The Master Bridge Builder by kelly miller

We’re as explorers and travelers.

Who’re to pass o’er steep precipices.

Yet, below, there’s turbulent waters.

And none have prior experiences.

But, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

Is proven as Supreme Architect.

His cables are saddled and not spliced.(1)

And His anchors suspend well the great deck.(2)

He’s built three bridges for you and me.

And we must cross them to journey home.

They will save us from our sins, for free.

Here He shines light bright so we’d not long roam.

What are these bridges the Savior built?

He, the first to pass- Obedience.

As temptations of winds blow, the cables tilt.(3)

Till a still small voice is heard- “Get Thee hence!”

The next bridge is loaded heavily.

So, tall its towers and deep its piers.

There we can act as one heavenly

Heard are calls for Service for each that nears.

The next bridge, the angels must bear up.

For on there lie the Prayers for us sent.

And the blood shed is inside a cup.

Here we can stay ’till our days are all spent.

-based on a talk by President Monson (T-o-m-m-y M-o-n-s-o-n)

1 At the top of the towers each cable passes over a cable saddle. At the cable saddle the cable transfers the load from the cables to the tower.

2 Large anchors, or anchorages, at both ends of the bridge act as counter weights that hold the ends of the main cables. The anchorages are normally either a mass of concrete or solid rock. In the anchorage, the cables splay into separate strands to distribute the tension load evenly and safely.

3 Because they are relatively light and flexible, suspension bridges are all susceptible to wind. They vibrate and move, both vertically (up and down) and laterally (sideways). The challenge for the bridge engineer is to keep this motion within safe limits.

http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/TNBhistory/Machine/machine1.htm