Desperation

Make Time

~ peterbaldwinpoet ~ Leave a comment

High on the cliff, over jagged rocks I stand,
away from the peace of the Promised Land.
The storm has caused a fierce raging sea,
one step forward allows it to swallow me.

Life’s so encumbered by all that surrounds,
the hustle, the bustle, the ups and the downs.
So easy to renew the habits of old,
I don’t know how I’ve become so cold.

I’m crying and crying and no one can tell,
because the tears don’t cause my eyes to swell.
But all is not that simple and easy to hide,
especially the coldness that’s grown inside.

I’m pulled all directions: north, south, east, and west,
no matter which road, I still find no rest.
Please, again please, what more can I say?
I can’t even find rest at the end of the day.

It seems we just talked, only yesterday,
the promises of the streets of gold today.
Someone has to rescue me from this turmoil & strife,
and put some meaning back into my life.

A devotion, a little time spent with the Lord,
found little room, with all else aboard.
A fleeting moment to pray, put on my heart,
no time to give in and do my part.

One mornings’ missed reading,
I’ll make up by two.
Soon it became,
more than I could do.

Perhaps if I took time and knelt down to pray,
a door would open and I’d find a way.
Lord, I surrender it all up to you,
so easy to say, yet so hard to do.

I need your help ’til the day I come home,
I know I can’t do anything on my own.
Not for the fact that I would lose control,
Jesus I need Your Hand to hold.

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Coffee Can’t Perk You Up

~ peterbaldwinpoet ~ Leave a comment

Do you sometimes wake up feeling depressed,
and wonder why you got out of bed.
Not knowing why you feel this way,
and everything is spinning inside your head.

You think that maybe coffee,
if you make it strong, will perk you up.
Will somehow erase the fog,
but life is not found in a cup.

There are times in life’s journey,
when living life just doesn’t seem fair.
It seems so impossible to understand,
and so easy to say, “I just don’t care.”

But is life really so difficult,
such a burden for us to bear?
But are we looking through a fog,
and not seeing what’s really there?

The start of life came,
from God’s Word and Hand.
Everything that was made was made,
throughout this wonderful land.

God was in control,
from that very first day.
And after all of this time,
he still is in control today.

God knows our every need in life,
He knows the beginning from the end.
He is faithful, true, and forgiving,
He is more than our best friend.

He knows everything that we face,
and says His Grace is sufficient for us.
He’s given us talent and potential,
and we need to given him trust.

God wants us to have success,
and be the best we can be.
So don’t let depression hold you down,
God’s broken every chain and set us free.

So perk up and put a smile on your face,
let people see your Jesus glow.
It’s catchy and can change a life,
and cause the family of God to grow.

Unlock Your Hotel

~ peterbaldwinpoet ~ Leave a comment

Your heart is more than an organ,
it is a place of residence.
If you want it to be strong,
you must ask for repentance.

Your heart has many chambers,
like the rooms of a hotel.
Every room needs a cleaning,
and to replace the sin as well.

You don’t actually clean the rooms,
our job is to seek and ask.
The Holy Spirit is fully able,
to clean and complete the task.

When Jesus comes in to fill our heart,
every bit of sin must go.
Jesus Christ is a Holy God,
so you know it must be so.

So as He cleans, room by room,
we give up our sinful traits.
We cleanse our heart and mind,
and now look forward to heaven’s pearly gates.

As each room is being cleaned,
our nature still causes us to sin.
But on that day of final judgement,
you entered the race and ran to win.

Once the room is finally cleaned,
it is time for your decision.
You can change the name of the room,
and make it a Room of Vision.

Next, another room is cleaned,
opened and wiped of judgement.
A new name is again applied,
and is now the Room of Achievement.

Third room cleaned,
was truly a mess.
No longer so,
now the Room of Success.

With God doing the work in our hotel,
and living in residence.
We now change another room,
to the Room of Excellence.

The work is far from finished,
but it must be done room by room.
Continue to surrender your heart each day,
and let God control the broom.

The Christian at Midlife

~ peterbaldwinpoet ~ Leave a comment

This poem was originally composed on November 9, 1985.

We reach a point in life,
when it is time to turn and look.
What does the future hold?
The past is a closed book.

We try to face each new day,
and find our answer for life.
Why Lord, am I where I am,
in all of midlife’s strife?

I thought I knew all the answers,
knew exactly which way to go.
I find my life in turmoil,
dreams and demands tossing to and fro.

Life seems so unfair,
when I’ve tried so hard to succeed.
But Lord, I forgot in my stop at Calvary,
to take the time to bleed.

I’d tried to find someone to care,
to see and really understand.
I expect an instant life of success,
by putting my life in your hand.

I’ve become so disappointed,
I’m ready to walk away.
But still, a little voice reminds me,
“Your time is not today.”

I know in man I can not trust,
Lord, dear Lord, please draw me near.
I’ve tried this life in my own way,
Lord. it has become a life of fear.

I’ve finally realized you love me so,
of this I do not doubt.
Lord, dear Lord, I ask you please,
help me work this crisis out.

Lord, as I lift my hands in praise,
reach to me from heaven above.
Pick me up and cradle me,
in Thy tender and precious love.

Another day has come to dawn,
rejoice and be glad in it.
In God’s scheme of life,
He’s got a place for us to fit.

Even in our darkest hour,
or the gloom of night.
We’re held within his tender Hands,
and given a perfect light.

So, even when the day starts wrong,
and Satan starts assail.
Remember in Whose Hands we are,
His promises never fail.

Remember the victories already won,
we have no cause to doubt.
We stand upon the solid rock,
Jesus will work it out.

It’s Not About Me

~ peterbaldwinpoet ~ Leave a comment

Born into this world,
of turmoil & strife.
Not knowing,
wrong from right.

Learning by example,
of all that I see.
What really matters,
just seems to be me.

All I’ve been taught,
in school and out.
Point to one thing,
I am what it is about.

So now I’m ready,
to go out on my quest.
To fulfill my desires,
make my life the best.

Whatever it takes,
I’m ready to do.
My concern about me,
not about you.

As I begin the climb,
the ladder is steep.
If I miss a rung,
the floor will be deep.

The higher I climb,
the tougher it gets.
The pressure is greater,
and so are the depths.

Forge on I must,
for I’ve made a pledge.
But everything is pulling me,
over the edge.

I am ever so close,
I can see the top.
Stop pushing and shoving,
everybody stop!

It is empty and bare,
there is nothing here.
Lonely and dark,
with deathly fear.

Give me a moment,
to reflect and look back.
To see if by chance,
I am on the wrong track.

When I first started,
I asked the way.
Only two choices,
I remember the day.

Track one read,
“It’s all about me.”
Track two read,
“It’s not about me.”

I’ve made a mistake,
got on the wrong train.
Thought I knew it all,
the world to gain.

I’m often alone,
now the end is near.
Nowhere to turn,
to remove the fear.

I hear someone calling,
“Last call for track two!”
I’m here, I’m here,
but what must I do?

Surrender your life,
accept Jesus the Son.
And board the train,
be on the right one.

Choose early and right,
make Jesus your Lord.
Then you’ll be ready,
“Last call, all aboard!”

My Cemetery Walks

~ peterbaldwinpoet ~ Leave a comment

I took a trip to the cemetery,
and used my time to look around.
To my own amazement,
I was surprised at what I found.

Some sat on a bench,
while others had their lunch.
Some were planting flowers,
making such a pretty bunch.

Some others at a grave site sat,
so lonely and depressed.
They seemed to talk to themselves,
yet to others for sure, I guessed.

I walked up to one man,
who sat there by himself.
Put my hand on his shoulder,
and asked him if I could help.

He looked right into my eyes,
and then he began to speak.
He needed a moment to clear his throat,
but his voice seemed rather weak.

But as we continued to talk,
he seemed to gain more life.
He told me he was all alone,
and here lies his son and wife.

We talked a little about the war,
he had me by twenty years.
But he seemed grateful for company,
yet I would have shared his tears.

He made me think of future days,
when I might be sitting there.
Would my shoulder feel a hand,
of someone who might really care.

I need to spend more time,
among the grave sites there.
To walk among the lonely,
and be an instrument of God’s care.

May God, by His Holy Spirit,
guide me along the way.
May my cemetery walks,
inspire and comfort every day.

May my opportunity to share,
comfort many in need.
And many get to know,
Jesus Christ indeed.

Starting Over (United in Life)

~ peterbaldwinpoet ~ Leave a comment

War is something that seems to never end,
the former is easy to fight and defend.
Open battle, or deep within,
the latter tears your heart, you can’t win.

You hope to outgrow all your trouble and strife,
as you stand shoulder to shoulder, united in life.
But still the war will never be won,
because I stand still, one and one.

I have so much hidden and buried inside,
those parts of life I need to hide.
Those embarrassing moments I don’t want known,
that personality that’s strictly my own.

The character traits that make me unique,
but others may view them and call me weak.
I put up a front of what people can expect,
and live a life of stolen respect.

No one knows the real person you are,
you present your life on even par.
No one knows the hurt that tears you apart,
each day weakening more of your heart.

You yell and scream for someone to hear,
hoping against hope because of the fear.
That one day you may have to remove the wall,
and on that day, experience the fall.

I sit and cry, alone in my tears,
but life hasn’t changed through the years.
Change must come by God’s mercy and grace,
or I’ll never get to see his shining face.

I have to surrender and give up my whole,
and remember that it’s God who’s in control.
Everything He does works out for good,
and in His holiness, it surely would.

He would never go against my free will,
He payed my ransom on Calvary’s Hill.
Now the Holy Spirit can live and abide,
I have no reason to continue to hide.

“So Lord,” I ask, “and continue to pray,
help, so my choices are the Way.
Take my life from this moment on,
let my past be forgiven and gone.”

Praise and worship to my Lord and King,
“You are my purpose for everything.
Lord, I surrender, renew my heart,
from this day forward, a brand new start.”