Security

No matter how we feel

And believe regarding the politics 

Surrounding those who cross

Borders into foreign lands .

Let us have empathy 

For what they are going through,

Let us extend our compassion 

And pray for those struggling families 

Who long for security .

                                       I Love You All

                                       By Brock

Out Of Control

When life feels out of control and unstable ,

We have a God whose reliability we can trust .

It is God's arms that gives me strength .

You provide a broad path 

For my feet even in the show oh You !

So that my ankles do not give way !

God has sustaining power and presence .

I even try to get out of the way of trouble

And not even try to take an unnecessary risk

With some people

Even if they do not want my love 

I know God loves us all always .

                                  I Love You All

                                  By Brock

The Stones

Life throws us different types of stones

On our paths .

When we are faced with problems 

That are to much for us to handle ,

We can turn to God .

For God is with us through all 

Frighting times .

No burden is to heavy

For God to carry 

And no stone is to large 

For God to move .

God is willing and able 

To sustain us through any trial 

Or suffering .

                                   I Love You All

                                   By Brock

Be His Angel

Do not wait to be an angel .

Be His angel now .

He will show 

You the flight path

To take so fly .

He will show you how .

An angle is God's lovely creation 

And can arrive in sunshine 

Or in a blizzard  or any storm 

Or from the sky of the darkest blue .

Remember , be grateful 

For your guardian angel

Who truly loves you .

                   I Love You All

                   By Brock

That Moment

Let us share a moment 

Of sweet reprieve ,

And be awakened

By an angel's wings ,

And in the hearts

Of all of us 

Who believe in them 

We will hear

The quietest melody 

Before we sleep 

Again tonight .

               I Love You All

               By Brock

It Is Worth Saving

Christmas offers not an escape 

From the world 

But the redemption of the world .

Jesus came in the flesh ,

He died and rose in the flesh ,

He now gives us His flesh 

As resurrection food .

Christmas clearly proclaims 

That our lives in the flesh 

Are worth living and the world 

In which we live is worth saving .

                                I Love You All

                                By Brock

                               

The Light

I was struck , once again 

How our lives impact others 

In ways that we can never

Predict and might never ever

Be aware of .

Embracing the Child of light 

And caring him with us 

Wherever we go

In this messy world .

Yes just like my dad 

I carry a rosary 

In my pocket every day .

Who knows what shadows

I can help lift when I pray .

                       I Love You All

                       By Brock

The Angels Did Descend

The angels descend into the midst 

Of the shepherds tonight 

Reflects the bond we see embodied 

In the Christ child .

Yes the connection between heaven and earth  ,

God and humans .

God wants to connect with each of us .

Just as God's presents 

Brought brightness to the shepherds ,

God wants to brighten the lives of us all .

In the midst of the challenges of life ,

God send a message of joy 

Through God's son , Jesus Christ .

God Loves us

And this and every Christmas ,

God offers us lives full of peace .

                              I Love You All

                              By Brock

The Lord Is Kind

The Lord is kind to everyone 

Who is humble .

In His kindness God calls us 

To share in His eternal glory  .

By means of Christ Jesus ,

He will restore , support 

And strengthen you ,

He will place you 

On a firm foundation .

The grace of the Lord Jesus 

Will be with God's people .

Remember , you should tell all

Your troubles ,

He is a kind compassionate 

Friend just like you !

Happy Birthday friend .

                       I Love You All

He Handles The Situation

How often do I worry 

That God is not going 

To handle my situation or my problem ?

How often do I not even take it to the Lord ,

Wanting to address the problem on my own ?

I know God can handle all situations

And problems large and small .

God I trust you with my salvation 

And my eternity ,

Surely I can trust you with all

Big and small things in my life .

                                 I Love You All

                                 By Brock

Everywhere There Is An Angel

There is an Winter angel 

That you will never see 

Who cleaned a snow clad driveway 

And sidewalk too .

There is a Spring time angel 

Who helps you sow seeds .

Oh yes there are angels all year long 

Who give to anyone in need .

In winter , spring , summer or fall 

The angels are always 

Around for us all .

My Calling

I will call a child Smiley .

I may call a child squeaky .

I feel my calling is to be ,

There for children ,

Greet them at the door with a smile ,

Play with them ,

Pray for them ,

Tell them about Jesus .

Caring for children 

Provide opportunities 

To show them through my words 

And my action how much Jesus 

Loves them .

                                      I Love You All

                                      By Brock

Angels Of God

God has many angels to carry out His words .

They carry the messages so He can be heard .

Angel send words of joy and comfort ,

They send peace to the sad and lonely souls .

God has all things under control .

Angels are there for the old 

And the young children 

To guard and protect everyone .

We all can depend on Him .

Like an angel just reminded me

To take 1 day at a time .

God's angles are in the millions .

The angles are here for everyone .

Remember , God is never short on grace

Or mercy or angels .

                                            I Love You All

                                            By Brock

My Journey

My long journey began with my family

And friends when I was young .

I accepted Jesus into my life .

This journey changed me completely ,

And it will take the rest of my life .

I will never travel alone on this journey ,

Because the Holy Spirit is at my side 

And Jesus leads the way .

A multitude of travelers accompany 

Me on the same road ,

And I am grateful for all of them .

My toll has been paid ,

My itinerary has been set 

And the route has been marked .

In the distance I can see my glorious home ,

                                                I Love You All

                                                By Brock

Advent

Having learned to never assume

I know what is going on 

In another person's heart !

During this time of Advent  ,

We wait for a greater fullness 

Of Christ's Spirit to penetrate 

Our hearts .

When we become impatient 

With ourselves ,

May we recognize God's mercy 

And compassion in the people 

Who support and nurture us 

As we change and grow .

                            I Love You All

                            By Brock

Angels With Us

Never forget the angels 

Like Michael ,

Or unnamed angels .

Do angels really exist ?

We can not prove that they

Do or that they do not .

But most of us can point to times

When in the midst of adversity ,

Sorrow or conflict ,

A curious sense of calmness

That comes over us .

Whether we ask for help or not ,

This sense that all would be well likely 

Comes not from within us 

But from beyond us .

                               I Love You All

                               By Brock

The Darkness

As I rode my bike 

The sky was still dark ,

As dark and despairing 

As I felt .

Suddenly I looked up and saw 

A large lighted star

Atop the courthouse in town .

I am sure it had been there

Other mornings ,

But I had never noticed it 

But this morning it seems

To be saying look at me !

It is not as dark 

As you think .

I was filled with hope .

I sensed Emmanuel .

God is with me this morning .

                           I Love You All

                           By Brock

Be Surprised By God

We can be surprised by God .

If we look , we may see God

In the expectant eyes 

Of a child or a grandchild 

Or the desperate looks 

In the face of someone 

Who is homeless or hungry .

We can bring God's presence 

Into the emptiness of a family 

Grieving the death of a loved one .

I know we can look beyond 

Our busyness to see God 

In unexpected places .

Maybe we will see 

and hear the Christ child 

Real soon .

                        I Love You All

                        By Brock

The Simple Task

When we reach out in love 

And concern for each other ,

We are actively living 

Out the gospel message .

When we commit ourselves 

To following Christ 

And to a life of service 

It may at first seem daunting .

Will I be asked to do something 

Beyond my abilities .

If we are sincere in our commitment ,

We will discover countless ways 

That God can use us to advance 

The cause of Christ .

We will also discover the real blessings 

Of giving ourselves in service .

Even our simple acts of service 

Can make God's love a reality 

In our world .

                                   I Love You All
                                   By Brock

Extravagant Overflowing Love

God's love for us is not conditional 

And it knows no bounds .

When we return to the fold ,

When we come with our tail

Between our legs 

Like a lost sheep ,

When we are contrite 

And we walk in God's truth 

And allow ourselves to be taught ,

Remember , God rejoices 

And embrace in a hug .

Our imperfection and our past sins 

Do not stand in the ways of this all .

With encompassing parental love ,

They do not even come up

Because of God's love for us .

                               I Love You All

                               By Brock

Count Your Blessings

If you truly know what you are doing ,

You will prosper .

God blesses everyone who trust Him .

Good planing and hard work lead to prosperity .

May the God of Hope fill you with all joy 

And peace in believing 

So that by the power of the Holy Spirit 

You may abound in hope .

I will count my blessings ,

Bountifully and free .

Yet , I can never count them all

So good is God to me .

                                 I Love You All

                                 By Brock

A Blank Canvas

I start each day with a blank canvas .

The colors that result on my canvas 

Can be from the fruit of the Spirit 

Like love , joy , peace , forbearance ,

Kindness , goodness , faithfulness ,

Gentleness and even self control 

And not just on Christmas day .

You know what I mean !

I see the colors of the Spirit as bright

Yellows , oranges and greens 

And the colors of pride as drab and gray .

At the end of the day ,

When I may have found that I have messed up

And my canvas is full of drab and gray colors ,

God will wipe it clean 

Then I can start a new day 

With a blank canvas 

So that God can paint vibrant colors 

Of the fruit of the Spirit 

And again He began a masterpiece in me .

                                                 I Love You All

                                                 By Brock

Everyday is Caring Watering And Feeding Time

Waiting for our faith to grow can feel 

A lot like waiting for grandma's plants to germinate 

And reach toward the sun when I was young .

We need the daily food of prayer ,

Sacraments and the community to urge us upward .

But growth is sure hard and sometimes a painful 

Thing for which to wait 

We can not rush the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives ,

But we can learn to savor the intimacy 

Of being fed and cared for .

Remember , God is truly the master gardener 

Of them all

And of our soul and he nurtures me and you .

                                                     I Love You All

                                                     By Brock

Heard By God

For some , Christmas is not always

A happy time but when feelings 

Of disappointment or loss this year 

Is magnified as everyone else seems 

To be experiencing Christmas cheer .

God does hear our need and sent us Jesus ,

His Son to be born for you 

And He will bring you joy .

Remember , grab a child 

Or better yet a grandchild 

If you are lucky .

Remember , Jesus is the Prince of Peace ,

The sure evidence that you are heard by God 

That in the midst of your distress 

Though the devil and the world at times 

Seem to taunt you ,

Jesus was dedicated to his Father's service 

Of exalting the lonely .

                                             I Love You All

                                             By Brock

Opportunity

Sometimes we have opportunities .

To display our faith in grand spectacular ways 

Like a Christmas tree .

More often we can show it through small

And simple acts of kindness 

Compassion and service 

Like visiting the elderly 

In a nursing home ,

Cutting the grass for someone ,

Buying food for someone who is hungry ,

Remember ,that when it comes 

To help others 

You will have no regrets .

                          I Love You All

                          By Brock

The Larger Family

God defines family 

As those who hear 

The word of God 

And act on it .

This faith family he describes 

Is well beyond blood relatives .

Jesus opens the door to all of us .

He tells us that if we put God's 

Word into action by caring 

For the poor and marginalized ,

If we forgive those who hurt us ,

If we show mercy and compassion 

Toward the hungry , the thirsty ,

The lonely and the outcast ,

If we turn the other cheek ,

We become members 

Of the large family of man .

So Merry Christmas to everyone .

                                I Love You All

                                By Brock

We Do

We may worry about monthly bills ,

A wayward child , a bully , retirement ,

Our health or what we will 

Eat , drink or even wear .

Do not be anxious about anything ,

But in everything by prayer and petition ,

Remember , with thanksgiving ,

Present your requests to God 

And remember do not worry 

About tomorrow for tomorrow 

Will worry about itself 

And each day has enough trouble 

Of its own 

And before you put it in the can 

So let God handle it his way .

                               I Love You All

                               By Brock

Angels With Us

Never forget the angels like Michael ,

Or unnamed angels .

Do angels really exist ?

We can not prove that they do

Or that they do not .

But most of us can point to times 

When in the midst of adversity ,

Sorrow or conflict ,

A curious sense of calmness 

That comes over us .

Whether we ask for help or not ,

This sense that all would be well likely 

Comes not from within us 

But from beyond us .

                                  I Love You All

                                  By Brock

He Is Waiting

God always keeps a hand out waiting

For us .

Even when we were happily going 

On with life ignoring 

God or putting God first .

Despite this when we go to God 

With our life that has broken into pieces ,

God puts us back together .

We then have a choice to thank God 

And to take hold of our Creator's hand ,

Or to go back to ignoring God ,

Either way , God waits for us 

Just like our mothers .

Remember , praise be to God 

For God's ever beckoning 

Hand and unconditional love .

                            I Love You All

                            By Brock

Everyone Is Invited

When I was young ,

My mother invited everyone 

To her table to play cards

And eat and drink .

She was a special servant of God .

She had that special feeling 

And ability to tell everyone 

No matter their age 

To come and in fellowship 

As God's family 

And we all had fun always 

And not just on Christmas Eve

Or on Sundays !

                             I Love You All

                             By Brock

Soar Like An Eagle

Hope is the virtue that carries our faith

And love in the future ,

Every day we place our hope 

In the Lord , in God .

I think of an eagle that is always free

Soaring in the air high above the earth 

Seemingly , effortlessly and with strength ,

 Perseverance and grace .

When I see an eagle fly ,

I know there is always hope 

And I always place hope in God the almighty .

                                                 I Love You All

                                                 By Brock

My Journey

I know that I learn to endure 

By having my faith tested every day .

I must learn to endure everything ,

So That I will be completely 

Mature and not lack in anything !

With confidence it will draw me 

To the throne of grace ,

That I may receive mercy 

And find grace to help in my 

Time of need .

I need to persevere 

So that when I have done 

The will of God ,

I will receive what He 

Has promised me .

                   I Love You All

                   By Brock

It Comes From God

True help comes from God .

Who is by my side at .all times .

With God's power I can move 

Forward , even with my worry 

And with my fears .

I need to be bold in the face 

Of my adversities 

That the power of the Holy Spirit 

Is with me .

So the next time I feel dread ,

I know I can pray and ask God 

To give me courage to move forward 

With strong power , love 

And with a sound mind 

And calmed by God's spirit .

                          I Love You All

                          By Brock

Justice

If only our leaders began their reign 

By renouncing their desire for glory .

Fame and riches ,

If they would pray for wisdom 

To rule honestly and faithfully ,

If they just publicly profess 

And produce the qualities 

Of good judgement and justice ,

I believe the people would then cheer loudly 

With deep gratitude .

What do you think today ?

                               I Love You All

                               By Brock

Oh Give Thanks

Give thanks to God 

In every situation .

I find it easy to thank God 

When my life feels good 

But oh so difficult when I am afraid .

Yet we can find something

To be thankful for in all situations .

We need to trust God's promise to bring 

Good from the circumstances 

That cause us to fear .

We know that God works all things together

For good for the ones who love God ,

For those who are called according 

To his promise .

                                 I Love You All

                                 By Brock

He Is Powerful

The :Lord is powerful , yet patient .

The Lord is not snow 

In keeping His promise .

Do you truly understand slowness?

He is always patient with you and me .

Always be still in the presence 

Of the Lord especially while we pray 

And wait patiently for Him to act .

When we have just an atom of faith

In us sometimes in our heart ,

We can see God's face ,

Gently , serene and approving .

                                  I Love You All

                                  By Brock

The Last Word

Very often in conversation or arguments ,

We like to get in the last word .

This is a way of asserting our own power 

Or position 

But the only One who truly has the last word is God .

He has the final say 

And what He says is for our benefit .

God's last Word says it all Jesus .

When you hear deceitful talk

That makes you wonder if God really

Is good or if He really cares about you ,

Remember that He speaks clearly 

By the child of Mary .

Yes , I have given you My very heart ,

My own dear son to share in your faith 

And blood and to reconcile you to Myself .

My utmost desire is to save you 

And have you with me forever 

                                  I Love You All

                                  By Brock

My Best Friend

The lord is merciful 

He is kind and patient 

And His love never fails .

For His unfailing love for us 

Is so powerful .

The Lord's faithfulness 

Endured forever .

We patiently endure troubles 

And hardship and calamities 

Of every kind .

Yes , I have a friend , 

So patient and kind .

Of all my friends 

This friend doth love me best ,

                                I Love You all

                                By Brock

The World's Greatest Love

God gives each of us gifts ,

And He shows his love for us 

When we put these gifts to work 

In the Work around us .

Learning the words of the Lord 

And then not putting them into action 

Behind those words is like reading 

Recipes and not cooking anything .

Just like my mom and my grandmas 

Could brighten the world around me

With their special recipes of cookies .

We can show God's love to others in such a way 

That whoever tastes what God offers 

Will know that they have tasted 

The world's greatest love .

                                      I Love You All

                                      By Brock

It Is Right

Jesus does not just say 

To help the poor .

He does not even say 

To help the poor even thought .

They can not repay you .

Jesus tells us to have total

Disregard for fairness  .

Our goal should be not equity  ,

But generosity .

We help not because we expect 

To gain something .

We help even knowing 

That we have nothing 

To gain .

                       I Love You All

                       By Brock

To Find Rest

I do not know the future holds for me .

I try not to be consumed

With fear , worry and anxiety .

I should be content to leave 

The future in God's hands .

I know God knows the end from the beginning .

I should be able to rest 

Because I do know God's 

Care and protection surrounds me .

When my future seems uncertain 

And my fear , my anxiety and worry 

Overwhelms me ,

I can lie down and rest 

Because God is in control of all things .

                                         I Love You All

                                         By Brock

Things Are Looking Up

Rainbows have nothing to hide .

Did you know that snowflakes are like

Kisses from heaven ?

Don not just dream but do it .

When you weep it is OK 

To weep a river .

Have you ever fished 

In the dark ?

Everything you dream is possible .

Remember , your truly alive 

When you look up into the sky 

For you are truly looking up .

                          I Love You All

                          By Brock

Bless Others

Lord , Jesus come quickly 

To safe me .

I feel tempted to feel sorry 

For myself . 

I know change is inevitable .

I also know where there is space

There is hope .

I know that if I take a short cut 

That requires turning my back 

On the Lord's peaceful Presence 

I must choose the longer route .

I also know that it is important 

To bless others .

Instead of something dwelling 

On how unfortunate I feel ,

I thank God for the beautiful opportunity 

I have to be a blessing 

To all my loved ones .

                                      I Love You All

                                      By Brock

Waiting

When you are sick 

And waiting to feel better someday 

The waiting is the worst .

But another kind of waiting 

Moves us to put up trees ,

Light candles and hang wreaths .

This anticipation brings joy .

It thrills our souls .

We look forward to it all year long 

Waiting for the appearance 

Of the Christ child .

As we mark each day 

Off the calendar ,

The excitement grows ,

Moving us to acts of love 

And kindness toward friends 

And strangers alike .

We wait , full of hope 

Because we know 

That God's news is coming .

                          I Love You All

                          By Brock 

It Would Not Be Christmas Without You

When a child is born 

Tears are turned into joy .

When a child is born 

Sadness is turned into laughter .    

When a child is born 

Silence is turned into action .

When a child is born 

War is turned into peace .

When a child is born 

It has its whole world in its little hands .

When a child is born 

The world is so much brighter in our eyes .

Love is all around us forever .

When a child is born 

Always watch its soul soar .

Remember when a child is born 

It is a miracle and also a blessing 

All into one so love it always 

With your heart and soul .

Each child that is born

Is a sensation all on its own .

                  I Love You All

                  By Brock

Oh To Teach

The responsibility to educating 

Our children What if I mess up ?

What if they do not learn enough 

As far as I see it ?

Not conceit or doubt helps 

Me teach my children .

Thankfully I have the example 

Of the best teacher who ever lived 

And recorded in the pages of the Bible .

One thing I would like to do is teach 

My children to pray 

And be good and to love 

And to trust and believe 

In God .

                  I Love You All

                  By Brock

Run Your Course

Life is like one giant obstacle course ,

As we are confronted with one 

Challenge after another ,

We do not run our race alone .

The Lord runs beside us ,

Gently guiding us through every challenge .

The affliction and persecution 

That we endure on earth is never easy .

Remember again Jesus is with us from our first breath

To our last and He will be with us always .

                                                                 I Love You All

                                                                 By Brock

Love Each Other

Jesus said , love each other

As I love you .

God's love will enable us 

To love others .

and share 

With Him in our limited ways .

My heart is full of joy 

When I share God's love .

I know my eternal joy 

And love comes from God ,

Who has loved me from the beginning .

                                           I Love You All

                                           By Brock

Are You Thankful

After my grandson was born 

I was so caught up in taking 

Care of things and the grandson .

I realized I was not making 

Time for my regular prayers 

But then I realized I had 

Been praying and rejoicing 

All the time .

The feeling of awe 

As I gazed into my grandson's features ,

And all the abilities that he can do 

that grandma and grandpa can no longer do .

I was praising God and being thankful 

For his life , my life and the love 

Of our family and friends .

                                               I Love You All

                                               By Brock

Give Thanks

What you take without gratitude 

Makes you a thief .

Remember , what you take for granted 

Can not truly bless you .

On Thanksgiving day let give glory and praise 

For the dew and the rain ,

The snowflakes that may come some Thanksgivings 

Are like kisses from heaven ,

The lightning and the clouds ,

The earth with all its gifts .

Remember , creation continually blesses 

God by being obedient to the divine 

Invitation to grow and to be of service to the universe .

Let us join in a joyful parade 

Offering glory and thanksgiving to God .

                                                         I Love You All

                                                         By Brock

A Fool

Fools fold their hands 

And ruin themselves .

Better one handful

With tranquility 

Than two handfuls 

With toil and chasing 

After the wind .

While the lazy 

Procrastinate 

Until they are ruined  ,

Those who pursue 

Wealth come to realize 

Their efforts are meaningless 

Like a miserable business .

The desire state is to relax 

From the toil of greedy grasping

In order to find contentment 

In what truly belongs to us  .

For that which is ours

Will always remain .

Remember , as Jesus said  ,

What good is it for someone to gain 

The Whole world ,

Yet forget their soul .

                                  I Love You All

                                  By Brock

Occupied By The Past

How many of God's blessings have I missed

Because I was occupied with things of the past 

Instead of looking forward in anticipation 

Of what God has planned for me .

Continuing to focus on past events ,

Whether they are joyous or devastating ,

Can prevent me from seeing blessings 

God has in store for my future .

                                             I Love You All

                                             By Brock

No Limits

If we do not have peace in the world ,

It is because we have forgotten 

That we belong to one another .

We seemed to have forgotten 

That we are connected 

Because we are all the same 

And beloved children of God 

How ever old we are .

We forget that God loves us all 

Thought we all disappoint Him 

All to frequently by our words ,

Action and inaction .

The bar has been set and it is high .

Our love for one another 

Should have no limits 

Because neither does God .

                               I Love You All

                               By Brock

My Uncle Jack

He showed me many things .

He showed me the process

Of sowing little tree seedlings 

That started new growth 

In the once open field of the city park .

I see them when ever I go to the park with Sawyer

These days .

The soil was rich in nutrients 

And the natural water supply 

Was more than adequate .

The seedlings have grown 

From saplings 

And the saplings became mature trees .

I am grateful for my uncle and all my family ,

Who planted in me the seed

Of Jesus Christ 

And provide for me the rich soil 

In which I could grow .

At this time of Thanksgiving 

I want to thank my uncle 

For some wisdom and some favor !

My uncle and I will always 

Have our traditions like playing cards with grandma

And playing BINGO with grandma  and she always

had to have O- 72 !

And our basketball games we played .

The many memories of just being together

In all kinds of weather !

                                              I Love You All

                                              By Brock (Brinnie )

Be Thankful

I need the love of Jesus 

To cheer me on my way .

To guide my doubting footsteps ,

To be my strength and to stay .

I know He will lead me 

Along the right path .

I know we will work together .

I know anyone who remains 

In the every day teaching of Christ 

Has a relationship with both

The Son and the Father .

Jesus thank You for walking 

Along side me as I grow 

In your relationship with You .

                          I Love You All

                          By Brock

God Talk

Talking about God can be normal

And a natural part of everyday life .

We should try to memorize His words 

And to display them in places 

Where they often can be seen  .

His law said to talk about God's 

Instructions for life with your children .

When you sit at home and play cards

Like 31 

And when you walk or run along the road 

And when you lie down and when you get up ,

God calls us to have a conversation .

Take a chance , rely on the Spirit .

And try turning your small talk 

Toward something deeper .

God will bless our family and friends 

As we talk about His words 

And practice them .

Oh start talking about God 

By calling someone smiley 

And God's love is on the way .

I would tell Uncle Jimmy

I had 31 he had 19

I won , he would say 

OK Brinnie !

                      I Love You All

                      By Brock

All The Way

The Lord will lead you .

He will always be with you 

And help you ,

So do not be afraid .

When you seek the lord 

And He answers and delivers 

You from all your fears .

Remember , He is the light 

Of the world .

Whoever follows 

Me will never walk in darkness ,

But will have the light of life ,

I know the Savior never forsake ,

I know my faith in Him will never shake

He will walk or run with me all the way .

                                    I Love You All

                                    By Brock

Trust

In the sea of life  ,

We can be calm 

And even take pleasure 

When we keep a hold 

Of our heavenly Father .

Jesus tells us to have faith 

like a child .

Whether we are happy or in tears ,

God loves us and we can trust 

That God will calm our tears 

And keep a hold of us always .

                            I Love You All

                            By Brock

Convicted

Have you ever been convicted by Scripture

That you read or hear 

But found it difficult to carry out ?

You are not alone  .

It is easier to read and listen 

To God's Word than to obey it .

that is why you do not merely listen 

To the word and so deceive yourself .

Do what it says .

Mirror illustration makes us 

Smile because we know what it means 

To observe something about ourselves 

That needs attention .

But we are deceived if we think 

That observing alone is enough .

God encourages us to do 

What we are compelled to do 

That is live it !

God's Word calls for it ,

And He deserves nothing less .

                               I Love You All

                               By Brock 

My Grandma

She was always old to me 

But in a special way 

She was always young .

Her smile was bright 

And her contagious love for Jesus .

She was a source of joy and encouragement 

To me .

Her life was vibrant 

Like a powerful runner ,

She did sprint across life's finish line .

Her life was like the budding .

Blossoming of a fruit bearing tree 

And rooted in a good relationship with God .

                                             I Love You All

                                             By Brock

What Is Good For Us

We can pour out our needs to God  .

Because He wants to hear 

What is on our hearts and minds 

He delights to give .

But being human and finite ,

We do not always know what is best ,

So it only makes sense to ask

For hope and help with a humble Spirit ,

In submission to Him .

We can leave the answer to Him ,

Confident that He is trustworthy

And will choose to prepare 

What is Good for us .

                             I Love You All

                             By Brock

Visiting Hours

Have you ever had a day or night

When you are hurting inside 

And you go out side 

And just stop and look up into the sky 

And you think of a loved one 

And you would like to see 

Just one more time .

I wish , heaven had visiting 

Hours for me tonight .

                          I love You All

                          By Brock

Have An Open Heart

I know I am compelled to pray 

For all those I know who need prayer 

Even those who caused heart break .

Our faith journey may takes us places 

We would not choose to go .

Our faith journey may causes us to experience 

Emotions that we would rather leave buried .

Our suffering can break us open ,

Enlarge our capacity to recognize 

And relieve the suffering of others 

Or it can leave us bitter and angry .

I can not think of a better reason 

To pray than to keep our hearts open 

When everything in us wants to slam it shut 

But I will keep praying .

                                    I Love You All

                                    By Brock        

God's Word

The word of God teaches us 

That temptations in life 

Often come to us disguised 

As our own needs .

These can distract us  ,

If we let them ,

From what truly matters .

Even in our prayers ,

We can be distracted 

By random thoughts and worries 

Instead of resting in God's love  .

Jesus reminds us to let go of life's 

Distractions and lose yourself 

In intimate moments of prayer ,

Embraced by the words of God .

                               I Love You All

                               By Brock

Persevere

I read where it said 

Thank God every morning 

When you get up 

That you have something 

To do that day ,

Which must be done ,

Whether you like it or not .

If you fall down get back up .

You will always have fear in you 

But when you die you 

Will have no more fear .

So stay in touch with God 

And you need to persevere 

With your faith 

And persevere with your work

And even when you run 

Or when you have fun 

And even when you love .

You need to persevere .

When the power of love 

Overcomes the love of power ,

There will be peace in the world .

So yes we all need to persevere 

In life .

                                  I Love You All

                                  By Brock

Guide My Steps

As I sit outside and talk to God .

I ask God please help me .

How will I move forward

And not backward ?

I need your support and guidance .

I need your comfort .

I need your counsel 

And I hope you provide for me ?

I feel paralyzed with fear and grief today .

Sometimes I face challenges 

Beyond my control .

When I call on You ,

For help in a time of distress 

I know You will hear me 

So I will keep praying .

                         I Love You All

                         By Brock

Twist And Turns

Mazes have often been to measure intelligence .

The faster one winds through confusing twist and turns .

Before escaping into freedom 

What about those of us who wander aimlessly through those 

Corn mazes in those pumpkin patches ?

Scientist do not have a high opinion 

Of the direction challenged ,

Our missteps say that we are in a maze .

Our path on earth is not usually 

A straight away ,

Or free of a bend or a rocky ravine .

In fact , we may feel so lost and alone 

On that path that anxiety and fear capture 

Our hearts and minds .

But we do not navigate this maze of life alone .

The Lord guides us , shelter us and provide for us ,

Even when we feel hopelessly lost 

We can rest in His grace .

He cares for us .

                                       I Love You All

                                       By Brock

What A Friend

You need one good friend 

And a few friends who has your back .

I have treasured the gift of friends 

Who have helped me pack

Houses and care for my baby 

Or feed me meals when I am overwhelmed .

Every day , I look at a cross 

on my wall in my basement by my bed

That says Faith , Hope , Love 

A gift from a friend who later lost hope .

It reminds me of the the need for lifting 

One another up , for catching a friend 

When he or she falls .

It reminds me to point despairing friends 

To the only true hope in this fallen world ,

Jesus Christ , who laid down his life for us .

Oh I remember the song I sing to my grandson .

What A Friend We Have In Jesus .

What A friend !

                                              I Love You All

                                              By Brock

Gratitude

Regular gratitude practice 

Makes us happier .

I am praying .

Pausing at the end of each day 

To identify what we are grateful for

Makes us more alert to what is good 

All around us .

There is always something to be 

Thankful for after all .

Our lives may not be perfect  

At any given moment  ,

We might be dealing 

With disappointment , pain or loss .

No matter what difficulties we face 

There are countless scourges 

We are spared .

There are countless blessings 

We enjoy as well ,

A loving touch , a gentle breeze 

And a comfortable home ,

                                    I Love You All

                                    By Brock 

Gone To War

I may never march 

In the infantry ,

Ride in the cavalry 

Or shoot with the artillery ,

I am in the Lord's army .

I am a Christen solder 

Who battles an enemy 

Bent on the destruction 

Each day .

I take heart that the Lord's army
Is lead by Jesus 

And He is always on my side .

                              I Love You All

                              By Brock

Victory

  

Victory is not without 

The absence of struggles .

It is the presence 

Of God in my struggles .

I wish , I did not have 

So much worry going on .

I am grateful 

God helps me 

Get through it all .

I know I struggle 

To trust God 

And God knows that to .

I am grateful 

God helps me .

I know God 

In uncertain situations 

But when I do 

Surrender my worries ,

I know , God can heal 

And provide for me

So I pray every day .

             I Love You All

             By Brock

All In The Family

The love of the family 

Is one of God's greatest

Blessings on earth .

Yet how often we snap and snarl .

Against those we love .

Our mothers and fathers 

Should be honored 

With kindness and respect  .

Our great gifts our children 

Should be nurtured 

With love and patience .

But we often bring 

 Pride , resentment 

And hostility into those

Family relationships .

Family relationships

Are never easy 

The family cycle repeats its self 

And the family 

Knows it to be .

                  I Love You All

                  By Brock

What Is Good For Us

We can pour our needs to God ,

Because He wants to hear 

What is on our hearts and minds 

He delights to give .

But being human and finite ,

We do not know what is best ,

So it only makes sense to ask

For hope and help with a humble Spirit ,

In submission to Him .,

We can leave the answer to Him ,

Confident that He is trustworthy

And will choose to prepare 

What is good for us .

                                 I Love You All

                                 By Brock

No Words

We all want to be heard 

And to be understood ,

But in the age of social media ,

We are more likely to mistakenly 

Believe that words are always 

The most powerful form of communication 

On the contrary ,

There have been times when a knowing

Nod or a simple smile or just a wink 

Have communicated a depth of understanding .

To me that surpasses any words similarly 

Just look to the heavens 

Can fill us with a sense of the Creator's power

And wisdom that no other form of communication can convey .

                                                                         I Love You All

                                                                         By Brock

My Dad Speaks

When I run or sit quietly or pray

Or just listen to the wind ,

Or just think of my dad ,

I can hear him talking to the Lord .

You made the way for me 

To draw near to my Father .

He would say ,

I surrender my life 

And those I love to Your care .

Thank you Jesus , for the faith 

You have given me .

I still carry my rosary 

In my pocket even today .

Now I see you face to face 

When You and I pray for my family .

                                 I Love You All

                                 By Brock

It Is Awesome

What can be awesome 

About finishing last in a race ?

Finish !

It can be difficult but to have had 

Accomplished it .

The Bible honors hard word 

And diligence ,

A concept often learned through sports .

I am a coach and I know the awesome feeling today !!!

                                                                 I Love You All

                                                                 By Brock

Your Hands Are Full

Have you ever heard someone say

Oh you have got your hands full ,

Yes , thank God for the children 

That fill the hands .

Thank God for the blessings 

That cause the chaos .

Oh when you think of the exhausted mother ,

A lonely nursing home resident 

There there so much good to be done .

Let us not grow weary of doing it .

There are so many burdens to share ,

 Let us lend shoulders for our neighbor's load .

Jesus did not stop at lending 

His shoulder for our burdens .

Remember , like the children 

Of our mothers 

It is our turn to have our hands full too ,

                                      I Love You All

                                      By Brock

Oh To Be Afraid

There are days when violence and evil overpower us ,

Leaving us without hope and terrified .

However God always renews His unrelenting presence 

With his people .

He is always with us .

Never again will we fear any harm 

Even when our catastrophes 

Result from our own rebellion ,

God will still come to our rescue .

No matter how alone we feel 

No matter what fears ravage us ,

God assures us that He is by our side always .

                                               I Love You All

                                               By Brock

Stay Focused

Have you ever noticed how intently 

A dog sniffs everything !

Let the hunting dog roam 

With his head down to the ground 

Focused totally on finding the pheasants 

Finding them will make the hunting dog happy .

I wish , I could be that fixed on sniffing 

God out in my life 

I know if I stay focused on what I desire 

I will not give up the chase  before me today .

                                                I Love You All

                                                By Brock

Forgiveness

Jesus told us to bless those who curse us ,

And pray for those who hurt us .

We need to focus less

On our hurts and more on other people's needs .

My heart was prepared to listen when a friend told me 

That to know true peace of mind 

We need to forgive those who curse and hurt us .

I need to think of that person as being in Jesus' heart

And Jesus is always watching that person .

As I struggle to speak the words 

I forgive you ,

Yes I do see Jesus embracing you .

Now when I think of you 

I picture you in Jesus' arms .

I realize that you need God's love too .

God accepts us and love us 

And that love changes brokenness into wholeness .

                                                     I Love You All

                                                     By Brock

He Is Always

We may experience pain 

That feels like an endless 

Bad situation that appears hopeless 

Or the waiting seems unbearable .

We may endure moments when the odds 

Against us are stacked high and wide .

We may not experience the healing 

We long for as we continue trusting Christ 

But even then Jesus invites us to keep reaching 

For Him .

To trust Him and never give up on hope 

And to believe He is always trustworthy ,

And always within reach .

                                        I Love You All

                                        By Brock

His Eyes On Us

Sometimes we walk around blind 

And we can not see beyond our self-righteousness ,

Prejudices and stereotypes , 

We may label people or call them out for past mistakes .

Jesus , however sees the human condition of people .

As followers of Christ ,

We are called to witness 

To all people and to reach out to them regardless 

Of their condition .

Remember , Christ fixed his eyes on us 

When we were not at our best 

And redeem us with love and grace .

                                     I Love You All

                                     By Brock

In Silence

 

In my basement I can find silence .

I discovered in my silence of being alone.

Plenty of noise and chatter inside my head .

I hear again complains , criticisms ,

Bitterness , regrets ,self-doubts and old hurts .

The silence teaches me to let it all go 

The inner clutter and find a true space for quietness .

My soul became still like the water on the river 

In the early morning 

And in the silence I knew I was not alone .

I know . if I turn my head to the right 

Or to the left ,

My ear will hear a voice saying 

This is the way walk in it .

                                       I Love You All

                                       By Brock

Oh To Be Afraid

There are days when violence and evil ,

Overpower us 

Leaving us without hope and terrified .

However God always renews 

His unrelenting presence with his people .

He is always with us .

Never again will we fear any harm 

Even when our catastrophes result 

Even our own rebellion ,

God will still come to our rescue .

No matter how along we feel 

No matter what fear ravage us ,

God assures us that He is by our side .

                                            I Love You All

                                            By Brock

Oh To Share

We can never assume 

That someone will help

When you get home 

Or that people can always cope 

Under difficult circumstances .

We all can act as God's 

Hands and feet to bring solace 

To those who are hurting .

Today , I will share with others 

What God has given me .

                                I Love You All

                                By Brock

A Heavy Burden

I have become an expert in hiding

My emotions .

Eventually , I acknowledged that I 

Was unable to handle things 

Alone and allowed God to carry 

My burdens .

God loves each of us 

As we read the Bible 

And devote time to praying .

We can sense God's presence with us .

He will give us strength and rest .

                                           I Love You All

                                           By Brock

The Banquet

When you have a banquet ,

You invite the poor , the crippled .

The lame , the blind . (J.I .)

You will break down barriers 

To form a new humanity .

You love all things 

That are and loath nothing 

That you have made .

Mighty warrior God I need you .

Mom , I need a mighty warrior

To stand with me and overwhelm my fears .

I am choosing to trust You 

And pray that You will bless bless me 

Even with my inability to repay you

At the banquet today .

                                    I Love You All

                                    By Brock

The Company Of Saints

The weight of the 21 century world is heavy .

Our personal burdens combined with the collective troubles 

Of humanity .

That are shouted nonstop from news outlets and social media ,

Temp us to despair .

But this temptation is not unique to this century .

Yes , the saints who went before us may

Not have navigated the land mines 

Of social media ,

But they endured weighty troubles 

Of their own times .

So let us keep praying 

For better times for us all .

                                         I Love You All

                                         By Brock

I Am Getting Older

The older I get , 

The more kids I see !

Oh those kids look so unbearably young .

I can not ignore the changes .

Yes , the nature of life are inevitable .

I miss many aspects of my youth .

I would never go back. to it .

With the experiences I have had ,

The things I have learned ,

The wisdom that I have gained ,

The expressions of life and love 

That I have received over the years !

Oh the first wrinkle and the gray hair 

And the grey beard that is on my face today ,

The creaking knees .

Yes , I am getting older each day 

And I continue to change 

And to grow and even grunting 

And not even knowing that I am doing it !!!!

                                                 I Love You All

                                                 By Brock

Distraction

In our survive to the Lord  ,

It is important to avoid becoming distraction .

The every day demands can divert our attention 

From our relationship with God 

And ambitions can distract us from our purpose .

Through out scripture we find reminders 

To keep our focus on God's purpose ,

As well as practices that can help us 

Maintain our focus .

                                       I Love You All

                                       By Brock

Hope

We are motivated by hope 

A longing for justice 

moves us outward , close to Christ 

Because hope burns in us .

Hope helps us notice how God's 

Power is found in the tiny and mighty ,

Just as Jesus taught .

The tiny mustard seed grows .

Shelter to birds ,

The smallest of mighty yeast 

Expand dough and feed the hungry .

From those ordinary things ,

We learn to expect transformation .

From Christ , we learn how to be signs of hope ,

How to give life to those in need 

By giving ourselves 

So you know what do to 

With motivation .

                            I Love You All

                            By Brock

Return For Deposit

In a time when people 

As well as things seem disposable .

It is good to remember 

That God has placed a deposit 

In our hearts .

The deposit is the Holy Spirit .

It is a guarantee of the good things to come .

You should always try to have a soul of a clown 

And smile every day and count your blessings .

Remember , God will not toes us to the side or forget us ,

No matter how empty we might become 

God's Spirit fills us and points us to our future .

We can be assured that while we 

Can know God's Spirit now , 

We will also live in God's presence for ever .

                                             I Love You All

                                             By Brock

The Size Of God's Power

The idea of a huge faith is intimidating .

We wonder , how can I possibly 

Have faith big enough for this and that ?

Jesus tells us if you have faith 

As small as a mustard seed ,

You can say to the mountain ,

Move from here to there 

And it will move .

Nothing will be impossible for you .

It is never the size of our faith 

But rather the size of God's power .

In any situation Jesus will hear 

Us when we cry out to Him

And do not forget to pray .

                          I Love You All

                          By Brock

What A Day

You tell me you are my strength .

You plan out each day 

And have it ready for me 

Long before I get up and out of bed in the morning 

And also provide the strength I need 

For each step of the way each day .

I should not asses my energy 

Level and wonder about what is on the road ahead .

I should concentrate on staying 

In touch with you .

Your power freely flows into me

Through our open communications .

I refuse to waste energy worrying 

And I will have strength to spare .

Thanks to you Lord .

                                    I Love You All

                                    By Brock

Stay With Me

When things are not going well

Always return to your God 

And pray.

The lord is good to those

Who depend on Him  ,

You do not need to search for Him .

He is always with you .

He will rescue you if ever you feel lost 

Because He loves you .

                                         I Love You All

                                         By Brock

Time Time Time

I used to feel pressured by time constraints

And I would drive hurriedly 

Trying to beat traffic lights or pass other drivers .

One day when things were not going my way 

And everything seemed to be frustrating 

With my attempts to save time  ,

A thought came to me .

My time is in God's hands .

I relaxed and drove more slowly 

And considerately !

Surprisingly , I arrived on time .

                                 I Love You All

                                 By Brock

My Job

The Bible invites me to continue

To give out the best in the work I do 

And that God entrust to me .

Maybe others , consider my work trivial .

I may see it as a small job 

That produces little 

And I may not often see 

The fruits of my work .

The good that I share in the world 

As a follower of Christ 

Has no doubt produced much fruit 

Even if I am unaware of it .

One good deed that I do today 

Can have an impact later on .

Therefore when I continue 

To sow the seeds of God's goodness ,

God will grow them 

And in time they will bear fruit 

In the lives of God's people .

                                    I Love You All

                                    By Brock

Burning Love

     

There are times in life when we feel 

Like we are in a fire ,

Everything we thought we knew 

Or everything we thought  would last forever ,

Is suddenly going up in flames ,

We perceive problems .

We perceive lose .

We perceive abandonment .

But what if we were to consider 

Fire differently ,

What if we could wrap our hands

And hearts around the idea 

That we are not being burned 

But rather , we are being purified  .

                                        I Love You All

                                        By Brock

His Touch

God takes us out of our comfort zone 

To show us new things ,

To stretch us to help us grow .

But He also brings 

The courage and comfort to go 

Through every situation .

He would not leave us alone 

In our trials .

He has everything under control .

He has us in His hands .

                                    I Love You All

                                    By Brock

What A World

In this sin filled world ,

There are plenty of real nightmare

That makes us fearful ,

Perhaps your current real

Nightmare has left you wide eyed 

And afraid .

There are nights when the fear is real

And so are the tears 

And so are the cries for help .

Your cries do not have to travel far
Because your heavenly father

has never left your side 

Gently He takes you in His powerful 

Righteous right hand 

And reassures you always .

                                           I Love You All

                                         By Brock

When You're Hurting

When you are hurting 

God is never bind 

To your tears ,

Never deaf to your prayers 

And silent to your pain .

He hears and He will deliver .

All you have to do is trust and believe in Him .

                                                  I Love You All

                                                  By Brock

A Badge

Each believer has a badge of faith to wear .

Jesus encourages us to pin it on every morning 

And let it shine all day and night 

Through our words and deeds .

We may back away from publicly living

Out our faith for fear of ridicule , rejection 

Or even persecution .

When and if we choose to hide our badge ,

We know that our merciful Lord is waiting 

To shine it back up , pin it back on 

And send us back into working to help others .

                                                 I Love You All

                                                 By Brock

The Hands Of God

When I give time to God 

In the morning when I pray 

I find that God seems to stretch my time ,

And I get things done more easily .

At my age I never miss praying 

And with less effort than on the days

When I did not pray .

At my age my time is truly in God's hands ,

                                             I Love You All

                                             By Brock

Bump Up

We often unexpectedly bump up

Against rocks and a hard place ,

Then our faith is tested 

And we are afraid .

We can not change mistakes 

Of the past ,

And we are paralyzed with fear 

Of what lies ahead .

We are caught .

But remember God said 

You know I am God 

And do not be afraid 

Because I got this .

              I Love You All

              By Brock

Beside You Always

When we love someone ,we keep vigil .

We resist sleep and wait up 

Until our children's car pulls 

Into the drive way safely .

We accompany a friend to a doctor's 

Office when the diagnosis 

He might hear is uncertain .

We share the anticipation of a neighbor 

Awaiting news of joy and hope of a new baby .

In our own loving and limited ways .

We reveal that every moment 

Of our lives the good and the bad 

God remains with us as a loving presence .

Our God guards our coming and our going 

In the way of peace .

So we know what to do always 

And that is love .

                               I Love You All

                               By Brock