Celebrate Life

Poems‎ > ‎

# Title

8—My Birthdays

7—Everything Beautiful

6—in one week

5—The Years

4—Restored to us

3—Blessings

2—Summer Time

1—Life

# 8

My Birthdays

9/11

I must be really loved.

My birthday is a celebration, just because I was born.

I must be easily remembered.

My birthday is the number people call for help every day, in an emergency.

I must be comparatively unimportant.

My birthday is a national tragedy—2,977 innocents were murdered on it.

I must be easily forgotten.

Every year as I get older, only a handful even know that it’s my birthday.

I must be CRAZY to be thinking about this stuff!

Besides, my first birthday is nowhere near as important as my second birthday!

"... No one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." ^1.

9/25

I must be really loved.

On my second birthday, God gave me a new life,and a new purpose. ^{2., 3.}

I must be easily remembered.

God knows my name and has written it in His book of life. ^{^4.}

I must be comparatively unimportant.

“God so loved the WORLD...” ^5. Not just me. God loves everybody.

I must be easily forgotten.

Oh wait, guess that’s wrong! People may forget, but God NEVER does. ^6.

I must be GRATEFUL to be thinking about this stuff!

The impact of my first birthday was changed and multiplied by my second birthday!

Jesus said, "I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. ^7.

1. John 3:3

2. John 3:6, 2 Cor. 5:17

3. 2 Cor. 5:18-20

4. Revelation 3:5

5. John 3:16 (emphasis mine)

6. Hebrews 6:10

7. John 10:10 b

gratefulsue

8.28.15

# 7

Everything Beautiful

A choir, a solo.

Spring trees in flower!

These beautiful things,

Enthrall by the hour.

The orchestra.

A delightful play.

I love a musical

Every day!

Creative ideas.

Spontaneous fun.

Insightful poems.

Tall stories spun.

A loving friendship

That overflows,

Into priceless memories

And hearts aglow.

Healing words,

Joyous brass bands.

Kisses from family,

Help-filled hands.

Exquisite sunsets.

Walks in the woods.

I would hoard them for

Rainy days, if I could.

Gorgeous mountains

Of red, orange, gold.

Or, painted ones,

Once autumn unfolds.

Fine architecture, or

Landscape design.

Stained-glass windows,

Any artwork, sublime.

Movies which bring about

Laughter or tears—

Motivation to change

What is left of our years.

Singing birds,

And sparkling lakes.

Summer breezes,

Inspiration makes.

Bursting with color,

Wild flowers in June.

Fine instruments played,

Perfectly in tune.

All things artistic,

Executed with skill.

Well-composed photos

Which calm or thrill.

I know there are wonders

This writing has missed.

Too many to mention--

Not found on my list.

I am filled with awe

At amazing things—

Which the giver of all

Perfect gifts, freely brings. ^1.

Yes, I will delight in

Each wonderful thing...

For, everything beautiful

Makes my soul sing!

1. James 1:17

gratefulsue

6/30/15

(Inspired while out on a walk, admiring a neighbor's creatively designed grounds.)

# 6

in one week

watching

wastefulness

disappointments

by decades.

darkness.

rebuke

panic

waking up

witnessing

light

brokenness

confession

tenderness

compassion

healing

interest

empathy

re-focusing

reaching

others

abandoned

prayers, now

awesome

answers

surprise

stories

questions

reminiscing

listening

history

amazing

medical

methods

maneuvering

miracles

believing

trusting

fresh faith

receiving

God.

gratefulsue

10/7/14

# 5

The Years

Child:

culture, privilege,

family, fantasy…fortunate.

Youth:

impetuous, growing,

singing, sailing…obstinate.

Dance:

leaping, twirling,

choreography, mastering…fun.

Faith:

understanding, believing,

embracing, inspiring…life.

Adult:

explaining, sharing,

birthing, building…ministry.

Marriage:

looking, choosing,

following, teaming…moves.

Children:

loving, investing,

growing, changing…gifts.

Hope:

ambition, waiting,

trust, praying…quiet.

Time:

ticking, tricking,

shrinking, mocking…mist.

Trauma:

ambush, confusion,

losses, crosses…tests.

Rescue:

advocates, answers,

wounded walking…relief.

Miracle:

Blessings, compassion,

a slice of the action…grace.

Retirement:

Leaving, grieving,

Fussing, adjusting…weary.

Resurrection:

new dawn breaking,

new life creating…offering.

Finale:

watching, accepting,

serving, finishing, …surrender.

Death:

releasing, restoring,

communion, reunion…resolution.

gratefulsue

1/30/05

Revised 8/9/12

# 4

Restored to Us

Snatched from the path

toward Heaven’s door,

To bless our lives

on earth some more.

Angels sigh, but

loved ones smile—

God turned back the clock

on eternity’s dial.

Rewards must wait

but, I don’t care!

God saved your life

in answer to prayer!

gratefulsue

12/23/00

(For Terry B.)

# 3

Blessings

(a song)

Love, peace, patience,

joy in my heart.

All this and more

He promises at the start.

He gives us rainbows, blue skies,

the sunrise,

The seasons, so many reasons

to believe…

Laughter, good times,

friends kind and true,

Strength from His Word,

and courage to pursue.

He gives us rainbows, blue skies,

the sunrise,

The seasons, so many reasons

to believe…

Life everlasting,

Blessings untold,

A new city in

Heav'n, with streets of gold.

He gives us rainbows, blue skies,

the sunrise,

The seasons, so many reasons

to believe…

gratefulsue

1/25/80

# 2

Summer Time

(a song)

Evening haze, a fuzzy sun,

the world is like an old re-run.

It’s moving slow

and don’t you know

it’s summer time!

The air is thick—so still and hot.

It hangs around your favorite spot,

and that certain smell

you know so well

says it’s summer time!

What a relief from winter’s freezes,

you can enjoy warm and gentle breezes.

No more frozen toes

because, you know

it’s summer time!

Oh, that days could stay this way—

singin’ silly songs, drinkin’ lemonade.

You know my heart

rarely falls apart

when it’s summer time!

Let’s reminisce—o’er days of childhood bliss.

Let’s all get a tan, or else crowd a fan!

Oh, I pledge to surely

really love this pearly

old summer time!

gratefulsue

6/27/82

# 1

Life

Oh, what a gift…LIFE!

that which I could never earn,

a joy and thrill so precious,

able to give and love and learn!

To be alive is…SO GOOD!

even when the dark clouds come,

I still can count my blessings,

and know whose hand they’re from.

Oh Time, STAND STILL!

May I gather in one day,

joy and hope and peace to go

‘round the world, to be given away?

So often, life is a chore, or WORSE,

a “sentence to be served.”

Oh God, use me this day to show it

as a GOOD GIFT, underserved!

gratefulsue

2/1/89