He Is Risen

He is risen

He is risen indeed

Friday’s grave

Brought victory

Agony of death

An ugly cross

The feeling like

All hope is lost

As she mourned

And went to find

The face she loved

Just one more time

He wasn’t there

Fear hit her heart

Wasn’t death enough?

This is worse by far

The part that was left

Of Jesus her Lord

Was stolen from her

Can’t take much more

Sir, where is Jesus?

Have you placed him somewhere?

Please give me a clue

I must go there

Mary, Mary

Do not cry

It is I, I am here

Death is a lie

Go tell my friends

I’m alive and well

I’ve conquered death

The grave and hell

Evil lost its power

When it thought it had won

I crushed its head

When I said “It is done!”

My death was the way

For you to now live

Rejoice and be glad

See what I did?

No grave could keep me

No devil defeat me

My love did not fail you

Mercy has saved you

Believe what I say

Look into my eyes

Because I have risen

No more goodbyes

You’re my beloved

My precious lamb

Let peace fill your heart

We’ll meet again

Deeply connected

As intimate friends

Forever and ever

This love has no end

You are mine and

I am yours

Hold on to this hope

And weep no more

Sharing Life with Mom

Each day comes
With thoughts and news
Little things
To bring to you

Like gathering flowers
Picked as I go
I gathered them up
Waiting to show you

Funny or sad
Mundane or rare
Our daily existence
Always shared

Hearts intertwined
An unparalleled linked
Your fabric is mine
What I feel and think

A part of each other
Mother and child
Deepest connection
Melded for life

Agony now
Torn and raw
But enemy death
You are horribly wrong

This sacred love
It cannot die
It lives despite you
Separation’s a lie

Eternally bonded
My mother and me
Soon back together
You wait and see

I’ll be there with her
In paradise, home
Life everlasting
I’ll know and be known

Closer than ever
Death just a door
Into a new realm
More than before

Nearness unshackled
By sin and shame
Two souls communing
My loss is my gain

Only a breath
Between here and there
Until then collecting
Flowers to share

I’m gathering up, Mom
What I know you would like
How my family’s doing
What I’ve done with my life

You told me to write
To enjoy each new day
Good things are coming
You always would say

Grandchildren will bless you
Retirement, too
You and Daryl will prosper
You’ll see it’s true

Mama, I’ll cherish
Your words and your heart
Our special connection
Will carry me far

You’re now there waiting
To share with me
Your daily existence
In a land that is free

Unfettered devotion
Unexplainable love
You long to tell me
What it’s like up above

How Jesus has loved you
Just like I said
How every heartache
Every pain, every dread

Was gone in an instant
When you saw His face
Entering heaven
A miraculous place

I’ll be there shortly
My mother, dear friend
We’ll be together
Sharing life once again

June 20, 2021

The Enemy

Death is an enemy
With a dark, evil face
A crusty old demon
With insatiable taste

For blood and gore
And fear and pain
He strikes fatal blows
Then laughs in disdain

Death is the enemy
Evil his tool
Suffering his pleasure
By it he rules

Over all men and beasts
Over all living things
He crushes and jabs
Pierces and stings

But death fools himself
He does not know
His sinister plans
Have nowhere to go

He afflicts for a while
He sneers and scoffs
But his wicked schemes
Will soon be cut off

Flailing and grasping
Doing his best
To bring us to hell
Along with the rest

Of frail humankind
Caught up in the fray
Of selfish pleasures
And hedonist ways

Try as he will
For ultimate gain
There is another
With opposite aims

Jesus is life
Joy, hope and peace
He brought it all
To give us release

From death and his minions
From pain, fear and dread
He won the battle
Death is now dead

Glorious parade
Of final victory
Exposing the enemy’s
Blatant defeat

Death had been routed
His plans are displayed
As impotent failures
Temporary graves

God in the heavens
Now laughs at death’s tries
To steal his beloved
From under His eyes

No one can snatch them
Not even death
God has the last word
He holds every breath

He fashioned each life
His heart sets the time
Of our departure
From under these skies

His children can trust him
With each new day
He calls the shots
He has the last say

Into the heavens
Paradise home
We’re going soon
But not alone

Beloved companions
Family and friends
Waiting to meet us
When this era ends

God, our dear father
Jesus, his Son
Will run to embrace us
When our lives are done

Death is a demon
That thinks it has won
Ugly and sneering
Its time will come

Into the pit
Of stench and fire
Deserved retribution
For all his ire

Against all the chosen
But we are immune
From death’s devices
He’ll find out soon

We’ll be in heaven
He’ll be in hell
Goodness will rule
And all will be well

When God Comes Near

When God comes near
He wounds you
You don’t get what
You expect

Ease and strength
Are absent
Disappointment
In their stead

Confused you ask
The question
Why does this
Hurt so much?

You went to Him
For comfort
But left wounded
By His touch

Jacob asked for blessing
But pain was the result
He wanted God to help him
But it ended in assault

Jesus asked for blessing
Remove this cup from me
The father denied his pleading
And hung him from a tree

When God comes near he wounds you
Ignores cries for relief
But in the end the blessing
Beyond what you can see

Jacob’s sons God honored
Forever to be seen
No way to know Jacob’s wounding
Would lead to prosperity

Jesus scorned and beaten
Undeservedly
But he knew what was coming
Life for you and me

When God comes near
He wounds you
When God comes near
There’s pain

But if you accept
The suffering and death
Your loss will be
Great gain

Grief

Grief invades

And overtakes

Barreling into

Each moment awake



Grief demands

Attention here

Plummets me

Into despair



Grief the bully

Reminding me

Of the one I’ve been

The ones I’ve known



What if I stood

Up from the earth

To which I’m bent

And searched



Is there something

In grief’s end

That can become

A friend?



A teacher?

A guide?

Leading me to

What’s deeper inside



Exquisite pain

Of all things lost

Jesus hanging

On the cross



Bowed there

For a time

In agony and grief

That was mine



Only to see

Grief ends

For you

For me



Grief now tender

As made new

It renders

Hope

God is Smiling

God is smiling
As he stoops
To raise up
Those in need

With clear eyes
His focus fixed
Shining down
Joyfully

No cruel grudge
Will he bear
For the weak
Who cry out

Only mercy
Offers he
For their healing
And their doubt

Save us, Lord
People called
To King Jesus
As he passed

Bending down
Love he offered
As he took them
By the hand

Your belief
It has healed you
Enjoy my gift
Go in peace

My good pleasure
Is to bless you
Warms my heart
To set you free

Face of God
Ever cheerful
As he washes
Dirty feet

The Good Shepherd
Going after
Every wandering
Straying sheep

His merry heart
Happy bearing
Every pain
We endure

Arms of goodness
Gently holding
Little lambs
That we are

God is smiling
As he bends
His heart open
As we cry

Jesus waiting
Ever longing
To draw close
His precious bride

Love

Love is longsuffering and kind

It does not envy or brag

Love is not arrogant or inelegant

It does not look out for number one

Love does not get exasperated easily

Nor keep a list of wrongs it suffers

Love is not happy with evil but

It rejoices when truth prevails

Love covers and protects

It believes the best

Love anticipates good

And always perseveres

Love never ends

God of the Waters

 

Sparkling, rumbling, swishing

A bouncing, dancing, stream

In hidden celebration

Of life that’s truly free

 

A little girl exploring

Spies the happy display

Joins the joyful dancing

Delighted in the play

 

Vast Pacific Ocean

Mighty, majestic and grand

Your forceful waves are crashing

Against the cliffs and sand

 

A woman’s heart seeks solace

She finds near you God’s peace

With power and with passion

Your soothing waves don’t cease

 

Mighty Lord of every ocean

Kind Lord of every stream

Both very great and small things

You’ve made to speak to me

 

For my joy and for my comfort

Your waters always rise

Their beauty and their power

Fill my heart and eyes

 

You draw me ever closer

By the waters that you’ve made

Whether by flowing or by crashing

They’re calling out your name

 

Then I join in with them

As I shout and I sing

To the glorious God of the waters

Grateful praises to my King

Welcome, Spring!

 

Spring, burst open with your symphony

Of tender grass and youthful leaves

That yearn to explode into sight

Declaring new life to all who might

See with open hearts and curious minds

What God sees

 

Cherry blossom, soft and pink

Whispers hope as it withers and sinks

To the ground it goes

Sacrificing self to usher in the flow

Of things to come as God is moving

We wait for more

 

Revealing mysteries large and small

Through grass and leaf and blossom all

God showing us transcendent truths

In the joy of spring and its blissful youth

Hope, splendor, new birth is here

To set us free