Enter His Gates

Le Tete (The Prophet) 2006

acrylic and collage on canvas 20w x 20"h

The Hodari Foundation

Lets see,...oh yeah,

I was driving my new truck into the city for Sonya's Sunday Edition of The New York Times.

For me the drive is worth it..to get the Times Magazine crossword puzzle.

Brutha cain't jus' walk down the corner for a Sunday Edition of The New York Times in OKC...

...ya' gotta git in a car and drive,

20 minutes west on the Interstate at 75mph, through acres of deer cover and new housing developments still going up. Driving beneath beautiful displays of American might and the jet roar of AWAC's and Bombers flying overhead like albatrosses and black daggers. Taking off, then slowly circling and landing again, with precision and skill at Tinker Air Force Base.

Cruising at 60, a straight shot, slight curving and dip along I-40 past David Stanley Dodge, Hudiburg Chevrolet, Midwest City "Home of The Bombers" and The village of Del City. More car dealerships and the approach into the eastern edge of the City and the confluence of highway. The burgeoning riverfront, the Boathouse, A mound rising from the earth. Bricktown. Bank and energy towers like fortresses over the renaissance of Downtown. I got a spot right at the door of Taylor's Newsstand and Bookstore, told myself I would buy the first book that I picked up..(Sonya had been playing The Secret dvd while on the treadmill.)

Charles Stanley, Enter His Gates, A Daily Devotional.

"hmmm...I guess that's the one."

I grab a copy of Barron's, The Times, waxpoetics No.32 with Sly Stone on the cover, and Hope Meadows, Real-Life Stories of Healing and Caring from an Inspiring Community, by Wes Smith.

I showed the woman behind the counter a copy of Wrestling With Angels and

she says, "when you get that published we'd love to sell it."

This morning I'm reading the Introduction to Dr. Stanley's book. "In John's vision of the New Jerusalem, the Holy City had twelve gates of pearl--three on each of it's four sides:

She had a great high wall with twelve gates and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel

three gates on the east,three gates on the north, three gates on the south and three gates on the west.The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass. (Rev. 21-13, 21)

Dr. Stanley writes,

God has set before us twelve months of the coming year. these months are precious gateways to spiritual growth and development. each month during this year, we will strengthen a different spiritual gate.

JANUARY devotions concern the New Gate (Jer.36:10), which speaks of making a fresh start, setting goals, and preparing for challenges ahead.

Can a pick 'em? maybe you didn't hear what I jus' said..

I said,..Can I pick 'em, baby?...or what?!