Chris Taylor

Fresh sprinkle of morning rain
Early I rise to explore
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Boy, can we totally wreck and destroy our lives when we do things in our own power. I remember one sad day I was sitting on my couch thinking about my life, about my family and how everything got so messed up. I mean, I was trying for a double portion of blessings and instead I sowed a triple heaping of cursings. How can all of this go so wrong so quickly? How did all this hard work turn suddenly to dust? Then, the Lord spoke clearly to me; you were doing it YOUR way not My Way. You see, God’s plan is perfect. We can’t circumvent it, alter it, make adjustments to it or improve upon His perfection. We just need to obey him. The Almighty God loves you and I so much, that he has a plan for each one of us that is perfect, filled with many blessings and is not that hard to figure out as well.
Have you ever gotten your tire stuck in some mud. Most of us just gun the engine as we listen to the whine of rubber being erased slowly; while the wheel spins faster and faster getting us more stuck. After a while, our fervent hammering of the accelerator, produces such a deep burying of that wheel, we are just plain stranded where we are. This is how things happen when we do things in our own power. It always produces a loss of direction, a loss of communication and a deadly foundation of disobedience in our walk with God. Don’t bury that tire any further. Accept it: we are human and can’t fix any of our problems; that’s why Jesus had to die for us. After a while of honest reflection with God, I got tired of being a petulant, disobedient know-it-all and got down on my knees asking for God’s forgiveness and direction. So, how do we get His direction for our lives? It is so simple. No, really it is. Here is a bible verse that says it all: 2 Chronicles 7: 14 “if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” Here is the first step: humble yourself. You need to admit that you don’t have all the answers; because, believe me, you don’t. Second step: PRAY and SEEK God’s face. You have to want to find God’s path for your life and it starts with a prayerful heart that seeks God’s will. Last step: turn away from your sin, let’s call it what it is, sin, and make a conscious effort to leave your wicked ways behind you and obey His perfect will for your life. The second I did these 3 things, my life was on a new path, blessed of the Lord, filled with a sustainable energy and an assurance that God was in control and not me. If this is where you are right now in you life, stop where you are, don’t wait for tomorrow, or the kids to quiet down, but hit your knees, humble yourself, pray and seek God’s face, ask for forgiveness and turn away from your sin. God can’t wait to ” hear from heaven, forgive your sins and heal your land”.
I wrote this poem with the intentional imagery of God suddenly coming along side you to offer his help and take your heavy burden from you. He will not overpower you. His gentle question to you is: “Can I carry you my friend? ” How will your respond today?
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I was listening to my local Christian Radio station last month as I was traveling to work. The subject they were discussing was how the male and female brain are different in the way they organize and use the information they receive. They stated the man’s mind is like that of a waffle, each with its separate compartments. Us men like to have bits of info filed and filled into each appropriate compartments and we like to stick to the subject that each compartment is holding at the time. That’s why ladies, when we are focused on a particular subject, and you ask us something that is not along the same lines, you get that empty stare from us, we just don’t know how to handle that. Our brain was still in the previous waffled compartment. We don’t usual change subjects at a lightning like speed, like all you ladies are very adept at doing. Later, they began to say how a woman’s thoughts are like following a noodle in a huge bowl of spaghetti; a massive continuous piece that twists, turns and inter-loops at any direction, at any moment. While I was hearing this humorous and thought-provoking message about the differences in men and women, the Lord spoke to me about a wonderful passage in 1 Corinthians chapter 12. It speaks about how God has made us all different, and how much we need each little part of us to make a whole body of believers. I particularly love this passage from 1 Corinthians 12: 14&15 “Now the body is not made up of one part but of many. If the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body, ” it would not for that reason cease to be part of the body.” Also, verses 18 and 19: “But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? ” Finally, verses 26 and 27 as well: “If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.”
This is usually a chapter that speaks about spiritual gifts, but I feel it does a great job of commenting on living in peace with all of our christian brothers and sisters as well. So, men, ladies, don’t fight over our differences. Don’t draw up battle lines and go to war about the things that God intended to be contrasting in the first place. We can sometimes sabotage our relationships with our help-mates when we criticize, or try to change, the nuances of the other person to make them a graven image of what YOU desire in yourself. Stop wasting valuable time on this earth and celebrate how wonderful God made your helper. Now, I’m not talking about keeping a closed mouth about character flaws like: sexual impurity, cheating, lying, stealing, those things need to be discussed and prayed through. I am speaking about the silly little arguments we seem to get in because each person in a relationship is constantly trying to change the other one to make themselves feel more comfortable. My wife and I used to spin our wheels doing this very thing. God showed us that it was a huge waste of our time and to pray for and cherish the things that make each of us unique. God always has a plan. He is never surprised and creates things in His perfect wisdom. So, don’t fight it, appreciate it for what it is: Waffle brains and Spaghetti thoughts. lol

God bless each of you that follows this blog. Please feel free to comment, subscribe, re-post and share with others what you read here today.
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The day now upon us and dreary eyes awake
Children rush to open their take
Tiny vikings pillage their presents
Savages who can’t wait to see what grandma sent us
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just want to say right out front that the tone of this quick poem is a little harsh. I took this idea and pushed it way beyond what my wife has spoken to me on the matter. A writer goes to extremes and I thought pushing this in an insane direction would be more funny. This is meant to be humorous make us both smile. I probably will get punched by the wife for this one but, I just had to write about this. Sometimes we argue about the stupidest things. The story goes like this: She went off on my insensibility about morning condiments and I went into a dissertation about the God-given freedoms of being ABLE to put some butter on your jelly toast. We both need to chill out sometimes. Here is a little insight about our running butter war. Ah, the differences between men and women. Will the two ever meet?
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My thoughts run through my mind
like a marathon runner who pushes past the wall
Excerpts of today, yesterday and right now
Fill up behind my eyes and push my lids open
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A perfect plan detoured
An objective thwarted
My strength of foundation chipped
Like the salt soaked rain cracks concrete
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My faithful, dutiful commitment passes through the years
All sacrifices given freely and without measure
The growth of love is my charge
As a Templer Knight protects the grail with its service
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If my swollen face looks older than my age
The life-giving liquid is sure to be uncaged
My fingers will fly to the whole bean bag
And savagely rip open removing the tag
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You wind yourself through my town
Giving your flow and taking your space
A frozen platform you provide for my footfall
A living liquid tranquility my countenance has seen
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In this world of digital playgrounds, I wanted to write a post about the tactile feel of certain objects and the duty, love and envy of my fingers and hands. I first start out with an apple, then, my guitar. I moved to other concepts trying to encircle things I touch everyday. It is my wish that people get out of their chairs, offices, couches and get out and experience life and all its wonders. Remember, God created a vast place for you to live, explore and enjoy. So, crack open the door, take down the hoodie and let your toes feel the grass. Read this poem with a new set of eyes; drinking in all the splendor and feasting on the riches of a lovingly created world. Here is a verse to keep you focused on His great accomplishment:
Isaiah 40: 12 “Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? ”
God truly is very powerful! Rest in the creator of you, me and everything in this world.
Enjoy and be content.
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Sometimes, doing right, doing good, brings disaster and mayhem. I know this because I have always struggled with the attacks, slander and just plain old things going wrong that seem to happen while serving the Lord. I find it funny that when we try to be good fathers, our children do something that really angers us to no end. When God is working on our stewardship with His money, that’s when the flat-screen TV’s go on sale. You just start to get your life back together with the Lord, then, bang, the furnace goes out in the dead of winter; or, crunch, your transmission falls out of the bottom of your car; or, ouch, you just get laid off from work. Why do these things keep coming? Aren’t we serving a powerful God? Doesn’t He love me and want good things for my life? YES, He does! But, you know what He wants us all to have just a little more than anything else: Faith and deeds. In James 2: 26 it says: “As the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without deeds is dead”. Ooo, that sounds important. Is God saying that it is not enough for us just to say that we have faith? Yep, He sure is. Now, as a living and breathing person, I don’t want anything dead attached to me. So, spiritually I should have the same attitude.I mean why build a beautiful palace on a crumbling foundation? It just doesn’t work. I challenge all of us to walk the kind of walk that gives everything of ourselves. My old pastor used to say “Give til it hurts”. I have never known anyone who gave unselfishly who wasn’t blessed of the Lord. “God loves a cheerful giver”. Also, when you are taking your “spiritual temperature” or taking stock of your walk with Jesus, if the whole world seems to be coming against you, then you know you are serving the Lord and on the right path. Persecution is going to come; especially to Christians. People who sin hate the name of Jesus. It happened to the apostles; it will happen to you as well to some degree. Heck, in Acts 5: 40-41, the Sanhedrin had the apostles whipped just for speaking in the name of Jesus. But, instead of hanging their heads low, the apostles ran out of there rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering in the name of Jesus. Wow, what an attitude to have. I am not sure I could do that but I sure aspire to. My hope is that this quick poem speaks to you and the Lord uses it to either boost up your faith and deeds or, shows you an area to work on; just like He is showing me this week.
Enjoy the poem and let it speak to you

The Great Plains Poet
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Today's entry is an allegory for what the Lord does for my life everyday. The little Bamboo tree represents my relationship with the Lord and how that relationship brings peace and protection. The world can be a scary place sometimes. But, the Lord is our refuge and our rock; a firm foundation away from the shifting sands of this world. If you don't know the peace of Christ. If your life is in upheaval or you find yourself walking on the shifting sand, it is easy to know Him. Just stop where ever you are, pull the car over, put down the phone, turn down the radio and call out to God in this simple prayer: ' Lord, thank you for your Son Jesus who takes away the sin of the world. Please forgive me of my sin. I no longer want to do it my way. Come into my heart and show me how to live for you. In Jesus' Holy name, amen'. It is that simple; no huge theological prayer, no theatrics, just Jesus meeting you where ever you are. Then, get yourself to a bible believing, and most of all, bible teaching church and 'sit under the tree'. I recommend attending a Calvary Chapel. They are very solid and have a long track record of equipping people with the tools that will keep you on track to serving Him. If you need to find one here is the website and its locations all over this land. www.calvarychapel.com

Here is a verse to hold on to: Psalm 94: 22 ' But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge.'
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One of my hobbies is collecting coins. I have a small assembly of ancient and U.S. coins that keep my attention. I love to imagine where the coins have been, whose hands they have touched and what did they buy? The poem represented here is of my oldest coin from circa 305 AD to 311 AD and is over 1700 years old. Can you fathom the events in history this coin could have been a part of. Here is my poem of my favorite coin.
As you read it, let the images of warriors, senators and the “republic” flood your mind and spark a thirst for history as it did for me.
As always, please leave a comment.
Enjoy,
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This morning I was meditating on the bible verse: Isaiah 40: 31 “but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint”. I was compelled to reflect on how selfish we can be with our lives; our service. We get so caught up in the building of our own little kingdoms we forget our fellow-man and country. Serving God and others is tiring and is a dedicated effort to keep it as a lifestyle. But, God promises us that he will renew our strength, make us to soar like eagles and not grow weary. Let us all tap into His promise and get out there and serve Him and others.
Enjoy the poem.
The Great Plains Poet
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Sometimes when the Lord convicts he does so completely. The last couple of weeks the Lord has been working on my humility, or sometimes, lack of it. I have repented and I feel I am on a better, more modest path. In dealing with myself, I wanted to write a piece about the futility of my braggadocio. I hope it speaks to someone who needs to put down their shiny banner and take up God’s humble spirit. Here is my poem. Enjoy
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This last week was kind of a challenging one for me. So many things to get done and a home project to boot. I became a little weary and in my quiet time with the Lord, I, once again, came across this old bible verse. John 4: 13-14 Jesus said to her, “Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life”(ESV version) . In our busy lives, so many of us seek after things that will eventually bring us right back to thirst again. We strive, in our own power, to quench that unquenchable thirst all man has. Stop purchasing expensive drink that will never quench your soul. Right now, exactly where you are, if you are weary, ask Jesus to quench your thirst; for His water leads to fulfilment and eternal life. Enjoy this poem about weariness, doubt and a great quenching of thirst.
The Great Plains Poet
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I felt led to write a poem about consequences; particularly, the consequence of not taking care of what was given to us. This piece is specifically about the stewardship of the earth the Lord has blessed us with. We pollute what was freely handed us, we raze the fields and lay bare the rich soil and rip out the timber from an area that gives us 20 percent of the world’s oxygen. I am no scientist, and definitely not a tree-hugger; but I can recognize when our appetites, instead of our thankfulness and commonsense, dictate our actions. God expects us to do what is right and be good stewards of the gifts he has imparted to his children. In 1 Peter 4: 10 it says: “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God’s varied grace”. Even though my poem today speaks about the consequences of taking poor care of our planet, don’t forget God gives each of us, personally, gifts and talents as well. Every one of us has a talent. Yes, every one. My prayer this morning is that you use it for the glory of God; with the greatest respect to the giver of the talent in the first place. Let us all experience the joy of God’s freely given gifts and not the stagnant, unfruitful way of a cold, unrepentant heart. Enjoy the poem; and as usual, feel free to leave a comment,
The Great Plains Poet
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Today, I wanted to write a little something about people who cause division or separation in God’s ordained unions. In this sinful age, it seems that marriages are, more than ever, going by the wayside. It is so important to protect the sanctity of marriage and to be obedient to God’s command to stay holy and upright. Here is a warning(from GOD) to people who cause his little ones to stumble; Matthew 18: 6 “But, whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.” A warning I would truly heed.


The Intruder
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For All Of You, I’ve Always Loved

a poem by Chris T.
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