What would the world look like?

When I was younger, I always thought: what would the world today look like if .....? you fill in the blank. Well, I got an answer to one of my questions about boys acting like gentlemen when it came to treating girls like women. That answer came when I heard about a Linn-Mar wrestler who wouldn't fight a girl at the state level.
Thanks Joel.

TRUE CHIVALRY
Chivalry isn't just for knights of old,
That is not what we are told.
We don't always have to be brave,
Why not give instead of gave?

He didn't always defend the land,
He also gave a helping hand.
Living in the castle was pretty neat,
All that steak, roast, even meat!

It was proven throughout the ages,
Also in those worn-torn pages.
Men were remembered for their chilvalry,
sometimes it actually made history.

Why not now,
Have some say "WOW!
I thought that it was only in the past,
But you have proven that it can last."

He did defend the land,
He did give a hand.
Castles don't always have to be neat,
Chivalry starts in your own back seat.

Finally Free!!!

Have you ever felt that feeling when you just start high school, the one where you just want to pitch in the towel but everyone is telling you no? I know I have. Just picture graduation with me:

THE FIRST WALK
I was waiting for this my whole career,
Now it's happened, it's finally here.
My test is over, it is final,
For the first time, no books is natural

Year one, I was so excited
I didn't know that three years were needed
When it was clear I was stuck
I truly wanted to only get out of the muck

Year two, I thought that I knew,
I was the only one in the few
Two years to go
Can't wait to say "no"

Year three, I knew what I wanted to do
Did it happen, wasn't always true
One more year to go
Soon I will hope I will finally know

Year four, I know that soon it will be over
No more books now forever
I can't wait for that day
It will happen sometime in May!

So you see, it is all about me
But you see how can this be
Those gowns as blue as the sea
As far as the eye can see

At one moment, my name is called
Never did I feel that I faltered
As I heard the narrator talk
I prepared and took my first walk

Life and lemons

Have you ever felt like doubting God's goodness? Expecially when He throws a trial of faith your way? I have. Mine happened in April of 2011 when someone I know was diagnosed with type 2 dibeates and I wasn't. This is my Life and Lemons:

SIDES OF HEAVEN
I remember when you were four
The night you fell to the floor
You were flown without a sigh
In a twinkling of an eye

I wanted to help, I wanted to hold
But the only thing I was told
Don't be so graven
I'll see you again this side of heaven

Few years past
I wanted my peace to last
When I saw that you were sick
My own clock began to tick

There you were in that room again
So weak, so white, so very thin
But I wasn't so laden
I trusted I'd see you this side of heaven

Now that you've gotten older,
You seem so much bolder.
When I heard that you were in,
I was going `Not this again!'

As you were going, "Can't you see?"
My head was screaming "It should have been me!"
Don't think of it as a burden,
Wait till we cross the Jordan
And see the other side of heaven 

To Brave, or not to Brave, that is the question

Now I don't know about you, but when I think or hear anything dealing with the Civil War; I only remember the major battles, not this one here:

BRAVE ACTS OF THE CIVIL WAR
This is a story of the War between the States,
Some were lads, and some were mates.
The story is one we never hear,
We thought it far, but it was so near.

"It was a fort we needed to defend,
The victory was ours at the end.
In the sea, no boat was in sight,
Even within the moonless night.

Our fort was built in the doons of sand,
As the Yanks were coming, they'd land in our hand.
Fire we did when they came over the hill,
Rounds went off till I thought I was ill.

First came the blacks,
Charging bravely in their navy blue slacks.
After them came the rest,
To continue stirring up the nest.

As soon as it started, it was over,
We didn't think it would be so, never.
But what did my commander say,
It was clear, and plain as day.

`Build them a bench,
Build them a ditch.
Throw the bodies in the open trench,
Then move down wind from the stench.' "

So as we think of bravery,
There aren't few, there are many.
Battles are lost, battles are won,
Depends whose side your on.

It's not rescuing men, women from slavery,
It's not having news from the enemy.
It's not only a just,
It's a must.

It is bravery,
It is one of the many.
Many brave acts,
Brave acts of the Civil War.

The morning of December 7, 1941

We all know the story of Pearl Harbor, but do we know it from a vessel's point of view?

PEARL HARBOR
When we hear of the harbor clear,
The story of her history, we seldom hear.
One way out, one way in,
There was more than a hundred and fifty men.

Warnings and notes, they didn't heed,
For them they thought they didn't need.
But in they came, Japan it was,
When it ended the word was ha's.

As they did, planes were bombed,
Fires were then great alarm.
"Tora, Tora, Tora" went the cry,
For they were as far as the Eastern sky.

We still remember that historical day,
In a more horrible, terror way.
As every man killed had a name,
America has never been the same.

Now all the great ships are gone,
Her whole story is never done.
Arizona has her part to tell,
Even under the harbor, she has to yell.
"Fight fight for your country now,
We have lost our mighty wow.
I will never sail to sea again,
That one way out, one way in."

That morning all was clear,
Not a plane was in the air.
As we watched from the tower,
Bombs were dropped like a shower.

One way out, one way in,
Remember the hundred and fifty men.
Remember Oklahoma, remember Arizona,
Remember, remember, remember Pearl Harbor.

School Days, school, days, dear old golden rule days...

I think that this poem we all can relate to in our lives. It is:

THE TEST
Students are pawns
As lines are drawn
Who will win?
Who will fail?

Chairs have shifted
Paper is placed
Now is the time when grace is erased

From somewhere you hear a "Now"
As paper the sound of dried leaves truned around
Hurriedly the pencil is running,
Scribbling, hurrying

Your mind is going "hurry, scurry, I cannot stop,
I have to reach the top"
"But push I cannot stay
For questions blow the mind away"

Now it's over, everything's done,
That was easy, that was fun
Get one wrong, I did not
Never am I in that spot

Christmas 2010

I wrote this poem last year when I had the realization that Jesus came here once: Once to die, once to live, once to preach/teach, and he's coming back once. My hope is that when you read the following, you see the same thing.

ONCE ONLY ONCE
Once there was a child,
So mighty, yet so mild.
Who left his Father willingly,
To bring one to a family.

When He left His mansion holy,
He came to a city lowly.
Was laid in a manger filthy,
To save a world humbly.

His mother no man she knew,
His father was the only one to know.
But yet, he said "no"
"I've decided to keep this family new"

From the manger filthy,
To the cross in the city holy.
He showed us how to follow,
Follow his Father faithfully.

Once there was a child,
So meek, yet so mild.
Journeyed on to Bethlehem,
Right outside Jerusalem.
Going on a donkey that day,
Didn't know He would come back that way.

Leaving with Joe to Nazaree,
She was fulfilling prophecy.
"For out of Egypt have I called My Son,"
And "He will be a Nazarene."

Once there was a child holy,
Once there was a virgin Mary.
Once there was a carpenter Joe,
Who knew after he said "no"
That this child was here once.
Once.

Once to be born,
Once to be taught.
Once to be child,
Once to die.
Once to preach,
Once to teach.
Once to come back,

Once He was born.
Once He was a child,
Once He was a man.
 Once He lived,
Once He died.

He did this all Once,
But we celebrated it more.
We do his birth,
We do his death.

We celebrate His name, Jesus.
He did it once,
Once, only once