by J. Randal Matheny (c) 2003

A million prayers arose unheard
to plead for peace and find relief
from worries of war. No word
sufficed; a tyrant's disbelief
soon soured to grief when soldiers marched
to ditties of war. Hussein
took flight as tanks raced over parched
Iraq to conquer his insane
committees of war. A pause
of peace will bless the just man's door
and warn those twisted fiends who cause
the flurries of war, the flurries of war.

----

Hopes for international peace will always be frustrated, for "wars and rumors of wars" will never leave us in this world. There has never been a time of real peace, unless you count periods of imposed concord like the Pax Romana. That fact ought to conduct us to the Prince of Peace, who promises a peace different from that which the world envisions. Have you found it yet?

by J. Randal Matheny (c) 2003

Resolve to be like Christ, where truth resides;
In him find self and all the world besides.

----

In "Self-dependence," Matthew Arnold wrote, "Resolve to be thyself: and know, that he who finds himself, loses his misery." He has a point. But perhaps there's a bigger objective than being yourself. To be like Christ is to discover one's true self, and much more as well.

Copyright © 2003, Randal Matheny

I looked at one and spied another,
but none could satisfy;
For none could equal nor surpass
the apple of my eye.

by Randal Matheny

Take comfort: Recollect how little we know,
how God knows all, his mercies overflow.

----

Charles Kingsley wrote, "Take comfort, and recollect however little you and I may know, God knows; He knows Himself and you and me and all things; and His mercy is over all His works."

Offer someone comfort today and share this message with them. (But respect the copyright.)

Blessings,

Randal

by Randal Matheny

The pain of one encircles two,
and two encircle ten;
The joy of one irradiates
to touch all tribes of men.

----
Written yesterday above the skies of Rio de Janeiro, on returning home from giving the Total Transformation course.

And perhaps I should capitalize the second appearance of the word "one."

Have you irradiated your joy today?

Randal