The Heart of a Mom Forever

The Heart of a Mom Forever: Why?

2009-03-27T10:14:00.005-04:00

On a day like today when it's gloomy and rainy I have to think about light. Grammy, you were the one that would listen to the ramblings of a little girl who maybe talked too much. I've come to realise all children talk sometimes a bit too much. We lived in Cleveland. You worked at the post office at night. I remember driving you to work in a station wagon that had the wood panel on the outside. It didn't matter if it was summer we would sing "Frosty The Snowman." Through the imagination of a child the Terminal Tower always looked like Frosty. For as long as I could remember you always seemed ill.

You would laugh at times but I don't know of a time when you seemed healthy. In every picture from the time I was born you looked sad and if I could I would ask why. I think I know why but I don't want to jump to conclusions. You didn't have an easy life but you really tried to make life easier for every one else.

We all have our issues with the circumstances as they were. There isn't a single one of us who doesn't. I need you to understand grammy, I love you a great deal. "I feel sorry for him" just doesn't give me complete closure on what happened in our family. I want to feel angry and I can't because that's how much I love you. It makes me angry that I want to feel angry. I have so many more questions unanswered and it took so much courage to ask "why?" Courage that to this day, I don't think I could muster up if you were facing me now. I don't know why I had to say all of this on this blog. Maybe I feel like this is my last connection to you.

What I really wanted to say was you were my light in a very dark time. That I miss you regardless of all the pent up emotions and inner demons inside myself. I miss sitting on the swing in silence and then after a few minute you would hum a song. I miss the stories of the past that you insisted great gram could tell better but great gram was not like you she was a little callous and not very pleasant to be around. I miss sitting on the swing at night and watching the glittering diamonds in the sky with you.

The day I had my son after every one left I cried. My baby would never get to grow with you in his life. When I was pregnant with our second child my husband and I argued over our daughters name. I wanted to give her as a first name Josephine my husband said it sounded too old and he didn't like it but we compromised and it is her middle name. The baby, if I put black hair on his head looks like you. He has that Salisbury chin the one that you passed down to all of us. Now, he sits in my lap crying because he conked his head and the little chin even wrinkles in the same way.

Even though there was a lot of turmoil, gram, I love you and miss you.

The Heart of a Mom Forever: A Little Gift

2008-12-31T20:15:00.005-05:00

This is from the actual book "The Heart of a Mom"

This post is in response to a post from Robin Easton. More of a gift really. I know I don't blog much here but there are no word that I can convey or express half as much meaning as words that were written by my grandmother. My grandmother's written words are the last words left. They were words she used to recite to us from memory.

The poem that says my name, Shirley, is about me as a child. I'm not really much different. I get upset when my son holds a worm too long and kills it. I sit and watch the sky for stars or anything that may be in the sky. So, I guess my grandmother had her prayer answered. I only aged and got a little taller.

This next poem is sad but it is my favorite poem that my gram wrote. So, please find some Kleenex. You will need it. I need to also mention that my grammy is a coal miners daughter. This poem has led me to believe that maybe my great-grandpa died in a mining accident. I don't know this for sure and no one has ever told me where he went to. My grandmother writes based on life experiences so, this is my only assumption. Also, my grandma's middle name is Josephine so maybe she got Baby Jo's name from her own. She always had the nickname of Jo.

The Heart of a Mom won an award

2008-09-09T06:15:00.006-04:00

My gram would have been honored to recieve this award. I can imagine she would have gone off telling everyone about this. This came from Crocodile Soup For The Soul.

The instructions for the passing on of this accolade are:

1. The winner can put the logo on his/her blog

2. Link the person from whom you received your award

3. Nominate up to 7 other blogs

4. Put links of those blogs on yours, and

5. Leave a message on the blogs that you've nominated

I think instead of sites I love I should try sites my gram would have loved which means you'll learn a little more about my gram.

My gram loved junkin' as much as I do maybe more so. She would have loved thriftshopromantic's site.

My gram loved her politics and she would have loved The Democratic Republican- Views and news

My gram did a lot of cooking so she would have loved Farmgirl Fare

She would have gone ballistic over Rose of Sharon

She would have really loved Peace Bella as well.

Growing Old

2008-06-18T08:08:00.003-04:00

I'm not afraid of growing old.
For age brings so much grace
There is no beauty more sincere
Than the lines on an aged face
There is no silver more honestly earned
Than the silver in someones hair
No, I'm not afraid of growing old
There is no worry there.

But help me lord to look at things
And watch the sunsets gold
To see the beauty in a tree
Smell the fragrance of a rose
To watch the seasons come and go
To breath their beauty rare
To feel the rain upon my face
The wind blow through my hair.

I want to walk with the children
And think on childish things
Watch the beauty of the first snowfall
See the promises of spring
The joyfulness of Christmas time
The happy thoughts it brings
I never want to let go of
My faith in childish things.

I'm not afraid of growing old
That holds no fear for me
I hope that I can live to be
The last leaf on the tree
Still golden dreams of happy times
Can fill my memories cup
I'm not afraid of growing old
Just of growing up.

100th visitor

2008-06-10T15:17:00.004-04:00

Free Heart of The Mom book to the 100th visitor. Please leave your name, address, and email in the Formlogix widget in pink at the bottom. Do not leave it in the post a comment for this site. The widget at the bottom of this page is the only way I can assure your privacy. You will not be paying shipping and handling I will take care of that. Also if you would like to know when we are going to reprint the book w/ family pictures and stories leave me a message.

Here Is Something A Little Different

2008-05-31T08:09:00.004-04:00

This is the Cleveland skyline and my grandma. I know it makes no sense to you why I would put the two pictures together so I am going to tell a little story.

One of the towers in the picture glows in the dark at the needle of it. When it glowed it seemed to have a white face. My gram worked at the Cleveland Post Office as a mail Sorter, she worked night shift. I would sit in the brown station wagon with imitation wood paneling on the outside and inside. The post office was in one of those buildings. It seemed to me that when that tower glowed it looked like Frosty The Snowman. It didn't matter if it was summer time we would sit in the car and sing Frosty all the way to my grams work place.

The Lord Likes Me This Way

2008-05-22T08:17:00.004-04:00

I'm old and fat
I have lost my teeth
My hair is getting thin
And when I look back on my life
I was never meant to win
Each hill I've climbed
Has been a task
That almost blew my mind
But I have seen the sunshine
In my life lots of times
I've climbed up mountains
And looked out on a view
A million times more beautiful
Than you 'city fellers' knew
I have walked in meadows
Decorated by snow
Where only footprints
Of God's little critters show
But time has robbed me of my youth
And painted my hair gray
When I walk I know I stoop
For age made me that way
When you look at me you laugh
"What a funny old lady" you say
But what you think don't bother me-
The Lord likes me this way.,

She Planted Flowers

2008-04-20T04:00:00.002-04:00

I do not fear the demon death
For you can only steal my breath
My immoral soul you cannot kill
No matter what your evil will
You cannot take my memory
From those who knew and cared for me
You cannot take the flowers away
Whose seed I planted day by day
You cannot take the loving smiles
The kisses of a little child
The memories of sunshine days
The smiles I shared along the way
You cannot take the friends away
I gathered through the years
You cannot take the beauty
You cannot steal the tears
You cannot still the laughter
You cannot stop the pain
Until when all is over
I know I'll live again
If in the end my like be stilled
My memories will be fulfilled
If I can hear some dear friend say
"She planted flowers along the way."

My Journey Home

2008-04-16T13:33:00.002-04:00

It was a flight of fancy
An unplanned evening sail
The skies had been so stormy
But tonight the moon was pale

I started my journey
For I could see no harm
But in a flash I found that I
Was in the eye of the storm

There was no way of running
And no place to hide
My tiny little ship was tossed
About from side to side

And then from out of nowhere
With a heart so kind and warm
You helped to right my vessel
And helped me to weather the storm

I was just passing a moment
But I'll remember till the end
For our hands touched in passing
And you become my friend.

The Hands Of Time

2008-04-15T17:01:00.003-04:00

The hands of time revolve so fast
I stand and watch his childhood pass
I see him slip beneath my arms
That sought to keep him safe from harm
Into a world I tried to hide
While he was safely by my side
The little hand that held mine fast
Is reaching for the world at last
And pride and heartache merge to say
He crossed the street alone today.

To My Children

2008-04-14T17:00:00.001-04:00

I can find no tender way to say goodbye
Though in your eyes I see the need for flight
It really shouldn't hurt to let you go
To watch you as you strive for greater heights
You must have your chance to chase the stars
To look for rainbows, searching for their gold
But I must stay behind and watch your flight
And blow a kiss of love each time you pass.

Might Have Been

2008-04-13T05:00:00.001-04:00

Come walk with me through woodland glade
Come rest beneath this tree
Let memory take us back again
To things that used to be
When we were kids in days gone by
We walked the paths, we walked
We climbed the treewe're passing now
And here we sat and talked
We planned our lives beneath this tree
As we watched the sky above
And here within it's cooling shade
We both discovered love

But time went by and we grew up
And drifted far apart
Until it seemed time had erased
Us from each others heart
As time went by we both found love
Though many miles apart
But the ones we loved were called away
And left us empty hearts
Today we met by accident
And now we walk again
Through our childhood memories
To things that might have been.

Reflections

2008-04-12T05:00:00.004-04:00

There's no time to enjoy the sunsets
When you have to bring home the bread
There's no time to enjoy the sunrise
You'd much rather lie in your bed
The rainfall is only a nuisance
The sun gets too hot on your head
You have to hustle every day
And never get one step ahead

It's funny how when you get older
And know your life could end
You think how things would be different
If you could live life over again
You'd take time to climb up a mountain
You'd stand and savor the breeze
You'd watch while the changing seasons
Show in the leaves of trees

You'd wait for the golden sunsets
And awake to watch it rise
If only the young could see the things
As seen through an old man's eyes
Why do we have to grow older
Before we are privledged to find
The bueaty and love in nature
That was there for us all the time.

I Want To Go Home Singing

2008-04-11T12:14:00.003-04:00

I want to go home singing
The songs of victory
With my hand in my saviors hand
Just where it ought to be
I want to hear the angels join in
My chorus of victory
And I want to go home singing
When I cross that crystal sea.

When it's time for me to go
What a victory I'll share
I'll meet my loving savior
Somewhere in the air
He will have his angel chorus
He will say "My child well done.
Welcome home to heaven
A good race you have run.

I want to go home singing
The songs of victory
With my hand in my saviors hand
Just where it ought to be
I want to hear the angels join in
My chorus of victory
And I want to go home singing
When I cross that crystal sea

I know he'll have a job for me
When I get over there
There's something else I have to do
For it seems he needs me there
Perhaps I'll sow the wildflower seed
Along a country road
But I know I'll be singing
When he lifts my heavy load.

Shed No Tears For Mama

2008-04-01T17:52:00.002-04:00

Please shed no tears for mama
For at last she is at rest
Her hands are folded now in prayer
For she has done her best
And the smile she smiles is peaceful now
For at last she is in no pain
So shed no tears for mama now
And sing no sad refrain
Remember, if you will, the whipporwill
The flowers of golden hues
The dogwood bloom the thunder boom
The birds sond in the air
And if you must I truly trust
You'll think of her in prayer
But shed no tears for mama dears
For she is happy there

This poem reminds me of the fact my gram is gone and how the family split apart. I truly don't think gram would have liked anything that has happened since her passing.

Tattered Edges

2008-03-28T08:51:00.002-04:00

Its tattered edges
Have come unraveled
As if to show the pain
The love the strife
And memories help me recall
The pieces that tell the story
Of my grandma's life.

The piece way up in the cornor
was from the lovely gown
She made for her wedding day
The tiny rosebud scrap
Recalls to mind the baby girl
Whom in the arms of God they lay

Several pieces tell of mommy's life
Her snowy white christening gown
The dress she wore the first day of school
Her tomboy days
When gingham was prefered to lace
And later when gingham would no longer do
And placed up in the center
As if to show their pride
A cutting from the robe she wore
On her Graduation day
And when the guns of war sounded
And the decisions were made
When one chose blue
And the other chose gray
She placed the two together
Hoping they would stand
Unlike the pride that kept her sons apart
When her time near ended
Love replaced the guilt
And North and South shook hands at last
Above my grandmas quilt.

Typing this one out has become a very emotional thing for me. I recall my gram writing this one. My mom was taking a business class and her goal was to come up with a business proposal. Crafting especially quilts is big in West Virginia. Even my great-gram who was still alive at the time quilted. My moms' idea was to open a craft store called Tattered Edges. In every part of my grams life there was a poem to go along with it. As I wrote this particular poem I heard my grams voice. I didn't think I'd be able to finish this today. My face is covered in tears. I miss my gram a great deal. It's been over 10 years since her passing and I'm not sure I'll ever be ok with her being gone.

The Arms Of God (In Memory Of Mark)

2008-03-27T08:41:00.002-04:00

He needs no tears
They sooth their soul
But where he walks
On streets of gold
He knows no pain.

Mourn him not though he is gone
Think what he left behind
For he will live eternally
In your heart and on your mind.

He will know no suffering
He will feel no pain
There will be no sorrow
In the life way he has trod
For silently last night he slipped
Into the arms of God.

Ancestors

2008-03-26T07:26:00.002-04:00

The old graveyard is covered with weeds
It seems that no one cares
For the hopes and dreams
Of the life and loves
Of the people lying there
There are stones weathered
By the hands of time
And off in the corner there
Is a single spot that has no stone
Whose child is buried there
Unloved or long forgotten
Displaced by the hands of time
I wonder the story she has to tell
This forgotten ancestor of mine.
My gram wrote this poem after I began to develop an intrest in genealogy. I now have family histories that points to Pocahontas as being one of my great grandmothers on my grandpas' side and on my grams side we stem from English Nobility.

Prayer At The End Of The Day

2008-03-19T22:23:00.003-04:00

Momma raised all eight of us
She done the best she could
She taught us all the things she knew
Till we knew and understood
"You don't rob another mans castle
You don't take another mans life
You don't envy his car or his golden guitar
And you certainly don't want his wife
You don't make a God out of money
You don't try to justify sin
You don't use a crutch if you have two good feet
And you bend or you break in the wind
Don't think the world owes you a living
Its been here a lot longer you see
You don't judge a man by the shad of his skin
Or how long his hair might be
You don't go to bed with a quarrel on your mind
When I'm sorry can set you free"
But the major thing she insisted we learn
Was this prayer at the end of the day
"Dear Lord please forgive all my weakness
And please forget all my sins
Just make of each morning a new beginning
And make of each evening a new end

Wilder Than Weeds

2008-03-19T22:13:00.002-04:00

They said he grew wild in the country
Perhaps from sturdier seed
But somehow he survived the country
Growing strong and wilder than weeds

The sunshine he had for his mornings
From the country he garnished his needs
Each day he grew taller and stronger
And wilder much wilder than weeds

By your standards crude and unpolished
But he manages to fill my needs
Just remember the most beautiful orchard
Once was the wildest of weeds

Dreaming

2008-03-19T22:02:00.003-04:00

Soft light through lace curtains
A lovely day breaks
You lie there my darling
Not yet awake

A stray sunbeam enters
To play in your hair
I lie here and watch you
So beautiful there

Your slur as if dreaming
Your lips slightly part
A picture I'll carry
Of you in my heart

Sleep on little darling
Let me dream for awhile
For while you are sleeping
I live in your smile

But when you waken
In the harsh light I'll see
No matter how much I love you
You're cheating on me

Last To Know

2008-03-19T21:46:00.002-04:00

They say a woman is always last to know
She never feels the hurt until she's told
But what they're saying isn't true
A woman only hides her blues
And never lets her man know that she knew

I was first to know he kissed you
By the lipstick on his shirt
And though I never mentioned it
You can bet I felt the hurt

I was first to know he held you
By the scent of your perfume
I knew that he had told you lies
Looked into your starry eyes
But I never told him that I knew

Then on the day the roses came
I knew he had tired of that old game
Just like he had done before a time or two
So now you have to face the blues
My darling has said "good bye to you"
And now I'll never tell him that I knew

You Never Loved Me

2008-03-19T11:12:00.003-04:00

It's been a long time since we said "I do."
In all of this time I have been true to you
But my love couldn't change you
At last, I can see
You never loved me, you only used me.

I helped you fight battles to keep us afloat
I just kept bailing while you rocked the boat
I hide my tears when my faults you would see
Now I know the reason you never loved me

I gave birth to the children that still bear your name
I raise them with honor but taught them shame
I never knew that inside them you'd see
All the things you dislike so in me

Years now have taken their toll there on our life
Your still my husband I'm still your wife
The tears that I've shed cleaned my eyes now I see
But I don't know the reason you never loved me

I am too old to change now so are you
The habits of a life time we have gotten used to
And it no longer matters whatever you do
For I have to tell you I no longer love you

Rambling Rose

2008-03-18T09:22:00.003-04:00

We were standing on the porch
I thought my life would end
Until you said "I'm coming back
When the roses bloom again."
Then, you picked up a single rose
And kissed its tip so red
You handed it to me to keep
Then, you softly said
When you see roses bloom again
My darling please believe
I'm coming back to you again
And I will never leave
I believed the words you said
Until someone told me
That you were wed, and you had said
Those words to more than me
I cried at first then planned my life
Not my heart but my head
Should rule my life from this day forth
And I soon was wed
I tried to forget your face
Forget the words you said
But my heart remembered them
When those roses turned red
I went back home to see my folks
After the blooms were dead
They told me you had come for me
When the roses turned to red
I turned away
and started home
My home I could not leave
And I had no one to blame
For the lies I did believe.

Another Day

2008-03-13T08:43:00.002-04:00

Another day to tell my darling that I love him.
Another day to hold my baby in my arms
Another day to see the dew upon the roses
And watch the rising and setting of the sun
Another chance to reach my hand to one who needs me
And maybe wipe a teardrop from some one's eye
Another chance to see the golden morning
And watch the little eagle learn to fly
Another chance to help a friend who needs me
To greet a sorrowing stranger with a smile
Another chance to make this life I'm living
Maybe just a little more worthwhile
Until at last when I come face to face with Jesus
And he says "My blessed child what did you do
With the golden day I gave you last summer?"
I can say, "I did the very best that I could do."

Search For Gold

2008-03-13T08:38:00.002-04:00

What will you give up
In your search for gold?
Will you give up your honor?
Will you sell your soul?
Will you give up hope;
And sacrifice pride?
Will you kneel at the alter
Of your dreams that have died?
Will you sacrifice freedom?
Will you give up your health?
What will you give up
In search for wealth?

Moonshine

2008-03-11T08:12:00.002-04:00

I thought I saw a waltzing bear
And the horse I saw was blue
I thought I heard a silly squirrel
And he sounded just like you
I saw the stars start spinning around
I didn't know what to do
I didn't know anyone else to call
And I couldn't get through to you
But it was really only the moonshine
That made this night come true
One little slip of the moonshine
My friends called Mountain Dew.

Secret Sorrow

2008-03-11T08:03:00.003-04:00

She has a secret sorrow
You can see it in her eyes
And when she thinks no one is around
You can sometimes here her cry
She's a lady well worth knowing
And I know she'd be a prize
If I could find a way to wipe
The secret sorrow from her eyes

She has a secret sorrow
You can tell it in her smile
For when you look into her eyes
You see a frightened child
Somebody must have hurt her so
And made her so ashamed
That she would hide her sorrow
Behind a borrowed name.

She has a secret sorrow
Buried deep inside her heart
And just a bit of kindness
Can make the teardrops start
I wish I knew what it would take
To chase her fears away
So she could face the future
With no shadows in her way.

To Cathy

2008-03-10T09:26:00.002-04:00

The silent cry of the aborted child
Hangs heavily in the air
With the agonizing cry of a three year old
Who thinks nobody cares
And the heart-broken cry of a momma
That the skeloton in the closet
Will soon be swept away
And she cries again for the laws of man
Who have put her baby there
She wonders why money talks louder
Than all her love and care
And why there is no justice
In a land that's supposed to be free
But the law sells its soul
For a pot of gold
And Lady Liberty cries.

Walk Beside Me

2008-03-10T09:17:00.002-04:00

I do not want to follow you
Perhaps you walk too slow
Or you might choose the higher path
While I might seek the low
Perhaps our paths might split somehow
And we might drift apart
No, I do not want to follow you
I'll say before we start.

I do not want to take the lead
For on the lead depends
The safety of the ones you love
The fate of your dear friends
No, I do not want to walk in front
For I might lose the way
Just one mistake could haunt my life
Until my dying day.

But I would love to walk with you
Together you and I
Could see the morning awakening
Could watch the night birds fly
Together we could face the world
And all that it portends
If you walk beside me
And simply be my friend.

Walk With Me

2008-03-09T22:01:00.002-04:00

Come walk with me awhile today
I think I need a friend
Who understands my silence
But who will hold my hand
I need someone who will listen
If I feel the need to talk
I need someone beside me
If I only want to walk
I need your broad strong shoulder
To lean on if I cry
I need your arms to pick me
and give me strength to try
I know I ask a lot of you
But I hope you understand
Come walk with me awhile today I know I need a friend

The Child I Gave Away

2008-03-09T21:55:00.002-04:00

I stand by the gate to the playground
just to watch her play
That little girl in ruffled dress
so happy here today
I watch her kiss another's cheek
Hear her call that other mom
And know I never told her
In these lonely aching arms
I come here every morning
to watch her at her play
And pray she never learns
Shes the child I gave away.

For Annie

2008-03-08T12:08:00.004-05:00

When sunlight streams in
Through your window
To play on the floor in your room
You can see a new day dawning
You can think of no reason for gloom
The dew that has watered the grasses
Has left a blush on the rose
Today you have time to enjoy
A beautiful flower as it grows
Stop just awhile in your hurry
To gaze at the stones at your feet
Then I listen awhile to the songbird
As it sings it's song so sweet
And linger to see the sunset
Tell you your day is complete
Time lays all the cares you had carried
In a neat little pile at your feet
For you see you have no time to worry
Gather your gold on your way
The gold you have in friendships
Of those who surround you today
And though we will miss you greatly
We are happy to be here today
To share with you a milestone
HAPPY RETIREMENT TODAY!

Catch The Spirit

2008-03-07T05:02:00.003-05:00

It's not hard to catch the spirit
When you know what you should do.
Don't you feel the eyes of a hungry world
Reaching for your hand
And the voices of a world that has no hope
Begging you to understand
For the price of a pack of cigarettes
Someones' life can be changed
Perhaps a child that cannot walk
Or a man who cannot see
Perhaps a teen who has no hope
Might find her life set free.
Perhaps someone who faces death
Might find the will to live
Then you will know the inner glow
He lives because you give
For that extra cup of coffee
Or that high calorie treat
You might make yourself live longer
And let the poor eat
Then, when you stand at the judgement seat
Upon the golden chairs
The Lord will say "Show him through
He changed the world, He cared."

Black And White

2008-03-07T04:56:00.002-05:00

You're black, I'm white
I'm me, you're you
We stand at opposite corners
With our own narrow views.

I'm wrong, you're right
And I don't think I like you
This whole world is acting the same way we do.

God made you in color
While he left me white
But that gives us no reason
To fuss and to fight.

If I hold out my hand
And you lean toward me,
We can still be brothers
Like the Lord meant us to be.

Success

2008-03-04T14:20:00.002-05:00

He looked at me softly and told me
"You could be one of the best.
If you weren't afraid so of failure,
I'll bet you could be a success."
I thought about that for a moment
And wondered; he could be right,
But failure has been with me many a year,
Has stayed with me both day and night,
A glimmer of thought then struck me,
And now I must confess,
Failure don't scare me not one little bit,
But I'm deathly afraid of success.

The Gifts

2008-03-04T14:10:00.002-05:00

He gave me a day of sunshine:
But I kept looking for rain
He gave me a day to run and play
But I kept waiting for pain.

He gave me a day for laughter
But I had a frown on my face
He gave me a day to love and obey
But I couldn't take the chance

Then, I asked for a day of sunshine
But he sent only rain
I asked for a day to run and play
But I felt only pain

I asked for a day of laughter
But he gave me only a frown
In anger I said "You don't love me,
Look how you let me down."

He smiled at me softly and asked me
"What do you want me to do?
You didn't use the gifts I gave,
So, I had to take them from you."

Mary's Song

2008-03-03T08:07:00.002-05:00

My little boy you my pride and joy
You'll rule the world some day
With angels to guide you
And mother's beside you
Sleep now in your soft warm hay
Angels sing for you
And Shepard's adore you
Kings lay their gold at your feet
Stars shine to guide you
And mother's beside you
So sleep, sweet baby, sleep

Tomorrow you'll waken
Your youth will be taken
And you'll find a world full of sin
You'll find non-believers
And down right deceivers
And you won't know where to begin
You'll find some who will follow
And one who is hollow
And he your life will betray
But while you're a babe
Now, my son, this is your hour
Sleep now in your soft warm hay

I hold you close to me
And feel your warm body
I know it will hang from a cross
And though your just a baby
And I'm holding you tightly
I'm already feeling the loss
So cuddle close to me
While mommy sings to you
And tells you she loves you so
Although you're just a baby
And I'm holding you tightly
I'm learning I have to let go.

Bethlehem Town

2008-03-03T07:57:00.003-05:00

The people gathered in Bethlehem town
The king they dared not defy
So hurried, so worried, they scurried about
And did not hear the child cry

Wine flowed free, as old friends they'd see
The streets rang with "Hi!" and "Goodbye!"
But with heads bowed low they'd never know
of the star that shone in the sky

In the meadow far they saw the star
And heard the angels sing
These Shepard's poor coarse robes they wore
Knelt before the newborn king

And the crowds passed by on the streets outside
Never knowing the king was near
Like the crowds pass by on the streets today
Going farther from him each day

Happy Birthday Jesus

2008-02-23T09:29:00.007-05:00

The lights are brightly shining

There's baubles on the tree

The gifts are wrapped and waiting

For the time we honor thee

A tiny baby in Bethlehem

All wrapped in swaddling joy

A happy, happy birthday

To Mary's little boy.

But on the cross of Calvary

Our hopes and dreams were hung.

For they placed my Jesus

While he was yet so young

And all the Christmas presents

Are but an empty plan

For we can't celebrate the babe

And forget about the man.

Take Care of Me

2008-02-23T09:29:00.005-05:00

I've struggled through the darkness
As long as I can
And somewhere, somehow
Lost hold of your hand
I've stumbled through th e pitfalls
I just couldn't see
I've cried out in anguish
Take pity on me

Come blessed Jesus
Take hold of my hand
Lead me from darkness
To your shining land
Give me a place
Where from sorrow I flee
For I am your child Lord
Take Care of me

When storms are threatening
Take care of me
Show me all of the beauty
You want me to see
Teach me to listen
When you speak to me
And in your great wisdom
Teach me to see.

The world is full of beauty,
But you have to seek
And there is good in everyone
Though we all are week;
But in times of trouble
We all turn to thee
And whisper "Dear Father,
Please take care of me."

Talking To The Lord

2008-02-23T09:27:00.002-05:00

Dear Lord, I'd like to talk to you;
Although it's late at night.
I have some things to ask you Lord;
If you think it will be alright.

It's mostly about the children Lord
I left them in your care.
For you're the only one I trust
When I cannot be there

Danny had a cold last night;
I did all that I can do
Then, when I had to go to work
I left the rest for you.

Will the problems with the girls
Ever work out right
I'm placing it right in your hands
I've prayed half the night

My friends tell me I'm crazy
Riding the bus at two.
But Lord just what can happen
When I'm sitting close to you.

I thank you Lord for listening
We've made another day
As long as I keep trusting you
I'll never lose my was.

You're Worth Saving

2008-02-23T09:17:00.002-05:00

Though you're down in sins dark dungeon
And you just can't find your way
Still you try to find contentment in your wins
You have lied, stolen, and cheated
And you know that you are lost
You're still worth saving
If you kneel down at the cross

You're worth saving no matter what the sin
You're worth saving you can be born again
If you will only lift your eyes
To the maker in the sky
You're worth saving
That's why he sent his son.

I Stumbled

2008-02-23T09:10:00.003-05:00

Forgive me Lord I stumbled
The way has been so hard
The cross I bear so heavy
And Lord you know I'm tired
I offer no excuses
For what I did today
A lonely man held out his hand
But I looked the other way
O' Lord please give me
Strength to bear
The burdens that are mine
Please put more kindness in my heart
To make sure that you shine
Give my lips kind words to say
Despite the hurt and pain
Until at last within my heart
I'll stumble not again.

Earth Is A Flower In God's Garden

2008-02-22T09:28:00.003-05:00

Earth is a rose in God's garden
Fashioned with great love and care
Gently he formed the mountains
Sculptured each valley with care
Covered its hills with green carpets
Sprinkled with flowers of each hue
Ran cool bubbling brooks down its mountains
Then covered the whole thing with blue.

He looked and he loved its great beauty
So swiftly he made his great plan
He would give what he loved to the ones he loved
So he gave his Earth to man.

But man found a flaw, for they sought it
And thought to improve on his plan
And then with no thought of tomorrow
Began to ravage the land.

The trees and lovely green mountains
Bowed low for the passing of man
So man left his mark on God's hand work
Not thinking of Gods greater plan
Then, God, high up in his heaven
Looking down, remembered its birth
And regretted although he still loved him
He had placed man on Earth.

A Golden Rose

2008-02-22T09:13:00.002-05:00

God made the rose most beautiful,
Of all his lovely flowers
It's hunting fragrance follows you.
And lingers there for hours
Its lovely petals brush your soul
To sweep the hurt away
No matter what the world has done
A rose will make your day

A rose that is touched by caring hands.
Can heal a hurting heart
Put back the pieces of a world
That all but fall apart
Can bring a sparkle to the eyes
That recently knew tears
And fill a life with memory
That will last for unknown years

So when the day has been long
And victories so few
When the when the path has been too steep
And I don't know what to do
When the world comes pressing in
And I start feeling blue
It's then I'll touch my golden rose
And I'll remember you.

Passing Through

2008-02-21T15:56:00.003-05:00

Good morning life, you are so glorious.
And I wait for each new day:
Something beautiful will happen
Before the close of day
Your life will fill with sunshine
Your happy heart will sing
When you kneel down to pray
You kneel before the king
I want to try to hold to life
But I know this thing is true
Life is a fleeting thing
I am passing through

Good morning grave, where is your victory?
And death, where is your sting?
I'm happy for I'm on my way
To meet my blessed king.
I can hear him softly calling me.
And it's such a glorious sound.
There's no way that death or satan's power
Can hold me in the ground.
I can see my savior coming
And at least I know it's true
There's no way death can hold me down
I'm only passing through

I'm passing through to be with Jesus
In a mansion made for me
I can see him swiftly coming
Across the crystal sea
All the cares of Earth are fading
I can see the victory
With his arms outstretched in welcome
Jesus now is calling me.

I can hear the sound of angel wings
I can hear them in the air
He is sending out the message
I am truly welcome there
I shall sing the songs the angels sing
And walk the streets of gold
In that bright and shining city
Where no one will ever grow old
There will be no pain or sorrow
And I never more will roam
And no more will I be passing through
For there, at last, I am home.

Walking Down Broadway

2008-02-21T07:41:00.003-05:00

Walking down Broadway,
A street filled with strife.
Kicking at pieces
of someone's broken life.
For there lies the bottle,
Kicked off to the side.
Last night he held it
Like it was his bride,
As long as he kept it
He'd never be small.
Through the rim of a bottle
He stood seven feet tall.
But daylight comes swiftly
And before his eyes
It seems he had shrunk
To infinitesimal size.
He had to find comfort,
He had to find a way to get
a jug of cheap wine,
For tonight, he would hold it
Like it was his bride
And dream of the time
When She lay by his side.
When he could move mountains,
For she was his wife.
But,when she left
She took all his reason for life.
But, tonight in his dreams,
He'll remember it all
And through the rim of a bottle,
He'll stand seven feet tall.

Broadway in this poem isn't in New York. It is connected to Downtown Cleveland, Ohio.

About Thelma Josephine Bowling

2008-02-20T19:47:00.003-05:00

My grandma was born during the depression era, 1933. She was too poor to realize there was a depression going on. She lived In Clendenin, WV on Kelly Hill. Her father, William Gordan Salisbury was a coal miner her mother is Thelma Mae Bodkins. My grandma had five children who all loved her and I have lost count of the grand children. I think everyone in my family would agree that she was the glue that bound us together.