These Two Short Words 10-5-15

I'm just a short and simple poem with two short words to say

and though forgotten, I will be - these words won't pass away.

They're given to the ages, to people large and small.

They're given to us freely and they're given to us all.

Though I am insignificant - a poem of the hour,

forget my words, but share these two.  They have tremendous power.

Do not expect that I'll depict a nature scene with birds -

for soon you'll see me disappear - so first find these two words.

Now Jesus healed the lost and sick and lame in His good time.

He calmed the sea and fed the crowds, but never did the crime.

Yet still today, man scoffs although He never hurt a soul -

and that's why these two words will live beyond the written scroll.

Yes, you'll forget this little poem and soon forget the rhymes,

and soon go back to other things and entertaining times.

But don't forget these two short words and hold them very near.

For these two words, "Jesus Saves!" shall never disappear.

©2015 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Arguing With 'Joy' 10-1-15

(arguing with 'joy')

I know that you are kidding me!

I am not a believer!

It's happiness I care about.

You're but a deceiver.

My entertainment is a must.

I want to laugh and joke.

Do you think you can handle that?

Now give me one more 'smoke'.

I want the comforts I hold dear.

I like my TV show.

I want to watch my team play ball -

and I want you to go.

I'd rather be intoxicated

on fine, red berry wine.

I'd rather live in merry bliss

than walking your straight line.

I have a bad hangover now,

so please just go away.

If some day I should be content,

I'll let you, with me, stay.

---

An evil life, man can now live

and he, his life destroy -

but only God has perfect love
which will bring perfect joy.

©2015 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Arguing With 'Love' 9-29-15

(arguing with 'love')

There's not one speck of you in me.
I'm macho, tough and strong!
Go back to those who have soft hearts.
Go back where you belong.
I have no fear of anything
as long as I have breath.
I have no fear of failure and
I have no fear of death.

You make me whimper in my pride

You're not for men like me.

You are so difficult to say
and cause such jealousy.
My ears have heard the saddest songs

that man could ever sing.

You cannot give me what I want -

You are not comforting.

You melt my heart and kill my soul

when everything goes wrong.

You make me sad.  You make me blue.

You string me out so long...

...then break my heart and make me cry.

You made me very sad.

You make the tears run down my cheeks.

I've no more words to add.

For God so loved the world, you say -
a world with many views.
So am I not to judge all those
who don't live in my shoes?

Their cultures are so different

so tell me, must I start -

to show you to my enemies

so they can see my heart?

You also tell me Someone died -

that sacrifice begins

(despite a very cruel death)

to save me from my sins...

...that you are something different -

and something I must share -

to someone I don't even know -

so that they know I care.

Am I but showing off to friends?
Will they make fun of me -
if they should see me shed a tear
or see me on one knee?
Well, humbled, I will tell of you
until I get to Heaven -

for you are the most precious gift

that God has ever given.

©2015 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Arguing With 'Truth' 9-23-15

(arguing with 'truth')

You make me sick!  You pester me
right here in my dominion.
Don't contradict what I have said!
I've rights to my opinion!

Get out of here!  You're in my way!
I stumble over you!
The 'ends' will justify my 'means'.
I have great things to do.

I know that only I'm correct.
So hear me!  I protest!
My education proves me right.
I really know what's best.

I argue with you all the time!
You never care a wit!
You never, ever compromise.
You never bend a bit.

I fight you and abhor you too!
You never reassess -
your stubborn, hard validity.
Indignant righteousness!

You speak, but then don't listen and
ignore my arguments.
The silence really angers me.
I'm not at all content.

Your stubborn facts confuse me so.
You make me very mad.
But oh, my friends support me so.
Deception's not so bad.

My mind was made up long ago.
You can't get hold of me.
I'm all wrapped up in my belief
I chase religiously.

Rock solid was your steadfastness.
I thought you were a joke~!
...but wish I'd paid attention to
my conscience when you spoke.

You made me feel so guilty that
I blamed it all on you.
Now I'm alone and so depressed.
Deceptions were untrue.

Ignore you?  I can't any more.
All lies now seem so strange.
As God in all His glory there,
you'll never, ever change.

You've opened up my weary eyes.
Once blind, I now can see!
Thank God you've now accepted me -
for you have set me free!

©2015 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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In the Sand 9-20-15

The footprints in the sand have long ago been washed away,

by rising tides and sinful waves that we can see today.

We wander beaches daily searching for them all around,

then wonder why our Savior Lord is nowhere to be found.

We search through our theologies and search our world o'er.

We search so far and long and hard for evidence and more...

...as wars and chaos follow us.  The poor and migrants too.

We are so overwhelmed, we say.  Oh, what are we to do?

We pray for all our sicknesses and great financial woes,

but selfishness is evident and oh, it really shows.

It shows with more vacations and our thoughts in ev'ry pleasure.

It shows with bigger homes and faster cars and ev'ry treasure.

How can we find our loving God when buried in our stuff?

And when do you think God will fin'lly say He's had enough?

But memories still carry truth that someone carried us -

so when we glance back at the shore, remember, it was Jesus.

So don't forget to thank Him for the blessings that He gave,

then pray that He will idle tides and ev'ry sinful wave.

Indeed, if we can witness peace throughout both sea and land

it's then we'll notice once again those footprints in the sand.

©2015 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Flat On My Face 9-17-15

I labored at busy pace
before I fell flat on my face.

I cried in self-pity and shame.

But as tears subsided,
my eyes (once misguided),

convinced me that I was to blame.

Yes, as my tears dried up,
I saw them both close up -

those scars that went deep in His feet.

I couldn't erase
all the pain in His face -

so how I wished I could retreat.

I'd weasel away
from the viewing that day -

the scars in His feet that still fail -

to tell the whole story
of Christ in His glory

who lovingly took each dull nail.

Accepting the whipping,
the pain and blood dripping -

He watches my new life begin.

So there I had stayed,
because Jesus had paid -

His life that He gave for my sin.

I'm eating a diet
of thoughts.  It is quiet -

except for my own weeping sound.

I cannot compete
with His pierced dusty feet

while lying here flat on the ground.

For Jesus, the Master,
has given much faster -

a life that I've always longed for.

So more than my pain
is the lot of my gain

as I wait, reverently, Heaven's door.

©2015 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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His Stepping Stones 9-12-15

The trees had towered high above with leaves that blocked the sun,

except sporadic points of light with rays that danced in fun,
reflecting smooth and softened light off surface they would share,

from lazy stream meandering through lush, thick grasses there.

The random, yellow flowers sprinkled down along the bank,

had framed a lovely picture 'round the stream where sparrow drank,

as ripples crossed the mirrored stream where it was somewhat wide,

before that sparrow took to flight beyond the other side,

I prayed that I might also find a way beyond the stream,

but there was no where I could cross to realize that dream.

Determined that I'd have my way, I held each leather shoe

and started wading 'cross the stream to get another view.

But splash!  Face down I tripped and fell, then crawled out soaking wet.

I trudged myself downstream a bit.  His truth and my eyes met.

It's 'one' to 'zero'.  God has won and that's the final score.

Still soaking wet from head to toe, I started thinking more...

Sometimes through life we have no clue.  I ponder as I sit -

of what God's done for me and you, just there downstream a bit.

He gives us His instruction and a 'dose of wisdom' loans -

if patient, we can't learn to be, to find His stepping stones.

©2015 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Proverbs 1:7 (NASB)

"The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;

Fools despise wisdom and instruction."

My Special Friend 9-8-15

Sad I, the tiny sparrow was.

I wasn't very big.

Yet happy were my friends in flight,

from limb to branch to twig.

I couldn't eat as others did

and didn't seem to grow.

I'd follow quite a ways behind.

I was too weak and slow.

Yes, they had teased and laughed at me

when I was back in school.

They'd scoff, then fly away from me.

Some kids can be so cruel.

Yet growing up, I was okay
here living out-of-doors.

So optimistically I grew -

but when it rains, it pours.

A violent gust of wicked wind

had hurled me to the ground!

The other birds had seen me fall -

so they had gathered 'round.

A Shepherd came when I had felled -
so sudden and abrupt.

My sore and crippled body then

was in His hands He cupped.

I saw some ugly, rugged scars

cut deep into those hands.

My wing was hurt, I couldn't fly.

This wasn't in my plans.

He raised me up.  It frightened me!
The other sparrows hushed.

Because I didn't know His love

I thought that I'd be crushed!

Believing things that I could see,
I held to physical.
Unknown, the things that I could not,
I feared the spiritual.

Yet now He holds and cares for me

unlike those other birds.

I can't describe the peacefulness.

I just can't find the words.

It's odd that I once feared the Lord

when I was on the mend.

But I have learned He loves me so.

Now He's my special friend.

©2015 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Matthew 10:28-30 (NIV)
28 Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.

Rather, be afraid of the One who can destroy both soul and body in hell.

29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny?

Yet not one of them will fall to the ground outside your Father’s care.

Fast Jack & Tom 9-1-15

Please tell me, "Is there greener grass
that we have been denied
across life's busy highway?
What's on the other side?"
---
Fast Jack, the Rabbit, wanted more
than his ol' world could bring.
So started, he, across life's road
with optimistic sing.

And Tom, the Turtle, thought he too,
could find his life's reward,
so set his mind to follow Jack
...as big, bad engines roared.

Now Jack was quick and darted o'er
the line that marked the tar,
whizzing past a left rear tire
then under low sports car.

Then Tom, the Turtle, had began.
He lifted one front toe,
but pulled it back quite quickly 'cause,
he couldn't start his 'go'.

There patiently, he held his ground
beside that busy road.
And then he heard a chuckle
with a taunt from Timmy Toad.

But patiently, he waited there -
and almost fell asleep -
if not for noisy tires
from a muddy, off-road jeep.

Now half-way 'cross the highway
that 'ol rabbit zagged his wrath,
between the bumpers back and forth.
He zigged a crazy path.

About this time Tom turtle saw
his chance to get across,
but if he wasn't quick enough
he'd end up 'turtle sauce'.

His feet, he shifted into gear.
His legs were filled with pow'r!
His speeds went unrecorded, but
...I've heard "nine stones per hour".

Hence, gap between the traffic
wasn't big enough for Tom.
A Cadillac that fast approached
was driven by a mom.

The tire on that Cadillac
caught edge of Tom's hard shell.
It flipped him forty feet through air
and things did not go well...

Tom did a dozen somersaults,
then landed on his back.
He heard a scream, "Get off of me!"
that came from... yes, Fast Jack.

Well, Jack was somewhat angered
when a semi smacked the two.
It threw him back across the road
and spun Tom dizzy too.

Then Tom rolled off the other side.
Both learned life's road was hard -
with Tom and Jack on either side
frightened, sore and scarred.
---
The moral to this poem is that
Jack had gotten meaner.
And like the fence dividing lawns,
Tom found the grass- not greener.

Now isn't it a futile life,
that Jack and Tom had tried -
despite abundant grass God gave
to each on either side?

Our pride, greed, lust and envy too,
are like Tom's somersaults.
The pain and bandages received,
are really our own faults.

©2015 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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I See Spring! 8-30-15

(Four generations: Lucy Ellen Gander, Sarah Evaline Palmer (standing),

Susanna Sanborn, Katherine Jadwin, circa 1874. Sarah is Nathan Gander's wife.)

"With picture faded on the wall -

oh, who could understand it all?

For yesterday began the spring

when we could dance and we could sing.

But faded now, our lively songs

with grasses dead and flowers gone.

---

Today I stand somewhat dismayed.

and of tomorrow, am afraid.

My wrinkled face now bears a frown.

I find the whole world up-side-down.

From government to businesses -

the world is busy, all abuzz.

The love of money, Satan's hook.

What's with the envy?  Take a look!

In all the world, who understands?

Does love for money stain our hands?

---

Some day in Heaven, happily -

I'll sing God's praises out with glee!

Who cares of clothes or car I drive?

I am with Him and am alive!

Today, I see deception's sting -

but of tomorrow, I see spring!

With picture faded on the wall -

oh, who would understand it all?

©2015 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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