4 P's in the Marriage Pod

“Young man complete schooling,”

Was my parents’ constant ruling;

“Now’s not the time to be courting

And with young ladies flirting.”

So finished my schooling I did

Job secured time to make a bid,

Grown up but alone was my plight,

From creation this was not right.

Christian I was travelling along

On life’s journey lacking in song,

Someone with whom to rejoice

I needed then to make my choice.

Coming to this fork in the road

I determined to jettison the load,

On one side the girl of my dream

The next was heaven-sent queen.

Go with God the obvious move

Yet I took some time to choose,

However I believe I chose right,

Heaven sent queen is my delight.

From the plight to the pleasure

Wife of my youth, my treasure,

Joy of my life and at my leisure

Eyes only for her and not another.

She filled my eyes, my heart too

And pledged a love forever true,

A wonderful pleasure was mine

My sweetheart was one of a kind.

Oh those nights with such romance

I had to be dreaming or in a trance,

Days filled with music and of dance

All my life she fervently enhanced.

Too good to last I’ve heard some say,

Do continue was my sincere prayer,

But two is company and three a family

Next thing you know, the first baby.

  

All of a sudden things really changed,

My married life became rearranged,

Once first but relegated to second,

Too good to last I was forced to reckon.

One two three and another baby

This time a girl boss number three,

The romantic two now a family of four,

Once flying high now flat on the floor.

From plight to pleasure now pressure,

Three battling for my time and leisure,

Little time for me, my freedom gone,

Pressure every day starting at dawn.

Bills to be paid the family to feed

Finance dwindling increasing need,

Moon sprung a leak honey drained out

And oh the times I felt I would shout.

Sometimes work was a consolation

Time from home and this confusion,

Those two brats and their intrusion

Into our space and invading our union.

When there came a time to pause

I would remember that I was the cause.

Two of those times of ecstatic pleasure

Resulted in who interrupted my leisure.

The wife too was a willing accomplice

In children both of us had an interest,

It wasn’t to say we were unprepared,

This was God’s plan too so we adhered.

As I contemplated our marital state

The quarrels and unresolved debate,

It seemed to me marriage is mystique

But to us our challenges are not unique. 

Note, roses bloom among many a thorn,

Marriage can blossom amidst the scorn,

And at times when distraught and forlorn

Remember hope from distress oft is born.

The promise made is really two-fold

When once we stand at that altar bold

To pledge our love before God on high,

The one He gave we should never deny.

For that promise was more than a creed,

Through us God would raise godly seed,

And so reflect His love in all the earth

For outside of Him marriage has no worth.

Therefore cherish the bride of your youth,

Many quarrels between tongue and tooth,

Yet they both exist together in one orifice

When one is absent it is sorely missed.

Marriage like life has its ups and downs

There are many smiles but also frowns,

Ultimately we should reflect God’s love

And bring heaven to earth from up above.

At the top of the cycle there is the plight

Soon comes the pleasure with delight,

Pressure will come and that is a fact

But remember the promise, get right back.

 

For God works in us for His good pleasure

Supporting us with inexhaustible treasure,

As leaders in our family he fits us to stand

For society depends on each family strand.

Plight and pleasure, the fight then delight,

Pressure and promise always keep in sight,

The marriage reality, four peas in a pod,

The Christian family must stand up for God.

Stewart Russell © 2014

Meeting Blessings!

Today I met a Blessing
Then two, then three, then four!
I then said: "Thank You, Father!"
And He sent me of Blessings even more.

My feet were shod!
My face was washed!
My drinking water clean!
And, best of all surprises, my oft' cruel boss 
Wasn't today even mean! 

Much Thankfulness now filled my Heart
Oh, how I blessed The Lord
And on the wing of bird song
I felt my heart raise a chord: 

Blessings are Mine

From the Hand of the Divine!

I have no need to Repine for

All God's Blessings are truly Mine!

I felt triumphantly happy!
I tapped my foot - I was glad!
No one could burst my bubble
Even if they behaved like pinching crabs!

I trust my God - He's faithful! 
I trust my God - He's my friend! 
I trust my God to carry me
Until this Life shall end!

God is no commodity trader!
He's no banker grand and elite
And He definitely is no ghost rider 
Fooling me from under a white sheet!

I may not see His face 
But I feel His Love and his hand every day
And as long as I am able
I will to Him bow, and say my Prayers: 

Thank You, Lord for food and health!

Thank You, Lord for my needs - not worldly wealth!

 Let me always in You confide, and 

Please, forever, in my Heart abide. 

Amen.

The Bible in Poetry: The Teachings of Jesus 2

Extracted from the Bible In Poetry

From Genesis to Revelation

The Teachings of Jesus 2

 

 

Jesus spoke of the harvest and the labourers being few,

So that you and I would see that this was nothing new;

Jesus knew about working he was never one to shirk,

So he did remind us the night when comes no man can work.

Jesus spoke this parable of a sheep, a coin and son,

More to give us insight into the working of the kingdom;

Of a man with a hundred sheep who left the ninety-nine,

He never quit his searching until that lonely sheep did find.

Of a woman with ten coins one of which she suffered loss,

She pledged that she must find it no matter what the cost;

Of a man who lost his son to a world of evil and woe,

The pain the loss had caused him only he would know. 

This son took his resources and wasted on silly living,

Soon his money ran out for he was the only one giving;

Without money or resources he recognized his plight,

Returning to father’s home there was a feast that night.

Jesus spoke of heaven’s joy over sinners that repent,

And to witness daily of his love ought to be our intent;

Zaccheus would come to Christ by climbing up a tree,

Salvation was worth more to him than all his dignity.

Jesus loved the children and took them on his knee,

Once rebuking the disciples, “Let them come to me.”

Any one who misleads them will face great misery,

Better to weight him down then drown him in the sea.

Not everyone who says Lord will make it home and dry,

Many will make their claims how the devil they defied;

But they will hear from Christ depart I never knew you,

They practised good religion but Jesus they never knew.

Then there were the virgins, five wise and five were not,

Five had adequate oil, five didn’t, a “shut out” was their lot;

When they raised the noise the bridegroom had arrived,

They had gone for oil and hadn’t returned from that drive.

 

Liken the kingdom to a man that went on a long journey,

Sometime before he left, talents to his servants gave he;

Five he gave to one of them to another he gave just two,

To the final one he did imply just one is enough for you.

Returning from his journey he called them to account,

One to whom he’d given five had doubled his amount;

The one to whom he’d given two had doubled his also,

The final servant said "You reaped where you did not sow.

I took the talent that you gave and buried it in the earth."

If this was a massive joke his master showed no mirth;

"Take the unprofitable servant, throw him out and then

Give that remaining talent to the one that now has ten.

He who has will be given; from him shall be taken away

Even that which he has, so shall it be on judgment day."

Before this Jesus had warned, "Let no man deceive you,

For when that day is come, every man will get his due."

  

Not very long before all this Jesus had left the temple,

"Tell us about the end in a way that’s pure and simple."

With all that he had said the disciples were confused,

But knew that it would happen just as he would choose.

Up on the Mount of Olives surveying the temple sight,

"When shall these things be? Do Master, shed some light."

"Let no man deceive you, many shall come in my name,

Nation against nation there will be war again and again.

Earthquakes in divers places famines and pestilence,

Such, the beginning of sorrows coming in an instance;

Many will be offended and one another they will betray,

And because iniquity shall abound love will fade away.

Woe to them that be with child that give suck in that day,

That their flight be not in winter they had better pray;

There shall be tribulation never known before or past,

Except those days be shortened no flesh would even last.

False Christs will be and prophets not that easy to detect,

And if only it were possible would deceive the very elect;

Then will the sun be darkened, the moon will give no light,

Then the returning Son of man will be a glorious sight.

Watch for you really know not the hour the Lord will come,

For back in the days of Noah they were having lots of fun;

Faithful and wise is a servant who for his lord does wait,

Not waiting till the lord arrives to set all his matters straight.

The lord of that servant will come the day he does not think,

And find him indulged in gluttony and intoxicated with drink;

The lord will appoint him his portion having him cut asunder,

Like all the other hypocrites his would be a tragic blunder."

Now Jesus was in Bethany at the house of Simon a leper,

There came a woman with ointment in a box of alabaster;

On Jesus’ head she poured it as the Master sat at meat,

Some felt it should be sold to buy food for the poor to eat.

"Leave her alone," he said, "a good work she has wrought,

Wherever the Gospel is taught all will recall this thought."

Judas consulted with the priests; Jesus he would betray,

For an agreed sum of money for that was the Judas way.

The next day he came into Jerusalem riding on a colt,

Loud hosannas rang out but later they would revolt,

Master rebuke your disciples some Pharisees cried out,

"If they hush," said Jesus, "then the stones would shout."

Not long after Jesus instructed, "Go in the city to a man,

Note he will be carrying a pitcher of water in his hand;

Tell him the Master requires the use of his guestroom

There to eat the Passover with my disciples very soon."

Was there in that very room that Jesus told of the plan

That someone had devised to betray the Son of man;

Is it I each in turn did ask wondering about such a wish,

Jesus said, “It’s one of you that dips with me in the dish.”

“The Son of Man must die but let that man be warned,

He who betrays the Son; will wish he’d never been born."

As they eat he took the bread; that signified his body,

"As oft as you eat," he said, "do so in remembrance of me."

Next he blessed the cup and commanded them to drink,

His blood that was shed for many; a very important link;

When they had sung a hymn they went into the Mount,

There, Peter would learn of his pending denial account.

 

Jesus told them that night of him they shall be offended,

Peter would deny him thrice even before it was ended;

Peter with bravado spoke, “I would die with you first.”

But all they would remember how that night he cursed.

Stewart Russell © 2013

The Bible in Poetry: The Teachings of Jesus 1

 

Extracted from the Bible In Poetry

From Genesis to Revelation

The Teachings of Jesus 1

 

But more I’ll tell of his teachings I’m sure you must agree,

They always were instructive and he never charged a fee;

The disciples receiving his tuition hung on his every word,

The crowds listening to him wondered at what they heard.

Once he went through Samaria found a woman at a well,

She marveled at what he said and about her life did tell;

She said she had no husband in a sense she told the truth,

But she had had five husbands Jesus supplied the proof.

He asked her for a drink; she said what he already knew,

That she was a Samaritan and would not deal with a Jew;

He had asked her for water but offered an eternal spring,

A well of water springing up of that she would want to sing.

Off to her village she ran, “Come and see a man,” said she,

That told me all I ever did and I know the Messiah is he;

Meanwhile the disciples told him do have something to eat,

But to do God’s will and finish His work that to Him was meat.

Nicodemus was a teacher he came to Jesus one night,

Something he knew was wrong but couldn’t put it right;

You see Nicodemus had fame and he also had a name,

But Jesus told him that night that he must be born again.

“Must I go back into my mother and come again?” he asked,

You and I know good Master that is an impossible task.”

That which is flesh is flesh and that which is spirit is spirit,

Nicodemus had been a teacher but needed to get with it.

 

A woman was brought to him she was caught in adultery,

She must be stoned they said, ‘tis Moses’ law, you agree?

“Let him that is without sin,” Jesus said, “throw at her a stone,”

When the woman looked around they were standing all alone.

Absent were her accusers for all of them had fled,

“Neither do I condemn you go and sin no more,” he said.

Before God all are guilty of the sin that was inherited,

Then the sin we dabble in and the sin we have committed. 

 

A ruler question Jesus how eternal life he might obtain,

Jesus told him to keep the law and do all that it contain;

He said but that I have done, isn’t there something more?

Jesus told him follow me, give what you have to the poor.

What Jesus asked was too much no way he could obey,

He was a very wealthy man and sorrowfully turned away;

It’s more difficult for a camel to go through a needle’s eye,

Than it is for the rich to enter heaven however hard they try.

Once a lawyer asked him which in the law is the greatest,

Not that he wanted to know but rather Jesus would test;

Love God with all your heart and everyone as you love you,

On these the law and prophets spoke; this was nothing new.

But always lurking near around were the stinging bees,

Study God’s word and you’d see these were the Pharisees;

They felt they knew the law none knew it better than they,

Wherever Jesus could be found they would have their say.

He called them hypocrites they couldn’t discern the times,

But had a great obsession of requiring of him more signs;

The next sign would be he said that of Jonah the prophet,

Showing his death at Calvary much to the disciples’ regret.

 

Once Peter, James and John were taken on a mount apart,

And what they saw that day really touched their heart;

Jesus was transfigured before them his face shone as light,

Never in the disciples’ life had they seen such a sight.

There on that day they saw Moses and Elijah, two men,

Speak of Jesus’ death to be accomplished at Jerusalem;

Three tabernacles said Peter in his usual haste and fuss,

Then there came a cloud and after they saw only Jesus.

Trouble not your heart he said believe in God and in me,

I go to prepare a place so that with me you’ll always be;

Thomas told him on that day we know not where you go,

He, the way the truth and life was all they needed to know.

For they that knew the Lord should know the Father also,

Philip still was not convinced, more he wanted to know;

They that have seen me they have seen the Father too,

For I am in the Father and the Father in me is true.

Whatever you shall ask in my name that for you I will do,

That the Father be glorified in me and be glorified in you;

I must return to the Father but don’t be unduly bothered,

For once I go away My Father will send the Comforter,

 

Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive,

But you know him; he dwells with you, so just believe;

The Spirit shall be in you I shall come to you once more,

I will not leave you comfortless of this you can be sure.

My peace I give to you and my peace with you I leave,

Not the worldly kind of peace but what you have received;

The prince of this world will come; nothing in me has he,

But all will know I love the Father and His will alone I see.

 

Stewart Russell © 2013

Could Be You

Away from home

And all alone

Lost

And at great cost

Full of distress

Life in a mess

Stressed

Couldn’t even rest

Bought Satan’s scheme

No one to redeem

Dead

No marker for my head

An absolute knave

In unknown grave

Interred

That’s what occurred

It was all gone

All night no dawn

Useless

Satan was ruthless

Away from home

And all alone

Lost

And at great cost

Circumstances stark

It was dark

Helpless

 Life in on me pressed
  

To whom to turn

In pain I squirmed

Doped

Through life I groped

Living yet dead

By Satan led

Undone

This was no fun

  

Not a friend or foe

All watched me go

Blindly

Inevitable destiny

A virtual recluse

They all refused

Laughter

At my disaster

Away from home

And all alone

Lost

And at great cost

Life was a living hell

My story I tell

Castigated

Lost and frustrated

Absolutely no aid

Against Satan’s raid

Continuous

Oh this was disastrous

When will it end?

I asked of a friend

Never

He indicated forever

Been there too, he said

Still seeing red

Trapped

Great too is my lack

Not just me in need

Consolation indeed

Company

In my futility

Away from home

Still all alone

Lost

And at great cost

Is there no buyer?

Is there no redeemer?

Auctioned

Who’s the highest bidder?

Lost and believed stolen

Enslaved by Satan

Perishing

Beaten and suffering

A relentless master

A shrewd disguiser

Deceiver

World’s greatest liar

Fooled me he did

Put in the highest bid

Deception

Leading to destruction

Many ways to be happy

Clever and wealthy

Convincing

That old fox so enticing

Trapped me for sure

With troubles galore

Condemned

I was so overwhelmed

Away from home

Yes all alone

Lost

And at great cost

I was but one sheep

Of a hundred complete

Wandering

From the shepherd’s calling

Ninety-nine were safe

In the shepherd’s embrace

Protected

While I felt rejected

It was Satan’s way

Rejected he’d say

Alluring

In his empowering

The battle raged on

Every night and beyond

Confused

Bemused and abused

This was the limit

Minute after minute

Searing

Someone heard me screaming

Away from home

Definitely all alone

Lost

And at great cost

I inclined my ear

What’s that I hear?

Calling

A voice calm and loving

 

My name I heard

I was most assured

Endearing

A voice sweetly entreating

Seems he could not wait

In my dirty state

Love

Reached to me from above

It was unbelievable

So unnatural

Miraculous

It was the shepherd, Jesus

Encircled in his arm

Now free from all harm

Redeemed

In excitement I screamed

Heaven’s now my home

With Jesus I’m not alone

Found

Blessings continually abound

On my way home

Now never alone

Redeemed

Freed from Satan’s scheme

Stewart Russell © 2014