by Randal Matheny

Your sun will set no longer,
Your moon will never wane;
The Lord your light is stronger,
Your grief is gone, and pain.

Today's quatrian draws from Is. 60:20, NASB:

"Your sun will no longer set,
Nor will your moon wane;
For you will have the Lord for an everlasting light,
And the days of your mourning will be over."

http://www.jimandellen.org/finch/surether.html

Perhaps this rightfully belongs on my BZeal site, but since it deals with poetry, I'm posting it here.

I stumbled over this little poem, "Right Zeal," by Ann Finch. Among it's strong lines:

This quickens Souls grown stupid, and imparts
An active Ferment to devouter Hearts.

Give it a look.

Here is a good prayer of thanksgiving during your festive meals. It is said it was used by John Wesley and his preachers.

Be present at this table, Lord;
Be here and everywhere adored;
These creatures bless, and grant that we
May feast in Paradise with Thee.

Thanksgiving at meals for the early Christians was more than a formality, but represented their acknowledgement of "foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer" (1 Timothy 4.3-5, NASB).

Have a great Christmas!

http://www.arborwood.com/Photo_Week/thisweek.cgi

You know they're amateurs, because one of mine was accepted months ago, and should be showing up soon.

You can judge for yourself how good they are. (Some are fantastic.)

The year draws to a close. At least one thing we may be able to finish. 2002!

One of my great difficulties is finishing all the wonderful projects I start. Perhaps we need to revise that old saw that says, "Nice people finish last," and make it read:

Nice people finish.

All this reminds us of a line from Solomon's Ecclesiastes, where he got a few things right, including this idea:

The end of a matter is better than its beginning;
Patience of spirit is better than haughtiness of spirit. (7:8, NASB)

Well, it's the end of my faith I'm looking for, as 1 Peter 1.9 says, the result, the outcome, which he explains as "the salvation of souls." Mine. And, I hope, yours, too.
__________
You can read an expanded version of this on Forthright Magazine.