Rick Crane

Tourists viewing the New York City skyline from the top of the recently completed Empire State Building, 1931.

“I see you have some pizza…..care to share a bit? I’m waiting.” -Daisy Doodle

“It is the time to seek the LORD.” ~Hosea 10:12 The month of April is said to derive its name from the Latin verb aperio, which means to open, because all the buds and blossoms are now opening, and we have arrived at the gates of the flowery season. Reader, if you are not yet saved, may your heart, in keeping with the universal awakening of nature, be opened to receive the Lord. Every blossoming flower warns you that it is time to seek the Lord; do not be out of tune with nature, but let your heart bud and bloom with holy desires. If you tell me that the warm blood of youth leaps in your veins, then I entreat you, give your vigor to the Lord. It was my unspeakable happiness to be called in early youth, and I am thankful to the Lord every day for that. Salvation is priceless, let it come when it may, but oh, an early salvation has a double value in it. Young men and women, since you may die before you reach your prime, “It is the time to seek the Lord.” You who feel the first signs of decay, quicken your pace: That chest pain, that biopsy report, are warnings that you must not trifle with; with you it is definitely time to seek the Lord. Did I observe a little gray, a little thinning in your hair? Years are flying by, and death is drawing nearer by the day; let each return of spring arouse you to set your house in order. Dear reader, if you are now advanced in years, let me entreat and implore you to delay no longer. There is a day of grace for you now—be thankful for that—but it is a limited season and grows shorter every time the clock ticks. Here in the silence of your room, on this first night of another month, I speak to you as best I can by paper and ink, and from my inmost soul, as God’s servant, I lay before you this warning, “It is the time to seek the Lord.” Do not make light of this; it may be your last call from destruction, the final syllable from the lip of grace. ~C.H. Spurgeon

I like to save my snacks and eat everyone else's.

“The Lord is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?” Psalms 27:1

Getting my first workout in today since the issues with my leg a couple weeks ago. (Other than walking, etc). Thank you Lord. 🙏🏼🤍

California’s only nuclear plant, Diablo Canyon, just won approval to stay open until 2045. It was scheduled to shut down in August 2025. Now it will keep delivering clean, reliable electricity for 4 million Californians for another 20 years. In 2022, I spoke at an American Nuclear Society event when Diablo Canyon’s closure seemed inevitable. The mood in the room was pure resignation. I asked the audience: “How did we convince ourselves it’s easier to shut down a safe, operating nuclear plant that employs thousands of people… and replace it with renewables plus batteries… than to simply keep it running?” Several people came up to me afterward and said they’d never thought about it that way. That’s what happens when a narrative takes over: we stop seeing the obvious truth right in front of us. But the days of insanity and delusion about the reality of our energy needs is over. Long live sanity! Long live Diablo Canyon!

He shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. ~Isaiah 53:10 Ask God to fulfill this promise quickly, all you who love the Lord. It is easy work to pray when our desires are fixed and established on God's own promise. How can He who gave the word refuse to keep it? Immutable truth cannot demean itself by a lie, and eternal faithfulness cannot degrade itself by neglect. God must bless His Son; His covenant binds Him to it. The Spirit prompts us to ask for Jesus what God the Father decrees to give Him. Whenever you are praying for the kingdom of Christ, let your eyes behold the dawning of the blessed day that draws near, when the Crucified will receive His coronation in the place where men rejected Him. Take courage, you who prayerfully work for Christ with only scant success—it will not always be this way; better times are ahead. Your eyes cannot see the wonderful future: borrow the telescope of faith; wipe the misty breath of your doubts from the viewfinder; look through it and behold the coming glory. Reader, let us ask, do you make this your constant prayer? Remember that the same Christ who tells us to say, “Give us each day our daily bread,” first gave us this petition, “Hallowed be your name; your kingdom come; your will be done in earth as it is in heaven.” Do not let your prayers be all about your own sins, your own desires, your own imperfections, your own trials, but let them climb the starry ladder and get up to Christ Himself, and then as you draw near to the blood-sprinkled mercy-seat, offer this prayer continually: “Lord, extend the kingdom of Your dear Son.” When you fervently present such a petition, it will elevate the spirit of all your devotions. Make sure that you prove the sincerity of your prayer by working to promote the Lord’s glory. ~C.H. Spurgeon

Fifth Grade science projects were about to be due, and I thought to myself “if I can just find a way to make this project look as aesthetically pleasing as possible then I will earn a good grade.” Not only did it earn me a good grade, it got entered into a contest where it won third place. That board had all beauty, no substance. That board would’ve gotten a F with God. The Most High doesn’t get struck by beauty, He looks straight to the heart. You can’t spray expensive perfume on something to hide from the fact that it’s mediocre. Righteousness must be true. 1 Samuel 16:7 NKJV 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”

He was pierced… yet He stayed. He was mocked… yet He loved. He carried the cross that should have been ours and became the Lamb that took our place. This wasn’t weakness this was perfect, relentless, sacrificial love. Because of Him, your past is forgiven, your shame is covered, and your future is redeemed. Never forget what it cost… and never doubt what you’re worth. ✝️

Really warming up around our house on Lake Ontario. My wife told me that Victoria (14 yrs old) earned a $400 pay-check from working a few days over march break. Today she was making lesson plans for her coaching. It's good to see her heart beginning to heal after Liam's death.