Stand by!

 

 

June “too-soon” is gone

And July "stand by" is here,

We are into our hurricane season

With early reason to fear.

 

A freaky storm in June

That came out of no where

Followed by another weather system;

That gives more reason to fear.

 

This was to pass to the north

And caused little trouble if any

But alas, it was freaky in its nature

And was a surprise to many.

 

Thus, two reasons to be on guard

Whatever the weather predictions,

Meteorology is not an exact science

Whatever the calculations.

 

 

Stand by is really a warning

To expect the unexpected

And given all that has been happening

This advice should not be rejected.

 

COVID-19 throughout 2020

Ash-fall in April this year,

Two freaky weather systems in June:

That’s a lot of reason to care!

 

God is no more a Bajan

Than He is a Vincie or Lucian

So be always on guard, my friends,

And try to avoid confusion.

 

So many world-wide events

In lands both far and near,

Floods, collapsing buildings and heatwaves,

Horrors aplenty to bear.

 

 

Unrest in the Middle East

And famine in many a land,

COVID-19 continuing its onslaught

Like some design or plan.

 

COVID variant after variant

Vaccine trial after vaccine trial

And the uncertainty that exists

Causing much denial.

 

Many a bread-winner out of work

Wondering what to do

About the everyday expenses

And bill payments that accrue.

 

The gun and violence headache

Exacerbated by the increase in crime

And repeat criminals on the loose

Receiving bail most of the time.

 

Fancy talk and fancy words

Offering promises galore,

The law now seemingly without teeth

Failing to deliver more and more.

 

 

Law makers made to look silly

Security forces under strain,

Many a captured criminal

Back out on the streets again.

 

This caution that relates to storms

Is not only for July

But given the upsurge in troubles

Be always on standby!

 

Stand by for any eventuality

Though we cannot know the future

And trust the One that sees it all;

God sees the full picture.

 

Stewart Russell © June 30, 2021

 

Shut-In with the LORD

It may have had the best gopher wood

It may have had the best floodlights

But these were not the reasons why

He survived those forty days and nights.

Noah was obedient to God’s command

And surely he did everything right

But this was not the reason why

He was able to survive that plight.

The ark was strong; there is no doubt

And certainly a very sea-worthy boat

But neither of these I dare must say

Can get that unanimous vote.

The ark was pitch within and without

It was certainly watertight

But as the reason for his survival

Such could never be deemed as right.

So shift your focus from the ark

And away from its obedient builder,

Unless you get past the human element

You’d never be any wiser.

Follow me to the book of beginnings

And there you will find the source:

Now turn with me to Genesis 7

And have a look at the 16th verse.

Into the ark they all did go

And no doubt Noah was the last to enter

But it was not he who shut the door

Prior to their coming adventure.

It was the LORD that “shut him in”

Go and read it for yourself

And if you still believe otherwise

Then your glasses are on the shelf.

I have derived a new term for trust

It is to be “shut-in” with the LORD,

To let go and let Him in every respect

Certainly brings great reward.

  

We encounter many floods in our life

And often we are overwhelmed,

We take all kinds of expert advice

In the hope the fallout we can stem.

But our first and last resort should be

The LORD that calms our storms

For to be shut-in with Him and Him alone

Should be our every day norm.

I say thanks to a friend on Messenger

That sent me an encouraging word,

Such was the inspiration for this poem

I am glad that you too have heard.

Stewart Russell © December 2018

July Standby!

It is half way through

And we are into July

There is no need to say

We should be on standby.

“Standby for what?”

Only a tourist should ask.

Well ever since beginning June

We should be on task.

“But on task for what?”

The likely next question:

Preparation for hurricanes

This is the reason.

Hence, July standby!

This is the why:

The prevalence of storms

We dare not deny.

“But we don’t get hit!”

That is foolish talk,

It is a stupid attitude

When these hurricanes stalk.

Harvey, Irma and Maria

Only last year these three

Created havoc in the Caribbean

And caused untold misery.

They were so awful

Their names were retired

And the damage they did

It was as though they conspired.

Yearly we are threatened

By many a storm

But because they miss us

On this we heap scorn.

Some people quarrel

About the preparations they make

And then no storm strikes

And this they hate.

  

They fret and they quarrel

What a waste of time!

“No hurricane can hit us,”

This is what they opine.

Oh we’ve had some brushes

But nothing to compare

To what the “mighty three” did

To countries quite near.

Hurricane Janet we recall

Struck sixty-three years ago

And when another will hit

Only God would know.

It can happen to us

For it has occurred before

So let us not fail to prepare

One might be at our door.

To fail to prepare

Is to prepare to fail

So be prepared! Be on standby!

Don’t ignore this detail!

Stewart Russell © July 2018