Lifting Him Higher

Lift Jesus higher, lift him high

The King who placed his glories by

Upon a lowly donkey came

“Hosanna!” they cried, “Praise his name!”

Enwrapped in stunning robes of light

His face shone like the sun, so bright!

His glory unveiled, fleetingly

His majesty, prophetic'lly!

He came to earth to bleed and die

Was lifted between earth and sky

God's sacrifice on Roman pole

Behold, behold--hope for man's soul!

“As Moses lifted up the snake”

Upon a pole of brass, he made

Lifting one's eye of faith, death stayed

By death, the power of death was slain.

God lifted his Son from the tomb

Its earthly sorrow and its gloom

Welcomed him back to gloryland

Enthroned him, crowned at his right hand!

Someday, forever He will reign

Victorious, his foes all slain

While He's rejected, let us raise

Praise, adoration to his name!

Although it's not all about us

Exalting Jesus lifts us up

Upon the wings of faith, we fly

To unknown joys, above the sky!

vi-Vi-VI-O-LENCE!!

Crack-----Thud, Crack---Thud, Crack-Thud, Augh! thump

Ringg...''Mom, come get me, I've been shot!”

 Kill to win game! Zoom! Reload Gunz!

“Live report of further on-slaught

Death count rises, rescue's begun.”

Saw-saw-saw, Thump! Hammer-bang! bloop

Bleat-bleat-bleat! Neigh! Whinny-squeak! Screech!

  Spack-a-speck! Drip... Splatter! Boosh-whoosh!

Ssshblamm-blam-Wham! Boom-boom-boosh! Eeek!

Deluge rocks zoo—Noah's wild cruise...

Cooing dove loosed, streaked rainbow's cheer!

Pah-pa-rah! Pah-pa-rah! God's trump!

“Arise, my love and come away!”

Bbbrrummblee!  Creak!  Crack! Whee-up!

But, earth, who can endure those days 

When God unfurls his judgment cup?

Slays violence.  Relief... peace reigns!

Simply “Br-Ringing!” 

Riding my bike in this suburb

 Soaking my Lord's warmth, loving care

Reverberating, happy birds

Breezes whisking, soft, through my hair

Canvas blue, bright, lacking one fluff

Euphoria in this day stuffed!

Contentment scampers, bounces on

Jasmine scents escape their fences

Manicured, pretty, sprawling lawns

Flowered patches crawl round edges

Satisfaction on my taste buds

Sparkling bubbles, floating soapsuds!

Who's this glowing artist of bliss

Transforming ordinary, this

Marvels streaming from fingertips

Gentle kiss from heavenly lips?

Jesus, my ever-present friend

On my life's bike, to journey's end!

From Storm to Shore

The one who had gone up to pray

For them as through the night, they toiled

And just before breaking of day

Came to buoy his lost envoy!

Upon the surf, He walked on by

His loving heart bursting, yearning

Good cheer and peace to calm their cries

Courageous faith, Peter learning.

A slap of wind flapped Peter's clothes

Cold blast of waves whipped at his feet

Dull blurry figure like a ghost

And muffled voice called, “Come, it's me!”

But, dark ferocious storm distracts

His wand'ring eyes off Jesus took

Would Jesus' care now for him lack

As doubting fears his resolve shook?

Jesus held sinking Peter up

Restored him to the ship...stilled, hushed

Rough swelling billows hear, “Enough!”

As wonder from disciples gushed!

Towards heaven, Christ ascended

 Now He intercedes there for us

Through life's storms, our faith's bombarded

Soon, rapture breaks...peaceful, lustrous!

Our tiny testimony floats

As through dark turbulent days, thrust

Our eyes focus on Christ, alone

Expectant, joyfully, we trust!

Embracing Empathy

In our place of pain and heartache

Jesus is waiting to embrace

As moans and wails burst from our souls

Our broken spirits, He consoles

Our trembling bodies still with peace

Tormented minds calm, fears release.

Once in a garden, Jesus wept

As evil forces round Him crept

Sweat, pain and blood oozed from his pores

Dripping full of horror, sorrow

His soul He poured out on the ground

For Him, relief could not be found.

With wails and tears, He sobbed and prayed

“Remove this cup” Could it be stayed?

But He must drink each bitter glob

God's judgment on our sins exhaust

His sacrificial heart, resigned

“Not my will, Father” I'll bear thine.

They nailed Him to a cross of shame

We'll never know his depths of pain

And as we anguish here below

We feel He cares and that He knows

Just how it hurts us to core

For He has suffered much, much more!

My Soundtrack

Composer chose my life to write...

Hearing my music, in his heart

Stanzas, instruments of his art

Cantata arranged with all parts.

Signature on the staff began...

With simple scale and catchy runs

Salvation, childhood, carefree fun

With allegro, begun, soon done!

Chords and triads grew more complex...

Strong disciplines with practice, learned

Depth and beauty enhanced, discerned

Biblical highlighted patterns.

Harmony then morphs to discord...

Tempo steps to agitato

Affliction, painful, dark shadows

Hard, sad valley of death's sorrows.

Chromatically with semitones...

God's compassion enwraps my soul

Rich rhapsody, empathy flows

God's solace for others to glow!

At length, the tone melts to mellow...

The volume softly fades away

Our story music'lly conveyed

The glory of God's love displayed!

Two Ways to Age

Love poured from family on him

Laughing the lonely hours away

All reminisce to hearts' full brim

Yesteryear blending with today.

He used to skate and throw baseballs

Played with his kids, and then their kids

With walker now, he dare not fall

Towards heaven, his spirit skips!

His loved ones pray for one more day

To hear his soft and tender voice

To feel his shaky grasp again

Soon, they will weep, but he'll rejoice!

Arthritis stabs and so he jabs

Pushing his loved ones out the door

Waning strength fades and so he grabs

Dangling threads still in his control.

Retired, his miserly arms grasp

Pinching each penny, lest he lose...

Dependent on others? Ah...gasp!

Plan B stinks, foolish, watch him prove.

His loved ones pray, “Lord, how's today?

No pain or misery's above”

Not his way but heaven's highway

This grumpy one, all try to love!

Our Fragmented Path

From dot-to-dot-to-dot, God draws

Each random spot part of his plot

Like sparkling constellations on...

The night's dark ominous backdrop.

Repeating octaves on the keys

Rumble in on rolling thunder

Surprising twists spur this journey

Mixing victories with blunders.

From pit to palace, then to jail

Forgotten by the butler's dream

Providence clocked ev'ry detail

Embracing Joseph in God's scheme.

From pastures green with his loved flock

To giant-slaying with a stone

To hiding out in caves, a lot

At last, King David, on his throne!

From rags to fabulous gowns dressed

Doomed queen on goodly food, she feasts

On-cue, fouled Haman's plot addressed

Obscured, God's heart and arm unleashed.

From poor smelly manger make-shift

To sweating blood drops, through the night

Then, nailed to Roman cross, uplift

Our Lord's life planned in God's foresight.

Our souls too ache, in trials placed

Sensing that God's misplaced our name

Would rather race to the next space...

While God, not us, our saga frames!

He reigns Sovereign of all dark skies

His love walks with us as we roam

Disguised to our short-sighted eyes

This path, though broken, leads us home!

Touching Heaven's Fringe

She bent to reach his border blue

She felt, spontaneously knew

Virtue had flowed down from his heart

After twelve years, new life could start!

He touched her body, that had bled

Dried up the bloody fountain, dread

Released her isolated soul

Unclean, no longer, she was whole!

Connecting touch in pushy crowd

And then to her, he said out loud

“Daughter...comfort and peace of heart

My gift, not stealing on your part!”

Her resources had all been spent

Emptied of all but faith, she went

The bond joining both together

Blessed her that day and forever!

Jesus, the way, the truth, the life

Our bridge up to God's kingdom, bright

Teaching our hearts truths of his love

Breathing, empowered from above!

Removing the Roof

We'd like to pry off the roof tile of pain

Dislodge the shingles of distresses, sore

Detach despair's panel that restrains

Just a normal, Lord, pain-free life, no more!

In prayer, we have pounded on heaven's door

Waited in line for the crowds to disperse

We're on the rooftop, interceding more

Dropping them down, in your healing submersed?

Surgeries, medicine, procedures all

Bring little improvements that soon dissolve

Creator, Sustainer of  big and small

Please for their healing, Lord become involved!

We'll persevere in your presence, in pra'er

Wait breathless for healing power and health

And one more thing, Lord...the blessing, as well

Were those gentle showers that we just felt?

The Night Shift with Philippians 4:8

Our brains call in the maids each night

Glymphatic glial cells that shrink

Cleanse neurons, fight alzheimer's plight

Improvement, overnight, to think!

Truth with her vacuum sucks deceit

That sneaks real deep in culture's rug

Distracting focus and heart-beat...

God's music from our ears, unplug.

Honesty comes to dust half-truths

Dust bunnies clumping, slumping there

Intuitive, detective sleuth

Illusions with real facts compare.

Justice sprays and wipes her windows

To improve our spiritual view

Life's suffering...unsolved rainbows

But, being just is what we do!

Purity's bubbly soap washes

Dirty pots, stinky in the sink

Grungy hands too—cost and losses

Arrange leisure and Lord, in sync.

Goodness washes our soiled clothing

Uncoils those bunched up in tough knots

Humility's softness, ah...clings

Provoking sweet deeds, pleasing thoughts.

Beautifully perfuming rooms

Lov'ly fills hearts---Jesus, his love

Each captive thought creates anew

And wings, past roofs to God above!

Bright, we'll awake in heaven's light

Memories in God's love filtered

Our spotless thoughts on Christ, delight

Cleaning finished!  Perfect ever!

Culture's Sunday School

Millions of kids squeal with delight

At the sweet little princess, bright

Wide-eyed and sparkly, on the screen

Dear animated heroine!

Singing jingles--catchy, snappy

Children clapping along, happy

Her grandma doing yoga, prays

To the stars and ocean spray.

Her island's dying, chosen she

Must disobey her dad and flee

Guided by her friend, the sea

Along with some tatooed guy-freak!

Her grandma died and then became

You guessed it...her guiding stingray

A demigod stole the green heart

Of a demon, who needs that part.

Grandma, wide ocean and wise guy

Help her save the demon's life

Who transforms to the little girl

Flowering, gorgeous, goddess...her!

Are you, like me, scratching your head

At the diet, our kids are fed?

Subconsciously, this toxin grows

Movies, poisonous toy arrows!

Reincarnation—true, really?

Nature worship and unity

Polytheistic evil too

And humanism out to loot!

Lord, save this lost generation

 (Satan aims assassination

Sneaky, his indoctrination)

Children—loved, needing salvation!

Detecting Incense

In clanging armor, flaunting pride

In sync, they marched...Romans in stride

Swords dangling, bloody; shields held low

As through their city gates, they glowed

Victoriously!

In rattling chains, their captives dragged...

On, weary, wounded--two groups flagged

Bearing the incense of their fate

The scent of death or life of slaves

Ominously!

Scourged and bloody, Jesus stumbled

Shameful cross upon him straddled

The stench of our sins and their death

Permeating his every step

With agony!

But then the veil, it tore in two

Rich incense from the altar blew

Into a dying world of night

To fragrance with renewing life!

Inspiring me!

                                                                      (II Cor. 2:16)

“I WILL BUILD!”

Sky's Master Builder planned his church
Before He even manned this earth
Rich triune God agreed to pay
Steep total cost:  love all the way!

Bulldozing deep in ancient ground
Family Hebrew roots unwound
Law's temp'ral framework--incomplete
Cemented by grace...turned concrete

Jesus, chief corner stone alone
Apostle's doctrine, building stones
Redemption's silver power wires
Heavenward windows—light inspire!

Great general contractor lent...
Say, did that plumber flaunt his wrench?
Carpenter brag:  “My hammer's best!”
“Subs:  Humbly exalt Him—self less!”

Inside the church, truth's pillars hold
Invisible walls str--etch, enfold
Miser'ble Satan can't topple
Unstoppable, God's huge chapel!

Christ loved his church, died for her sins
God gave his Son, her heart to win
The Spirit wooes, “Come, there's still room!”
Offer expired, to heaven we'll zoom!

Impeccable, pure in his sight
God's universal church sublime!
Accomplished, polished, to his praise
Apply to be employed today!

In the Beginnings

In the beginning, He never began
Past eternal life, without start or end
God was with God, loving Father and Son
Rehearsing their plans, before time had come!

In the beginning, God created all
The heavens and earth, creatures big and small
By the word of his mouth in just six days
Genius and majesty awesome--praise!

In the beginning, the fulness of time
God sent forth his Son, in timetable, prime
Expression divine, his personal Word
Jesus Christ, Savior who entered our world!

Human life launches here when we are born
Adam's race, fallen in sin and forlorn
Beginning, anew with eternal life
Spiritual, rebirth from darkness to light!

Heaven's grand finale will never end
New heavens and earth together blend
We'll celebrate Jesus, his love and grace
Alpha, Omega of all time and place!

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

Poured concrete--yesterday is fixed

Tomorrow's might never get mixed

Impressions on cement today

Tomorrow, will be yesterday's.

Yesterday, we planted the seeds

Tomorrow's harvest—in our dreams

Today we water, pull the weeds

Or else tomorrow, we won't eat!

Procrastination steals from time

Today's nickel turns into dimes

An ounce today, tomorrow's pound

Or better yet, turn that around!

Regrets from yesterday forget

Be present in this moment's breathe

The past is gone as history

Tomorrow hides—a mystery!

Yesterday, Jesus died for me

Today, He loves me faithfully

Tomorrow, I'll walk golden streets

This time, all three are poured concrete!