I Love Waking Up

I love waking up
In the Heart of Jesus.
Before my eyes even open
I feel You all about me.
You are looking at Me
As Mary looked on You
In slumber serene.

I am stirring.
You are smiling Your "Good morning"
I see You are not alone
I blow my heartfelt kisses
To Your happy entourage.
Heavenly family, you, too,
Welcome me to New Day.

Yes, Sweet Jesus, I am ready.
You’ve watched over me in sleep;
Now, again, I pick up my cross.
Walk the hours of today,
As Light upon my way.

By Joann Nelander

Copyright 2012

Holy Screwtape! Young C.S. Lewis secretly worked with MI6? — GetReligion

I don’t know about you, but for years now I have grown increasingly skeptical about a lot of the books and other products that continue to roll out from the publishing industry that surrounds the life and work of the great Oxford don and Christian apologist C.S. Lewis.Don’t get me wrong. I have an entire room of my house that, basically, is dedicated to Eastern Orthodox icons, my family and C.S. Lewis. My son’s middle name is “Lewis” and we almost used “Jack” as his first name. I read “The Great Divorce” every year during Lent.But, honestly, it’s almost like we’ve reached the point where people would publish an annotated edition of this man’s grocery lists, should they become available. There are still fine books being published about the Narnian, but I’ve grown more skeptical about some of work produced by the C.S. Lewis industrial complex.And then someone comes up with an interesting twist in the life of Lewis. In this case, Christianity Today has just published an online essay — by scholar Harry Lee Poe of Union University here in Tennessee — that is a bit of a news scoop. It argues that, while no one is claiming Lewis ever ran around with a gun and a decoder ring, the young Oxford don appears to have done some work for MI6, as in Her Majesty’s Secret Service.Yes, you read that right. This kind of adds a new layer of meaning to discussions of an “Inner Ring” and talk about devilish high-ranking agents working with case officers to snare souls. Here is how it starts:

Source: Holy Screwtape! Young C.S. Lewis secretly worked with MI6? — GetReligion

Islam is More than a Religion?

Islam is the religious and POLITICAL doctrine found in the Quran, Sira, and the Hadith, the three holy books of Islam.

That it is more than about Alla is important.

If you are a unbeliever, that is a Christian, a Jew, an infidel or Kafir, in other words, the Quran is also about you, that is, it is about how a believer is to relate to,  and treat you.  Is that important? That depends on their current or future  political fortunes.  It could mean your death, subjugation or impoverishment.

Do you want to be a “dhimmi” ?

Learn more for the sake of our country:

 

Be the Sun in Me

Be, O Lord, the Sun in me.
Despite, my clouds,
Masking Your Beauty,

Be seen as light invisible,
Going forth, in the Spirit,
To the world,
A world in need of Revelation.

Pierce the veil of my travail.
Linger long to suffer my malaise,
My unsettled wine.

By grace, bless me,
As you bless those blind
To Your Presence in me.

Sacrament and penance,
My claim upon Your Heart.
Light, undiminished,
Under my bushel,
Burning bright within my core,
Make of me a lampstand,
In Your Father’s House.

Be, O, Lord, The Sun in Me,
for a world
In need of illumination.

Christians Not ISIS Genocide Victims, State Department May Rule | National Review Online

The Obama administration is poised to overlook Christians in its designation of ISIS genocide victims.

Source: Christians Not ISIS Genocide Victims, State Department May Rule | National Review Online

Counting Stars

I counted stars today.
As prophets and dreamers,
Glimpsing God through the darkness,
My wonder soared.
I, too, beheld
The promise of eternity,
Stretched across the eons.

Mere points of light
In a midnight sky,
Announcing Truth veiled in mystery,
Of things hidden and unseen,
Of ages long past and yet to be.
Who with me
Knows that there is more?
Much more!

Lanterns hung in the heavens
Make of me their lampstand,
That Eternal Light
Might shine more brightly,
Giving voice to creation.

No dumb marvel,
Rather angelic themes,
To sing high praises
In celestial chants,
For all who turn their gaze
Heavenward, counting,
And loosing count,
Journey home.

Copyright 2012 Joann Nelander