Jesus described a situation that included an intangible and impenetrable distance.  “And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us” (Luke 16:26).  He did so to make an effective point.

Still, it is good to develop the confidence that not all gulfs and distances are un-crossable.

If you have thoughtfully stood on the seashore and stared across the seemingly unending plain of marine colored water, you know how separated the shores of the world may seem.  In ages of the past the distance seemed impossible for all but a few adventurers.  In the present, crossing those great and distant gulfs is common and is done with little thought.  So, as we imagine and consider great gulfs, it might be good to remember that in many cases, distance is relative to personal perception. 

Many parents have had the experience of putting a child in a car to begin a journey with some level of acceptance by the child.  Before long that child may want to know, “How much farther.” How can it be explained that the trip has a distance and a bit of time yet to go?  No matter what answer is given to the child, the distance will seem to be too far.

Maybe even the distance life may appear, at times, to be like the crossing of a great gulf.  Perhaps, the lyrics of the song by the Los Lonely Boys fits into our pondering.  “I’ve been locked up way too long in this crazy world. How far is Heaven? And I just keep on prayin’ Lord, and just keep on livin’.  How far is Heaven?  Yeah, Lord, can you tell me? How far is Heaven?”

The primary way that we view separation is by relating it in terms of geographic distance.  We may even tend to describe how far we are from another person by using terms of recognized segments of time and travel.  For example, a relative’s home is often stated in how long it takes to drive there from a personal place.  It might be said, “Mom lives across town, about thirty minutes from me.”

There are also those special times in which distance may be considered by less mechanical means, and more by emotional/intellectual distances.  There was a scene from the old television show, M*A*S*H, in which two of the characters, Hawkeye and Winchester, discussed their relationships with their fathers.  It may not be the exact quote, but it went something like this: Winchester said, “Where you have a dad, I have a father.  You are close to your dad even though you are thousands of miles apart.  My father and I have been thousands of miles apart when we were in the same room.”  He might well have said that there was a great gulf between his father and him. 

In the non-geographic gulfs, a lot of societies have recognizably great gulfs or distances between the various and determined groups.  Race, gender, education, money, profession, and any number of real and arbitrarily determined divisions create the opportunity to separate.  Many of the divisional gulfs may never be fully crossed by all.  Yes, there will always be those who fearfully stand on distant shores.  At the same time, we may find that even the greatest gulfs may be crossed by the bold, and those who care enough to try.  For thousands of years, people of adventure have boldly sought to go to places that they believe “no man has gone before”.  Where would we be if there had been no desire to reach across, and even find the way to shores beyond the known horizon?  Transfer that bold, desirous, and caring spirit to those gulfs or distances that are more measured by the heart than by the geographic distance.  Again, it may be too simplistic to simply challenge us all to just “get along”.  Even so, it is a place to start.

The greatest gulfs really are the ones we find between the hearts of people.  Those gulfs, though not as tangible as the ones in physical designations, are yet very real in effect.  Even more, the greatest courage may be found in those who dare to cross those gulfs.  For therein such a pursuit, we are exposed as truly open and vulnerable.  At the same time, we cannot ignore the benefits found in such a crossing of that gulf.  It is almost beyond description to know the result of building a bond that blesses. 

Why not cross the great human gulfs and make a better life for all?

Russell L. Dyer

July 22, 2024

It’s Just a Backyard!

It may be just a backyard, but for those who claim ownership if it, it is often much more.

On a recent morning, I was sitting at the table and finishing my daily morning readings.  I had read some pages from the Bible, in the latter part of the book of Numbers.  That section is not the most riveting portion of scripture, but it is where my reading took me. When I finished my scripture reading, I grazed through the online version of daily newspaper, finishing with the comics.  It has been my common routine for quite some time.  It is also a solo act. 

Lost in my thoughts, I was pondering the status of life and all the apparent challenges to be addressed.  About that time, the words of Brian Wilson’s internal song slid across the crevices of my wandering brain. Perhaps those words relate to many of us in the pressured events of our lives.  Consider his words.  “There’s a world where I can go and tell my secrets to: In my room – In my room. In this world I lock out all my worries and my fears. In my room – In my room. Do my dreaming and my scheming; Lie awake and pray; Do my crying and my sighing; Laugh at yesterday.  Now it’s dark and I’m alone but I won’t be afraid; In my room.” 

Perhaps, I too was looking for a place to escape. For, when all the reading was done for the morning, my attention was taken from the table activities to the out of doors.

It was a beautiful morning.  The sun was rising higher in the sky.  The temperature was warm and comfortable, as it often is in the late spring.  It was the kind of day that draws just about anyone out of the house.

I passed through the back door, crossed the covered patio, and stood amid the green grass of our moderately large back yard.  In that moment, I reflected on the present day as well as the more than thirty years of history that have transformed the nature of our backyard.  I was awash with memories.  Both of our daughters had their weddings in that yard.  More than two hundred people gathered for each of the ceremonies.  We had worked, played, cooked, and simply lived in that yard.

As I paused for a few moments to absorb the nature around me, I couldn’t help but notice the amazing array of springtime colors that filled our vista.  Flower beds line the perimeter of most of the yard, and each is packed with an eclectic display of style, type, and color.  Along with the plant life, there are also several unique objects to add character to the display.  Bicycles, rocking chairs, old doors, a wind spinner, an old gate, and a variety of small characters can be seen scattered through the various areas.  Each area is backed by a standard, six-foot, wooden fence.

Enclosed by that fence, a commonly described “privacy fence”, that backyard is something of an island; separated from the rest of the world.  While filled with memories of family, friends, and various events that island is a place of peace, as the outside cares and troubles are far removed.   

In my thinking, Brian Wilson may have had his room, but I had my backyard island.  As stated, I was feeling a bit burdened.  That backyard island was the respite that I needed.  There would be time enough to return to the rest of my world.  Perhaps that return with a refreshed spirit would find that the perceived burdens would not seem to be quite so heavy. 

Maybe we all need an island.  Maybe it is a well decorated backyard, a private room, a safe space, or simply a person of trust.  Whatever, whomever, or wherever it may be, may it be the place that is answers the needs.

One of my favorite passages of scripture reminds me that we do have a place to go. “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30).  I see a parallel.  I hope you do too.

Yes, it is just a backyard, but what a place to go!

Russell L. Dyer

July 1, 2024

“Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.” – John 2:22

We had been gone for several days.  I had been to a personal speaking engagement in West Texas.  My father had travelled with me, and we had taken the opportunity to visit several of our family members who all lived in the general part of the state.  It was time to return home, and I was anxious to see my wife and children.  We rose early, left our hotel, and hit the road.  We stopped at a roadside diner for some breakfast.  We ate our order, determined it was adequate, and then returned to the road.  As we pointed east, it was still a little before sunrise.  My father heavily suggested that we take some of the “back-roads” to avoid the interstate highways.  So, we did. 

We had not travelled far when my father interrupted the news on the radio to get my attention.  He was looking through the window as he spoke.  Over the years, his eyesight had been diminished by macular degeneration.  So, there were real vacancies in what he could see, and yet I am sure he saw more than I did.  After a pause, he somewhat rhetorically said, “Isn’t that beautiful?”  I looked across the vast vista of the Texas landscape, captured in early morning light.  There were gnarled Mesquite trees, some sporadic wild grass, and a lot of rugged land.  Remember, I was anxious to get home.  It didn’t look all beautiful or attractive to me.  He didn’t turn his head from the window.  I put my eyes back on the road, checked our speed, listened to the news, and thought of getting home.

Many years earlier, in my junior year of high school, I took a class in Trigonometry.  I thought I was a math genius.  Most math had come to me with minimal effort.  The teacher of the class was Mr. Harrison.  He was an interesting man, and a pretty good teacher.  He seemed to really understand the math.  I learned that some of those Trigonometry problems were lengthy and complex.  There were problems that took a full page of equations to arrive at a final solution.  It was tedious, and time consuming.  Once in while Mr. Harrison would stop at my desk, look at my work, and point to some error I had made in my calculations.  He noted the were points at which I had used the wrong formula.  I would sometimes point to my final solution being correct.  He would agree, and then tell me that solving the problem was more than just getting the right answer.  At the time, I thought he was just making me do a lot of extra work.

A couple of years later, in college, an English Composition teacher would press on me the importance of getting the words and grammar in their proper order.  He taught that making an image clear when you are writing is more than just the general idea of making a point.  It relies on the use of words to paint an understandable and accurate picture in the mind of the reader. Again, the importance of another message slipped past me.

Could it be that life is often no more than achieving certain goals?  Some goals may be large, while others are quite small.  Maybe we need some reminders of the journey’s value toward reaching those goals. 

It took me a while to realize that simply reaching a perceived goal is not the full picture of life. 

Mr. Harrison helped me learn that getting to the correct final answer is not the greatest benefit of math.  All the figuring and computation to get to the solution is as much value, if not more than the final answer. 

The English composition teacher helped me understand that it is not just having the right words to complete the thought.  Effectively communicating the full and accurate picture of your thoughts to another person demands careful, creative, and organized expression.  Proper grammar is a must.

More than any of these other mentioned lessons, my father taught me something of life’s beauty.  We often hear the old adage, “Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.”  It definitely is.  As he looked to the rugged and almost barren countryside, my father could see his own journey of life.  There, about us, was the vista of his childhood and youth.  Images of history were alive in his mind.  It really was not the beauty of the landscape, but the value of the life that was drawn from where he had been.  At the time, it was to me simply a passthrough on my way to a destination. 

So, my perception changed.  Remember, there is something to learn in these events.  My heart has changed with my perception.  The beauty of learning is in the journey that gets you to the destination.

We owe a debt of gratitude to those teachers who challenged us to go the extra mile in understanding the working toward the completion of the present assignment.  We owe an even greater debt to those parents who shared the beauty of their journeys that brought them to where they are. 

For me, I cannot see that landscape of my father’s youth without appreciation for the beauty of the man he became.  Perhaps we can share with our own children, and they will ultimately  gain some of the same value of the journey that comes long before the final destination.

Russell L. Dyer – 4/24/2024

“He being dead still speaks”. – Hebrews 11:4

As parents, we may often wonder if our children are really hearing us.  As children we cringe and disparage challengingly corrective words which seem too harsh.  Then there comes that day in which the children become the parents.  Words that were sworn to never be used toward the next generation become the words of choice.  Really, choice may not be the most accurate description.  Those words seem to simply well up from some previously hidden place, and with very little thought attached to them.  It can be shocking.  Hearing the detested words of parents flowing from your own lips can be thought provoking.  Maybe there is then a new understanding of circumstances.  More, it may be that there is an embedded voice that we hear.  There is a truth in life.  The words and influence of those powerful examples in our lives often speak to us and through us, even though those parents and others may be long departed.  Fortunately, it is not just the words that were thought to never be expressed.  It may just as well be the words of love, courage, and wisdom.

There is the Old Testament story of the day before King Saul died.  He was in turmoil, and needed something that he did not find in the people around him.  He longed to hear the words of his old mentor and advisor, Samuel.  Years before that day Saul had rejected the instructions from Samuel.  In his hour of trial, the longing to hear the old prophet called to him.  It didn’t matter that Samuel had been dead for some time.  The strength of the past relationship called upon what he had seen and heard, regardless of how he had considered it in the past.  As unpleasant as it was, it was what Saul wanted and maybe needed.

Typically, we strive to weave our own unique paths through this life.  If we are honest with ourselves, we have to recognize that we have not walked an untread path.  There were others who walked before us.  As the faithful people of the past are described, the writer of Hebrews refers to the life and righteousness of Abel.  Though we know little of his life, and mostly remember that he was killed by his brother, it is his devotion to a righteous life that continues to speak.  Dead for thousands of years, his voice is still heard. 

In all civilized societies, and maybe even in those that are not so civilized, we hold tightly to the words of those who have walked the path before us.  In this country, we often quote our heroes.  Whether it is the well placed words of Thomas Jefferson, the challenging words of Patrick Henry, the final words of Nathan Hale, or the common statements of many others, we are reminded of our origins and the sacrificial work it took to establish this nation.  Perhaps no one in our history has been more quoted than Abraham Lincoln.  In such a way, he still speaks.  There have been many who have shared their insights of the growing pains of strife that have helped get us to where we are.  Their shared words of every cause have made a memorable mark.  It may be that few of those speakers were thinking of the lasting value of their words.  Still, their words expressed something of their personal visions as they looked well beyond their own times.  As Katharine Lee Bates shared, “O beautiful for patriot dream that sees beyond the years.”

Here is the reality.  There are special people who though they are long dead, still speak.  They speak because we remember.  One of the great values we can hold in our lives is the ability to draw upon the voices of those who are long gone.  Perhaps we ask, “What would Mom, Dad, or someone else say about these things.  Even if we don’t ask, the voice can still be heard. 

It is a blessing to be able to say, “I sill hear you.”

Russell L. Dyer – 4/16/2024

The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. – John 3:8

Maybe age has something to do with it.  There just seem to be so many things that I think I will not fully understand about this world.  Perhaps, you too wonder why things in the nature of the world are just as they are.

I stepped through the doorway and onto the covered patio at the rear of our house.  As usual there was a pretty good breeze blowing.  The sun was shining.  It appeared to be a pretty decent day.  Then a sound caught my attention.  It sounded like sporadic rain was hitting the roof of the patio.  The roof is covered with those translucent panels.  The sound of any rain on those panels seems to be magnified when standing beneath them.  Anyway, I paused to listen and wonder how it could be raining on a sunny day.  Within a couple of moments, I realized that it was not the sound of rain I was hearing.  It was one of clever wonders of springtime nature. 

Across the street from my front door, in my neighbor’s yard, there are two Maple trees.  Every spring, those trees burst forth with an abundance of seeds.  It was those seeds, being blown across my patio cover, mimicking the sound of rain, that caught my attention.  The unique seeds of Maple trees have a design that are made for the springtime winds in the area.  As children, my friends and I loved them.  My father even taught me how to make some fun noises with them.  We called them helicopters.  The seed is on one end and a broad blade constitutes the rest of its body.  Whether caught in the strong March winds, or simply floating on a minimal breeze, the spinning effect is much like the whirling blades of a multitude of helicopters.  Those seeds land on any happenstance place.  Lawns are dotted.  Cars are masked.  Sidewalks are carpeted.  Rains wash many of them into storm sewers.  Many of them are left in places in which they cannot grow, but there they turn into the natural habitat for some other plants to grow.  If all goes well, some of those spinning seeds make their way into just the right place, and a new Maple tree begins its long life.

So, back to the sound coming from the patio cover.  As stated, it wasn’t the sound of rain.  It was that clever wonder of springtime nature.  Through the translucence of the overhead patio cover I could see the shape of those “helicopter” seeds.  I stood for a moment as I wondered at the sound.  Then I pondered at the journey.  How could so many of those seeds make it so far from the trees, rise over the house, to finally land above my head.  Then, even as my mind wandered a brief breeze stirred many of those fluttering seeds, drawing them into flight again.  Amazed, I marveled at the wonder of these precious opportunities of the future.  The question arose, “How can these things come to be?”  As my mind often does, I thought of a song.  It was Bob Dylan’s song “Blowin’ in the Wind”.  The words registered.  “The answer my friend is blowin’ in the wind.  The answer is blowin’ in the wind.”  But what does that lead me to understand?

Simply, there is within each seed a nature that is emboldened in the wind.  It was brought to be with purpose and power.  Like the helicopter seed, the wind has design and reason.  As the wind blows, we cannot see it.  Still, we feel it and even see what it does.  Its force is there.  We c sanee the results of it.

There are those who will give some scientific, or meteorological explanation to the wind.  They may have something.  I think I would choose to be like the seeds.  The seeds simply live within the vibrant life it shares with the wind.  It may be that we will complain at the mess, or pause to be amazed at the windy show.  Whatever the case, we cannot avoid the view of the future, and of what is truly seen when it is “blowin’ in the wind.” So, the next time the “helicopters” are flying, look to the design and the future it brings. God knows what He is doing.

Russell L. Dyer – 4/7/2024

Then he said, “You know that the kingdom was mine, and all Israel had set their expectations on me, that I should reign. However, the kingdom has been turned over, and has become my brother’s; for it was his from the Lord.” – 1 Kings 2:15

It’s a fact.  The situations of life often become something quite different than they were imagined.  If you can remember when you were still a child, you may be able to remember some of the dreams and ambitions you had for the future.  Reality can often be a rude awakening.  When Mandi, our youngest daughter was a small child she would often appraise the circumstances surrounding her and would cry, “It’s not fair!”  I would then comfort her with fatherly love with the words, “Life is not always fair.  Get used to it.” 

She was not alone in her assessment.  People from every status of life had struggled with the disappointment and lack of what is perceived to be fair.  Even King David’s family struggled with it.

Adonijah thought he would be king in Israel.  He was actually the fourth son, and thus not the first in line for the throne.  Still, his selfish ambition was not limited.  He saw the disruption in his family.  He knew about the treachery of Amnon and Absalom.  It may be that Kileab was already dead as well, as he is not mentioned again.  So, it would seem that Adonijah had a clear path to the throne. 

As David’s age and feeble status left him diminished in his ability to effectively reign, his ambitious son found some supporters and seized the throne.  At the same time that Adonijah was in the midst of his celebration, others were working to put the God ordained ascension of Solomon into place.  Of course, Solomon’s kingship was going to be.  In the ensuing events, the ambitious brother claimed submission to his younger brother, and life appeared to gain a sense of order and normalcy. 

Appearance can hide some dangerous contention. Between Adonijah and Solomon, there was still an underlying tension.  Ultimately, a young woman, Abishag, who had been close to David, became a game piece in a power play.  The life of Adonijah was not what he would have wanted, imagined, or believed he deserved.  In essence, he told the king’s mother that things were not the way they were supposed to be.  He pulled Bathsheba into his plan, but Adonijah’s move did not fool his brother. So, his sense of life being unfair, and his lack of acceptance simply brought the frustrated man a death sentence.

It may be that when we look at where life has brought each of us, we may find that it is not what we previously wanted, imagined, or even believed we deserve.  Still, we are where we are.  While there is nothing wrong with working for better situations, we still need to be aware of all our circumstances.  Kicking against our surroundings will typically only make our feet hurt and cause us more problems.

Okay, so things are not the way we think they ought to be.  We can look for change, and maybe even work in that direction.  At the same time, if we are wise, we will also accept where we are, and live our best where we are.

Russell L. Dyer – Written: December 6, 2020 — Posted: 3/24/2024

He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” – Matthew 16:15

One of my mother’s favorite sayings was, “I think he is talking just to hear his head rattle.”  Maybe we have all been in the company of certain people who seem to enjoy talking with no obvious purpose other than just talking.

To be seen, to be heard, and to be accepted are three of the great personal desires in community life.  Yes, there is a certain kind of anonymity desired.  It is a longing for privacy by even the most celebrated person.  Many years ago, Dan Blocker was well known for his role as Hoss Cartwright on the popular show, Bonanza.  In an interview, he commented that the downside of such popularity was that he could not even take his sons to a baseball game without being constantly pursued by fans.  At the same time, he knew that he loved the job of being seen in television and the movies.  While we may not express the Norma Desmond line, as played by Gloria Swanson, in “Sunset Strip”, “Alright, I’m ready for my close-up Mr. DeMille.”  Generally, we still want to be recognized.

As Jesus conversed with his followers, He asked the pointed question, “But who do you say that I am?”  It mattered.  He needed to be seen.  He needed to be seen for who He was.  Who He knew He was, was most assuredly important.  Still, the value is diminished if He cannot communicate, and be recognized for the person He is.

A hallmark of the 1960s was that of those people who “dropped out” to go in search of “who they were”.  Not really intending to be cynical, there is a question that comes to mind.  How would you know if you found yourself if you didn’t know who you are? Really, there were probably a lot of mothers who could have readily let them know.

The personal question of the matter still begs for a response.  “Who do you (other people) say that I am?”  It may not be the most comfortable question to ask, but it is an important one.

It is a good thing to have an “honest” evaluation of yourself.  Perhaps a better word for it is a “correct” evaluation.  For, we can be honest, and still be wrong.  It may be a little bit like listening to a recording of our own voices.  When we hear our voice for the first time, we may wonder who it is that is speaking, or think something is wrong with the recording.  Of course, the truth is that we hear our own voice quite differently than others hear it.  In the same way, we may be perceived differently by others than we perceive ourselves.  If you think about it, when we are challenged to evaluate ourselves, we need some help.  We need to know what others honestly think.

Perhaps the “Golden Rule” is a good place to start.  Let behavior toward others be directed by how we would like to be treated, and then how we are seen will be enhanced toward the positive.  We can build how we are seen by the doing of things that build a positive image.  Consider how people saw Jesus.  The general population saw Him as messenger of God, as well as an opportunity to be physically and spiritually blessed.

It is important to find a source and examples for what we want people to see.  Let there be a source.  The example of Jesus and the powerful guidance of the scriptures are always the right choice.  For well more than a century, people of character have leaned upon the defining phrase introduced by Charles Sheldon in his well-worn novel, In His Steps.  He leaves us the challenge to always ask, “What Would Jesus Do?”  Making it personal sets us in the light to be seen in the very best of ways.

How do you want people to see you?  Do that!

Of course, we cannot control everything people think about us, or any subjective perceptions they may have.  There may well be people who malign even the best intentions we have.  Most people will assume we are what we show to them.

We want to be seen, and we will be seen.  How we are seen is valuable.  Give it your best, and then see how people respond.  If you watch them, you will have the answer to how you are seen.

Russell L. Dyer – 3/22/202

He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; Nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This also is vanity. – Ecclesiastes 5:10

The phrase begins with the words, “If only …”  After those words almost anything can fill the space.  In another place, Solomon states, “There are three things that are never satisfied, Four never say, “Enough!”: The grave, the barren womb, the earth that is not satisfied with water — and the fire never says, ‘Enough!’” (Proverbs 30:15-16).  If we can find some honest reflection in us, we will probably find that our “if only” thoughts will also never really be enough.  It’s something like the old commercial line, “There’s always room for Jello”.

The romantic song by Diamond Rio may have captured the concept as well as any. 

One more day, one more time
One more sunset, maybe I’d be satisfied
But then again, I know what it would do
Leave me wishing still for one more day with you
One more day.

Yes, I know that there are moments in time in which we feel we are fully satisfied.  As the Hollies sang, “If I could make a wish I think I’d pass.  Can’t think of anythin’ I need.”  The thing about such satisfactions is that the feeling generally fades with the passing of time.  We might relate it to Thanksgiving Dinner.  With the abundance on the table, there is a tendency to eat until a packed stomach sends messages of being satisfied, and then some.  The thought might enter our minds that we may never want to eat again.  Still, a few hours later, when the leftovers are presented, we find that we can eat and do desire more of the feast.

So it is in life that we seem to always find within us that sense of desire for more. Before we begin to kick ourselves for our lack of satisfaction and fulfillment, there is something we ought to know.  We were designed to pursue the next goal and the higher ground.  Even the wealthy king, Solomon, reminds us that God has placed the unending search of eternity deeply within our basic drive of life.  In our temporary world, the very nature and life of eternity remains just beyond our grasp.  It is a driving force of a progressing life.  In other words, that is the way we were made.  A part of the concept of being made in the image of God is that we live in a pursuit.  From the design of our human inception, we were given that drive to have dominion over the world around us.  In other words, life is about a pursuit of what has not yet been obtained.

Contentment and satisfaction are not in contrast to a constant drive to achieve more.  There is a silly story about a boy who finished third grade and then announced that he was not going to return to school.  His mother tried to reason with him.  She asked her son what kind of job he thought he could get with only a third-grade education.  He paused for a moment then replied, “I could probably teach second graders.”  Again, the need and hunger for progress, achievement, and accomplishment are not in contrast or even conflict with a humble and contented spirit.

So, here is the secret that is not really a secret.  There is a difference when there is an attitude of gratitude.  Knowing how fortunate we are to have what we have, gives our blessings more value in putting them to use.  Jesus also noted the value of having an ongoing “hunger” for what we do not yet have.  He said, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled” (Matthew 5:6).

The old advertising campaign claimed the available room for their product, even when we might otherwise consider ourselves to be full.  Hoping not to come across as being trite, there is a good message.  The ongoing desire for good or better things can be one of the better driving forces of life.  Seeking to find the better things, to be filled with the better things, and to use the better things for good, is worthy. 

So, here’s to hoping that our lives are filled with greatly appreciative contentment from the blessings that push us forward.  Then we can clearly say that “Never Enough” is a really good thing.

Russell L. Dyer — 3/19/2024

The call came late on that one special night.

There was a soul need.

The family frowned at my stated plight,

But surrendered to the deed.

=

So out I trudged in the blustery snow

To offer one my care.

I must admit that my heart was cold

Leaving all warmth back there.

=

For the spell of home on Christmas Eve

Was not so easy lost.

Yet, on I traveled, my heart reserved

Accepting of the cost.

=

The worried friend found solaced care

And peace was found to reign.

I returned to the storm with lightened hope

The blessed home to gain.

=

In the deepening snow my eye caught sight

A fellow there stranded.

Spinning wheels tossed far the snow

Yet still remained high landed.

=

I thought of home and passing by

In the troubles of the night.

Try as I may, I could not remove

Knowing what was right.

=

Great effort worked to free the car

We fully used out might.

Amid the splattering filthy snow

A victim was set right.

=

Onward home in my well chilled form

I crossed inviting trails.

I met with the quiet sleeping sounds;

As there all trouble fails.

=

The morning came with all the joy;

Smiles upon each face.

The night was lost in morning’s hope

As future now in place.

=

Then a different sound was heard

Beyond the family door.

The porch was searched, a package found;

No sign to tell us more.

=

Cautiously we pried the box

Each peered as well inside.

A tiny angel and note were there

Then tears flowed in a tide.

=

The message told of angelic deed

That brought a father there;

To his longing, worried family

Safe from the weather’s snare.

=

Gratitude seemed not enough in

Expression of a heart,

But the actions of one kind soul

Imbed to never part.

=

My troubles all seemed small indeed

A soul’s heart in reprieve.

Oh, not the ones consoled last night

Instead the one in me.

=

Russell Lake Dyer

12/1/2023

by Russ Dyer

The holiday season was then in full swing

When I judged it was time to reorder our thing.

We were tired of seeing the same plastic tree.

So off to the forest, we set feeling free;

A saw was in hand and a vision in mind;

A beauty, majestic, we set out to find.

A bit on our journey, we did realize,

Such trees are quite rare, a difficult prize.

We did find some woods and set on our search;

Hopping fence, log, and stream to a grand lofty perch

Scanning the scene, an amazing fir stood

Like a beacon it called to a much deeper wood.

As the point of a compass, we made our way there

Each step filled with rapture and fresh country air.

To an full open pasture with great tree in sight

We trudged one and all with vigor and might.

A song we all sang of the evergreen wonder

As the saw reached below and cut it down under.

There was joy in our hearts at the sound of the fall,

The work and the journey seemed nothing at all.

A rope for a harness and the tree as a sled

We pictured it dressed, streams of silver and red.

The children were singing each step of the way.

We knew it had been a most glorious spent day.

Back through the woods; the distance grew far.

We ached as we pulled all the way to the car.

Over hill, log, and fence, we made our way back;

But never, no never, did our spirits slack

No thought to diminish the joy of the spree

As each of us pictured our well decked out tree.

It took quite an effort to load it in atop

We tied it quite tight, no branch free to flop.

The engine was revving and ready to go,

As I noticed a man standing knee deep in snow.

A scowl and a gun said he was not a friend,

But I smiled and calmly tried to pretend.

He asked just one question as plain as could be.

Wondering just where we had gotten our tree.

I nervously told of our journey that day

And started to leave, but he told me to stay.

He noted the fence and a way down the line

For the first time I saw the “No Trespassing” sign.

The children were anxious and scared for their dad

With the gun and the anger, they knew it was bad.

I pleaded and told him our purpose that day;

And hoped to be granted a bit of allay.

I promised to pay his price of desire.

His scowl lessened then, and his face lifted higher.

Five hundred dollars or the law he would seek.

So I dug through the cash we had for the week

There were bills that would wait for a time yet to be.

For how could I pay them, if I wasn’t free?

He counted his money as we drove away,

And still I was pondering events of the day.

Arriving home with our marvelous tree,

We invited the neighbors to come out and see.

Mouths were agape as we showed our new pride

And set forth the effort to get it inside.

The door was too narrow, and branches too spread.

We pulled and we tugged until faces were red.

Trimmers were summoned and branches deleted,

My tears were flowing with each bit depleted.

Now finally in; pulled close to the wall,

We pressed it upright, but it was too tall.

Glorious feet of its growth would now go

From the top or the bottom, I just didn’t know.

Chopping and cutting, and finally right size;

So we stood it in place to examine our prize.

No word needed saying, as we all stood and stared

The glorious nature had no way been spared.

It’s hard to describe the all feelings applied

As we took what remained and tossed it outside.

There was nothing to say and nothing would do,

But to sit for a moment, self-pity to stew.

I was feeling a failure; a great sense of pall

I was sure I had ruined the Christmas for all.

It was then that I felt little hands touching mine.

She smiled and she told me we would be fine.

I realized then that it wasn’t the tree

That was making the season for them or for me.

It was time spent together that made it all right.

How could I make such an obvious slight?

So singing our songs, drinking cocoa and nog,

And bathed in the warmth of the burning yule log,

Our spirits were soaring. Our hearts were all free;

As the lights flickered bright on our old plastic tree.