Empty coffee can
Much needed grocery run—
No caffeine to spare
Final goal-line stand
Fullback takes crucial handoff—
Freight train A-coming!
Husband’s chores waiting
Morning’s golf invitation—
What’s a man to do?
From Psalm 103:1: “Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His holy name.”
Blessing God above
Sending mercy’s voice
Breathing righteousness
Faith’s only true choice
Blessing God above
Loving through His grace
Forgiving our sins
Redemption’s true place
Blessing God above
Granting sunny days
Healing each sickness
Spirit’s passageway
Blessing God above
Sharing lasting peace
Gifting His goodness
Hope’s renewing lease
Blessing God above
Overflowing praise
Guiding every step
Love’s eternal blaze
From Psalm 103:8: “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”
Enduring
Endless storms
Light’s navigation calms
Returning to tranquil waters
Faith
Surrounding
Darkness overcome
Light’s merciful hand
Leading to higher ground
Hope
Sustaining
Light answers
Prayer fills heart
Continued devotion to Jesus
Grace
Spring training arrives
Baseball swings away
Dreams forever fill
Grown men now at play
Life’s daily fabric
Clothed around baseball
Game’s timeless rhythm
Umpire shouts, “Play ball!”
Bambino’s shadow
“House That Ruth Built” shrine
Yankee Stadium
Writes daily headlines
Pennant race forecast
Veterans lead off
Each rookie follows
Game always shows off
Who’s in center field?
New Yorkers look out
Mick, Duke, or Willie
None better, no doubt
National pastime
Newspapers proclaim
Box scores filled with stats
Deep love for this game
Nation’s beating pulse
Another home run
Mantle, Maris chase
Ain’t this really fun?
Each autumn’s classic
Baseball measures up
World Series broadcast
Greatness bats cleanup
Memories still stand
Precious trading cards
Hall of Fame’s legends
Baseball’s honor guard
A few of the stanzas deserve some additional notes. The “Bambino” refers to baseball legend George Herman (Babe) Ruth. The center fielders are Mickey Mantle (Yankees), Duke Snider (Dodgers), and Willie Mays (Giants). All played at the same time during the 1950s. Mantle and Maris refer to Mickey Mantle and Roger Maris, who played for the Yankees. In 1961, their personal home run derby propelled Maris to hit a then-record 61 home runs for a season, with Mantle close behind with 54.
From Colossians 1:19-20: “For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through Him God was pleased to reconcile to Himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, by making peace through the blood of His cross.”
Haunting scene, filled with greed
Darkness shadows with fear
Every path now seems blocked
Cross waiting to appear
Journey of life backs up
Selfishness cuts in front
Noise in streets never dims
Cross waiting to confront
Sorrows keep piling up
Every heart feeling stress
Shattered hope, faith absent
Cross waiting to address
Life refreshed, poured from grace
Compassion fills His heart
Savior’s body and blood
Cross ready to impart
Mountains of sin paid for
Mercy now comes to rest
Blessing of Father’s love
Cross completes final quest
From 1 Corinthians 1:18: “For the message about the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.”
Witnessing child’s growth
Harvesting learning each day—
Inquisitive mind
Listen with purpose
Endless landscape never rests—
Even silence speaks
Never one regret
Lifetime’s sweethearts together—
Day’s sunny side up
From Matthew 7:13-14: “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it.”
Photo by Jarosław Miś on Pexels.com
Life tempting us with enticing shortcuts
Most of these never seem to bring success
Gods speaks honestly, always asking us
Did we burrow deeper, rather than guess?
Clever world flooding us with remedies
Formulas for a more successful life
Simple, surefire, easy to use, guaranteed
God’s formula, always true without strife
Never shy from following the Father
He doesn’t promise a road without bumps
God offers promises with blessed love
His way leading us forward, our hearts jump
Requiring patience, life’s a marathon
God remains our Rock, faithful and steadfast
His blessings fill our lives in countless ways
Our ship sails, with eternal hope amassed
Losing hope at times, seeking a quick fix
Encouragement and trust arrives from God
Offering us Grace, filled with peace and joy
Grateful, He accepts us, totally flawed
Photo by Sanaan Mazhar on Pexels.com
From the words of Saint Teresa of Avila, “We ought to make some progress, however little, every day, and show some increase of fervor. We ought to act as if we were at war–as, indeed, we are–and never relax until we have won the victory.”
Originally published March, 2020.
From Psalm 4:8: “I will both lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord, make me lie down in safety.”
Lying awake in night’s darkness
Hearing promises from voices
Most too good to really be true
Filled with countless, empty choices
Tackling another stressful day
Witnessing contrasting voices
Thoughts quite overwhelming again
Faltered in making best choices
Retreating into quiet place
Searching, listening to voices
Father’s Word opens mind and heart
Found at last, His trusted choices
Hearing each righteous cry for help
Nurturing Father’s faithful voice
Enemy’s plan reduced to dust
Raised His Son, salvation’s sole choice
Harvesting empty void no more
Walking in step with Savior’s voice
Jesus cries out, journey finished
Saved man with mercy’s final choice
Seeing truth in these promises
Extending Father’s righteous voice
Grace deepens His Son’s love for thee
Accepting Christ, life’s blessed choice
From John 19:29-30: “A jar full of sour wine was standing there. So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to His mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, He said, ‘It is finished.’ Then He bowed His head and gave up His spirit.”
Although every verse in the Bible is inspired by God and given to us for our benefit, we won’t hear His voice unless we make His Word a priority.
From Deuteronomy 8:2-3: “Remember the long way that the Lord your God has led you these forty years in the wilderness, in order to humble you, testing you to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep His commandments. He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”
Opening doors welcome each child
Fascinating journey begins
Dreams fill with imagination
School days become future’s lynchpin
Strengthening character daily
Teaching life lessons, step-by-step
Entire village backs up each child
Honesty leads every footstep
Molding citizenship’s actions
Interacting with nation’s past
History’s events come alive
Participation built to last
Learning importance of service
Applying every faithful task
Life’s foundation now taking shape
Hands no longer afraid to ask
Displaying acts of leadership
Maturing into country’s best
Actions go far beyond just words
Ready now, to pass every test
Big Sky Buckeye 