Poem for my Double Wide

Stroller oh stroller 

You time has arrived

To pack up your wheels

And yell "I survived!"

From the Great Wall to Thailand

You've been many places

Plodded through puddles, 

And lugged dirty faces. 

I have to admit

I'm not all that sad

To put you away

And not make others mad,

When I clip stranger's heels

And splash on their skirts.

Carrying you through markets

Until our spleens hurt. 

Stroller oh Stroller

You've been a good friend.

But your time is over

The good times must end.

Your wheels are all wanky

Your fabric all torn. 

But a new family will come

New babies soon born. 

So keep on movin'

Crusty milk stains and all

You've run your race strong, 

So stand proud and stand tall.

My Convenient Noodles

"Convenient Noodles" how I loathe you so
In my colon you stop the flow

Pre-packaged noodles hard as a rock
Tiny processed packets of chicken stock

Dehydrated veggies to add to my soup
I'd only choose to eat these if I had croup.

But these last few days of moving and stress
I love you more and loathe you less.

6 quick minutes and my family can eat
Feeding 7 people for only two-ninety three.

Without a kitchen and without a home
I will not complain, I will not groan

At the everyday occurrence of you at our table
Fast and easy, you are true to your label.

"Convenient Noodles" I love you so
No matter my colon, no matter the flow.

America the Beautiful

America, America, you've brought many things
from donuts and pizza and new songs my kids sing

No longer the Chinese anthem in a red scarved sea,
But, "doncha wish your girlfriend was hot like me"

Walmart and Redbox for movies and treats.
Finding the toilet instead of peeing on streets.

Running and jumping barefoot and outside.
Kids streaking the front lawn with glory and pride.

Ordering pepperoni pizza without having to explain
"add the pepperoni to cheese that originally was plain."

Chips, salsa and cheese til I ache
"But I won't eat this in China!" is the excuse that I'll take.

Car rides with heat and a radio inside,
to drive and shuttle and sometimes just hide.

With all of the fun and all of the joys;
it's time for us to head to the motherland of noise.

It's time to eat veggies and wash our feet;
from the grime and the stories our legs will soon meet.

God has a journey for our family to learn
how to trust and have hearts that will long and yearn

to depend on Him and listen for His voice;
treading the unfamiliar, but given a choice.

Seek out the Lord until He answers my pleas
fight for joy and fight on my knees.

He is reminding me daily of our calling and love
for Him and the people living below and above.

Packing

Packing




About 4 weeks until we fly
things to do I can only describe

Packing and cleaning for a family of 7
makes me yearn and ache for life in heaven

There are 14 check-ins and as many to carry
requires an army or women whose legs are hairy.

Movie screens on the seats are my new best friend
5 movies later, my kid's trip will end.

Heading towards security makes me shiver
and gives TSA an ulcer on their liver.

People run and people hide
when they see us coming to their side
of the line that winds to and fro
I hear them praying we aren't in their row.

If we make it to China with computers and kids
a victory dance happens and we take a bid
which parent will fall first, asleep in the night
Not waking til we see the bright morning light.

Now back to the packing, I cannot delay
From a month to a week and then finally one day.

Walmart Bliss

Walmart, oh Walmart what do I say?
The feelings and emotions I want to convey.

Your blue and white sign lure me right
to your front door like a moth to the light.

As I walk I am struck by the people around
the mullets and pajama pants abundantly abound.

I try to focus on the pretzels and bread
but I am distracted by the lady with fruit on her head.

Many people are wearing shorts that are riding
in places where skin should rather be hiding.

The prices are low, the items are cheap
but is it safe for me to enter, is it safe for me to creep?

I like it best to shop fairly late,
Why do your prices all end in 98?

As I walk briskly to my car each Monday
I am escorted by Rick in his security Hyundai.

And my Chinese friends are forever grateful
for the jobs that I realize make Americans hateful.

Walmart, oh Walmart you make my life easy
even if your store makes me feel queasy.

A Poem of Much Delight

I never thought, I never knew
what life was like before there was you.

But one day I spotted to the left there did sit
My new found friend named "Mint Chocolate Chip"

I realize our friendship is shallow and new
But from the very first bite, I simply knew.

We are friends for ever like Michel W said
Thoughts of your leaving, I dare not tread.

You are consistent and sweet and loyal and true
you add skip to my step, make my skies blue.

Some might say my feelings are dumb
but I say it's fine to be in love with your gum.

Got Gas? A Poem about Gas Stations

A Poem about gas stations.


When I came to the States, I dared and I dreamed
of cheese on my sandwich but with bread not steamed.

And quickly I found my newest infatuation
It's not cheese or ice, it's the American gas station.

Today I walked in and my what did my eyes lay hold...
but rabbit poop ice keeping my Dr. pepper cold.
I felt the sky open as I added the cherry,
flavoring no doubt to make you skip and be merry.

Then I turned to the rotating sausage and dogs
and wondered again how many organs would be clogged
by the spinning wienies toasted Hollywood brown
But, I skipped those for now and headed around.
The crusty Kolaches with that halo of grease
Corn nuts and those elusive Boston Baked Beans.

It's almost too much for my mind to take in.
My eyes all a twinkle, I don't know where to begin.

Fried Pork Rinds taunting 0 grams of carbs
I'm so glad that's good for my Atkins and heart.
Wash them down with a 64 oz cup of caffeine.
With more choices of gum than should ever be seen.

I chat with the cashier and think to myself
What's with the clipboard? Are you counting the shelves?

But I will tell you that when I walk through those doors,
it keeps me wanting to come back to buy more.
The hot dogs, the candy, the oversized Coke.
The people inside, the blogs they provoke.

Now if I could just pump the gas all would be dandy
Besides, gas in my car sure would be handy.

On Shell, on Mobil, on Valero and Racetrack
tomorrow is new and tomorrow I'll be back.

To Delight in God's Demands

Today, these 2 poems. Tomorrow (or soon), the explanation.

To Delight in God’s Demands

To delight in God’s demands

To obey with empty hands

Giving all we have

Owing all that He

May give what He commands

This is the joy we find

Not of the worldly kind

Taking what we must

All that we will lose

To this we were yet blind

Until Christ demanded all

Though stricken from the fall

Worthless in ourselves

Adding but our sin

Yet grace answered His call

Jesus died for every nation

That He would be our adulation

Not as water nor of bread

Neither friends nor comfort do

Let us join the celebration

Obey For Joy

How is joy a root?

In soil rich and deep

Yet also a fruit

So naturally sweet?

To what is joy a seed

That grows into a bud

Becoming the food we need

Though rising from the mud?

What shall we say to this?

A mystery I pray

The point we sometimes miss

There’s joy when we obey

There’s delight in real obedience

Not mere knowledge of what’s true

This root makes all the difference

For fruit we can not lose.