Temptation’s pretty finger draws
me pleasantries to tease desire
which burns when my mind’s set on fire.
I freely chose. I was the cause
and not deterministic laws.
Then demons set my mind to sleep.
Their cackling rises from the deep.
Perhaps I did not fail? I shake
as nightmares make assumptions quake
and leave a scream or two to keep.
Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “cause” to be used in an A line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s Decima Challenge.
Dale offers the prompt “art for art’s sake” for this week’s Cosmic Photo Challenge looking for something “out of the ordinary, manufactured, morphed or manipulated”. These are the parts of fallen palm branches waiting by the road to be picked up as trash. I think they are out of the ordinary, but the only morphing I did was to crop out some of the photo and enhance the color and light.
Last Friday Linda Kruschke’s Paint Chip challenge was to write a one line poem along with at least two of the required words or phrases she selected from paint chip samples. I submitted the first line in the following poem using “bright idea”, “margarita” and “castle” from the list. Since one line didn’t seem enough I’ve added three more to this nonsense-or-not poem.
Aquarium
Some bright idea said, “Go swim beyond that margarita castle.”
I knew I should and would, should I be good, but good was such a hassle.
Now deep in hell the water’s – well, this margarita’s cooking.
I do recall before my fall that castle was good looking.
Lisa Tomey announced that Heart Beats has been published. I have a poem in this anthology. I am grateful to her for accepting it.
ει τα επιγεια ειπον υμιν και ου πιστευετε πως εαν ειπω υμιν τα επουρανια πιστευσετε
John 3:12 Textus Receptus with various translations
Jason Lisle is an astronomer who argues for biblical creationism and a young earth. I think he’s right. However, I suspect many Christians would not agree. They accept the deep time of evolution perhaps because they’ve been taught that’s just the way things are. To keep religion relevant, they add onto this a God who guides the mythical process of evolution. I know some Christians believe this kind of theistic evolution, because I’ve been there, done that and wish now I hadn’t.
The problem with theistic evolution is that no connection exists between that guiding God and Elohim (Yahweh) after theistic evolution trashes Genesis 1-11. If one doesn’t accept Genesis as an historical document, how can one make sense out of Easter except as one more myth? Don’t forget what’s at stake: 1 Corinthians 15:14.
There is plenty of scientific justification for a biblical young earth. Indeed, what is lacking is scientific evidence for the belief that deep time could ever be deep enough to make evolution work or that a big bang could randomly pop any ordered reality, let alone an orderly universe, out of a disordered quantum vacuum no matter how often it tries.
Here are a few sites I have found useful should you wish to explore this.
And here are some specific sources.
Easter is upon us. Many proclaim the resurrection of Jesus as historical fact. That’s the core of what matters.
Asserting the resurrection of Jesus as historical fact takes me back to creation as presented in Genesis also as historical fact. If it is weren’t for Adam and Eve there would be no need for the death and resurrection of Jesus. From that beginning I go to the end times that prophecies assert will also be, some day, historical fact.
Here is a song I found on The Marshall Report appropriate for those last days which may be coming soon.
A branch has fallen from the tree.
Its patterns flow melodically,
curving, swirling. Can you see
that wary lizard watching me?
Eugenia offers the word “swirling” for this week’s prompt.
As Rafael finished texting Bill the message “pedophile traffic second tunnel east” that kept flashing in his mind, his daughter, Celia, arrived, sat down at the outdoor café table, and, as he expected she would, began berating him. Listening to her reminded him of the disrespectful way he treated his own father decades ago and given that experience he knew there would be no service he could perform to make things right with her. Suddenly Celia rose to leave and hissed, “Who do you think you are anyway?”
Sensing this as his last opportunity, Rafael quickly said when she rushed off, “Don’t trust that guy you’re with.”
When Celia reached her apartment she remained outside pacing the sidewalk trying to imagine which deceiving friend betrayed her by telling her dad about Derek, how it was done, and how she would get even. Rafael slowly sipped his coffee hoping she might return, wondering if it would be a good idea to try to meet her again, and then stood up, put his empty cup in the dirty dish container, and left.
Denise offers the prompt word “service” for this week’s Six Sentence Stories. Continued from Filter – Six Sentence Story. Next: Walk – Six Sentence Story or Gear – Six Sentence Story.
When evening comes I rest my hand
and trust He takes it in some way.
It’s one more ending of a day,
a time to dream and understand,
but if I don’t, it’s all still grand.
Before the dawn comes calming night
then starts the song I see as light.
I’ve rarely felt the urge to dance,
but often swayed as in a trance.
One day I’ll dance and get it right.
Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “dance” to be used in the D line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge.
As the evenings start to lengthen
though temptations tease my mind
there’s a moonlit calming melody
and a hand that’s holding mine.
Dale offers the prompt, “as the evenings start to lengthen” for this week’s Cosmic Photo Challenge.
I first heard this song a few days ago when Mark Shields linked it in his post The Unseen is Eternal.
και ελεγον προς εαυτας τις αποκυλισει ημιν τον λιθον εκ της θυρας του μνημειου
Mark 16:3 Textus Receptus with various translations
Update on learning Hebrew: I have found the Alef with Bet channel very helpful. The audio lessons are at the beginner level. Beth clearly enunciates the words and there is a helpful transcript of the video.
The email filter kept Rafael’s messages, rare though they be from this bouncer and saint, assuming proper discernment, at the top of Bill’s inbox until read. What Rafael sent today was “pedophile traffic second tunnel east” which was all Helen needed to dispatch agents.
Helen never met Rafael, but Bill often did when passing the revival tent where Rafael worked the streets explaining once to Rafael that he was suffering from the lingering side-effects of a flu. Hearing this as a call for help rather than a lame excuse not to go into the tent, Rafael gripped Bill’s shoulder with a hand that could have dropped a terrorist praying that, through Jesus, “this illness leave my brother”.
That was twenty years ago. Bill had since relocated, but Rafael kept in contact through messages uncanny in their accuracy, and that pesky flu didn’t dare return.
Denise offers the prompt word “filter” for this week’s Six Sentence Stories. This story continues from Journey – Six Sentence Story. Next: Service – Six Sentence Story. Or perhaps Effervescent – Six Sentence Story.
If you want to know more about revival tent meetings, well, I’ve never been to one, but I just read Mario Murillo’s post Why Modesto is going to be so different. My thoughts for revival take off from there.
I don’t know why he waited there
with eyes all worried sizing me.
He’d run I knew eventually
off to his family, friends, some where
my camera couldn’t reach. We stare.
He’s wishing for a shady rock,
some plants or weeds, a builder’s block,
a hole that only good guys know.
Abruptly it was time to go.
I’m innocent, but triggered shock.
Ronovan Hestor offers the rhyme word “shock” to be used in a C line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge.
Poetry, Short Prose and Walking 