Higher Thought

By William Rybolt

We are prompted by Holy Writ to ponder and think about things that are true, honest, lovely, and virtuous. Higher Thought is an attempt by the writer to consider many of life issues from a wholesome perspective. Written in an unusual manner, each question is considered in a prologue and then considered again in verse. Author William Rybolts writings range from contemplating higher thought to testing to the Prodigal Son. They cover a range of emotions, from humorous to serious to challenging. Rybolt ignites fresh and productive thoughts in the minds of his readers as he addresses the numerous issues of life in this unique and thought-provoking manner.

A Lasting Tribute

We honor those who live in fame
Give reverence to those who earn acclaim
Celebrate those of great repute
And dignify those who have been astute

We proudly erect edifices to remember a name
Build statues to edify those who share great gain
With monuments observe men of great thought
Fashion a model for bravery fought

However we choose to compliment
To recognize one whose life has been spent
What ever the mode or the artifact
Time will treat carelessly our commemorative act

That memento of steel or erection of stone
With passing of time will fall on its own
Hopelessly destined forgotten forever
Remembered by few and perhaps even never

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Jan 18, 2012
• ISBN: 9781466903579

William Rybolt

William Rybolt, Author of several books and numerous writings, again brings a unique perspective to the issues of life, this time through poetic prose. Writing with a novel sense of instinct, Mr. Rybolt chooses to provoke thought while at the same time entertaining the reader. A cursory review of this composition will cause one to understand why his works enjoy such widespread circulation.

Book preview

Contents

Dedication

Prologue

Higher Thought

Stream of Life

When Rescue Begins

The Fork in the Road

Untroubled Bubble

Rags Riches to Rags

The Latch Inside

Profile in Perseverance

Triumph of Light

Petals of Promise

A Lasting Tribute

A Lesson in Virtue

A Servant’s Folly

Mindless Movement

’til All Be Made Free

Buried Treasure

Course of Challenge

From Villain to Valor

Parable of the Tenth

His World

The Light of the World

Faith Under Fire

Opportunity in Disguise

Memories Mountain

Tears of the Night

Nature Reborn

Too Busy

A Vessel of Honor

Misjudged

Unique in God’s Image

Fabric of Faith

Nature’s Praise

Truth Tested

Handshake of Honor

Riffraff Redeemed

A Birthright Eternal

Temptations Gate

The Prodigal Son

Commissioned

Never Ashamed

Curiously, Cowardly, Quietly, Convicted

Posture of Prayer

Changing Grace

Repressed Praise

Down a Dusty Road

Inside the Veil

Carnal Nature

Be Born Again

Opposing Natures

How Many Lambs

Much Better than Angels

Sealed with the Ring

Sowing and Reaping

A Peace of the Rock

Here Comes the Bride

To Know Real Blessing

Fate of the Fool

Narrow is the Gate

Perilous Rejection

Tale of Two Brothers

Gone Astray

It is Finished

Regret and Lament

Element of Nature

Concrete Canyon

The Pig that Backslid

The Crippled Cantor

Warm in the Wrong Place

Wrinkled but Twinkled

Stable Able Horse Harry

Sibling Rivalry

Friend Frog

Endless Flight

The Wizard of Ooze

Merry Medicine

Proportionately Packaged

Me

Dialectic Deficiency

Rhetoric Resolute

Space by the Window

Victors in Death

Pathway to Joy

My Epitaph

Dedication

Over mountain tops and through the valleys, through countless trials and a tank full of tears, in moments of laughter and endless joys, I shall never forget those who befriended me as I learned the lessons of life God had ordained just for me. To numerous are those who often and without even knowing, have been instruments in God’s hands to teach me much of what I now write about. Most interesting to me as I think on life’s journey, how much I have also learned from those who would look upon me with disdain.

I have for a lifetime been a tacit student of human behavior. With tight lip and straight face I have observed much. It has been friend and foe alike who now enriches that which I write about. Thanks to all who have unknowingly made their contributions

All quotes enclosed in this publication are so identified by quotation marks. All scripture references are from the King James Version of the Bible.

Prologue

We are prompted by Holy writ to think on those things that are true, honest, just, pure, lovely, and of good report. Unfortunately we live in a world where we are bombarded by distractions of every sort. At times it is most difficult, if not impossible, to think past the surface of life’s issues and into the chasms of genuine thought. Though there are numerous issues considered in Higher Thought, some amusing, some humorous, many serious and challenging, it is not the issue itself that deserves consideration as much as is the necessity to raise ones level of thought.

Each piece of poetry included in this collection was written by me, the author of this manuscript. It is my hope that the reader does not get caught up in the rhyme or rhythm of each line, but will rather become immersed in the thought and the message being conveyed.

Higher Thought, although written with a certain bent to entertain, is designed to cause one to not only think, but to ponder the more virtuous of thoughts. Lessons of life learned by the author have been discreetly woven into the pages of this book. Those lessons have formed a forum from which I write.

Also, it has been my intent to write with clarity. It was Galen who wrote, The chief merit of language is clearness. I well remember those school days when the literary arts instructor would ask her students to read a line or a thought from the pen of some author, then each would be asked to interpret the supposed message. It was always amusing to me how each student had a different interpretation or perhaps none at all. It would be pompous for me to think that my writings would ever be worthy of classroom review. Perhaps that is why I have written numerous poems for this publication and then spelled out in separate prologue exactly what I have said. In many cases I have not only made clear the message I desired to convey, but have given some history and motive for the writing.

And then, as I have created each word and thought to most clearly express the intended message, I have sought Divine wisdom and insight knowing that we are created for the sole purpose of bringing good pleasure to the God of all creation. I trust these writings will bring such honor to our Heavenly Father while at the same time ministering timeless truths to those who read Higher Thought.

Higher Thought

We live in a world frequented by distraction. The Villain often is the disruptions caused by the sounds about us. Such dissonance can drown out the voice of reason and Higher Thought. There are times when we tire of the clutter of the mundane and aspire to elevate our minds to new levels of thought. It is at that point we are ready to retreat to that place, become secluded where we can ponder the more judicious and discriminating issues of life. A place where our meditations will be unrestrained. When we sequester ourselves in that place, it is easier to free ourselves from baser thoughts, minds not driven by carnal desires and images that would distract.

Our prayer always should be: Lord let me be moved to that higher plain where, with a mind unfettered, I am free to think more clearly, gain fresh and new concepts, then with Divine inspiration go out to conquer a world previously unknown to me.

Whatsoever things are pure, lovely, of good report, think on these things.

Higher Thought

When I would soar a higher plain

Above the clutter and the mundane

Where judicious foresight with grace abounds

Where clarity reigns and discernment compounds

That place attentive and diligent

Where with rapt fixation my hours are spent

Undistracted by the bewildering, the bane

To know meditation without restrain

That place where wholesome thoughts confined

Not by baser nature or carnal mind

But by higher reason and plausible cause

Rational motive without error or flaws

Thought not founded on sensation

The tawdry, dramatic or exaggeration

But with basis of logic, wisdom and prudence

Wisely considered with much diligence

Let me be moved to that higher plain

Where unfettered with clarity, new concepts I claim

There viewing new thought I’ve now been shown

Divinely inspired to conquer a world unknown

Stream of Life

How refreshing it is to take leisure at the side of a mountain stream, enjoy the resonance of trickling water, inspect the purity and freshness and the peaceful manner of its ebb and flow. Few things in life are more inviting.

How disappointing it is to return to the same site only to find the water has been seriously violated. At once you know that somewhere between the streams origin and where you are, something has caused contamination, leaving the water murky and tainted. It could be for many reasons; blemish is the result. Perhaps a dead animal carcass found its way into the stream. A fallen branch may be stirring up mud and debris. Whatever the cause, the wholesome appearance of the water is no longer.

And such it is with life. We are blessed with the joys and simple pleasures of this life. Peace is our portion. We emulate the mountain stream in its fresh and clean appearance. But then something comes to violate our peace and our pleasure. Perhaps it is anger, malice, jealousy, or strife. As long as such issues clutter our lives, we will be like the polluted stream reflecting impurity.

Just like the mountain stream the violator must be exiled before the Stream of Life can again be pure, gentle, and mild.

He turneth wilderness into standing water and dry ground to water springs

Stream of Life

Refreshing is the sparkling stream

From mountain high it flows so clean

Now to the valley a meandering brook

Still pure and fresh with inane look.

It resonates in ebb and flow

A mirrored peace in manner slow

Assuring all who pass it by

Its source unblemished there on high

Then purity impervious to change

Now turns spotted, murky, tainted and strange

Something leaves the water wanting

Its imperfection now makes it daunting.

Its brilliance now is violated

Marred and smudged, contaminated

Intruder of our natural beauty

That claims your peace, robs so completely

And so we live our lives enjoying

Each day successfully with crowning,

Blessing, joys and simple pleasure

Wholesome and pure with fullest measure

Like sparkling stream with emulation

Refreshed are we with all creation

Filled with peace, divine content

Rich in spirit as God had meant.

Then like the brook its source once pure

Life now is blemished, clouded, unsure

What violates the flow of life

Anger, malice, jealousy, strife.

Now like the stream life’s source polluted

Transgressor now must be uprooted

For somewhere "Tween the source so chaste

Comes that intruder desecrating with haste

Remove at once from ebb and flow

Return the sparkle, energy and glow

For when violator has been exiled

Life’s stream once more pure, gentle and mild.

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When Rescue Begins

With great hubris it is in the spirit of man to think he can by his own will elevate and mediate his own success. With even greater error and over estimation, our egotism would have us to believe that we can rescue ourselves by our selves from impending doom.

As long as we are willing to grapple with the treacherous elements about us that threaten our very existence, we forfeit the opportunity for rescue. When we truly become aware that no one or nothing about us can help us, and that in our own wisdom and might we are powerless and impotent to affect rescue, only then can rescue begin. For it is truly difficult, if not impossible to rescue that one who chooses to struggle on his own. When we will to be rescued only then is rescue possible by the Creator God, who longingly desires to save each of us.

Often we pray our God would come to the rescue of a friend. Sometimes we even become frustrated wondering why God doesn’t answer. It is then we must remember that God is in our midst waiting to rescue. He is not ignoring our desperate pleas. He is only waiting for that one in need to concede. Only then is rescue possible.

At the end of man’s extremity waits God’s possibilities.

When Rescue Begins

Succumbing to the power of a current swift

Made lone and exhausted by its deadly drift

In panic his demise does fear

Attempts for rescue seem nowhere near

His cries for help will go unheeded

As over again loud calls repeated

A swimmer moves away from shore

As death moves in to close the door

Still he grapples in treacherous brink

Unable to swim unwilling to sink

One gasp of breath one final cry

Aware at last his time to die

Onshore on lookers do amass

Hysteria grows as moments pass

For there is one within their midst

Strong and able to assist

With great urging the throng does plead

Please help this one in his moment of need

It seems he ignores their desperate plea

As if unaware a man lost at sea