One More Day

A new born child, wrapped in all its innocence,
Complete with infant smell, both warm and clean,
Has laid its little head down ever so gently,
And has quietly fallen asleep, upon its mother's breast.

At two years old, can such activity be ceased?
At mid-afternoon the mother holds her child, 
With gentle rocking, and forced stillness, the head is nodding,
And after gentle coxing the child is soon asleep.

At four the conflict rages and sleep is often fought,
The child is held securely, you must be quiet, is taught!
The mother holds the line of battle firm and to the end,
Until the child is sleeping upon her breast again.

At six no nap is taken, to calm the hurried press
But mother in her wisdom has found some quietness.
She holds the child gently upon the breast at morn,
The child is sweetly wakened and mother is not worn.

At eight the mother questions, is my child to old for this?
Ought I to hold her gently in the breaking of the day?
May I please just let her waken as in days of yore,
Upon my breast in sweetness as in the years before.

Now her child is ten. A habit has been made,
On the shoulder of the mother her head is gently laid.
She holds her child and ponders the conflicts of this day,
To wonder when this child will rise and turn and walk away.

Oh let this moment last, when mother and child are near.
Let the time continue, to hold a special place so dear.
Allow the day to linger, the years to slip away,
but let the mothers breast be secure for one more day!

A Father Daughter Discussion

Father and daughter A young woman was about to finish her first year of college. Like so many others her age, she considered herself to be a very Liberal Democrat, and among other liberal ideals, was very much in Favor of higher taxes to support more government programs, in other Words redistribution of wealth.
She was deeply ashamed that her father was a rather staunch Republican, a feeling she openly expressed. Based on the Lectures that she had participated in, and the occasional chat with a professor, she felt that her father had for years harbored an evil, selfish desire to keep what he thought should be his. One day she was challenging her father on his opposition to Higher taxes on the rich and the need for more government programs. The self-professed objectivity proclaimed by her professors had to Be the truth and she indicated so to her father. He responded by Asking how she was doing in school. Taken aback, she answered rather haughtily that she had a 4.0 GPA, and let him know that it was tough to maintain, insisting that She was taking a very difficult course load and was constantly studying, which left her no time to go out and party like other people She knew. She didn't even have time for a boyfriend, and didn't really have many college friends, because she spent all her time studying.
 
Her father listened and then asked , 'How is your friend Audrey doing?' She replied, ' Audrey is barely getting by. All she takes are Easy classes, she never studies, and she barely has a 2.0 GPA. She Is so popular on campus;college for her is a blast. She's always invited to all the parties and lots of times she doesn't even show up for classes because she's too hung over.'

Her wise father asked his daughter, 'Why don't you go to the Dean's office and ask him to deduct 1.0 off your GPA and give it to your friend who only has a 2.0. That way you will both have a 3.0 GPA, and certainly that would be a fair and equal distribution of GPA.' The daughter, visibly shocked  by her father's suggestion, angrily fired back, 'That's a crazy idea, how would that be fair! I've worked really hard for my grades! I've invested a lot of time, and a lot of hard work! Audrey has done next to nothing toward her degree. She played while I worked my tail off!' The father slowly smiled, winked and said gently, 'Welcome to The Republican party.'   ....Ron White

Dennis Matheis

Click here to view this photo book larger

Knoxville Campmeeting

Campmeeting Tent

Campmeetings and revivals used to be a regular sight, especially in the south. People would travel for miles by horse and buggy to hear a man of God preach. There were rows and rows of tents. Tents, cots, people, children swarming a campground all excited about the things that they would hear. How they could grow closer to God and be more holy. 

TheKnoxville Campmeeting 2010 has come and gone......It was a very busy week yet it was very special. How can I say in a few words the blessings of seeing so many saints in one place praising God. The blessing of  worshiping God in spirit and in truth. How can I share the blessing of Holy Ghost anointed and inspired preaching. The blessing it is to have confidence in the ministry that they are living what they preach. That the ministry is in unity with each other and the saints are in unity as well. The blessing it is to have confidence in the message that it will get me to heaven. To have a peace in my heart that I am worshiping with the people of God. To see the salvation of souls from sin. To see the Church grow spiritually. To recognize that the ministry is watching for my soul. To be apart of the wonderful things of God. It truly was a very refreshing time. One that will encourage me and bless me for a very long time.

The Day My Best Friends Moved Away

The story is a familiar one. The plot has been said before. Friends that have spent many hours together. Enjoying each others company. Playing, working, talking together. Sharing secrets and crying together. Going through hard times and fun times together. This is a friend. Then they had to move. To break up a relationship that ran deep. To move on to where we could not spend time together like we used to. They have moved to a new town or across town. Things are not the same....

Our little group involved four. I was the first and then there came Trinity. A few years later Christina joined the group. Last was Rebekah. Since that time we have had twenty plus years of friendship. We had to work at it among ourselves at times. But over all we learned to depend on each other, to love each other, to work with each other. There was the school years and then the career years. We had struggles and yet we always came back and worked it out. We were the best of friends each of us.

Rebekah always made us laugh, Christina always put in the adventure, Trinity supported our causes and I was involved in everyway. What a great group of friends. I remember walking in the dark and falling in the ditch. Oh how we laughed. I remember long drives where we listened to books on tape, this was our favorite. I remember the games we played together. The talking and talking and the talking some more. The evenings that were never quiet when we were all together. They were a blast.

Then Trinity got married last year we were all happy for her. But we still had three. That was most of the group. We could still continue on with the fun times. It would be different but it would be OK. Until Rebekah and Christina decided to move away. It wasn't any bad reason. It was just a change in life and time to go. They are all beginning to fly. The sparrow, the robin, the blue jay they are flying. And I their mother who molded and created her very best friends will sit back and watch them go. My best friends will fly. They will be all they can be and I will be happy for them.