MAKING IT?!

MAKING IT?

Awaking this morning from sweet, pleasant dreams,

I have made it through another night, it seems.

Then, to myself, “get up; get going; just make it to the nearest coffee pot”

“get dressed; stay awake, you can make it, to the mill parking lot…”

Then, sitting there, I faintly remember “… can I just make it from the couch to the coffee table”

A sixty year old memory? Or grandchild scene remembered? I cannot tell; I’m not able!

“can you just make it to the bathroom?” say the body aches to my head.

And, the answer is given, “I’d rather just roll over, and go back to bed!”

The “old man” in the crew, given little to do.

My short-term goal? The day, to make it through.

With age, they say, the years begin to fly.

That work clock needs a battery! Or that’s all a lie?!

Today, our crew is replacing the 1-C Gauld Screen.

“hang on, put out, work together; the end can be seen!”

“you can make it to the end of THIS job; hope nothing else tears up”

“get your lock; wash your hands; find a coffee pot for a fresh cup!”

Many have a mid-life crisis – “can I make out as I could before?”

Maybe this is an end-life crisis – “can I make it to Heaven’s golden door?”

So many are the “can-I-make-its” I ponder and soberly realize.

Sitting in the control room, sipping coffee, I now muse and itemize:

Can I make it?  as my shoe laces I try in vain to tie?

Can I make it?  after Dad waves and turns loose of my bike?

Can I make it? slipping a valentine in her mailbox hopefully unseen?!

Can I make it?  out of school? When will I graduate?

Can I make it? with her? Will she say “yes”?!

Can I make it? to work on time? Cannot be late!

Can I make it? will the kids ever get grown?

Can I make it? will this mortgage ever be gone?

Can I make it?  when will be the last chemo treatment?

Can I make it?  sixty-plus years together, and now I am alone?!

Can I make it?  give it all you’ve got until the fourth quarter ends!

Whispers I hear!  The angels Him quote…

“I will never leave you”  “I will never forsake…”

“He disciplines those He loves…”

“only slight, momentary affliction…”

“being changed from one degree of glory to the next…”

“eye has not seen, nor ear has heart” what is ahead!

“I have gone to prepare a place for you…”

Making it?  With Him, I will!

the STONE

The STONE

Slumbering peacefully in the warm depths of the Earth,

He spoke and we became, molten, His energy our mirth.

But, pressures soon began to force us apart.

We soon cooled, and hardening began to start.

Granite, bedrock, such names we would be called.

Mountains, whole ranges, the nations we walled.

Fallen creation would groan and would quake.

And, many of us, from the rest we would break.

Fragments, down from the heights, into the darkness did roll.

Far away from the sunrise, no purpose, no glory, no goal?!

Then came the children, “king of the mountain” on me they’d play!

But, then came sons of Adam, “this stone here cannot stay! Take it away”

With chisels and hammers, they cut and whittled me down.

Like a shorn lion, just cold and gray and smooth and nearly round.

What are they doing? For a tomb?!  Am I nothing more than a door?

Banished, abused, tossed away, forgotten, barely a stone anymore!?

Once long ago, a stone followed them along, providing much needed water.

One he called the “Stone,” of his closest, one of the Twelve, known as Peter!

Some selected, as part of an altar, Adam’s sons through blood to be reclaimed.

Another a pillow, then memorial, for one who wrestled all night, by an angel renamed.

Oddly, I once heard “the stone they rejected” was one of His names?!

And, He said that if need be, we stones His glory would shout and proclaim!

But, the One who calmed the seas, was behind me entombed, with a Roman seal.

And, the guards wrestled me into place and whispered, “stone, be still.”

Three dreary days slowly had passed, and this stone, unbelievably, rolled away.

The cold One on the slab, with a hint of a grin, whispered, “Today is the Day!”

This old stone, from some forgotten crag, with creation’s deep impulse, then rolled UP the hill.

Though the angels reached out, their Maker to obey; their hands I did barely even feel?!

The disappointments, the isolation, this seemingly abused life is my story.

It has all been leading to that moment:  around, down, then up, all to His glory!

My place is secured in the story of the followers of the Cross.

Even if my exact place on this Rock has now been seemingly lost.

This story is not about places nor things nor relics to which they cling.

It is all about, ever, always and only about Jesus,  the Heavenly King

One of his Twelve wrote of this Rock melting with fervent heat?!

Maybe, we will start over, and as before, feel the tread of His feet?

But, what seemed like forever, centuries, even eons, waiting so long.

This stone’s witness is now written down, even lately recorded in song!

.
Glorious Day (Living He loved me) ~Casting Crowns –

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXp6xcY5IqU

Songwriters: Michael Bleecker / Mark Hall

One day when Heaven was filled with His praises

One day when sin was as black as could be

Jesus came forth to be born of a virgin

Dwelt among men, my example is He

Word became flesh and the light shined among us

His glory revealed

Living, He loved me

Dying, He saved me

Buried, He carried my sins far away

Rising, He justified freely forever

One day He's coming

Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

One day they led Him up Calvary's mountain

One day they nailed Him to die on a tree

Suffering anguish, despised and rejected

Bearing our sins, my Redeemer is He

Hands that healed nations, stretched out on a tree

And took the nails for me

Living, He loved me

Dying, He saved me

Buried, He carried my sins far away

Rising, He justified freely forever

One day He's coming

Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

One day the grave could conceal Him no longer

One day the stone rolled away from the door

Then He arose, over death He had conquered

Now is ascended, my Lord evermore

Death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him

From rising again

Living, He loved me

Dying, He saved me

Buried, He carried my sins far away

Rising, He justified freely forever

One day He's coming

Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

One day the trumpet will sound for His coming

One day the skies with His glories will shine

Wonderful day, my Beloved One bringing

My Savior Jesus is mine

Living, He loved me

Dying, He saved me

Buried, He carried my sins far away

Rising, He justified freely forever

One day He's coming

Oh glorious day, oh glorious day

Glorious day

Oh glorious day

(mad, midnight musings of a messed-up mind  –  spurred by a line in a hymn, this morning)

the Serpent's Hiss-s-s-s

The Serpent’s Hiss-s-s-s

Before Your holy throne we ever come as sinners.

The best of us are but weak, shortsighted strugglers.

Sadly, many have ceased; into the void they settled.

Yet, a few proudly, defiantly proclaim to be “sanctified”?!

Just how are we possibly ever going to even survive?

This snake-pit is dark, deep, demonic and is strong!

Our sinful hearts are split asunder, and severely soiled!

How can our journey through this valley ever succeed?

Jesus, the Snake’s head You surely must stomp!

You alone ever will be our sanctuary and salvation!

The demons back to Hell, You can with a word dismiss!

Our only hope to conquer and thrive, will always be this,

Our feeble efforts engendered and enlivened by Your Spirit!

You alone are our hope, our life, our Lord, our only assurance!