One morning early …..
My treasure chest of precious
things
Was filled with love and care.
Each item bought with hoarded gold
Before it was placed there.
“Extravagant”. So some had said
For perfect each must be,
So rich and beautiful and rare.
The very best for me.
And now, this day! This awful day
Which heralded my fears,
I scarce could see the lovely things
Through eyes so full of tears.
Now carrying the precious load
I walked, with lowered head.
Then, as I neared the garden fair
My heart was filled with dread.
And yet, and yet I could not tell
How He, I knew was dead,
No longer lay within the tomb,
And all the soldiers fled.
Then, as He spoke, I dropped my box
And spilled the perfumes sweet.
I ran to hold Him once again
And knelt to kiss His feet.
He lives! He lives! How blessed
that sound.
My heart with joy o’er flows
As lovingly the Master said
“Go tell them I arose”.
Sylvia Tancock
-ooOOoo-
Our Church
A hundred and umpteen years ago
Some folk made a decision
To build a church of stone and wood
And so fulfil a vision.
The walls they built were tall and
strong,
The windows showered light.
The place they built was high and wide
To praise HIS power and might.
The furnishings were
chosen next,
And as with one accord,
Rows of pews, an organ too.
A place to praise their Lord.
The organ was OK - but
small -
Quite adequate for singing
Alleluias to their God
And set the building ringing.
Oaken pews were next installed,
Divided down the middle
So Ma and Pa sat separate -
Quite why is still a riddle!
A pulpit next to preach the word;
A place to “do” a child,
For folk to wed or bring their dead,
Sacred and undefiled.
Then came the people
young and old,
They came to sing and pray,
And left for us a legacy
Which lives through us today.
A place to welcome faithful
souls,
To meditate or sing;
To glory in the Spirit’s power
And worship Christ the King.
Eric Gordon
-ooOOoo-
HERE WE GO AGAIN!
It’s
coming ‘round. That time of year
I know that I will fret.
What can I give to Uncle Jim
That he would like to get?
And what of dear old Auntie Maud?
Her flat can’t take more stuff.
I guess I’ll knit some more bedsocks.
She will not throw a huff.
And
as for snooty cousin Gert
Who needs just nothing more,
I’ll look to see if I can find
A ‘something’ in my store.
I’m really feeling rather broke.
A curse, my credit card,
But satisfying everyone
Is getting much too hard.
The
trouble is, we have too much.
There’s nothing that we need
While half the world is hungry!
No! No, Christmas isn’t greed.
Ideas come into my head!
Yes, I will use my float
And buy a gift that never ends.
I think
I’ll buy a goat.
I’ve
read about the little scheme.
For people in their need,
A lasting gift, that they will share
With many more, to feed.
I’m feeling very, very sure
My Father will approve.
He gave me all He had to give –
My Saviour – with his love.
©
Sylvia Tancock
-ooOOoo-
MAKING POVERTY HISTORY
We live in a green and pleasant
land,
Where food and water are close to hand.
Our homes are filled with
the latest gadget,
With so much credit, there's no need to budget.
We change our
cars with rapid ease,
And buy new clothes
whenever we please.
Our children go to school
to learn,
Then on to work, good money to earn.
Some go to
church to praise the Lord,
Into the collection, what we can afford.
We are taught to think
of our poor neighbour
Who is loved the same by
our dear Saviour.
In some
countries far away,
Massive debts they have
to pay.
Life is hard and full of strife,
No food or water is a fact of life.
Our
neighbours life is not like ours,
They live under rulers who abuse their powers.
Killings, rape, homes burnt to the ground,
Look in their eyes, no
hope is found.
In Africa every three seconds
someone dies,
We must take off the blinkers, open our eyes.
Toddlers die of the
common cold,
Life expectancy is
thirty four years old.
Every day there's
something new on TV.
Orphaned
children, babies with HIV.
We
can
do something to help their state,
We must
pressure leaders of the G.8
Wipe off the
amount they need to pay,
Trading fairly, is
another way.
What are we doing across
this land?
Well, many of us wear a white band.
This is to
show we really care,
The love of Jesus we
need to share.
He loves us all, black
and white,
Rich or poor, all equal in His sight.
Whatever we
may choose to do,
Is really up to me and you.
Just let us care for our
poor neighbour,
Who is loved so much by our dear Saviour.
© Irene Cochran
-ooOOoo-
THE CLOCK TICKS ON
......
If I could turn the clock back,
I would have stayed away.
I wish I'd never learned to make
The nails they used that day.
If I could turn the clock back,
I would have stayed away,
Not see a mother, weeping there
As life just ebbed, that day.
If I could turn the clock back,
I would not take the pay.
A Roman soldier's honour true
Was really shamed, that day.
++++++++++++++++++++++
I cannot turn the clock back!
Now I can only say
“Lord, forgive me. `Twas my sin
For which you died, that day."
© Sylvia Tancock
-ooOOoo-
ADMISSION
(Words of inspiration
spoken by Nigel Lockett before his Baptism)
Click here to see pictures of Nigel's
Baptism
Today’s the day, things are suddenly animated
I’m joining in a cause I never really rated.
I still can’t believe it, I’m really in favour
I was always a slacker, a bit of a raver.
But now I’ve arrived I’ll train really hard
I’ll work on my gifts and develop my guard
It wasn’t deliberate, the rules I skirted,
You see precious Lord I just got diverted.
I was weak, I was foolish, stupid for many a day,
I thought I could get there in my own selfish way.
I held back for so long, the wrong side of the railings,
But Hey!
Jesus loves me in spite of my failings.
And now a new dawning,
I awake from my slumber.
A new sense of purpose,
A new tingle of wonder.
I know I face challenges I will have to take on,
But that’s a fair price for being along.
Now when you are new and bright as a pin
You don’t want to fall flat or get into a spin.
I want to serve you well Lord,
Repay some of my dues,
But I cannot see which way to go,
I think I need more clues.
I’m sure I must seem dull
I know I’m looking slow,
I want to share this joy with others
But I don’t know which way to go.
Use me in your work Lord
Ever mindful of my luck
Help me move things forward
Overcoming feeling stuck.
So, give me your love Lord, show me a route,
Train me and prime me, starting gun ready to shoot.
Hold me when I falter, steady me should I stumble,
Make me LOUD in your praise Lord,
Please don’t let me mumble.
I make you this promise, I always will keep,
To serve in your kingdom not falling asleep.
Lord, I will run the best race that I can,
Not worthy, but willing,
An ordinary man.
© Nigel
Lockett - spoken before his Baptism - 04 July 2004
-ooOOoo-
TOOLS OF THE TRADE
I learned the trade from my father,
As he had done before.
There were always customers coming,
Knocking on the door.
They knew that we would never
Sell tools that were not good.
That each one couldn't fail, but
Work just as it should.
Even the Romans, sometimes
Ask for our special brand
'Cos. though they are rather fussy,
Find that ours are grand.
And as I walked the streets here
I'd be feeling fine
When I saw someone using
One that I knew was mine.
But now, I wish that never
Had I come to make
Tools, that this day the sight of
Cause me now to shake.
The hours were full of horror!
Even the sunlight died.
Yet though the sky was dark then,
I was darker still inside.
The soldier seemed to be grinning
As he hit each nail;
And when I saw the hammer I began to pale.
When he had finished swinging,
The tool was tossed aside.
But never will I forget it.
I wish it was me that died!
© S.M.T.
-ooOOoo-
I asked for health that I might do greater things;
I was given infirmity that I might do better things.
I asked God for strength that I might achieve;
I was made weak that I might learn to obey.
I asked for riches that I might be happy;
I was given poverty that I might be wise.
I asked for power and the praise of men;
I was given weakness to sense my need of God.
I asked for all things that I might enjoy life;
I was given life that I might enjoy all things.
I got nothing I asked for but everything I hoped for;
In spite of myself, my prayers were answered -
I am among all men most richly blessed.
Anonymous
-ooOOoo-
God is never beyond our reach
No-one ever sought the Father
And found He was not there
And no burden is too heavy
To be lightened by a prayer,
No problem is too intricate
And no sorrow that we face
Is too deep and devastating
To be softened by His grace,
No trials and tribulations
Are beyond what we can bear
If we share them with the Father
As we talk to Him in prayer -
And men of every colour,
Every race and every creed
Have but to seek the Father
In their deepest hour of need -
God asks for no credentials,
He accepts us with our flaws,
He is kind and understanding
And He welcomes us because
We are His erring children
And He loves us every one,
And He freely and completely
Forgives all that we have done,
Asking only if we’re ready
To follow where He leads -
Content that in His wisdom
He will answer all our needs.
("Ask, and it shall be given you;
Seek, and ye shall find;
Knock and the door shall be opened
Unto you." Matthew 7.7)
By Doris Lacey
-ooOOoo-
I’m going to another place
that mortals cannot see.
I’m going now to meet my Lord
So don’t you weep for me.
He guided me throughout my life,
He shared my joys and pain,
He made the greatest Sacrifice,
He died and rose again.
Death is no end but just a start
No weary ways to plod
Eternal life and happiness
Immortal joy with God.
JD
-ooOOoo-
MARY
How could she bear
To stand beneath blue sky
And see this Man, her son
Hanging there to die.
And when the day
Made night, as blue turned black,
She thought about her Babe
Born in lowly shack.
Her heart must now,
Like Temple veil, be torn
As Jesus bled and died:
Awful Friday morn.
A young sweet maid
God chose to bear His Son.
As tears now flowed, she knew
God's will she had done.
© Sylvia Tancock
-ooOOoo-
WHAT AM I GOING TO CELEBRATE?
I didn't expect to be born;
To arrive in this big, open space.
I didn’t know that I should come
To a plan, that's already in place.
I am glad that I didn't know
Of my part in the great human race.
I'm glad that I wasn't told
To expect all the turmoil and chase.
BUT,
He knew why He was to come.
He knew what He had to face.
He knew that God's plan for Him
Was to save me, with His loving grace.
© Sylvia Tancock
-ooOOoo-
Calming Prayer for the Bereaved
Do not stand at my grave and weep;
I am not there, I do not sleep.
I am the thousand winds that blow.
I am diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning hush
I am the soft uplifting rush
of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry
I am not there, I did not die.
