Where Are You God? 1-17-09

Early mornings, I talk to You.
I pray until the sky is blue.
Faithfully I do my chores -
for You are mine and I am Yours.

I read the Bible, every verse -
but yet the world grows worse and worse.
So where's the bounty? Where's the fruit?
Did You get lost along our route?

Tell me now - where are you God?
You should be here. This is quite odd.
Do You just sit there on Your throne,
and leave me down here all alone?

A mustard seed - my faith exceeds.
I live a Godly life indeed.
I pour out Christian love each day -
spreading seed along my way.

So tell me why You're way up there.
and leave me here in such despair?
Please tell me, why are we apart?
Could I have followed my own heart?

Could it be, I followed me -
I never listened, couldn't see?
Yes, maybe I had took a turn,
because I didn't want to learn...

You are there and I am here.
Now I shall follow and not fear.
Early mornings, I'll hear You -
so guide me Lord, and lead me through.

©2009 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Psalm 23: (KJ)
1The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.
3He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
4Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
5Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
6Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever.
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GOD and MAN 1-14-09

(one mustard seed)

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God creates
while man destroys.
God sustains
while man enjoys.

God forgives
while man awaits.
God is love
while man still hates.

God is peace.
Man is brutal.
God is life.
Man's is futile.

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God returned,
Eden entered
knowing man be-
came self-centered.

Yet God loved,
He offered grace,
and put His Son
in our due place.

Heaven is
our Lord's reply -
so can we truly,
humbly cry?

---

Or has my past
became so scarred,
that my own heart
became too hard?

And has my faith
become a weed,
that I can't see
the mustard seed?

It's up to me
to be Christ-like,
when faith endures
another spike.

©2009 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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John 14 (KJ)
1 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
2 In my Father's house are many mansions:
if it were not so, I would have told you.
I go to prepare a place for you.
3 And if I go and prepare a place for you,
I will come again, and receive you unto myself;
that where I am, there ye may be also.
4 And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know.
5 Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest;
and how can we know the way?
6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life:
no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Resolution Failure 1-1-09

.
Another day, another prey.
Another year, another beer.

Just a habit, you can't quit.
You can't forget the cigarette.

One tells lies. Another buys,
another dies, another cries.

Some will scramble - start to gamble.
Then will sweat, another bet.

Where's disaster? Where's the master?
When found, the grave - you find the slave....

©2009 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
ganderpoems.org

Isaiah 24:17 (NIV)
Terror and pit and snare await you, O people of the earth.

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Gifts 12-28-08

Gifts surround my Christmas tree
from all the ones I love -
but none surpass the perfect gift
of Jesus up above.

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

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John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He sent His only..."

That Empty Rocker 12-27-08

Pull up that empty rocker - and spill your problems Dear.
I may have no solutions but my memory is clear.

No one can steal the memories - the memories I know -
of pine trees holding branches up - though drooping under snow.

There's only good in cold lakes if we're the frozen duck -
and that's how we find blessings - when we are down in luck.

No. Nothing's ever perfect - and we're not always glad,
unless we see the blessings - in both the good and bad.

We slide down every hillside - with chilly hands and toes -
but sunshine on our faces - should be how sledding goes.

I was told to "stick it out". It is what I was taught.
Yes, he and I were loving - despite what others thought.

Oh, often there were trying times - priorities to sort -
and working close together, our tempers could run short.

It took some perseverance when I was "up to bat",
but giving up comes easy - and many do just that.

Unlike many moms and dads, we always stuck together,
but Christmas time was special in any kind of "weather".

My gifts were quite abundant under every Christmas tree -
but what I lacked in substance I could hold in memory.

He wasn't always thoughtful, at Christmas year to year -
but he was my tremendous gift, as he was always here.

I know your troubled marriage. I sense it's no more fun -
but notice all my gifts are here - all my gifts but one.

©2008 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Family Christmas 12-17-08

Aside from better and the worse,
aside from workers so perverse,
aside from friends who are diverse,
time with those I most converse,
is family.

Aside from jokes on my behalf,
aside from every quip or gaffe,
aside from the whole office staff,
time with those I'd rather laugh,
is family.

Aside from worldly wisdom's trend,
aside from strangers I befriend,
aside from those I can depend,
time with those I'd rather spend,
is family.

Aside from all the lights I see,
aside from all the joy and glee,
aside from any Christmas tree,
the all important thing to me,
is family.

©2008 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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Christmas 12-16-08

.
Christmas is a time to care,
A time to love with gifts to share.
Lift your voice, sing carols out -
for that's what Christmas is about.

©2008 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
www.ganderpoems.org

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Lights Of Christmas 12-16-08

.
With people running to and fro
Christmas time would come and go.
All in smiles, in sunshine grow -
but I, in blackness, could not glow.

Inside living differently,
sorting through my mess -
yet nothing changed inside of me
Confused I lived in darkness.

Christmas days - I'd learn to cope,
I'd live through each quite aimless.
But this time though - a speck of hope,
pierced right through my darkness.

This Christmas night - a manger scene,
was lit under the blackness.
I saw it no more as routine -
as something pierced my darkness.

A simple manger in the night
that only God could bless.
And just that little speck of light
pierced right through my darkness.

That night a star - shone up above,
so bright the night could not suppress.
And that was when - a speck of love
pierced right through my darkness.

I saw that day - a baby boy,
Surrounded by all humbleness.
And then I knew - a speck of joy
pierced right through my darkness.

As I felt my sorrows cease,
and knelt there to confess,
was then I felt - a speck of peace
pierced right through my darkness.

I heard behind me snickering
I felt the chilly breeze.
but it was there I saw the light
while praying on my knees.

That blackness in me fell apart.
I knew there at that stable,
a light had pierced my buried heart.
I glow - for He is able.

©2008 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
www.ganderpoems.org

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Humble Child 12-15-08

.
Dreams, a wish, a want and cloud,
I chased a rainbow all allowed....
I saw futility.

Career, work, a job and more,
opportunities, times, an open door....
I grasped futility!

I entered life I could not shut -
in filth and mud - then in a rut....
I wore futility!

I scaled the ladder - oh, so high -
the lights below I couldn't buy....
I lived futility!

In total darkness, there I was -
you asked me "why"? I said "because"....
In full futility!

Then humbled there, I saw a child,
as I looked down, He saw I smiled....
- and then He set me free.

©2008 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
www.ganderpoems.org

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The Pain Of Sin 12-14-08

.
It has started every war.
Don't believe, and see what is in store.
It deceives. It’s rotten to the core.
Sin's killed millions – hundreds of millions -
and it will kill millions more.

Have you ever cried and screamed out loud - to stop man's ugly riot?
Someone lies to everyone. Despite all efforts, you can't forget.
Have you had nightmares, where you're in pain, and break out in a sweat?
Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night - when it is all but quiet?

Have you ever cried and screamed out loud - but no one hears a peep?
Someone wrongs you, no one hears - as pain hits bottoms' deep.
Have you had nightmares, where you're in pain, but have no tears to weep?
Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night - and can't go back to sleep?

Have you ever cried and screamed out loud? You've heard the same old song.
Someone hurts a lot of folk. You could see it all along....
Have you had nightmares, where you're in pain, though you have done no wrong?
Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night - and knew you don't belong?

Have you ever cried and screamed out loud - and yelled, "I told you so!"
but it doesn't do a bit of good - as you hear their hot air blow?
Have you had nightmares, where you're in pain, because of "quid pro quo"?
Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night – and sometimes yell out "NO!"?

Have you ever cried and screamed out loud - but it's all inside your head?
Someone kills a lot of folk - and you can see them dead?
Have you had nightmares - where you're in pain? Could it be you instead?
Do you ever wake up in the middle of the night - as you see it ahead....?

It has started every war.
Don't believe, and see what is in store.
It deceives. It’s rotten to the core.
Sin's killed millions – hundreds of millions -
and it will kill millions more.

©2008 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
www.ganderpoems.org
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