SIT TIBI TERRA LEVIS

SIT TIBI TERRA LEVIS

ENGRAVED ON A TOMB

IN AN OLD ROMAN GRAVEYARD

ARE THE LETTERS

S T T L

SIMILAR TO THE LETTERS

 R I P

WE FIND IN OUR CHURCHYARDS

IT STANDS FOR

SIT TIBI TERRA LEVIS

MAY THE EARTH LIE GENTLY ON YOU

MUCH OF OUR FUNERAL WORDS

ARE DEDICATED TO

PEACE

REST

SLEEP

AS A CHRISTIAN

WHEN WE VISIT THE GRAVE SITE

OF A LOVED ONE

WE ARE VISITING THE BODY AND MEMORY

OF THE DECEASED

THE IMPORTANT PART OF HIM

HAS GONE TO THE PLACE GOD HAS FOR HIM

WE MIGHT IMAGINE IN A FANCIFUL MOOD

 TO SEE AN ANGEL SITTING ON A GRAVESTONE

SAYING

WHY

ARE YOU LOOKING FOR HIM AMONG THE DEAD

HE LIVES

HEART AND HE

AWAIT YOU IN GALILEE

THE BODY

WHICH MOST OF US

ENCLOSE GENTLY IN THE EARTH

IS NOT THE BODY OF THEIR VIGOR

BUT A BODY SCARRED

BY

AGE

DISEASE

CALAMITY

THE MULE HAS CARRIED US

TO THE JOURNEY’S END

AND RESTS

OUR BEING SINGS

HOLY

HOLY

HOLY

IT TELLS OUR LOVED ONES

I AM AT PEACE

FRANK A VOLLMER

GRANDFATHER'S POCKET WATCH

GRANDFATHER’S POCKET WATCH

MY GRANDFATHER WAS A SHOWMAN

HE LIVED THE LIFE

WHEN TIMES WERE GOOD

HE CARRIED A POCKET WATCH

WITH FOB AND CHAIN

AND GAUDY VEST

WHEN TIMES WERE BAD

IT SAT IN A PAWN SHOP

WAITING TO BE REDEEMED

WHEN WE WEREN’T UNEMPLOYED

BUT BETWEEN GIGS

EVENTUALLY THE WATCH WAS MINE

WITH A LETTER THAT SAID

OPEN ONLY IN AN EMERGENCY

MY WIFE WAS SICK

AT WORK THEY WERE CUTTING HOURS

BILLS WERE MOUNTING

NOT ONLY COULD I NOT MAKE ENDS MEET

I COULDN’T SEE THE ENDS

I OPENED THE LETTER

KIDDO IT SAID

IF YOU’RE BROKE

SELL THE WATCH

YOU’RE KEEPING IT FOR A MEMORY

YOU HAVE MORE MEMORIES IN YOUR HEART

MORE VIVID MEMORIES

THAN A WATCH

SELL THE WATCH

I REMEMBER MY GRANDFATHER FONDLY

SOMETIMES HOLES IN HIS SOLES

BUT THE TOP ALWAYS POLISHED

A GIFT FOR THE FUTURE HE SAID

AND WHEN YOU’RE ABLE

DO IT FOR SOMEONE ELSE

SO MANY BLESSINGS

WE CANNOT REPLAY

THEY’RE IN THE PAST

BUT THOSE WHO BLESSED US

WOULD BLESS US FOR THINKING OF OTHERS

GOD’S LOVE IS LIKE THAT WATCH

FRANK A VOLLMER

PS 50:11

Psalm 50:11

I know every bird in the mountains

SOMEONE SAID

THAT LIFE IS LIKE A BIRD

AT NIGHT

FLYING THROUGH A LIGHTED ROOM

FLYING THROUGH AND OUT

FROM DARKNESS

TO DARKNESS

BRIEFLY ILLUMINED

THEN GONE

SOUNDING LIKE SOMETHING FROM ECCLESIASTES

BUT IS LIFE

THIS BRIEF MOMENT

ON THE STAGE

THEN THE CURTAIN

BUT THINK OF THE BIRD’S WONDER OF FLIGHT

THE POETRY AND MUSIC OF ITS SONG

THE SIGH OF RELIEF

AT ITS PARTING

THINGS TO BE TREASURED

AFTER IT’S GONE

A THING OF BEAUTY

WE ARE ASKED

TO MAKE OUR FLIGHT

BEAUTIFUL

IF WE HIT A WALL

TO TRY AGAIN

GOD FORGIVE ME FOR THE WALLS I'VE HIT

HELP ME TO MAKE THE REST OF MY FLIGHT

BEAUTIFUL

FRANK A VOLLMER

NINETY-NINE

NINETY-NINE

IN THE MUSLIM WORLD

THEY SAY

ALLAH

HAS NINETY-NINE NAMES

THE CAMEL

WEARS A GRIN

HE KNOWS THE HUNDREDTH

BUT WON’T TELL

HOW LIKE AMERICAN CHRISTIANS

WHO THINK

WE ARE GOD’S SPECIAL NATION

ALL SHOULD BOW TO US

WHO TREAT

THE STRANGER

IN OUR MIDST

WITH HOSTILITY

WE DEEM THEM

HEWERS OF WOOD

DRAWERS OF WATER

WE ARE A DISGRACE TO HIS TEACHING

LIKE THE CAMEL

WE ARE SMUG

IN OUR KNOWING

WE FACE THE WORLD

WITH A SMILING FACE

AND A BITE

FRANK A VOLLMER

[Proverbs 29:18] ORIENTAL WISDOM

ORIENTAL WISDOM

A CHINESE SAGE

WAS ASKED BY HIS STUDENT

WHAT DOES A MAN NEED TO BE HAPPY

HE THOUGHT

AND SAID

AN ARMY

NOT FOR WAR

BUT FOR PEACE

SUFFICIENT FOOD

TO ELIMINATE WANT

TRUST IN LEADERS

BOTH CIVIL AND RELIGIOUS

THAT THEY WILL DO THE RIGHT THING

THESE THREE

A MAN NEEDS

BUT WHAT IF YOU ONLY COULD HAVE TWO

THEN I’D OMIT THE ARMY

MAN WOULD HAVE TO LIVE IN PEACE

BY HIMSELF

BUT WHAT IF YOU ONLY COULD HAVE ONE

THEN I WOULD OMIT FOOD

MAN DOES NOT LIVE BY BREAD ALONE

WHY WOULD YOU KEEP FAITH

BECAUSE WITHOUT FAITH

THE PEOPLE PERISH

FRANK A VOLLMER

(John 2:19) PROFANE

PROFANE

THE WORD PROFANE
MEANS
OUTSIDE THE TEMPLE

IT’S A WORD THE TEMPLE KEEPERS USE
TO PROTECT THE SANCTITY OF THEIR PLACE

THE ARE MANY TEMPLES
NEIGHBORHOOD
CITY
STATE
RACE
RELIGION

TOO OFTEN IT IS USED
TO SEPARATE THE PRIVILEGED
TO KEEP THE RIFFRAFF OUT

TO ADMIT THE SACRED
THE SET APART
TO KEEP THE OTHERS OUT
TO PROFANE THEM

TOO OFTEN THE TEMPLE KEEPERS
SHUN
RATHER THAN EMBRACE

BUT CHRIST SAYS
I WILL DEMOLISH THESE TEMPLES
REBUILD THEM IN MY IMAGE
IF YOU WILL LET ME

WE LAUGHED HIM TO SCORN

DREAMER
IMPRACTICAL

OUR VESTED INTERESTS
ARE MORE IMPORTANT

YOU’RE ONLY A ROADBLOCK TO PROGRESS

TO HELL WITH THE PROFANE
THEY DON’T BELONG

GO BUILD A WAYSIDE CHAPEL
WHERE BELONGERS
WON’T BE BOTHERED

AND WHILE YOU’RE AT IT
TAKE THE PROFANE WITH YOU

FRANK A VOLLMER