Laughter and tears, joy and fear
These are part of growing from child to man.
Yet, darkness often accosts
By the hands of angry men again and again.
Running and riding,
Kite-flying and joy,
Playing football and cowboys,
Oh, how fun to be a young boy.
Storms and sunshine,
Rainbows and rumbling,
Run for shelter at crack of lightning,
Finding on entering, the storm’s crashing.
Short was the darkness
Maybe imagination that passed.
Skateboards and bikes anew,
Games of tag, red robin at last.
Day ends and darkness comes,
Normal though it may seem.
Enters door dark and looming,
It wasn’t imagining.
Hands raised high bring darkness,
Crack of belt brings shock and pain.
Disillusion and lost approval,
Greater loss than the “disciplining.”
Less heard is laughter
Loss of joy as fear takes its hold.
Peeking round corners
Fear of what may happen still to unfold.
Not knowing each day’s darkness,
Wary, wondering when it will come.
Inner fear, lack of presumed love,
Seeking acceptance just for once.
Enter light, so bright when arrived,
Cast darkness back from this child.
Come to Me He said,
You are loved and all mine.
Scrabbling quickly at escape,
Swiftly following toward Light’s love.
Peeking back to ensure,
Darkness corralled, no more to hurt.
Child of Light and of Day,
Belong you not to the night.
Grow in faith, love, and hope,
Strengthen you with My might.
Wear this armor of salvation
Always standing firm to the end.
Rejoice always, pray continually,
Give thanks in every circumstance.
In darkness, lost your innocence,
The first, cast away by the Light.
Look not back at fear and pain,
Keep your eyes ever on my light.
No more a victim, innocence lost.
No more a survivor staying ahead of the
dark.
Forever more than a conqueror, our Lord
declares.
Free and forever united with the Light, we
wear His armor.
Amen.
May the Lord of peace Himself give you
peace to the end.
In all times and in every way, the Lord is forever within.
(Bible texts: 1 Thessalonians 5, 8, 16-18, 2
Thessalonians 3:16, Romans 8:37-38)
