Feeling Old

May has been a rough month....My oldest son graduated from nursing school. My oldest daughter got married and my twins each moved away from home for the summer. I certainly understand that those events are not all equal in importance or affect, but they were  biggies all the same.

I have been trying to write all month long...but the words and the emotions were a touch too raw. I was finally able to break through just a couple of days ago and this poem was the result. I am sure that there will be more to come...

and so here is the first.

Daddy’s and Daughters

I held you

In my arms

Blue eyes, blond curls

And laughter

We danced

You stood

On my feet

A smile

A mile wide

We danced

An open floor

Surrounded

By family and friends

In your wedding dress

We danced

The years

Took you away

Buy my heart

Holds you forever

And we dance.

I think I wrote this one after watching an episode of "The Twilight Zone." I'm not sure I could recommend reading it, but it's in the stack so it goes on here.....

Don't read if depressed...

Regression

Endless seas wash away

Timeless places.

Memories are haunted by

Loves never forgotten tears.

Meteors spreading in never-ending paths,

Clouds disappearing

But never to die.

Water’s reflections

Tell us no lies.

Man is a mortal thing

Always returning to his beginning –

Dust.

Did You notice I was away?

I've been away for a little bit....did you notice?

Gone But Not Forgotten

I saw you in my dreams.

Your smile undimmed,

No tears had yet

Crossed your cheeks,

Your eyes bright with life.

I wonder where you are now,

So many years gone by.

Has sorrow bowed you?

Does laughter still fill

Your heart?

I miss you

And what I felt

In your presence.

My hope is that

You still know joy,

That your heart still smiles.

Thinking About the Unthinkable

Sometimes as I watch others go through times of great struggle and loss I try to imagine what might be going through their hearts and minds. This is one of those moments.

Farewell

He stood alone

Having rushed the others away

It was time for him

To say goobye

She was taken

Away too soon

The battle all too brief

Leaving time only to grieve

Removing his coat

Casting aside the tie

The first shovel

Releasing his heartache

Sweat soon

Mixed with tears

And a man who never cried

Buried the best part of himself. 

Jan. 2014

Not Good...But Kinda Funny

Ok...I admit it. This poem is NOT very good. But it is kinda funny and does accurately reflect my feelings during some of my classes...at every level of my education.

So, here it is...

Just Another Monday Class

Here I sit in class

With Dr. Jim.

It’s hard to stay awake

While listening to him.

Around the bush

We constantly beat.

But the rabbit we’ll never catch

In fact, it’s a dead heat

I’ve taken no notes

But wasted lots of paper,

Drawing many doodles

While he tells

Of another  caper.

I don’t want to say

Dr. Jim is a bore,

But what I’d really like to do

Is run screaming out the door.

Confessions of a Wounded Soul

Being a pastor is hard. I know that only a few of my colleagues would make that admission, but after more than 30 years in the ministry I'm not afraid to admit that. I love the church and have given my entire adult life to its nurture and growth. Unlike some, I have not and will never give up on the church...but I sometimes wonder if I have the strength to finish the course.

This week's offering from the stack reflect's this one man's struggle to stay the course.

A Servant’s Lament

When did my joy

Slip away?

Was it in the shuffling

Of papers,

The ringing of the phone?

Or the million minute details?

When did your voice

Get drowned out?

Was it in the caustic

Casual remarks?

Or the meeting after meeting

After meeting?

Where did I

Lose sight of you?

Was it in the hospital

Or the nursing home

Or the thousands of

Encouragement visits

With faithless flocks?

I love the church,

The body of Christ

But it demands a massive

Price

But that doesn’t matter

I love it so...

So I press on.

Hear my cry

Give me strength

Give me sight

Help me keep pressing

On through the night.

2012 

When All of Life is Worship

I have been a follower of Christ (yes, I'm a Christian!) since I was 10 years old. I have always loved worship.There's something special in the gathering of the people of God. I grow excited when I think of heaven and the worship that will take place there...a worship with a scope and power that I can only imagine.

But that doesn't stop me from trying....

Offering

What words can describe

Your glory.

That glory from which

Sin and darkness

Hide.

Bathed in radiance

The angels worship

Lifting hearts

And hands

Praise pouring from their lips

I can do nothing

Except fall to my knees

Offering my heart

For You to do as you please

I am yours

2012