Days are flying like leaves in a storm
All tempest tossed so lost and forlorn
The winds of time move across the land
Like an army under God’s command.
Is anyone sure that we’re not alone
Or which role to assume on our own
How foolish it is to thump on our chest
It is but God who will do the best !
Quite clear to see
It’s only me
Lost and confused
Not much amused.
No will to fight
Far left or right
Great passion there
Full of despair.
A lonesome place
One dare not face
Too late to try
By chance to fly !
I’ve traveled on life’s byways with stops along the way
And traversed many highways before the end of day
I’ve wandered far too long searching for the rainbow’s end
While asking God to help me to find my lifelong friend.
I lost my pal not long ago, I wish she were here
So I could say I miss her and why she was so dear
Perhaps time will tell if we shall ever meet again
But I’m not worried yet cause I still remember when !
The pavement’s wet with falling snow
The cobblestones all seem to glow
The streetlamps shine their welcome light
Upon this quiet snowy night.
The flakes drift down no two alike
Afar I hear the muffled strike
As hands upon the town’s tall clock
Declare midnight, tick tock, tick tock.
Quite peaceful as this seems to be
With scant hints of fragility
Tis sad that we may never know
All of the beauty God does show !
I have wept alone but a million tears
And battled with close to a thousand fears
I have argued in vain a hundred ways
And struggled and lost for too many days.
I have wakened often in darkest night
The victim of unreasonable fright
I have said my prayers aloud to my God
And have asked for aid and a gentle prod.
I am sure that He will always be there
Through the bleakest night or a day quite fair
I shall beg His help to carry my load
And to stay with me on this last long road !
I’d like to think that I am blessed
In my constant and desired quest
To find the peace I’m sure exists
Someplace beyond where patience sits.
So guard your tongue, be kind to all
Remember pride doth have its fall,
Our Jesus Christ, so humble He
Has promised us eternity !
The earth moves slowly round and round
So still we barely hear the sound
Our world’s comprised of life replete
The waters, an aquatic street.
The airborne throngs do mill around
With destinations to be found
This paradise is incomplete
For without faith there dwells defeat !
There is a day that I recall
It happened early in the fall
As we were riding in the car
To visit someone not too far.
We came upon a crossroads stop
I felt my mind spin like a top
For there before my very eyes
Was the most wonderful surprise.
A country church its spires high
They stretched to reach into the sky
This ancient brown wood edifice
That seemed to speak of heaven’s bliss.
The beauty of the grounds about
Spoke loudly for its faith devout
The sight of that old wooden spire
Breaching heaven sets hearts afire.
It’s been so long since I was there
I think I can’t remember where
But this I know when I am sad
The thought of it makes me feel glad !
This lonely vigil we need keep
Ere we shall find eternal sleep,
God’s watchman waits for deeds to show
In which direction we each go.
And who is he, this chosen guard
Who watches those who’ve worked so hard
To reach the goal God has in mind
That we perchance may heaven find ?
I’m learning to live in a different way
Taking all of my chances from day to day
Trying to be a better version of me
By sharing my dreams and the hopes that I see.
So come and take part in this new escapade
Together we must try to stand unafraid
We’ll join in the chorus that praises our God
Let’s have faith in His word, it won’t be that hard !
I know my life is not a dream
At times I simply want to scream
But God and I, we have a pact
There is no plan, it’s not exact.
So when my time seems overdue
And He decides that I am through
My usefulness on earth is done
For living is no longer fun.
When I accept that I’m bereft
And ashes are all I have left
Then is the time to close the book,
And with my heart take one last look !
I try so hard to no judgements make
Some things I’ve seen cause my heart to break
I sight fear on the face of a child,
Abuse and hatred reports high-piled.
The truth began with one infant’s birth
Who was sent to us to save our earth
Today it’s like He was never born
This world is angry, lost and forlorn.
How can we discard what life’s about
Belief in our God and faith devout ?
What is it that I’m wishing for
A world that’s free of hate and war
What is it that I’m dreaming of
A place that’s full of peace and love.
What is it that I hope to see
That all God’s children will be free
What is it that I long to hear
The song of angels on my ear.
What is it that I pray to feel
That all of this is true and real
What is it that I want to touch
The heart of God I love so much !
There among the shadows in a deep dark borrowed cave
The son of man was taken his body to be laved
While most of those who knew him did hide along the way
Fearing their discovery before the end of days.
Imagine their surprise when they learned that he was gone
There was no way to find him neither there nor beyond
It took three days to learn he no longer knew the grave
But risen forth had he for his people to be saved !
Today’s the day I need to say
I thank You Lord for every day
The love and care, the food and drink
And all the pleasant thoughts I think.
My heart is Yours forevermore
I’ve never felt this way before
I promise that I shall be true
And vow to live my life for You !
I’ve heard the raucous seagulls by the shore
I’ve watched them dive and fish and dive some more
Their noisy bunch increasing by the score.
I’ve been enthralled by their sheer nautic ease
And watched them as they flew o’er stormy seas
Do they fare well in winter’s wind-swept freeze ?
I cannot guess the challenges they face
Or how it is they have survived life’s chase
But sure am I that they have kept apace.
Tis strange that God has chosen all the birds
To echo the full measure of His words,
“That neither sow nor reap”, is not absurd !
This heart of mine has learned to wait
To step aside, to hesitate
For life is not all that it seems
Sometimes it’s smoke, sometimes it’s dreams.
For us we only visit here
With no control of day or year
Life is our stage, performers we
And subject to adversity.
If life to us opts to be kind
Then all its treasures we ought find
But if its winds should blow astray
Then we are bound to lose our way.
Take heart my friend all is not lost
Those ships asea, those tempest-toss’d
May find safe haven in a port
With love and joy they never sought !
There is a place that waits for me
Beyond the waves, across the sea
Perhaps a cove or sandy beach
Seawater splashed and unimpeached.
God’s creatures waiting one and all
Adhering to the Saviour’s call
We stand in line there to await
Determination of our fate !
EXCUSE ME, but for more than 6000 years now, man has been comtemplating the nature of his god with signs, words, pictograms, statues, monuments, theories and various beliefs and practices. And all to no avail ! The mystery is greater today and more confused than ever. Since no one has yet chanced to return from death to relate any tales of the great beyond, it shall remain a mystery ! However common sense and reason lead us to disregard thoughts of an actual Nirvana or heavenly Eden, eg. Shangri-la. It may be that what we envision as heaven may be hidden behind the giant curtain of the sky and ethereal in its truest sense ! But who can question that ? Although many have tried, I dare say many millions through the ages. Let’s settle on another issue, how to please our God. The holy books are clear, faith, behavior, deeds and sacrifice ! Considering that this netherworld contains all sorts and ranks of angels plus those who have been chosen to be among the ruling class, you know, the 144,000 saints and elders. Who does the cooking for this bunch or do they eat at all ? I’m guessing sex and shopping are on a special no-no list ! My point being, I have wondered why God demands and is pleased by burnt offerings, exotic incense, intensity of prayer, the hallelujahs and Psalms. Perhaps because this is how the heavenly hosts are enabled to savour the earthly pleasures in their gossamer state. What better than the voices of many choirs, performers or carolers to evoke both passion and ecstasy in the hearts of those who hear ? The bible tells us to make a joyful noise unto the Lord. For now, I intend to follow those instructions ! How about you ? Sincerely, Claire B.
We need to be careful along life’s weary way
So that we do not waste one solitary day
For days are short and lives are somewhat shorter too
Before we are aware our time is overdue
I think that life is so full of varied blendings
Though I prefer to wish for more happy endings !
Oh help me Lord, show me the way
To keep my aim on faith each day
I need to know that You are there
To save me from life’s dark despair.
Sometimes I’m lost and feeling low
Confused about where I should go
But I have hope that I can’t lose
My trust in You whate’er I chose !
EXCUSE ME, but I was reminded of one of the most exciting experiences of my life that occured a number of years ago in 2011 at the Discovery Center, Times Square, NYC. I attended a special Israeli Dead Sea Scrolls Presentation and spent more than 5 enthralling hours soaking up the aura of films, fragments, scrolls, maps and knowledge with a dear friend of mine, her birthday gift to me ! We even got to eat in the newly opened Cake Boss area, lower level. But the highlight of the exposition was scouring over those fragmented scrolls and recognizing the actual Tetragrammaton. Can you imagine my excitement ? Gave me the chills ! There it was, direct from Qumran and the Essenes to NYC and me ! What magic made those 4 letters of ancient script call out my name I may never know, but I won’t ever forget ! I am in my 85th year of life now and still trying to reach out and spread the good news. You don’t have to listen but I am bound to speak. May God bless you all and keep you safe in His arms ! Sincerely, Claire B.
I hear a voice so sweet and clear
A voice full of great warmth and cheer
Like notes that echo on the ear
A childlike sound that joyous rings
To tempt the mind with magic wings
Like songs the smallest angel sings !
For all of those who are alone
And to the Lord their prayers intone
To those who’ve lost far too much sleep
O’er worry how their home to keep,
Or health that is in need of care
Some crisis that they cannot bear
For help to wake and greet each day
True faith is there to show the way.
The Lord’s beside you never fear
He feeds your soul from far or near
He guides you in what e’er you do
Have hope, believe He won’t fail you !
The time is coming it’s almost here
As we wait to greet the brand new year
What kind of changes shall we then see
And what will that mean for you and me ?
Since I am old and remember when
We all believed He would come again
To reign on earth for a thousand years
And heal our wounds and allay our fears.
Then once was a time when faith was strong
And peoples from divers lands did throng
To worship Him in His holy place
And join Him there in eternal grace !
There is this fact that I have found
To keep my feet upon the ground
We’re all the same from inside out
We think, we feel and move about
There is a code that matches few
To thine ownself be ever true !
Life is so very precious, oh my dear
Embracing faith helps keep our God quite near
I see His stars that twinkle in the sky
Reminding me there is this force on high.
I’ve not been blinded by the far-off lights
They’ve been my company too many nights
I lie abed before my eyelids close
And sometimes count my fingers and my toes
Still joyous count God’s blessings by the score
Knowing if I have need there will be more !
Along the path that we have trod
With one eye constant on our God
So many twists and turns we’ve met
Temptations passed hold no regret
We’ve stayed the course with faith in mind
And kept our courage strong not blind.
Sometimes the fates have challenged us
With visions ever glorious
But we have met the enemy
And seen the truth that all may see
Bare fisted, bald or velvet gloved
Remember, you are truly loved !
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Claire V. Bogdanos 