I've never been one given to chance Determined to rise above my circumstances As a child of God driven by destiny Taking this challenge as my legacy
Heaven holds all of my best treasure God first, then family, is my measure A steward of God's intended bliss This is where I place my happiness
Consider this as a letter to all Who've given my life love and that I recall As always giving to me their most As I pray this prayer to the heavenly host
We need some more of love and kindness In this world driven madly in its blindness Walking our walk in all of humility Having the grace to treat others with dignity
These are some of the lessons that I've learned As I have grown in faith and have discerned Thanks be to God for my family and our legacy And all that they have and will always mean to me
I pray for God's favor for whom I do love Guided in our waking moments by God above We will not fall before adversity But hold true to our faith and integrity
Hands clasped together, we live our battle With belief and love, this world will not rattle As I gaze upon our precious Lord's face My purpose filled life is one that I embrace
Thanks be to God for all that He's done Giving us life through the birth of His son Living these moments around the acts of forgiving I cherish all who make and have made life worth living
(c) December 27, 2020 Michael Doyle All Rights Reserved
“It is the common fate of the indolent to see their rights become prey to the active. The conditions upon which God hath given liberty to man is eternal vigilance; which condition if he break, servitude is at once the consequence of his crime, and the punishment of his guilt.” – John Philpot Curran (1750-1814)
“The principle of spending money to be paid by posterity, under the name of funding, is but swindling futurity on a large scale.” – Thomas Jefferson (1816)
“No Man has a more perfect Reliance on the alwise, and powerful dispensations of the Supreme Being than I have nor thinks his aid more necessary.” – George Washington
An Incident of Oxford Compilation by Michael Doyle
In my mind gathered so silently I pray against evil so vigilantly In the darkness of a blind alley Lost among the madmen in the gallery
Though words come at me named Language itself will not be tamed It grows faster then it can be known The gallantry of those in pursuit has been shown
Abject defeat knows a linguist's fascination As it lays itself bare in supplication Putting together a world class dictionary It is as well known as it even contrary
That words are but symbols agreed Whose meanings change as these need Volumes of study make their approach But, even still wise men hardly encroach
On all that it is to yet be known In all of the English language shown To more words than most will ever say As lairds of Oxford take their turn at play
With a stumbled lurch, these tumble As the search for words all but crumbles Never play at sketches in the books Despite the proctor's dirtiest looks
Word search can be an endless charade Like the best laid plans of mice and men made But when cast as it were before the English nation Every studied nuance has its own quotation
That sets out for the eloquent of mind What it is that must yet somehow be refined In the telling of the English tongue And it all becomes clearer, both old and young
Until at last, we move past the Rubicon Having created the ultimate lexicon And find it within our capability To know the English language in all her propriety
(c) December 25, 2020 Michael Doyle All Rights Reserved
“The general principles on which the fathers achieved independence were the general principles of Christianity. I will avow that I then believed, and now believe, that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God. … The Christian religion is, above all the religions that ever prevailed or existed in ancient or modern times, the religion of wisdom, virtue, equity and humanity.” – John Adams
“The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.” – John 1:14
2020 has been a year soul revealing Covid and larceny were ever stealing Any hope for semblance of hopefulness Denying any hint of serenity and bliss
We cried and wondered out of hope Trying our best to learn how to cope As the news shared bad day after bad day Most of us wishing we could wish it away
Thinking on that wondrous star That isn’t and seems near but is far Advent’s days lead to peace on Earth Heralded by angels singing of a virgin birth
Up in the heavens, putting form before function Jupiter and Saturn become that great conjunction Whispered hints of truth shine into the night Somehow they help bring our spirits to right
Shadows of comfort loom before us so strange As the skies above us spiral as these rearrange We know the darkness will someday subside And joy will make all of our sweet sorrow abide
The memories we’ve made, help us to cherish And such as these are, to never, ever perish These moments in time are simply our test We will prevail in the Lord, never being second best
Tonight we watch the sky blossom into holy light The Christmas Star shines as a beacon burning bright We bow down fallen onto our broken hearts and faces With the grace of God our faith fully embraces
Glory to God in this newly sung sense of a hymn Peace on Earth and good will to women and men Found in a lonely manger, the baby child lay There on that morning giving love to all on Christmas Day
(c) December 24, 2020 Michael Doyle All Rights Reserved
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
