Home

Our home looked out across the seas

I looked out every morning

Out across the mangrove trees

To see the new day dawning.

I could see our house cow grazing

Or calmly chewing cud

And all the she-oaks waving

As the trees came into bud.

We planted native trees there

And a vegie garden too

A lemon tree had fruit to bear

And we had an outback loo!

That was the home of our youth

Where we brought our babies home

But now we are ‘long in the tooth’

And all our young ones are grown,

Our new home now is quite small

And it is low to the ground

With ease of access to all

The dear friends who still come around.

But strong is the roof overhead

And the windows keep out the rain,

And warm is our comfortable bed

So we thank the dear Lord once again.

He has blessed us with long years together

And children who follow Him too.

In the evenings we still pray together

Many thanks our dear Saviour to You.

A Letter to My Grandfather

Dear Grandfather whom I never knew,

Let me write a letter to you.

Like Abram seeking the promised land

You trusted that God had in all in hand

When you left your native shore

Looking for land where there was more,

More than enough for your many sons

To live and grow and be the ones

To feed the people with milk and cream.

You bought a farm beside a stream

And there your family lived and grew

All becoming a credit to you.

Sundays were spent in needful work

And always you drove your family to kirk.

When the preacher was found in conduct sinister

You answered “but I don’t worship the minister!”

Your faith was lived in word and deed—

Food freely given to those in need,

And many a swagman who came to you door

Was given a bed on the hayshed floor.

A crippled son returned to your aid—

His wife was paid as a dairy maid.

His family lived with you again.

An orphaned baby was welcomed in.

In all this you were helped by your loyal wife

 Who shared your faith, your view of life.

She laughed and toiled by your side,

Many years since she became your bride.

And so I thank the God above

For I am wrapped around with love.

Your family became my uncles and aunts

Who loved me dearly and I can’t

Begin to imagine how much I owe,

As onward day by day I go,

To the grace of one I never knew.

I write to send my thanks to you.