Category: Poetry

Mark 14:9 Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.

At the house of Simon the Leper in Bethany,
Jesus sat at the table, and a woman appeared before thee.

He sat at the host’s table before the prepared meat,
Then something astonishing happened with how the woman chose to greet.

She took an alabaster box with a precious spikenard ointment,
Then broke it to anoint the head of the one God the Father had sent.

Soon the time would come for Christ to die at Calvary,
The oil was for the burial of the One who would set us free!

With indignation, His disciples spoke with unwarranted haste,
Exclaiming that the use of the expensive oil was a waste.

For it could have been sold for three hundred pence and given to the poor,
So they murmured against against the woman, whose heart was on Jesus whom she sought to adore.

Instantly, Jesus brought their folly to a halt,
Explaining to the men whom her actions did exalt.

For the poor would be with them always,
But He would be taken from them in the coming days.

Anointed in preparation for His willing death and burial to redeem us from our fall.
A sacrifice of ointment in honor of a sacrifice to us all.

Because of her good deed in anointing our Savior,
Jesus declared a statement of favor.

Wherever in the world where the Gospel is shared,
Her actions will also be a spoken of as a memorial of how she cared.

___

As I wrote this, one of the things that caught my attention is how what this woman is doing for Jesus is being reflected through both Jesus and the woman, and this is also how she is given favor. She is making a sacrifice, just as Jesus is about to sacrifice himself. She is preparing Him for a memorial that is to come, and His declaration is the same for her in that where the gospel is preached, this will also be remembered as a memorial to her.

Another thing that stood out is that during this encounter, the disciples are upset about this because of the money they could’ve sold the perfume for (Mark 14:4). The next event following this immediately turns to Judas betraying Jesus for money (Mark 14:10-11).

There are millions of zombies who dwell in the realm of the dead,
And in it there was one special zombie named Zed.

Now everybody knows that if a zombie kills you,
Your body will transform and you will become one too.

You see, Zed used to be just like you and me,
A human with purpose who loved to be free.

But something happened to him that wasn’t expected,
In the graveyard, a zombie killed him and his life was redirected.

He fell to ground with agony and pain,
His mind was transformed as he went insane.

But with this story there is a great surprise,
Something inside Zed couldn’t be overtaken, and it was about to arise.

It was the slightest glimmer of hope and wonder,
Not even death could drive it asunder.

It was ever so faint, but regardless it was there,
And into Zed’s inner-self, something magic he did hear.

It was calling out to him and saying that all was not lost,
Zed was determined to follow the voice, no matter the cost.

He was driven into the dark woods, and sat beneath a tree,
But you will never guess what he was about to see.

A wise grey owl suddenly did appear,
He sat on Zed’s shoulder and whispered in his ear.

He told Zed that he must find the wondrous great light,
And when he discovers it, the darkness inside him it will fight.

And as quickly as the wise old owl did appear,
He spread his wings and flew into the night air.

Zed wondered to himself where he could find this great light,
And until he could find it, the darkness inside him he would fight.

He walked all night throughout the earth’s surface,
And the more he walked, the more he found his purpose.

Soon the sun was about to shine and all the zombies would have to go and hide,
But before it could arise a different light would shine, and inside Zed it did reside.

It was that glimmer of hope and wonder that Zed had felt before,
But now it was something infinitely more.

It was Zed’s will to once again live and be free from death’s grip,
The more his desire surged, the greater the light did rip.

It blossomed and it burned through death’s dark chain,
It started up from the foot, through the heart, and into his brain.

It was a minute later and a few seconds more,
The darkness inside Zed was completely tore.

He had passed from death’s darkness into life’s light,
Once again he was human, for he hand conquered the night.

But the story was not over for Zed,
For he was given a special gift to take back to the realm of the dead.

You see, once you have defeated death, it can never have power over you again,
He took this gift to other zombies so they could once again be women and men.

The zombies saw Zed coming, but because of life’s gift they could not touch him,
His shared his gift with all, and a small light did appear in all of them.

Some of the zombies twitched and twisted,
The most vile of them even resisted.

But in many of the zombies the light grew and grew,
Once again they were human, as the darkness completely withdrew.

The war wages on between the great wondrous light and the dark,
But to the zombies, the light will forever embark.

So never give up hope in anyone or anything,
Because you just never know when and what that wondrous light will bring.

Twas the day before Thanksgiving, deep in the field,
There was a proud turkey that could never be killed.

Every year the mighty hunter would try to make him his dinner,
But always in these battles the turkey was the winner.

This year was no different than any other time,
For to this fine turkey, killing him would be a crime.

The hunter came with his usual tricks and his loaded gun,
But this year the turkey decided to have some fun.

The hunter set out his treacherous traps baited with seed,
The turkey had other plans and was sure he would succeed.

He danced around the around the trap that was neatly disguised,
For many turkeys this would never be advised.

The hunter could not understand the turkey’s odd behavior,
All he knew was that for this fowl he did savor.

He ran at the turkey as swift as he could go,
The turkey stuck out his foot and made him fall in the snow.

The hunter picked himself up but the turkey pecked his heels,
Again the hunter fell which gave the turkey some thrills.

The determined hunter felt great pain and tremendous peril,
He knew he had only one chance, and loaded his barrel.

BANG! BANG! He chased the turkey through the field,
But the turkey had one last great weapon to yield.

You see, turkeys are very fast and wise,
And for the great hunter he had a surprise.

He pulled a single feather from his plume with pride,
A grey one he picked, and down the hunter’s tummy it did slide.

The hunter once again fell to the ground, but with a laugh and a giggle,
The turkey made the feather continue to wiggle.

The hunter laughed and laughed with great glee,
He couldn’t take it anymore and let out a plea.

He said that if the turkey would stop the fun,
He would forever surrender his gun.

The turkey agreed to the hunters fine deal,
And lifted the feather to see what it might reveal.

The hunter stayed true to his word,
He shook the turkey’s wing and departed from the bird.

Now in all life’s situations there is a lesson to be learned,

Don’t mess with wisdom or you will surely get burned.

You see the turkey had grey feathers for a good reason,
He had lived through the hunters attacks every holiday season.

With age comes knowledge and experience, which makes one wise,
Ask any of your elders as they speak and you will see the truth in their eyes.

But there is more to this story that you must understand,
The turkey had a family and with them a future planned.

He knew that it was important to push forward and survive,
Just as the turkey, we all should strive.

Every year the hunter returns to the field, but without his gun,
He visits the turkey so they can talk and have fun.

The hunter learned that he gained something greater than a meal,
For he had a new buddy. He even put turkey in his will.

As I end this poem, I have one very last thing to say,
Take the time to cherish each and every day.

You never know when the hunter might gain wisdom as well,
This has been the reason that many have fell.

Be wise and be swift when trouble arises,
And always be ready for any surprises.

In all good things remember to cherish,
Hold them in your heart and they will never perish.

Just as the turkey held his family in his heart,
This is what made the victorious turkey so smart.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and Holiday Season.

And he gave unto Moses, when he had made an end of communing with him upon mount Sinai, two tables of testimony, tables of stone, written with the finger of God.

I Am the Lord they God, Thou shalt have no other gods before me (Exo 20:3).
With all our heart, soul, and mind we should love thee (Matt 22:37).

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image of that which is in heaven above, the earth beneath, or the water under (Exo 20:4).
Instead, let us worship the One who created such wonder (Psalm 95:6, Rev 4:11).

Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain (Exo 20:7).
Let us honor God with our tongue, rather than speak that which is profane (Psalm 51:15 James 3:5-10).

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy (Exo 20:8).
Hallowed and blessed by God, after creating all that which is a part of the heavens, earth, and sea (Exo 20:11).

Honor thy father and thy mother so thy days may be long in the land the Lord has given to thee (Exo 20:12).
The first commandment with a promise to you and me (Eph 6:2).

Thou shalt not kill. For we were created in the image of God above (Exo 20:13, Gen 9:6).
Do not even hate your brother, but be slow to anger, and treat your neighbors with love (Matt 5:21-22, Prov 15:18, Matt 22:39).

Thou shalt not commit adultery (Exo 20:14).
Jesus taught us that this includes lusting after women we see (Matt 5:28).

Thou shalt not steal (Exo 20:15).
Better for a thief to labor so that they might share with someone who needs a meal (Eph 4:28).

Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor (Exo 20:16).Exo 31:18
God’s Word warns us that such deceit is undoubtedly a punishable behavior (Prov 19:5-9).

Thou shalt not covet anything that belongs to thy neighbor (Exo 20:17).
But rather covet the greater gifts of the Spirit, so that with you the Lord will find favor (1 Cor 12:31, Prov 11:27).

Ephesians 6:10-11 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

While in bondage, the Apostle Paul did write,
For the Creator above gave him great wisdom and sight.

God’s people are to be strong in the Lord, and in the power of His might,
The battle in the spiritual realm, Paul did teach us how to fight.

For we wrestle not against flesh in blood, on this earth, whom we should love,
But principalities, powers, rules of darkness, and spiritual wickedness from above.

So put on the whole armor of God so that you can stand,
This will protect you against the wiles of Satan’s hand.

First, put on the Belt of Truth without haste,
Make sure it is wrapped tightly around your waist.

The Breastplate of Righteousness must cover your chest,
In purity we can fight against the devil without rest.

Next, shod your feet with the gospel, and be ready to move fast,
For time is running short, and the opportunity won’t forever last.

Bravely take up the Shield of Faith to quench the darts of Satan and make him run.
This is most important; For I will trust in the unseen, Father, Holy Spirit, and Son.

With the Helmet of Salvation must I cover my head,
So I can have the mind of Christ, for which He bled.

Arm yourself with the Sword of the Spirit, also known as the Word of our Lord,
For this weapon brings forth Truth and is sharper than any two-edged sword.

Last of all, our Prayers are a powerful tool,
Casting our cares to God above who does rule.

So the seven spiritual armors we must always wear,
Never take them off, and never will you have to fear.

n the Gospel of John, our Savior did share,
He offered us seven gifts that only He could bear.

He did this because of our great need,
We should accept these gifts and allow Him to lead.

The first gift offered to us was His flesh through which the world is fed,
In remembrance, we honor Him by the breaking of bread.

The next gift He offered was His life for the sheep,
As lambs of God, The Good Shepherd’s commands should we keep.

Perhaps one of the greatest gifts Jesus offered was the example He gave,
He showed us a better way, so that sin would not make us a slave.

The Lord knew that soon He would be returning to Heaven above,
To help us, He gave the Comforter to guide us with truth and love.

Next, peace unto us our Glorious King did give,
So we would not be troubled, and better lives could we live.

Further, He gave unto us His words that came from the Father,
It is because of His great care for us that in this He did bother.

There is one last gift that Jesus did present that we could not afford on our own,
We were given the glory of God, so that together we could be One and inherit His throne.

These great gifts have been offered through such generosity that is hard to conceive,
Now it is up to you, dear children, to decide if you will receive.

The seven gifts in John can be found in the following places:

1. His Flesh (John 6:51)
2. His Life (John 10:11)
3. His Example (John 13:15)
4. His Holy Spirit (John 14:16)
5. His Peace (John 14:27)
6. His Words (John 17:8,14)
7. His Glory (John 17:22)

Fun Fact:

When we fully embrace God’s gifts, we become Princes and Princesses, Kings and Queens, who inherit His throne of glory.

1 Sam 2:8 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the beggar from the dunghill, to set them among princes, and to make them inherit the throne of glory: for the pillars of the earth are the LORD’S, and he hath set the world upon them.

Eph 2:6-7 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.

Once again I walked along the sandy shore,
But this time it was quite different than ever before.

I pushed my foot gently into the soft warm sand,
And slowly reached down and did the same with my hand.

I noticed something special about the sand along the beach,
And it gave me a new perspective on things as I did reach.

I wondered if each and every grain of sand had its own purpose,
Even the dark sand beneath the surface.

I felt a slight tingling sensation as it squished between my toes,
Despite having a rough week, this feeling seemed to take away my woes.

Then I had a similar experience with my fingers, but it was also contrasting,
I will never forget that moment. It will be eternal. It will be everlasting.

There was just something about the way that my fingers did touch,
It was different than my toes, and the excitement in me was almost too much.

It was the same exact sand that I had felt before,
But this time it had me wanting much more.

I continued to squish my fingers and my toes against the sand,
The excitement, the thrill, the energy, was anything but bland.

It was almost too simple, but also overwhelmed me,
And I thought to myself, “How could this be?”

I realized that all my life I had focused on the entire coast,
But maybe it was the small sands of life that should have driven me the most.

It is easy to take a look at the an entire picture in front of my eyes,
But it was in every small stroke, in its design, that the true beauty lies.

It was that vision of the artist that truly understands the masterpiece,
He knows the exhilaration that it gave him, even if within others it will cease.

Just as the artist has painted his perfect picture, it can also be destroyed in a moment,
But in can never take away the portrait within him that creating it sent.

Such in life, this will be forever true,
It is the smallest of things that make up what is inside you.

You see, without the smallest of elements in each work,
Neither would the birth of the greatest wonders begin to perk.

So every time I walk on the beach, and until my last breath of air,
The truth within the sands of the sea I will bear.

Even if I will never know each of them by name,
From within the knowledge they have given me, my life will never be the same.

Each grain of sand makes up the entire beach,
And today within me the truth of the sands of the sea did reach.

Deep in the rainforest, a parrot sat perched in his tree,
His beautiful colors were amazing to see.

His name was Patch, and he always had a lot to say,
He wouldn’t stop talking. He cheerfully spoke night and day.

Early in the morning while there was still a soft warm mist,
A chimpanzee swung to him, while holding a vine with his fist.

His name was Barney Bananas, named after his favorite food.
Eating the soft yellow fruit always put him in a good mood.

Barney had just taken some crackers from an explorer’s backpack,
He asked Patch, “Can I offer you these crunchy crackers as a snack?”

Patch replied to Barney, “Thanks, but I must humbly decline.”
So Barney swung off on his long green vine.

Shortly after, Patch started to sing a happy song,
The beautiful sound attracted a snake that was very long.

Her name was Annie Anaconda, and she hissed as she spoke,
She had some extra crackers she was given as a joke.

Everybody knows what slitherly snakes eat,
Annie eating crackers was as likely as her growing feet.

She anxiously hissed, “Would you like some crackers dear bird?”
But once again Patch refused, exclaiming, “That is absolutely absurd!”

The snake slithered off just as she had arrived,
Then out of the brush, a jaguar dived.

Jimmy Jaguar was this critter’s name,
His lightning quick speed had given him much fame.

The swift jaguar circled  Patch while flashing a sly grin,
Patch politely reminded Jimmy, “Eating me would be a sin!”

Jimmy briskly corrected Patch telling him, “Silly bird! That’s not why I’m here.
Some chimpanzee had dropped crackers on my head while swinging through the air.”

He explained to Patch, “Jaguars don’t eat these.
I will give you these crackers if to you it will please.”

Patch spoke in a demanding voice to the curious jungle cat,
“Buzz off Jimmy! Take your crackers and scat!”

Jimmy Jaguar crawled back into the waving brush,
And suddenly a little girl appeared, startling Patch and making him blush.

She approached with a giggle and a sparkle in her eyes,
To Patch, her admiration was a welcome surprise.

The little lady had a question she was about to speak,
But Patch had an idea in his mind that started to peak.

He hushed the young misses and made a statement of his own,
“Little girl, you’d better not offer me crackers or I’ll groan.”

With a bright smile, she exclaimed “That’s not why I am here!
I want to know why you won’t eat the crackers the other animals wanted to share.”

Patch cackled for a moment, then he carefully gave his reason,
Explaining, “God gives me tasty food throughout the rainforest every season.”

“He gives me the juiciest berries and the tastiest seeds”,
Further exclaiming, “The Lord above fulfills all of my needs!”

“You see child, crackers are fine but in the rainforest there is a different way.
We animals praise the Lord in how we eat and play.”

“He provides for us, and we provide Him with glorious praise.
He loves us, and we love Him all of our days.”

“I’m sure crackers taste lovely, but I will never eat one.
It may seem silly, but for me this is how I thank the Lord for what He has done.”

The girl smiled brightly, and without a sound she disappeared into the green,
As the forest wall closed, she could no longer be seen.

She arrived at her camp to find her father wondering were his crackers went,
The ones the chimpanzee stole while he was sleeping in his tent.

Grinning at her dad, she said, “You don’t need crackers; come with me.
Let’s go hiking together through the forest. It’s filled with food and it’s all free.”

“I learned today that God has a very special way.
He will supply all of our needs each day.”

“We don’t need to stress or worry at all,
Just look up to God and the blessings will fall.”

Together the pair wandered through the rainforest’s beauty,
And our Amazing God blessed the fine parrot for doing his duty.

Philippians 4:19 But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

I have eight legs and many eyes,
In my days, it has been necessary to take many lives.

I am an artist who paints with silky string,
But if you get too close, you might feel my sting.

I am a mother who loves her brood,
My danger is what provides them food.

I am a patient, huntress armed with dexterous skill,
My blazing speed always guarantees me the kill.

You may think I am scary or even cruel,
When I wrap my prey in a silky spool.

For me it is not about hate or strife,
It is necessary for me to flourish in life.

Alas, another day has begun,
I shall exist in this trap that my body has spun.

I shall be ever steady as I wait for a fly,
It shall strike my snare, and its wings shall cry.

Thine prey shall shake furiously, as I inflict my venomous bite,
Its attempts will be futile, against my web’s gripping might.

Now is the time. Just watch and see,
I can hear one steadily buzzing close to me.

There it is, just a few feet away,
Keep coming closer my meal, without any delay.

Who is this scrumptious little guy?
Just a little more, so I can say “Hi.”

What is this I behold with my glistening eyes?
This meal is dancing merrily in the breeze as it flies.

When will you get here my dinner guest?
Come right in! You will not be a pest…

Where would you like to rest when you land?
I can promise you our meeting will be anything but bland.

Why has it not become entangled in my sticky tomb?
Instead, it cheerfully continues to zoom!

Come to me. Oh come to me, my joyful friend.
I am enthralled by your grace, so my wrath I shall suspend.

Join me and I will not attempt to stalk.
I’ll keep my fangs to myself as we have a sweet talk.

Please sir, I realize you are more than just a meal,
So just this once I will make you a deal.

I shall grant you mercy in my deadly lair,
All I ask, is that some of your grace you must share.

How do you find such joy as you fly?

Don’t you realize that in an instant you could die?
Does your tiny heart not feel fear?
One wrong turn and you could be snatched from the air.

Dear fly, thank you so much for being my guest.
As promised, I shall release you from silky nest.

Fly safe you marvelous fly,
This is not the day you shall die.

As you leave, please remember one thing,
Life is a vapor, and to grace and mercy we must cling.

Go now, hurry, and never come back.
I am merciful, but others around me may be looking for a snack.

Off you go into the unpredictable winds of uncertainty,
May each choice guide you down the right path into eternity.

The first time I met her, it was in a dream,
I could’ve slept forever that night, it did seem.

Most dreams I forget, but this one was just too real,
As I slept, and as I woke, in my heart I could feel.

It was deep magic in my mind and beyond reason,
Her very presence in my imagination brought my life into a new season.

But I knew it was more than just a vision in my mind,
This special person I was determined to find.

From the highest mountain to the lowest rock I did look,
The more I searched, the more I pondered, and the more my heart shook.

Frustration started to set in, but the desire to meet her was even stronger,
I had to keep searching for her at least a little bit longer.

Days went by, then months, and eventually a year,
I never forgot my dream, and everyday in my mind, thoughts of it did appear.

Then one day I decided to refocus on other important things and didn’t look,
But to my surprise, something unexpected happened and once again my heart shook.

I wasn’t even looking as she appeared before my eyes,
That moment was more than real and was an unexpected surprise.

I approached her with a perfect strut, but when I got close to her I froze,
I became speechless even though my body was screaming all the way down to my toes.

But this was true magic, and even my bout of silence was enough,
You see, when magic meets magic, the loudest scream to the softest whisper cannot bluff.

She didn’t need to know what I so desired to speak,
My willingness to approach her caused interest in her to peak.

Before I could even get out a word and tell her my name,
She reached out and touched my hand, as if meeting me was a game.

She could tell from my very presence more than I could have ever explained with speech,
She knew that her very heart I was trying to reach.

Finally, I was able to introduce myself with a few words and a terrible stutter,
Despite my nervousness, my words to her were as smooth as butter.

Soon I overcame myself and asked her out to a nice dinner,
The more we dined, the more I realized she was a winner.

We dated for 8 and a half months and then we were married.
Throughout decades our love and memories were carried.

But with time comes change, and even loss,
She passed before me and through heaven’s gate she did cross.

I love and remember her despite the agony and pain,
But even with the loss of her, something special I did gain.

My heart may have broken into a million and one pieces,
However my love for her still increases.

It was like cracking an egg and finding something wonderful inside,
I discovered that in my broken heart something special did reside.

It was everything she had ever been to me and more,
It was more of that wondrous magic from that dream I had many years before.

So to this day, every night I dream of my true love,
And know in my heart, in each moment, she is smiling at me from above.

I will always remember her till once again in the skies we meet,
But until then, my broken heart will continue to beat.