A Balm of Grace

I like to call God, Old Friend,
For He created and loves you and me.
It is easier to pray to Him as
An Old Friend than an awesome
God, for He is both. 

    A BALM OF GRACE

What if God, Old Friend, would say to you:

I would like you to bathe
  In the balm of My grace
As the twilight of the day
  Slowly ends a day's pace.

Do not grow weary from doing
  For tomorrow that's unknown
For each day will be coming
  Will not find you all alone.

For in your spirit I Am
  Not visible and quite silent
Yet there you know so I Am
  Always guiding your ascent.

Let us respond:

Oh! Yes Lord let it be so
  Live within me guiding me
So toward my Heaven glow
  Till my journey end will be.
Jan Bagwell
God Bless !
I will be at The Neighborhood Church , Easley .S.C.
5065 Calhoun Memorial Highway [29640 ]
  Sunday Morning ,  (9:30 til 11:30} 
Pastor David Bagwell

The name Old Glory

Old Glory! say, who,
By the ships and the crew,
And the long, blended ranks of the gray and the blue,
Who gave you, Old Glory, the name that you bear
With such pride everywhere
As you cast yourself free to the rapturous air
And leap out full-length, as we're wanting you to?
Who gave you that name, with the ring of the same,
And the honor and fame so becoming to you?
Your stripes stroked in ripples of white and of red,
With your stars at their glittering best overhead
By day or by night
Their delightfulest light
Laughing down from their little square heaven of blue!
Who gave you the name of Old Glory? - say, who
Who gave you the name of Old Glory?
The old banner lifted, and faltering then
In vague lisps and whispers fell silent again.

II

Old Glory,--speak out!--we are asking about
How you happened to "favor" a name, so to say,
That sounds so familiar and careless and gay
As we cheer it and shout in our wild breezy way
We-the crowd, every man of us, calling you that
We-Tom, Dick, and Harry-each swinging his hat
And hurrahing "Old Glory!" like you were our kin,
When-Lord!-we all know we're as common as sin!
And yet it just seems like you humor us all
And waft us your thanks, as we hail you and fall
Into line, with you over us, waving us on
Where our glorified, sanctified betters have gone,
And this is the reason we're wanting to know
(And we're wanting it so!
Where our own fathers went we are willing to go.)
Who gave you the name of Old Glory O-ho!
Who gave you the name of Old Glory?
The old flag unfurled with a billowy thrill
For an instant, then wistfully sighed and was still.

III

Old Glory: the story we're wanting to hear
Is what the plain facts of your christening were,
For your name--just to hear it.
Repeat it, and cheer it, 's a tang to the spirit
As salty as a tear;
And seeing you fly, and the boys marching by,
There's a shout in the throat and a blur in the eye
And an aching to live for you always-or die,
If, dying, we still keep you waving on high.
And so, by our love
For you, floating above,
And the sears of all wars and the sorrows thereof,
Who gave you the name of Old Glory, and why
Are we thrilled at the name of Old Glory?
Then the old banner leaped, like a sail in the blast,
And fluttered an audible answer at last.

IV

And it spake, with a shake of the voice, and it said:
By the driven snow-white and the living blood-red
Of my bars, and their heaven of stars overhead
By the symbol conjoined of them all, skyward cast,
As I float from the steeple, or flap at the mast,
Or droop o'er the sod where the long grasses nod,
My name is as old as the glory of God.
...So I came by the name of Old Glory.

Biography

James Whitcomb Riley (1852-1916) was a native of Indiana. Most of his life was spent in Indianapolis, where he lived on the quiet Lockerbie Street which he celebrated in one of his poems. He is called "The Hoosier Poet." He wrote several volumes of poems, the first being The Old Swimmin' Hole and 'Leven More Poems. The school children of Indiana celebrated Riley's birthday on October 7, 1911, and have each year since made this a festival day.
Jan Bagwell
God Bless !
Sorry for not writing something of my own .

The Pride of our County

Today as before, our brave do fight
For a land they love, a flag so right

The pride of our country, yes they are
The strength of our nation, best by far

Just as our brave from each war gone by
They march for us proudly, flag held high

From all over this land they come to serve
They’re taught by the best, this they deserve

When troops give their all, the world does see
Whether serving on land, in the air, or at sea

The pride from this country, march through war
With home drawn strength, held deep in their core

Our best are so awesome, their loved ones well know
May God guide their journey where they - for us - go

What these brave must have is support from their own
The love from their people, firm thankfulness shown

Our greatest achievement is that we’re still free
Please take time and ponder who caused this to be

Jan Bagwell

God Bless !

How Blessed We Are

 How Blessed We Are

    
How blessed we are today,
To live in this our land.
Our wish to God we pray,
Long may Freedom stand!
See our flag now flying,
So many their lives gave,
Hear their final crying,
Long may Freedom wave!
How blessed our heritage,
Up mountain down to plain,
From mansion to cottage,
Long may Freedom reign!
What fortune we inherit,
Our ancestors did bring!
They are so full of merit,
Long may Freedom ring!
How blessed we are today,
To live in this our land,
Our wish to God we pray,
Long may Freedom stand!
Jan Bagwell
God Bless !!
_

Jesus on the 4th of July

We gather 'round to celebrate
On Independence Day
Pay homage to our country
As the children run and play.

With barbecues and picnics
And fireworks in the air
The flag we own is proudly flown
To show how much we care.

The stars and stripes spell freedom
She waves upon the breeze
While bursts of colors can be seen
Above the towering trees.

This is all quite wonderful
We revel in delight
But God above in divine love
Has brought this day to light.

With just a stroke of liberty
A touch of His great hand
He gave democracy to us
And helped this country stand.

The stripes upon our stately flag
Were touched by His sweet grace
Each star of white that shines so bright
Reflects His loving face.

So as you turn to face the flag
For battles that were fought
Be filled with pride for those who died
And freedoms that were bought.

But don't forget to thank the One
That gives the bright display
The reason why we paint the sky
On Independence Day Jan Bagwell  God Bless !!

Happy Independence Day!