"John, will you stay on the phone with me? I've been hearing noises all night long. What scares me most is the deep breathing. I'm so petrified; there's something wrong." 

"Mary, relax and take a deep breath. Halloween night; you imagine things. Go back to your bed and get some sleep. Forget costumed devils and bat wings." 

"John, those sounds are getting louder. Can't even hear what you are saying. My heart keeps pounding in my chest, while talking to you, I'm on my knees praying." 

"Mary, I'm gonna hang up; I'll be there soon. Sorry, but you're breaking up it seems. Oh, my God, the sounds you were hearing were over my shoulder," John then screams. 

The cold night air had settled in on Mary. She couldn't imagine what happened to him. This night of terror wasn't going away soon. More heavy breathing was heard, as all of her lights went out.

Alex was having a hard day. He'd spent the better part of it scrounging for any morsel of food out there. His little bag came up empty. Tired, he retreated back to the 'Hill'. He was stopped on the way home by another ant from a neighboring colony.

Alex gave this opposing ant two choices: the hard way or the easy way. Before he could really make his stand, a bird flew in and took out the opposing foe.

Thinking he was so very lucky this day, he turned his back for a moment on the bird. The bird missed catching him in his beak by a half an inch. Maybe, when he tripped and fell on a small cookie crumb, that was just dumb luck. Suddenly, he was surrounded by dozens of pieces of freshly fallen cookies.

Mice were coming out of every crack and crevice and headed his way also. Could his luck now have turned bad on him? Then a sound that no mouse likes to here came echoing up the ally near by. Two cats noticed the frenzy of mice and wanted in on this action. The mice then all scattered, leaving the many crumbs behind. This had to be a major stroke of luck for our ant. Just outside of this new pastry shop, our ant set up housekeeping.

One morning, when our ant arrived early, another insect had arrived earlier, and claimed the ant’s territory. ‘How rude’, thought the ant. It seems a big old spider had spun a web across the bottom of the wall. The spider was not after the crumbs; he wanted our tasty looking Alex.

The spider had been carefully watching the ant’s movements for some time, and decided now was his chance to catch this little ant in his trap. At about the same time, one of our alley cats showed up. The cat in turn had been watching for a meal also. ‘That big old spider would taste mighty fine’, the cat was thinking.

Noticing the cat, the spider drew back and scurried up the wall. The spider thought the cat was the bully, and the ant thought the spider was the culprit. You decide! The cat leaped as high as it could, but the spider was too far ought of reach. The spider decided to stay way up high out of reach of most animals. The word had spread, and most other spiders followed suit and began moving their cobwebs up high. Today you see cobwebs of all designs up in the rafters of barns and ceilings of houses.

When the storeowner saw the web down low, he asked his clerk to use a broom and remove it. They never noticed the web over their heads. It was now business as usual, just in time to watch donut crumbs falling. Call it luck or someone watching out for our little friend. If an ant could smile, our little guy was probably beaming from ear to ear.

The   Cry   of   War

By  Don  Ford

Sounds of anguish heard,

The pain of brokenness is felt.

Lives all scattered ’round –

Cries in war like chorus swells.

The bandages of hope worn thin,

While children’s voices call.

Like whispers of the soul,

And all around the mighty fall.

Shattered broken pieces,

Lack of sacredness in life.

Destruction is their calling card,

They even throw away their lives.

The games they play with bombs as toys,

We gather up the fragments.

These village fools, not martyrs be –

Offering up their child – they vent.

The stench of killing fields below,

Running out of graves to fill.

My near death experience!

By Don Ford

It is a shock to be sure, when you suddenly find yourself clutching at your chest.  You saw some early warning signs and shrugged them off.  The stress, the physical work, the lack of sleep, and the poor fast food eating habits have caused you to reach a breaking point.

Your body puts its foot down: “stop now before it’s too late.”  And standing there in the doorway, knocking, is an ominous figure.  This person stands with threshing instrument  in one hand and an hour glass in the other. 

All you can think is: ‘don’t answer the door.’  But you must!  Perhaps he has the wrong address.  No – his paper work is all in order.  If only you had kept better tabs on your health.

You can’t really hate him; he is only doing his job.  Being that he has only one job – he does it well.  The card he reveals in his hand is the same one you are holding in yours.  He is here to issue a warning.  The next time he comes will be the finale. 

You now view life and its end in an entirely different light.  Not many get a second chance like this.  Many times the first strike on the heart is fatal.  So be thankful and send death packing for now.

The road you travel from this point on must be a different one, as you plot a new course.  This may mean a new vocation, new friends, a new town, but mainly a new lifestyle.  You must now happen to life and avoid letting it happen to you.  Take good care of your life by watching your health better.

Part of me is in Pennsylvania

I worked and played there many a day

Some of me is found in the notes of a song

A tenor voice that was me!

A slice of me sat in a pew

Church and God my second home

Look for me near a pond or stream

That part of me found in Mother Nature

I could go on for days and days

Telling where other parts of me are

Somehow I think that we are all

Those Many Parts of one another!!!

The Good News this Easter (April 2015) is Jesus ROSE from the dead to secure our salvation! God not only lives; He reigns!

YES, HE IS RISEN

by dgford 3/2011

The rock was rolled away

And there inside the tomb

No BODY was discovered

My heart then broke in two.

*

From the dead he arose

Just like he said he would

And standing at the door

He knocks upon my heart

*

He paid the greatest price

As he died upon the cross

The blood he shed for all

A man of sorrows called

*

Timeless story - ages past

Reaching into future lives

Still he stands there knocking

Open up and let him in

“In history there is only one phrase that will equal HE AROSE, and that is HE’S BACK!” This is according to my wife, and I believe she is on to something!!!

See the books "Heaven on the Line"

https://www.createspace.com/4298458

&

"Raising Hope"

https://www.createspace.com/4796319

Silver Lining

(Always fight for what is right) by Don Ford

A Quest for Silver

Life is full of trials for me

Setting sail on a stormy sea

Difficult times in the red

Stay the course, full steam ahead

Decisions are so complicated

But I keep fishin’ - my hook is baited

I always keep my head up high

The sea will yield the reasons why

Every cloud has a silver lining

The ocean depths I am mining

I won’t give up; I know the way

As long as my boat floats, I say

A newspaper article cut me to the heart! A monster, disguised as a mother, warned her husband that if he left her, she would do harm to their child. The man left, and the baby only lasted a minute in the microwave. I was outraged, and I penned the following to show how a good mother should view her child.

YOUR  FAIR  CHILD

Here lies the child

All fresh and new;

Cradled in your arms,

Precious, warm, and true.

Believing eyes look up.

They're trusting, clinging too.

A love beyond all measure -

Full of life that's needing you.

In order to survive,

The child must have you near;

To feed, and bathe, and clothe,

To comfort laugh and cheer.

Your lives will twine together,

And form a two-fold strand;

As every day you care for

This child placed in your hands.

By Don Ford