Experience Bites!

I am getting an education from Experience
A bitter Teacher who marks really hard
No marking on a curve
No essay questions I’ve observed
For the policy is Licks or Learn
Or You Lie and You Die and for The Burning You’re Held In Reserve!

I was having an itty-bitty problem with the Learn thing
When I started receiving real blows
Licks fell like rain
And the Answer became plain
But, Lord, my poor body in pain!

I, then, became Wise in my own Folly
Who could know me better than me
Until I was out playing Goosie Gander
And ended up catching Lice and Dog Fleas!

Oh, the shame, the shame, the horror
Of going back to School to face Experience, the Teacher, again
And I was in for a surprise when I said: “Experience lies!"
And Life gave me a Repeat Offender and Recalcitrant Pin!

My Shame Times Two, plus Ignorance and Follow You
Were prominent in my Class: Life Lesson Redo
But, I met Ask, Seek and Find
And ignored Look Behind
Baubles by Brain and Look Fine By Design, and
I BFF’d Prayer, Worship and God We Praise!

I linked-in Jesus Saves By His Own Sacrifice
After stumbling upon Grace and Mercy Nice
And blocked Sin Is Nice and Self-servicing Ain’t Close To a Vice
And hid shame-faced after being a rube broadcast live me on Eww-Tube!

I learned my lesson - it was hard!
To play with Death would make me a Card (carrying Fool, that is)
But I now know to Whom I belong
And I won’t be acting no more a World-Class Class-Clown!

I’ve pinned Holy Spirit, Heaven To Gain
I've Learned and I'm Saved
Walk Aright, and Don’t Misbehave!
With Righteousness I now run
And you can sing Hymn-a-ton
But I ain’t never no more from the Straight Path backing down!

Recall of the Fall + Repentance; and some Musical Refreshment

Recall of The Fall

+

Repentance

I recently sat and did recall

All the things that I've done as a result of the fall

I've lied and cheated, stolen and compromised

Walked in my own way, and often reviled!

I've ignored wise counsel and

Crucified Christ time and again!

I've raised up myself higher than my Creator

And oft' ended up less than I was created!

There's been fornication, adultery, gambling,

Warmongering, hating and despising

Grasping and backbiting!

I've realized that one wrong to do was as good as any other!

No skin off my back

For they were all as light as the proverbial feather!

But then one dry day, reality set in

And nary a dry spot was found under my wet chin!

The conscience that I had long successfully ignored

Soon cast me, without preamble, upon the hard floor

Where revulsion and remonstrance vied

For prominence e'en pre-eminence

Oh, how I blubbered!

How sorrowfully I cried!

Alas, this poor soul

A lot like Cain and Esau

Cried out – not in repentance – but because

I – guilty – was brought to great shame!

Now, I must eat crow!

A dish most unpleasant, or so I've been told

But eat it without seasoning I must

Not even a drop to be left in the bowl!

It was then that I heard Old Ishbel's choice words –

"If you are truly sorry, repent!

If not, don't relent, for

To do otherwise

Is to minimize

Who you've offended, and yourself!"

It was then that I chose to get rid of all the hems and haws,

And get down to the real business of asking the Lord

For the character of gold in the fire of life tried

Righteous clothing made of linen clean and white, and

the anointing of the Salve

To heal my world-scarred eyes.

He said to me:

“Come as you are!

Repent, and be renewed!”

And

“Walk thou in the straight and narrow for

The Spirit will help you!”

So, hear me, I tell you:

“Don't believe your own publicity!”

“Acknowledge your Savior

And He will direct you!”

I endeavored from that day

That for me there would be

No more broad nor illicit high way!

I am trusting The Promising

I am basking in The Comforting

I am treasuring The Holy Word, and

From here on in, you see

Straight will be The Pathway to

Blessing for Me!

Create In Me a Clean Heart

Psalm 51

To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David, when Nathan the prophet came unto him, after he had gone in to Bath-sheba.

1 Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving-kindness:
according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me throughly from mine iniquity,
and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions:
and my sin is ever before me.

4 Against thee, thee only, have I sinned,
and done this evil in thy sight:
that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest,
and be clear when thou judgest.
5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity;
and in sin did my mother conceive me.
6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts:
and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.

7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean:
wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me to hear joy and gladness;
that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
9 Hide thy face from my sins,
and blot out all mine iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God;
and renew a right spirit within me.
11 Cast me not away from thy presence;
and take not thy holy spirit from me.
12 Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation;
and uphold me with thy free spirit.
13 Then will I teach transgressors thy ways;
and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

14 Deliver me from blood-guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation:
and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
15 O Lord, open thou my lips;
and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
16 For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it:
thou delightest not in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit:
a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Day By Day