THE BASKET

 

On the picnic table sits a basket
It was placed there for you and me
Its contents are to be eaten, digested
Fulfilling our spiritual needs as decreed

Inside the basket there are answers
For any problem, you will ever face
With the knowledge you find inside
Every dire situation can be erased

There is milk for the new converts
As they begin to study God’s Word
There is meat for the steadfast
When digested their spirit it stirs

For the thirsty, there is Living Water
Take one sip and you’ll long for more
Jesus died so that you can drink
It flows from Heaven like never before

The Bread Of Life you can partake of
In remembrance of what Jesus did
He will satisfy all of your longings
As nothing from you will ever be hid

For dessert, the Fruit Of The Spirit
Each one created to satisfy your needs
They are there to minister to you
Just as the Heavenly Father has decreed

Faithfulness, Patience, Joy, Generosity
Gentleness, Kindness, Peace, Self Control
Each one of these is very special
As they deal with your spirit and soul

There is one special fruit that is left
It is the most important of them all
This fruit is the epitome of The Father
His love will always outshine them all

All of this nourishment is in there
For in the basket there is a holy book
When opened your picnic will begin
All you have to do is take a hungry look

Take each page and slowly devour it
Let its power invigorate your soul
The Holy Bible is all you’ll ever need
To make your spirit healthy and whole

Everyone needs to go on a picnic
From that basket eat a hearty meal
Let the power of the Holy Spirit
Overcome you and be spiritually healed

WE ARE HIS

 

As an individual we are nothing
Just a minute blip in all time
Our destiny from birth is ordained
Our life either ordinary or sublime

In this vast ocean of humanity
We float along with the tide
We can either assert ourselves
Or we will forever eternally hide

Or there is another alternative
That will lift you above the rest
It will float you to the surface
And rescue you from Satan’s duress

This alternative began at the cross
When Jesus died for our sins
This plan came from the Father
Designed to cleanse you deep within

Because of this, we can be saved
Spend eternity with our Heavenly Father
From that ocean, we were redeemed
Making sure that Satan was bothered

And because of Christ’s sacrifice
The body of Christ we became
No more flotsam in the ocean
When we accepted Christ’s holy name

At that moment we became His body
In His Holy Book, we are found
And when we walk through that gate
All Heaven will jubilantly resound

WATERWAYS

 

I have crossed the Mississippi
Walked the banks of the Ohio
Driven alongside the big Red
Stood in awe of the Niagara’s flow

I took a dip in the Kanawha
White water rafted down the New
Crossed over the muddy Missouri
At the Yellowstone, enjoyed the view

I went sailing on the Potomac
I went fishing in the Arkansas
Entered Mexico crossing the Rio Grande
From mountaintop the Colorado I saw

Listened to a loon on the Kennebec
Of the Hudson, I am a big fan
I got lost on the Chattahoochee
On the Suwanee, I got a dark tan

One time I visited the James
In Minnesota the St. Croix
I’ve been to the Willamette
The mighty Snake was a joy

I enjoyed the scenery on the Wabash
Caught a catfish in the White
Went kayaking on the Blue
On the Patoka, I spent a night

As you can tell, I like rivers
There is one I’m waiting to see
The River Of Life, it beckons
And I know it’s waiting for me

I will dive into it head first
Relax as it cleanses my mortal soul
Feel its power engulf me completely
To experience it is my goal

A FORTY-BELOW NIGHT

 

He lived eighty-three miles from Fairbanks
In a log cabin alongside a nameless creek
It was his tenth year living in the place
To survive out here you couldn’t be weak

He made his meager living trapping fur
His line stretched for over a hundred miles
Up at daybreak, stoke the fire, and leave
Was his daily routine, done Alaskan style

His snowmobile had long ago broken down
Now he relied on his dogs and rickety sled
A hardship he had no way to overcome
As he bundled up, toboggan on his head

Today was no different from any other
As he walked out that lonely cabin door
He had forty-four miles of line to check
Overnight at a line cabin as done before

The sky was overcast, gray, foreboding
In the air, he thought he could smell snow
It made no difference no matter what it did
He had fur to harvest, he had to go

The first set held a frozen stiff marten
The next one had been sprung by a lynx
The next one was also sprung and empty
He began to wonder if he was jinxed

It started slowly, a flake here and there
The wind picked up, the temperature dropped
He pulled his parka tight around his face
Miles ahead was the cabin, his last stop

The wind pushed snow slashed his face
It was so bad he could just barely see
Old Joe, his lead dog on his dogsled
Plodded on, knew where he was supposed to be

With a sigh of relief, he saw the cabin
Pulled to a stop, shoveled snow from the door
Got a fire going, then unhitched the team
The brutal wind ravaged his body’s core

The thermometer over his bed was broke
Instinctively, he knew it was forty below
The wood stove barely took off the chill
He was so tired his actions were slow


Braving the cold, he fed his hungry dogs
Then for himself made a very meager meal
A cup of coffee helped to warm him up
It was so cold his feet he couldn’t feel

Then an idea formed in his exhausted mind
And outside to his bedded down dogs, he went
Old Joe, Sam, and Little Susie he got
Took them inside where the night they spent

Wrapped up in his blankets, dogs by his side
To some, it would be a bizarre sight
But on a snowy, windy, forty below eve
To survive, it had to be a three-dog night!

BIBLE JOURNEYS

                     BIBLE JOURNEYS


Through my Bible, I’ve taken many journeys
Each trek has left me in utmost awe
From the very beginning, I have hiked
As I learned about God’s presence and law

I walked the Garden with Adam and Eve
And was dismayed as they spiritually fell
I was there when the mighty tempest arose
Observed the Ark as it crested the swells

I followed Moses to the Promised Land
Was amazed when he parted the Red Sea
Watched as he hiked up that holy mountain
Returning with those tablets, holy decrees

I hiked in the Wilderness for forty years
I was led by a cloud and a pillar of fire
Ate manna, quail, drank water from a rock
Somehow I never wore out my attire

I hiked with Joshua around old Jericho
And watched as those mighty walls fell
With King David, I marched off to war
With Solomon built the temple, and did well

With the shepherds, I followed a bright star
Leaving the flock, hiked to Bethlehem town
Observed a newborn babe in a manger
Knowing that forever He would be renowned

I followed the Master wherever He went
Hiked many a path, dusty and offbeat
Hiked Golgotha’s Hill to His crucifixion
Knowing His death became Satan’s defeat

All these things I have searched and found
As throughout my Bible I took a hike
Each journey brings me closer to Him
Where I find the peace and love that I like

There is a hike that I so anxiously await
Whether I am dead or I am Rapture bound
The hike that I am looking forward to
Will happen when I hear that trumpet sound

My journey will be a homeward-bound one
Where I will go and be eternally wed
I will hike the aisle as His beloved bride
“Welcome home, my child,” will be said

 

copyright 2019 - present, James Graham as thehoosierwordsmith.com,  all rights reserved

WHEN ASKED TO PRAY

 
When you’re asked to pray for someone
It is something not to be taken lightly
That person is needing a miracle from God
That request is necessary, so accept it politely

You stop what you’re doing and petition God
Lifting the person up, expecting a healing
Know that by faith it will be done
Gives you that warm, expectant feeling

God honors your faith by answering prayer
As the healing balm arrives, begins to flow
The person receives what they needed the most
The result! They bask in God’s holy glow

So when you are asked to fervently pray
Don’t do it haphazardly or on a whim
Seek the Lord, make the request known
Turn the situation completely over to Him

You never know when you may be in need
And need someone to petition God for you
For that reason, please keep it in mind
When to sincerely pray you’re asked to do

Praying is the best way to talk to our God
It is the direct path to His holy throne
When you pray He will always hear you
And when in His presence you’re never alone

I WANT TO GO!

 
I so want to go to Heaven
I want to see my Heavenly home
I want to see my Mansion
See my name written in His tome

I want to see the throne room
Where the Father, His glory shines
I want to see the cherubim, seraphim
Praising, honoring the most divine

I want to see my new address
On that avenue paved with gold
I want to be in eternal warmth
Never again endure hot or cold

I want to see all of my family
My parents, my grandparents too
Meet family from generations past
Have a reunion long past due

I want to see the banquet table
Wherewith Him I will one day dine
Place settings of gold, fine linen
Bountiful feast, good food, fine wine

I want to see that horse herd
Uncountable stallions, brilliant white
One day I will saddle one up
Accompany Jesus, against evil fight

Most of all I want to meet
The one who willingly died for me
Look into His eyes and thank Him
For giving His life on that tree

Because of His love and sacrifice
With Him, I know I will forever live
My eternity with Him is secure
When my heart to Him I did give

One day I will go and see Heaven
All of its wonders will be mine
The trials of this world forgotten
As I worship the most divine

A NEWBORN'S NAME

 

Greg and Julie were having a fight
The issue? Their newborn’s name
Back and forth the argument went
They should have been ashamed

A scan told them what they needed
The bundle of joy? A baby boy
Julie was wanting the name Peyton
Greg was infatuated with the name Roy

Neither one of them would give in
So, they decided to flip a coin
Over and over in the air, it spun
In anticipation, hand in hand joined

On edge, that coin finally landed
Rolled into a coercer and got stuck
Standing on edge, it stood there
They silently stared, “Just our luck!”

“Let’s try it again,” Greg suggested
And into the air, it flippingly went
On edge, it landed, to corner rolled
On edge, it stood, that Lincoln cent

“I want to name my son Peyton!”
“Oh Yeah! His name is gonna be Roy!”
Back and forth the couple argued
They finally gave up, both were annoyed

“Let’s try it just one more time”
In frustration, they both agreed
That stupid coin, it did it again
They named their son “Flip,” as fate decreed

A MAKE BELIEVE CHRISTIAN

 

He was a make-believe Christian
He hid all of his sins very well
He said he was going to Heaven
Truth was, he was bound for Hell

His disguise, he wore it perfectly
Had the people at church fooled
Went through all of the motions
In deceiving he was well-schooled

Church services he never missed
He made sure that he was seen
His deception he had polished
People thought he was squeaky clean

He did the things that Christians do
In fact, did them better than most
He prayed, even sang in the choir
Of his good deeds, he would boast

Out of town, he would always go
Usually to a place he was unknown
Chances, something he never took
Or his identity would be blown

There his dark side would surface
And his true master he served
Doing things he was ashamed of
Hell was what he richly deserved

There are so many just like him
Every day they live a wicked lie
In mockery go through the motions
Their eternal home they can’t deny

Part-time Christians are everywhere
Chances are there are some you know
Sooner or later they are exposed
Their facade is just a horrible show

ORIGINS

 
It seems there are many questions
About the origins of you and me
Theories and contradictions flourish
Arguments and strife will always be

Some say that we evolved from apes
Darwin’s theory wants you to agree
If that was true then why don’t
We keep on evolving? It puzzles me

Or did we come from outer space
Many millions of years ago?
Are the UFOs that people see
Our relatives? I’d really like to know

Are we the remnants of another race?
In eons past have we been here before?
Did we stumble through a portal?
And discover it was the wrong door?

Are there people living on other planets”
Or are we the only God-created race?
Is our DNA the same as God’s?
Is it something that we can trace?

Some say we are probably aliens
And have immigrated from another world
That possibly something went wrong
And onto this planet, we were hurled

All of these theories constantly surface
But there is one I like the best
To me, it makes far more logical sense
Than all of the unproven rest

I believe that God lovingly created me
And into me, He implanted a soul
Along with it, He placed a spirit
It’s true; because my Bible tells me so

I was created to commune, worship Him
In return, He supplies all my needs
In a way, He’s a Heavenly farmer
And we are to be his holy seed

The fact is we are definitely aliens
We were created for another place
Where we will commune with Jesus
And bask in His loving, saving grace

OUR ATTORNEY

 
In the middle of the night, they came
He was betrayed by one of His own
Peter cut off an ear in His defense
Now King Jesus stands before Pilate alone

He had no lawyer to plead His case
And there was no such thing as bail
The only outcome He could possibly face
Was a rugged cross, hammer, and nails

Convicted, was beaten, a cat o’ nine tails
And to His rescue, no help would come
Upon His bloody shoulders, a cross was laid
On Golgotha’s hill was crucified, did succumb

If He had wanted, rescuers would have come
Legions of angels would have intervened
Instead, He willingly gave His life for us all
Making sure His love for humanity was seen

With His blood, defense became an offense
And in His death, a victory was won
Satan did his best to overcome and stop it
He was defeated, his power quest was done

Now Jesus is there, pleading in our defense
On our behalf, The Father, He petitions
As our defense attorney, He has no peers
Against Satan, he wins all of the decisions

His best defense tool is His precious blood
Against it, Satan can not possibly win
When we are immersed in that crimson flow
It cleanses us, it washes away our sin

FINALITY

 
In the very near future, it surely will happen
From His throne, our Master will descend
The trumpet will sound and away we’ll go
To meet Him on a cloud, we will ascend

His bride will assemble, praising His name
From our mortal bodies, we will transcend
A new creation through Him we’ve become
Ready to enjoy Heaven’s glorious dividends

The sacrifice that Christ made for us
We will then totally understand, comprehend
To realize that Jesus loved us so much
That on the cross His blood He’d spend

The price that He paid because of love
Was more than a wage or a stipend
Because He died a great victory was won
All of Satan’s plans it did finally upend

But first, there is something we must do
For all our sins we must make amends
Our sin is a putrid stench to our Lord
It’s very presence to Him it does offend

On our knees, we repent, come to Him
In the Godhead, we believe and depend
Now the battle is over, the victory won
From Satan’s grasp, we are finally rend

The abyss that had separated us from Him
Has been repaired, something He did mend
Our eternal home is with the Trinity above
Where their love for us never, ever ends

A CALLING

 

If a passion is a calling
Then I’m certain I know mine
Putting my thoughts to a paper
Jot and tittle, line by line

In my life its an entity
Something that I daily deal with
The scope of what iIdo
Covers a broad depth and width

One moment I’m writing humor
The next? It might be macabre
But what I find the dearest
Writing about God is my job

For when I write about Him
It’s done with reverence and awe
When I ask Him, He leads me
And He never lets me fall

The other categories are fun
And I do them on a whim
When I write about my Master
I do it to praise, exalt him

If about Him I couldn’t write
In me, there would  be a hole
Therefore I always do my best
Praising Him with my heart and soul