Saturday, August 27, 2016

Stone Strong

Hello, all. This was penned a few minutes ago for a former student of mine.

Yes, you are strong and I will tell you why.
 Look at this:

There is a man named Stone
Who said that he used to be strong
Then stuff and more stuff kept hitting him hard
And he decided that he had been wrong.

But I remember a teacher who took life by the throat
And said, "Alright y'all, I'm making my play
Throw at me what you will and see
That I'm gonna make it anyway.

Life for me has not been a bowl of cherries
And every day has not always been merry
But the lemons I was given, I used to make lemonade
And rocked on to build a solid life
A task by which a lesser person
Would have been broken and out laid."

About Mrs. Alma Jones, folk said that she 
Was a strong lady, that there was no doubt
Many folks said that she was good and stout
When life tried to break her and often made her cry
She picked up her broken pieces and
Used the new batch of lemons to
Because she was tired of lemonade, 
Become skilled at making lemon pie.

So, Stone, I see in you a person such as I
You get hit this way and you get hit that way
But your brain, though weary, is at all times figuring out
Ways to counteract this and maneuver around that
Even though sometimes you get knocked down flat.

You and I have become pros at making lemonade, lemon pie, and lemon cake
By handling those lemons with whatever it takes
Eating the recipes that life forces us to make
But we keep going on for posterity's sake.

We keep going on and on
Because posterity says, "We must be strong."

One last thing that I bet you didn't know
You didn't know that I admired the grit
And strength that I see in you
You are surprised, son don't be
Because I see in you another me!

You see Stone, you and I were fighters
From the day that we were born
So though you get tired and though you get worn
There is a praying old lady who
Keeps calling your name
As she lifts you up in prayer
Who asks Jesus to keep you in a fortress sturdy as a rock
To guard that child of hers named Stone.

See what you did, you pulled another poem 
Out of me and it was all done for you
Don't give up fellow, you are close to breaking through
Join me in a word of prayer, one for me and one for you, too
For yes, Stone, this old teacher of yours
Still cares what happens to you!

***********

Three was a spiritual life
That became a broken life
Yet, that spiritual life does remain
For I touched said life again.

So, let your touch be one that heals
Whatever it may touch
Let your caring flow through your fingers
Wherever you may go, because the gift that
You were given requires that you give back much.

For, you bear that gift for nought
But to help wounded soldiers who
On the battlefield have fought.


Doing What I Can While I Can,
Alma Jones

Aside - I have a YouTube video that I wanted to show you called"Grammy Alma in Don't Give Up." It is available for viewing on YouTube. I cannot download it for you yet. I will try again later today.


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