Category Archives: church

CHURCH ATTENDANCE–A HYPOTHETICAL POEM

He rarely attends now,

It’s gone and got diff’rent somehow…

He feels pushed aside

Not welcomed inside,

No one’s been direct with him, anyhow!

They used to go faithfully,

Found the spirit there strong and free…

The Pastor moved on

And a preacher took on

Things with his own personality.

With his circle of friends,

For our subject, being close to a pastor ends…

You know his pride

Didn’t like “outside”

But he wanted to attend.

Then he and his wife

Both saw ill health in life….

Comparison

With others is sin,

And churned up internal strife!

The preacher/teacher and he,

(Too much alike?) weren’t happy…

It shifted into

“An authority over you”

Which wasn’t as healthy!

Various dissatisfactions

Led to complaints and  feigned actions….

Poor communication

Led to frustration,

In mutual distraction.

So now he stays at home

Sundays, with his wife alone…

No need to go

Taken for granted so,

But he’s stuck–this was his church home.

Socially depended on her,

His wife, for communication stirred…

When she took ill

He didn’t have the will,

To see that his opening up occurred.

He’s given his life for her,

Literally as it were…

Goes it alone

Reaching out he’s done,

Elsewhere–little left at “home”.

Options to go elsewhere?

Feels bound by his wife–so there!

Decision paralyzed–

Easier to survive

By himself, ‘though few benefits to share!

A “hypothetical poem”–which means it is just a poem….!

–Jonathan Caswell

 

 

 

 

DON’T WORRY–TRUST THE LORD GOD!

Oh Soul, why do you fear?

The Lord, your Savior is near…

Encouraging with

His word you shall live,

What the Spirit says through His Bible…do you hear?

–Jonathan Caswell

SUNDAY DINNER

SUNDAY DINNER

Sundy dinner–after church–

Our church and theirs…

Mom and Dad would

Wholesome goodness prepare.

Mom would help Dad with services

For patients on the hill…

My brother and I walked down

To the Methodist Church by our parents’ will.

Sunday School then the service,

Early service sometimes as well….

Four years apart were we brothers,

Each with experiences, do tell.

We’d walk back “up the mountain”

Or ride our bikes (or try)…

Depending on which route was taken,

We’d  get back for dinner and pie!

–Jonathan Caswell

TEST AND APPROVE

TEST AND APPROVE

(The Book of Paul’s Letter to the Romans, Chapter 12: verse 2)

Test and approve God’s will

By learning what it is (better still)…

Renew your mind

With Bible study (Christ’s mind),

God’s good and pleasing, perfect, merciful will!

–Jonathan Caswell

PEBBLE PETER AND OTHER STORIES

PEBBLE PETER AND OTHER STORIES

Remember Peter the Pebble*

Who never spoke in treble…

Whose heart was base

Til Jesus faced

Him and changed Peter into new metal!

Paul, 1st Century ground-pounder,

Took it seriously not to flounder…

Barnabas and he

Might have to flee,

Returning when control was sounder!

The Apostles traditionally

Took God’s Word internationally…

Jerusalem and out

Evangelists stout,

Struggled to set people free.

—Jonathan Caswell

* Refers to “Peter the Pebble,” a poem in the author’s book, SPIRIT-LED LIMERICKS AND OTHER CHRISTIAN POETRY, available at amazon.com and elsewhere!

SUNDAY IS COMING!

SUNDAY IS COMING!

I sure hope I’ll make it out

Depite my gimpy leg…

Getting to our church service

Will raise spirits a peg!

Other people slog through woods

And jungles getting there…

I just have to drive the car,

It almost seems unfair.

They, through great hardship,

Manage to attend each week…

I’ll miss if too tied

Or my leg begins to leak.

Each has their own suffering,

None like that of our Lord…

The more often we attend His church

The more often restored.

God accepts worship anywhere, but a crowd

Seems to be His favorite way hearing then sing loud…

Security in numbers–thousands are a thrill.

Taking tme to assemble is His joy and will.

–Jonathan Caswell

MY PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS

MY PRECONCEIVED NOTIONS

He heard I knew one of his

Church members vis-a-vis…

My time in Rehab==

Decided to grab

An invite he knew I’d miss.

My prejudice against him

Are assumptins he thinks I work in…

Or are they true?

Upon review,

Similar to what I hold against him?

His woeking of the Spirit autocratic,

Where no one else better attack it…

I claim an open mind

But when honest find,

Some ideas aren’t automatic!

I think I’m more mature than him,

As a matter of observing, not whim…

A simpler faith

He sticks to it straight,

Pefrforming with an energetic vim1

He and I in our respective “kinds”

Have some poor experience in mind…

Where both were hurt

By the other hair-shirt*,

Which experiences put me in a bind.

I barely get to my own church now,

So I’m expected to go to his somehow…?

Although a change

Might rearrange

An attitude better than now.

–Jonathan Caswell

GOD’S SON

GOD’S SON

“I and my Father are One,”

That’s how he got things done…

Jews and Greeks

Muslims, Sikh,

Want to sidestep the Son!

All  have fallen short,

But man wants a god whose a sport…

Offering a wink

So sinners can slink

Into any safe port.

“Kiss the Son,” or be had

For disobeying  God’s Lad…

Only One way,

Salvation’s today,

No inheritance from Dad.

Father, Son, Holy Ghost–

Three-in-One, let’s toast…

Only in God we boast!

–Jonathan Caswell

TANKA YOU—MOTHER’S DAY

TANKA YOU–MOTHER’S DAY

Mother, the red head,

Satisfied Dad with cooking

Organized the home

As I moved further away,

She never left me alone.

Her “baby” lives now

Because she made it her task

To value my life

All obstacles were bulldozed,

Hugs were rare, but life precious!

Arranging music,

Teaching angels how to sing…

Following my Dad:

These are what we think she does

When not praising her Lord God.

Her preaching licence

Set aside when she married

Two in ministry

He did the sermonizing,

She was his right and left hand.

I found a spray can

Of contraceptive bedside

Lovers late in life

Shock and awe at my parents,

Mom and Dad deserved some fun!

–Jonathan Caswell

READY AT ANY TIME

READY AT ANY TIME

It’s getting late, the Master’s call

May come at any time…

The Rapture may come

To tale us to a Home sublime.

Prophesies that need to be

Fulfilled are nearly all…

The faithful wait with arms outstretched

For our Father to tale us all!

–Jonathan Caswell