When Age Speaks, Youth Should Listen

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I sat, listening as he spoke,

Caught on every word.
He had so many tales to tell
That I had never heard.
He’d seen so much and done much more
And shared it with a grin,
He had a way of taking life
And making it a win.
From World War II right to today,
He shared his tales with me
And when I left the waiting room
I’d lived his history.
 
He said he plans to carry on
Til he’s one twenty five
And if the world’s still looking good
Then he’ll just stay alive.
I laughed at the audacity,
But, if somebody could,
There’s no one else who’d find a way,
But I’ll bet that he would.
So for the lesson in life’s joy
That you taught me today,
I thank you, Lord, for sending him.
Please keep him safe, I pray.

The River

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A stream of sorrow runs through me

That I can’t turn or dam.
It’s born, not of the outside world,
But comes from who I am.

I feel it swelling every day,

It's coming on too fast.
And if I cannot stem its flow,
Then I shall drown at last.

I know the flow is rising fast

Because of all my fears.
They’re looming out in front of me
And feeding on my tears.

But I know that he never sleeps,

He hears me when I cry,
And he will stem the rising flood
Until that stream is dry.

The fears that sweep over me now

Well soon still and subside,
For he is my enduring strength
And in his strength I’ll hide.

Psalm 71:3

Be my rock of refuge, to which I can always go; give the command to save me, for you are my rock and my fortress.

Dance the Sky

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You have to rise up off the ground

To give your wings a try,
You cannot cling to what is safe
If you intend to fly,
You can’t be tethered to the earth
If your goal’s to climb high,
So let go of what holds you back,
Rise up and dance the sky!

An Angel Spoke To Me Today

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“You look lovely”, she said to me

As we were passing by.
I stopped and turned back toward her
Until I caught her eye.

I’d had no chance to wash my hair,

I had no make-up on.
I must have misunderstood her
And she was almost gone.

“What did you just say as you passed?”

I questioned her, confused.
She said, You look lovely today.”
Her smile frank, not amused.

I gathered up my startled wits,

Thanked her for her kindness.
I mentioned that she too looked grand
In her attractive dress.

I turned to carry on my way

Wondering what it meant;
Until that moment I’d felt frayed,
Worried and fairly spent.

I had the worries of the day

Lining up in my mind
Until she eased my growing qualms
By saying something kind.

So I stopped right there where I was,

And looked toward the sky.
I thanked the Lord for that angel
That he’d sent strolling by.

Alzheimer's

The nights are getting longer now,

With less time spent in sleep.
Her body and her mind grow frail;
There’s less of her to keep.

I lie awake and watch her dream,

She speaks to love now dead.
I want to cry, but that won’t help.
So I watch her instead.

She hears God calling quietly.

I’m not surprised it’s so,
But I’m not ready for good byes.
I don’t want her to go.

I tell myself that it’s alright,
The way it’s always been,
But watching as she fades away…
Easier said than seen.

1 Timothy 5:4

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.

Diving In

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When you give me a task to do

And tell me to begin,
Don’t let me hesitate or pause.
Help me to dive right in.

When someone reaches out to me

With strength that’s wearing thin,
Don’t let me stand and watch them drown.
Help me to dive right in.

When I feel like I’m lost at sea

And life sets me a spin,
Please teach me to not fear the waves.
Help me to dive right in.

Joy Will Return

I thought that all my lovely days

Were scattered in the past,
But I awoke to joyful skies
And laughter that will last.
For, though great sorrow tugs at me
And worries dog my heel,
I know that you’ll renew my joy
And my pain soon will heal.

Job 8:21

He will yet fill your mouth with laughter and your lips with shouts of joy.

Colossians 3:23

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She’s just a little pink blossom

That’s growing in a pot;
There’s very little she can do,
So much that she cannot.
And yet she stands, her face aglow,
Grateful for what she’s got,
And does her best to make her pot
A better, brighter spot.

Like her, I have no list of skills,

To grace my mortal span,
And yet I work with all my heart,
I do the best I can
To fill the role God set for me
Within his perfect plan;
To brighten up my own small pot
And cheer my fellow man.

Colossians 3:23

Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men .

Midnight Chats

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why do you wait til darkest night

And wake me from my sleep
To teach me what I need to hear,
The words that I should keep?

Why not connect in broad daylight

When I am wide awake;
Why wait until I ache for sleep?
Have you some point to make?

Of course, I spend days on the run,

With chaos in my wake,
And trying to get through all that
Would be a big mistake.
 
Then, in the evenings when I pray,
It’s all about my needs.
There isn’t much time you can plant
Those thought provoking seeds.

So that leaves us with midnight chats,

When my mind’s still and clear,
And you can speak to me and know
That I’ll listen and hear.

Having A Life

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sometimes I tease about my life,

I say I haven’t any,
But in reality my life
Is filled with blessings many.

So let me skip the jest today,

Let me cut right to the chase,
Thank you, Lord, for my rich life
And for your abundant grace!