Old Vines

Old Vines

Hanging limply on the vine
with curling leaves to dryness inclined
when once vibrant of heart, of mind,

as brilliant berries
bursting with juices,

now eyes revert inwards. Or nostalgically
of lost behind.

How do we: "Strengthen the hands that hang down
and the feeble knees" when anger and violence in the air
is what we daily breath... causes our despair,

our hopes do squeeze

as a millstone crushes to gravel
stones
with deliberate ease. Heb. 12:12.

Water from a spiritual stream
quenches our questions with a theocratic dream
which lifts our spirit as does sunlight beams
to buoy our thoughts to a Higher means.

Admonished to: "Smooth out the course of your feet,
And all your ways will be sure." Prov. 4:26.

"Pursue peace with all people". Heb. 12:14.

Yes, "let us pursue the things making for peace and the things that build one another up." Romans 14:19.

Personal slights to patiently endure.

"Let your love be without hypocrisy.
Abhor what is wicked;

cling to what is good." Rom. 12:9

For, "the fruit of righteousness is sown in peaceful conditions
for those who are making peace." James 3:18.

This we know for sure:

That a trellis for fruit trees and climbing limbs
of plants with roots,

thick or thinly stemmed
on each other do intertwine
of necessity depend

to bloom and flourish
aromatic and colorful
our multi skins

under a Son's uplifting rays.

We'll bloom forever.
Youthful and beautiful.

Never to end... in healthy ways:

Because, "it is not a desirable thing to my Father who is in heaven for even one of these little ones to perish." Matt. 18:14.

"Jehovah is not slow concerning his promise, as some people consider slowness, but he is patient with you because he does not desire anyone to be destroyed but desires all to attain to repentance." 2 Pe. 3:9.

So, "you too open your hearts wide." 2 Cor. 6:13.

Our brothers we must "intensely love". 1 Pe. 1:22.
As a strong family supports one another
we must continue to bond.

To each member... cherish.

Eternal, our days!

What Is God Like?
https://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2019006

Strengthen the hands that hang down and the feeble knees.​—Heb. 12:12.

Jehovah gives us a worldwide brotherhood of caring worshippers who can offer us encouragement. (Heb. 12:12, 13) Many in the first century received that sort of spiritual strengthening. It is similar today. What can we do? Think of how Aaron and Hur literally supported Moses’ hands during a battle. (Ex. 17:8-13) We can look for ways to support and to give practical aid to others. To whom? To those battling the effects of old age, health limitations, opposition from their family, loneliness, or the loss of a loved one. We can also strengthen young ones who are facing pressure to share in wrongdoing or to seek “success” in this system of things, whether academically, financially, or professionally. (1 Thess. 3:1-3; 5:11, 14) Look for ways to show genuine interest in others at the Kingdom Hall, in the ministry, while enjoying a meal together, or as you converse on the telephone. w16.09 1:13, 14 © 41 minutes ago, Lucretia Mccloud    hope • love • society• spiritual • teen   

Why Wouldn't We?

With forever placed within our hearts
and earth the place where our Creator did start
the process of our living

where do we begin?

True, our life spans approximately are 70 or 80 years
filled with anxiety and daily fears of what to eat and what to where;

also stress becomes mankind's daily share
with baby boomers wondering

who will care for us when social security runs out?

Well,

our Maker tells us look around:

the stars, the trees and flowers, the oceans and rivers... their sounds.

Do not all of these ease our spirits; our eyes and other senses
do please?

Let's just take a dip into a cool and gentle stream
when the pavement in the city exhibits steam. 

Does not that simple little thing make life worth living?

How about ice cream on a cone?
With flavors varied or a cherry topping it alone.

Does not your heart sing a song, as if you are again a little one
hurrying home with stickiness dripping down your chin and arm.

Those memories are recycled time and again through generations of children within many races and cultures; teaches us we're kindred beneath our skins.

Our hearts ache and search for happiness. And our earth provides the therapy dispelling apathy by calming us with its breezes; stirring our emotions with immense galaxies that squeeze our hearts through pupils
risen, though sometimes blurred by allergy season.

Yes,
upon us imperfection temporarily sits. Yet, the future promises more creation
to set our thoughts to heights beyond belief. Until that time,

let's search the fallen October leaves for glorious hues that crack under our boots or gym shoes trekking a trail seeking spotted deer, or elk, or just a peek through a sparse canopy to a twinkling sky.

Not to wonder why
we wouldn't want to live for an eternity.

Earthly poems # 14 

Anything of the earth, hopefully nature oriented. Free verse preferred, but not required

Will the Earth Survive? ... http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2008571#h=4:223-4:346 © 5 minutes ago, Lucretia Mccloud    hope • love• nature • society • spiritual   

Into the Blueness They Flew

Into the Blueness They Flew

A bird lame.

Weighed down by what life became...

Beaks pecking this one insane.
Joined together
or constant in solitary inane brutality

they wreaked havoc
invoking relentless pain.

The other birds lacked joyful songs.
Plucked this one's feather 'til felt desolate.

Not encouraged to belong. Though, to tell the truth...

this one did not want to join the throng
of bitterness resounding

all life dreadfully long.

Resisted. This little bird.

Was penalized because of individuality in daily persist
since harping not prioritized on their brief list of goals.

A sky above they saw.
Endlessly blue

in their dream.

While rain thundered down in ragged streams.
They kept outwardly silent as their pain internally screamed:

"Why me!... Why me!... Can't you see kindness exuding from my being?... What have I done to try and pick you apart

pluck by pluck?

As done to me... Feathers to ground
in circuitous meanness."

Though this small bird saw. Understood:

The birds that hackle as they stood
had lost all desire.

Their chirps long ago had died.
Their flight abilities expired.

All they had left or at least chose to do
was peck, peck, peck... before they retired.

Gloom was what they eagerly pursued.

So this bird lame knew what they had to do.

Hop e-
agerly... away.

Limping until able to fly.
On

course.

That day arrived.

Into the blueness they flew.

Left behind other lame birds
chirping happily in her

her success

inspired.

May our joy lift our and other wings
to soar

eternal

with eyes shining brilliant
towards heavenly things seen:

self-control, patience, kindness
and such things.

But above all... Love
and all that it brings.

Our hearts in whole-soul devotion
aiming higher than higher

to a God of Love.

Who will soon all wickedness end.
As we do all we can

in harmony

to a brotherhood international
openly conspire.

For on this unity,
true peace and security
totally depends.

Although,
only by means
of a King now reigning
will this earth and universe
be thoroughly cleansed.

contest Blackened & Burned Down - Sericea © 4 minutes ago, Lucretia Mccloud    hope • love • society • spiritual• teen   

Man's and Earth's Eternal Purpose

Man's and Earth's Eternal Purpose

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1)
*
"The heavens are declaring the glory of God;
The skies above proclaim the work of his hands." Ps. 19:1

"He is the Maker of the earth by his power,
The One who established the productive land by his wisdom
And who stretched out the heavens by his understanding." Jer. 10:12.
*
"As for the heavens, they belong to Jehovah,
But the earth he has given to the sons of men." Ps. 115:16.
*
"How many your works are, O Jehovah!
You have made all of them in wisdom.
The earth is full of what you have made." Ps. 104:24.
*
"He has made everything beautiful in its time.
He has even put eternity in their heart;
yet mankind will never find out
the work that the true God has made
from start to finish." Eccl. 3:11.
*
"Then God said:
“Let us make man in our image,
according to our likeness,

and let them have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and the domestic animals and all the earth and every creeping animal that is moving on the earth.”" Gen. 1:26.

"Further, God blessed them, and God said to them:
“Be fruitful and become many, fill the earth and subdue it, and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving on the earth.” Gen. 1:28.
*
"The righteous will possess the earth,
And they will live forever on it." Ps. 37:29.

"I have spoken, and I will bring it about. I have purposed it, and I will also carry it out.​" Isa. 46:11.
*
“You are worthy, Jehovah our God, to receive the glory and the honor and the power, because you created all things, and because of your will they came into existence and were created.” Rev. 4:11.

I have spoken, and I will bring it about. I have purposed it, and I will also carry it out.​—Isa. 46:11.

The very first words of the Bible make this simple but profound statement: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” (Gen. 1:1) It is true that we have only a little understanding of the many things God created, such as space, light, and gravity, and we have seen only a small fraction of the universe. (Eccl. 3:11) Yet, Jehovah has revealed to us his purpose for the earth and for mankind. The earth was to be an ideal home for men and women created in God’s image. (Gen. 1:26) They would be his children, and Jehovah would be their Father. As explained in the third chapter of Genesis, Jehovah’s purpose encountered a challenge. (Gen. 3:1-7) However, that challenge was by no means insurmountable. No one can stand in Jehovah’s way. (Isa. 46:10; 55:11) Therefore, we can be certain that Jehovah’s original purpose will be fulfilled exactly on time! w17.02 1:1, 2

© 18 minutes ago, Lucretia Mccloud    rhyme • hope • love • family • friendship   

If Minimized : Gained, His Despise

If Minimized: Gained, His Despise

His Word sent forth in prophesy
Will not come back without succeed.
But woe to those who do not heed:
"He did just so' in words and deeds.

We must walk with God 'in modesty'
Like Enoch, Noah, Abel with speed.
Not to deviate from humility.
Or we'll experience Jah's displease.

Who of us has not heard
of Abraham's adherence to God's Word
to sacrifice his one dear son
in obedience? Jehovah's favor won.

What he attempted displayed great love
though his loving Creator watching from above
stopped Abraham's action in hesitate
to offer a lamb in replace to take.

Demonstrating for humanity's sake
Jah's self-sacrifice in future to make
When offered His firstborn upon a stake.
Did He us to eternal death forsake?

So when God mandates certain laws
we must not feel that they are flawed.
For God is 'Love'. Provides justly for all.
We must obey. Or everlastingly to death
unnecessarily fall.

Walk in modesty with your God!​—Mic. 6:8.

Sometime during King Jeroboam’s reign, Jehovah sent a certain prophet from Judah to deliver a scathing judgment message to that apostate king of Israel. The humble prophet faithfully delivered God’s message, and Jehovah protected his servant from Jeroboam’s violent wrath. (1 Ki. 13:1-10) On his way home, the prophet unexpectedly met up with an old man from nearby Bethel. The man claimed to be a prophet of Jehovah. He deceived the younger man into disobeying Jehovah’s strict instructions ‘not to eat bread or drink water in Israel’ and ‘not to return by the way that he came.’ Jehovah was not pleased. Later, on his way home, a lion came across Jehovah’s prophet on the road and killed him. (1 Ki. 13:11-24) Why did the once modest prophet presumptuously go along with that deceitful older man? The Bible does not say. But it could be that he completely forgot that he was supposed to be ‘walking modestly with God.’ w17.01 4:1-3 © 13 minutes ago, Lucretia Mccloud    rhyme • love • hope • pain • sad   

Cleaneed of Pain

Cleansed of Pain

Brought to ruin 'those ruining our earth'
under brilliant rays from God's Kingdom birth.

Birds feasted. Dust settled. Cleansed; land.
Washed away terror from reigns of sinful man.

Squeals of joy--those sheltered from doom
Bursting forth from 'interior rooms'.

Rains from heaven gentle sweet
Death 'no more' to be repeat.

Photo from In Her Own Words, Photographing the Vietnam War 50 words ...

Use the poem below as your inspiration
about 50 words
No adult or profanity
I will add HM as needed

"There will come soft rain and the smell of the ground,
And swallows circling with their shimmering sound;

And frogs in the pools singing at night,
And wild plum trees in tremulous white;

Robins will wear their feathery fire,
Whistling their whims on a low fence-wire;

And not one will know of the war, not one
Will care at last when it is done.

Not one would mind, neither bird nor tree,
If mankind perished utterly;

And Spring herself, when she woke at dawn
Would scarcely know that we were gone," Sara Teasdale


Based upon: The Destruction of Death. At Isaiah 25:8 the prophetic promise is made that God “will actually swallow up death forever, and the Sovereign Lord Jehovah will certainly wipe the tears from all faces.” The sting producing death is sin (1Co 15:56), and thus all having sin and its accompanying imperfection have death working in their bodies. (Ro 7:13, 23, 24) The abolition of death, therefore, would require the abolition of that which produces death: sin. By the removal of the last trace of sin from obedient mankind, the authority of death will be abolished and death itself will be destroyed, and this is to be accomplished during the reign of Christ. (1Co 15:24-26) Thereby death, brought upon the human race by Adam’s transgression, “will be no more.” (Ro 5:12; Re 21:3, 4) Its destruction is figuratively likened to its being hurled into a “lake of fire.”​—Re 20:14; see LAKE OF FIRE.

© 8 hours ago, Lucretia Mccloud    teen • spiritual • society • hope • love   

Marvels

Marvels

Marvels 
magnificent
made

Daily are laid aside
as of no consequence
by those who 'no attention'
pay.

Paid.

Blind.

Blinded by pressure
Created by creation intellectual
thought respectable. Staid.

Intricacies delicate like a spiders' web

Spun to capture insects dead.
Yet in sheer beauty we are led
To look heavenward.

Rather than random
More recent bred.

Consider the symphony found in breath-taking breezes.

Are not our emotions stirred as are these many varied type vibrant leaves
found around the world?

Our skin it does stroke, our stresses do ease,
even as our hair is raised,

it deliciously does
our senses tease.

Does not our intelligence us remind: "every house is constructed by someone,

but the one who constructed all things is God" ? Heb. 3:4.

And yet, the most basic living cells on earth
are far more complex than any house
tiny or of gigantic expensive girth

because they can do what no house can do​—

reproduce.

Even leafy greens continue in rebirth.

Yes, these cells have a way to store
and copy information needed to replicate themselves more.

So today we you implore:

“Lift up your eyes to heaven and see.

Who has created these things?

It is the One who brings out their army by number;
He calls them all by name.

Because of his vast dynamic energy and his awe-inspiring power,

Not one of them is missing." Isa. 40:26.

Therefore,

"Jehovah is our Judge,
Jehovah is our Lawgiver,
Jehovah is our King;

He is the One who will save us." Isa. 33:22.

So should we not follow the wise Psalmists' admonition?

"Do not put your trust in princes
Nor in a son of man, who cannot bring 

salvation." Ps. 146:3.

For what human can eliminate
our dying imperfect sad condition?

Although always duplicating
our Creator

with beautiful
inferior
temporary
renditions.

The present economic and political systems are powered by selfish forces. Clearly, such forces cannot eliminate war, crime, disease, and poverty​—only God’s Kingdom can. Consider what Jehovah will do for mankind. War: God’s Kingdom will eliminate such deep-seated causes of war as selfishness, corruption, patriotism, false religion, and Satan himself. (Ps. 46:8, 9) Crime: God’s Kingdom is already teaching millions to love and trust one another as no other government can. (Isa. 11:9) Disease: Jehovah will bless his people with perfect health. (Isa. 35:5, 6) Poverty: Jehovah will eliminate it and will provide his people with spiritual and physical prosperity, a quality of life far more valuable than riches.​—Ps. 72:12, 13. © 6 hours ago, Lucretia Mccloud   death • family • friendship • hope • love   

Out of the Darkness

Out of the Darkness

Enslaved.
By traditions.
Over centuries detained.

In 607 B.C.E., a massive Babylonian army to Jerusalem came. Under command of King Nebuchadnezzar II named.
The bloodbath to follow a horrific shame:

"Killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary; he felt no compassion for young man or virgin, old or infirm.... He burned down the house of the true God, tore down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its fortified towers with fire, and destroyed everything of value.” 2 Chron. 36:17, 19. As God's prophets proclaimed:

“Whoever is for deadly plague, to deadly plague!
Whoever is for the sword, to the sword!
Whoever is for the famine, to the famine!
And whoever is for the captivity, to the captivity!”’ Jer. 15:2.

Because of disobedience, allowed an enemies' conquest.
Felt,... their complete and utter disdain.

But, through Jeremiah, Jehovah future exiles advised,
accept for a time your new situation comprised of building homes, raising a family, planting gardens... in the land of your enemy despised:

"seek the peace of the city to which I have exiled you, and pray in its behalf to Jehovah, for in its peace you will have peace.” Jer. 29:5, 7.

Unlike in the time of their slavery, once in Egypt as exiles, Jews captured by Babylon were encouraged normal living, for a while, to pursue.

Allowed to administer some of their own affairs, Jews learned the art of buying and selling there, as we today see some Jews still do. While others became skilled craftsmen. Some prosperous with an opportunity to share.

Although, spiritually, their former structured way of worship did not exist. Still, many innocent Jewish captured, such as Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, did what they could to observe God's Law under a pagan administration.

Yet, it was impossible for a God-fearing Jew
to do everything the Law required. Their way of worship. . . temporarily subdued.

Would the Israelites ever again be able to worship God in a completely acceptable way when Babylon never released its captives not slayed?

If this is what Jehovah's says, then liberation would occur in its prophesied day.

"So my word that goes out of my mouth will be.
It will not return to me without results,
But it will certainly accomplish whatever is my delight,
And it will have sure success in what I send it to do." Isa. 55:11.

Is there a modern-day parallel to this? . . . Is there 'true' Christianity today on which God insists?

Shall we take a look at this overview?

At Pentecost 33 C.E., thousands of Jews and proselytes were anointed with holy spirit. These new Christians became “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession.” 1 Peter 2:9, 10. Directed by Christ Jesus beforehand to keep disciple-making global foremost. To the time of the end, it's prophesied progression:

"Go, therefore, and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.

And look! I am with you all the days until the conclusion of the system of things.” Matt. 28:19, 20.

However, especially after the death of the apostles, men arose who spoke “twisted things” in order to “draw away the disciples after themselves.” Acts 20:30; 2 Thess. 2:6-8. Jesus Christ's teachings temporarily shelved.

Pride inspiring an uprising of a clergy class. Instead of just being called 'brothers', "bishops" and other titles into supposed 'Christianity' did arrogantly spring. Matt. 23:8. Philosophies of Aristotle and Plato as intellectual others, introduced gradually,

pure teachings of God’s Word sadly, false religious ideas. . . stealthily replacing.

Yes, 'Christianity' entered a deep depressing darkness... The 'Light', this new false way, now monstrously consuming.

In 313 C.E., this apostate form of Christianity was granted legal recognition. By pagan Roman Emperor Constantine, Church and State working hand in hand, without Jah or Jesus' permission:

"Jesus answered: “My Kingdom is no part of this world. If my Kingdom were part of this world, my attendants would have fought that I should not be handed over to the Jews. But as it is, my Kingdom is not from this source.” John 18:36.

Historians referring to pagan Rome as having been "Christianized" in the fourth century. In actuality, an apostate form of Christianity had joined the pagan religious organizations of the Roman Empire as members of Revelation's 'Babylon the Great',

as a small number of anointed wheatlike Christians did their best to worship God. But their voices were being drowned out as in a 'turbulent sea':

"Listen! There is a commotion of many peoples,
Who are as boisterous as the seas!
There is an uproar of nations,
Whose sound is like the roar of mighty waters!

The nations will make a sound like the roar of many waters.
He will rebuke them, and they will flee far away,
Chased like the chaff of the mountains before a wind,
Like a whirling thistle before a storm wind." Isa. 17:12, 13.

Nevertheless, of this condition, Jesus to his disciples gave an illustration or prophesy:

"The Kingdom of the heavens may be likened to a man who sowed fine seed in his field. While men were sleeping, his enemy came and oversowed weeds in among the wheat and left."

"In response he said: “The sower of the fine seed is the Son of man; the field is the world. As for the fine seed, these are the sons of the Kingdom, but the weeds are the sons of the wicked one, and the enemy who sowed them is the Devil. The harvest is a conclusion of a system of things, and the reapers are angels." Matt. 13:24, 25, 37-39.

So, for a time indeed, 'true Christians' truly were in Babylonian captivity!

Still,... for the first few centuries of our C. E., many people could read the Bible in either Greek or Latin. To compare teachings of God’s Word with dogmas of the church to see

on the basis of what they read in the Bible, what 'truth' existed. Yes, to what degree. And some among them rejected unscriptural creeds of the church,

but it was dangerous​—even fatal—​to express such opinions openly.

In time, Bible languages fell into disuse by the masses, and the church opposed efforts to translate God’s Word into mankind's common tongues. As a result, only clergy and some other educated people could read the Bible for themselves, although not all of the clergy could read and write well. It seemed that Satan had won.

For any dissent from what the church taught was severely punished. Faithful anointed servants of God had to meet together in discreet groups​—if they could meet at all.

As was the case in the earlier Babylonian exile, the anointed “royal priesthood” could not function in an organized way.

Babylon the Great held the people in a viselike grip! . . . And it seemed that forever it would thus stay. The original teachings of Christ seemed to be buried. The spreading of his way eternally black-balled.

However, in the mid-15th century, a printing press that used movable type into existence sprang. Glimmers of spiritual light to penetrate the darkness, as a lighthouse to the nations, gloriously came!

No longer painstaking copies by hand, rare and expensively obtained, the only means of spiritual education. Progress no longer contained.

Now, a few courageous men at the dawn of the 16th century undertook, at the risk of their lives, to translate God’s Word into languages spoken by the common people. . . The church was horrified; visibly shook!

A Bible in the hands of a God-fearing man or woman could be a dangerous weapon​—or so the church leaders feared! . . . This book 

available became; people did read it. Into it they peered studiously; into it regularly looked.

The foretold waters of Babylon the Great began to dry up:

"There is a devastation on her waters, and they will be dried up.
For it is a land of graven images, And because of their frightful visions they keep acting with madness." Jer. 50:38."The sixth one poured out his bowl on the great river Euphrates, and its water was dried up

to prepare the way
for the kings from the rising of the sun." Rev. 16:12.

For asked: 'Where in God’s Word is there mention of purgatory? of paid masses for the dead? of popes and cardinals?' 

The church was outraged! . . . Who let the 'Lamb' out of the cage? . . . How dare the multitudes question church leaders! . . . Men and women were condemned for heresy for rejecting church teachings, some of which were based on pagan philosophies of Aristotle and Plato, remember?​—men who lived before Jesus Christ was born. . . Erected as true Christianity impeders.

The death sentence, by the Church was handed down; the State carried it out. The goal: to discourage people from reading the Bible; questioning the church. . . In their direction their should be 'no doubt'. 

And for the most part, this scheme worked. Until a few brave souls considered berserk. . . refused to be cowed by Babylon the Great. They now had a taste of God’s Word​—and they wanted more!

Even though, the church and state did them increasingly hate.

The stage was being set for a future deliverance from false religion.

Freeing 'sheep' from the locked walled gates of Babylon the Great
required a diligence in which many internationally began to whole-heartedly participate,

in imitation of the first-century Christians.

The original true Christian, now being called out of the darkness 

for Jah Jehovah's
Holy name's sake...

© 6 hours ago, Lucretia Mccloud    hope • spiritual • society • sad • rhyme