PRACTICING FOR ETERNITY
by Timothy Schaertel

What is this life in which we toil and strive
What is its purpose when we know we must die
All that began must come to an end
All hopes and dreams, death will condemn
But despite all this gloom be of good cheer
For death my friend is nothing to fear
There is but one hope taught in creation
A message from God through His illustration
Consider the catapillar with its tedius steps
Embracing its tomb, its end it accepts
A transformation the creator brings about
In that which goes in, resembles not that which comes out
That which was once enslaved to the earth
Now has the freed0om to fly in its new birth
Or consider the seed we bury in the ground
And how it rises to new life without a sound
A new life in a new form, reaching for the sun
Producing fruit growing from water that comes from the One
The one who created all life and sustains us through love
Feeding us with food that only comes from above
You see though our flesh will soon pass away
Our spirit remains for we are eternally made
Like the butterfly and the seed a new form we shall take
But our destiny depends on the choice that we make
To repent of our sin and receive God's gift
To live for Jesus, that we do not go a drift
For if Christ be not risen our faith is in vein
But if He's alive, then only by faith in Him can we be saved
For this truth, the apostles gave their lives
If it was not so, they would have no reason to die
He came to us to be tempted in all ways we are
To teach us how to live knowing God is not far
To conquer our foe known as sin and death
And offer us hope and peace beyond our last breath
Lord make us a people pleasing unto You, for this we yearn to be
Mold us and shape us, and grow us in faith, as we practice for eternity

When I Need More

One day I was living everyday as I will
One day I was living just for the thrill
One day death knocked at my door
That was the day I wanted more
I cried out and begged, and promised God
"Please send death away, I will change!!!" I swore
And behold, death left my door.
It swung open in the wind.
I looked out and saw it was clear, so I set out to sin.
I said to myself and others, death was just at my door, now I must really live and do more.
More of the same, more of the same
I continued my divine denial game.
Someone asked, "With such a narrow escape do you now live by a moral creed?"
I answered, "When death stood at my door, I called on God, but now God I do not need."
I have all I could ask for, I live everyday like my last
Someone then dared ask...
"What if death comes back to knock on your door?"
Then I shall call upon the one you call Lord
Until then I shall not be bored
With all this prayer and faith, and that book you call His sword
Tis all fiction, a superstitious tool
I will not be as you, I will not be a fool
I will live and live some more 'till death returns to my door.
Then I will call upon this one called the Lord
And maybe, just maybe, death will leave my door
But if not, at least I lived and lived some more.
Then someone else spoke so sure
"Do you not know, that if you know the Lord
It does not matter if death comes to your door
For even if he enters and takes away your life, because you knew the Lord
You will live, and live some more.
More abundantly than ever before,
And forever more!"
"That is foolishness I'm sure!" I shouted....
Knock, knock
Someone is at the door....

Silence Breaks

Silence breaks, I'm distracted as usual in my thought
Closing in on darkness, I flee
You stand there so obvious in Your way
As I walk around you in mine
I look back, You look down
I turn towards You and see the genesis of a smile
Like dawn breaking over the horizon, I stare in awe, peppered with doubt
I step closer and feel your mist spray upon me as if I were near a great water fall
I shudder to think what another step could mean
As I question my senses,
You begin to speak words of clarity that pierce me like a spear
Yet comfort me like the blanket on my bed on a cold night.
You took out a tattered old picture that was crumpled up in Your pocket
You stopped and looked at it for what seemed be eternity
A single tear fell from your eye and landed on the photo
The tear drop looked like a crystal pebble magnifying the image below it
You stretched forth Your hand that held the photo balancing the tear drop upon it.
And You spoke, "This is my son"
You hesitated, holding back more tears
"He died" You said as Your voice cracked in the midst of those two words
I slowly took the picture from you forgeting the crystal pebble
As I felt the warm tear drop smear the photo with my thumb I was torn
Shocked at the statement You just made, yet regretful that the beautiful tear was gone
"Don't worry" You said, "I have more"
Somehow, I knew You did not just mean tears
I looked down at the photo, and was suprised to see only words
The words were vibrant and full of color
As I looked at the picture engulfed in confusion I composed a question in my mind
But You answered me before I could ask it
"Because I love You," Your smile returned
"And I want you and Him to be with me for eternity"