Children
God’s treasures
Heed His call
Care for each one
Entrusted
Children
Innocent lives
Nurtured with care
Making our world better
Adored
Children
Precious gifts
Share God’s love
Protect them from harm
Cherished
From Mark 10:14:16: “‘Let the little children come to me; do not stop them; for it is to such as these that the kingdom of God belongs. Truly I tell you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God as a little child will never enter it.’ And He took them up in His arms, laid His hands on them, and blessed them.”
Our children and grandchildren
Grace fills their nurturing love
For generations to come
With God calling out with love
Young, innocent, and fragile
Our youth require constant love
Their welfare rests in our hands
With God sending lasting love
Our decisions beg wisdom
Cherished treasures need our love
Number “One” priority
With God shielding through His love
Unselfish, humble adults
Time to step forward with love
Our angry wrangling at rest
With God moving hearts with love
Common sense should always lead
Precious children seek our love
Misplaced actions now buried
With God dispatching His love
From 1 Corinthians 13:11-13: “When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became an adult, I put an end to childish ways. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then we will see face to face. Now I know only in part; then I will know fully, even as I have been fully known. And now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; and the greatest of these is love.”
As a community, we are called by God to provide for the health, safety, and welfare of our children and grandchildren. There can be no greater calling when we are encouraged by the love and grace of our Heavenly Father.
From John 14:6-7: “Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on you do know Him and have seen Him.”
Jesus, Son of Man
Healing and teaching
But, He’s so much more
God’s love, far-reaching
Believe and accept
Jesus, Son of God
Lamb, without blemish
Sinless and unflawed
Primary mission
Save this fallen world
Holy and divine
Savior’s love unfurled
Born in Bethlehem
Calvary’s cross waits
Unselfish journey
Christ accepts His fate
Father, Son, Spirit
Trinity in One
Path to truth and life
Darkness on the run
From John 10:29-30: “What my Father has given me is greater than all else, and no one can snatch it out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.”
Glorious sunrise
Serenity awakens—
Morning’s peace dawning
Morning feeding time
Nature’s chaotic rhythm—
Bird feeder invites
Dog days of summer
Mercury ready to burst—
Appetite heats up
Public baptism by immersion occurs on this date
Young girl reveals her guided walk to faith’s gate
Scripture speaks of baptism at every turn
From this girl, we all have so much to learn
Believe, be baptized, and continue to be brave
For Christ arose and escaped from His grave
All are baptized into one body so pure
Made to drink one spirit, totally for sure
Christ’s baptism launches His ministry, rich for all
In God’s presence, His words forever stand tall
Scorned persecutor of Jesus’ faithful, Christian way
Saul baptized as Paul, with Lord’s forgiveness to stay
Believers baptized under God’s authority of thee
Through Father, Son, and Holy Spirit which see
Baptism generates life’s faithful walk, filled with newness
Youthful girl accepts Jesus as Savior, blessed trueness
Feeling transforming spirit of Father’s Holy, living water
Accepting God’s purpose, living as newfound daughter
This young girl’s act of faith inspires so many others
Opening eyes to witness, every sister and brother
This poem, written in February of 2019, has been updated in style. The content reveals the public baptism of a granddaughter back on this date.
From John 6:35: “Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”
Gathering in community
Preparing for His Hungry Feast
Coming to Heavenly Father
Worshipping Christ, our Holy Priest
Traveling life’s difficult road
Hungering for peace in our hearts
Tasting fellowship with Jesus
Targeting us with grace-filled darts
Fulfilling hope from Father’s love
Joining at His holy table
Seeking lasting, peaceful comfort
Witnessing Bethlehem’s stable
Rejecting evil’s dark presence
Praising and worshipping our Lord
Filling our hunger from His feast
Riding Gospel’s train . . . all aboard!
From Matthew 5:6: “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”
The hymn “We Come to the Hungry Feast” inspired the writing of this poem. Some churches also use this tune as a communion hymn.
Renewing dry, parched landscape
Resurrecting nature’s shape
Refreshing rain offers grace
Restoring peace to this place
Restarting with single drop
Reopening life’s closed shop
Reaffirming rain calling
Rallying lifeline falling
Recommitting faithful hand
Reassuring thirsty land
Reviving lost paradise
Rebounding rain’s special spice
Relieving vast acres’ stress
Rejuvenating success
Renovating rain’s duty
Recapturing land’s beauty
Rekindling valley’s lost spark
Reflecting light over dark
Repairing nature’s lost soul
Remaking her glory whole
This nature-rich poem is crafted with a different style. Beginning each verse with an “R” word as inspired by “refreshing rain,” offers a challenge for my poetic pen.
God
Always present
Hearing heartfelt prayers
Every mountain and valley
Unwavering
Father’s
Forgiving grace
Opens up hearts
Reshaping darkness into light
Love
Fellowship
With believers
Sharing mutual burdens
Strengthened through the Gospel
Faith
Another morning
Alarm clock droning
Sleepy head’s warning
Waking and groaning
Almost hitting snooze
Crawling out of bed
Mind singin’ the blues
Brain needs to be fed
Morning brew ready
Caffeine right on time
Never unsteady
Brilliance set to rhyme
Arriving at work
Second cup in hand
Tackling paperwork
French roast takes command
From Psalm 89:8-9: “O Lord God of hosts, who is as mighty as you, O Lord? Your faithfulness surrounds you. You rule the raging of the sea; when its waves rise, you still them.”
Approaching storms
Burdened with fear
Now darkness forms
Hope’s light unclear
Tempest brewing
Drowning with fright
Life’s undoing
Faith must invite
Our Prince of Peace
Seeing our plight
Renews life’s lease
Turns night to light
Lord’s mighty voice
Storm’s rage resigns
Angels rejoice
Peace rules divine
Heart’s calmness grows
Lord takes control
Dark chaos slows
Christ on patrol
From Psalm 107:28-29: “Then they cried to the Lord in their trouble, and He brought them out from their distress; He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.”
Here is a familiar hymn, “Eternal Father, Strong to Save.” While I have used this hymn in the past, this shortened version features the true intensity of the “tempest brewing.” We can always look to our Father’s strength to help us persevere.
