Recently Jon gave me these examples of his poetry… during a visit to his apartment. I thought you would all like to read them. Enjoy! – (this is the first part…. there are a few more poems in part 2 that I will post later….) – Pastor Tim
From God to Good, just add an “o”
To evil add a “D”, and there you go
It’s as evident as the letters are
We bear His grace, He bears our scar
The living light awaits the eye
That looks to see it shine
I seek to find that Joy designed
And that decision’s mine
I’ll follow my father, and his before him
For my life is a cup that is filled to the brim
Can you not see it coming?
It is as plain as day to me
The trumpets herald drumming
For the battle come to be
As dark as it appears right now
There’s victory at the end
We can’t discern the when or how
But our brokenness will mend
The Lord is our shepherd
And we’re in his flock
On a journey well worthy
We willingly walk
Beauty for ashes I’m looking toward
My word is my sheath, my faith is my sword
Expectancy grows as I water my hope
And the doubt will depart down it’s slippery slope
I write down my dreams, then, patiently wait
But the answer will come, whether early or late
It comes down to wanting and asking for it
In the knowing which end of the candle is lit
So I ponder my chances I know will arrive
They’re as sure as the promise that love is alive
For this world, in blindness, just stumbles along
It’s ignoring what’s right and embracing what’s wrong
As apparent to me as it should be to you
Our reward will reflect what we willingly do
This may be as clear or as murky to some
But we stand in the knowing an answer will come
It is only a matter of time, take His word
Let His glory reveal what these words have inferred
The ashes we leave for the beauty we’ll find
Is the way it will be, it is heaven designed
I can give you the line but you must take the bait
And you’ll find revelation awaits at the gate
It’s as near as your next breath, it’s certain to be
And a gift to the reader, it’s God’s guarantee
Better late than never is a phrase I finally learned
And is a gift from God, as ever, even a gift I hadn’t earned
But I am thankful for His favor and the chance to know at last
That I may yet tomorrow savor while repenting of my past
I was as willful and as ignorant of all my life in store
Yet, like a child’s heart is innocent, He forgave and gave me more
And then somewhere along the way my path began to change
My ways were wasted anyway, and generally strange
By looking back I found that I was on an errant path
My thinking was unsound and I deserved the coming wrath
But providence was waiting, I thank the Lord that it was so
And it isn’t understating that at last I came to know
That He was always with me, though I seldom gave it thought
Now I see my past more clearly and another chance I got
God moves in ways of wonder, but it’s always for our best
As my “normalcy” was blunder I would have failed the coming test
So I pray you to consider where our former ways would lead
Whether glorious or bitter, like a flower taken seed
If I’d have opened up my eyes when I was young and strong
I would have known how fast time flies, and made my way along
A difference of direction and a finer end to find
And then I gave it my inspection, finally opening my mind
I know that He’d been with me, else, I wouldn’t be here now
My words are my propensity, while He provides the “how”
And what I can say is “Thank You” to the one who gave us all
It is the best that I can do while I am waiting for His call
We’ll make it through these trying days
The seething heat, the smokey haze
We have the will, we’ll find the ways
For blessings come to he who prays
And look back on these times again
We know who runs his race will win
Though now, our hopes seem rather thin
We’ll find our peace and enter in
These are but temporary times
Where the temperature absurdly climbs
Endurance bears climactic crimes
Inviting even heated rhymes
Yet cooler days will follow these
With gentle rains and soothing breeze
The weather will how’ere it please
As only he who bears it sees
So don’t lose hope, we’ll get there yet
With grace we’ll gain the wind and wet
Just wait it out and place your bet
And we will what we pray for get
We’ve seen these calms and storms before
And guaranteed, there will be more
Who knows what waits beyond that door
It’s what we were intended for
So, brace yourself, you’ll pass the test
Today’s a temporary guest
We’ll carry on and do our best
These current trials will turn to bles’t
(August, 2021, 94ºF)
Japanese Congregational Church 