I thought I knew it all
I felt I could find my way
Life was not so difficult after all
Not if you live it day by day
For a while it was easy
I was simply breezing along
Everything was going as planned
Nothing really was going wrong
Then I had my first misfortune
Of those laid off, I was one
I lost my source of income
Security and salary were gone
The bills began to lag behind
They mounted up like Everest
Foreclosure stared me in the face
This was my sternest test
The car payments were overdue
By about three months or so
I did not know what to do
Since I had never been this low
Suddenly life became a quagmire
Easy street became especially tough
I could not survive this quicksand
Life had really gotten rough
Before I had lost my job
I was up to my neck in debt
But to me that didn’t matter
In this job I was really set
The salary was terrific
I could service all my loans
So since money was no problem
For me money had set the tone
But life’s quagmire assailed me
And in a flash I lost my step
I should have heeded the proverb
I should have looked before I leapt
A word of warning to all of you
Especially that through life breeze
Life can suddenly become a quagmire
And bring an abrupt end to your ease
An occurrence like the lost of a job
Or the loss of a supportive one
Can place your life in a vice-like grip
That makes it difficult to move on
I caution, don’t take life for granted
Tomorrow is never sure
It matters not that you are well today
Life’s quagmire could be at the door
Yes life is certainly a quagmire
Though the terrain is easy at times
But it can change in just a moment
And put you into steep decline
One misfortune follows another
And life gets too difficult to cope
So that many a disillusioned traveller
Has expired on the end of a rope
I recommend to you, Jesus
A sure guide for the quagmire of life
The only certainty for life’s uncertainties
A certain overcomer whatever the strife
Stewart Russell © January 2018
