Time and Timeless

Time and timeless

The metal clock arm swings in its arc, mimicking the movement of sunlight and tide, the wheeling of the great spheres, suns and stars beyond our vision, reminding us. And the family records, the photos, the memories of days gone by, the ever circling years, echo the truth printed right there on the clock's face…tempus fugit. And my own memory adds, from an ancient poet, the words, "The best days are the first to flee." (Optima dies, prima fugit. Virgil.)

The first is true… True as the light which passes through the leaves. True as the arch in the back, the ache in the bones. Time flies. The second is not as true. In one sense our best days flee quickly. But it is also true that we find the best days out ahead of us. Indeed, as one highland preacher observed, we pitch our tents at evening a days journey closer to home. The hills of heaven are bright in that ever-light, eternity is not time wracked, and, friend, because of God's love in Jesus Christ, the best days are out there, ahead.
A Blessed New Year
Willard Spencer

At Christmas

The earth has grown old with its burden of care,
But at Christmas it always is young.
The heart of the jewel burns lustrous and fair,
And its soul full of music bursts forth on the air,
When the song of the angels is sung.

It is coming, Old Earth, it is coming tonight!
On the snowflakes that cover thy sod.
The feet of the Christ Child fall gentle and white,
And the voice of the Christ Child tells out with delight
That mankind are the children of God.
Philips Brooks

Friends, This is a poem that Bishop Brooks wrote in the late eighteen hundreds. It catches the meaning, and the feeling, of Christmas. We feel young at Christmas. And we rejoice in the fact that we can say and sing again that we are God's children, that we can hear angel song again. What a wondrous time. Merry Christmas to you all.

Light and Warmth from Rose Cottage, near the Lake, on a warm, sunny day,
Willard Spencer

Storms and Life

A Prayer for the Storms of Life
Dear Lord Jesus, None of us would choose a storm. We would choose, rather, a quiet time of peace, surrounded by a peaceful environment, in the midst of people we love. Or we would choose a sunlit day in the hills, the light laughing on little rivers, butterflies circling, and wildflowers bowing in the gentle breeze. Maybe a time of reading in a quiet place or a warm fire and a cup of hot chocolate. We would choose such, Dear Lord Jesus, before we would choose a storm.

There are times, though, when we walk into a storm knowingly, walking with you, sensing your presence near, leading and guarding. And then there are times when we just find ourselves caught by a storm, without any forethought or preparation for a tempest. Those are the ones we dread. We feel the palpable darkness. We cannot see the path to take a step. We look around for you and do not see you. We cry out and are answered by the echoes of our own fears. Those are the storms we dread most of all.

Dear Lord Jesus, show us again the ancient truths, speak again the words of truth -- that you love us with an everlasting love and that you will never let us go. Drive again into the subconscious sources of dread and angst the truth that you will be WITH us until the close of the age. Secure us in that certainty, and give us eyes to see you walking toward us in the storm.

Save your people. Satisfy every pure hunger. Assuage every grief and loss. Dear Lord Jesus, strengthen us for your mission field just outside, and bring us again into the lambent circle of safety that is your grace. We ask in your name, and offer your prayer….Pray the Lord's Prayer.

Light and Warmth,

Willard Spencer

Prayer in a Season of Ads

Prayer for a Culture of New and More

Dear Lord Jesus, We live in a time and place that multiplies needs. We need something new every time we turn around. It seems that we are driven by ever-increasing demands and plagued by ever diminishing pleasures. We need more this and new that. We expand our store of needs until it overflows the "barns" we build. And not everything new is bad, Dear Lord Jesus, it is just "more." Help us in this deluge of novelty not to lose sight of the essential things, the quiddity of truth, the sufficiency of grace, the abundance of mercy and love. Fix in our hearts, Dear Lord Jesus, the image of your sacrifice, your endless care for us. Translate our images of grace into action for you in this time and place, surfeited with novelty and fluff. Let us keep hold of the needful thing and not starve in the midst of plenty, perish on food that does not satisfy.

Find us here in our seeking. Find us poor and lost, blind and lame…and let your light shine in our eyes, in our souls, and bring to us what we really need. Bring hope that does not fade. Bring joy that triumphs over despair. Bring challenge to face real needs in your way. Show us the mission field right outside of our door and send us into it caring for the lost and the lame. Give us voices to speak for you. Give us eyes to see those who need to hear and give us a will, a courage, a readiness to tell the good news of your grace.

Be help to the helpless, Dear Lord Jesus. Be hope to those who have almost given up. Be our light in every darkness, and stir within us the fire of faith. Re-kindle the flames first found in solemn vows taken before your altar. To you be praise and glory always. We praise you this day with words you gave us….. Pray the Lord's Prayer.

Light and Warmth,
Willard Spencer

"At the back of the wall of the world stands God with His arms outstretched, and every man driven there is driven into the arms of God. The Cross of Jesus is the supreme evidence of the love of God."

Oswald Chambers

Friends, Ever been up against a wall? Better question would be, "When was the last time?". Life is a joy and a continual song, but there are times when life pushes us to a solid boundary. There, we can find prayer and peace, hope and new beginnings await us -- because of the Love of God revealed in Christ Jesus. So we avoid the walls, but we know where to look when we find ourselves up against one. Many good days.

Light and Warmth from Rose Cottage, near the Lake, on a chilly day,

Bill and Cheryl

Life and the Old Grandfather Clock

The Clock Hand and the Best Days

The metal clock arm swings in its arc, mimicking the movement of sunlight and tide, the wheeling of the great spheres, suns and stars beyond our vision, reminding us. And the yearly records, the memories of days gone by, the ever circling years, echo the truth printed right there on the clock's face . . . tempus fugit. And my own memory adds, from an ancient poet, the words, "the best days are the first to flee." (Optima dies, prima fugit. -- Virgil in the Georgics.)

There is truth . . . True as the light which passes through the leaves. True as the arch in the back, the ache in the bones. Time flies. The other is not as true. Indeed, we pitch our tents each evening a days journey closer to home. The hills of heaven are bright in that ever light, and eternity is not time wracked, and, friend, because of God's love in Jesus the best days are out there, ahead.
Willard Spencer