Keeper *

keeping on*

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Well, Marty, yesterday I stopped a few

times thinking of your birth (some "years" back now)

I heard you had a family time, a "Do"

recalling what God did before you bowed

your head, before his grace and love at work

in his creation of a life which might

be trained by constant choices not to shirk,

but still to bask in strength and love, like light.

And FIRST the gracious love enacts itself,

and THEN we have the chance to model it,

and also "see" what life is like in health,

and "want to" be that way, not just live shit.

And I have seen your choices over time

well some of them at least, by their results

within your life's relationships (& mine -

as they have meshed with friendship) - and with "faults".

For how could we seek glory, honour, or  

the immortality we long for with

the longing of a deep ache (even more)

unless we make each ACT* (with kin and kith°),

a training ground, to learn, stand up again.

And I have seen you choose a very BOSS

to be your trainer. So, we don't know "when",

but "if" is not a question while HIS cross

of love (that's demonstrated sure and true)

is each day at your head (as well as heel).

And I am glad to share his life, with you,

another year starts in becoming REAL^.

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Celebrating another year laid down, now to be built on..

*   “to those who by patiently doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life,” (Romans 2:7)

°  thinking of the pericope at the end of Mark 3 

^ thinking of the children's picture book, The Velveteen Rabbit, and the verses quoted above.

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