Month: October 2018

(this poem was written for the family and friends of Lashay, age 9, and Ashlyn, age 7, who were struck and killed by a car while crossing the street on their way to Children’s Bible Study on September 15, 1999, in Bulter, Alabama)

She was a child

So young was she

Too young to die

So violently

We ask God why

This had to be

What good can come

From this tragedy

What was the reason

We may never know

And the healing process

It will be slow

In time this pain

We feel will dim

We’ll smile and know

She is with HIM

(verse 1)

Traveling down the sea of life

In a boat without the oars

Using just the word of God

To get from shore to shore

Storms arise as they do in life

We are tossed from side to side

We firmly stand on our Father’s word

And soon the storm subsides

(CHORUS)

THIS BOAT IS MANNED BY JESUS

HE’S THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP

THIS BOAT IS MANNED BY JESUS

AND I WANT TO TAKE THE TRIP

THIS BOAT IS MANNED BY JESUS

NO FINER SAILOR KNOWN

THIS BOAT IS MANNED BY JESUS

AND HE’S GOING TO TAKE ME HOME

(verse 2)

There are other boats upon the sea

With passengers traveling too

They have no word to stand on

No God to see them through

Their direction is uncertain

Their way is not so clear

Destruction is in their future

And their future it is near

(verse 3)

The Lord has made the way for us

The pathway is well lit

The charted map is in our hand

And He has made us fit

We stay on course and never stray

Giving God the glory

We will make our destination

And live to tell the story

(verse 4)

Passengers from boats that crashed

Are floating all around

We who know the word of God

Must help them to dry ground

Some would rather sink than swim

Although I don’t know why

When they could travel safe and sound

If they’d just give God a try

(verse 5)

So keep His word before you

As a lamp unto your feet

To shine and light the pathway

For others whom you meet

As the sea of life keeps flowing 

With all it’s ups and downs

Just keep your eyes on Jesus

And you are homeward bound

Write the vision, aim high          (repeat 3 times)

Raise your dreams up to the sky.      (chorus)

(verse 1)

Write your vision, set your goal

Aim high, watch it unfold

Keep the vision in your mind

It will come to pass in time

Plant it deep within your heart

Reach for it, make a start

(verse 2)

Without a vision, My people perish

Have a vision and keep it nourished

Look forward to all of your tomorrows

Do not dwell on any sorrows

Make some plans and follow through

A strong foundation is there for you

(verse 3)

God had a vision when time began

He will see it to the end

What He started, He will finish

So can we with His Spirit in us

Write your vision, make it plain

Step by step, each step a gain

(verse 4)

Write your vision, make it clear

Mark your path from here to there

Keep it near you, in your sight

Strive for it with all your might

Know that it will come to be

Just have faith and you will see

A feast of God’s word

Is laid out on a table

Utensils are there

It’s a spoon and a ladle

The spoon’s the right size

For feeding yourself

Holds just enough for you

And not for anyone else

With the spoon you are well fed

Carrying food from plate to mouth

You eat until you are full

And will want some more, no doubt

And then there is the ladle

Too big to use for self

Made to serve to others

And usually on a shelf

But today it’s on the table

Why not pick it up

And use it to serve others

Fill someone else’s cup

STOP, LOOK, LISTEN                                                                                                                   STOP!                                                                                                                                                               Take time out to rest for an hour                                                                                                LOOK!                                                                                                                               Open your eyes to the beauty of the flowers                                                           LISTEN!                                                                                                                                         To the music of the rain in a summer shower

STOP, LOOK, LISTEN                                                                                                                     STOP!                                                                                                                                              Whatever you are doing and take time out                                                                              LOOK!                                                                                                                               Can you see what life is all about                                                                               LISTEN!                                                                                                                                            With your heart, there’s no need to shout

STOP, LOOK, LISTEN                                                                                                                           STOP!                                                                                                                                                    Blaming others for your circumstance                                                                     LOOK!                                                                                                                               To God’s mercy and give it more than a glance                                                       LISTEN!                                                                                                                                                  To the word of God and give Him a chance

STOP. LOOK. LISTEN.

The Lord has put the choices in our hands

And what we choose we need to understand

That we have full control our own lives

And how we live determines how we die

(chorus) Now’s the time to make your choice

                 Lift up your hands and raise your voice

                 Ask Jesus to come in your life

                 Wash sins away, remove all strife

                 He is the way, He’s heaven’s door

                 Call out His name, what are you waiting for ?

                  What are you waiting for, He’s heaven’s door.

A life of sin will lead you to your death

Where will you go when you breathe your last breath

Do not be fooled by what you see and hear

For Hell is real, a place you need to fear

                    (chorus)

The choice we make, it must come from the heart

The end result depends on where we start

If we turn from the errors of our ways

God’s mercy will be added to our days

                    (chorus)

So take the time to think about your life

Is the choice you’ve made a step towards life with Christ

For in the end it’s you who’ll pay the price

Is your choice the one that gives abundant life

                  (chorus)

I am packed and ready for my life’s journey. The trip, I hope, will be a long one and I am well prepared.

I have a bag full of mountain climbing equipment – ropes, pick axes, hooks, and stuff. I even have boots with suction cups on the bottom. I’m ready to climb the rough side of any mountain and on all of this equipment, I am counting.

I have a bag full of swim gear- swim suits, caps, ear plugs, nose guards, goggles, a raft, and several life preservers. I know that with all this stuff, I’m ready to cross any waters.

I have another bag filled with clothes for all types of weather – coats, boots, hats, sweaters. I have light clothes, heavy clothes, clothes for the rain, and clothes for the snow. I have a bag full of clothes for every season, outfits that can be used for any reason. I am truly prepared.

I have bag, a cooler really, to keep my food and drinks. I know I won’t go hungry, because I have enough food and staples to get me through the whole trip. I even packed some extra food and drinks in case there are delays, and I won’t have to ration it out. I have no doubt I am fully prepared.

Look! there’s someone headed down life’s highway just like me, but he doesn’t have any baggage with him. He must not be planning to go very far in life. I stopped and asked him where was his supplies for the trip and he showed me a book. The book looked really old and ragged. He said it was God’s word – the Bible. (??????)

He looked at all my mountain climbing equipment and said he didn’t need any of that stuff, because God’s word says to speak to the mountain and it will move out of your way

He looked at all my swim gear and said he couldn’t swim, but he had faith to walk on water, because God’s word says that the Greater One is in us, and the works that He did we can do and even greater works than these will we do.

Then he saw all the clothes I had brought with me and said that just as the Father clothed the lilies of the field and the birds of the air, He would clothe him. (Hmmmmm……mmmmmmmmm)

And then he saw all the food and drinks I had with me. He said that God’s word says that man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.

I stopped and took a long hard look at the situation. I saw myself loaded down with all the baggage that I thought I would need to get through life. All that baggage was a heavy burden to have to carry all by myself. I would be exhausted and I wouldn’t be able to enjoy the trip…….this man was traveling with less baggage, free of burdens and worries and enjoying the trip…..hmmmmm..well, well, well.

I decided right then and there to travel with less baggage, and as this man, I too started to enjoy my journey down the road of life.

THANK YOU LORD JESUS.

Lord you are…

               the arms around my shoulders

               the kiss upon my cheek

               the pat upon my head

               the pillow for my bed

               the encouraging voice I hear

               the one true choice so clear

                                                  Lord you are…

Lord you are…

               the medicine for my pain

               the water for my thirst

               the cloth that dries my tears

               the music to my ears

               the touch that awakens my soul

               the blanket when it’s cold

                                                  Lord you are…

Lord you are…

               the peace in times of trouble

               the rainbow after the storm

               the sun shining through the gray

               the path that leads the way

               the umbrella in the midst of a shower

               the beauty in a field of flowers

                                                  Lord you are…

Lord you are…

               the blood of the covenant

               the price that was paid

               the forgiveness of sins

               the victories we win

               the womb of our rebirth

               the righteousness on earth

                                                  Lord you are…

Lord you are…

               the wind in my sails

               the ointment for my ails

               the breath of life in my lungs

               the melodies in the songs I’ve sung

               the hope in all my dreams

               the bridge to cross any stream

                                                  Lord you are…

Lord you are…

Lord you are…

Lord you are…

                                       LORD.

Husband

Wife

ONE

God

Jesus

Holy Spirit

ONE

Jesus

Church

ONE

Red

Yellow

Black

White

ONE

Gentiles

Jews

ONE

We are all one under the SON

A mother’s love, it has no end

It will not break, it will not bend

There are loves that come and go

But a mother’s love will grow and grow

Her love it starts before your birth

Agape love, here on earth

It’s unconditional and knows no bounds

More than enough to go around

She loves each child one by one

Then all together when the day is done

She sees in them what others miss

She prays for them, sealed with a kiss

Her dreams for them may go astray

Her hopes for them will never sway

She knows God put them in her care

And it’s God’s love she wants to share

The closest thing to our God’s love

Is the love of a mother designed from above

She doesn’t spare the rod and spoil the child

Because her love is strong, not meek, not mild

If you have known a mother’s love

Give thanks and praise to God above

For you have been blessed beyond all measure

A mother’s love is a wonderful treasure