How a woman of faith redeems a notorious name

Quite unlike old Samson’s lover,
she is honest, wise and kind.
She gives comfort to love’s victims
and clear vision when love’s blind.

To those bound by guilt’s deception,
to those shorn by loneliness,
this Delilah speaks compassion
with advice that’s aimed to bless.

Though her life is hardly perfect,
though she’s failed more than she’s won,
she’s a means of grace to millions
when each day is nearly done.

Yes, Delilah has a calling.
She routinely speaks of God
and His undeserved acceptance
that redeems rejects and frauds.

From her radio cathedral,
she gives homilies each night.
And she hears heart-felt confessions
from the lovelorn and uptight.

This unorthodox good shepherd
claims a growing faithful flock
who feel nurtured and protected
through her music, wit and talk.

[Actual letter from Delilah in response to this poem] Thank you for the kind words!

Trust me, for there are many areas of my life that are still in keeping with my namesake’s demeanor…

But I praise my Lord each and every day that He loves me unconditionally, That His blood was shed for my sins, That He paid the price on the cross that I might not have to pay the price for my many mistakes, sins and short comings… That He has blessed me beyond my wildest dreams and allowed me the privilege to enter into His presence… That I have beautiful children who know Him in a real way… And that my life is filled with amazing friends and lots of love.

Should He call me home tomorrow, I will know that I have been blessed more than any person I have ever met, because I know the condition of my heart and I know I don’t deserve any of the wonderful things I have enjoyed. But I hope He allows me to stick around another 55 years and have fun on this planet that He created just for our good pleasure!

If you should share any words about me with your congregation, share that I am a sinner amongst sinners…I have compromised my values and myself dozens of times, even after having made a commitment to the Lord…and yet I know His love is the greatest force in the universe…and I will ever praise His name.Best Wishes,Delilah (my older brother’s name was Matthew Mark Luke; my parentshad a sick sense of humor…)

Lessons my dad taught me

Some say there is no perfect dad.
But they don’t know the one I’ve had.
For more than fifty years this man
has modeled life for me.

Since I first joined the human race,
my father showed tough love and grace.
He knew I needed discipline
so coached me how to run.

But more than law and leniency,
my loving dad gave time to me.
Although he had a stressful job,
he sought me out at home.

When I was just a little tyke
he taught me how to ride a bike.
He made the time to throw the ball
and took great pride in me.

He kissed my cheek and hugged my neck
and very often wrote a check.
He helped me see that love can be
expressed in varied ways.

With that in mind my dad taught me
to treat my wife like royalty.
And so I learned to love my wife
the way he loves my mom.

He also showed me men can weep
and pray with kids before they sleep.
The cues he gave me as a kid
have helped me raise my girls.

My dad remains a proud Marine.
And while he’s not as strong or lean
as when he fought back in the war,
he’s taught me freedom’s price.

And though my dad is growing old,
he still is prone to be quite bold.
He’s quick to chide me when he thinks
I’m holding out on God.

He warns me not to work too much.
He offers tips on stocks and such.
He never fails to stop and pray
when he knows I’m confused.

But I don’t mind. I trust his heart.
This one who’s coached me from the start
will train me ’til the day he dies.
That’s just what coaches do.

Calculating the cost of a college education

Just last week my firstborn daughter
(clad in tasseled cap and gown)
proudly clutched her college sheepskin
in a small Midwestern town.

I could see her back in preschool
as she walked across the stage.
But then when she turned and smiled,
my young princess came of age.

In my head I started adding
just how much her B.A. cost.
But those exponential numbers
avalanched and I got lost.

There is more than just tuition.
You’ve got books and room and board.
Then there’s clothes and spring vacation
(and insurance for the Ford).

That diploma’s worth a fortune.
So it makes sense (don’t you think)
that my daughter’s name be printed
with pure gold and not black ink?

Yes, I mined the bank but never found
the hidden Mother Lode.
It’s the price a father pays while
traveling down the Parent Road.

You spend all that you’ve been saving
to invest in your kids’ lives
and then pray they finish their degree
in four years not in five.

Still and all I can’t help wonder
now that Kristin’s finally through,
having majored in psychology
what can she really do?

Did I hear someone say grad school?
Are you kidding? Don’t you know?
I have other bills that beckon
and have two more girls to go.

A tribute to the undying devotion of Terri Schiavo’s parents

A mom and dad convinced their cause
should be protected by the laws
could not convince authorities
that what they thought was right.
They made a list of who to see
of those in Washington D.C.
who stand for life and liberty
because of freedom’s plight.

And though the Congress took their side,
a judge down south would not be pried
by what he viewed as politics
and said he wouldn’t rule.
The nation’s mood turned on a dime
as those convinced this was a crime
began to protest loud and long
against what seemed quite cruel.

So, the Schindlers made another list.
This time of courts that had been missed
the first time that they made their case
to spare their daughter’s life.
But every court and every judge
refused to act. They wouldn’t budge.
To those whose broken hearts still hoped
each ruling was a knife.

Unlike the list in Spielberg’s film
that saved the hunted from the kiln
the list that turned the Schindlers down
was hardly way too short.
It was a list of death, not life.
For Terri’s dad and his dear wife,
a choice (that’s really God’s alone)
was hijacked by the courts.

But lest I err, I must include
the list the Schindler family viewed
as crucial to their holy cause
to let their daughter live.
The nameless faces with their signs
(incensed that justice remained blind)
maintained a vigil night and day
and begged God to forgive.

The Schindlers’ lists? Oh, there were lots.
Some gave them hope. Some hurt like shots.
It’s just like life to have both kinds
when courage starts to thin.
But just like Bob, we’d best not quit.
When options fade and critics spit,
just make another list because
the list-less never win.

A Tongue-in-cheek look at Olympics souvenirs

Beware of Greeks who offer gifts.
and also those who offer lifts
in unmarked cabs in Athens town.
I hear there’s gouging going down.

My big fat Grecian clan’s got rich
by peddling Olympics kitsch.
The oozo-flavored sno-cones are
the most ingenious by far.

My Papou’s pitching fishing caps
inscribed to say “I love my naps.”
And Ya Ya’s selling worry beads
as well as rolls with sesame seeds.

My Great Aunt Toula’s made a mint
by sculpting mounds of dryer lint.
She shaped them into Parthenons
and in one day they all were gone.

You see it’s not just athletes
who scheme to find ways to compete.
My cousin’s made a killing there
by selling Greek-flag underwear.

We Greeks know how to win the gold.
We marked up all the stuff we sold.
We proved that tourists at The Games
are short on cash as well as brains.