Non Negotiable Items

Non Negotiable Items how soft can we get in the faith?

Copyright Doug Blair, Waterloo ON, 2019

Speaking Clearly, Truthfully on November 20, 2019

Not here to judge Not me no sir Can only wish you well With days you have here.

Are you faithful Are you true?

Signs of Christ Are they in you?

Is the preacher moving you To Heaven’s door.

Oh so many draw the line.

This one In. This one Out. So is certainty What we are all about?

Are there some signs Must be there.

And with courage We must share Bring His Way Out.

Self Condemned (but for liberating grace) on November 18, 2019

There are no bars No numbered garb No buzzers ring No doors clanged tight But you are still A prisoner Friend To memories of A shamed hindsight.

Someone who should Have shown you love And taught you things Of honest worth.

But he would scathe And he would scold

So you made tracks To pain untold.

It hurt you in each Promising link You were unlikely To engage.

You ran a piece And made excuse And stumbled many Bouts of rage.

No never locked

By Law and key But prisoner still Effectively.

Whose sentence this?

Who casts the stone?

The edict sadly Is your own.

Everlastingly on April 15, 2019

Dear Lord you give us this time to discover the stuff we’re made of, and to aspire to the stuff of which Jesus is made.

You give us a friend or two in order to understand place, pathos, forgiveness and healing power.

You give us a cause to recognize the predominant evil in this world of men, and to ignite to the small present opportunity,

mustard-seed small, to turn the tide to something clean and caring.

You give us music and art to explore the indecipherable, and to hold one’s breath so as not to miss a single impulse.

You give us children to rescue the sense of wonder, and to discipline us into kindly letting go.

You give us work to hone a skill, and to battle impatience, self-importance and monotony.

You give us Heaven everlastingly, for the asking, and a sparkling river runs through it.

Love presides.Everlastingly

Jessica on September 20, 2015

Sunday afternoon On a bench in the park Friendly breeze Moderating September heat.

She been to church But it was nothin Except people and practice.

God was almost silent.

Not the same With Lloyd gone He used to sing

Big and bold With the tenors And she sittin Across an alto And smilin at her man Midst the songs of Zion.

Hardly seemed like Sunday The rush all round.

But here in the park Half way to the apartment There was Church.

Laughter of children Old men at the dominoes Bright colour waking in the trees Robin and goldfinch Singing and stretching For the coming trek.

Jessica with eyes closed Felt His warm Hand On her face And began to speak out “I was glad When they said unto me.

Let us go into The house of the Lord.

Our feet shall stand Within thy gates O Jerusalem.�

Hand of a Child on December 19, 2012

Take the hand of a child Hold it firmly Respectfully

A fresh life examines Your eyes and mien Looks for truth and safety Knows quicker than most Of its discovery Or its absence Registers every input.

Will that hand so small Comfort and cure Smite and smash Build and beautify Wield the sceptre of right Lift a languishing one?

Will it be opened or closed?

Will it in years to come Pass on the legacy With some aroma of yours?

Compassion's Target on September 01, 2012

I am down With the doubting and dirty I am here With the broken and pained.

I am still Bearing hope to the hopeless.

That the loss Will be more than re-gained.

For I bring Not my own faltering mercy.

Since I know It alone won’t suffice.

But I come With the heart of the Saviour.

Friend, I come In the power of Christ.

I have prayed For the right kind of comfort.

I have bound All the naggings of Hell.

Jesus, come,.3 You know all this friend’s burden.

Saviour, come, You do everything well.

Dialogue Through the Clouds I don’t feel much like praying right now Sir. Fred that is precisely when you must pray. Breakthrough comes no other way to a child of Mine.

Things are such a mess. I just need some time to myself Sir. You know, to work through this.

Fred, my Spirit works it through, not you.

Sir, I have made some really bad decisions lately, particularly with things as tough as they are.

Fred I know all about that. I was there…and yes sometimes shaking my head. But I cut my kids slack when needed. And never let go.

Sir I am afraid to let it out; to let You or any other know the full picture right now. It would be too confusing and mortifying. I might really lose it.

Fred I watched my Son hang before the mockers, naked and vulnerable. He did this so that one day you could dispense His honest love, Our honest love without reserve or concern for self. And experience the joy. Capice?

OK Dad we’ve been here before haven’t we. Thanks for that. I love You. I must love You.

Mm