Knowing Where

Pastor, Rabbi, & Priest, all with a day off,
decided to go fishing that day.
They loaded the car with lunch and gear,
and before long, they were on their way.

They got to the dock and loaded the boat,
thinking they’d remembered everything.
They got the boat out onto the lake,
when the Pastor realized he forgot something.

He stepped out of the boat, and walked on water,
to the shore & to the car.
He walked on the water & returned to the boat,
which wasn’t really out that far.

Next, the Rabbi took his turn,
stepped out of the boat and walked on water.
He didn’t come back right away,
but he returned a little later.

The Priest was watching & was amazed,
with all the things he did see.
He figured it was God above,
so he figured it just had to be.

He figured after all, he’d give it a try,
and he told them he had to go.
He stepped out of the boat & sank to the bottom,
to the very depths below.

When he came back up to the top,
he asked why he couldn’t get to the car.
The Pastor & Rabbi said in unison,
“We never told you where the rocks are!”

Inspired by a common joke told in the public domain.

Labor Day

Labor Day 2014
Image Credit: Department of Labor

Who really knows what Labor Day means?
Myself, I really don’t have a clue.
Google may be able to help me,
let me look and see what I can do.

From the days of the Haymarket Massacre,
labor has taken many changes.
It hasn’t happened all at once,
but happened in many stages.

May 4, 1886 was a very sad day,
lives were lost when it need not be.
Workers were looking for better living,
and it makes perfect sense to me.

Someone among the people threw a bomb,
as the police tried to disperse the crowd.
But even through all the chaos,
they would forge on, they vowed.

24 hours needed dividing up,
workers were looking for a break.
Eight hours of work was just enough,
sixteen hours was for us to take.

8 hours of family time,
and 8 hours for sleep.
Made for 24 hours,
and made the day complete.

What was the biggest change?
It would give the people a voice.
Now companies & workers,
each would have a choice.

Through all the years from then to now,
you’d figure everything would be perfect.
But still, problems continue to exist,
because man against man will always have a defect.

According to the Word of the Lord,
Labor is not in vain.
When the work is done for Him,
eternity will be the gain.

Happy Birthday Eric!

This poem is dedicated to my grandson, Eric.

What a change in life,
happens in your teens.
Let me tell you what,
that change in life means.

You are no longer a kid,
but now a young adult.
The way that plays out,
can cause a great result.

You have more responsibilities,
and to you, that might seem unfair.
But now it’s that time in life,
to find out what’s really there.

Your birthday is designed,
for a day of happy fun.
You will likely be exhausted,
when this day is finally done.

Your dad & mom look forward,
to the changes that may be.
But I know they’ll be great,
we’ll just wait and see.

God has brought you thus far,
not to let you go.
He’ll hold you even closer now,
as His love continues to flow.

So let the birthday fun begin,
all the presents & video games.
So you can thank them all,
don’t mix up the names.

Grandpa & Grandma love you so,
and we wish you the best.
When this day is finally done,
I hope you get some rest.

Happy Birthday Gale!

This poem is dedicated to my wife, Gale.

A while since retirement,
you work harder than ever before.
Always on the go & very little rest,
the Golden Years aren’t around anymore.

Retirement should come earlier in life,
when we have the stamina to achieve.
We have the energy for the grandchildren,
who are energized like the Bunny, I believe.

I pray for you each and every day,
that whatever is wrong, God will fix.
As you gain another year,
and away time still ticks.

God, who is the Giver of Life,
has always had you in His care.
The treasure that you surely are,
makes you unique and very rare.

God has blessed you over time,
with more than 60 years of life.
For forty-five of those years,
I’ve been blessed with you in my life.

I want more than anything,
for you to be happy.
As you celebrate this joyous day,
and have a great fond memory.

So again, my dear, this day is yours,
to spend it as you please.
Do something you really enjoy,
and spend this day in ease.

Happy Birthday from all of us,
may this be a most blessed day.
May you have many, many, more,
and may you celebrate it your way.

A Name

Why is a Name so full of mercy & grace,
used by so many for shame and disgrace?

A Name that is higher than all other names,
a Name that man uses and constantly blames.

A Name uplifted on the wings of a dove,
a Name so misspoken, without any love.

A Name that can change and set us all free,
a Name that suffered on Calvary’s tree.

A Name proclaimed in Scripture verse,
a Name used in worldly curse.

A Name that provides for the broken,
a Name that restores when it is spoken.

A Name that is stronger than the foundations of Earth,
a Name of regeneration, new life, & rebirth.

Beware of Christian Horses

It’s not easy, but I’ll try my best,
to tell a joke in prose.
I just hope it’s not one,
that everybody knows.

Two couples were on vacation,
at a Christian dude ranch.
They decided to go horseback riding,
and one of the horses name was Branch.

“These are the only four horses I have left,
and they only answer to Christian commands.
You have to use words from the Bible,
so that they understand.

“Praise the Lord!” makes them go,
“Hallelujah!” makes ‘em turn right.
Another thing to remember,
is that the horses don’t go at night.

“Amen!” and he will go left,
“Glory!” and he will stop.
And watch out for the cliffs,
for they’re a deadly drop.

“Now you’re ready for a ride,
I hope you remember it all.
The horses are saddled and ready to go,
go and have yourselves a ball!”

They all got mounted up,
and started out from there.
They began slowly,
with a feeling of nervous care.

After riding for quite a while,
Branch was spooked by a snake.
He started to gallop in fright,
the ride was no longer a piece of cake.

As the horse went running off,
the rider forgot what to say.
He couldn’t remember a single command,
not a thing that was said all day.

He started reciting all the terms he knew,
and with no one to help, he was on his own, alas.
In the distance he saw a cliff,
and it was coming up fast.

“Hallelujah!” & the horse went left,
“Amen!” & the horse went right.
The more the horse ran,
the more he was filled with fright.

The rider tried to remember,
more words from the Bible story.
Because soon it would be the end,
and he’d end up in “Glory!”

The horse came to a stop,
at the very edge of the cliff.
The rider was so happy he had to say,
“Praise the Lord!” Get the drift?

Inspired by a common joke told in the public domain.

Lung Cancer Awareness Day

Today is World Lung Cancer Day. This poem is dedicated to the victims of lung cancer & their families.

A day set aside,
for people who care.
Some are gone,
yet others are there.

The first day of August,
is World Lung Cancer Day.
Those who are survivors,
carry on, come what may.

Father-in-law, brother-in-law,
just to name a few.
Non-smoker or smoker,
it can still affect me and you.

Even my wife’s uncle,
and my older brother.
They’ve lost this terrible fight,
as lung cancer takes another.

More than any other cancer,
even the three most common combined.
Approximately 1.37 million worldwide,
their families and loved ones lives realigned.

I was with my brother and watched him suffer,
wanting to know why it was so.
With all the cancer foundations and research,
by now, a cure someone would know.

Yet this fight still rages on,
it just seems like it will never end.
But because of World Lung Cancer Day,
you have survivors to be your friend.

They understand more than we know,
they have battled and seen it through.
Because of this they have a compassion,
that can be a comfort for both me and you.

So on this day may it come to be,
as we need a cure for this uphill fight.
So on this August the First,
may the future begin by looking bright.

May the breakthrough be so clear,
that we see the forest through the trees.
May it be soon and very soon,
we find a cure for this horrible disease.