals. Now the only time we go to mass is for - weddings and funerals.

Although our parents were great about our change of religion, accepting it was still a little difficult for my mom and dad and especially for Jackie's mom. Catholicism is as much a cultural thing as it is a belief system and we think they felt like we were not only rejecting Catholicism but in a sense them as well.

When Jackie's father died and her mother got older she would have these episodes where tension would build up in her over a few months, come to a head over nothing, she would blow her top and go crazy, her tension would be released and she would then forget anything she had said when she blew up. She was then good for another 4 to 6 months before the process repeated and she blew again.

The interesting thing though is that when she would get like this, just before going off, she would be looking for a fight and would bring up religion. Jackie would not bite but it was obvious that mom was still holding on to something that had hurt her. Religion would be brought up after she exploded and she would use phrases such as; "So you think your father was stupid?"

No, we didn't think our parents were stupid. My mother was very smart and was a convert to Catholicism and my dad was the smartest man I knew. My mother-in-law was very sharp and an amazingly intuitive woman and my father-in-law, a convert to Catholicism, was extremely bright, blessed with many gifts of the Holy Spirit and was my chief spiritual mentor. He taught me how to read and love Scripture and laid before me a sound and well built foundation in the Christian faith.

How he could have converted to Catholicism when he didn't believe in apostolic succession, praying to Mary or the saints, transubstantiation, holy days of obligation, the teaching magisterial of the Church and on and on and on is a mystery to most of his kids who like us later left the Catholic Church. I have my ideas but will not speak for him.

He did have a great desire to celebrate communion as a solemn and sacred act and believed that the elements through the faith of the recipient did become Christ's actual flesh and blood  He believed that the Holy Spirit should be able to move in a powerful way through those who were ordained and that although infant baptism did not bring about salvation it did offer advantage and spiritual protection from the evil one for the one being baptized.

Personally neither Jackie nor I miss the mass one bit. References to Mary and the saints make us uncomfortable in our spirit because we see that as a carry over from the adoption of certain forms of paganism very early in Church history. When we do attend mass for a wedding or funeral we skip receiving communion because the Catholic form, apart from our theological understandings, also makes us feel uncomfortable. This doesn't mean we don't love the people or respect the office of the priest or don't enjoy singing praises to God or reading out loud from Scripture. But we have moved far apart.

If you have recently left the Catholic Church it sometimes can be difficult to find a church where you and your family will be comfortable. You many need to move around a bit until you find a good fit. There are bad churches that have abusive pastors or abusive theology that is legalistic and I pray you will be able to discern them right away.

Look for a place that preaches from the Bible and sees the Word of God as the ultimate source for truth. Find a place where the Holy Spirit is free to move. Desire a place where you can be lost in worship. Treasure a place where your children can grow in faith and be lead to serve. Respect a place which supports and sends out servants to proclaim Jesus. Get healed and get involved. And keep loving your Catholic family and friends.