A familiar phrase is an invitation to hear God speak

My laptop spoke to me today
as I clicked AOL.
A voice that I have come to love
responded “You’ve got mail!”

Before my eyes a list appeared
derived from cyberspace.
And as I opened what was sent,
I witnessed God’s sweet grace.

One e-mail came from my dear dad
who’s plagued by chronic pain.
He simply said he’d prayed for me
and hoped I’d do the same.

Another came from one I know
who’s wife walked out last year.
He told me how he’d found the Lord.
His words were most sincere.

And then a guy I’ve never met
surprised me with a note.
He said he’d found encouragement
from something that I wrote.

A screen name I had never seen
intrigued me so I clicked.
It was a poem aimed to heal
the hurts of those heartsick.

A widow from our church e-mailed
to say she’d been quite low.
But then she said she’d found a friend
and thought I’d like to know.

Each e-mail felt as if the Lord
was messaging to me.
I was affirmed and filled with faith
as I read prayerfully.

And so when I hear “You’ve got mail!”
you shouldn’t think it odd
that I perk up and sit right down
prepared to hear from God.

A somber analysis of the compounding dis-interest and hidden fees

As the war lingers longer
and the body count mounts,
our reporters imbedded are scared.
With Saddam still on trial
and bin Laden still loose,
our President’s pull is impaired.

With alleged retribution
by our stressed-out Marines,
recent gains have been gunned down by loss.
Abu Ghraib is like preschool
when compared to this crime.
We must curb war’s inflatable cost.

Lest we let others lull us
with excuses and such
that explain why this conflict goes on,
it is time that we lobbied
and turned up the heat
and insist that we win and be gone.

O dear God, all this bloodshed
must bring tears to your eyes.
Roadside bombs target women and youth.
Bring an end to this terror
and these inhumane acts
that pass off heinous lies as the truth.

An IOU toast as Katie Couric leaves NBC for CBS

Today will never be the same
as Katie Couric trades her fame
from morning news to Rather-land
and 60 Minutes, too.

I think she hopes that CBS
will help her try to spell success.
And so she’s leaving Ann and Al
to play the letter game.

It all began at UVA.
With cap and gown and her BA.,
she hoped to shape the broadcast world
and prove a woman could.

At NBC she lost her J,
but Katie really earned an A
by doing what she did with class
while entering our hearts.

With Bryant Gumbel, then Matt Lauer,
she proved (though short) she has the power
to stand up to the right wing fringe
with whom she disagrees.

And even though she has her foes,
a level-headed viewer knows
that Katie Couric has a gift
that cannot be ignored.

Let’s raise a glass for Ms. KC.
For fifteen years on NBC,
for all she did to make Today
our early morning choice.

Why American Idol frenzy is just a passing fancy

There is Idol conversation
at the Bucks and Mickey D’s.
Seems our country’s going ga-ga
over Hicks and Ms. McPhee.

When you’re ordering a latte
or a Big Mac without cheese,
chances are you’ve heard the chatter
like the buzz of worker bees.

After years this Fox sensation
has our nation by the tail.
We just love to watch young hopefuls
strut their stuff or croon and wail.

But the sad part of this saga
is that come a year from now
he or she who’s crowned the Idol
won’t be worshiped. None will bow.

What is must-see for the moment
is at best a passing fad.
Idol talk is idle treasure
that is worthless, trite and sad.