SPECIAL ASSISTANCE

Special assistance, S/A for short
Wrote on a ticket at the airport
Given to my son for his first flight
Special assistance to keep him just right

To aid him in airport and to fly in the air
At each stage going through someone would be there
No need to worry, help for my son
To see he was kept right, all would be done.

I have a ticket though not held in my hand
It is for my flight to a far of land
On it written Special assistance, S/A for short
To get me to Heaven from earth’s airport

I will be guided each step until ready for my flight
For Jesus wrote it there to keep me just right
He wrote it with His blood, it is my guarantee
That His special assistance will be given to me

He even bought the ticket for my flight to the sky
When He went to Calvary to suffer and die
He knows the way home for He arose to the air
So I can trust the S/A on my ticket written there

In airports we know many hours waiting around
Before our flights are called and we leave the ground
But however long my waiting on earth shall be
His promise on this ticket is special assistance to me

Colin Moffett

Photo courtesy of Jeannine McMullen....thank you Jeannine!

SWEET HAWTHORN TREE

I sat against you sweet hawthorn tree
Your leafy canopy shading me
Whiling away the peaceful day
In warming heat of early May

Listening to the blackbird sing
Her song of praise in joy of spring
I saw your blossoms white as snow
Dance in breeze soft and slow

In summer days I passed you by
You stood serene beneath cloudless sky
Then in autumn mist your berries red
Were decked like rubies upon your head

When biting frost coated winter morn
Your branches bare with piercing thorn
I gaze at you sweet hawthorn tree
What truths of gospel you tell to me

Your blossoms white swaying soft and slow
Speak of the One purer than snow
Hanging from a branch as He bled
His blood running down like your berries red

What sharpness in your fiercesome thorn
Like ones that crowned Him on that morn
Then took Him out to crucify
On bark of tree beneath eastern sky

Your buds that open up in spring
Speak of new life this truth you bring
His life renewed and new life for me
These things you tell sweet hawthorn tree

Colin Moffett

A COUNTRY POET

I breathe the air on the Tully hillside
As I view the vista wide
Of its abundant treasures I take note
For I am simply a country poet

To tell in rhyme the best I can
Of sunlight dancing on the River Bann
And in the distance far away
The gleaming waters of sweet Lough Neagh

In reflective thought I stand alone
To view the village of Portglenone
In the distance beneath sky of blue
The Sperrin Mountains are in view

As I turn in wonder all around
I see Slemish Mountain rise from the ground
Shades of green in every field
Or ploughed brown to bring forth yield

A panoramic view I see it all
My home in the distance looking small
To my Creator I will devote
The praise of my heart, His country poet

For I am of the country and the country in me
A town or a city is where I can’t be
It would break my heart not to walk hillside or glen
Or wade the stream of flowered meadow again

Thank you Lord for giving me this land
To view its beauty created by your hand
Another thing I surely must note
Is thank God for making me His country poet

Colin Moffett

A COUNTRY LANE

In tranquil peace of country lane
Each hedgerow crowned with lofty trees
As the breeze it played and tossed their leaves
Two friends prayed beneath them on their knees

In union now when one had travelled
Across Ocean waters deep and wide
On Irish soft bladed grass of sun kissed green
They closed their eyes side by side

The primroses smiled at bluebells nodding
As butterflies danced that summer’s day
Sweet birdsong drifted in the pure fresh air
When God came near to hear them pray

No chapel wall stones closed them in
But hedgerow and trees growing high
No ornate ceiling covered their bowed heads
Just mighty dome of deep blue sky

Sweet was the time yet so tearful too
As their prayers from lips so heartfelt
Ascended to their Saviour up above
From flower clad bank where they knelt

Two friends they know since that wondrous day
Their prayers together were not in vain
For God surely blessed them since they prayed
And talked to Him in a quiet country lane

Colin Moffett

MY COUNTRY AND MY HOME

Blue Hills of Antrim and green glens as well
The costal road by the mighty ocean swell
Meadows and forests and where rivers run free
The countryside of home is where I will be

Breathing the air so pure and so clean
Treading upon the grass so rich and so green
The beauty on offer is what I enjoy
It pulls at the heartstrings of this country boy

Oh Ireland my country, my dear lovely land
Created with such beauty by God’s mighty hand
As my life lingers on and I can breathe still awhile
I’ll thank Him each day for this Emerald Isle

I will walk this land as long as I may
The hillsides and valleys and by the coastal way
And ponder in my heart, how can it be
That a land more beautiful is waiting for me

When I close my eyes and bid a last farewell
To the hills, quiet forests and the mighty ocean swell
When Ireland her glens I never more will roam
I shall see greater beauty in my heavenly land of home

Colin Moffett

WHAT WAY WILL YOU SWING?

There is an old swing, such a story to bring
When I see it hanging on its chains
From the trees lofty bough, I shall try to tell how
The story of the Cross it explains

How people will swing, it’s a strange thing
To see them change their opinions so readily
For Jesus they lauded and Him they applauded
But now cried for His death most steadily

Pilate swung with the crowd, when they cried out loud
Crucify Him and spill His blood on the ground
They thought it was good to swing Him up on the wood
Yet no guilt in Him was ever found

So they swung His arms out, fixed His hands time about
With nails and a hammer, swung away
His feet were nailed through, then between thieves, two
His cross was swung upright that day

So there on a tree, on Calvary you see
Not growing but Life was on its bark
For God’s Son that He gifted, was on it lifted
Suffering as early day grew dark

Evil was on the upswing, but I’ll tell you this thing
Good was the winner that day
Jesus is able to save for He conquered the grave
And the devil over the redeemed no longer has sway

What way will you swing, now that is the thing
What way will you swing below the Cross tree
For they swung Jesus high, just to watch Him die
And on it He died for you and me

Will you swing along with them, and Jesus condemn
What way will your answer be
Will you swing back to your sin, or forward to win
What Jesus bought for you when He was swung on that tree

Colin Moffett

Photo courtesy of Patricia Moore...thank you Patty!

THE GARDEN

When sun it shines at early dawn
The sparkling dewdrops sprinkle lawn
And in my garden where the flowers grow
I remember my God planted one long ago

For He once walked at cool of day
And called to Adam and Eve along the way
But they had sinned and need pardon
And God drove them from Eden’s garden

I stroll in my garden while the birds sing
I see snowdrops; daffodils welcome spring
All new life that I can see
Reminds there is new birth for me

I kneel to weed beneath sky of blue
And remember Jesus kneeled in a garden too
I wonder if His tears sprinkled the flowers
As he prayed alone in those darkest hours

I see the beauty of a rose
My Lord is lovelier than one of those
And the lily growing fair
Its beauty to Him cannot compare

I jag myself on the prickly thorn
My Lord crowned with those on crufixion morn
He whispers to me when I toil
My words of life will flourish in the good soil

His beauty is in each flower I see
There is no place where I would rather be
For I am nearer to Him who gives me pardon
When I worship Him there in my beautiful garden

Colin Moffett

WONDERING EYES

When wondering eyes viewed foreign shore
Of promised land never seen before
And treasured friend with smiling face
Welcomed another one with warm embrace

When ended flight over Atlantic foam
Brought weary traveller to an Irish home
When joy in heart could not hide
As wondering eyes viewed countryside

And knew such beauty had been unseen
Until they rested there on Ireland’s green
When lips they curved in easy smile
As peace was found in an Emerald Isle

Think of what wondering eyes may see
When life’s journey ends for you and me
As we step on the foreign shore
Of Promised Land never seen before

When Jesus greets with warm embrace
And wondering eyes behold His face
Where joy in heart will never hide
As we view in awe God’s countryside

Now wondering eyes have finally seen
Where wondering eyes have never been
Until we crossed the churning foam
And our wondering eyes view Heaven’s Home

Colin Moffett

THE TURNING TIDE

My Saviour died; He gave His all
When I was young I heard His call
His blood was spilled; I turned aside
And plunged beneath the crimson tide

And oh what wondrous uplifting joy
He answered prayer; when just a boy
His arms held open; welcoming wide
And His love flowed over me like the ocean tide

I sank below it oh so deep
When joy and happiness over me did sweep
When on the crest of a wave I did ride
And my heart was as light as the foam topped tide

But the winds came later and stirred the waves
And I seemed to loose grip on the One who saves
Drifting away from the Saviour’s side
Tossed on the billows of the angry tide

I called for help but none would hear
They turned to me the deafened ear
They walked away from the ocean wide
And cared not I was sinking beneath the rolling tide

I cried in my misery and despair
Thinking not that my Saviour was always there
And He reached His hand and did gently chide
Did you think I would let you drown in the churning tide?

I heard your cries but I had plans for you
I know for me your heart is true
I know your thoughts; nothing can you hide
And I will calm for you now the restless tide

And He rolled away the heartaches of the years
And He dried my eyes and wiped away the tears
And I know with assurance from deep inside
He has answered prayer and set me on a turning tide

Colin Moffett

THE FAST FLOWING RIVER

Oh the fast and running river
Its waters flowing ever
Easily it powers itself along
I will leave the waterside
Plunge into its rushing tide
To be carried by its currents flowing strong

I have hiked the rough terrain
My weary feet are sore with pain
Trying with my efforts to reach where I am going
But all I know what matters
That God’s fast flowing waters
Will carry me along in their ever flowing

He sends the river running by
From His mountain top on high
It is the power of God streaming from above
There is strength in its surging
Its waters to me are urging
Plunge in and be carried along by His love

I do not have to swim
Its flowing will carry me home to Him
When its waters will reach the crystal sea
Carry me along oh river
You are the stream of life forever
And your destiny will be eternal rest for me

Colin Moffett