I was holding a sword
He offered me bread
Sharp was His word
No!… Kindness instead
 
“But it is Truth!”
I argued-He said…
“Just leave that to Me…
You need to be led”
 
The sword of My word
Just swing at the one
Who tells only lies
And hinders your run
 
Don’t take the sword
Into your camp
Don’t swing it around
Instead, light a lamp
 
Bread and light
Kindness and care
The sword finds its mark…
Soon hope is there
 
Our Great Physician
Handles so well
The sword of His word
And then He can tell
 
That the touch of His hand
Has eased all the pain
Love in the wound
Comfort again
 
The wounds of a friend
Not meant to offend
The Spirit of Love
Brings peace again
 
 
David Kettler
August 7th 2017

The birdfeeder is empty
Doves look on with disdain
They just wanted a little relief
Hunger is such a pain
 
The Jays are flat out ticked
Voicing loud their complaint
Poking at the empty tray
And the neglected gratuity taint
 
The sparrows are a flighty bunch
They come and go at will
Dropping in and darting out
Never sitting still
 
They have no patience whatsoever
When the food is gone
They’re off to greener pastures
On someone else’s lawn
 
The doves they wait so patiently
The fence sitters they are
Hoping some kind soul will fill
The bird feeder jar
 
The jays they crash the party
With arrogant intent
Blue breasted bullies with disregard
Till the last little seed is spent
 
The bird feeder is empty
Welfare for wings has flown
The birds they are restless
 But then…that’s all they’ve ever known
 
David Kettler ​

The encourager is not always the strongest
Often they aren’t the best
Sometimes they’re in the background
Encouraging the rest
 
They celebrate the talent
Seen within their peers
Bursting with exultation
Or sharing in their tears
 
They’re the glue within the team
Pulling them all together
Crystalizing the goal
Validating the endeavor
 
The encourager waves the towel
Not to show surrender
 To encourage those on the field
To try and always remember
 
That the ones standing on the sidelines
are also part of the game
All the hands on the trophy
are one and all the same
 
David Kettler
10/29/2015
 
 
Notes: Loretta Curtis got me thinking about this. Or should I say…she encouraged me to think about this! She is quite the encourager herself!!

Clouds without water in a thirsty land
The promise of life for barren sand
Intense longing from a thirsty sky
Expectation has left us dry

Our fruitful valley the world does feed
But now it's US who are found in need
Of life-giving water from high up above
Show us a sign...show us the love

The hope and longing are the hardest part
A promise in the clouds where the rain would start
The dark sky is threatening, the thunder it rolls
But the ground is dying...thirst all that it knows

The seeds they look up, and the branches do too
At clouds without water...who pass right on through
Begging for moisture, life-giving to bring
Drought in its soil...hope in its cling

David Kettler
 


Notes: The California Valley where we live was gripped in drought at the time I wrote this. Obviously the thought was inspired by the little book of Jude vs. 12. I think the theme is the “anticipation” by seeing the clouds…only to then be disappointed. Jude’s letter seems somewhat like a “hall of shame” listing of people who should have been helpful, refreshing, nurturing….but then were the opposite.
​

Short ones tall ones
Big ones small ones
Dark, lite, dim, bright
Only one feels just right
 
They come they go
Some fast some slow
Carrying their goods
And their cares
At different pace
For different fares
 
Each with talents
And some with demons
Some realized
And some just schemin
 
Living life
Loving a little
Wanting fame
But stuck in the middle
 
So many souls
On this earth
All are worthy
Of some worth
 
Seeking joy
A sense of longing
Validation
And belonging
 
David Kettler
 
05/27/17
 
Note: I wrote this while waiting for Brenda to come out of the store where she was shopping. I just punched it into the note section on my I-phone. I love writing and I also love remembering places and times that inspired certain poems. I will never go to that spot in Valencia without remembering this poem! The sight of all these young people somewhat all looking alike, yet wanting to be individuals and wanting to be special was impressive. I remember Tom Hopkins saying that kids want to stand out, so they do something out of the ordinary and then other kids think, “Hey that’s cool” and they start doing it too, After a while, what was individualistic again becomes the group!

I needed some love but alas none was found
the tree had not even been planted!
The fruit of the spirit that grows from the ground
often is just taken for granted
 
When the test comes and the need is so great
it’s far too late to get started
The response that comes out is whatever we’ve practiced
and many times leaves us dis-hearted
 
Kindness and love are things that are grown
over time in our very own garden
The fruit that we bear and the spirit we show
of patience forgiveness and pardon
 
Practice is the key-the seed we must water
to reap a desired result
When the battle is near-words from our mouth
will show what our practice has built
 
Love and kindness, patience and grace…
things that are grown without lack
When the test comes in the heat of the day…
that’s when we want them all back!
 
Just don’t expect them to all just be there
ready, as if on demand…
If all we have practiced, are fruitless endeavors
planted in shifting sand
 
 
David Kettler
July 22nd 2017

I set out on the sea of life
The waves they howl and quake
People everywhere are drowning
Not able much more to take
 
I’m afraid that if I try to help
They’ll grasp and pull me down
Panic and fear and pleading eyes
are all I see around
 
 If I take out to sea the One with me
Who walks upon the water…
He can lift and help them all
From being leviathan’s Fodder
 
Sometimes it’s me who is sinking fast
And His hand I need to hold
Naked and afraid, I see the waves
Intimidating and bold
 
He helped my brother the fisherman
He helped His boatload of men
He helped calm the raging sea
even now as He did help then
 
The cozy home and safe abode
Call sweetly and offer relief
But the help that’s needed
So desperately
Is found on the churning reef
 
Where souls are drowning
all around us
and cries of help are heard
Just offer the hand of the One
who walks with you
And quickly his life vest gird
 
So do not venture each day out to sea
to help the poor souls who drown
Without the One who walks on the water
And never will let people down
 
 
 
David Kettler, 2/11/16

The dusty desert trek of life
the grit the wind the sand
Endless miles of burning sun
that scorch the empty land
 
Oh for a sip of something cool
To quench my thirsty soul
So parche’d in its long pursuit
of distant blessed goal
 
What do I see? - Oh could it be…
a far-off group of trees?
An oasis holds the answer
And it’s there for me to seize!
 
Refreshing water…pure and sweet!
The answer to my pleas
My cup is running over
And I drop on thankful knees
 
A joy that I cannot describe
Refreshed beyond compare
I cinch up my pack to travel on
I must not tarry there
 
This journey has a goal in view
So I’m off again at dawn
To follow the dusty desert trail
Were others too, have gone
 
David Kettler
October 30th 2016
 
Note: I wrote this after our “before special meeting” “special Wednesday night meeting.” Sometimes I think that Wed night meeting before special meeting is more special than the special meeting! Anyway, Debbie Gillette spoke something to the effect that we are not just journeying to just journey…there is a destination to our journeying.