Year: 2021

The Longest Night

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos
Longing for a new day to dawn

It’s the longest night.
It’s a night that accentuates the loneliness I feel.
Bitterness and sadness share my (otherwise) empty room.
Forgiveness and happiness
can be heard knocking at my double-locked door.
I would welcome their company
but my faith is too weak to let them in.
I am paralyzed by the emotional parasites
that have devoured my peace of mind.

A candle in the corner flickers.
I catch a glimpse of the darting flame.
Starved for light,
this miniature blaze is a beam of hope.
But the shadows it casts on the wall
are merely silhouettes that mock my dreams of dawn.

Will this night ever end?
When will the haunting beats of my tired heart subside?
When will my suffocating restless mind begin to breathe again?

O God of the future,
be present with me now as the past casts my life’s drama
with memories that know their lines by heart.

Walk with me through the never-ending hours of this night.
Stand beside me as I surrender my fears, regrets and grief once again.
Sit with me in my sorrow until the morning comes
and the days become increasingly longer 24 hours at a time.

Loving God, remind me of the meaning of Immanuel.
That You are with me.
That You never will forsake me.

In the Darkness of Our Advent

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos
New lyrics to an old hymn tune

In the darkness of our Advent,
we wait for dawn.
Racial strife and greed are rampant
Hatred is strong.
Justice hides and peace is sleeping
while the innocent are weeping
as the wealthiest are reaping
what smacks as wrong.

As we wait for what You’ve promised,
faith can grow weak.
Doubt can bully idle patience
when silence speaks.
Winter’s dark can find us fearing
when the voices we are hearing
drown Your Spirit’s whispers cheering
us still to seek.

May Your presence light our journey.
Lord, guide our way.
God-with-us be ever near us.
Help us, we pray.
Penetrate the mist of mourning
as the daybreak clouds are forming
to remind us of that morning
night turns to day.

Tune: All Through the Night

Remember to Say Thanks!

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos
It’s easy to forget to express gratitude

“Remember to say thanks,” Mom said.
It’s easy to forget.
‘Cause gratitude does not come naturally.
Those magic words we learned as kids
acknowledge we’ve been blessed.
So let’s say thank you each and every day.

Remember to say thanks because
it’s easy to be still
and never let someone know how we feel.
That special thing they did or said
reminding us they care,
deserves acknowledgment. It’s a big deal!

Remember to say thanks for when
we do so we extend
an honor to the one who honored us.
And while it takes some effort
to be grateful, it’s a key
that unlocks a growing friendship. It’s a must!

_______

Greg has a related newspaper article, “Talking turkey about … turkeys” published on 11/21/2021 in The Wenatchee World.

Free subscription to e-mail notifications for each new post by Greg on this site:

The Gospel According to a Hummingbird

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos
A Lesson in Trust

Hummingbird in leafless tree,
I know you aren’t aware of me
or of the fact that I can see
how delicate you are.

So why should I think it absurd 
that to the Lord, I’m like a bird?
God sees my actions, hears each word
and knows my anxious thoughts.

Remind me, Jesus, (like You said)
that just as birds are daily fed,
I need not fret but trust instead 
that You will care for me.

* Matthew 6:25-34

Welcome to When’s Day

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos
When’s Day is the day we’ve been waiting for

When’s the day when I can be
a source of joy to all I see,
when I can lift those burdened down
by heartaches and despair?

When can I show another love
reminding them I’m thinking of
those times when they were there for me,
when friends were few and far?

So when’s the day I just decide
to jettison my fear and pride
and risk rejection for the chance
to love like Jesus did?

Well, how about today?
After all, today is “When’s Day!”