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Hello Again Blog-Nog Friends,

This weekend the Decker boys (now grown-up men) have been regaling me with their statistics and prognosis of that annual, All-American Gladiator conflict known as the Super Bowl.

And take sides we must!  No time for indecision as to which team to cheer for!  Which brings us to the old rhyme about agreement and indecision:

What a waste of time and pleasure lack of agreement and indecision levies on us.  The robins made the journey to town twice.  The first time worrying and fretting all the way over whether to choose a plum or plain bun.

What a picture of this earth – full of doubting, undecided earthlings.  Even the daily life of little creatures presents the same dilemma.  No wonder the Scripture records in Joel 3:14, “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision.…”

And where else can you find a more passionate vocal example of “plum or plain” than the opposing sides of a packed American football stadium, especially at Super Bowl time.

I say “American football” because in England football is what Americans call soccer.

This man-made sporting fever for football must be catching, as Kevin and I have just observed what we called the “Crows’ Super Bowl,” – a frolicking contest Kevin and I witnessed from our bay-window kitchen table.

It all began when I tossed out some left-over organic tortilla shells on our back lawn.  They were the big ten-inch size, baked crisp, the sight of which threw the early morning breakfast crow-crowd into a state of shock and awe – somewhat like a football team sizing up a bigger adversary.  Our local crow families swooped in from the southwest and northeast.  They appeared within seconds of our putting out food, although they came from far across the adjacent fields.

In over ten years, we’ve never seen them fight over food.  I’ve read where crows are considered the most intelligent of birds and have a well developed social structure – they can count to at least three or four, learn new information quickly, and communicate using a  complex language.  Popped popcorn is a great favorite with our crows.  It’s hilarious to watch them fill up until they have a small popcorn ball on the end of their beaks, prepare for lift-off over the fence, and then cross the fields to what we assume is their Crow Movie Theater.

The tortilla menu turned out to be no fast-food visit.  The crows tentatively surveyed one tortilla with much apprehension, not sure just how to approach the giant “buffet” in front of them.  Then one brave fellow stepped on it with his foot, causing the big round giant to flip, which sent all the crows jumping backwards in fright.  “Still…we came to eat; and this has been the right fly-in cafe for over ten years.  What are we supposed to do with this over-sized entree?” (We could well-imagine the crows’ conversation.)

While the crows stood in indecision, evaluating the round UFO (Unidentified Flour Object), Mr. Squirrel, who lives in a nearby tree, leaped into the center of the tortilla, breaking it into chunks, with one large chunk landing in the midst of the confused crows. Then, like a bossy referee, with the swish of his bushy tail he signaled, “Let the game begin!”

With the “tortilla football” now in pieces that could be carried, the Northeast Crows swiftly huddled up opposite the Southwest Crows.  Then, with both “teams” lined up across from each other, the Northeast Crows made a move that resembled Knute Rockne’s 1924 backfield “shift” (used by the famous “Four Horsemen of Notre Dame”).  But an air of caution and indecision kept the backfield in motion, carefully edging towards the pieces of tortilla.

Then, suddenly and without warning, the “center” for the Northeast Crows “snapped” the tortilla ball to his quarterback, who promptly fumbled it to a blitzing Southwest defender – who then flipped the “ball” in the air as if terrified of it.  It was any player’s ball now, flipping everywhere, and getting smaller by the toss.  Excitement was growing with the realization that the once-immovable-object was not only fallible, but now even edible!  And soon it was totally gone!

Meanwhile, Mr. Squirrel, who was sitting on a mound of more crispy giant tortillas, was helping himself to breakfast instead of calling penalties for off-sides and pass interference.  But the revelation had hit home with both the northeast and southwest football teams. It was “come and dine” time once more.  And with two hungry crow teams bearing down upon him, Mr. Squirrel hastily vacated the tortilla breakfast stack and ran up his tree.

In no time, the crows took off with huge pieces from the mound of tortilla shells held firmly in their beaks and looking like small satellite dishes.  “An upgrade for their Crow theater,” I suggested. “More like radar mounted on AWAC planes,” Kevin added.  Laughing together, we watched them disappear across the hilly fields.

Dale, my forever sweetheart husband, loved to study the antics of our crow visitors.  He had a tender spot for them, for, as he would say, “The Lord used the ravens to feed the prophet Elijah when he was hiding from the wrath of King Ahab.”  Yes, that intriguing account in I Kings 2-6, where the ravens brought Elijah bread and meat morning and evening, put the crows in a special category for Dale.  He would have loved their Super Bowl antics and their ultimate victory.  Moreover, the Crow’s Super Bowl stirred within me these thoughts:

How many times do we, God’s children, falter in indecision, afraid to reach out and touch what seems like a giant before us.  Like the crows, we come to the place of sustenance that we know well, and trust for good things, only to find a strange, giant object.  We gaze at it in disappointment and confusion, when all the time it is manna from heaven.  We just need to reach out in faith and taste it.  The Lord’s table serves only that which is good for His children.

As David wrote in Psalm 34:8 – “Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who trusteth in thee.”

So, dear reader friends, let’s reach out in faith and taste “Heaven’s tortillas.”  So whether your Super Bowl turns out “plum or plain,” remember the great conflict of the Ages is already won!  And the MVP is Jesus!

Cheering For You….

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Christian Mother Goose®

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Hello Dear Blog-Nog Friends from frozen Decker Hills,

Yes, January did indeed bring snow – record breaking snow and ice, and freezing temperatures that kept us marooned on our hill for over a week.  It was so cold that two bobcats (rarely seen) came roaming by.  But, today, Winter’s gate will be opening to let warmer weather in.  Hurray!

Perhaps many of you were also caught up in this Arctic Blast from the North Pole.  I felt that we were only a snowball’s throw away from a “Narnia” Winter.  It made me wish for one of those warm fur coats I saw hanging in the actual wardrobe that inspired C.S. Lewis’ classic tale, “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe.”

I had the delightful experience of re-enacting little Lucy’s inquisitive opening of the “gate” to Narnia in Lewis’ story, where she opened the wardrobe door, pushed aside the fur coats hanging in there, and discovered the land of Narnia.  Narnia where it is “Always winter and never Christmas.”

The occasion of my adventure was a visit with my son, Kevin, to the Marion Wade Center at Wheaton College (Kevin’s alma mater).  The Center houses the original works, letters and memorabilia of C.S. Lewis.

It was fascinating to read some of his handwritten manuscripts.  This was his method of writing – an amazing feat, when you consider the hundreds of pages in just his “Chronicles of Narnia” alone!

However, when I came face to face with the original wardrobe from Lewis’ boyhood home in Ireland, what could you expect from Christian Mother Goose?  Naturally, like Lucy, my curiosity opened the door, pushed aside the fur coats, and felt the wonder of Narnia’s atmosphere still there.

I’m sure Lewis’ grandfather, who handcrafted and beautifully carved the wardrobe, never dreamed of the “gate” he was preparing for the delight of millions of children around the world.  The gate through which they would find Jesus, The Lion of the Tribe of Judah, reflected in Aslan, the lion of Narnia.  And so we come to the theme of today’s  blog: “Gates.”

A few miles down our country road is a lovely buffalo ranch.  The entrance is a stunning iron gate with a steel, painted buffalo mounted on it. The buffalo was crafted by a young Indian man. It is so real, it often fools those driving by.  We periodically buy choice, all-naturally-raised buffalo meat there.  And if you look at the health statistics of buffalo meat, you’ll see why.  It beats beef, pork and chicken in every category for being the lowest in fat, cholesterol and calories.

This handsome gate is an invitation to scenic beauty, health, and a chance to sing the cowboy song: “Oh, give me a home, where the buffalo roam…”

The importance and strength of gates in Scripture were representative of their power to guard the city.  They were also the most popular and busiest place in town.  Merchants were there by sunrise to set up shop, followed by city elders who would settle disputes, witness business transactions, and render important civic decisions.

The city of Gaza woke up one day to find their mighty gates had vanished overnight!  In an incredible feat of strength, recorded in Judges 16:3, Samson, (Israel’s Mr. Universe ) pulled up the gates of this enemy city at  midnight, and carried them away on his shoulders to Hebron. That’s a distance of over thirty miles!  Instantly, Samson became number one on the Philistine’s  most wanted list. On the other hand, he was Israel’s hero, and probably number one strong man for Israel in any forthcoming Olympics.

Just recently, I was reading a book on archeological evidence of Church life before Constantine, by Graydon  F. Snyder.  A  most illuminating entry about a gate was listed on a Roman Papyrus Document dated  February 5, 304, titled: “Declaration of Church Property.”

Under oath, a certain Aurelius Ammonius certified that his church owned nothing except a bronze gate!  It went on : “Neither gold nor silver nor money nor clothes nor beasts nor lands nor property either from grants or bequests.”  Simply one gate!  What food for thought!

This revelation led me to think of the significance of such a church statement: “One gate.”  Our Lord Jesus, by His own words, taught us He is the Gate, the only Gate to Heaven and eternal life.  Nothing else matters.  Nothing.  Salvation, peace and His loving arms of welcome are at that Gate.

This week a memory came to my mind of the fate of beautiful wrought-iron gates in World War II England.  Whatever those gates were built for, whatever they kept in or kept out, all individual purpose was now secondary to the defense and survival of a whole nation.  The gates were delivered to the furnace and melted down to become armaments for the winning of the war.

Today, as I think of those gates being sacrificed, I see the picture of Jesus hanging on the Cross, dying not for just one nation, but for the deliverance of the whole world from the great enemy of sin and death.  Jesus, the Beautiful Gate Who was delivered to the fires of judgment in our place; to pay the penalty of Heaven’s court that we couldn’t pay; Jesus, the Gate to eternal life, all because “God so loved the world….”

King David, writing Psalm 24:7-8, gives a resounding cry to his nation, which I apply, not only to Israel, but to the gates of the minds of God’s people everywhere. “Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in.  Who is this King of glory?  The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle.”

May we enter this challenging year of 2010 with the gates of our minds open to let the King of glory in; rejoicing that, “Greater is He that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (I John 4:4)

Thanks for visiting me at the gate today.  Warmest wishes,

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Christian Mother Goose®

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HAPPY NEW YEAR to my dear fellow BlogNog Friends,

May 2010 be filled with bright, new hope in our faithful Lord Who said, “Behold, I make all things new.”

To ring in the “new” we rang our smaller version of America’s Liberty Bell.  It’s housed in our Flag Garden here at our Decker Hills home.

What a glorious day it must have been when the original Liberty Bell first rang out announcing the Declaration of Independence on July 8, 1776.

And what an apt Scripture (Leviticus 25:10) is inscribed upon it: “Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land unto all the inhabitants thereof.”  I pray that still rings true of America today.

Curiously, the Liberty Bell was cast in England in 1752.  And at that time, the old rhyme called “The Bells of London” was already a favorite, although the children sang it as, “Oranges and Lemons.”

That’s the version I knew well, as a child, and the one I paraphrased to honor God’s Creation in my first Christian Mother Goose Book, released in 1978.  Later, the rhyme was beautifully orchestrated in the Dove award finalist album, “The Christian Mother Goose Musical Adventure” CD.

When you hear the many mystical church bells in symphony on the CD, remember – those Bells of London can still be visited today.  Their fascinating history recalls characters, such as the money-lenders, like old Ebenezer Scrooge of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” who lived within the sound of St. Martin’s bells.  Or, their unfortunate clients who failed to pay back the money-lenders on time, and were sent to Fleet Street Debtors’ Prison, where they languished under the sound of Old Bailey’s bells.

Then, the inspiring Bells of Bow in the story of Dick Whittington (1606).  This young, penniless, runaway lad heard the chimes of the Bow Bells calling to him, seeming to sing prophetically: “Turn again, Whittington, Lord Mayor of London.”  Stirred and encouraged beyond all his miserable circumstances, he returned to London where he became wealthy, and, eventually, Lord Mayor of London.

Sadly, those ancient Bow Bells were silenced by Nazi bombs in World War II.  When war comes to your doorstep, everything changes radically.  My own youthful days, growing up in wartime Liverpool, were changed, overnight, forever.  Go back with me to those days:

As the air raids over our city began, it was a strange sight, especially for children, to see colossal, grey barrage balloon dirigibles floating in the sky above us.  They were meant as a defense against enemy bombers, but seemed quite ineffective.  To me, they looked like sad, giant bumblebees who had lost their yellow coats.

World War II Barrage Balloon

Soon after the launching of those barrage balloons, our beekeeper friend, Mr. Yardley, dropped in to see us, obviously bursting with news to tell us. He couldn’t even wait for a cup of tea!  (That’s serious for an Englishman)  So we gave him the floor, and here’s what trumped the tea:

A great swarm of bees had lodged in the pipe organ of a large church.  What a choice place some Queen Bee had chosen for her family gathering, complete with full power amplifiers through all those organ pipes to announce the event.  The “buzz” announcement did not fall on deaf ears!  In fact, the relentless buzzing absolutely guaranteed empty pews the next Sunday – wartime-needed prayers or not.

So, the police were called to conquer – but the buzzing won! The Fire Station was then called – again, the buzzing won!

Then someone recommended Mr. Yardley, the beekeeper.  He was told he could get a huge swarm of bees if he could smoke them out and save the peace.  He hastily arrived on the scene with his equipment.  From the roar of the buzzing, he gleefully anticipated his reward as the smoking-out began.

Suddenly, the great buzzing ceased, and, to his amazement and chagrin, one single solitary bumblebee surrendered to the smoke.  No great swarm (to add to his hive) to justify the uproar.  Just one bumblebee inside the mighty resonance of the pipe organ had thwarted the police, the firemen, and turned a neighborhood upside down!  “Ah – I’ll have that cup of tea now.”

However, thinking about the bells and the bumblebee, I see an abiding principle at work:  It was only in the huge church bell that the small clapper found its ability to ring out across London.  It was only in the resonant pipe organ that the little bumblebee could impact a city’s district.

And it is only in Christ that we frail, flawed earthlings can be transformed with newness of life – eternal life! –  new purpose, new desires and a new destiny.  As it is written in II Corinthians 5:17: “Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”

How miraculous it is to us that the freshness, sparkle, surprise  and delight of the “new” is ever present with God.  Earthlings everywhere are saying, “Happy New Year!”  But it is only with trust in Christ Jesus, The Lord, Who makes all things new, that the year 2010 will remain “new” in the highest and dearest sense.

As I think of all the resolutions I’m making this New Year, I have to chuckle at yet another saying that crops up in the Decker family to drive home a point of need.  My older brother, Jimmy, coined the phrase when he came home after six years away in World War II. Clothing was still heavily rationed, and new shirts scarce.   Grinning, Jimmy said, “Here’s a button, all I need is a shirt sewn on it!”

So, echoing Jimmy’s homespun appeal, I say, “Lord, here are my good resolutions,” (the button).  “All I need is the power to perform them!” (the shirt).  Praise God, His power is not rationed.  It is free and abundant to all “button” believers in “Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”  (I Corinthians 1:24)

May God’s grace, peace and love “ring out” to all my Blog-Nog-Button friends.  Happy New Year!

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Christian Mother Goose®

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Merry Christmas Dear Friends of the fellowship of the Blog,

Christmastime is here!  This week, it brought plunging temperatures and frosty cold that made us welcome the season’s first cheery blaze in our fireplace.  Kevin and I consider the lit fireplace almost another member of the family – “swaddling” us in the comfort of its warmth.

When I grew up in England, homes depended entirely on fireplaces for heat.  Our coal man would deliver coal in 100 lb. sacks.  The living room fireplace was indeed the heart of the home.  This forever remained a symbol to me, especially when I encountered the snowy winters of Colorado.  Later, when my husband Dale and I bought a house in Grand Junction, Colorado that had no fireplace, it seemed forlorn and entirely “unswaddled.”

So, being a man of many talents, Dale set to work to build a fireplace of his own design.  It took nearly nine months!  But, if you knew Dale’s penchant for “built-to-last” projects, you would not be surprised that the fireplace went through numerous architectural stages.  It was the only fireplace I ever saw where the ashes could be emptied from outside the house.  It also drew admiration for its sturdiness when our boys said it could withstand a tornado!  The brick exterior concealed reinforced concrete that was poured around the firebrick flue chamber all the way to the top of the chimney!

By Christmas time, the fireplace was finished.  And just before snow began to fall, the house was warmly swaddled with a big fireplace blazing cheerily.  As we sat together around the fireside glow, we gave Father Dale a big round of applause for building this big “heart of the home.”  Humpty Dumpty’s Christmas Song of “togetherness” fit right in to the happy scene.

On another snowy Christmas Sunday, when high drifts made the road to our small country church impassable, we found being marooned at home was a marvelous way to discover a child’s unique version of the Christmas Story.

It began with never-before-heard-of carols, when Keith, then age 6, jumped forward to lead the singing, and Kevin, at 9, immediately joined him with his Bible ready for preaching.  The rest of us were a captive audience.

The first song is “Slow Elk,” Keith announced.  That was the first revelation, as he robustly sang, “Slow elk, slow elk,” to the tune of “Noel, Noel.”  And he hung on to his own Slow Elk rendition in spite of his congregation’s conflicting “Noel’s.”  The next revelation was the “Dark Colony”, which turned out to be the Doxology, with praise from the “Heavenly Hoe,” and the admonition to preachers: “Praise Him all ‘preachers‘ here below.” (instead of creatures)

But wait!  Revisionist history continued as Kevin earnestly opened with the King James Version of the Christmas story, beginning with: “And Joseph…with Mary his exposed (espoused) wife….  Then, pausing, he soared into his own free-wheeling recitation, taking us back to the Red Sea where, surprisingly, Nebuchadnezzar turned up to chase the escaping Israelites.  Then, on to Jonah, who first headed for England instead of Nineveh.  But, when God took him to Nineveh by whale, to preach the Gospel, the King there repented in a gunny-sack!

And so the Christmas story flew back and forth between Old Testament heroics and New Testament shepherds, angels, wise men, and finally arriving with Herod challenging the “scribbles”
(scribes) as to the birth of Jesus.

When Kevin finished with, “Ladies and gentlemen, friends, members of the church, I’ve preached the Gospel in South Africa and North Carolina, and…I’m tired,” Keith quickly led in the “Dark Colony” again, and we all clapped heartily.

I dare say that home-spun (i.e. mixed up), but heart-felt performance of two little boys on that snow-bound Sunday, was as precious to our Savior as the grandest service in the Canterbury Cathedral.

After all, it was not in a palace or cathedral that the shepherds made haste to find the One of whom the angel said to them: “Fear not; for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, Who is Christ The Lord.  And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:10-12)

The birth of The Lord Jesus Christ was not heralded with trumpets and a royal parade; not accompanied by a legion of angelic hosts on white horses.  The shepherds were told to look for the sign of a Savior wrapped in swaddling clothes  – a baby in a manger!

What a miracle!  A Christmas miracle!  The One Who lit the furnace of the sun, was the One the shepherds found wrapped in linen strips of swaddling clothes to keep warm.  The One Who is the Word of God, they found silent in the first hours of His humanity!  God incarnate: Jesus – very God and very Man.

What sacred mysteries surround the love of God, to pour out His love and redemption in the Person of His Son to this needy world.

At last, after thousands of years containing hundreds of prophecies foretelling His coming, The Christ child was born!

This Christmastime, God’s  open invitation still rings out to all earthlings.  No one is too high or too low to accept the free Gift of God, which is eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

May this earth ring with: “Thanks be unto God for His unspeakable Gift!”

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Now, here’s a Christmas invitation:

For many years it’s been a tradition of the Oasis Radio Network to invite the Decker family for their Christmas Road Show broadcast. If you’d like to listen in, My son Kevin and I will be on the Road Show, Noon to 1:00 pm, CST, Tuesday, Dec. 22nd with our host, and good friend, David Warren.

Just Click on the Oasis link above at the day and time just mentioned to join us on the Road Show!

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Merry Christmas! And God bless us all!

Christian Mother Goose®

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For Christian Mother Goose® products and Gift Sets, please visit this link:

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Seasons Greetings Dear BlogNog Friends,

Time has brought us one year closer to the return of the One Who is the very heart of the Christmas we are about to celebrate – The Lord Jesus Christ.  The One Who came with His Savior’s message and mission from God with the great announcement: “Peace on earth, good will toward men.”

That “Christ”mas message, blazing across the evening sky in fantastic waves of light from millions of angels praising God for the miracle of Christ’s birth, stunned the poor shepherds of Bethlehem over 2,000 years ago.

Suddenly, they were cocooned in a dazzling light display for the ages.  Lowly shepherds, given exclusive seats in a field, without having to pay for tickets (which they could never afford anyway).  But such are the gracious ways of God in honoring those in the most humble of honest occupations.  Christmas had entered the hearts of earthlings!

My Christian Mother Goose Rock-A-Bye Christmas Book is dedicated to my life-long friend, Dotty Thur, because of her “Christmas heart.”

Although never married, she will always affectionately be known as the “The Mother of Denver.”  This speaks of her constant outpouring of loving compassion to children, her ministering help to the needy, and her witness to Christ Jesus.  She has brought the Christ of Christmas to the streets of Denver for decades.

Dotty and I often talked about the spiritual roots of her family that stretched back to Bohemia, (the present Czech Republic) the land of King Wenceslas, (907-935).  He is best known to us through the Christmas carol’s true story of “Good King Wenceslas.”  The carol records his kingly concern and generous help to a peasant trudging through the snow and the “rude wind’s loud lament and the bitter weather.”

It was on the Feast of Stephen, (the day after Christmas)  that Good King Wenceslas set out with his page at night to take fuel and food to the poor man he had seen from his castle window. This kindly King was called one of the most beloved brilliant lights of the 10th century.  A king who was a father to his people – a peacemaker – but also a defender of the Christian Faith and a fearless and valiant warrior in battle.  At only 28 years of age, he was martyred, while on his way to church.  Today, the godly king is patron saint of the Czech people, who venerate him with statues, inspiring legends, and a national holiday each year.

The story of good King Wenceslas was my inspiration for echoing his good deeds in the Christian Mother Goose Christmas Book.  I relate the story here for you to enjoy:

On Christmas, over 1,000 years ago, Good King Wenceslas looked out a window; saw the desperate need of an earthling in the winter storm, and stepped out to meet that need.

On Christmas, over 2,000 years ago, God opened the windows of heaven, sent forth His Son, Christ Jesus our Savior, to meet the desperate need of deliverance from the “Narnia”  winter storm in the soul of fallen earthlings.  Like the shepherds who “saw the Light!” – let us make  haste to the Babe of Bethlehem!

So, dear BlogNogs, the voices of God’s people throughout the Ages are with us; from shepherds, to Good King Wenceslas, to our dear Dotty Thur, (and even “Three Kind Mice” around the manger).  We are all rejoicing this Christmas time with: “Joy to the world, The Lord has come!” Yes! “Let everything that hath breath, Praise The Lord!”

Merry Christmas Blessings!

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Christian Mother Goose®

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For Christian Mother Goose® products and Gift Sets, please visit this link:

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“Timely” Greetings Dear BlogNogs and Friends,

As we turned back our clocks to Standard Time recently, I wondered about all those millions of clocks, watches and timepieces that were subject to this one-hour change.  How many workers turned up too early for all kinds of jobs?  How many mixed up appointments?  All because of this thing called “time.”

Then, I thought of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden and wondered about their appraisal of such a thing as “time.”  There was no Bulova watch on Adam’s wrist.  And did Eve think of four-o’clock tea?

Did Adam have any idea that his time-span was going to be 930 years?  And how would that knowledge affect a man’s evaluation of time?

For many years I have been studying, and meditating on “What is time?”  All this followed after reading Galatians 4:4 one day, when the word “fullness” jumped out at me.  The verse says: “In the fullness of time God sent forth His Son….”  And ever since, my interest in time revolved around the question, “What is there about time that can be called ‘full?,’” I asked The Lord that question, and this is what I received, “Time is a WOMB.”  This answer opened up key Biblical insights to me.  And it has been an exciting journey ever since to see major Bible themes unfold in a wonderful way in the words ‘WOMB’ and ‘TIME.’

Besides Bible study, my fascination with time reaches into the Christian Mother Goose Big Book, where I wrote a story about “Time Thieves.”  It revolves around the clock-like Docker Bugs who live in Dippley Dockerlee.  I’m sure we all meet “time thieves” in our lives every day, so the Bible reminds us to “redeem the time.”

The old rhyme on time,  “Hickory, Dickory, Dock” was  included in the oldest-known book of nursery rhyme  “Tommy Thumbs Pretty Song Book.”  Published in London in 1744, and selling for about sixpence, this tiny book of 32 rhymes in the British Museum is now worth a fortune.   The origin of Hickory, Dickory, Dock is thought to have originated with the shepherds of Westmorland, in North West England.  They used it as rhyming method to count their sheep.

In The Christian Mother Goose rhyme the clock signals “Amen!”  I like to call God’s people the “Amen!” people, for the heart of our faith is The Lord Jesus Christ.  The Bible states:  “All the promises of God in Him are yea, and in Him Amen…. (2 Corinthians 1:20)

That “Amen”  is rich in every meaning of trust, confidence, stability, truth and more.  And those promises of God reach out to all earthlings who will believe in Him.  Psalm 107:2 says, “Let the redeemed of The Lord say so….”   Therefore, I’m all for hearing those hearty “Amen’s!” across Blog-land.

In our household, the words  “time” and “Bulova watch,” ring with laughter to the tune of “Here comes the Bride.”  And with good reason.  It was a Bulova watch that led me down the aisle of that small country church to marry the handsome jeweler below, as our four sons know well.

The story goes back to the year when my antique wrist watch broke (while living in Paonia, CO), days before I was to fly back home to Liverpool, England.  The jewelers in the nearest large city said it couldn’t be fixed.  However, a dear friend said, “I know a jeweler who certainly can fix it.”  So off we went to Decker Jewelry in the small, nearby town of Hotchkiss.

A very handsome, pleasant and well-mannered young man, Dale Decker, assured me he could indeed fix the antique watch.  As a third generation jeweler he subscribed to the school of horology that could hand-make a watch part, if necessary.  “Very good,” I thought.  But the repair would take more time than I had.  Nevertheless, I decided to leave the watch with this intriguing watchmaker and arrange for its return to me.  At that decision, Dale smiled, reached into a Bulova showcase and, without hesitation, handed me a lovely (and quite expensive) Bulova to use in the meantime.

“Is that the way jewelers do business in America?” my  mother asked when she saw the new watch.  “Why don’t you go back to America and date that jeweler, then get me a Bulova too,” my brother, Jimmy, quipped.  Well…there’s much to tell… but suffice it to say that I did go back to America, and “wound up” with both the new Bulova and my repaired old watch.  Then, the day Dale and I became engaged, I mischievously thought how to  announce it to my family in Liverpool.  Perhaps just telegraph: “Start sending the orders for the Bulovas!”

I recall that, when I was a child in Liverpool, my favorite clock was the huge twenty-foot in diameter floral clock in Woolton Woods.  In flowers, time looked beautiful, but endless, as I waited for the cuckoo to pop out.

Time took many thousands of years from Adam’s day to reach the 1875 opening of Joseph Bulova’s  jeweler’s shop in New York City.  During that long span of time, many creative minds had tackled “telling time,”– from sundials used about 5,000 years ago, to the pendulum-based clock developed by the Dutch scientist, Christian Huygens, around 1656. This led to the much admired grandfather clock.  It is the impressive long pendulum that is the heart of precision timekeeping in the sturdy grandfather clock.

My dear husband, Dale, loved clocks, and worked on a mahogany pendulum wall clock as a gift to our son, Bradley.  My contribution was to inscribe the pendulum with a quote from Brad when he was only five years old.  Looking wistfully through a window, he said, “Someday today will be a long time ago.”  Wise words, indeed.

So, dear Blog-Nogs, we have only a measured time in our earthly journey.  The pendulum is swinging to mark off each day.  Will we remember those days as filled with gladness, courage, forgiveness, generosity of heart, faith, hope and love?  Will we face the final swing of the pendulum safe in the arms of Jesus – the One Who stepped out of eternity and into time to become our Savior?

His Cross became the Pendulum of the clock of this big world; His pierced hands always pointing to the hour of our redemption.

The Lord Jesus calls to each of us: “…for this cause came I unto this hour.” (John 12:27)  I kept that salvation appointment with Him in 1954.  I hope you kept your appointment, too.  Do I hear a loud “Amen!”

Yes, we can turn back the clock, but we cannot turn back time. It carries us ever forward and beyond. Beyond to the Keeper of time Himself.

Till next “time,”

Cheerio!

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Christian Mother Goose®

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A Thanksgiving Blog for our Friends and BlogNogs,

At this time of Thanksgiving, I write through tears mixed with sorrow and joy.  My family especially embraces my precious son, Brad.  This week, his beloved wife, Cheryl, took wings like the eagles she loved, and “slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God” (as penned by a young Royal Canadian Air Force pilot of WWII – John Magee).

Cheryl loved the grace, inspiration, loyalty and courage of the eagle.  She surrounded herself at home with eagle pictures and eagle décor.  And when, after a recent massive stroke, she found herself in a battle for life, she truly became the most valiant and courageous “eagle” of all.

We honor Cheryl for her Christ-like character throughout much suffering.  Her solid trust and faith in Jesus arose time and time again from her lips, always adding her thanks to God for the blessing of a devoted husband.  And when she could no longer speak or move, with grace and grit she managed a “thumbs up” of victory upon hearing Isaiah 40:31 – “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary: and they shall walk and not faint.”

Praise The Lord, that’s exactly what Cheryl is doing right now in the glorious, radiant scenery of God’s magnificent Heaven!  And what amazing chapters could be added to the book Cheryl had been working on of her life’s story.  Knowing she is in Glory is a tremendous comfort to all of us who love her.  And what’s more – Heaven is not far away!  The Scottish Christian minister and author, Horatius Bonar (1808-1889), wrote, “Surely yon Heaven, where angels see God’s face / Is not so distant as we deem / From this low earth! / Tis but a little space.…”  I personally stand with Horatius, that God’s Heaven is closer than our mortal eyes can see.

The starry heavens above us may seem vast and endless, but in the miracle of God’s infinite presence, Heaven is close to home.  And our loved ones in glory cheer us on, right over our shoulder! (Hebrews 12:1)  This Biblical comfort comes with a warm embrace to those of my readers who also know the pain of earthly parting.

High flight was on Brad’s mind when, at about five years of age, he came to me and asked, “Mom, how much does it cost to go on a plane to England?”  He was jingling a few coins in his pocket.  I answered, “Lots and lots of money.”  He looked at his coins a bit woefully, then continued, “Well, how much to go on a big ship?”  “Still lots and lots of money,” I replied.

He thought a while, then said, “How much to go on a big bird to England?”  That surprised me, but I said with a smile, “Nothing, I suppose, if you could find a bird big enough to ride for thousands of miles.”  He sighed, and walked off with both hands in his pockets, looking skyward, as if he had a plan.

A week or so later, our family was enjoying lunch under a big tree on our acreage in Hotchkiss, Colorado.  It was a beautiful day, with blue skies that enabled us to see all the way to the far off Ragged Mountains.  Suddenly, we thought we saw a small plane in the distance.  But as it neared, it took our breath away with excitement to see it was a condor – the largest land flying bird in North America (very rare too!).  Its wing-span was about nine feet wide, and to Bradley’s wide-eyed wonder, it flew low, right over our rooftop and attempted to seize a lamb in our neighbor’s field!

After causing pandemonium around our lunch table, the condor flew off to the far distant Ragged Mountains again, disregarding the reports that the few existing condors only lived in California.  Brad was triumphant, as if the condor’s visit was in answer to his plan, but he quickly admitted he was not ready to board a gigantic, living, breathing aircraft with such a scary beak and claws!

Throughout their marriage, Cheryl would chuckle over Brad’s condor story as they competed with each other in a variety of table games they enjoyed so much.  There was a lot of love and devotion around that table, too, but you’ll have to guess as to which winner gave a kiss most times to the loser.

As we trust in our Lord to comfort our heartache, we can only imagine what a wonderful Thanksgiving Cheryl will have this year.  She can now give thanks to God in person, with the Mayflower Pilgrims themselves.  She will see the Lord Jesus as Host to a gorgeous banquet, with angels serving each delicious course.  Not to mention exquisite delicacies never tasted on earth.  All served on fine crystal – absolutely no paper plates in Heaven!

Precious BlogNog reader, Heaven is more real than the world around you right now.  More beautiful, more exciting, more fulfilling than your fondest dreams.  Because God is love!  And His love is the essence of His Kingdom.

Our beloved friend, Dr. N.A. Woychuk, the founder and director of Scripture Memory Fellowship, at 90+ years of age has written a beautiful little book called, “Life In Heaven.”  Writing on “Perfecting our Interests,” he says: “In Heaven – those who are interested in art and painting will have opportunities to pursue those interests.  Those interested in music will have the privilege of enlarging their understanding.  Isaac Newton and Galileo can review all they knew of astronomy.”   And, I might add, they can visit the farthest star to satisfy their ever-curious minds, and be back in time for tea with Noah.  All without the complexities of NASA!

A few minutes ago, I stepped outside in the sunshine.  About half a mile away Kevin and I saw an eagle soaring with ease and freedom.  “Please send it over our flag garden, Lord,” I prayed, with thoughts of Cheryl’s new vistas of eagles. And The Lord did!  Thank You, Lord.

Oh, how great is our Father God!  How merciful, forgiving and loving to welcome to His Heavenly home all who believe in and love The Lord Jesus, our Savior!  Cheryl is there today, incredibly free from all pain and heartache; The eagle has flown!  Praise the Lord!

May I say “thank you” with heartfelt appreciation, to all our reader friends who prayed for Cheryl, Brad and us.  May you and your families enjoy a “God-blessed” Thanksgiving, with all praise to Him for His goodness and grace.

In thanksgiving,

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Christian Mother Goose®

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Dear Friends of the Fellowship of the Blog,

A few days ago NASA thrilled us with the magnificent and beautiful pictures of the Sombrero Galaxy, taken from outer space by the Hubble Telescope.  This fantastic glimpse of our Heavenly Father’s handiwork is said by scientists to be a “mighty collection of 400 billion stars, some 28 million light years from earth! Such incredible numbers strain our ability to comprehend.  Then, to show God’s precise care for unique individuality, the Bible tells us He named every star!

Yet, more amazing is the fact that 400 billion stars are just the first course to an infinite menu of our God’s immeasurable heavens. I say “immeasurable” based on Jeremiah 31:37.  There, The Lord God Himself, reinforcing His steadfast Covenant with the house of Israel and Judah, likens the IMPOSSIBILITY of His breaking that Covenant to the IMPOSSIBILITY of measuring the Heavens above.

Breathtaking, isn’t it?  The Heavens cannot be measured, yet our Creator God can fill it all.  With the sweep of His hand, He gives us earthlings an eye-view of His splendor that we can see without a Hubble telescope: an eclipse of the moon, the five naked-eye planets in our solar system,

Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn; a flashing comet; and that favorite of little children – a host of friendly, twinkling stars.

A young father shared with me how he listened to his four-year-old son “shining here for God” as he told his little friend this rhyme.  The father said, “As I heard him evangelizing his little friend, I suddenly realized what Christian Mother Goose is all about – it’s God’s truth a child can handle.”  An amusing contrast of linguistic complexity is the version of Theodore T. Toad, a curious character in the Christian Mother Goose books who prefers his own lofty version of Twinkle Twinkle Little Star. Theodore pontificates thus:

Scintillate, scintillate stellar diminutive;
Deity hath established thine abode, definitive.
Preeminently poised aloft terrestrial,
Deity’s illumination suspended, celestial!

Praise The Lord, the little lights of children (shining here for Jesus) shine above Theodore’s thesaurus. And what a beautiful sight those myriad little lights must be to the “great cloud of witnesses” in the heavenlies.

During World War II tiny lights from pinholes in the blackout curtains were sufficient to guide enemy bombers to their targets in our city of Liverpool.  So it was a serious offense to allow any light to shine from one’s home. This gave rise to the famous war slogan, “Put that light out!”

War and darkness go together; that’s what we soon learned, and darkness brings its own brand of misleading tricks.  I once waited at a bus stop in the midst of a blackout.  I was behind a long queue of people – or so I thought.  But the line never moved, so I cautiously reached out in front of me and found that the ‘queue’ was actually a long line of sand bags!

Everyone dreaded the blackout, but the moonlit nights were a joy to behold.  Unfortunately, they were also the beacons of opportunity, lighting the way for German bombers, thus prompting the air raid sirens and anti-aircraft fire which together jarred us from our sleep with regularity!  Until all homes with garden space were issued their own small Anderson Shelters, we raced to a community air raid shelter not far from our house. It was almost hilarious, joining the motley assortment of “Wee Willie Winkie” runners, in all kinds of hastily donned nightwear; dashing to the shelter as the sirens spurred us on.   Gas masks bobbed everywhere, except on faces.  My job was to grab the Mickey Mouse gas mask for little brother Peter. The Mickey design was for very young children to help ward off their fears.

But in spite of the darkness of war, the light of good humor soon began to twinkle.  Newspaper cartoons arose with comedy lines heard in the blackout.  Letters to the editor appeared telling of funny air raid incidents.  My favorite typified the spirit of Liverpudlians: It told of an elderly couple who were going as fast as they could to the air raid shelter when the wife cried out, “Bill, do go and get my dentures – I left them in the bedroom.”  Just then a bomb whistled by and exploded with a bone-vibrating bang.  Bill yelled back above the din, “What do you want them for?  They’re dropping bombs not ham sandwiches.”  The well-known Liverpool humor remained irrepressible, lifting our hearts for six long years, until the “lights” came on again.

As I look back on those war days, I’m struck with the resurgence of the phrase, “Put that light out!”  Only this time it’s another kind of war with far higher stakes!  We see the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ being challenged all around us – in all corners of our society we hear, “Put that light out!”  Can the light of the heavens be put out by mere man?   Impossible!  Neither can the Light of Him Who made them!  Jesus, speaking to the Pharisees in John 8:12 said, “I am the light of the world, he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.”

What a gracious invitation to poor lost earthlings who, as I once did, wait behind sand bags of ignorance in the dark, expecting to get somewhere.  Life, light, love, peace and joy follow the footsteps of Jesus Who welcomes us all on that pathway.

Recently, the Kepler telescope was launched on an interstellar pathway to see if possibly “earths are very, very common; that we have lots of neighbors out there,” quotes NASA. May I say, emphatically, that this earth, this blue diamond planet, is not common!  Earth is lifted into paramount exclusivity by the Son of God.  This is the only planet in the whole universe that God chose for His Son’s birth; the only planet that bore the first footprints of Jesus as He walked here as both God and man; and above all, the only planet in the whole universe that the atoning Blood of Jesus was shed upon!  There’s a Royal family on this earth, walking in the footsteps of Jesus, and royalty is not common!

Light is flooded throughout the pages of Scripture.  From Genesis 1:3 where God said, “Let there be light: and there was light;”  to Revelation 22:16 where The Lord Jesus calls Himself “The bright and Morning Star.”  Such a beautiful name for the One Who made those 400 billion stars in the Sombrero Galaxy. And while the world strives for so-called ’stardom,’ there is a true stardom for the children of God – a stardom promised in Daniel 12:3: “And they that be wise shall shine like the brightness of the firmament, and they that turn many to righteousness, as the stars forever.” The little four-year-old “Twinkle, Twinkle”  evangelist probably didn’t realize that he was already on his way to shining brighter than the Sombrero Galaxy!

Thanks for walking in the Light with me today…Blessings and Cheerio!

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Christian Mother Goose®

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Greetings on this beautiful Autumn Day,

Yesterday, I was looking through some keepsake English coins.  I came across a weathered farthing like the ones I used as a child in England.

Do you know what a farthing is?  It’s a fourth of a penny.  Yet this humble little coin had purchasing power in its own time.  With a farthing, I could buy two choice sweets from old Mr. Wolstenholm’s small sweet shop at the top of the “Nineteen Steps.”  Climbing those steep steps was like climbing into a Charles Dickens‘ novel.

A farthing, when Jesus grew up in Nazareth, could buy two sparrows.  Later, in Matthew 10:29, The Lord chose to use the farthing sparrow as a picture of God’s tender care and value of even the smallest of His creatures.

Looking at my own keepsake farthing reminded me of a story, now tucked away with other stories in my Christian Mother Goose Story Chest.  I thought it would fit nicely with today’s blog theme for both the young and the young at heart.

So, dressed up in storybook form for you, from my feathered pen, is a Christian Mother Goose parable for the families of our BlogNog friends.

FARTHING SPARROW’S DISCOVERY

One fine morning, Humpty Dumpty was on his way to see the Peacock Parade at Turton Towers. What a wonderful sight it was to see the Peacock family in their finest feathers; glistening with all the colors of the rainbow.  They lived in a handsome Summer house in the gardens of Turton Towers.

“Not any cozier than my own little house by the wall, though,” thought Humpty, as he strolled along, thinking of the Peacock’s lovely Summer house.

Right in the middle of his thoughts, he met Farthing Sparrow coming down the pathway.

“You’re going the wrong way, Farthing Sparrow,” he said.  “This is the day of the Peacock Parade, and it’s a parade well worth your time in their beautiful gardens.”

“I’m sure it is, Humpty,” replied Farthing Sparrow.  “But I have always felt out of place in such fine-feathered company.  After all, a little brown sparrow is not to be compared with the beautiful, stately, rich and confident peacock.  Going there would only serve to make me more sorry about the Sparrow family tree.”

“Come, come now; you are beautiful in your own way, Farthing Sparrow,” said Humpty in a gentle voice.  “It is written that God has made everything beautiful in its time.”

“But look at my name – Farthing Sparrow!  That means only half of a half of a penny!  Sometimes I wonder if that is all I’m really worth – half of a half of a penny.  It’s enough to make a sparrow feel quite undone…falling apart…and thoroughly discouraged – if I think about it too long.”

“Undone!  Falling apart!  Discouraged!  Farthing Sparrow, don’t even say those words!  Let’s sit on this rock while I remind you of some very special things today.”  Humpty’s voice was very kind as he spoke to his little friend.  Then, with his head hung down, the little brown sparrow hopped upon Humpty’s soft knee to listen.

“Farthing Sparrow, you have wings!  You can fly – fly through the air; over the rooftops; watch the children play from the best seat in the heavens.  How much is that worth?   And what’s more, you are a homebuilder.  You plan, build and finish the job in time for your family.  How much is that worth?  You can sing!  And you’ve never charged anyone to listen.  I’ve even heard you say that you can afford to give away your songs.  So, in a way, that makes you a small phil-an-throp-ist.”  (That was such a long word, Humpty had to say it in little pieces…)  “And to be a phil-an-throp-ist, you have to be worth quite a lot!”

“You have personally carried thousands of seeds to fields that once were empty.  Look at them now…rich in clover and heather!  That makes you…pardon me, Farthing Sparrow, while I put this other long word together…that makes you an agri-cul-tur-ist of the finest degree; important and highly valued.”

“Furthermore  (and I say this with great respect), it is actually written in God’s great Book that the Sparrow family lived in the courts of the House of The Lord!  Even the Peacock family marvels at this blessing.  And on top of all this, The Lord has also said He watches over you and cares for you.  That is worth more than all the world.”

“Half of a half of a penny?  That is all you are worth?  Never!  Farthing Sparrow, you are a bird with rich abilities and blessings from the Heavenly Father – worth more than we can count!”

By now, Farthing Sparrow’s chin was up, and his head was beginning to nod in agreement as Humpty Dumpty went on: “Behold!  A gentleman Sparrow… self-employed… home-owner… flight expert… philanthropist… agriculturist… and above all – with a written guarantee that he is blessed by The Lord!”

“Ah, it is my great pleasure to accompany you today to the Peacock Parade. Will you kindly lead the way, Farthing Sparrow Esquire.”  Humpty saluted in grand style as the tiny sparrow hopped off his knee.

With his little head held high, and a big smile on his face, Farthing Sparrow led his own parade.  He felt perfectly altogether, and blessed as a sparrow of great worth.  And what’s more…his little brown sparrow heart was warm and happy – which was exactly as it should be.

…………………………….

Take heart, dear Blog-Nogs, “…it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither hath entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him.  But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit….”  (I Corinthians 2: 9-10)

The Bible is God’s Book of Discovery, written by The Holy Spirit; ever revealing so great a salvation in The Lord Jesus Christ and the unfolding marvel of God’s mercy and love to us all.

Let not your heart be troubled…the sparrows still sing!

Cheerio for now ~~~

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Christian Mother Goose®

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Hello My Dear BlogNog Visitors,

Have you ever wondered, “Where did kings come from?”

With over a hundred castles in the small country of England, it’s not surprising to find a king in an old nursery rhyme.

And when we look at centuries of kings – the awe and deference paid to royalty – the castles, crowns, royal coaches and jewels – we ask: “What does the Bible say about kings?”  But first, let’s look at the old nursery rhyme, “Old King Cole” as rendered by Christian Mother Goose.

This merry monarch has danced in and out of many centuries, with some fascinating legends, history and even Christian weavings following his musical entourage. (Perhaps early forerunners of the Bill Gaither Trio?)  Nevertheless, even a king needs his soul to be saved.  Old King Cole takes us back to the oldest recorded town in Britain, the town of Colchester in southeast England, recorded in 77 A.D.

Colchester Castle is one of many ancient castles in England.  One time when my ‘early’ husband and I were visiting castles in England, just for fun we each chose a castle at random to call our own.  (I say ‘early’ instead of ‘late’ husband since Dale went to Heaven earlier than the rest of our family.)  Dale chose Ruthin Castle, I chose Caernarvon Castle. Poor Ruthin turned out to be a ruin, destroyed by Oliver Cromwell’s distaste for pomp.  Caernarvon, at 850 years old, is still magnificent!  But my ‘early’ Dale has the last laugh.  Imagine what he is enjoying in Heaven even as I write this blog!

Colchester claims to be the seat of the real King Cole, a legendary king of the fourth century, at the time when young Constantine (later called Constantine the Great) was actually in Britain.  He was there to assist his father, Constantius, Rome’s military commander there.

At the time of King Cole, England was divided into several small kingdoms.  By 828 A.D. we find the first king to rule the entire country was King Egbert, whose title was “King of the English.”  He reigned 37 years. (Anyone for term limits?)

My favorite English king is Alfred the Great (849-899) and what a great king he was!  First, he was a devout Christian; a scholar, and a statesman of great faith and wisdom.  God performed mighty miracles through him in defending his kingdom of Wessex, and even winning his enemies to Christ.  Alfred shaped laws based upon the Law of Moses and the Ten Commandments (the basis of English common law).

Alfred staunchly declared, “There is only one way by which to build a kingdom, and that is by faith in Jesus Christ, and Jesus Christ crucified.”  Oh, that such leaders could be found guiding England and America today!

Alfred formed the first English Navy to defend his kingdom against the constant Viking invasions.  He built ships twice as big as theirs, and with a Navy to protect the coast, he then turned to encouraging his people in agriculture, craftsmanship, education and literature.  His epitaph reads: “So long as I have lived, I have striven to live worthily.”  Yes, I like Alfred!

As a little girl of seven, I remember how special it was to be chosen as one of two “train-bearers” of the local May Queen’s royal regalia.  Our picture was put on postcards and I looked quite demure.  However, my dignity didn’t last long.

Later in the day, I yielded to the irresistible temptation of popping hot tar bubbles in the new coating of a nearby road.  My tar-covered fingers would never do for holding a May Queen’s train.  I begged help from our neighbor, Mrs. Rimmer, who used butter to remove the tar, (thereby, also removing the possibility of a “hiding” – or spanking).  She sent me home as a respectable train-bearer after all.

In 1953, the present Queen Elizabeth was crowned at Westminster Abbey.   The ceremony declared her right to be the 42nd sovereign of England’s throne, since her ancestry could be traced back to William the Conqueror (1066 A.D.).

The solemn, Christian-based ceremony included the Biblical ritual of the “anointing oil.”  With its monarchy’s roots firmly entrenched over centuries, no other country in the world can display such a long royal history.

Concerning kings, I think one of the saddest chapters in the Bible is First Samuel 8.  It records how Israel demanded that Samuel give them a king “like all the other nations.” (I wonder where all their kings came from!)  Samuel reminded them it was The Lord God Who had saved them, protected and provided for them.  Then The Lord said to Samuel, “…They have not rejected thee, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.”

How sad to turn away from the glorious protection, provision and fellowship of God, The King Almighty, in exchange for a fallible, mere mortal system.

And so began the Kings of Israel, with King Saul, followed by King David.  And like “Old King Cole,” Saul called for David’s musical harp artistry to calm his often tempestuous soul and, no doubt, render some of his beautiful, lyrical Psalms that have blessed and comforted the world.

There are over 2,000 references to kings in the Bible.  Throughout the Psalms David extols his understanding of true Kingship.  “The Lord is King for ever and ever…”  (Psalm 10:16)  “Who is this King of glory?  The Lord of hosts, He is the King of glory.  Selah.”  (Psalm 24:10)  “Thou art my King, O God:” (Psalm 44:4).

Queen Elizabeth’s bloodline was traced back to royalty over a thousand years.  But isn’t it wonderful that the believer in Christ Jesus is part of His eternal Royal bloodline?  We have been purchased by His redeeming blood on Calvary, and by faith in His finished salvation, we are now in the family of The King of Kings and Lord of Lords!

It is written, “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood…” (First Peter 2:9) and “…ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens of the household of God. (Ephesians 3:19)  Whether we are king or peasant, our King of Kings invites us to His table as true heirs in His Kingdom.  Praise His Name!

Cheerio!  And let’s call for the Fiddlers Three!

P.S. Just to update everyone on my recent accident – I am feeling much better and am certainly thankful for home remedies like turmeric and honey!  Thank you for the many prayers and thoughtful comments.

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Christian Mother Goose®

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