Lessons From the Garden

This little poem was written a few years ago while working, of course, in the garden!

Tiny plants push their way through the earth,

Turning their faces to the light.

Dangers surround them from their birth;

The killing frosts and deadly blight.

Yet ever onward do they grow,

Reaching up with all their heart.

Whether food or flower they know

They must not shrink, but do their part.

Lord, help us all to do as they,

When facing turmoil, grief, or strife.

              

Let us confidently say,

"I will grow each day of life!"

~M. J. Graham

One True Friend

 

(This poem was written during a transitional time of my life, when I was learning more and more to depend on the Lord for strength, instead of trusting in the "arm of flesh.")

 

A stranger in a strange land,

Sometimes I feel that's what I am.

But then I hear a voice inside

That says, "I, too, have walked alone."

Though loved ones surround us

We cannot always open up to them,

For they have troubles of their own.

At times like this it's nice to know

That into our rooms we may go

To speak to One with whom we can

Our hopes, fears, dreams, 

Complaints, and sadness share.

One who wants to hear it all,

And never judges when we bare.

So, oft times, we must walk alone

And hold our feelings deep inside;

For they are not always welcome in this busy world.

But souls may speak to Souls, you know,

Who've walked the lonely path;

And those Souls fill the heart with love,

So that through tears we feel to laugh.

Until at last, when time has gone,

And life's struggles reach their end,

We'll find ourselves encircled by the arms

Of our one true Friend.

~M. J. Graham

23 July, 2000

A Happy Life

(Photos gleaned from the Internet)

"A Happy Life"

With just a little garden

And a goat or a cow,

And a bright mind to think

And to plan just how

A happy life is made

With a spade and a plow

When you have a little garden

and a goat or a cow.

Just a bunch of babies

And a mountain of clothes

To make and to mend

And to wash and to fold.

All the meals and the dishes

And the years that go

Make a little piece of Heaven

That a family knows.

When a father and a mother

And the children, too

Learn to love each other

As they ought to do,

There is nowhere a better,

Sweeter place to be

Than encircled in the love

Of that family.

~M. J. Graham

A New Silly Song~

Dear Friends,

AnnaMarie and I completed a new song today, to the tune of "Just Believe" (Our apologies to Josh Groban!). We hope that it helps inspire your family to clean!

We've included a video of the original song to help you sing along~

Just Clean

Children sweeping Dust is softly falling.

 Something's squeaking, like squeegees on windows.

We were cleaners not so long ago,

But one by one we all let the house go.

 **************

Chorus:

When it seems our things have gone astray, 

We'll find them all again on cleaning day.

Believe in what your mother's saying

"Later there'll be time for playing."

There's no time to waste~

When we're done we'll celebrate.

It's no use to run and hide,

You know your mother has four eyes.

You'll find everything you need

If you will just clean.

*********

Time moves quickly when you're in a mess;

Someone's coming and you're not ready.

We go sailing Running here and there~

Better to keep things Clean in the first place.

**************

Chorus~

When it seems our things have gone astray

We'll find them all again on Cleaning Day.

Believe in what your mother's saying

"Later there'll be time for playing."

There's no time to waste~

When we're done we'll celebrate.

It's no use to run and hide,

You know your mother has four eyes.

You'll find everything you need

If you will just clean.

If you will just clean.

If you will just clean.

If you will just clean.
Just clean. . . .

Happy cleaning!

A Wizard's Work is Never Done

Dear Friends,

Here is another silly song I wrote for Gandalf, Wizard Extraordinaire of Middle Earth~

It is to the tune of "A Policeman's Lot is Not a Happy One", from "The Pirates of Penzance." I've included the video here to help you sing along, although my version has an extra verse.

Enjoy!

"A Wizard's Work is Never Done"

by a Lady

Copyright 2010

When Gandalf goes to Bilbo's birthday party,

Little does he know of Sauron's plan

To ruin Middle Earth with all his buddies,

And make life difficult for elves and men.

But soon Gandalf finds himself in troubled waters,

As he finds that Saruman is now his foe.

So he sends poor Frodo off on an adventure

To destroy the Ring and Sauron overthrow.

Chorus:

Oh~When confronting Sauron and his ring that's One,

ring that's One,

A wizard's work is never, ever done.

Gandalf hopes that he can help out Frodo

By going with him to the Mount of Doom,

But on the way he runs into the Balrog,

And has a big adventure of his own.

With the Balrog dead, and Gandalf resurrected,

He learns that Frodo's gone alone with Sam,

So he goes to war to keep the world protected,

And wishes he'd been born with twenty arms.

Chorus:

Oh~ When confronting Sauron and his ring that's One,

ring that's One,

A wizard's work is never, ever done.

First he takes a little trip and visits Rohan,

To rescue Theoden from Saruman,

But when Pippin sees the eye of evil Sauron,

On Shadowfax to Gondor he must run.

When the orcs are laying siege on Minas Tirith,

And Denethor tries roasting his own son,

When the Nazgul are playing frisbee with the soldiers,

A wizard's work is never, ever done.

Chorus:

When confronting Sauron and his ring that's One,

ring that's One,

A wizard's work is never, ever done.