Straight From The Hart

The issue of eminent domain has come into play again among the presidential candidates. As I listen to the various debates and interviews, there seems to be much confusion over the distinction made between whether the property to be taken is to be used for the private benefit of the person taking same, or whether the property under consideration is needed for public use. I have noticed that the Democrat candidates have not mentioned the issue and I have read in my research that controversies over the right of eminent domain seem to be more in the “domain” of the Republican party. Be that as it may, again I am not writing to uphold or put down any candidate, but just to give you some more information as you do your own research to come to your own conclusions. This is the second article I have written on the subject, and I am focusing on the issue of eminent domain as it stands in the State of Missouri. The Castle Coalition, a nationwide grassroots property activism project by the...

Confessions Of A Linguaphile There’s nothing more diverse than people The things they cherish, that turn them on The things they collect and want to “keeple” Their treasure stashed when day is done. Some like their cars, matchbox, antique Old and battered or shiny and sleek. They polish and buff them then drive them around Taking pleasure in gear shift and motors that sound. Some delight in dishes, with patterns that match And vases and pitchers, or just one of a batch. Some collect ducks, or elephants, or pigs Some look for paintings to enhance their “digs”. But for me, I love words, How they sound, how they rhyme, How they roll off my tongue, Absolutely sublime. Like abstruse and duende, oppugn, fancify, Prodigious and resile, cachinnate,and belie, Vademecum and bedizen, coterminous too Fugacious, inexorable, and then derring-do. I could go on forever for there’s no stopping place, Tapetum is a bright spot on a cat’s pretty face. I’m a logolept and prob...

I have attended church Christmas programs for nigh on to sixty-five years. I”m older than that but wasn’t taken to church until I was in grade school. However, once I started the habit of attending church every week, I never stopped until my health issues became so bad I couldn’t go. Christmas programs were always pretty much the same, because the churches we attended were fairly small congregations. There were no fancy choirs with satiny robes, no magnificent organs, no brass ensembles. But there was always a piano and sometimes a guitar. The program usually started with everybody singing “Joy To The World” and very few singers would have known who Handel was even if they had noticed his name at the top of the music in the hymn book. Throughout the program we would sing “It Came Upon A Midnight Clear” and “O Come Let Us Adore Him” and other favorite carols. “O Little Town of Bethlehem” was usually used as the call to prayer because of the beautiful lyric “O Holy C...

My column from today's paper. President Obama’s speech on Sunday night elicited a plethora of responses running the gamut from highly critical to enthusiastic approval. We are a nation in crisis, and Presidents have historically called forth the best from the citizenry in times like these. A crisis is an event that occurs suddenly, heightens tensions, induces stress, and when occuring in a political environment where stakes are high, there may be little time to decide, with decision-makers under intense pressure to perform in an atmosphere of uncertainty. According to U.S. History.org, “The Constitutional power as "Commander in Chief" has evolved into the very important modern role of "crisis manager." In the 20th century, as the United States gained world leadership powers, the President has become a key player in international crises. In the case of war or even regional conflicts, the President must go into "emergency mode" and concentrate on ...

Years ago Art Linkletter wrote a best selling book entitled “Kids Say The Darndest Things”. I’ve thought about that this week, except that I am tweaking his title for my column this week to read that “Politicians Say The Dumbest Things”. Let’s start at the top of the chain. The president made a statement this week that those men and women who are recruited for ISIS are “disaffected individuals”. Disaffected? The word means someone who is resentful of authority, dissatisfied with their government. When taken in the context of the rest of the president’s speech that day, I see why it is so easy for him to dismiss them. He does not see them as evil butchers of fellow human beings, but just as resentful people who will eventually grow up and settle down and we just need to give them time to sow their wild oats, so to speak. Maybe help them out financially to bolster their self esteem. Speaking to more reporters on Thursday the President said “The idea that somehow (Syrian ...

Here's a fairly recent one, written just a year ago. I definitely seem to favor the Fall season as a poetry theme when you look through my whole portfolio. The Painter of The Leaves He’s the God of all Creation He’s the maker of the rain His voice resounds like thunder His touch relieves our pain. His strength renews us daily He clothes us with His love The seasons are HIs wardrobe From heaven’s closets above His music created by songbirds The pattern of life He weaves But most of all He's an artist The Painter of the leaves. He chooses HIs colors carefully And from HIs palette retrieves The reds and golds of autumn He’s the Painter of the leaves When October turns into November And the doubter wants to believe It always helps to remember That He’s the Painter of the leaves. And should we ever wander And our spirit starts to grieve When life has lost its color He’s still the Painter of the leaves. Written by Joan Rowden Hart October 31, 2014

Here is a poem I wrote 8 years ago and it turned out to be rather prescient. At the time I was a pastor and wrote this poem for my people. Now I am rarely able even to go to church and I hope others have me on their prayer list. THE CHURCH'S PRAYER LIST I see your name each Sunday on the prayer list; I know your pain seems more than you can bear; I wonder if you know how much we miss you; How very much we wish you could be there. I tuck the Sunday prayer list in my Bible. I check it every day before I pray. It’s hard sometimes to understand God’s workings Especially when things don’t go our way. But He is in control, He never leaves us; He’s promised to sustain us all our days; And as you’ve testified, He keeps His promise And in the midst of pain you sing His praise. So as I pray for you MY faith grows stronger; It’s in God’s plan that we should bring your need Into the throne room of His gracious presence As at His feet we bow and humbly plead. That we woul...