more poetry

Parents Prayer

Oh, God, make me a better parent. 
Help me to understand my children, 
To listen patiently to what they have to say
And to answer all their questions kindly. 

Keep me from interrupting them, 
Talking back to them and contradicting them. 
Make me as courteous to them
As I would have them be to me.

Give me the courage to confess my sins
Against my children and to ask of them forgiveness,
When I know that I have done them wrong.

May I not vainly hurt the feelings of my children.
Forbid that I should laugh at their mistakes or
Resort to shame and ridicule as punishment.

Let me not tempt a child to lie and steal.
So guide me hour by hour that I may demonstrate
By all I say and do that honestly produces happiness.
Reduce, I pray, the meanness in me.

May I cease to nag:
And when I am out of sorts,
Help me, O Lord, to hold my tongue.

Blind me to the little errors of my children
And help me to see the good things that they do.
Give me a ready word for honest praise.

Help to treat my children as those of their own age,
But let me not exact of them the judgments and conventions of adults.
Allow me not to rob them of the opportunity to wait upon themselves,
To think, to choose, and to make decisions.

Forbid that I should ever punish them for my self-satisfaction.
May I grant them all of their wishes that are reasonable
And have the courage always to withhold a privilege that I know will do them harm.

Make me so fair and just, so considerate and companionable to my children that they will have a genuine esteem for me.
Fit me to be loved and imitated by my children.
With all thy gifts, Oh God, do give me calm and poise and self control.


No Matter Where I Go!

No matter how far away I go,
my Lord is always there,
no matter what the world may do to me,
my Lord will always care
In the darkest corner of the earth,
God's light cannot be hid,
He stands beside me through the night,
and I know that I am His
What can this world do to me,
why do I no longer care,
it is because my Lord stands beside me,
all my sorrows and griefs to bear
Be glad my brothers and sisters,
can't you feel it in the air,
He stands before us waiting,
give Him your every care
Lord God in heaven how I thank thee,
for loving this simple little man,
it is amazing that the King in all His glory,
would come down to hold this sinners hand
I have seen so many wonders,
and the beauty in this earthly land,
but nothing can compare,
with seeing Jesus hold your hand
When Christ lifts us up to glory,
we are no longer a part of this earthly land,
Oh come with me sinner, come with me now,
come take hold of the Masters hand.

The New School Prayer

Now I sit me down in school
Where praying is against the rule
For this great nation under God
Finds mention of Him very odd.
If Scripture now the class recites,
It violates the Bill of Rights.
And anytime my head I bow
Becomes a Federal matter now.
Our hair can be purple, orange or green,
That's no offense; it's a freedom scene.
The law is specific, the law is precise.
Prayers spoken aloud are a serious vice.
For praying in a public hall
Might offend someone with no faith at all.
In silence alone we must meditate,
God's name is prohibited by the state.
We're allowed to cuss and dress like freaks,
And pierce our noses, tongues and cheeks.
They've outlawed guns, but FIRST the Bible.
To quote the Good Book makes me liable.
We can elect a pregnant Senior Queen,
And the 'unwed daddy', our Senior King.
It's "inappropriate" to teach right from wrong,
We're taught that such "judgments" do not belong.
We can get our condoms and birth controls,
Study witchcraft, vampires and totem poles.
But the Ten Commandments are not allowed,
No word of God must reach this crowd.
It's scary here I must confess,
When chaos reigns the school's a mess.
So, Lord, this silent plea I make:
Should I be shot;
My soul please take!
Amen

Never Found the Time

I Knelt To Pray But Not For Long

I Had Too Much To Do
I Had To Hurry And Get To Work

For Bills Would Soon Be Due
So I Knelt And Said A Hurried Prayer

And Jumped Up Off My Knees
My Christian Duty Was Now Done

My Soul Could Rest At Ease

All Day Long I Had no Time
To Spread A Word Of Cheer

No Time To Speak Of Christ To Friends

They'd Laugh At Me I'd Fear
No Time, No Time Too Much To Do

That Was My Constant Cry
No Time To Give To Souls In Need

But At Last The Time To Die

I Went Before The Lord
I Came, I Stood With Downcast Eyes

For In His Hands God Held A Book

It Was The Book Of Life
God Looked Into His Book And Said

Your Name I Cannot Find
I Once Was Going To Write It Down...

But Never Found The Time!

Mary Had a Little Lamb

Mary had a little Lamb,
His fleece was white as snow.

And everywhere that Mary went,
The Lamb was sure to go.

He followed her to school each day,
When it wasn't against the rules.

He made the children laugh and play
To have the Lamb at school.

Then the rules changed one day,
Against the law it became.

To bring the Lamb of God to school
Or even speak His name.

Every day got worse and worse,
And days turned into years.

Instead of hearing children laugh and play,
You heard them crying tears.

What must we do to stop the crime,
That's in our schools today?

Let the Lamb come back to school
And teach our kids to pray.


Marriage Takes Three

I once thought marriage took
Just two to make a go,
But now I am convinced
It takes the Lord also.

And not one marriage fails
Where Christ is asked to enter,
As lovers come together
With Jesus at the center.

But marriage seldom thrives,
And homes are incomplete,
Till He is welcomed there
To help avoid defeat.

In homes where Christ is first,
It's obvious to see,
Those unions really work,
For marriage still takes three.


A Man Named Jesus

There was a man named Jesus
(really the Son of God),
One day He’ll rule on His New Earth,
With crown & robe & rod.

He was laid in a manger of hay,
for there was no room in the inn that day.
He was born to save us from our sin,
Won’t you open your heart’s door,
and let him come in?

At twelve, He went to the temple to preach,
the Word of the Lord, the Jews to teach.
At thirty years old, His ministry began,
preaching the Kingdom of Heaven to man.

At thirty-three, all hell broke loose,
His death was soon to come,
The grave held him for just three days,
Their Messiah, God’s own Son.

He was beaten and berated,
And then denied thrice;
The Messiah, the Savior,
God’s perfect sacrifice.

He’ll come again to take us Home,
where we can live with Him,
Forever more, we’ll want for naught,
and the Light will never dim.


I Found a New Love Today

I found a new love today
As I got down on my knees
And ask Jesus into my heart
To be a part of me.

The love of God is pure and rare
He shows it in many ways
It has no beginning, it has no end
It shows in His creation everywhere.

He promised He would never leave me
No matter how far I go
His Holy Spirit comforts me
When I’m sad and feeling low.

Never has other love compared
For God did send His Son
To die upon a cross for me
And I wasn't even there.

He sends His guardian angels
To watch over me day and night
And then there are those angels
Who my battles they will fight.

And when the battles over
And time on earth is gone
I will see my newfound love
Sitting on the throne.


I Said A Prayer For You Today

I said a prayer for you today and know God must have heard.
I felt the answer in my heart although He spoke no word.
I didn't ask for wealth or fame, I knew you wouldn't mind.
I asked Him to send treasurers of a far more lasting kind.
I asked that He'd be near you at the start of each new day.
To grant you health and blessings and friends to share your way.
I asked for happiness for you in all things great and small.
But it was for His loving care I prayed the most of all.



I Asked the Lord to Bless You

I asked the Lord to bless you
As I prayed for you today
to guide you and protect you
as you go along the way...

His love is always with you
His promises are true
and when we give him all of our cares
you know He will see us through

So when the road you are traveling on
seems difficult at best
just remember I am here praying
and God will do the rest.


Footprints

One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

When the last scene of my life shot before me
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
There was only one set of footprints.
I realized that this was at the lowest
And saddest times of my life.
This always bothered me
And I questioned the Lord about my dilemma.

"Lord, you told me when I decided to follow You,
But I'm aware that during the most troublesome
Times of my life there is only one set of footprints.
I just don't understand why when I needed You most, You leave me."

He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you."


The Final Season

When the fall is at winters door
my life here on earth will be no more
For my heavenly Father is calling me
to be with Him for eternity
I know I will miss my loved ones here
but the time will someday come
When the clouds above will part
And our Savior will appear.

So when I cross that Jordan river
and reach the other side
where pain and death will have no place
In Gods Wondrous domain I will forever abide.
Do not weep or mourn for me
for I’m forever safe
and one day we all will be
together forever with God eternally.



A Garnish of Praise

This is a special kind of recipe.
Not the kind you serve at meals-
You make it in your heart!

Ingredients:
-God's great love, poured out like a drink offering for you
-Some fruits (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control)
-Faith firm as a rock
-God's word, like honey on our lips (psalm 19:10)
-Your heart and some laughter

Method:
-First, you take some faith, and stir it around
-Add some joy and laughter, till it makes a bubbly sound
-Mix in some of God's great love, till it all begins to ring
-Pour in a willing heart
-Serve to the King of Kings!!!

Serving Tips:
-Don't be afraid to share it all around by giving - because when you give, it will come back to you! (Luke 7:38)
-When you're feeling down, offer the garnish of praise as a sacrifice to God! He invites us to give a sacrifice of praise!! (Psalm 107:22)
-You can consume as much praise as you possibly can. Live in him and the ingredients will never run out! (John 4:14)


The Gift Of Friendship

Friendship is a priceless gift
That cannot be bought or sold,
But its value is far greater
Than a mountain made of gold -
For gold is cold and lifeless,
It can neither see nor hear,
And in the time of trouble
It is powerless to cheer
It has no ears to listen,
No heart to understand,
It cannot bring you comfort
Or reach out a helping hand -
So when you ask God for a Gift,
Be thankful if He sends
Nor diamonds, pearls or riches,
But the love of real true friends.

God Can

When you feel unlovable, unworthy and unclean,
When you think that no one can heal you,
Remember, Friend,
God Can.

When you think that you are unforgivable
For your guilt and your shame
Remember, Friend,
God Can.

When you think that all is hidden
And no one can see within
Remember, Friend,
God Can.

And when you have reached the bottom
And you think that no one can hear
Remember my dear Friend
God Can.

And when you think that no one can love
The real person deep inside of you
Remember my dear Friend,
God Does.


The Gift of God

Long before the day when Mary gave birth,
Before God formed man from the dust of the earth,
Before the stars into the heavens were hurled,
There was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

Before the deadly fall of the race,
God's plan of redemption was already in place.
His own Son would die on an old rugged cross,
To save His creation from eternal loss.

God foretold His coming from the opening book,
The Seed of the woman for whom we should look.
Abraham, Isaac, and the sacrificial ram,
Foretold the sacrifice of the great I AM.

The prophets proclaimed the place of His birth:
Bethlehem of Judea, where God came to earth.
His name did the prophets clearly foretell:
Mighty God, Prince of Peace, Immanuel.

In the fullness of time God's word came to pass,
The birth of the Savior to a young virgin lass.
His mission on earth was finally unfurled,
The Lamb of God, to take away the sin of the world.

The way to the Father was shown us by Christ,
He said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life."
He came to release the deathgrip of sin,
He went to the cross our redemption to win.

It was for our sin that He suffered and bled,
Yet triumphant, victorious, He rose from the dead.
Now seated in heaven He eternally lives,
Mercy and forgiveness freely He gives.

Salvation is promised to all who'll receive.
Trust the Lord Jesus and in Him alone believe.
Repent of your sin and for His mercy do plead,
And from sin, death, and hell you will surely be freed.

O this Christmas may your life truly start.
May the glory of God shine into your heart.
May the gift of God -- His Son Jesus Christ
Bring true peace and joy into your life.

And what can separate us from such wonderful love
So rich and so full from our great God above?
Nothing, no nothing, in all creation can part
The Lord Jesus Christ from a redeemed, trusting heart.