Samuel
The child Samuel knelt in prayer,
for Eli said the Lord was there.
And he called him one time more,
and Samuel said, "Here am I, Lord."
And He told to him the fate
of several priests of sorry state.
For His anger was against
Eli, and his sons' offence.
And next morn the child did tell
Eli what the Lord had said.
And Eli listened very well
to the child Samuel.
Swimming, when you can't see the shore-
pressing on, when you can do no more.
Fighting tide and waves.
Lord spare us this day.
When the way is bleak and drear,
and no note you hear,
tell us thy way,
that thou art near.
Open our heart and eyes to thee,
that we may follow quietly.
Set our course at the control,
to never waver more at all.
Glory and honor, evermore to Thee.
We worship thee continually.
And if we do a little thing
that makes us wince or feel shame,
we regret our loss of thee,
whom we would love continually.
Oh let us stay close by thy side,
in thy shadow closely hide,
for we not always do the right,
but cannot live without thy light.
Oh Jesus, care for us down here,
so easily we slide,
and help us to regain thy love,
in thy great good abide.
Thy mercy, Lord,
droppest as the tenderest care,
and gives us hope thy love is there.
Ever-wakeful, ever-near,
Thy mercy, Lord, we hold most dear.
Thou put at rest our troubled soul,
and in thy hands our life doest hold.
Quell all your fears,
quell all your doubts,
and come and find what life's about.
Let your heart go one time more
up to Heaven's hidden store.
Come back laden with his gifts,
in a life of peace, that's rich.
Back to top
Back to Touch of God
Evening Chimes
When evening comes and all is still
the chimes ring sure and clear.
Remind us of God's presence,
that he is always near.
And lead our thoughts to peace so still
that nothing breaks the moment till
our thoughts are led to home again,
longing for that moment when
we were so near to God.
Day With the Lord
Jesus as the daylight creeps
come and kneel at our feet
and clasp them in those hands of thine
that will not let us far from thine.
Impart in us thy passion for
the weak and lowly more and more.
Instill in us that wee small voice
that will not let us make a choice
that shames and saddens those we love
and turns thy face from us above.
Leave thy sacred imprint there
and fill us with thy daily care-
that we may meek and humble be
and ever follow, Lord, with Thee.
Keep our feet from straying far
from that which you would have us do;
Or leave undone a holy deed
that aids thy children deep in need.
Give us grace and guard our tongue
that it not slip and be undone—
or sadden any grieving heart
that failed to follow from the start.
Keep us soft in word and deed
to fill an aching void and need.
And ever bless us with Thy Grace,
that we may look upon Thy face,
and never find it written there
that we have failed to do our share,
and left it up to Thee to do
a simple task not carried thru.
Give us rest and give us peace
until our wandering ways have ceased;
and circle closer e'er to Thee
in love and deep humility.
Waiting for Thy least command
to sacrifice, or lend a hand.
Impress us with Thy words and ways
in heaven, earth, thru all our days.
And let us rest at last with Thee
in Thy intent.....eternity.
Amen
Be careful to entertain strangers,
for thereby it may be
that you may entertain
angels unknowingly.
(from Bible)
Was it Christ's aura that they saw
when they were on the sea,
and He called out to them,
"Come, and follow me."?
Was that what made them leave their nets
and go, implicitly,
and leave that sea behind them,
when he said, "Follow me."
I said a weak and feeble prayer,
doubtful that it would get there.
Half-hope, and kind of lost and cold,
far from being clearly told.
It seemed to get nowhere,
and I just stopped, and left it there.
But as the days and nights did pass
I noticed it came true at last,
and God had set my wish beside,
just to notice and to find.
My feeble wish at last came true
and what I'd like to say to you
is that he hears our every prayer
however soft we send it there.
And God shall come and close thy eyes,
and thou shalt be in paradise.
Dear God, I'd like to be with you.
My life down here is really thru.
I haven't gotten anywhere,
and sometimes I feel despair.
They say that you are everywhere,
and so I guess that you are near.
But I feel so far away,
I'd like to be with you today.
I feel your world is best by far,
where the saints and angels are.
Please grant me just this last request,
tho of course you know what's best.
Lord I've seen so many things so far from Thee.
Things that make you sad, and lost in revery.
Things that good men never take a part.
Things that make you still, and sad at heart.
I cannot say that these are evil men,
and yet I would not want to see again
the torment and the misery
allowed to happen by such men as these.
Let my tortured soul go,
and please dear Lord no longer hold
it here on earth where people are,
who make this world much worse by far.
Let me burst asunder now,
and take me far away somehow
where peace and calmness still us so,
and only Thou doest reign alone.
For Thou art meek, as Thou hast told,
giving peace to our soul.
Back to top
Back to Touch of God
Plea
God, let me go, don't make me stay
here on earth for many days.
I want to go and be with you,
and do the things you want me to.
Lingering Doubts
Lingering doubts--do I want to go?
Is this all of here I want to know?
Fresh as the air, and fresh as the sea,
never to leave as identity.
The sky is mixed, and grey today.
Maybe rain is on its way.
Clouds of rain come tumbling down
with a sharp, insistent sound,
and a beat that's off and on,
irregular its pattering song.
Oh great Father, light my way,
that is as dark as this grey day.
Show the way to carry on.
Give us grace to be more strong.
With what pains and patience,
the long, long path is trod
between a tiresome world,
and a waiting God.
Back to top
Back to Touch of God
I Give to Thee
Take him tenderly, Lord,
he is my own.
Treat him sweetly
in his new home.
I know he'll get along
with all the angels there,
and be good,
and I know that they care.
I'll miss him,
tho he's alright there—
so far away from home,
in Thy care.
One last dream...as fair, can be—
to close my eyes, and dream of Thee.
Only one last sigh,
and be under thy watchful eye.
One last hope, to be with Thee—
for all time, eternity.
One last prayer, always there-
to be in Thy world, so fair.
Could it be that sometimes there's a film
o'er our eyes so that we see not God?
A sort of haze that lingers there
so our vision is not clear.
And if nothing changes us,
we see so far, and then we stop.
And of God we're not aware,
tho of course he's always there.
In everything you do,
in everything you say,
in everything you feel,
Let God have his way.
Let him be your ruler,
Let him be your guide.
Never be without him.
Keep him by your side.
Let us live our lives with exceeding care,
mindful that Thou art always there.
Care in every thing we do-
that we may make our peace with you.
Care in thought and every thing,
that we may grace Thy Holy Name.
Help us Lord to just be good,
in all things just as Thou would.
Lead us in thy Holy way.
Light our path from day to day.
Back to top
Back to Touch of God
Beside Thee
As long as I live,
I'll be beside thee,
trotting along,
as you pass me again and again,
and far outdistance me.
Beside thee as thou swiftly pass,
and I am far from thee.
What you need in this world
is just the smallest part
of what you'll need beyond,
in strength and inner art.
You will need to be supplied
with spiritual assets, far and wide.
Each soul strength a stepping stone
to reach your distant, far-off home.
It may be you will not see
the way to follow faithfully.
You may get lost among the stars,
if ever you get out that far.
For most the pace may be quite slow,
unsure of the way to go.
For while God is our instant guide,
who of us have been supplied
with unerring certainty
that we followed perfectly.
It may be an angel
will lead you to your home,
if God deems your progress
was sufficient on your own.
It may be that heavenly powers
surround those that he loves,
and usher to his presence
the ones he's fondest of.
Back to top
Back to Touch of God
Caution
Be careful of Heaven, to remember her
and do not let temptation lure.
Hold her fair, in mind and heart
and do not ever make a start
that would dim your chances there
where everything is wondrous fair.
Do not throw away the key
to what all true believers seek
Careless, do not walk away,
your only hope of Heaven's day.
Like a glissando is our life,
every note a tone,
from rapt exuberance,
to a deep, low moan.
We need thee whether high or low
we need thee every key.
Only in accordance,
can we be with Thee.
We beg of thee thy mercy,
and thy tender, loving care,
that we may live at one with thee
as long as thou art there.
We may be just as far from God
as the dawn of earth, to the final day
We may not yet conceive
how far we are away.
Merciful Lord,
unworthy as we,
giving us blessings,
unearned, and unseen.
Merciful Lord,
how is it that you
are gracious to us,
and the things we do?
There is only one way
that we receive.
Thy bountiful mercy
is freely given.
If this were the last day
would you enjoy it more?
Would the sun look brighter
as it fell upon the floor?
Would the little curves upon the eyes
say more than before?
The little things that people did
impress you more?
Would each hour contain
a nuance precious still?
Would each memory listen
for the footsteps on the hill?
I look up and see angels,
perhaps among the stars.
And the sentiments of God
are written very large.
For sometimes he sends angels
down to earth to tell
just what he wishes us to do,
and gives them power, as well.
I would like to hold the power of God,
but my vessel is too small.
The force spills all the vitals out,
and disrupts them all.
It seems I am incapable
to hold but the least part,
and must content with small amounts
disparing to my heart.
I hope that when these shackles
are finally loosed and freed,
that I can gain in spirit
strong, progressively.
I used to think when I was young
I would not mind to die,
for thereupon, immediately,
I'd be in Paradise.
But when I grew much older,
I had another thought—
that God would not be very glad
that I his presence sought.
For while that He was much to me,
I would account but scarcely.
Back to top
Back to Touch of God
Thank You
Thank you God, for a lovely day,
complete in every way.
And for the soft, sweet breeze that blew,
reminding me of you.
And for the light, and for shade too,
our souls to renew.
Thank you for each kindness
that you have shown to me--
mercy overflowing
beyond capacity.
Thank you for each happiness
that our soul has won.
Thank you for thy blessings
from dawn till day is done.
Night Vigil
Once a child fitful lay,
and would have cried the night away,
but mother came to comfort him,
and in her arms she took him in.
And she rocked him in a chair,
and gave to him her loving care.
All night long the hours flew,
and it was day before they knew.
And she forgot to say her prayer,
but all night long God saw them there.
Back to top
Back to Touch of God
Ecstacy
What would I say of ecstacy,
experience we all seek,
like given to St. Bernadette,
or sometimes too, to priests.
This ecstacy is of the soul,
and comes of God alone;
a rapture of the essence,
with surroundings cast in stone;
that when it is ended,
the change they must bemoan.
How many times God speaks,
always to his own.
But we must be prepared
in purity of soul.
Despair
When cast to levels of despair
that you had never known,
and all your life is agony
of unrelenting moan;
remember God is bedrock,
no further can you fall
than straight down to the bottom-
that is all.
When you hit the solid rock
of untold agony,
you're lying on foundation ground
that has a certainty.
For if we are on bedrock,
surely we can stand,
and if we put our hand in His,
then surely we'll ascend.
Back to top
Back to Touch of God
Call My Name
Call my name,
ye that are weary and heavy laden.
Call my name aloud.
Lay yourself at the gates of heaven,
with the power of God around.
Give yourself to his mercy.
Anguish at his feet.
In the dust thy comfort,
where souls meet.
When in your life
you are laid to the ground,
awake to the power
of God all around.
When you are desperate,
find Him by your side;
no depths too low
for Him to abide.
Thanks
Why don't we say thank you,
when we repeat the prayer
taught to us from childhood,
with God's presence there.
Why don't we say thank you
for all the things he's done,
for never ending blessings,
and progress well begun.
It seems a great omission
not to give our thanks
to the great creator
to whom the angels sang.
Back to top
Back to Touch of God
Healing
And the days covered up the pain,
tho it surged strong again and again.
'Time the great healer,' they say,
and it went on from day to day.
And the years came and went,
with little accomplished, and yet...
tho I never saw it begin,
the pain healed from within.
As I write poems more and more,
I try to make one for the Lord.
I try never to forget
to say a message heaven-sent.
We write to all of those we know,
but we can talk to God the most.
So let us not forget to send
our love and praise and thanks to him.
Is it true that God is in you,
that he's always there,
to help and to protect,
and carry everywhere?
We needn't search the deepest seas,
nor seek out in the air,
but cherish oh his presence,
in reverence and prayer.
A jack-in-the-pulpit in the woods
can preach in rain or sun,
but who needs a sermon
of the ones that he's among?
Surely the trees are strong in these,
and live with God all day;
and the grass and ferns and moss all yearn
to seek him in his ways.
The lake and sky reflect his peace,
a dream eternal in us each,
and wait a thousand years and more
His touch that they were yearning for.
I believe in God the father,
maker of us all,
and in his love and mercy,
and power over all.
I believe implicitly,
forget what others say,
for he is still my God,
both now and for always.
It's something that's eternal,
and weighted on his side,
for we are but the smallest part
of him who is divine.
Our father gives his blessing
to the pure in heart,
and also to the merciful,
and those who toe the mark.
As long as eternity
he is always there—
as long as life or consciousness,
or ever a somewhere.
God's gifts are quiet, like his love for us.
Like the air we breathe, or sun's radiance.
And who has ever heard sunlight to make a sound,
as it filters in a room and lights it all around?
Quiet, elusive, unseen,
many of God's gifts' demein.
Well-being, health, and consciousness
all attributes of quietness.
Prayer and holiness alike
are silent in the temple quite.
And the soul's elusive too,
tho hovering ever near you.
And tho these gifts are oft unseen,
and oft unnoticed too,
we could not live without them,
and nothing else will do.
Back to top
Back to Touch of God
Hallowed
Hallowed seems like a temple,
or a sacred shrine,
or a great cathedral,
built slowly over time.
Hallowed seems most sacred.
a degree we cannot dream,
increasing in eternity
forevermore, it seems.
How can we ever understand
if we have no conception,
of how this word was meant by God
to tell us his perfection?
Eternal Prayer
Eternal prayer...
in the silence of the spheres.
And in their quiet obedience
to God's will, since ages past.
Silently they slip in space,
and praise Him from the farthest place.
Distance holds no precedent
to his will forever sent.
Back to top
Back to Touch of God
