Thanksgiving Hymn

For a lady who loves and supports me heart and soul.
For a father who has worked past exhaustion to clothe and feed me.
For a mother who cooked hot meals for me for two decades.
For a mind that is functional.
For a body free of genetic defects.
For eyes that see.
For ears that hear.
For a mouth that sings and speaks.
For a filled stomach.
For shoes without holes.
For a country that recognizes natural and extra-patrimonial rights.
For a peace that surpasses understanding.
For a world in living, breathing colors.
For a heart that beats without my effort.
For little sisters that have grown up to be beautiful and godly.
For younger brothers that are strong and mature.
For various sounds somehow arranged to make music.
For a sun that rises and sets every day.
For the rain that falls on the just and the unjust.
For the miracle of language.
For the faith of children.
For new mercies every morning.
For a chance at life.
For the sorrowful and joyous passion of the only Son of God.

Thanksgiving and praise. Glory in the Highest. To Yeshua my Messiah.

Of Late

A stranger shrouded in a dark robe
Followed me home yesternight
And pulling his darkened cloak
Around his head he thickly asked,
Demanded an account of how I spend my time these days.

Unsuspicious of his masked visage
I began with haste to relate
How strange adventures had come
And swept me off into a myriad
Of thoughts and dreams that demanded of me answers I knew not.

"Though dark have been my dreams of late,"
I said, "I dream not upon my bed
But to seek the light at the end
Of this portal into the new world
Where rules are made only to be excepted and excused by merely mortal reason."

Whether he seemed satisfied
With my accounting for the seconds
And the hours I have not attempted
To tally while wandering in this strange
And familiar land, I know not, but he asked if I was satisfied.

Not wanting to anger his dismal personage
I whispered that I had no time
To be fraught with care or concern
Over such an ephemeral quest as satisfaction
When the untamed beast before me requires attention to every quiver of muscle and bone.

Welcome to the Hall of the Presidents

I have nothing to say about President-Elect Barack Obama's views on "the War," taxes, environmental policy, or foreign doctrine. Nor would I like to raise a race issue. I would like to weave the words of a radical follower of Jesus.

I have opinions about many things, like most people. These opinions certainly extend to "the War," taxes, the environment, and foreign policy. But as a Christian, I must ask myself where my ultimate allegiance lies. Can I vote for someone because it will best economically suit me, or help me avoid going to war, or maybe even give me a better quality of life?

No, I cannot, I will not, I dare not.

See Psalm 139:14-16 and Jeremiah 1:5 for the divine declaration that a fetus is a living human being loved by God. As such, any killing of such a living human being under the banner "abortion," "choice," or any other designation is sinful. I cannot support someone who wishes to not only legally expand such killings, but also use my own money to fund them.

Why not? What about my own opinions about other "important" "issues"?

My response is Luke 12:23ff: Life is more than food; the body is more than clothing. Do not seek for how to feed yourself and provide for yourself; for the nations of the world seek these things, but your Father in heaven already knows you need these things. Seek the kingdom of God and all these things will be added to you.

Christians who put earthly concerns over the Kingdom of Heaven, we are to blame for the current state of affairs in this nation: See article, "Evangelicals Responsible for Obama Victory".

I Surrender

Okay. You win, Common Sense. You have triumphed, O illustrious Necessity. I will hearken to your voice. Though till now I have written a formal case brief for every single, solitary, little case I have read in my substantive law classes until now, against the advice of others, in the face of not being able to get the readings done, in the hopes of being able to say, "I BRIEFED FOR THE WHOLE FIRST SEMESTER!", I will now only do book briefs. The professors are making us read more than ever, I have a federal memorandum due next week, our study group will not meet four days per week, and I am taking 10 practice exams over the next two weeks. There is simply no utility in case briefing any more. I will not be like a hypothetical man, who, enamored with his eating utensil, continues to press the fork into his mouth repeatedly, although the food on the plate is gone, causing bleeding of the gums and vomitorious impulses in the back of the throat.

Farewell, oh life of briefing every case. I shall not miss you. Not very much. Not a whole lot. Only a little. Well, actually, I might wonder why I'm not briefing any more. Do I have to stop? Define common sense again, please?