Summer Solstice

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos
A view of the sun setting on the earth from space

Today is called the longest day
when daylight mocks the night.
A day to spend with friends just marking time.
A time to mark a year half-gone
and note what’s still to do.
A day to prompt the penning of a rhyme.

Summertime is finally here.
A carefree mindset reigns.
A season of picnics and barbecues.
Baseball games and evening hikes
and frisbee in the park.
Today we light a three-month lengthy fuse.

I love this day. I’ll stay up late
and drink in sights and sound.
I’ll find a way to celebrate the light.
The summer solstice gives us pause
to measure how time speeds
and how the daytime soon dissolves to night.
 

In addition to each week’s post on this website, Greg Asimakoupoulos offers daily video devotionals on his YouTube channel. Here is a sample video. If you are interested in receiving these devotionals Monday through Friday, you can subscribe on Greg’s channel. Go to My Rhymes and Reasons on YouTube.

I Pledge Allegiance to Flag Day

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos
“I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America…”

Remember when we flew the flag
with pomp and circumstance?
We honored dear Old Glory with much pride.
We pledged allegiance standing tall
with hands across our hearts
acknowledging the soldiers who have died.

One day a year we took the time
to recognize our flag
and teach our children what it represents.
But now it seems those times are past.
The 14th day of June
is just another day. It really makes no sense!

Our stars and stripes are still the means
of picturing our past
while calling out our best symbolically:
a God-blessed nation unified
where there is room for all
from east to west, from sea to shining sea.

In addition to each week’s post on this website, Greg Asimakoupoulos offers daily video devotionals on his YouTube channel. Here is a sample video. If you are interested in receiving these devotionals Monday through Friday, you can subscribe on YouTube at My Rhymes and Reasons.

It’s Commencement Time

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos
A wallet-size replica of Greg Asimakoupoulos’ high school diploma

Commencement, like the word implies,
suggests an open door
through which you walk in cap and gown to find
a new beginning to what’s next,
new friends, new jobs and more
and ways to test and stretch your growing mind.

Commencing is an active verb
inviting you to go
and reach for what is yet to be attained.
When you commence you look ahead
(while mindful of the past)
and focus on a future still to gain.

To graduate suggests you’re done.
Commencing says, “Let’s go!
And get to work based on all you have learned.”
So go for broke. Spend all you have
to make your dreams come true
investing in the trust you still must earn.

In addition to each week’s post on this website, Greg Asimakoupoulos offers daily video devotionals on his YouTube channel. Here is a sample video. If you are interested in receiving these devotionals Monday through Friday, you can subscribe on Greg’s channel.

The Gift of a Brother!

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos
Greg Asimakoupoulos and his brother Marc

A brother walks the past with you
embracing moments known by few.
He calls to mind what you forgot
and underscores his love.

A brother stands the test of time
when life goes blank and doesn’t rhyme,
when losses undermine your wins
and having faith is hard.

A brother sits with you in pain
because he knows you’ll do the same
when it’s his turn to wipe a tear
or face uncertainty.

Yes, brothers are a gift from God.
They voice their pride
and give a nod
to dreams you long to realize.
They cheer you on your way!

In addition to each week’s post on this website, Greg Asimakoupoulos offers daily video devotionals on his YouTube channel. Here is a sample video. If you are interested in receiving these devotionals Monday through Friday, you can subscribe by going to the “My Rhymes and Reasons YouTube Channel.”

A Grave Reminder

/ Greg Asimakoupoulos
Greg’s photo of grave markers at Arlington National Cemetery

In Arlington and Gettysburg
and graveyards of which few have heard,
those small white markers sanctify
the hallowed ground beneath.

They speak of veterans who are dead,
who overcame their sense of dread
to undermine the enemy
and pre-pay what we own.

What we now claim was purchased then
by soldiers who would fight again
to guarantee our cherished rights,
which makes our country great.

Each tiny marker, boasts the name
of one who never savored fame,
but served his Uncle selflessly
not needing to be known.

We thank You, God, for these now gone
and for their memories that live on.
As we place wreaths and little flags,
grace us with healthy pride.

In addition to each week’s post on this website, Greg Asimakoupoulos offers daily video devotionals on his YouTube channel. Here is a sample video. If you are interested in receiving these devotionals Monday through Friday, you can subscribe on Greg’s channel.