Redemptive History

The first dawn of Humanity
A new world, a new life
A new relationship begun

Man and God inside the Garden
Creature and Creator together
Friends enjoying love and peace

“Walk with Me, talk with Me,
Trust in Me, follow My laws.
All-in-one, I will bless you.”

Purity, peace violated
Trust destroyed, infinite pain
A clean slate shattered forever

Costly knowledge, no relief
Eternal death, fear, separation
Friend turned bitter foe: rejection

How can You call torment blessing?

The first light of recovery
An old wall, a new way
A new relationship revealed

Man and God again united
Child and Father now together
Death, a doorway to His arms

“Come to me, be with Me,
Trust in me, for I love you.
In your Brother I will bless you.”

Purity and peace restored,
Trust renewed, infinite love
A slate is healed, made whole again

Sanctified knowledge, true relief
Eternal life, joy, salvation
Enemy made heir to heaven

This is what You meant by blessing.

Once upon a time we walked together.
Now You hold my hand.

I first wrote this my senior year of high school in Bible class, then tweaked it for my Systematic Theology term paper in college. One of the questions I've struggled with my whole life is why God would let His world suffer, regardless of whose fault it is that things are this way. There's no two ways about it, He chose to let man fall. It wasn't until I actually started understanding a bit more about what it means to be "redeemed" that I started finding an answer that settled me.

"Warning"

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat that doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
And satin sandals, and say we’ve no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I am tired
And gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick flowers in other people’s gardens
And learn how to spit.
You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickles for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and things in boxes.
But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for our children.
We will have friends for dinner and read the papers.
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old and start to wear purple.

Jenny Joseph

This, my friends, is the inspiration for The Red Hat Society and the attitude towards aging that my grandmother (and mum) have passed down to me. Since I'm calling all the humor around here "Attack of the Red Hat", I figured I needed to post this at least once for those of you who haven't gone to college with me. Be what you are and go where you're headed, but don't let it all tie you down. ^_^

Ever Upward

BEHOLD;
I see thee on a giant hill,
strewn with rock and tree
to block thy way.
Thy living here is not in vain,
thy climbing every day
is morning spent for good -
continue on thy way.
Thy opinion lasts;
when thou art gone,
Thy efforts will be known
to others as they climb
and make the climbing better,
in another place and time.

Fear not this life as thou must live;
be joyous when you see
a hill to climb -
start moving rock and tree.
It might well be in another time,
this hill was climbed by me.
Perhaps I failed to reach the top -
and rock still barred thy way;
Remove the rock
- continue on -
there’s no time for delay.

Thy God has placed the rock and tree
the value to uplift;
a climbing journey burdens thee
in search of HIS great gift.
The pride of self –
a worthy goal,
so climb in effort day by day.
The hill cannot be conquered when climbed with feet of clay.

H.O. Hobson

This poem was written by my great Uncle for my Mum when she was my age and at a similar stage in life. She gave it to me when I was in college and I've held onto it very carefully since then. Its one of my personal favorites.

Creed

I believe in God the One and Only,
    Almighty Creator of the Universe,
    Father of the Trinity,
    Holy and Righteous Judge of my soul.

I believe in the fallen state of Man,
    The created image of God corrupted,
    His guiltiness in the light of the Word,
    His helplessness before the wrath of God.

I believe in the Lord Jesus Christ,
    The infinite God-Man, Son of the Father,
    Born to the Virgin Mary,
    The only Way, Truth, and Life.

I believe in the saving work of Christ,
    His sinless life on earth under the Law,
    His death on a cross for the sake of sinners,
    His resurrection on the third day unto life and glory.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
    Mover of men's hearts,
    Revealer of the secrets of God,
    Comforting Counselor of the Christian.

I believe in one holy catholic church,
    The invisible kingdom of God,
    Chosen as His beloved elect,
    Justified and sanctified by the work of Christ.

I believe that my Lord is coming again.
    He will judge this world.
    He will condemn the guilty.
    He will receive unto Himself His saints
    And I will be with Him in glory for all eternity.

"Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!" Revelation 22:20b

   This poem was written for Bible Class my senior year of high school. I forget the assignment, but it takes its inspiration from Rich Mullins' song Creed.

The world's too big
And I'm too small
To do all that is asked of me

My life's too fast
And I just crawl
Because my feet gave under me

For who can tread
Upon a ground
That sinks and rises like the sea

And who can dance
Upon a wind
That howls dischordant harmony

So if its still
Required of me
To stand, to dance, to run this race

A world too loud
Just let it cease
So mine can settle back in place