Christmas Poem

I know it's been quite a while since last  I wrote - largely, that was due to the fact of school. Then it was due to lack of inspiration. However, I hope (as a pseudo-New Year's Resolution) to get back into writing somewhat frequently. Here's something I penned the other night. Please let me know what you think!

Oh glorious heavens, arrayed tonight

You show the Maker's power and might.

Your dance does show the King's design,

With eyes that saw the tales I pine

For you, oh pinpricks in the sky,

Were there upon that winter's cry.

You heard the angels tell of grace,

To those despised of Israel's race.

You beheld their rev'rent praise,

As they beheld th'Ancient of days.

And you were there when from afar,

The magi followed your tell-tale star.

And as kings of earth did homage bring,

You slowly danced to heaven's King.

For God did place you up above,

To show His never-ending love.

Now when eyes to you are turned, and rest,

We shall know that we are ever blest.

For as the rainbow does the sky adorn,

You were there as Christ our Lord was born.

PS - The first and last stanzas are like a prologue and epilogue. The couplets are the bridges to the main part of the poem, the two central stanzas.

What would you say? Part I

I'm currently taking a worldview class that's being taught by my brother Ben. I've taken it before, but the material is excellent, and always worth revisiting. Anyway, as per any worldview class, we take a look at other worldviews, and try to see how they got where they are. However, they can be boiled down into what we like to call the "Red Shirt Analogy." It all starts with someone trying to persuade another that a certain shirt is red...

It runs like this. The first person tries to convince the second person that the shirt is red. The second person contemplates it, and then accepts the statement, "This shirt is red." Presto, discussion over.

The second scenario is not the same. Here, the first person tries to convince the second that the shirt is red. However, the second person smiles sympathetically and proceeds to explain to the first that his (the first's) eyes have "a visual aid impairment wherein your retinal photosensitive ganglion cells that send signals along the retinohypothalamic tract to the suprachiasmatic nuclei and to the pretectal area to control pupillary light reflexes might be lacking the photopigment melanopsin..." and if you weren't lost before, you are lost now. Obviously, with all these big scientific terms, and the fact the second knew them, the first thinks the second an authority on the matter, and believes him instead (not so with Mr. J however!). After all, what would you say to a response like this?

The third scenario: the first tells the second "This shirt is red," to which the second replies "What shirt?" "Uh, this one, in my hands!" "What shirt?" "Right here, feel it?" "What shirt?" Obviously, the problem here is that the second doesn't even see the shirt, and in fact is in rejection of the shirt. He is, in a way, "blind to the shirt." How do you prove that a shirt is there? What would you say to these responses?

The fourth scenario is a profound example of denial. The first tells the second "This shirt is red." The second responds "No, it's blue." And then, despite the fact that he admits other similar colors to be red, the second still adamantly states "No, that shirt is blue." What do you say?

Oh Wonderful Thought!

Glorious Jesus has come from above
To give us His mercy, to show us His love.
He set down His crown, He came to earth
To give us new life, new meaning, new birth.

Oh glorious be that wonderful thought,
That Jesus stooped low, for me He sought!
That by Christ's shed blood was I bought,
Oh glorious be that wonderful thought!

The anthem and song shall lift up His name
And heaven and earth shall all do the same,
Giving praise to the God who paid with His death
So that we may breathe His eternal breath!

~Anonymous

Isn't this incredible when you think about it?

A Progress in Work

The bolded parts are areas I know need improvement. I would greatly appreciate input. I've not been able to think of substitutes and what not. Also, if you see other areas that can be improved, please let me know!

The mighty host of heaven watched,

As God declared the world to be,

And breathed in man the breath of life,

Then man did sin, fruit of the tree.

And so they saw throughout the years,

As God did work on earth a plan,

And fashioned history to make

Redemption for the fallen man.

They heard Him speak through many men

Who told a strange, prophetic cry

Of God to come and make man right,
And He man's sinful soul to buy.

And then a hush was spread, the host did wonder now,

for God had gone to earth, but not for knees to bow.

They sang a song of praise, for HE was born that night,

but wondered what He did, for it did not seem right.

They watched the Devil tempt the Lord as He was weak,

and wondered why the King did turn the other cheek.

Then awestruck did they see Him beaten, shamed with scorn.

And lo! upon His brow, a crown of thorns was worn.

And still they wondered why their God allowed this shame,

for Him to dwell with men, who'd curse His holy name.

But as the dawn approached the host began to see

That God’s great plan was done. Man, redeemed, could be.

Throughout history it’s clear,

That man is lost, no hope had he,

Till God Himself did pay the price.

Then man was saved, fruit of His tree.

Man’s own work will cost his life,

For 'gainst the King he’s two-syllables sinned

And the King will rightly judge,

No sentences will He rescind.

Your sentence is eternal hell,

Apart from God, forever death

But Jesus died, for you He paid,

And since it’s paid, He will forgive.

I Peter 1:12 - "To [the prophets] it was revealed that, not to themselves, but to us they were ministering the things which now have been reported to you through those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven -- things which angels desire to look into."