Guest Post from Mrs. Buckeye: “A Very Special Day”

I recently enjoyed my birthday, and my wife blessed me with the gift of this delightful and loving poem.  She is an incredible writer in her own right.  As I read this poem, I definitely feel 65 years young.

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It was a very special day.

The family and the world were so blessed.

It’s still a very special day.

We need to celebrate it to the best!

 

The Father gave a precious boy,

to grow and learn, and become a young man.

He was meant to bring precious joy,

as God teaches us daily that we can!

 

This precious boy became that man.

From God, and parents, and his teachers too,

he learned and grew to have a plan,

showing young minds too, all that they could do!

 

A proud and successful career,

as a teacher, coach, and sports A D, too.

He served boldly then forty years,

guiding his students on as they pursued!

 

Not only did his work stand out,

but, he helped raise his three beautiful girls,

to ladies of faith, there’s no doubt.

His example shines out into the world!

 

He is a very special man,

son and brother, husband, dad and grandpa,

A teacher who loves Jesus, and

a man who worships our God with much awe!

 

It was a very special day,

when our precious Father gave him his birth.

We celebrate this special day.

God’s gift of life filled with His Holy worth!

Attitude of Praise

From Psalm 111:1:  “Praise the LordI will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart, in the company of the upright, in the congregation.”

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Pessimistic and gloomy attitude

One negative brick follows another

Suffocating and negative self-talk

Sounding more like Eeyore’s little brother

 

Time for transforming callous attitude

With praise and thanksgiving, eyes upon God

His Grace offering truest Bread of Life

Believe, follow, accept His blessed rod

 

Breathing in our Lord’s trusted, living Word

Dropping negativity’s jagged sword

Accepting our Father’s mercy and love

Trading bitterness for His sweet accord

 

Learning from God’s Holy teachings and creeds

Feeling His just and faithful, love-filled works

Listening to each breath, His spoken Word

Maturing in faith’s righteous masterworks

 

Embracing God’s eternal covenant

Studying His Word, bearing full delight

Celebrating Him with salutations

Singing with attitude of praise, now right

 

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From Psalm 111:10:  “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding.  His praise endures forever.”

Humor Time (Haiku Series #120)

Map Time

Checking highway map

Will we ever find Waldo?

Waldo, Ohio

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Game Time

Shopping at Macy’s

Pat, may I buy a towel?

Wheel of “good” Fortune

Courtesy of Pinterest.

Snack Time

Passing up on Mounds

Sometimes you feel like a nut—

Almond Joy “rescue”

Courtesy of Pinterest.

Monday Memories: Mountaintop Wedding

My youngest daughter was married on February 2, 2018, and this poem was written to honor the special day experienced by a loving couple.  The poem was originally published in January, 2019.  It has been updated and edited in style.

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Montana’s Lone Mountain stands above most peaks

Providing skiing challenges and thrills for all to seek

 

Today brings sweet, special time on this tallest mountain

Witnessing marriage joy, more beautiful than any fountain

 

On cloudless and frigid Friday, love will indeed arrive

Blessing God’s joining of two people, to forever thrive

 

This loving couple enjoys their shared passion to ski

Planning to tie marital knot, wedding party shall see

 

Carried to lofty summit, gondola ride quite soaring

Bride and groom cement their love at mid-morning

 

There’s no more beautiful moment than a wedding

Linking of two lives as one, in this majestic setting

 

Wedding vows exchanged in blusterous, bitter cold

Sharing their simple words of love, special and bold

 

Precious wedding rings left at home, safely hidden

Dropping them in deep powder, would be forbidden

 

Brief ceremony proceeds to its eventual conclusion

Watching husband kissing wife, seals God’s union

 

Newly married couple, outfitted in finest skiing attire

Skiing as husband and wife, before daylight expires

 

Easy to find, youthful bride finishing her downhill run

Wearing white veil on top of her helmet, just for fun

 

Husband and wife, skiers with remarkable skill

Sharing and enjoying further runs, sharing thrills

 

Holy Father sanctifying this couple’s wedding day

Smiling at faithful love, with beloved words to say

 

Here’s the happy and now married couple after their first ski run as husband and wife. My daughter decided to dress up a bit by wearing her wedding veil.

Worthy Soldier

From 2 Timothy 2:3-4: “Share in suffering like a good soldier of Christ Jesus. No one serving in the army gets entangled in everyday affairs; the soldier’s aim is to please the enlisting officer.”

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Born as blessed children of God

Learning the Bible’s sacred truth

Strong in grace of Savior Jesus

Worthy soldier matures from youth

 

Listening to God’s witnesses

Faithful, Godly people speaking

Maturing in Father’s Spirit

Daily blessings from Christ’s teachings

 

Humbly serving in God’s army

Following footsteps, walked by Christ

Bolstered by our own suffering

Clutching faith, never underpriced

 

Our Father’s way, rich truth to say

Bringing total understanding

His Holy Word comes without chains

Gospel, forever commanding

 

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From 2 Timothy 2:11-13:  “The saying is sure:  If we have died with Him, we will also live with Him; if we endure, we will also reign with Him; if we deny Him, He will also deny us; if we are faithless, He remains faithful—for He cannot deny Himself.”

Night

From Colossians 1:13-14 “He has rescued us from the power of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of His beloved Son, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.”

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From the Creator, comes the day’s light

Why then, is there perpetual night?

 

Sin-filled darkness, traverses borders

Nations breathing endless disorders

 

Not a single country shall be spared

Few if any, seem ready . . . prepared

 

Partisan turmoil ignites unrest

Another sleepless night, minus rest

 

Social illness parks at each corner

Past ills, leaving many a mourner

 

Violence, injustice never pause

Out of this gloom, marches a new cause

 

Shroud of night’s blackness, tearing apart

Light conquers night, crashing our Lord’s heart

 

Blood-stained Cross, now-empty tomb proclaim

Son of Man, Son of God lights new flame 

 

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From Revelation 22:5:  “And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.”

Eternal Presence (Elfchen Series #43)

Obeying

Child

Of God

Respect your Father

With love and obedient

Heart

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Needing

Weariness

Day’s trials

God’s soothing Word

Heals fragile, tender hearts

Peace

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Seeking

Focus

Life’s attention

God’s secure refuge

Stabilized by His love

Jesus

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This series of poems (written in the German-inspired style of Elfchen or Elevenie) shares a total of eleven words in each poem, with a sequence by line of one, two, three, four, and one words.

Haunting Storm

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Pleasant, mid-winter day

Warm winds decide to stay

 

Touch of spring thaws the air

Ideal life, not a care

 

Hidden, in frigid North

Cold destined to call forth

 

Prairie living unaware

Grass uncovered, and bare

 

Few cowboys work the range

Life will soon see big change

 

Barren land, overgrazed

Cattle wander, unfazed

 

Calmness warns of trouble

Winter’s wrath comes double

 

Arctic-fed winds stir up

Wet snow creates pileup

 

Haunting storm now arrives

Few cattle will survive

 

Blizzard smothers this land

Conditions, out of hand

 

Cowboys wait out fierce storm

Snow and cold, nasty swarm

 

Waiting, hours become days

Prairie, now winter’s maze

 

Cattle’s cries go unheard

Snow-blinded, vision blurred

 

Storm’s cruel hand, plays its cards

Life stops, prairie graveyards 

 

Montana artist Charles M. Russell captures the shattered blow of winter’s fury in “Waiting for a Chinook” (“Last of Five Thousand”) as depicted in this watercolor. (Courtesy of Pinterest)

This poem attempts to capture the daunting winter of 1886-1887 on the prairies in the Montana Territory when the Open Range’s cattle industry collapsed from its near annihilation.  Russell’s artwork says even more than words can describe.

Follow His Footsteps

From Romans 12:1-2:  “I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

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Imperfect humans

Walking darkest trails

World twists upside down

Christ calls, without fail

 

World crying out with

Endless, empty claims

Filled with dead end thoughts

Christ drowns looming flames

 

Noisy distractions

Countless temptations

Follow His footsteps

Christ’s supplications

 

Waking to darkness

God’s will lights each day

Struggling with life’s sin

Christ bridges the way

 

Share genuine love

Holding fast to good

Serving the Father

Christ transforms driftwood

 

Zealous in spirit

Rejoicing in hope

Walk with humbleness

Christ’s love helps us cope

 

Marked with our Lord’s truth

Walk with Christian steps

Soul and mind renewed

Follow Christ’s footsteps

 

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From Hebrews 6:19-20:  “We have this hope, a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters the inner shrine behind the curtain, where Jesus, a forerunner on our behalf, has entered, having become a high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.”

Faith’s Testaments (Haiku Series #119)

Love

Brothers and sisters

God calling us to freedom—

Share our love with all

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Mission

Loving the Father

Born into human likeness—

Christ empties himself

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Submission

Trusting His guidance

Living in love of Jesus—

Submit to His will

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