07 Tuesday Jan 2020
Oh folly of man, oh arrogance of my kindred, whilst thou would not humblest thyself in the knowledge of thy God and recognize His greatness amidst the bottomless quality 
of thy immeasurable comparative insignificance, others accomplish His will whilst thy bosom remains empty.
Written by Steven R. Harrel 11/29/2010
25 Monday Nov 2019
Posted in Faith, From the Heart: Poetry, FYA, Hearing God's Voice, Just Poems & Prayers, Love, Without Love
Tags
From The Heart, God is Great!, Love, Meaning of Life, Poems, Steven R. Harrel for This Side of the Whirlwind
Remember, our needs are met in Christ Jesus even as the Flowers of the field.
It’s just that sometimes we don’t feel or understand where God is going with our lives.
For your edification and enjoyment…
In great beauty you are spun from soil and air,
Light from distant sun and seed of formers fair;
Then with great beauty once again you are spun,
Until in your juniors your face smiles towards distant sun.
01 Friday Nov 2019
Posted in From the Heart: Poetry, FYA, Just Poems & Prayers
Days of pastel blues and lusterless reds could fill the inevasible blind pages to come. I see the splendor of my own antecedence, or rather the privation thereof. Once bound in a twirl of youthful folly now I marvel, can they not see?
I think they too, as I once, choose drunkenly, willfully to be ensnared by the false comfort of never‑ending youth; the pervasive: “There will be time”.
Though I have traveled many roads and stumbled on paths bleak,
21 Monday Oct 2019
Posted in Faith, From the Heart: Poetry, FYA, Hope, Just Poems & Prayers, Love
Let the beauty of your walk with God rise within you.
Let your spirit rejoice for His Spirit resides within you.
Let your mouth shout His praises – for His glories fill all worlds.
Let your fears be surrendered – walking in faith – knowing – He will take action as He sees fit!
Let your words and actions bespeak your walk in Him.
Let the beauty of your relationship with our Creator rise within you!
Just Let It Rise!
By: Steven R. Harrel Finished 10/21/2019
06 Friday Sep 2019
Oh God, what if –
I were to You obey –
With all my life, through all my days,
endure my cross, obey Your will,
regardless the pain or strife I feel
Bear humiliations and sorrow’s
cold breath
Brave disgrace and live bereft
Face the choice of a martyr’s short, short life
Just to live my life for Christ?
12 Friday Jul 2019
Posted in Fiction, From the Heart: Poetry, FYA, Just Poems & Prayers, Love, Short Story
(A short story by Steven R. Harrel)
Tom pulled Joe up eye to eye and said to his face, “Joe, I’m ordering you to take me to Shire; it’s of the utmost importance!”
“Yes sirs, Mister Tom.”
“I means, yes Sirs Captain Tom sir”. Joe just shrugged his shoulders and then left the powder-cart on the side of the road. “Comes dhis a way Captain, we haves ta go up dhat dhere road to reach Shire”. Joe points up the road to where many of the refugees were heading.
As Tom and Joe began walking towards Shire, the Sergeant intercepted them, inquiring with his deep Southern accent, “Pardon me Sir!” The sergeant salutes Tom, “May I ask where you’re takin’ my Powder-Nigger?”
At first, Tom was offended, even set-back by the callused manner in which the sergeant referred to Joe; still, after a moment’s thought he remembered when and where he and Joe were. Tom replied, “I have need of this nigger, Sergeant! You will get someone else to resupply your powder cart. Is that understood?” Continue reading
09 Tuesday Jul 2019
Posted in Fiction, From the Heart: Poetry, FYA, Just Poems & Prayers, Love, Short Story
Tags
Pa pushed Tom back into the barber’s chair. “Now sits still so I can finish shavin ya, boy. Ya can’t goes no-wheres till I’s done and finished”.
It was all Tom could do to sit still while Mr. White finished his shave. When Pa finally lifted the barber’s cloth and brushed him off, Tom felt he had to look to Pa’s scrinchie face for approval before getting up. Pa just nodded; then and only then did Tom spring from the chair and dash to the window.
Pulling his arms back to avoid Tom’s quick extrication, Pa raised his voice, “Boy, you’s wound tighter dan an ole Timex. You’d better settles yourselfs down fors you gives yourself a correlary.” Continue reading
04 Thursday Jul 2019
Posted in Fiction, From the Heart: Poetry, FYA, Just Poems & Prayers, Love, Uncategorized
Tags
(A short story by Steven R. Harrel)
Though not surprising, neither Tom nor Nancy could find Shire on any Alabama State map. Nancy did remember her grandmother saying Shire was in the back hills of Southern Alabama, somewhere near or south of Montgomery where her great‑grandmother’s daddy was buried after the Civil War. So, Montgomery Alabama would be Tom’s starting destination.
For the next few days, Tom traveled the highways and back-roads with that Erie voice echoing in his mind. He couldn’t quite shake the overwhelming feeling of being guided by some other-than-natural force. While driving Tom dared not touch the watch in his pocket for fear it could spell disaster, Tom did however clutch the watch to his chest each night before falling asleep.
Tom was three long days on the road before he finally pulled up to the Courthouse in Montgomery Alabama. The pillars at the front of the Municipal-Building made the structure look almost palatial. Continue reading
01 Monday Jul 2019
Posted in Fiction, From the Heart: Poetry, FYA, Just Poems & Prayers, Love
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Part Three
(A short story by Steven R. Harrel)
Suddenly, as Tom’s fingers brush the old timepiece, Tom swoons and falls back into his chair. In his head, at what seemed something akin to a great distance, Tom hears a liquid voice, “You must be filled before she can be healed!” The voice echoed several times and then faded into his soul…
Nancy catches Tom before he falls out of the chair, “What’s the matter Thomas! Are you all right?”
Clutching the watch, Tom’s mind clears as he finds himself looking down at the old timepiece in a trembling hand. As if bitten Tom drops the watch on the table and backs away. “You didn’t hear that” Tom’s exclaims? Continue reading
29 Saturday Jun 2019
Posted in Fiction, From the Heart: Poetry, FYA, Just Poems & Prayers, Love
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(A short story by Steven R. Harrel)
“Oh my God! Oh my God, no!” Nancy’s cries stung as she buried herself in Tom’s chest. “What about my babies” Nancy wept? What are we going to do about my Shana and Danny?
Tom envelops his wife attempting to shield her from the world of pain. Deflated he turns pleading eyes on his friend. “There has to be something Freddy. There just has to be something we can do?”
“Not That I’m aware of Tom. There’s not even an experimental drug or treatment program available, and I’ve looked. Continue reading
