Rev. Aubert V. Rose, Jr. said a number of things that have stuck with me, and that I've quoted from time to time. In my college days, he was associate Pastor to Dr. Charles Stanley at First Baptist, Atlanta. But he had grown up in Kentucky, with a lot of agricultural experience!
"Some stumps you pull up, and some stumps you plow around." I understood that from farm life... it can take a while for a tree stump to be rotted enough to pull up. But the application can be to an organization, or a co-worker, where it would just be too much trouble to deal with that issue or their stubborness, right now. Maybe next year, try it again.
"I feed in many pastures, but I give my own milk" .. back on the farm we had several pastures for the dairy cows, and you surely didn't want them getting into an onion patch or bitterweed!!! He used it in a sense of studying different commentaries and listening to different speakers, but his messages were from his own and the Lord's inspiration.
"Sometimes you have to get things spinning so fast in the Baptist Church that you'll sling some of them off." This means that some folks weren't ever going to be positively helpful, or might not ever bear spiritual fruit. Someday they'll just have to move elsewhere to ever be happy.
"Unfortunately, the Baptist church is too often in the red flannel long-handle underwear business, and ain't nobody placing any orders anymore!!" I took that to mean we could be irrelevant if we didn't watch out. In the church, or any organization, we can major on minors, and in so doing, be left behind.
There are cautions here, for sure. Better to use these for self-examination, that to use them for disregarding a brother in the faith!
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
Granite Gray, Marble White
(In remembrance of fallen servicemen)
The setting is a national cemetery, or the military section of any cemetery,
with the rows of identical crosses or stones; and how they arrived there,
for a lifelong faithful duty, for those whose faithful duty is over.
The Most Difficult Poem I Ever Wrote:
Rows and rows of faithful soldiers, keeping watch until the dawn
Over the beds of finest men and women, that ever nation spawned.
Whence came these quiet soldiers, with steady, unwavering gaze,
Who watch o’er their beloved, through dimming evening haze?
From the bowels of earth and mountainside, from edges of earth’s crust,
The drill, blast, scoop, have yielded them from out a cloud of dust.
Unknown to fellow travelers who journeyed their same road,
With similar wheels and engines to bear their heavy load,
They came! To this green carpet, for years to solemn stand,
To mark the final resting of the choicest of the land.
And now, in ceaseless vigil, with crest of morning dew,
They serve their fallen comrade; and mark a spot beneath the blue.
Both here by accuracy of man, machine, and blast of power,
From that great noise and energy, to this quiet, solemn bower.
One from dark earth to sun, the other from sun to dark earth.
The end of one’s tumultuous watch became the other’s birth.
Yet, we would have it different now, and trade one for the other,
And have again in loving arms: dad, mom, sister, son, or brother.
But no reply from partners, still. No matter loud the tears,
No response from either soldier, in this or other years.
Naught! But quiet example, of service, brave and true.
Their steady gaze and forward press, their gift to me and you.
If one reflects on what they say, with voices now unheard,
They speak their timeless message still, without an uttered word.
In appreciation of the soldiers’ gift to us, which was with great loss to their families.
© Tom B. Bandy
4/23/03 – 4/30/04
The setting is a national cemetery, or the military section of any cemetery,
with the rows of identical crosses or stones; and how they arrived there,
for a lifelong faithful duty, for those whose faithful duty is over.
The Most Difficult Poem I Ever Wrote:
Rows and rows of faithful soldiers, keeping watch until the dawn
Over the beds of finest men and women, that ever nation spawned.
Whence came these quiet soldiers, with steady, unwavering gaze,
Who watch o’er their beloved, through dimming evening haze?
From the bowels of earth and mountainside, from edges of earth’s crust,
The drill, blast, scoop, have yielded them from out a cloud of dust.
Unknown to fellow travelers who journeyed their same road,
With similar wheels and engines to bear their heavy load,
They came! To this green carpet, for years to solemn stand,
To mark the final resting of the choicest of the land.
And now, in ceaseless vigil, with crest of morning dew,
They serve their fallen comrade; and mark a spot beneath the blue.
Both here by accuracy of man, machine, and blast of power,
From that great noise and energy, to this quiet, solemn bower.
One from dark earth to sun, the other from sun to dark earth.
The end of one’s tumultuous watch became the other’s birth.
Yet, we would have it different now, and trade one for the other,
And have again in loving arms: dad, mom, sister, son, or brother.
But no reply from partners, still. No matter loud the tears,
No response from either soldier, in this or other years.
Naught! But quiet example, of service, brave and true.
Their steady gaze and forward press, their gift to me and you.
If one reflects on what they say, with voices now unheard,
They speak their timeless message still, without an uttered word.
In appreciation of the soldiers’ gift to us, which was with great loss to their families.
© Tom B. Bandy
4/23/03 – 4/30/04
Friday, April 30, 2010
Reading Deuteronomy
One of my favorite Old Testament books is Deuteronomy. It seems that God does lots of talking to and through Moses in this book. After I first became a Christian in college, I walked to downtown Atlanta to buy a New American Standard Bible "just like my roommate had". I'd found it readable and understandable (especially compared to some of my GA Tech calculus and chemistry books!!)
There are many things in my NASB that are yellow high-lighted from those early years of Bible reading, verses that are still encouraging to me today. Deut. 3:22 says: "Do not fear them, for the Lord you God is the one fighting for you." I like to know I'm not alone in the tasks I'm given... as a matter of fact, I'm just the helper!
Deut. 4:7 reminded the children of Israel: "For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the lord our God whenever we call on Him?" That's a great country to have your citizenship invested!
The 4th chapter continues with some great reminders: "you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart..." "He will not fail you..." "To you it was shown that you might know that the Lord, He is God..." "there is no other besides Him."
It is important to remember that when Jesus and the early apostles quoted Scripture, they were always referencing the Old Testament, which they had learned well. It certainly is an encouragement to me!!
There are many things in my NASB that are yellow high-lighted from those early years of Bible reading, verses that are still encouraging to me today. Deut. 3:22 says: "Do not fear them, for the Lord you God is the one fighting for you." I like to know I'm not alone in the tasks I'm given... as a matter of fact, I'm just the helper!
Deut. 4:7 reminded the children of Israel: "For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as is the lord our God whenever we call on Him?" That's a great country to have your citizenship invested!
The 4th chapter continues with some great reminders: "you will find Him if you search for Him with all your heart..." "He will not fail you..." "To you it was shown that you might know that the Lord, He is God..." "there is no other besides Him."
It is important to remember that when Jesus and the early apostles quoted Scripture, they were always referencing the Old Testament, which they had learned well. It certainly is an encouragement to me!!
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