Stopping to Think

Lone scrub oak, among the stones No trees for miles, but here you grow Among the rolling, broken hills Land untamed, devoid of frills There's grass around, and flowers, too Deep green and gold against the blue Rocks hewn, not by a mortal man But by Creator's omnipotent hand Grey clouds conceal the ev'ning sun Its daily course, the light has run  As hours flee you're left to stand Lone oak, the solitary man This isn't the tree I was thinking of, but close enough.

Remember one day you will die   Consider now how you will live   When God calls account for your life   What defense of it shall you give?

Misty Minaloosa morn’ fog settled in Elk bugle, silence torn The air, quite dense I think it fells Like pea soup, yes Green single-wide seems to blend Into greener countryside Walking down the road gravel crunching Silence re-bestowed So peaceful here beneath pine trees green Like stillness bequeathed A gift for granted taken too often, true Till life’s silence shaken Makes one long for Still a relaxation true The thought, heart thrills

Wind shifts, rain falls Storm comes, night calls Rainbow disappears in grey Daytime slowly drifts away Clouds block starlight Thunder brings fright Lightning brightens up night sky Sticks and branches start to fly Day comes, storm lifts Wind dies, clouds drift Fresh rain smell saturates air Though night was dark, day is fair

A man went out into the world twas greatness that he hoped to find. But as life’s pressures ‘round him swirled, those dreams crumbled in his mind. Dejected by the hand life dealt, our friend’s life began to waver; because great failure he had felt, he trusted drugs to be his savior. “Just numb it all,” he told himself, as the needle slipped inside his vein. He felt he fought the world itself; that all of life was naught but pain. He lost both family and health while success was chief endeavor; but loss of job meant loss of wealth, he was left without all earthly treasure. He passed out one night beside the road, not to awake again on earth. Could one have his end foretold? What would that warning have been worth? The tragic end of this man’s life should cause each one to pause. What do I value in this life? What has been my greatest cause? Will I come to the end and find that all I've lived for is but naught? To what has been my heart inclined? What...

This is a reworking of a poem I wrote almost three years ago. I'm still not much of a poet, but I have improved. The emotion in this poem deserved better than my original words conveyed. -The Scourge- They had marched and fought for months with little food to eat And several weeks had passed since they last had tasted meat They marched ore fallen logs, and through the powd'ry fresh snow Praying the morn to see, along with sun and its warm glow The howling wolf and freezing fog, had beckoned in the night A time that ev'n hardened men must wrestle fits of fright That great and mighty men should fear, is unbelievable you say Yet through fear they pushed on through conflict night and day Courage, it is said, means not the lack, but rather, facing fears This these men had done, holding fast through blood and tears "War is a Scourge," we hear is what the wise men have all said They'll be shown right, when in the morn, our heroes are all dead

A young man went out into the world It was greatness that he hoped to find But as life’s pressures ‘round him swirled Those dreams crumbled in his mind Dejected by the “hand life dealt” Our friend’s thoughts did begin to waver And because great failure he had felt He hoped that drugs would be his savior “Just numb it all” he told himself As the needle slipped inside his vein He felt he fought the world itself For all that remained was pain He had lost both family and health Whilst success had been his chief endeavor But loss of job meant loss of wealth And he was without all earthly treasure He passed out one night beside the road And did not awake again on earth Could anyone have his end foretold? What would that warning have been worth? The tragic end of this man’s life Should cause each man to pause What do I value in my life? What has been my greatest cause? Will I come to the end and find That all I’ve lived for is but naught? To what h...

Life is well...well, it's life. Beautiful, terrible, wonderful, painful. This poem came to me as I spent some time with my "Grammy" yesterday and talked life. I know I speak for not only myself, but many who know her. A faith like my grandma is what I long to gain Her trust it never wavers regardless of life's pain She is strong and sure her God does never fail Even when life's storm darkens she trusts Him to prevail I have studied many hours learning deep theology But my truest times of learning were at my "Grammies" knee Without the fancy wording of a deep and heavy book She taught me simple trust "He is Sovereign" says her look So when I face my own trails I will know that from His hand Flows a sweet and bitter providence and His plan is beyond grand This faith is what God asks and indeed, what He requires And so I thank my Grandma for this kind of faith, she inspires.

Rain drops falling hard and fast It seems that spring has come at last The old barn boards grey with age Here sit and soak up another page Another season that has come and gone This last Winter didn't really stay too long Right now the creek out front is overflowing Where has gone the sun with it's warm glowing I suppose we'll see it more around July We might even see ninety for a high But honestly I sure do like the rain It seems in a way to melt the pain The downpour on my roof is soothing When my heart it seems beyond amusing Yes there is a reason for all sorts of weather Perhaps the sunshine would not be better I know that you my friend may prefer it But that I fear is by no means a deterrent To me from thanking God for the damp Cold soggy air as I sit by my lamp I love that sound of rushing water Even if my friends it does bother So let's enjoy and soak it up while it lasts For we know that all the...

Gently on my roof I hear the rain It drips on down the window pane My weary eyes gaze through the glass I wait and hope this storm shall pass This falling flood reflects my soul Where deeply I have sensed a hole It has come to where my body aches Because so oft my heart does break They say out yonder looms the sun Oh I pray those days would come That grey times from me would flee And my heart instead be filled with glee But indeed I know my need is more Than my circumstances have in store My deepest longing is for joy But life's schemes are so coy They steal from me that which I seek And make my place here feel so bleak In spite of this I thank the One Who gave for me His only Son And so I need not clear skies I need the One who for me dies To wreck my joy pain may endeavor But my joy in Him endures forever In circumstance it's found no longer So even when the storm grows stronger I know that I can still find peace For at last I've been ...

I wrote this the other night as I stood overlooking the lake as the sun went down.  Just one of those things that stirs my affection for Christ.  Psalm 19:1-3 (ESV) "The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard." The still lake waters rest, and I tonight, have been their guest The calm and rippling surface tells of my Lord, Emmanuel Who in beginning, from on high separated surface from the sky He who made the seas which stretch beyond what I can see He who crafts the rivers rush And with this mighty power could crush This  minuscule rebellious man  who has spit on God's good plan And yet He chooses not to kill but instead, my heart He stills He satisfies my longing heart His love is one that never parts This true and everlasting Word who'...