There is comfort found in the cool breezes of Autumn
When leaves begin to turn and the world is painted
Orange and russet and yellow like a ripe pear
And the apple trees bearing their fruit to the fair, blue skies.
The nights grow longer as the days disappear
Into the dark purple of the year and the dying of our days.
We can find odd comfort in the process
As the cold winds bear down upon us
And draw us closer to one another;
There is a light born shivering in the darkness of the Wintertime
And this life will dawn anew with the daffodils we find
Springing forth through the hard crust of Winter
As sentinel of the new year to come.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
What is the allure of manure?
Tomorrow is Wednesday. Actually, Wednesday arrives in about forty five minutes. It is time to go to bed, but I want to plunk away at this keyboard for a few more minutes. I walked Tex out into the front yard this afternoon at lunch. After we returned inside, I took Tex's chain off his neck and turned to try to warm a can of soup for my lunch. As I walked toward the refrigerator, I felt a rush of cool wind and turned to notice that Tex was nowhere to be seen. I stepped over toward the carport door only to see it ajar and Tex nowhere to be found. I looked outside and Tex was gone.
I walked out onto the driveway and called Tex with an imitation dog howl. He didn't respond. I stood out on the driveway and tried to find him trotting away from the house. Nowhere. I could hear some of the dogs tittering around the neighborhood, but I couldn't hear Tex.
Kate came home a little later. Ordinarily, when he leaves on a neighborhood jaunt, which happens every so often, he returns to the house in an hour, covered with deer manure, usually on his neck, and lies in the driveway in the sun. When lunch was over, Kate and I drove around the neighborhood trying to find Tex. He was nowhere to be found.
Meanwhile, we drove around the corner to find about five police squad cars parked at a neighbor's house. It appeared like a repo wrecker was trying to remove a car from the carport. The police had someone in their custody. Another civilian was talking on the cellphone in the middle of the street. A city truck was stopped beyond the melee. We pulled up to see if anyone had seen Tex. The city worker said that he was just trying to figure out what was happening on the corner.
The police left and so did we. Kate and I pulled around the mess, and drove up our street toward the house. When we got to the house, Mr. Griffin, our next door neighbor, was standing in the driveway with his dog and Tex, waiting for us. Tex had apparently decided to visit Mr. Griffin.
We have never had a dog who roams too much around the neighborhood. Only Tex seems to like to roam around, find the deer manure, then return to the house. At this point, he ordinarily needs a bath to remove the pungent aroma on his neck. Tex clearly needs to find a different cologne.
I walked out onto the driveway and called Tex with an imitation dog howl. He didn't respond. I stood out on the driveway and tried to find him trotting away from the house. Nowhere. I could hear some of the dogs tittering around the neighborhood, but I couldn't hear Tex.
Kate came home a little later. Ordinarily, when he leaves on a neighborhood jaunt, which happens every so often, he returns to the house in an hour, covered with deer manure, usually on his neck, and lies in the driveway in the sun. When lunch was over, Kate and I drove around the neighborhood trying to find Tex. He was nowhere to be found.
Meanwhile, we drove around the corner to find about five police squad cars parked at a neighbor's house. It appeared like a repo wrecker was trying to remove a car from the carport. The police had someone in their custody. Another civilian was talking on the cellphone in the middle of the street. A city truck was stopped beyond the melee. We pulled up to see if anyone had seen Tex. The city worker said that he was just trying to figure out what was happening on the corner.
The police left and so did we. Kate and I pulled around the mess, and drove up our street toward the house. When we got to the house, Mr. Griffin, our next door neighbor, was standing in the driveway with his dog and Tex, waiting for us. Tex had apparently decided to visit Mr. Griffin.
We have never had a dog who roams too much around the neighborhood. Only Tex seems to like to roam around, find the deer manure, then return to the house. At this point, he ordinarily needs a bath to remove the pungent aroma on his neck. Tex clearly needs to find a different cologne.
Devotional thoughts from St. Paul
1 Corinthians 7:32-40
32I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; 33but the married man is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please his wife, 34and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman and the virgin are anxious about the affairs of the Lord, so that they may be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please her husband. 35I say this for your own benefit, not to put any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and unhindered devotion to the Lord.
36If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his fiancee, if his passions are strong, and so it has to be, let him marry as he wishes; it is no sin. Let them marry. 37But if someone stands firm in his resolve, being under no necessity but having his own desire under control, and has determined in his own mind to keep her as his fiancee, he will do well. 38So then, he who marries his fiancee does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better.
39A wife is bound as long as her husband lives. But if the husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord. 40But in my judgment she is more blessed if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
I read this passage this afternoon in the devotional prepared by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Louisville. It was a part of 1 Corinthians which I don't remember having read before. The message Paul preaches to the Corinthians is kind of odd to me. He contrasts those believers who are married against those believers who are not married. He illustrates that the unmarried believers in Corinth are more interested in what God wants for their lives; whereas, the married believers are interested in their spouses and the requirements of the world.
Now I suppose we could read this in the context of a letter to the believers in Corinth, and not necessarily applying to all believers all over the world. However, I don't find the sentiment about which Paul preaches holds true all over the world. As a matter of fact, I would say that most unmarried people seem to be more interested in the delights of the world than the married amongst us. Of course, there are many exceptions. Many believers, both married or unmarried, seem to be more concerned with the world than with the requirements of the Creator. On the other hand, there are some, a remnant perhaps, who honestly seem to be searching for what God wants in their lives.
Never leave it to me to edit the Bible or Saint Paul for that matter; however, I think if I had been the writer of this particular passage, I would have warned against those among us who are so involved in the world that the dictates of God are forgotten. I think I would particularly warn against the temptations of the world in the context of the young and the inexperienced among us. Surely, we are all tempted by the allures of the world, whether we are married or unmarried. However, while we often find ourselves caught up in the callings of the world, we should always seek to hear that 'still, soft voice' who calls us, as was stated in the old hymn, through the "tumult of our lives' wild restless seas."
Whether we are married, unmarried, young or old, we should take the time amidst the callings and needs of our lives to listen for that voice.
32I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; 33but the married man is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please his wife, 34and his interests are divided. And the unmarried woman and the virgin are anxious about the affairs of the Lord, so that they may be holy in body and spirit; but the married woman is anxious about the affairs of the world, how to please her husband. 35I say this for your own benefit, not to put any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and unhindered devotion to the Lord.
36If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his fiancee, if his passions are strong, and so it has to be, let him marry as he wishes; it is no sin. Let them marry. 37But if someone stands firm in his resolve, being under no necessity but having his own desire under control, and has determined in his own mind to keep her as his fiancee, he will do well. 38So then, he who marries his fiancee does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better.
39A wife is bound as long as her husband lives. But if the husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, only in the Lord. 40But in my judgment she is more blessed if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God.
I read this passage this afternoon in the devotional prepared by the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Louisville. It was a part of 1 Corinthians which I don't remember having read before. The message Paul preaches to the Corinthians is kind of odd to me. He contrasts those believers who are married against those believers who are not married. He illustrates that the unmarried believers in Corinth are more interested in what God wants for their lives; whereas, the married believers are interested in their spouses and the requirements of the world.
Now I suppose we could read this in the context of a letter to the believers in Corinth, and not necessarily applying to all believers all over the world. However, I don't find the sentiment about which Paul preaches holds true all over the world. As a matter of fact, I would say that most unmarried people seem to be more interested in the delights of the world than the married amongst us. Of course, there are many exceptions. Many believers, both married or unmarried, seem to be more concerned with the world than with the requirements of the Creator. On the other hand, there are some, a remnant perhaps, who honestly seem to be searching for what God wants in their lives.
Never leave it to me to edit the Bible or Saint Paul for that matter; however, I think if I had been the writer of this particular passage, I would have warned against those among us who are so involved in the world that the dictates of God are forgotten. I think I would particularly warn against the temptations of the world in the context of the young and the inexperienced among us. Surely, we are all tempted by the allures of the world, whether we are married or unmarried. However, while we often find ourselves caught up in the callings of the world, we should always seek to hear that 'still, soft voice' who calls us, as was stated in the old hymn, through the "tumult of our lives' wild restless seas."
Whether we are married, unmarried, young or old, we should take the time amidst the callings and needs of our lives to listen for that voice.
Tweed weather
I woke up this morning at 4:00. This is fairly typical for me when I have two cases to be tried within the next few weeks, not to mention a hearing in Superior Court. I woke up early, my mind racing over issues involved in the two cases, particularly the first one. I stepped out of bed and almost stepped on Tex, as he lay on the floor in the bedroom, on my side of the bed. I walked into the living room and turned on the television. After watching a little early morning television, I pulled a throw blanket over my carcass and fell asleep for about an hour.
After putting away the clean dishes in the kitchen, I showered and dressed for work. I had walked the dog earlier, so I knew it was significantly cooler this morning than previous mornings. In dressing, I put on a pair of flannel pants and a silk jacket. As I left the house and walked out into the morning, my outfit felt quite appropriate for the weather.
I am glad Fall has finally arrived. The fair will come in a couple of weeks. Friday nights under the lights of high school football fields will get cooler and cooler as the days go by. The leaves on some trees are already turning. The dogwood outside my window is turning rusty already, the berries are bright red. Soon, the Japanese maple outside our living room will turn a deep reddish purple and the wall opposite the window will turn the color of red wine with the combination of the afternoon sun shining through the foliage of the maple. Up in North Georgia, the sugar maples will turn bright orange. My front yard will be covered with pine needles soon.
Time to bring out the tweeds.
After putting away the clean dishes in the kitchen, I showered and dressed for work. I had walked the dog earlier, so I knew it was significantly cooler this morning than previous mornings. In dressing, I put on a pair of flannel pants and a silk jacket. As I left the house and walked out into the morning, my outfit felt quite appropriate for the weather.
I am glad Fall has finally arrived. The fair will come in a couple of weeks. Friday nights under the lights of high school football fields will get cooler and cooler as the days go by. The leaves on some trees are already turning. The dogwood outside my window is turning rusty already, the berries are bright red. Soon, the Japanese maple outside our living room will turn a deep reddish purple and the wall opposite the window will turn the color of red wine with the combination of the afternoon sun shining through the foliage of the maple. Up in North Georgia, the sugar maples will turn bright orange. My front yard will be covered with pine needles soon.
Time to bring out the tweeds.
Funnelling thoughts
I just had the experience of going down a funnel. It is Tuesday. Next Monday, I will be in court. As I prepare for my case, I feel like the working room is narrowing like the walls of a funnel. I need to replace that feeling with a feeling of control. That is the key. At this point, I need to take control of the effort and do things which I know will give me the sense of control I need in order to actually take control of the case. That requires preparation, thought and a little bit of luck.
The alternative is waking up at 4:00 in the morning, going outside into the living room, turning on the television and writing on this computer. Killing time until I go back to sleep or until it is time to take the dog out, eat some breakfast, get dressed for work and go over to the office to start the day.
Which leads me to Wednesday.
The alternative is waking up at 4:00 in the morning, going outside into the living room, turning on the television and writing on this computer. Killing time until I go back to sleep or until it is time to take the dog out, eat some breakfast, get dressed for work and go over to the office to start the day.
Which leads me to Wednesday.
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Nothing worthwhile
It is very late. Or early, depending on what side of the clock you are looking at. The computer clock says that it is 1:21 a.m. Cindy, who is off, and can sleep late tomorrow, is sitting in the chair in a snooze state. I, on the other hand, am sitting here whacking at the keyboard, trying to come up with something which is interesting. My mind is not completely engaged. I had an idea earlier, but I don't feel up to putting everything in to it right now. It is really questionable as to whether I should be sitting here any longer. If Jimmy Fallon didn't have the guests he has on this evening, I think I would have to be laying in bed, trying to go to sleep. But I have got a thought about a case of mine rolling around like a ball in a pinball machine. I have got to get to the office with some time and try to figure out if it will work. It is hard to get my mind off of it right now. Perhaps I should quit. It is very dark. There is no rain tonight. Quite an accomplishment on the part of the weather. Sleep may come.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Magnolia grandiflora
We have a grand flowering magnolia in our front yard.
She spreads out her arms like a loving grandmother;
One cannot avoid the reach of her branches.
She is a tall, muscular wall of green
Which shields our house from the street
And fills the heavy air
With the fragrance of peppery lemons
In the early Summer morning,
Like the lingering scent of a lady you remember
From your childhood, who returns
To haunt you in the heat and humidity
Of a quiet June morning, on a sleepy Saturday morning,
An ancient, beloved spirit in the front yard.
She spreads out her arms like a loving grandmother;
One cannot avoid the reach of her branches.
She is a tall, muscular wall of green
Which shields our house from the street
And fills the heavy air
With the fragrance of peppery lemons
In the early Summer morning,
Like the lingering scent of a lady you remember
From your childhood, who returns
To haunt you in the heat and humidity
Of a quiet June morning, on a sleepy Saturday morning,
An ancient, beloved spirit in the front yard.
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