Dina,
God’s gifts are good and perfect, His promises are true.
It is a precious gift for me, to celebrate 35 years with you.
As we care together, share together, live our lives as one;
Looking to the light of God, following His Son;
May our lives and our love, show the world why Jesus came.
I love you precious Dina, and will forever, In His Name.
Go, tell his disciples and Peter, . . . (Mark 16:7, NIV)
But Now . . . Follow Me
by Ryan M. Roberts
Where Jesus walked, the disciples followed;
But not all the way.
“Where I go now, you can’t. But later, ...”
Was all that He would say.
After midday prayers, Peter’s words rang out,
“No matter what or where or who;
You are mine, and I am yours.”
He said, “I will die with you!”
Amid friends huddled ‘round the fire that night;
“Hosannas!” gleamed in memory.
With hopes high, but resolve low,
The glow faded into Gethsemane.
They watched with the Christ in darkness,
But their prayers turned quickly to sleep.
And Peter’s vow, though earnest,
Was more than he could keep.
He drew his sword at the gleam of the torch,
But the Lord said, “No more of this!”
Jesus touched and healed His enemy;
And was led away, betrayed by a kiss.
Peter followed Him from a distance;
Keeping warm by the fire of his foe.
When asked, “You’re with Jesus, yes?”
Three times his response was, “No.”
With the lies came a rooster’s crow.
The look, a whip, the crown, a hill,
A cross, the cry, a spear thrust forth;
The King of Kings to kill.
Three days passed, Peter sat alone;
The guilt and regret—his choice.
Now what? Now where? Now who?
“He’s gone!” Peter leapt at Mary’s voice.
He ran to the tomb, bent low and went in,
Echoes, predictions, rags filled the space.
“Tear down this temple and in three days it will rise.”
Peter left, wonder full on his face.
There were sightings and sayings that, “He is alive!”
Stories no book could contain.
Yet ashamed, Peter watched the Christ from afar;
He should laud, but his failures remained.
Peter said to his friends, “Let’s fish,” and they went,
To row and to cast was no chore.
The fish, they were few, but the company good;
Then they heard a voice from the shore.
Jesus was there, by the fire, cooking food.
He said, “Come my friends, let’s eat.”
Peter pledged all his love—heart, mind and soul,
Jesus smiled and said, “Feed my sheep.”
“Your own efforts and failures, left you lost and in chains,
Through my wounds and my death you are free.
Where I went, you could not go on your own,
But now . . . in my power, follow Me.”
This Tree
by Ryan M. Roberts
This is a picture of our Christmas tree,
and it may be, that it means nothing to you,
But to me . . .
It was adorned by hands that I love, love, love,
and is topped by a star of promise from above.
The ornaments that fill the branches and boughs,
hold stories that range from then until now.
They are memories of God’s faithful hand in our lives,
that tell of His goodness and keep Hope alive.
The lights that shine brightly into the night,
remind us it's time for joy and delight.
The wondrous sight of our Christmas tree,
calls to mind words the angel said unto me,
"This day is born a Savior—Jesus your Lord,
who paid a price for you, that none could afford."
So, when I look at our tree, I see Jesus in all,
I hear “Come unto me” and harken His call.
This is a picture of our Christmas tree,
And it may be, that it means nothing to you,
But to me . . .
Doubly-Blessed
Happy Birthday Dad!
You are the best.
So thankful for you, born this day 22,
In the month of 11, the year 44;
An important date, for sure.
You’re now 77, a gift straight from heaven;
And today we’re all doubly-blessed.
Missing
By Ryan M. Roberts
I was reading in Mark 9 today and noticed something odd,
There is a verse missing in my Word of God.
Verse 44 is gone. I guess its message doesn’t sell.
I suspect its absence is because it starkly details Hell.
Like eye or hand that sins, this verse was cut, or plucked it seems;
In this pick and choose approach I find a Jeffersonian theme.
Not much has changed in you and me, from Mount Sinai until now;
We’re ever making a god our own, much like the golden cow.
If you’re sticking with me, on this awkward, odd excursion;
You’ll find the missing verse still in the King James Version.
Consequence for choices, newer Bible versions quell,
But even in their footnotes, the missing verse describes Hell.
It speaks of death and loss, and of fire never ending.
But against that backdrop stands a cross, and a loving Father sending,
His only Son to die for all, including you and me;
Yet even then, our pride rejects the verses we can see.
Like where it says God stays his hand, wanting all to repent;
He longs to live within our hearts, but not without consent.
It is our lives and minds he wants—our love, His final plea,
Draw near to God and you will find great grace and rich mercy.
Here at the close of this long rhyme, I’ve told all that I can tell,
We must decide if we’ll abide a God that includes Hell.
Consider this, the author of verse 44—the One we are dismissing,
He leaves the ninety-nine to find the precious one that’s missing.
Today
By Ryan M. Roberts
Distance lends enchantment.
Anticipation exceeds fulfillment.
Oh, how we pine for the “good old days,”
and idealize the weekend, vacation . . . retirement.
In the disillusion of the past
and the distraction of the future,
we miss the reality right before us—
the joy of Jesus, Today.
This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.
(Psalm 118:24, NLT)
𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙉𝙤𝙬 . . .
by Ryan M. Roberts
Where Jesus walked, the disciples followed;
But not all the way.
“Where I go now, you can’t. But later . . . ”
Was all that He would say.
After midday prayers, Peter’s words rang out,
“No matter what or where or who;
You are mine, and I am yours,
I will die with you!”
Amid friends, huddled ‘round the fire that night;
“Hosanna in the highest!” a bright memory.
With hopes high, resolve low,
The glow faded into Gethsemane.
Watching ends in darkness,
Prayers turn to sleep,
And Peter’s vow, though earnest,
Was more than he could keep.
He followed Jesus at a distance;
Keeping warm by the fire of his foe.
When asked, “You’re with Jesus, yes?”
Three times his response was, “No.”
Then came the loss, despair . . . the death.
A look, the whip, a crown, the hill,
A cross, the cry, a spear thrust forth;
The King of Kings to kill.
Three days passed, Peter sat alone;
With guilt and regret—his choice.
Now what? Now where? Now who?
“He’s gone!”
Peter leapt at Mary’s voice.
He ran to the tomb, bent low, went inside,
Echoes, predictions, rags filled the space.
“Tear down this temple and in three days it will rise.”
Peter left, wonder full on his face.
There were sightings and sayings that, “He is alive!”
Stories no book could contain.
Yet ashamed, Peter watched the Christ from afar;
He should laud, but his failures remained.
Peter said to his friends, “Let’s fish,” and they went,
To row and to cast was no chore.
The fish, they were few, but the company good;
Then they heard a voice from the shore.
Jesus was there, by the fire, cooking fish.
He said, “Come my friends, let’s eat.”
Peter pledged all his love—heart, mind and soul,
Jesus smiled and said, “Feed my sheep.”
“Your own efforts and failures, left you lost and in chains,
But through my wounds and my death you are free.
Where I went, you could not go on your own,
But now . . . in my power, Follow Me.”
This Tree (a poem)
by Ryan M. Roberts
This is a picture of our Christmas tree,
and it may be, that it means nothing to you,
but to me . . .
It was adorned by hands that I love, love, love,
and is topped by a star of promise from above.
The ornaments that fill the branches and boughs,
hold stories that range from then until now.
They are memories of God’s faithful hand in our lives,
they tell of His goodness and keep Hope alive.
The lights that shine brightly into the night,
remind us it's time for joy and delight.
The wondrous sight of our Christmas tree,
calls to mind words the angel said unto me,
"This day is born a Savior—Jesus your Lord,
who paid a price for you, that none could afford."
So, when I look at our tree, I see Jesus in all,
I hear “Come unto me” and harken His call.
This is a picture of our Christmas tree,
And it may be, that it means nothing to you,
But to me . . .
Dina, today we celebrate our 33rd wedding anniversary. Looking back on 2020, what a year . . . It has been one of immense joy, intense struggle, and God’s abundant faithfulness and blessing in our lives. You have been with me every step of the way and for that, I’m thankful. You are God’s gift to me. Looking ahead, I like what J.H. Jowett says, “The knowledge of the future path really matters nothing: the perception of the present companionship matters everything!” I am so blessed to have you and Jesus in my life.
With all my love,
Ryan
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. (Ecclesiastes 4:12, NIV)
Anniversary Poem—I’m Blessed
Dina,
They say a picture’s worth a thousand words
but I say ten thousand is too few.
As I struggle, slip and slide through life,
I’m glad that it’s with you.
Your smile, your love, your constant care,
steady me as I glide;
and even when I trip and fall,
you’re there right by my side.
As the days fly by, the seasons pass,
and the calendar hints we're old;
I’m blessed by God, and this is true,
that the one, whose mittened hand I hold,
is you.
𝐹𝑜𝑢𝑟𝑡𝑒𝑒𝑛 𝑦𝑒𝑎𝑟𝑠 𝑎𝑔𝑜 𝐵𝑒𝑐𝑐𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑆𝑎𝑟𝑎ℎ 𝑚𝑜𝑣𝑒𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑆𝑜𝑢𝑡ℎ 𝐾𝑜𝑟𝑒𝑎 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑚𝑎𝑑𝑒 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝑌𝑒 𝐸𝑢𝑛. 𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑦 𝑑𝑖𝑑𝑛’𝑡 𝑠𝑝𝑒𝑎𝑘 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑠𝑎𝑚𝑒 𝑙𝑎𝑛𝑔𝑢𝑎𝑔𝑒, 𝑏𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑎𝑡 𝑑𝑖𝑑𝑛’𝑡 𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑡𝑒𝑟. 𝐻𝑒𝑟𝑒’𝑠 𝑎 𝑙𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝑝𝑜𝑒𝑚 𝑎𝑏𝑜𝑢𝑡 𝑡ℎ𝑒𝑖𝑟 𝑓𝑟𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑑𝑠ℎ𝑖𝑝. —RMR
Friends
The morning bright is crisp with the delight of child's play,
Three souls from worlds apart share of themselves this day.
A simple wave, an outstretched hand, a smile beckons fun;
A time of joy is had by all as they slide and swing and run.
Laughter, hugs, squeals and shrugs serve as the talk today,
There is no language lost in words that love can say.
As our hearts reach out and lives extend, unstopped till each day's end;
May we find great value in each other, the treasure of a friend.
"𝑨 𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒔..." (Proverbs 17:17, NIV)