How proud we are, as your church home, of this
achievement, Leigh.
We lay you in God’s loving arms for what He’s
called you to be.
You’ve endured the years of tests and books — of the things your hands
did hold.
Now take those lessons in your soul for the life yet on the road.
This closing time of school gone by opens up new avenues.
May Jesus, who is the only way, show what’s still in store for you.
Embossed upon your heart it came – the place where God did speak –
This invitation to the soul. God’s leading you did seek.
Unbeknownst to you right then, this thought did seem quite strange:
Go now and see your precious mom. The Master did arrange.
The invitation’s words were such that you prepared to go.
There was no date or time or sense of what you’ve come to know.
The invitation surely quickened you and gave you inner sight.
Then sealed by the Holy Ghost, He accompanied you on that flight.
The visit came and went; there was no fanfare you could glean,
But very soon you realized God’s timing could be seen.
A short while later, your mother dear slipped way beyond this earth.
Reflections in the mirror since have shown what this was worth.
The original invitation summoned you, apparently in haste.
The Lord alone knew that there was no real time to waste.
Betty returned unto the Lord, the One who first called you,
And you were left acknowledging the invitation too.
After all these years later, your questions still start with “Why”?
The deep impression borne on your soul was your invitation
To say goodbye.
The army wants a few good men.
The gals I know want one.
Just one good man
Who’ll take their hand
From she, who calls him son.
The army wants a few good men
So ordered and exact.
While women grab,
Or sometimes nab
A live one they detect.
The army gets a few good men
And proud of them we are.
But where’s the man
Who’ll do all he can
For the lady on his arm?
The army gets its many men.
Gals aren’t selfish – one’s enough.
They’ll climb a rope
To gain some hope.
But the ride down better not be rough.
Chill in air sweeps through unseen,
Now evident its flow.
As glistening pearly beads descend.
The first-run sign of snow.
They come, and nestled all around,
Exude innocence and charm.
Covering dirt and homes and such,
Embraced within each arm.
They make a muddy, crusty earth
Appear fresh paint is there.
Expectancy rises with each dropped bead.
See God’s decorative flair.
The camera lense captures our placement in these hallowed walls,
and shows the rows of worshippers inside the sacred halls.
Its eye reveals the form we take while in the listening pose,
where congregants respond in kind to how the Spirit flows..
The camera also finds the angle of the pulpit’s spiritual height;
the Shepherd focused on the lambs beneath His oversight.
The visual lines — pulpit and pew, engage the altar where,
we find our place of victory, which with our Lord we share.
Above the platform, a skylight looms, with heaven’s lense encased –
a reminder God is looking in, with hopes we’ll see His face.
A young boy was at his grandmother’s house,
in need of her sweet, tender care,
but he knew if he didn’t speak in her native tongue,
there’d be no nurturing there.
This speaks of a truth we all need to receive
when we dwell upon our dear Lord:
to embrace the deep part of Gods truest self,
we find it when in one accord.
Agreement in language allows us to foster
a relationship with everyone.
Agreement in prayer, which is God’s own language,
comes solely through knowing the Son.
Language was the Creator’s chosen method
for communication here below,
so God enabled man to form words and letters
as each civilization would grow.
Gods precious Son was the Word He extended
to relay His message divine,
and Jesus did fit that blessed translation
when He descended in time.
Jesus is called the Logos of God,
the divine expression from above,
The Alpha and Omega, Greek alphabet letters
surround this language of love.
Then in a garden with an audience of three,
Jesus conversed with His Father in view,
explaining in words concerning Himself:
He’s the language the Father listens to.
No matter where we find ourselves,
we’re in the Father’s domain.
Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to help us
develop the language of that Name.
There’s a Shepherd on the mountain, with a purpose in His eye.
He surveys the darkened canyon but His hope lifts to the sky.
All the while His heart is heavy, yet His arms are opened wide.
For he seeks a precious lamb who will be drawn safe to His side.
Suddenly, He sees the lamb in pain, one whose head is bowed with care.
The lamb becomes aware in time that the Gentle Shepherd is there.
At the moment of greatest weakness, the lamb feels a mighty power.
For the shepherd removes the boundaries and takes charge at that dark hour.
We on earth, in sad reflection, have no visual we can see,
But faith beholds God’s arms of triumph – tucked inside is God’s lamb, Dee.
Imagine here, in this old world
We like to think “Progress”.
And yet in many ways we are
Going back – I now digress.
To think that in this mobile time
We’re made to know the score.
That hurting others, hurts oneself.
It tears in two – we’re torn.
The two just torn in shreds were boys.
Mere children, who should play.
Instead the one who nurtures them
Drowned all their future days.
Out of our new enlightened age
We saw perspective sink.
Beyond our comprehension here,
We can barely grasp a link.
A woman loses nerve to kill
Herself – we’re not perplexed.
She has no problem watching, though
As her children meet their death.
A tiny face, a struggle, sure.
She looks on who gave birth.
She left them there, remorse afloat.
What were her children worth?
Their button faces, angelic form
Will haunt us – what’s amiss?
Their innocence and trusting souls
Saw mommy blow a kiss.
It speaks to future paths we tread.
Indeed, it lights a spark.
Concern to us, at least should be:
Justice – please make your mark!
Written to the tune of “What a Friend we have in Jesus”
Written for Lillian Luken and all who grew up loving the hymns of old.
“What A Friend We Have in Jesus” – Lillian Luken’s favorite song.
Oh how precious is this lady – she’s been a gracious melody all along.
Oh what peace we see within her; love comes out through every pore.
Just because we saw Lil Luken walk right through the church’s door.
Like us all, she’s had her trials, which she’s shouldered with her Lord.
He has borne the greatest burden – something she could not afford.
This, a song sung from her childhood – her family had a hearth in song.
What a friend we have in Lillian. This is where the song belongs.
One year ago Dee’s eyes were opened and she saw Jesus’ face.
One year ago Dee’s ears could hear God’s true “Amazing Grace”.
One year ago Dee stepped upon the streets we know as gold.
One year ago Dee realized she never will grow old.
One year ago Dee felt the welcomed touch of her Savior’s fond embrace.
One year ago Dee smelled the incense of her prayers in God’s eternal place.
One year ago Dee tasted freedom’s cup, which removed all of life’s pain.
One year ago Dee beheld the Savior’s blood scarred sinners stain.
These twelve months have been hard on earth, but we have come to see
That sadness ended at earth’s door when grace escorted Dee.
