The film Urban Cowboy came out In 1980. Part of the soundtrack was a song, Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places. Written by Wanda Mallette, Bob Morrison, and Patti Ryan, it was recorded by Johnny Lee—which is probably the same Ear Worm that is now playing in your head. Sadly—especially in the realm of love—Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places happens too often. We human beings are social beings, and seek companionship, of which the most intimate is love.

In the Greek language there are eight words for love;  Eros: Sexual passion, Philia: Deep friendship,  Ludus: Playful love, Agape: Selfless, undemanding love, Pragma: Long-standing love, Philautia: Love of the self, Storge (not storage): Familial love, Mania: Obsessive love. You can see how the need, nay, the desire for love permeates every cell of our being. The desire for love is so strong that often some choose to remain in abusive, or inhumane relationships. As a result an ersatz kind of love evolves as we are Looking For Love in All the Wrong Places.

Why do we human beings drink from a sewer while pure, crystal springs flow well within our reach? I do not know the answer. I suspect that a variety of shiny attractions entice us in our less virtuous inclinations. The Siren call entices, and is often destructively consuming. There is a fable of a ravenous wolf finding a frozen chunk of meat; a razor blade was embedded in it. The wolf began licking the meat. The razor-blade cut. Tasting blood, he licked more vigorously—-draining his own blood—his very life.

Looking for love in the right places leads to life on a higher plain. The way Jesus describes it is with a metaphor of a house builder. One built a house on sand; when storms and floods came the house was destroyed. But the one built on a strong foundation withstood all assaults. When we are worn down, that sinking feeling can cause us to reach for the nearest twig of hope or joy without weighing its merits.

Joy and hope can be found in the right places. Six of the eight Greek delineations of love offer excellent “right places” for looking for love. None of us should ever need to wander into All The Wrong Places. We have Jesus’ example of looking for love; In difficult times as well as in joyous times, he sought out his family for respite. for celebration.The Apostle Paul went to some length outlining the crucial role love plays in healthy relationships and a good life. After completing a superb treatise on love, he concluded by pointing out that the greatest of all is Love—which underscores how important it is to Look for Love in All the Right Places!

© Copyright Willis H. Moore 2023

A relative of mine and her family, live on Lake Sinclair. She often publishes stunning pictures of sunrise across the lake on Facebook. By contrast, while my home is surrounded by beautiful trees, I miss seeing the sunrise. I appreciate trees, and all the good they offer. But to see a sunrise, I must go to a different location. Every sunrise is unique; clouds, rain, temperature, and atmospheric conditions influence how a sunrise looks.

Most people love seeing a sunrise, especially a spectacular one. We see one and say, “Oh! Look at that beautiful sunrise.” And yet—-we know that the sunrise is a myth; the sun doesn’t rise—the earth rotates around the sun. That is a fact we all know. But who on earth would say, “Oh My! Look at that beautiful Earth Rotation!” As I’ve written here before, a myth is not a lie; a myth is a means of describing a truth; or a difficult-to-describe event, and gives a meaningful, or graphic representation of a reality.

Stories and symbols have a way of capturing the essence of experiences, or knowledge that hold them, not only in your heart, but also in history. Before written language, stories, or Oral Tradition, held all of human knowledge; transferrable knowledge and information became carvings on cave walls, creating symbolic language. In fantasy I think of a Neanderthal mother hovering over her little one. It is morning. Day is breaking. Over the horizon, in the East, a beautiful red, then orange, then bright yellow ball appears. There are no words. But as she holds her tiny tot to view the spectacular dance of the sun, she quietly whispers something to the tot. I do not know what she whispered, but we now call it sunrise.

Inspiration emerges—-sometimes bursts forth— in remarkable ways. It can come from long, intense study; sometimes from failure; Post-it Notes, Silly Putty, Velcro, have become brand household words. In a manner of speaking, they too, came from mistakes (failures?) We all, to some degree or another, find joy in every day experiences. Overlooking “sunrises” of life can drag us toward colorless living. You can see the contrast of colorless life as it transforms to joy and beauty—as dramatized in a scene from the Wizard of Oz: there is a dramatic change from B/ W to Technicolor! As a little kid, Katie, my granddaughter called B/W movies, “Gray Movies.” Without color, life tends to be joyless—-gray. Sunrises can lift us above our gray despair—turning what we call failure into a fascinating future.

Sunrise transforms. A dark night turns into day. New sights come into view. Despair is dissipated. Jacob discovered that truth. On the pivotal mission of his life Jacob awakened to a new sunrise. Sunrise was not specifically named, but it was then that he awakened from sleep, having discovered God’s Presence. He named the place Bethel—“The House of God.” or “The place where God is.”

For Christians, the sunrise on the third day after Jesus’ crucifixion was the dramatic turning point. Jesus’ crucifixion left his followers in deep despair. Their world had crumbled; the end. Then—just at sunrise on the third day, some women went to the tomb. Since sundown—the beginning of the Jewish Sabbath, burial preparation was not allowed. Now at sunrise, following the Sabbath, they hurried to prepare the body appropriately. Then. There, in that Sunrise—everything changed! The rest is history—-and the Present! How’s that for a sunrise!?

© Copyright Willis H. Moore

A rainbow is a universally cheerful scene. That beautiful , colorful, arc in the sky after a rainstorm (sometimes even during) offers new vision, a new start. Plants and birds rejoice under its splendor. I’m not even sure the Leprechauns’ idea of a Pot of Gold at a rainbow’s end is entirely wrong. It is a myth, of course. But that’s what a myth is; an imagined, or stylized description, or reproduction of a reality. The rainbow reigns as the promise of better.

The Walk To Emmaus, a carefully planed spiritual pilgrimage, has the Rainbow in its symbolism and its music. It attracts hope, and endurance. Hasn’t the Rainbow been around since time began? It is symbolic of hope. The International Order of the Rainbow for Girls (IORG) is a Masonic youth service organization that teaches leadership training through community service. Young women learn about the value of charity and service through their work and involvement with their annual local and Grand (state or country) service projects.

My church (and denomination) uses the rainbow flames to represent its embrace of the Holy Spirit for all people, including LGBTQ+ . My congregation is a Reconciling Congregation and one mission effort is participating in Lost’N’Found. The organization offers home and help (including food, clothing and shelter) to outcast, disinherited children, shunned by their own family. It is horrifying to discover the multitudes of young children and youth who are put out of their homes simply because their parents object to their gender orientation. Lost N Found helps provide food, shelter, clothing, and safety for these young people. It is what Jesus did, and would do. (Lost N Found https://www.lnfy.org/. )

Think of old Noah—- in the midst of a world filled with hate and evil. He was trying to follow God’s command to save the world; he met enormous obstacles, hatred, and scorn—on top of the impossible assignment from God. In a magnificent manner, Noah fulfilled God’s command; saved his family, the living creatures, and himself. After forty days among unthinkable duress, as the flood melted everyone, flaws and all, disembarked successfully, God looked on Noah’s faithfulness and made the most beautiful Covenant signet of all time—The Rainbow.

After the flood receded, God set the rainbow as a promise, never to destroy the earth by water again. It was a promise, that no matter the failings of humanity, God still wants to give us another chance. Psalm 107 is a litany of God’s offer of redemption and good, in the face of humanity’s repeated downfalls. The Psalmist never mentions the Rainbow—-yet its promise reverberates through all 43 verses. The mercies of God never fail. As Andre Crouch sang, Great is Thy Faithfulness Oh God my Father, morning by morning, new mercies I see!

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2023

Do you remember the excitement of the last day of the school year? The next few days were exhilarating. No more studying, tests, and tight schedules. Then your first wakeup call was that it was more difficult to spend time with friends; summer vacation meant that summer camps, visits on grandparents’ farm, family vacations, and—garden or farm work kept us away from frolicking with friends. It wasn’t all bad—just different. Mainly a wonderful difference.

For me, one of the exciting parts of the end of the school year was ripe plums. Plums were just beginning to ripen as school ended. Terraces on the hill at my grandfather’s farm were mottled with plum trees; wild yellow plums and red plums. To beat the Brown Thrashers to the plum trees was a challenge. These plum trees were not the cultivated kind; they grew randomly all over the farm; usually snugly ensconced on the terraces—far enough away from the corn and peanut cultivators.

I shutter to recall how we ran all around the farm barefoot. Sand-spurs were the nemesis of bare-feet. Nevertheless we became adept at dodging them—just to enjoy the feeling of dirt under our feet. There is something visceral about bare feet on soft or freshly plowed earth; in a way it’s similar to walking along a sandy beach.

The joy of being out of school is a form of vacation for students and teachers; not so much for parents. However, it does open the opportunity to try new routines, learn or try different patterns in life. Learning is not always easy. Most of us cherish to our comfort zones as we cling to what is easy. The Pandemic taught us (well, mostly) that new ways of living, though often challenging, if not painful, open new windows to life.

Attitude makes dramatic difference. Back to the “School’s Out!” cheer. The attitude of a change of pace or a joyful venture can can give vigor for our circumstances. . Barton Goldsmith Ph.D.. writing on Emotional Fitness in Psychology Today said, Science has proven that a brain that’s constantly in stimulation and can’t relax will eventually go into overload, and, just like not getting enough sleep, you will start making mistakes. To be at your best, you need time off—Taking a break, vacation, or other easing routines or pressures can be not only fun, but also superb for your health.

The Prophet, Elijah faced what could have been certain death by the enraged Queen Jezebel. In terror, he fled to the mountain. He ran out of fear. Yet in his respite—being away from all terror, and in the quietness he heard, ..a still small voiice God’s voice. It invigorated and emboldened him, so that he could do his work.

You may recall that Jesus made it a custom to go apart from it all for renewal and rest. As his popularity soared, he needed time away to pray. When his disciples had worked very hard, he led them away to a quiet place so they could refresh. And the Gospel of Luke mentioned seven more times where Jesus needed a prayer break. We all need an occasional break in routine. It is so important that even God needed a rest. As an old friend of mine once said, “Go, and do likewise.”

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2023

FaceBook renders the meaning of friend virtually vapid. I get FB “Friend Requests” almost daily—-most turn out to be Phishing, or indicators that a real person’s account name on my FaceBook has been hacked. I go to my FB Friend list, and find 99.44/100% of the requests are fake, and I click delete—also I often notify my real friend, whose account has been hacked. I see that some FaceBook members list hundreds, if not thousands of “Friends;” most are simply acquaintances; in some cases the person does not even know the “cyber-friend” —but simply follows that person on FB.

Which raises the question, What is a friend? Most definitions of friendship include terms like intimacy, trust, enduring affection, and esteem; sometimes other qualities are included. These four qualities tend to form four legs of a stable foundation. Merriam-Webster’s first definition of affection, as used here, is a feeling of liking and caring for someone or something : which does not always involve romance. It is a solid concept of having or being a friend. I must quickly add that having friend also means being a friend.

An article in The New York Times reports that British psychologist and anthropologist Robin Dunbar, says that five close friends is key for a nucleus of friends. That number, he indicated, forms a circle of intimacy. I’m convinced that to have a bond of intimacy, trust, enduring affection, and esteem with someone must of necessity be limited to about five persons. In our busy world, it is very difficult, if not impossible to cultivate and maintain those qualities in larger numbers. Forming such a friendship takes time and dedication.

Over the years, I have maintained five, maybe six, friends; Events of life shed and add friendships. Marriages, births, illness, death of a family member—significant family events tend to create strong bonds—happy times, good communication–those relationships grow over decades. These times cement the friendship; even when time passes between visits, when we do reconnect, it is as if only yesterday was our last encounter. This is way past any Social Media friend.

One of the most graphic descriptions of a friendship is in the Gospel of John; Jesus, away on his mission, received word that his friend Lazarus was sick. Upon arriving at Lazarus’s burial plot, John writes that Jesus cried. This famous, grown man, in the company of friends, relatives, and curious onlookers—cried. That is a friend.

Bill Withers sang the true nature of a friend: You just call out my name /And you know, wherever I am / I’ll come runnin’ /To see you again /Winter, spring, summer or fall /All you have to do is call /And I’ll be there. /You’ve got a friend. This answers the question, “What is a friend?”

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2023

The pop song—Both Sides Now —was written by Canadian singer, song writer, Joni Mitchell in1969. She only put it in her album a couple of years later. I suspect she decided to go on and claim it after Judy Collins made it a hit record. But that’s another matter. The ear-worm in my head is “…it’s cloud’s illusions I recall….”—and if I were a gambler, I’d wager that it is not only in yours too, but also in the ears of every “recall” of the tune.

Tunes have a way of hitchhiking in our heads in latent repose only to leap full-blown into present reality So there it lay ensconced quietly in your brain —(until you read this). Now that we have resurrected that delightful oldie, let’s explore a building block it provides;I really believe Joni Mitchell was thinking of actual puffy white clouds, such as we’re beginning to see as summertime approaches.

As a child did you ever lie in the grass, or some level open place and watch the puffy white clouds drift overhead? If so, it is likely that you began to see images formed in the sky; an elephant, a monkey, dog, cat, a tree, maybe even ,,,ice cream castles in the air…It is an active and creative mental exercise of joy and excitement. The sky is your canvas, your mind the palette, and your eyes are the paintbrush.

One warm summer afternoon, when I was about ten years old, I was lying in my grandparents backyard. The sky was Bluebird-blue, puffy white clouds floated above. The gentle breeze lulled me into a daydream. As I followed one fascinating cloud in it’s East-to-West drift, the Windmill came in to view. Only the clouds, sky, and windmill were in my field of view—-the windmill seemed to be falling toward me! I jumped up and ran away, fast! At a safe distance, I turned around and looked up. The windmill was still standing tall and silent as always. With the perspective of the horizon, the trees, and clouds, I could see that only the clouds were moving. Perspective vaporized my panic.

Joni Mitchell sang “.. i’ve looked at clouds from both sides now….It’s cloud’s illusions I recall… Those illusions, that summer day in Deepstep, GA taught me that things are not always as they seem and can be frightening; or, can be joyful. Joy comes from knowing what wherever we are, or whatever may happen to us joy, though hidden, is in the midst of things.

One of my favorite demonstrations of God’s care is recorded in Exodus. The Children of Israeli left their bondage in Egypt to cross the Reed Sea, being led by God. There they would find themselves in harsh wilderness, under the scorching sun by day. God provided a column of cloud, sheltering them as they traveled the wilderness; as it turned out—for forty years–they were shielded from the scorching sun by this faithful column of cloud.

In the book of Hebrews there is a cloud metaphor that resonates significantly with me. The writer reminds the Christian community that they are supported and encouraged by a great Cloud of Witnesses, reminding them that they are not alone as they face difficulties, even suffering. It is a stalwart reminder for all of us; when we face discouragement, or feel lonely we have the great cloud of witnesses…!

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2023

For full disclosure; Jennifer and I are “fostering”? a cat—Millie: she is a beautiful Siamese cat. Backstory; her parents could not afford essential, expensive eye surgery, and had to give her up. After a long rehab at the veterinarian’s rescue shelter, she was put up for adoption. It touched our hearts. So—we are fostering her for a while. We’ll see how Millie acclimates to our home. After surgery, staying for months recovering, and then our long trip (punctuated by noisy traffic), she is very cautious. Acclimation, we are told, may take a while.

Purina, the famous animal food (and everything animal) supplier, says, Cats love catnip because it makes them feel good. As your cat licks and rubs on the herb, the release of nepetalactone sets off a euphoric reaction. Scientists aren’t sure exactly why this happens, but many believe cats are responding to the nepetalactone as though it is a pheromone. I wondered if Catnip would help Millie. Today I bought a package of Catnip.

We hope Catnip will help Millie feel more welcome. I do not speak “Feline.” How do you communicate—for understanding—on both sides? I speak English—or a reasonable facsimile thereof. Millie speaks feline. Some day good communication will take place, I’m told. Jennifer, a teacher, says that even in the education environment a defined vocabulary is crucial for coalitions to have clear understanding of each other.

Can it be that part of the disparate condition of our current society is that we speak before we hear?—do we speak before listening with understanding—without taking in clearly what the other is saying—or worse, our not trying to understand? I think of the old story of a blacksmith teaching his apprentice; The old blacksmith said to his apprentice, “When I take this red-hot horseshoe out of the fire, and lay it on the anvil. I will nod my head. Then hit it with the hammer.” The apprentice did so. Now the apprentice is the village blacksmith.

Hearing without listening reminds me of a story in this vein Rev. Don Haynes liked to tell; A man on a curvy mountain road met a woman in a convertible driving driving very fast. He shouted to her, “Pig!!!” “Dog!” she shouted back, and immediately hit the huge wild hog in the road ahead. Kinda describes reactionary conversations we hear too often among non-listeners.

More than once in the New Testament, Jesus urged his followers to listen. A wag once said, ” God gave us two ears and one mouth, so that we should listen twice and speak once.” Jesus also taught his followers to speak in a straight forward manner. Avoid misrepresenting the truth, and keep a good spirit between each other. Also, the Apostle Paul often taught that we should speak in kind and loving ways so that harmony is maintained, or developed between each other.

To a great extent, you and I invite how others will respond to us—not entirely, but close enough that good communication is more likely to develop. Maybe there should be “Catnip” for people. No, not a package such as what I bought at the pet store today, but genuine listening can help others feel good—something like what Catnip does for cats.

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2023

Honey never expires. You will not find a “Use by…” notice on a container of honey.
Honey is often credited as a multi use wonder, known to soothe sore throats, heal burns, and add a little sweetness to drinks and desserts. But if a bottle in the back of your pantry has been collecting dust, you might be wondering if it’s safe to eat. Don’t worry, it is: as long as it’s stored properly, honey will never expire. When archaeologists who unsealed King Tut’s tomb in 1923—sealed containers of honey were found. It was good, proven by their performing a not-so-scientific taste test. As a result, these researchers reported this 3,000-year-old honey still tasted—sweet. Thus, it was discovered that honey has an endless shelf life; (Adapted from HONEY).

More than 20,000 species of bees cohabitate our good earth with us. The vast majority of these bees do not produce honey. Less than 4% of all bees — around 800 species — are known to turn nectar into honey; in the U.S. that job is most commonly undertaken by Apis mellifera, aka the European honey bee.Honey’s preservative properties have a lot to do with how little water it contains. Some 80% of honey is made up of sugar, with only 18% being water. Having so little moisture makes it difficult for bacteria and microorganisms to survive. Honey is also so thick, little oxygen can penetrate — another barrier to bacteria’s growth. Plus, the substance is extremely acidic, thanks to a special enzyme in bee stomachs called glucose oxidase. When mixed with nectar to make honey, the enzyme produces gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide, byproducts that lower the sweetener’s pH level and kill off bacteria. (Adapted from USDA Agricultural Research Service).

There is a caveat to the durability of honey: In spite of honey’s built-in natural preservatives, according to USDA ARS, it is possible for honey to spoil—storing honey in improperly sealed containers. In a sealed container, honey is safe from humidity, but when left open it can absorb moisture that makes it possible for bacteria to survive. In most cases, honey can be safely stored for years on end, though the USDA suggests consuming it within 12 months for the best flavor.

As a famine ravaged their land, Joseph’s brothers went to Egypt to negotiate for grain. Their father, Jacob, sent them with gifts in hopes to persuade generosity. Among the gifts was honey. There are dozens more references to honey in the Bible following this reference in Genesis. This is a wild —and a totally undocumented, off-the-charts speculation, but what if, that honey found by the archaeologists was some of the honey old Jacob sent with his sons to Egypt? As I said, it is a wild speculation!

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2023

Crawfish, Crayfish, Crawdads? Actually, each is a misnomer; they aren’t really Fish. What you call them may as well depend on your mood at the time. The Columbia Journalism Review suggested that after author Celia Owens appeared on television—and the popularity of her book-become-movie exploded onto the scene—interest in Where the Crawdads Sing soared—people rushed to Merriam-Webster with questions.

Apparently the questions weren’t so much “What is a (Crawdad, Crawfish…etc) but Where do they sing? They don’t. CJC said if they sing, it’s in the wilderness. Even then if you hear them sing, then you’re probably imagining it —they said. However, Merriam-Webster goes on to bring clarity to the overarching question: “What is a Crawdad?” Crawdad is the synonym of the words crawfish and crayfish,  used chiefly west of the Appalachians to mean the aquatic animal that looks like a small lobster and lives in rivers and streams.

Call it what you will—we Americans tend to have fun with verbosity in many ways, not the least of which is —names. I’ll zero in on “Crawfish,” —even if it isn’t a fish. Right here in Georgia there is an annual Crawfish Festival-–in Woodbine, GA,—this year the date is April 28, 2023. Not to be outdone by nearby Kingsland, GA (which holds an annual Catfish Festival,”) Woodbine lays out succulent feasts not only of Crawfish, but also a wide array of seafood delicacies; the city proclaims the fulsome supply to be of —such mouth watering treats as Crawfish Boil, Crawfish Woodbine Etoufee (a Cajun stew of shellfish served over rice), Homemade Desserts, Barbecue, Funnel Cakes, Ice Cream, Boiled Peanuts, and much more…available Friday night and all day Saturday. The Woodbine United Methodist Church and Woodbine City Hall restrooms will be open for public use. (I, being a retired United Methodist Minister, had to throw in that reference).

A Crawfish festival, in places like Woodbine, GA, and NOLA (New Orleans LA–for the benighted) is a name that draws crowds, especially when linked to “Festival.” It’s like setting Catnip for cats, or the wafting aroma of popcorn in a movie. Whatever name you call it, “A______ Festival,” is seconded to the siren call of “festival”. Crowds that show up at these Crawfish Festivals (and I’ve only named two) underscore the popularity of this delicacy.

And. Names have a way of sticking; sometimes in not-to-good ways (as in a nickname like “Big Mike” Or sometimes in good ways, like “Sunshine.” Naming is one of the first actions of God in Creation stories. Before Jesus was born, significant plans were announced about naming him. Also I think of Jesus’ own mighty act in naming. I think of when Jesus changed the name of Simon, one of Jesus’ Disciples. Jesus knew this very man would deny him— not once but three times—yet he was the one Jesus basically left in charge of his Divine legacy. Jesus named Simon Peter, “The Rock,” the foundation of Jesus’ ministry for eternity. Names matter, especially when they bring joy! Think of the great joy young parents have in naming their baby!

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2023

Growing up in Deepstep, GA, on the banks of delightful Deepstep Creek, I became familiar with ”Ground Puppies”—that’s what we called them. It was years later, that I heard they are also called salamanders. We often disturbed the marshy edges of the creek and surrounding muddy leafy ground looking for the little buggers… as if by magic, we found the little slimy, wiggly, brown, ground puppies. Sometimes we did so simply to see if we could find one. 

Usually, we searched for them because they were excellent fish bait—and often easier than trying to “grunt” worms—a common method of coaxing earthworms out of the ground. We used an abandoned hoe handle or other sturdy stick; poked it into the dirt six or more inches deep and wiggled it vigorously. Disturbing the ground brought all the worms we needed to the surface. 

But I digress; In due time, I learned that ground puppies, these delicate little creatures are Salamanders (sometimes called Mud Puppies) —and there are tons of varieties (well, not really tons—but you get the point). The Salamander contributes significantly to our ecosystem. Our lives are made better because they exist. Among other things they eat pests like mosquitoes, and salamanders“… help keep our forests and aquatic systems along with the benefits those ecosystems provide for the American people,” according to Jason Goldberg, a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) biologist. 

Salamanders are amphibians, with unusual qualities; their limbs extend horizontally from their bodies. If they lose a limb, or a part of their body is damaged, they can regenerate the wounded—or lost limb—and rehabilitate it to its former full function. Medical researchers are attempting to discover this remarkable faculty, in hopes of incorporating it into human healing. 

Unfortunately, there is a more dire threat to Salamanders than my friends and I posed on the banks of Deepstep Creek. Salamanders are threatened by the Bsal fungus which originated in Asia or Europe. Too often foreign pests, diseases and harmful entities are imported. Because such intrusions happen too often, we tend to take a laissez-faire approach allowing some threats to our ecosystem get a hold. 

In 2016, the U. S. Fish and Wildlife service issued a rule curtailing their interstate transportation. This rule prohibits the importation or interstate transport of the listed species and samples derived from them unless a permit is issued. By understanding the threat of the Bsal Fungus before its arrival, gives Fish and Wildlife managers a head start on limiting if not preventing its incursion. 

Kitty Kalen’s song “Little Things Mean a Lot,” although written as a romantic message, reminds me of Ground Puppies and Jesus. “Give me your arm as we cross the street / Call me at six on the dot / A line a day when you’re far away / Little things mean a lot.” Ground Puppies, tiny as they are, matter a lot to a couple of little boys headed off to the old fishing hole. As for Jesus, i think old Blind Bartimaeus, sitting on the Jericho Road; then Jesus comes along and turns his full attention to this lonely, overlooked man. It was a little thing but look what a difference it made! 

©Copyright Willis H. Moore 2023