Introducing Inspired Ann

29 Jan 2012 Leave a comment

by Gloryteller in Christian Writing, Christianity, Creation, Evangelism, Faith, God's Glory, Inspirational Writing, Jesus Christ, Personal Testimony, Prayer Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

“Choices” is the first post on my dear cousin’s new website.  It is a very special post for at least two reasons.  It is about our Father and our older Brother, and it is written by a member of my family, my dear cousin Ann.  She has plenty of wonderful things to say at http://inspiredannotation.wordpress.com.  I hope you give her a “read”.  Ann, you express your perception of the glory of God in a uniquely beautiful way.   You have a gift and an anointing, and I am very proud of you!

CHOICES

January 23, 2012

I look at the marvels in Your kingdom and wonder,

why is it that anyone would choose to live in destruction?

I see the power in Your blood and ask, why is it then,

that people choose sickness, anxiety, frustration?

In this world death displays its power, but in You, life is freely ours.

I choose to live! I run to You! Jesus, You make everything new.

I look at the lives of those You have changed

and wonder, why would others not want the same?

I see the gifts You provide for Your children and ask,

can some deliberately choose ruin, emptiness and lack?

Could anyone really not want You as Father?

Of all the choices we make every day,

there is but one choice, the only true way

to find blessing, joy, abundance and safety

if we would only cry out and bow our knee

and declare that Jesus is Lord God Almighty.

Beautifully written! Well done! Congratulations on your great initial offerings, and welcome to the wonderful world of blogging/briteing.

I’m quite amazed at how similarly we “see” things, then I remember that we share blood – the blood of our fathers; the blood of our Savior!

I know why people choose to live in destruction. For the same reason I did when I was kept “blinded and deafened” to the Truth by an enemy who constantly seeks our loss, our death, and our utter destruction. That is the one who makes sin and death look like pleasure and fun, and who hides the resulting “ruin, emptiness, and lack” until it can spring, roaring at our backs, dragging us hopelessly to the ground.

From the place I’m standing now, I don’t see why people don’t want to embrace Him as Abba – Father, especially when presented with the message of the beautiful Truth written by such a one as you. That you exist, that you write so well from a joyful, overflowing heart is a testament to our merciful, grace-giving God. He has truly gifted the world – and me – with you, and I thank Him once again!

“Inspiredannotation” – Perfect !!!

May God bless this, and all, of your endeavors!
Lots of Love,
Len “Gloryteller”

(Re-posted with permission.  Many thanks, my cousin.)

P.S.  Chaff Rantley is my “adopted” cousin;  Ann is my “real” cousin.  Love you both, hehe.

The Godsend

20 Dec 2011 Leave a comment

This is my first Christmas story.  It started as a small seed of an idea, but the Holy Spirit grew it in His usual epic way:

In “The Godsend”, Davey Christopher, a very young, post-war detective seeks difficult answers in a world that is almost too big, too formidable. But who knew? God provides! See how He did, in The Godsend. I sincerely hope you enjoy this little story.

Merry Christmas!

 

Image by Gloryteller

Helping Trumps Self

13 Dec 2011 6 Comments

When you are wounded,

When you are hurt,

Simply seek out and comfort

The one who hurts worse.

They trudge everywhere,

They’re not hard to find.

Weary with burdens

So sharp and unkind.

But helping has helped me.

You need to know, too.

This works, it’s a comfort,

Each time it’s been used.

©  L.S. 11-11-2011

Image by Gloryteller

An Open Letter To My Brother(s)

29 Nov 2011 4 Comments

by Gloryteller in Apologetics, Belief in God, Christianity, Evangelism, Faith, Jesus, Personal Testimony, Redemption, Salvation Tags: , , , , , , ,

My dear, dear Brother,

It has been in my heart to write you,  brother that I love, whom I have known all my life, whom I have known for a time, and whom I have not yet met….  That sounds kind of mysterious doesn’t it?!  This letter is about helping you to understand some important things.  You may have been wondering how my life turned out.  Well, it has been quite a trip!

I have seen and done a full range of amazing things.  I have experienced defeats and victories I did not imagine possible when we were “younger boys”.

I have been in places no one should go and also in places of unfathomable beauty.  I have found love, lost it, found it again, and kept it;  been hopelessly discouraged and blissfully happy.

I will forbear detailed descriptions, my brother, for something has happened to outshine, overpower, and truly transcend everything else – every person, place, and experience – that has happened to me in this world.

It is only that sight, that victory, that glorious place and transcendent state of being that I wish to speak of now, for I found what I had never found before, what I hadn’t even sought, (at least not that I knew of) though it was in plain sight.  I had been blind.  Ignorantly arrogant.  Arrogantly ignorant, too.

Then, through God’s Grace, I saw what I had refused to see and went where I hadn’t allowed myself to be.  It was a miracle.  A gift.  A discovery.  A Divine Revelation.  Suddenly, I BELIEVED GOD and I BELIEVED IN GOD!  I BELIEVED IN MY RESCUER and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST!  Those were names I rarely repeated, even as blasphemy.  They just didn’t exist in my vocabulary.

I discovered Who and Whose I Am and that has made all the difference in my life.  I became a BELIEVER.

Of course you might be thinking things like, “How could you do this?  How could you be one of them now?  You were such a good, skeptical agnostic.  A cynic.  You liked atheism.  You are a scientist.  You demand proof.  You are not a superstitious person.  You demand truth.  Don’t fall for The Great Delusion.  Be logical, be reasonable!  Come to your senses, man.”

I have said and thought the same things myself.  Many times, self-righteous unbeliever that I was.

Yes, I am a scientist who loves logic and truth, and I’m a Christian too.  A Christian first.  Let me explain….

(Oh, I wish this were easier for me to explain.  Can you read between the lines?  I’m trusting you to read with an open mind – open to my deep caring and concern for you – and that I wouldn’t try to lead you into any bad place.  If you love me, remember, love engenders trust.  Just trust that your welfare, your good, and your very Life, have been paramount in my mind and heart for at least seven years.)

PROOF

I can offer you no scientific proof that my God exists.  Science can’t prove His existence.  It can’t disprove Him either.  That is not the “job” of science anyway.  Science is a system of knowledge dealing with the operation of general, physical (natural) laws.  However, God created nature.  He is above nature.  He is supernatural!   (No, not “that” kind of supernatural, lol.)  I can’t prove He created nature either.  That requires us to pre-suppose that He exists.  So, we are at an impasse.  I can’t prove to you what I unequivocally know to be the truth.

I’m now beginning to realize what a daunting task I’ve taken on, trying to convince you of the legitimacy of what I now believe with all my heart.  You are blessed with a superior intellect and can easily rebut my every attempt to convince you, if you so desire, (in fact, we do have a spiritual enemy who would be delighted if you do just that) however I only beg your patience, and forbearance.  In respect for our history and if you care for me, please, at least try to suspend your disbelief just for the duration of this letter, like you would for an incredibly imaginative sci-fi movie, as I try to explain.

METAPHORICALLY  SPEAKING

I like metaphor.  Figurative speech.  You and I have carried on whole conversations by substituting oblique words and phrases for “real” ones.  That makes me smile when I think about it!  One of my favorite movies, “Contact”, is loaded with metaphor.  Ellie’s struggle is a metaphor which conveys the struggle of an evangelical worker like me to present the truth of Jesus’ story to an unbelieving world.  Here is a bit of  dialog from “Contact” illustrating how difficult it is to explain the kind of transcendent thing that happened to Ellie Arroway, and to me:

I’m betting you know the storyline.  If you don’t, you should watch this great movie.

Michael Kitz: Wait a minute, let me get this straight. You admit that you have absolutely no physical evidence to back up your story.
Ellie Arroway: Yes.
Michael Kitz: You admit that you very well may have hallucinated this whole thing.
Ellie Arroway: Yes.
Michael Kitz: You admit that if you were in our position, you would respond with exactly the same degree of incredulity and skepticism!
Ellie Arroway: Yes!
Michael Kitz: [standing, angrily] Then why don’t you simply withdraw your testimony, and concede that this “journey to the center of the galaxy,” in fact, never took place!
Ellie Arroway: Because I can’t. I… had an experience… I can’t prove it, I can’t even explain it, but everything that I know as a human being, everything that I am tells me that it was real! I was given something wonderful, something that changed me forever… A vision… of the universe, that tells us, undeniably, how tiny, and insignificant and how… rare, and precious we all are! A vision that tells us that we belong to something that is greater than ourselves, that we are not, that none of us are alone! I wish… I… could share that… I wish, that everyone, if only for one… moment, could feel… that awe, and humility, and hope. But… That continues to be my wish. 

(The italics are mine.)   Yes, I  had an absolutely profound experience.  I can’t prove it, but I can try to explain it.  My Lord wants me to do that – over and over as long as I live on Earth.  Unlike Ellie, I know exactly what happened.  Yes, everything I know as a human being and everything that I AM tells me unequivocally that it was real and is real.  I was given a wonderful gift – one that changed me profoundly and fundamentally forever.  I was, and am, convinced that I am a unique and precious creation of God – His child – and being that, I am loved by Him beyond my understanding.  I am not alone and never have been.  Most importantly, I do wish to share that message with everyone, especially with one as close to me as you are.  That is my wish, my purpose, my duty, and His will for me.

In a future letter, I would like to describe, if it is even describable, what happened in that one precious, spectacular, miraculous, breathtaking, moment when belief replaced unbelief.  But for now, I need rest.  This is exhausting!  But, just know  that I would exhaust myself to my very end to help secure your immortal Life against complete destruction and into the never-ending peace and wonder of God’s kingdom.

With sincere love I wish you well,

Peace upon your House!

Your Brother

Through A Lens “Britely”

15 Nov 2011 2 Comments

by Gloryteller in Christian Poetry, Christian Writing, Christianity, Christmas, Creation, Easter, Evangelism, Faith, God's Glory, Inspirational Writing, Jesus, Jesus Christ, Redemption Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

When I write, I attempt to show how things look through my own personal lens.  Len’s lens, if you will…..

~~~

Often it is a rose-colored lens.

Is there also a color for Joy?

~~~

My lens has purposes.

To bring distant sights and insights near.

Are you looking to see the far-away closely?

~~~

To magnify the unseen.

Are you looking to see small wonders

Which are, even now, so very near?

~~~

To highlight the beauty of His creation.

To make clear the murkiness.

To see through, or past, the darkness.

~~~

But, sometimes my lens is cloudy.

At times, smoky, or smudged.

~~~

In those times, let it be repolished by Truth.

Let it be cleaned through Grace,

Focused by Faith,

Illuminated by The Light, Himself.

~~~

Let my lens redeem the darkness.

Let it resolve Jesus’ reflected image.

Let it be placed in tandem with His lens.

For only through His lens can the full glory of The Father be seen.

An Epic Post

07 Nov 2011 1 Comment

by Gloryteller in Apologetics, Bible, Christian Poetry, God's Glory Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Here’s a fun little facebook post I did about the word which is used by almost all the kids using the internet.  Like so many words, it has become slang to them, as in “that was an epic fail”, or “his fight with Valdemort was sooo epic“.

If the ‘youngers’ can create slang, so can I !

Epic is a BIG word!

In internet slang, “epic” means “extremely awesome”.

In everyday English usage, epic means “beyond the ordinary in size, extent, and scope”.

Epic can also mean “heroic; majestic; and impressively great.

An epic poem (or story?) pertains to a long composition, usually centered upon a hero,in which a series of achievements or events is narrated in an elevated style; the Iliad, for example.

To me, epic also implies a depth and a richness of truth surpassing even the most extremely awesome of events and objects observed in the natural universe.  I, then, am led to coin the phrase Ultra-Super-Epic, descriptive of the One Being, the Supreme Entity, the Only One Worthy of That Title.

He is the great I Am.  He is the Lord God Almighty!

Only He and His actions are Ultra-Super-Epic !

He is extremely awesome, and so much more!  He is way beyond the ordinary in size and scope!  He, is beyond heroic in His deeds!  He is far beyond “majestic and impressively great”!

The depth and richness of His love and compassion defy description.  The good news is that His Story can be read by anyone, and should be; for, His Word alone is THE Epic Love Story;  THE Super-Epic Historical Romance;  and THE Ultra-Super-Epic Poem of all time.

Epic! Yes He is, and far, far, beyond.

Pecans and Promises

24 Oct 2011 2 Comments

The time is full.

The pecans are ripe,

Opening like fingers

Full of promises kept.

They fall

From rattled branch,

Into my thankful, cupped,

Receiving hands.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WHICH DO YOU LIKE BETTER,  THE ABOVE VERSION

OR THIS ONE?   :

~~~~~~~~~~

The time is full.

Pecans once more are ripe,

Opening like fingers

Full of promises kept.

Gracefully given,

Gladly released.

The work of care-skilled hands,

They fall from rattled branch,

Into my thankful, cupped,

Receiving hands.

Image by Gloryteller

The Day Will Come

21 Oct 2011 2 Comments

Howdy y’all,

Chaff here again and mighty glad to be.  This is another day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it!

I’m writing today about that Harold Camping guy.  I mentioned him in my first and second blogs, (go here to review ) seems like a long time ago.  I’ve learnt a lot since then, thank God, and thank my cousin, Gloryteller, and my wonderful wife, Millie Jean.

Well, Mr. Harold Camping is at it again.  He says October 21, 2011 (TODAY) is THE day when Christ will come and this old world will end – the day of so-called rapture.

(Well, let me back up here and say there is lots of argument about the “rapture” and whether Christ will come then or later, or whether His coming is one event or two, or whether some people will be left here after the believers are taken.  It doesn’t matter!  All that matters is that He will come and take us believers with Him)

Harold Camping could be right.  It could be today jist as much as any other day.  But exactly when or how it will happen NO-ONE KNOWS.  According to the Bible, the “big event” will come as a surprise on an ordinary day jist like any other day.  Maybe a day when we least expect it – like a day when some pretender predicts it – a day jist like today.

I heard some women on the news say that if  Mr. Camping is right, he wins, but if he’s wrong we all win.  They have it so wrong and so right.  The believers I know welcome the day when Christ comes to take us with Him and ALL PEOPLE WILL BOW ON THEIR KNEES TO HIM.  Of course the non believers will soon find out their judgement and it won’t be a good day for them.  No wonder they think that if the world remains intact and whole it is a good day for them.

I, for one, can hardly wait to see my Savior, so that day WILL BE the best day of my life here, and it will be my entrance into eternity with God and His Son.  I don’t know, Eternity probably isn’t even measured in days.  It could be like one, endlessly beautiful GREAT DAY.

So how about y’all?  Will the last day be a great day for you, or a horrible day?  It is important that you think about that and be prepared.   The keys to Life or Death are layin’ on the table in front of you.  Please, please, my friend.  Choose LIFE!

Blessings to ya’ll,

Chaff Rantley

 

Image by Gloryteller

I Will

19 Oct 2011 Leave a comment

Only look my way                                   

And I will love you

Like a whisper is to the shout

Of how Christ always has.

Only reach for me

And I will hold you close

Like a candle is to the furnace

Long kept aflame for you.

Only say the word

And I will lift your name to Heaven

Like one precious note is to His great symphony,

And these just a little like He will

When you say “YES”.

Image by Gloryteller

Second Guessing Oneself

13 Oct 2011 2 Comments

Do you ever doubt your own judgement?  Well, I have wondered about allowing that last post.  It was, most certainly, meant as a concise articulation of a point of view.  But did it alienate any friends and readers?  I’m torn between removing it and taking a stand upon it.

These days so many people remain silent out of fear of ‘offending’ others. Many want to be “politically correct”, but there lies the problem – there is hardly anything associated with politics that is correct anymore.  It is corrupt, and usually, being politically correct directly contradicts Biblical Truth.  Then there is the subject of tolerance. Tolerance should be a good thing, but lately I’ve seen it as just another way to avoid the truth, especially Biblical Truth. And, to compromise can be a very good thing, but compromising oneself only leads to trouble.

So I stand with Chaff (Well done, Chaff) against political greed, against the hunger for political power, against hate —  FOR our republic, and for sensible, unselfish, governmental spending, taxation, and economic policies. The Bible teaches that debt is a very bad thing, to be strictly avoided. However, our whole economy is based on debt.  Not surprising is it?  And not surprising that we’re in trouble!

To be artificially politically correct, or to tolerate concepts and ideas obviously outside of Christian values seems just a way to compromise with “the world”,  which Jesus never did,  nor did the apostles, nor did the early believers.  Thank God!

To stand upon the unshakeable Rock of Christ is the answer to our worldly troubles.   Come join me there!  Anyone?

Image by Gloryteller

I Strive, Therefore I Rant

11 Oct 2011 6 Comments

I’m Chaff Rantley (Gloryteller’s erstwhile cousin and alter ego) and I thank Gloryteller for this forum.  Sorry if I step on any toes in here, but I gotta blow some steam off.

What set me off was when I saw how some gubmint types were tryin to tell Californica people how their kids WAS gonna git vaxinatened  to prevent their STD’s.  Also how the kids CAN’T git a tan, both of these whether the parents want it or not.  Elsewhere, they want to go around the parents on healthcare things and abortion too.  Apparently parents aint smart enough anymore to make decisions about there own children and aint able to raise them and give them values without “help” from the Power That Be.

Lately, well fer the last couple years, I been hearin’, readin’, and watchin’ how the gubmint, (ok – guv-ern-ment) has been growin’ bigger and bigger and more powerful to boot.  They’s spendin money jist like they actchally have it – which they don’t.  (and won’t unless they Tax Somebody harder)

I read where the Chief of the Administration – the Prez – has appointed hisself about 32 or more Czars (ain’t thet a Russian word?)  and not a single one of them is elected, or is accountable to us or our representatives only to the president.  We pay them but what they do, God only knows.

The Supreme court seems to be makin law from their high benches which they have no constitutional right to do.

And if that aint bad enough, the Congress – our own dang personal representatives – somehow can’t seem to do what WE want them ta do, but only what benefits THEM personally and politically and finanscially.  THEY ARE MAKING AND ENFORCING LAWS WHICH AFFECT US BUT THAT THEY, THEMSELVES, ARE EXEMPT FROM.  THEY RAISE THEIR OWN PAY AND BENEFITS AND LET US PAY FOR THAT.

I say make them ALL – all the branches of gubmint, all them politicians, judges, lawyers, Presidents, Czars, Senators, Representatives, legislators, and governers live under OUR minimum wages, Our Medicare,  Our Social Security, our lack of jobs, our lack of control over our own lives, and then tax the livin’ hell outa them besides.  Make ’em live within a budget!  Balance their checkbooks!  No bale-outs!  No 100% lifetime pensions and free stuff when they “re-tire”.  THEN  JIST SET BACK AND WATCH!!!   Kin y’all imagine how fast things would change then?  (Yet, I know that we, the public would not want anything, any change, that raises debt for us or our children.  We see the need to live within our means whether we have learned this through parental wisdom or through bad experience with  oppressive debt. IF AMERICA HAS TO BITE A BULLET, WE ALL SHOULD BITE A BULLET)

Here’s a comment I gave to the smart, nice, lady writer,  Rebecca LuElla Miller when she wrote and ranted a little about this topic.  I took my rant a bit farther, Rebecca.  Hope thets OK, cuz I really tried hard to be my most formal, my most rational, and spellin’ right too . . .

“That is the liberal mindset – that the ‘governance’ is smarter, knows more, and is more able to make wise decisions concerning how we spend our money, how we raise our children, how we run our businesses, and what values we hold. To a liberal, it is government who giveth and government who taketh it, in turn, away; and to most perfectly achieve those ends, the governing body should be as large and powerful as possible. This is unacceptable doctrine. It demeans us as individuals and as a society. It far exceeds, even perverts the original tenets and intentions that we have a REPUBLIC; of, for, and by the people. Yes, in a republic, supreme power lies with its citizens.
Let us apply our rants where they will have the most effect – send the clearest message – in OUR polling places backed up by prayer in OUR places of worship (while they still remain OURS)!”

Lord, help us fight the selfishness we ALL have!  And let us not hate, but do what is right and act as You would have us do.  In Jesus’ name we pray.  Amen

I’m Rantin’ Chaff Rantley, American, and I’m jist sayin’…..

Image by Gloryteller

Climbing Long’s Peak – the Short Version

05 Oct 2011 14 Comments

Look up!  It is the mountain that presides over this site.  At 14,259 feet, it is the only “fourteener” in RMNP, the northernmost fourteener in Colorado, and the most prominent landmark for the vast surrounding area.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I climbed Long’s Peak :

Because it is there.  (Well, OF COURSE it is there!  Sheesh)

Because I can, was my thinking before I knew what it would take.  (Well, maybe I can.  It’s within the realm of possibility.)

Because it kept looking at me. (I stared at the mountain and it stared back)

Because it is visible to me, day or night, wherever I go.  ( O^O )

Because I am getting older fast and wanted to do it while my legs, etc, still work.

Because I wanted to see the top before the beaver-rat eats it. (It is sniffing at it right now. See it on the left slope, near the summit?)

Because it transmits a siren-song in my frequency.  (It calls to me)

Because it somehow MADE me do it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Things the attempt required :

Hours of research to determine what I was getting into and what to do once I did.

Good planning.  Mental conditioning.  Ummm, people die up there …

Good fortune (luck), or blessings.  Only 3 out of every 10 climbers who attempt the summit actually make it.

The proper equipment and clothing.  Adequate amounts of food and water.

Knowledge of alpine weather.  (It is  predictably extremely unpredictable. )

Physical conditioning.

Me to hike 6 miles in the dark while gaining nearly 3,500 feet in altitude then climbing a difficult, sometimes highly exposed, 1.5 mile, nearly 1,500 vertical-foot  route to the summit. (“exposed” means a mistake results in serious death or injury)

Good timing to be off the summit by noon to avoid lightning, rain or snow-slickened granite.

Me to avoid injury, especially ankle or leg injury.

Me to avoid “summit fever” and be ready to turn back at any point due to adverse weather changes or altitude sickness.  (At 14,000 feet only 60% of sea level oxygen is available in each breath)

Climbing wearily and carefully down and somehow hiking back to ‘basecamp’.  This is statistically the most dangerous part due to fatigue, exhaustion, weather concerns, and hypoxia.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Success involved this :

19 1/2 grueling, joyful hours “on the mountain”,  over 4,891 vertical feet of ascent and later descent in a cold rain, getting “lost” then finding the way again and covering more than 15 miles of trails and climbing routes.

I MADE IT UP AND BACK ! However, I was never alone. I can’t take most of the credit.  So many things could have gone wrong, but hardly anything did. What unforeseen things happened? The complete account is forthcoming.

Image by Gloryteller

Spirit Walks

29 Sep 2011 2 Comments

An excerpt from a story I’m writing.

The H.S. says “Don’t wait, post this now!”

So, OK!

“Realizing my foolishness in trying to explain the nearly inexplicable, if I were to try to describe the difficult concept of how the indwelling Holy Spirit of Jesus operates in me, it would go something like this:   I am on a trail, hiking toward a glorious peak, a pristine lake, or a hidden green valley, but the trail is full of obstacles and choices, forks and distractions,  beauty and fearfully deadly hazards.  The few trail markers are easy to miss, but I begin to notice something supernatural happening. Awareness, like seeing movement in the corner of my eye. A shadow, a fleeting image, I see with a new eye, eternal and perfect.  An image steps out of my own, going before me.  Only a nanosecond ahead.  It is like my own image only sharper, brighter, more colorful, perfect.  Quicker than a thought, and before the outline can be fully perceived, I step into the form and fill it as it completely filled me only the shortest of moments ago. My course is slightly altered, and adjusted. The Eternal Spirit leads and follows all at once.  It helps me and asks for help in one breath, and the Spirit Man responds and follow-leads all in one smooth, ongoing, motion taking both beings, as one, up and down the ever-changing trail in the most effective and joyful way.  Together. Not having to chase or be chased, unless playfully.  Not like before they met.  Nanosec after nanosec.  Mile after mile.  Parsec after parsec. Together.” 

Image by Gloryteller

I Write, Therefore I Am

24 Aug 2011 6 Comments

To write what You reveal, dear Sir

Ere long I quit this place

Your plain, Your deep, bright, words to share

As long I walk this space

In stories ripe with metaphor

In poems filled with grace

My joy will be in hearts to stir

Until I see Your face

Image by Gloryteller

His Nature Is Quite Simple To Explain . . . However . . .

19 Aug 2011 2 Comments

These ten-thousand gifts
These magnificent mysteries
This unquenched longing
This unlimited grace
Complexly simple, His Love ….
And simply amazing.

This is all I have at this moment.  I offer what I have ….

Image by Gloryteller

To Meet Him There – An Act of Worship

07 Aug 2011 8 Comments

 

TO MEET YOU THERE

 

Your creations, oh Lord,

Capture me

Convince me

Confirm You.

Immense mountains

Majesty and mystery

Massive earthrock moving skyward

Magnificence like mercy’s power,  Your Prominence,

Your Eminence,

Away and up, I climb to meet You there.

Color – carved canyons

Complex, winding wide

Cut in solid stone, rim to rim

Connecting continuous flowing Truth exposed.

Down in, I climb, to meet You there.

Verdant valleys I find,

Filled full for every need

Verifying You –  Your care for me.

Daily, hourly, each moment, I see

Your good, Your kind, Creativity.

 

Oh, God !  You make me to walk in wonder.

Wonder like a child

Wonder with which I can worship You

Wonder I never want to lose.

And as wonder unwraps faith, my Lord,

Faith shows me farther,

Deeper into unseen wonders

Where Your wondrous glory shines,

Then, through that thin place I climb,

To meet You there.

 

 

Image by Gloryteller

Hallelujah! I Have Returned! Miles Behind Me – Milestones Ahead!

02 Aug 2011 6 Comments

by Gloryteller in Christian Fiction, Christianity, God's Glory, Personal Testimony, Worship Tags: , , , , , , , , , ,

Grandeur

I have taken nearly one month off – a rest, a break, a hiatus, a vacation, from briteing (blogging).  July has been great.  I had a birthday. I gardened and remodeled.  I had time together with family and friends.  I played lots of disc golf – even in the Utah desert.  Drove nearly 4,000 miles.  Learned more about fractals, self-similarity, and Quantum Mechanics.  Wow!   I’ve experienced Creator-God on a much deeper personal level in that I am discovering more of who He is by what He has made and what He has said about that (and me).

I have missed reading and writing here in the britesphere so I came back a little earlier than I had planned to comment on some dear friends’ sites.

NOW JOIN ME IN A SMALL CELEBRATION!

I arbitrarily determined that if I could get 2,ooo visits in six months I would consider myself a successful briter (blogger).  PRAISE GOD!  This morning the two-thousandth visitor checked in, beating my deadline by about two weeks.  CLINK GLASSES!  I realize that some of those visits were by the dreaded referrer spammers, but I refuse to let that dampen my spirits.  Thank you, dear reader, for contributing your readership. Thank you, my new and old friends for commenting here!  These things are a gift to me – and they spell encouragement to a new writer – and they are greatly appreciated.  You all remind me that it is not the quantity of readers but their quality that really matters.  You are THE BEST!

NOW,  FORWARD, TO THE NEXT THOUSANDS!

Independence Day Food For Thought

03 Jul 2011 12 Comments

I like a good paradox: 

It seems counter-intuitive, but the truest, most lasting freedom comes from giving up one’s independence. Sounds wrong, right?  What do you think I mean by that? *

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* Give up being independent from the Lord. Instead, be independent from sin; from the need for large amounts of status, power, and money. Trust and depend on Jesus alone for your freedom, and you will be free indeed; free at last!

Happy 4th of July!  God bless you, dear reader, and God bless America!

Image by Gloryteller

Remember The Son’s Screen

27 Jun 2011 4 Comments

Seek, my friend, the Son of Man.

Screen the sun, or roast like ham.

The Son can heal and save you if you ask.

The sun can peel and kill you if you bask.

Life or death upon demand.

Choose life and seek the Son of Man.

 

By C. Rantley  (My first attempt at a pome.  Hope y’all like it.  Sincerely, Cousin Chaff)

 

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Image by Gloryteller

Summertime Is Great! “Britesite” Suffers

27 Jun 2011 6 Comments

by Gloryteller in Christian Fiction Tags: , , , , , ,

It’s summer!  Family life, vacations, and innumerable activities demand my time, not to mention trying to keep my lawn and garden alive under the severe stress of drought and high temperatures.  Oof!  My site is suffering a drought too.  It is still alive thanks to the kind efforts of my cuz Chaff.  Have a great summer and don’t give up on Chaff and me.   Here is a repeat post just for continuity:

One of my friends stated in her blog that she doesn’t like the word “blog”.  I agree.  It looks and sounds like too many other repugnant words and needs to be replaced. (Although, I realize it is too deeply entrenched in the culture, by now, to be changed, but, hey, I’m an idealist)

The word “blog” is derived from ‘web log’, of course.  It originally described a site where people logged their daily activities.  Since then, these personal sites have evolved into much more for many people.  Many use them as a platform to showcase their writing, or photography, or any other artistic skills.  It is much more than logging now and deserves a more noble moniker.  So I’ve been thinking……..

The replacement needs to have a more positive ‘sound’ when it is both read and spoken.  It needs to be easy to say and read – preferably one syllable.

Let’s start with what is done on our sites.  It is writing.  Writing on the World Wide Web.

WEBWRITING.

Trim that down to BWRITING.  Then to BRITING.

BRITING sounds a bit better to me than blogging.

By extension we get a whole new set of terms:

A blog becomes a  brite.

To blog becomes to brite.

A blogger becomes a briter.

Blogging becomes briteing. 

The blogosphere becomes the britesphere.

Making the Net a happier place.  I’m just sayin’……….

Well, time to go, I have brites to post! 🙂

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About The Music Links Below

I don't own, and have no claim on, these music videos. The following are simply links inside my website pointing back to the original locations of the videos. The names of the creators of these videos are cited wherever possible, and only "embedding-enabled" selections are used.

The Basic Christian Library

"Mere Christianity" by C.S. Lewis. This is fundamentally what Christianity is all about.

"The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel. Another converted atheist presents His compelling case for believing in Jesus.

"Left To Tell" by Imaculee Ilibagiza. This profound work is her own extraordinary story of endurance, discovery of the Holy Spirit, grace, healing, and an astonishingly compelling account of the necessity for forgiveness.

Compelling Christian Fiction Reads

"The Circle" 4-book series by Ted Dekker.
A man is the bridge between two very different worlds. Sound familiar? Can he save both? This T.D. work is brilliant in my book.

"This Present Darkness" and "Piercing the Darkness" by Frank E. Peretti. Tales of spiritual warfare from a unique perspective. Stirred a small controversy, but sold millions. What are we Christians afraid of? Hey, it's fiction!

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"I AM NOT MY OWN" is the piece that inspired the building of this site. It is the story that this site, as well as my life, is centered around. This letter to you is the one i would most like for you to read out of all the ones you will find here, because it describes how profoundly the works of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit can change one human life.

For Your Reading Enjoyment, This Is Like A Park, Use It, Enjoy It, and Leave Everything Where You Found It.

The content here's not to be used,

But to only be read and perused.

If you copy it off,

My lawyer's not soft,

And your fortune is mine - you got sued!

Gloryteller :-)