PAULIE'S POEMS - PMG

  Tears Have you ever laughed and laughed so hard That tears ran down your face Or cried the bitter tears of shame When you have felt disgrace  And what about the stinging tears That disappointments bring What greater tears of happiness  Than when wedding bells ring Have ever felt tears trickle out Experiencing big yawn Or soothing tear drops of release When large burden is gone What parent, when their child is safe Hasn't cried tears of relief And those that loved and then have lost Shed the mourning tears of grief Or what about the ugly tears That come as breathless sobs The wailing and the blubbering kind Do they have useful jobs Can they serve any purpose Of releases; Letting goes Or simply make our eyes turn red And give us runny nose All of these tears are gifts from God And make us who we are What comfort that he counts each one And holds them in his jar And also what a comfort  That our Savior shed tears, too Experienced  emotions That all humankind goes...

  Focus A baby in his early days Has not learned to control his gaze So shapes and colors are unclear  Can only see things that are near Then, with eye muscles strengthening  His vision begins focusing  Til soon faces, he'll recognize  As more and more can focus eyes A skater, when she's spinning 'round  Must focus on a point she's found  For if she can't focus at all  Then quickly on the ice, she'll fall Outfielder focuses on ball Prevents its bouncing off the wall Perhaps to make a double play The hero who then saves the day Minds focus too, not just our eyes But often, it's on Satan's lies For, when we let mind wander there We find it can lead to despair If it's untruths you focus on You soon become the devil's pawn To know the truth's the only way Of keeping Satan's hounds at bay The devil says you won't succeed  You'll never have the things you'll need Can't ever change; you're not enough  Focus on truth, then cal...

  Monkey Mind Have you ever observed monkeys  In their enclosure at the zoo They brachiate arm over arm And swing from their tails, too Bodies in constant motion As they leap, and flip, and play They're never still for very long From branch to branch, they sway It's said you have a monkey mind When thoughts move that way, too Leap all around from here to there Just like the monkeys do It sometimes happens in the night When I attempt to sleep Or when I try to focus on A task that's hard or deep In moments when I talk to God My mind behaves that way Not being still to hear his words Or answers when I pray Instead, my mind is scattered Flitting 'round from place to place  My monkey mind takes over As the thoughts in my head race Dear Father, as I say my prayers Make my distractions few Help me to block out other things Just meditate on you For I know Satan takes delight In jumbling my mind Since there's nothing that he hates more Than powerful prayer time So, since the...

  Lighten Up No need to be serious all of the time In spite of the mountains you know you must climb No need to approach life with a furrowed brow Or wake up each morning with permanent scowl Of course, there are obstacles put in your way But that doesn't mean you can't take time to play This life can be filled with hate, anger, and grief That's all the more reason for comic relief  If world and its burdens are weighing you down Lighten up and find ways to behave like a clown Knock knock jokes, playful pranks, even comedy shows Can bring smile to your face; why not try one of those I don't mean to make light of your troubles and woes For I certainly have had my fair share of those But there is no point in wallowing in misery So instead, have some fun - done intentionally  Don't feel sorry for self and just sit 'round and brood Make it your job to find ways to lighten your mood Ride a bike, take a hike, find a puppy to pet Have a water gun fight and get totally w...

  Lessons Learned Why are the greatest lessons learned When we feel heat and then get burned? Why are the lessons most profound When we've been knocked flat on the ground? Hard lessons come through hurts or shocks While enrolled in school of hard knocks And if not learned when they're first taught They'll come again; though seldom sought Still, I'd rather learn lessons sweet While strolling along Easy Street Instead of those from mountains steep Or in dark valleys,  long and deep Some lessons I have learned through strife And wisdom acquired from hard life Though far from wise, I've learned some things Perhaps just difficulty brings I've learned, even in cold, dark pit My God's with me in midst of it And when storms seem to never end The Lord promises joy again I've learned my God believes in me When my failures are all I see Learned easy road won't strengthen you Like hardships, trials, and struggles do When life of idleness, I seek Become complacen...

  Identity What is your true identity? Is it just what you want to be? Is it the job you choose to do? What others see when look at you? As whom do you identify? Are you more than what meets the eye? Is who you are only skin deep? Your true self a secret you keep? Hide who you are behind a mask? The real you? Don't even ask Your insecurities conceal To no one, even self reveal To skew sense of identity Is goal of our soul's enemy He's happiest when he destroys The worth of God's own girls and boys Until each one identifies With the devil's deceitful lies Identity, he warps and shames Instead of truth that God's word claims You're not your job or what you own Not selfie image on your phone You're not what others say of you  Or anything that you've been through  You're not awards that you've received  You're not the lies that you've believed  Only identity that's true  Is what the Father says of you The Bible says it loud and clear ...

  What I See We'd been married for a few years Wanted to start a family Yet, every month would end in tears As dealt with infertility  To add to sense of misery It seemed that everywhere I gazed Were pregnant women and babies  Fast forward - my two; God be praised! Put on some weight as years advance Though youth was filled with skinny days Notice thin folks where e're I glance Not image my mirror displays  Was kind of cute when I was young Now wrinkles and gray hairs abound Not happy with what age has brung See youth and beauty all around  Dreamed of success in my career  Saw others praised for all they'd done In steadfast toil year after year No accolades to me did come Great happiness in other's lives That somehow has eluded me When focus on what I have not Soon, it becomes all that I see Dear Father, give me eyes to see Against your blessings, I have sinned Instead of showing gratitude  I've often made comparison Forgive me for my coveting Of thing...