First Born

 

For you, I have no malice in my heart.

Just love and care from the very start

Your beaming smile captured all my soul

And holds it there, what e're the toll

My first born grand you've always been

I need not search for a closer kin,

Not that I would or ever can

My love for you shall never wan

I think of times on sea and sand

Of joy and fun in that happen band

Sometimes t'was joy and sometimes tears

We've shared them both across the years

The future holds, an unknown destiny

For life is filled with much uncertainty

No matter what, the choices made

My love for you will never fade

Hide His Word in your Heart

 

For God has made us all , it seems 

The same, and yet, He deems

To cast the load to whom seem best to bear

To those who've learned just how to care

For we are weak and cannot on our own

Find ways to lift the things that weigh us down

We find our strength within His arms

Within His power to shield from harms

His word is true and is the link

To lift your load, so you'll not sink

Trust is the key to fill your cup 

To give you strength and lift you up

So sing his praises everyday

To feel his power in every way

He'll never from your side depart

If His word you hide, deep in your heart.

Written by David Warbritton for the Warbritton family, no usage without the author's consent.

 

Happy Birthday Darlin'

An auburn-haired beauty was she,

With grace, she enchanted poor me.

She spread her mellifluous charm,

To all whom were favored to meet,

And knocked them right off-of-their feet

I emerged from the midst of the throng;

As she spun her delightful diphthong.

When I climbed to the top of the list,

I asked the great question of time,

And she became evermore mine.

She pledged to betroth,

And each day to bestow,

All the love that one could endure.

Have I told you today? She would playfully whim,

And it filled my poor heart to the brim.

By God’s grace she’s mine,

What a blessing so fine!

I don’t even know where to start.

She’s the girl of my dreams; she filled every need;

I was blessed beyond hope- Indeed!

May the good Lord who sent you,

Give you all he deems you are due,

And as you pursued all the goals of your life

I trust he always blessed you,

And I trust that I’ll be there too!

To my Darlin' Cheryl Lee Connor Warbritton.

From your faithful, loving, patient, perfectly happy

and adoring soul mate on this life’s journey.

Why Do the Bells of Christmas Ring?

 Why Do the Bells of Christmas Ring?

by Eugene Field

Why do the bells of Christmas ring?

Why do little children sing?

Once a lovely shining star,

Seen by shepherds from afar,

Gently moved until its light

Made a manger's cradle bright.

There a darling baby lay,

Pillowed soft upon the hay;

And its mother sung and smiled:

This is Christ, the holy Child!

  Therefore bells for Christmas ring,

Therefore little children sing.

The Winds of Fall

 As I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly I heard a sound

Rustling leaves outside my door, merely leaves, being moved around

My eyes were closed, or almost there 

As I reposed, sunk deep in my chair

The wind, it swirls this time of year

The freshly fallen leaves are near

They rustle as the wind doth mourn

They shuffle as they sail airborne

My thoughts were sailing with the wind

The wounds return and seldom mend

Of times gone by, once filled with joys

Now pushed aside, like discarded toys

I can see her face, I can feel her touch

Her mirthful eyes spoke, oh so much

Her tender touch reached pure and deep 

And still it lingers, e'en in my sleep

No greater love had mortal man

Than I for she, there is no wan

Tho I grow old and cannot see

My love for her will constant be

No knocking raps upon my door

No raven quoting "nevermore"

Only thoughts from my soul doth soar

Simply thoughts of her, "forevermore"

So rustle all you winds of Fall

And wake me from my sleepy pall

You'll not create me any peril

My thoughts revert to my sweet Cheryl.

She Could Have Been

 

My youngest daughter, Angela

She's certainly not mine, but she could've been

The older we grow, we're more like kin

She was almost thirteen when first we met

I was hopelessly lost in her Mama's net

A child to raise, I needed no more

Having finished the task, with a previous four

But God grants you gifts you don't recognize

'Specially when your eyes are fixed on a prize

What a special day, what a ceremony

As her Mom and I joined in matrimony

Each of our kids took part in the fun

As the clouds rolled away and we stood in the sun

Tho' I did make the offer,  to take  her in too

She chose to remain and not become new

A promise I honored and did never refrain

To keep her on track, her goals to attain

From a Sunday School slip of a "Brown of panties"

She's now leader in sales, with no ranties

Clever and witty is she, there's no doubt

Her words and her actions bring plenty of clout

Along the way she began her own story

With John and three boys to earn their own glory

Tho Nana's in Heaven, be assured she looks down

To remind her of course, that panties aren't brown

So as I reflect on what I have gained

With her Mom, I got her,  and all she's attained

But God chose the time and picked out the when

She's certainly not mine, but she should've been

To my sweet Angela Lee which by the way, is my middle name too.

Just before I met Cheryl

First Christmas together

The Beach House

The beach house

First light

The sun is like a sparkling ball

Bailey and Scouts' view

The sun struggles to break through the clouds and the mist

First light above the horizon

We went to the beach where St Augustine be

To a house sitting next to the mighty blue sea,

We'd only to walk a few steps or more

To the edge of the dune, not far from the door.

The beautiful rise of the sun seemed to me

Like a bright glitter ball, as it skipped 'cross the sea

It struggled to burn past the clouds, and the mist

To illumine the surf, and all things it kiss't

Each day brought new clouds, and new vistas too

For the palms and the beach took on a fresh hue

Sunsets  'cross the river, on the back of the place

Closed each day with hope and a smile on your face.

As each day waxed in the sun and the sand

New things would unfold, both wondrous and grand

Overhead flights of pelican formations

Up the beach, down the beach, no sure destinations

Make time to trek to the coast in your life

Make time to relax and escape all your strife

But don't lose sight of what it all seems

Of the ones you love and share with your dreams

We walked down that beach with memories past

Holding close  to thoughts that ever shall last

Gripping tight to the  hand of one held so sweet

One, who for sure, in Heav'n we'll meet

Take time to share with those you are given

With an eye toward God, your father in Heaven

For the pleasure of family and the things that we love

Mean  more than the sea and the sun up above

New vistas every day

The pelican Patrol

A beautiful golden sunrise  over the beach

The pelican patrol flight leader

Sunset over the Matanzas River

Playing Wordle with Johnathon, "Lets start with 'water', Poppy" (Every new game)

b

Bennett and Bailey with Poppy

Poppy and Weston having fun

On the beach on the 4th of July with Angela, the boys and the girls

On the deck the morning I left

Trained guard dog warding off evil beach walkers with dogs.

Lord, thanks for those times we all shared together

Tis the kind of thing we'll remember forever

Life's too short to skip the best parts

Those times when together, we all shared our hearts.

Amen

The last sunset over the Matanzas before I left

The final flight, not really, they are endless, like my memories