A Few of FR's Finest...Every Day...09-10-04....September 11, 2001 - A Day To Remember

Aquamarine, NickNamedBob

[Aquamarine]

World Trade Center
New York City

Towers of Life

They stood hushed and glimmering in the night,
Giants able to frame the moon,
Slumbering magnificently in their might.

Day breaks and the sun gently warms their skin,
Veins begin to pulse with life,
The spirit of a thousand of kin.

Evil tears towards them through the brilliant morning sky,
Propelled by the blackest of hate,
Guided by a lie.

Barely risen they stand with no defense,
Innocent and distracted they are not prepared,
The pain about to be inflicted intense.

Like a bolt of lighting that shatters the morn,
Evil crashes once then twice into their sides,
Their bodies are scorched and torn.

Horribly crippled they continue to stand,
Holding onto life until the last,
Orders are given, they take the command.

The battle is brief, the giants begin to yield,
Life drains from every artery,
Their fate is sealed.

Collapsing to zero,
First to one knee then to the next,
From their dust will emerge so many a hero.

The question is asked,
How can such evil exist.

- JDK

In Memory of Lives Lost
September 11, 2001

Keeper of the Stars

(music)

Pentagon - Washington D.C.

When Worlds Collide

When hatred, like a cancer cell, learns to spread its seed,
The whole world is the patient, and global is the need.
A force for evil is unleashed, that tears at peaceful hearts,
And those who worship evil learn the darkest of its arts.

The wills that seek to rise above the mundane plows they share,
And forces that can lift them and propel them in the air,
Are beaten into weapons which can strike a deadly blow,
A dragon’s breath which rains its death on innocents below.

The world awakened slowly to the peril at its door,
And had difficulty focusing on hurt that was in store.
It took two blows to understand the treachery that came,
And just a little longer then to know what was to blame.

Yet another part of the attack was on a star,
Whose light was meant to warn us when a threat came from afar.
Already we were moving to deflect the serpent’s fangs,
But not before its target had begun to feel the pangs.

Though thousands were before it when it sought to hit the mark,
Only hundreds were imperiled as it struck out of the dark.
Only hundreds, only hundreds. Even one would be too many,
In the listings of the victims we’d prefer there weren’t any.

The poison seed of hatred has infected normal men,
And turned them into demons who can not return again.
These demons would attack the very angels in the air,
And plunge them like a dagger at the ones for whom they care.

This is now a battle unlike any seen on Earth,
And we are now the witnesses for Satan at his birth.
Conventional responses will be laughed at by his spawn,
Just as fire is not weakened by the coming of the dawn.

Truth shall be our weapon, that all people should be free,
We can’t be safe ourselves ’til we secure their liberty.
Let every father’s son know that the world is his to love,
Or judgment will be swift and it will come from up above.

We must call the angels down, and interrupt their chorus,
And none of us can shirk the daunting task that lies before us,
For we have witnessed evil done and know who must be blamed,
And we must fight the hatred that has Heaven now inflamed.

NicknamedBob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . August 30, 2004

Field in Pennsylvania

Love Takes Flight

These woods have forged some heroes, in fields and in the sky,
The kind who, when the moment came, were not afraid to die.
The morning had been peaceful, and then misfortune fell,
Their quiet journey shattered by a mind-disrupting yell.

They learned their lives were forfeit in a game with global stakes,
And they decided they would win, no matter what it takes.
They could have been some victims Best Known Only by the toll,
Except they chose to make a stand, and by their words, “Let’s Roll!”

Against the soulless demons, they flung themselves in rage,
And with the courage born of love changed wording on the page.
Their gentle souls were purged of pain in hammer blows and flame,
But none would ever dare to say they did not win the game.

NicknamedBob . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . September 7, 2004

Keep them in your heart.

THIS WEEK'S THREADS 09-06-04...Labor Day 09-07-04....Military Monday on Tuesday 09-08-04...."Dear God from the Dog" 09-09-04....Bush knocks the wind out of Kerry's sails

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CLICK

[JulieRNR21]

Sorry...it was so large but so were the Twin Towers & I think it was a good reminder of their size & soaring power.

Here's a smaller and moving one I just got today:

[dansangel]

I just received this link in my email;

http://members.cox.net/classicweb/Heroes/heroes.htm

Take a moment and watch. The wounds and hurt are still fresh. The images still evoke tears.

(((((((HUGS))))))))) to all.

[Dubya]

Thanks for picture.

[Dubya]

Never Forget.

[Dubya]

Everything Possible

Lordy only believe, only believe All things are possible If you'll only believe My Lordy, only believe, yes only believe All things are possible If you'll only believe

I met God one morning, my soul feeling bad Heart heavy laden I felt fire doubt ahead Well He lifted all my burdens, yeh, right now I'm feeling glad All things are possible If you'll only believe

I believe, yeh, I believe, All things are possible If you'll only believe

[Dubya]

SUPPER TIME

When I was but a boy in days of childhood I used to play till evening shadows come. Then winding down an old familiar pathway I heard my mother call at set of sun

Come home, come home it's supper time the shadows lengthen fast. Come home, come home, it's supper time we're going home at last.

One day beside her bedside I was kneeling, and angel wings were winnowing through the air. She heard her call for supper time in heaven and now I know she's waiting for me there.

Come home, come home it's supper time The shadows lengthen fast. Come home, come home, it's supper time, we're going home at last.

In visions now I see her standing yonder, and her familiar voice I hear once more. The banquet table's ready up in heaven, It's supper time upon that golden shore.

Come home, come home it's supper time, The shadows lengthen fast. Come home, come home, it's supper time, we're going home at last.

We're going home at last.

I find that this fits my childhood.

Supper time was always special.

[Dubya]

Grand Parents Day

[Dubya]

Welcome to "Decision" magazine's weekly e-mail devotional.


"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows." (2 Corinthians 1:3-5, NIV).

---

In the Darkness, His Presence
by Ronald Dunn

Several years ago I was to preach in a small town in western Oklahoma. The young pastor was a good friend, his people were good listeners and the church was beautiful.

But the landscape, which seemed bleak and windblown, was depressingly desolate to me and punctuated my loneliness. I didn't want to be there.

I wanted to be back in Arkansas, in Room 5518 of the hospital where Dad was dying of cancer. My entire family was there -- except me.

Grief has a way of isolating a person. Joseph Conrad said that we suffer just as we dream -- alone. We become the sole inhabitant of the earth. I am no stranger to this exile of mourning. I felt it when Mom died, and I felt it especially when my wife and I lost our older son. And I felt it that day in Oklahoma, that familiar and unwelcome intruder that makes me the loneliest person in the world.

We were having noon services that week, meeting in the fellowship hall. I was to speak on prayer. That morning, before the luncheon began, I was suddenly overcome with grief. I escaped to the sanctuary. It looked dark and empty, the blackness relieved only by the dim, red glow of the exit sign. I felt my way to a pew and sat down. Resting my head on the back of the pew in front of me, I let the tears flow. I prayed without words.

After a few moments I sat up and opened my eyes. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I discovered that I was not alone in the sanctuary. In the room were three or four others, praying in the darkness. The darkness had deceived me. I was not alone.

And then He was there: the Holy Spirit, God's Gift to every believer. Of course, He had been there all the time. But I had let the darkness convince me that I was alone.

The Spirit reminded me of the words of Jesus: "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever; ... I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you" (John 14:16,18, NIV). Another Helper, just like Jesus; that is the promise. Another Helper to do for us all that Jesus would do if He were physically present. And better! Because if Jesus were still present in the flesh, present with me in this darkened sanctuary, He could not be with you right now in your darkness.


Prayer
Lord, help us to find solace in Your care when sorrow and grief overwhelm us. Thank You for sending the Holy Spirit to be Your Presence with us on earth during times of joy and times of struggle. Guide us as we minister to others with the comfort we receive from You. We pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

[Dubya]

Benefits of Being Over Sixty


1. Your supply of brain cells is finally down to manageable size.

2. Your secrets are safe with your friends because they can't remember them
either.

3. Your joints are more accurate meteorologists than the national weather
service.

4. People call at 9 PM and ask, "Did I wake you?"

5. People no longer view you as a hypochondriac.

6. There is nothing left to learn the hard way.

7. Things you buy now won't wear out.

8. You can eat dinner at 4 P.M.

9. You can live without sex but not without glasses.

10. You enjoy hearing about other people's operations.

11. You get into heated arguments about pension plans.

12. You have a party and the neighbors don't even realize it.

13. You no longer think of speed limits as a challenge.

14. You quit trying to hold your stomach in, no matter who walks into the room.

15. You sing along with elevator music.

16. Your eyes won't get much worse.

17. Your investment in health insurance is finally beginning to pay off.

18. You can't remember who sent you this list.

[Dubya]

Whispers

The man whispered, "God, speak to me" and a meadowlark sang.

But, the man did not hear.

So the man yelled, "God, speak to me" and the thunder rolled across the sky.

But, the man did not listen.

The man looked around and said, "God let me see you." And a star shined brightly.

But the man did not see.

And, the man shouted, "God show me a miracle." And, a life was born.

But, the man did not notice.

So, the man cried out in despair, "Touch me God, and let me know you are here."

Whereupon, God reached down and touched the man. But, the man brushed the butterfly away and walked on.

I found this to be a great reminder that God is always around us in the little and simple things that we take for granted .. even in our electronic age

So I would like to add one more:

The man cried, "God, I need your help!" And an e-mail arrived reaching out with good news and encouragement.

But, the man deleted it and continued crying .

Don't miss out on a blessing because it isn't packaged the way that you expect.

[Dubya]

J C WATTS Stand for whats right

[Dubya]

Crossing the River

One day, three men were hiking and unexpectedly came upon a large raging, violent river. They needed to get to the other side, but had no idea of how to do so.

The first man prayed saying, "Please God, give me the strength to cross this river." Poof! God gave him big arms and strong legs, and he was able to swim across the river in about two hours, after almost drowning a couple of times.

Seeing this, the second man prayed to God, saying, "Please God, give me the strength...and the tools to cross this river." Poof! God gave him a rowboat and he was able to row across the river in about an hour, after almost capsizing the boat twice.

The third man had seen how this worked out for the other two, so he also prayed saying, "Please God, give me the strength and the tools ... and the intelligence ... to cross this river." And poof! God turned him into a woman. She looked at the map, hiked upstream a couple of hundred yards, then walked across the bridge.

[Dubya]

THE DUST CLOUD

One morning a husband took a pair of underwear out of the drawer. What the hell?" he said to himself as a little "dust" cloud appeared when he shook them out. April," he hollered into the bathroom, "why did you put talcum powder in my underwear?" She shot back: "It's not talcum powder. It's 'Miracle Grow'

[Dubya]

Cafeteria Food

Once when the power went off at the elementary school, the cook couldn't
serve a hot meal in the cafeteria. She had to feed the children something,
so at the last minute she whipped up great stacks of peanut-butter and
jelly sandwiches.

As one little boy filled his plate, he said, "It's about time. At last -- a
home cooked meal!"

[Dubya]

Why Are You Here?

Two intrepid explorers met in the heart of the Brazilian jungle. "I'm
here," declared one, "to commune with nature in the raw, to contemplate the
eternal verities and to widen my horizons. And you, sir?"

"I," sighed the second explorer, "came because my young daughter has begun
violin lessons."

[Dubya]

Life's Rainbow

[Dubya]

POW MIA Recognition Day

September 14, 2004

Turn up your sound and pray for them.

[LadyX]

"In visions now I see her standing yonder, and her familiar voice I hear once more. The banquet table's ready up in heaven, It's supper time upon that golden shore."

"I find that this fits my childhood."

In the past two days, this very same thought has been weighing on my mind, too, Dubya.

I last saw my mother when she hugged me (then 27) and my two little boys, she and Daddy putting us on a plane in Melbourne, Florida to join my husband in South Dakota.
From there we went to Fairbanks, Alaska, so I was unable to go to Florida to see her after she was stricken with an aneurysm, and died when I was 31.

Somehow I feel her presence quite strongly - perhaps as a result ot the hurricanes menacing my familiar haunts in Florida? The fact those two little boys now live there, with sons of their own?

One thinks seriously of the Destination of Life's Journeys and what awaits us there!

How blessed so many of us here at The Finest are to understand that no matter what 'storms' buffet us, holding His hand will lead us through them, and to Eternal Safety, believing and trusting His Precious Words.

And both through and after the storms,
there is always His Love - - -
how wonderful to have that blessed assurance
of the Peace that lies ahead !!

See you at The Table - -

[Dubya]

Thanks for your post. I some times thank I'm nuts. But that song brings ne very close to my mother and father, God rest their souls.

[Dubya]

To Our Troops...