. . . And a Poem
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Courage

4/30/2016

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Some say that courage is
“Not being afraid” –
It’s something you’re born with,
Not something that’s made.
 
But I know the truth
About Courage’s birth –
You develop and learn it
As Life proves your worth.
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Remember the Sabbath

4/3/2016

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When I was growing up,
Sunday was God's holy day.
Don't work, don't shop, don't drink;
Only worship, rest, and pray.


Now-a-days that's different --
Sunday's filled with "come and go":
Soccer games, outlet malls,
The latest movie show.


Maybe I am pining
For archaic times and ways,
But I think there was some good
In a day of rest and praise.


'Cause when we stop and pause
And we catch our breath and rest,
We hear God's plan for us
And remember how we're blessed.


From . . . And a Poem, Too. 


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Second Fruits

2/29/2016

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Matthew 7:17-20
 
The tree was watered,
It felt the sun,
Its roots grew strong--
A life begun.
 
When fruit appeared,
The tree stood tall,
A sign of health
To one and all.
 
But then the storms
Of life unfurled--
First drought, then rain,
Then winds that swirled.
 
For a season
No fruit was seen,
Withered and brown,
Not healthy green.
 
But underground
Were roots held fast
By care and love
From seasons past.
 
And once again
The sun came down
To shine upon
The fertile ground.
 
New fruit was seen,
Brighter and sweet,
Having survived
Seeming defeat.
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Esther

1/20/2016

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King Xerxes loved Queen Vashti,
But she defied the King’s command;
Her banishment made the way
For saving Jews across the land.
 
King Xerxes sought another
To wear the Persian crown,
Throughout the land were chosen
Young girls of all renown.
 
Esther was a Hebrew
Who lived with Mordecai,
Chosen by the royal court,
She caught King Xerxes’ eye.
 
But Haman was an Agagite
And had a grudge with all the Jews,
He made a plan for Xerxes
That would cause the Jews to lose.
 
Though Esther was the Persian Queen,
Her lineage wasn’t known,
Even Xerxes who so loved his queen
Was oblivious on his throne.
 
When Mordecai refused to bow,
Haman set his plan in place.
Xerxes signed the order
To end the Jewish race.
 
Mordecai warned Esther
Of the plan that would unfold,
Through Hathach he told Esther,
“You must be brave; you must be bold.”
 
“Perhaps you were made queen
For such a time as this.
If you ignore the role you play,
You’ll surely be remiss.”
 
So Esther turned to God
In fasting and in prayer
And asked of Mordecai
That the Jews, as well, prepare.
 
Then Esther went to Xerxes,
And through clever words and deeds,
She turned the course in play
To preserve the Chosen’s seed.
 
Now Haman is no more,
But God’s people grow in love,
Thanks to Mordecai and Esther
And providence from above.

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New Year's Resolution

1/3/2016

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My New Year’s resolution
Was to read the Bible through,
Both old and new testaments –
Maps, concordance, too.
 
Day one went really well –
The story of creation,
Followed by the ark,
All in my fave translation.
 
In those first few weeks
I read of Moses and the law,
The Ten Commandment tablets
And the blessings Israel saw.
 
But, along about day thirty,
Leviticus came in view,
All those rules and sacrifices
And offering guidance, too.
 
Instead of easy stories,
I was faced with rules of old,
And my New Year’s reading challenge
Started growing pretty cold.
 
So, here I am, once again,
Stalled before Book Five,
So maybe when the next year comes,
I’ll jump in and take the dive.
 
But, here will be my plan
From day one of that new year:
Start with Revelation
And work backward from the rear.
 
And maybe I might see
By looking at the end
The value of Leviticus
And the message that it sends.
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Jesus' Birth

12/15/2015

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Luke 1:24-2:20

Gabriel came to Mary
And gave her surprising news,
“You will bear a son.
He’ll be called the King of Jews.”

“The baby will be holy;

He’ll be called the Son of God.
With Him all things possible.”
She responded with a nod.


Joseph went with Mary
To the town of his descendants
To be there for the census
To count each one’s attendance.


The census numbers quickly changed
When Mary’s baby came,
She wrapped the babe in strips of cloth,
Jesus was his name.


That same night shepherds heard
An angel from above:
“The Savior’s here! Go and see
The one who brings God’s love.”


The shepherds hurried to the side
Of God’s own baby boy,
They told everyone they saw
That this child would bring great joy.
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Hymns of Old

11/11/2015

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When the bottom finally drops
(And you know it surely will),
The hymns we learned as youth
Will get us past that hill.
 
“Because He Lives,” “Amazing Grace,”
“Just as I Am” to name a few,
Can bring us back to God
For a life that is renewed.
 
So, sing those hymns of old,
Let their message ring out true,
And when you face defeat,
Their words will help you through.
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The Apostles' Creed (A Poem)

9/5/2015

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I believe in God the father,
Maker of heaven and earth,
And in Jesus Christ our Lord,
Brought forth in virgin birth.

Suffered under Pilate,
Crucified upon a hill,
Descended into Hades,
Then risen to fulfill.

Ascended into heaven
To sit at God’s right hand
To judge the quick and dead
Arisen from this land.

I believe in the Holy Ghost
And in the universal church,
The communion of the saints
With whom we grow and search.

The forgiveness of our sins,
The resurrection of the dead,
The everlasting life;
I believe what God has said.

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Hebrews 11

9/5/2015

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Faith is the confidence
That what we hope for will come true,
Giving us assurances
Of things we cannot view.

Because of their faith
The people in days of old
Earned a reputation
For trusting what’s foretold.

By faith we understand
That by a word from God alone
The universe was formed
Out of things that were unknown.

Abel had that faith,
And his offering pleased the Lord,
And his example is just one
Showing faith’s reward.

Enoch had that faith;
As a result he didn’t die;
Because he pleased the Lord,
He was taken up on high.

Noah had that faith
And chose to build an ark;
He believed what God had warned
And told his family to embark.

Abraham had faith
When God called him from his home.
He obeyed and went at once;
For God he chose to roam.

Both Isaac and then Jacob
Had faith like Abraham,
Looking forward to a city
Ruled by God’s only Lamb.

Sarah had that faith
And conceived a little boy,
And from his very seed,
The world encountered joy.

All these people died
Believing in God’s word;
They didn’t see the end,
But had faith in what they heard.

By faith an only son
Was brought for sacrifice;
Abraham believed
God could bring him back to life.

By faith that son named Isaac
Gave blessings for his sons,
And Jacob passed that on
To Joseph’s little ones.

By faith God’s servant Joseph
Believed the Israelites
Would leave the land of Egypt,
And indeed they all took flight.

By faith the baby Moses
Was hidden for three months
And grew to be a prince
Who saved his people more than once.

By faith the Red Sea parted
And God’s people saw dry ground;
When Egyptians tried to follow,
Every one of them was drowned.

By faith the Israel nation
Marched for seven days,
And the walls of Jericho
Fell beneath their praise.

By faith the harlot, Rahab,
Gave shelter to God’s spies,
And she alone was saved
When her city heard Death’s cries.

By faith so many others
Whose stories could be told
Earned a reputation
For being brave and bold.

Yet none of them received
The promise that they knew--
A promise we embrace
Thanks to a faithful few.

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John the Baptist

8/30/2015

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John 1

John the Baptist came before
To tell about the Light –
Not to be the Light himself,
But a witness to what’s right.

John the Baptist was a voice –
A shout to clear the way,
To baptize man with water
And prepare for Jesus’ Day.

And soon the Lamb of God
Called to man, “Come see.
I’ll baptize with the Spirit
All who follow me.”

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    Author

    Kathy Mansfield enjoys life in Kentucky with her husband, Rick. Read poems from her books on this site.

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