A Quiet House

This weekend my wife is staying with her mother who is recouperating from a broken leg. This morning the house is very quiet. I am aware of how empty this house is when she is away. Not only does she make this house feel like a home by the way she takes care of it; by the way she displays items, pictures, reminders of family, events, times we have spent together; by the little things I notice that she adds or changes which keeps the house fresh and more alive; but she also makes this house feel like home because she is here with me. No place would feel like home if she were not there with me. As I sit in this house, empty of her, I am reminded of how empty my life would be without her in it. She adds the spice, the decoration, the warmth, the excitement, the anticipation of life, the love; she adds everything I need in a companion, a helper, a friend, a lover. Yes, she is indeed God's complete gift to me as my life's mate. I don't like these times of loneliness without her, but they do serve as a reminder of just how much she means to me; of just how blessed I am to have her in my life

The First Easter Celebration

I wrote this Easter of 2011 as I contemplated what must have taken place in heaven on the first Easter as the angels, unaware of the complete plan of the Father, witnessed the events among men. I thought I would share again this year as the celebration approaches once more.


All heaven stood aghast as they nailed Him to the cross.
The Hope of man to be crucified; would all Hope now be lost?
The angels gathered ‘round the throne as if the Father to console.
No singing from within was heard; no words of praise to extol.
There He hangs ‘twix Heaven and Earth, life slowly slipping away;
The Savior of Man, the Son of God, shouldn’t need die this way.

The sky turned black. All angels mourn. Death has had its due.

The men on earth had failed to see the Love which they all knew.
They laid Him in a borrowed grave and placed a seal thereon.
Therein lay the Prince of Peace who once sat on His throne.
In darkness, still and quiet, the grave held tight its prey,
Three days passed, heaven stilled, as death held life at bay.

The Father summoned His messengers, His plans to them revealed.

The shout came forth, the earth did shake, death at last must yield!
He chose one to go and tell, The Son has risen from the grave
The debt is paid, the way is made, mankind now to save.
The angels sing in unison once more, Hallehlu Yah.
The King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, has risen to live for Aye.

The Class of '65

A couple years ago I wrote this for my high school class' 45th year re-union. Since the next one will be upon us before I know it, I thought I would just share this once again. Maybe some inspiration will come before the next re-union. I hope so; it has been a long dry spell.

And here’s to us, the class of sixty-five.

We’re glad we’re here; we’re glad to be alive!
The years have gone and caught us by surprise.
Oh, looking-glass, we don’t believe our eyes!
What are those bulges in our clothes we see?
That silver in our hair, what could it be?
We’ve made it through the war of Vietnam.
It’s sad but some of us did not come home.
For most of us the sev’n’ties were so good.
We’d like to r’turn to those days if we could.
And then, the eighties, we were thirties bound,
And kids were there, seemed always were around.
And now the kids have children of their own.
And, most the time, we’re still glad they’re gone.
Although, we’ve learned, they never really leave.
Their times away bring just a short reprieve.
We’re glad to see the grandkids come to see.
We’re even gladder when they decide to leave.
For our role in life we all still search.
Our reputations we would not besmirch.
Retire or not retire bewilders us.
Will our funds hold out? Oh what a fuss!
It’s time to live our dreams before they’re gone.
We’ve worked so hard, it’s time to build thereon.
Give back to those who’ve given us so much,
But give a little for our own delights and such.
At last, give thanks that we are still alive,
For, cheers, we are the Class of Sixty-Five.