Faith in Rhyme: Unbounded

By J.D. Baskin

Faith In Rhyme - (Unbounded), is the third in a series of Faith in Rhyme books written by author and poet J.D. Baskin. This book contains poems ranging in subject matter, from Gods love to patriotism to Biblical personages to nature. Each poem tells a story; whether based upon headline news, stories from the bible, people or occurrences personally known to the author, or simply the authors imagination.

Readers will keenly feel the authors great faith in God and his desire to share the strength he finds in his Lord. The clear and honest style expressed by the author, will appeal to readers of all ages and will inspire them to spend time daily, reflecting on Gods grace and goodness.

The books subtitle of Unbounded indicates that unlike the first two books, this book is not set apart in sections of topical verse; but, it may also take on a greater meaning to individual readers. It is the authors belief that faith should truly be Unbounded. And it is his hope that as you read, you will enjoy and be blessed.

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Mar 24, 2016
• ISBN: 9781512735406

J.D. Baskin

J.D. Baskin was born and raised in a small country town in Southeastern Oklahoma. After serving in the U.S. Navy, he spent the majority of his working life with one group of companies, from which he retired as president. He and Eloise, his wife of 59 years, are at home in Waco, Texas. Their church membership is with the Woodway First United Methodist Church in Woodway, Texas. They have three grown children; Kevin, Karla and Kristy, who have families of their own, and have provided several grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all of whom J.D. and Eloise are extremely proud.

Book preview

GOOD MORNING GOD

Good morning God. It sure is nice outside.

The sky is blue and the sun is shining bright.

But then I forget, You already knew that,

for You planned it through the night.

The temperature is pleasant, about seventy-two degrees,

and I surely can’t complain,

because just a couple of days ago,

You blessed us with some rain.

Springtime will soon arrive no doubt,

and we all look forward to that.

The trees will bud out and flowers will grow,

and outdoors will be our new habitat.

Then summer will come and the temp will climb,

and we’ll use our indoor air conditioning.

The change of seasons will come about,

as Your earth does it’s repositioning.

The birds will sing and the squirrels will play,

and the deer and turkey will scurry about.

You have things planned just perfectly Lord,

and of that, there can be no doubt.

But You know what God, we’re sometimes guilty,

of just taking it all for granted.

So help us to remember it’s all Your gift,

and help us to spread the seeds You’ve planted.

Help us to share Your love with others,

for there’s plenty to pass around.

Let us always recognize our Heavenly source,

for Your works are so profound.

We know You will be there with us,

as we proceed throughout our day.

And if You don’t mind, we’ll talk again,

so keep us close and don’t let us stray.

Yes, thank You Lord, for all You do for us,

and ever let our faith renew.

We thank You again, for this beautiful day,

and hope You have a good day too.

TEXAS

He drifted into town one day;

he had a laugh which was most infectious.

Said he hailed from down in the Lone Star State,

so most folks just called him Texas.

His skin looked like old leather,

and his face was deeply tanned.

You could tell he was hard working,

by the callouses on his hands.

His cowboy boots were knee-high,

and he wore his pant legs in.

Said he’d won the boots in a rodeo,

somewhere out West, off Interstate 10.

His boots were made of ostrich hide,

and he’d worn them a good many years.

His Stetson hat, he wore pulled down tight,

right close to the tops of his ears.

He wore those cowboy wranglers,

and his jeans were by no means, new.

His western shirt had pearl snaps on the sleeves,

and across the pockets too.

He was looking for a place to lite,

he told the mayor and the police chief.

He bought a little ranch just outside of town,

where he hoped to raise a few head of beef.

He was the kind of man who would go out of his way

to do a good deed for another.

And if you needed anything that he had,

he’d give it to you like you was his brother.

Turns out Texas was married back some years ago,

his wife was named Mary Beth.

But she passed on when their son was born,

his birth had caused her death.

The baby too, had failed to live.

Texas spoke of being awfully sad back then;

and how he would still give anything he had,

to have them both back again.

If both of them had just survived,

Texas would have been a happy man.

But that just wasn’t meant to be,

so he accepted it as part of God’s plan.

He had done some rodeo’n in years past,

and he told of how those cowboys were a rowdy bunch.

It wasn’t unusual that an argument would break out,

and one of them would throw a punch.

But here he was now, settled down

on his little ranch outside of town a mile or so.

He had already passed his middle age,

and he knew sometime he’d go.

So Texas showed up one Sunday morning,

at the little non-denominational church.

He felt his life was missing something,

and he thought it was a good place for him to search.

After listening to what the preacher said, he knew,

that it was Jesus in his heart, he needed.

So when the invitation was given on Sunday morning,

down the church aisle he proceeded.

Not long after that was when Texas knew,

that God was calling on him to speak,

to all the rodeo friends he knew,

about God, and turning the other cheek.

He went on the road to speak to the cowboys he knew,

about God and about the Jesus he’d found.

And for the next several years he traveled the rodeo circuit,

just spreading the word of God around.

Texas answered God’s call for a good many years,

until his health no longer allowed.

But during those years many a cowboy accepted Christ.

Something for which Texas was both thankful and proud.

Then one cold and frosty morning, back on his little ranch,

Texas failed to open his eyes to the sun.

For God had called him peacefully during the night,

and told him his race on earth he had won.

On his ranch, as the preacher spoke by his graveside,

his words hit those gathered like a punch in the solar plexus.

And folks around here will tell you to this very day,

that God lived deep in the heart of Texas.

THE OLD SOLDIER

It was Veteran’s Day and the old soldier knew it,

as he sat in his wheelchair next to his bed.

He’d been watching the calendar for days on end,

thinking back on how he’d fought and bled.

He joined the army in January of 1943.

Just a young lad of 18 years.

For he knew his country needed him,

so he was but one of many volunteers.

Hitler had declared war in Europe,

and he wanted to rule the world.

But folks in this country were patriotic,

and there’d been many an American flag unfurled.

Boot camp had not been hard for him,

for he had been raised up on a farm.

He was a crack shot with a rifle,

and he had handled a good many firearms.

After basic training, he and his buddies

were shipped off to a foreign land.

Where they soon became battle hardened veterans,

under General George S. Patton’s command.

He fought in the allied invasion of Sicily,

in July and August of 1943.

And it was during the Battle of Anzio in ‘44,

he realized that freedom wasn’t free.

For it was during the Anzio battle,

he lost several buddies he had made.

And he himself had been wounded,

by the explosion of a hand grenade.

When his wounded shoulder had recovered,

he was sent back to join his former platoon.

And it wasn’t long before word came down,

they would be on the march again real soon.

In December 1944 they began the march,

toward the Belgian town of Bastogne.

The allied troops there were under siege,

and were about to be overthrown.

The march was long and hard and cold

but they had to reach their quest.

The troops in Bastogne were under attack,

so they could ill afford to rest.

Then, after days of fighting in the snow,

with little rest and a dwindling supply of ammunition,

the enemy was finally defeated,

and the Battle of the Bulge was declared a successful mission.

Memories, good and bad ones both,

often now flood the old soldier’s mind.

For it was during the battle of Bastogne he lost both legs,

and had since, to a wheel chair been confined.

Veterans day was always special to him,

for he was proud that he had served.

The price that he and others paid was high,

but our country’s freedom had been preserved.

Now 90 years and more had come and gone

as the old soldier’s life drew near its end.

I had only known him for the last few months,

but I was proud to call him my friend.

I had met him in the retirement home where he lived,

while visiting my uncle who lived there.

My uncle said he knew the old soldier,

and that he sometimes seemed bewildered and unaware.

But on veteran’s day he was always alert,

and a small American flag he held in his hand.

And the last time I saw