One Man’S Life and Thoughts: In Good Times and Bad -Volume 4

By Charles T. Johnson

Teardrops in My Coffee is a poem that I wrote when I was bored.
I was thinking about the subject matter that is heard in country and
western music. The songs are often about the hard things in life, like
love and broken hearts. So I tried to write something that would poke
fun at those kind of topics.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Trafford Publishing
• Release date: Jun 18, 2012
• ISBN: 9781466938090

Charles T. Johnson

I grew up in the copper mines of Arizona and graduated from Arizona State University at Tempe, Arizona. My degree is bachelor of science in electrical engineering. My major job was director of world marketing for the Quartz Watch Program for Motorola. I left the engineering field and went into the financial newsletter business. Due to the return of polio in the form of postpolio syndrome, I had to accept disability and retire. I did not have any experience writing poetry. Then one night our next-door neighbor’s son was killed in an accident. I lay in bed that night, and for the first time in my life, a poem came to me. I got up and went to my computer and, in twenty minutes, wrote “He’s My Son Too.” With this, I started to write for several years until I ran out of any new ideas. So I just stopped, and after several years, I was encouraged to publish some of the 1,600 poems that I have written. I have gone through many different problems that I have put into the poems I have written. I hope that these poems are enjoyed each of you, some basics in life that I had never recognized myself.

Book preview

ONE MAN’S LIFE

AND THOUGHTS

IN GOOD TIMES AND BAD

-VOLUME 4

CHARLES T. JOHNSON

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© Copyright 2012 Charles T. Johnson.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written prior permission of the author.

Printed in the United States of America.

isbn: 978-1-4669-3807-6 (sc)

isbn: 978-1-4669-3808-3 (hc)

isbn: 978-1-4669-3809-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2012904840

Trafford rev. 05/10/2012

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Contents

WISDOM IS AGELESS

A SON’S REMORSE

TWO WORDS

THE CONFERENCE

WHEN PRIDE IS MASTER

NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP

NIGHTTIME IN THE DESERT

LIFE CAN BE SIMPLE

TALK ABOUT BAD LUCK!

PLEASE TRY TO UNDERSTAND

LIFE’S ANSWERS

GOD’S VIEW IS FINAL

EXCEPT OR UNTIL

THE MAGICIAN

MY COUNTRY RIGHT

OR WRONG

MY BEST FRIEND

THE BITTER ROOT

THE THREAD OF PROOF

GRATITUDE

LIGHT VS. SHADOWS

THE PREACHER

AND THE DRUNK

CHARITY

THREE OLD MEN

GOOD-BYE

PROBLEMS

AN ETHICAL DILEMMA

THE TRUTH CAN BE DECEIVING

TEARDROPS IN MY COFFEE

THE SQUIRREL AND THE BEAR

THE WORDS OF FREEDOM

CHRISTMAS

I NEVER HAD A GRANDMA

GOD’S SPECIAL TEACHER

GOD’S ECONOMIST

QUESTIONS FROM

A LITTLE BOY

THE PRINCESS DOLL

THE SIGN OF AGE

CAN I TAKE THAT BACK?

THE WREATH

CHRISTMAS LIGHTS

THE LITTLE TWITCH

CHANGES ARE RISKY

WHAT? NO, THANKS!

THE LITTLEST TREE

LESS IS MORE

ONCE UPON A CHRISTMAS

MOUNT SHILTHORN

YOU’VE ALREADY TOLD ME!

LEARNED AS A CHILD,

USED AS AN ADULT

WHO WILL REMEMBER?

LOVE IS LIKE A SWORD

THE BARKER

AND THE QUIET MAN

A CHANGED HEART

ST. PETER’S BOOK

ONE’S DARKEST HOUR

THE FISHERMAN

BIG BOYS DON’T CRY

LET GOD DIRECT YOUR SYMPHONY

(Women)

HE’LL PROVIDE A FRIEND

JUDGING BY APPEARANCE

I KNOW IT ALL, DIDN’T I?

GOD’S LIKE A BLACKSMITH

RAINDROPS KEEP FALLING

WHEN A MARRIAGE ENDS

HEY, RED

THE PARTY

DO IT TODAY

I’M JUST FINE

JUST CALL ME LUCKY

NOT ALL OF GOD’S MATCHES ARE OBVIOUS

BEING OLD ISN’T ALL BAD

YOU’RE CHUCKY WHO?

COUNTING WHAT?

HEY, GRANDPA

THANK GOD I’M NOT PERFECT

THE BEAUTY BEHIND A STORM

THE PUZZLE

LOOKS ARE EVERYTHING

A BOND FOR LIFE

THE CATHETERIZATION TEST

LONELINESS IS…

ARE WE ALONE?

A FATHER’S LAMENT

JUST TRUST IN GOD

BUT WHY?

POEMS FROM THE HEART

NEW NEWS IS BAD NEWS

FLOWERS

THE INVENTORY

A HEART TO TRY FOR

WHEN IT’S FINALLY OVER

YOU SHOULD WRITE A BOOK

ONLY ONE WAY!

IS IT LUCK OR FATE?

WHEN GOD DIRECTS

OUR DREAMS

DEAR GOD, HOLD

THAT PUNISHMENT

ONENESS OF MARRIAGE

WHO’S YOUR TRUE COMPANION?

MY LAST WILL

AND TESTAMENT

WISDOM IS AGELESS

When Pastor Darryl came to Scottsdale, at the youthful age of thirty-one,

He was excited and committed to serve the Lord in seriousness and fun.

Now as a pastor in his early years he had that confidence seen in youth,

But he also had the Word of God and an excitement to share his truth.

The church was small but faithful and was committed to future growth,

And so the pastor and the members knew this effort required them both.

The years would pass and all could see that the church had grown in size,

And the congregation would mature, as would the pastor before their eyes.

Now the church would ask its members that they come to grow and go,

Then leave to plant new churches so others too might grow to know.

Now such wisdom was contagious, and many left to spread God’s Word,

But despite so many leaving, young Pastor Darryl could still be heard.

But now more years have come and gone, and the growth is still the same,

New people come to grow and go yet can’t pronounce the pastor’s name.

So with love he’s known as Pastor Darryl, who’s led us in fun and tears,

For he brought us wisdom at thirty-one, and shares it still at fifty years.

For

Pastor Darryl

on his

fiftieth birthday

9/6/99

From a loving congregation

By

Charles T. Johnson

8/8/99

Wisdom Is Ageless was written as a fiftieth birthday poem for Pastor Darryl DelHousaye. Kay Dubois suggested that it might be something Darryl would appreciate. I wrote another one first, titled Fifty Years of Wisdom, but Kay thought that this one better fit the occasion.

A SON’S REMORSE

Dear Mom, it’s time I spoke to you and took ownership of my sins,

I too often overlooked your care, and spent all my time with friends.

Now that you’re gone I’ve come to see a very different point of view,

For I viewed you as too meddlesome, but now I know that was untrue.

I thought you wanted full control, and to determine what I should be,

And I failed to see your main concern was to guide and care for me.

I was angry when you questioned me about what I had done for fun,

I felt your questions were intrusive, wanting to know what I had done.

And when I fell ill and nearly died, I felt abandoned as I could be,

I didn’t know how much you prayed, or the tears you shed for me.

Now I often blamed you when I failed, for the fault I felt was yours,

So when you suffered hurt and pain I wouldn’t help or offer cures.

I know all too well how much I owe, and it’s a debt that I can’t pay,

I should have thanked you long ago, but now you have gone away.

You deserved my love and honor as God commands us all to do,

And so now I’m paying for my sin, filled with guilt for hurting you.

Now I’ve come to understand my sin, and how easy love’s misread,

And because of it I’m certain that cruel and hurtful things were said.

Please forgive me for my hurtful words, and the times I didn’t share,

And bless you for your tears and prayers, and all the times you cared.

Mom, I know you are in heaven, as God would truly want you there,

He desires the very best of those who’ve shown sacrifice and care.

My eyes are now wide open, and now my heart knows what to say,

So, God, please bless my mother, and forgive how I’ve behaved.

Charles T. Johnson

8/8/99

A Son’s Remorse is a poem that expresses how age helps us to understand the many things that our mother did for us when we were younger. Now we find that we are having to face similar, if not the same, situations with our children that she faced with us, and see how right she was.

TWO WORDS

Now life has many ups and downs and disappointments every day,

There’s things you lose forever, and those things you give away.

There are people you’ll be close to, and ones you’ll never know,

And memories that you’ll cling to, while others haunt your soul.

Now you’ll look for peace and quiet in the noise of daily strife,

But you’ll find turmoil and chaos in almost every part of life.

What you seek is not that easy for all you meet will want it too,

But some will keep it from you and try to hinder what you do.

All will want what you are seeking, but all too few will realize,

That to have their peace and quiet there can be no compromise.

For it’s a goal that is elusive and is obtained by just one way,

And requires a full commitment through each and every day.

One may have it just by asking, it’s not obtained by work or toil,

And it’s not found or made in factories, or grown in earthen soil.

It requires a change inside you that is good for your soul’s sake,

And it depends on your decision, which is yours alone to make.

So the life you want that’s peaceful, you’ll not find in any store,

For it requires a change in thinking, just that and nothing more.

Just two words is all that’s needed to obtain that great reprieve,

And the peace that you’ve been seeking is yours for I believe.

Charles T. Johnson

8/13/99

Two Words is a poem about what is required to find peace and quiet. It is ironic that my poems express the need to have strong faith and belief, and yet I question my faith and belief almost every day. I am still looking for that personal relationship with Christ that I hear one needs to have to be a Christian. But despite my prayers and studies, I have not been able to establish that inner feeling or personal sense of real closeness with Christ.

I can accept the intellectual truth of Christ, and I can find personal comfort in knowing that I am obedient to his word. But a feeling of closeness and realness has been beyond my sensibilities. Larry Wright has often told me that one’s feelings are not what is important, but rather one’s obedience to his word and teaching is what makes for a committed Christian. As Larry says, Feelings can change, but commitment is forever.

THE CONFERENCE

Now the conference was about to start, and those invited had arrived,

It was scheduled from the crack of dawn, and would end at ten till five.

Now the purpose of this conference would grant for all the rest of time,

Just who would have the right to rule and control your life and mine.

Many sides were represented, but there were two that were in force,

Their points of view were hardened, and unswerving from their course,

It was plain there would be conflict, both their speakers were the best,

And both had arguments they would use to put the conference to a test.

Let us come to order, said the chairman, "for it is time that we begin,

And each will have their allotted time to have their say before we end.

Now we will expect that your decorum will be maintained above all else,

For we’ve gathered here to consider something greater than our wealth."

The first to rise was a nobleman, his dress was fine down to each thread,

And the words flowed out like honey, and to those gathered there he said.

"Now each of you have come to know that this world is hard and tough,

And without the help of men like me you’ll find your fortunes not enough.

"But I’ll provide you everything, there’ll be wealth beyond your dreams,

And you’ll never lack for anything, and you’ll become a man of means.

Now what I propose is no allusion,