PAULIE'S POEMS - PMG

  Encouragement  We all could use encouragement Recognition of the time we've spent On tasks at work or 'round the house By peers, or kids, or even spouse  We all could use a pat on back When confidence, we seem to lack An " atta boy" or " good for you" Encouragement for things we do What joy to get a compliment When it is most sincerely sent When others notice and say so It truly can set hearts aglow  We all love hearing words of praise  Then, mind remembers and replays For kind words, does the spirit lift And feels like the most precious gift Yes, loving words we long to hear Especially from those most dear To know that they appreciate  And tell you that they think you're great For compliments can bring you mirth And seem to validate your worth What if it's something never heard And others seldom share kind word May I share some encouragement  The kind that has been heaven sent For what world does or doesn't say In God's eyes carries little...

  True Confessions I must confess, I'm quite a mess Though looks may be deceiving Appears I have my act together  In hopes act you're believing It's really an elaborate hoax To fit in; to belong It seems my ducks are in a row But actually, you are wrong  What might be seen as confidence  Is really false bravado  Pretend that all the answers have Yet many things I don't know I flounder and fumble around With insecurities  My life's a mess, I must confess Just looks like it's a breeze How often I put on false front That everything is fine But you might see the real me If curtain, looked behind Perhaps we all, to some degree Present an airbrushed face Or Photoshop our real life To avoid public disgrace Falsely assume that other's lives Are perfect, like a dream Or worry how they're judging you If things aren't how they seem How freeing and relaxing If accepted, warts and all But in the critical world we live That might be order, tall Yet, there's so...

  One Way Some take offense there's just one way To walk through heaven's pearly gate They view it as a wide highway And God's one way's up for debate Or wonder how a loving God Would want good folks to not come in For after all, no one could go If we must live life without sin Or dues be paid to join the club So, better yet, new club we'll start Own club with our own set of rules Where Jesus doesn't play a part  Our club let's everybody in In our world, we hate all exclusion  Yours smacks of holy arrogance To those who worship full inclusion For surely there are many paths Some think, since all roads lead to Rome Why not just follow one we like Since after all, they all lead home There're flaws in all these points of view They're not the things the Lord did say The Bible makes it crystal clear To heaven, there is just one way You can't just follow your own path You can't earn it through works or deeds Yet, offered free to one and all Through...

  Face to Face There's something a zoom meeting lacks When trying to get all the facts There're ways that a text message fails Conveying meaning's rich details  Through phone calls, at least voice you hear Can't measure up to being near There's nothing that can quite replace  A conversation face to face  To see the one you're talking to  Thus, know for sure they're hearing you True feelings harder to disguise When you can read them in their eyes When face and tone are both in sync Less likely to miss what they think Yes, nothing truly can replace  Connections made when face to face  Oh, how I wish thus it could be When Father, Abba speaks to me To read his eyes, to see his face Great yearning of the human race  But, that must wait for life ahead  Must settle for this way instead  Have conversations in my heart Through Holy Spirit, words impart Take comfort knowing that, in fact He hears me and he answers back And if into his eyes did pee...

  All For You I say I do it all for You But then I seek the glory, too Can claim I'm acting selflessly Then, somehow, it's all about me I want to give my all for You Yet, seldom do I follow through  It's my intention every day But, then I get in my own way Oh, how I want to live for You And live for others as I do Yet, living for me seems to be The way I find myself, mostly Believe my motivation's pure With introspection,  not so sure For, though I know where credit's due Sometimes will take what's owed to You Say I'll do all in Jesus's name Next thing you know, I seek own fame Something I'm sure you see right through Lord, help me do it all for You Help me put my ego away Please humble me in every way Glory and praise to You alone For only You sit on the throne Create in me a heart that's pure That lives to serve You evermore  And when my earthly life is through  May I have lived it all for You

  Worries Why do we worry, stress, and fret 'Bout things that haven't happened yet  When think of it, it's rather dumb For most of what we fear won't come Why is it today we will borrow Trouble the belongs to tomorrow  And in so doing we will miss Today's blessings and happiness  And so we squander joy and peace On torments we just can't release  Repeating them time and again Till in our minds they never end What if we truly " cast all cares" To God, and then we leave them there Not take them back to dwell on more But truly leave them at God's door If we believe his word is true That's just what he tells us to do To stop the worrying, we must Give all to God and simply trust  What if we replace all this angst By turning thoughts to one's of thanks When worries raise their ugly head We find ways to praise God instead Rather than just wringing our hands We raise them, praising his good plans  Instead of pacing to and fro We seek God's wil...

  Trust God When all feels lost; at end of rope Trust God, for he's the source of hope When know not where right answers be Trust God, for omniscient, is he When been betrayed by closest friend Trust God; he's loyal to the end When happiness, life did destroy  Trust God to restore all your joy When guilt has caused you intense shame Trust God; compassion's middle name When anger has you overrun Trust God; the Prince of Peace, his Son When jealousy, you feel inside Trust God, for all needs, he'll provide When overwhelmed both day and night  Trust God to make your burden light When pain or illness need to flee Trust God; the Great Physician, he When loneliness fills all your days Trust God; his omnipresent ways When weak and fragile, you may be Trust God - omnipotent is he When sadness, you find hard to hide Trust God; he's always at your side When sinful, and wrong path you stray Trust God to lead a better way When love loss has you feeling less Trust God, for his lo...

  The Price Oh, look at that. It's very nice Wonder, can I afford the price Yes, it's exactly as I fear The cost of it is way too dear The price of everything's gone up From what we wear to what we sup And even when a price seems fair Can't buy it if money's not there Yes, everything costs more indeed Gets harder to buy what we need Each transaction extracts a fee As saying goes: nothing is free Yet, our salvation's a free gift Our Savior paid the price for it He paid in full sin's staggering cost With death and suffering on the cross Accept eternal life for free It's given through the Lord's mercy Yet, if we do, there's still a price To live for Christ costs sacrifice  For though Christ paid for all our sins And final battle Jesus wins The devil still roams on the earth And he knows what salvation's worth And since his way is to deceive  He'll lie so others don't believe Christ paid the price for everyone His final words on cross, ...