Thursday, December 6, 2012

This is one of my favorite poems I've written, so I'm recycling it.  Enjoy.

Christmas Poem

I look in the mirror
And what do I see?
That Santa’s my daddy
It just has to be.
Our hair is white
And so is our beard
We look so much alike
That it’s really weird.
Our belly’s will bounce
Like a bowl of full of jello,
We both like to laugh
Are jolly good fellows
We’re cranially challenged
Our heads big and round.
We’re known to be different
We continually confound.
We do have our differences
A few I do see.
You Ho Ho Ho
One’s enough for me.
I admire the color blue
Red’s kinda scary.
The white fur trim, I feel
Makes you look like a fairy.
So dear Santa
I think you can see
Why I think you’re my dad
Do you believe little ole me?

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Christmas Musings

The Christmas story is unique, it is intriguing, it baffles me.  Why would God come down in human form to give us a way to spend eternity with Him?  Why would he come as a child and not as a king.  He came and they didn't or wouldn't believe that He was indeed the Messiah.
 
Mary did you know that your baby boy would some day walk on water?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would save our sons and daughters?
Did you know that your baby boy has come to make you new?
This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you.
Do we today believe?  That is what we have to decide. The Bible is full of Witness that Jesus was indeed whom He said He was. (See John 5: 31-47). Today His church is to be His witness but do even they realize who He really is?
"This is how MUCH God LOVED the world. He gave His Son, His one and only Son." (John 3:16 out of the Message translation).  Do we really realize what that baby boy really means to humanity?

Mary did you know that your baby boy would give sight to a blind man?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would calm a storm with his hand?
Did you know that your baby boy has walked where angels trod?
And when your kiss your little baby, you have kissed the face of God.
This song tells of the miracles or works that Jesus did during His short life.  Back in John 5:36, Jesus tells us why he performs miracles, "...for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish-the very works that I do-testify about Me, that the Father sent me.  The religious leaders of that day couldn't see the miracles as miracles, but as threats to their positions.  Today miracles happen around us all the time, and we fail to notice them too.  
 
 Oh Mary did you know

The blind will see, the deaf will hear, the dead will walk again.

The lame will leap, the dumb will speak, the praises of the lamb 

 I wonder sometimes, as this song implies, if Mary really knew whom her Child was.  Sure an angel appeared to her and all, but later she, with all of Jesus brothers and sisters, comes to where he is teaching and healing people and tries to get Him to come home, they seemed embarrassed, which caused Jesus to say "Who is my brother, sister, or mother?  Those who do the Father's will" (my paraphrase).  Mary did you really know?  My favorite phrase of the song is "This child that you've delivered, will soon deliver you." Honor goes to Mary for obeying God at His Word.
 
 Mary did you know that your baby boy is Lord of all creation?
Mary did you know that your baby boy would one day rule the nations?
Did you know that your baby boy is heaven's perfect Lamb?
This sleeping child you're holding is the great I am

 Preacher said this weekend that there are 2500 prophecies' in the Bible and that 2000 of them have come to pass exactly as predicted.  The ones left are "end times" prophecies' and no doubt, they will come true also.  So just like predicted, Jesus the Messiah came and provided us a way to eternity in Heaven.  So as predicted, He will return, return to completely conquer sin.  Come quickly Lord Jesus.


Thanks to Mark Lowry for writing such a great son as "Mary Did You Know"

Friday, September 14, 2012

I Have To Rant

I'm going to get political, and it may make you mad at me, but I have to get this off my chest.  First, let me say that I'm a registered Republican, but I don't vote a straight ticket.  I have probably voted for as many Democrats as I have Republican, but I probably won't again.  Here's a list why....

1. I'm tired of being called a racist.  Just because I'm conservative and a Republican, I'm automatically a racist.  I can't criticize the White House because I be called a racist.  A little fact folks, in 1866 in a move to get back some political clout, the Democratic national party started a little group to try an intimidate voting.  That little group is known as the KKK.  If you don't believe me, read the thirteen volume set of congressional investigations from 1872 that documents that fact.  According to these facts, what party is racist?  Democratic.  What party freed this nation of slavery? Republican.  It wasn't until Martin Luther King (who by the way was Republican) did the blacks regain what they had before 1872.

2. I'm tired of being labeled as waging a war on women.  This makes me laugh it's so absurd.  Who wages war on women?  Ask Sarah Palin who has been called everything, whose children has been called everything.  Ask Michele Bachmann, Michelle Malkin, Lauren Ingraham, Ann Coulter and others what they have been threaten with, what vile names they have been called, etc, etc, etc.  Rush called Sandra Fluke a "slut" and he was vilified for days.  Bill Maher calls some of these women much worse and not a peep out of the same ones that pushed for Rush to be hauled into jail.  It also funny that one of their talking points is that Romney would set back wages for women when the White House and Nancy Pelosi don't have equal pay for the women on their own staffs. What party really has a war on women?

3. I honestly don't see what people see in our President.  He is AWOL the majority of the time.  Honestly, why would he go to Vegas for a campaign stop when our embassy is being attacked? I don't understand that.  His record for attending the security briefings is, I heard, between 35-50%.  Maybe if he would do his job, our Ambassador may still be alive.  On the economy, the old blame Bush excuse don't float.  We had a recovery in 2009 that drew us out of our recession, but his Cash for Clunkers and other bail-outs killed that and sunk us into a new low, depression low.  Clinton said that the President inherited an economy that couldn't be turned around in four years.  Really, check our history Bubba, Reagan inherited an economy that was much worst from Jimma Carter and turned it around in three years.  There is no sign of recovery, there won't be as long as factors such as Obama care and being regulated out the yenyang continue.  I guess there's time for golf, vacations and having dinners with celebs, but no time for leading our country.

4. I'm tired of apologies.  Why do we apologize to those that attack us?  I can't fathom it.  Here is where we need leadership, someone with backbone.

5. I won't vote Democrat because of their stance on religious issues.  Removing God from their platform and then adding it (the vote failed but the leadership passed it anyway) back in.  They push abortion on the church through Obamacare, we "cling to our Bibles and guns", push gay marriage on us, and on and on.  Whether you want to believe it or not, this country was founded on Christian beliefs, don't believe me, read the writings of our Founding Fathers, it's very evident there.

I could rant on and on but I'm growing tired and the "House of Payne" is on and I need a good laugh.  I will close with this, this is the first time that I've been scared for our future.  It's a time in our history that depending on the next few months, we may not recover from.  "Land of the Brave and Home of the Free" may soon be shortened to "Land of the Brave".  All I can say is, pray hard, His grace is all we have.

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Where Were You?

Thanks to Alan Jackson,

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Out in the yard with your wife and children
Working on some stage in LA
Did you stand there in shock at the site of
That black smoke rising against that blue sky
Did you shout out in anger
In fear for your neighbor
Or did you just sit down and cry

Did you weep for the children
Who lost their dear loved ones
And pray for the ones who don't know
Did you rejoice for the people who walked from the rubble
And sob for the ones left below

Did you burst out in pride
For the red white and blue
The heroes who died just doing what they do
Did you look up to heaven for some kind of answer
And look at yourself to what really matters

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day
Teaching a class full of innocent children
Driving down some cold interstate
Did you feel guilty cause you're a survivor
In a crowded room did you feel alone
Did you call up your mother and tell her you love her
Did you dust off that bible at home
Did you open your eyes and hope it never happened
Close your eyes and not go to sleep
Did you notice the sunset the first time in ages
Speak with some stranger on the street
Did you lay down at night and think of tomorrow
Go out and buy you a gun
Did you turn off that violent old movie you're watching
And turn on "I Love Lucy" reruns
Did you go to a church and hold hands with some stranger
Stand in line and give your own blood
Did you just stay home and cling tight to your family
Thank God you had somebody to love

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

I'm just a singer of simple songs
I'm not a real political man
I watch CNN but I'm not sure I can tell you
The difference in Iraq and Iran
But I know Jesus and I talk to God
And I remember this from when I was young
Faith hope and love are some good things he gave us
And the greatest is love

The greatest is love
The greatest is love

Where were you when the world stopped turning that September day

Sunday, July 15, 2012

A Imagined Story

All I wanted was a quiet dinner, enjoy the new book I just downloaded, and then go home to watch the new Castle episode.  Then suddenly she walked into the room and my heart skipped a beat.  She was confident, head held high, beautiful but not gorgeous, and dressed, as they say, to the nines.  She must be six feet tall, without her stilettos, with long chiseled legs accented by her short skirt, her flowing blonde hair highlighted bright green eyes.  I couldn’t keep from staring, as did every other male in the place.

The hostess told them that it would probably be an hour wait, that the bar had a few seats left if they would like to wait there.  She looked at me and said something to her friend, who then walked over to my table.  Her friend wasn’t near the woman that the Princess was.  She did have the most beautiful eyes, which made her attractive, but up against the Princess, she didn’t have a chance.

“Could my friend and I join you?  There seems to be a lack of seating here tonight, and we think that no one should eat alone.” 

“Sure,” I said, “I have just ordered and would love the company.”  I smiled as the Princess came over, at least my eyes would be well fed tonight.

I stood as they sat, the waiters falling over each other to pull her chair out, and the friend said, “My name is Katie, this is Diana, we have an engagement tonight and couldn’t wait for a table, I hope we’re not imposing.”

“Certainly not, I was going to read a boring book to make the time go by, I will enjoy the conversation.  My name is Ross, but everyone calls me Ross.”  OK, I know, stupid sense of humor, but Katie laughed out loud, Diana just looked around to see who was looking at her.

During the evening, Katie and I bantered back and forth, with Diana just giving a smug smile every now and then.  By the end of dessert, I was wondering how someone like Katie could hang out with a dull head like Diana.  Diana, the princess who had it all, except a personality, who took the room by storm when she walked in, paled in comparison to Katie.  I looked into Katie’s big eyes and watched them dance as she told when she had sleep overs, her brother would walk into the room unannounced, trying to catch a glimpse of her friends undressed.  “The little perv would bust in on us until one night we sat a trap for him.  Without him knowing it, we asked my mom to sit in with us.  We then would say something like, ‘Could you help me with this bra strap, it seems stuck,’ or ‘you look so cute in those matching bra and panties’.  He took the bait and busted in only to see my mom standing there with her arms crossed.  She took him by the ear and lead him to his room where she wore him out.  We never had a problem with him again.”  She laughed and continued, “Now that he’s grown, all my friends would like to bust in on him.”

Diana finally spoke, “Finally, something I can agree on.”  Katie looked at me with this big smile, I must have had this shocked look on my face as she busted out laughing, which in turn made me start laughing.

The waiter brought our checks, which I took under Katie's protest, “We should be paying for your meal, you allowed us to joining you.”

“No way, I had a great time talking with…” Diana stood up and walked toward the door in my mid-sentence.  Katie looked at me and shrugged her shoulders, “I guess we’re leaving, thank you Ross, I enjoyed myself so much, I hate that our conversation is ending.”

Open door Ross ole boy, walk through it. “Why don’t we go tell Diana that she needs to find a cab, that we are going to find a coffee shop where we can continue our getting to know each other, and that she isn’t invited.”

“That will be a switch, it’s usually me that’s finding a cab,” she laughed again and my heart skipped a beat again.  She noticed the goofy look on my face, “What’s wrong, you look like someone stole your Popsicle.”

“Popsicle?” I said and she laughed again. “No,” I said, “I have believed since I was a young perv like your brother, that when I met the woman that I would fall in love with, that my heart would skip a beat.  My heart skipped a beat twice tonight, once when Diana and you walked into the room and I thought it was caused by Diana, who you must admit, is a beautiful woman.”

“Yeah, I hear that all the time about her, nothing new there.”

“But just now, when you laughed, my heart skipped a beat again, and I realized something, it wasn’t Diana, it was you my heart was telling me about.  You, Katie, are the one I would love to fall in love with.”

“That, my daughter, is how your mother and I met, twenty years ago today.  By the way, my heart still skips a beat when she walks into the room.”

Monday, July 9, 2012

Why I Don't Write Poetry 2012-2

The rain may fall in Spain
But rarely here on the plains.
Grass is turning light green
The bunny's are running around mean.
Eggs frying on the back walk
Summer has hit full blast
Hoping and praying
It won't last.

Wednesday, July 4, 2012

Family Reunion

She adjusted her pearls in the mirror as the sounds of her family gathering below flowed over her like the smell of her favorite perfume. It’s been so long since we’ve been together, she thought, now everyone is home. She tugged at her blouse one last time and turned to go downstairs to join the family. Standing in the door watching her was Jed Delaney, her sweet Jed, her beloved husband of over twenty-five years.

“Martha, you look radiant as usual,” Jed said as he took her hand, “the gang’s all here, are you ready?”

“Yes, darling,” she said as she pecked him on the cheek.They descended the stairs into the front parlor, a crackling fire welcoming them.

At the bottom step waiting on them was their oldest son, Michael, who had arrived just a few moments before. Michael grabbed Martha and gave her a big bear hug, “Mom, it is so good to see you and dad, I’ve missed you so much.”Beside Michael was Jackie O, as they called her, a nice Irish girl named Jaclyn Katharine O’Reily before she became Michael’s bride and mother to their two sons, Matthew and Mark, and yes, they are working on Luke and John.

Mary Beth, the only daughter, sat in the overstuffed leather wing chair, looking like the princess she was. As her mother approached, she rose and they embraced, communicating as only a mother and daughter could. Mary Beth hooked her arms through Martha’s and they turned toward Ross.

Ross was the baby of the family and Martha mothered over him as he grew up. Often Martha refused to let him join in with his friends, “They’re such a rowdy bunch,” but Ross never really would mind as he knew Martha would make it up to him somehow.Martha walked over to Ross and adjusted his tie, “A man in uniform can’t have a crooked tie,” she said. “You look so handsome in your dress blues.” She reached down and put a letter in his hand. “You can read it later, it’s just mushy mom stuff.” She looked at Mary Beth and together they straightened the flag that draped Ross’ coffin, Martha looked back at Ross. “Welcome home baby boy, now the family is all together once again.”


Thank you to all who have served this great nation, from the first shot of the Revolution to present day conflicts, you have given, some your all, for me to be able to write this, and the readers the freedom to read it.  You and your family sacrifice are not forgotten, may they never be.