A message to our new Commander in Chief

Make the Presidency great again!
Admit you’re wrong. Confess your sin!
Resist the urge to tweet your thoughts.
Respect what others feel.

Refuse to let your ego reign.
Run after peace instead of fame.
Walk in another’s moccasins
before you take a stand.

Reserve the right to change your mind.
Before you speak or act unkind,
try asking “what would Jesus do?”
Then listen with your heart.

Deny yourself. Put others first.
Don’t give us cause to think the worst.
Demeaning others isn’t cool.
Your mother taught you that.

The Presidency deserves your best.
So what may be your greatest test
is reigning in your inner child
and making him behave.

I really want you to succeed.
But for you to, you need to heed
the Golden Rule that makes you rich
regardless of your wealth.

More than our President is called to take an oath

Place your left on the Bible
and raise your right hand.
Will you solemnly pledge you will pray
for one far-from-perfect
who nonetheless takes
the oath of his office today?

Please vow to use knee mail
(while Mr. Trump tweets).
Then text prayer requests to your friends.
This President needs us
to seek Divine help
all the while we’re confessing our sins.

Let’s pray for this leader
who causes us angst
by the outlandish things that he says.
Ask God to confront him
with the Book neath his hand
lest the theme of his term be “Les Mis.”

It’s not just ‘The Donald’
who’s called to take vows.
God’s calling His people to pray
for a nation divided,
our new President
and the conflicts that stand in his way.

Dedicated to Imogen Isobel Anderson

I’m imagining, wee Imogen,
how you will touch our lives
with images of how much we are loved
by a Father we have never seen
who demonstrates His care
through daily mercies we’re most needful of.

Precious Imogen, your Papou
is ecstatic with delight
as I contemplate the moments we will share.
Those dimples that define your face
remind me of your mom
who grew up way too fast with years to spare.

And so I pledge, granddaughter dear,
to cherish every day
the Lord allows me to be here with you.
I want to be a means of grace
by which your faith will grow
before my days on earth are finally through.

*Little Imogen was born to my daughter and her husband on January 8, 2017 (Epiphany Sunday)

The Salvation Army bells make music all year long

The kettle bells of General Booth
that ring at Christmastime
are heard long after New Year’s is rung in.
They echo in the hopeful hearts
of those who’ve lost it all
who long for help so they can start again.

We hear them ringing in our heads
when we’ve gone back to work
and picture homeless folks without a job.
Those tiny bells still signal hope
when they’ve been packed away
for hungry street kids who don’t want to rob.

Those little bells amazingly
peal loudly in our ears
for they’re declaring war on poverty.
They call to mind God’s faithful troops
who fight against-all-odds
to shelter, feed and clothe with charity.

Salvation Army volunteers
who brave the cold and rain
are soldiers of compassion with a bell.
Their one-note rhapsody recalls
the good news of God’s love
that takes a preacher all twelve months to tell.