Happiness and Hope

One day a few years ago when things weren’t going all that well, I wrote a poem and sent it in to an inspirational poetry contest and, to my surprise, it won first place and $100. I went on to publish it in a very thin book of poems, but afterwards, that poem appeared periodically on sites where people were in some kind of emotional distress. Years after, yet another poem I penned began to show up, once on an alcoholics anonymous site and again to go with a photograph by a beginning professional photographer. I began to think God does use us in mysterious ways. And so today, dear friends, I launch these out again for you and anyone who can use happiness and hope.

HAPPINESS

Happiness comes when you least expect,
It dances like ripples on life’s rejects,
It twinkles in fog on a crisp cool day,
It sparkles in the wink of a single sunray.

Happiness comes from deep inside,
You learn what’s important and follow your guide.
It comes with love that’s freely supplied,
It’s never confused as a product of pride.

Happiness grows when you give it away,
The more that you give, the more you can save.
Happiness comes when you simply give in,
To the power of the Savior living within.


HOPE
Based on Romans 8:24

Hope is the boat we sail,
Through trouble’s rough, high seas,
It saves us from the winds,
That threaten constantly.

It’s something we can’t see,
Still, we wish for that one thing.
It’s there, but we can’t feel
With hands the light it brings.

It’s what we’ll have for life,
Yet, never will we hold,
But through our times of strife,
Its power will be bold.

And hope’s great final gift,
To those who patiently
Do wait until its time,
Will be eternity.