'After Christmas' --- a poem

After Christmas

 The tinsel now is put away,

We’ve discarded all the holly,

now memories begin to fade

of those few brief days, so jolly.

The batteries in the children’s toys

Have died and lost their power;

The tree’s shed all its needles,

And the pot plant’s lost its flower.

We search to find some food to eat,

But the turkey seems so sad,

That piece of cheese we overlooked

Is dressed up … going bad.

We’ve all blown our diets

And loosened up our things,

Made New Year Resolutions

That we shall break by spring!

But wait … think for a moment

Of the reason it was there:

A child, born in a manger,

Empty, rude and bare.

He came as God’s great gift to man,

Eternity to save.

He’ll never fade or lose His power,

Nor shed the love of that precious hour.

In Him we’ll find the food to fill

Our hearts and minds, to do His will.

When trimmings are all packed and gone,

Still the message of the infant Son.

A message of Joy … a message of Love,

A gift to us from God above.

© 1998 : Colin Gordon-Farleigh 

A Very Happy, Blessed & Peaceful Christmas to all of my readers for 2012

May this Christmas be all that you wish for the person that you love the most, but may it be that way for everyone.

'O Holy Night' sung by Cantoris.

Check out this Advent song on Youtube. Please feel free to use it in your worship services or school assembly, but please report its use to CCLI. I wrote this a couple of years ago and since then it has been widely sung in services around the world.

Coalition Ministers don't care about their own children

The Coalition government Ministers in the UK don't care about their own children, so why would they care about yours. If they cared then they would vote in an automatic block on internet pornography to ensure that children would be denied the easy access which currently exists, and that porn sites could only be accessed by an 'opting in' process, with those opting to view online porn having to register to do so.

Children's Charities, Child Safety campaigners and huge numbers of parents back the idea, as do much of the media. Over 40% of parents responded to the Government's own consultation in favor of such a process but, as so often is the case, their views have been ignored.

In theory, politicians are elected to put forward the views of the electorate, but in practice they tend to generally ignore them, despite the empty promises and assurances that are offered when the time comes for re-election.

What is needed is true People Power!

Tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Connecticut

Says it all really, doesn't it. I know some will disagree, but if you make guns readily available then you put the means into evil hands. How many more of these tragedies must happen before the Gun Laws are changed?

In the aftermath of the terrible tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, will those in favour of the current gun laws in the USA consider tightening the Law up at all? I doubt it, yet the figures shown below speak volumes. If you allow pretty well anyone to own a gun then you permit them to use it as they want, even if that means committing a heinous crime like the one that has taken so many lives at Sandy Nook. There are many who might well consider that those responsible for the atrocity include the people who formulate the laws governing firearms, and thereby become culpable by association. 

There will be many emotions running high at this time, not least those who are incensed by any suggestion that the gun laws are too lax. All of the cliched arguments will no doubt be wheeled out once more, and we will be told that guns are not killers, it's the people who misuse them who are. Yet is it not true that guns are specifically for killing, despite the fact that many people use them for sport? 

Every nation is made up of a complete miscellany of characteristics amongst the population, and so if you arm the nation then you will discover many people who are unfit to be armed. The tragedy is that you invariably discover who they are in the most terrible and tragic manner.

Think today about the circumstances of every family who has lost someone in this tragedy, and of the community which will never forget their very own Black Friday. The scars will be carried by them all for the rest of their lives.

Sorry, America, but how many more tragic events will it take to bring about change in your gun laws?

Billy Keeble provides this morning's 'Music While You Work'

Yesterday I received Billy Keeble's latest CD, 'Just for You', which is what I'm listening to as I work this morning. It was a good day when I discovered this great Country Music singer, and now I can enjoy listening to him whenever I feel like it!
Check him out for yourself at http://www.billykeeble.com/

Jerzy F. Przybylski tells me that Christmas is coming to Wroclaw, Poland!

The Exposing of CAIR

The Washington Examiner story below (highlights added) reports the latest blow to CAIR, the Council on American-Islamic Relations.

Massive fraud, cover-up by CAIR exposed in federal lawsuit
http://www.examiner.com/article/massive-fraud-cover-up-by-cair-exposed-federal-lawsuit?cid=db_articles
BY: CHRISTOPHER COLLINS

Nihad Awad, CAIR Executive Director
November 26, 2012

Last Friday, the Law Offices of David Yerushalmi, P.C. and the American Freedom Law Center (AFLC) said that they filed a devastating legal brief supported by hundreds of pages of evidence, asking a federal judge to find the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) liable to five of its former clients for fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

In a release to the media today, AFLC stated:

“The legal brief demonstrates beyond any reasonable doubt that CAIR is a criminal organization that deceptively holds itself out to the public as the nation's largest Muslim-American civil rights organization."

"The brief and supporting evidence were filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia in two companion cases, Saiyed v. CAIR and Lopez v. CAIR, in which David Yerushalmi is lead counsel. The brief and supporting evidence overwhelmingly demonstrate that CAIR was involved in a massive criminal fraud and cover-up that injured numerous client-victims who had looked to CAIR for legal assistance, yet the CAIR "attorney" allegedly handling their cases was in fact not an attorney.”

Yerushalmi, who is also Co-Founder and Senior Counsel of AFLC, commented, "The evidence has long suggested that CAIR is an organization set up by the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas to further its aims of stealth Jihad in the United States," referring to the fact that CAIR was named by the federal government as an unindicted co-conspirator in the Holy Land Foundation terrorism financing trial.

"According to the facts that are carefully laid out in our legal brief and fully supported by the record evidence," Yerushalmi explained, "CAIR has engaged in a massive criminal fraud in which numerous CAIR clients have been victimized, and because of the CAIR cover-up many still don't realize it. The fact that CAIR has victimized Muslims and non-Muslims alike demonstrate that it is only looking out for itself and its ongoing efforts to bilk donors out of millions of dollars of charitable donations thinking they are supporting a legitimate organization."

AFLC went on to say that five former clients of CAIR filed the two lawsuits in federal court alleging common law and statutory fraud, breach of fiduciary duty, and intentional infliction of emotional distress against CAIR. These two lawsuits followed an earlier lawsuit which had also alleged that CAIR's fraudulent conduct amounted to racketeering, a federal RICO crime. In that case, the court dismissed the RICO counts, concluding that CAIR's conduct as alleged was fraudulent but not a technical violation of RICO. The two civil lawsuits were filed by Yerushalmi on January 6, 2010, and because they arise out of the same facts, the cases were consolidated.

AFLC stated, “The supporting evidence, which was compiled after more than a year and a half of contentious discovery that involved numerous document requests, motions to compel the production of documents that CAIR was concealing, and multiple depositions of high-ranking CAIR officials, shows that Morris Days, the "Resident Attorney" and "Civil Rights Manager" at the now defunct CAIR-MD/VA chapter in Herndon, Virginia, was in fact not an attorney and that he failed to provide legal services for clients who came to CAIR for legal representation.

The evidence also shows that CAIR knew of this fraud and purposefully conspired with Days to keep the CAIR clients from discovering that their legal matters were being mishandled or not handled at all. While Yerushalmi and AFLC represent the five plaintiffs in these two lawsuits, three of whom are Muslim Americans, according to CAIR's internal documents; there were many more victims of the CAIR fraud scheme.”

“As set forth in the court filings, CAIR knew or should have known that Days was not a lawyer when it hired him. But, like many organizations accused of wrongdoing, things got worse when CAIR officials were confronted with clear evidence of Days' fraudulent conduct. Rather than come clean and attempt to rectify past wrongs, CAIR conspired with Days to conceal and further the fraud. To this end, CAIR officials purposefully concealed the truth about Days from the clients, law enforcement, and the media. When CAIR did receive calls from irate clients about Days' failure to provide competent legal services, CAIR fraudulently deceived them about Days' relationship with CAIR, suggesting that he was never actually employed by CAIR.”

Robert Muise, co-counsel in the lawsuit and Co-Founder and Senior Counsel of AFLC, commented, "The overwhelming evidence marshaled in this case will finally put to rest the myth fabricated by CAIR's PR machine and perpetrated by a complicit media that this is a legitimate Muslim-American civil rights organization.”

“This lawsuit strips away CAIR's veil of legitimacy."

The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) and its sister organization, the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC), have been controversial over the years and recently were systematically involved in the 2012 presidential elections in getting American Muslims out to vote for President Obama in the swing states of Florida, Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Those states election results became controversial due to voter irregularities and allegations of voter fraud in favor of President Obama.

Siobhan Owen to sing in Wales soon!

What a wonderful opportunity for folk to hear such a great artist! This will be well worth travelling to see and hear.

Here is a taster from Siobhan Owen, singing 'Cariad' which is one of the songs on her outstanding CD 'Storybook Journey'

Eric Agnew sings 'Here Comes the Hurt Again'

What a terrific talent the late Eric Agnew had, and how much he's missed by all the folk who were fortunate enough to discover him and enjoy his music.

'Born to be a Soldier' sung by Gary Cordice

Congratulations to Gary Cordice on getting 674 views for this great song in just a few weeks. Let us try and get it up to 700 by the end of the day!

Grace Bawden sings 'If Only I Had Wings'

I've just been listening to the amazing Australian songstress Grace Bawden singing 'If Only I Had Wings' which was written by hit-making duo, Colin Gordon-Farleigh and Greg Scheer. 
What a fabulous version this is of such a beautiful song.
I hope you enjoy it!

Advent Hymn: 'To The Stable'

'Calon Lân' is a favourite Welsh hymn tune in chapels and churches across the land, and I wrote the words to this Advent hymn to the tune back in December 2006. It has proved a firm favourite with many folk since then.

I hope you will enjoy it and use it in your worship services this Advent time.

To the Stable 8787 
TUNE: Calon Lân

Hurry down to that small stable,
With star shining bright above,
See the infant in the manger,
Look on Him with eyes of love.
See the face of mother Mary,
Glowing softly in the light,
She has borne the Son of Heaven,
To the world this holy night.

In the fields the shepherds watching,
Heard the angel choir above;
Saw the star that shone so brightly,
Telling all of God’s great love.
Wise men from the east came quickly,
Worshipping the Christ-child there;
Bringing royal gifts a-plenty,
Gold and frankincense and myrrh.

From the darkness of that stable,
From the simple infant birth,
Came the glory of the Father,
Bringing light upon the earth.
Light that all the blind may see,
Light that shines from Christ alone,
Through the grace of God the Father
Can be ours to have and own.
© Colin Gordon-Farleigh, 2006

Israel, the Palestinians, and Hamas

Israel, the Palestinians, and Hamas
My encounter with a pro-Palestinian protester
by Guy Rodgers Executive Director
On September 11^th I was one of the speakers at a news conference and rally in Tampa, Florida. About 30 protesters showed up—a microcosm of the arrogance, ignorance, and anger so prevalent among rabid apologists for radical Islam. One of the young protesters was telling anyone who would listen that Israel was an illegitimate terrorist state and an occupier that was oppressing the Palestinians. I decided to wade in.

As several people looked on, I asked him, “Are you aware that in 1947 the United Nations passed a resolution that created the state of Israel?”  

To his credit, he calmed down and answered, “no, I wasn’t.”

I then asked him, “Are you aware that this same resolution, also called the ‘Partition Resolution,’ created a state for the Arab Palestinians?”

Again he answered, “no, I wasn’t.”

I then asked, “Are you aware that the Arab nations in the region rejected the Partition Resolution, which included a state for the Palestinians, and went to war against Israel in 1948?”

Once again, not surprisingly at this point, he answered, “no.”

I then concluded, “If the Arab nations had accepted the Partition Resolution there would today be a separate state for the Palestinians. Israel is not to blame for this failure and the ongoing propaganda effort aimed at Israel is based either in ignorance or willful deception. You would do well to study the history before throwing yourself into the pro-Palestinian cause.”

We discovered this same ignorance or whitewash of history during our review of 38 public school textbooks that culminated in the ACT! for America Education report titled “Education or Indoctrination? The Treatment of Islam in 6th through 12th Grade American Textbooks.”

The textbooks routinely omitted key, significant historical facts about the creation of Israel—facts without which it’s impossible to understand the nature of the conflict today.

Hamas and the Palestinian Authority refuse to officially recognize Israel’s right to exist. Hamas publicly calls for the destruction of Israel. How can a peace treaty ever be negotiated and honored in good faith by Hamas and the Palestinian Authority so long as they hold to these positions?

Israel is America’s one true, democratic ally in the Middle East. What’s more, it’s on the front line, the “canary in the coal mine,” in the global struggle to repel the threat of radical Islam.

This is why ACT! for America will continue to stand with and support Israel in its legal and rightful struggle to survive—including defending itself against Hamas and the rockets it has rained down on innocent Israeli civilians.

This is why we actively expose the Saudi money machine that has turned many of our colleges and universities into beachheads for rabid pro-Palestinian activism and militant Muslim Students Association chapters. This is why one of our objectives is revisions to public school textbooks so that students will read the true, factual 20th century history of the Middle East and Israel. And this is why we support whatever effort is necessary to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons. A nuclear-armed Iran, with its support of Hamas and its proxy army Hezbollah, is categorically unacceptable to Israel, unacceptable for future stability in the Middle East, unacceptable with respect to America’s national security, and unacceptable for world peace.

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ACT for America
P.O. Box 12765
Pensacola, FL 32591
www.actforamerica.org

ACT for America is an issues advocacy organization dedicated to effectively organizing and mobilizing the most powerful grassroots citizen action network in America, a grassroots network committed to informed and coordinated civic action that will lead to public policies that promote America’s national security and the defense of American democratic values against the assault of radical Islam. We are only as strong as our supporters, and your volunteer and financial support is essential to our success. Thank you for helping us make America safer and more secure. 

A Hymn for Advent: 'Guiding Star'

Here is a simple Advent song which is well-suited to All-Age-Worship. I hope you like it and will include it in your forthcoming Advent celebration services.

Guiding Star   5556
TUNE: Starlight

May the guiding star
Lead us all the way;
To the stable bare,
Where baby Jesus lay.

See it brightly glow
In the midnight sky;
God has let us know
His love in manger lie.

Brilliant and bright,
In the sky above,
Telling of God’s Light,
It tells us of God’s love.

Children all around,
Praise the Lord today;
For God’s guiding star
Has led them all the way. 
© 2010 : Colin Gordon-Farleigh

Slim Whitman sings 'The Valley of Tears'

I have been a Slim Whitman fan for about 55 years, and had the pleasure and privilege of seeing him perform at his very last UK concert in Norwich, England, a few years ago.

Outlaw Radio has a large collection of hard to find, out of print songs in its library. All songs are original recordings. And this is just one of them. If there is a song that you have been looking for and have yet to find, send me a request cause there is a chance that I have it. Thanks,
Snoop Diddy
Program Director at Outlaw Radio.

'Working Man' sung by Andy Martin

Here's a great iconic song sung by Andy Martin, who renders what I consider to be one of the best performances of this great song that I have ever heard.

Autumn Days

Happy Thanksgiving Day!

I hope that you all have a great time over the holiday period.

May your day be richly blessed.

Slim Whitman sings "So Close to Heaven"

Here's a beautiful song from the master yodeller, Slim Whitman. I've been a fan of Slim's since I was about 14 years old, and his voice has given me such a lot of pleasure over the years. What an amazing talent! I cannot understand what is taken those in authority so long to elect Slim to the Country Music Hall of Fame. After all these years and all of his hits, coupled with a massive following around the world, what more proof is needed of his eligibility?

Israeli Occupation of Arab Land?

Quotes for Thanksgiving Day

Next Thursday, 22nd November, is Thanksgiving Day, and I shall be thinking of all of my friends who will be celebrating the occasion and enjoying a great holiday time. 

We should always give thanks. It's God's will, and it's really good for us. Here are a couple of quotes that you might find useful as you give thanks on the day:

"I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder." ~ G.K. Chesterton

"If the only prayer you said in your whole life was, 'thank you,' that would suffice." ~ Meister Eckhart

“A sensible thanksgiving for mercies received is a mighty prayer in the Spirit of God. It prevails with Him unspeakably.” ~ John Bunyan

“A thankful heart cannot be cynical.” ~ A.W. Tozer

"Gratitude as a discipline involves a conscious choice. I can choose to be grateful even when my emotions and feelings are still steeped in hurt and resentment. It is amazing how many occasions present themselves in which I can choose gratitude instead of a complaint. I can choose to be grateful when I am criticized, even when my heart still responds in bitterness. I can choose to speak about goodness and beauty, even when my inner eye still looks for someone to accuse or something to call ugly." ~ Henri Nouwen

"When we were children we were grateful to those who filled our stockings at Christmas time.  Why are we not grateful to God for filling our stockings with legs?"  ~ G.K. Chesterton

“The careless soul receives the Father's gifts as if it were a way things had of dropping into his hand yet is he ever complaining, as if someone were accountable for the checks which meet him at every turn. For the good that comes to him, he gives no thanks—who is there to thank? At the disappointments that befall him he grumbles—there must be someone to blame!” ~ George MacDonoald

"I thank Thee first because I was never robbed before; second, because although they took my purse they did not take my life; third, although they took my all, it was not much; and fourth, because it was I who was robbed and not I who robbed." ~ Matthew Henry

"Receive every day as a resurrection from death, as a new enjoyment of life; meet every rising sun with such sentiments of God's goodness, as if you had seen it, and all things, new-created upon your account: and under the sense of so great a blessing, let your joyful heart praise and magnify so good and glorious a Creator."  ~ William Law

“Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.” ~ Paul, the Apostle: I Thessalonians 5: 16–18

"We pray for the big things and forget to give thanks for the ordinary, small (and yet really not small) gifts. How can God entrust great things to one who will not thankfully receive from Him the little things?" ~ Dietrich Bonhoeffer

Amazing Clouds

Nature is truly amazing, and these photographs help to prove the point. The photo above shows the rare cloud formation is known as a 'Skypunch.'  

Cumulonimbus or Thunderhead Cloud 

Thunderstorm Rainbow in Alberta, Canada.

Gospel Hymn: 'Standing Room Only'

Standing Room Only
TUNE: Glory

There’s standing room only in Heaven,
As the whole world worships the King;
In glory, with all sins forgiven,
Their worshipful praises they sing!
And Satan’s lost his pow’r,
No more the earth to rule;
He’s lost his grip on man,
He only plays the fool!

Sing worship and praises to Jesus,
As you stand in the light of the Son;
In glory, with your sins forgiven,
The battle now finally won!
And Satan’s lost his pow’r,  . . .

By God’s grace you have your salvation,
Redeemed by the blood of the Lamb;
Restored and completely forgiven,
Join angels to praise great ‘I AM’!
And Satan’s lost his pow’r,  . . .

There’s standing room only in Heaven,
Join the throng that worships the King;
In glory, with your sins forgiven,
Let your praise and worship loud ring!
And Satan’s lost his pow’r,  . . .
© 2007 : Colin Gordon-Farleigh 

Chuck Longmayne sings 'We All Need Our Heroes'

Check out the Youtube video of this great Country song by Chuck Longmayne. Just like the title of the song says, we all need our heroes.

Shirley Lange sings 'Lead Me Back Home'

Here is a great Christian song written by Canadian songwriter Jacqueline Kellock and sung by Shirley Lange. The album was produced by John Thiel in Horizon Studios, Alberta. You can purchase and download it from CD Baby, iTunes and Amazon.

'Vieille Femme africaine': Un poème de la Collection africaine

Vieille Femme Africaine

Dans le miroir de l'arrière-vue je vous vois;
votre réflexion silencieuse
lentement passant derrière ma voiture.
Les os temps-usés de votre corps
chiffon-enveloppé,
penchant, et légèrement faussé
par âge et expérience:
la colonne vertébrale a voûté, grotesquement,
le cou a tiré vers le bas
par la suspension émoussé claire
du crucifix du cuivre,
suspendu par sa chaîne lourde.
Mobilité constante,
battre
sur vos poitrines vides,
sucé sec de leur vitalité
par les lèvres sans fin, passionnées.
Votre stable, battre la démarche
un pense-bête vague de votre
retrait distant, fier.
© 2006: Colin Gordon-Farleigh
Du livre 'Fragments de Monde', a publié par Publications de la Voix, 2006

'Old African Woman' : A poem from the African Collection

Old African Woman

In the rear-view mirror I see you;

your silent reflection

slowly passing behind my car.

The time-worn bones of your body

rag-wrapped,

bent, and slightly warped

by age and experience:

spine hunched, grotesquely,

neck pulled downward

by the dull-bright hanging

of the brass crucifix,

suspended by its heavy chain.

Constant mobility,

beating

on your empty breasts,

sucked dry of their vitality

by endless, eager lips.

Your steady, shuffling gait

a vague reminder of your

distant, proud withdrawal.

© 2006 : Colin Gordon-Farleigh

From the book Fragments of Earth, published by Voice Publications, 2006

'Help Me' : A new Hymn for Today

Help Me    LM

TUNE: Melcombe

When I’m afraid and lost from sight,

Help me to face the darkest night:

Lord, hold my hand within Your own,

Teach me Your ways, till I’m full-grown.

If I should stumble on my way,

Help me to see the breaking day;

When life appears as one long night,

Show me Your everlasting Light.

Help me, O Lord, to understand,

To live the life that You have planned;

To walk within Your sacred ways,

To know the joy of saving grace.

Help me O Lord, yes, even me,

That I from every sin might flee;

Then, with my life on earth complete,

Help me to worship at Your feet.

© 2006 : Colin Gordon-Farleigh

'Born to be a Soldier' sung by Gary Cordice, is released today by Sheer Joy Music

Today is the day! 'Born to be a Soldier' is a great song, written and sung by Gary Cordice is officially released by Sheer Joy Music.  
Gary says of this song:

"The song was originally written for a musical I had been writing for a while looking at colonial conflicts in the Caribbean involving British soldiers during the reign of King George the Third, but then later on reflection having been a member of the TA Royal Green Jackets and then later with the Royal Signals it naturally lent itself to being a song that would pay tribute to all serving soldiers both home and abroad. In a larger sense we meet soldier’s everyday. I watched my mother and father work tirelessly to raise us eight children relentlessly, other single parents raising up their children on their own, people who still hope when it seems all hope is gone, the platoon leader determined to get his men home safe. Life is full of challenges and it’s the determined, the consistent, the weak who won’t give in, the strong who know how to sacrifice. It’s about the soldier in all of us that is not ready to sleep."

Please help to notch up the Youtube hits by going to http://youtu.be/YCkNUDDkq7M as this will introduce the song to a much wider audience.

Sales of the song will help Military Charities.

Jim Whitman - Sings 'Don't Make Me Go To Bed and I'll Be Good'

Country Music star, Jim Whitman, sings this beautiful song and does it justice, which is just what we have all come to expect from this great star.