But One Step

 

 

Some plan for a year

Some, a month or a week,

One day at a time for me

Is changing as I speak.

 

A week is much to chew

Far less a month or year,

I had become settled on a day

In life’s fret and care.

 

Now, it is but one step,

One step, at a time for me,

This is the lot I can deal with-

I’m getting older you see.

 

But one step as I see it

Is the smart thing to do,

There’s no living in tomorrow

For neither me nor you.

 

 

I recall that ancient hymn

“His eye is on the sparrow”,

But one step in the second verse

Doesn’t speak of tomorrow.

 

It is of a constant walk

With one’s best friend ever,

This is none other, my friend

Than Jesus, the Saviour.

 

For by the path he leads,

It is but one step at a time

And, if faithful to his guidance,

The best of life we’ll find.

 

Plan a year if you must

Or even a month or week

But remember, as you plan,

God’s will you must seek.

 

For me it is but one step

Or I would go astray,

For the truth of the matter is,

I do not know the way.

The longest journey ever

Began with a single step

And without that initial move

Success could not be met.

 

It’s one step I reiterate

However innovative a man,

Even Jesus took a first step

In our salvation plan.

 

Stop tomorrow’s worry

Today has enough of its own,

Concentrate on that one step;

It’s one step going home.

 

Stewart Russell © December 21, 2023

 

Today’s View of Yesterday

 

 

Yesterday when I did it

It seemed the smart thing to do

But today on reflection

Forces me to change my view.

 

Today is a bird’s eye view

Of what transpired yesterday,

Hind sight is twenty-twenty vision

I’ve heard wise people say.

 

The ability to step outside oneself

And look in at one’s situation

Is far easier said than done

For any generation.

 

For the young as well as the old

All have fallen short of this

And in spite of the hard lessons

There’s still a mighty long list.

 

 

For we are prone to repeat

Our disappointing yesterdays

Just like history repeats itself

In so many diverse ways.

 

And the lament is often the same

“If only I had known…”

The anguished cry of many a heart,

In this I am not alone.

 

Today’s bird’s eye view of yesterday

Still falls agonizingly short

Such that I am unable to go back

And my ill behavior forever abort.

 

That is why yesterday when I did it

It had seemed a smart thing to do

But today I am feeling stupid

And you’d feel stupid too.

 

Stewart Russell © April 6, 2021

 

The Future

 

 

Anything left for the future

Is never ever done,

The reason is pretty simple

The future never ever comes.

 

I am sure you understand

For experience has taught us that,

Whenever we got around to it

It was a present act.

 

The future is procrastination

And procrastination is a trap,

How can we say tomorrow

When we don’t know about that?

 

There is a place for promises

Promises of a certain sort

But things that can be done today

In the future they will abort.

 

As it relates to routine

Some things we can expect,

However, even in such cases

We sometimes experience regret.

 

The promise of a child

When the evidence is clear

Is a future expectation

That grows as the time gets near.

 

The promise of a salary

At the end of the month

Even though we work towards it

Becomes a routine triumph.

 

A future promise is not guaranteed

Unless it’s a promise from God,

Satan offers alluring promises

But he is a shameless fraud.

 

The Bible gives a caution

Relating to the future,

The uncertainty of tomorrow

Being its principal feature.

 

 

Whereas ye know not what

Shall be on the morrow,

Even one’s life is not guaranteed

For life is like a vapour.

 

For a little more on this matter

Go to the 4^th chapter of James,

Do not be like the foolish farmer

Who stood on future claims.

 

“I will pull down my barns,” he said,

“And I will build them greater.

I will feed my soul on such bounty.”

Oh, he could not be happier!

 

He neither considered God

Nor the unpredictability of the future,

God required his soul that night

And he was bound for his sepulchre.

 

Any promise that God has made

Will certainly come to pass

As long as it is not conditional

On someone to perform a task.

 

The coming of the Lord:

That is a futuristic certainty,

We can bank on that as the saying goes

For in that lies our destiny.

 

Concerning the coming judgment

That too is a futuristic fact,

Remember the future is in God’s hand

And we can be sure of that.

 

 

“Trust no future, how e’er pleasant!”

Mr. Longfellow said,

“Act, act in the living present

Heart within, and God o’er head!

 

The future is not reality

I know that sounds quite funny

But it’s a fact we had better grasp

And reject the current folly.

 

Stewart Russell © June 2018

 

Two Days to Forget

 

 

 

Forget yesterday

It does not remember you,

Worry not about tomorrow

For you haven’t a clue.

 

Today is your day

Since yesterday surely is not

And tomorrow is no guarantee

Concerning your lot.

 

Two days to forget:

Yesterday and tomorrow

For from neither, I dare say,

Not a minute you can borrow.

 

Neither the twain exists

I can assure you of that,

Yesterday has already gone

And tomorrow’s never a fact.

 

Yesterday may be a track record

You’d want to consider

But it’s better to forget it

If it brings you a shiver.

 

Tomorrow on the other hand

Is all in the mind

And has never eclipsed today

At any given time.

 

 

None can fix yesterday;

That’s an impossible feat

And tomorrow doesn’t come

So today is never complete.

 

Plan all you can

For the prospect of tomorrow

But bear in mind, my friend,

It is today that you sow.

 

Regret all you must

About yesterday’s mistakes

But there is nothing you can do

For yesterday is too late.

 

Two days to forget:

Yesterday and tomorrow

But neither the twain do we

Whether of joy or sorrow.

 

Stewart Russell © June 4, 2022

 

Today

 

 

Today will be like any other

That is, we don’t know what will be

But what we do know for sure,

It is similar for you and me.

 

We will have our ups and downs

Of running to and fro

And whether it could have been different

We will never ever know.

 

I wrote this poem today

Which in fact was yesterday

But as to why I did not post it then,

I really cannot say.

 

And the fact that it’s today

Makes it all the more relevant,

Yesterday is not the time for doing

For it is no longer extant.

 

“Let us then, be up and doing”

In Longfellow's Psalm of life,

Speaks to the events of this present day

Whether of seriousness or blithe.

 

Today is all I have

And this is the same for you,

It will be like any other day

For me and for you too.

 

We talk of making history,

Some even use the word create

And we often get highly offended

If one leaves it up to fate.

 

But fate is what will be

And over such, we have no control,

As to predicting to tomorrow’s agenda

My friend, I would not be so bold.

 

 

“With a heart for any fate”

Continues the famous Longfellow,

The courage we have is only present

And cannot be used tomorrow.

 

I will end as I began

By repeating the very first verse,

Bearing in mind of course, my friend,

Tomorrow cannot be rehearsed.

 

Today will be like any other

That is, we don’t know what will be

But what we do know for sure,

It will be similar for you and me.

 

Stewart Russell © December 11, 2022

 

Only in the Mind

 

 

Only in the mind

Do tomorrow’s troubles exist

And what’s on offer for today

We often times miss.

 

Tomorrow is our focus

Whenever today arrive

And today is left unattended

In tomorrow’s drive.

 

Nebulous and uncertain

But it’s a natural obsession,

Tomorrow’s on our mind

In today’s omission.

 

Today does not matter,

Tomorrow is our priority

And today is just the build up

Thus, it’s full of anxiety.

 

Tomorrow is that bridge

We have not yet reached

But to cross it today we must,

So, the Father we beseech.

 

Tomorrows troubles

Obscures today’s peace

And living tomorrow today

Is unsettled release.

 

Be not concerned unduly

Re tomorrow’s troubles,

Tomorrow is unsolvable today;

Sorry to burst your bubble.

 

No one solves tomorrow

Until tomorrow comes

And it always comes as today-

That’s how the days run.

 

 

It’s only in the mind

That any tomorrow exists,

It’s today that God has given;

Do understand this.

 

Tomorrow's a bridge

We cross only in our mind

And its success is only imaginary

Each and every time. 

Therefore...

 

Let today be your focus

And walk in it as God directs,

Its tasks are more than enough

And so too, its regrets.

 

Stewart Russell © September 14, 2021

 

No Tomorrow

 

 

Is there a tomorrow?

No, not at all!

Today is all that there is,

Tomorrow is not our call.

 

Life consists of the now:

That is really today,

There is nothing beyond

So do not delay.

 

It makes sense to plan

But to plan today,

It should be pretty obvious

There is no other way.

 

You can’t plan tomorrow

When all you have is now

So, don’t try the impossible

That can’t be done anyhow.

That tomorrow never comes

Is an essential fact,

You do what you can today

And then… relax.

 

Never a now moment

In any tomorrow;

Not a minute from the past

Can we ever borrow.

 

I have heard some talk

About planning ahead

But they did not understand

What they actually said.

 

Planning is done now

It can never be done ahead,

I need not say more on that

So, enough said.

  

No tomorrow!

I need to emphasize that:

And today is not tomorrow

That too is a fact.

 

Tomorrow is a notion:

It’s like an idea in our mind,

The other days we name

But re tomorrow, we decline.

 

Today being Friday

Means tomorrow is Saturday

But do we say its name?

No, “tomorrow” is our way.

 

You’ll never see tomorrow

In the days of any week,

That’s just to make my point

Without getting in too deep.

 

I guess you can say the same

For today and yesterday

But both of these are facts:

One is passed; the other is today.

Tomorrow is never a fact

Neither can we say it will be,

Yesterday was and that’s for sure

And now today we see.

 

“Give us this day our daily bread.”

It doesn’t say tomorrow:

God provides for our todays;

And soothes today’s sorrows.

 

“Act, act in the living present.”

Remember the Psalm of Life?

For there is no tomorrow;

Only today’s strife.

 

Stewart Russell © August 21, 2020

 

 

When Tomorrow Comes Today

I know this sounds like nonsense

But we do it everyday

Whenever we worry about tomorrow

And live it out today.

 

This practice is a classical case

Of tomorrow coming today,

It’s when we attempt the impossible

And for most it is the normal way.

 

In Matthew 6 and verse 34

We must take no thought of tomorrow,

We certainly cannot live it today

Neither from it can we borrow.

 

But in spite of this impossibility,

We still worry about tomorrow a lot

Figuring we can live out tomorrow

In the present time we’ve got.

 

Understand that the title of this poem

Cannot be not a physical reality

Albeit, even while you are reading now

You are trying unsuccessfully.

 

There are enough problems today

That we have to grapple with,

Sufficient is the evil of this day

If you are understanding my drift.

 

When tomorrow comes today

That will be the end of all time,

This is the consummation of all things

And it should occupy our minds.

 

There are no days in eternity

Eternity is different from time,

Days and years only came into being

When God created the timeline.

 

 

There are seven days in every week

Each one with its specific name,

They always come in their set order

And that we can never change.

 

Thus, it is only in one’s mind

When tomorrow comes today,

And, in our minds we regularly do it

Even though you say, “No way.”

 

We all worry about tomorrow

Far more than we do today,

We do the same for next week and next month

And for some, that may go to next year.

 

Yes, we keep on drawing up tomorrow

And making it today’s issue

And the funny thing about all of this is,

Tomorrow never comes for true.

 

Stewart Russell © February 16, 2021

 

 

Lyn

 

She picks up after me

And still washes my clothes,

What I would do without her

Only heaven knows.

She prepares my meals

Just like she did before,

Nothing has changed in the passing years

Except she loves me more.

 And it shows all the time

Even though she is human,

Believe me, she is super-duper tolerant

And never makes demands.

 

Should she ever leave me

That would be my greatest sorrow,

Thank God she is with me today

Enough about tomorrow.

Today begins another year

That she has been on this earth,

Yes, today I celebrate with her

And thank God for her birth.

I was not there when it happened

But I have the evidence it did,

For she’s my friend and soul mate

And her love is off the grid.

She still sleeps beside me

She brings balance to my bed,

No chance of me falling off

For we still sleep head to head.

Well that’s enough of our business

Now I shall close the door,

Send her a note if you love her

But note, I love her more.

 

 

Happy birthday to my wife

At the start of another year,

In spite of living with me

She still looks mighty fair.

Today I celebrate you,

This poem is my way of showing it,

I have posted it on my blog

Enjoy it, every bit.

Happy birthday to you, Lyn,

I am glad you stayed around,

You deserve many medals

For putting up with this clown.

At least I can make you laugh

Though I sometimes cause a frown,

Have a happy birthday, I say again

And may your joy be all year long.

Happy birthday, Sweetheart,

From Stewart, your adoring husband.

Stewart Russell © March 5, 2020