Thursday, September 24, 2009

Dying

Dying

(This was not an original story but based on a narrative by Henry Van Dyke that I liked and decided to put into rhyme. I hope he does not mind. )


I am standing on the sea shore
A ship is setting sail
Out upon the big wide ocean
My cries to no avail
She’s is such a strength and beauty
As I watch her sailing past
On out to the horizon
Till she’s just a distant mast
And now she’s just a speck of light
Where sea and sky converge
Out where I can’t touch her
Though I still can feel the urge
Then someone at my side explains
“There, she’s gone at last”
“Gone? Gone where?” it comes to me
“Gone where?” is what I ask

Gone from my sight, and that is all
Just from my sight, not my recall

“She’s just as large in mast and hull
As when she left” I sighed
She’s able to still bear her load
On to the other side
Her diminished size is in me,
Not in her - I say
I can not see her anymore
Or any other day

But the moment that they cried out
“There, she’s gone at last”
Someone on the other side
Said “There, I see the mast”
There were other eyes out watching
Prepared to raise the shout
She’s coming, see, she’s coming
That’s what’s dying’s all about.

We lose sight of all our loved ones
But our loved ones do not change
As they sail out ore’ the horizon
A new journey’s been arranged
There are loved ones there to greet them
Father, Son and Holy Ghost
No need for final goodbyes
Just a simple “Adios”


Mdailey

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Lord We Thank You

This was another poem written following a sermon at Ox Hill on Ephesians 2

We haven’t earned all the love that you’ve shown
We all have been sinners as you’ve always known
But you stand by our side so that we’re not alone
Lord we thank you for that

Left on our own our lives go adrift
The serpent comes in and widens the rift
But you gave us Jesus, the greatest of gifts
Lord we thank you for that

We were spiritually dead because of our sins
Followed earthly desires at the smallest of whims
But you sent us Jesus, you sacrificed Him
Lord we thank you for that

We deserve anger not your loving grace
For all our dishonor and all our disgrace
But you’ve taken us back to your loving place
Lord we thank you for that


Mdailey

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Mary Can You Hear Me

This was also written following a sermon at Ox Hill Baptist Church. I believe it was a lesson that like Mary, God is talking to us. But we have to be receptive to His voice.


Mary can you hear me
Can you understand?
I bring a special message
About a special man
Mary can you hear me
You know the chosen one
The prophets always speak about
Will soon be your own son

Mary can you hear me
Listen with your heart
I’ve got a Christmas story
And you play a big-big part
Mary can you hear me
If so, then simply nod
Mary you are now with child
This child, the son of God

Like Mary, will you listen?
Will you open up your heart?
He’s still sending out the message
And we all have a part
It’s a simple message
While on this earth we trod
Like Mary, we are all with child
This child, the son of God!

Mdailey

Monday, September 21, 2009

Gather Round Children

I wrote this one back in May following a children's sermon at OX Hill Baptist Church

Gather Round Children

Gather round children
I’ll tell you a story
About our Lord Jesus
And all of His glory

A story that starts
With miraculous birth
And ends with Lord Jesus
Ascending from earth

The stories of how
He went town to town
Fighting the devil
Till the devil was down

Telling all who would listen
About the Good News
And given us choices
From which we can choose

A story of turning
The water to wine
And all the great things
That He did in kind

You’ll hear how he healed
The sick and the lame
And did everything
In His Father’s name

How he taught us to live out
Our lives every day
And how we should set out
Some time just to pray

How he gave us hope
When all hope was lost
How he died for our sins
Up there on the cross

Yes, gather round children
Together we’ll pray
And thank the good Lord
For another great day
And when we are done
All God’s children did say
AMEN

Mdailey

Sunday, September 20, 2009

A Quiet Place

I wrote this based on a sermon at Ox Hill Baptist Church last Feb. It reminds us that we all need someplace where we can be ourselves - somewhere we can stop and say a prayer - somewhere we can get ourselves back on the right track.


A Quiet Place


We're living in a troubled time,
Troubled minds and troubled signs
Troubled homes with troubled loans
Our spirits are just dried up bones

We need somewhere that we can go
To lift us from this spiritual low
To talk to someone in the know
We need a place where we can go

Jesus often made the case
For finding his own quiet place
A place where he could go and pray
We all could use that place today

A quiet place to call our own
Away from TV, crowds and phones
A place to water our dry bones
A quiet place to call our own

A quiet place just out of sight
There for us all day or night
To think about what's wrong and right
A quiet place just out of sight

A quiet place to bow our heads
To say the things that need be said
A place where the "Good Book" is well-read
A quiet place to bow our heads

A quiet place to heal our spirit
Anytime that we are near it
Where we can pray and God can hear it
A quiet place to heal our spirit

It needn't be in time or space
This thing you call your quiet place
Just something that you can embrace
Where you and God can interface

Excuse me if I do digress
We're living in the world's unrest
But talk to God and He will bless
Your quiet place, it's His address


Mdailey
02/12/09

Friday, September 18, 2009

Newport News

I wrote this for a friend when her father passed away. We went to the funeral in Newport News and this is basically what I saw and felt that day.


There’s a sadness in the air in Newport News
There’s a sadness in the air in Newport News
Friends have heard the story so they gather in the pews
So there’s a sadness in the air in Newport News

There’s sorrow in the family on this day
There’s sorrow in the family on this day
The Lord has called a father and he’s going home to stay
So there’s sorrow in the family on this day

But there’s laughter in the pews in Newport News
There’s laughter in the pews in Newport News
Love of family that came first and how he loved so to amuse
So there’s laughter in the pews in Newport News

In Newport News the family gathers round
In Newport News the family gathers round
When families gather round, a new strength will be found
So in Newport News the family gathers round

Old friends gathered at the church in Newport News
Old friends gathered at the church in Newport News
Showing honor and respect to a man they hate to loose
Old friends gathered at the church in Newport News

The family will grow in new found love
The family will grow in new found love
There’s now a brand new angel watching from above
So the family will grow in new found love

Bagpipes played the man farewell in Newport News
Bagpipes played the man farewell in Newport News
Tears of sorrow surely fell but they didn’t sing the blues
As bagpipes played the man farewell in Newport News

In Newport News the church bells all did ring
In Newport News the church bells all did ring
A new soul has come home and joyful angels sing
In Newport News when all church bells did ring

Mdailey

Thursday, September 17, 2009

Are You Afraid

Are you afraid that life, itself, is fleeting?
Life’s too hard and not all you would wish
And the goals you set are not the ones you’re meeting
If that’s the way it is then you need this

Turn to Jesus – yes, His door is always open
He’ll set aside His time and just for you
He’s everything in life that you’ve been hoping
Just talk to Him, that’s all you have to do

Are you afraid and sadly disappointed?
When checking out your list of things to do
And you realize your life is all disjointed
Cause the only thing ticked off each night is you

Turn to Jesus – yes, His door is always open
He’ll set aside His time and just for you
He’s everything in life that you’ve been hoping
Just talk to Him, that’s all you have to do

Are you afraid that Jesus will not listen?
With open arms and with a loving heart
You’ll find that it was Him that you were missing
It’s only you that’s keeping you apart

Turn to Jesus – yes, His door is always open
He’ll set aside His time and just for you
He’s everything in life that you’ve been hoping
Just talk to Him, that’s all you have to do

Mdailey 9/10/09