• About – 2.0
    • About 2.0
    • BooknVolume
    • BnV?
    • Who Is She?
    • Contact Me
  • Copyright Notice & Information
  • Dark Fey Trilogy
    • Dark Fey The Reviled- Pinnacle Chapter
    • Dark Fey Interview
    • Dark Fey, Jyndari Summerfest
    • Dark Fey, Review and 2nd Interview
    • An Insightful Review
    • Dark Fey: Standing in Shadows – A Night at the Temple
    • Dark Fey, Standing in Shadows – The Uunglarda
    • A Word About Fey Words – Celebrae
    • A Word About Fey Words – Dlalth
    • Lebanon Daily News Interview
  • Guest Blog on BnV
  • Translate BnV
  • Write With Me

Booknvolume

~ For the Love of Words, Laughter, Inspiration (and the odd sexy split infinitive.)

Booknvolume

Author Archives: Pete

At the Foot of the Cross (#Guest blogger)

08 Saturday Apr 2017

Posted by Pete in Guest Bloggers on BnV, Poetry

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

christianity, Easter, Guest Bloggers, Jesus, Poem, poetry, Sacrifice, spirituality

 

At the foot of the cross

At the foot of the cross, the blood drips down
From the nails in his feet and the thorns in his brow
A crimson pool gathers there on the ground
At the foot of the cross.

There is forgiveness at the foot of the cross
Mercy unending, at such a great cost
Grace everlasting, eternal and free
At the foot of the cross

At the foot of the cross, my tears pour out
I am free from my fear, free from my doubt
I found a Savior to turn me about
At the foot of the cross

There is forgiveness at the foot of the cross
Mercy unending, at such a great cost
Grace everlasting, eternal and free
At the foot of the cross

At the foot of the cross, I now kneel in prayer
To my wonderful savior, who died for me there
He has risen to Heaven, and will soon take me there
From the foot of the cross.

There is forgiveness at the foot of the cross
Mercy unending, at such a great cost
Grace everlasting, eternal and free
At the foot of the cross

 

Please stop by my poetry blog if you like what you read here.  CLICK HERE

Share this:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Google
  • Email
  • StumbleUpon
  • More
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

He Is Always There (#Guestblogger)

02 Sunday Apr 2017

Posted by Pete in Guest Bloggers on BnV, Poetry

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

christianity, God, Guest Bloggers, spirituality

He is Always There

In the silent night, He is there
In the midst of thunder, He is there
In the cold north wind, He is there
In the darkest cave, He is there

In the loneliest dungeon
In the lion’s den
In the fiery furnace
He is always there

On the threshing floor
On the mountaintop
On the gathering clouds
He is always there

He is in the bringing bush
He is in the fire by night
He is in the cloud by day
He is always there

When trouble comes
When none stands with you
When darkness is all about
He is right there beside you

Bow your head
Fall to your knees in His presence
Let Him lift you up
Let Him be your strength

He will always be with you
He will never leave you
He is right there beside you
He is always there

I would love to have you stop by my poetry site at  The Psalmist

 

Share this:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Google
  • Email
  • StumbleUpon
  • More
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

Prepare for the Wind (#Guest Blogger)

01 Saturday Apr 2017

Posted by Pete in Guest Bloggers on BnV, Poetry

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

christianity, Guest Bloggers, North Wind, Poem, Poetry Blog, spirituality

Prepare for the wind

The wind blows
Gently at times
Gusty at others
From the north,
then from the south
The wind blows

Where does it come from?
Where does it go?
How does it shift,
And change
At a moments notice?

Are you prepared?
Ready for the changing wind?
Ready for the calm?
Ready for the gust?
Are you prepared?

The Spirit blows
Comes in like a flood
Then is quiet
Charging us up,
Giving us rest

Unannounced, the Spirit comes
Desiring to guide us
To talk with us
To take us along a higher path
Always there, near

Do you hear Him?
Do you sense Him?
Does He touch your soul?
Does He alter your life?
Are you ready for change?

The wind changes direction
At a moments notice
The Spirit will change us
At a moments notice
If we’re ready, willing.

Allow Him to come in.
Allow the Spirit to blow
Blow new life into your soul
And be ready
For change.

Share this:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Google
  • Email
  • StumbleUpon
  • More
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

Only By The Blood (#guestblogger)

04 Saturday Mar 2017

Posted by Pete in Guest Bloggers on BnV, Poetry

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

christianity, Forgiveness, Guest Blogger, Poem, poetry, salvation, spirituality

Image result for only by the blood
No amount of money
No amount of wealth
Can buy a smidgen of my Saviors love
No amount of fame
Or power we possess
Can preserve a home for us above
No work that we can do
No favor or good deed
Can win eternal life in heavens home
No words that we can speak
Or invention we can make
Can cause our God to overlook our sin
It’s only by the blood
He shed upon that treed
Only by the sacrifice
He made for you and me
Only when you ask the Lord
To forgive all your sin
Only when you ask Him
To take His place within
Only when He is your Lord
And Savior of your life
Only then will heaven be
Your home eternally
No other way to heaven
Has ever been supplied
Though many people think there is a way
 No matter what they say
He said He is the way
And that is still the gospel truth today
His blood must be applied
To your life today
If you desire to stay away from hell
Please ask Him to come in
And make your heart His home
Then you will have a story you can tell
It’s only by the blood
He shed upon that treed
Only by the sacrifice
He made for you and me
Only when you ask the Lord
To forgive all your sin
Only when you ask Him
To take His place within
Only when He is your Lord
And Savior of your life
Only then will heaven be
Your home eternally
Sorry for the lack of stanza breaks.  I gtried but could not get them to be inserted.
If you enjoyed this poem, please llow me at the following blogs
Poetry – new content posted almost daily
A study through the Psalms (currently psalm 119)

Share this:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Google
  • Email
  • StumbleUpon
  • More
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

When Storm Clouds Gather (#guestblogger)

18 Saturday Feb 2017

Posted by Pete in Guest Bloggers on BnV, Poetry

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

christianity, God, Guest Bloggers, Help, spirituality, Storms

I love a good storm. I love watching the clouds roll in from a distance and seeing the lightning flashing, and waiting for the thunder to roll.  I love seeing them build as they move closer, higher and higher.  I love the pre-rain smell that fills the air when a thunderstorm gets near.  And then they are here, and the air is filled with rain and lightning and thunder – a magnificent display of God’s power.  It is one of the most awesome things in all of nature.

When I look at clouds, I think about the storms that can come into our lives.  They come in all shapes and sizes and can affect us in so many different ways.  Sometimes, we can see the storm directly ahead of us, heading our way, but we cannot see a different road to take:

huge-potential-tornado

 

As we listen to the voice of God in these situations, He may tell us to stay on the straigh road, and not turn to the right or to the left.  The Israelites were told this as they went through the desert (Num 20:7), or by Jesus in the New Testament (Matt 7:14).  There are times that God knows the battle is before you and He wants you to have faith in Him to see you through.  These times are precious because they really test our faith.  Our inclination is to avoid the storm at all costs.  It looks dangerous.  But if we listen to God’s voice and trust in His strength to get us through, the blessing that is one the other side is well worth it.

Then there are times that storm looms over us.  It is big, and ominous, and scary.  The clouds surrounding the storm hide its intensity, but you can see danger in their formation.  You do not know exactly what is going to happen, you just know this storm, this trial, is going to hit at any time:

marshmellow-clouds-behiind-farmhouse

 

You face it with courage and an unmoving faith in God, like a tree planted by the water (Psalm 1:3).  A tree relies on the water for its sustenance and strength.  It sends those roots down deep to gather the water and feed the rest of the tree.  When it is close to the water. It does not worry where that supply will come from, and it will not be moved from that spot.  We need to be like that tree, relying on God to give us the strength to go through the storm, not to avoid it.  The storm is right there, ready to burst, and we praise Him regardless, because we know by faith He will see is through.  He knows what the storm will bring, and He is more than able to help us get to the other side, where the blessings flow.

There are storms that make a lot of noise way off in the distance.  They look like a danger, and we start to worry long before they get near us.  And we hear the thunder rumble, and people tell us we are in for a battle when the storm gets here.  The storm, or trial, looks frightening, and could be devastating when it arrives:

wall-of-lightniing

 

We are told not to fear, or worry about tomorrow (Matt 6:34).  God holds all our tomorrows.  Only He knows what the next hour will bring.  The storm could dissipate and never reach you.  I have watched thunder storms stop on a dime and give out.   I have also seen them part and go around on all sides.  We never know.  So, when that storm is approaching, pray.  Ask God to stop the storm, or to move the storm, that is coming toward your life.  He stilled the waves and the wind (Mark 5:35-41), and He can calm your storm before it even gets to you.  Just ask.

Then there are the storms of life that affect your friends, your family, your neighbors, and, yes, your enemies.  They loom off in the distance and all you can see is the looming clouds.  You are not sure who they are affecting, or what the intensity is, but you know there is a storm over their lives, ether because they told you, or you see the signs of a storms:

night-lightning-over-the-city

 

This is a time to pray.  We are called to be intercessors (Ezek 22:30-31. Eph 6:18).  This is the highest calling I believe.  To be a prayer warrior for God is a blessing to so many people often those we do not know.  If we are listening to the Spirit, He will tell us people who need prayer throughout our day.  Do you ever have names pop in your head in the middle of the day?  This is the Holy Spirt prompting you to pray for them.  Never, ever doubt that.  How should you pray?  The bible tells us the Holy Spirit will give us the words as groanings that cannot be uttered (Rom 8:26).  Allow God to work through you, and just open yourself up to pray.  He will help you.

And on the other side of that storm is always a blessing.  When we go through trials of faith, we grow in our walk with the Lord.  We become stronger, ready to face bigger trials.  But we also are ready to help others face theirs.  We are more prepared to help someone else who is going through the same storm in their lives.  These storms are meant for our growth, not out harm.  But if we try to get through them on our own, they will probably cause harm.  Either that or we will not make it through, and give up.  If that happens, we will most likely have to face the same storm again.  It is so important we rely on God’s strength to help us through.  He will never fail us.  And we will see the blessing when the storm passes.

double-rainbow

 

Share this:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Google
  • Email
  • StumbleUpon
  • More
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

Be Still (#Guestblogger)

12 Sunday Feb 2017

Posted by Pete in Guest Bloggers on BnV, Poetry

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Morning, Music, Silence, Stars

 

There is a lot to be said for the Sound of Silence!  While this was one of my favorite songs back in the 70’s, it is also my favorite time of day.  Early morning, still dark, not a car moving, not a bird chirping, not even a cricket squeaking.  Just silence.  A perfect time for daily devotions, prayer while walking, or just sitting and enjoying the stillness.

In today’s hustle, bustle world, make time for the silent moments.  Make time to hear from God, not just talk to Him.  Make time to look at the stars way before the sun comes up.  Make time to enjoy the darkness.  Be still!

Share this:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Google
  • Email
  • StumbleUpon
  • More
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

Grandma’s Kitchen (#guestblogger)

11 Saturday Feb 2017

Posted by Pete in Guest Bloggers on BnV

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

cooking, Guest Bloggers

My grandmother passed away when I was very young.  Years later, my grandfather remarried a lady who we always affectionately called Marge.  Marge was a lifetime resident of Maine, and had the down east accent to prove it. They lived near Blue Hill, Maine, way out in the country and a short distance from the ocean.   We loved to visit every summer, spending a week or so with them in a cottage.

Marge was an amazing cook, but there are two things I remember most. The first is her omelets.  She would separate the whites and yolks and cook the fluffiest omelets, part of the time on the stove and the rest in the oven.  Then she would cover it with strawberry preserves and fold it in half.  So delicious!  The other dish was a family affair.  My brother and sister and I would go down to the shoreline and dig up clams at low tide.  We would get as many as we could and bring them back up to the house.  Marge would then steam them for supper.  She would place the whole big pot in the center of the table, each of us would get a bowl of drawn butter, and we would go at it.  I would love to be at that table again to enjoy more of those steamed clams.

My wife grew up living at her grandma’s house.  Her mom and dad and five brothers and sisters also lived in the 6-room farmhouse, along with grandpa of course.  It was quite a full house!  Grandma Lundquist cooked just like you would expect a grandma to cook – never used a recipe and cooked for an army.  She was almost always in the kitchen, and my wife was often in there helping her, learning the craft.

I remember my first meal there.  I had moved out to Iowa from Massachusetts just for this girl, and it was time for me to meet the family.  So Janeen took me out there, and I was greeted not only by her whole immediate family, but cousins, uncles, nieces and nephews and friends.  A huge crowd had gathered to see this city boy who was who was sweet on the country farm girl.  But the most impressive things to me was the spread of food on the kitchen table.  It looked like Thanksgiving minus the turkey!  I thought there was enough food to feed an army, and there was.  Everyone gathered in the kitchen and just went at it, filling their plates and heading back to one of the other two rooms downstairs to eat.

After that event, and marrying that country girl, I watched grandma as she took care of the kitchen.  Janeen would help her when she could, but we had little ones that needed caring, so it wasn’t too often.  Grandma was a country cook, and everything she made just came out right.  From fried chicken, which was often, to noodles – homemade of course – her touch was on everything in that kitchen.  I liked to cook as well, but this was a master at work.  As my wife started to cook more, I found out she was a master as well.

At Thanksgiving time this year, we had one of our granddaughters stay with us for a few days, and grandma, who is my wife, taught her how to make pie crust.  My wife’s pie crusts are amazing.  This granddaughter then made pies for Christmas at her other grandpa’s house.  Then she made pies to raise funds for a school trip.  I think she made something like $300 from that venture, and the pies came out great.

Just a week ago, two other granddaughters were here visiting, and my wife had to make a cake for the pie granddaughter for her birthday.  The two of them wanted to watch and help grandma bake and decorate he cake.  I sat in the living room listening to them, and thought how wonderful it was that the skills and knowledge are being passed down to another generation.  When I married my wife, she was still learning at her grandma’s side.  Now she is the grandma, teach her grand-kids the skills they will need.

The bible tells us in Deuteronomy 6:6-7 that we should teach our children about the works and word of God while we sit in our house, or walk by the way, or lie down or rise up.  Basically, all the time!  But this doesn’t just apply to God’s word.  It applies to life!  We need to reach our kids and grand-kids about life and all the things that pertain to it.  Cooking, cleaning, finances, relationships, handling troubles and disappointments.  These things are so crucial, and they need to be learned in the home.  I know it takes twice as long to cook when that 4 or 5-year-old wants to help, but what a blessing it is to be able to teach them.  Make sure you are doing all you can to teach the young ones in your life the basic fundamentals of life.  Pass it on!

Share this:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Google
  • Email
  • StumbleUpon
  • More
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

I Want To Thank You Lord (#guestblogger)

05 Sunday Feb 2017

Posted by Pete in Guest Bloggers on BnV, Poetry

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

christianity, Guest Bloggers, spirituality, Thankfulness

I want to thank you Lord
For your mercy in my life
I want to thank you Lord
For your great sacrifice
You have given me your all
Help me give my all to you
I want to thank you Lord

I want to thank you Lord
For the grace you’ve shown to me
I want to thank you Lord
Your love has set me free
You have given me your all
Help me give my all to you
I want to thank you Lord

You deserve the highest praise
Worshiping with hands upraised
Longing just to see your face
I lift my voice
You are all my heart’s desire
You have set my soul on fire
I just want to join the choir
As they rejoice

I want to thank you Lord
For your mercy in my life
I want to thank you Lord
For your great sacrifice
You have given me your all
Help me give my all to you
I want to thank you Lord

Share this:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Google
  • Email
  • StumbleUpon
  • More
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

Pride – Part 5 (#guestblogger)

04 Saturday Feb 2017

Posted by Pete in Poetry

≈ Leave a comment

Welcome to the fifth and final installment on this series on Pride.  Just to review in Part 1 I shared my testimony about the pride in my life as a backdrop to this study.  In Part 2 Pride was exposed in a different form and the subtlety of pride was discussed.  In Part 3 and Part 4 we looked at various forms of pride and how hey manifest themselves.  I would recommend that you go back and look over those earlier posts before reading this last piece, but that’s up to you!

 

In this last post, we will look at how God feels about pride, and then steps you can take to start to work the pride out of your life.  The key is recognizing you have it, and knowing whether it is in control or not.  Mine was out of control, and I didn’t even know I had the pride that could bring me down.  But I did, and I am thankful someone showed me the way out.  I have said this before, but it is worth repeating.  If you feel you are without pride, and you have it all together, then I urge you to seek God about it.  That’s where I was.  Pride hides itself – I can’t stress that enough.  And no one will be able to tell you that you are prideful because you will not accept that.  The Holy Spirit has to reveal that to you.

 

Let’s take a look at the Bible now, and see how Good feels about pride.  I have chosen a few verses that sum it up pretty well.

 

1 Corinthians 8:2 – If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know;

Psalm 10:2 – In pride the wicked hotly pursue the afflicted; Let them be caught in the plots which they have devised.

Proverbs 16:5 – Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD; Assuredly, he will not be unpunished.

Psalm 101:5 – Whoever secretly slanders his neighbor, him I will destroy; No one who has a haughty look and an arrogant heart will I endure.

Proverbs 11:2 – When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom.

Proverbs 15:25 – The LORD will tear down the house of the proud, But He will establish the boundary of the widow.

Proverbs 26:12 – Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.

Proverbs 29:23 – A man’s pride will bring him low, But a humble spirit will obtain honor

Isaiah 2:11-12 – The proud look of man will be abased And the loftiness of man will be humbled, And the LORD alone will be exalted in that day. For the LORD of hosts will have a day of reckoning Against everyone who is proud and lofty And against everyone who is lifted up, That he may be abased.

Isaiah 13:11 – Thus I will punish the world for its evil And the wicked for their iniquity; I will also put an end to the arrogance of the proud And abase the haughtiness of the ruthless.

Psalm 10:4 – “In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God”

Prov 8:13 – “I hate pride and arrogance, evil behavior and perverse speech”

Ezekiel 7:24 –  “the most wicked of nations…I will put an end to the pride of the mighty, and their sanctuaries will be desecrated”

James 4:6 – “God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble”

Prov 6:16 – “six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him – a proud look”

 

 

I think you get a pretty good idea from this selection of verses that God hates pride.  The question you might ask is why?  And there is a simple answer.  Pride in a person takes that persons eyes off of God and sets those eyes onto themselves.  Once our attention is away from God, we start to feel like we can do as we please, like our wisdom is as good as God’s, like we have the knowledge to get through life without God, like we can make it on our own.  We start to make decisions based on those beliefs instead of making decisions based on the word of God. And we start to drift further and further away until we don’t know what is right and what is wrong.  And we lose our way.  Slowly and very discretely we drift away, even though we don’t know we are drifting.  God’s desire is for us to never lose our way.

.

So, you’ve come to a point where you realize by the help of the Holy Spirit, that you have to deal with pride in your life.  What do you do?  The first step is to repent.  I am talking about true repentance, brokenness before God.   Notice Prov 29:23 ad James 4:6 above.  Both tell us that God has respect for the humble.  Psalm 51;17 tells us that the sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart.  If we cannot get to the point of being broken before God for our pride, it will be hard for us to ever give up that pride.  Pride must be broken to be removed.  But our pride will resist being broken at all cost.  You start to see what a battle this is!  You must let go of yourself in order to tackle this problem, which brings us to the next step.

 

John the Baptist said it best.  When he was asked by his disciples about Jesus, he said “He must increase and I must decrease”.  This is a foundation of humility – dying to self.  Ga 2:20 tells us that we are crucified with Christ, and He now lives through us.  Col 3:3 says we are dead and our life is hid in Christ.  A life that is free of the controlling influence of pride does not allow the cares and hurts of this world to affect them.  There is no jealousy, no envy, no offense and no revenge.  Others are preferred above self (Phil 2:3-4), feelings are never hurt.  Our eyes are on Jesus, not on this fleshly life down here.  He is the one we turn to, not ourselves.  And He teaches us to be humble, meek and lowly, which brings me to the third point.

 

A prideful person usually likes to be heard.  They feel their input is valuable in any conversation and they speak out often when they should not.  Pride is talkative.  Humility is not.  Humility speaks only when prompted by God, and then only in a quiet voice.  This was a hard lesson for me.  I always wanted to answer the questions to have my input heard and contribute to the conversation.  I had to learn to quiet down, more in my own home than anywhere else, It was a hard lesson and I still battle that.  Cultivate silence!

 

Let’s say you have read this, and you have taken the steps to be broken before God. And you are ready to try and walk away from your pride.  I strongly suggest you find someone to be accountable to.  Pride does not go away, it simply comes under control.  Without someone helping you monitor that, it will rise up again.  My wife is my accountability partner, and she has the right to tell me when my pride is acting up, and I have promised to listen and react appropriately, and it is working well.  For you, it may be a spouse, or a pastor, or a friend.  But find someone and be honest with them about what you need.  This is not an easy battle, but it is well worth the fight.

 

If you would like to read a good book on the subject, I suggest “Irresistible to God” by Steve Gallagher.  And feel free to contact me with any questions or comments.  I am by no means an expert, but I am a listening ear.

Share this:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Google
  • Email
  • StumbleUpon
  • More
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

The Goodale Street Tree Climbing Club (#guestblogger)

29 Sunday Jan 2017

Posted by Pete in Guest Bloggers on BnV

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Guest Bloggers, Inspiration, spirituality, Youth

In the early 60’s, our yard was a magnet for kids from around the neighborhood.  We had a big back yard where kickball and baseball games took place all summer long.  In winter, the snowplows tended to pile the snow high right where we lived, and forts were built regularly.  But the big attractions were truly that – big.  We had twin sugar maple trees, one in the front year and one in the back.  Both trees towered over our 2-story house, so they were at least 50 feet tall.  I never took the time to measure them.  They were in the prime of life, so majestic and strong.  It was partly because of these trees that the Goodale Street Tree Climbing Club was formed.

 

There were six of us in the club.  My brother was the president, and I was vice president.   Believe that is because we were the best tree climbers of the bunch.  Living in Massachusetts, we were surrounded by woods, and trees were prevalent.  It was not unusual for us to get together and make it a mission to climb trees throughout the woods on a Saturday afternoon.  We loved to climb.  It didn’t matter what kind of tree, or how big, we were up to the challenge.  If the bottom branches were too high to reach, we would shiny up he tree to get to them.

 

But the silver maple in our back yard was our favorite.  It was built perfectly for climbing.  The branches were layered in such a way that you could easily climb it any way you wanted to.  And you could come down and out of the tree in a variety of ways.  My favorite was to walk right out of the tree.  Yes, you read that right – walk out of the tree.  Two of the big bottom branches ran parallel to each other, and you could walk on the bottom branch while holding the top branch until the branch bowed far enough for you to hit the ground. ­ Of course, you had to be fast in getting off the branch, because once your weight was off of it, it would spring suddenly back up to position.  If you weren’t careful, you could get a nasty whipping from that branch.

 

One of my fondest memories was the day I told my friend David I could climb all the way to the top and stick my hand out.  If you have ever been to the top of a silver maple, you know that the branches get pretty flimsy up there.  He didn’t think I could do it.  Well, for a tree climber, that’s a challenge you can’t let go by the wayside.  David headed over to the back side of the yard so he could see me, and I proceeded up the tree.  The first 2/3 or he tree were easy, but as I got to the top portion, the branches were less sturdy, and I had to carefully maneuver my steps.  But I was able to get closer and closer to the top.  Finally, just barely able to keep myself from swaying down, I reached for the opening in the top of the tree and stuck my hand out.

 

“Can you see it” I shouted.

 

Ya, I can.  Wow.” was David’s response.

 

I slowly started back down that tree, proud of my accomplishment.  No one else had ever dared try that kind of a stunt.  David rushed over to me and just looked at me with amazement.

 

“Man, you did it!  I can’t believe it”.

 

“I can’t either.  It was a bit scary up there, and I won’t do it again.”   I said, a broad smile lighting up my face.

 

And I never did do it again.  And nobody else ever did it either.  I was the tree climbing king in that moment.  I had done something that no one else even dared to try.  And it felt good.

 

Youth is a wonderful thing.  We were pretty carefree, and a challenge was rarely left on the table for long.  It seems as I grow older, I take less risk.  I am more cautious with my decisions.  In a way that is a good thing because I have more responsibility and a family that depends on me.  But in a way, it’s a bad thing.  I am reluctant at times to step out in faith and share the gospel with people I come in contact with.  I have ample opportunities since I am in the insurance business, but rarely take those risks.  I sometimes wish I would be more outgoing with my faith.

 

Now that I am housebound with cancer, I have this platform to share my faith.  It has been such a blessing to me these past 9 months to share my poetry and thoughts with all of you.  So many times, I have received comments of how someone was touched by the words God gave me.  What a blessing to know God can use me to minister from the comfort of my La-Z-Boy chair.  I may never stick my hand out the top of a tree again, but I will lift my hand to God and worship Him with the utmost abandon.  There is no risk in that!

Share this:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Google
  • Email
  • StumbleUpon
  • More
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

Pride – Part 4 (#guestblogger)

28 Saturday Jan 2017

Posted by Pete in Poetry

≈ Leave a comment

In case you weren’t with us, in Part 1 of this series, I gave a background of my own struggles with pride as a backdrop to this study. In Part 2 , we looked at two examples of prideful people – one obvious and one not so obvious, to set the stage for this post. In Part 3 , we looked at three ways pride manifests itself in people, one of which ran my life.  Some of these are fairly obvious, but others most of us would never guess that pride was at the center of it.

Why are we looking at pride? Because getting pride out of our lives helps us become closer to God.

Here are four more ways pride appears in people – including two more that I allowed to control me.  These types of pride are taken from Irresistible to God1 a book by Steve Gallagher.  Steve Gallagher is the found of Pure Life Ministries, and has written several books that can help us all draw closer to God.  They can easily be found on Amazon and I highly recommend them.

 

Unapproachable Pride – This person hates correction, no matter who it comes from, including God.  They think they are right, so they won’t listen. “No one can tell me I’m wrong.  If I am, I’ll figure it out”

Know-It-All Pride – This was my biggest area of pride when I first became aware of the pride I carried around.  No one could tell me anything, especially about the Bible.  I’d read it through at least 10 times front to back, studied all over the place, was an evangelist and teacher.  I knew it all, or so I thought.  This person is typically gifted and very talented.  It’s easy for them to think they can’t ever be taught anything new.  Their opinions are always more valuable than anyone else’s.  You will hear this person say one thing over and over – “I know.”  As my former pastor said to me when my sin was exposed – “No, you don’t know.”  And I didn’t.

Another characteristic of the know-it-all is their distrust in the ability of others.  They have a need to belittle the ability of others, and think they can do it better themselves.  They often are ineffectual at delegating because they will eventually do it themselves.  I still have problems with this as I am constantly reminding my wife of this little thing or that when she has a much better memory than I do.  This is pride that must be in control.  The controlling tendency is one of the biggest things people see, and also one of the hardest to defeat in our lives.

Rebellion – Do you know people who have a problem submitting to authority?  It can be in the workplace, the church, their family or even in submitting to God!  That is the result of this manifestation of pride.  They gripe and complain about the people God has put in authority over them, and will do anything to undermine their authority.  They refuse to submit, or do it very reluctantly.  They want to do things their way, and try to get away with it. “I’m not going to listen to them.  I’ll do it my way”

Spiritual Pride – This was the third type I really struggled with.  I’m more spiritual than they are, so they just need to grow up a little.  Don’t they know this message from our pastor is just right for them?  I sure hope they are listening.  It’s too bad Old Joe isn’t here today – he needs this message more than anyone.  Those are just a few of the thoughts that used to go through my mind when my spiritual pride was in gear.  I thought I was better, and they all needed to measure up to my standards.

This person also probably is continuing in unrepentant sin, even though he has that holier than thou attitude.  I was so deceived by my pride that when I would almost get caught in my sin, I would praise God for allowing me to get away with it.  I thought it was His way of saying it was OK that I was still caught up in that sin.  Now how crazy is that line of thought?  And how deceptive pride is!

These 7 types of pride are pretty all encompassing, but let me give you some other things that pride will cause us to do:

Pride will:   produce an unteachable spirit, lead to stinginess, not admit mistakes, use sarcastic humor, make me feel more important than others, produce a lack of forgiveness, produce self-pity, cause impatience with others, produce discontentment, make excuses, produce insecurity or low-self-esteem, be envious or jealous, make us ungrateful, make us suspicious, find fault in others.

There are more – the list is long.  I am sure you can see how un-Christian these traits are.  All you have to do is go to I Cor 13:4-8 and compare these to the attributes of love, and you know that if you are displaying these things, you are not loving the way God wants you to.

The big question is – do you see yourself in any of these descriptions?  If you do, then I suggest you open yourself up to the possibility that pride is in you.  It must be confronted early, because it will only grow: and when it does, it will hide itself from you!  That is the big danger with pride.  Believe me, I was steeped in pride, and I thought I was very humble!

Why is it important that you deal with it now?  Watch for part 5, and you will see how God feels about pride.  Then you will know why it is so essential to take care of it and learn to control your pride and ask someone close to you to help keep you in check.

1   Irresistible to God.  Steve Gallagher.  Copyright 2003 Pure Life Ministries

Share this:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Google
  • Email
  • StumbleUpon
  • More
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

I Know He Will (#GuestBlogger)

22 Sunday Jan 2017

Posted by Pete in Poetry

≈ 6 Comments

Tags

Guest Bloggers, Poem, Prayer, spirituality

Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
I know He will. I know He will.
He’ll keep me through the trial
He’ll keep me thorough the storm
He’ll keep me where I’m safe
He’ll keep me in His arms
I know He will. I know He will

He will because He promised
He will because He cares
He will because He loves me
He died my sin to bear
He will because He purchased my salvation on that tree
And His will became mine the first day I believed

If I should die before I wake
I pray the Lord my soul to take
I know He will I know He will
He will prepare a mansion
He will wipe away my tears
He will take away my sorrow
And He’s coming back for me
I know He will. I know He will

He will because He promised
He will because He cares
He will because He loves me
He rose up from the grave
He will because He lives to give eternal life to me
And His will became mine the first day I believed

What He promised, He will do
He can never tell a lie
What He wrote remains forever
And His love will never die
I will stand upon his word
And I will not be denied

He will because He promised
He will because He cares
He will because He loves me
He died my sis to bear
He will because He purchased my salvation on that tree
And His will became mine the first day I believe

Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
If I should die before I wake
I pray the Lord my soul to take
I know He will. I know He will

 

Please visit my blogs if you like what you have read here:

Poems

Blog (currently a study through the Psalms) and reflections

Travelling with Paul (currently a study through Ephesians)

 

 

 

 

Share this:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Google
  • Email
  • StumbleUpon
  • More
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

Pride – Part 3 (#guestblogger)

21 Saturday Jan 2017

Posted by Pete in Poetry

≈ 4 Comments

In case you weren’t with us, in Part 1 of this series, I gave a background of my own struggles with pride as a backdrop to this study, In Part 2 , we looked at two examples of prideful people – one obvious and one not so obvious, to set the stage for this post. In this third installment, we are going to look at various ways pride manifests itself in people.  Some of these are fairly obvious, but others most of us would never guess that pride was at the center of it.

 

You might recall that I gave pride a new definition in the last post.  I define pride as an inordinate amount of attention to self:  Self-love:  Making everything about oneself.  You may say that this is what you always thought pride was, and I would ask you if you mean a prideful person can be the quiet shy type who avoids others because he/she has low self-esteem.  Most of you would probably say that person is not prideful, but I see that they are very prideful – they have a lot of attention on self.  So, before I get ahead of myself, let’s get started with Part 3.

 

I am going reference a book entitled “Irresistible to God”1 by Steve Gallagher several times in this post.  Steve Gallagher is the founder of Pure Live Ministries (See Part 1), and has done an excellent study into the effects of pride on a person, among other great books he has written.  All of his books are available on Amazon, and I highly recommend them for anyone wanting to get more of this world out of their system.  In “Irresistible to God,” Steve deals with pride, and how getting pride out of our lives helps us become like the title of the book.

 

The first thing you must recognize about pride is that if you have it, you will deny it.  Gallagher writes “Pride is so extremely subtle that many actually think they have little or none of it within them.  The truth is that it has the ability to mask its presence within a person’s heart.  In fact, it is usually true that the more a person has, the less he is aware of it.”1 The problem we face is that not only is pride hidden within from the person afflicted by it, it is also a very dangerous trait to a Christian.  Gallagher writes “Pride is the governing principle of hell and the unredeemed world it influences.  It causes strife in the home, in the workplace, the political arena and yes, even the Christian community.”1 It becomes paramount to rid a person, especially a Christian, of any pride they might have.

 

I was a prime example of someone who had no idea pride was in my life.  I should have known, because my wife kept telling me I was full of pride.  No one else saw it, especially not me.  Everyone else simply thought I was an outgoing guy who loved to chip in and help whenever I could, loved to be center stage whenever possible, and thought nothing of volunteering for special singing or filling the pulpit.  But it was all me wanting attention – pride!  Oh, how I wish I had listened to my wife those many years she told me pride was a problem.  Heck, I thought I was humble – really!

 

Gallagher lists seven types of pride in his book. I will use these types to show the various ways pride can manifest itself in a person’s life, including a Christian.  These seven types are: a haughty spirit, vanity, self-protection, unapproachable pride, know-it-all pride, rebellion and spiritual pride.  The three I was most guilty of were know-it-all pride, spiritual pride and self-protection.  As we go through these one by one, I urge you to take a hard look at yourself and see if anything fits.  Remember that if you have pride, no one will ever be able to convince you that you have it.  The Holy Spirit has to do that work in you.  So, allow Him to search your heart as I discuss each of these types.

 

A Haughty Spirit – This is the type all of us would probably agree is pride.  These folks think they are better than others.  We see them a lot and recognize the pride in their lives.  But the haughty spirit is not limited to that picture. Because of thinking they are better, a haughty spirit leads them to be judgmental and critical of others.  Have you ever met a person who is always saying negative things about other people?  They constantly find wrong in them and make sure everyone knows about it.  Or they compare one person to another all the time, wondering why the one doesn’t shape up!  This is all haughty spirit pride because it puts this person above others.  “I am the best!”

 

Another way the haughty spirit can manifest itself is with long-time saints and new converts.  The long-time saints see themselves as having gone through the fire, and just wish the new converts would get their act together and get rid of some of those little annoyances that plague them, like dressing the wrong way, or bad language, or smoking.  The list goes on and on.  Sorry all you long-time saints – to me this is one of the worst kinds of pride.  Let God do that work on those new saints!

 

I was guilty of the first part of this, not the second.  But it was subtle.  I rarely would be judgmental of others to their face, but deep inside I did believe I was better than most.  “I could have preached that message better.”  “I do a better job leading worship”.  “Don’t they know how to put a worship service together?”  These are all things that would go through my head.

 

Vanity – We all know people who fit this category of pride.  They do anything necessary to get approval from others.  All they care about is being accepted, even if it means compromising on all their values.  They so care about what others think that they might do drugs or wear a lot of make-up, or have sex, or go to this church or that church or dress a certain way, act a certain way, talk a certain way.  They might join every committee in the church and work in the church like mad just to gain the acceptance of others.  It’s all vanity, and it’s pride.  “I have to be liked, whatever it takes.”

 

Another example of this which is affecting the church today is pastors and leaders who will not preach on certain subjects because they want to please the congregation and not step on any toes.   They want everyone to like them, so they won’t challenge the people on issues like heaven and hell, or tithing or complete surrender to Jesus.  They will stay away from social issues of the day.  These pastors are vain, and pride is hurting the church.

 

Self-Protection –  This person is extremely defensive and easily offended.  You have to be really careful taking on any subject with them because they will always be on the defensive and before you know it they will get offended by something you say or do, and they will either be quiet or storm off.  They are protecting themselves, and won’t let anybody get too close to them.  Their protection comes first at any cost.  “My needs first and I will defend them!”

 

Another manifestation of self-protection pride is sarcasm.  People who constantly use sarcasm as a method of defense are all around us.  I think of the TV show M.A.S.H.  Hawkeye (Alan Alda) is a prime example of this kind of pride.  Almost every word out of his mouth is sarcasm. I don’t know many people who are that bad, but I’d bet we all know people who use sarcasm to deflect difficult questions.

 

The way I used self-protection was as a defense mechanism.  Whenever someone would try to correct me, or tell me I was doing wrong, I would put up a defense as good as any attorney.  I rarely got offended, but often would offend the other people when this type of argument came up.  And I was really good at sarcasm, still am today.  I have to be very careful when I get into discussions that might get a little controversial, because my sarcasm often comes out faster than can catch it

 

Next Saturday, I’ll cover unapproachable pride, know-it-all pride, rebellion and spiritual pride, and talk about how know-it-all pride and spiritual pride manifested itself in me. I hope you’ll come back and visit for Part 4 in the Pride series. And thanks for reading and commenting.

 

 

1   Irresistible to God.  Steve Gallagher.  Copyright 2003 Pure Life Ministries

Share this:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Google
  • Email
  • StumbleUpon
  • More
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

I Know He Will (#guestblogger)

15 Sunday Jan 2017

Posted by Pete in Guest Bloggers on BnV, Poetry

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

christianity, God, Guest Bloggers

Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
I know He will. I know He will.
He’ll keep me through the trial
He’ll keep me thorough the storm
He’ll keep me where I’m safe
He’ll keep me in His arms
I know He will. I know He will

He will because He promised
He will because He cares
He will because He loves me
He died my sin to bear
He will because He purchased my salvation on that tree
And His will became mine the first day I believed

If I should die before I wake
I pray the Lord my soul to take
I know He will I know He will
He will prepare a mansion
He will wipe away my tears
He will take away my sorrow
And He’s coming back for me
I know He will. I know He will

He will because He promised
He will because He cares
He will because He loves me
He rose up from the grave
He will because He lives to give eternal life to me
And His will became mine the first day I believed

What He promised, He will do
He can never tell a lie
What He wrote remains forever
And His love will never die
I will stand upon his word
And I will not be denied

He will because He promised
He will because He cares
He will because He loves me
He died my sis to bear
He will because He purchased my salvation on that tree
And His will became mine the first day I believe

Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
If I should die before I wake
I pray the Lord my soul to take
I know He will. I know He will

 

My name is Pete Gardner, and I want to thank Morgan for the opportunity to be a guest blogger on her site.  I write Christian poetry by God’s inspiration, and also do some reflective posts on the scripture.  You can find my blogs on the links below.

POETRY

STUDY IN PSALMS

STUDY IN EPHESIANS

Share this:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Google
  • Email
  • StumbleUpon
  • More
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...

Pride Part 2 (#guestblogger)

14 Saturday Jan 2017

Posted by Pete in Guest Bloggers on BnV, Poetry

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

Guest Blogger, pride

Pride – Part 2

Posted on November 25, 2016
This is the second  in a 5 part series on pride.  If you missed the first post, which explains my background with pride, you  will find it HERE.

He is obvious.  He walks in the room with an air of confidence that can be seen with each step he takes.  Everyone turns and acknowledges him, and he just smiles.  He walks up to some people in a group talking and immediately takes over the conversation.  Several more people gather around him as well, because they know he speaks with confidence.  He doesn’t seem to care that he is the only one talking.  Through the evening, he goes from one person to another initiating conversation, introducing himself to those he doesn’t know and just being the life of the party.   He is self-assured, confident and knowledgeable.  When he leaves, it seems the party just isn’t the same, and you hear one of the newcomers say “Man, who was that guy?  He sure is arrogant!”

This is the picture we usually get when we talk about a prideful person.  Someone who is so full of themselves that they spill out on everyone else.  I know because that was me several years ago.  Especially in business, I carried myself with such confidence it made people believe about anything I’d say.  And it brought me success!  I looked at it as a real positive in my life.  But it became my downfall.  Pride always will.

But pride goes much further than this picture.  In this installment, I want to look at what pride really is – how can we define it properly to take in all the ways it manifests itself in people’s lives.  Most people think the above example is the epitome of prideful behavior, but I can tell you it is vastly different than that.

Webster’s dictionary defines pride this way:

  1. 1: the quality or state of being proud: asa:  inordinate self-esteem :conceitb:  a reasonable or justifiable self-respectc:  delight or elation arising from some act, possession, or relationship <parental pride>
  2. 2: proud or disdainful behavior or treatment :disdain
  3. 3a:  ostentatious display

 

Sounds abut right, doesn’t it?  Isn’t that how we see pride?  This is the common understanding of what pride is.  Going by this definition, it would be easy to see pride in ourselves and be able to deal with it, don’t you think?  Maybe, although most people I know who fit that description rarely correct that behavior myself formerly included.

But pride is so much more than this.  I want to give you a new definition of pride.  One that expands the scope of the attribute into a much wider bunch of people.  One that will help you understand better why God hates pride so much.  And one that will make you really reach inside yourself and search to make sure there really is no pride in you.

 My new definition of pride is an inordinate amount of attention to self:  Self-love:  Making everything about oneself.

On the surface, this might not look a whole lot different than the definition we already accept, but it is vastly different.  Let me give you an example that will throw you a real loop.  In Part 1 of this series, I mentioned that I spent 8 months at Pure Life Ministries, where everyone had a pride problem.  I remember one particular person there named Brian.  Brian was small in stature, skinny, balding head and glasses.  But the thing that really sticks with me about Brian was that when he first got there, he was so quiet.  Unbelievable quiet.  He was so shy that if he wanted to talk to you, he would come up beside your bunk bed and stand there looking at you until you started up the conversation.  Now I thought this guy was meek and shy.   I mean, he seemed to have no self-confidence at all.  What was he doing in a room full of loud, arrogant, prideful guys?

The fact of the matter is that Brian had just as much pride as any of the rest of us.  Brian was so self-absorbed that he was afraid to speak up.  He had been ridiculed and put down most of his life and he had just crawled inside himself and shut the door!  He just kept to himself and cared for himself.  No one and nothing else mattered.  This is just as prideful as the loud arrogant ones, maybe even more.  He was completely into himself, and that is what pride is – self is all that matters.  What I want the way I want it.

Have I got you thinking now?  We see that pride takes on many different forms, and I will talk more about that in the third part of this series next time.   Between now and then, feel free to comment about what other types of people have a pride problem, and we will get a discussion going.  There are a lot more, believe me.  Once we have identified that, in Part 4 we will look at what God says about pride, and what the antidote is.  It will be a fascinating journey.

Please visit my blogs.  I try to post daily or more:

Poetry Blog

Psalms study and other stuff

 

 

Share this:

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • LinkedIn
  • Reddit
  • Tumblr
  • Google
  • Email
  • StumbleUpon
  • More
  • Pocket

Like this:

Like Loading...
← Older posts

Dark Fey Website

Attn: Artists & Photographers

BnV is a visual & lyrical blog which makes use of many sources of media to enhance the words I write. All artwork and photography displayed on this blog is diligently credited to the Original Artist or Photographer, whenever possible. IF you discover one of your images without appropriate credit acknowledgment PLEASE feel free to contact me via my contact page info so I may update the post with your name & website info OR, if you require it, remove the image. Thank You for Sharing your Talent with BnV.

Categories

Perusing BnV

  • 259,571 Visits

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 17,782 other followers

Follow Booknvolume on WordPress.com

All About Me & My Writing

Dark Fey, The Reviled

Dark Fey: Standing In Shadows

Dark Fey: Breaking Into The Light

Facebook BnV

Facebook BnV

Translate BnV

BnVersary

BooknVolume Anniversary DateJune 6th, 2017
Celebrating FOUR Full Years of BnV!!

Follow me on Twitter

My Tweets

Inspirations

Amazing Photography Autumn Autumn Foliage Beautiful Earth Beautiful Earth Photography Beautiful Photographs Beauty Believe in Yourself Blessings BnV BooknVolume Breath Calm Cosmos creative writing Dance Dark Fey Darkness Desire Dreams Earth_Pics Epic Fantasy eternity Faith Fantasy Fantasy Books Fear Flowers Friday Fun God Haiku Halloween Harmony Heart Heaven Hope Imagination Indie Authors Inspiration Joy Kindle Books Laughter life Light Longing Love Love Poetry Magic Meditation Meditative Thinking Memory Moonlight Music Mystery Mythical Creatures Natural World Nature Night Ocean passion Patience Peace photography Poem poetry Poetry Blog Poetry Challenge Quiet quotes relationships Religion Renewal rhyme Romance Seasons Shadows Silence Soul Mates Space spirituality splendor Spring Stars Supporting Indie Authors Temptation Thankfulness time Tranquility Truth Twilight Waiting Whispers Winter words Writing Writing Challenge Writing Prompt YA Fantasy Yearning ~Morgan~

Archives

Proud Member of Poetry Society of America

Freshly Pressed Artist

A4P

IAN Member

Poet’s Corner

Poets' Corner

Where BnV Has Traveled

Flag Counter

BnV Award Free

Blogs I Follow

  • Love With A Capital L
  • The Lonely Author
  • The Book Review Directory
  • WONDROUS LIGHT OF LIFE
  • Wanderlust Travel & Photos
  • Artisan Book Reviews
  • Hear All Creatures
  • Bellissamo Image Photography
  • PATRICK STORIES
  • Green, Health & Happiness

Friends

ReadFreely

2013 Blog of the Year

AUTHORSdb

Chatter

Doosen Tachia on When – #poetry of #love…
Veryth- A #FantasyCh… on Friday Fantasy – The Fie…
Morgan on When – #poetry of #love…
Morgan on Beginnings – An Introduc…
Beguiling Complexity… on Friday (Fey) Fantasy –…
Morgan on Beginnings – An Introduc…
Morgan on The Protagonist Speaks –…

Blog at WordPress.com.

Love With A Capital L

A journey towards living an inspired life of love in the modern world

The Lonely Author

Hoping to inspire the world one word at a time.

The Book Review Directory

Over 160 Book Reviewer Bloggers Listed

WONDROUS LIGHT OF LIFE

Photographer, Personal-Travel blog, Motivator, Traveler, Conservationist, Volunteer & Lifestyle coach

Wanderlust Travel & Photos

Seeing the World One Trip at a Time

Artisan Book Reviews

Great Reads for Avid Readers

Hear All Creatures

Bellissamo Image Photography

Susan Antonio-Diddlebock

PATRICK STORIES

Make PEACE ✌ Show LOVE❤

Green, Health & Happiness

green, health, wellness, climate change, waterways, people,

Cancel
loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
%d bloggers like this: