Thank You God For Everything

The heavens declare the glory of God:

and the firmament sheweth his handywork.

Psalm 19;1

As my eyes traced the stars across the skies,

Something of the magnitude of the universe, touched my thoughts,

my eyes.

Did He place the heavenly bodies there , for a special wonder,

to bless my life, my soul?

For it seems quietly, in my heart, I alone have a special time in which to behold,

All my mind and heart can contain of his majesty, his revealed heavenly creation.

My soul is enlarged, beyond human containment,

My heart lifts itself, effortlessly, feeling the buoyancy of the mysterious, yet a feeling of recognition, without burdens of formality.

Sensing no bonds of reciprocity, for a gift of entrensia vastness, of immeasurable worth without tangible form, though touching all faculties,

Alerting, involving without conscious effort, this captivating, saturating,

Yet weightless influence of God's universe.

Viewed through eyes reborn for a fleeting moment to envision, to wonder.

Yet know the immensity, the wonder, the endearment, the reason of his creation.

As it blesses, transforms, enlightens, without formal phrase, or inscription, transcendent.

Yet, apprehend, also, heavenly.

But man's earthly intellect captured, by his God's quickening of the finite mind.

by

James Gargus

Key Search Words:Christianity, Bible, Jesus, Angels, Soul Searching, God, Holy Spirit, Doves, Love, Children, Heaven

Heavenly Praises

These things written down were written by my father on his death bed. This is just a small sample of the many things he wrote. He had lost his voice. So he wrote down what God had let him see and hear.

A song to be sung
can't be a song. A song until
you sing.
A bell can't be a bell till
you ring it.


I hear so many
songs. You can, also.

Old Old Path

My Times Are in Thy Hands

Redeemer of Israel

Saints Shall Wear
Robes As the Lilies

Psalm 28:7The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusted in him, and I am helped: therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth; and with my song will I praise him.

Psalm 32:7Thou art my hiding place; thou shalt preserve me from trouble; thou shalt compass me about with songs of deliverance. Selah.

Psalm 33:3Sing unto him a new song; play skilfully with a loud noise.

Psalm 40:3And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.

Psalm 42:8Yet the LORD will command his lovingkindness in the day time, and in the night his song shall be with me, and my prayer unto the God of my life.

Psalm 69:30I will praise the name of God with a song, and will magnify him with thanksgiving.

Psalm 77:6I call to remembrance my song in the night: I commune with mine own heart: and my spirit made diligent search.

Psalm 96:1O sing unto the LORD a new song: sing unto the LORD, all the earth.

Psalm 98:1O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory.

Psalm 118:14The LORD is my strength and song, and is become my salvation...

Psalm 119:54Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.

Psalm 149:1Praise ye the LORD. Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise in the congregation of saints.

Isaiah 12:2Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation.

Ephesians 5:19Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord;

Colossians 3:16Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

Revelation 5:9And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation;

Revelation 15:3And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.

He said he had heard so many songs all being sung at once. We could hear them, too, if we wanted, too. This I could barely make out when I questioned about what he wrote. His voice was so weak, and he had so much he wanted to say.

There is a story in a book of a man that had a near death experience. In the book, he told of hearing all these praise songs, hymns, and chants all being sung at once. Old, ancient, since the beginning of time to new ones he had never heard. They were not jumbled up sounding cause they were all being heard at once. But were like the musical notes of a melody of a song with each one playing its part. Together it made a beautiful chorus of voices singing through the ages to make this unique song of praise. You could pick out each song individually from the melody if you recognized it. Yet, it did not clash against all the others. So hard for someone to understand.

This I feel is what my dad was hearing and seeing. Trying so hard to convey the words of what he was experiencing. He said I can also hear this melody. What is stopping me I wonder? My jaded heart, I believe. I have become so accustomed to the noise and racket of this world that I can no longer hear as I did as a child. My soul searching is so tainted when I can't even silence myself to hear the most beautiful song ever sung.

by

Lance Gargus and James Gargus

Key Search Words:Christianity, Bible, Jesus, Angels, Soul Searching, God, Holy Spirit, Doves, Love, Children, Heaven

Birthday Wishes, Valentine Kisses, and Tears

Revelation: And God shall wipe all tears from their eyes... Rev. 21:4

My father's birthday would have been today. Our first one without him. Still learning to deal

with the loss. Especially, hard with each passing occasion. I well remember past birthdays. He

always seemed to wind up with more t-shirts and socks than he really needed. He never let on

though. Always with a smile and a kind word he accepted the gifts. Even the time my brother

gave him a belt he tanned and stamped himself in shop. Boy, that was an ugly belt. But he wore

it anyways. If he didn't like it, we were none the wiser. I guess it comes with the territory.

Accepting gifts that anyone else would throw away afterwards but wearing that silly item or

even displaying it. For example, a cup or a piece of pottery made in Vacation Bible School that

would scare most potters. Not naming names who made that piece of artwork. Smile.

Father's are amazing like that. Even on their birthdays thinking of others first. His birthday is so

close to Valentine's Day it makes this even more difficult for mom. A double whammy so to

speak of two special days at once.

My siblings and I reminiscence about his birthday but to my mother this is the loneliest of both these

days.

Valentine day is really enshrouded with God at the heart of it in it's true history. Under the rule of Emperor Claudius II Rome was involved in many bloody and unpopular campaigns. Claudius the Cruel was having a difficult time getting soldiers to join his military leagues. He believed that the reason was that roman men did not want to leave their loves or families. As a result, Claudius cancelled all marriages and engagements in Rome. The good Saint Valentine was a priest at Rome in the days of Claudius II. He and Saint Marius aided the Christian martyrs and secretly married couples, and for this kind deed Saint Valentine was apprehended and dragged before the Prefect of Rome, who condemned him to be beaten to death with clubs and to have his head cut off. He suffered martyrdom on the 14th day of February, about the year 270. All for refusing to deny Christ before the "Emperor Claudius". Before his head was cut off, this Valentine restored sight and hearing to the daughter of his jailer. He loved God and believed in love and marriage so much he risked it all. Paying the ultimate price.

Ephesians 5:25 says, "Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.." My mother loved him to the end of his life. Dad loved her and God with his last breath. God loved them both through it all with the promise to see each other again. May God wipe away all their tears...

by

Lance Gargus

Key Search Words:Christianity, Bible, Jesus, Angels, Soul Searching, God, Holy Spirit, Doves, Love, Children, Heaven

I visited the place...

My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest. - Isaiah 32:18

I visited the place,

where as a youngster I romped.

I looked for a sign

of those carefree joys we shared,

as children, yet

no sign,

only memories,

haunting, poingnant.

My loved ones, all gone,

their footprints, upon my heart,

their voices yet ringing out,

their love, still present, heavy upon me,

their presence though transparent,

so visible in my heart.

My mind, my heart, my soul,

never to depart, or deminish.

The homeplace, is there, crumbling,

but majestic still,

a childish haven.

My Mother's arms,

her warm voice.

My Father's sterness,

his very nature,

sincerity, protection.

Brothers, Sisters-

The then, confusion,

so mind treasured now as precious experiences.

by

James Gargus

Key Search Words:Christianity, Bible, Jesus, Angels, Soul Searching, God, Holy Spirit, Doves, Love, Children, Heaven