The Dawn

If I had stood at Calvary and viewed the darkness there,

Looked up and seen my dying friend, and felt the deep despair,

Of seeing helpless him on whom I thought I could depend,

I think I might have cried out, “Oh, God…this is the end.”

 

If I had stood outside the tomb and seen the awful stone,

That sealed in the kindest man that I had ever known,

I might have thought, “He wasn’t God, he was only just at friend.”

And in my grief, I would have sobbed, “Oh, God…this is the end!”

 

But a new day was coming.  There was sunrise near at hand.

There would be a brand new morning.  New life was in the plan,

For Christ conquered death and rose again upon that Easter morn,

And just as surely as He lives, we too will see the dawn.

 

So if today you stand here, so overwhelmed by life,

If you cannot make sense of the confusion and the strife,

Put your faith in Him who conquered death, eternity you’ll spend,

In lifting up your praise to Him, this life is not the end!

 

For a new day is coming.  There is sunrise near at hand.

There will be a brand new morning.  New life is in the plan,

For Christ conquered death and rose again upon an Easter morn,

And just as surely as He lives, we too will see the dawn.

Lost Mate

She sits alone in the nest,

Scanning the sky,

With a plaintive cry.

 

She hasn’t repaired her nest.

She sits motionless, still,

Not using her skill.

 

Quietly with a heart needing repair,

Am I, scanning the sky,

Wondering “why?”

 

I understand her loneliness and grief.

Letting time slip by,

The osprey and I.

 

At least, she can fly.

Dream or Vision

I fell asleep one afternoon,

Was it a dream or vision?

A tunnel gray and long,

Raised an intriguing decision.

 

Should I enter quickly?

Carefully tiptoe inside?

Or race ahead recklessly,

Caution thrown aside?

 

The light at the end

Was not white, as expected.

A warm yellow glow

Towards me was directed.

 

Wispy cloud-like beings

Drifted across the light,

Not wraiths, but angels,

A tantalizing sight.

 

But as I stood and pondered,

“Has my time come?”

The tunnel walls collapsed.

And the dream was gone.

 

I woke up disappointed.

“I am still here,” I thought.

Perhaps, the next time will bring,

The heavenly peace I’ve sought.

Dining at the Table

 

 

Dining at the Table

 

We sat at a table on our first date.

It was in a restaurant.

I don’t remember what we ate,

But the conversation was appetizing.

 

For decades we sat at a dinner table,

Sharing the important and the trivial,

Talking through the chatter of children,

Nourished by both food and conversation.

 

We sat at a table one Saturday evening,

Not knowing it was the last time.

Later, I could not remember what we ate.

Only the freshly baked blueberry muffins.

 

Now I sit at a table with one placemat,

Picking at tasteless morsels,

While devouring rich memories,

Gourmet leftovers reheated.

And the Angels Sang

When the angels sang…

 

Into the dark of a cold winter night,

Came a warm and radiant light.

Into a world where wars do not cease,

Came a babe who is Prince of Peace.

 

Into the confusion of a human mind,

Came a Counselor, wise and kind.

Into a life full of pain and grief,

Came the Shepherd for a wand’ring sheep.

 

And a hardened heart by sin so racked,

Looked on the light and defenses cracked,

Amazing love broke every barrier,

As the heart bowed down to the Lord and Savior.

 

And the angels sang!

Who is at the Table?

 

Who is at the Table?

Who sits at my table, who eats of my bread?

Is it only “the worthy” whose hunger is fed?

 

Who is handed the menu and offered the fare?

To whom do I say, “No, you can’t sit there!”

 

The table is spread with a glorious feast.

Are invitees “the highest,” excluding “the least?”

 

At the banquet in heaven, which will happen someday,

Will my “rejects” be seated, while I’m turned away?

One More Time

Things I would like to do with Bill one more time:

*ice skate

*sing a duet

*cheer him on in a race

*walk to church holding hands

*fall asleep holding hands

*ride in the car

*take him a freshly baked cookie

*crawl in bed together

*wake up together

*tell each other about our day

*discuss an issue and reach a decision

*work in the garden

*talk while he empties his pockets onto the dresser

*sit in the bathtub and talk

*sit in the double recliner

*give him a bare …whoops…bear hug