Halo's Glow, The 6-18-20

Who really cares?  Who understands

the rusty spikes through feet and hands?

His feet wore dust that turned to mud

when mixed with his own sweat and blood.

And then, of course, some thorns were found

and weaved into an ugly crown.

A painful mocking, gross insult

(but we know now the end result).

He was so sore and in such pain,

yet love for us would somehow gain.

He gave us life and gave us breath!

He saved us from eternal death!

When we have judged His greatest foes,

then we are just as bad as those.

Let's praise His work, His will, His way.

Let's bow and give Him thanks today.

But we pray for expedience
while He seeks our obedience.

Remember His beatitudes!

Let's change our selfish attitudes.

I tell you world, I can't compete

with such a love that's so complete.

There is no greater love than His

and that is what the greatest is.

From greatest love, for greatest foe,
can we not see from here below?
From greatest love, for greatest foe,

can we not see the halo's glow?

©2020 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Beneath That Old Cross 5-17-20

Your grace draws me to You as I have observed.

But I linger often.  It's so undeserved.

Your love overwhelms me, Your strength holds me tight,

forgiveness is calling but guilt is my plight.

Effects of my sins are embossed in hard stone.

I cannot undo them.  I can't, not alone.

A carp without fin or a crow without wing,

I try as I might but can't fix anything.

Regret is the shadow I cannot outrun,

I cannot erase it or kill it with gun.

I cry for your blessings to shower as rain,

on those I have hurt so that peace they obtain.

Please hold them and guard them and don't let them fall,

then bless me with life that is pleasing to all.

Reminded of what I have put others through,

I so need forgiveness, but leave that to You.

I cry out in anguish.  I cry out in shame.
I know life is real and cry out Your name.
Please shake me of old days and don't let them kill
a future of loving and doing 'Your will'.

Immersed in contrition as life goes along,

dear Lord, please forgive me for all I've done wrong.

Your grace, so sufficient, Your love, so immense,

was proven at Cal'vry at Your great expense.

Please bury my burdens and bury my guilt,

beneath that old cross where Your blood had been spilt.
Remembering all You still do from above,

my tears now replace these mere words with my love.

©2020 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Lonely Lost Poet 4-25-20

I wanted to write but saw forest instead

while loud chirping noises were filling my head.

"Go away!" the birds chirped, "We don't want you here!"

So off I had gone when I came across deer.

The deer were so startled, they ran away fast

with two frightened squirrels that also raced past.

The bugs and the butterflies seemed not to care.

I plopped myself down on a stump to prepare.

I heard eerie sounds when the wind pushed the trees,

but sounds were not words I could write down with ease.

The high-above limbs had creaked strangely in sway

and darkened surroundings in most frightful way.

My phrases eluded and wouldn't take shape

here stuck in this forest without an escape.

Distractions harassed me and it was not right.
Disturbed concentrations did not let me write.

This lost, lonely poet, still empty of rhyme,

gave way to the thought that it just wasn't time

to find my way out of this forest of words

still hearing the echo of mean heckling birds.

I thought, "I'll not bother to pen one today"

so wadded my paper and tossed it away.

The winds didn't care- in fact, nobody knew

it flew right across the small clearing from view.

As wind grew momentum, my work was in vain.
A chill ran down through me.  It started to rain.
Self-pity took over.  I drowned in my fears

as rain streaked my cheeks all commingled with tears.

"But wait!" I then jabbered, "just look what God's done!

He wrote this here poem and wrote it in fun."

I'll not be discouraged when mind has turned numb.
I'll not sit here sulking when words do not come.

The rain had stopped falling.  Clouds faded away.

And trees disappeared as I went on my way.

To tune out distractions and those noisy birds

just listen intently for God's greater words...

©2020 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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The Very Last Time 3-22-20

Could I be like mother?

Do I have the time?

She seemed so angelic

and seemed so sublime.

We all have to work

for days at a time.

A difficult struggle

and very hard climb.

I labored and slaved

through years of hard time.

I scratched for - and saved it,

but it was a crime.

And focused on God?  No.

I lost it in time.

His will, not my purpose,

but dollar and dime.

I now live for Jesus.

I give Him my time.

My life of enjoyment,

completed in rhyme.

But now I see mom for

the very last time.

I turn from her casket

...and hear the bell chime.

©2020 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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