Something of Value: Poetic Thoughts of an Average Christian Guy (And Five Short Stories)

By Rawland Storm

The poems within my book have been accumulating over a span of sixty-six years. Perhaps the thoughts, words and feelings were not immediately stored anywhere, except my mind and heart, but eventually they were written down on paper, so I would not forget them.

Through these poems I have, hopefully, managed to express the Christian feelings and beliefs I have always felt should be shared with others. As I have often said to myself, Words are just words, until they are heard or read by someone else.

I have always written and posted my poems on-line, with only black letters on a white background. No colors, pictures or music to distract the reader; or affect their reaction to my words. I grew-up listening to the lyrics of songs, before music videos began to influence our feelings and thoughts about the words being sung. I liked my mental images much better. I still do. I just want the reader of my words to supply/apply some of their own thoughts, feelings, and images; and in doing so, make each poem their own.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 21, 2014
• ISBN: 9781490835440

Rawland Storm

Rawland Storm was born in Hancock, Michigan, on April 14, 1948. Writing poetry is something he has enjoyed since the age of ten. He has been a Christian his whole life, and someone who has always loved both God and America.

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Copyright © 2014 Rawland Charles Storm.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-3543-3 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-3544-0 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2014907665

WestBow Press rev. date: 05/20/2014

Contents

A Way in the Manger

All There Is

Angel’s Evening Song

Are You The Answer to Your Prayers

Born to Die

Christmas is a Gift

Christmas Without Jesus

Do You Know What I Know? A Christmas Haiku

Don’t Ever Think You’re Not Beautiful

Forgive-Me-Nots

God’s Frozen Tears

He Rose To The Occasion

Heaven Watches Over Me

How I’d Stop My Parent’s Divorce

I Always Think of You

I Cannot Conceive

I Never Had a Mother

I Never Was Aborted

I Remember You

If Growing-Up Was Easy

If Only I Could Talk

If You Could Just See Me

I’m Worth a Lot to Jesus

I’s of Wonder

Just One More Day With You

Less Than Perfect is All Right

Life As We Know It

Making Love

Mom, For All You Ever Did

My Christmas Prayer For My Children

Open-Minded

Perfection Insurrection

Pitter-Patter

Psalm 1: To Watch Over Me

Separation From God

Someone Better Never Came Along

Something of Value

Standing at the Cross

Stars

The Beauty of the Bible

The Color of a Soul

The Edge of Water

The Reason For The Season

The Things That Rein Dear

The Times I Don’t Remember

There is No Flake Like a Snowflake

To Be, Or Not to Be, a Man

To Get a Life

We Lead Our Life as The Light

Whatever Happened

When I Was Young

When The Mourning Comes

Why is Life More Important When It’s Gone?

Why Was My Life Taken?

Wish No More

Without God

Worth Fighting For

You Touched My Heart When You Were Born

Stories

Pursuit of Happiness

Royal

Stone

The Womb With a View

We Can’t Afford to Love You Anymore

A Way in the Manger

One star shone in the doorway;

Another lay inside;

The first, created;

The second, born;

Yet, destined to collide

Gently in a manger—

Their journeys took so long—

Each piece in a puzzle placed

Exactly where each one belonged;

One star shone in a doorway;

Another lay inside;

Both still shine

On your life and mine;

Yet, some still choose to hide…

From the one who made them;

From the one, which lights their way;

They still look in from the doorway…

Will you leave, or will you stay?

You were, after-all, all invited in.

All There Is

All there is

to life

is

take life

as it comes;

Admit

you can’t always

change it

But

sometimes

you can…

If you know

the difference

you will be

impressed

by the world

around you

and seldom

get depressed…

But

if you do,

Remember

you

are not in this thing

Alone—

God

wouldn’t do that

to you;

It’s something

He

does not condone…

It’s also why

He made a woman

Besides

making a man…

They were made

For each other…

As only The God can…

Just

look around

and

you will see

there’s

more to life

Than you…

But

somehow

each thing

in this world

is special—

Each

has a job

to do…

And

so do you—

You have a

Purpose—

You

just have to find

your place…

And

really

that is

All There Is

to Life—

To meet it

Face to Face.

Angel’s Evening Song

As angels sang of a miracle—

God’s Son, as a human born;

Shepherds gazed, beyond amazed;

This early Christmas morn;

First, they were frightened;

Then enlightened

To hear of God’s promise kept;

So they ran with haste—

No time to waste;

To get to where the Savior slept;

The angels’ evening song was continued

As shepherd sang, with joy, each word;

At first their voices raised;

But soon they silently praised

This Jesus Christ, their Lord;

The angels’ words were repeated

By shepherds to everyone they met;

And those who heard the shepherd’s story

Retold it to spread God’s glory;

And it’s not stopped being retold, yet.

Are You The Answer to Your Prayers

There have been so many times

I have prayed

For the answers to some pain;

Physical, spiritual,

Financial loss, weight gain;

There have been so many prayers

Directed up above,

When all I needed was

More self-control or motivation—

Not help, or charity, or even

God’s love.

I pray for someone to help others—

Feed them, clothe them,

Or get them a job;

But I have food galore

And clothes? I have more

Than kernels on a big corn cob;

Why do I bother

The God who gave me

Everything I need,

With prayers for others

To do what I do not—

Am I afraid I will not succeed?

Or am I too busy, selfish, proud

To provide the things

Which can give others wings—

To fly even with the crowd?

The next time

You feel the need

To pray for others

Think first,

"What is it I can do?

Did God give me

All that I need

So I can keep

It away from you?"

Or anyone else who

Really is now praying

For someone like me

And you

To see, hear, feel,

Sense, and know

We can make prayers

Come true.

Born to Die

Born to die—

As we all are…

But at least He had a choice…

Lived to try

To