Free At Last

My heart was so filled with joy and praise this morning when I learned

that my dear sister in Christ, Asia Bibi has finally been set free

from a Pakistani prison after several long years of awaiting her fate.

Asia Bibi and her two daughters

Charged with blasphemy after allegedly insulting the prophet Mohammad,

Asia had been sent to prison and later sentenced to death by hanging.
  However, before a packed courtroom this morning,
Pakistan's  Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar announced the long 
awaited verdict and acquitted her. God is so good and faithful
to those who love and honor His name.


"Where could I go from Your Spirit? Or where could I flee
from Your presence? If I ascend up into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in Sheol, the place of the dead, behold You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning or dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there shall Your hand lead me and Your right hand shall hold me."
Psalm 139:7-10

Although her husband and family are overjoyed that Asia is now free, she has been

moved to an undisclosed location to protect her from violence as well as
death threats from Islamist extremists angry over her release.   

According to a report from the Christian Broadcasting Network,

the chairman of the British Pakistani Christians Association Wilson Chowdhry

claimed, "Clearly she will need asylum in a western country where she can

live out the remainder of her days in peace.  These charges have been proven

false time and again and it is time for her to return home to her family."

According to an Italian newspaper, La Stampa, instead of being 

bitter towards her persecutors, Asia declared, "I forgive my persecutors,

those who have falsely accused me, and I await their forgiveness.

I do not hate those who did me wrong."

Please pray for Asia Bibi and her family, that they will soon find
a new and better home in the West.  Pray also for our brothers
and sisters in the Lord who remain behind in Pakistan, and for all of
God's children who live and often suffer in countries which are hostile 
to the message of the Gospel and to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Map Key: Red = Extreme Persecution, Gold = Severe Persecution, Green = Moderate Persecution
Blue = Sparse Persecution.  Map via opendoorsusa.org

As Long As I Breathe
Zemer Levav
(2007)

The Brownies In October

THE BROWNIES IN OCTOBER

When trees were bending with their loads,

Around the farmers' snug abodes,

And limbs were stooping from the top,

And groaning for a friendly prop

So they might last until the day

When burdens would be borne away,

The Brownie band, at day's decline,

Assembled in an orchard fine.

Said one: "This season of the year

Is to the Brownie's heart most dear,

Because it brings to us a chance

Some person's harvest to advance;

To climb the trees and shake each bough

Is the work that must engage us now

Till everything is safe and sound;

And when the morning comes around,

How will the farmer stand and stare

To find his fruit all gathered there!

A task he thought he'd have to do

Himself before the week was through."

Another said: "The truth to tell,

The task is one that suits us well.

There will be work enough for all;

The grounds are large, the trees are tall,

And many bushels must be drawn

Away before the morn shall dawn."

A third remarked: "And not alone

To fruited trees must care be shown;

October brings the ripened hue

To squashes and great pumpkins too;

And nothing shall the Brownies leave

That should attention now receive.

 Harvest Festival Poster

Oleg Latsun

We'll not transport upon our backs

The heavy baskets and the sacks,

But get some teams to lighter make

The work that now we undertake;

For well you know our task must close

Before the sun his visage shows."

Then up the trees some

Brownies went

To shake the limbs with apples bent;

And more began at once to haul

The pumpkins, taking vines and all;

While others hurried off with speed

To find strong teams to serve their need.

They were not long-for Brownies smart

At such a time display their art;

To be of service they can teach

Whatever comes within their reach-

They harnessed up the goats and pigs,

And fastened them to various rigs

So each might do a proper share

Of all that was progressing there.

Though goats are seldom taught to haul,

Like horses taken from the stall,

They did their duty in the main,

And answered well the guiding rein.

It needs some training as a rule,

To make a beast keep calm and cool,

And draw a heavy load along

Without some frisky action wrong;

And one could hardly think to see

The Brownies teams work patiently

Who had no training on the road

Or "breaking-in" to bear a load.

But it must be a creature rare-

Not worthy of a farmer's care-

That Brownies cannot soon subdue

When they have work to carry through.

But pigs, at times, as people know,

Are obstinate and loath to go

The way the driver may require,

But turn about with great desire

To take the road that shortest lies

Between them and their quiet sties.

Have Piglets Will Travel
Vintage Clip Art

So now and then some trouble rose

When neither curbing bit nor blows

Could proud and frisky spirits bind,

Or serve to change the stubborn mind;

Then broken wagons might be seen,

And scattered loads upon the green,

And Brownies with all strength employed

A dire collision to avoid.

A Brownie who applied the switch,

Was roughly tumbled in the ditch;

And one, who roughly used his toe,

Was dragged for fifty yards, or so.

And thus, in philosophic strain,

A comrade did the case explain:

"This fact is known the world around

Where'er the human race is found-

If gentle treatment won't prevail,

'T is not much use to strike or rail:

They little gain who strive to win

By beating precepts through the skin.

Thus parents, fired by anger's spark,

May hit the child, yet miss the mark:

For kind reproof and gentle hand

Will more respect and love command.

Now kindness works as well you'll find,

With beasts, as with the human kind,

So lay aside both whip and thong,

And keep your feet where they belong."

A busy scene the orchard showed,

Ere every tree had lost its load;

Some towered tall, while limbs but few 

All at the topmost portion grew.

The bark was smooth, the trunks were straight;

And though the Brownies' skill was great,

Oft to the ground they'd slip and slide

And tumble down on every side,

Before a saving grasp was laid

Upon a branch to render aid.

They labored hard through all the hours;

The apples rattled down in showers;

There were mishaps, you may believe.

A few did stunning falls receive

As they performed some daring feat

Or some one shook them from a seat,

Or where a branch, they thought was stout

And trusty, with a snap gave out.

But Brownies think this only fun,

When there is work that must be done;

And those who rose, though lame and sore,

Would soon be at the top once more.

When early dawn came creeping there,

It showed the trees all standing bare.

The goats were free to come and go;

The pigs were rooting to and fro:

The baskets, bags, and wagons, too,

Were each in place as good as new.

But not a Brownie was in sight

For all had vanished with the night.

"The Brownies In October"

Taken from the book,

"The Brownies At Home"

(1893)

Words and Brownie Illustrations by

Palmer Cox

(1840-1924)

Canadian Illustrator and Author

The Message Of The Monsters

WHY MAN SHOULD NEVER PLAY GOD!

The Creature and His Bride

DO NOT BE DECEIVED, BAD COMPANY 

CORRUPTS GOOD MORALS.

The Wolf Man

NEVER LET YOUR WRATH LAST 

UNTIL THE SUN GOES DOWN.

 The Phantom of the Opera

NEVER TREAD WHERE ANGELS FEAR TO SWIM.

The Creature from the Black Lagoon





SOME THINGS ARE BETTER OFF  
 LEFT DEAD AND BURIED.

The Mummy

DO NOT MISTAKE EVIL FOR GOOD

ESPECIALLY WHEN EVIL HAS A HANDSOME FACE

Count Dracula

Eldorado

Gaily bedight

A gallant knight,

In sunshine and in shadow,

Had journeyed long,

Singing a song,

In search of Eldorado.

Spanish Conquistadors In The Andes 

Craig Mullins

(1964-

American Artist

But he grew old-

The knight so bold-

And o'er his heart a shadow-

No spot of ground

That looked like Eldorado.

And, as his strength

Failed him at length,

He met a pilgrim shadow-

"Shadow," said he,

'Where can it be-

This land of Eldorado?'

'Over the Mountains

Of the Moon,

Down the Valley of the Shadow,

Ride boldly ride,'

The shade replied,-

'If you seek for Eldorado!'

"Eldorado"

(1849)

Edgar Allan Poe

!809-1849)

American poet and writer

In The House Of Idiedaily

Oh, but life went gayly, gayly,

In the house of Idiedaily!

There were always throats to sing

Down the river-banks with spring,

Old-Fashioned Farm

Maritime Provinces

New Brunswick, Canada

(1907)

Artist Unknown

When the stir of heart's desire

Set the sapling's heart on fire.

Bobolincolns in the meadows

Leisure in the purple shadows,

Till the poppies without number

Bowed their heads in crimson slumber,

And the twilight came to cover

Every unreluctant lover.

Not a night but some brown maiden

Bettered all the dusk she strayed in,

While the roses in her hair

Bankrupted oblivion there.

The Main Attraction
Pino Daeni

Oh, but life went gayly, gayly,

In the house of Idiedaily!

But this hostelry, The Barrow,

With its chambers, bare and narrow,

Mean, ill-windowed, damp, and wormy,

Where the silence makes you squirmy,

And the guest are never seen to,

Is a vile place, a mere lean-to,

Not a traveller speaks well of,

Even worse than I heard tell of,

Mouldy, ramshackle and foul.

What a dwelling for a soul.

Oh, but life went on gayly, gayly,

In the house of Idiedaily!

There the hearth was always warm,

From the slander of the storm.

There your comrade was your neighbor,

Living on to-morrow's labor.

And the board was always steaming,

Though Sir Ringlets might be dreaming.

Not a plate but scoffed at porridge,

Not a cup but floated borage.

The beautiful Borage is an old-fashioned herb whose
leaves are brewed to make a medicinal tea.

There were always jugs of sherry

Waiting for the makers merry,

And the dark Burgundian wine

That would make a fool divine.

Oh, but life went on gayly, gayly,

In the house of Idiedaily!

"The House of Idiedaily"

From "Songs of Vagabondia"

(1908)

William Bliss Carman

(1861-1929)

Canadian-American poet

Come Set Us Free O Lord

"A Star shall come forth out of Jacob, and a Scepter
shall rise out of Israel and shall crush all the corners of Moab
and break down all the sons of Sheth.
(Moab's sons of tumult.)
Numbers 24:17

Tree Of Life

Yongsung Kim

(2009)

O come, O come, Emmanuel,

And ransom captive Israel,

That mourns in lonely exile here

Until the Son of God appear.

(Refrain)

Rejoice! Rejoice!

Emmanuel shall come to thee, O Israel.

O come, Thou Wisdom from on high

Who orderest all things mightily;

To us the path of knowledge show,

And teach us in her ways to go.

O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free

Thine own from Satan's tyranny;

From depths of hell Thy people save

And give them victory over the grave.

O come, Thou Day Spring, come and cheer

Our spirits by Thine advent here;

Disperse the gloomy clouds of night,

And death's dark shadows put to flight.

O come, Thou Key of David, come,

And open wide our heavenly home;

Make safe the way that leads on high,

And close the path to misery.

O come, O come, great Lord of might,

Who to Thy tribes on Sinai's height

In ancient times once gave the law

In cloud and majesty and awe.

O come, Thou Root of Jesse's tree,

An ensign of Thy people be;

Before Thee rulers silent fall;

All peoples on Thy mercy call.

O come, Desire of nations, bind

In one the hearts of all mankind;

Bid Thou our sad divisions cease,

And be Thyself our King of Peace.

"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"

Casting Crowns

"O Come, O Come, Emmanuel"

Original 12th century author unknown

Translated from Latin to English in

"Medieval Hymns" 

(1851)

By John Mason Neal

(1818-1886)

English Hymnographer and translator