WHAT I DO BEST

 Now that I have reached my golden years
I’ve finally discovered what I do best
And after talking with others I know
I tend to have the tendencies of the rest

I find myself enjoying doing nothing
I have found that it is easy to do
It takes place over almost everything
As to my recliner, it seems I’m glued

I can’t help it! I’m allergic to work
The thought of it makes me cringe
Doing manual labor, breaking a sweat
Tends to make me mentally unhinged

Honey-do lists will always be there
And I do my very best to comply
But then all I really want to do
Is relax, get comfortable, and sigh

There are merits in doing nothing
For one, you can’t get physically hurt
No straining, groaning, or sweating
Nor from your mouth epitaphs blurt

It also means very little gets done
But, alas, there is always another day
It doesn’t mean that I will do anything
For me, doing nothing is here to stay!

THE NIGHTTIME VISIT

 
The Lord came to me one night
He said, “My son, I’m here for you”
“I know there’s something on your mind”
“And the answer you have no clue”

Startled awake, I answered best I could
“Jesus, I admit I am confused”


"This situation that I find I am in"

Concerns something that I’ve been accused of”

Then Jesus said, “Share it with me”
“Although I already know what You’ll say”
“There’s nothing in this world I can’t fix”
“Give it to me this very day”

So, I poured my heart out to Him
Every little detail, it was exposed
When I finished talking I got quiet
I lay there in anticipation, my eyes closed

“Am I not the God of miracles?”
“Don’t I know what is best for you?”
“Because you are a child of mine
Your future I will allow you to view”

He showed me that I would be victorious
Through Him, my problem was solved
All I had to do was trust Him
In my life allow Him to get involved

MY SON, YOU ASK ME

 
                MY SON, YOU ASK ME
                WHAT I HAVE FOR YOU TODAY
                MY ANSWER, HEAR ME NOW
                FOR MUCH IS COMING YOUR WAY

                I GIVE YOU MY WISDOM
                TO MAKE DECISIONS THAT ARE WISE
                I GIVE YOU UNDERSTANDING
                THAT NOTHING COMES AS A SURPRISE

                I GIVE YOU DIVINE HEALTH
                YOU WERE HEALED AT THE CROSS
                I GIVE YOU A SOUND MIND
                ONE STRONG WITH NO MEMORY LOSS

                I GIVE YOU A HEALTHY FAMILY
                MADE SURE YOUR QUIVER WAS FULL
                I GIVE YOU HILLS OF CATTLE
                THOUSANDS OF HEIFERS AND BULLS

                I GIVE YOU THE POWER TO OVERCOME
                THE OCCASIONAL BOUTS OF STRIFE
                I GIVE YOU VICTORY OVER SATAN
                AND THE PROMISE OF A LONG LIFE

                I GIVE YOU PEACE OF MIND
                AND THE KNOWLEDGE THAT YOU’RE SAVED
                I GIVE YOU A HOME IN HEAVEN
                WHERE STREETS ARE GOLDENLY PAVED

                I WILL GIVE IT ALL OF YOU
                ALL YOU HAVE TO DO IS ASK
                WITH MY POWER LIFE IS EASY
                GOING ABOUT YOUR EARTHLY TASKS

                I GAVE YOU MY SON, JESUS
                WHO GAVE HIS LIFE FOR YOU
                I GIVE YOU LOVE, ETERNAL LIFE
                ACCEPT ME AND RECEIVE YOUR DUE

                I GAVE YOU THE ABILITY
                TO HEAR MY WORDS AND WRITE
                I GAVE YOU ALL OF MY PROMISES
                TO OTHERS, THROUGH YOU, ENLIGHT

THE BOUNCE OF THE OBLONG BALL

 
Hooray! Yippee! It’s finally here
This wonderful season called fall
for it announces a favorite pastime
The bounce of the oblong ball

It matters not whomever you are
Whether young, old, small, or tall
It affects our lives in many ways
The bounce of the oblong ball!

People wearing silly apparel
Screaming til their heart wants to stall
On bleachers when it’s 10 below
Watching the bounce of the oblong ball

Dreaded shopping with your spouse
On game day at the consumer mall
You silently slip away to watch
The bounce of the oblong ball

Or place a bet on a sure thing
“Please, ref, make the right call”
But one thing you can’t control
Is the bounce of the oblong ball!

But the craziest thing you’ll ever see
Are grown men involved in a brawl
Disputing the undeniably obvious
Bounce of the oblong ball

IT CAN'T GET OUT!

 

I don’t think there is anything more distressing
Than a lost, frantic hummingbird in the garage
Circling, swooping, up high against the ceiling
While the escape route is open, bright, and large

Too frightened, It won’t allow itself to be helped
Trying to herd it out the garage door! No way!
I can tell it is terrified and getting very weak
By its urgent peeps and fluttering aerial display

So, I watch it with concern and frustration
Knowing if it can’t get it out, will probably die
I sadly turn my back and go into the house
I say a silent prayer and then let out a sigh

Later, I have to get something from the garage
There are no signs of the bird anywhere
I begin looking for a pitiful dead hummingbird
Thinking, I will dispose of its body somewhere

To my surprise, I just barely hear a weak peep
Coming from the pavement in front of the door
The hummingbird lay there, sprawled in a heap
I approach, it rises up, flies like never before

I saw it later at the feeder behind the house
It was taking several incredibly long drinks
I watched it for a while and had to smile
That bird had come back from death’s brink

SOUTHERN COMFORT

 

Does the thought of Southern Comfort
Put an anxious smile on your face.
Put in a tumbler with cubes of ice
Something from your mind you can’t erase

But there is another Southern Comfort
That will also make you smile
Because when it is piled on your plate
That first bite is so worthwhile

When we talk about southern food
So many culinary treats come to mind
Just loosen your belt and listen
As we discuss the delightful kinds

First off, let’s talk about fried chicken
Golden brown and finger-licking good
Barbecue ribs dripping with sauce
Pick between the two, I wish I could!

Mac and cheese and hush puppies
Fried okra, pan of golden cornbread
A piece of pecan pie, maybe peach
Bring happy thoughts to my head

How about some crispy fried potatoes
Cooked in extremely hot grease
A bowl of fried green tomatoes
Makes me ask for more, pretty please

How about some ham and soup beans
A big wedge of fresh key lime pie
Gator tail and deep-fried shrimp
Will make me happily gasp and sigh

And don’t forget about the hominy
And how about a plate of grits
A fresh moon pie for your dessert
Is about as good as it possibly gets

This is my idea of Southern Comfort
World-renowned as comfort food
When I pleasantly push my plate away
Eat some more? I wish I could!

TO PEE OR NOT TO PEE

 
I wonder if during Hamlet
If a player had to wee?
Then misquoted that famous line
To pee or not to pee?

This famous saying we know
Can be an urgent question
Because when that urge hits you
It can be quite an obsession

It seems that the urge
Always comes at awkward times
And depending on how bad it is
You may commit an obscenity crime

it can happen almost any time
Your bladder controls your life
Whether you’re on a blind date
Or at dinner with your wife

It can cause you to dance
And put a grimace on your face
Break the speed limit going home
As to the bathroom, you race

It is such an awesome feeling
To let that yellow flow go
The relieved look on your face
Will then most assuredly show

Now if you have a warm sensation
In your nether parts below
Your bladder has betrayed you
As you experience that warm flow

So, to pee or not to pee
It depends upon your condition
Because if you can’t hold it
You’re put in an embarrassing position!

THE MIGHTY WILLOW

 

He was walking in the willows
It was something he liked to do
Especially on a blustery rainy day
Enjoying the coolness and the view

While walking, he heard a voice
It so quietly entered his mind
Startled, he stopped and listened
To that voice, so loving and kind

God told him to slow down
Take in the surroundings, the trees
Watch as the wind stirred them
How they bent with the breeze

God told him to become like a willow
How to bend but never break
How Satan would always test him
And how to avoid making mistakes

God told him how to prosper
How to flourish like those trees
Know that no storm would prevail
He’d never succumb to any disease

God told him to stand up tall
Be a tree and clap his hands
Like others in the ministry field
He was to help his fellow man

Now he is a mighty willow
Through him runs the sap of life
He has the power to overcome
He is a tree that has no strife

SISTER BETTY'S MINISTRY

 

It was Saturday morning at the church
Sister Betty was scrubbing the bathroom floor
On her knees, sweat streaming down her face
A place where she had been many times before

Some people have a ministry to be envied
Preaching the gospel, praise and worship team
Maybe teaching a class on Sunday morning
Are things people look up to, so it seems

But there are other ministries out there
Ones that people never consider or know
Someone has to clean, maintain the church
Running the sweeper, cleaning toilet bowls

Sister Betty wasn’t a teacher or singer
And being a public speaker, she was not
The one thing that she was very good at
Push a broom, mop using water piping hot

It was something that she took pride in
Didn't care what the people would think
You would usually find her praising the Lord
While scrubbing the church kitchen sink

She knew that it was her life’s calling
And she thanked the Lord for the opportunity
Every Sunday morning it was quite obvious
Her ministry was there for all to see

THE HARDEST FIGHT YOU'LL EVER HAVE

 

One of there hardest fights you’ll ever have
Is the one you will have for your soul
Your opponent is the master of deception
Taking you to Hell is his ultimate goal

He will use every dirty trick at his disposal
He will look you in the eye and then lie
Continually whisper, plant his seeds
Tell you suicide is the right way to die

He will dangle tempting things before you
Things that will make you lust for more
Once you take a step down that road
You have taken a step through Satan’s door

He will teach you the fine art of lying
The more you do the easier it becomes
Then the deeper you plunge into sin
As your spirit and soul spiritually succumbs

He will scoff, say that there is no God
All the time knowing that he is wrong
Knows that in  the end he will be defeated
And banished to Hell where he belongs

This fight is one you just have to win
This epic battle to redeem your soul
You have to understand the consequences
And make sure that Hell is not your goal

So, when Satan comes, you must fight
Use God’s Word to strengthen the blows
Don’t stop until the battle has been won
And to Satan your back you defiantly show

PARSON WOOLEY

 
He rode into town early Sunday morning
Astride a swayback, lop-eared, brindle mule
He was dressed in black, pistol on his hip
Those who saw him kept quiet, they weren’t fools

At the end of the muddy street,  his destination
A ramshackle shack made of hewn logs
He guessed it would have to do today
Tomorrow it would probably be full of hogs

Dismounting, he was met by an old lady
Gingham dress, matching bonnet on her head
“Parson Wooley! You better get out of here!
“Tunk Watts is drunk, says he’ll shoot you dead!”

“Parson, when he’s drunk he’s a devil!”
“Most folks around here are scared of him!”
“When he’s liquored up you watch out!”
“The odds of whipping him are mighty slim!”

“Ma’am, I have the Lord on my side”
“I have no earthly reason to ever be afraid”
“I have yet to see a bully face the Lord”
“And not be humbled, their sin displayed”

He was reading Genesis when it happened
Through the door, Tunk Watts stumbled in
A bottle in one hand, pistol in the other
And he was hellbent on committing a sin

“Parson! I’m gonna shoot you dead!”
He laughed out loud while taking aim
His laughter ceased and he dropped his gun
From that moment Tunk was never the same

Standing in front of Parson was an angel
Dressed in white, stood nine feet tall
He was encircled by a beam of light
Dwarfing everything, making it look small

Down on his knees, Tunk was cowering
Fear was etched clear across his face
He couldn’t take his eyes off the angel
The drunken leer was wiped clean, erased

Parson went and knelt down by his side
Pushed the pistol and bottle out of the way
Placed his hand on Tunk’s trembling shoulder
As he prayed he heard harps begin to play

That Sunday he led Tunk to the Lord
Watched a sinner turn his life around
Instead of hearing curses come from him
Out of his mouth came worship sounds

“Parson, something happened to me today”
“Funny! I have no desire for a drink”
“I feel all warm and happy deep inside”
“I really don’t know what to think”

“Tunk, today you met the Lord, Jesus
“He forgave you of all of your sins”
“Now you are a new creation in Christ”
“His blood washed you clean, without, within”

Tuck walked away with a smile on his face
Parson went to his mule and got aboard
As he left town he just had to smile
He had led another sinner to the Lord

 

It seems that I am on a Western binge.  That is all that is coming to me.  I hope you like this. If interested in more, then look for "Sully Rankin"  Again, I hope you enjoyed this

TOMELY TRAVELS

 
             I SPENT A LOVELY WEEK IN ZANZIBAR
            CLIMBED THE EIFFEL TOWER IN FRANCE
            WAS ABOARD THE YORKTOWN WHEN SHE SANK
            SWAM WITH SHARKS AND TOOK A CHANCE

            I’VE RAFTED DOWN THE MISSISSIPPI
            KILLED AND SKINNED A BEAR JUST FOR FUN
            WITH A SWORD I FOUGHT A DEADLY DUEL
            FOR THE LOVE OF A WOMAN I’D WON

            JUMPED OUT OF A PERFECTLY GOOD AIRPLANE
            EATEN KANGAROO WITH ABORIGINES
            SPENT A FRIGID DAY ATOP MACH PICHU
            FOR YEARS SAILED THE SEVEN SEAS
                
            GOT HOPELESSLY LOST IN DARKEST AFRICA
            SCORED AND WON A CLOSELY CONTESTED GAME
            RACED THRU THE HEAVENS ABOARD A SPACESHIP
             A CIRCUS HAD LIONS AND TIGERS TO TAME

            I GOT KILLED AND SCALPED BY A WILD INDIAN
            IN A LION’S DEN WAS RIPPED TO SHREDS
            I WAS BETRAYED, CAUGHT, HUNG AS A SPY
            IN VIET NAM I WAS SHOT AND LEFT FOR DEAD

            ALL OF THESE THINGS I CAN SAY I’VE DONE
            SAFE AT HOME, RELAXED IN MY EASY CHAIR
            WITH OPEN BOOK I’VE EXPLORED THE WORLD
            THRU ITS PAGES MY CURIOSITY TAKES ME THERE

TITUS CHEEVERS

 

Titus Cheevers was in jail
Had been there for many years
A man not to mess with
Did his best to generate fear

The leader of the Cheevers gang
Wasn’t a crime they wouldn’t do
Robbery, burglary, selling drugs
Were examples, to name a few

One day Titus got caught
Found guilty, sentenced to forty years
An inmate to be reckoned with
Using tactics of mostly fear

Then one day he was cornered
By four men carrying shivs
Almost dead, took to the infirmary
The doctor doubted that he’d live

While in his bed King Jesus came
Stood over him through the night
Titus Cheevers felt something new
As peace overcame his fright

Jesus softly whispered in his ear
Told Titus he loved him, indeed
Told him on the cross He died
How the beating made Him bleed

Skeptical Old Titus was at first
Until Jesus showed him His scars
He looked into those gentle eyes
Realized his sinning had gone too far

Old Titus Cheevers, he got saved
His sinful days are now long past
In his cell, he has Bible studies
Touting his salvation, here to last

Old Titus Cheevers, he has changed
No longer is he a man to be feared
He led many inmates to the Lord
He ministered all his remaining years

THE WESTERN SKIES

 

Have you ever observed the stars at night
In the darkness of a western Montana sky?
Unencumbered by the glare of city lights
How the heavenly array will make you sigh

Imagine finding a place to get comfortable
Perhaps on a blanket where you can recline
Then use your jacket for a soft headrest
Lay back, open your eyes to beauty defined

Many of the constellations are there before you
And what is amazing, they’ve all been named
From the beginning of time, they’ve been there
Each one is distinctly different, none the same

All of these are the handiwork of Almighty God
And in one day they were spoken into being
The absolute magnitude of what He has done
Is breathtaking and so well worth you seeing

In Genesis God spent a long week at work
On the fourth day the stars He then created
With His Word, they came forth into existence
What He did that day can not be underrated

If you know your Bible you will understand
The reason you and the stars are here
We are all a part of His holy Master plan
And that our purpose in life is distinctly clear

We are to worship Him, praise His name
And acknowledge that He is our Lord
That all of the beauty that is around you
Was to bring us to Him in one accord

These thoughts will surely overwhelm you
As those western Montana skies, you gaze
Then come to understand that what you see
Was created by the Ancient Of Days

 A few years ago I was in western Montana and indeed took in the night sky. Absolutely magnificent. No wonder they call it the Big Sky country!  I will never forget it.  It rather humbles me to think that God made all of this.  He loved us. He surely does.

A JOB TO DO

 

The game was tied, bottom of the ninth
Bases were loaded, there were two outs
The batter at the plate was the pitcher
Him hitting the ball? There were doubts

His season batting average was abysmal
He had only had one very lucky hit
As fate would have it, he was up
Right now, on the bench, he’d rather sit

The opposing pitcher smiled, threw the ball
Dust flew as it smacked the catcher’s mitt
“Strike one!” the umpire made the call
The batter grimaced, then glared a bit

“Strike two!” the umpire made it clear
And the bleachers began to empty out
The batter prayed under his breath
“Please, Lord! Not the last out!”

The pitcher nodded and then let fly
It was a fastball, low and outside
The batter took a mighty swing, connected
And to deep center field, it flied

Shocked, the center fielder misjudged the ball
And over his head, that ball went
It bounced off the center field wall
From third base, the runner was sent

Victory was won at that last moment
By one that was the least expected
All because a batter urgently prayed
Got an answer, ball and bat connected

Jesus was also in a desperate situation
One that He was forced to win
All He had to endure and painfully do
Was a beating then die for our sin

He also was the least expected one
He didn’t win the victory by using force
The method He used was all about love
He died on the cross, ran the course

His victory came in the nick of time
And it took Satan out of the game
When you take time to contemplate
He and the pitcher were basically the same

 

I am so glad that Jesus won against Satan!  We would be living in a really messed up world.  I can't imagine it being any worse than it already is. Makes me shudder to think about it!

A MATTED KNOTTED MESS

 
She came running through a bramble bush
Seeing me, she came bouncing to my side
Plopped down at my feet, she panted
One look at her and I immediately cried

Her hair was a matted, knotted mess
She had huge cockleburs on her ears and nose
I saw that she had been in the creek
Feet dripping wet, mud between her toes

I made the mistake of saying her name
Moments later she crawled into my lap
Slobbering, wet feet, and stinky dog hair
Was my fate, I began to feel trapped

Get down, she didn’t want to do
Not one hundred twenty pounds of dog
Sprawled out in a big hairy heap
Was that massive, stinky, canine log

Scold her? No way that I ever could
When she looked me square in the eye
With only a love that a dog can give
She licked my nose and made me cry

How can you ever be mad at a pet?
Especially one that crawled into your heart
Because no matter what they do
Your love for each other will never part

 

The inspiration for this poem is my daughters golden retrievers. Not too long ago I was at her house and ran into this problem. Their dogs {5} were running loose through the woods and stream. Each came back a dripping wet, tangled up mess. One was so bad we had to take it to the groomer's to have it taken care of. As aggravating as it was, you can't help but love them. And they return the love with unconditionality.

TRUTH OR CONSEQUENCES

 

It matters not whomever you are
Or what you claim are your defenses
How your life, it does turn out
All depends on the truth or consequences

You can live a blessed holy life
Or suffer in Satan’s trenches
What you decide dictates your life
It’s all truth or consequences

For Satan, he will try his best
To control, override all your senses
If you allow him to have free reign
You’ll reap no truth, just consequences

One thing you for sure find
You can’t straddle moral fences
For if you are found lukewarm
The results are truth or consequences

If you hear the Holy Word of God
Ignore it, are one of the densest
Then to Hell, you are surely bound
For ignoring truth or consequences

JUST WHAT I AM

 

The Bible says I’m a new creation
That I have been born again
My transformation took place
When I repented of all my sins

inside me there dwells a power
Something holy and sacred to me
This power emanates from the cross
It should be evident to see

While here I’m supposed to use it
In every situation where there’s a need
When I gave my heart to Him
There’s no way that I can’t succeed

I have a helper while here on Earth
He whispers to me all the time
Holy Spirit, one of the Godhead
Keeps me from committing a crime

So, while here I have a mission
To tell as many people as I can
About the relationship that I’m in
With Lord Jesus, the Great I Am

I am told that I have a new home
Somewhere up in the eastern sky
I plan to take as many as I can
To Heaven, one day we will fly

The question? Just what I am”
I am the child of the newborn King
And considering what I once was
To Him my praises I always bring

FILTHY LUCRE

 

For thirty pieces of filthy silver
Our Lord Jesus was betrayed
The temptation was put before him
And Judas, from the Master, strayed

It’s been called the root of all evil
This monetary system we have
The lust to have more of it
Becomes a destroying balm or salve

It can control you if you allow it
Make you do things you shouldn’t
Make you say things not true
Things that you normally wouldn’t

Because of it greed also reigns
And you ruthlessly strive for more
If you don’t get a grip on it
Chances are you’ll enter Hell’s door

On the bright side, money exists
To help people in desperate need
When used correctly and by faith
When sown becomes a financial seed

When given as your required tithe
It allows God to do mighty works
This filthy lucre becomes a tool
The results become a holy perk

So, money can be so many things
It can uplift or be your downfall
It depends on how it is used
Either for Satan or a most holy call