A life begins

A life begins

A fresh start

So much potential

An exquisite work of art

Love and attention are granted to most

Defining the path to be taken

Yet for a tragic few

Left stranded and forsaken

Exploration and wonder

Of sadness and delight

An innocence of spirit

Basking in rarified light

Then a soul is taken

And made to conform

Some innocence lost

Forced to adhere to the norm

Still searching for guidance

Testing the bounds

A progenitor’s weight

Is not measured in pounds

Through heartache and fortune

A gentle hand must attend

The soul’s budding psyche

With a love that knows no end

And so comes a time

To relent to trust

The cultivation complete

Your faith a must

Will the seeds sewn bud

When the tiller’s away

When the rows becomes cluttered

And soil becomes clay

The reward is the fruit

Grown from years of toil

Planted by connubial love

Deep in the Lord’s fertile soil

When I’m away you’re on my mind

When I’m away you’re on my mind

The love we’ve shared rushes back

Was I a fool or was I blind

Now it’s time to take you back

Another step along this rocky path

So much time spent in the past

I’ve begun to hate looking back

I want a love that was meant to last

Looking forward is what I’ll do

At things that make me whole

I’ll lay each brick in my spirit wall

Spreading love will be my goal

When I’m away you’re on my mind

The love we’ve shared rushes back

Was I a fool or was I blind

Now it’s time to take you back

We can’t undo the things we’ve done

No point keeping the pain

To make the most of what I have

Chase away the clouds and reveal the sun

Tomorrow morning is when I’ll start

To look at you in a different light

Cast away suspicion and darkness

An open innocence of the heart

When I’m away you’re on my mind

The love we’ve shared rushes back

Was I a fool or was I blind

Now it’s time to take you back

Will you take me in your arms

And love me with no regret

Will you hold me when morning comes

Remember a time when we first met

Will you speak to me at night

As I lay by your side

And tell me of your day

Then hold me tight

Will your dreams be of me

As I watch you sleep

Will you wake in sweet satisfaction

Will it be easy to see

When I’m away you’re on my mind

The love we’ve shared rushes back

Was I a fool or was I blind

Now it’s time to take you back

Now it’s time to take you back

Did you ever wonder?

Have you ever stared into space and wondered if someone was staring back? What a spectacular work of art the Lord has given us to behold. And behold we have!

The ancient Chinese, in the third millenium B.C. observed that the solar and lunar years harmonized every 19 years, watched cometary patterns, and eclipses.

The Egyptians essentially recorded our now familliar constellations in 2800BC.

Appollonius, Hipparchus, and Ptolemaeus collaborated (extensably through generations) to explain the movement of the sun and moon and in the process invented Trigonometry and catalogued over 1000 stars.

Astronomy has played an integral part in religion also. Islam follows a purely lunar calendar. The five daily prayer times are regulated by the position of the sun and shadows.

The Old Testament has several references to the stars and planets, specifically Venus and Saturn. They referenced some of our popular constellations too; Orion = Kesil; Mezarim = the Bears.

Interestingly, the New Testament makes virtually no mention of celstial orbs, aside from the star of the Magi or star of Bethleham.

Lest we forget the Egyptian correlations to the constellations and Sun with their ancient construction. Same for the Mayans.

What are the odds... just what are the odds that conditions could be just right for life to rise on just one of these planets out of an estimated 10 billion planets in the Universe?

Our own history shows how delicate life is. Small changes in climate, the ratio of carbon to oxygen dictate how successful life can be. The intensity of our sun. The health of our atmosphere. So many things have to be "just right" or else, well, I'm not writing this and you're not reading it.

What a spectacular puzzle our God has given us to noodle on. Life itself is as much or more a beautifuly complex puzzle. Think of your body; how complex it is. You couldn't make this stuff up. It would be to unbelievable. Nobody has a precise count of how many cells consitute the human body. Estimates have been given from 10 trillion to 100 trillion cells in the average adult. That's quite a range... not very precise. Just an example of how complex and mysterious we are! 100 TRILLION CELLS! All of them working together (most of the time)... just think of all the amazing things we can do! Imagine the amazing things we can do that we haven't discovered how to do!

Science will continue to explore creation in search of answers. There is just not enough time. Creation is too complex. But the journey is worthwhile as long as we don't lose sight of the purpose and destination. We can attempt to understand ourselves, the world and our universe in terms of how it works. We won't ever know "why" it works... that's not our domain. Science can be a vehicle to bring us closer to God, not eleminate God, nor explain away God. The more we learn, the more amazing our creation becomes.

Have a great day folks. Revel in the wonder of our creation. We are truely unique.

I love you now, I'll love you forever

I love you now, and I'll love you forever

by David R Durbin 2006

A silver dragonfly skipped across the azure sky as Mary sat cross legged in the thick grass. The sun caressed her face and tickled her bare shoulders, which lay exposed from her favorite dress, a pastel yellow sundress with a white collar and shoulder straps. Normally she’d be wearing a pair of white open toed flats, but today, she was relishing the feel of each blade of the dense lawn reach between her toes.

The gardens around her were finely manicured; no weeds at all. Hundreds of butterflies fluttered in and around the picturesque scene. So many different kinds; she had never witnessed such a display. Orange, yellow, blue, black; large and small.

From beneath a flowering peony, a small bunny peeked out, and then stepped out carefully placing each paw as it made its way into the grass. A beautiful turquoise butterfly flitted from a Black Knight butterfly bush and gently landed on the bunny’s tiny pink nose, which brought on a quick twitch, and away it went.

Mary loved being outdoors, especially in spring and summer. So much new life, it made her heart skip. It was like falling in love.

From behind, Mary heard the delicate footfalls of her tiny bundle of joy. “Mommy!” cried Amanda, running with her arms spread wide, locks of copper waving as she bounded through the yard. And as Mary opened herself to her little girl, she was met with affectionate kisses. “Mommy, mommy, mommy!” cheered Amanda, giggling as she pecked her mother’s cheeks. “I love you” she said in her squeaky doll voice.

“And I love you too Sweetpea!” returned Mary, stroking Amanda’s silky mane.

“Did you love me when I was in your tummy Mommy?” she asked.

“Of course I did sweetie” cooed Mary.

“How Much!”

“More than the whole wide world!” Mary giggled as she swept Amanda from her feet and planted the little girl onto her lap.

“Did you love me when I spilled my juice on the carpet?”

“Yes honey, even when you spilled juice on the carpet” replied Mary, tweaking Amanda’s Lilliputian nose.

“Mommy? Did you love me when I put gum in Lucky’s fur?”

“Why, you helped me get it out, didn’t you? Even when you put gum in Lucky’s fur.”

Amanda rose from Mary’s lap and began to twirl, her hair brushing Mary’s face as her little feet danced in circles.

As Amanda fell into Mary’s soft bosom, giggling all the while, Amanda looked into her mother’s eyes with her own puppy dog eyes and asked “Mommy, will you love me when you die?”

Birds were singing, Orioles she thought; such a pretty song. Mary returned her child’s gaze, “Sweetpea, I will love you more than ever after I die. I will love you, and you will know how much I love you”

“How Mommy?” Amanda asked scrunching her face and tilting her head.

A smile came over Mary, like an autonomic response, as she said in a soft voice, stroking her child’s hair “When you wake up, you’ll know I’m thinking of you. When you see yourself in the mirror, I’ll be looking back at you. When you sing, I will be singing with you. When the sun shines on your face, it will be kisses from me. When it rains, they will be tears of happiness that you are my little girl. And when you snuggle into your bed at night, I will be kissing your forehead. I loved you before you were born, I love you now, and I’ll love you forever.”

Amanda thought, and concentration soured her face. “You’re silly Mommy” she said, stood, and began to twirl again.

The sun began to set as Mary sat and watched the love of her life dance in perfect peace before her. And as the sun met the horizon, Mary remembered the life she had, the life she loved, and the people that meant most to her. She had loved, and she had been loved, and what more did she need.

She was ready to move on. She rose, bent down, and kissed Amanda on the top of her head. “Good bye Amanda”

“Good Bye Mommy”

The sun drifted below the horizon, and Mary could let go. She had done what she needed. And it was good

IMG_6556

IMG_6556
Originally uploaded by ddurbin123.

Feeding Historys Monster

Feeding History’s Monster

Sacrifice your children for the cause

Moralize death and destruction

Hide behind your women and your laws

Revenge and hate your seduction

And you who looked to gain a homeland

Turned against your ancient conviction

Prompted by massacre and a mad man

To spurn a long held restriction

A nation created on chance

Of the blood and tears of mothers

Grudges held prevents advance

Of a peaceful life with others

Look back across the generations

To a history filled with evil

So many accounts of dislocations

Fuel this constant upheaval

How Holy can this land remain

So many crimes against life’s purity

Five millennia it has been the bane

Proving mans immaturity

Who is to answer for what has passed

And what will bring the cycle to an end

Can you find a peace to truly last

And let old wounds begin to mend

No nation may hide from its shame

For each had a hand in the monstrosity

The future cannot be built on blame

For now is the time to bury animosity

Under my skin

I realize posting this has the potential to cause me grief, but it needs to be said.

I came across a profile of a young muslim woman, living in Jerusalem, Israel. A fact not too suprising as there is a representative population of Christians, Arabs and Muslims in Israel.

As allowed in free Democracies, she is protesting the government that she is currently living under the protection of. This is her right. She has pictures posted of women and children who have been casualties of the conflict between what I presume is between Israel and who knows, could be any number of Israeli conflict, but most likely Palestine.

She makes an argument that Israel wants to kill all people and take over the world. I suppose it must feel that way at times. I'm reminded that she, a muslim, lives in Israel.

In her profile she also hopes to "see all the people become muslims" which is the item I read that prompted this post.

I cannot even begin to claim to understand what it's like to live in that region as a muslim, arab or jew. I cannot claim to know the truth of the history of the conflict. I cannot claim to know the reality of the actions taken by any side of the conflict.

Yes. Israelis kill people. Israelis conscribe jews. Arab, Christian, Druze, and Muslim service to the IDF is voluntary, but possible. Americans kill people; Christian, atheist, Muslim, Jewish, whatever are all volunteers to the armed services. I would guess, just a guess that nearly every nationality, every proclaimed religion, has some current or past history of killing people. It's deplorable. It's the human way. History has no refute of this fact. The future is up to us to write.

It's a mentality of intollerance,revenge, and jealousy that fuels this carnage. It's not about religion, although religion is often used as a crutch. It's about people. Ultimately people determine how to use the abilities their God gives them and currently, those spilling each other's blood believe in the same God and largely share an ancient heritage.

What's the answer? Quit messing with each other and just live. That's too easy though isn't it. Ego, pride, jealousy, revenge, hatred, tradition, intollerance, and group-held beliefs will not allow for it. As long as any group with enough power to harm another group chooses to do so, there will be no peace.

All parties must decide enough bloodshed has happened. All parties must accept the differences amongst people. All parties must agree to fundamental human rights, morals and ethics and forgive the trespasses of the past.

Without total agreement there is a higher likelihood that we will see our demise in our generation, than to see peace. I'm not talking of Armageddon or anything like that. I'm talking about the downfall of human civilization as we know it today. It's happened before.History is littered with the carcasses of so called advanced civilizations. Greeks. Egyptians. Persia. Celts. Myan. Ethiopian. Ancient China. India and more than I'm sure I know of.

Today we have the ability and our leaders seemingly have the desire to bring us to ruin globally. And no, I'm not singling out the current American administration. All leaders have shown their ability to take their people down the road to ruin.

As long as the argument begins with "look what they're doing to me" and ends with "I will get them back" we are never going to taste the sweetness of peace. And perhaps that's what we need. A do over. A clean slate.