Lord of All

Verse 1

Creator of my flesh and bones

 The stars at their birth

 Bow at your throne 

Though I am but dust of the earth

You knew me before time was known

 Chorus

You are Lord of all

You are Lord of all

I bow my desires before you

With all my heart, my soul and my strength

I will serve the Lord of all

 Verse 2

Savior from my sin and shame

Every knee will fall

At the glory of your name

Though I am but the least of all

You died for me and showed your greatest love

This is another poem I wrote.  My friend Matt Newby put music to it, sang it and recorded it.  Thanks Matt!  You can listen to it if you click here

Celebration

Seated on Heaven's heights

Far removed from human sight

Almighty Alpha

Beginning of all

Awake the dawn by morning's sun

Glisten the dew a new day's begun

Paint the skies a radiant blue

Open my eyes to the ardent clue

That I may seize 

Every minute as a blessing

Every hour a cherished gift

Every day a Christmas wish

That I may never cease

To praise you for your endless display

Of creation's symphony

The silence of a fish one wonders a wish

But you see their fins and a tail that goes swish

And take their delight as praise in your sight

To resound in the sky found way up so high

Little songbirds sing to bring joy to all

And tickle your ear with each coy and call

The deer with her fawn, cautious with care

And the white swan or the light-furred hare

You hear their scratches, pawing and sighs

And declared it all good in your everlasting eyes

Those creatures of night sing as true knights

The raccoon in her mask with her God given task

To root for the grub and share the loot with her cubs

The beaver to cleaver the wood in the woods

And create a dam to do him some good

The architecture humans pondered from old

But the Beaver learned it from One ancient I'm told

But I as a man with life in my heart

Will join from the start

In the symphony of life

As I was created to reflect you to earth

My life song from a second birth

Yahweh

Zion's Omega

Invisible God always nearby

Seated on Heaven's high

I wrote this poem as part of a class assignment where I had to reflect on 'celebrating God.'  In truth all of God's creation celebrates him...O Lord, open our ears and eyes that we may join in that celebration!

The Alleyway

Deep in the recesses of a starless night

Down the dark alleyway hidden by sight,

I wonder, Lord,

Why do you lead me this way?

The terrors of time torment me

And the fears of the future frighten me

They shake their heads and say,

“ You are tailored from yesteryear’s failures

You are lost and look what it’s cost:

Twenty-nine without a sign

A call but many falls

‘Things get better’ is the lie

Better believe it or you will die

Here in this fateful alleyway

Didn’t God say, ‘This was the way?’”

What do I say to future’s fear of choice?

Or reply to the terrible tick of time’s voice?

When all they say seems true to me

And experience ever betrays me

I stutter to speak but yet they demand

“What is the way?” from my feeble hand

A weak sorrow from a heavy sigh

Pierces all heaven—

The Lord has heard my cry

His gentle hand guides my tears

And his whisper quiets my fears

“The alleyway will brighten in my time

It is not for you to know for it is mine.

If out of the frying pan into the fire

Then what I command you must desire!

The terrors of time will always tick

But to my heart you must always stick

Close by my wounded side

Then a friend you will be

In whom I confide."

In early January 2006 when I was 29 yrs old, days before I would journey to India for the third time, I felt unprepared and anxious of the future.  I felt very much like a man trapped in an alleyway...thus the poem was born.  May Lord grant us all his peace as we walk through those alleyways...

Morning's Song

My little children, morning is here

To chase away all our midnight fears

The sun in all her beauty bright

Sends away our darkest dreams to flight

O little children, wake up, morning is here

Morning is here to rid the darkened chill

Let no more shadow creep the land to bring us ill

Though the night seems without end and troubles assail

I’ll remind myself that my Friend will eventually prevail.

O little children, wake up, morning is here.

Morning is here! Let the land rejoice!

The mountains and valleys lift their voice

The haunted past succumbs to her brilliant rays

For within her light is the hope of a new day

Morning is here, wake up, wake up, morning is here.

I wrote this several years ago.  It's context was in a story that is morphing into something larger then it was originally intended; however, since it was a good poem that celebrates the morning's light after a long darkness, I have included it here that you might be encouraged.  "Weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning" (Psalm 30:5)

A Prayer

This is a poem, a prayer, I wrote sometime during my seminary years after a class on Ecclesiastes...

O Lord of my existence

Make me a man of significance

Not of worldly gain or fame

All of which is vapor and vain

But one who is before your throne
Humble and by you well known!