“The Sounds Of Silence” (Psalm 19:1-5)

I’m not sure just how much to say
When Sunday comes along my way;
Now twenty years have come and gone
Since Easter’s closing, “Move along”.

So strange that day of better-sweet;
So strange the ways my needs You meet,
As earth rolls on its nodding way,
And sun breaks through to start today.

That’s half a working life for most –
One million bucks or so that’s toast;
And twenty years I thought I had –
But then again, such thought’s just mad.

For You’d engaged with me those days
Of indecision – for me laid
A choice quite clear – “Which road there, Stu?”
Said, “ ‘Miracles ‘, I’ll help You do”.

Though that meant blowing off my ass
If standing close to freeing blast;
I knew career was over then –
On “Missions” I would soon be sent –

No path of cobblestone and manse,
White picket-fence, future financed;
But days of hardship – what one hits
When fall from yardarm’s where one sits.

But, looking back (quite hard for me)
It’s your intentionality
Which I see clear in retrospect
(Not while engaged – it’s that way yet).

There’s eighteen novels more or less;
Three thousand poems – I confess
That’s awesome, Lord, what You have done
While I’ve been sitting on my bum.

Master’s degree, and end of quest;
Reward for same – that’s been the best!
For though it’s far from done to date,
Ten languages on me await.

Not one-two-three, then on to ten;
Ten at a time – said linguist friend –
“Two language-families is best
Approach” – so I his thesis test.

Not as a super-language guy,
Who ’round the world can weekly fly,
But as dyslexic – cancer won;
Dementia coming? – oh what fun!

But this has lingered long enough –
Since grade-eight’s longing childhood stuff –
“I don’t know how to talk in French”
My teacher said there from her trench –

So that God put on hold ’till now;
Ben Lewis in his book somehow
Ignited once again my hope,
That I could speak with other folk.

“Well”, Bodmer said – “Two groups at once
Is easiest” (“He’s out to lunch”,
The experts said – they had their chance –
Six years in school I did their dance.

But now it’s my turn – let me see
What might be done – technology
Is on our side for such a task –
Assemble it – “Ten years” I asked.

I might not win, but what the heck,
What if I do – that’s better yet;
For ten-fold is my blessing when
To me ten groups their blessings send.

Of course, there’s tools for others’ use –
“Can’t learn a language” no excuse –
Now tools and ways to chat folks up
Are ever-present – skip the guff.

Lord it’s nine months I’ve walked this road;
How blessed I’ve been (though I’d been told
That English is the way to go;
Quite silly that – a fact I know).

Our global-village is now mixed –
Some borderlands have now been blixed;
But boundaries quite internal are,
Through Babel-gift and conflicts’ scar.

Apostles jump the boundaries,
And walk-through doors; like Jesus, we
Are, once the Spirit lives in us,
And we obey – no road’s too tough.

So Lord, I’m not sure what’s Your gig
For me, but hey, beneath the lid
Of pot this language-stew cooks on,
By way of Scripture, prayer, and song.

Lord, thanks for helping quiet come
Into my life now just begun –
“Third-down” indeed – oh happy thought!
Ten yards to gain – ten more I’ve got!

Thanks Lord for this.

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