Evergreen Hope 6-21-12

Spectacular wonder, the view way out yonder,

from high on this mountain slope.

God's vast great creation brings glad adoration

to Jesus who offers us hope.

From just one small seed, a potential indeed,

once crushed, by mistake, underfoot.

I whispered a prayer and stepped over where

another small sapling took root.

And on that rock shelf I thought to myself,

"Oh, how can that seedling be grown,

up here where it toils in dry rocky soils,

in midst of more turmoils not known?"

Then over the years through blizzards and fears

rose doubts that had made me take pause,

"It sure hadn't thrived but had it survived?

Had it overcome nature's laws?"

Now several years later I found something greater

when I returned back to that tree.

I had to admire, it soared so much higher,

and grew so much taller than me.

It once had been crushed, but now I am hushed,

and humbled at what God had done.

One tiny example of something we trample

brings life from the tomb of His Son!

A long time ago under hail and snow,

despite its long discord and strife,

its tap root enlocked way down deep in a rock

that faithfully brought it to life!

Oh, why can't I be like that evergreen tree,

that grew up so high in the sky?

The greenest of green that I've ever seen,

oh tell me Lord, why cannot I?

Spectacular wonder, the view way out yonder,

from high on this mountain slope.

God's vast great creation brings glad adoration

to Jesus who offers me hope.

©2012 louis gander - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http://www.ganderpoems.org/

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My Awesome God 6-3-11

Fanny Crosby 1820-1915

I smell the fragrance of the pines

and hear each nature sound.

Something envelopes my thoughts.

Creation's all around.

I sit for several hours but

I can't a sentence write.

Will I be trying hours more,

to write throughout the night?

You'd have to wear some special shoes

to see my unique view -

yet empty are the words I find

explaining God to you.

So try to close your eyes awhile -

in patience.  It's alright.

I'll pray that angels sprinkle words

to help me say this right...

If you could see His miracles

in all I've been forgiven -

if you could also understand the gifts

to me, that He has given -

I wouldn't need to write one word.

His light, you'd finally see -

and understand my awesome God,

though you aren't blind like me.

©2011 louis gander ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

http:/www.ganderpoems.org/

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Written as I'm reminded of Fanny Crosby (1820-1915), a blind poet who wrote nearly 9,000 poems/hymns such as “Pass me not, O gentle Saviour,” “Sweet hour of prayer,” “Safe in the arms of Jesus,” “All the way my Saviour leads me,” “Jesus is tenderly calling thee home,” “I am thine, O Lord,” “Rescue the perishing,” “Speed away,” “Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine,” and “Jesus keep me near the Cross"..

Once a Scotch minister remarked to her, “I think it is a great pity that the Master, when He showered so many gifts upon you, did not give you sight.”
She answered: “Do you know that, if at birth I had been able to make one petition to my Creator, it would have been that I should be made blind?”
“Why?” asked the surprised preacher.
 “Because, when I get to heaven, the first face that shall ever gladden my sight will be that of my Saviour.”*

 *Moseley H. Williams, The Sunday School World, (Lesson for Aug. 19, 1900 The man born blind, Applications and Illustrations) pg. 302