Portraits

 A PORTRAIT of the Great I AM, The King of Kings, The Lord of Lords, The Creator God of the Universe.

"His appearance was marred more than any man and His form more than the sons of men." . . . "He has no stately form or majesty that we should look upon Him, nor appearance that we should we attracted to Him. He was despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face, He was despised, and we did not esteem Him.

"Surely our griefs He Himself bore, and our sorrows He carried. Yet we ourselves esteemed Him smitten of God and afflicted. But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities, the chastening of our well-being fell upon Him, and by His scourging we are healed. All of us like sheep have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way, but the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all to fall on Him."

"PRAISE THE SAVIOR , YE WHO KNOW HIM! WHO CAN TELL HOW MUCH WE OWE HIM? LET US GLADLY RENDER TO HIM ALL WE ARE AND HAVE."

A PORTRAIT of the Smitten One, the Despised One, the Pierced One, the Scourged One, the Crushed One.

"Stop weeping, behold the Lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has overcome . . ." And they sang a new song, saying, 'Worthy art Thou to take the book and to break its seals, for Thou wast slain, and didst purchase for God with Thy blood men from every tribe and tongue and people and nation. And Thou hast made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they will reign upon the earth. . ."Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing"

"BEFORE THE THRONE MY SURETY STANDS, BEFORE THE THRONE MY SURETY STANDS, MY NAME IS WRITTEN ON HIS HANDS,"

Big Deal

 Sabbath at The Acres.

It began as most days begin now. Lying on my bed in the dark, silent, meditating. Then, I post the thoughts given me on facebook. Then, from the thoughtful to the mundane--Homesteader reminding me that the most important creature in the house is not the human. Don't you hate it when an animal's natural self-centeredness conflicts with your human "it's all about me" self-centeredness?

I had a marvelous visit with a former student this morning, Reed Klass. I hate to use the term "former student." They are truthfully just students who no longer come to class. He works in DC now, and has, for some reason wanted to stop by and take pictures of The Acres and the old man who hides out there. So today we made it happen; well, Reed made it happen. He took some photographs with this ancient camera that requires the eye of the photographer even more than the mechanics of the camera. Fascinating! Photos were taken inside the cave and out in the meadow. We reminisced about school, what his family was up to, change, the beauty of the Creation. I gave him a couple Wendell Berry books to his delight, I think. Reed was always a critical thinker and writer, committed to excellence in all things.. I have three "snapshots" of him that stand out in my memories: his sitting in the front left corner of AP English, mind obviously at work, reflecting; his singing and dancing "If I Was a Rich Man" at senior night--I believe--for the drama department, and my offering to leave him the tie I was wearing at his class's graduation. I blew the chance today, eh? "I'll get it to you some way my young friend." Do not panic--the pursuit of art and beauty and excellence is alive and well in the next generation.

The rest of the day was spent reading, responding to other "former" students on message and texts. That reading part was tough to do. The communications? Friendship, literature, poetry--what you would expect, right? Dishes need to still be done, papers to grade--I'll get right on those, I promise.

The bright, beautiful sunny mid-morning and early afternoon has turned hazy. The moon was fighting the clouds as I again traversed the driveway in the darkness to take the trash to the end of the driveway. Some have said that snow is coming. I hope it's an all--nighter so I can sit in the doorwindow and watch it soften the dark landscape of The Acres into a deep white serenity. What's sleep when you can watch The Artist slowly brush in the beauty of winter?

God has blessed me with another day--an e.e. cummings splendiferous day. I thank Him once again for "the many forms of love He bears." Oh, you say, it was wondrous for everyone. What's the big deal? The big deal? He wrapped up this wondrous day for me, gave me the eyes to see it, the heart to love it, and His presence was the wrapping paper. Big deal.

He Is

 HE IS our Very Present Help in Time of Trouble; our Shelter in the Time of Storm; our Rock, our Good Shepherd; our Deliverer; our Garrison; our Refuge; our Defender of our Life; our Keeper; our Immanuel.

"Safe am I, safe am I in the hollow of His hand." "Therefore we will not fear though the earth should change, and though the mountains slip into the heart of the sea; though the waters roar and foam, though the mountains quake at its swelling pride."

HE IS our Captain, the Captain of the Lord's Angel Armies; our Shield; our King of Kings; our Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

Greater is He who is in me, than He who is in the world. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. I shall not fear what man can do to me..

HE IS our Righteousness; our Savior; our Redeemer; our Water and Bread of Life; our Dwelling Place; our Chief Cornerstone; our Advocate; our Cup and our Inheritance; our True Vine; our Pardoning God; our Atoning Sacrifice

"More secure is no one ever than the loved one of the Savior." "With a love that cannot cease, i am His and He is mine." "My hope has found a resting place."

Struggle and Rest

 I struggle--and rest tonight

In the arms of the Architect of Heaven and Earth

In the heart of One who took on human flesh, who chose not to be just the God of Sympathy but the God of Empathy

In the love of the One who knows my frame is but dust and calls me brother and son.

In the tender-hearted One of tender-persuasion, consolation, mercy and all-sufficient grace

In the felt presence of the Ever-Faithful One, my Father in Heaven

In the care of the Great Physician

Wrapped in the plans of the One who does all things well

Embraced in the arms of my gentle Shepherd who leadeth me

In the encouragement of the One who gladly takes my every care as

His own, who comes alongside of me and takes my burden, my

yoke, on His shoulders, with meekness and lowliness of heart

The struggle is so that I might over and over again find Him faithful and true.

The Rest is so that I might rejoice, be strengthened and uplifted, by the intercessory prayers of those who hold me before His throne in the loving unity of the bonds of Christ.

Will you join me in surrendering to the struggles that reveal to you His faithfulness?

Will you join me in resting in the sweet incense of the prayers lovingly presented on your behalf before the very throne of your God?

Who is like Jehovah?

Though Dead

 One of my favorite verses in the Bible (okay, I have a lot of them) is Hebrews 11:4 "By faith Abel offered to God a better sacrifice than Cain, through which he obtained the testimony that he was righteous, God testifying about his gifts, and through faith, though he is dead, he still speaks."

It's that last part that always encourages and challenges me. The living need to stop and meditate on the truth that when God takes us home, our voice still speaks. Perhaps it's so obvious that we skim right over its significance. The message of the things that mattered the most to us on our earthly journey will never be silenced. I think about that often when friends and family that I love are taken Home. Reflect a moment. Will Tom's love for WC and its mission to eternally impact students for Christ ever stop speaking? He speaks every day in the halls of WC. Will Miriam's deep love for Christ and the joy of her personal relationship with Him ever stop echoing through the halls of WC? Never. Will my good friend Randy's love for bringing lost souls to Christ ever cease to encourage others to be a daily witness for his Savior? Not a chance. The testimony of your life and mine will never cease. What will it say? "Abel, though dead, still speaks."

Full Circle

 And so it comes full circle. Forty years ago--a biblical generation, no less--a single father and his two little boys, nine and five, faced their first Thanksgiving as the Iten Boys. What to do? A turkey was way too much for three and not a fam favorite anyway. We could have gone to Mom and Pops and the Lemons I suppose--I don't remember all the details, but we wanted our Thanksgiving. Or at least that's how Dad recalls it. Solution: A Duck Thanksgiving--dark meat, small but enough for three, add in all the trimmings, and a tradition was established.

So in a little house--perfect for three as well--provided almost for nothing by Aunt Janice/sister Janice--the celebration began. In a home--it will always be more than a house--on a loop on the outskirts of Traveler's Rest, South Carolina, a young father and his two little sons gave thanks for God's provision and for each other. The aroma of roast duck, potatoes and gravy, green-bean casserole, buttered corn, dressing, and croissant rolls wafted through the little home mingling with the laughter and love of the Iten Boys. And, no doubt, driving the cats insane.

Now, having moved through many places, missed on occasion, menu changes--except the duck, of course--it comes to an end as it began. Three Iten boys, in a home in the country, a menu of duck and the "fixins," the cat, conversation filled with love, and laughter--Thanksgiving at its best. Possible only by the grace of God and His provision year after year, decade after decade, through our biblical generation. To you Father we give our thanks with cheerful hearts, lovely memories, and confident grace. Thank you, Abba Father!

Thankful

 "In everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

1. I am thankful for saving grace, empowering grace, sustaining grace.

2. I am thankful for all those who daily pray for me and encourage me taking me into the very throne room of God for His help and mercy. I can feel the strength of your prayers and rest in that strength.

3. I am thankful that God placed me in family centered on the love and majesty of God. A family that shows that love to me to this very day.

4. I am thankful that Brad and Ben and Mindy May are coming to The Acres for the Iten family Thanksgiving Duck celebration.

5. I am thankful for God's gift to me of The Acres in these last years of my life and the honor of sharing them with Mom.

6. I am thankful that God resists the proud and lavishes them with the gift of a broken heart.

7. I am thankful for good friends who endure my ramblings and spend the gift of time and laughter in my presence. They are my pillars. I think Buzz was right on when he said that God brought me back to WC this fall knowing I would not finish but knowing how much I would need my WC family's love and support on the final leg of my journey.

10. I thank God for the gift of writing, the prodding and guidance of the Spirit as I share His work in my life, and the "thing" gift that Larry and Chloe gave me to make it all possible.

11. I am thankful for more rain (sorry) so that my pond will be deep enough to keep the goldfish from freezing this winter.

12. I am thankful for Tom Hayer the Good Samaritan of Iten's Acres--possibly of all central Ohio.

13. I am thankful that God delivered Brad from the ravages of cancer as the littlest child and of the strong man God has formed him into being in his lifelong struggle with its side effects--and yet, so gentle and kind.

14. I am thankful for the beauty of the Backroads of Morrow County year around.

15. I am thankful for all those things that enrich our lives--flowers, music, soul books, soft conversations, gentle touches, baseball, another new day to touch others with His love for them.

16. I am thankful that I grew up in a small little town, Wellston, Missouri, where everyone knew everyone else and everyone was truly a neighbor.

17. I am thankful that God has enabled me to reunite with my cousins and deep friends the Ziff family in these last few years. How much richer they have made my life!

18. I am thankful for the administration at WC and their unfaltering dedication to service for the King and not men.

19. I am thankful for the love of my students.

20. I am thankful that I will soon see Him face-to-face. How can it be?