The Encouragement of Friends

Since my last post, I have received a number of comforting and uplifting comments that we have enjoyed reading. Thank you for your responses.  I read each one and am grateful for the sincere words of support, prayers, appreciation and love that are represented in your expressions.

I wanted to highlight a friend whose poems I have posted in the past.  He writes to inspire and remind others of the power that comes from faith and prayer in walking a difficult path.  His name is Gary Edwards, whom I have know since I was 13 and he 14.  We met in Sunday school class for junior high students.  We went on to have a lifelong friendship.  Through high school and beyond into our late teens we often performed folk-rock music together centered around the gospel message.  We always enjoyed sharing music and visiting various youth events, churches and skilled nursing homes to share our songs.  

Gary's wife Susan, was also from our local church, coming later in the high school years.  She too is an artist, of the visual type, and paints wonderfully thoughtful and inspiring works that are displayed in their Dallas area home. In addition, she paints on custom greeting cards that she sends to lift others hearts.

Gary Edwards Calling to Say Hi

 

Gary has been in close contact with me the last 10 years, and during my medical struggles has been one to share an encouraging word to build up my sense of hope and trust in God's strength in my weakest times.  As a way to communicate those thoughts with me, he has written some poems that I would like to post for you to enjoy and appreciate.  Maybe you will find them a blessing for you, too, as you read and contemplate their messages.

This is one that Gary wrote for my 68th birthday, as I was in the midst of my cancer battle:

Fashioned by the Master

 

Fashioned by the master

With a stroke of his hand

Final touches of your potter

As you live at his command

 

Empowered for his service

The battles are for real

The molding has been accomplished

On his perfect potter's wheel 

 

The color of your soul painted

In a thousand different ways

It won't be bright until you shine at night

And he fires on his glaze

 

Your body tells you one thing

Your hope of glory's real

The fragile clay has been hardened

So don't react to what you feel

 

As you speak to your potter

As you say, "I don't have the faith,"

He will guide and hide you

In an overflow that's safe

 

His grace has empowered you

As the potter's kiln is done

His strength made perfect in weakness

This birthday battle is won.

 

A poem for Dan, from Jesus, through the hand of Gary

Happy Birthday 

Here's another that Gary and Susan mailed to me in a greeting card. I had just had my kidney removed three days earlier.

Dan, Standing in Your Dad's Legacy

 

Dan, you are not like others in their plight,

Whose health problems burden them every night.

For in His life, God's grace takes hold,

And through His love, you're in his fold.

 

While fighting health battles O so long, 

Your strength in weakness is His song,

With tender mercy, God sets you free,

Through Jesus Christ, your strength is He.

 

Many ailments affect body and mind, 

But you a different road did find,

With every step, blessings you receive,

His grace your guide, and comfort believe.

 

Doctors' proclamations, like shadows cast,

But through his grace, you're free at last,

In his embrace, your spirit soars above,

His boundless grace, you truly love.

 

So let your heart be filled with gratitude,

For God's great mercy and His fortitude.

You've been given a journey all your own,

In his compassion, a new seed has grown.

 

So embrace the path before you laid, 

For through His grace, your burdens fade,

Your dad's legacy, a strength you've gained,

With every victory, His glory is proclaimed.

 

In His eternal love, you'll find release, 

No longer bound, In His perfect peace,

Rejoice, dear Dan, in this blessed call,

For in His hands, He gives you all...

 

By Gary Edwards and your Master Craftsman

Gary added:

"So we're not giving up. How could we! Even though on the outside it often looks like things are falling apart on us, on the inside where God is making new life, not a day goes by without his unfolding grace. These hard times are small potatoes compared to the coming good times, the lavish celebration prepared for us. There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever." 

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 The Message Bible 

These poems are used by permission and are written by Gary L. Edwards.

My deepest gratitude to Gary and Susan for their friendship with Karrie and I, and for the love and care these poems represent. --Dan

 

 

“Storms” - A Poem from an Old Friend

Some friends last a lifetime.  Gary Edwards and I met in Jr. High church school on a Sunday morning at Lakewood First Presbyterian Church.  As we grew we influenced one another as Christian believers and shared many activities including backpacking and music.  We eventually performed  for a year at various events when I began writing gospel songs. Gary sang harmony very well and played the bass to back my acoustic guitar.  Neither of us had much and we shared meals that we found cheaply or Gary’s dad allowed me to eat at their home where we would grab toast and granola.  We split the rent on a single room apartment in our city’s run down area, which came to $47.50 each per month.

We moved on in life, both of us becoming public school educators and each married with kids of our own. During my recent breathing crisis leading to the emergency tracheostomy to allow me to breath and stomach tube for feeding, I heard from Gary and his wife Sue, who is also my friend from our Long Beach church youth group led by Pastor Jay Bartow. His concern for my near passing from this crisis and the subsequent extended placement in a skilled nursing facility, inspired him to write this poem that Sue helped edit.  I would love to share it with you, my friends.

Storms 

When storm clouds gathered, you told how you’d fret!

Now you’ve been through storms so hard to forget.

But in the midst of the storm, His  shelter you seek.

When the thunder roars and the lightning streaks. 

The storm rages on and on, and you long for peace.

Praying for many years for the wind and rain to cease.

Keeping faith,  looking up , and then the skies do  clear.

God hasn’t changed,  all is calm,  and there's nothing to fear.

You’ve gone through many storms on the sea of life.

You’ve shared with me your heartaches, your sorrow, and strife.

You’ve shown me how  to trust in Jesus, and in Him you abide.

Sharing with me that all through the storm, He's by your side.

Thank you for sticking with me in storms of health,

My car accident modeled your love that brings His wealth.

Knowing that in the Storm and pain,His comfort He brings

As He gets us ready for eternal things.

Praying for you each day as torrents do fall

Showing that in the drought when there’s no rain at all 

His harvest in your life is a spiritual flow

The Son is shining in you, whether or not you know....

With love always, Gary and (Sue)

Thank you to my lifelong friends for the gift of this poem and the genuine concern and love it represents!  - Dan