Category Archives: Poetry

family, Marriage, Poetry, Special Celebrations

What are we waiting for?

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A poem I wrote for my parents-in-law’s Golden Wedding Anniversary:

I wonder what I will think about this day

When the years have flown and I’m old & grey

One day to join our names, a lifetime to join our hearts

How will it turn out for me & you when the party parts?

So, what are we waiting for?

Tie the knot and say the vow

What are we waiting for?

All our lives ahead of us now

~

Exciting times of love & fun, every day a treat

Our relationship growing, the summer so sweet

“Till death us do part” I remember I said

“it doesn’t sound too hard” I said in my head

So, what are we waiting for?

It’s time to start a family

What are we waiting for?

We will live forever happily

~

5 years, 10 and 15 pass by as we travel together

Both of us silently sensing the change in the weather

Kids in our arms and dreams at our feet

It’s getting hard to walk to the same beat

So, what are we waiting for?

Wondering what it is we have become

What are we waiting for?

Will we survive when all’s said and done

~

The middle years seem to stretch on and on

Babies grow quick, lines grow long

Learning each day to love her more

Unconditional love grows deep & secure

So, what are we waiting for?

The Millar clan grows long and lean

What are we waiting for?

My love for you is still strong and keen

~

I see it now, marriage is the tool you use

On the soil of our hearts, in the way you choose

That I might be more like your beloved son

And love her, whose heart you have won

So, what are we waiting for?

Jesus I surrender to your plan for me

What are you waiting for?

That we both might be all you want us to be

~

They say no marriage in heaven is the rule

Like the Angels we’ll be super fast & cool

Marriage is a picture to show the earth

Your love for your church, her true worth

So what are we waiting for?

Lord, take this feeble heart and love grown cold

What are we waiting for?

Reshape it in your hands to pure gold

~

30, 40 and 50 years go by in a flash

Kids all grown, grandkids collecting cash

Just the two of us now, time together at last

Now here in a wedding celebration, honouring the past

So what am I waiting for?

Waiting for the moment to show my love is true

What am I waiting for?

Take my hand Josephine, I’m waiting for you

Poetry, Special Celebrations

Fingers numb

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A poem for my friend on her 40th birthday:

The fingers numb, mind distracted again

I play my tune, soulful and smooth,

Another day seeking the riff line of life

Seeking a truth to follow, a home to tend together

Slowly marking my path, slowly repeating these words

40 years wandering this wilderness dream

Following the logos from Lagos, the Dean of Aberdeen

He holds me close no one In between

~

I catch the beat as the verse kicks in, familiar patterns, sounds of home

In my rhythm, finding my feet, the city streets

Echoes and shouts, hearing the tune of life downtown, my town

I am home, friends surround as I hear the call within

A different beat, a deeper heat, calls my wandering feet

A whisper in my walk, to leave these shores, go up north

To the cold, to the dark, to the unknown, to follow the voice

As he says, You have been remembered, i say Grace, Grace my child

40 years wandering this wilderness dream

Following the logos from Lagos, the Dean of Aberdeen

He holds me close, no one In between

~

Repetition brings familiarity, this well worn wood (Plc)

Fingers build strength, routine and rhythm returning

Finding my feet, following the call, learning my trade

On this granite rock I build my house, with this man, these boys

Spirit guide my hands, loosen my fingers, I play for love

Years wash over, seasons set the times, releasing songs of praise

I have found peace, mercy surrounds me now

Feeling the moment, this fleeting moment I forget to be distracted

Hearing one tune, following by heart, fingers a blur

I play by instinct, responding to the flow, no hesitation now

Hands his instrument, soul aflame, I’ve found my place

Mature and complete, confident, yes confident in his hands

No longer able to hold it in, I strike the chorus and cry out

I have been remembered, God says Grace, Grace my child

40 years wandering this wilderness dream

Following the logos from Lagos, the Dean of Aberdeen

He holds me close, no one In between

~

On this granite rock I take my stand, hand in hand

My Charles – here to weave his words of wisdom

My boys – my miracles of mercy

My home – to live within at peace

My work – to play to a different tune

My church – to grow in grace

My Jesus to lead the way

Jesus lead the way

One more day

Following the logos from Lagos, the Dean of Aberdeen

He holds me close, no one In between

He is my king, and I his queen

Poetry, Prayer, The church

“Learn to see” – my prayer for 2021

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Father, help me to see the church as it should be

Not as it is now, but as you see.

No longer regard people from a human point of view

See with God’s eyes how we will be made anew.

See the bursts of glory all around

Exchange the errors for the profound.

See the potential in others; sin in myself

Forgive, forget, restore back to health.

“Bless others”, He says, “as you have been blessed”

“Unconditionally, relentlessly, indiscriminately”, I confessed.

Poetry, Providence, Psalms, Scripture

The Joyful Planner

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Back in January I shared this message to Carnoustie Community Church on Psalm 33. I hope you enjoy it as we see God the Artist, Planner & Rescuer.

Poetry, Special Celebrations

A poem for Mother’s Day

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imageA poem for Mother’s Day 6th March 2016:

Look carefully and you will see her
Stand still and observe her motion
The quiet mover behind all scenes,
The listening, the watching, the devotion

The patient mother of her growing brood
The unthanked scrubber of muddy boots
Her arms all embracing, mind all worrying
The silent waterer of young spring’s shoots

Summer days bring worry and cares
their trousers are too short, days too long
She is the counsellor pointing the way
But to them her advice seems all wrong

A new life beckons as saplings grow
Autumn brings nests that are bear
“Who is she now?”, she asks herself
She must pray and trust in His care

The years stretch on, the snow falls strong
In winter’s silence she hears a cry
A call from a mother, once a child
It all comes back in the blink of an eye

Poetry

57 minutes

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keep-calm-life-begins-at-40-3A poem for my 40th birthday (today)…

57 MINUTES:

If a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.

Then all these 40 years to you, are just 57 minutes along the way.

If my life is seen through your eyes, looking at time as you do.

Not even an hour has passed since I was born, since all was new.

All these years that seem so long to me are a blink in the divine eye.

All these memories are like a bolt of lightening shooting across the sky.

44 minutes is my experience of you, my new birth into your family.

21 minutes together with my wife, 15 minutes as a dad so happily.

8 minutes living in this house, 5 minutes going to Aberdeen.

Minutes so busy no time to rest, just a few seconds in between.

57 minutes in your eternal existence, less than a lunch break.

Just 4 percent of 1000 years, length of a film, give or take.

They say life begins at 40, but the beginner of Life died at 33.

His 47 minutes were given as a sacrifice, dying for you and for me.

So don’t count the minutes that collect, but the moments that last.

And however minutes you have, hold those you love fast.

For one day these minutes will be drops in the infinite ocean.

And what will count will be your love for Him and devotion.

Not long to wait now, the day when time passes away.

And all our years become tiny steps along the way.

That moment when all of our minutes are done.

And He turns and says in love “Welcome home, my son”.

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“But do not forget this one thing, dear friends; with the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years is like a day.” 2 Peter 3.8

“Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom” Psalm 90.12

Poetry

Remember Them

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I _79902438_025198519-1wrote this poem yesterday as a message to my friends and family at Christmas time. Little did I realise what was happening in Glasgow and how prophetic it would be. My heart is broken for the families who have been bereaved and are in shock at this terrible accident. I dedicate this small, insignificant poem to them…
REMEMBER THEM:
Out on the town, on their last shopping dash
Laden with presents, spent all their cash
Looking for that special something
Hoping to give this season meaning…
Remember them
Friends and family embrace each other
In the stress we don’t appreciate one another
Good times forgotten, until
It’s too late, but I will…
Remember you
Those days of summer sunshine and laughter
When we played and talked ever after
Forgetting these times would end so soon
Only a picture and a party balloon…
Remember then
These days the memories are older
Glancing back over my shoulder
All those that make life worth living
Asking them to keep on giving, and…
Remember me
The silent guest at the Christmas table
Loving and dying when we were unable
The God-man born to die
“It’s his birthday” the angles cry…
Remember Him
Guidance, Poetry

Thirst

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The child does not question the milk
The lover doesn’t fixate on the why
The flower doesn’t ask what if
The puppy never asks how long

In our seeking can we forget the destination?
In our waiting can we forget the signposts?
In the finding do we question the giver?
In our trusting do we need an answer?

To know the road to take but not the length to be travelled
To know the direction to seek but not the landmarks
To trust you go before and beside and within us
To want, to desire, to hunger, to yearn

To long for the King, not noticing the kingdom
To gaze into your eyes not counting the time
To find you in the journey, not the destination
To trust you for the timing and forsake my plan

To rest in your presence
To share in your love
To bless one another
To become one

Be of one purpose thankful
Be in his presence together
Be with his people thirsting
Be one Priesthood trusting

“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation.” 1 Peter 2.2

Easter, Poetry, Prayer

Hold on to hope

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imageA poem for Easter written during our 40 hours of prayer as part of the 24/7 prayer initiative. I hope it encourages you to find hope this Easter.

Hold on to hope

In the darkness when all is lost
When guilt and shame reveal their cost
Hold on to hope

Unnumbered souls hang by a thread
Look inside all strength is dead
Hold on to hope

Feeling so weak, so small, so frail
Writing my sins, hammering the nail
Hold on to hope

Millions lost in the barren land
Desperate for love, but no helping hand
Hold on to hope

Despair creeps and crawls over the walls
Give up, it’s too hard the Devil calls
Hold on to hope

Not much to give, not long to live
One life to live, one life to give
Hold on to hope

Just a fickle love and a messed up life
Worn with age, like a blunt knife
Hold on to hope

Your love Lord is greater than mine
You sent, you gave, you wait to shine
Hold on to hope

One at a time you send out the call
So quiet, so unnoticed by us all
Hold on to hope

Thousands saved every day
But not so many in the UK
Hold on to hope

Do here what you do elsewhere
That all may see that you really care

Hold on to hope

One day all will see your glory
Just Help us now to tell your story
Hold on hope

Revive us Lord, we are so cold
Make your people strong and bold
Hold on to hope

Take all the glory, it’s all down to you
Revive our nation and, our love renew
Hold on to hope

This is our prayer for our generation
A million lights causing a conflagration

Hold on to hope

Persecution, Poetry, The call of God

Be Quiet!

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hidingA poem for our children for the pressure they face to conform and yield to social norms:

Be quiet, be quiet, don’t say a thing,
We are the wise, you are nothing
We are all fine, it’s you who are warped

Whatever you think, don’t say it out loud,
Be ashamed of yourself, so arrogant and proud
We are all fine, it’s you who are warped

Make your children be silent, teach them to be afraid
You’ve polluted their minds, their innocence betrayed
We are all fine it’s you who are warped

Speak up, be bold and you will see our hate
We will misrepresent you before you realise too late
We are all fine it’s you who are warped

We will twist what you said, grab you by the throat
Everyone will stare at the shameful scapegoat
We are all fine it’s you who are warped

You will be all alone, condemned by all
What good are your beliefs when you’re against the wall?
We are all fine it’s you who are warped

We are all dead now, alone in the dark
You are not here now, we miss you’re life spark
You are fine now, it’s we who are warped

“When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” Luke 19.37-40