Insight

When I see a beautiful flower,

I cry,

Not because of its beauty,

But because I SEE that beauty

Then my soul rejoices,

Not because of seeing alone,

But because of the Source of the

Gift of that seeing.

Over the Hill

For: Diane

They say you'll be wrinkled and ugly and gray
They say you can't help it - just happens that way

What once was a twinkle now looks like a stye
I think it's because of bags under your eyes

The waistline just rises (you lose it you see)
Flat hips drop the seat of your pants to your knees

Your hemline will lower (remember - no thighs)
At least it will cover those"Old folk" knee-highs

It saves lots of time when you start to get dressed
There isn't a soul left you care to impress

The kinfolk will gather and won't know your name
'Cause us over forty - we all look the same

The mind will go next but don't fret it they say
I don't think you know it - just happens that way.

Welcome home, baby sister
We know how you feel.
You're "last but not least"
To be over the hill.

X-mas

I think I'm altogether, then again--

I lose my mind

Amid the strains of music

That I hear at Christmastime

There's "Peace on Earth - Good Will to Men"

I'm filled with joy and love

As I remember God who sent His Son from up above.

And then along comes Santa Claus

Rewards upon his back

Knowing that I wasn't good - yet opening up his pack

And then they will play "Silent Night"

Which brings tears to my eyes

But soon the sound of jingling bells

Will drive that from my mind.

I want to bow my head in prayer and sing

"Oh Holy Night"

But when I close my eyes there's dancing sugar

plums in sight.

I think we need to start anew and re-arrange

our lives

And pack up all this "Santa Claus with all its

little lies"

I think it's time we dared, don't you, to take a

firmer stand

A stand for truth and honor, time to be a better

man.

I think the young want us to see

What they already know

They need parents to grow up

They grew up long ago.

Omniscience

I went to Your house today;

It was Mother's Day.

I sat on a pew with my aged mother

and my not-so-aged grandson.

My daughter sat beside me;

Her mind intent on the speaker,

Her eyes intent on her son, not that he noticed.

I'll confess, I didn't hear much that was said,

But I think you would approve of what my spirit felt.

I don't remember the exact words of the prayer,

But I remember a wide-eyed look of innocence

and the feel of a little hand slipping into mine.

It was a day I'll never forget.

You knew it would be, didn't You?

Dear Lord,

There's no use trying to figure out why that snake bit my grandson. Already I've heard a thousand reasons...each one the authority on it. Those who couldn't think of a reason, put it on You.

I just want to thank you for getting him well, for keeping him from being too sick. We could tell it was a bad one from the marks on his arms and all that swelling. He said to thank you for him, too. Right now, he thinks he may never swim in Strong River again. At first, his mama wanted to drain it dry and kill every snake there, but that's because she was scared and worried. She knows now there was a reason.

There's always a reason.

I don't know what it was.

I just know it tendered my heart towards him a little more.

It tendered my heart towards You, too.

Dear Lord

I know how Mary must have felt when she held her baby in her arms for the first time, knowing one day she would have to give him up to the world.

Even knowledge of a divine purpose didn't stop her heartache, nor Yours.

Now the same old world that destroyed her child is trying to destroy mine.

If there's a special lesson to be learned from all this pain, Lord, please help me hurry up and learn it.

Lord… are you up yet?

I tried to call several times last night, but your line was busy. You must have been talking to that new mother down the street... the one with all those kids... and I certainly didn't want to interrupt. Remember when mine were growing up and I'd call all the time... and about the silliest things, too. Seems all I did was worry about those youngsters of mine.

I felt everything they did wrong was somehow my fault. Maybe if I had given them time to learn on their own and not been so quick to judge; but I was afraid to let up, Lord, and I thought it all depended on me.

I know you were trying to tell me better, just like I was trying to tell them.

Well, that's why I called, Lord, to thank you again... and if there's anything You need me to do... Oh... that new mother down the street...

Why, of course I will! Anyway, one of the little ones reminds me of my youngest... the one whose goldfish died after she put lotion on its eyes and we stayed up all night crying...

I told You about that...remember?

Dear Lord,

When she was just a baby

And got pinched fingers and hurt,

I hurt.

When she got older

And experienced hurt feelings,

I hurt.

Then when she grew up

And out of my arms and into the world,

And hurt for all the things she couldn't have;

I hurt because I had to refuse her.

Even when she chose to go against my wishes

And eventually got hurt,

I hurt all the more.

At times I feel myself growing cold and distant,

Immune to hurt.

Don't let me do this, Lord,

For as long as I hurt,

I care.

Lord…

I feel like such a failure with my children.

They look to me for guidance

and find a floundering, insecure child instead.

Sometimes I feel they're the adult

and I the child.

Help me to remember that all knowledge comes from you,

that parents are but representatives of your wisdom and love,

that we are all your children

in different stages of learning and growth.

Remind me that I am to be

what I want them to become...

And thank you for listening to me with such patience,

as I should be showing mine.

Home by Suppertime

If you're not here by suppertime,

I guess I'll stop and take the time

To write and tell you what I want to say-

Of all the times I'm missing you,

Wondering if you miss me too,

And little things I do from day to day.

Now supper's cooking on the stove

And I don't want it getting cold

Before I see your car pull in that drive.

I washed the dishes, mopped the floor,

Combed my unkempt hair once more,

And thought of things I'd say when you arrived;

Like:

"How are things today with you?

That new dress looks good on you...

Have you always worn your hair that way?"

While all the time it makes me glad

To watch your eyes light up like that;

It's hard to hear a single thing you say.

Just being with you says it all,

And it's okay if you don't call.

Since writing letters takes a lot of time,

I will be the one tonight

To write to say things are all right

If you are still not here by suppertime.

I wish that you had been there then

And seen that mama's great big grin

And, with her apron, wipe tears from her eyes

When from behind the curtain she

Saw kids and dogs and finally me

Walk in that door at home at suppertime.

Time

Daddy's shadow touched the pages

of a book I read last night.

Mama frowns at me from mirrors

as I smooth my wrinkles out.

Someone else's child is sleeping

in my toddler's bed again,

And I sigh at the reflection

of my daughter's favorite grin.

Now this stranger in my body

goes through motions of my day.

Father Time has paid a visit

while I looked the other way.

My Daughter, My Friend

Letters hidden in a trunk

Their oft' read pages worn,

Speak impatiently of life,

Hint of sadness, love forlorn.

They hunger yet for yesteryear's

Carefree times

And thrills-

Prom nights, dates, and whispered dreams.

Treasured moments, treasured still.

In time, they held

A lock of hair, a tooth,

A program from a play.

Later, scented lavender,

Dried petals from a bride's bouquet.

Age, then wisdom, formed a bond

Enriched by letters through the years.

Tearstained pages from a daughter

Stained once more by Mother's tears.

Last Born

When she came home for a visit

and we embraced,

A part of me wanted to hold my last-born

in my arms,

stroke her hair,

and sing lullabyes to her like when she was a child.

And when on into the night, she endlessly chattered-

A part of me withdrew to observe

my grownup daughter in her new habitat-

with new lifestyles, new friends-

So much a part of her, so distant from me.

And when we said goodbye,

My heart cried;

And later on, in solitude,

my eyes formed a duet with my heart,

and the part of me that longed to hold her,

let her go...

Where is she?

Where is the infant

who made parents out of two children,

and gave new meaning to the word love,

who dressed up in mama's skirts and papa's shoes,

who practiced music for obedience sake

and always came home on time?

Where is the teen who scraped the bike

and then the car,

who hated braces but never complained-

at least not about braces-

who went to church, and complained

about double standards and unfairness of life?

There she is—in her wedding gown—trying not to cry

as she straightens Papa's tie

and wipes tears from Mama's eyes.

Were I Sixteen

What would I do... Were I sixteen?

I'd build sandcastles, splash in streams;

I'd romp the hills and meadows green,

Were I sixteen.

I'd watch the stars come out at night

And wish on every one in sight.

My dreams would soar on angels' wings,

Were I sixteen.

I'd make my plans for future years

And have no time for wasted tears.

I'd spend my time on special things,

Were I sixteen.

I'd pick someone to be my friend

And bare my soul for nights on end.

I'd take my chance on hurt and pain,

Were I sixteen...again.

For Jennifer & Dana

The house was empty, void of sound-

No little children running 'round.

There wasn't really much to do

But soon enough, God gave me two.

Sometimes I'd think, "I've done my part.

I do not want another start

At raising kids like others do!"

And God would point my heart toward you.

It's never hard to love your own,

Even when they're grown and gone.

God still had work for me to do

...discover love for both of you.

Echos

Graduation cap and gown,

Long lost laundry on the floor.

Special souvenirs from buddies

Fill a knapsack by the door.

Goodbye cries and friends' best wishes

Echo through an empty room

Grownup kids and happy teachers

End five years of nursery school.

Tomboy

Boys were allowed to trot after

their pa-

Even go barefoot and wear overalls,

Swing on a grapevine

(…they smoked now and then),

Cuss up a blue streak and not call it sin,

Fish in a creek

Sometimes skinny-dip, too.

All of the things that I wanted to do.

Just for Me

I brought molasses

from the shed,

checked for eggs

just like she said;

then pushed my chair to Mama's knee,

while she made teacakes

just

for

me.

Hi-ho Silver

He whispered in the pony's ear

and calmed the nervous beast.

He slid into the saddle

with a cowboy's practiced ease.

He spurred his mount, then shouted "Whoa!",

his countenance chagrined.

He leaned his body to the side and

slipped a quarter in.