Litigation

It really makes me angry when I'm looking at TV

Advertising litigation as a modern remedy.

I hate the sort of culture that we have now become

Where every sort of accident is worth a tidy sum!

The ones who really benefit are not the ones who claim

And the ones that really suffer are not the ones to blame!

You can bet the lawyers are going to make a pile

And you and me will pay the cost in a little while.

No amount of compensation will make the matters right

And we know the briefs can argue that what’s black is white.

The price of our insurance makes costs go through the roof

And the finance, of our hospitals, is the living proof!

Accidents can happen and we all can make mistakes

He who takes no chances, surely nothing makes!

Have we become a nation stuck within a groove,

Frozen and inactive, too scared to make a move?

Is it not a scandal? Can we not see the flaw

In making every accident a matter for the law!

A Faith Haiku

I believe in God.

I am guided by His rod.

Does that make me odd?

Listening

When I was very troubled several years ago.

What to do? I found that I didn’t really know.

I went upon a sailing trip aboard the Morning Star

As it happened we were doomed to not sail very far!

We ended on a sandbar in the Medway estuary

As the tide was turning, heading out to sea.

Several things were tried to get the boat to move

But we found that it was stuck, firmly in its groove!

So we were on the sandbar until the tide should rise

That this was several hours away was no real surprise.

There were lots of mutterings among the gallant crew

Sitting on a sandbar they did not come to do!

The weather was quite glorious. The sun was shining bright

And there was nothing we could do till later on that night!

I was quite unusual, relaxing, feeling good

Sitting on an upturned boat in a mellow mood.

We didn’t have to rush about we were quite safe, though still.

This just didn’t seem to me a very bitter pill.

I thought that all we had to do was just relax and wait

That didn’t seem to me to be a very daunting fate.

Then I heard within my head a still small voice of calm

And to my soul it seemed to be a most effective balm.

“That’s what I’ve tried to tell you for many, many years

Though you could not hear me as you listened to your fears.”

Now you know for certain what your plan should be –

Just relax and follow what you hear from me!”

My jaw dropped and I realised that what I had just heard

Could only come from God above though this might seem absurd.

Ant then I recognised the truth of what He had to say

I didn’t have to worry just trust Him every day.

All my plans fell into place I knew that I’d survive

My ever-loving Saviour would see that I would thrive.

 Of course I am not perfect and forget from time to time

To leave the choices up to Him, my counsellor sublime!

I do not always listen for that voice within my head

When sudden fears assail me while lying in my bed!

But doing things my own way just leads to misery

Then I remember sailing and His voice comes back to me.

Lord grant me the wisdom to listen for Your voice

For listening, in just that way, should be my only choice!

Cutting Corners

Have you ever noticed when you are in a rush

That everything conspires to make it worse?

If you’re decorating you can’t find the brush

Or wanting to quote scripture you can’t find the verse!

Have to make a sponge cake for the Christmas fete?

It won’t rise as it ought to do, like every one before

It ends up like a pancake flat upon the plate

And in the end you start again and throw it out the door!

I said I would make some fudge for Mothers’ Day at church

And once I’d said I’d do it, I won’t leave them in the lurch

The first time that I boiled it the water content’s wrong

It wouldn’t melt the sugar and it felt bad all along

The second time I boiled it I poured it out too soon

Such tricks at cutting corners really are no boon!

It wouldn’t set but stayed quite soft and then

Would you believe I had to start to boil it all again!

I’ve got up at Five this morning and hope I do it right

For if I don’t I’m sure that I must boil again tonight!

I hope that in my walk with God I will not think I can

Cut too many corners,  but be a patient man!

Troubles

When some petty little trouble irritates me

And all that I endeavour comes to naught;

When I am not as happy as I might be

Or in some minor misdeed I am caught;

When all my fortunes take a sudden nosedive

And to take another step takes all my will;

If my spirit leaves me floundering with no drive

And my enemies are all around me still;

Then I look at what my Saviour went through

And how He always knew what He should do.

He never got Himself into a lather,

But sent a prayer up to His heavenly Father.

He followed the advice when e’er it came.

I know that I should always do the same!

The Birthday Present

We got a car a year ago and it has done us proud

The colour is a kind of brown and certainly not loud.

It’s taken us from here to there without any trouble

Whether going slowly or even at the double.

It’s been so reliable in the way that it has served

That we felt a tribute was something it deserved.

There aren’t many things that you can give a faithful car

But you should give it something to make it feel a star!

After great consideration we decided on the treat

Something that would make it proud riding round the street!

We took it down to Tesco and gave the man the keys

“Give this car the treatment”, we asked him, “pretty please!”

Just a wash and vacuum because we are quite mean

But now we have a car that looks just so good and clean!

(The next wash that it has will be another year, or two!)

But this year, for its birthday, the car has had its due.

Would that we remember the service Jesus gave

The present that He gave to us – those He came to save.

He gave His life for all of us so that we might live

There is no greater present that anyone could give!

Age

Age is just a state of mind; your attitude’s the key.

I am still quite childish, as many would agree!

I suppose when I was young I couldn’t wait to grow

Adults gave all the orders and mostly told you, “No!”

I yearned for the freedom that being adult brings

Little did I realise that adulthood has strings!

I found that with my freedom I had to pay my way

For he who pays the piper gets to choose the lay!

Of course that meant I had to work to earn a living wage

One of the great penalties of one’s advancing age!

Still I got to play my sport when the work was done

Life was pretty good to me. I was having fun!

Then I met a beauty who became my darling wife

Was there any more, I thought, that I could ask of life?

Then we had two daughters to make our lives complete

Although I must admit it, our house was seldom neat!

Those birds have now all left the nest and we have retired

And we can do anything that we have desired!

We play our sports most every day and do not seem to rest

Our bodies may be aching and this can be a pest!

I suppose I must be wiser now, when I’m no longer green

But I am just as childish as I have ever been!

I thank my God for giving me a full and happy life

And someone to share it as a most beloved wife.

Interregnum II

We await our new rector’s arrival

It isn’t at all like survival

Be of good cheer

The Spirit is here

It’s really more like revival

The Seasons

Winter brings Christmas good cheer,

The end and the start of the year.

It sometimes brings snow

But what do you know?

I love it when Winter is here!

The Spring is a time of new birth

When warmth can return to the earth.

With warm April showers,

And bluebells in bowers,

Spring is a time of great mirth!

The Summer is normally bright

And there is a lot of daylight

The trees are arrayed

And Cricket is played

And I love a hot Summer night!

The Autumn is mellow and slow

And the colours all seem to flow

The harvest is done

In the last of the sun

And I love the bright Autumn glow.

Each season is great in its way

And gives us reasons to pray

Give God the praise

Through all of our days

“Thank you”, is all we can say!

Multiple Verse Forms

I like to play around with words to see what I can do

The scansion, rhythm and the rhyme are very pleasing too..

Of course you have to play around with a rhyming scheme,

While sticking to the subject and following a theme,

Which might be something serious or maybe just a dream.

Using different verse forms can take a bit of time.

It isn’t always easy to find a cunning rhyme

But to do it badly seems to me a crime

And when you’re done the feeling really is sublime.

I really do love limericks for comedy at least

And sonnets are a verse form rather like a feast

Simple rhyming couplets are like a hungry beast

Sometimes when you’ve started you wish that you had ceased

But the soul within you expands as if with yeast!

Triplets are quite fun to use and quatrains are as well

Quintains are unusual as anyone can tell

As for going further, it’s enough to make you yell

Though a rhyming sestet is a form I’d like to sell

Though in that case the themes can be difficult to gel.

And the perfect scansion is not ringing like a bell!

To make a rhyming septet is really rather fun

I could be going scatty by the time that I am done

And if you are still reading I’m not the only one!

After I am finished I might just have to run

For there is no accolade that I might have won

And there is no likelihood of sitting in the sun

With a cup of coffee and a tasty currant bun!

A lovely rhyming octave is by far the hardest yet

Though it can be known by the title “an octet”.

I would only do it to fulfil a heavy bet

Of course this is a challenge, which I have been set

Maybe there’s some medicine for a man to get

Though it might be costly and I’d end up in debt

Or jump into a river and finish up quite wet

But I’m not into failure it just makes me upset!

Now I’ll set a challenge to anyone out there

To complete this rhyming nonet would be only fair

……….

Encouragement

I was shocked the other day when someone said to me

That I was an example of what they’d like to be!

They said that I encouraged them and I hope that’s true.

Certainly that’s something that I intend to do.

But I know my nature, the faults I try to hide

They would not admire me if they could see inside!

I am very lazy and fixed within my ways

I have my opinions and will argue them for days

I have my fads and fancies and hate to take advice

All in all they ought to know I am not very nice!

None the less my Saviour knows me as I am

With all my faults and foibles. Has done from my pram!

He loves me as a father loves a favoured son

And though it is not finished my rescue has begun.

I thank the one who praised me and to a large extent

I am very thankful for their kind encouragement!

Budget

I listen to the Chancellor and don’t believe a word

All this party posturing just seems so absurd.

I don’t trust politicians; their record is so poor.

They always claim that they are right. How can they be so sure?

I’m not saying that they’re criminal but they would make a fuss

If their budgets were restricted like the rest of us!

The rich can salt their cash away avoiding most taxation

And I bet their interest rates still outstrip inflation!

It must be nice to live your life and never think of others!

On second thoughts, I’d rather treat all other men as brothers.

Our Saviour lived in poverty and didn’t cheat and lie

Gave His life for all of us. Sometimes I wonder why?

We are such a motley crew and selfish to the core

And yet it seems our failings just make Him love us more!

Let me please be willing to do my level best

To, follow his example and, care for all the rest. 

Singing

For all the joy within my heart

The pleasure You’ve been bringing

I think I’ve known it from the start

I cannot keep from singing!

When troubles come and things go wrong

I duck the mud they’re slinging

To lift my spirits all along

I cannot keep from singing!

With all the good men I have known

I hear their death knell ringing

As I think of all the seeds they’ve sown

I cannot keep from singing!

When I think of all the grace of God

His angels o’er me winging

The comfort of His guiding rod

I cannot keep from singing!

When I sing loudly, missing notes

Choirmaster’s hands are wringing

I do not look to them for votes

I will not keep from singing!

A Sonnet on Life

As a child I was smothered in love

In a home where Jesus held sway

I believed in a God up above

And thought I never would stray.

When I left home as a youth

I was tempted by so many things

Sure I still harboured the truth

But forgot the joy following brings

Then came the thrill of my life

God found me a wonderful wife

A lifetime of love we all see

For the whole of our family

God’s love fills all of our days

We’re content to just follow his ways

Lent (Acrostic)

A time when my Lord went to ground

Before his disciples were found.

Crossing the desert for miles

Defeating the enemy’s wiles.

Eschewing all nourishing food

Fasting would do him some good.

Getting both hungry and weak

Having no troubles to seek

Intending to honour our God

Judging by us it seems odd.

King of the world brought so low

Learning so much, even so.

Matching his words to his deeds

Not meeting his base human needs

Outwitting the devils temptation

Picking each quotation

Quoting scripture as a shield

Refusing every chance to yield

Surviving satan’s plots with scorn

Temptation fading with the morn

Unbending, unyielding and strong

Valiantly doing no wrong.

Worthy of all of our praise

eXcelling through all forty days

Your Saviour did all God could ask

Zeroing in on his task!

A walk in the Spring

I’ve just had a walk around Stowe

A lovely estate that I know

I’m in a great mood

For the weather was good

And the daffodils all seemed to glow!

Fallibility

I always have good reasons for anything I do

Convince myself my motives are only ever true.

After all I never mean to be a horrid man

I only ever mean to do the very best I can.

The fact I only ever do the sorts of things I like

Might mean that I could really be a very saintly tyke!

Ok I might just fool myself if I lost the plot

Unfortunately my honesty means an awful lot.

I know I can be lazy and like to have my way

I can not stay quiet, I like to have my say.

Lord help me to recognise how fallible I am

And to stop me throwing my toys out of the pram!  

Self-aware

Give praises for the humble but you will never see

A humble person saying just how humble they can be!

The ones who boast of humbleness sing a different song

“I have many failings (but I’m never, ever wrong)!”

The first part may be very true but not what they believe

It’s just to show humility that others may perceive.

The part within the brackets they will never state

They think that it is obvious because they know they’re great!

They will give their own opinions on everything in sight

And believe me they can argue that something black is white!

They are never quiet for they know that, by the way,

Everyone will want to know what they have to say.

Hold on! I give opinions! And I’m very often loud!

I’m certainly not humble so I guess I must be proud!

Save me Lord from being too proud of my deeds

Let people prick my bubble that's what my ego needs!

Would that I were humble but I know I often fail

And I pray that that won't put me too far beyond the pale!

 

Old Friends

I went to see my Mum’s best friend just the other day

All of her contempories have by now passed away

Her eyesight isn’t what it was and she can get confused

But if you try to help too much she is not amused!

She may be ninety-five years old but of that hardy breed

That does not ever contemplate that they’re the ones in need.

She still does all her shopping and cooks her modest meals

Whizzing round the country with her walking aid on wheels.

Some new fangled gadgets with elements galore

To her are quite bewildering so them she will ignore.

Following instructions when you cannot see too well

Is really her idea of a perfect living hell.

There’s still a twinkle in her eye and a laugh not far behind

And if she talks my head off I don’t really mind.

She tells you tales of yesteryear as if of yesterday.

Of times, when she used radar, wearing Air Force Grey.

How she and my mother excelled at all their studies

They also had a lot of fun. They were not fuddy-duddies!

Top grades within the province not just in the school.

Now, top class academics go to Uni as a rule

But they could not afford it in those days before the war

Only those with money could think to go that far!

They joined the Civil Service on the lowest rung of all

For they were merely female, a sort of Barbie doll!

All the boys they beat at school came in at higher grades

For they were not allowed careers, they were only maids!

Of course they rose within the ranks as only cream will do

And when the boys went off to war it was a good thing too!

They did their bit for country and when the peacetime came

They built the new world for us though that they might not claim!

Of course they had their bad times, which they faced with fortitude

Knowing angst and moaning would not do any good!

She transferred into England and had to start anew

Learned to program IBMs before her time was through

Supplies within the Air Force were the systems she developed

There really were no limits to the skills her brain enveloped!

Of course when she retired she couldn’t sit at home and knit

She went on her committees and played sport so she’d keep fit.

She delivered meals on wheels, to the old dears of the town,

When she was in her eighties. You couldn’t keep her down!

When I came here friendless at the start of my career

I had the consolation that mum’s best friend was near.

She greeted me with friendship and an ever-open door

No immigrant from Belfast could ever ask for more!

My dearest Auntie Betty will fight on till the end

And I am proud that I have known my mother’s greatest friend!

Snouts in the Trough

Of course we aren’t all greedy. We just want our share

Of all the cash that’s going cheap. It seems only fair.

All those lovely adverts from those kindly lawyer folk

You know we all deserve it. Be sure this is no joke!

They’ll do all the work for you and will not charge a bean

It’s just the goodness of their hearts. The kindest ever seen!

You know that you deserve it, and you could use the cash

The briefs will get it for you, then you can make a splash.

There’s no such thing as accidents. Someone is to blame.

How could there be losers in this modern bingo game?

Never mind the one you sue, who did their level best,

As long as you can get your share who cares about the rest?

Does this not remind you of the pigs within the sty?

Will we get the message? Well maybe by and by!

With all these snouts within the trough is there enough to eat?

Look out! I hear the trample of many piglet feet!

Tuesday Mornings

Every Tuesday morning my alarm goes off at six

I’m like a prayer junkie. I have to have my fix!

I get to church at half past six with others who attend

To meet with One we know to be our ever-faithful friend.

We have a drink of coffee before its time for prayer.

And chat about the things we feel that we need to share.

When it gets to seven we gather in the choir

And focus on our talk with God for the next half hour.

His presence is quite palpable as the calm descends

He of course takes precedence with this group of friends.

We can share the silence as we listen for His voice

And of course this helps us as we make our prayer choice.

We pray out loud together and share with God above

The things so heavy on our hearts, that they need His love.

We thank him for his bounty and ask that we may seek

His ever-faithful presence, throughout the coming week.

When it gets to half past seven we leave that Holy place

Refreshed in mind and spirit and filled with love and grace.

Smile

I love the sight, in services, of children milling round

To me it is above all else a most delightful sound.

Sure it may disrupt the calm, which adults like to hear

But surely it should be the cause of Heaven’s biggest cheer.

It may just prick the bubble of the pious and the proud

But I think that I can hear my saviour laugh out loud.

There is a lot that we can learn from every girl and boy

Our feelings for our Saviour should breed unbridled joy.

Why then are we solemn and sometimes slow to smile,

As if to follow Jesus was another weary mile?

Let us all approach God’s house with a merry laugh

For we love to feel the joy of His rod and staff!

The Drinks Men

Dream Factory is important in many, many ways

Tim and I are drinks men there on most Saturdays

We offer tea or coffee to anyone who comes

To drop their little children off, be they dads or mums.

We talk to anybody who has the time to spare

Even if they wonder what we’re doing there!

It may seem pretty stupid to sit around and chat!

Would the people miss us if we weren’t doing that?

We’ve been there in rain and shine, and even in the snow

And whether we do any good we’ll never ever know.

Of course, when we first started, there were kids galore

In those days we were serving fifty drinks or more

Now we would be lucky if we give a dozen out

But we think it’s still worth it and haven’t any doubt.

To show a friendly countenance and a welcome smile

And a bit of banter must always be worthwhile!

We try to share God’s love around in a friendly way

Does anybody notice? We’re not the ones to say! 

The Sacred Diarist

I’m a huge fan of Adrian Plass

As a writer he’s in his own class.

I get the impression

He fights his depression

By exposing those who are crass!

Like some great big mischievous elf

He knocks sacred cows off the shelf

With a critical eye

And a whimsical sigh

He seems to laugh at himself!

He makes the rest of us see

How ridiculous we can all be

We cannot hide

From our own foolish pride

But laughter can set us all free.

And yet at the back of it all

You know that this man’s had the call

His faith’s shining bright

In the day and the night

And I hope that he’s having a ball!

My Friend

I am not religious, I just believe in God

And what some folk get up to, I think rather odd.

I listen to the preaching but keep an open mind

I look to God for guidance not to humankind.

Sure my simple faith is based on things that I’ve been taught

And as a general rule I try to do the things I ought,

But God gave me an intellect to sort my thinking out

And I pray to Him for guidance where there is any doubt.

He gave me a conscience to show me wrong from right

And with my selfish nature I always have to fight.

The rites of common worship give structure as a whole

But my love and thanks to God lives within my soul.

When I have my troubles or sometimes lose my way

I know that I’ll find guidance if I pause to pray.

Do I always listen? I wish I could say, “yes”,

But I have my ego as anyone could guess!

I like to have my own way and think that I know best

And any word of wisdom is looked on as a pest.

However, when I’m sorry, God greets me with a smile

And I might be more sensible, for a little while!

My Saviour loves to be my friend no matter what I do

And I’m very certain he feels the same for you!

Interregnum

We have no Rector in church

But do we feel left in the lurch?

With Catherine at hand

We’re all feeling grand

So let them get on with the search!

Lent

When Christ came to the Jordan to be baptised by John

A dove appeared above him but very soon was gone

A voice was heard from Heaven to greet the Son of God

Then Christ went to the desert, which you may think quite odd.

He went to fast for forty days and seek his Father’s will

Knowing what he had to face would be a bitter pill.

We use this time of Lent to think of what our Lord would face

And think what we could learn from him as we run our race.

Our Saviour’s desert vigil was three years before the cross

But we can surely use it to contemplate our loss.

This time of self-denial and reflective thought

Enables us to cleanse ourselves and do the things we ought!

Of course a lack of chocolate can only do us good

But how about some actions while we’re in the mood?

Let’s just show to others something of God’s love

Shown to us by Jesus, sent from Heaven above.

We can show we’re Christians by doing a good deed

And helping any others, whom we find in need.

Let’s just all be positive in this time of Lent

Then, with our sweet Saviour’s help, it will be time well spent.

Lent Once More

Shrove Tuesday is over, the pancakes are done.

It’s time for us to think again of Jesus, God’s own son

Some give up their chocolate, some fast within the day.

Again I’m going to mark it in a poetic way.

As I think of my Saviour and the trials that he had

I remember the ease of my life since I was a lad.

No major temptations to cause me despair,

Simply, some castles, to dream in the air.

No windmills to joust at, no battles to fight

No major disruptions to give me a fright.

Sure I’ve had my troubles and times when I fell

But my Father in Heaven has treated me well.

So I think in this thoughtful season of Lent

My time writing poems is really well spent.

I trust in my saviour to give me the themes

To advance His Kingdom and further his schemes

I share them with others not really from pride

But so they will realise they’ve God on their side.