This too shall pass. . .

So we had the memorial for my wonderful Grandfather.  (The best guy ever, might I add)  My uncle Terry read a wonderful poem that I thought I'd share.

by Theodre Tilton

This Too Shall Pass Away

Once in Persia reigned a King,
Who upon his signet ring
Graved a maxim true and wise,
Which, if held before his eyes,
Gave him counsel at a glance,
Fit for every change and chance.
Solemn words, and these are they;
"Even this shall pass away."

Trains of camels through the sand
Brought him gems from Samarcand;
Fleets of galleys through the seas
Brought him pearls to match with these;
But he counted not his gain,
Treasures of mine or main;
"What is wealth?" the king would say;
"Even this shall pass away."

Mid the revels of his court,
At the zenith of his sport,
When the palms of all his guests,
Burned with clapping at his jests,
He, amid his figs and wine;
Cried, 'O loving friends of mine;
Pleasures come, but not to stay;
"Even this shall pass away"

Lady, fairest ever seen,
Was the bride he crowned his queen.
Pillowed on his marriage bed,
Softly to his soul he said:
Though no bridegroom ever passed;
Fairer bosom to his breast,
Mortal flesh must come to clay-
"Even this shall pass away"

Fighting on a furious field,
Once a javelin pierced his shield;
Soldiers, with a loud lament,
Bore him bleeding to his tent.
Groaning from his tortured side,
"Pain is hard to bear," he cried;
"But with patience, day by day,
Even this shall pass away.

Towering in the public square,
Twenty cubits in the air,
Rose his statue carved in stone.
Then the king, disguised, unknown,
Stood before his sculptured name,
Musing meekly: "What is fame?"
Fame is but a slow decay;

Even this shall pass away.

Struck with palsy, sore and old,
Waiting at the Gates of Gold,
Said he with his dying breath,
"Life is done, but what is death?"
Then, in answer to the king,
Fell a sun beam on his ring,
"Even this shall pass away."


I do really like that poem...but while I was looking for it today, I also found this one..

This Too Shall Pass

If I can endure for this minute Whatever is happening to me, No matter how heavy my heart is Or how dark the moment may be- If I can remain calm and quiet With all the world crashing about me, Secure in the knowledge God loves me When everyone else seems to doubt me- If I can but keep on believing What I know in my heart to be true, That darkness will fade with the morning And that this will pass away, too- Then nothing in life can defeat me For as long as this knowledge remains I can suffer whatever is happening For I know God will break all of the chains That are binding me tight in the darkness And trying to fill me with fear- For there is no night without dawning And I know that my morning is near. ...Helen Steiner Rice  I'm kinda publishing this for my family.  In case they want them, but this is true for everything.  Today is just a moment.  Tomorrow is just a moment.  Enjoy it all and realize that whatever happens today, it will be over shortly and the next big thing will be upon us.    The last 10 years or so for me has been a little hazy at times with my beliefs.  I have had a hard time deciding that I could truly believe that my God would do anything negative against humanity and against his children.  By negative I mean, Hell is such a scary thing...I am publicly announcing that I do not believe in Hell.  I believe in God and I believe in Jesus, but I believe that as a father, there is no way that my God would damn anyone to a place so horrible as Hell.  I know that people are going to shun me for my beliefs, and I don't even care.  I love my son...and he does wrong things all the time, but it doesn't matter what he does...I would never ever EVER cast him into a burning fiery pit to suffer for eternity. I think that the Bible is full of things like the Leviathan that are there to be metaphors or meant to scare you straight.  It's not like I'm saying I don't believe in all of it, just that why would some things be described as a dragon and that be a metaphor without other things.  I do think people are punished for their behaviors while we're growing here on earth, but to say that my Father would send me to a place where he'd never know me again, I think is a stretch.     There are probably a lot of people who are going to think this blog is ridiculous, and to those of you that feel that way, I'm sorry.  I think the most important thing to do while we're here on this earth is to love and learn.   If we spend each day, trying to love all of those around us, we'll be just fine.  I also do consider myself a Christian with a relationship with my God, so if you disagree with me that is fine, and if you want to judge me, that is fine too.  I won't judge you though, because that is not my place.  Love yas Jess