Friday, February 05, 2010
Tuesday, January 05, 2010
My New Song by Carole Jeanne Bate
This year Others Press (the official publishing house of The Salvation Army USA Eastern Territory) will publish a book of my poetry with an accompanying CD.
The CD will have 10 songs performed and written by the UNBOUND band.
In addition to the music there will be art included.
Victoria Ward Berry has done a fantastic job of illustrating some of the poetry.
The 12 illustrated pages will soon be available at The Salvation Army USA Eastern Territory Trade Department as posters.
I am grateful to Commissioners Larry and Nancy Moretz for making this all happen.
May God use the words he has given me to speak to others. Thank you everyone for your encouragement and continued prayers.
- cjb
Friday, July 17, 2009
The Devil wants to date me!
(this poem was inspired from a conversation I had with a friend some months ago.)
The devil wants to date me
He’s always at my door
He desires to romance me
To lead me from my Lord
The devil is my stalker
He studies all my moves
His degree is in me
He’s obsessed with me
He must think I’m a fool
He’s got my number
He knows my name
He’s there at every turn
The devil wants to date me
But I know I’ll get burned.
The devil wants to date me
He knows just what to say
He’s always working at his goal:
To steal my heart away.
I cannot date you devil
My heart’s already taken
Move off my step, leave me alone
And get behind me satan!
-cjb
Friday, July 03, 2009
A Wild Field
A wild field of flowers
Overgrown and unkempt
Sweetness lingers in the air
After the spring rains went
There is life within the field
An assortment of insects abound
Air is buzzing with activity
And crawling across the ground
How long will the wild field prosper
and sweet smells of her flowers be found?
How long till the more distinguished
Come and overturn her with the plow?
Do the insects grieve the loss of her nectar?
Do the rodents suffer their homes?
Does the air remember her sweet scents?
Now thick with dung of the cow?
Who can argue the need to plow?
To use the land to its fullest,
To plant some seed in an ordered way
And reap a good rich harvest?
and yet, my soul grieves...
Whether right or wrong
The loss of the wild field.
To look and see what once was lush
Now ripped, overturned and gone
I know the promise of the seed
I know the scarred land is pregnant with a harvest
But it will come in rows too straight for this artist.
cjb
" Why should I be frightened and surprised by the plow of the Lord, which makes deep furrows in my soul? I know He is not some arbitrary or irrational farmer- His purpose is to yeild a harvest." Samuel Rutherford
"When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually?" Isaiah 28:24
Overgrown and unkempt
Sweetness lingers in the air
After the spring rains went
There is life within the field
An assortment of insects abound
Air is buzzing with activity
And crawling across the ground
How long will the wild field prosper
and sweet smells of her flowers be found?
How long till the more distinguished
Come and overturn her with the plow?
Do the insects grieve the loss of her nectar?
Do the rodents suffer their homes?
Does the air remember her sweet scents?
Now thick with dung of the cow?
Who can argue the need to plow?
To use the land to its fullest,
To plant some seed in an ordered way
And reap a good rich harvest?
and yet, my soul grieves...
Whether right or wrong
The loss of the wild field.
To look and see what once was lush
Now ripped, overturned and gone
I know the promise of the seed
I know the scarred land is pregnant with a harvest
But it will come in rows too straight for this artist.
cjb
" Why should I be frightened and surprised by the plow of the Lord, which makes deep furrows in my soul? I know He is not some arbitrary or irrational farmer- His purpose is to yeild a harvest." Samuel Rutherford
"When a farmer plows for planting, does he plow continually?" Isaiah 28:24
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Poem based on 2Corinthians 5:2-9
It’s uncomfortable
being vulnerable
laid bare
an open book
for all to see
and read
Adam and Eve
hid behind a tree
in their vulnerability.
God had mercy
he covered them
hid their nakedness
with clothes of skin.
Now we,
who are found in Him,
wait and groan-
This body, this world
is not our home!
Our heavenly dwelling
is what we want.
no longer covered
or living in skin
but new bodies
that look
more like Him.
cjb
being vulnerable
laid bare
an open book
for all to see
and read
Adam and Eve
hid behind a tree
in their vulnerability.
God had mercy
he covered them
hid their nakedness
with clothes of skin.
Now we,
who are found in Him,
wait and groan-
This body, this world
is not our home!
Our heavenly dwelling
is what we want.
no longer covered
or living in skin
but new bodies
that look
more like Him.
cjb
Sunday, May 31, 2009
Pentecost Sunday
Catch the wind of the Spirit,
breathe it in, come alive in him.
Wait for the fire of God to desend,
ingnited souls, burn within.
Share the power with those around,
live for others, let his love abound!
We have a goal to cast our crowns...
come alive in him, burn within
this Pentecost Sunday
cjb
breathe it in, come alive in him.
Wait for the fire of God to desend,
ingnited souls, burn within.
Share the power with those around,
live for others, let his love abound!
We have a goal to cast our crowns...
come alive in him, burn within
this Pentecost Sunday
cjb
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Made for the pleasure of the wind
Made for the pleasure of the wind
Open the window let the Spirit in
The Spirit blows and no one knows
Where it comes from or where it goes
Catch the current of His will
Let him lift you higher still
Tossed about but in his plan
Higher than the thoughts of man
Can we rest and trust in him
When the streams of air collide?
Can we see the breath of God
Lifting us on every side?
Made for the pleasure of the wind
Providential flights we resign to him
Carried not by fate nor a whim
Whirled in a Gilgal diadem.
cjb
" Thou didst not know, who tottered, wandering high, that fate had made thee for the pleasure of the wind, with those great careless wings, Nor yet did I." - Robert Frost
John 3:8 “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
Open the window let the Spirit in
The Spirit blows and no one knows
Where it comes from or where it goes
Catch the current of His will
Let him lift you higher still
Tossed about but in his plan
Higher than the thoughts of man
Can we rest and trust in him
When the streams of air collide?
Can we see the breath of God
Lifting us on every side?
Made for the pleasure of the wind
Providential flights we resign to him
Carried not by fate nor a whim
Whirled in a Gilgal diadem.
cjb
" Thou didst not know, who tottered, wandering high, that fate had made thee for the pleasure of the wind, with those great careless wings, Nor yet did I." - Robert Frost
John 3:8 “The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit."
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