Poems, Personal Stories, and Observations

Archive for the ‘Poems’ Category

A Thousand Ways

Your Love is told a thousand ways
As steady we traverse our days.
The fact that we exist is one,
And then the Father, Spirit, Son.

Each new green leaf, each tender stalk,
Each fragrant flower, as we do walk.
A tender touch, a kindly smile,
The one who says, “Come stay a while.”

Forgiving words and peaceful pardons,
Sustaining waters, grace-filled gardens.
Creation sings; Your love song rings.
The stars, the skies, let praises rise.

Majestic mountains, roiling streams,
Icy fountains, bright sunbeams.
And darkness too, can give You glory —
More brightly shines the candle’s story.

A thousand ways let hearts explore.
Your Love still gives a thousand more.

Category:

Christian, Creation, Jesus, love, Nature, Poems

Tagged with:

Come Walk with Me

“Come walk with me”, the Savior said
“Leave earthly cares behind
Leave all that comes twixt you and me
The sin and worry bind”

His heart was aching with such pain
He saw men struggle, strive in vain
When in His hand He held all things
The peace, the joy, that His love brings

He said, “You must the silence keep
The quietness, the inner deep
Close every door and go inside
To you My love I will confide”

“Each day go to the inner door
And listen as I speak, and more.
My inner peace I will impart
And make a fountain in your heart”

All men will one day bow the knee
To Him who hung upon a tree
‘Till then let us be well content
In silence, a true sacrament

Category:

Christian, Jesus, Poems

Tagged with:

This Ship I Travel

This ship I travel, on treach’rous sea
I often wished that I could flee

I did not choose this ship of life —
Of sin, of sorrow; sadness, strife

I felt alone, though many traveled;
In darkest ignorance my life unraveled

But now and then a Light would shine
And slowly came the gift divine

I am not here for self alone
My purpose through the darkness shone

And as this ship sails on or stalls
With others do I meet life’s squalls

And I have met an Unseen Friend;
His Presence here do not contend

And if I may but save one soul
From falling, jumping in the sea

My soul will thrill, my heart will sing
‘Tis purpose done; ’tis destiny

Category:

Christian, Hope, Poems

Tagged with:

Gift of Silence

The tawny hills with golden flecks
The summer’s air, the wilderness
The lazy buzzing of the bees
The grass that tickles calloused knees
The welcomeness of gentle breeze

All these and more my heart do swell
And then my soul says, “It is well”

The wilderness a sacrament
The vibrant stillness infinite
The wind that rustles in the trees
It seems that time will never cease

A window opens to a place
Which weary soul can now embrace
The gift of silence like to gold
My heart will ever, always hold

Category:

Creation, Nature, Poems, Spiritual

Tagged with:

Missing Men

Missing men and absent abbas,
Deadbeat dads and passive papas,
Men who have gone off to fight,
Men who seem to be off site,
Men who sit and read the news,
While their kids are so confused.

Men who don’t know how to be men,
‘Cause their dad was missing when …
As they grew up, there was an absence
In body, spirit, or emotional lapses.

God, our Father, we pray to thee:
Fill the gaps we cannot see.
Help the men who never learned
For family, wife, to be concerned.

Who might not know to show respect
To women — sometimes they in fact reject
The ones who dare to have a mind;
Some men have not learned to be kind.

Don’t get me wrong, the ones who fight —
The rough guys, tough guys, they’re all right.
I only hope they will include
Some kindness in the interlude.

Yes, dear men, you have a role
To care for wife and children’s soul.
And like us women who too have flaws,
To see God’s plan we must give pause.

Category:

Christian, Commentary, family, Poems

Tagged with:

Cruisin’ the Interstate

Lemons, tomatoes
Brimming over in trucks.
Big 16-wheelers
Between which we’re stuck.

Windmill propellers
Sixty feet long.
Convoy of army trucks;
Young men looking strong.

Low-riding race cars
Police were escorting.
Garlic aromas
And cattle all lowing.

Tall tandem bicycles
Built for a scream.
Cruisin’ on the highway
Was it a dream?

(2011)

Category:

Humor, Personal story, Poems

Tagged with:

The Proud One

My life is perfect;
I have no fears.
No qualms or worries,
No sighs, no tears.

While others fret
And have their crises,
I do not care;
I do my own thing.

I did it all
With my own sweat.
No help from others,
With no regret.

I don’t need God;
He’s for the weak.
My own glory
Do I seek.

But there’s one thing
I must admit.
It’s kind of lonely
Where I sit.

Category:

Poems

Tagged with:

The Redwood

The redwood took
Two hundred years
To get so tall.

It took so long,
No one could tell
That it was strong.

Meanwhile,
The flowers around,
They were so proud.

But, their beauty great
Was quick to fade:
It was too late.

And still the redwood,
It did grow,
Though it was slow.

And now, the flowers,
They are gone,
But the redwood lives.

Category:

Poems

Tagged with:

A Different Road

So happy for you
That you’ve found your way,
But while I’m still waiting,
I hope that you can say,
“Take courage, be strong.
It may be short, it may be long.
Don’t lose heart, make a new start
Every day.”

While you smile in triumph
Don’t forget the ones
Who still have a long way to go.
They got late to the show;
They didn’t know the things you knew
When you were young.

For some, one step
Takes tremendous strength,
While you have already run the race,
Or you’re near the end.
Of course, it takes grace.

Don’t let me wallow in self-pity.
My gifts may be different than yours,
But still God-given.
Please just recognize
That to win the prize
It’s a different road for each person.

But I must thank you
For who you are.
Although it’s painful to see
Someone who’s always ahead of me,
How else could I grow?
Thanks for taking the time
To share your wisdom sublime.

Category:

Christian, Hope, Poems

Tagged with:

Life Goes On

Life goes on, life goes on
Even when you thought it gone,
Even when you tried so hard
To shut it out and want it done.

It has a way of oozing out,
To make you cry,
To make you shout —
Life goes on.

I wonder if I really tried
To fully live and not to hide —
I wonder if I laughed and cried,
Would life go on?

If people knew my inner thoughts,
Would life go on?
If sometimes I would just express
Some tenderness,
Would it embarrass?

If honestly I said my piece,
And calmly thoughts I did release
With love, respect,
But would it still
Cause some regrets?

Does anybody want the truth?
Or would they rather have deceit?
Would they want to sugar coat
And keep our friendship on remote?

And even I
Might tell a lie
When fear is crouching
At my door.

But while there’s life there’s hope;
It’s not a joke.

Category:

Hope, Poems

Tagged with: