a poem in my pocket

His presence enters the womb,

A babe invades the stable;

The answer questions the teachers,

A carpenter turns the table.

A light shines for the blind,

His life raises the dead;

The bread eats with sinners,

The shepherd’s lambs are fed.

The judge stands condemned,

An only son suffers alone;

Our lover embraces the cross,

The creator lies cold behind stone.

Lord, your power destroys death;

Your blood’s stain washes sin.

You must break into our world

When we will not let you in!

I’ll admit

sometimes

I must work at

being difficult

but mostly

I just am

without trying.

Authentic friendship is classic;

like a freshly brewed cup of tea

served outdoors on a veranda.

A spiced aroma of well-blended,

hand-selected, cozy comaraderie

fills the relaxed afternoon air.

Tea-time friendships

share the comforting warmth

Of cultivated attention.

Perfectly steeped

in robust undertones

of an exclusive conversation.

scented bed

of blooming catmint

is kissed by

lavender mist.

Marriage is a delightful balance:

Committed and caught,

Tender yet tough,

Purity of passion.

Marriage is a beautiful blueprint:

Love over a lifetime

Place for parenthood,

Good gift in a garden.

Marriage is a costly venture:

requires service and sacrifice

but reaps rewards of the

long-term investment.

Don’t settle for cheap substitutes;

Desire the genuine article.

we all begin life as prisoners;

most of us escape our mother’s womb

only to face our own limitations.

our enemy would hold us hostage;

his methods are devious, his bonds are strong.

will satan’s fate be our own awful end?

we choose  to wallow in self-made dungeons

of addiction, shame, fear or bitterness.

our hearts slowly grow cold; our minds dark.

but there is a savior who slays the beast

he opens our prison cell and calls us into light;

we are out on parole until our ultimate release.