A Poem to Dad

Dad you've been gone these many years
long enough there are no tears

For time has eased the pain of death
-over twenty years since your last breath

But I remember you so well
you were full of life and a little hell

The things you had the things you did
I watched you since I was a kid

Tractors, rototillers, pumps,
logging chains, and pulling stumps

Chainsaws, mowers, felling trees
mighty oaks brought to their knees

A buzz saw cutting cords of wood
by power lines where trees once stood

Saturday morning coffee sipped
next door at Joe's rarely skipped

You too had cars on your mind
Caddy's, Buick's and Lincolns fine

You had a fleet of camping vans
one after another until none ran

Attending church you loved your God
the sermon brought a sleepy nod

Talking shop with Uncle Floyd
He could make you quite annoyed

For Continental was the place
where you were boss- it was your space

Generous almost to a fault
your money wasn't in your vault

It often payed someone else's bill
for saying no was not your skill

A jolly grandpa you could be
with little ones upon your knee

Silly songs you would sing
to even big kids a smile it'd bring

But you wore down your body tired
your healthy days had expired

In time sickness had it's way
and off to heaven you went one day

So we are left with memories
of one strong trunk in our family tree

And now we walk the very road
where years ago your footsteps strode

So thank you Dad for all you were
you left your mark on us for sure

A Memorial Day Poem

I went to Fruitland Township to a cemetery there
they had the Memorial service, I sat on a cold folding chair

A prayer was prayed, a speech was spoken, and the Boy Scouts raised the flag
old men in uniforms marched up and fired guns with quite a bang

This was the same place and service my mother brought me to
when I was just a boy and all the world seemed new

Years later I would take my mom here on Memorial day
because she was getting old and it was just better that way

Now I sit- a gray haired man not far from the graves
of mom and dad and other relatives of bye gone days

Although we never know the time we have left here on earth
the countdown of the seconds, minutes, hours, and days begins at our birth

So when the time is up and we leave everything we know
I want to be sure there is a place for my soul to go

That's why I trust a loving God to lead me every day
because someday when this body dies he will take my soul away

To a place where wars will be no more for peace will be the norm
pain and death will not be there- I even doubt that it will storm

The light will come from God himself, no need for sun or moon
the measurement of time will stop, nothing will be late or soon

Then we will thank our Great God for giving us new life
for rescuing our battered souls from all this earthly strife

So while you think of life and death on this Memorial Day
think also of the God above who can show your soul the way

He sent his Son to die for us, he paid the penalty
for in that darkest hour all our sins hung on that tree

God's anger at our sin was once and forever satisfied
but that's not all that happened, it didn't end when Jesus died

It really was just the beginning for he rose again we know
eternal life for all believers is what the resurrection shows

So my prayer for everyone today that reads these simple lines
is to think of life and death and God and be sure eternal life you find

    Whispers of Creation

Living in a world of awe

seeing, hearing, feeling God

all creation helps me draw

closer, closer to You God.

Looking up at starry skies

dazzling lights in darkest night

looking God into Your eyes

heaven's almost within sight.

Swimming in the water deep

warm sun beaming from above

strolling on the sandy beach

I can feel Your endless love.

Walking in the fallen leaves

autumn colors carpet ground

gentle breezes blow in trees

seeing, hearing you abound.

Snowflakes drifting down, down slow

frozen jewels of winter time

though it's cold I can not go

can not leave this white Divine.

A baby born, oh the pain!

then counting fingers counting toes

from pain to joy like drought to rain

babies are Your miracles.

The world is You God on display

drowning out the sound of me

creation whispers, hear it say

"I AM in all you see"

The Preacher Man

The preacher man he takes a stand he has a Bible in his hand

He chases after God above and teaches people how to love

But sometimes God is hard to find and people make him lose his mind

Still he must keep that Holy link to God above or he will sink

Beneath the care of all the folk who put on him  a heavy yoke

The people used to say "he's great" but lately say he's made mistakes

"The Church is cold" "The Church is hot"  "Someone's sitting in my spot"

"He preaches short"  "He preaches long"  "He got that passage totally wrong"

But let a tragedy befall and he's the first one people call

He'll hold a hand, say a pray, and quote God's word to lift despair

And then they'll say he's good again because he came when they needed him

But the preacher man he takes a stand, he has a Bible in his hand

He chases after God above and teaches people how to love

And sometimes God is shining bright and all the world seems filled with light

The preacher knows his work has worth when sinners come for second birth

So preacher man keep that Holy link to God above or we will sink

For we are fragile pots of clay, we need God's mercies every day

You will teach us how to love and how to chase the God above

And teach us how to take a stand and hold a Bible in our hand

So thank you weary preacher man for doing everything you can

And if we don't show our gratitude forgive us for our attitude

Your real reward in Heaven waits soon after entering those gates

The voice of God whom you have chased will find you in that blessed place

A "good and faithful servant true" is what your God will say to you

You will know you passed your test then enter in to His sweet rest.