"Across From Jericho"

What's that?

Milk and honey

Been here before?

Only saw it then
Time to claim it
Time to taste it

Gotta fight for it?

Yes
Lay down your sword

What!?

That's right
Just obey the Lord
When we cross over
We'll march
And march some more
Silent as a stone
Then we'll march
And march some more
And lift up a shout
The wall will fall

The wall will fall?
That's crazy
I'm staying here

Your loss
Me?
I'm following Josh
Hooah!

"Dear Aunt Linda"

I have some things I’d like to share
About a man who laughed and loved and cared

He taught me about the lights in the sky at night:
The differences between a star and a satellite

Baseball? I knew a little about the game
But after Wrigley, it was never the same

He bought me a cap when the Bulls were gung-ho
(I gave it away—to a boy in Mexico)

I remember holidays when we honored the Lamb
And a Thanksgiving with a turkey and a ham

I think he was there when I tried a snow sled
I’m very blessed to have seen him when I wed

It has been way, way too long
And now, our beloved Bruce is gone

Please forgive me for not being by your side
While you grieve and mourn and celebrate his life

Many a person called him Boo
And for this poem, that’ll have to do

After all, nothing rhymes quite right with Orange

"An Exclamation Of Praise"

Hallelujah!
Jesus is alive!
Hallelujah!
He has made me right!

Hallelujah!
Daddy loves me!
Hallelujah!
He paid to set me free!

Hallelujah!
He took away my sin!
Hallelujah!
Now I live for Him!

Hallelujah!
Jesus loves you!
Hallelujah!
You can know Him too!

"Esau"

The hairier of the pair
Was selected to be heir
He had the right of birth
But his mind was e'er on the earth
Thus, he was quickly and easily duped
For naught but a single cup of fresh-made soup

"As You Do"

Help me to love all people
As You do

Help me to see their pain
As You do

Help me to heal them
As You do

"Pierced"

In what I thought was a sweet, sweet me
I have found a bitter, bitter seed
A cancer in my soul
That infects my being whole
I am guilty of the very thing I hate
I pray, Father, don't let it be too late
I'd rather die than live with this sin
Please, Lord, help me begin again

"Parking Attendant"

Pick a spot
Pick a spot
Any spot will do

Pick a spot
Pick a spot
Please just don't take two

"Flag"

Uniting us all together
Midnight blue? Courage forever!
Red earth and clear skies
With a lone star on the rise

"Your Love, Oh Lord"

Your love, oh Lord, oozes over me
Liquid light mixed with golden honey
Over, around, under, and through me
I shall shout and shout again: GLORY!
Wonder of wonders: Your banner over me!
I receive! Life, love, peace, and liberty
As You move, dance, sing, breathe on me
Whoa! Whoa! Yeah baby!
You like me You like me You love me
King of kings! To You be glory!
Gracious and faithful, thinking of me
Be all that You are for all of eternity!
I'm undone, reached the end of me

"Detonation Meditation"

Massive peaks in your way
Blocking out the light of day
Put on gloves and grab a shovel?
No, it's God's Word you must mumble

Whirling twirling bits of color
Spinning about and round each other
Boring deep into life's mountains
Ready now for dunamis fountains

First one came after a flood
All the rest made by the Son
Peace, joy, and hope e'erlasting
Poverty and sickness? Yep, we're blasting!

Digging deep—call it mining
His and mine, our lives intertwining
Light the fuse, then run run run
Yes, it's true—even death undone!

"Raise A Glass"

Here's to the King who sits on the throne
In Whose love and mercy we trust alone!
Glory to our God above!
Thank you Lord for glorious love!

"Leaning In Close"

Mysteries of the heart
Secrets spoken in part
Hopes and fears
Through all my many years
Whisp'ring in God's ear

Ecstasies and envies
Undisclosed jealousies
Exposed truth of me
Naked honesty
Whisp'ring in God's ear

Revealed myself
No pride I've left
Took a hammer to that wall
He already sees it all
Whisp'ring in God's ear

"Waiting"

Bump on a log
Tick on a dog
Wart on a frog
Mud on a hog
Just waiting

Bus is quite late
Food not on plate
A minute past eight
Rust on a gate
Just waiting

Growing your hair
Sitting in a chair
Hibernating bear
Old underwear
Just waiting

Learn from one
That Love has come
Your sins undone
Now serve someone
Trust. Waiting.

"I Get High"

I get high
When I tell my neighbors of You
I get high
When I tell the world I love You

Jesus Lord
I hear Your Spirit
And speak Your Word

I get low
When I compare me to Your glory
But I get high
When I tell someone Your story

"Mother In Faith"

She smiles at me from the front row
Listening with rapt attention to each of my words
Beaming with a mother's pride
Even though she did not conceive me

It is He—and He in she—that I long to please
With my life and the words I speak
To make her laugh is dandy and fine
But to make her think? Now that's divine!

It hasn't all been warm and fuzzy
This lady, she pulls no punches
But she's guided me, trained me, raised me
Helped me become the man I am

She's had her turn—many more than I
—at the front, speaking words Supplied
I am blessed to know her, to be known by her
Mother mine, would you smile for me, just one more time?

"Little Blue Flower"

Little blue flower
Doing what flowers do
Petals raised to heaven
Standing guard at a tomb

Little blue flower
Quivering in the earth
Shaking in its place
Shivering in the dirt

Little blue flower
Standing all alone
A terrible surge of power
Then crushed beneath a stone

Little blue flower
Dead on the ground
Naked feet approach
A holey hand surrounds

Little blue flower
Unfurling in the Light
Standing straight and tall
Raised by God's might

Little blue flower
Finally rejoicing
Naked feet proceed
Other flowers are joining

Little blue flower
Loved by the Pardoner
No wonder Miss Magdalene
Mistook Him for a gardener

"Basking"

I'm lying on the sands of a sun-warmed beach
My head to the shore, my feet to the sea
Eyes closed, thinking of my Heavenly King
A wave crashes and splashes up to my feet
It's not water but God's awesome glory I feel
Another crash and it covers my knees
The tide's coming in but I'm at peace
I'll be overwhelmed, but here, 'tis a good thing
Surging up to my chest, pure light—can you see?
I've no doubts, no fears, no worries nagging me
It cascades over my head—submerged in the deep
I can't do it alone, You must be the one to breathe
My thoughts, my flesh, my sin cease to be
And I? I am finally, finally free

"On Literature"

Tired of all this sadness runnin' around
Tired of this glad ship runnin' aground
This mad sadness has got to end
Can't be a classic without losing a friend?
Sick of stories with no hope
Done with joyless poetry wrote
Dead relatives and unrequited love?
Come on people! God came from above!
There's a reason to live
(Try another season of give)
The verse says nightlong sorrow
Shall end on the morrow
Stretch those bones!
Drop those moans!
Wake up! Wake up,
And write something new!