Keeping Holy Balance

Impact Mental Health - A Compulsion In the Delicate Balance of Bonsai
Keeping Holy Balance
by Michael Doyle

We live in a world of brokenness
We must speak our praise with outspokenness
As we place one foot in front of the other
While we walk this life with our sisters and brothers

Scripture must be seen in its entirety
In the 66 books of this sacred library
Holy is the length of this story
Filling the world with His glory

The flame of truth from God's altar
Burns through to fix and truly alter
Salvation atones our shame and takes it away
Becoming a servant of the Lord in all our days

The Old Testament is more than simply history
It is critical to understand through prophecy
The Church is not for spectators in the stands
But a body of worshippers following God's commands

Living with a five-fold sense of ministry
With each part playing its part in God's story
We must anchor ourselves within God's vision
As we act to fulfill the Church's holy mission

We must scale ourselves for the coming future
Assessing our culture and deciding what to nurture
To bring about alignment with God's good plan
That together we might become more fully human

Forthtelling our steps, pronounced as needed
That God's Word must be carefully heeded
Keeping nobility within our steady contemplation
To follow God in our fullest adoration

God's rebellious people too often seek security
Until the season changes with evolving obscurity
So that the Lord's people live in their determination
Of holding fast to the greatest thought for our nation

We set our paths of relevance based on God's full grace
Knowing full well that it's the only solution for this race
And that the heaviest lifting is done by God in this vision
So that we work together to wholly fulfill His vision

Repetition of these habits reveal with great exclamation
That God's truth sets out within the revealed declaration
That God's peace comes despite moments of turbulence
The troubles that will never exceed the Holy balance

Despite the world constantly slipping into a mess
And all of our sinfulness that we must confess
The need to partner with God is simply part of the grace
That bridges the gap to save this human's race

Wasteful consumption gives way to needed contribution
As we play our part in the Gospel's ample distribution
All that God has given is given for His followers to share
And has been given freely with God's good care

Clothed as we are with our wretched humility
We need to receive God's grace for a troubled humanity
To love faithfully while walking together gently
Each of us playing our part in serving the Trinity

There is true beauty in all the scars we've earned
In a dynamic tapestry from the lessons we've learned
It's a beautiful, but hard journey to walk
To live by God's plan as we talk the Gospel we talk
...of God's abiding faith

(c) September 12, 2023 Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved
Hand by Bryn Oh - Balanced Beam

Posted in Poetry and Poems | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Thought For the Day: Climate Science Has Become Less About Understanding the Complexities of the World and More About Serving As A Kind of Cassandra

“To put it bluntly, climate science has become less about understanding the complexities of the world and more about serving as a kind of Cassandra, urgently warning the public about the dangers of climate change.”  – Patrick Brown

I Left Out the Full Truth to Get My Climate Change Paper Published | The Free Press (thefp.com)

Posted in Thought For the Day | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

First Principles: Patriotism Is As Much A Virtue As Justice, and Is As Necessary For the Support of Societies As Natural Affection Is For the Support of Families

“Patriotism is as much a virtue as justice, and is as necessary for the support of societies as natural affection is for the support of families.” – Benjamin Rush (1773)

Posted in First Principles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

In Remembrance of 9/11; May We Never Forget

Tragedy struck on this day 22 years ago. Thousands died at the hands of terrorists. This should never be forgotten. Just as tragic, under the Biden Administration, we have seen Afghanistan fall back into the hands of the Taliban. Never forget, never retreat, never surrender. We must never allow this sort of thing happen to our people again!

Posted in Thought For the Day | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

A Touch of Heaven

Winter Love Valley 2021 -Surveying the Valley On A Winter's Day
A Touch of Heaven
by Michael Doyle

In this house of worship
No one disputes His kingship
Worthy is His name
That takes us beyond our shame

We are thankful for His grace
With opened eyes we know our place
Opened hands are held up in praise
Listening to God's Word in our days

We keep our feet on the ground
As our faith is lifted up high and abounds
Fulfilled in every measure
Ours is a Heavenly treasure

Even when we walk on the outside
With truth hidden behind our pride
It's God's mercy that helps and heals
As His good truth quietly reveals

(c) September 11, 2023 Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved
Love Valley Spring - Paradise Canyon

Posted in Poetry and Poems | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

First Principles: Three Can Keep A Secret, If Two of Them Are Dead

“Three can keep a secret, if two of them are dead.” – Benjamin Franklin

Posted in First Principles | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Thought For the Day: The Worst Loneliness Is Not To Be Comfortable With Yourself

“The worst loneliness is not to be comfortable with yourself.” – Mark Twain

Posted in Thought For the Day | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Love Is the Christian Test

Love Valley Spring -Love Was In the Dream...So, He Slept

Romans 13:8

Love Is the Christian Test
by Michael Doyle

In every moment lived there is power
To become transformed in the hour
Of God’s greatness that we live
In all the blessings that He gives

Letting no debt remain outstanding
This way of love is in understanding
That it is to love our God above all
And to always follow this as the law

But also to love our neighbor as self
Putting others first rather than self
As we learn to be Christian is to love
Doing right by the ways of heaven above

Though it might seem a bit repetitive
The righteousness of this is not competitive
But the keeping all of the law to our best
Is the standard we bear in the Christian test

Thinking on what we do and things we say
Doing no wrong to others along the way
Seeking to put the needs above our esteem
Living the love is the life and the dream

In getting rid of all the wrong of our deeds
And living instead for the truest needs
This then is how we provide the testimony
Instead of faking our way through sanctimony

It is through this process of elimination
That we live through the right determination
To strive to live out the kind of example
That helps the blessings of life be ample

(c) September 10, 2023 Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved

Love Valley Autumn  Autumn Shoreline

Posted in Poetry and Poems | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Thought For the Day: Our Memories Are Card Indexes Consulted and Then Returned In Disorder By Authorities Whom We Do Not Control

“Our memories are card indexes consulted and then returned in disorder by authorities whom we do not control.” – Cyril Connolly, critic and editor (10 Sep 1903-1974)

Posted in Thought For the Day | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

First Principles: How Beautiful On the Mountains Are the Feet of Those Who Bring Good News, Who Proclaim Peace,…Who Say to Zion, “Your God Reigns!”

“How beautiful on the mountains
    are the feet of those who bring good news,
who proclaim peace,
    who bring good tidings,
    who proclaim salvation,
who say to Zion,
    “Your God reigns!”
– Isaiah 52:7 (NIV)

Posted in First Principles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment