"CHIRP....CHIRP....CHIRP....CHIRP..."

"THIRTY YEARS WITHOUT SLUMBERING...."

The old First Alert 

 carbon  monoxide meter

was a success. 

 you'd have to say

It was certainly unlike

 the storied 

grandfather's clock of song,

 which "tick-tocked "ninety years without slumbering..."

 The meter stood guard 24/7

through cold winters and heat..

     with nary a PEEP 

(nor a CHIRP)

AND THEN   one morning

 when there was no gas on

in the whole  house...the doors

 were open  and a  window...

and we were leisurely sipping

 Folger's Best...

Our faithful and true beloved 

   meter  left this life...it was

a big surprise after thirty years

 of faithful service...

Ah, but one could almost say

 "It went gentle into that 

         good night..."

tho, after years of silence,

 it did want to register 

its very existence   at least once

 here in the Cosmos...

In melodic quatrains it began

 to sing and wouldn't stop!

"CHIRP...CHIRP...CHIRP...CHIRP...'

    over and over      and then 

a big weaker...

  "chirp...chirp..chirp..chirp..."

             and then it was gone

with simply...

               a WHIMPER.

---------

MIL

25 SEPTEMBER 2020

"O DAY FOR WHICH CREATION...and ALL ITS TRIBES WERE MADE...."

 

 "O DAY FOR WHICH CREATION....and ALL ITS  TRIBES WERE MADE.."

 TEN THOUSAND TIMES

       TEN THOUSAND"



    PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,  1920

                Taiban, New Mexico

"Ten thousand times ten thousand,

  In sparkling raiment bright

The armies of the ransom'd saints

 Throng up the steeps of light.

'Tis ''tis finish'd all ‘‘tis finish’d”

 Their fight with death and sin,

Fling open wide the golden gates

 And let the victors in.

What rush of Hallelujahs

 Fills all the earth and sky!

What ringing of a thousand harps

  Bespeaks the triumph nigh!

O day for which Creation

 And all its tribes were made!

O joy for all its former woes

  A thousand-fold repaid!

O then for rapturous greetings

  On Canaan's happy shore,

Where partings are no more..."

......Hymn by HENRY ALFORD.

            (1810-1871)

----------

      PRAYER for this Lord's Day:

       "O our Great Heavenly Father,

         somehow in Thy deep wisdom

       and mercy, help us, Thy believers 

       still here in this world.. to keep the

      Hate and Evil walking the

        Earth....out of our hearts.

            For Jesus,

               Amen

--------

MIL,

A Gospel Singer

Sunday, September 27, 2020

Painting by Annalon Gilbreath

TABIAN CHURCH, FORGOTTEN AND ABANDONED

 

                                               TAIBAN PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Taiban Church, Forgotten and Abandoned

by Billy Gilbreath

Entering Taiban says the highway sign

With anticipation to see the historic town

Slowing my speed   to avoid the passing traffic

Entered with caution on the gravel street

There the uneven ruts ended at the steps

And there it remained the famous building

The church from years past and forgotten

Taiban Presbyterian famous only for photographs

Wondering how it could survive years and years

Wind of the plains, dust and even tornadoes

God allowed it to remain and perhaps purpose

Using the metal handrail of steel curved pipe

Allowed my weakened knees and lesser grasp

To enter the now removed entrance door

Perhaps it is now used at a nearby dwelling

There inside as my steps were carefully placed

The planks once filled with pews now missing

 Staring  out the  windows without panes

Seeing the distance where once the town

Empty and falling structures, boarded up

Could I hear Rock of Ages, Amazing Grace

Only with my imagination with closed eyes

Looking forward with visions of preacher

Only the distance through the open window 

The ornate ceiling of wood survived ages

 Fortunately the graffiti could not be reached.

Only the faded wall and crumbling paint

Allowed those to install the many scripts

Some inspiring,  encouraging, some foolish

Pictures, with modern phones, cameras

Will continue to be placed on the cloud

But most of all emblazed on my mind

God’s purpose for the little church 

Though not eternal but a reminder

Earthly things will eventually pass

My plans will remain forever, eternity.

By: Billy Gilbreath

FOR MIL'S, by Billy Gilbreath

Painting by Annalon Gilbreath

29 August/2020

RELEVANT, RELEVANT

 

                                            METHODIST CHURCH, WINONA, TX

            Relevant, Relevant

That old red brick church, now gone

Just across from those who sprinkle

Continues to remain a vision within

No air conditioners for relentless heat

A few above the ceiling turning around

Hand held fans from the funeral home

Was a must, property of the church.

Nothing prevented the singing of hymns

Those which always presented a message

Preaching was of the old style leading

To, Just AS I Am, to welcome sinners

To accept, Jesus as savior and life eternal

Occasionally during those months of revival

Visiting that church hidden in off road

We often referred to it as “Happy Holler.”

Old fashion mourner benches, a fixture

Clapping, singing the praises with feeling

An outburst of one beginning to shout 

Sometimes a word of prophecy, given 

Yes, what we called the unknown tongue

The anointing was from start to finish

Singing, praising, preaching and mourning

Three places of worship, different styles

Methinks, all have something in common

Present the gospel with “Just as I AM.”

Glorify and give praise  to our Lord and Savior.

Relevant, Relevant, Years and Years later. 

Billy Gilbreath 

July 20, 2020

"WONDERFUL BIRTH TO A MANGER HE CAME..."

 

"WONDERFUL BIRTH TO  A MANGER HE CAME..."

"...Wrought our redemption and when 

       He arose, banished forever

           the last of our foes...."

         Presbyterian Church, Taiban, N.M.

"Wonderful birth to a manger  He came,

 Made in the likeness of man to proclaim

God's boundless love for a world sick with      sin...

 Pleading with sinners to let Him ..come in...

Wonderful life  full of service so free,

 Friend to the poor and the needy  was he;

Undying goodness to all He bestowed,

 Undying faith in the vilest He showed.

Wonderful death for it meant not defeat,

 Calvary made His great mission complete;

Wrought our redemption and when He arose,

  Banished forever the last of our foes...

Wonderful hope He is coming again,

  Coming  as King o'er the nations to reign;

Glorious promise: His word cannot fail--

His righteous kingdom at last must 

    prevail..."

  CHORUS:

  "Wonderful name He bears

Wonderful crown He wears;

 Wonderful blessings His triumphs afford!

Wonderful Calvary...

  wonderful grace for me;

Wonderful love of my  wonderful  Lord."

   .....Male Quartet  "WONDERFUL".           

            from the  1950's

-------

BY MIL

26 AUGUST 2020

Taiban, N.M. church, (ca, 1920)

  by Annalon Gilbreath

-------

Lyrics from memory...

MIL'S TOMATOES

 

         

                                                         FRIDAY MORNING - 8/22/2020

                                                                 FRIDAY MORNING - 8/22/2020

"You shall reap...if ye faint not..."

WHERE IS THE MAGIC OF THE DAYS OF '44?

 

In old dear La Casita  Elementary

   We had  gone from babes  in '30

        ("See Dick and Jane run...")

To  becoming real good spellers

     and leaving "printing.."

and learning cursive writing, 

   like adults    with the more-apt

kids getting real old fashioned 

    INK FOUNTAIN PENS.

The boys, off at war, if they were 

  lucky...   carried Parker 51's

for writing  home...

In many ways it was a grand time,

  in a marvelous country   before

the days of ball  point pens...

    which seemed like good pens

at the time...

"Fountain Pens"  could be bought

   for several bucks  tho Shaeffers

Lifetime's were higher...and Parkers...

Important national documents 

  of the day, even surrenders

and laws....were signed in 

  black ink...Roosevelt used one

as did Churchill      and in the 90's

  Conway-Stewart of England,

a pen company offered

      A real Churchill Replica Pen---

a Real Copy from the 40's was offered

  to the world ...BOXED in a nice box,

with photos AND A COMPLIMENTARY

             "CHURCHILL" ...CIGAR...

(which was a  fat-cigar-size  offered

      by most tobacco companies)

                        and

the English pen company marketed

   replica WWII CH pens @ $195.00

each  If these  marvelous copies

   from history were even offered

today, it would likely be with:

               "No Cigar."

----------

"What happened to your CS Cigar'

Mil, the one which you got with 

your Churchill Fountain Pen?"

It is in the dark corners of the 

garage       among the  books..

somewhere...still in the box..likely  

dried out a right smart   I've 

heard they are not healthful anyway.

--------

As to the pen itself, the old-fashioned

rubber bladder which held the ink,

failed after a time and  Fahrney's sent

my Churchill back to England ...and

they re-worked the insides and now

it uses PELIKAN 4001 ink cartridges.

-------

MIL

20 AUGUST 2020