Best Counsels Poems
God sees the poor in spirit* groaning in pain
Languishing in fleshly miseries where they’re slain
Being ruled by discouragement that’s vain
While hoping for His miracle to gain.
God invites them to immerse himself in His loving domain!
God hears them crying for divine aid and support
Excruciating from downfall’s discomfort
Wailing due to deceit and false report
While begging for His help, their ultimate resort.
God leads them to kneel with faith humbly before His gracious fort!
God knows them needing for urgent care
Beseeching for His assured welfare
Ailing with discontentment’s scare
While longing for His promises they treat as rare.
God brings them to His throne where at His blessings they can stare!
God understands them sighing anxiously
Expressing their complaints sorrowfully
Murmuring about unfairness grudgingly
While questioning their state bitterly.
God counsels them to seek His will meaningfully!
God recognizes them in their struggles against frustration
Succumbing to sinfulness’ oppression
Leaning toward welcoming desperation
While craving for His pardon’s restoration.
God grants them forgiveness upon confessing their iniquities of destruction!
God remembers them cringing in difficulty
Mourning over their self-inflicted calamity
Grieving because of worldliness-caused infirmity
While yearning for His joy and tranquility.
God cares for them with His mercy, guiding them by His light’s authority!
God pities them in their woes as they feel worthless
Wallowing in the futility of slothfulness
Afflicted with the guilt of fruitlessness
Pleading for His compassion and faithfulness.
God instructs them to serve Him thru His power to enjoy His bountifulness!
*Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
December 15, 2018
7th place, "Tinker, Taylor" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Julia Ward; judged on 12/29/2018.
Blissfully wondering
here am I serenely imagining
yet not lost in my virtual wandering
mindfully comprehending
my future triumphant standing
as forgiven sinner of mercy’s outpouring
before the Lord, humbling…
On heaven’s golden street, trekking
my feet, anchored upon Christ’s securing
forever to enjoy sublime celestial exploring
eternal abode devoid of sun and moon shining
since Creator’s glory is magnificently lighting
City of God along precious stones brightening
gates surrounded by twelve pearls --- holiness radiating…
Then toward pure river of life witnessing
such water, clear as crystal bursting
and out of Almighty’s throne proceeding
showing me supreme Providence reigning
as praise-filled alleluias He is well-deserving
ceaselessly ring with the redeemed singing
echoing pure devotion --- adoration, reverberating…
Cognizant midst divine musing
against torturous everlasting hell-wandering
my rescued soul, freed from eternal suffering
not anymore lost by Christ’s grace-granting
keeps on thanking Him, exalting*, praising
His name while His countenance beholding
midst faith-brightened eyes, worshipping.
*Isaiah 25:1 O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.
December 14, 2021
3rd place, "Pick-A-Title, Vol 27" Poetry Writing Contest
Sponsored by Edward Ibeh; judged on 12/31/2021.
In my special child’s room, delightfully cozy
There watches Smidgeburner, his ape stuffed toy, cuddly fuzzy
Alongside prettisome guru, chimpanzee Betzy
Donning a hat declaring “God does not bless the lazy!”
Then Smidgeburner, a.k.a Smidge becomes busy
Tidying the bed-zoo against being messy
Guru Betzy supervises, never bossy
Smiling, she commends, “Wow; room’s not lousy!”
While cleaning, Smidge feels tired and dizzy
Turning jovial mood into a sickening frenzy...
Betzy counsels, “Working well never makes one crazy”
So she hums a tune that invites good air, soothingly breezy.
As Smidgeburner rests in their secured haven, warmly grassy
Betzy, the loving lovely guardian, is not anymore uneasy.
Concluding the monkey-tale, I hug my boy who’s now drowsy
Thanking God* for pacifying his spasm epilepsy.
*2Chronicles 5:13 …praising and thanking the LORD; …For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever.
March 13, 2019
1st place, "The Smidget Puggily and Her Prettisome Guru" Poetry Contest Sponsored by Caren Krutsinger; judged on 3/27/2019.
Our slip away begins
From the moment of our first-drawn breath.
I've been dying all my life, I see
Yet still can smile at Death.
For if Death is Dissolution,
What cause is this for fear?
There is nothing here more terrible
Than the merging of an ocean with a tear.
Great seas roll far within us,
So as well, wide skies.
Salt of blood. wind of lungs
Descend to deeps, ascend to clouds,
As each new traveler dies.
So if the End means Meetings, Revelations
- Though my heart counsels otherwise -
Shall I then be deemed the less
For seeking soul's reflection
In lover's face, in children's eyes?
In worshipping the Lord, we exalt His name*
As the Creator Who remains immutably the same
Along His resplendent holiness’ fame
Around brightening majestic flame
Amidst our assured salvation-claim!!!
In worshipping the Lord, we extol His sovereignty
As the Leader Who exercises supreme authority
Along His infallible wisdom’s infinity
Around unending ages toward eternity
Amidst our heaven-sealed security!!!
In worshipping the Lord, we expose His compassion
As the Saviour Who cares with merciful devotion
Along His ready pardon’s provision
Around redeeming sacrifice-function
Amidst our hell-rescued soul’s condition!!!
*Isaiah 25:1 O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.
March 23, 2019
October 17 Relationship to God Bible Meditations Based on Acts 8-9
Key Verse – Acts 8:10 To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God.
LORD GOD, YOU ARE MY GREAT AND POWERFUL CHRIST
Lord God, You are my great and powerful Christ,
always working beyond my incapacity
Thank You for healing me of my sin-caused infirmity
Truly extricating me from bewitching worldliness-vanity
Indeed beholding me with Your loving security.
Lord God, You are my great and powerful Christ,
always responding beyond my prayerfulness
Thank You for prodding me to do well with Your gracious steadfastness
Truly convicting me to repent of my unrighteousness
Indeed pardoning me with Your forgiving zealousness.
Lord God, You are my great and powerful Christ,
always granting beyond my desire
Thank You for declaring to me through the Scripture what You require
Truly moving me to believe You along Your revival fire
Indeed making me rejoice in Your bliss that does not retire.
Lord God, You are my great and powerful Christ,
always rescuing beyond my threatened situation
Thank You for accompanying me in my spiritual journey along Your direction
Truly leading me through Your divine vision
Indeed showing me Your goodness with Your compassion.
Lord God, You are my great and powerful Christ,
always upholding beyond my strengthened might
Thank You for proving to me Your amazing and confounding light
Truly watching me by Your counsels so right
Indeed taking me away from harm by Your protecting sight.
Lord God, You are my great and powerful Christ,
always cheering beyond my fear
Thank You for comforting me as to Your heart You draw me near
Truly making me whole against iniquity-affliction’s tear
Indeed enclosing me around Your care I hold so dear.
Lord God, You are my great and powerful Christ,
always comforting beyond my grievous weeping
Thank You for consoling me in my frustration-groping
Truly lifting me up when I lament, miserably coping while hoping
Indeed supplying me with Your blessings that are heaping.
October 17, 2023
Featured as Poetry Soup Poem of the Week, October 22-28, 2023
A Mother’s Love
She rises with the morning sun,
And starts her day out on the run;
When afternoon, the clock strikes one,
Her day has only just begun;
Why even when she’s having fun,
A Mother’s work is never done!
Her love is given one-to-one,
To ev’ry daughter, ev’ry son;
For even when she’s ninety-one,
A Mother’s love shan’t be undone.
Through all her joys, and all her tears,
For all her dreams, and all her fears,
Through all her days, through all the years,
Her children’s hearts, a Mother hears.
Sweet lullabies, and nursery rhymes,
She sings and reads at their bedtimes,
She kisses knees that made tree climbs,
And kisses cheeks a thousand times.
She teaches first what’s right from wrong,
She builds in them a spine that’s strong.
She scolds them when they tell a lie,
Provides strong faith which to rely.
When cupid’s arrow first flies by,
She comforts when things go awry,
She counsels each child not to cry,
But give it one more worthy try.
And when at last from nest they fly,
She gives her bittersweet good-bye.
The bond between them reassures,
A Mother’s love always endures.
And though a Mother’s work ends not,
It’s through her love what she has wrought;
Into this world each child she’s brought;
Each doctor, lawyer, astronaut;
Not ever has one once forgot,
They owe to Mom all that they’ve got!
I wandered the vastness of the universe
Just to meet you here
I considered many life times to glimpse
Your adorable essence
I explored the magical land of Atlantis
Even the technological Lemuria
I lived a couple of thousands of years in Sumeria
And learned to spoke magical words
I lived with the hundreds of lambs in Syria
To learn how to live with them in the barren land
I was in Mongolia to learn how to cook food
And created my own menu
I was with the Emperor and Empress of Japan
To be one of their counsels
I was once a daughter of a peasant in Italy
Learned to live with a single meal a day
I learned to fly an airplane in France
And leave my profession for marriage
I craved to wrote songs in Canada
But still longed for someone I knew
I was with you in the battle ground of ancient Egypt
I learned how to kill and to be killed then
I tried to discover more about myself
Lived inside a cave of mountainous Indonesia
I entered the great temple of India
To learn how to be the master of my surroundings
But died when a mysterious epidemic spread
I created more thoughts and realized inside a cell in Chile
And killed myself for an escape to my wrong ordeals
I existed again to work on my rippled karma
I visited the temples of Tibet to find peace
I discovered how to heal myself
And every person I tormented
I roamed around the great City of Brazil
But to no avail I never saw someone like you
I remembered why I am here then
I still chased you in further ground of Incas
But nothing happened
You still left me for another person
I continued to soar within this land
And was killed while counting miles across the sea of England
I explored the lessons of to be abandoned
As I always waited for this love
I was catapulted again in the battle fields of the Philippines
Where I was killed in an ambush with my three comrades
Yet my desire never materialized
I returned here being wary you was out of life again
I decided to go back to the golden planet
But escaped before the capsule like craft flown
While have had a thought in mind
That I am expected you to came
And now finally we bumped each other again
This will be the last life I shall chose to see you
Since I planned long before this moment
I will be home where I am from
And be one with my sparks.
Over a course of past yester-years,
prayed the prayer to live forever single; forever with Him-
worshiping, praising while tracing the inner counsels of Him.
Laboring after laboring to prescind from woman's private-teers-
Though much like man, fell victim...sin after sin;
red lips after red lips again and again.
Oscillating between the Flesh and the Spirit that seldom end-
Seems life in the midst of life isn't life without sin.
Knew not how to deviate from that prescribed heading,
until an hour your heart bored its marks upon mine.
Yes...your fathomless and saccharine love cultivated mine.
And in turn, life's atmosphere had altered a new setting.
And the testament of that garnished love carved out
is now the center of all this Worlds' blessing.
Prayed the prayer this past yester-day,
you of that impeccable and peerless heart proceed to stay-
that we both worship and praise Him in every way,
while tracing the inner counsels of Him everyday...
Until Heavens' Gates,
Forever living-
one Spirit,
Husband
and
Wife
INK-U-SCRIPT
04/07/2014
My place
There also is my place, where I explore my understanding
Of words that are said and thoughts revealed, interpretations made;
Intimacy shared and dissected, speculations proffered and discarded,
And wisdom is given and received, the acolyte at the master’s feet.
It is my space and, like another place, is defined
By boundaries that keep us within the precincts of confidentiality;
Although I unspokenly stretch these boundaries to my own ends,
And bring my world into the professional arena of supervision.
I look within, to my past and the life I have lived,
And Terence speaks across the centuries to remind me:
"*****sum, humani nihil a me alienum puto", restatement
That I am human, and live and feel as do those I counsel.
We live in parallel worlds, my client, my supervisor; and me,
Who counsels others yet who explores himself, whose
Understandings of others are but insights into his own
Psyche and his struggles for understanding and closure.
Nothing human is alien to me, and I forget my role, sometimes;
And move into my own spotlight, that I may illuminate
Myself with the insights gained from you, who is here,
Before me, my supervisor and unwitting therapist to me.
And you? You also watch, alert to my half spoken thoughts.
A mirror, that bends and shapes the reflection of myself
To reveal unformed understandings, to give them meaning
And substance; a shaft of sunlight penetrating murky
Waters, that both teaches, and counsels me.
Admonitions well-expressed in verses
maxim or adage that truly blesses
your wise counsels are valuable indeed
like Scripture proverbs my soul rehearses.
With your narratives of faith-propped fervour
along vibrant lesson-filled endeavour
your voice reverberating through poetry
shouts experiences with worthy savour.
Echoing your delightful victories
via testimonies and good stories
your lingering poetic legacy
lives on beyond nostalgic memories.
Thankful am I for your virtue-advice
reminding me of David-Psalms’ great price
precious in exalting name of the Lord*
midst communion in prayer-paradise.
*Deuteronomy 32:3 Because I will publish the name of the LORD: ascribe ye greatness unto our God.
March 15, 2021
1st place, "ALL YOURS (Apr 12)" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Brian Strand; judged on 4/12/2021.
Forgiven---
my heart triumphs
with love
to share and give
midst bitterness’ angst…
Delighted---
my soul
stays grateful
praise-filled
reaches out…
Jubilant---
my faith, fortified
empowered for service
works
exalting my LORD*.
*Isaiah 25:1 O LORD, thou art my God; I will exalt thee, I will praise thy name; for thou hast done wonderful things; thy counsels of old are faithfulness and truth.
September 9, 2019
2nd place, "STRAND SELECT 10,any form ,any theme" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Brian Strand; judged on 1/13/2020.
Walking In Such Green Paradise
On a clear and frosty morn
I climb yet another hill
Below smokes flows from homes
This life gives another thrill.
Clouds float by east to west
Sun peeks shyly in and out
Early red sun came too fast
In joy, I give out a shout.
Walking in such green paradise
This heart feels another prayer
Lord of each and every tree
Counsels me each and every hour.
As darkness races on to spread
I descend down from the hills
Thanks to He that blesses me
I find joy, life and such thrills.
Walking in such green paradise
This heart feels another prayer
Lord of each and every tree
Counsels me each and every hour.
Robert J. Lindley, 01-01-2015
My best Friend is my Saviour and Lord Jesus Christ Who knows my condition!
My soul He freed from hell’s eternal damnation
He redeemed me, assuring me His salvation
Making me a heaven-bound citizen with eternal life’s possession.
My best Friend is my satisfaction Grantor Who shows my bestowed privilege!
My spirit He assured that I’m His child He does acknowledge
He endowed me with precious inheritance based on His pledge
Making me a potential investor in His divine work’s mileage.
My best Friend is my tranquility Source Who fixes my peaceful being!
My body He made the temple of the Holy Spirit I must be obeying
He enables me to grow in His grace while unceasingly praying
Making me a blessed Christian, while in His will, I keep on staying.
My best Friend is He Who completes my wholeness!
My heart He fills with His joy, mirth and gladness
He meets my insufficiency and nothingness with timeliness
Making me a rich heir in His gracious and loving bountifulness.
My best Friend settles my perspective!
My mind He renewed when my sins He did forgive
He teaches me by His counsels that His Word delights to give
Making me a wise learner, as for Him, I decide to live.
My best Friend builds up my testimony’s history!
My desire He has geared toward proclaiming the Gospel story
He subdues my selfishness, pride, and worldliness that bring me misery
Making me a faithful steward, determined to serve Him toward His victory.
My best Friend* is my life’s sturdy anchor!
My strength He empowers by His might where I find succor
He straightens me in my pursuit for holiness while for Him I labor
Making me a sincere life-builder who leads others to His friendship’s harbor.
*James 2:23 And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God.
May 9, 2018
PRAYER FOR MY HEART
With evil motives provoking me
Hardening my will obstinately…
My God, I entrust my heart to Your control
For You indeed know that out of it are the issues of life.*
With negative reactions causing my faithlessness
Drowning my soul into doubtfulness’ depths...
My God, I submit my heart to Your grace
For You alone can thwart its deceitful schemes.
With foolish counsels pulling me down to frustration
Leading my spirit to wallow in despair...
My God, I yield my heart to Your authority
For You surely are my Master and Lord.
With haughtiness keeping me unyielding
Weakening my moral-spiritual fortitude…
My God, I subject my heart to Your discipline
For You can smite my stubbornness of arrogance-origin.
By faith in You, through Jesus Christ's name,
I entreat for Your answer, believing...
Thanking and praising You...
...Assured that You hearken to my silent prayer.
*Proverbs 4:23 “Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.”
February 2, 2019
Edited on February 26, 2019
10th place, "Pick A Title - Free Verse" Poetry Contest
Sponsored by Edward Ibeh; judged on 3/9/2019.