The Vow
No matter how deep the sadness or wide the pain,
I vow to live for a brighter day will come again.
No matter how many mistakes I’ve made in the past,
I vow to live and in the future avoid them, surefooted and fast.
No matter how many tragedies beyond my control take place,
I vow to live and stay my course within this race.
No matter how poor or rich I may ever be,
I vow to live and aspire to search for the dignity in simplicity.
No matter how much a lover may pierce the inner core of my heart,
I vow to live for like spring I’ll get a new start.
No matter how isolated and alone I may feel,
I vow to live and do something for someone else to heal.
No matter how hopeless my situation my appear,
I vow to live and reflect until my viewpoint is clear.
No matter what happens in this life – good or bad
I vow to live, do my best, and just for living – be glad.
By Malcolm O. Varner
Faith
Long and dark the stairs I trod,
with stumbling feet to find my God,
Gaining a foothold bit by bit
Then slipping back and losing it.
There came a certain time when I
Loosened my hold and fell thereby,
Down to the lowest step my fall
As if I had not climbed at all.
With heavy heart, in disarray
faith abandoned, giving way
And 'lo' when hope had ceased to be
My God came down the stairs to me.
It's My Life
When my heart is screaming 'no'
I won't be saying yes.
No more disciplined constrains
for me to suppress.
No more hiding pleasure
From disapproving eyes
No more ropes to bind me
I let my spirit rise.
No more failings or afflictions
No more helpless cries
No more veering of the path
that led to my demise.
No more living in this prison
Barricaded by fears
No more turning and retreating
and wasting living years.
Even as I am speaking
I am taking shape and form
Harnessing my powers
gathering for a storm.
There's no obstacle so bold
As to dare stand in my way
I am taking back my life
And I am doing it today.
The Victor
If you think you are beaten, you are.
If you think you dare not, you don't.
If you like to win but think you can't,
It's almost a cinch you won't.
If you think you'll lose, you're lost.
For out in the world we find
Success begins with a fellow's will.
It's all in the state of mind.
If you think you are out classed, you are.
You've got to think high to rise.
You've got to be sure of your-self before
You can ever win the prize.
Life's battles don't always go
To the stronger or faster man.
But sooner or later, the man who wins
Is the man who thinks he can.
By C. W. Longenecker
Anything Can Happen
Listen to the Mustn'ts
Listen to the Don'ts
Listen to the Shouldn'ts
The Impossibles, the Won'ts
Listen to the Never Haves,
Then listen close to me
Anything can happen
Anything can be.
By - Shel Silverstein
This Moment...
I May never see tomorrow there's no written guarantee,
and things that happened yesterday belong to history.
I cannot predict the future, I cannot change the past.
I have just the present moment, I must treat it as my last.
I must use this moment wisely, for it soon will pass away,
and be lost to me forever as part as yesterday.
I must exercise compassion, help the fallen to their feet,
be a friend unto the friendless, make an empty life complete.
The unkind things I do today, may never be undone,
and the friendships that I fail to win, may nevermore be won.
I may not have another chance, on bended knees to pray
and thank God with humble heart, for giving me this day.
Choices
One day when you are older
And the world lays at your feet,
I pray that you will realize
all the odds you beat.
And all these foolish teenage years,
won't seem to matter then,
You will laugh at all the things
that happened way back when.
Cause God has a greater plan for you,
that's the reason why your here,
He gave you life to live and breath,
and loved ones to hold you dear.
He gave you a great big heart,
that should beat with joy inside.
You have so much to offer,
you don't need to run and hide.
This is the time of your life,
to choose the path you'll take
Your decisions are far-reaching
with the choices that you make.
Your whole Life lies before you,
what you choose to do.
Let it pass or make it great
the choice is up to you...
It Couldn't Be Done
Somebody said that it couldn't be done,
But he with a chuckle replied
That "maybe it couldn't," but he would be one
Who wouldn't say so till he'd tried.
So he buckled right in with the trace of a grin
On his face. If he worried he hid it.
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.
Somebody scoffed: "Oh, you'll never do that;
At least no one ever has done it";
But he took off his coat and he took off his hat,
And the first thing we knew he'd begun it.
With a lift of his chin and a bit of a grin,
Without any doubting or quiddit,
He started to sing as he tackled the thing
That couldn't be done, and he did it.
There are thousands to tell you it cannot be done,
There are thousands to prophesy failure;
There are thousands to point out to you, one by one,
The dangers that wait to assail you.
But just buckle in with a bit of a grin,
Just take off your coat and go to it;
Just start to sing as you tackle the thing
That "cannot be done," and you'll do it.
By Edgar A. Guest
The Little Things
It really is the little things
That mean the most of all...
The "let me help you with that" things
That may seem very small
The "I'll be glad to do it" things
That make your cares much lighter,
The "laugh with me, it's funny" things
That make your outlook brighter...
The "never mind the trouble" things,
The "yes, I understand,"
The interest and encouragement
In everything you've planned
It really is the little things,
The friendly word or smile,
That add such happiness to life
And make it more worth while.
By - Mary Dawson Hughes
The Man In The Glass
When you get what you want in your struggle for self
And the world makes you king for a day
Just go to the mirror and look at yourself
And see what that man has to say.
For it isn’t your father, or mother, or wife
Whose judgment upon you must pass
The fellow whose verdict counts most in your life
Is the one staring back from the glass.
He’s the fellow to please – never mind all the rest
For he’s with you, clear to the end
And you’ve passed your most difficult, dangerous test
If the man in the glass is your friend.
You may fool the whole world down the pathway of years
And get pats on the back as you pass
But your final reward will be heartache and tears
If you’ve cheated the man in the glass.
By - Peter Dale Wimbrow Sr.
