ELIMINATE THE NEGATIVE

Life is what you make it
it can be lived the way you choose,
in a fog of negativity
or the positive’s brighter hue.

One drags you down, makes you feel low
deprives you of your peace
the tree of self-esteem is felled
shoulders droop and smiles do cease.

Being positive on the other hand
promotes joy and good will,
spreads like ripples on the water
for all to drink their fill.

The down side fed by Satan
with his lies that kill our zeal,
there’s nothing he can offer
he has nothing that appeals.

When we meet a child of God
who’s lost the way of joy,
befriend him, help him find the way
back into God’s employ.

Just make a list of all the things
that God gives us everyday,
let the world know that you’ve chosen
to wear His smile and walk His way.

Margaret Rose Larrivee
May 19, 2007

WHEN LOVE IS FORGOTTEN

What has happened to the family
where sanity once reigned,
where we could talk about our differences
without hurtful words and pain.

Why do we have to scream and shout
I can’t stand it anymore,
it’s affected our health, I fear that our love
will be lost in the scuffle for sure.

Put ourselves into someone else’s shoes
and walk in them for a time,
we’d soon understand why they do what they do
they hurt just as we do you’ll find.

Lord help us untangle the mess of our lives
bring peace to the hearts of all men,
the hour is late and we cry for Your aid
please answer our prayer Lord, amen.

Margaret Rose Larrivee

May 17, 2007

THE FALL OF THE MIGHTY

Nimrod was a king in the Bible
who thought he was equal to God,
with all of his wealth and his inflated self
he had built a tower, the heavens to prod.

As the tower grew steadily higher
so too his ego did grow out of shape,
he pictured himself on a pedestal
what a mighty God he would make.

He couldn’t have known the Creator
or he wouldn’t have tried to outdo,
the one and only omnipotent being
the root of all love so true.

So higher and higher the tower did grow
and one day he climbed to the top,
with bow and arrow in hand, he took an arrogant stand
to the heavens his arrow he shot.

In a flash the wrath of God rained down
and flattened his tower so tall,
God gave different tongues to all who were there
they couldn’t understand each other at all.

With this lesson in hand they spread out o’er the land
with hearts more humble and true,
but I’m sad to say in our world today
we’re repeating the errors anew.

Margaret Rose Larrivee
May 17, 2007

WITH EACH NEW DAY I’M CLOSER

When I open my eyes each morning
to the miracle of a new day,
I thank You for granting to me the time
to make a difference in whatever way.

Lord you have the map of my journey
You know every twist and turn,
each place of rest Your Oasis
where in silence there’s so much to learn.

Each new day, another leg of my voyage
on the sea of Your Holy Love,
with a crew of Your Saints and Angels
these guides from heaven above.

My eyes are fixed on the glorious goal
that in Your goodness created for me,
each new day Lord I’m closer
to my eternal home with Thee.

Margaret Rose Larrivee
May 16, 2007

JUST DON’T TELL ME, SHOW ME

Words slip so easily off the tongue
sometimes without a thought,
the connection between it and the brain
this road at times is blocked.

‘I love you’ so easily spoken
then as we go about our day,
our actions speak another message
contrary to what we say.

Actions speak much louder
than words not connected to the heart,
it’s little daily acts of kindness
respect for one another to impart.

Listen when a loved one’s speaking
with your ears of head and heart,
don’t pretend to show an interest
they’ll know the truth right from the start.

When something means so much to us
we want to let them know,
to share with someone insincere
hurts and make our tears to flow.

What’s important to another
may mean nothing much to you,
when their sharing is rejected
what if it happened thus to you.

Do unto others always
what you’d have them do to you,
there’ll be fewer broken hearts
when our hearts become more true.

Margaret Rose Larrivee
May 14, 2007

THE NIGHT WATCH

Night after night I watch and wait
Your healing touch anticipate,
I know ‘twill come when least expected
my perseverance sorely tested.

In You Lord I place my trust
in my heart I know I must,
I’ve done all You asked me to
seek, ask and knock the thing to do.

Now I await Your healing touch
Your time not mine, to this truth I clutch,
I contemplate new health retrieved
dream of the joy, I’ll be relieved.

With strength renewed, I’ll give You Praise
sweet giver of mercy and of grace,
free to follow where You lead
wasted not this planted seed.

If perchance the answer’s no
forward Lord I still must go,
joined to Yours my pain and sorrow
You’ll lead me home when it’s the morrow.

Margaret Rose Larrivee
May 13, 2007

LILY OF THE VALLEY

Sweet lily of the valley
your essence drifting on the breeze,
so little, meek and humble
growing in the shade of mighty trees.

Mother Mary too a lily
whose essence wafts divine,
purest, fairest ever virgin
gift of the Father for all time.

Her gentle head bowed ever low
in deep unceasing prayer,
to intercede for all her children
that Jesus put into her care.

She cries now for their lack of love
the rejection of her Son,
who gave His life for one and all
His Sacrifice Salvation won.

She’s calling us from heaven
if we don’t soon take heed,
she’ll give in to our desires
as on earthly things we feed.

Her arm that held God’s hand aloft
from bringing down His wrath,
soon to vent His anger on the sinners
who’ve strayed far from His path.

Before this fated time arrives
all those with ears to hear,
listen to our Mother’s voice
for That Day is drawing near.

Margaret Rose Larrivee
May 12, 2007

MOTHERS THE WORLD OVER

If you put a pin into a map
for every mother on this earth,
there wouldn’t be a single space
empty round it’s girth.

Then on each pin is written love
for that’s what mothers are,
for they love with God’s agape love
shown to all both near and far.

The love of mothers wraps around
the world to those in need,
their arms, the arms of Jesus
their example like good seed.

This special love a gift from heaven
inborn their nurturing,
God’s plan was to give to everyone
someone to take away life’s sting.

When things go wrong they take you
into their arms and soothe,
whatever’s tearing at your heart
it’s frightened beats they smooth.

God bless them each and everyone
prepare their mansion there with you,
for their mother - hearts are spent in loving
all Your Children their lives through.

Margaret Rose Larrivee
May 12, 2007

PRECIOUS MEMORIES

Mother’s Day brings fondest memories
flooding back, your presence missed,
six long years have come and gone
since our farewells when we kissed.

Your smiling face still lingers
in my heart’s treasury,
and will until the end of time
for you meant so much to me.

All you taught us is as fresh today
as when spoken long ago,
your lessons on the ‘Golden Rule’
to our children now we show.

I pray that all your goodness
flows like a torrent through our veins,
and the pains you suffered for us
have not all been in vain.

I know you’re there with Jesus
living in His tender care,
and we await the day dear mother
when we go to meet you there.

Margaret Rose Larrivee
May 10, 2007

MARY’S ROSARY

Mother Mary has been sending
to all her children for some time,
messages of peace and pleading
shedding tears for all mankind.

She sees the depths of sinfulness
where we have come to dwell,
and her tears pour out in torrents
we hear not death’s warning knell.

Mary’s pleas of Pray, Pray, Pray
say the Rosary everyday,
if all were to heed this message
it could bring a brand new day.

Each Hail Mary prayed with fervour
will bring her mantle down,
to cover all our families
unity at last be found.

The Hail Mary’s lead us to Jesus
in every Our Father prayed,
His Prayer given to us
to help us see His way.

In the Glory be’s we praise Him
for all His gifts divine,
especially His eternal love
and for our Mother so sublime.

It only takes a little time
from out our days of busyness,
the rewards will be a multitude
of pure grace and happiness.

The world at last will start to change
and Satan will be chained,
with his demons and his cohorts
eternally in Hell to reign

Margaret Rose Larrivee
May 08, 2007

P A I N

Though this day is bright with sunshine
hope and blessings all renewed,
increasing pain keeps me from smiling
how will I endure the whole day through.

I know You’re always with me Lord
for You promised so to do,
when pain mounts up to fever pitch
it blocks all thoughts of You.

I hate to say these dreadful words
I’m only human through and through,
don’t let it get the best of me
oh God keep me near to You.

For oh Lord, I know You suffered
much more than I do now,
please help me Lord to carry
my cross, do show me how.

I long to join my suffering
to Yours and for all time,
bring souls to dwell with You in Paradise
heaven’s stairway soon to climb.

Margaret Rose Larrivee
May 06, 2007

M Y D A D

My dad was always a quiet and gentle man.
Sometimes you barely knew he was around, and the thing
I always noticed the most about him was his perseverance
as he went about his tasks around the house or how he
endured a job at the Hunter’s Veneer Plant for years, a job
that in my eyes, even as a child, found too much for his frail
frame. His fingers were always covered with tape as they
were burned raw by the hot veneer coming out of the driers.
Even worse was the position he held there before that one.
He used to stand above a boiling pit where the logs soaked to
get rid of the bark and in the winter when it was time to come
home for the day, he was drenched from the steam and when he arrived,
his clothes were frozen on his body. He had no ride and walked all the time.
Never did we hear a complaint and it makes my heart weep for this man
who literally worked his fingers to the bone for his family.
That wasn’t the end of his work for in the summer he and mom
tended a huge garden with enough produce to feed an army.
Dad suffered from pleurisy often as he was a smoker and I remember
the mustard plasters mom fixed for him. They really seemed to help.
Dad loved mom’s cooking and for such a small man he could really
put it away. Every Christmas mom baked many of his favourite things
one of which was her cake donuts. She filled an old churn with
dozens of them and dad would always have a snack of two donuts and
a cup of coffee before bed and he ate every last crumb.
Dad could cook too as he was once a cook on the railroad, and I remember
how he’d stew up some chicken wings and use the broth for some
macaroni and rice soup; it was delicious as were the wings.
He knew a lot about the different trees because of his job,
and I recall one day as a little girl making mud pies out on the
back step and dad came by and took me by the hand and we toured
around the property as he named all the different trees for me. It was
a special moment and I’ve never forgotten it.
The neighbours would drop in some evenings and they’d play
Euchre and some got a little out of sorts as they took it all too seriously,
and their knuckles would bang on the table when they played.












Oh the tales that were told around that table, a merrier bunch you’d
never find. We kids took part in the lunch as it seemed we were
never filled. These simple things were happiness personified for us
and we knew God had blessed us with riches beyond compare and
we went to bed at night peaceful in the knowledge that our mom and dad
would always be there and we were secure in their love.
The years passed, we grew up and left home and dad
retired only to find out he had lung cancer, so he didn’t get
to enjoy any time just for he and mom.
You were small in stature dad, but mighty
in your duty as our father.
Thanks dad. (I hope mom’s making donuts in heaven for you).

Margaret Rose Larrivee
May 06, 2007

BERRY PICKING

When the summer’s heat was scorching and the
cicadas were attacking our eardrums their fever pitched
buzzing, and the day was all hot and sticky and you sweat even though
you didn’t do anything, mom would decide to go
berry picking. How she loved this task and did right up
to when her body said ‘no more’. She was the cleanest
picker and had no leaves or stems in her pail. We however,
her little brood, didn’t fare so well.
What we’d do first is hunt up old shirts and old neckties,
the shirts to keep us from being all scratched and bitten
by black flies and mosquitoes and the neckties to tie the
pails around our waists so we’d have both hands free for picking.
We also wore floppy-brimmed straw hats to keep us from sunstroke
and we must have looked a right picture of how not to dress.
We didn’t complain much because we loved what mom did
with the berries when we got home.
It was something comical to watch our parade
in clown-like regalia clinking and clanking up the highway to the
spot where mom knew of this bountiful patch of raspberries.
Their long prickly canes were densely growing and hard to
get the berries without getting all scratched, but that didn’t
deter us. One of us would always get a story going round
about bears and the smaller ones would get a little scared so
we’d tell them to make lots of noise to make them go away.
It was hot and thirsty work and we ate as many as we picked,
with the odd warning from mom. Sometimes we’d come
across a wild apple tree and we’d have a few and they
were surprisingly good, also we found some bushes of
long black berries and they were a real treat. Some were
so big they’d fit on the ends of our fingers. After what seemed
like a long time, mom would call a halt to the picking and we’d
start out for home, but not before going to the farm house of
someone she knew and we all got a long cool drink of
spring water. All in all it was a wonderful outing and we
enjoyed the pies and preserves that resulted from our efforts.
It’s a fond and happy memory for us all,
thanks mom.

Margaret Rose Larrivee
May 06, 2007

CRIES FROM THE WILDERNESS

A melting pot of evil boiling
our planet in disgrace,
Your gift of life now torn asunder
as all Your laws we have replaced.

Satan has us in a kettle
the water’s temperature just right,
he slowly feeds the fire
so that we don’t recognize our plight.

We’ve been duped by his trickery
ah but now the time is late,
if we don’t take the leap real soon
we’ll have to accept our fate.

Jesus’ hand of mercy reaches out
to all His love He gives full measure,
Satan’s gifts the opposite
only lies and filth no treasure.

Now is the time to make your choice
of who’s words will you take heed
for eternity is fast approaching
only God has all you need.

From out the depths of sin and darkness
cry out oh children to the Son,
who’ll forgive your every evil deed
and then forget them every one.

Margaret Rose Larrivee
May 05, 2007

REASONS FROM THE PAST

Our lives at times seem perfect
no snags have come our way,
then slowly all this changes
hurts from the past boil up to stay.

These happenings not dealt with
so many years ago,
sneak back to jeer and taunt us
our weaknesses they show.

The past cannot be buried
unless forgiveness is the lid,
of the coffins filled with brokenness
wrongs done to us or ones we did.

They’ll fester and they’ll nag us
and fill us full of dread,
we have to face them head on
when all else has been said.

Once out in the open
as you right each painful deed,
the future will look brighter
from the past you will be freed.

Margaret Rose Larrivee
May 04, 2007