Excerpt from the poem, The Wild Flower's Song, by William Blake: "As I wandered the forest, The green leaves among, I heard a Wild Flower Singing a song."

Random photo.

Hello and welcome to Thursday's edition, here on March 22, 2012. This has been a great year for Bluebonnets. That's the state flower of Texas. They grow in fields and on the side of highways. People love to have photos of their friends and family taken in the Bluebonnet patch. I've done that myself. More than once over the years. Last week was Spring Break in these parts and I can't recall so many folks out making pictures in the Bluebonnets. Some had their families dressed up in their Sunday-go-to-meeting finest. Others took the casual approach. I've even seen some professionals out doing wedding or other special event photography. It just makes things a little more scary with that many children running from and to the cars parked on the side of the road. They are beautiful. The flowers and the children. We have received another soaking rain this week and I, for one, hope and pray that we get enough to avoid the drought we experienced last year. I was feeling very good about it with us being approximately 8 inches ahead as of last weekend, until, yes until, I heard that we were 7 inches ahead last year at this same time. It might be just my age but that drought really made an impression on me. It seems the younger folks don't connect it the way I do. They are much more concerned with the rain interfering with their outdoor activities. Maybe they need to consider that old axiom we always heard growing up about how that you don't miss the water until the well runs dray. Of course it could reflect the fact that I need to get a life with some outdoor activities that would maybe alter my way of looking at things. Or, maybe not.

When it comes to theology, kids get it. No wonder Jesus said that we need to become like children. I read a lady's Facebook posting who is a friend of one of our Louisiana relatives. She was relating the conversation she had with her five year old son while getting him ready for school. The little guy asked his mom when the trumpet was going to blow. She told him that only God knew that and asked was he worried about it. He said he wasn't, he was just wondering how soon he could see his Paw Paw again. The mom went on to say how that it's too bad we all can't get more excited about that Day. My wife told me the other day that I used to not have anything to do with Facebook. I actually would look at hers occasionally but I didn't even have one of my own. Now, according to her, I am a big time user. Well, not so much, but, given little nuggets of spiritual insight from a five year old, well, that alone is worth the price of admission, as they say back home. I have to constantly remind myself and my class that God's Word was not given to confuse and leave us scratching our heads. It was given to us to build us up, to encourage us in our faith, and to give us the same kind of vision and hope expressed by that little guy. Sure, I like to read all the mind boggling thoughts and comments from great scholars but let's face it folks, the people who received those writings were just like you and I, and, with God's help they got it, and with His help, we can too!

My boys would probably say that had they said something like that little kid I would have most likely used it as an opportunity to share the variety of viewpoints about the 'when' of the return of Christ, Pre-Trib, Mid-Trib, or Post Trib, the Scriptures quoted, and why folks hold their particular view to be the most likely. My boys would be correct, I fear, yes, even for a five year old. I am trying to do better, however. Over these past few weeks where we've been in contact with a number of grieving folks I've heard some pretty strange thoughts about why God did what He did. I did not, however, use that occasion to try and clear up misconceptions. But, my way of looking at it, as simple as we can take it in, it is so important, so critical, to know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. These notions that people have may act to provide some temporary relief but there is nothing in this world like knowing the God of all truth, His promises, and the facts He has given to us about life, death, eternity, and how it all relates to each individual. I should have caught this growing up. My grandfather had very little in the way of formal education. Yet, he knew how to read God's Word for all it's worth. How do I know? He could sit out in that added on den, in his rocking chair, reading God's truth, and I could see tears dropping off his chin. That's what I'm talking about. That's right. It's not given just as an academic exercise, it's given to feed our very souls, you know, soul food! Amen.    .....More later.