A Sequel to “Amazing Grace”

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound
that really changed my ways;
I now hate sin and love the Lord—
try pleasing God these days.

The devil fiercely hates me now,
since Jesus set me free;
but I am more than conqueror,
through Him who first loved me!

Heaven will be great, I do agree;
and I’ll be glad to go;
but I’ve got work cut out for me,
and I’ll get with it now.

This life of give-and-take soon ends—
some dark days I will face;
but since my Saviour wlaks with me,
I’ll enjoy it, by His grace!

fpn/98



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The Sane Perspective

This world is too far gone
for me to make big plans;
enough for me to know
my times are in God’s hands.
I’ve got a job to do,
Lord, help me not to shirk,
I’ll keep on looking up,
and go about Your work.

I know we’ve got to plan
and we need vision, too.
The young ones coming up
are just like me and you.
They need encouragement, 
and too, our confidence
for realistic dreams,
each laced with common sense.

God’s word is practical;
it tells it like it is.
This life is not for long;
it’s not our plan, but His
that gives fulfillment true
and peace at setting sun.
Let’s simply look to Him
until the day is done.

fpn / July 1985



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Seeing the Other Side

It’s easy to render snap judgments
and be guilty of gossip—you know!
So often we’ll see only one side,
while sizing folks up in life’s flow.

There’s always a chance some are hurting
or handicapped—body or mind.
It’s best to hold back our opinions;
they can turn out so wrong or unkind.

I passed by a homestead one morning
and I saw what I’d never seen done—
sitting down on the ground in his garden
was a man pulling weeds, one by one.

I had heard of people so lazy—
you could hardly get them to move;
and I figured this fellow could be one;
that I was dead wrong, time would prove.

In the days of the horse and the buggy,
perhaps I’d have stopped for a chat;
but of course in this day of great progress,
we seem to have lost time for that.

But somehow, I kept on a-thinking—
couldn’t get that man out of my mind;
pulling weeds, sitting down in the garden.
“Lazy-bones” is the name for his kind.

When I had transacted my business—
came back in two hours, I’d say,
there, still on the ground, in the garden,
was “Lazy-bones,” working away.

As the warm summer sun was a shining,
quite a patch of the weeds he had pulled;
but I’ll say that I wasn’t quite ready
for the sight I was about to behold.

Determined to make his own living,
(others like him, sell pencils, or beg)
he was tending his crop with his own hands;
for you see, he had but one leg!

Friend of mine, there’ve been times I was hurting;
and I really don’t want to complain;
from the looks of some folks that went by me,
the message came through clear and plain.

How I wished—oh, I wished I could tell them,
and explain—but there was simply no way;
so I went on just tending my business,
pretending that all was okay.

So, I think that I’ve learned a great lesson:
no matter what wells up inside,
I’m going to hold back my opinion,
till I look at a man’s other side!

fpn 11/80



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First Things First

This world has a way of claiming my time
so often, I’d say, without reason or rhyme.
I do have some duties, but I’m not here long;
I’m preparing for heaven—that’s where I belong.

I know I must work a part of the day
and earn a fair living in an honorable way,
but why be a slave to things that must pass,
when I can invest in those that will last?

Now most of us have brief periods for ease
which we can apply any way that we please.
With time on our hands, why sit still and “nod” 
when I can have joy in communing with God?

Recreation is good and a hobby worthwhile,
but there is the danger that they will beguile;
causing me to neglect my family and work,
and yes, worse than that, my devotions I’ll shirk.

I have made up my mind to put first things first.
It’s for spiritual joys that I hunger and thirst.
I’ll abide in God’s word and worship in prayer,
then seek needy hearts with whom I can share.

fpn / 1996



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