Category: Uncategorized

Calendar Quindecims January

~~ by tkbrown

January brings in a brand new year,
gives all a blank slate, fresh start will appear.
So, if last year did not end very well --
in time, there will be a new tale to tell.
Put another log on the nesting fire,
kick back for some time with your heart's desire.
Cold days, colder nights make family
huddle inside, sipping cocoa with glee.
The morning sun seems a lot brighter now,
glistening through the ice on ev'ry tree bough.
Winter's wonderland inspires awe in view --
savor the mem'ry 'afore melted through.
Those who like the cold relish winter's beau,
missing the beauty before it moves fro --
making way for springs flowery brow.

Endings . . .

by tkbrown

Saying ‘Goodbye’ to days of old,
preparing for new days in view;
watching the old wind down, expire —
one last ‘Hurrah’ before the due.

Parties galore, much to be done,
friends will gather, endless blather;
dressed to the nines, bidding good will,
eating hors d’oeuvres . . . crackers a ‘slather.

Everyone gathers New Year’s Eve
to watch ‘old year out’, ‘new year in’;
knowing good times ‘of old’ are gone
and will never be seen again.

Talk of ‘those days’ enjoyed you’ll hear —
reminiscings heard all around —
until ‘Clock’ bids ‘the old’ adieu
and loudly the buzzer doth sound.

Then all will lift arms high in toast
to the brand-new year we accrue
as the chorus of Robert Burns’
‘Auld Lang Syne’ ends the ‘old year’ true.

‘Old Long Since,’ the Scottish ditty
all will sing, brings the ‘old year’s end’
while welcoming in the ‘brand new’ . . .
new beginnings and ways to mend.

Resolutions are made by all —
it seems — as they strive to start anew;
good will and intent toasts are raised . . .
promising ties will last with you.

  • Photo by: NordWood Themes
    Unsplash.com

The Reason . . .

~~ by tkbrown ~~

The tree is up, tinsel is strung;
ornaments are still to be hung.
Music of ‘carols’ fills the air,
eggnog is poured for all to share.

Mistletoe pinned above the door
waits to prompt a kiss for the fair
maiden awaiting her genteel knight
to gently whisk her out of sight.

Nutcracker stands guard in the night,
sentinel o’er all we hold tight —
gifts, goodies, special people too —
keeping them all just out of view.

Techie gizmos, trinkets — a few,
games and gadgets bidding adieu
to yester-year, all once held dear —
sentiment lost midst sparkling cheer.

Glitter and glitz are everywhere
exuding, extolling to share
excitement and spirit amidst
festive colors ample assist.

Nowhere is seen the sentiment
thought to be a strong permanent
expression of this Holy season,
and no one cares to give reason.

Commercial wiles have overtaken
the public reason for this season;
thus, with sadness some shall lament
celebration of each red cent.

Have We Forgotten the Reason?

Image by: Reuben Teo
Unsplash.com

Enjoy 'This Christmas' Now

Image by: daylightletters.org on Unsplash

by tkbrown

With ‘Christmases Past’
all wrapped up at last,
let us rejoice in this day
and remember to pray!

‘This Christmas’ is now;
so, why all the row
about all that was wrong
with ‘last Christmas’s song?’

The loved ones you know
love for you to show
the love in your heart;
so, give it a start!

Call someone today
just to say “Hey!”
Let them share in your ‘cheer’
throughout the New Year!

We all know ’twas sad,
those gifts that were bad,
but the past is all gone now,
bring glad tidings in tow.

What was done is all done;
I want to hear of it none!
So, when I open my door,
please, don’t be a boar!

Let’s enjoy the time we have
and ne’er need apply the salve;
create Happy Memories that will tear
when we recall again next year!

The ‘time’ that we now share
should be our only care;
’cause it is all we know,
and it may ‘ever be’ so!

Don’t waste the time we have,
or taint the current rave.
Just share your heart with me,
we’ll place New Memory on the tree!

Merry Christmas!!!!

    A Winter Sonnet Not

    ~~ by tkbrown

    ~~~~~~~~~~

    As winter closes in, nights turn from cool
    to cold; wind chimes echo season’s sweet carol.
    Cyclone snowstorms circle a northern realm
    dumping snow and ice — Old Man Winter’s helm.
    A deep, silent blanket quiets all and frees
    a wonderland of miniature trees
    mingled with houses dwarfed by such depths
    of icy precipitation and street troughs
    now cleared deep ‘mongst the puffy white blanket
    mounds draped across the frigid landscape net.
    Living in winter’s wonderland of snow
    hinders all daily movement to and fro;
    no designs from Jack Frost on the window
    for it only reveals cold, bleak, white snow
    blanketing all, piled high to that tree bough —
    Winter’s Wonderland reels all motion — Slow!

    ~~~~~~~~~~

    Photo Above: Snow and Ice Covered Walls by Amanda Vick @ Unsplash.com.

    ~~~~~~~~~~

    When Devout Women Pray

    ~~ a Devotional ~~

    ~~ by tkbrown
    Source: Holy Bible — New King James Version (NKJV)

    Lydia Becomes a Christian

    Acts 16:11-15

    • 11 — “Therefore, sailing from Troas, we ran a straight course to Samo-thrace, and the next day came to Neapolis,”
    • 12 — “and from there to Philippi, which is the foremost city of that part of Macedonia, a colony. And we were staying in that city for some days.”
    • 13 — “And on the Sabbath day we went out of the city to the riverside, where prayer was customarily made; and we sat down and spoke to the women who met there.”
    • 14 — “Now a certain woman named Lydia heard us. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira, who worshiped God. The Lord opened her heart to heed the things spoken by Paul.”
    • 15 — “And when she and her household were baptized, she begged us, saying, ‘If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come to my house and stay.’ So she persuaded us.”

    ~~~~~~~~~~

    Lydia was a businesswoman who met with a group of women to make prayer on the Sabbath day by the riverside in Philippi of Macedonia. She was a seller of purple from the city of Thyatira.

    Paul and his party, who had just recently arrived in Philippi, joined the women. There, Paul met Lydia. “And the Lord opened her [Lydia’s] heart to heed the things spoken by Paul,” (Acts 16:14 NKJV). Thus, God had seen Lydia’s heart and had deemed her prayers worthy of being heard. He answered her prayers by sending Paul to speak with her.

    Lydia and her household saw the truth in Paul’s teachings and were baptized into Christ’s church. Afterward, she begged of Paul and his team that they stay in her house if they judged her heart to be faithful to God. Paul said she persuaded them.

    What this says is, even before she became a Christian, Lydia’s prayers were fervent enough to be heard by God and Jesus Christ. Her prayers were recognized as those of a woman who was truly searching for the truth, and He answered her prayers.

    Typically, When the prayers uttered before becoming a Christian are referenced as being ‘heard’, it is those of Cornelius that are mentioned and studied.

    Perhaps, as encouragement to devout women of faith, we should make an effort to show the same virtue and righteous recognition are given to Lydia’s prayers. Thus, when a woman of ‘faith’ prays, God hears and answers.

    Lydia continued to support efforts to grow the church in Philippi.

    ~~~~~~~~~~

    Photo Above: by reenablack @ pixabay.com.

    ~~~~~~~~~~

    Thanksgiving

    ~~ a Devotional ~~

    ~~ by tkbrown

    Note: If we believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God, if we believe that He was sent to this earth to die for the sins of all mankind, if we believe He rose again three days after His death, and if we believe He ascended to heaven to be with God, His Father, once again, then we must believe He will come again to receive us unto himself, when it is time!

    — Philippians 4:4 — “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say rejoice!”

    — Philippians 4:5 — “Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.”

    Note: I am amazed at all God has provided for me and mine. He has left no need lacking. With a prayerful heart, I give Thanks this day for His abounding provisions. He makes His love for me known by providing all for which I have need!. I am, daily, amazed at the unlimited bounds of His love.

    — Philippians 4:6 — “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God,”

    — Philippians 4:7 — “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

    ~~~~~~~~~~

    ~~ Please join with me in an ongoing Prayer of Thanks. ~~

    ~~~~~~~~~~

    Calendar Quindecims December

    ~~ by tkbrown

    Photo by: pixabay.com. 
    Thanksgiving is done, now we have to run
to keep our waistline from expanding.
Wow, it's Christmas once again;
we're scratching our heads and wondering
just how a year has passed so soon,
and what gifts to give we are pondering.
Deals we grabbed Black Friday morn
will have some hearts engaging
in treasured interchange so thankful.
We search in stores and online too
for trinkets, toys and flashy bangle --
talking, thinking, tracking - the month through.
December is hustle and bustle time;
Christmas carols make the air chime
with all sorts of special sentiment rhyme.