(Ballad: a song of deliverance.)

Now I know that
The Lord can save.
He delivered me from
The will of the grave.
With songs of deliverance
And songs of praise,
He affirms my soul
In his righteous ways.
By his matchless power
And invincible might,
He speaks a word
And darkness is light.
He is the joy of my soul
And the hope of my life.
The lover of my soul
And the love of my life.
He enlightens my eyes
With spiritual sight—
Even in the midst
Of confusion and strife.
I know that God can save.

When you thought you’d heard it all
Something else comes along
To challenge then the psyche—
Robbing life of its song.

One very distraught couple,
A husband and his wife,
Were found in their vehicle.
They seemed to tire of life.

The car was set and idling.
From its window ran a hose—
Attached to the exhaust pipe,
Drawing the carbon close.

They drunk a last cup of wine,
Perhaps life’s final toast.
There, embracing each other,
Was the one they’d loved most.

The couple had prepped their home
For such—their final hour.
Fridge and freezer all cleared out.
All disconnect of power.

A note stated that their home
Should go to charity.
And asked that neighbors feed some cats
The couple had reprieved.
(Revised 2018.)

There are days
When I need a song
That’s powerful enough
To take my mind off myself
And my problems.

Not a lot
Of drama
But a strong message
With powerful delivery.
Oh, for such a song.

Take wings, thou my prayer, take wings
And get thee up to God most high.
Hurry now my trusty prayer;
Up and off. Climb—soar—fly.

Thro' all the spheres and galaxies
Midst obstacles, your way to fight.
Veer not left or to the right;
Let nothing hinder, then, your flight.

Above the clouds and skies of blue
Go, bear the cargo that I send.
Ever, then, so cautiously,
Proceed ‘cording to heaven's trend.

Till thou return, I shall not rest;
And, so, I wait with bated breath.

Only
Yesterday you
Were here. Today you’re gone.
Tomorrow and beyond I’ll think
Of you.

'Tis a wonderful fellowship
Sharing things that matter the most.
I am one with the One I love,
And my joy is forever full.

Walking and talking with my Savior
The path emblazoned with His love.
How gloriously radiant;
Footsteps pristine and garments pure.

Hearing His ensuring voice.
Learning of His amazing ways.
Growing deeper in His love,
Savoring such promising days.

And leaning ‘pon Him as we go,
There's so much more I need to know.

(Song of Exaltation: doxological hymn.)

Give me the strength
To praise you Lord,
The breath to laud Your name.
You alone are glorious;
You deserve the fame.
May your kingdom ever stand
And your praises ring.
Live forever—true and grand—
Great and mighty King.

Mildly descending
Millions of raindrops – quickly
Forming a puddle.

Yesterday’s a deserted puddle
With water all dried up.
The memories are savoring,
But empty is the cup.

And yesterday is a bare glass
With not a thing to drink.
It holds no substance in its hand;
Just fleeting, like a wink.

And like the total silence of
A pleasant sounding fife--
Yesterday, like shifting sand,
Is just a phase of life.

The clouds,
Like milking cows
Are ready to drop down
An abundance of rain by the
Pails full.

The grim reaper treads the earth,
Where, crisscrossing the land,
He comes to collect.

Valley, hill and mountain—
Nothing escapes his repulsive visitation.
He comes to collect his due.

Great fences are erected
To ward off his intrusion,
But only for a season.
For, He is persistent in his returns.

The Grim Reaper.
An unwelcomed visitor—
Only leaving sorrow in his wake.

Put all man’s failures in a heap,
And then they would exceed the skies.
But God’s great mercy far exceeds
The sum of all man’s sinful pride.

For all the heart can think, or do,
Or dream in its deceptive mode—
He has a plan for me and you:
Forgiveness (a divine code).

It is a mystery divine
How God forgives our failures all
And beckons one with love sublime
Tho’ few dare answer His clear call.

Oh lovely deity Divine
I take thy mercy to be mine.

Lights a blinking
Carols sounding
Shoppers hustling
To and fro.

In the chilly
Air of winter
Expectations
Only grow.

Fond memories
Plow the mind
With Christmases
Of long ago.

A flashback here
A Flashback there
Keeps the Season
All aglow.

Yonder
In the heights, a
Star shone bright. Glistening.
Streaming down ‘pon the holy night.
Christmas.

Sun-clad mountains glow.
White-foam currents flowing midst
Dark, damp river rocks.

I have lived to see the big 6-0.
How humbled and grateful I am.
Many a restless night there were;
At times my faith seemed jammed.

Oh, what a struggle it has been,
Tho' Word and faith were all I knew.
When curve and bend seemed like the end,
The Lord was sure to see me through.

Oft' the way grew dark and dreary;
As for my fate, I had no clue.
When everything was slipping fast,
I needed something to cling to.

So, I clung tightly to God’s will;
He guided, and is guiding still.

He’s the average Joe
Who works hard each day,
Faithfully laboring
To earn him a pay.

He will ‘man’ the workforce
As best that he can.
Even back-breaking tasks
To meet the demand.

So, a regular Joe
Working nine to five—
Trying to make ends meet
Just to stay alive.

If I should ask “Does iron float?”
One would reply, Oh no!
But truly, such was the case
Thousands of years ago.
You see, a borrowed axe head
Fell into a river
Down, down. Way down it sank
With no means to deliver.

Prayer was offered for the axe,
Which soon went a floating.
Then some hooked and drew it in
A wonder worth the noting.
And so the axe was returned
To its rightful owner
But only with a twist of fate,
It’d had been a goner.

(A Thankful Psalm: universal approach
to giving thanks.)

Thank you, Lord, for all things
Created by your powerful hands:
The earth rotating on its axis—
Giving us days.
The moon that circuits the earth—
Allowing us months.
And the earth circuiting the sun—
Giving us years.

Thank you for the expansive galaxies.
And the abundantly diverse creatures,
Among whom are the jaguar,
Peacock and conch—all called by name.

You have created mankind in your image
With the ability to reason and understand.

Thank you for producing such a vast
And awesome creation,
With compelling observations—
All worthy of notation.

To the divinely deserving One
By whom we are wondrously made.
And to whom we offer gratitude
With sincere accolades.

(Psalm of Exhortation: worship God.)

Let mankind worship him—
Redeemed by his plan.
Let the angels worship—
Created at his command.

All birds, and beasts,
And creeping things—
Let them bow before the King.
For God, supreme, made everything:

The lamb and lion,
And fowl’s wings.
The oxen, cattle, bear and kid—
All things wonderful he did.

Let all who live and breathe—sing!
Oh glorify the sovereign King.

(Prayer-Psalm: grievance too painful to utter.)

I implore you, Lord,
Daily placing my petitions
At your feet.
Hear my cry
And answer my prayers,
For I am torn and speechless.
You know my troubled heart.
Only you can interpret my tears,
Which tell the story,
As one by one they gently fall
Against the tenderness
Of my cheeks
And drop to solemnly rest
At Your beautiful feet—
Speaking volumes that only you
Can understand.
My heart safely rests in You.

(Ballad: a suppliant's song.)

Lord God of heaven and earth,
Consider my affliction
And deliver my soul.
Oh, God of heaven and earth,
Hear me when I call
Unto you Lord.

I will call upon the Lord
In the morning.
I will call upon the Lord
At noon.
I will call upon the Lord
In the evening.
For he will hear me when I call.

Money makes folk happy.
Money makes folk sad.
But few would e’er regret
The monies that they’ve had.
Some waste lots of money
Buying lots of things.
Then, suddenly, realize—
Money does have wings.
They find them looking back,
Feeling so annoyed—
Longing for the ton of cash
That they once enjoyed.

(Prayer-Psalm: for preservation.)

Lord forgive my sins—
In word, thought and deed.
Forever preserve me
In your righteousness.
Uphold me in integrity
That I might worship
With a clean heart,
Lifting my hands to you.
My sole desire is to be true;
Oh, never let me fail.

Come what may.
God will keep me
In his righteousness,
Ever preceding
To guide the way.
And in his kindness
And goodwill,
He won’t let me stray.

On the one hand,
Pain breaks the heart—
Ripping it apart.  
And yet, on the other,
It warns… something wrong.
Pain is a lifesaving sign.
’

We build castles, and great they may be—
Proudly displayed for all to see.
But highly constructed and formed so grand,
We fail to realize they are of sand.

Dreams and ambitions of noble degree
Often crumble and vanish at sea.
Failed relations, goals not reached,
Abandoned visions, promises breached.

Foundations that are made of sand
Don’t guarantee a dream will stand.
But those dreams built on solid rock
Withstand troubles when they knock.
So, firmly anchored you should be
As not to drift and toss at sea.

If a
Society
Would thrive, there must be a
Moral foundation; or else it
Would fold.

Talk to God,
He’ll talk to you.
Tell Him your joys—
And burdens too.

Put your problems
In His hands.
Nothing you say
He won’t understand.

Night or day,
He’ll hear your call,
And answer your prayers—
Come spring or fall.

He won't tell your secrets,
Like others do.
Just talk to God,
And He’ll talk with you.

(Psalm of God's Majestic Power.)

He spoke a word
And there was light.
He made a law
To divide the night.
He formed man
Who lifelessly lay—
And gave him life
At dawn of day.
His testimonies
Of power and might
Are miraculous
And upright:
Bread from heaven,
Parting the sea,
And raising the dead.
Almighty is he.

He attends the needy,
Helps the oppressed,
And delivers those
Who are distressed.
His awesome miracles
Are great in number
That all should fear
And remember
The omnipotent
Power of God.

Bright skies. White pillowed
Clouds. Birds. Luminous sunrays -
Mirrored in grey pond.

(A Psalm of Adoration.)

I adore your majesty, Lord,
And exalt the highness
Of your regal throne—
Covered with splendor
And might.

To your comparison—
All earthly desires pale.
Your glory shines perfectly,
Even in the darkest night.
Excellent is your light.

Eternity is your dwelling.
Your omnipotence precedes time,
And your truth is sublime.
I adore you, Oh Lord, my God.

Two teenage friends went hiking
Along a familiar trail
In Northern Indiana.
The ‘plot’ would don a veil.

For the girls did not show up
At the appointed spot,
Reuniting with the kin
Said to have dropped them off.

So it became obvious
That something went awry.
And next came the somber news
That’ll make a heart cry.

Investigators sought help
To find the perpetrator
As the blood of those two girls
Pled to the Creator.

Whodunit? For now remains
An unsolved mystery.
But time, and chance, and purpose
Shall claim the victory.

The girls from the hiking trail—
Their story must unfold;
Some day in vindication
The bare truth shall be told.

Spectators were mesmerized
By the enchanting view
Of an ocean swell
‘Pon the infinite horizon.
They watched in euphoria,
Ecstatic by the charming phenomenon
That captivated with joy.

(A Psalm of Trust: God is able.)

Is there anything too hard for you, O God,
The worker of miracles and wonders?
You are the architect of life.
You’ve produced the sun, moon and stars.
And have authored all of the planets.

You, who are the inventor of light,
Have created more than a billion galaxies.
You produce all that is good.

Oh Lord, you are the epitome of power
And the essence of true greatness.
There is nothing too hard for you.

My soul shall freely sing
And worship the Lord forever.

Mental
Strength is vital
To meet life’s challenges.
The building blocks of victory—
The mind.

In troubles, faith seems
To grow deeper, as one is
Compelled by that which
Is seen to rely upon
That which is not seen for strength.

Now here we have the sweetest tale.
Nearing the end of life,
Residing at a nursing home…
A husband and his wife.

When she grew sick and nigh to death
He’d visit her each day.
But then he, too, would fall quite ill,
Somehow, along the way.

Therefore he moved to where she was,
Still clinging to his bride.
And when she made her transition,
He was there by her side.

It was just five minutes later
He too would slip away.
For, by fate, they left together
On that—their final day.

A frightened dog was stranded
Upon a frozen lake,
The fireman then would risk his life
For the lil doggy’s sake.

The dog was coached to safety
But, then, the ice would break.
Fireman plunged to cold waters
Into the icy lake.

The doggy walked to safety
As the fireman was towed
And I was very relieved
As the tension lowered.

And, so, all did turn out well.
Both, man and dog, were saved;
Rescued from the eager grasp
Of an icy, bleak grave.

‘Tis a gilded history
Of such grand festivity

Garland, tinsel, tree, light,
And the holy hymns of might.

Sounding of the lyrical,
And a time for miracles.

Resounding nostalgia
And crowning regalia.

Island, land and isthmus
Celebrating Christmas.

(Psalm of Deliverance: God saves His people.)

God worked wonders
For his people
When he delivered them
From Egyptian *******.
Thus the story is told:
A destitute nation
In a land that was strange—
With feet shackled
And hands chained—
Was ruled by Pharaoh
An oppressive king,
From whose hands
No freedom rang.
They cried in affliction
With wailing aggression,
And God delivered
From hell's oppression.

'Twas a mighty deliverance,
So the story goes.
He showed his strength
That men of sod
Might know the power
Of an awesome God.

Fair wintry night with
Clear skies and a bright shining
Moon—Nature’s lantern.

(Psalm of Hope Midst a Cry of Grievance.)

O Lord, my God, where are you?
My troubles are grievous and sore;
I need you now—right now.
Why are you so far away?
When shall I savor the feat?

My soul, why be anxious?
Rest in the Lord.
I know him—he is near.
The Lord will deliver.

He will bless and set me
In a sure place.
And I will serve him
All the days of my life.
For He only is my God.

Time, really, would fail to tell
What Mother means to me;
Friend, guardian and love.
A precious gem from above.

Looking upon her, I see
A woman who has given me
Life, hope, and all she could,
So I can be all that I should.

But the sacrifices made
When much of herself she gave
Will always be the noble part
That I will cherish in my heart.

Thank God for my momma,
She’s as precious as can be.
I’ll ever love and cher'sh her.
She is the world to me.

Electrical storm. Pow’r failure
Just imagine the commotion.
The anvil of darkness proceeds
Firmly grasping the emotions.

Surrounded with total darkness
Like the blind grappling for light.
Colliding with wall and furniture;
A dark, clumsy and scary sight.  

The dread of darkness would increase,
Now morphing into a brute beast.
And I’m, still, in a cul de sac—
Can, neither, advance nor go back.

Then, a blessing as time stood still—
The light appeared and darkness chilled.

We are everyday people,
But in conflict.
As soldiers,
We battle the challenge
Of life’s myriad issues.

In defense…
Opposing those things,
Such as could defeat
And take us down.

Warm ‘wintry’ skies;
Birds singing—flying high.
Flowers blooming.
And folks lightly clad.
Has Mother Nature forgotten
Her identity?

__________  
Note:  Summer weather in wintertime.

We do not give You
Turkey, Lord, in honor of
Such day, with all the
Décor and trimmings, but
We give You our hearts instead.

Mother. Daughter.  Sister.  Wife.
Women make a difference in life.
Their person is defendable.
Their role is indispensable.

Women are irreplaceable;
Their MO is nontraceable.
Smart and intelligent are they—
One of a kind in every way.

Woman prefer their own style,
Specially walking down the aisle.
And donning cotton, silk or lace—
She is found in every place.
(Revised 2/2018.)

Her grace
Was so tender
Making her uniquely
The type of mother God called her
To be.

Long nights into nowhere.
The small hours stretch painfully.
Stretching and stretching,
As quiet reflections surface—
Demanding attention
And commanding the mind.
On and on it goes
Till, finally, dawn’s appearing.
Awake my soul and sing.