Two Youth Groups

Two Youth Groups
By larry r Linville

A youth group had its weekly meeting
to learn scripture and do some eating.
They did some bible competition
to keep in spiritual condition.

There were long trips they had to take
so they sold food they had to bake.
They were proud of scripture they could quote
and it made their big egos float.

Another youth group met every week
with actions that seemed to be so meek.
They too had sales at the church front door
to raise funds so they could help the poor.

They fixed houses and applied some paint
and worked so hard they would nearly faint.
The scriptures they were slow to find
but they tried to help the sick and blind.

Although the scripture is good to know
it needs action if it is to grow
and those who can’t quote chapter and verse
can take God’s love to lives that are worse.

Storm in a Country Church

Storm in a Country Church
By larry r Linville

He was the guest evangelist
at a small country church
which he left to find early
so he’d have time to search.

Down gravel roads he traveled
and across rickety bridges
through the deep rocky gullies
and along the tops of ridges.

A storm arose while he preached
with much lightning and thunder
the bright electric display
proclaimed God’s awesome wonder.

With one big lightning flash
the church’s lights all went out
he asked them to stay quiet
and said, “Don’t even shout!”

Then he said, “Congregation,
just lift your hands up high.
Don’t ask me any questions
and don’t even ask me why.”

Every hand was lifted up
as the rain fell on the lawn
then, to their greatest surprise
every light came back on.

The old preacher looked at them
wearing a big silly smirk
and said, “That proves the saying,
many hands make light work!”

Baseball With My Dad

Baseball With My Dad
By larry r linville

My dad had little time just to rest
but he did not work on Sunday.
We did not yet have television
so the Sabbath was his fun day.

I missed my favorite radio
so he could hear a baseball game
and at the age of twelve I learned
I, his baseball, buddy became.

I listened to the Cardinals with him
as he cheered for Slaughter and Stan.
Before the season was completed
I became a real Cardinal fan.

We listened as Stan hit five homers
on a Sunday with back to back games.
“It was because we were listening,”
with a big smile my father claims.

Dad’s been gone forty five years
but I know I sat with him today
and watched the Cardinals play a game
so in thanksgiving I think I’ll pray.

He wasn’t here physically
but I felt his spirit so near.
Perhaps we’ll watch another game
on Father’s Day in another year.

Who

Who
By larry r Linville

Who will gain from my thoughts
If I fail to write them down?
Who will miss some humor
If I am not a clown?

Who will miss a blessing
If I don’t try to give
And offer up my time
In things to help them live?

Who will find things lacking
If I decide to wait
Or if I ignore them
And leave things up to fate?

Who will not have a guide
If I don’t lead the way
By thought, word, and action
And taking time to pray?

Who gave themselves for me
In all my times of strife
So I could clearly see
Directions for my life?

The Bus Ride

The Bus Ride
By larry r Linville

Got on a bus in Saint Paul
Had not rode in many years
Sat with a very young man
And lent him my friendly ears.

“Where you headed?” I asked him
With a puzzled look he said
“Fine, thank you!” and I wondered
Where this conversation had led.

The bus stopped very often
It seemed like in every town
I looked to see how he was
And he never wore a frown.

He got on from one of the stops
And it was getting very cold
He wanted to say something
But he didn’t look very bold

He said, “It’s getting cold outside”
And I didn’t know what to do
He speaks English I noticed
And I said, “Fine thank you.”

Ray the Raindrop

Ray the Raindrop
By larry r Linville

The first thing Ray remembered
was floating on a fluffy cloud
with the soft winds whistling
but they were not very loud.

Ray saw other droplets floating
all enjoying their lofty view
not knowing where they were going
unaware of when they’d be through.

His little cloud began to grow
and became a darker shade
with wind speed on the increase
as those little droplets played.

With a great bright lightning bolt
and big loud roar of thunder
Ray and his fellow droplets
began to fall from up yonder.

Landing on a green blade of grass
he ran slowly across the lawn
and slid quickly into a ditch
then into the sewer he had gone.

Ray soon had lots of new friends
that were joining as they progressed
with the sound of a great big roar
of a larger river, they guessed.

The bigger river welcomed them
and another larger than that
Ray saw people with fishing poles
all along the shores where they sat.

He ended up in an ocean
with the waves tossing him around
finally pushing him up to land
on a beach with soft sandy ground.

At last he could bask in sunshine
away from the rain droplet crowd
as he soon was lifted upward
where he found himself on a cloud.

Evelyn's Altar Call

Evelyn’s Altar Call
By larry r Linville

She was teacher of the young women’s class
in the choir loft behind the pulpit.
She prepared to show them God’s great love
and identify sin as the culprit.

Her dedication came as a deep call
real as any preacher ever heard
And daily she prepared for each Sunday’s
opportunity to get into God’s Word.

Cancer, which she defeated once, came back
to battle with her a second round
but she taught as long as she was able
letting God’s love and grace freely abound.

I was a student pastor whom she blessed
while I made a weekly visit to see
how she had made it through the present week
but she turned the conversation to me.

While preaching her funeral I knew what to say.
Her dedicated life became the text
from there the scripture flowed like a river
going from each of God’s truths to the next.

When I came to the final words that day
and I left nothing out – I’d said it all.
I had used the great witness of her faith
which extended Evelyn’s altar call.

Relativity of Time

Relativity of Time
By larry r Linville

Time is such an elusive thing,
it differs with each one’s perspective.
We are never given a text book
containing our special directive.

A youth spends time looking forward,
drivers license, college and career,
hopes to receive the voice of success
which so many people never hear.

A retiree looks at memories
of joyous events in the past
while stopping so he can lament
why the joys never seem to last.

Back and forward, forward and back
so much in the present we miss
always looking for what we lack
that would give our lives great bliss.

The rare person can sometimes be found
in people whose lives we can track.
The youth who looks back and goes forward,
the old moving forward from the back.

Class Reunion at the Nursing Home

Class Reunion at the Nursing home
By Larry R Linville

She was attacked by an enemy
euphemistically called a stroke
which attempted to rob her body
in its tasteless sadistic joke.

This cowardly attack on her
couldn’t steal innocence in her eyes
which had helped her capture the hearts
of all her classmate girls and guys.

Each classmate walked in and said their name
and asked if she could remember
starting classes at the old high school
every year in the warm September.

She looked into each caring face
of every person of her squad
and reached back in her memory
then gave each a slow moving nod.

What was going on in her head
as she saw each classmate pass by?
Was she happy they visited her
or was she just wanting to cry?

Did they come so they could cheer her up
or just to see her on display?
Did they succeed in their effort
before going their separate way?

And as they left with feelings mixed
aware they could each be in her place
they gave thanks for their own health
and asked God to give her much grace.