And for the one that's in my heart!

And for the one that's in my heart!
By Jon Slone





What do you see when you look at your Christmas tree? Is it just, something pretty to look at? Possibly something you put up because, that's what everybody else does?
What does the tree do for you? What does it remind you of? Does it do anything else besides make your house look more radiant and inviting and festive?

Does the Christmas tree still hold its wonder and magic like when you were a kid?


For me personally, I've been wanting more from mine as of late! Sure, I remember how special it was when I was a child. But lately, maybe I haven't noticed much more than that.

This is what God has shown me recently:

Galatians 6:14

As for me, God forbid that I should boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ!



I've always told people that, sure, I'm excited that Christ was born in a manger and all........but I'm much more excited about what He did at Calvary!!!

Calvary gets my juices flowing! Calvary is who I am! Calvary is why I can keep on going! My, what-to-brag-about! Calvary is a slam-dunk in the game of life! My hope, my faith, my future and where my life is hidden.........right there on calvary!

God, pinned down upon a tree, is the best thing that ever happened to me!!

His ineffable sacrifice is my, something pretty to look at! My wonder, my indescribable gift-card!

My everything is built on Calvary and hidden in Christ!



Colossians 2:14 says that, He canceled the record that contained the charges against us! He destroyed it by nailing it to the cross! God disarmed the evil rulers and authorities! He shamed them publicly by His victory over them on the cross of Christ!


What do you see when you look at your Christmas tree?


This is what I see:

I see a place where it was finished! I see a place where life truly begins! I see a place where busted-up and broken-down sinners like me, can find that water that never makes you thirst again!

Who knew that, one unsightly tree on one craggy hill could be so important?

But it is!


That one, blood-stained moment in time is the greatest thing that ever happened to planet earth!
In the prodigious book of life, Calvary would be the best chapter! According to Galatians 6, the only thing in the universe worth boasting about!

And here's the wild part, a token of that marvelous, best-night-ever,is propped up in my house right now!


So, to that I say:


"Thank you Father for the tree that's in my living room and for the one that's in my heart!"


Merry Christmas!



Jon Big HE little me Slone

And That's Pretty Darn Awesome!

And That’s Pretty Darn Awesome!
By Jon Slone










I’m here today, I’m gone tomorrow!
An eighty year span, to God, is a cough!
I get to the end and it’s just the beginning!
I’ve gone a long way yet I’m just starting off!
I feel pretty sure, just to find out I’m bluffin’!
It’s all a dark glass,
A faith-flooded riddle!
I’m smart when it is that I know I know nuthin’!
A puny little pot with a crack down the middle!

I’m undersized, I’m inconsequential!
Yet Jesus left heaven and He died on a tree!
There on the cross while I was still sinning,
My mind can’t fathom this deed done for me!

I sure can’t wait to cry on His toes,
And wipe up the tears with my rough facial-frizz!
Heaven forbid that I boast in the slightest!
Except for the fact that I know that I'm His!

And that’s pretty darn awesome!




"I revel in my nothingness!"
Press on, Pray on, Preach on!
Jon Big HE little me Slone

Specks!

Specks!
By Jon Slone





I thought I was more like the size of Horton,
Or maybe Big Bird or possibly Grover.

Today I found out
I'm the speck on the neck
Of a Who living down on that clover!



Did you think you were the Elephant too?!

Sorry, we're the specks!


God's specks that is!




"I revel in my nothingness!"
Press on, Pray on, Preach on!
Jon Big HE little me Slone

I Revel In My Nothingness!

I Revel In My Nothingness!
By Jon Slone






I’m as small as a crumb that’s living on a speck
That’s cleft to an atom!
A nothing clearly!
But before our planet was a single day old
God knew who I was and He loved me dearly!

I didn’t create that Lavender sunrise,
The one with the peach and tangerine clouds!
I’m floored by faith and this thing called love!
It was Jesus not Jon who healed the crowds!

I didn’t make trees, I just scribble on paper!
I wasn’t around when He hung the first Star!
I didn’t give birth to The Milky Way!
I didn’t even make the Hershey Bar!



I Revel In My Nothingness!


Press on, Pray on, Preach on!
Jon Big HE little me Slone

Answers 2 Philippians Two (FLS #1)

Answers 2 Philippians Two (FLS #1)
By Jon Slone





It says in Philippians 2:1…

“Is there any encouragement from belonging to Christ? Any comfort from His love?”



Let me get that one for ya…….YES!


Are you kidding, the answer is me on top of Pulpit Rock in Norway screaming, “YEEESSSSSSSS!”


From time to time, I’ll give you some FLS’S! You know, in response to the scripture above. We’ll call this segment, “Answers 2 Philippians Two!”
Here’s your FLS for today:



Psalm 139:3-6 NLT

You chart the path ahead of me and tell me where to stop and rest.
Every moment you know where I am.
You know what I am going to say even before I say it, LORD.
You both precede and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
Too great for me to know!


AMEN!


This is one of my favorite scriptures! I love the part where He says that, “Down the rutted and treacherous path of life, I am both, in front of you and in back of you!” That’s just a lumpy-loaf of yum-yum no matter how you slice it!
I love how awesome DAD is! How big and spectacular and incapable of being bullied He is!!!

My sheepness is pointed out beautifully here. That I need a path charted for me. That someone needs to tell me when to stop and rest.....that I need protection on all sides of me!

This is a fetching scripture denoting how small we are, and how big God really is!



Enjoy your FLS for the day! FLS is, “Face-Lift-Scripture!”








“I revel in my nothingness!”
Press on, Pray on, Preach on!
Jon Big HE little me Slone

Sausage Gravy!

Sausage Gravy
By Jon Slone






An ugly tie
A suit that was navy.
And lots and lots
Of sausage gravy!

A tin of fudge.
No Fudge, for real!
Why, any tin was a sweetmeat meal!
And cookies so warm they would make you squeal!
And heaps and heaps
Of sausage gravy!

The living room was a paper sea!
Lapping up against the tree!
A swell of tags and tape debris.
And six shirt boxes addressed to me!
And tons and tons
Of sausage gravy!

A big bay window with drum sets and more!
With snow cone machines and Lite Brite’s galore!
And Star Wars figures were never a bore!
So Star Wars boodle would all wash ashore!
And out of the sky, why, the board games would pour!
And loads and loads
Of sausage gravy.

Loads and lots and heaps and maybe…
Mounds and piles of paper wavy!
Giants-ah-plenty
With me, the baby.
And lots and lots
Of sausage gravy!





These were my memories as a child at Christmas! Everything was done huge in my family, including the people! Around the kitchen table there were huge chin-wags, along with massive amounts of thunderous laughter. I remember huge naps, big eat-fests, monstrous amounts of singing, movie-viewing, game-playing, confection-consumption and yes, lots and lots of sausage gravy!


“I revel in my nothingness!”
Press on, Pray on, Preach on!
Jon BigHElittleme Slone

Which Side Are You On?

Which Side Are You On?
By Jon Slone





Quiz Question: When Jesus died on the cross, how many more were up there on crosses with him? Let me guess what you’re thinking, two right? One on either side of Him?

In a still and quiet moment with God, He revealed a different answer to me.

He spoke this to my soul:

“Everybody is up there!”

Did you catch that?

I'll say it again.

Every human being who has ever breathed and had a heartbeat is on that hill and nailed to a cross! The thing is, like the two criminals, we are either on His left or His right! We all fall into two groups represented perfectly by two rugged crosses.

Remember the story?

One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself-and us, too, while you’re at it!”
But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you are dying? We deserve to die for our evil deeds, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”
And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”
Luke 23:39-43 NLT


On one side of the crucified savior, are those that don’t believe in God. Not even when they are dying!

On the other side, is a small group of sinners, dead in their trespasses, with eyes fixed on the majesty and glory of the one true God. And It’s on this side of Skull Rock, where the ragamuffins know, all too well, that the answer to life is it’s very author, Jesus Christ! Everyone on this cross pleads, “I deserve death for the evils that I’ve done! You, on the other hand, have done nothing wrong yet here you are, dying for me so that I might live!" This contrite cluster beckons, “Please, remember me Jesus!”

What a sight it must have been for the thief who knew just exactly what he was looking at!


Can we all say the same thing?!


Let me ask you this:
When you look at Jesus, God’s only son, Our Lord and Savior, perfect in all ways, the God of all flesh! (Jeremiah 32:27) The one who could hold earth in the palm of His hand like it was a blue marble,....Are you turning away from Him, mocking Him, even unto death?! Or are you on the other side? The less popular side that embraces him like a long-lost child wrapped around his father’s ankles?

Like the two criminals, it comes down to two sides, and two choices.

Left or right?

For or against?

Dead or alive?

Heaven or Hell?


The question is, Which side are you on?



"I revel in my Nothingness!"
Press on, Pray on, Preach on!
Jon BigHElittleme Slone

Showin' Off!

Showin' Off
By Jon Slone








My favorite thing to snack on is my daughter's right ear.
And I love how she lives her life in fifth gear!

Her heart is as pure as a newfangled dove.
And her legs are like playthings for parents in love!

A blessing!
A present!
A pretty perfect prize...

When she points to my nose and she says the word, "eyes!"

She's cute when she's carping
Or fresh off a cough.

And her smile....well, that's just the Lord showin' off!




This is for the little girl that love's to sit in her Dad's lap and listen to iTunes for hours perched upon hours.


"I revel in my nothingness!"
Press on, Pray on, Preach on!
Jon BigHElittleme Slone

Wonder Twin Powers, Activate!

Wonder Twin powers, Activate
By Jon Slone




Do you guys remember the Wonder Twins? What was up with that? They would hit fists with one another and say, "Wonder twin powers, activate!"
Then the girl would turn into a gorilla or a Lamborghini or something super important to the mission. And the guy would, "Form a bucket of water!"

HUH?

A bucket of water?

Really?

That was the best he could do?

I mean, what about a bucket of acid? Or a bucket of those cookies you get at a chinese resturant? Or maybe a bucket of horse apples or those paper pieces that they throw on you at a Harlem Globetrotter's basketball game?

Wow, imagine Zan at Show and Tell!

"Hey kids, I can turn into a bucket of water! Wanna see me do it?"

Cricket...Cricket...


"I revel in my Nothingness!"
Press on, Pray on, Preach on!
Jon BigHElittleme Slone

Blue Carpet Bed

Blue Carpet Bed
By Jon Slone


Back in the mid 70’s, I lived with my grandparents on Garden Springs Drive! To date, that house of theirs holds the majority of my fondest memories as a child!

So of course I had my own bedroom. But for actually sleeping, these quarters of mine were weighed and found entirely insufficient! Here’s what I did. Late at night, when everyone was asleep, I would tip-toe out of my bedroom and into my Grandparents room. There, on the short-haired, nappy-looking 1970’s blue carpet, I would curl up in a ball and peacefully go nite-nite! Sometimes I would even crawl up under their bed!

Yes, you heard me correctly. I would indeed, sleep underneath their bed!

Now, my grandfather was 6’5” and weighed upwards of 300 pounds! Plus, you throw in one grandmother and what have you got?! The recipe for some kind of freakish, bed-breaking, kid-killing accident!

The reason I went in there every night was because of my grandfather. I loved that man so much it hurt! He made me feel safe and protected from all of my nefarious bugbears and nocturnal whim whams!

He was the only person in my life who balanced unbridled love with stringent discipline! I knew that he loved me immeasurably! But I also knew that if I got out of line, he’d be sending me out on a switch hunt lickety-split!

Regardless of that fact, from 1974 to 1978, my grandfather's blue carpet bed was the cat’s pajamas for a scared little kid on Garden Springs Drive.


Side Note: currently, I can be found slumbering on top of a king-size bed that towers high above some carpet that’s not blue.



"I revel in my nothingness!"
Press on, pray on, preach on!
Jon BigHElittleme Slone

Welcome to Star Wars! May I take your order please?!
By Jon Slone





Ion Cannons
Tusken Raiders.
An Asteroid Field
And two Darth Vaders!

Of course The Force!
That thing was a beast!
And Grand Moff Tarkin.
I liked him the least!

The Dagobah System
The glacial Hoth System!
Heck, I guess just throw-in every System!

The Millennium Falcon and Han's frozen face.
And two goofy droids way out there in space!

Some Carbonite freezing and Death Star Reactors.
Lightsabers
Stormtroopers
Trash Compactors!

All of the Actors
Producers and Writers.
And Chewys and Yodas and X-Wing Fighters!

And Jabba the Hut! But before the guy chokes!
Some Imperial Walkers and two diet Cokes!


May the Real Force be with you this Christmas season!


"I revel in my nothingness!"
Press on, pray on, preach on!
Jon BigHElittleme Slone

Puddles

Puddles
By Jon Slone



Her crazy-wild tresses
Her chubby little cheeks!
Her squishy-plump legs
I could play with for weeks!

She likes to break crayons
She likes to blow kisses!
She's tall like the Dad
And she eats like the Missus!

She's an artist in the bath-tub
And gorgeous in garbs!
She hates all her veggies and loves all her carbs!

She's sharp as a pin-point
And quiet as a mouse.
And she loves to be chased as she lopes through the house!

She's totally super!
A professional pooper!
A full-time giggler!
A treasure and a trooper!

Her mug is so marvelous!
My noodle, it muddles!
And when my girl smiles,
She melts me to puddles!

I'm tellin' you now, she like melts me to puddles!


That is for you MacKenzie, my 20 month old Gookuhloosh!

Life before Mack was like a 32 ounce glass of unsweetened tea. When Mack was born, it was like God added the suger! She makes everything sweeter!!! Thank you DAD!!!

Once again, a gift I don't deserve!

Til next time,
I revel in my nothingness!
Press on, pray on, preach on!
Jon BigHElittleme Slone

P.S. She probably eats more like Dad......Love you honey!!!

A Romans Eight: Pick-Me-Up

We all go through hard times! Life on earth is cruel, hardships are plenty, Jesus is free, but faith is hard! Trials and tests seem to way us down while the world trys to mischief us something awful! We Christians trudge a slender and arduous road! Our goal is a narrow door. Our surroundings are dark and twisted. The villian is a monster. And our lamp is an indescribable gift!

We have to remember that this life is but a 2 minute stroll on the practice field. And that the other, more, perfect and pain-free "real game" hasn't even started yet.

As chattering clay vessels in His nail-scarred hands, some of us are waterfalls and wardrobes. Others are warblers, whatchamacallits and waste-baskets! Be that as it may, one thing is for certain......we're all busted-up,crack-riddled and desperately needing the Father's love and encouragment!

So here's the deal-pickle! I was having one of those, crack-riddled and busted-up days not too long ago when I delightfully happened upon Romans, chapter eight, whilst tucked away in a daily quiet time. What the Heavenly Father revealed to me
was a bit of that, "Thirst-no-more" "Water-for-your-weary-souls" kinda stuff!! The consummate, pick-me-up if you will."

In Romans eight, Jesus says that, "the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words!"
That God has given us right standing with himself. And that, not only did Jesus die for our sins and jump up three days later, defeating sin, satan and the grave, But that He is also, "sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us!"

Are you kidding me?

Hello!

Depression gone! Tough times, see you later! My feet just became a little more sure-footed and my load just got a little bit lighter!!

The three most important people ever (The Comforter, Dad, and Dad's kid) are bending over backwards for me!

And you!

But why me and why you?

We don't deserve it, no way, no how! But there you have it! Groaning for us, dying for us, pleading for us and "Right-standing" for us!!

These words and more will always be responsible for gasing up the "Pep-in-my-step!"


Thank you Jesus for being the best thing that ever happened to me! My ultimate hiding place! My redeemer! My All-in-All!


Til next time,
"I revel in my nothingness!"
Press on, pray on, preach on!
Much love!!!
Jon BIGHElittleme Slone

Greetings Everyone!

Greetings everyone!










My name is Jon Slone. I am a Story Inventor, Devoted Ketchup Enthusiast and Avid Member of the GoodGrape Society (Promethean Division). This is my first forray into blogging. So this blog will be succinct! Over the next year or so, I will be talking about Jesus Christ, sniffing toilet-paper and eggs on toast! Deep subjects such as bathroom-vent traquility, 8-track players and sleeping under your grandparent's bed on some short-haired 1970's blue carpet. For those that don't know me, I am not well and my words are sick! I am a professional writer and illustrator and I walk very small-like next to a perfect Savior! So, in closing, how many of you out there, agree with me that CHICAGO is the greatest band ever! (If you want to get meticulous, I am especially referring to the 1969 through 1978 Chicago.)
Some of their songs were 9 minute face-melts, displaying their ineffible love for making top-shelf music. Others were pop pieces of ear-candy waiting for us to twist-off the crunchy Yum-wrappers! As a child of the 70's, I mainly grew up with this album of them, holding on for dear life! I loved the creativity of the cover design. That, on the front, they were seemingly on the cusp of death! Yet on the back, you found out that they were infact, only a few feet off the ground! Cool-as-mess!

Peter, Terry and Bobby . . . they sure knew how to bring-it vocally!

'Til next time!
Press on, pray on, preach on!
Jon BigHElittleme Slone

P.S. If you get a chance, check out my book, "Riggleberry Bloke and other silly whatknots". I'm on iTunes, facebook and Youtube! The book will change your life and make you die-laughing at the same time!
39% guaranteed!