TIDBITS

TIDBITS

 

 

BY

 

 

FRANK A VOLLMER

THE PINES

THE PINES




THE PINES

LIKE WHITE CLAD MONKS IN MEDITATION
STOOD UPON THE HILL

THE CLOUDS HEAVILY LADEN
STRUGGLED IN THE SKY

THE WIND MADE SPORT WITH THE LOOSE SNOW
PILING IT AGAINST THE FENCE

BUT A LITTLE BROOK FORGETTING IT WAS WINTER
LAUGHED ITS WAY ACROSS A SNOW FILLED FIELD

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A BRIDGE

Jesus (peace be upon him) has said, 'The world is a bridge. Pass over it, but do not settle down on it!

 THE ABOVE IS AN ASIAN QUOTE OF JESUS

FROM ITS FORMAT IT APPEARS TO BE MUSLIM

 

THE MUSLIMS HONOR JESUS AS A GREAT PROPHET

BUT NOT THE SON OF GOD

ALLAH IS ONE

 

REGARDLESS OF ITS ORIGIN

THE MESSAGE SPEAKS TRUE

 

WE ARE COMMITTED TO MAKE THIS JOURNEY

FROM ONE SHORE TO ANOTHER

 

FROM BIRTH

TO THE HEREAFTER

 

 

AND WE ARE COMMITTED TO NOT WALK ALONE

BUT TO HELP

THE BLIND

LAME

SLOW

WEAK

TO MAKE THE JOURNEY

 

IN BUDDHISM THERE IS A PRINCIPAL

CALLED BODHISATTVA

WHERE A PERSON DEFERS CROSSING THE BRIDGE

TO HELP OTHERS ACROSS

 

THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THIS AND CHRISTIANITY

IS THAT ONE IS A SAINT

THE OTHER IS A NORMAL HUMAN BEING

TRYING TO DO THE RIGHT THING

 

THOSE WHO BUILD ON THE BRIDGE

IMPEDE THE PILGRIM

BY CHARGING TOLL

OR BLOCKING THE WAY

MAKING THE JOURNEY

HARDER THAN IT HAS TO BE

 

THE CHRISTIAN HAS TO FIGHT

THESE HOUSES ON THE BRIDGE

THESE OBSTRUCTIONS TO A MAN’S JOURNEY

THEY ARE USELESS AND DECAY IN TIME

AND TRAP THEIR OWNERS

IN THEIR DEBRIS

 

WHETHER JESUS SAID THIS I DO NOT KNOW

BUT THE MESSAGE IS TRUE

AND MATCHES OTHER THINGS HE HAS SAID

 

 

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A MOOD

 

AUTUMN DAY

BREEZE IN THE MEADOW

BUSHES STAND STILL SHUDDER STAND STILL

SCAMPER OF FIELD MOUSE SQUIRREL AND RABBIT

FLIGHT OF A BUZZARD SILENT ALONE

WEEDS GONE TO SEED TASSELS TOSSING

LEAVES CLUSTER AROUND THE FENCE POST

TREE TRUNK AND ROADSIDE

FLOAT ON THE WATER

SENSE OF FOREBODING

SOMETHING WILL HAPPEN

SOON IT WILL RAIN

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AN EASTER SONG

THERE WAS THE SOUND OF SOMEONE SOFTLY SINGING

IT SPOKE OF CHILDREN’S SILVER LAUGHTER

THE BELL TONES OF A RUNNING BROOK

OF CROCUS BUDS AND SPRINGTIME GREEN

OF SUN AND WARMTH AND YOUNG LOVE'S FIRE

IT SPOKE OF PEACE

AS SHE HURRIED TO THE TOMB

WONDERING WHO WOULD ROLL THE STONE AWAY

WONDERING AND WORRIED

YET SOMEHOW CONSOLED BY THE SOUND

UNTIL THERE WAS THE TOMB AND THE STONE ROLLED AWAY

WITH A YOUNG MAN SITTING

 SWINGING HIS LEGS

SINGING

SING MY SOUL HAPPY BE

THE LORD HAS SET HIS PEOPLE FREE

SHE COULD NOT COMPREHEND AT FIRST

THE HAPPY SINGING MAN

BUT SLOWLY

LIKE A CLOUD GIVING BIRTH TO THE SUN

SHE UNDERSTOOD

 

A FLOCK OF STARLINGS IN A NEARBY TREE

CHATTERED NOISILY

SWALLOWS TURNED CRAZY CARTWHEELS IN THE SKY

FISH PLAYED LEAPFROG IN THE LAKE

HAPPY TEARS ROLLED DOWN THE WOMAN'S FACE

 

THERE WAS THE SOUND OF SOMEONE SOFTLY SINGING

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AMOS 8:4-7

 

⁴ Hear this, you who trample the needy
    and do away with the poor of the land,

⁵ saying,

“When will the New Moon be over
    that we may sell grain,
and the Sabbath be ended
    that we may market wheat?”—

skimping on the measure,
    boosting the price
    and cheating with dishonest scales,

⁶ buying the poor with silver
    and the needy for a pair of sandals,
 selling even the sweepings with the wheat.

 

⁷ The Lord has sworn by himself, the Pride of Jacob: “I will never forget anything they have done.

 

ARE THE WORDS OF THE BIBLE TO BE BELIEVED

OR THEY JUST HAPPY TALK

LISTENED TO BE EARS THAT DO NOT HEAR

UNABLE TO PENETRATE OUR HEARTS

 

THE WORDS OF AMOS

WRITTEN OVER TWO THOUSAND YEARS AGO

TRANSCRIBED INTO MODERN TIMES

WOULD READ LIKE TODAY’S HEADLINES

 

WHILE THOSE WHO DO IT

PRATE PIOUS PLATITUDES

THE LORD HAS SAID

HE WILL NOT FORGET THEIR ACTIONS

 

LORD WE HAVE WANDERED FAR

FROM OUR FATHER’S HOUSE

WITH A RIGHT SPIRIT RENEW US

AND MELT OUR HEARTS TO HEAR

 

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AWAY THEY WENT REJOICING

THE SHEPHERDS TO THEIR FLOCKS ABIDING

THEY NEEDED TENDING

AWAY THEY WENT

TRAILING THE SMELL OF SHEEP

SWEAT

AND CHEAP WINE

 

THEY PASSED A NOBLE CARAVAN

WITH ROYALTY PERCHED ON CAMELS

ONE SENSED CLEANLINESS

AND GOOD MANNERS

THEY NODDED AT EACH OTHER IN PASSING

 

SOME SAY

THE BIRTH NARRATIVES

ARE ROMANTIC FICTIONS

MEANT TO DRESS UP A DRAB

ORDINARY SCENE

 

AS IF TO SAY

THE BIRTH OF CHRIST

WAS NOT MIRACLE ENOUGH

 

WE TAKE HIS LIFE

AND SIMPLE WORDS

AND SPIN AN UNRECOGNIZABLE TALE

AT WHICH THE SHEPHERDS

WOULD COMMENT

 A COLLECTIVE

HUH

 

THE SIMPLE FACT IS GOD CAME

 

A SIMPLE FACT LIKE GOD

CREATED HEAVEN

AND EARTH

 

WE ARGUE OVER

METHODS AND DAYS

WHO CARES

GOD CREATED HEAVEN AND EARTH

 

GOD BECAME A MAN

TO LIVE AN ORDINARY LIFE

TO SUCKLE AT HIS MOTHER’S BREAST

TO KNOW HEAT AND COLD

HUNGER AND THIRST

TO WORK AT A TRADE

TO PAY THE BILLS

TO SHARE OUR OFTEN MUNDANE LIFE

 

IN AN ORDINARY BIRTH

NO ANGELS AUDIBLY SING

NO TRADESMEN COME TO CALL

NO ROYALTY BRING GIFTS

 

AND CHRIST CAME TO BE AN ORDINARY MAN

 

I MUST CONFESS

THAT CHRISTMAS STRIPPED DOWN

HAS MERIT

BUT LIKE HARDY’S POEM

 

 

If someone said on Christmas Eve,
Come; see the oxen kneel,

 

I should go with him in the gloom,
Hoping it might be so

 

 

 

COME GENTLE JESUS COME

YOUR BIRTH IS ENOUGH FOR ME

MAY I BRING THE GIFT OF WHO I AM

AND THE GIFT

OF WHAT WE BOTH

SHALL BE

WHEN WE GROW UP

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INVISIBLE HANDS

 

AND GOD STOOD UP

BRUSHED HIS INVISIBLE HANDS

LOOKED AT THE CREATION HE HAD MADE

WITH HIS STILL INVISIBLE HANDS

FELT PRIDE

 SMILED

 

 LIGHT BEGAN

 

SMILED AGAIN

CLAPPED HIS INVISIBLE HANDS

THUNDER ROLLED

COMETS FLEW THROUGH THE SKY

WATER SURGED

BUT HE CALMLY FIXED THEIR LIMITS

 

WITH SUN CAME LIFE

FLORA AND FAUNA

 

WITH LIFE CAME CONCERN

FOR LIVING THINGS

 

I NEED A GARDENER

A CARETAKER

FOR MY CREATION

 

HE MADE A MAN

TASKED HIM WITH THE JOB

 

FROM THE BEGINNING

WE WERE BAD GARDENERS

 

UNGRATEFUL CHILDREN

WITH A COSTLY GIFT

 

WE ATE THE FRUIT

ACQUIRED KNOWLEDGE

WAY BEYOND OUR NEEDS

 

WITH SIN NIGHT BEGAN

 

TRYING TO CATCH THE RISING SUN

WE MARCHED EAST OUT OF THE GARDEN

BUT THE SUN WOULD NOT STAY

BUT SWEPT OVER US

 

AS IF TO SAY

YOU WANTED NIGHT

ONCE THERE WAS NO NIGHT

 

EVERY TIME THE SUN PASSES OVER

IT SEEMS TO SAY

IT’S NOT TO LATE TO TEND THE GARDEN

TO RESTORE THE BEAUTY OF MY WORLD

 

THEN GOD SMILED AGAIN

 

I’LL SEND MY SON TO HELP THE GARDENER

THE DARKNESS COULD NOT COMPREHEND THIS

AND FLED TO SHADOW LAND

 

IN MY GARDEN

 THIEVES CANNOT BREAK IN

OR MOTH CONSUME

IF THE GARDENER IS VIGILANT

 

FOR MY PART

 I HOLD THE WORLD

IN MY INVISIBLE HANDS

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BARNYARD CAT

 

 

THE LEGEND GOES

THAT ON CHRISTMAS DAY

THE BABY LAY SHIVERING

AND FUSSING

 

THE STABLE WAS COLD

IT HAD NO HEAT

THE PARENTS HAD DONE WHAT THEY COULD

YOU CAN ONLY CARRY SO MUCH

ON FOOT

FROM NAZARETH TO BETHLEHEM

WHEN AN ALLEY CAT

AN ORDINARY TABBY

A MOUSER

A STABLE DWELLER

JUMPED IN THE FEED BOX

STARTLED THE PARENTS

MADE TO SHOO IT

BUT STOPPED

THE BABY WAS SLEEPING

THE CAT WAS PURRING

 LENDING BODY WARMTH

IT STAYED WITH THE BABY

AS LONG AS THEY STAYED IN THE STABLE

WHEN THEY WERE READY TO LEAVE

MARY PETTED THE CAT

THANKED IT FOR ITS SERVICE

 LEAVING THE LETTER M

ON ITS FACE

 

TWO VERTICAL LINES

OVER ITS EYES

AND A V

OVER ITS FOREHEAD

MANY CATS TODAY

CARRY THE MARK

A REMINDER

THAT CHILDREN

ARE STILL COLD

THAT IF AN ANIMAL COULD HE

AN ORDINARY BARNYARD TABBY

WHY NOT HUMANS

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DIVES

 

LET US SING A DIRGE ABOUT DIVES

WHO SUPPED AT A BANQUET TABLE

WHILE UNDERNEATH SAT LAZARUS

WAITING FOR CRUMBS

FROM BREAD

DIVES USED

TO CLEAN HIS GREASY HANDS

FOOD FOR THE DOGS

WHO LICKED HIS SORES

 

HE FELT GRATEFUL FOR THE CRUMBS

 

DIVES DIVES

WHY ARE YOU THERE

IN HELL

WHAT DID YOU DO WRONG

NOTHING

THEN WHY ARE YOU HERE

BECAUSE LAZARUS WAS INVISIBLE TO ME

I NEVER BEAT HIM

OR CHASED HIM FROM MY TABLE

HE WAS INVISIBLE TO ME

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EL SHADDAI

EL SHADDAI

EL SHADDAI

MANY BREASTED GOD

WITH MILK FOR ALL

AND PLENTY

EL SHADDAI

SHADDAI

 WHERE WERE YOU GOD

WHEN I WAS LOST

WANDERING THE CAVERNS OF MY MIND

WHERE WERE YOU GOD

WHEN I WAS LOST

 HERE

 EL SHADDAI

EL SHADDAI

MANY BREASTED GOD

WITH MILK FOR ALL

AND PLENTY

EL SHADDAI

SHADDAI

 

HERE

 

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EVENING PRAYER

 

OPENING MEDITATION

 

COME

COME TO THE RESTING PLACE

COME TO THE GARDEN

LEAVE ALL TROUBLES OUTSIDE

NO ONE WILL STEAL THEM

COME TO THE GARDEN

REST

BE AT PEACE

BE AT PEACE

COME TO THE GARDEN

AND SEE GOD’S FACE

 

PSALM 129

 

KEEP US SAFE, LORD, WHILE WE ARE AWAKE, AND GUARD US WHILE WE SLEEP, SO THAT WE MAY WATCH WITH CHRIST AND REST IN PEACE.

AMEN, ALLELUIA.

 

OUT OF THE DEPTHS

I HAVE CRIED TO YOU, OH LORD:

LORD, HEAR MY VOICE.
LET YOUR EARS BE ATTENTIVE

TO THE SOUND OF MY PLEADING.

 

KEEP US SAFE, LORD, WHILE WE ARE AWAKE, AND GUARD US WHILE WE SLEEP, SO THAT WE MAY WATCH WITH CHRIST AND REST IN PEACE.

AMEN, ALLELUIA

 

IF YOU TAKE NOTICE OF OUR TRANSGRESSIONS, LORD –

LORD, WHO WOULD BE LEFT?
BUT WITH YOU IS FORGIVENESS,

AND FOR THIS WE REVERE YOU.

 

KEEP US SAFE, LORD, WHILE WE ARE AWAKE, AND GUARD US WHILE WE SLEEP, SO THAT WE MAY WATCH WITH CHRIST AND REST IN PEACE.

AMEN, ALLELUIA

I RELY ON YOU, LORD,

MY SPIRIT RELIES ON YOUR PROMISE;
MY SOUL HOPES IN THE LORD,

MORE THAN THE WATCHMAN WAITING FOR DAYBREAK.

KEEP US SAFE, LORD, WHILE WE ARE AWAKE, AND GUARD US WHILE WE SLEEP, SO THAT WE MAY WATCH WITH CHRIST AND REST IN PEACE.

AMEN, ALLELUIA

MORE THAN THE WATCHMAN

WAITS FOR DAYBREAK,

LET ISRAEL HOPE IN THE LORD:

 

KEEP US SAFE, LORD, WHILE WE ARE AWAKE, AND GUARD US WHILE WE SLEEP, SO THAT WE MAY WATCH WITH CHRIST AND REST IN PEACE.

AMEN, ALLELUIA

FOR WITH THE LORD

THERE IS KINDNESS

AND ABUNDANT REDEMPTION.
HE HIMSELF WILL REDEEM ISRAEL

FROM ALL ITS TRANSGRESSIONS.

 

KEEP US SAFE, LORD, WHILE WE ARE AWAKE, AND GUARD US WHILE WE SLEEP, SO THAT WE MAY WATCH WITH CHRIST AND REST IN PEACE.

AMEN, ALLELUIA

GLORY BE TO THE FATHER

AND TO THE SON

AND TO THE HOLY SPIRIT,
AS IT WAS IN THE BEGINNING,

IS NOW, AND EVER SHALL BE,
WORLD WITHOUT END.
AMEN.

 

KEEP US SAFE, LORD, WHILE WE ARE AWAKE, AND GUARD US WHILE WE SLEEP, SO THAT WE MAY WATCH WITH CHRIST AND REST IN PEACE.

AMEN, ALLELUIA

 

SONG - SANCTUARY

 

 

ALMIGHTY AND EVERLASTING GOD,

YOU HATE NOTHING

YOU HAVE MADE

AND FORGIVE THE SINS

OF ALL WHO ARE PENITENT:

CREATE

AND MAKE IN US

NEW AND CONTRITE HEARTS,

THAT WE,

WORTHILY LAMENTING OUR SINS

AND ACKNOWLEDGING OUR WRETCHEDNESS,

MAY OBTAIN OF YOU,

THE GOD OF ALL MERCY, PERFECT REMISSION

AND FORGIVENESS;

THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD,

WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU

AND THE HOLY SPIRIT, ONE GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER.

AMEN.

 

MEDITATION

 

WHEN YOU WASH YOUR FACE TONIGHT

REMEMBER YOUR BAPTISM

SLEEP WELL

KNOWING YOU ARE FORGIVEN

(SPRINKLE WITH WATER)

 

A READING - EZECHIEL 34

 

THIS IS WHAT THE SOVEREIGN LORD SAYS:

I MYSELF WILL SEARCH FOR MY SHEEP

AND LOOK AFTER THEM. ¹²

AS A SHEPHERD LOOKS AFTER HIS SCATTERED FLOCK

WHEN HE IS WITH THEM,

SO WILL I LOOK AFTER MY SHEEP.

I WILL RESCUE THEM FROM ALL THE PLACES

WHERE THEY WERE SCATTERED

ON A DAY OF CLOUDS AND DARKNESS. ¹³

I WILL BRING THEM OUT FROM THE NATIONS

AND GATHER THEM FROM THE COUNTRIES,

AND I WILL BRING THEM INTO THEIR OWN LAND.

I WILL PASTURE THEM ON THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL,

IN THE RAVINES

AND IN ALL THE SETTLEMENTS IN THE LAND. ¹⁴

I WILL TEND THEM IN A GOOD PASTURE,

AND THE MOUNTAIN HEIGHTS OF ISRAEL

WILL BE THEIR GRAZING LAND.

THERE THEY WILL LIE DOWN IN GOOD GRAZING LAND,

AND THERE THEY WILL FEED IN A RICH PASTURE

ON THE MOUNTAINS OF ISRAEL. ¹⁵

 

 

I MYSELF WILL TEND MY SHEEP

AND HAVE THEM LIE DOWN, DECLARES THE SOVEREIGN LORD . ¹⁶

I WILL SEARCH FOR THE LOST

AND BRING BACK THE STRAYS.

I WILL BIND UP THE INJURED

AND STRENGTHEN THE WEAK,

BUT THE SLEEK AND THE STRONG

I WILL DESTROY.

I WILL SHEPHERD THE FLOCK WITH JUSTICE.

 

SONG

 

LORDS PRAYER

 

WHEN YOU PRAY…

 

WHEN YOU PRAY

SAY

OUR FATHER

MOTHER

KEEPER OF THE DAWN

GATE OPENER FOR THE SUN

HE WHO WALKS BEFORE THE DAY BEGINS

HE WHO WATCHES THROUGH THE NIGHT

HE WHO DWELLS IN OUR HOME

FATHER

MOTHER

EVER THERE

 

TO WHOM OR WHAT

CAN WE GIVE GLORY

CAN ANYTHING WE DO

ADD TO YOU

YOU ARE SELF CONTAINED

WITHIN YOURSELF

BUT IN A SPECIAL WAY

YOU ARE INCOMPLETE

WITHOUT US

SO TO YOUR COMPLETENESS

WE ADD OUR LOVE

AND WE SING

HOLY HOLY HOLY

IS YOUR NAME

 

SHOW YOUR POWER

AND ESTABLISH YOUR KINGDOM

SHOW YOUR POWER

AND ESTABLISH YOUR WILL

BUT IT HAS ALREADY BEEN DONE

FOR IT HAS BEEN WRITTEN ON OUR HEARTS

THE MEANS TO ESTABLISH YOUR KINGDOM

THE MEANS TO ESTABLISH YOUR WILL

ON EARTH

AS IT IS IN HEAVEN

 

 

GIVE US TODAY

FOOD FOR TODAY

MINDFUL OF OTHER'S NEEDS

MINDFUL THAT EVERYMAN

IS OUR BROTHER

MINDFUL THAT FOOD STORED

MAY NOT LAST

MINDFUL THAT WE SHOULD SHARE OUR SURPLUS

THAT WE SHOULD TRUST YOU FOR TOMORROW

GIVE US TODAY

OUR DAILY BREAD

 

DO NOT PUT US TO THE TEST

FOR OFTEN WE HAVE FAILED THE TEST

LIKE MOSES WE TAP THE ROCK TWICE

UNLIKE MOSES WE TAPPED IT MORE THAN TWICE

WHEN WE REMEMBERED TO TAP IT AT ALL

UNLIKE JOB

WE OFTEN CURSE

AND QUESTION

LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION

 

BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL

BUT ALSO WHERE WE FIND EVIL

LET US RESIST IT

FOLLOWING THE DICTATES

WRITTEN ON OUR HEARTS

 

TO ALL THE ABOVE

WE SAY AMEN

 

 

LET US PRAY THE PRAYER THAT JESUS TAUGHT US

 

OUR FATHER WHO ART IN HEAVEN, HALLOWED BE THY NAME.

THY KINGDOM COME.

THY WILL BE DONE IN EARTH, AS IT IS IN HEAVEN.

GIVE US THIS DAY OUR DAILY BREAD.

AND FORGIVE US OUR DEBTS,

AS WE FORGIVE OUR DEBTORS.

AND LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION,

BUT DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

FOR THINE IS THE KINGDOM,

AND THE POWER,

AND THE GLORY, FOR EVER. AMEN.

 

SONG - NOW THE DAY IS OVER

 

LET US PRAY.

LORD OUR GOD,

WE ARE TIRED BY THE WORK OF THE DAY.

 REFRESH US WITH PEACEFUL SLEEP

AND, FOREVER RENEWED

BY THE HELP YOU GIVE,

LET US ALWAYS BE DEDICATED TO YOU

IN BODY AND MIND.
THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD, AMEN.

 

MAY THE ALMIGHTY LORD GRANT US A QUIET NIGHT

AND A PERFECT END.

 

AMEN

 

"KEEP WATCH, DEAR LORD,

WITH THOSE WHO WORK,

OR WATCH, OR WEEP THIS NIGHT,

AND GIVE YOUR ANGELS

CHARGE OVER THOSE WHO SLEEP.

TEND THE SICK, LORD CHRIST;

GIVE REST TO THE WEARY,

BLESS THE DYING,

SOOTHE THE SUFFERING,

PITY THE AFFLICTED,

SHIELD THE JOYOUS;

AND ALL FOR YOUR LOVE'S SAKE. AMEN."

 

THE ALMIGHTY AND MERCIFUL LORD

THE FATHER

THE SON

AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

BLESS US AND KEEP US

AMEN

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