Counterfeit

Life has so much to offer. Everywhere we turn, the wonders of creation and the blessings of the creator abound. Everything has been planned and designed perfectly for our happiness and well-being. There is, however, a subplot in the great scheme of human existence. That subplot represents the dark side of creation, and of our inherent nature, and it can be found in the form of counterfeits. Even if you don’t believe in Satan and sin, one must admit that there is a dark side of humanity and creation, an evil which is the antithesis of all things good. Most often, it manifests itself in counterfeits of the traditionally wholesome things in life. Food is wonderful, and we need it to live, but gluttony and eating disorders twist and distort it. Love is amazing. Yet, life is filled with lust, selfishness, pride and all manor of co-dependent, dysfunctional and depraved substitutes. Beauty can bring us great enjoyment, but we have twisted, injected, dyed and dieted the concept so as to rob most people of their sense of beauty and self image. Money comes in handy, but the empty quest for it has become a black mark upon our western civilization. Precious stones and metals seem to have lasting value, but a host of other products mimic them expertly. That is the world we live in and whenever we accept a substitute, we degrade the value of the original ... and He who so painstakingly created it. In this world we can spend years working for things which, in the end, turn out to be of but little value. Then we discover all our efforts have purchased us no more than wax fruit or the plastic cheese used to bait a mousetrap. Let us , therefore, choose wisely what we will cherish and consider impact it will have on our lives and families. Counterfeits can be useful and beautiful, but they never seem to stand the test of time ... and certainly not the test of eternity.

Counterfeit
Believers know God has a plan
Yet, there is another plan in play
For the evil one is a counterfeiter
Who leads the weak astray
By imitating the good things
That the Lord prepared for us
Perverting them ever so slightly
So that we misplace our trust
He offers lust instead of love
Twists food with gluttony
Makes the gift of work a quest for wealth
Turns blessings to depravity
He strews our path with idols
Of most every shape and size
Which clamor for attention
From our unsuspecting eyes
Tantalizing all our senses
With countless sugar coated lies
The great deceiver draws us into
His fateful web of compromise
Until we can no longer
Distinguish counterfeit from real
Wooed by his empty promises
With all of their appeal
So those who would be faithful
Must guard their hearts and minds
Against the world’s counterfeits
Lest they awake one day to find
That they have bought the bill of goods
The master counterfeiter sold
And traded all God’s blessings
For idols of mere fool’s gold
           By Frank Carpenter ©

Passages

Dear and faithful readers, please excuse my silence this week as time and pressure have prevented me from accomplishing everything I desired, this site included. As summer wears on, my own life has brought me to something of an emotional crossroad. We’ve been in the "kid business" for quite some time and now are on the brink of moving to the next stage of life, whatever that may be. Only last month, we were immersed in a flurry of graduations, with the various young people in our extended lives graduating from high school, junior high and so on. Then, as I believe I’ve previously mentioned, our youngest departs for college in August and leaves my fetching bride and I in the proverbial empty nest. Needless to say, this is a time of transition for us. As is so oft the case, today’s poem comes in the form of a sailing metaphor. I wrote this particular one over the course of several years, adding a stanza or two at each graduation I attended until it culminated this last month. Life, to me, is very like an ocean passage, or a series of passages punctuated by departures and landfalls. Those departures can be bittersweet, but they are necessary in order to arrive at the next landfall in our lifelong journey. Some folks seem to dwell wholly upon the sad parts of leaving, or being left, but that’s merely a slice of the total package of our experience. And beyond the departures lie the adventure of life, just waiting out there for us to cast off and discover it. So let us turn from the safety of the harbor, from all those things familiar, and fix our gaze upon the far horizon. That horizon is the future and there’s no telling what it might hold.

Passages
Life is filled with passages
Which lead from shore to shore
To islands and to continents
Where we’ve not been before
What the future holds for us
In those ports which lie ahead
Is difficult to see from here
Regardless what is said
However, if your training
Is complete and you prepare
For your passage, and the adventure
Which awaits us all out there
Then your journey, though difficult
Can be a fruitful and wondrous one
As you cross the trackless seas of life
From the rising to setting sun
Each passage begins with departures
When we cast off from the quay
Bidding farewell to things familiar
And choosing to sail away
Yet, we know at journey’s end
Across the expanse of blue
Shrouded in mists of the future
There are landfalls waiting for you
Today, as you stand upon the decks
With the halliards poised in hand
Preparing to leave the harbor’s safety
And bid your adieu to the land
Remember fondly what lies behind
In ports you have thus far known
But boldly turn and canvas raise
Striking out for coasts of your own
Though tempests may besiege you
Before your passage is through
May you sail courageously onward
And may ever your course be true
               By Frank Carpenter ©

Trading Places

Today I’d like to share a little lesson my kids taught me long ago. The poem I’ve selected is a rather simplified study of the ruts we get ourselves into and how little value some of them actually have in the long run. Ever notice how you always seem to sit in the same place at the table, on the couch, or in pews at church? We humans are creatures of habit, are we not? Habit is comforting. Routine and ritual bring a consistency to life, creating comfort zones where we can let our guard down. That can be a good thing, but a dangerous one as well. Oh, perhaps not the life threatening, cancer and car accident kind of danger. Yet, from an experiential standpoint, we can be in danger of missing out on all that life has to offer. If we draw a nice little cookie cutter box around ourselves which defines us, we become less and less likely to step out of that self imposed box. Furthermore, others are less likely to step into it. When we get into a rut we can also miss out on perspective which could alter how we look at life. Want to shake things up? Get there early and change places at the dinner table, or even in the board room. Climb into the back seat and let someone else drive for a change. Sit on the other side of church and see who you meet. Bring a picnic to work for lunch, take the stairs instead of the elevator, drive in the slow lane, do anything different. Some of these may sound silly, so make your own list of things to try. The point is to change out the old routines and see how it feels. . Not to mention that you’ll throw everyone else off and that can make for great conversation. It’s all about thinking outside of your personal box. It might improve your work life by breaking up the monotony. Almost certainly children and spouses will find it interesting. And you just never know how a new perspective on an old life might enlighten you. So that’s my thought for the day. Now don’t go doing anything crazy or dangerous, but give the snow globe of your everyday life a little shake and see what things look like. You might just surprise yourself, and others as well.

Trading Places
I came to the dinner table
Where my son said, "let's say Grace."
I replied, "I'd really like to, son
But you're sitting in my place."
"I didn't see your name there."
He refuted, instantly
"But it's mine, I always sit there.
It's reserved for only me."
Still, I turned to sit in his place
And found my daughter sitting there
So I retreated to her usual seat
Still thinking it unfair
When I asked about the changes
I was told, offhandedly
That they simply wanted to try it
And they weren't dethroning me
The kids were just experimenting
With perspectives and their roles
And I had been the guinea pig
Me, in a rut, and growing old
Sometimes we cling to routines
Whether they be good or bad
When a little change might well be due
That's what the kids taught dear old dad
Another thing they pointed out
About which I shouldn't care
There's nothing special about my old spot
Our dining room table is square
               By Frank Carpenter ©

Solitude

We have so much now days. We own so much, we have so much to do, our lives are flooded with options ... almost too many perhaps. Yet, in our world of people, work, cars, television, movies, cell phones, crowds and the like the one thing many of us lack is solitude. It’s just plain old hard to be alone without any distractions. We seek out quiet little corners, but life always seems to follow us into them and, social creatures though we are, there is something inherent in our makeup which craves aloneness. A certain level of tranquility can only be reached in those moments. While some folks have a ability to just shut everything off and retreat mentally, but most of us need to flee farther afield. Whatever it takes, we must learn to somehow slip off and bask in solitude once in a while. Life can get so busy that we often can’t even hear ourselves think, but once we bring ourselves into the quiet we can finally begin to hear the voices of our own hearts ... perhaps even the voice of God.

Solitude
There is comfort here, in solitude
Upon the barren hill
Where my mind can wander undisturbed
And none may bend my will
There is peacefulness within the clouds
And in the ancient stone
Which is only know by him
Who finds himself here, all alone
There is wisdom in the counsel
Of the sunset and the trees
The quiet voice of solitude
Can put a man at ease
To think the deeper thoughts of life
And ponder what could be
As the silence echoes back his thoughts
So he can clearly see
Far beyond the grey horizon
And above the human din
Where he can hear the words unspoken
By the still, small voice within
            By Frank Carpenter ©

Integrity

Did you ever wonder how some people can do certain things that you wouldn’t even dream of doing because those things just aren’t right? Or have you noticed the way some men or women seem to become comfortable with worse and worse choices over time. Chances are that others may even have had similar questions about yours or my actions at some time in the past. Most folks aren’t born dishonest, but once they make a few dishonest choices it gets easier each time. When we observe those who seem to tumble over the dark edges of integrity more closely, we discover that it is more of a slide than a fall. One careful step is taken at a time, but those small steps pave the way for the inevitable ethical fall from grace which has become so prevalent in our culture. Outright theft begins with petty larceny. Infidelity begins with impure thoughts and soft porn. Small lies grow into larger ones. The list goes on and on. Indeed, our lives are a constant series of tiny choices, each of which helping to determine our direction. And, in the end, direction determines destination. When we make an honorable choice, our lives travel ever so slightly in that direction. The same is true with our less honorable choices. Each of us has a conscience. The more we exercise it, the stronger and more defined it becomes. However, when we neglect or abuse it, it becomes impotent over time. A little fudging now and then seems like it wouldn’t hurt. Sure, everyone drives a little over the speed limit and cheats some on their taxes. It always starts small, but once we discover how easy it is to bend the rules, we begin to assume that all the lines of morality are elastic in nature. From there it’s a short trip downhill. We have all known folks who have taken that downward spiral and it is rarely becoming. The real danger is that if you dance around the edge of the quicksand for too long, you’ll eventually end up neck deep in it ... and then it can be too late to save you. Those better choices we have the opportunity to make each day can have an impact on our lives as well. They make us better people, better citizens, better parents, better human beings. Isn’t that who we want to be? Isn’t that the legacy we want to leave for our children and grandchildren? Let us consider carefully, therefore, all those little choices we make each day and see that they lead us down the path of integrity. For no one leaves this world regretting such a life.

Integrity
So often we can justify
any action we might take
We bend the rules far beyond
the point where they should break
Defending actions wholly
unacceptable, in fact
Except, of course, if it is us
who perpetrate the act
At first, we start with little things
misdemeanors and white lies
Then, as our character erodes
we see with different eyes
Overlooking more and more
until we barely see
What would have been so crystal clear
when we had more integrity
But as the sediment builds up
within a person's heart
He discerns his actions differently
than he did back at the start
He discovers that the world owes him
a little something more
And finds himself involved in things
he never would have long before
But another creature has evolved
from the one he used to be
With a conscience worn and twisted
and without integrity
It didn't happen overnight
indeed, the change is slow
As he discards a host of values
which were cherished long ago
We all fudge when it's convenient
and cheat a little, what's the harm
As long as no one seems to care
and we cover it with charm
But every time we cross the line
we drag it just a bit
Until we can't remember where it was
or why we needed it
Then we reach a point where honor
has no value or appeal
And a man who has no honor
is a man who's free to steal
Who can justify his actions
to himself so easily
Once he has ground off all the teeth
of his own integrity
And each of us is wandering
somewhere along that road
Making moral choices every day
which can build or can erode
And he, who chooses wisely
proves himself a man indeed
For he confirms that he is more
than just a slave of greed
The road will fork uncounted times
throughout each man's history
But the sweetest destination lies
down the path of integrity
             By Frank Carpenter ©

Encumbrances

We love our comfort and security. We crave our peace and quiet, our little cookie cutter communities, even our cars. I find that, especially as my friends and I begin to grow older, we tend to cling to those things in life witch offer security. We build tidy little walls of safety around our lives to keep the "bad" things out. Meanwhile, we become less tolerant of distractions and inconveniences. We feather our nests, regardless of their size or shape, and slowly pull back from the cutting edge of life. However, those little comforts we have so carefully laid in place can become encumbrances over time. Like a spider’s web, they begin to hold us in place a little too rigidly. Or like an anchor set deeply into the sand, they hold us so firmly that it becomes almost unthinkable to try and drag that anchor back up. In the course, therefore, of positioning ourselves "just right" we tend to become stuck. Some people wake up one day to discover they might like a different life altogether, but they soon find it far too difficult to change. There’s the mortgage, the cars, the kids, the retirement, the whatever. We get ourselves into a position where it seems virtually impossible to do something else. Yet, the world is full of something elses. What if we wanted to chase after a lifelong dream, become a missionary, change careers entirely? Rarely do folks leave some avenue of escape or much margin for error. I know that as I look at my own life and all of its possibilities, I want to leave an opening for some kind of a "plan B." Not a mid-life crisis or an abandoning of my responsibilities, but there are lots of plan B’s out there just waiting to be discovered. So as you plan your own life from day to day and year to year, leave a little margin for your plan B. You might not even know what it is, but it could just be lurking somewhere out there in your future. Let us, therefore, be wary of those tiny threads of security which can grow into encumbrances. The future is full of surprises ... at least we should all hope so.

Encumbrances
We surround ourselves with comforts
Bind ourselves with silver strings
Which entangle us like briars
With tiny thorns that catch and cling
We build hedges to encompass
The little world we call our own
Then, through the years, replace them
With higher walls of stone
Until we find ourselves, at last
Trapped within the web we've spun
Unable to escape the cage
We built to keep out everyone
So when we try to alter course
Or change the status quo
We are captured like the stubborn crab
Who simply won't go
Like fools, clinging to the wreckage
Though the ship will float no more
We simply tighten up our grasp
And are swept to the ocean floor
There comes a time to cut the anchor line
And leave it buried in the sand
To discard the extra cards we've held
And play the better hand
We must cast aside encumbrances
If we are to win the race
For no laurels will be earned by those
Who simply run in place
               By Frank Carpenter ©

A Servant's Heart

Everywhere we turn, leaders and visionaries can be found. They are the folks in the limelight; informing us, guiding us, leading us. They hold elected office. They can be found on television, the radio and in the pulpits. They are generally good people, doing generally good things, but the people we see and hear are only the tip of the iceberg in any organization. They may have the vision, or be the voice. However, what makes a government, a company, or any other type of organization run is the myriad of support people who go mostly unseen. These are the unsung heros who make everything run smoothly, shuffling the mountains of paper and phone calls and whatever else it takes to keep things going and expanding. We need leaders and dreamers, but we must never forget the importance of the tireless folks who labor behind the scenes, day in and day out. They are the real heros of life. Take a look around you today and make an effort to show some extra appreciation to those who truly have the heart of a servant.

A Servant's Heart
There is never a shortage of eager men
At the podium to lead
Who wish to impose what they believe
On whomever will take heed
There are always plenty of other folks
Who are willing to join the fight
As long as the hours and the pay
And the benefits are right
There is never a shortage of volunteers
Who will flock to the cause du jour
Who burn like comets, for a time
Yet, lose interest and rarely endure
But greatest among the throng of mankind
Is none of the above
For none can hold a candle to
A servant, driven by love
Each of the others may do some good
In fact, he may do quite a bit
But when their agenda is no longer served
The are quick to jump from the ship
The servant, on the other hand
Is motivated differently
He has no agenda up his sleeve
So he proves more trustworthy
He is the building block upon which
Anything lasting must rest
For only the servant will remain
When the bonds of commitment are pressed
Without a host of worker ants
There can never be a queen
And the iceberg's tip must rest upon
So much which goes unseen
It is the humble servant
Who makes any leader great
Who's loyalty, unwavering
Is not subject to debate
His calling and his service
Are likely nobler by far
Than those of the one who gets the credit
For his labors ever are
Mighty men will climb the mountains
While others tame the raging sea
A host of leaders will rise up
To shape the course of history
While the real heros of this world
Receive no credit for their part
But they will not be forgotten
For God loves a servant's heart
                 By Frank Carpenter ©

The Child Within

Today, we will briefly discuss the subject of children and sports. There is a delicate balance to be discovered in parenting children who are involved in competitive athletics. We want them to learn the game, to develop coordination and conditioning, and to benefit from the dynamics of the team experience. We also hope they might discover an area of particular giftedness in which to excel. Most kids love the experience and benefit from it in many ways. However, I am concerned that sometimes we ask too much, or rather expect too much. We all want our children to succeed and often look to athletics as a means for developing life skills which may assist them in that endeavor. Nonetheless, some children may take their sports too seriously. That may well be due to the fact that many parents do the same. It’s only natural for us to be their biggest fans and encourage them towards victory in their chosen activities. In some cases, though, too much emphasis can be placed on performance. This often occurs when us parents, especially dads, begin to live vicariously through our young athletes. Admit it, we’ve all been there. It’s not just about playing, it becomes about winning. And, at least emotionally, if they win ... we win. The problem with getting too wrapped up within their victory, even if only by perception, is that it creates additional stress on a young person who may not be entirely equipped yet to deal with it. We must be careful, therefore, to keep the game in perspective because, after all, it’s only a game. It teaches life lessons. It emulates adult and professional performances, but it is still just a game. Let me here clarify that I am not at all against youth athletics. We, as adults, just need to keep them in perspective so that our children may glean as much from the experience as possible without experiencing undue stress. Now some kids will actually have the talent to carry their athletics into adulthood and we need to give them the opportunity to nurture such dreams ... so long as those dreams are their own. I offer the following poem today for your perusal. The fact that it is written about a female athlete is not intended as any gender-based commentary. It just so happened that the athlete who moved me to creativity was a young lady. So let’s sign them up, buy their uniforms, help to coach them, cheer at all of their games and offer them all of the support they need and deserve. As parents, however, let’s keep everything in perspective so that in the course of helping them to develop their minds and bodies we don’t break their hearts along the way.

The Child Within
On the outside, a finely tuned athlete
Honed and trained to perform at her peak
Every joint, every muscle, a running machine
No rewards for the slow or the weak
On the outside, the legs of the swift gazelle
The strength, the speed and the grace
With a mind and limbs of tempered steel
No emotions betrayed on her face
Yet, beneath the hardened exterior
And shoulders that carry of weight of the world
Beyond the strength, the cunning and speed
There beats the heart of a little girl
By Frank Carpenter ©

Enough

Here in the land of the American dream, where we are raised on the concept that anything is possible, the sky often seems to be the limit. If we just work hard enough, long enough, smart enough, we are told, there is simply no stopping us. The problem with that statement, with that very mind set, is that it buries the meaning of a very important word: ENOUGH. In our consumer-driven, free-market, fast-paced society, enough has grown into a goal oriented word. It’s a mountain to climb, a position to achieve, a carrot to grab, the brass ring. It has become a word of conquest. My limited knowledge of world history indicates that conquest, by definition, can rarely be satisfied. I daresay that perhaps one of the biggest problems with modern humankind is that we are rarely satisfied, individually or collectively. As is my custom, I went to the dictionary and here are few of the definitions to be found for the word enough: as much as necessary, as much or more than is wanted, that satisfies desire or gives content, that may answer the purpose, that is adequate to the wants. And from a Hebrew bible dictionary I add: to rest, to be quiet or satisfied. Combine these definitions together and you begin to get a beautiful picture of satisfaction. An enoughness of peace. Our world says, “keep up with the Joneses.” It tells us that we must own or become certain things to be happy. The question we need to ask ourselves, however, is “are the Joneses happy?” In my experience, happiness rarely comes as a result of achieving the lofty goals in our lives. Happiness is something we bring along with us in the journey of life. It comes not from having what we want, but wanting what we have. No matter how far we climb up the proverbial ladder of success, there will always be someone on the wrung above us. There will always be someone who is richer, thinner or tanner. There will always be someone with a better car, a bigger house and newer, faster toys. And don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing inherently wrong with any of those things. However, happiness, real and lasting satisfaction, is clearly something which comes from the inside of us. So my question for you today is, can you look at areas of your life, breath a sigh of contented relief and simply say, “enough.” If we spend every moment of our lives in the pursuit of supposed better future moments we may wake one day to discover that the best ones have already been squandered. Let us all learn to say that magic word, to tell the people and things in our lives that they are enough. It doesn’t mean we can’t have or do more, only that we don’t need more. Start with your spouse and kids, your friends and family, your God. Let them know that they are enough. You might be very surprised by the response. With that done, we can begin to learn how to be truly happy, wherever and whoever we are.

Enough
Will we ever have enough
Indeed, are we ever free
From our longing to acquire more
Of each commodity
Is any rung upon the ladder
High enough that we can stop
Why are we driven to continue
If we have not reached the top
How often do we heave a sigh
And proclaim, “Ah yes, it’s done.”
Then just relax with what we have
Without a quest begun
Are our families and our jobs
Our homes and cars and friends
A means for reaching something else
Or do we gladly call them ends
When we use the word contentment
Can we claim it as our own
Or do we face an endless staircase
Of goals that we have set in stone
Which preclude us from enjoying
What we simply have and are
Because the demons of our own success
Still taunt us from afar
Yet, so often satisfaction
And the path to happiness
Lie along a different bearing
Then the ladder of success
And the man who would be happy
Must claim his blessings as enough
Must face the demons of achievement
Stand his ground and call their bluff
Then perhaps he’ll learn that happiness
Cannot be earned or bought
And the real battle for success
Is the one best left un-fought
By Frank Carpenter ©

Until Death Do Us Part

After observing a few more marital shake ups and break up lately, I thought perhaps we would dwell for a moment on commitment. You and I have heard it all: “We’re no longer compatible.” “I just don’t love her anymore.” “He won’t take care of himself.” “We only stayed together for the kids.” “She’s no longer the woman I married.” “He’s married to his work.” The list goes on and on. It seems to me that the traditional wedding vows covered sickness and health, richer or poorer, better or worse. Then they usually conclude with the words “Until death do us part,” or in some cases, “As long as we both shall live.” Those words are pretty straight forward. However, over time we seem to retranslate them into, “Until I don’t love him or her anymore,” or “As long as we’re happy.” The whole idea of the original intention was to make an unbreakable vow before God and our friends, neighbors and family. With divorce rates creeping up near 50% in some areas, that forever concept has kind of been thrown out the window. I would like to make two observations from the bible on this subject. First, I believe that God originally ordained marriage as a picture of His relationship with us and Christ’s sacrifice for us. Second, there is no place in the bible where you can find the words, “If you love each other, then get married.” The bible only indicates that if we are married, then we should love one another. The appreciation of, and adherence to, those concepts can have a far reaching impact on marriages if we are willing to take them seriously. I love weddings and all the romance which seems to be associated with a ceremony, a honeymoon and starting a new life together. But the beauty of those rituals pales in comparison to the magic of two people being married for 40, 50 or 60 years. That is the picture of true love. Television and movie love are a fantasy. Real love celebrates golden anniversaries. That’s the kind of love God shows to us and it’s what we owe to one another if we have taken those vows before Him. In a world where commitment seems to be waning and traditional values are under attack, perhaps the most powerful words anyone can aspire to are, “Until death do us part.”

Until Death Do Us Part
We seem to have forgotten
How much wedding vows mean today
So when life grows too difficult
Folks just seem to walk away
They forget about their promise
To stand through sickness and health
To stay when things were better or worse
Through poverty and through wealth
We cast aside the promises
We made back at the start
To the ultimate commitment
When we vowed, “Till death do us part”
A vow devoid of options
Which, in this world of lies
Stands as the measure of commitment
Unmarred by compromise
Those vows don’t mention happiness
Nor compatibility
Clearly, because they become subjective
When folks begin to disagree
In the end, there is no greater tribute
To what marriage is all about
Than those who stay “till death do us part”
Who live those wedding vows out
So when your commitment is waning
And you feel love slipping away
Remember the vow you made before God
And your loved ones that long ago day
Find a way to rekindle the fires
Which once burned so bright in your heart
And stand by your promise, whatever the cost
Until death do us part
By Frank Carpenter ©

You Alone

The death of my elderly neighbor earlier this week reminds me that folks are going through difficult situations all round us. Sometimes those trials, being of a personal nature, are never even spoken of. But they’re out there, countless people who feel like they might be at the end of their rope. Many of them feel all alone, as if they have no one to turn to or watch over them. They don’t feel loved. They don’t feel supported. They don’t feel prayed for. The world can be a cold, cruel place for those who are lonely and struggling with the big issues in life without any support. They may sit in the next cubicle at work, or the next pew in church, perhaps they are even members of our own family in the next room. People near us are dealing with death and disease, they are struggling with difficult marriages, they have problems in their extended family, they have drug and alcohol addictions, maybe going through a financial crisis or dealing with depression, their children may have them at their wits end. Occasionally, it may even be several of the above. We all need to be sensitive to those around us so that they feel we are approachable in their time of need. As human beings we have that responsibility to one another. If you are one of those hurting people who feels as if you have nowhere to turn, there are two things you need to know. First of all, there are people who are willing to care for you. You may have built a wall around yourself, but don’t let it trap you inside. Call a friend or family member, talk to someone at your church (or any church), take a chance on the next door neighbor, email me if you need to ... but you don’t have to go through this alone. Second, you need to know that there is a God who loves about you enough that He sacrificed His own Son on your behalf. That God is only a prayer away from coming to your aid. It may feel strange at first, to pray all by yourself, but God cares about you enough to intervene in your life. No matter how long it’s been since you prayed, or how far away God may seem, He’s actually standing right by your side ... with open arms. You needn’t worry about using the right words since God listens to your heart as well and He knows just what you mean. Because of His great love for you, you are never truly alone. If you are one of those hurting people this poem is for you. If you know someone else who is struggling, feel free to send this message on to them. Perhaps it may help to open up the lines of communication. In the mean time, let’s all remember that we are not alone. Maybe that will help us to look out for one another as well.

You Alone
You alone know my heart, oh Lord
You alone hear my cries
You alone see the tears I shed
And the emptiness in my eyes
You alone know the fear in me
Which consumes my waking hours
You alone feel my hopelessness
The way my joy withers and sours
You alone know my weariness
You alone know my pain
The defeats and the disappointments
That crush me time and again
You alone know the people, Lord
Whom I’ve failed and who failed me
You alone know the scars they’ve left
None but You alone see
You alone know the lonely days
And nights when my despair
Smothered the good things in my life
Until I was too weak to care
You alone know how lost I am
At work, and even at home
How even with friends and family
I feel as if I’m alone
You alone know my sorrow, Lord
And I know, at least, You alone care
Enough that no matter where I am
At least, You alone will be there
So I ask You, Lord, to shine Your light
Through the darkness my life has become
And melt the ice within my heart
Before it grows any more numb
You alone know each last detail
Of what I am going through
So I place my trust in You alone
For I am never alone with You
By Frank Carpenter ©

A Larger World

As I was writing yesterday about the 4th of July, I got to thinking about how easy it is to turn our thoughts and priorities inward, both personally and nationally. Yesterday’s holiday was all about us, but some people think like that all the time. Their time has passed. We are now a part of the rest of the world, a world which has been shrinking constantly during the last century. With modern communications, ease of travel, worldwide pollution and environmental issues, even terrorism, it is evident that the ostrich approach is no longer valid, even for individual citizens. We are affected, personally, by people and nations across the globe. Therefore, it behooves us to alter our mind set and live our lives in such a way as to reflect our citizenship in this larger world we are all so much a part of. The old “us and them” system on thought can be a dangerous thing because in the big picture there is only “us.” Certainly we are going to show deference to our family, our neighbors, and issues related to our state or nation. However, we simply must care about people outside of our little circle of contacts and influence. Our true sphere of influence is actually worldwide, just as we are influenced by factors far beyond our own zones of comfort. Like it or not, each of us is a part of that larger world and if we remain mindful of the related blessings and responsibility related thereto that world can be a better place. It’s a small world, after all.

A Larger World
It is clearly a larger world by far
Than the little corner I see
And much as I wish, it certainly
Doesn’t revolve round me
Yet, so many people live as if
This world was their own
Without a thought of all the folks
Whom they have never known
However, those who live that way
Sadly, fail to see
The part they may be called to play
And the responsibility
We all have to one another
In this big, wide world we share
And how much better it could be
If folks were willing to care
Not only for their neighbors
But for strangers far away
Then together we could work to make
Tomorrow a brighter day
By Frank Carpenter ©

4th of July

Well, today is the 4th of July. And while it is the anniversary of our nation’s founding, far too often we forget about what it really stands for . For most Americans this holiday is synonymous with fireworks, a day off, certain foods, beer and perhaps even traffic. Over the course of the last 228 years, especially during the past century, the heart of this most cherished national holiday has become lost in the celebration thereof. However, we must never forget what happened on July 4, 1776. That was when our founding fathers signed the Declaration of Independence, formally announcing our intention to separate ourselves from the rule of England. What followed was the Revolutionary War and the formation of a new nation, one that has stood the test of time. The most remarkable fact about the whole process is that our revolution led to the formation of a republic which has remained in tact, and continued to grow and flourish, through these two and a quarter centuries. It didn’t lead to another dictatorship, which has so oft been the case. It didn’t lead to the ethnic or political cleansings which have been the historical hallmark of political upheaval. No, when our founding fathers began the political experiment we now call America something went terribly right. Our beginnings were not without controversy, but the great wisdom of our leaders, and the foundational documents they produced, have served us well. Those things are worth celebrating, as are the sacrifices made to bring them about and maintain them. Indeed, the freedoms we enjoy today are the direct result of blood which was shed by men and women who believed in the principles of democracy, many of whom never even tasted of its fruits. When we celebrate this holiday, we are also celebrating the altruistic deeds of those who paid the ultimate price to ensure the legacy of freedom we hope our grandchildren will enjoy. Those sacrifices are still being made today and we should support and show appreciation to our current men and women in arms who stand ready to defend our freedoms. So today, let us all pause between our fireworks, friends and food to thank God for this great nation, for the freedoms we enjoy, and for those who continue to defend both us and our ideals. Have a happy 4th of July.

The Voice of Freedom
I am the voice of freedom
The words of Franklin and Jefferson
The cry of Patrick Henry
And the cheers of the minutemen
Mine was the pen of Francis Scott Key
In the battle of Baltimore
As he saw the stars and stripes flying
At dawn on that smoke shrouded shore
I was at Vicksburg and Shilo
Harpers Ferry, Pea Ridge and Bull Run
Lincoln spoke of me at Gettysburg
After that bloody battle was done
I was sung by immigrants
As they passed the Statue of Liberty
I was heard in the trenches of France
And I returned at Normandy
Twice, I spread across Europe
As my oppressors fell and fled
Rising out of the hearts of men
Who thought I was left for dead
Even today, I linger
Upon the lips of those who are just
Who right the wrongs of evil men
By making the sacrifices they must
Whenever a people downtrodden
Dare to whisper a prayer of me
Wherever a tyrant is toppled
By the ideals of democracy
I will be there, upon their lips
In the step, in the heart, in the eyes
Of those who struggle against oppressors
For I am their battle cry
I resound throughout the nations
Overcoming both doubt and fear
I am the voice of freedom
The voice all men long to hear
By Frank Carpenter ©

From a Dream

If you were to call someone a dreamer would that be an insult or a compliment. Sadly, I believe it might most often imply a negative connotation. While I fully understand such reasoning, I believe we also need to be open minded about dreamers. So many of us live entirely in the here and now, the metaphysical world of what is. Yet, there are the rare individuals who dare to imagine beyond the “what is” and dream of what could be. They think outside the box. Where would a west coast dweller like me be without Columbus or Lewis & Clark? They were dreamers who dared to look beyond the edge of the map. Where would we be without telephones, television, computers and so on? We are surrounded by technologies which came about through dreamers who were willing to think outside the proverbial box. The same is true with parents who consider the perfect possibility of a baby, even an embryo, and look forward to the person who might come to be as a result of their efforts. Even people of faith are dreamers of a sort since faith is, in the immortal words of the Apostle Paul, “The assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.” It doesn’t mean you have cure polio or go to the moon or discover a new sub-species of kangaroo. No, we need more dreamers of all shapes and sizes, people who acknowledge the tangibles which surround us while daring to dream of intangible things as yet undiscovered. The greatest danger in our busy modern lives is that we might be so distracted, so satisfied, that we turn inward and stop growing, stop exploring ... cease dreaming. May it never be. Have a great day, but keep your heart on tomorrow.

From A Dream
It is a most amazing thing
To watch a dream take sprout
To see it grow and flourish
And to watch its shape fill out
To be there when a dream was spawned
Somewhere deep within a man
To watch him shape and mold it
Breathing life into his plan
To observe a dream, intangible
Becoming one of wood and stone
A dream, incarnate, springing from
The seeds one man has sown
It is a most amazing thing
To watch a dream mature
Rising up from the barren ground
In a form that will endure
To have understood the tiny spark
A dream was at the start
And to see it manifest itself
From the vision of one heart
To have shared a dream with someone
And see him make that dream come true
Gives new hope to all us dreamers
That we may see our own dreams through
By Frank Carpenter ©