Dear Thea

Dear Thea: my friend from years ago

I am so sorry for being such dill!

I am so sorry for being so silly and naïve

For stuffing up our friendship

For not realizing how true a friend you were

I was just a silly teenager at nineteen

So full of my own troubles

I didn’t understand how much

A good friendship could mean!

I went off and got married

I didn’t even send you an invite

I must have been out of my head

Dear Thea: I invited the new girl

When I should have taken you along instead!

I know I made so many silly mistakes

When I was young and oh so stupid

Please forgive me for being

Such an ignorant young woman

I had no idea how to make friends

And keep them as I’d never had that many

Never had the gift of the gab

Never had the knack; was just so brainless

I guess I was suffering for my shame

I never felt good enough for anyone to love me

I always took the blame when things fizzled

I just assumed that it was me

I was never good enough: you see!

Even when I was just trying to be me!

Fire-engine Red

I worked as a clerk many years ago
Just out of university the year before
I'd gotten a job through a friend of mine
She'd been working there for a long time
I found that there were groups of staff
Some were a bit uppity: snobs to say the least
They all gathered around this leader
She was a bit of a princess: bitchiness ruled here!
They had the usual schoolyard mentality
You know that sort: bullying, exclusion, nasty looks
Anything to make it difficult for others working there
One young woman always took her break alone
She looked just like any other young woman 
Just the same as you'd meet along the street
I asked about the reasons for this exclusion
I was told she wasn't good enough to join the group
So she was excluded; left out of that simmering soup
Being a loner myself I took it upon myself
To take my break along with her
Away from everyone else!
We became friends and chatted each day
Even met her hubby at the end of a long busy day
I'd agreed to look after their two dogs
When they went on holiday
But my own relationship was struggling
And I let them down I ashamed to say
I still remember her friendship and tales
About her life and some of her strife
She became the big sister that I'd never had
Giving me advice and listening to me as well
But what stayed with me the longest
Was the tale about her hair
When she was a rebellious teen
She stood out for another reason then
Because her was dyed a very bright
And very sassy: fire-engine red!

The glow within

If we are to judge each day
By the seeds we sow and 
Not by the harvest we reap
How wonderful it will be
When Jesus comes to take us home?
If we are to do small things
With great love: how much more 
Will Jesus love us when He comes?
If we stand tall as we bend
To lift another up: how much more 
Will Jesus lift us up into heaven?
If service is the rent we pay
For living our lives here on earth
How much more beautiful 
To let our actions let others
See into our very hearts!
If the secret of life is making
Stepping stones out of
Our stumbling blocks
How much more can we do for others
When we do all to the glory of God!
Whatever our tasks 
If we work at each task heartily?
From our very soul:
How much more shall we enjoy it?
If we do it for our dearest Lord!
If we act like we make a difference
We will make a difference!
Let us all glow from within!
Let us all grow in our Lord's love
Let us all sow those precious seeds
To bring in a bountiful harvest
When our dear Lord comes again!

Juke-Box Saturday Night

Had a wonderful Mother's day in Berri
Spent some lovely time with my family
I thank the dear Lord we were together
Because you know life doesn't last forever!
There was a show on the telly that day
Called Juke-Box Saturday Night
There were 5 hours of music for our mums
So many old classics that made me smile
Took me back for many years and
I'll tell you why: though the music clips
Were old and in bad nick
Those old songs were just the trick
Took me right on back so many years 
Had me reliving all my teens
Had me singing along to those old tunes
Had me tapping my feet and bopping away
Yes that's how I spent that lovely Mother's Day!
My mum likes to listen to her music!
My mum is getting tired: she's not been very well
I guess that happens when you're 75
I suppose I'm in some kind of hell
I want her around for many more years
But what if something happens?
What if she doesn't make it through this time?
Her heart is getting  weaker
It's not her lungs that hold her back!
Dear Lord I know I cannot keep her
For ever: like I really want to: I'll tell you!
But dearest Lord please grant my prayers
And let me keep her just for a few more years!
I want to be able to picture us
Next Mother's day in Berri
Listening to those songs again in 2014
I want to have made some new memories
I want to have some photographs
Of my mum holding her new 
Great grand-daughter in September 2013
When our newest family member is due to arrive! 
Yes please Lord: if it be Thy will?
Please let us have just a few more years!

You are everything

As a teen I listened to the Stylistics singing
I loved their lead singer's voice
Such beautiful songs they had
Like: "You are everything!"
The chorus goes like this:
You are everything and 
Everything is you
Today I think of my dear Lord
And how He has changed my life
For me the lyrics are 
Self explanatory: 
You are everything: Jesus
And everything is you: Jesus!

Goodnight Gumby

My brother lives out back of my parent's home
He has his own little bed-sit
He takes care of mum and dad and
They take care of him!
He takes mum and dad to the doctors
He takes them shopping
All the usual stuff!
He loves it when we visit
He has heaps of fun but
His back is always a pain
His back pain makes him a pain
He is a grumpy gruncle
(A great uncle to my kids and grand-kids!)
He loves to play with my grandsons
He loves it when they interact
It must make his life better: that's a fact!
The other night he was stirring
Teasing my two year old 
Little grandson: calling him Gumby
Having a little fun at his expense
Zecarias says his words very nicely now
But he was mumbling
Just a few short months ago
Then: he said gumby instead of jumping
My brother was teasing him
But of course he didn't understand

He is only two years old!
We were all smiling; we were all giggling
When Zecarias was going off to bed
Uncle Alec said "Goodnight Gumby!"
Little Zac said "Goodnight Gumby"
Right back at him: yes it was so cute!
He kept repeating "Goodnight Gumby!"
All the way to bed!

I have to let it go

I have to let it go
I cannot do it for you
I am just a simple human being
I am not like God above
Though I want to show His love
I am just a tiny little soul
I am unable to save the world
But I can make a difference
Maybe to some
Maybe to a few 
I can do what is possible for me
To maybe make a little splash
In this giant pool of life
Somewhere amid all this hue and strife
Surely my little voice will
Cause a ripple here and there
Well: that is my aim!
That's the name of the game!
To show how much God loves me!
To show how much God loves you!
That is all I can do!
The rest is up to you!