No one’s hangin’ stockin’s up,No one’s bakin’ pie,
No one’s lookin’ up to see
A new star in the sky.
No one’s talkin’ brotherhood,
No one’s givin’ gifts,
And no one loves a Christmas tree
On March the twenty-fifth. —Shel Silverstein
Poetry Saturday—I Can Do Something
December 5, 2020 — Craig T. Owens
I may not do much with all my care,
But I surely may bless a few;
The loving Jesus will give to me
Some work of love to do;
I may wipe the tears from some weeping eyes,
I may bring the smile again
To a face that is weary and worn with care,
To a heart that is full of pain.
I may speak His name to the sorrowful,
As I journey by their side;
To the sinful and despairing ones
I may preach of the Crucified.
I may drop some little gentle word
In the midst of some scene of strife;
I may comfort the sick and the dying
With a thought of eternal life. —Marianne Farningham
Poetry Saturday—Make My House A Home
November 21, 2020 — Craig T. Owens
The house is quiet
And I don’t like it
It just feels like a house
My stuff is all here
It’s all in its place
It just feels like a house
I need some banter
Perhaps some laughter
To make this house my home
Some hugs would be nice
Maybe a cuddle
To make this house my home —Craig T. Owens
Poetry Saturday—You-er Than You
November 14, 2020 — Craig T. Owens
Today you are you, that is truer than true.There is no one alive who is you-er than you.
Shout aloud, I am glad to be what I am.
Thank goodness I’m not a ham, or a clam,
or a dusty old jar of gooseberry jam.
I am what I am, what a great thing to be.
If I say so myself, happy everyday to me! —Dr. Seuss
Poetry Saturday—Keep Your Lips From Slips
November 7, 2020 — Craig T. Owens
If your lips would keep from slips,Five things observe with care;
To whom you speak, of whom you speak,
And how, and when, and where. —William Edward Norris
Poetry Saturday—When Sorrow Walked With Me
October 31, 2020 — Craig T. Owens
I walked a mile with Pleasure—She chattered all the way
But left me none the wiser
For all she had to say.
I walked a mile with Sorrow
And ne’er a word said she,
But, oh, the things I learned from her
When Sorrow walked with me. —Robert Browning Hamilton
The King’s English
October 27, 2020 — Craig T. Owens
I grew up reading the King James Version of the Bible. So naturally, this was the version I also memorized. Even to this day (all these many, many[!] years later), many of the verses I memorized still come back to my mind in that Olde English slant.
A few years ago we celebrated the 400th anniversary of the King James authorized translation of the Bible into English. It’s astounding to realize how many words, phrases, and concepts from this version have become mainstays in the English language. From Shakespeare’s plays right down to current writings, this “Book of books” infiltrates our thoughts and our vocabulary.
Here is an outstanding poem Glen Scrivener put together to honor the 400th anniversary of the KJV, where he attempts to share 100 phrases from this translation in 3 minutes. Enjoy!
Poetry Saturday—Life Is Brief
October 24, 2020 — Craig T. Owens
’Tis not for man to trifle. Life is brief,And sin is here.
Our age is but the falling of a leaf—
A dropping tear.
We have no time to sport away the hours:
All must be earnest in a world like ours.
Not many lives, but only one have we—
One, only one;
How sacred should that one life ever be—
That narrow span!
Day after day filled up with blessed toil,
Hour after hour still bringing in new spoil. —Horatius Bonar
Poetry Saturday—Knowing Greatness
October 17, 2020 — Craig T. Owens
O Lord my God
When I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds Thy hands have made
I see the stars
I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed
Then sings my soul
My Savior God to Thee
How great Thou art
How great Thou art (Carl Boberg)
Galaxies and snowflakes.
Volcanoes and water geysers.
Summer and winter.
Day and night.
Puppies and mosquitoes.
Red blood cells and white.
Me.
You made them all.
You know them all.
You are in them all.
How great Thou art!
I want to praise You more.
To praise You more,
I must know You more.
To know You more,
I must experience You more.
Give my eyes sharper sight.
My ears more attentive hearing.
Give my tongue better tasting.
My nose more acute smelling.
Give my skin more sensitive feeling.
All my senses more keenly aware of all Your creation.
More aware of my Creator in creation.
You are in every sight.
Sound.
Taste.
Smell.
Touch.
You are in all.
Today I want to experience You more.
To praise You more.
To know Your greatness more.
To realize Your love more.
How great Thou art! —Craig T. Owens
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Poetry Saturday—Growing Old
October 10, 2020 — Craig T. Owens
They call it “going down the hill” when we are growing old,
And speak with mournful accents when our tale is nearly told;
They sigh when talking of the past, the days that used to be,
As if the future were not bright with immortality.
But it is not going down; ‘tis climbing high and higher,
Until we almost see the mountain that our souls desire;
For if the natural eye grows dim it is but dim to earth,
While the eye of faith grows keener to discern the Savior’s worth.
Who would exchange for shooting blade the waving golden grain?
Or, when the corn is fully ripe, would wish it green again?
And who would wish the hoary head, found in the way of truth
To be again encircled in the sunny locks of youth?
For though, in truth, the outward man must perish and decay,
The inward man shall be renewed by grace from day to day;
Those who are planted by the Lord, unshaken in their root,
Shall in their old age flourish and bring forth their choicest fruit.
It is not years that make men old; the spirit may be young,
Though fully threescore years and ten the wheels of life have run.
God has Himself recorded, in His blessed Word of truth,
That they who wait upon the Lord shall even renew their youth.
And when the eye, now dim, shall open to behold the King,
And ears now dull with age shall hear the harps of Heaven ring,
And on the head now hoary shall be placed the crown of gold,
Then shall be known the lasting joy of never growing old. —Anonymous
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