![\"\"](\"https:\/\/wp.patheos.com\/community\/sites\/55\/2011\/09\/007_4A-200x300.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe glass was thick and wavy,<\/p>\n
In the decrepit manse by the road<\/p>\n
You could see the outside barely<\/p>\n
Curvy, not well disclosed.<\/p>\n
The dust of ages had settled<\/p>\n
Upon the clapboard floor,<\/p>\n
Must hung in the air<\/p>\n
Like it\u2019d been there evermore.<\/p>\n
The cobwebs on the eaves<\/p>\n
Had a settled look<\/p>\n
Here for the duration<\/p>\n
However long it took.<\/p>\n
The old bookshelf listed<\/p>\n
To the right hand side<\/p>\n
And on its shelf a single book<\/p>\n
The Good Book did abide.<\/p>\n
I picked up the tome<\/p>\n
The binding now quite loose<\/p>\n
Not from age or sad neglect<\/p>\n
But from perpetual use.<\/p>\n
I opened it in the middle,<\/p>\n
Where an ancient bookmark lay<\/p>\n
And found these words underlined<\/p>\n
\u2018The Lord is my strength and stay\u201d.<\/p>\n
If this old house could speak<\/p>\n
And tell a well-worn tale<\/p>\n
Beyond the stairs that bend and creak<\/p>\n
Beyond time\u2019s dark veil,<\/p>\n
It would speak of a loving family<\/p>\n
A house that served the Lord<\/p>\n
A home where love and peace were known<\/p>\n
While feasting on the Word.<\/p>\n
It would speak of many years<\/p>\n
Of service to one\u2019s church<\/p>\n
Of ministers who stuck through thick and thin<\/p>\n
None left in the lurch.<\/p>\n
It would speak of midnight emergencies<\/p>\n
And racing through the night<\/p>\n
To one hospital or another<\/p>\n
To calm those in shock or fright.<\/p>\n
It would speak of hours on one\u2019s knees<\/p>\n
Imploring God above<\/p>\n
It would speak of singing in full throat<\/p>\n
About a higher love.<\/p>\n
It would speak of many meals<\/p>\n
Where grace was shared and said<\/p>\n
It would speak of hospitality<\/p>\n
A good and generous spread.<\/p>\n
It would speak of meetings on and on<\/p>\n
About this need or that<\/p>\n
It would even tell of wrangling<\/p>\n
About budgets thin or fat.<\/p>\n
It would tell of Bible study times<\/p>\n
The Spirit in the air,<\/p>\n
And God\u2019s good word was opened up<\/p>\n
With understanding care.<\/p>\n
It would tell of tearful goodbyes<\/p>\n
When kids left too soon for college<\/p>\n
To try and make their way in life<\/p>\n
By gaining some sort of knowledge.<\/p>\n
It would tell of celebration\u2019s joy<\/p>\n
When new life came on stage<\/p>\n
Of births and baptisms and parties<\/p>\n
New births, even in old age.<\/p>\n
It would tell of funerary rites<\/p>\n
And black suits hanging down<\/p>\n
And comfort cold and warm<\/p>\n
As the dead were laid in the ground.<\/p>\n
And weddings galore with full rapport<\/p>\n
Brides all resplendent in white<\/p>\n
And noticeably nervous grooms<\/p>\n
Unable to eat a bite.<\/p>\n
Hatching, matching, dispatching<\/p>\n
Were the daily chores<\/p>\n
And preparing that \u2018good sermon\u2019<\/p>\n
Went on forever more.<\/p>\n
The old parsonage could preach<\/p>\n
If we had ears to hear<\/p>\n
A thousand tales of ministry<\/p>\n
Done over many years.<\/p>\n
Long after the reverend was dead and gone<\/p>\n
Long after the parsonage was left to fall<\/p>\n
There was still the strong sense within\u2014-<\/p>\n
That God is forever, Lord of all.<\/p>\n
9-4-2011<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
The glass was thick and wavy, In the decrepit manse by the road You could see the outside barely Curvy, not well disclosed. The dust of ages had settled Upon the clapboard floor, Must hung in the air Like it\u2019d been there evermore. The cobwebs on the eaves Had a settled look Here for the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":91,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1858","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"yoast_head":"\n
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<\/a><\/p>\n