Thought For the Day: In the End It’s Only A Passing Thing, This Shadow

“I know. It’s all wrong. By rights we shouldn’t even be here. But we are. It’s like in the great stories, Mr. Frodo. The ones that really mattered. Full of darkness and danger, they were. And sometimes you didn’t want to know the end. Because how could the end be happy? How could the world go back to the way it was when so much bad had happened? But in the end, it’s only a passing thing, this shadow. Even darkness must pass. A new day will come. And when the sun shines it will shine out the clearer. Those were the stories that stayed with you. That meant something, even if you were too small to understand why. But I think, Mr. Frodo, I do understand. I know now. Folk in those stories had lots of chances of turning back, only they didn’t. They kept going. Because they were holding on to something.” ― Samwise Gamgee

 

 

 

 

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First Principles: Government Is Instituted For the Protection, Safety, Prosperity and Happiness of the People, Not One Man, Family Or Class of Men

“Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men; therefore, the people alone have an incontestable, unalienable, and indefeasible right to institute government; and to reform, alter, or totally change the same, when their protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness require it.” – John Adams, in Thoughts on Government (1776)

Hopefully someone brings to mind to the Obamas, the Bidens, the Clintons, the Romneys and every political hot shot who has enriched themselves at the cost to the People of the United States…

 

 

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Guarding Against Faction

Today’s poem about American history speaks on some basic principles as set out in largely in Federalist Paper Number 10 in which we choose to become a republic and not a democracy to protection of nation from the encroachment of faction and the tyranny of the majority:

Elvion - As The Eagle Flies II

Guarding Against Faction
by Michael Doyle

The 10th Federalist Paper drew on concern
From an ancient lesson we had to learn
That in worrying about falling into tyranny
Is to worry about the majority as much as minority

An elective despotism is as much a faction
And will never lead to our republic's satisfaction
A faction unites adversely against community
And against the rights and interests of society

A part of a particular kind seeking to deprive
The very rights on which our society survives
The right to outvote can through its utility
Effectively eliminate our country's capacity

One way of stopping this is to remove liberty
But like removing air from fire, it's no mystery
That doing this would lead to an unjust result
Adding to the injury a cutting sort of insult

The latent causes of faction are the nature of man
Sown as it is in our makeup, it shows up where it can
There is no other path that can counter direct
But to control the outcome and its effect

Direct democracy has been tried and always lost
Always its outcome has come at the greatest cost
Instead it's argued that at republic is needed
The advice given was then duly adhered to and heeded

A government led by the scheme of representation
Is the settling of differences that formed our nation
A small number of citizens elected by the enfranchised rest
Is the answer that survived our contest

Those duly elected have then the primary role
By which our society keeps its political control
The differences set out within our Constitution
Becomes the rule of law and by our institutions

A chosen medium of persons of wisdom
Guide our nation into what it will become
Love of justice, patriotism and of country
Are believed less likely to sacrifice liberty

And less likely to seek advantage that is temporary
Protective against those things harmful of our country
Representatives of the people will adhere to the good
And are convened for that purpose as it is understood

(c) May 12, 2020  Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved

https://flic.kr/p/rpEdLh

 

 

 

 

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Thought For the Day: Let Your Hopes, Not Your Hurts, Shape Your Future

“Let your hopes, not your hurts, shape your future.” – Robert H. Schuller

 

 

 

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First Principles: Laws, To Be Just, Must Give A Reciprocation of Right. Without This, They Are Mere Arbitrary Rules of Conduct

“We lay it down as a fundamental, that laws, to be just, must give a reciprocation of right; that, without this, they are mere arbitrary rules of conduct, founded in force, and not in conscience.” – Thomas Jefferson (1782)

 

 

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On Perspective and Horizon

A second look at photographic composition:

The Falls Park, Pendleton, IN 05072020

On Perspective and Horizon
by Michael Doyle

A good clean background
Focuses the attention
When aptly found
These photos are worthy of retention

Layered photographs have their place
But cleaner is best to embrace
When a beginner wants to be read well
Gradually adding in just the right detail

Fog and smoke do just the trick
When you need something to add a kick
Popping the subject out to be seen
Whether its mountains or a human being

Adding drama by blocking the sun
Completes the picture if not overdone
Building pictures from the background forward
Helps to capture what you're looking toward

Truly to get the most satisfaction
It's best to be rid of distraction
The subject is the best of the story
Best worked out well to the photographer's glory

Changing the perspective is a big deal
It's the best way of changing the details
Try all the angles from high to low
You just never know until you know

It's all in the way of looking
That makes for photographic cooking
The horizon line truly matters
As to if your story sings or shatters

(c) May 11, 2020  Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved

It Starts With A Smile -The World Is Yours

 

 

 

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A Godly Mother

Based in part on 2 Timothy 1:1-7 and, of course, thoughts on Mother’s Day:

Home, Sweet, Home - Thankful For the Gift of This New Day

A Godly Mother
by Michael Doyle

Without any sense of shy timidity
God speaks through Second Timothy
That which we'd do well to recognize
Every mother is precious in God's eyes

Through discipline she shows her power
As we are reminded of her love in this hour
The best mother may be imperfect but is godly
Keeping His word in study for her family

In these words she finds guiding instruction
Keeping her righteous path from destruction
In her conduct, faith and in her conversation
She trusts in God for her needs without hesitation

Keeping her joy and faith strong in resiliency
She is focused on the things in her dependency
Not on the things of man or those of fashion
But on doing well and serving in her compassion

Generous always toward all the world's others
Centered on encouragement for sisters and brothers
Carrying herself always to build up everyone
No one wants to be torn down and made undone

Generosity is a key to having God's good quality
Caring always for our companions in our humanity
It's the standard of good in giving and to receive
Only the devil would say otherwise to deceive

But the godly Mother lives her life in obedience
It is profitable for her family to depend on Providence
Consequences belong to God to be left in His hands
Freedom from worry is given to those who understand

Forgiving provides the path away from stress and tension
Keeping focused on peace and love is the best intention
Even where conflict between others is inevitable
We can all have greater peace through forgiving as we are capable

A godly mother finding herself pushing past the resistance
Keeping at the needed things and loving things with persistence
Doing the needed doing until all the doing gets done
Is the path that God chooses to show us through His Son

Following in the footsteps of Christ, she serves her family
Never quitting and giving up are some of ways of godly quality
In an outpouring of herself and ourselves focused outward
Moving always in relationship forward and being kindly toward

All her family and others striving for order and organization
A matter of scheduling and harmony lived through coordination
What we teach our children is much of how they will live life
Be it peace with others in good habits or filled with strife

In a world filled with too much darkness and discouragement
The greatest gift a mother can give is that of encouragement
Love should always be given without any sense of condition
Though encouraged to be the best one can with right intention

All that truly matters is that those around us do their best
But the live and encouragement should be given without rest
This then is perhaps God's greatest and lasting needed test
If godly mother wants those around her to feel truly blessed

(c) May 11, 2020  Michael Doyle
All Rights Reserved

The Falls Park, Pendleton, IN 05072020

 

 

 

 

 

 

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First Principles: Let Me Not Fail To Praise My God Continually, For It Is His Due and All I Can Return For His Many Favors and Great Goodness To Me

“Let me, then, not fail to praise my God continually, for it is his due, and it is all I can return for his many favors and great goodness to me; and let me resolve to be virtuous, that I may be happy, that I may please him who is delighted to see me happy.” – Benjamin Franklin, in Articles of Belief and Acts of Religion (20 Nov. 1728)

Some try to lay out the claim that Benjamin Franklin was a Deist and not Christian.   I would ask anyone who has fallen for this to go back over the historical record and you will ample evidence to the contrary throughout his life to the contrary.   What I believe is more true to say is that for a very short period, he as with many great persons of faith struggled with his faith and grappled with great questions.  During that period, for a very short time, Franklin studied on and ultimately rejected deism.

 

 

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Thought For the Day: The World Is More Malleable Than Thought and Waiting For You To Hammer It Into Shape

“The world is more malleable than you think and it’s waiting for you to hammer it into shape.” – Bono, musician and social activist (b. 10 May 1960)

In times of darkness, be the light.

 

 

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