Tuesday, November 23, 2010

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

Sunday, November 21, 2010

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

Friday, November 19, 2010

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

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

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!

Monday, November 15, 2010

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

Saturday, November 13, 2010

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

Thursday, November 11, 2010

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

Tuesday, November 09, 2010

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.

Sunday, November 07, 2010

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

Friday, November 05, 2010

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!

Thursday, November 04, 2010

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

Wednesday, November 03, 2010

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!

Monday, November 01, 2010

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