Remembering Regis Philbin

Who wants to be a millionaire?” he asked.
And we were game.
Who wouldn’t want to win at trivia?
But even Regis knew deep down
that riches can’t buy life
when comes that day when we must say “See ya!”

No! Phone-a-friend won’t do the trick
no matter who you know.
Sweet Kathie Lee or Kelly won’t suffice.
When we must stand before the Lord
and brace for what’s in store,
our final answer can’t be “I was nice!”

For Regis (or for anyone)
the rules are all the same.
The only lifeline we can claim is grace.
The good we’ve done or our success
won’t matter in the end.
It all comes down to Whom we have embraced.

Trivia? Oh, by no means.
This is the Gospel truth.
God’s grace through faith is that by which we win.
The “Game of Life” continues on
beyond our final breath.
So use your lifeline now and trust in Him.

*Ephesians 2:8-9

Celebrating the legacy of Congressman John Lewis

John Lewis was a boxing great.
That no one can dispute.
But he is not the one I’m thinking of.
The one I mean (who’s in the news)
knew how to fight as well.
He fought for justice, equal rights and love.

The “boy from Troy” put up his dukes
and danced around the ring.
He looked for opportunities to punch.
Through peaceful protests, freedom rides
and trouble he called good,
he fought to have a Woolworth counter lunch.

The “conscious of our Congress” was
quite short, but stood quite tall.
He kept alive the dream of MLK.
John Lewis was a testament
to what his mentor taught
and called his colleagues to a better way.

And then last week it was John’s time
to cross that famous bridge.
A bridge that spans the gap of life and death.
And as he crossed, we recognized
the legacy he leaves
that’s punctuated by one final breath.

Peace to his memory!

A new look at a childhood finger play

Here is the church.
And here is the steeple.
Open the door
and where are the people?

They’re watching on desktops,
on laptops and phones.
They’re socially distanced.
But they’re not alone!

They’re part of a Body
that FaceTimes and Zooms.
They’re one in the Spirit
in various rooms.

The church ain’t a building.
It can’t be shut down.
It’s where you and I go
both home or downtown.

No! COVID can’t kill us.
When push comes to shove,
we thrive in the hard times
connected by love!

Who ultimately should decide what is left?

Seems the Redskins are no longer.
Are Atlanta and KC
both prepared to follow suit and change their names?
And will Cleveland be contented
with the new logo they chose?
Or will they cave to growing corporate shame?

In our ever-changing culture
there’s a movement to remove
what’s offensive to the “guardians of right.”
Our monuments and mascots
are at risk of being dumped
in a move that’s far from simply black and white.

“The guardians” are surfing
what appears a PC wave.
They determine what is right and what is left.
But this cancel culture cleansing
should allow for some debate
lest the cornerstone of freedom starts to shift.

A pandemic plea for courtesy

Wear a mask
to hide your face.
In addition, give me space.
When you’re out in public,
keep your distance.
Cover up.

Yes, I know
you don’t like rules.
You’re thinking rules
are made for fools.
But your defiance is a clue
that is what you are.

Doggone it!
Hide your mouth and nose.
Make some friends
instead of foes.
Mask and stand
six feet away
for my health
and yours.