Reflections

Reflections
by: R.A. Slater
12/31/00

Another year is gone, vanished like vapor
And another year is knocking at my door
As I try to decide how to greet this new year
I think on the past one and wonder -
What have I to show?
For this past year has had its share of joy,
And more than its share of sorrow.
There have been far more failures than I would like,
And too few successes.
Friends have been lost, some to the grave
And some friends are now enemies.
There are more gray hairs,
From too much stress, and too much worry,
Though there are some who say I have "the" life.
No spouse, no children or the bills that go with them,
Which translates as "You have no worries!"
How little they know! How little they suspect the truth of my life!
There are more scars to account for,
Both on my body and on my heart.
The left over marks on my hands either say I am not afraid of hard work,
Or that I am accident prone, or dare I say - clumsy.
The ones on my heart I'd rather ignore, for many of them still hurt and bleed.
But they are a part of who I am, and of who I am being molded into.
Yes, I am tender of heart and spirit
And I pray that I never become too hard.
For each of these scars are evident of God strengthening me
Through these strange and hurtful things.
He has tried me to my limit this past year,
And then asked me to stretch even further.
I thought that I would break into a thousand pieces.
With this in mind, I wonder if it is possible
To bar the door and fend off the new year?
I would that it could be possible to stop time in its track,
But then there would be no new mercies,
No new discoveries of the awesomeness of this God
Who allows me to call Him friend.
Even though He is the One who holds the entire universe
In the palm of one hand.
I would be safe if time were to stall, with nothing to hurt me,
But there would be no joy - only boring mundanity.
So come on in year 2001, have a seat and get comfy.
We'll drink some coffee and have a good Ol' time.
Bring on your trials and tribulations,
For God is in the fire with me
And I am determined to find joy amongst the thorns and the blood.
I will bear my sword and fight the good fight,
And if I should lose a battle,
Then I will heal to fight another day!
We will dance our dance and live our life and when we are through -
I will say goodbye to you as well, and welcome another new year.
Regrets I will wash away and the good I will cherish.
Bring on the good, the bad, and the ugly,
And the incidents that are curiously somewhere inbetween.
My response will be to bring out the big guns,
Verses like Jeremiah 29:11 and Deuteronomy 31:6
And not to forget Hewbrews 11:1 and 1 John 4:4
Psalm 150 has always been a good one,
So has Philippians 4:4-7
I will fling every verse above
And all the others that have been written
Into your face.
And, so, in the mean time - 2001 - bring it on!
The word says that I am armed and dangerous,
Therefore - of whom shall I be afraid?
Certainly not of you!
Perhaps, instead - you should tremble in fear of me.

Imagination

Imagination
by: R.A. Slater
12/30/10

Out of my imagination flows
Vivid pictures of uncertainty
Lightning, hail, and rain
Fierce gales of the terrible tempest
Thunder crashing and rolling
Earth exploding and shaking
Chaos overthrowing order
Insanity reigning anew
Terror walking freely in the streets

Is this real, I wonder
Or the prodect of a bored imagination?
Could it be that I've watched too much rv?
Am I taking the bible too seriously
When it talks of wars-
And the rumors of wars
Marking the end days?
Regardless of the reality
They make for good poetry

I know not from whence they come
It really doesn't matter
So long as I can write them down
These crazy things I see and dream
For that is the best that I can do
Time will tell the truth of such things
It is not for me to judge
Only to relay the messages
Without censor or varnish

A Blessing For You

A Blessing For You
by: R.A. Slater
sometime in 1997-1998, written for a friend when I heard he'd had a baby

May the God up above
Bless you hre down below
May He hear your prayers
And grant your requests.
May He grant you love and joy
That never fades with time.
May He embrace you with His love
And hold you close your whole life long.
May He fill you with happiness
And take away your sadness.
May the God up above
Be the One that lives in your heart.
May He forgive you your sins
So that you may be found Holy in His sight.
May He someday take you in His arms
And lift you up to live with Him on High.
May He guide you on your path
And may He stay at your side forever and always.
Amen.

Whose Vision Is This?

Whose Vision Is This?
by: R.A. Slater
01/15/02
Written specifically for First Baptist Church, how differently I would write this poem today.

Is this my vision too?
Though it was first given
When I was but a child,
Only 4 or 5 years old
And no where near this church.
Can it be, that even then
My part in this church
Was somehow seen?
Am I willing to take part,
To make this my vision -
And not just the "church's" vision?
Am I willing to sacrifice
My time, my sweat, my prayers, my money
In order to see this vision come to be?
For we are not called to this church
Merely to be a spectator filling a spot in the pew
But to take our God-ordained place and do our part
For we are called here for a purpose!
Oh yes, many are called but few are chosen
But whose fault is that?
Are we willing to lay down our lives
To let the Holy Spirit work in our lives
In order to make us one of those "choice" individuals?
We must choose to answer the call
I know my answers to these questions,
"Yes Lord, Yes Lord, Yes Yes Lord Amen."
Do you know yours?

The Heart of Christmas

The Heart of Christmas
by: R.A. Slater
date unknown, maybe Christmas 2002...I forget which Christmas poem I wrote for FB first.

The sound reverberated throughout heaven...
Such a small sound, so simple and quiet...
Yet the sound of mankind's first act of rebellion,
Was the sound of their doom.

Heaven whispered...
"What will He do now?"
"Will He destroy them and start over?"
"What is their fate now?"

But His heart could not be changed.
These were His creation
Made by His hands, by His breath they lived...
He could not destroy them - they were His own.

He had given them the ability to make their own decisions
For what kind of worship is it, if it is forced and mindless?
They had chosen the wrong way, sin had crept in and been given room
But now He would offer them another choice.

Into the Garden He went
At His regular time
And Man's absence was keeny felt as He cried out,
"Where are you?"

His heart continued to break
He gave them chances to confess their wrong
Instead they passed the blaim
And never took responsibility for their own actions

Judgment came and the curse was pronounced
But not before the unexpected Promise was spoken - the promise of a Savior
Another choice that if they took
Would reconcile them to His presence

It was the longing ache of God's heart
That gave us the Virgin Birth
Christ born in a manger
The long awaited promise became flesh

Jesus lived His life upon this earth
He walked among us and He was one of us
Fully Man and fully God
And it was His love that led Him to the Cross

His love for a wayward people
Many who wandered aimlessly through this life
Some who had no names and were invisible
Many who were the worthless scum of society

People whom the manifest presence of God
Was just a story told of the past from time out of mind
All of these He died for...to show them their great worth
That the God who created them wanted them back

The heart of Christmas
Is the heart of the Cross
It is the heart of the Creator
Desperate for His creation

For it is the name of Jesus, the name above all names
That reconciles us to His presence
He is the One who gives us life and hope
Where before there was death and despair

Do not turn away from the reason for this season
Do not hide yourselves in fear or pride
Do not attempt heaven on your own power
Do not look askance as if there were strings attached

We are the created, and we rebelled against our Creator
And instead of destroying us absolutely
He has given us a second choice
To accept the Christmas gift of the Cross

His only desire is to have us restored!
To be back in His presence, never to leave!
He longs for us with a passion
Far greater than we long for Him

Can't you hear Him calling?
"Where are you?" He cries out...
He knows our names as surely as He knew Adam's
"Where are you...I love you..."

The Christmas Miracle

The Christmas Miracle
by: R.A. Slater
Christmas 2001

Our God is a God of miracles
From the opening words of the Bible, He makes this very clear
He spoke - and the universe came into existence
He spoke - and the world was formed
He spoke - and this world was filled with plants and animals
With His hands He formed the first man
And the first breath that was breathed was the breath of God.

He could have stopped after that last day of creation - but He didn't
He could have stuck with the small everyday miracles
The ones of keeping the world in its orbit and the rising of the sun
But our God does not do that
With only 100 years warning, the earth was covered with flood waters
An act of judgement, yes - but no small miracle
With a thought our one language became many languages
Fire fell on Sodom and Gomorrah and a woman was turned into a pillar of salt
The miracle of Isaac is well known
Israel saw miracle after miracle in the desert - and still they turned away
Water parting and enemies defeated and the sun standing still
All this and more to show the mighty hand of God

And yet the thought of the Christmas Miracle
Far exceeds anything He'd done before
How could God pour Himself into a human shell?
Our bodies are so fragile, so unprotected from accident - a baby more so
Prone to illness and infirmity
Muddy clay was expected to hold the Son of God
The most amazing part of the Christ Child being born
Is that He was born to die

Some would like to seperate Christmas and Easter as two different miracles
They happened on opposite ends of His life here on Earth
And even happened at different times of the year
But aren't they one and the same?
A miracle spanning 33 years?
The effects of which we are still seeing today?
For His purpose even at birth was the cross
He walked this earth as one of us
He spoke to us, taught us, tried to reach our stubborn hearts
There was no other way to bring us home
Than for Him to hang on the cross

Upon this One that was born outside of sin and was sinless in every way
Was poured every manner of sin and foulness that did not belong to Him
So that you and I could be free from sin and live in victory
Heaven's glory He left for us
And the One who was blameless
Upon Him the Father could not look
So that upon us He could look - and see no sin
My freedom and yours was bought at a price
Blood that poured down from hands and feet and side
Was actually poured out from Christ's own love
And all this started in manger
With a baby born from above
This salvation I have received
Heaven's own bright, morning star
Is the Christmas miracle

A Love Letter To God

A Love Letter To God
by: R.A. Slater
06/11/01

My love is not enough, it is not deep enough nor real enough
When compared to the love of My God, my Jesus who died for me

It is no longer enough to say the words, "I love you."
And only mean it on the surface level
For I mean to love You with all that I am,
With a true love that runs to the deepest, most secret hidden part of me
I want to love You with an all encompassing love
That far exeeds anything I've ever experienced.
I want to love You far deeper than any love
I've ever claimed to have.
I want to fall in love with You, My God and King
Head over heals, helplessly in love with You.
I want to wake up eagerly, looking for Your smile
Anticipating Your presence in my day.
I want to fall asleep reluctantly, still immersed in Your presence
Immersed in the glory and the power of my God.
I want to dance with You, not only in wild delight
At the joyful remembrance of Your deliverance of me.
But also the slow intimante dance,
That belongs to lovers.
Where there is no shame or hindrances,
Only the sure acceptance of unconditional love.
Where there is no fear of abandonment,
Only the security that comes from promises kept.
I want You in every part of my life,
For You are the One that gave life to me.
I want to come to know You,
As deeply as You know me.
I want to swim deeper in the love You have for me,
And abandon my fear of drowning...
To lose myself along the way,
And be completely one with You,
Where words are no longer necessary,
And the only song there is -
- Is our hearts beating as one...

Limbo

Limbo
by: R.A. Slater
sometime in 1999 or 2000

I'm stuck in the middle
Too old to be young
Too young to be old
Too young to be a leader
Too old to be taught forever
I'm not sure how to act
Someone always tells me I don't behave
Or that I'm not appropriate or behooving
My wrongs are highlighted before my rights
My accomplishments are too small for anyone to care
Who I am meant to be is clear to me
As impossible as it may seem, though mankind is opposed

"Dress this way, Don't wear that,
Your hair is too long, It is too short,
Walk this way, go that way, Stay out of my way,
Stand over here, Sit down and be quiet,
I love you, I hate you
Come talk to me, Don't talk to me!
March to the beat of your own drummer, Be like me!
Don't address the assembly, Come and testify!
Shoot for the stars, Don't dare to dream!
Your dreams are foolish, You'll never succeed,
You'll never be anything different from what you've been,
Change, change, change! You are no good!
You expect to little, You expect too much."
There is no inbetween, but that is where I'm stuck
I'm stuck in non-existance, told to leave, told to stay




God tells me something different, so I will not doubt
He tells me I am holy, and righteous
Set apart and chosen by Him
He tells me I am precious, special and unique
He tells me He is going to raise me up as a testimony to others,
Though I do not know how He means to do so, or truly what it means
I want so much for my dreams to come true
I want so much for them not to be vain imaginations
Who am I to lead? I am not qualified or worthy,
They will see only me, and not the One who sent me
But who am I to doubt my Savior's word?
I am only to obey
There is a saying,
"God doesn't call the qualified, He qualified the called."
In that I qualify, for I have heard His voice calling me

He will lead me out, He will be my qualification, He won't confuse me
He will set me free from this limbo so I might be who I was meant to be
He doesn't ignore, condemn, or turn away
His words are trustworthy and true
He will never leave me nor forsake me, never hang me out to dry
He will not fail me or ever tell me a lie
Though in this life I am stuck inbetween,
There is no doubt of eternity
He will see me through and I will break through
Break through the soapscum of sinful humanity
Break through the misgivings of saved humanity
Break through the mistreatment of them all
I will not doubt, I will not give up
Because my Savior has faith in me
He never has, nor ever will, give up on me.

Every Breath

Every Breath
by: R.A. Slater
07/11/01

When every breath hurts
When evert thought stabs
He shared your pain
When the pain is beyond words
When your can't form the prayer
He still hears you
Your thoughts are no secret
Your emotions no surprise
He knows them all
Your troubles are not too big for Him
Your burdens are not to heavy for Him to carry
He holds the universe in His hand
Your troubles are not to small for Him to notice
Your burdens are not to trivial for Him to care
He loves you too much not to notice or care

Every breath counts and words are not necessary
He knows your heart - - He created you
Troubles and burdens are His specialty
He wants you to give them to Him
He will carry you
He wants you to lean on Him
He will be your strength when you have no other
He just wants you
And He will be your God.

Between Me and Thee

Between Me and Thee
by: R.A. Slater
07/11/01

The spectators of this 'sport' look on and laugh
All they see is a spectacle of a woman
The super spiritual look sown their noses in keen disapproval
They declare it is nothing but an expression of the flesh by just one look
Still others look on in wonder
As they cannot see why I dance
They do not hear the song in the silence
And they do not hear the beat of the angels' wings
They cannot feel my joy at His very presence
They do not share in my jubilee
They do not realize the price that has been paid for my freedom
They do not know of my recent victories
They are content to sit and wonder as others laugh
Unwilling to listen to the testimonies I tell
"Crazy!" They all claim. "Foolishness!"
"It is the flesh!" They do declare. "She is delirious!"
"Why dance when there is no music?"

If only they were to walk a mile in my shoes
They would wonder no more
If only they could hear the music
Then they would dance with the angels
If only they knew the pain they unwittingly inflict
For they do not know who overhears their whispers
Let the mockers mock, let the pharisees scold
Let the wonderers wonder, let the watchers watch
For one day they too shall be judged
And they will learn what I already know
That Man's opinion is jaded
And not important in Eternity's eyes
That worship is between the worshipper and the One worshipped
Between the Father and me, between them and Him
For in the Last Day we will stand on our own
We are accountable for our actions alone
No longer can we claim that another distracted us
Or held us back from this treasure or that
For in the end, we are our own distraction
And we hold ourselves back

Books!

Books!
by: R.A. Slater
12/04/10

What treasure!
What joy!
Pure elation!
Wealth hidden between two covers
Waiting for me to discover
The depths within
In the pages of books
Some old friends to be visited
Memories of last time
New nuggets to be found
Each a brave new world
Meant to be explored

What Secrets Lay

What Secrets Lay
by: R.A. Slater
12/02/10

Behind dead eyes
What secrets lay
Stories untold
Of innocence betrayed
And love denied
Hopes shattered
Dreams unraveled
Freedoms stolen
Joy placed in a cage
Battered and beaten
Bruises on the heart
Easier to hide
Harder to prove
Greater shame
Over such silliness

City On A Hill

City On A Hill
by: R.A. Slater
11/27/10
Sounds Bites Series #12

Darkness gathers 'round
Snowy clouds of fury
Bearing down with heavy gloom
Until a shaft of light
Shows a briliant center
A shining city on a hill
Mighty bulwark against the storm
Refuge of hope in desperate times


authors note: this was written after driving around a bend in the highway and seeing the shining city of Syracuse, NY against the dark backdrop of storm clouds.

Ripples

Ripples
by: R.A. Slater
11/27/10
Sound Bites Series #11

Like a pebble in a pond
A raindrop in a puddle
So are Your words to me
They might be small
These little poems
But their ripple effects
Rip all the way through
A mushroom cloud to consume me
Most likely meaningless to strangers
To me they are precious gems
I share them anyway
Knowing Your ripples
Stretch far beyond me

Pearls and Pebbles

Pearls and Pebbles
by R.A. SLater
11/20/10
Sound Bites Series #10

Pearls and pebbles
Such are these poems
Tiny, but not insignifigant
Your Words to me
Are precious to me
Like the pebbles I gathered as a child
Unique and beautiful
Kept in a jar
For safe keeping
Displayed here for the world to see
Praises strung together
Like pearls on a string
For Your adornmant
So that all might know
The wonder of You

Shelter

Shelter
by: R.A. Slater
11/17/10
Sound Bites series #9

Not all storms are from You
Not all are showers of blessings
Happiness and joy
Some are ordinary storms of life
Fraught with surprise
Pain and despair
But You see me through them all
My refuge and shelter
In the pouring rain

Blaze

Blaze
by: R.A. Slater
11/17/10
Sound Bites Series #8

Your glory flashes before my eyes
As a star blazes through the heavens
Quickly and teasingly
You tantalize me
Delighted and delirious
I look for more
I long for more
So I keep looking
Knowing that You'll be there
As much in the waiting

Torrent

Torrent
by: R.A. Slater
11-06-10

The tap was dry
Crusted over with rust
Where once life flowed freely
I tried many times
To turn the flow back on
Not the barest hint of a drop
Could be seen
Even on a rainy day
I sat patiently
I paced back and forth
Then finally lay down to die
The You spoke through the rain
And the tap began to drip
I sat up and paid attention
As one drip led to another
Then there was a steady stream to drink from
Slowly saturating all that could be seen
Long had I been awaiting this day
You promised me more
Not a whisper, a thundering
Soon there would be a torrent
A rush from heaven that no bucket could hold
I could not contain
But not a drop would not be lost
What wonders I anticipate!

Cotton Ball

Cotton ball
by: R.A. Slater
11-05-10
Sound Bites Series #7

Such a little simple thing
This fluffy ball of cotton
Yet what memories it holds
A picture of sweet innocence
Gluing cotton to paper
To make a little lamb
Standing at Jesus' feet
Pure belief at His love
Peace in a little girl's sadness
However fleeting, however eternal
Shaping an entire life
Beyond what her little eyes can see
For her life is just beginning
Her faith newly planted
Seeded by a simple cotton ball
Given to her by faithful servants
What will blossom in time
Was foreseen long ago

Swarm

Swarm
by R.A. Slater
11-4-10

There was no warning
No sounds of an advancing fleet
Not even a whisper on the wind
One moment the sky was clear
The sun was shining
Through fluffy white clouds
And then they were there
Buzzing, hovering, weaving
Swarming the earth like locusts
Invoking fear and awe
Causing much trembling
Wondering and confusion
A breath taking moment
Where time was suspended
Such beauty in the terror
The orchestration of the enemy
How they weaved in and out of each other
Never once colliding
But it did not change the fact
That we were under attack
As time resumed
And they rained fire from the sky
Showing no mercy or remorse
Seeking only death and destruction

Words Unspoken

Words Unspoken
by: R.A. Slater
10-24-10

I hear the words you mean to say
Left unspoken in your voice
Words of regret and sorrow
Over the pain you inflicted
Actions you wish undone
Shock at your own failure

How I wish you would speak them
Ease the hurt in my soul
Cause the ache in my heart to cease
It would calm my fears
And be a balm to the wounds
Healing them quickly

Does it pain you much
To hold it inside
Instead of swallowing your pride
And voicing the emotions
You cannot hide
Though you try

I hear the words unspoken
And heal with them alone
Though I sometimes wonder
What words I miss hearing
Emotions I do not see
Can be dangerous

Let me in your world
Inside your heart
Won't you include me
Clue me into your thoughts
Instead of leaving me wondering
At words unspoken

Poetic License

This isn't a poem per se, but it is poetic. Again, F. B. era and no specific date, though this one was written early 2000's.





Picture if you will, a woman dressed in white. A brilliant white dress, made of floofy material, with a royal look to it [it's got some sparkles in it too]. She is on her knees, face turned toward heaven. Something has hurt her, for there are silent tears streaming down her face...and her heart is in her hands, which are also lifted to heaven. The heart is not whole, it is torn and shred...blood flowing down her forearms. In her pain, she turns to the only One who's ever been able to help her before.

Not a word is said...as from heaven...reaching down...Nail pierced hands...strong...gentle. Not taking the heart, but taking the whole woman..blood, tears, brokenness and all. Holding her. Healing her...not by a show of power, not with a wave of His hand...but by His "mere" presence, by His love for her.

He places the heart back where it belongs...she doesn't need a new one, this is the new one she received long ago...Holding it in place with His hand...it is healed. She rests in the cradle of His palm...and knows no fear...for she's in her Daddy's hands.

No Title

No Title
by: R.A. Slater
Circa 1998-2006 (again, something written during the First Baptist years that I have no date for!)

I have been forged in Fire, born again in Blood and Spirit
Been made strong through fire and water
As silver is refined so too has my soul been through the crucible
Like liquid gold Ihave been poured out before the Lord
Impurities He has scooped out with a net
And not a drop of glory was lost
As the blacksmith tempers his iron and steel with fire and water
So too has my heart been tempered
As clay on the potter's wheel, molded and crafted
His hands have been at work in me
And I have felt the heat of the kiln

I am so tired and weary
As I wonder if this work will ever be done
For it seems that as soon as one aspect is over
I find that I have just begun with another
When I have barely cooled from the fire of the blacksmith
I find myself in the crucible
When I think I am done in the crucible
I find myself on the potter's wheel
It seems as though I have reached the finish line
To find that I have only just begun to run the race
I do not know whether I have run before He was finished
Or whether there is more to do than I realized
Imperfections galore, I wonder if there is anything precious within me
Hiw word does say so, but I seem woefully lacking
Changes to be made for the better
Is there anything that can go untouched?

I am feeling quite attacked
By those who should be my defenders
Perhaps that is how the patient feels
When the doctor wields the scalpel
But right now I am in no mood
For metaphor and simile
I hurt and don't know why
I ache and cannot find the source
I am depressed and can't find the air pump!
The sliver is wedged in deep and all the flesh around it is tender
Which is where everyone wants to probe
It feels as though I am losing too much blood
And everyone insists that we continue to operate
And woe is me -
Despite my words
I just used a metaphor and a simile!
Is there no mercy? :)
If it weren't so sad, I would laugh
If it weren't so funny, I would cry
But it seems I can do neither

"You, who have shown me great and severe troubles,
Shall revive me again,
And bring me up again from the depths of the earth.
You shall increase my greatness,
And comfort me on every side." Psalm 71:20-21

Hope Whispers

Hope Whispers, Hope Thunders
by: R.A. Slater
11-05-10

There you were
Sitting in the darkness
Thinking you were all alone
Ready to give up hope
And all done in
I could not, would not stop Myself
From reaching out to you
To show you My love
Wrap My arms around you
So I sent you a ray of sunshine
Light streaming through the rain
And gave you My sign
A promise to hold onto
When you are tired and weary
Oh My child, never give up
Hang onto hope!
Hang onto My promises!
You are not forsaken
Nor are you lost to me!
I hold you in My hand
I perform wonders for you
That no one else can see
You trained your eye long ago
To see Me when it is darkest
Look now, and you will see
Such glory and beauty
Lost to all others
You long to hear My whisper
As you did once
Pause and be silent, unsurprised
For you will hear My thunderings!
I have just begun My work in you
Through you, for you, beyond you
Hear My roar!

Them There Bones

Them There Bones
by: R.A. Slater
circa: 1998-2007 - Written when my previous church was big into the Valley of Dry bones in the book of Ezekiel...chapter 37. Like the other poem, I have no idea when it was exactly written. just sometimes during the 1st Baptist church years.


Them there bones are dry and weary,
Cast into the fiery desert for an unknown purpose
Naked and brittle, broken and scattered,
They are the most wretched sight to be seen
Surely they are useless, with only decay in their future,
If they thought to rise and walk, no doubt they would fail
Dry and naked, surely they would creak, squeak and groan
And if the wind were to rise and give a gentle breeze,
They would most certainly collapse with a great rattle
And yet . . . we're not to give up on them there bones
For God has had much to say about these here bones,
For these here bones are you and I
Cast in the wilderness, but not forgotten
Not forever useless as we are being forged
Promises proclaimed and a hopeful future assured
These bones that have been scattered, He has promised to rebuild
These bones that are naked, He has promised to clothe in flesh again
These bones that He has broken, He has promised to mend, better than before
Thses bones that are brittle, He has promised to strengthen
These bones that squeak as if rusty, He has promised His oil for them
These bones that are dry and dead, He has promised to revive them in His waters
All His promises are true, they are "yes" and "amen"
These here bones are going to have the breath of life breahted into them
Once more to live, once more to prophesy, once more to praise
The very breath of God, an all consuming fire
Shall revive these here bones, and give new life and purpose to them
They shall rise to danec again, and perchance to dance
No longer shall they rattle in the wind,
They shall breathe it in, the breath of God

Rhyme Time

Rhyme Time
by: R.A. Slater
circa 2001-2006 (Sometime during the middle First Baptist years)

Here's a poem for ya
I hope it doesn't bore ya

No, no - that was it
Ah! I quit!

Do you think I can compose
Just on your say so?

So that didn't rhyme
It was close enough this time

Ah! Enough is enough
I'm tired of this stuff!

Go home, go to bed
Make sure the dog has been fed

Goodnight!
Don't forget to turn out the light!

Leaching Sadness

Leaching Sadness
by R.A. Slater
08-30-10

There is a sadness
Running down deep
With far reaching tentacles
Spreading without reason
Without cause
Its poisonous lethargy
Sapping away my strength
Robbing me of all joy
Siphoning hope away
Reaching in from the outside
Its insidious presence leaching into my bones

Obsession

Obsession
by: R.A. Slater
07-22-10

I can't help myself
As I stand beneath
Your glorious canopy
Stretching as far as the eye can see
In every direction
I am obsessed with Your heavens
Billowing clouds in cotton hues
Golden rays of bloodshot sunsets
Starlit glimmers in the dark of night
Oh but looking is not enough
I must set these visions for all eternity
Picture after picture I snap
To keep the rembrances
Of Your glory
Close at hand
One never being enough
Always needing just one more
One more moment frozen in time
Memory forever in my hand

Shepherd's Voice

Shepherd's Voice
by: R.A. Slater
08-05-10
Sound Bites Series #5

Strange the dreams we dream
Of a little lamb
Struggling to break free
To escape the mucky pen
And frolic in fields of grace
Amidst the flowers and butterflies
Racing through the green grass
Chasing the clouds tail
Following the Shepherd's Voice
As He calls to her
Above the buzzing bees
And His arms embrace her

Having Faith

Having Faith
by R.A. Slater
07-26-10
Sound Bites Series #4

Sometimes having faith is as simple
As putting pen to paper
Watching the words flow
From it's rapidly moving tip
Rushing to set the sudden torrent
On paper as in stone
Stories of troubles heroes
Struggling to live and love
Poems of beauty and ashes
Torn from a tormented soul.

Other times faith is hard
Sitting for hours on end
Pen pressed to paper
Hard enough to leave a deep ink spot
Waiting for words to come
And hearing only silence
Wondering at the next leg
Of the wandering heroes' journey
Awaiting the next expression
Of a lonely soul's longing
Knowing the waiting is not in vain

Static

Static
by R.A. Slater
08-19-10
Sound Bites Series #6

Here I sit in the quiet
Straining to hear Your Voice
Where it used to be
But all I get are bits and pieces
Intermittent sound bites
In the constant buzzing static
Like too many bees
On a quiet summers eve
Broken only when they pause
To sip the flowers sweet nectar
Allowing me to do the same
As I drink in every one
Of Your sound bites to me
Messages through the static of life.

Desert Winds

Sound Bites Series #3
Desert Winds
by: R.A. Slater
07-30-10

Each step a struggle
The desert winds wash over me
Looking across the desolate landscape
I wonder if this is my lot in life
To be trapped in this desert
Wandering forever in circles
Never finding an oasis
To revive this broken heart
Nor the way out
To the long ago promises
Whispered in my ear
Hot and biting
I let the desert winds scour me
As I trod on

I Was There

I Was There
by: R.A. Slater
07-21-10

I was there that day
In that moment
When the world ended
And insanity began
I felt the rain
The warm pounding of flesh
Smelled the wet earth
As dust was driven down
Heard the pounding thunder
As the sky was split
And Heaven's fury rained down
I remember the tossing
The trembling of the earth
Holding on for dear life
Praying for the end
For the changes to cease
Waiting on reality to return
Though a new one was being written
Before my very eyes

Quiet

Sound Bites Series #2
"Quiet"
by R.A. Slater

They say that in the quiet
In the stillness of the moment
You are there
And Your voice can be heard
But in this quiet that I live in
All I seem to hear
Is the sound of my own breathing
I take comfort remembering other times
When this moment was filled
With glorious You
And knowing that You have not left

Empty Spot

Sounds Bites Series #1
Empty Spot
07/02/10
by: R.A. Slater

Deep inside
There is an empty spot
Where words used to be
Flowing from my pen
Describing deep despair
And things of great joy
Now I listen in vain
For all I hear is stillness
But I listen anyway

Chocolate

Chocolate
by R.A. Slater
06-05-10


Your allure is irresistible
Calling out to me when I am lonesome
You do not fill the void
Your companionship does not replace his
But instead makes it easier to bear
When he is absent from me
You whisper sweet nothings in my ear
Though it is poison to my veins
Your caresses are such comfort
For as long as they last
You are at once my friend and my foe
A bittersweet enemy