Contemplating the health of our nation, marriage and relationship with God

So what is the state of the union?
It depends on what union you mean.
When it comes to our nation there’s schism.
There are blue states and red ones and green.

But what of the state of your marriage?
Is it marked by contentious regrets?
Is there lack of forgiveness and rancor?
Are there words that you’d like to forget?

Or is it a union of soulmates?
Of partners who strive every day
to work through their issues by listening
and pausing in silence to pray?

And what of the state of your prayer life?
Is it marked by the wonder of grace?
Are your prayers empty phrases and “gimmes”
or candidly seeking God’s face?

Bottom line, what is true of our unions
depends on the work that’s involved.
In our nation, our marriage, or prayer life,
faith at work finds dilemmas resolved.

Candid thoughts about Anthony Weiner

An Oscar Meyer weiner
and a Weiner’s bid for mayor.
The former is best known for its good taste.
The latter is a hot dog’s dream
that’s lacking dignity.
His lewd behavior really is quite base.

And while his wife’s forgiving,
New York voters can’t forget.
His flaw in character is front page news.
It’s revealing, most disgusting
and disqualifying too.
But when asked to quit, he simply just refused.

Call it arrogance and ego.
Call it disillusioned pride.
Call it comical and altogether sad.
When a guy who runs for office
is an exhibitionist,
he deserves to be identified as bad.

The Grand Old Party needs a party planner

The Grand Old Party ain’t a party.
The GOP could use some cake.
It needs balloons and bright red streamers.
It needs a cause to celebrate.

It needs a person to unite them.
Someone who knows the ropes.
There needs to be a “party planner”
who can give them cause for hope.

Party time? Oh how I wish so.
Election Day ain’t far away.
But the elephants aren’t dancing.
It’s time we start to pray.

What we can expect in Denver;
Beware of Credit’s Magical Appeal;
Joe Biden’s Bidin’ Time

Conventions Come, Conventions Go
What we can expect in Denver.

A Rocky Mountain high awaits
Obama and his running mate
as Denver greets the Democrats
a mile in the sky.

It promises to be some week
as Bill and Hill stand up to speak
The same-sex delegates (no doubt)
will have a gay old time.

But down in Colorado Springs
James Dobson’s choir will likely sing
a song few liberals even know.
“God Knew Me in the Womb.”

Conventions come, conventions go
but come next week we’ll likely know
the odds McCain must overcome
once he lands in St. Paul.
 

Beware of Credit’s Magical Appeal
There is a lingering cost to instant gratification.

A little plastic rectangle
that measures 3 by 2
makes rabbits show up magically.
New cars and flat screens too.

It’s like a wand magicians wave
to bring about what’s not.
Just swipe that plastic rectangle
and “POOF.” Look what you’ve got!

There’re laptops, boats and furniture,
vacations, eating out,
designer clothes and jewelry
and all while VISA shouts…

“You, too, can be Houdini-like
with top hat, wand and cape.”
But unlike Harry-in-a-trunk,
there’s risk you won’t escape.

This magic is a costly trick.
There’s something you should know.
The 16 digits on your card
could be the bucks you owe.
 

Joe Biden’s Bidin’ Time
Actually, he’s writing a speech.

Joe Biden’s bidin’ his sweet time
now that Barack has called.
He’s drafting his acceptance speech
remembering his fall.

He fell from grace some years ago.
A plagiarism trip.
Joe journeyed down to no-no-land
on someone else’s ship.

He claimed another’s as his own.
He pirated their speech.
His lip-sync act slipped through the cracks.
He should have been impeached.

But doltin’ Joe from Delaware
proved he’s a slippery man.
His indiscretion didn’t stick
He’s not an also-ran.

Can he “Teflon” missteps and lies?
That is Obama’s hope.
With polls now tight, Barack hopes Joe
will draw crowds like the Pope.