A Cinquain Poem: Marriage

This past week I introduced my students to cinquain poetry, which consists of five lines in the following format:

Line 1: A subject/noun
Line 2: Two adjectives describing the subject/noun
Line 3: Three verbs
Line 4: Four words depicting line 1
Line 5: A synonym of line 1

In honor of Valentine's Day, this is a cinquain poem I wrote:

Marriage
God-ordained, life-long
Giving, caring, sharing
A man and woman
Commitment

Shaped by the Word

John 8:31,32 -- "...If you abide in My Word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free."

Psalm 25:1,4-6,8-10,21 -- "To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul...Make me to know Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You I wait all the day long. Remember Your mercy, O Lord, and Your steadfast love, for they have been from of old...Good and upright is the Lord; therefore, He instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble His way. All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep His covenant and His testimonies...May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for You."

A Haiku Poem

Let God's Word shape you;
Become grounded in Scripture;
Seek God's instruction.

Experience the
Blessing of obedience;
Plant truth in your heart.

I will meditate
On God's Word to understand
His will and His ways.

He will fill my mind;
He will guard my emotions,
Influence conduct

As I read His Word.
He will transform my worries
And fill me with joy.

Assurance

Joshua 1:5,9 -- "...I will never leave you nor forsake you...Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."

There is no challenge;
There's no obstacle that is
Insurmountable,

Because the Spirit
Is far greater than any
Hardship we could face.

Jesus lives within --
His power delivers us
From bondage's grip.

Stay focused on Him;
No task is impossible
With God on our side.

God will be with us;
He will not fail or forsake;
He'll keep His promise.

My Mission

Since its beginning on July 20, 1851, Salem Lutheran Church of Rosehill in Tomball, Texas, has been a mission-oriented congregation seeking to reach the lost with the Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ. Salem's ministry reaches into the community and beyond. During 2011, 42,397 people were served through Salem's dental, medical, and vision clinics in Honduras and Kenya. Four water wells were drilled in Honduras. Thirteen congregations from the United States were involved in ministry with Salem in Kenya and Honduras. We rejoice that, as a result of this ministry, there were 1,788 new believers and 328 baptisms in Kenya. Salem's ministry and Jesus's words in Matthew 28:19, 20 -- "Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age." -- have inspired me to write the following haiku poem about "My Mission."

I am included
In the Lord's redemptive plan
To bring Christ to all.

He's given me a
Vital part in kingdom work,
Sharing the Good News.

I choose to follow
The promptings of the Spirit.
As I obey Him,

The Spirit will work
Powerfully to achieve
Life transformation.

In cleansing my heart,
I'm determined to follow
God's gracious leading.

I ask for guidance
And trust Christ as my Savior;
I wait and listen.

God has given me
A mission field where I am
Among those I love.

He puts on my heart
Others I may influence
With the love of Christ.

The Lord desires
To see His purpose fulfilled,
His plan completed.

Christ walks beside me
As my Guide and Comforter,
Watching over me.

Ev'rything I need
To accomplish this great task
The Spirit provides.

Wholly Available to the Lord

(A Haiku Poem)

I'm available;
Lord, do whatever you want
To do with my life;

I will follow You.
Direct my steps in the way
You want me to go.

Amen.

Jeremiah 17:7 - "Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord."
Proverbs 3:5 - "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding."
Isaiah 26:4 - "Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord God is an everlasting rock."
Psalm 37:3 - "Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness."
Psalm 37:5 - "Commit your way to the Lord; trust in Him, and He will act."

Rachel's Blessing

A Haiku Poem
January 30, 2012

Being with Rachel
Was a God-ordained blessing
In my time of need.

1-13-13,
Impending retirement,
Was affecting me.

Before our visit
I had been grieving our "lasts:"
Ministry highlights

That brought so much joy
Through the years with friends we love,
Soon to be over.

While approaching our
Last Mega Church Conference,
Sorrow touched my heart.

Rachel spoke wisely,
With love and encouragement,
"Celebrate each 'last.'"

"Rather than grieve for
What will be no more, thank God
For the joys you've had."

"God has been faithful
Through forty ministry years;
He will not fail you."

"He will be with you
Through all the years yet to come;
His love never fails."

"With each passing day,
Celebrate your 'last' events;
Live each day with joy."

"Trust God for new days,
Thank Him for past faithfulness;
Hope for the future."

I'm very grateful
For my dear sister Rachel,
Whose wisdom blessed me.

She provided me
A healthy new perspective
That fills me with peace.

Our Last Mega Church Conference -- January 25-28, 2012

A Haiku Poem

We are on our way
To the Mega Church Conf'rence,
Gath'ring among friends,

People we've held dear
In our hearts over the years,
Friends with whom we've shared

Life and ministry.
As senior pastor and wife,
This will be our last

Fellowship with them
This side of heaven. There is
Heartfelt emotion

As we bid farewell
And introduce Tim Niekerk
To this stellar group

Of leaders and wives
In our Luth'ran church body
Who share a passion

To connect people
To Jesus, Who died and rose
From the grave--for us.

May Tim and Kristen
Be as blessed as we have been
Through this fellowship.

We rejoice that God
Has chosen a capable
Man to take Wayne's place.

It is time for us
To leave. As we pass the torch,
We pray God's blessings

Upon each of you
In your life and ministry.
May you continue

To serve zealously,
Strengthening The Luth'ran Church
Missouri Synod,

Leading faithfully,
Transforming what is broken
And giving new life.

God will be with you,
Equipping you for service
To grow His Kingdom.

Work diligently,
Giving all glory to God,
And you will be blessed.