Just Can’t Remember

 

 

I went back inside

For what, I can’t remember

And this happens daily

From January to December.

 

It has to be important

Though what, I cannot say

And believe me when I tell you

It happens every day.

 

Those two appliances

I mix up all the time:

The microwave and refrigerator

Always come to mind.

 

One is near the other

And that could be why

But I check myself at the very last

And I’m still getting by.

 

If you lose something

First check your hand,

Friend, it’s not a laughing matter,

Not even nearly, fam.

 

If you miss your phone

Why not check your ear?

That’s where it could well be;

I just hope you hear.

 

 

What is your name?

I can’t recall it now,

I know we’ve been friends a while

But I’ve forgotten somehow.

 

It happened recently

But I can’t remember who,

You can laugh at me all you want

But it happens to you too.

 

I am still driving

And I still do so at nights

And I do not have any problem

With oncoming lights.

 

I fight fire with fire

And I have bright lights too,

Keep your bright lights in my eyes

And mine will affect your view. 

 

 

 

The lights are no bother

But often I don’t recall

And the land marks I see in the day

At night aren’t there at all.

 

They simply disappear

Or go into hiding

And don’t come out to direct me

At night when I’m driving.

 

And those roundabouts!

At night they confuse me

Especially those far-out ones

Not negotiated recently.

 

Even the Internet

Where I spend much time,

Sometimes I just can’t remember

Something I want to find.

 

But I remember my name

And my address too

And if I forget either of these,

I can ask you.

 

 

And I remember family

At least for the most part,

And I still remember the one

That’s closest to my heart.

 

I can still write a poem

With relative ease

Whether it is an important topic

Or just to tease.

 

And most of all,

I still trust in God

And I do remember and declare,

He is my all in all.

 

Stewart Russell © November 30, 2024

 

 

Best of Friends Worst of Enemies

 

 

Water, wind and fire:

Excellent helpers indeed,

Ah! But they can turn in a flash

And on life and lively-hood feed.

 

Sources of energy, all three:

Driving turbines and mills,

But at times seem bent on destruction

As though on a mission to kill.

 

Essentially life supporting

But also, robbers of life

As they rant and rave in their fury

Creating all manner of strife.

 

 

Water, a source of life

Which, without we can’t survive

Yet, when on its path of destruction,

There is scarcely a place to hide.

 

Floods on land and perils at sea

Testing the human endurance

And oft leaving man on the losing end

Showing its abject intolerance.

 

As though in possession of life

And having a mind of its own

It sets out to trample a sworn enemy

And take him off his throne.

 

 

Wind, no less devastating

And able to move most in its path,

When in its most destructive mood

Marks wherever it has passed.

 

Unmistakable evidence

That suggests, “I have been here

And I can return whenever I want

So, man, you had better beware!”

 

 

This wind blowing on my bare shoulders

As I compose this poem

Can become a raving lunatic

And cause me a colossal problem.

 

 

Fire that cooks our meals

And provides heat in the wintry cold

Cuts a swathe through acres of forest

And causes losses untold.

 

Loss of vegetation and of life

Leaving the area an unlivable zone,

Trees undressed and the earth parched

And nowhere for animals to roam.

 

 

Hard earned earthly possessions

All are gone in a flash

When for some unknown reason

Through the forest fire makes a dash.

 

Water, wind and fire:

Best of friends and worst of enemies,

At one time, tranquil and calm

Next, destroying this serenity.

 

Best of friends and worst of enemies

Depending on the event,

Very reliable and dependable

Until they are ready to vent.

 

 

Life is dependent on all three:

Water, wind and fire

But whenever they get insanely mad

Life becomes particularly dire.

 

Harness them wherever you can

And make them work for you

But be aware, that the time will come,

When the other side will come true.

 

Stewart Russell © September 28, 2022

 

Can We Be Certain?

 

 

Where are our loved ones now?

Do we know for sure?

Are they in heaven as some believe,

Or somewhere outside its door?

 

And if they are in heaven

Why are we reluctant to join them?

The effort we put in to stay alive

Does indicate a problem.

 

I know there is an appointed time

That we must leave this place

But except for the old and indigent

Re eagerness, there is not a trace.

 

 Christians generally want to live;

They do not want to die,

The sadness we see at a funeral

Does not that reality imply.

 

Funerals should be like weddings

A time of rejoicing and mirth,

If heaven is where we are going

We should rejoice to leave this earth.

 

When a death prognosis is given

It should be like winning the lotto:

“Hello my friends and loved ones

It’s off to heaven I go.”

 

Instead, there is wistful thinking

And a longing to remain

Even though there is the consolation

That we will be out of our pain.

 

If a poll was duly conducted

To ascertain most Christians’ desire

Whether to die or to go on living,

Very few would opt to expire.

 

Like I said, the old and the indigent

For whom life holds no hope,

They would opt to die

As well as those who cannot cope.

 

 

 

It seems to me we are not sure

Where we go when we die,

For, given the way we respond to dying,

Certainty is not implied.

 

However, I must still ask the question

And I desire to hear your reply

Whether you know for certain

If it’s to heaven we go when we die.

 

Give me Bible chapter and verse

For I truly want to know,

But I am only prepared to accept

What the Bible actually shows.

 

Stewart Russell © June 2020

 

The Carrington Journey

 

From the humblest of beginnings

The Carrington Church grew,

From a tiny seed in 1918

To its present and imposing view.

 

One hundred years have passed

Since that historic year,

Not only for the birth of our church

But also World War 1 and its attendant fear.

 

For it was during the war years

That the Carrington church was born

And the fact of its survival

Should make our hearts feel warm.

 

Originally cited at Quakers Road

As a small community church

It leapt into prominence

Through evangelizing and growth spurts.

 

Given some impetus by its first two ministers

Namely Reverends LS Miler and CP Jorge

The composite group of Mission members

Would together and onward forge.

 

Ably assisted by Mayhew, Wilkinson and Farnum

There was a drive for a better church building

To house the group of disaffected members

That had left the churches they were attending.

 

Services were held four times a week

But the stay at Quakers Road was a fleeting one,

In two and a half to three years time

The congregation to Welches had gone.

 

  

It would be quite remiss not to mention

The invaluable support from the Church at White Park,

Their encouragement in prayer and presence

Also gave the Carrington Church a running start.

 

For just a month at Welches they stayed

Before to the Bridge Road location they diverged,

Thanks to Pastor James and Salome Smith

In their building the Pilgrims and Baptists could merge.

 

By 1929 this building had to be extended

For the congregation was growing by leaps and bounds,

By 1954 it was 160 members and growing

And as a result a larger church building had to be found.

 

A site was purchased in 1954 to build a larger church

But the owner wanted no church on her land,

Having returned the money she expressed as much

So that land for the new church was still a demand.

 

Better would come in the year 1955

Which was the year of hurricane Janet,

The present site of the Carrington church was acquired

And preparatory construction work was started on it.

 

Of course as could be expected there was a delay

Since Hurricane Janet had caused a terrible fix

But the church members worked hard and faithfully

Until the building was completed in late 1956.

 

 

The new church was special from the very start

Having had two services of dedication

Reverend Sanders conducted the first at its completion

While Rev Flexon’s service was like a second edition

 

The attendances were 1500 and 100 respectively

But the second date was accepted as the official dedication

Since this 1957 date was in honour of Rev. and Mrs. Olsen,

They had given generously to assist in the construction.

 

 

The Carrington church was special in its outreach

And helped to established two other assemblies:

One of these was the Dean’s Village/Cave Hill Church

And the other was in the Britton Hill community.

 

In 2015 the latter of these two celebrated 60 years

With the publication of a commemorative magazine

In which 12 year-old Nita Clarke of Carrington Sunday school

Is credited for initiating the church at the Britton Hill scene.

 

As a result of this Sunday school student’s zeal

She started a Sunday school class in her neighbourhood,

Starting with family and friends it flourished and grew

Until on April 24, 1955 a new church in Britton Hill stood.

 

The Carrington Church is known for its leaders

From Rev. PC Jorge to its present Rev. Clayton Springer,

In between were Reverends LS Brathwaite and J Tucker

Followed by P Dummett, Oswald “Boss” Clarke and LL Miller.

 

Some of Carrington’s pastors were American missionaries

Like Reverends LL Miller, DG Felker and AM Doll,

These all preceded the Reverend IM Wickham

Who from 1947 to 1962 was faithful to the call.

 

Rev IM Wickham

 

He was followed by his good friend and brother,

None other than the Reverend GC West,

Wessie, as some called him, had big shoes to fill

But decidedly wore his own shoes for the difficult test.

 

Rev GC West

 

He passed with flying colours having served 26 years

That still stands as a record up to this day,

Like Wickham before him he related to both young and old

But unlike the other, each had his own distinctive way.

 

Wickham a winning smile, West a serious veneer

But both captivating preachers with messages clear,

Faithful to God, their church and their call

They dealt with each member in a way that was fair.

 

Rev Haynesley Griffith

 

From the north of Barbados came a young pastor,

To serve for ten years appeared to be the plan,

In 1989 he came and in 1999 he left,

The Reverend Haynesley Griffith was that man.

 

With extraordinary administrative skills he came

And stamped his authority in a positive way,

He was family oriented, hence his counseling clinic

Such that after he left he has continued till today.

 

A scholar of the Word there was certainly no doubt

As the frequent exchanges had shown,

He taught what God had laid on his heart

And with the enlightened membership he held his own.

 

Wickham had found West but Griffith trained Taylor

And the latter in each case had taken over

So that there was never a break in the leadership

As there had always appeared an inevitable successor.

 

Rev Ricardo Taylor

 

Reverend Ricardo Taylor began as assistant to Rev Griffith

With the responsibility for steering the youth,

He pastored the Carrington church for seven years

And demonstrated a profound knowledge of biblical truth.

 

On the heels of Rev Taylor came the Rev Clayton Springer

With a seriousness that belied his smiling appearance,

He has come with a plan to move the church forward

And from all evidence will tolerate no deterrents.

Rev Clayton Springer

 

His appears to be a balanced approach

To cater to the needs of both the old and the young

With a precise programme for affirming the old

Without ignoring the developmental needs of the young.

 

Located opposite a post office

The Carrington message is a message with a difference:

The message from God to lost humanity

That a life outside of Christ makes no sense.

 

Hence its resolve to engage its community

At the level of both the seniors and the youth

With the age old message that Jesus still saves

And is the embodiment of all that is the truth.

 

It’s time to refuel, recharge, resuscitate and resume

That is the word from Rev Springer’s address,

The church has been repositioned to advance God’s kingdom

And nothing at all must stop that progress.

 

As they celebrate their 100^th year of ministry

In this the month of February,

May they take fresh guard for another century

And purposefully continue The Carrington Journey.

 

Lord we give you praise and thanks for these 100 years,

Supply the needed strength, divine wisdom and clear direction

So that as the Gospel message is truthfully proclaimed,

Lost souls would come to the knowledge of your great salvation.

 

Amen!

 

Stewart Russell © February 4, 2018

 

Reference: An Abbreviated History of the Carrington Wesleyan Holiness Church

www.carringtons-wesleyan.com/418145368

(1918-2015)

 

A Dead Body and a Body

  

A dead body and a body

Are not the same,

If for one moment you thought so

Then you are insane.

 

If you say the two aloud

Even this is different,

Say the two as if in conversation;

Do so with intent!

 

A dead body and a body

See what I mean?

Come on man, say it like a Bajan

At a specific scene.

 

All too regular these days-

The scene, I mean,

And the authorities are so helpless

I could scream.

 

  

 

But you get the point

I am trying to get across:

One is quite all right but the other

Signals a loss.

 

The police never say

A man was discovered

Or for that matter if it were a woman,

They say neither.

 

A was body was discovered,

They say instead

And straight off the back we know,

The body was dead.

 

A dead body and a body?

Not the same thing:

One is for all purposes surely dead

While the other is living.

 

 

 

That is English for you

Regarding comprehension

But a good old Bajan can pick meaning

Just by inflection.

 

A dead body and a body:

A difference in inflection,

For a person who is musically inclined,

It’s easy detection.

 

The syllables in the former

Will carry the same tone

While the second syllable in the latter

Is in a higher zone.

 

 

 

A dead body and a body

Sweet Bajan talk-sing,

But one body is dead as a door nail;

The other is living.

 

Stewart Russell © March 26, 2026

 

Salvation’s Five-Alone

 

 

‘Tis a strange topic

And I agree

But stay awhile my friend

And you will see.

 

Salvation’s five-alone

Is mostly three

But I heard another two

Just recently.

 

 

 

‘Tis by “grace alone”

God’s grace,

Not by status or ethnicity

Meaning race.

 

 

 

‘Tis by “faith alone”

Endued faith,

Given by God our Father

To about face.

 

 

 

In “Christ alone”

In disrepute

Nailed to a rugged cross:

Our substitute.

 

Salvation’s three-alone

O’er and o’er

But stay with me a tad longer

For two more.

 

 

 

“Unto the glory

Of God alone”

Who by His Son for sin

Atoned.

 

 

 

“According to:

The Scriptures alone”:

God’s Word delivered to us

From His Throne.

 

Salvation’s five-alone

Instead of three

But do note, my Christian friend,

Stated biblically.

 

 

 

Thus, salvation is:

By grace alone

Through faith alone

In Christ alone

Unto the glory of God alone

According to the Scriptures alone.

 

‘Tis no longer strange

I trust you agree,

You’ve stayed awhile my friend

And now you see.

 

Stewart Russell © November 23, 2025