Sunday, June 27th, 2021. 12:44 AM.
Eileen and Mark in the Basement of
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 House — 116 Glen Road
Here I Am To Worship / The Call – Hillsong Worship – YouTube
A Mysterious Spiritual Supernatural Psychic Love Story
“And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” -Colossians 3:17. ESV Study Bible.
“Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.’ Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.”
“Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can these things be?’ Jesus answered him, “Are you the teacher of Israel and yet you do not understand these things? Truly, truly, I say to you, we speak of what we know, and bear witness to what we have seen, but you do not receive our testimony. If I have told you earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you heavenly things? No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.” -John 3:1-15. ESV Study Bible.
In May of 1974 Eileen and Mark had a domestic date in the basement of 116 Glen Road. There, Eileen taught Mark how to play chess. That was all they did in the basement that evening. They were 21 and 22 years old. And today is June 22nd, 2021. So, we see that some things have a way of coming around again – like those numbers 21 and 22; only things are different now; back then, 21 and 22 were about Eileen and Mark’s ages; now those numbers are about days and years – and we are even in a new century now. However, one thing, at least has remained: Mark’s love for Eileen – even 47 years later, Eileen is still in his heart and in his thoughts and in his writing and in his imaginings. This morning, he was imagining how that time in the basement with Eileen might become even more special. This is what he imagined:
Well, before telling what he imagined, he was having some thoughts this morning – June 22 – about the game they were playing in the basement: a board game with items or ”characters” such as Castles and Knights and Pawns and Kings and Queens. And that intrigued Mark. He was reminded of songs and legends by those chessboard “characters.” This was the first song that came to mind — about a knight speaking to a lady; and then singing a song from his heart – beginning with the lady and then turning and singing to everyone. As Jesus said: “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.” -Matthew 11:15. ESV Study Bible.
The impossible dream – Man of La Mancha – Brian Stokes Mitchell – 2003 – YouTube
And then he thought of this song:
IF YOU COULD READ MY MIND – (Gordon Lightfoot / Lyrics) – YouTube
And he imagined telling Eileen: “In my case, the feeling mentioned in Gordon Lightfoot’s song is not gone. It is still with me. It may be aging – but that aging may be a growing thing – a maturing thing – a refining thing – an enlightening thing – a deepening thing – even a tremendum – a word Eileen’s own mother used to describe a near-death experience she had once. Mark met Eileen’s mother at a supermarket in Blackstone, Massachusetts where he stopped for food on his way home from work in Northbridge, Massachusetts. And they spoke for a few minutes in the supermarket’s aisle. This chance meeting happened about 1980 – approximately 6 years after “the summer of ’74.”
And another thing, Eileen . . .
Well, maybe it’s time to write about what I imagined about that real-time experience of our date in the basement in 1974: This morning I was imagining an additional experience that occurred as we were playing chess that evening in May 1974. We had been playing for about a half hour and then you got to thinking or imagining or musing and finally you said, “Mark, I was just imagining us stopping this chess game – at least for a little while.”
Mark: “Why, Eileen?”
Eileen: “What if we went over to that couch over there against the wall and sat down together for a while?”
Mark: “What do you have in mind, Eileen?”
As they were still sitting facing each other at the table in the quiet basement, Eileen extended her hand to Mark over the chessboard and said, “Mark, would you take my hand into yours and rise with me and walk with me over to the couch?”
Without speaking a word, Love just motivated Mark to take Eileen’s hand into his; and he stood up as Eileen also stood up and they walked over to the couch. And Eileen sat down; so, Mark also sat down beside Eileen. “Now what, Eileen?”
Eileen said nothing and only sat quietly and waited. And in this quietness beside Eileen, Mark was just being attentive, too, and waited. And then, a feeling came into him. He wanted to put his arm around Eileen’s shoulders. So, he honestly confessed to her, “Eileen, may I put my arm around your shoulders as we sit here in the quietness?”
Eileen: “Yes, Mark.” So, Mark slowly and tentatively put his arm around Eileen for the very first time. And they continued to just sit there in quietness. And feelings were arising in Mark. And he didn’t know what to do. He felt the need to confess again to Eileen. “Eileen . . . I don’t know what to do but this experience of sitting here beside you with my arm around your shoulder is something very new to me. When we were playing chess . . . well that was just an intellectual kind of thing; but now, it’s becoming a more totally human experience involving all of me.”
Eileen: “Would you dance with me, Mark?”
Mark: “OK.” So, Eileen got up and walked to a phonograph against a wall to the right of the couch and selected a 45-rpm record of the song, “I’ll Never Find Another You,” by The Seekers; and turned on the phonograph.
The Seekers – I’ll Never Find Another You (HQ Stereo, 1964/’68) – YouTube
As the music began to play, Eileen walked to Mark and standing before him, she raised her hands and arms into position for dancing. And Mark stood up and put his hand into Eileen’s hand and his other hand on her hip and they began to dance slowly and quietly together. After the music stopped, Eileen walked to the phonograph and played another song, “When I Fall in Love,” by Nat King Cole. Then she walked back to Mark and said, “Shall we sit down again, Mark, and listen to this love song together, please?”
Mark: “Sure.” And so, Eileen and Mark sat down and just listened to the song together.
Nat King Cole – When I Fall In Love (with lyrics) – YouTube
Eileen: “Mark, I have a premonition about us.”
Mark: “What is your premonition about us, Eileen?”
Eileen: “It is this: we are going to enjoy a 3-and-one-half month “summer of ’74” romance and then it is going to end for a very long time. And then, in our later years this romance will resume as we finally reconnect again in accordance with our Lord God’s plan for us. Are you willing to submit to our Heavenly Father’s will and His love and His plan for us?”
Mark: “Yes, I am, Eileen.”
Eileen: “Are you willing to fall in love with me if I fall in love with you?”
Mark: “Yes, Eileen. I am willing.”
Eileen: “You will suffer much loneliness, Mark, as you wait for me to come back to you.”
Mark: “Yes, Eileen.”
Eileen: “You’re going to feel so lowly, Mark, that only God will be able rescue you.”
Harve Presnell They call the Wind Maria remastered – YouTube
Lee Marvin – Wand’rin Star (ReMastered Audio) (With Lyrics) (1969) (HD) – YouTube
Somewhere My Love – Andy Williams – YouTube
Do not forsake me, My Darling. (High Noon) – YouTube
A Chorus Line (1985) – What I Did for Love Scene (7/8) | Movieclips – YouTube
Only God Can Make a Man Like John Wayne
Jimmy Dean – Big Bad John (Lyrics) – YouTube
Bad, Bad Leroy Brown – YouTube
In Christ Alone | Celtic Worship ft. Steph Macleod – YouTube
Eileen’s anointed lips
In June of 2021, Mark remembered something about Eileen. During the summer of ’74, Eileen, who needed no makeup to look beautiful, once wore a pale pink lipstick. And when Mark noticed it on Eileen’s lips he imagined that it would make kissing Eileen more enjoyable – as if the lipstick would be as an oil anointing their kisses by enhancing the smoothness of their lips touching each other and sealing their love and affection.
A Whiter Shade of Pale (Procol Harum) 1967 with lyric – YouTube
Eileen, you touched my heart and my mind and my soul and my body so much . . .
God must be in this life and in this romance . . . for His Glory – if we follow Him
Mark 12:28-40. ESV Study Bible.
Mark 12:28-40 ESV – The Great Commandment – And one of the – Bible Gateway
Concerning following Him outside the camp
Hebrews 7-13 ESV – The Priestly Order of Melchizedek – For – Bible Gateway
“When Will I See You Again?” song
When Will I See You Again by Three Degrees – YouTube
Do not forsake me, My Darling. (High Noon) – YouTube
“What I Did for Love” a chorus line
A Chorus Line (1985) – What I Did for Love Scene (7/8) | Movieclips – YouTube
Hey . . . what was that line about Eileen’s anointed lips? What is that about?
Mark: “During the real life “summer of ’74 Eileen once had pale pink lipstick on her lips. Eileen is one of those who doesn’t ever need cosmetic accoutrements on her face. God made her so naturally beautiful that anything else any other add-ons were just unnecessary distractions to His Shekinah glory by His Spirit. But, anyway, one day Mark noticed her lips had pale pink lipstick on. And he had a feeling, an imagining, that kissing those lips of Eileen would be extra special – as if they were nicely oiled and like oiled parts just move together more comfortably and smoothly and just loverly. So, he wondered, “Wouldn’t it be loverly to kiss Eileen’s anointed lips?
“MY FAIR LADY”/”Wouldn’t It Be Loverly?” – AUDREY HEPBURN – YouTube
Those Numbers . . . 21 and 22 coming up, again . . .
Revelation 21-22 ESV – The New Heaven and the New Earth – Then – Bible Gateway
In the mid to late 1980s, I was at the library in Woonsocket. I had not seen Eileen in about 10 years. She had moved away; and gotten married and had a baby; and her marriage ended; and she moved back to Woonsocket. And I was standing at this huge dictionary that was on a pedestal in the center of the first floor of the library about to look up an unusual word in that dictionary. The word was soteriology. And Eileen suddenly appeared beside me and asked, “Mark, what are you doing?” And I turned from the dictionary and replied, “I’m looking up a word in the dictionary.” And in our brief conversation there, it came out that Eileen had been living in Rutland. And I said, “I thought it was Winthrop.” As I walked home later, I was thinking that word I was looking up at the time Eileen approached me and asked what I was doing, was very significant. The word has to do with salvation – the most important theme of all the Holy Scriptures. And I thought that God has Eileen’s salvation in His mind. And that He has us in His mind. And that I am to help Eileen in this matter of salvation by the grace of God through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
It was 4 years after “the summer of ‘74” ended that I became a believer in the Son of God – Jesus Christ – in 1978. Later, I wrote to Eileen and sent gospel tracts to her. She wrote back telling me not to send anymore “religious pamphlets” to her. Later, Eileen got married a second time. That marriage also may have ended. Eileen isn’t writing to me now. I still write to her. She texted me about 13 months ago to push her out of my mind and forget about her; but that was the same day she called me; and we had a nice conversation on the phone for about 25 minutes. And then, several hours later, Eileen texted me that it was nice to have talked with me on the phone; and that I was welcome to call her once in a while if I felt like talking. So, I texted back to her that I love her and I addressed her as “lady Eileen.” And then she texted me that I shouldn’t be thinking of her that way; and that I should reach out to other people and find friends; and she mentioned obsessive thinking and heresies and demonic something. And finally, she said she was signing-off and told me to have a nice life. And I wondered how things had changed so quickly. And I thought of a long letter I had written and sent to Eileen several weeks earlier. And I wondered if, perhaps, Eileen didn’t entirely like that letter. I recalled having mentioned something in that letter about something I had seen on Eileen’s Facebook page. It was a picture of Tom Brady and some words on the picture about “vengeance in this life or the next.” And I wrote in my letter that we human beings should leave vengeance to the LORD because it is written: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.” To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.” Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” -Romans 12:19-21. ESV Study Bible.
Eileen is in my heart; and the Lord God is keeping her there; so that I cannot push her out of my mind nor forget about her. He wants us to work out our differences through understanding each other in love and honesty. “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” -James 5:16. ESV Study Bible.
Love changes everything – YouTube
Gospel Tract – God’s Way of Salvation (John 3:16) – Moments With The Book (mwtb.org)
John 15 ESV – I Am the True Vine – “I am the true – Bible Gateway
Eileen is Irish
The Irish write beautiful music
And I’ve seen pictures of Ireland.
It is an island country
Ireland and Island rhyme.
There is an island in Rhode Island’s name.
Rhode means rose
A rose is a beautiful flower
Poetry Tract – The Rose – Moments With The Book (mwtb.org)
Mary Black, Emmylou Harris and Dolores Keane – Sonny (1991) – YouTube
The Bonnie Banks of Loch Lomond – Ella Roberts – YouTube
The Skye Boat Song – Ella Roberts – YouTube
REVIVAL IN BELFAST | Robin Mark [1999] [FULL DISC – HQ] – YouTube
Could there be a connection between waiting for the LORD and waiting for Eileen?
Jesus said that he is the light of the world.
And the name Eileen means light.
And Eileen rhymes with Jean
BOBBY GOLDSBORO – JEAN – YouTube
Killing Me Softly – Roberta Flack – with lyrics – YouTube
El Condor Pasa – Paul Simon & Garfunkel – YouTube
Simon & Garfunkel @ The 25th Anniversary Rock & Roll Hall 2009 – YouTube
Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 — Let me not to the marriage – YouTube
Explanation of Shakespeare’s Sonnet 116 – YouTube
Introduction to Sonnet 115 by William Shakespeare – YouTube
Colossians 1-4 ESV – Greeting – Paul, an apostle of Christ – Bible Gateway
Eileen and Mark in the Basement . . .
A basement of a house is at the lowest level where the foundation is laid.
There is a chapter in Holy Scripture concerning foundation.
1 Corinthians 3 ESV – Divisions in the Church – But I, – Bible Gateway
Gospel Tract – A More Perfect Union – Moments With The Book (mwtb.org)
Moody Blues – Nights in White Satin Lyrics – YouTube
“So Pilate entered his headquarters again and called Jesus and said to him, ‘Are you the King of the Jews?’ Jesus answered, “Do you say this of your own accord, or did others say it to you about me?” Pilate answered, ‘Am I a Jew? Your own nation and the chief priests have delivered you over to me. What have you done?’ Jesus answered, “My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world.” Then Pilate said to him, ‘So you are a king?’ Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world – to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” Pilate said to him, ‘What is truth?’ After he said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, ‘I find no guilt in him.’”
-John 18:33-38. ESV Study Bible.
John 14 ESV – I Am the Way, and the Truth, and the – Bible Gateway
Vinesong – Our God Reigns (Original Version w/ Lyrics) – YouTube
Revelation 17-22 ESV – The Great Prostitute and the Beast – Bible Gateway
This Kingdom | Hillsong (Featuring Darlene Zschech) – YouTube
Vinesong – Holy Spirit Move Me Now (Lyric Video) – YouTube
Gospel Tract – God’s Way of Salvation (John 3:16) – Moments With The Book (mwtb.org)
Romans 1-7 ESV – Greeting – Paul, a servant of Christ – Bible Gateway
Romans 8-16 ESV – Life in the Spirit – There is therefore – Bible Gateway
Changing the Subject
Concerning the Legalization of Abortion
Imagine rulers writing laws legalizing the murder of unborn human babies by the multi-millions; and legalizing payments to those who do such a heinous act; and also proscribing public prayer in public schools; and legalizing gender-change surgery; and legalizing gambling and state-sponsored lotteries; and sexual perversion?
Are they unable to understand that such things are a reproach to any nation?
The evil they believe in is unbelievable.
Psalm 2 ESV – The Reign of the LORD’s Anointed – Bible Gateway
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people.” -Proverbs 14:34. ESV Study Bible.
Proverbs 14-15 ESV – The wisest of women builds her house, – Bible Gateway
“Whoever oppresses the poor to increase his own wealth, or gives to the rich, will only come to poverty.” -Proverbs 22:16. ESV Study Bible.
Ephesians 6 ESV – Children and Parents – Children, obey – Bible Gateway
Young Goodman Brown (americanliterature.com)
Understanding “Young Goodman Brown,” Scene 1 – YouTube
Isaiah 14 ESV – The Restoration of Jacob – For the LORD – Bible Gateway
Robin Mark – Days of Elijah (Official Lyric Video) – YouTube
Isaiah 62-66 ESV – Zion’s Coming Salvation – For – Bible Gateway
“Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.” -Mark 1:14, 15. ESV Study Bible.
God Moves In A Mysterious Way – Lori Sealy – YouTube
June 26th, 2021 8:58 AM
Saturday Morning
Mark: “Eileen, it’s Saturday morning. Wake up, Eileen.” Eileen was fast asleep. Mark went into the kitchen and filled a watering pot with cold water and carried it to Sleeping Beauty in the bedroom.
Mark: “Eileen, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” [Ephesians 5:14b ESV Study Bible]. Eileen did not bat an eyelash as she continued in oblivious sleep.
Mark remembered the words of The LORD Jesus Christ to Nicodemus: “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” And, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” And, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” -The Gospel According to John Chapter Three. And he sprinkled Eileen’s sleeping face with water from the pot. Eileen just twitched her nose like Samantha the pretty witch who was bewitched and kept sleeping. Mark remembered that it takes more than water for a man to be born again. Jesus also said: “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. But there are some of you who do not believe. (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.” -John 6:63-65. ESV Study Bible. Then Mark knelt down beside the bed where Eileen was still sleeping soundly. And he cried out: Heavenly Father grant Eileen the faith of Jesus Christ that she may be born again and see and enter the kingdom of God and to know the power of Your indestructible and Eternal Life in Christ our Lord and Savior.
Eileen: Eileen awakened and felt the water all over her face. Then she saw Mark kneeling beside her bedside. “Mark, what are you doing? Why am I all wet?” Mark simply closed his eyes as he continued to kneel there. And he prayed . . . for Eileen to become awakened in her understanding . . . for the eyes of her understanding to open. Eileen was livid. She thought Mark was insane. Her natural spirit was raging mad. She wanted to kill this fool with his born again ideas; however, she did not want to go to jail for murder. What could she do? she wondered. She thought of lifting that watering pot and bashing his brains out. Then she turned and looked at Mark’s face as he was still kneeling beside her bedside with his eyes still closed in prayer. And she began to calm down in her natural spirit. She rested the back of her head on her pillow and she closed her eyes. And she took a deep breath and exhaled. And she did that again and again.
Eileen: “Mark, can you hear me?”
Mark opened his eyes. “Yes, Eileen?”
Eileen: “Why did you pour that water on my face as I was sleeping?”
Mark: “To wake you up, Eileen.”
Eileen: “Why did you want to wake me up? And why didn’t you just gently put your hand on my shoulder and give me a little shake to wake me?”
Mark: “More than your body and your mind need to awaken, Eileen.”
Eileen: “What do you mean, Mark?”
Mark: “You must be awakened spiritually.”
Eileen: “What does that mean?”
Mark: “Even Nicodemus, the teacher of the Jews, did not know what it meant; did not understand what Jesus was telling him.”
Eileen: “Then how can I understand what Jesus means about being born again by water and the Spirit?”
Mark: “It is by the grace of God through faith in the gospel that we are enabled to believe on Jesus Christ as Lord and are born again. It is written: “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” -Romans 10:17 ESV Study Bible.
Eileen: “Mark, do you remember the premonition I had in the basement the evening we played chess on Glen Road in May of 1974?”
Mark: “Yes, Eileen.”
Eileen: “Well, I’m having another premonition.”
Mark: “What is it, Eileen?”
Eileen: “Well, maybe premonition isn’t exactly the correct word for it; but, it’s an insight or discernment or understanding of why you poured that water on my face as I was sleeping.”
Mark: “And what discernment or insight and understanding has been given to you about the watering pot sprinkling, Eileen?”
Eileen: “Remember the parable of the sower sewing seeds along the path in the gospel according to Matthew?”
Mark: “Yes . . .”
Matthew 13 ESV – The Parable of the Sower – That same – Bible Gateway
Eileen: “Well, maybe your watering my face had something to do with the idea of seeds needing to be watered and cared for so that they may sprout. And, maybe, you are like a gardener in my life to help my garden to grow; I mean, to help my spiritual garden to produce good fruit. And believing that also helps me to see you in a better light – as a helper of mine for my own good. And that also helps to bless my heart with a better feeling for you, a loving feeling. And a sense of gratitude.”
Mark: “Eileen, what you just shared with me, your insight and discernment, reminds me of a Scripture.”
Eileen: “Which Scripture, Mark?”
Mark: “And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols.” -1 John 5:20, 21. ESV Study Bible.
Give Thanks – Don Moen with Lyrics – YouTube
Lord I Give You My Heart Hillsong – Song of Praise and Worship – YouTube
Romans 8-12 ESV – Life in the Spirit – There is therefore – Bible Gateway
Thursday, July 1st, 2021. 11:19 AM.
Eileen: “Do you recall any other Scriptures, Mark, that may be helpful to my understanding; so that we may see our situation in the light of Christ our Savior?”
Mark: “Yes, Eileen. Two other passages of Holy Scripture came to mind this morning.”
Eileen: “Would you kindly share them with me, Mark?”
“But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.” -Titus 3:4-7. ESV Study Bible.
“Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, because we are members of his body. Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.” -Ephesians 5:22-33. ESV Study Bible.
Mark's Imaginings 