Looking out to the woods across
when all is silent and the daylight lost
is this low brick house and a Christmas cross
They must be tired just like we
no other lights near their home do I see
except for the moon through the canopy
These busy days have flown by fast
with brighter lights and no long shadows cast
but now shall I rest, and ponder, and fast
Tuesday, December 25, 2018
Wednesday, December 19, 2018
Measure Once, Read Twice: 2018 Collection
I am so excited to let everyone know that my latest compilation of poetry is now available HERE on Amazon.
Measure Once, Read Twice: 2018 Collection is a selection of poetry sharing my thoughts and emotions throughout the year. This collection includes a wide variety of poetic styles, including free verse, rhyme, haiku, brevity and prose. I've made an effort to create writes that are very accessible to the average reader.
Many of the works are spiritually focused, such as the spoken word piece - When I Worship as well as She Sees The Angels, If You Knew My Jesus and Great Lakes Revival.
A lot of them exhibit my odd ball sense of humor - Of Course The World Is Flat, The Plowman Cometh and Ode To My Big Toe.
Some are a bit political - Triple Trump Triumphs, Au Contrarier.
Some are recollections of family and the past - Grandpa Van, The Class of 68, Across The Mediterranean.
And then there are those pieces that reflect the beauty of living in West Michigan - Sleeping Bear, Dune Buggy Ride and Father's Day Picnic.
All in all there is a lot here for everyone.
This book will regularly list on Amazon for $14.98 but for now I am listing it for an introductory price of only $10.00.
As a preview, below is one of the poems mentioned above.
The Plowman Cometh
Cleared a piece of real estate
after a heavy snow
then put away my hat and gloves
to watch an evening show
Twas while reclining on my chair
there came a rumbling sound
up sprang I to a window ledge
feet on the shaking ground
Saw there were waves of churning froth
white as that angry whale
bright sparks from blades reminding me
of Dante's frozen hell
And hell it was when it came clear
our drive was blocked by ice
arraigned a jumbled tumbled mess
foot high - some places twice
So being one whose fought before
those battles avalanche
put on my boots and headed out
to leave nothing to chance
An hour later stood with pride
admired towering mounds
but walking back exhausted heard
some most disturbing sounds
It seems our street had only got
a solitary pass
they've come again to humble me
but I've run out of gas
Saturday, December 15, 2018
Changing Seasons
Actually, I've never thought of myself as particularly brave
there is a certain acceptance of risk in everything one does
more so in my occupation than many others
but brave, no. Dumb, yeah, dumb may be a better word
It has been almost twenty years and I have seen it all
people who pull up behind a parked car at the curb in residential
stop and wait for a person not there to drive forward
then after a few moments glance at me with a quizzical look
Drivers who can't figure out how to put the car they came with
into gear, or drive on the wrong side of the road, or stop at the
end of the entrance ramp to the freeway, or stop in the middle
of the freeway. Did I mention the word dumb?
In my twenty years and thirty thousand times out on the road
there have been some accidents, the worse a few years ago
when the fore mentioned stop on the freeway led to being rear
ended by a semi. Driver and translator OK, head bump and rib for me
Yet still I carried on toward my goal to work full time until 70
then part time to stay busy and earn a few bucks until I tired of it
but a month ago something happened which made me reconsider
the young lady I was testing hit a 9 year old running across the road
Spotting him from the corner of my eye I yelled STOP, she slammed
her foot on her brakes but nailed him while the car was still moving
flying to the side of the road he escaped with just a bloody nose
a voice inside my head started to say - hey buddy, watch the clock
It is surprising how fast plans and priorities can change
although it is common for me to have to grab the steering wheel
to keep someone from turning left in front of on coming traffic
since hitting the child I've twice had clients freeze while turning left
Then early this week a woman whose daughter was translating for her
while slowly merging into a left turn lane was not going to clear the
semi truck stopped in front of us. When I said STOP she put her foot
on the gas and turned back to the right, slamming us into the truck
As the Vietnamese lady, her translator daughter and uncle Tran who
had been waiting for us at the test site but when getting the phone call
ran two miles to get to us, were crammed into the cab of the wrecker
brought by another Vietnamese, I began to wonder if this was a sign
Walking over to the police cruiser I asked for a ride to our test site
and while sitting on the hard molded plastic seat in the Plexiglas
enclosed back seat (which if you were wondering, does not open
from the inside) I decided that this test location was for the birds
Beginning the first of the year I will no longer be working there
although there is certainly risk whenever one is out driving with
someone trying to get their driver's license, my new location will
be much better, as will be working three days instead of five
So what to do in my partial retirement? Jackie has already suggested
checking out gyms where I can sweat off those handful of M&M's
and I do have a few projects that have been on hold because of time
but my mind has been thinking of stories to tell and books to write
there is a certain acceptance of risk in everything one does
more so in my occupation than many others
but brave, no. Dumb, yeah, dumb may be a better word
It has been almost twenty years and I have seen it all
people who pull up behind a parked car at the curb in residential
stop and wait for a person not there to drive forward
then after a few moments glance at me with a quizzical look
Drivers who can't figure out how to put the car they came with
into gear, or drive on the wrong side of the road, or stop at the
end of the entrance ramp to the freeway, or stop in the middle
of the freeway. Did I mention the word dumb?
In my twenty years and thirty thousand times out on the road
there have been some accidents, the worse a few years ago
when the fore mentioned stop on the freeway led to being rear
ended by a semi. Driver and translator OK, head bump and rib for me
Yet still I carried on toward my goal to work full time until 70
then part time to stay busy and earn a few bucks until I tired of it
but a month ago something happened which made me reconsider
the young lady I was testing hit a 9 year old running across the road
Spotting him from the corner of my eye I yelled STOP, she slammed
her foot on her brakes but nailed him while the car was still moving
flying to the side of the road he escaped with just a bloody nose
a voice inside my head started to say - hey buddy, watch the clock
It is surprising how fast plans and priorities can change
although it is common for me to have to grab the steering wheel
to keep someone from turning left in front of on coming traffic
since hitting the child I've twice had clients freeze while turning left
Then early this week a woman whose daughter was translating for her
while slowly merging into a left turn lane was not going to clear the
semi truck stopped in front of us. When I said STOP she put her foot
on the gas and turned back to the right, slamming us into the truck
As the Vietnamese lady, her translator daughter and uncle Tran who
had been waiting for us at the test site but when getting the phone call
ran two miles to get to us, were crammed into the cab of the wrecker
brought by another Vietnamese, I began to wonder if this was a sign
Walking over to the police cruiser I asked for a ride to our test site
and while sitting on the hard molded plastic seat in the Plexiglas
enclosed back seat (which if you were wondering, does not open
from the inside) I decided that this test location was for the birds
Beginning the first of the year I will no longer be working there
although there is certainly risk whenever one is out driving with
someone trying to get their driver's license, my new location will
be much better, as will be working three days instead of five
So what to do in my partial retirement? Jackie has already suggested
checking out gyms where I can sweat off those handful of M&M's
and I do have a few projects that have been on hold because of time
but my mind has been thinking of stories to tell and books to write
Sunday, November 25, 2018
He Gave Me Beauty For Ashes
Earlier this moth California experienced a series of terrible fires which were said to be the worst in the state's history. One of the fires wiped out the town of Paradise killing many dozens.
Last year the same type of fire tore through Redwood Valley in Northern California. I have a cousin whose family owns and lives at a vineyard there. She had only twenty minutes warning to rouse her immediate family, collect anything else important that would fit in their cars and then escape via back roads which were basically just two-track ruts. Some in the community did not make it out alive but praise God everyone in her family did. Nine homes on the vineyard were totally destroyed as was the building where they produced the wine. Eighty per cent of the vines made it as did the new winery they were in the process of building. With the help of others in the community their business was able to survive.
When my cousin was allowed back to the smoldering ruins of her home she combed through the grit and ashes and found parts and bits of her life history which of course could never be replaced. Silverware, jewelry, a watch and other irreplaceable things passed down or given from dear relatives or marking special occasions, now melted or distorted. She recently posted a photo of a mirror she made. It's frame which she called Beauty from Ashes was a collection of those things. Included as well was a story she wrote about the ordeal titled - The Missing Ring - which was a wedding ring she was not able to find that came from her mother, having a lot of special family connections.
Her story inspired the poem which ends this post. The first verse is in no way intended to diminish the grieving that comes with loss or the efforts we make to remember those special things of the pass. Her work and writing were both inspiring and beautiful.
The title Beauty from Ashes recalled for me the old gospel song - Beauty For Ashes. I've incorporated into my poem ideas from that song and Scripture.
He gave me beauty for ashes
the oil of joy for mourning
a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness
This comes from Isaiah 61:3. When Jesus was first beginning His ministry he goes to His hometown synagogue in Nazareth. When the time for the reading came Jesus was handed the book of Isaiah. He finds the following passage (61:1 and 2)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed and to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.
Jesus then tells the Jewish people there that this particular passage has now been fulfilled in their sight.
The song comes from the verse from Isaiah that follows which Jesus did not read.
to grant those who mourn in Zion
giving them a garland instead of ashes
the oil of gladness instead of mourning
the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting
so they will be called oaks of righteousness
the planting of the Lord
that He may be glorified
The one thing that I would like to convey today from this Scripture is there are certain things we do and certain things God does. We can't will ourselves to be glad in the midst of our grieving. We usually can't see how God will be able to transform our ashes into garlands. We're stuck with the first and the last lesson that God wants every person to learn. We just need to trust that He is the Lord who releases, who gives sight and who sets free.
The response we show from our trusting is to offer, even in the midst of our sorrow, praise to Him for what He has done, what He is doing and what He will do. Doing this releases God to do the things he so much wants to because of how much He loves us. We grow, we become changed and He is glorified in all of it.
I have often found that the times that are the hardest to glorify God are the times that I need to the most. And He has never failed to remove from me that spirit of heaviness, that spirit of fainting. He has never failed to pour out to me joy and gladness.
Beauty For Ashes
Is life not so much more than bits and scrapes of things we cherish
of memories that like the flesh eventually will perish
For there are beauties far beyond a person's comprehension
we see through mirrors darkly in a world of apprehension
And in this realm of raging flames engulfing the unwary
there is an enemy that waits whose plans will never tarry
Our temporary earthly home is precious for the moment
but there are treasures stored above made ready by atonement
He's poured the oil of gladness on to heal the hurts we're moaning
sets out fresh garments filled with praise to silence bitter storming
So we can tread those fields of grace unfettered by our weakness
to find the strength to carry on rejoicing in His meekness
The Lord that made a fertile earth with rain upon the soil
gives bread to eat and wine to drink and comfort from our toil
Last year the same type of fire tore through Redwood Valley in Northern California. I have a cousin whose family owns and lives at a vineyard there. She had only twenty minutes warning to rouse her immediate family, collect anything else important that would fit in their cars and then escape via back roads which were basically just two-track ruts. Some in the community did not make it out alive but praise God everyone in her family did. Nine homes on the vineyard were totally destroyed as was the building where they produced the wine. Eighty per cent of the vines made it as did the new winery they were in the process of building. With the help of others in the community their business was able to survive.
When my cousin was allowed back to the smoldering ruins of her home she combed through the grit and ashes and found parts and bits of her life history which of course could never be replaced. Silverware, jewelry, a watch and other irreplaceable things passed down or given from dear relatives or marking special occasions, now melted or distorted. She recently posted a photo of a mirror she made. It's frame which she called Beauty from Ashes was a collection of those things. Included as well was a story she wrote about the ordeal titled - The Missing Ring - which was a wedding ring she was not able to find that came from her mother, having a lot of special family connections.
Her story inspired the poem which ends this post. The first verse is in no way intended to diminish the grieving that comes with loss or the efforts we make to remember those special things of the pass. Her work and writing were both inspiring and beautiful.
The title Beauty from Ashes recalled for me the old gospel song - Beauty For Ashes. I've incorporated into my poem ideas from that song and Scripture.
He gave me beauty for ashes
the oil of joy for mourning
a garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness
This comes from Isaiah 61:3. When Jesus was first beginning His ministry he goes to His hometown synagogue in Nazareth. When the time for the reading came Jesus was handed the book of Isaiah. He finds the following passage (61:1 and 2)
The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set free those who are oppressed and to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.
Jesus then tells the Jewish people there that this particular passage has now been fulfilled in their sight.
The song comes from the verse from Isaiah that follows which Jesus did not read.
to grant those who mourn in Zion
giving them a garland instead of ashes
the oil of gladness instead of mourning
the mantle of praise instead of a spirit of fainting
so they will be called oaks of righteousness
the planting of the Lord
that He may be glorified
The one thing that I would like to convey today from this Scripture is there are certain things we do and certain things God does. We can't will ourselves to be glad in the midst of our grieving. We usually can't see how God will be able to transform our ashes into garlands. We're stuck with the first and the last lesson that God wants every person to learn. We just need to trust that He is the Lord who releases, who gives sight and who sets free.
The response we show from our trusting is to offer, even in the midst of our sorrow, praise to Him for what He has done, what He is doing and what He will do. Doing this releases God to do the things he so much wants to because of how much He loves us. We grow, we become changed and He is glorified in all of it.
I have often found that the times that are the hardest to glorify God are the times that I need to the most. And He has never failed to remove from me that spirit of heaviness, that spirit of fainting. He has never failed to pour out to me joy and gladness.
Beauty For Ashes
Is life not so much more than bits and scrapes of things we cherish
of memories that like the flesh eventually will perish
For there are beauties far beyond a person's comprehension
we see through mirrors darkly in a world of apprehension
And in this realm of raging flames engulfing the unwary
there is an enemy that waits whose plans will never tarry
Our temporary earthly home is precious for the moment
but there are treasures stored above made ready by atonement
He's poured the oil of gladness on to heal the hurts we're moaning
sets out fresh garments filled with praise to silence bitter storming
So we can tread those fields of grace unfettered by our weakness
to find the strength to carry on rejoicing in His meekness
The Lord that made a fertile earth with rain upon the soil
gives bread to eat and wine to drink and comfort from our toil
Sunday, November 18, 2018
Moving From Curses To Blessing
When I was a young believer in the 1970's we did not have spiritual teaching apps on our phones, U tube, pod casts, DVD's and a heck of a lot of other things we take for granted today. We did have books and magazines with good spiritual stuff that would get passed around between family and friends
as well as cassette tapes. Ah, cassette tapes. We once even had a machine that would duplicate cassette tapes.
Bob Mumford was a favorite, partly because his tapes included a lot of humor. Derek Prince (who has now been dead for over 10 years) was another, partly because of his wonderful deep English voice and command of the language but mostly because of the great depth of his insights into Scripture and how the Holy Spirit works in the life of the believer. Each one of his many books were excellent resources as well.
Today as I was scanning my favorite U tube sites I noticed a sermon by Derek Prince. It's title talked about passing from curses to blessing. Interested at first just to hear that old sweet voice I became hooked on the message and it's importance for our time. Just to sum it up briefly, our words have in them, whether we realize it or not, the power to bless or curse. Curses affect us in many ways and can be transferred over generations, as can blessings.
Most people have been subject to curses of one type or another. They range from things said by parents or teachers to involvement in one way or another in the occult. Perhaps we have a relative that was involved in a secret society or own religious objects from other religions. If we recognize these things we can take the proper, Scriptural actions, to break any activity by evil spirits that those things will cause.
The video runs for an hour and a half, is impactful throughout and ends with Mr. Prince leading a prayer to break any curses that may be in your life. The link is here if interested.
as well as cassette tapes. Ah, cassette tapes. We once even had a machine that would duplicate cassette tapes.
Bob Mumford was a favorite, partly because his tapes included a lot of humor. Derek Prince (who has now been dead for over 10 years) was another, partly because of his wonderful deep English voice and command of the language but mostly because of the great depth of his insights into Scripture and how the Holy Spirit works in the life of the believer. Each one of his many books were excellent resources as well.
Today as I was scanning my favorite U tube sites I noticed a sermon by Derek Prince. It's title talked about passing from curses to blessing. Interested at first just to hear that old sweet voice I became hooked on the message and it's importance for our time. Just to sum it up briefly, our words have in them, whether we realize it or not, the power to bless or curse. Curses affect us in many ways and can be transferred over generations, as can blessings.
Most people have been subject to curses of one type or another. They range from things said by parents or teachers to involvement in one way or another in the occult. Perhaps we have a relative that was involved in a secret society or own religious objects from other religions. If we recognize these things we can take the proper, Scriptural actions, to break any activity by evil spirits that those things will cause.
The video runs for an hour and a half, is impactful throughout and ends with Mr. Prince leading a prayer to break any curses that may be in your life. The link is here if interested.
Friday, November 9, 2018
Media Zoo
I find that I must keep reminding myself that all of the recent sound and fury we have been enduring is primarily a spiritual battle - For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world powers of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (Eph. 6:12)
There would then be little benefit to support what I believe the truth is by engaging in worldly tactics such as name calling or demonizing those whose political or social views are different from mine. That said I do believe that the evil one is aligning all of his forces in an attempt to maintain the culture of abortion, to continue the destruction of the family unit, to make normal things that for thousands of years were considered perversions, to marginalize and then ultimately destroy both Christian influence and Christians and finally to divide us as a means to change and control our society.
This poem reflects my belief that the partisan liberal main steam media (and of course at times the right steam media) has been easily manipulated by the evil one in order to help advance these plans. This is what they often look like to me.
Media Zoo
They are hyenas, strutting around
dancing their dances, stomping old grounds
making sharp noises, deep angry sounds
they are hyenas, strutting around
Constantly braying, hungry to eat
ripping and tearing, needing fresh meat
saliva spraying, primal defeat
constantly braying, hungry to eat
Animal instincts, wild at heart
incessant clawing, pulling apart
always relentless, eyes shift and dart
animal instincts, wild at heart
There would then be little benefit to support what I believe the truth is by engaging in worldly tactics such as name calling or demonizing those whose political or social views are different from mine. That said I do believe that the evil one is aligning all of his forces in an attempt to maintain the culture of abortion, to continue the destruction of the family unit, to make normal things that for thousands of years were considered perversions, to marginalize and then ultimately destroy both Christian influence and Christians and finally to divide us as a means to change and control our society.
This poem reflects my belief that the partisan liberal main steam media (and of course at times the right steam media) has been easily manipulated by the evil one in order to help advance these plans. This is what they often look like to me.
Media Zoo
They are hyenas, strutting around
dancing their dances, stomping old grounds
making sharp noises, deep angry sounds
they are hyenas, strutting around
Constantly braying, hungry to eat
ripping and tearing, needing fresh meat
saliva spraying, primal defeat
constantly braying, hungry to eat
Animal instincts, wild at heart
incessant clawing, pulling apart
always relentless, eyes shift and dart
animal instincts, wild at heart
Sunday, October 28, 2018
The Tree Of Life
A terrible tragedy took place this week in Pittsburgh where a crazed gunman shot and killed 11 at a Jewish Synagogue called The Tree of Life. Antisemitism is still alive and is actually increasing in several European countries. Here in the United States it resides in a small group of Neo-Nazis, among many in the growing Muslim populations but is showing even greater signs of resurgence on many college and university campuses.
The evil one has always hated the Jewish people and is certainly behind the "death to all Jews" sentiment proclaimed by the individual who carried out this atrocity. The upper room where the shooting took place would have normally been filled with children but as fate would have it the crowd that day was much older. One married couple were in their 50's, the rest were in their 60's, 70's, 80's and one in her late 90's.
I have been in Genesis recently and recall God noticing of man before the flood that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (6:5). Of all the men on earth only Noah was found righteous. God destroyed all life from that world but saved Noah and his family through the ark. Yet righteousness is not inherited. There was a chosen line though that went from Adam to Seth, from Seth to Noah and from Noah's son Shem to Abraham, father of the Hebrew people.
There is another line that takes us from Abraham through the tribe of Judah to David and finally to the promised Messiah Jesus. He would by the shedding of His blood and His glorious resurrection defeat the serpent of old and reverse the curse of Adam and Eve eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
We would now know the will of God not from law and tradition but rather from the Holy Spirit who could now dwell within us. Jesus is also the Tree of Life and all who partake of Him will have eternal life with Him and the Father.
Below retells part of our original story, ending with a short poem inspired by the shooting.
The Tree Of Life
The garden was filled with many fruit giving trees
and in the center of Eden was placed the tree of life
as well as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
God told Adam that they were free to eat the fruit of
any tree except the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil - 'for the day you eat from it you shall surely die'
later the serpent appeared to Eve and asked - 'did God
really say you could not eat from it?' / Eve took from
the tree and gave some to Adam and for the first time
they realized they were naked / when God came to walk
through the garden in the cool of the evening they hid / but
God found them and in His mercy shed the blood of an
innocent animal to cover their nakedness with skins / yet
now there would be pain in childbirth and the ground was
cursed with thorns and thistles and bread would be eaten
by the sweat of their brow / death would be the end of each
man for they came from dust and to dust they would return
God said they have become like Us, knowing good and evil
so He sent Adam and Eve outside the garden to cultivate the
ground and placed a Cherubim to guard the way back in / lest
they eat from the tree of life and live, condemned, forever
In the midst of sparse wilderness
where grey owls are found waiting
came muted sounds of deep wailing
from wide rivers of bitterness
Yet the tears of His tenderness
flood soft grounds that were calling
spread fragrant ointment with caring
from the hands of His righteousness
The evil one has always hated the Jewish people and is certainly behind the "death to all Jews" sentiment proclaimed by the individual who carried out this atrocity. The upper room where the shooting took place would have normally been filled with children but as fate would have it the crowd that day was much older. One married couple were in their 50's, the rest were in their 60's, 70's, 80's and one in her late 90's.
I have been in Genesis recently and recall God noticing of man before the flood that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually (6:5). Of all the men on earth only Noah was found righteous. God destroyed all life from that world but saved Noah and his family through the ark. Yet righteousness is not inherited. There was a chosen line though that went from Adam to Seth, from Seth to Noah and from Noah's son Shem to Abraham, father of the Hebrew people.
There is another line that takes us from Abraham through the tribe of Judah to David and finally to the promised Messiah Jesus. He would by the shedding of His blood and His glorious resurrection defeat the serpent of old and reverse the curse of Adam and Eve eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
We would now know the will of God not from law and tradition but rather from the Holy Spirit who could now dwell within us. Jesus is also the Tree of Life and all who partake of Him will have eternal life with Him and the Father.
Below retells part of our original story, ending with a short poem inspired by the shooting.
The Tree Of Life
The garden was filled with many fruit giving trees
and in the center of Eden was placed the tree of life
as well as the tree of the knowledge of good and evil
God told Adam that they were free to eat the fruit of
any tree except the tree of the knowledge of good and
evil - 'for the day you eat from it you shall surely die'
later the serpent appeared to Eve and asked - 'did God
really say you could not eat from it?' / Eve took from
the tree and gave some to Adam and for the first time
they realized they were naked / when God came to walk
through the garden in the cool of the evening they hid / but
God found them and in His mercy shed the blood of an
innocent animal to cover their nakedness with skins / yet
now there would be pain in childbirth and the ground was
cursed with thorns and thistles and bread would be eaten
by the sweat of their brow / death would be the end of each
man for they came from dust and to dust they would return
God said they have become like Us, knowing good and evil
so He sent Adam and Eve outside the garden to cultivate the
ground and placed a Cherubim to guard the way back in / lest
they eat from the tree of life and live, condemned, forever
In the midst of sparse wilderness
where grey owls are found waiting
came muted sounds of deep wailing
from wide rivers of bitterness
Yet the tears of His tenderness
flood soft grounds that were calling
spread fragrant ointment with caring
from the hands of His righteousness
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