Offspring

A blessed joy to behold
Is when your offspring become old
Your heart of love, you cannot hide
And pride that wells up deep inside
To see what they've become

Copyright Mary Jane Gonzales 1995

Aging

When one gets old and not so cute
And finds it harder to re-boot
There's more to life than meets the eye
Like simple things that make you high
Becoming friends with children grown
And long-time friends that you have known
And grandkids are a special treat
Because, of course, they're very sweet
You get to love on them alot
But cumbersome to you they're not
There's freedom now to come and go
To travel, shop and just let go
And aging makes you very wise
To see with retrospective eyes
And even better than all this
Is hope of our eternal bliss

Copyright Mary Jane Gonzales 1997

Setbacks

God I truly thank you
That it wasn't any worse
But I feel as if my body's been
Attacked by Satan's curse
Every day holds a new injury
Or a problem of some sort
When talking with my friends
I'm embarrassed to report
The ups and downs, the back and forth
The setbacks that occur
Frustration I experience

When healing is deferred

Copyright Mary Jane Gonzales 1998

Strengthening My Frame

Father God I pray
that you would help me with my feet
That you'd get me safe to bed
and you'd grant me restful sleep

That you'd take away the swelling
and diminish all the pain
That you'd soon begin the process Lord
of strengthening my frame

That your grace would still continue
in a multitude of ways
And that you would soon incorporate
healing to my days

Lord I've had to lean upon you
in a state of total need
And while staying by your side
I desire to be freed

From the bondage of dependence
that is burdening my friends
To a relative remission
that on God alone depends

Lord it's not that I'm ungrateful
I see all that you have done
I'm just longing to go forward
that captivity be undone

Copyright Mary Jane Gonzales 1999

Tender Mercies

How very, very cognizant
I am of all your grace
Not only for your son who died
At Calvary in my place
But also for the mercies
I see with each new day
Exceeding loving kindness
Being sent my way
Tenderness that warms my heart
And makes it all aglow
Little ways you speak to me
That personally show
How much you care about my needs
My every hurt and pain
Every joy and sorrow
Every loss and gain
All the ways that you relate
With overflowing love
While living in my heart
And watching from above

Copyright Mary Jane Gonzales

The Game of Life

It matters that we play the game
And principles remain the same
It doesn't matter what the score
Who was wrong or who gets sore

It matters that our heart has love
And we are one with God above
To know the maker and His plan
And trust our life into His hand

It matters that we nurture seed
Give them love and meet their need
Sharing Christ with all around
And telling of the joy we found

Sharing unconditioned love
Forgiveness flowing from above
Telling of security
In Christ, whose death has set us free

Copyright Mary Jane Gonzales 1997

Trinity

Jesus, I'm so glad
You rose up from the grave

Father, I appreciate
The sacrifice you gave

Blessed Holy Spirit
Living deep within

Thank you that you teach me
And convict me of my sin

Thank you that you comfort me
And know just what to pray

When I can only groan
Not knowing what to say


Copyright Mary Jane Gonzales 1995