In a Short, Little Breath

This is a poem I penned during the days following the sudden passing of my dear Uncle Samuel--a godfather to me since birth and an uncle to me by marriage. And every time the words of the chorus float through my mind, I learn to rejoice that he is resting in the arms of God. 

Verse:

In a short, little breath,

All the memories made

Are disrupted by death

Of the loved one who’s laid

On the altar before us today.

In the blink of an eye,

All the plans we had made

Disappear with the sigh

That forever would fade

In the shadow above us today.

Chorus:

But the body we see

Is no longer he

For he’s in his heavenly home

And there he is free

To live painlessly

In the arms of our heavenly Lord.

If Only You Could See

Every time I enter a memorial chapel with my church's singing ensemble to bring songs of comfort, my heart goes out to the family members whose faces are drenched in tears and pale with sorrow. I feel incredibly sorry for their loss. But if only they could see their loved ones enjoying in heaven, perhaps the sorrow might not be so difficult to bear. And I hope these unique lyrics--written from the perspective of the one in heaven--might bring that comfort closer to home.

Verse:

I dwell in mountains where the sun

Would never set in sorrow;

I live a day that's never done

And will never reach tomorrow.

I sing with birds of paradise

Eternal songs of gladness;

And jubilantly I arise

Without a trace of sadness.

Chorus:

If only you could see

Me dancing round in joy,

My body light and free

Of pain that once destroyed,

If only you could see

This everlasting day,

You'd stop to smile with me

And wipe your tears away.