We filled our lives with all of these years, Faking smiles through too many tears. Those that come after have their game. We each had one, but who is there to blame?
The last thing we need is endless war. The politicians only want an even score. We came in with all our capability, Before being confronted with our functionality.
Cleaved meat taken from the bone, I've got my soul, but I'm alone. I live my life from a bag of tricks Like a drummer playing with magic sticks.
There's pain and what we self-inflict. Throwing hands like some kind of addict. Life is seldom any kind of fair game. With a look in the mirror, we see who is to blame.
Feet first, crashing into the violence, There is no time for broken string violins. Face forward, we push into the toxic wind. It seems loneliness is our only friend.
Cleaved meat taken from the bone, I've got my soul, but I'm alone. I live my life from a bag of tricks Like a drummer playing with magic sticks.
The stranger in the mirror wears a familiar face. We lived through the yesterdays that have left their trace. The not-so-easy yesterdays arrived with probability, And now the background noise has broken our flexibility.
We wear our wounds with a grimace and a smile, Every minute of life is spent on a heedless trial. Overwatch struggles to maintain tentative control. But it seems that only God brings peace to the soul.
Cleaved meat taken from the bone, I've got my soul, but I'm alone. I live my life from a bag of tricks Like a drummer playing with magic sticks.
(c) October 16, 2026 Michael Doyle All Rights Reserved
“The master in the art of living makes little distinction between his work and his play, his labor and his leisure, his mind and his body, his information and his recreation, his love and his religion. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence at whatever he does, leaving others to decide whether he is working or playing. To him he’s always doing both.” – William A. Michener
“Every civil government is based upon some religion or philosophy of life. Education in a nation will propagate the religion of that nation. In America, the foundational religion was Christianity. And it was sown in the hearts of Americans through the home and private and public schools for centuries. Our liberty, growth, and prosperity was the result of a Biblical philosophy of life. Our continued freedom and success is dependent on our educating the youth of America in the principles of Christianity.” – Noah Webster
The Left wants us all to pretend that the United States of America was not founded on Christian principles. I suppose that would be easier if the evidence wasn’t quite clear that we were. The real questions really should be: where, when, and how did our principles change? They besmirch the truth as some falsified “Christian Nationalism.” In so doing, they reveal their betrayal of our founding principles. Would it not be better and truer to advocate for tolerance of other belief systems? At least that would be an honest interpretation.
“Never esteem people (including yourself) more because they have money, nor think less of anyone (including yourself) because they lack it. Virtue is the only just reason for respecting anyone, lack of virtue the only reason for holding anyone in low regard.” – William Penn
Forgiven Sin and Redemption: Mary Magdalene by Michael Doyle
There are lessons to be learned from Mary Magdalene Of how one is redeemed from their craven bits of sin. It takes going to the Lord in a prayer of necessity, To come out the other side bestowing a holy legacy.
A changed life is the best part of passing evidence Behind the theology of Jesus's proven providence. Seven demons had influenced her life and her fate, But Jesus exorcised them and took away that weight.
In meeting Christ, Mary's life was rearranged, What followed proves something changed. Though many mistake her for having been a prostitute, There is nothing that even suggests she was destitute.
Instead, her known story suggests that through providence, She was freed from her chains and given her deliverance. From this, she became devoted and was ever humbly present. She was there from her exorcism until His blessed ascent.
It's a compelling argument to know you once were And then who have become in moments' grace and blur Who it is that you suddenly realized and beccome All in to God's good plan for His holy kingdom.
Delivered from seven demons, Mary made the effort To be there for Jesus and to be one to fully support. Spiritual oppression is a darkness hard to rearrange. Surely, at one point, Mary wondered how life could change.
But our God of second chances met Mary in greeting And assured her that the demonic troubles were fleeting. In whatever capacity, to meet Jesus brings deliverance, By believing in Christ, she left behind spiritual ignorance.
One thing is certain with all understanding and sincerity, Meeting Jesus brings a sense of peace and profound clarity. Jesus is the source of life that shines through darkness. His loving ways act to protect us from the world's harshness.
Jesus is the light of the world that provides our sight. He guides our paths, though they may be as dark as night. His will is the perfect peace that provides us sight To always live by His light and do what is good and right.
We are incapable of saving ourselves, so God came to rescue All of us from the dominion of darkness in this view. We receive our deliverance from the deserved wages of sin By our Lord God, who allows us redemption and to try again.
From this point of deliverance, we move on to our devotion. It is a love that exceeds that of our ordinary emotion. The proper response is that of generosity and of service. Having reached salvation, we must live out God's purpose.
As disciples of Christ, we become willing to give our all. This is what it means to answer our shepherd's holy call. The truth is that we are all born not to take but to give. We must live in gratitude and be willing to give.
Mary realized the immensity of how Jesus healed the rift Casting out her seven demons was an everlasting sort of gift. A life for a life is that which is frequently given. We know this by the response of those who walk as forgiven.
It isn't some landlocked sort of lost heresy To say that flip side of grace is the sacrifice of mercy. We give our lives back to be used by God as needed, Not just living Bible passages as duly heeded.
Mary's life evidences what it takes and the full cost. She was all in the game in response to no longer being lost. In all the good and bad of Jesus's life, Mary was there. Even when she could change a thing, she could care.
(c) October 14, 2026 Michael Doyle All Rights Reserved
“A work of art does not answer questions; it provokes them; and its essential meaning is in the tension between the contradictory answers.” – Leonard Bernstein
“Our home joys are the most delightful earth affords, and the joy of parents in their children is the most holy joy of humanity.” – Johann Heinrich Pestalozzi
Heading out of Australia to escape this Aussie winter. First stop Japan, then UK/Ireland and if work doesn't call me back, onto Chicago. I will make it up as I go along
