“I Do” – a marriage poem

With recent discussions about Marriage Poems I decided to try wriing something a little more romantic than my normal fare.  I realise that many of my Marriage Poems lack that certain romantic element many people are looking for. So this is an attempt to create something that is more readily consumable in the wider arena. However, I don’t seem to be able to help myself. I find that I’m dipping into “reality” territory again. Oh well, maybe this kind of reality will be a little more acceptable than some of my more direct material.

“I DO” by Chris Field. March 20, 2008

I lift my voice and say, “I do”
And so I pledge myself to you,
And there you do the same to me.
How happy we are sure to be.

Yet in all this I can’t be sure
That my weak spots you’ll ignore,
When I let you down each day
Will that turn your heart away?

I am mud. and cannot be
What you deeply hope from me.
I know I’ll make you hurt and sad
My mother says I drive her mad!

So let me add another pledge
For us to make at wedding’s edge.
Let us promise in this place
To always walk in love and grace.

Let us not be rashly blind
As we tie the cords that bind,
But let us choose up front to give
The grace that always will forgive.

Let us choose to give the love
That we receive from God above,
A love that brings us through the pain
The storms, the hurts, the wind and rain.

So let us pledge our love that’s true
As we speak our clear, “I Do”.
Let us look to saving grace
And let us walk before God’s face.

“I Do”, “I Do”, “I Truly Do”
Commit myself to loving you.
I choose to bless you every day
And find in God my strength and stay.

As you take me as your own
And journey into days unknown
Also take His grace along
So nothing now can spoil our song.

I love you, princess, be my bride.
Come and in God’s love abide.
Let us now as two agree
That God’s grace will keep us free.

“I Do”

How Unromantic! My first poem for Susan

The drive to Wollongong (pronounced Wool – ong – gong) to visit my sweetheart, Susan, provided me a number of new experiences: navigating the infamous Bulli Pass (which has claimed many lives during the years); driving through the thickest fogs I have ever seen; nearly running off the road at high speed; actually running off the road at high speed; being hemmed in by huge articulated coal trucks (which were known as semi-trailers); and so on.

As I drove Susan down Bulli Pass one afternoon in one of those whipped cream fogs, with huge trucks emerging just yards in front of me, I found myself “waxing lyrical”. On the spot I composed my first poem for my beloved.

Aussies are known for their larrikin (teasing / joking) humour and I was in one of those moods too. What came out was to become a treasured memory for Susan and me. Which goes to show that you don’t need talent or money to create something of lasting sentimental value.

Are you ready to be enlightened?

My tome formed on my lips as follows ….

“I Love You More Than ElephantsI
Love You More Than Frogs
I Love You More Than Semi-Trailers
Coming at Me in Wollongong Fogs!”

“The Poem was an immediate hit. My shoulder took the first blow!  

Marriage Poems

Over the years I have penned various poetic thoughts about marriage. Poetry gives new energy and quality to the topics discussed, so I will share several of my Marriage Poems on this site, for your interest and edification.

My marriage poetry, like much of my writing, is not known for syrup. I tend to be reflective, either on concepts or deeper thoughts and feelings. If you are looking for the perfect romantic poem to borrow for your wedding ceremony or anniversary card you just may be lucky – but don’t hold your breath!

If you are looking for marriage poems that direct hearts and thoughts to issues that will make a difference to marriages in the years ahead, I would like to think my poems will hit the mark. My Marriage Poems are weighted toward spiritual principles, faith in God, reality and honesty. I trust those themes suit you well. I am creating a new “Tag” called Marriage Poems, so if you want to check out what I have posted under that topic check the Tag cloud on this page and look for Marriage Poems. Then read and enjoy 

Marriage – a GOOD Thing?

Two disparate comments about married life came to my attention recently. One was positive and the other tragically negative about marriage.

One young man said: “marriage is such an awesome gift from the Lord…. And it has been getting better day by day.”
Another young man said: “I keep telling anyone that if you want time to yourself don’t get married and don’t have kids.” A person who wants to get married “must either have a lot of spare time, or not want time to yourself?”
In view of these competing ideas you could question whether marriage is a “good thing” or not. To one young man marriage is “an awesome gift” while to the other marriage robs you of “time to yourself”.
Can you see something in these comments?

It seem that “selfishness” is not something a person should take into marriage.
But then, selfishness is not something a person should take into the rest of their life either.
Our two greatest challenges are to Love God and to Love Others – see Luke 10:27 “love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbour as yourself.”
Maybe what we see in the two quotes is that selfishness spoils a person’s abiltiy to enjoy marriage. And isn’t it true that selfishness spoils many other things in life too? When people have self-interest they become upset at anything which gets in their way, be it spouse, child, frlends, circumstances or anything else.
Let me assure you that MARRIAGE IS A GOOD THING.
However, don’t be surprised when marriage and family challenge your selfishness. When that happens don’t become negative about MARRIAGE, but recognise your own need to receive God’s help and to grow in grace.

Journey of the Heart

WHY DID GOD PUT ME IN THIS FAMILY?

Life is an Adventure – with a Sting in the Tail!

Welcome to Kindergarten!!!

 

It’s how you respond that counts!!

“Keep your heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life.” Proverbs 4:23

 

When God chose for you to be born into your family He “set you up” for the chance to go to the top of the mountain, into the Holy of Holies and into the heights of human experience.

He did that by carefully choosing your mum and dad, brothers and sisters, grandparents, uncles, aunties and cousins.

He also did that by choosing a wilderness for you to go through and giving you some tough times, then throwing in some high points – to see how you respond.

He dumped some garbage onto you and sprinkled some gold-dust as well.

 

And then He watched what you did with it all.

He gave you time, even patient when you messed it up – not giving you what you deserve as soon as you deserve it, but waiting and watching to see what your heart will do in response to all the good, the bad and the ugly of your life.

 

He did all that, as your “Kindergarten”.

 

If you flunk kindergarten you get stuck in the sandpit for the rest of your life, fighting with the other kids for the broken fire-truck and sun-bleached plastic spade.

If you flunk kindergarten you get to go back week after week and year after year to the same old squabbles, insecurities, petty jealousies, empty dreams, play acting, hurtful words and treadmill existence.

If you flunk kindergarten you get to carry a bunch of enslaving reactions and attitudes for the rest of your life.

Even when you grow old you will still be salve to the same childish struggles which trapped you in your childhood.

 

But if you succeed in kindergarten you move up to the next grade. You get to face some tougher challenges and more meaningful issues, which lead you to even more challenging situations where you can do much more decisive things which impact far beyond the sandpit. In time you may even stand on the mountain and God and see what God sees. You may hear His voice and feel His heartbeat about things that are yet generations away. You may change the course of nations and impact multitudes who don’t know your name.

 

How few ever rise above the first ridge! They tangle their tread with the cords of their selfish heart – snared by a mouth pouring venom from their beating chest. Rage and unforgiveness, outrage and intolerance, pride and indignation swirl churning in a stew of surging shame.

 

They trudge back to the sand-pit,

dirty shirted children,

bogged in a mire they cannot comprehend.

Fierce in their rebellion,

demanding explanation,

they jeer or cower or trudge on to their appointed end.

They raise a laugh and titter

and scramble for the glitter

of things that have no value, save to a vanquished soul.

They remonstrate and make demand

while others come and rake the sand,

and all this nonsense doesn’t make them whole.

 

So, is it any wonder

the world is torn asunder

and very few achieve the heights for which their life was born?

Very few have seen the light

that leads them through the darkest night

into the dazzling brilliance of the dawn.

So where are you upon this way;

in the sand-pit to this day?

Or have you found God’s Grace and made a start?

The road is very close at hand,

it starts with one foot in the sand,

for it’s a journey made within your heart.

 

Be diligent to keep your heart

from wrong reactions which then start

to poison all you have and all you are.

Forgive and trust and pass on grace,

to those around you in this race,

and you are sure to your journey high and far.

God bless you as you make a choice

to trust in God and then rejoice

in all that He has done for you and me.

God bless you as you trust Him still

and go His way each day until

you compass all that is your destiny.

 

Welcome to the Graduation!