Thankfulness

As I wake up in the morning, atmosphere already stressed,
I finally rise to the morning sun - and realise how much I'm blessed.
As Joseph picks another fight, I'm tempted to despair;
So know I must drop to my knees and send an upward prayer.

When I see my mother's bruises, she took so he wouldn't hit me,
And I want to hurt myself for letting her be hurt so badly;
A wooden beam comes into mind, raised on Golgotha's hill -
The Christ Who died there for our sins, innocent, by free will.

When the voices raised and sharp cause me to shiver and shake,
It reminds me that the Lord's voice makes the earth to quake.
When I look around and see this house never to be ours,
I think that our body's temporary, and soon goes in fleeting hours.

The beauty of my own home sometimes grieves me bitterly,
So does the loss of the father who I may ne'er again see.
Beyond the clouds in ceaseless time is my eternal Home,
And God's my Heavenly Father, Who will never let me roam.

Inward pride of independence rises in my heart,
When people offer clothes and money to help us make a start.
When Jesus came unto this earth, He was homeless too,
And leaned on God to provide - and people, mostly, through.

Some entertain ministering angels - they're called friends today.
People who will stick by you, and help through the difficult way.
So many others point the finger, or are Job's comforters;
They cannot see the hand of God in trials - those poor doubters.

Blessed be the Name of God, Who gives and takes away;
Who can strip of all He gifts, but Himself will stay.
He can ease the burdens or increase to shape His will -
Each daily trial and testing only our flesh to kill.

If we will to will to God each day and every task,
He will make us weak so He can give strength when we ask.
The blessing's only found when in each great pain joy we find -
And thankfulness and praises unto God with willing mind.

The Curse of a Writer

I have a character, hiding inside,
Lurking and scurrying, trying to hide,
Finding a place to burrow within,
Fermenting and bubbling and growing - with kin!
His size ever bigger, he dominates me,
Growing into my second personality.
He haunts my dreams and controls my pen,
Until I wonder, despairingly, when
If ever again he'll leave me alone -
Take his family and depart from my home.
But no, he'll haunt me the rest of my life;
Closer than near kindred, husband or wife -
This creature, the produce of my mind,
Inspired, but feeling aught but divine!
I know all his strengths, he my weaknesses;
That very fact can cause many stresses!
He learns quite well where to plague me, you know.
He absorbs all my dreams, filling them with woe.
But this is the curse of a writer, you see -
And God has granted this gift to me!

Andrew Beals and the Coke Battle

Another amusing one I wrote with sudden inspiration after remembering Katherine Hodgson's excellent, amusing and...truth-stretching blogs on Andrew Beals' and my friendly word battles over the various vantages of Coke vs Dr. Pepper.

You see, he thought it was quite a joke,
When I threatened Andrew Beals with coke.
No, it wasn't an outlawed drug,
But a drink I love to hug.
He defied my deepest love
My liquid darling, sugar dove;
Instead preferring Doctor Pepper!
What could someone from Coke sever?
So to bring him back to mind,
I attacked him with Coke from behind.
He went crying to the judge,
Who obviously must've had a grudge;
He said, "This British girl, I see,
Has committed a crime from lunacy."
On carrying my trident to the States,
Defending my Coke with whatever it takes -
They committed me to an asylum home,
Where I can no longer roam.
Oh Andrew Beals, can't you see,
What destruction you've done to me?
With greatest loneliness, I now find
So many people leave me behind.
My meals I'll have delivered by post,
To Andrew Beals I give this toast -
"My Coke is threatened no longer, tis true.
And I won't rid the world of you."

Jane Johnson,
25/05/11

Building Up

The pressure's increasing,
So many people closing in.
I feel like a rat in a corner.

They say they're concerned,
By surrounding me and intruding,
I'll push further away.

If you try to control me,
Just watch cause I'll break free
And run far away from you.

Keep on praying, that's the best
And don't pry into my life.
Trust God to work all out for the best.

Please, don't force your way.
Or I'll run away.
Let me try to mend, with God.

Stop doubting that He's at work.
I need your support, not pressure.
Give me another chance.

Wondering Why

We wonder why...
The grief and pain and questions,
The separation worse than death.
We wonder why.

We wonder why...
The empty hungry sorrow
Lying in a woman's eyes.
We wonder why.

We wonder why...
The separation of two,
Brought together by God.
We wonder why.

We wonder why...
The abuse of status,
The loss of a father.
We wonder why.

We wonder why...
Being strong for others,
So often alone...
We wonder why.

We wonder why...
The loss of all we owns,
But mother, brother and few possessions.
We wonder why.

We wonder why...
As friends walk away,
Those who came to stay.
We wonder why.

We wonder why...
This constant change,
This shiftless ground.
We wonder why.

We wonder why,
Then we look up
And sees God's Hand -
We wonder why.

We wonder why...
As we see the blessedness
In the trials He has planned.
We wonder why.

We wonder why...
As He shows more jewels in the dark
Than ever He did in the light.
We wonder why.

We wonder why...
As we explore the treasure trove of love
And see His infinite mercy in each pain.
We wonder why.

We wonder why...
A God that infinite
Chose to bother with man.
We wonder why.

We wonder why...
Not at the trials He bestows,
But the glories in those trials.
We wonder why.

We wonder why...
Not why He uses trials,
For only in fire He brings forth gold.
We wonder why.

We wonder why...
Why in spite of all our rejection,
He loves us so much.
We wonder why.