"In the Feejee islands, it appears, cannibalism is now familiar. They eat their own wives and children. We only devour widow's houses, and great merchants outwit and absorb the substance of small ones and every man feeds on his neighbors labor if he can. It is a milder form of cannibalism." 

Ralph Waldo Emerson. 1841.

 

"Almost all of our relationships begin and most of them continue as forms of mutual exploitation, a mental or physical barter, to be terminated when one or both parties run out of goods." W.H.Auden

 

I was talking to a friend who spoke of her Mother's influence on her piano playing. I made some remarks about how it struck me. 

I said - "One of the things that I really liked was when you talked about what your mother said when you were playing the piano -- 

"What I remember, was that every time I sat to play piano, even today, I hear her voice behind me. She once told me to play an old hymn called 'Showers of Blessing' which I did. 

As I finished, she said “Hummmm, I didn't hear any rain?!" As I played it again, she whispered all through the song: 

“Make it rain. Make it rain"

So…I made it rain. 

When she told me to play “How Great Thou Art” she asked me to make the twinkling stars different than the roaring thunder. I did. 

To this day, that is the voice I hear and the way I play piano..." 

What struck me about that is when I hear someone preach about rain, or thunder I want to hear it and feel it! 

I must confess, I go into a coma quickly listening to lectures or monotone teaching. I suppose being raised up listening to Elvis, Ray and Janis may have tuned my ear to dramatic presentations, who knows, but if it's about rain, let me HEAR IT!

If you can't preach with genuine passion, whether you whisper or raise the rafters, please, sit down. 

 

 

 

 Jesus with Soapy hands

 I ate lunch with man I mentor in the rehab program, we sat down by an old woman who sat alone at the back of the cafeteria, and I recognized her as the woman known there as the "Foot Doctor. Her name is Susan and she's my age or older, just a whisp of a woman, with an unassuming appearance, short and slight of build. I greeted her and asked if she was the "Foot Doctor?" She smiled and quickly corrected me saying she's just a nurse that cares for feet.  

Susan works the streets washing and caring for the feet of the homeless where she uses her skills as a nurse. She also comes weekly to the mission to give foot care to the men in the program. She drives an old car and in the trunk she has, carefully organized by size, shoes for men and women as well as socks. 

As we talked the Lord descended on me and I was made aware that Susan was heavenly royalty. I asked her about her work and in one conversation, she told me smiling that last week she cared for a woman's feet and gave her a pair of athletic shoes and socks. The woman thanked her profusely and then turned and immediately blew her nose in the new socks! Street life, one can never predict what will happen next. 

What can I say about Susan? One thing I can boldly say, she is not "JUST A NURSE!" I was in the presence of a godly woman devoted to Christ and caring for those He died for. I was humbled, filled with admiration and simply couldn't keep her Christian love and work a secret. 

Well done! Good and faithful servant. 

 "To the noblest faculties of the soul, 

rest is like a disease and a torture. 

Our understanding is commissioned and delegated to grapple with ignorance, 

The conscience is to confront the powers of moral evil, 

the affections are to labor for the wretched and oppressed; 

and the Holy Spirit puts within us an incessant and satisfying energy." 

Martineau. 

Oh God, help me never quench this 'incessant and satisfying energy!'

 This is such a heart wrenching photo... 

Jesus said, "I cast out demons and perform cures." 

That'S why we preach Jesus, 

He will bring the dead back to life, and this little boy will get his father back. 

There are more and more kids growing up like this little guy, mercy! Help me be equipped and ready with words of healing and grace. 

No doubt some will say,

 "You can't help a man until he's ready."

  True, but we never know by looking when that is, or what season a man is in, that's why we are told to be ready in season and out; today may be the day the season changes.

I've seen many conversions in the jail and mission, and the groundwork for their conversion was no doubt long and hard, and many before me wept for them, ministered to them, and shared the words of truth with them, but to no avail, but then on the day God reaches them, I come along and say a few words and they fall and repent!

I had little to do with it, the groundwork was laid by other faithful souls, but I get to see the fruit of their labors and I can tell you, it's "Joy unspeakable and filled with Glory!!!!!"