I want to cross over where all is peace

It is 2:22 PM Friday afternoon here in Western Michigan. It is a cold gray damp day. A good day to lay down in the dark and wait for Spring 2022.

I volunteered at our local library used books store today and when I got home I ate lunch. After lunch I messed with our main computer and now I am writing in my online diaries. There is on TV this afternoon College Football Bowl games that Carol and I plan to watch. Right now Carol is volunteering at the Book Nook till 3 o’clock PM.

While at the Book Nook today when not helping people with their purchases I read from a book titled, ‘Mark Twain’s America’ American history by Bernard DeVoto. I bought one used book from the Book Nook today titled, ‘Unworthy Republic: The Dispossession Of Native Americans And The Road To Indian Territory’ By Claudio Saunt.

Last night we watched College Football Bowl games and went to bed around 10:10 PM. I was up this morning around 7:45 AM. I left for the Book Nook around 9:45 AM. Did not have Time this morning to read any of my Christian books.

I am falling asleep so I will close to go through Time Time Time

the establishment of a perfect society

It is 2:13 PM Thursday afternoon on a cold gray day. It is right now snowing but it is the near forecast. It is predicted to snow this coming weekend here in West Michigan. Where our son Josie and his family live it is below freezing and they have had 5.9 inches snow.

I got up this morning around 5:50 AM due to my left leg being in pain. So I got up and got dressed. I laid on the lower level couch till 6:30 AM and came up stair to eat breakfast. I had an appointment to get the oil changed in our 29 year old Dodge van at 7 o’clock AM. I left for the oil appointment. While waiting for my oil changed I read my ‘Matthew’ Reformation Commentary on Scripture on Chapter 20 of Matthew.

I got home from getting a oil changed around 8 o’clock AM. I wrote in my paper diary and then we had morning devotions. After devotions I wrote some more in my paper diary and read ‘The Life of Jesus Christ’ Part Two Volume 1 Chapters 1-57 by Ludolph of Saxony.

This afternoon I have been watching College Football Bowl Games and reading from a book titled, ‘Mark Twain’s America’ By Mark Twain. In the mail this afternoon I received in our mail a used book titled, ‘Chasing the Last Laugh: How Mark Twain Escaped Debt And Disgrace With A Round-The-World Comedy Tour’ biography Richard Zacks.

Last night we watched a College Football Bowl and read from a novel titled, ‘The Sunken Land Begins To Rise Again’ by M. John Harrison.

I will close to feel stressed out. These days I have not being feeling good. Maybe the Year 2022 will be a taste of the world to come.

Soteriological monergism

It is 11:36 AM late Wednesday morning. It is a cold gray day. The snow has turned to slush and hidden ice layers. We are predicted to get two inches of snow this weekend. Carol shoveled our driveway this morning. Just a moment ago the sidewalk plows went by. Time Time Time

I got up this morning around 5:50 AM. Once again my left leg woke me up. I took some pain relievers and went upstairs to face Time Time Time. Carol was getting ready to face the day when I came upstairs. I ate some food and then Carol read Tripp and we prayed. She left around 7:45 AM to go errands and was home by 11 o’clock AM. Maybe she shoveled the driveway before she left to do errands. While she was gone this morning I wrote in my paper diary and read for devotions from a book titled, ‘Reformed Systematic Theology-Spirit and Salvation’ Volume 3 by Beeke & Smalley. I read till I started falling asleep so I stopped reading and dozed till Carol got home.

I feel slightly sick this morning. I am tired and cold. I am tired of the buzzing in my left ear. I am tired of hearing and reading about the COVID-19 plague and now the Omicron Plague. Here in Michigan the hospitals are packed with people dying from these two plagues. What I find most distressing is that there are people who deny there is anything like a COVID-19 plague or Omicron plague. Carol and I know several people who have died recently from these plagues. People in her church do not wear masks and last week another member of her church is now very sick with COVID-19 plague. What I find really distressing is that recently her last minister who was retired died from COVID-19 and yet people in her church/the teaching and rulers do not wear mask and do not care if people are dying in their congregation from these deadly viruses. All very sad to know there is such a lack of true biblical love among people who profess to be Christians. Where is the love for our neighbors?

We have had a couple neighbors die recently from COVID-19 plague. Carol has nurses who are friends and they are working night and day with people dying from COVID-19 and now Omicron virus and yet people still do not wear masks and refuse to vaccinated. America has gone insane and here we are surrounded by insanity. So be Happy in Jesus is what the churches are preaching as the dead pile up at the doorstep of the churches.

So I am entering into the afternoon hours. Last night two books from Amazon were delivered around 8:15 PM. One was a Christmas gift from our daughter’s family which was or is titled, ‘The Penguin Classics Book’ Edited By Henry Eliot. The other book was a novel I ordered from Amazon titled, ‘The Sunken Land Begins To Rise Again’ A Novel by M. John Harrison.

I will close to feel sick and tired. Come quickly Lord Jesus! Time Time Time

carnal pleasures dull the intellect

It is 12:36 PM Tuesday afternoon here in West Michigan. I suppose we are really situated in the middle west part of the state of Michigan. We live on the West part of the state of Michigan and not the east part of the state. We live in the Midwest. I always tell folks when they ask me where I am from I tell them from the West Coast the San Francisco Bay Area Oakland Calif. is where my mother gave me birth. My mother died in December of 1968, killed by a speeding ambulance.

I got up this morning around 7 o’clock AM. When I came upstairs Carol was getting ready to leave the house to do errands. Before she left she read Tripp’s devotional book, ‘New Morning Mercies’ and we prayed. After Carol left to do her running around I wrote in my paper diary, filmed a video for my Youtube channel and read from a book titled, ‘The Life of Jesus Christ’ Part Two, Volume 1, Chapters 1-57 By Ludolph of Saxony.

I left our house around 10:05 AM to check out a used books sale at the Bluestocking’s Book Shop. I got these used books for nothing (the used books sale was a dollar a plastic bag sale and we had a coupon for two dollars, I bought two plastic bag of old used books)-

‘The Empathy Exams: Essays’ by Leslie Jamison

‘Story Of My Life’ Fiction By Jay McInerney

‘Rosshalde’ A Novel by Hermann Hesse Translated By Ralph Manheim

‘The Spiritual Tourist: A Personal Odyssey Through The Outer Reaches Of Belief’ Comparative Religion/Memoir By Mick Brown

‘Pudd’nhead Wilson’ A Novel by Mark Twain

‘Lyndon Johnson & the American Dream’ biography by Doris Kearns

‘The Years Of Dreaming Dangerously’ Social History by Slavoj Zizek

‘A Scattering Of Salts’ Poems By James Merrill

‘Studies In Dogmatics: Sin’ by G. C. Berkouwer

‘Out Of This World’ A Novel by Graham Swift

‘Honky’ A Memoir by Dalton Conley

‘Uncle Tom’s Children’ Short Stories by Richard Wright

‘William Butler Yeats: Twayne’s English Author Series’ Editor Kinley E. Roby

‘Essays on the Lord’s Supper’ by Oscar Cullmann & F. J. Leenhardt

‘Lives of the Poets: The Story Of One Thousand Years Of English And American Poetry’ by Louis Untermeyer

‘Bonaparte In Egypt’ Middle Eastern History/Biography by J. Christopher Herold

‘And The Hippos Were Boiled In Their Tanks’ A Novel by Jack Kerouac and William Burroughs read by Ray Porter unabridged A Blackstone Auto Book

I left Bluestocking Books Shop around 11:05 AM, drove home to have lunch. When I got home I found Carol home cleaning her bedroom closet, which she is still doing. My wife must end each day knowing she has been productive/accomplished something/done a good deed/not wasted Time Time Time.

I ate lunch and then left to fill my old rusty Dodge van with gas and then drove home to go through Time Time Time. Now I am writing in my online diaries.

Last night we watched Professional Football and read from books. Carol went to bed around 10:10 PM and I soon afterwards went down into the lower level to go to bed. I mainly read yesterday a used book Carol bought me at the Bluestocking Used Books Sale titled, ‘The Man Who Would Be King-The First American In Afghanistan’ biography by Ben Macintyre.

I will close to face Time Time Time

shine in my heart, Lord Jesus

It is 2:23 PM Monday afternoon here in West Michigan. It is 37 degrees, damp, and gray. The roads are slushy this afternoon. It is not a good day to travel on the roads due to the slippery conditions.

I got up this morning around 7 o’clock AM. I came upstairs to find Carol getting ready to meet a girlfriend for breakfast. I sat in my living room chair seeking to wake up to Time Time Time. Carol left and I got up from my chair and walked to our kitchen and made myself a pot of oatmeal for breakfast. After breakfast I wrote in my paper diary and then dozed till it was Time for me to go to the Book Nook to volunteer from 10 o’clock AM till 1 PM. The Book Nook was not super busy so I read from a book titled, ‘The May Who Would Be King: The First American In Afghanistan’ biography by Ben Macintyre. I brought these used books at the Book Nook today and brought them home to ADD to my library-

‘Now We Shall Be Entirely Free’ historical fiction by Andrew Miller

‘Asperger’s Children: The Origins Of Autism In Nazi Vienna’ European History by Edith Sheffer

‘The Southern Family’ A Novel by Gail Godwin

When I got home from the Book Nook I ate lunch and wrote in my paper diary.

Last night I already talked about in the video I posted last night before going to bed. I do not know what I will do this afternoon. Maybe read and watch college football. I am tired.

America’s impoverished cultural history

It is 4:20 PM late Sunday afternoon in Time. It has been a cold sunny day. I have not been outside today at all. I have been watching Professional Football all afternoon. During the morning hours I mainly wrote in my paper diary and read till Noon from a book titled, ‘Reformed Systematic Theology: Spirit and Salvation’ Volume 3 by Joel R. Beeke & Paul M. Smalley.

There is really nothing more to record for this day. Caleb and Emily picked up their dog Ollie today around 1:30 PM.

Carol went to church this morning and was home by 11:35 AM. She was home early from church because her shoes fell apart.

Last night we watched Professional Football and read till 11 o’clock PM from a book titled, ‘Days Of The Phoenix: The Nineteen-Twenties I Remember’ A Memoir By Van Wyck Brooks.

I will close to watch some more Professional Football. Today is the last Sunday of the Year 2021. Next Sunday it will be January 2, 2022. Time Time Time

the great writer was produced by a great tradition

It is 12:50 PM Saturday afternoon here in West Michigan. It is 43 degrees and gray outside. I see no sunshine today, which is weird since had been predicted to be partly sunny.

I got up this morning around 7:15 AM. When I got up I found my wife sitting at our dining room table eating yogurts and doing paper work. I got myself something to eat and a cup of coffee for breakfast. I had a normal morning today. I wrote in my paper diary and read from a book titled, ‘The Life of Jesus Christ’ Part Two Volume 1, Chapters 1-57 By Ludolph of Saxony.

There is not much else to report. A normal day thus far. I read last night before going to bed from a book titled, ‘Mark Twain: A Life’ biography by Mark Twain. Carol went to bed around 8:30 PM and got up this morning around 4 o’clock AM. I read my books late into the night. I have been reading these books during the evening hours lately-

‘Mark Twain: A Life’ By Ron Powers

‘The Ordeal Of Mark Twains’ a literary biography by Van Wyck Brooks

‘Van Wyck Brooks: In Search of American Culture’ literary biography by James Hoopes

‘Days Of The Phoenix: The Nineteen-Twenties I Remember’ A Memoir By Van Wyck Brooks

I am falling asleep as I write so I will close.

To shepherds as they watched by night

To shepherds as they watched by night
Appeared a host of angels bright;
Behold the tender Babe, they said,
In yonder lowly manger laid.

At Bethlehem, in David’s town,
As Micah did of old make known;
’Tis Jesus Christ, your Lord and king,
Who doth to all salvation bring.

Oh, then rejoice that through His Son
God is with sinners now at one;
Made like yourselves of flesh and blood,
Your brother is the eternal God.

What harm can sin and death then do?
The true God now abides with you.
Let hell and Satan rage and chafe,
Christ is your brother—ye are safe.

Not one He will or can forsake
Who Him his confidence doth make.
Let all his wiles the tempter try,
You may his utmost powers defy.

Ye shall and must at last prevail;
God’s own ye are, ye cannot fail.
To God forever sing your praise
With joy and patience all your days.

“[2] The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.” Isaiah 9:2

Van Wyck’s conception of the artist as prophet

It is 2:31 PM Friday afternoon here in foggy gray damp gray Michigan. It is suppose to be sunny and 49 degrees, which is a lie. Weather experts are out for lunch today.

I got up this morning around 7:20 AM. I came upstairs to find my wife getting ready to go out and fill our car with gas and go to our bank ATM machine to get money to pay for four frozen meals. I should state to be historically correct before Carol left this morning she took a shower, we talked, Carol read for devotions, ‘New Morning Mercies’ by Paul Tripp and then read The Prophecy Isaiah Chapter 9 (Old Testament/Bible) from a King James Version of the Holy Bible. Then she left to put gas in her car and get some cash.

This morning I basically wrote in my paper diary, read, ‘Reformed Systematic Theology: Spirit and Salvation’ Volume 3 by Beeke & Smalley and filmed a video for my Youtube channel.

I have spent the Afternoon hours reading, ‘Van Wyck Brooks: In Search of American Culture’ literary biography by James Hoopes. Not much else has happened this afternoon worth writing down. Carol is napping in my living room chair and Ollie is also dozing. Time Time Time.

I wrote last night before going to bed in my online diaries so I won’t repeat what I wrote last night. I suppose I will close to wait.

Isaiah Chapter 9
[1] Nevertheless the dimness shall not be such as was in her vexation, when at the first he lightly afflicted the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, and afterward did more grievously afflict her by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, in Galilee of the nations.
[2] The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.
[3] Thou hast multiplied the nation, and not increased the joy: they joy before thee according to the joy in harvest, and as men rejoice when they divide the spoil.
[4] For thou hast broken the yoke of his burden, and the staff of his shoulder, the rod of his oppressor, as in the day of Midian.
[5] For every battle of the warrior is with confused noise, and garments rolled in blood; but this shall be with burning and fuel of fire.
[6] For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
[7] Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.
[8] The Lord sent a word into Jacob, and it hath lighted upon Israel.
[9] And all the people shall know, even Ephraim and the inhabitant of Samaria, that say in the pride and stoutness of heart,
[10] The bricks are fallen down, but we will build with hewn stones: the sycomores are cut down, but we will change them into cedars.
[11] Therefore the LORD shall set up the adversaries of Rezin against him, and join his enemies together;
[12] The Syrians before, and the Philistines behind; and they shall devour Israel with open mouth. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
[13] For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts.
[14] Therefore the LORD will cut off from Israel head and tail, branch and rush, in one day.
[15] The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail.
[16] For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.
[17] Therefore the Lord shall have no joy in their young men, neither shall have mercy on their fatherless and widows: for every one is an hypocrite and an evildoer, and every mouth speaketh folly. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.
[18] For wickedness burneth as the fire: it shall devour the briers and thorns, and shall kindle in the thickets of the forest, and they shall mount up like the lifting up of smoke.
[19] Through the wrath of the LORD of hosts is the land darkened, and the people shall be as the fuel of the fire: no man shall spare his brother.
[20] And he shall snatch on the right hand, and be hungry; and he shall eat on the left hand, and they shall not be satisfied: they shall eat every man the flesh of his own arm:
[21] Manasseh, Ephraim; and Ephraim, Manasseh: and they together shall be against Judah. For all this his anger is not turned away, but his hand is stretched out still.

Time Time Time

It is 10:30 PM Thursday night and I once again brandished to the lower level for the night. I often tell my wife it is very lonely down here among my library of old used books. There are very few new books in my library. I basically saved old books from being hauled off to a city dump.

It is a close of another day in Time for me. Tomorrow will be another day in Time. Time Time Time. Tomorrow in Time is ladled a Friday. I usually volunteer at our local library used books store The Book Nook on Friday’s from 10 AM till 1 PM, but the library will be closed for the Christmas holidays. So I can spent all my Time here inside our home waiting out Time.

I basically today wrote in my paper diary and read from this book, ‘Days Of The Phoenix: The Nineteen-Twenties I Remember’ A Memoir By Van Wyck Brooks.

Carol was gone most of the afternoon visiting her sister-in-law today. She got home early evening from visiting her sister-in-law. When she got home I was sitting in our dining room writing in my paper diary and reading, ‘Days Of The Phoenix’.

Now I am down in the lower level waiting to get sleepy enough to go to bed. Last night I went to bed around 11 o’clock PM, but laid in the dark unable to fall asleep so I got up around Midnight and wrote in my online diary/wrote out a list of the books I had shown in the video I filmed last night down here. Lately I have been reading a book titled, ‘The Ordeal Of Mark Twain’ a literary biography by Van Wyck Brooks, so last night I decided to film a video showing what books I had been reading on Mark Twain or by Mark Twain. While filming the video my camera battery died so the film came to a sudden ending like life in general. I posted this crazy video because it was pure reality unedited. It was a flash of me showing folks who subscribe to my Youtube channel some of my Mark Twain books. Over the last five years I have posted in my Youtube channel over 1,000 videos (maybe more). I consider my Youtube videos visual diaries of a Christian book lover. I share my Life Time in Youtube and in four online diaries Also Facebook and Flickr. I am a Christian evangelist. I am not to hide my light under a bush. I am to let my Light Time Shine. I have nothing to hide. I am a New Man In Christ Jesus. I am a living epistle.

I also have been reading lately another book titled, ‘Van Wyck Brooks: In Search of American Culture’ By James Hoopes. I suppose I will now close to look at this book as Time goes by. Till me meet again. peace