Anticipation
Weekly worship
Word and Sacrament
Community response to God
Empowerment
Quest
Righteous justice
Transforming unruly sheep
Father dispatches Good Shepherd
Deliverance
Creator
Inviting us
Come to Him
Receive compassion, teaching, healing
Everlasting
From Lamentations 3:22-24: “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. ‘The Lord is my portion,; says my soul, ‘therefore I will hope in Him.'”
Simple acts of faith
Filled with love for man
God pulls at heart strings
Part of Holy plan
Life hungry for hope
Man’s health in decline
Liver in failure
God opens hotline
Future growing dim
Darkness can’t escape
Searching for donor
Life’s faithful landscape
Seeking live donor
Doctors’ preferred choice
Humble man steps up
Quiets hopeless voice
Two lives now at risk
Surgery takes place
Success accomplished
Miracle brings grace
One man’s health restored
Donor’s body mends
Hope’s hunger fulfilled
God’s faith never bends
This poem brings a true story, which is close to my family’s heart. The living donor is my son-in-law, married to my youngest daughter. The two of them will be back home in a few days (about one month since the surgery). Many lives have been changed by this simple, humble act. God’s blessings to all living donors.
From Exodus 20:1-3: “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery; you shall have no other gods before Me.”
Jesus tempted by Satan
Making His choice very clear
Placing Father always first
Walking in trust, without fear
Moses affirming God’s law
Following the Great I Am
Leading Israel to truth
Bearing faith of Abraham
God deserves our attention
Casting away sinful ways
Stepping in footprints of Christ
Hearing treasured Word each day
Always first, focus on God
Needing Christ’s mercy and love
Entering Kingdom’s blessings
Forgiving call from above
From Psalm 100:1-2: “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come into His presence with singing.”
Father of the bride
Totaling up wedding bills—
Empty bank account
BLT for lunch
Scratch lettuce and tomato—
Lovin’ my bacon!
Seeing plant’s beauty
Wading into lush ivy
Poisons today’s plans
Circus shows once filled with excitement to delight
Few spectators now attend circus magic each night
Generation ago, numerous children experienced it all
Now mighty Big Tops have vanished with a huge fall
Sitting in the crowd with a perfect seat
Thrilled to adore another tasty treat
The ringmaster keeps the thrilling show moving along
Audiences soon realize that each act lasts only so long
Three rings keep crowd’s enthusiasm mounting with ease
Here come zany clowns, filled with foolishness to please
Dazzling jugglers and daring acrobats delight
Children dream of being in the circus spotlight
Sitting in the crowd with a perfect seat
Eagerly watching performances so sweet
Lions, tigers, and bears—Oh, what a sight to behold
Bravery shown by animal tamers, awesome and bold
Always pleasing are gigantic elephants from afar
Their majestic presence makes them the stars
Evening’s ultimate act flies high above three circus rings
Trapeze artists dangle with suspense from their swings
Sitting in the crowd with a perfect seat
Looking forward to each astonishing feat
Fewer circus companies still travel the globe
The “Greatest Show on Earth” needed to fold
Audiences once filled the Big Top’s nightly crusade
Now dying out, precious memories stumble and fade
New generation of young children shall never wonder
How circus night brought applause as loud as thunder
Sitting in the crowd with a perfect seat
Recalling circus images that will repeat
From John 8:31-32: “Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in Him, ‘If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.'”
Throughout life spent with our Father
Clutching His message, forthright Word
Students learning each day and night
Growing in Christ, God’s flock He herds
Disciples of faith, taught by God
Walking in step with Jesus Christ
Children of truth’s Living Spirit
Guiding hands, Shepherd sacrificed
Christ’s lessons teach, lighting our way
Believing our Savior, always
His unselfish acts bring freedom
Following Him through life’s dim haze
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
Building discipleship, praise Him
Lasting kinship as believers
Hearing our faith’s eternal hymn
From Acts 11:25-26: “Then Barnabas went to Tarsus to look for Saul, and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for an entire year they met with the church and taught a great many people, and it was in Antioch that the disciples were first called ‘Christians.'”
“One” standing up, life’s lonesome number
Rising today, waking from slumber
One single digit, filled with courage
Stepping up, ready to encourage
One man standing with boldness, alone
Moving against tyranny’s dark throne
One tiny seed maturing to grow
Spawning thick forest, nature’s chateau
One last try remains, taking a chance
Advancing to championship’s dance
One more war, aiming to end all war
Proving to be mankind’s hopeless chore
One single journey, will never do
Touring Yellowstone’s picturesque views
One small voice, singing with gentle praise
Joining life’s chorus, hearts now ablaze
One yummy taste, frozen now in time
Savoring home cooking at mealtime
One kind act, paying forward life’s grace
Sharing love, lighting up darkest place
One heart knocks, opening couple’s door
Adopting this daughter, love cares for
One righteous Son of God, boldly walks
Bearing our sins, Cross forever talks
Father’s
True foundation
Times of trouble
Witness Scripture’s divine promises
Truth
Surrender
In faith
Keep His commandments
Come to know God
Obedience
Called
By God
Sharing our abundance
Walking together with others
Community
Children and grandchildren
Each fills precious treasure
Hug this “Circle of Life”
Family time’s pleasure
Watching young daughters grow
Teaching lessons of love
Taking delight each day
Dad, where’s my softball glove?
Time moves much too quickly
Each day shares its rewards
Daughters become women
“Circle of Life” records
Transforming life’s landscape
Mastering how to crawl
Cherishing grandchildren
Grandpa, will you play ball?
Robust “Circle of Life”
Family roster grows
Memories made each day
Lifetime’s delightful rose
Some of the best poems are written from from the heart. Such is the case with this poem; created from just a thought about family and its blessings. My wife and I have been blessed with five daughters between our Montana and Ohio families. Our grandchildren now number ten. Our own “Circle of Life’ has indeed been a blessed one.
From Psalm 139:1-2: “O Lord, you have searched me and known me. You know when I sit down and when I rise up; you discern my thoughts from far away.”
Seeking blessed comfort
Father always present
Inescapable God
Filled with Holy intent
Praising our faithful Lord
Saving us with His love
Trusting His steady hand
Searching Heaven above
God knows all and sees all
Unlike Jonah, we stay
Through morning until night
Come to worship and pray
Seeing God’s wondrous works
Enduring presence leads
Counting endless blessings
Protecting tender reeds
Changing darkness to light
God saves us from our sins
His grace covers each life
Forgiveness always wins
From Psalm 139:11-12: “If I say, ‘Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light around me become night,’ even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is as bright as the day, for darkness is as light to you.”
