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Music video by Mariah Carey performing I Stay In Love. (C) 2008 The Island Def Jam Music Group and Mariah Carey

Love. This seems like an important subject area for Christianity. In fact, one could even contend it is a core element of the Christian faith! After all, the first commandment is the requirement to love God – with all our heart, mind, soul and strength (Mk 12:30). The second commandment requires us to love our neighbor as our self (Mk 12:31)! This â??loveâ? requirement covers all our vital relationships – toward self, neighbor and Creator! But the centrality of this â??love doctrineâ? extends even further. The Bible states that love fulfills the Law (Ro 13:8-10 and Gal 5:14)! So, all the requirements of the Law of God … are fulfilled by love?! It is evidently made up of something that has the ability to satisfy the requirements the entire Old Testament theocracy! This is worth thought, investigation and inquiry!

So, … what is love? If we are to fulfill these commands, we need some kind of definition. How else can we know if we are meeting His requirements?

A Common Teaching

There are two New Testament Greek words often translated â??loveâ? in English. Here is a common teaching – maybe the common teaching – on the meaning of these two Greek words.

1) Agapao (verb); Agapee (noun). God is agapee (1Jn 4:8). As God Himself is agapee, and since He is divine, then it logically follows that He acts (the verb) in divine love – agapao. Agapee originates in God, and can never fail (1Cor 13:8). This is clearly the highest form of love. Therefore, many teach agapao/agapee means, â??the unconditional, divine love of God.â? It is also taught that non-Christians are separated from this love, but at conversion, one enters into this love. But, thereâ??s more! The convert becomes more than just a simple recipient of this love from God. He/she now becomes a conduit for this â??alien-to-the-worldâ? love to flow through. With Christ in the Christian, the divine love of God can unconditionally flow toward those around the Christian. And since agapao as an act of God (unconditional and unfailing), the actions, or reactions, of the targeted object are ultimately irrelevant as this love is independent of human affectations.

2) Phileo (verb); Philos (noun). This is defined as â??brotherly love,â? or â??manâ??s love.â? It is the love expressed by unsaved people. Therefore, it is a lesser form of love than the divine agapao. Ultimately, it is a self-centered type of love that does have conditions to it – even if not readily detectable. As simply a human love, it is innately fickle and can be turned on and off as situations and conditions change. The transliterated word, Philadelphia (philia + adelphphia fem.), means, â??the city of brotherly love,â? and is often cited as an example of the meaning phileo.

This teaching sounds quite learned as it appeals to the original New Testament language. It is also quite appealing as it separates the pure and holy love of God from the fickle, corruptible affections that periodically emanate from the unsaved. This really does sound great! But the part about the Christian entering into Godâ??s divine love (agapao) upon conversion – the love the world does not know – well, that is phenomenal. And when you add that the convert can become a funnel for this divine material to flow though – spontaneously, unconditionally, even divinely – to all those around – what a rush! The only problem with this teaching … is that it is wrong. How can I be so confident about this assertion?

I had been taught, and believed, the common teaching on the meaning of agapao and phileo (related above). It had come through Biblical scholars and was even taught in several denominations to which I had been exposed. I had no reason to doubt the accuracy of this teaching as I was just â??a laymanâ? and only knew English. And surely on such an important topic – Love – the teaching was correct. But then, I went to a Bible college. After completing my first year of â??Beginners Greek,â? I began reading the Gospel of John – the simplest of the New Testament Greek. In describing what happened next, I will now quote directly from my Ebook, â??Love and the Bibleâ? (pages 9-11, 13, and 19).

As I started in John, everything was going along quite well. Eventually, I came to John 3:16. â??For God so loved (agapao) the world, that He gave His only begotten Son…â? I thought, â??I know that word! Thatâ??s Godâ??s love! Thatâ??s the love the world is incapable of generating!â? I had run across the stuff of legend! There it was – the powerful, exclusive, love from God – in all itâ??s purity and transcendency! A love generated from the deepest recesses of the heart of our benevolent Creator projected unconditionally upon an undeserving world! I thought, â??Wow! This is great!â? I excitedly continued my journey through John. Then, three verses later ….

I came to John 3:19. â??And this is the judgement; that the light has come into the world, and men loved (agapao) the darkness rather than the light….â? It took me a second, and then I said, â??Say, what?â? I read the verse again. I was stunned. Even now, twenty plus years later, that moment is still frozen in time. I thought, â??I did not read what I just read. This is an impossible statement. Men … with divine love – for the darkness?! WHAT?? How can men divinely love darkness??â? I saw that agapao was in the Aorist mood and active voice, so I immediately went to my lexicon to make sure it was agapao. Sure enough … it was. In disbelief, I read it again and inserted the definition for agapao I had been taught. â??… and men had a divine, unconditional love – the love of God, the love from God – FOR DARKNESS!!!â? The shocking reality then struck me – â??Agapao cannot mean divine love!! I have been taught error … about love!!â? Aughhhhhhh. And is there a subject more central to Christianity than Love?? Iâ??m telling you – alarms went off everywhere! A biblical understanding of love is critical – to everything as far as Christianity is concerned! We are commanded to love God, love our neighbor, love our wife, love our children, love the brethren, love life, love His coming – love our enemies!! We are not to love money, love the chief seats, love the first place … love is all over the place – in attitudes, behaviors, actions and reactions. â??I have been taught error about … LOVE!!!â? For me, this created an emergency of the first order. But, as I am interested in your input, I would like for you to now go to a poll I have on my website. It asks:

â??The information I have just been exposed to has:

1) created an emergency of the first order,

2) simply pricked my interest,

3) created no emergency at all, or

4) has done nothing, as I donâ??t know what the heck you are talking about.â?

The Search for Truth Begins in Earnest!

God only has to say something one time for it to be forever true and fully empowered. But if we can find other corroborating witnesses in His word on a particular subject area, that will help us to be sure we correctly understand and represent His view on that topic. With that in mind, I immediately grabbed my Greek concordance so as to examine every use of the word agapao. The verb form appears almost 150 times in the New Testament. Here are five of them.

2Ti 4:10 â??Demas, having loved (agapao) this present world, deserted me…â?

2Pet 2:15 â??… they (false teachers) … followed the way of Balaam … who loved (agapao) the wages of unrighteousness.

Jn 12:43 â??For they (the Pharisees) loved (agapao) the approval of men rather than the approval of God.â?

Lk 11:43 â??Woe to you Pharisees! For you love (agapao) the front seats in the synagogues, and (you love – agapao) respectful greetings in the market places.â?

Lk 16:13 â??No servant can serve two masters; for he will either hate the one, and love (agapao) the other …. You cannot serve God and mammon.â?

There are sixteen uses of agapao/agapee in this vein. These will all be listed later.

â??Ohhh … What about phileo?â?

Immediately, another word came to mind. â??What about phileo? Does that mean, â??brotherly loveâ??? Is it a human love inferior to agapao?â? Within minutes, I discovered that phileo had nothing to do with brotherly love! NOTHING!! In John 5:20, Jesus stated, â??For the Father loves (phileo) the Son, and shows Him all things that He Himself is doing….â? In this passage, phileo is an activity between God the Father and God the Son!! This â??stuff,â? is generated from inside God the Father and its target is God the Son! Man is completely outside the loop! I thought, â??Phileo cannot mean â??brotherly loveâ?? or some second rate manâ??s love! It canâ??t! Furthermore, how can it be inferior to agapao when it is generated by God Himself?â?

So, there I stood ….

So, there I stood, six years into my Christian experience – with no idea what the Bible itself actually taught about love! What a betrayal! I had naively relied upon the integrity of those Greek â??scholarsâ? in my past – and I propagated their error – their false teaching – their heresy! And the errant material dealt with – Love! What a subject to be screwed up on! After the feelings of shock, anger, and grief … came cool resolve. A journey was launched for me the day I ran across the statement that â??men loved (agapao) the darkness rather that the light; for their deeds were evilâ? (Jn 3:19).

My Starting Point

While I did not know what the Bible did teach on this subject, I did know this. Agapao could not mean divine love, and phileo could not mean brotherly, or manâ??s, love. So, I already did know more than my â??teachersâ? knew on the subject! That encouraged me a little bit. Things could only get better – if God would grant me the wisdom, understanding and insight needed to grow into truth. So, I asked Him for that assistance. That was my starting point. If this sounds reasonable to you, maybe you could take a moment and ask the same.

Back to this Article

Here is a listing of all the â??profane usesâ? of agapao and agapee. Plug in the common teachingâ??s definition of â??divine love,â? and you will see it is impossible for agapao/agapee to mean, â??divine love.â?

Evil (or Neutral) or Non-Divine Agapao (verb) Uses:

Only loving those who love you (Mt 5:46).

Two masters – hate one and love the other – can choose agapao for money over God (Mt 6:24).

Sinners also love those that love them (Lk 6:32 – this is two uses in one breath!).

Which released debtor will love the releasing lender most? (Lk 7:42).

Pharisees love the uppermost seats and respectful greetings (Lk 11:43).

Men loving darkness (Jn 3:19).

Pharisees loving the praise of men more than the praise of God ( Jn 12:43).

Peter being asked if He loved Jesus â??more than theseâ? (Jn 21:15).

Demas having loved this present age (2Ti 4:8).

Balaam who loved the wages of unrighteousness (2Pet 2:15).

Admonition to not love the world. If one does, the love of the Father is absent (1Jn 2:15).

Not to love with word or tongue, but in deed and truth (1Jn 3:18).

Evil or Non-Divine Agapee (noun) Uses:

Love of many that grows cold (Mt 24:12).

Leaving first love (Rev 2:4).

The Bible teaches:

Agapao and Agapee are routinely expressed by man (saved and unsaved) and also by God.

Agapao (verb) displayed by God: â??… for God loves a cheerful giver.â? 2Cor 9:7. This use can be found in dozens of other passages.

Agapao (verb) displayed by saved man: â??He that loves his brother abides in the light ….â? 1Jn 2:10. This use can be found in dozens of other passages.

Agapao (verb) displayed by unsaved man: â??… men loved darkness rather than the light ….â? Jn 3:19. Also see, Mt 5:26, Mt 6:24, Lk 6:32, Lk 7:42, Lk 7:47, Lk 11:43, Jn 12:43, 2Ti 4:10, 2Pet 2:15, 1Jn 2:15, 1Jn 3:18 and Mt 24:12. A couple of these are injunctions to Christians to direct agapao in the right direction (e.g., 1Jn 2:15 and 1Jn 3:18).

Agapee (noun) in reference to God: â??God commended His love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.â? Ro 5:8, plus dozens of other examples.

Agapee (noun) in reference to saved man: â??…and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you ….â? Eph 5:2. (This is the passage where the noun and verb are not divorced – â??just as Christ also loved (agapao) you!â? The same stuff!

Agapee (noun) in reference to unsaved man: â??And because lawlessness is increased, most peopleâ??s love will grow coldâ? (Mt 24:12). See also Revelation 2:4.

The truth is, agapao abounds all around us, being practiced by sinners and saints alike. And it is directed towards animate as well as inanimate objects! It is practiced towards money, towards places of honor, and towards the world! Once you understand what agapao is, you will begin to recognize its presence all around you. The Bible does not list every use of expressed agapao in its pages. But it gives enough examples to set us on the trail to see its expressions and activities in this world. You see, agapao does abound – whether you see it or not, whether you understand what it is or not, or whether you are willing to acknowledge it or not. And sinners exude it in all directions as they â??agapao the darkness!â? (Jn 3:19).

Phileo

Here are some passages where phileo is used – and can not mean â??brotherly love,â? or a â??manâ??s love.â? Plug in either definition, and you will see it is impossible for the common teaching to be correct.

The Fatherâ??s love for the Son (Jn 5:20).

Jesusâ?? love for Lazarus (Jn 11:3).

The Fatherâ??s love for the disciples (Jn 16:27).

Jesusâ?? love for John (Jn 20:2).

Jesusâ?? love for His own (Rev 3:19).

The Bible teaches:

Phileo is routinely expressed by man (saved and unsaved) and also by God!

Phileo displayed by God: â??Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline.â? Rev 3:19. See also Jn 5:20, Jn 11:3, Jn 11:36, Jn 16:27a, and Jn 20:2.

Phileo displayed by saved man: â??Greet them that love us in the faith.â? Tit 3:15. See also, Jn 16:27b, Jn 21:15,16,17, and 1Cor 16:22 (a critically important use examined in detail in the Eook).

Phileo displayed by unsaved man: â??Outside … (is) everyone who loves and practices lying.â? Rev 22:15. There are seven other uses like this. See Mt 6:5, Mt 10:37 (twice), Mt 23:6, Lk 20:46, Jn 12:25, and Jn 15:19.

As you can see, it is impossible for phileo to mean, â??brotherly love.â?

So, agapao and agapee are expressed by man (saved and unsaved), and by God. Phileo is also expressed by man (saved and unsaved), and by God! Man and God display both.

I hear many of you now asking, â??So, what does agapao/agapee mean? And what does phileo mean? And why are so many â??Greek scholarsâ?? in error on what the Bible teaches about love?â? Well, the intent of this Article has been to expose that agapao/agapee cannot mean, â??the unconditional, divine love of Godâ? – and that phileo cannot mean, â??brotherly love.â? This has been done by simply quoting Bible passages that confound such definitions. Even those who have no knowledge of New Testament Greek can see these definitions are impossible – thus refuting the common teaching about biblical love. In order for you to find out what these Greek words actually do mean – and why so many â??scholarsâ? are in such tremendous error – you can find out in my free Ebook, â??Love and the Bibleâ? at my Website listed in the Author Bio. Of course … maybe an accurate understanding of what the Bible actually does teach about love is not really that important….

Copyright 2006

i have the mariah’s original version of this song on my videos check it out I gotta take a little time A little time to think things over I better read between the lines In case I need it when I’m colder In my life There’s been heartache and pain I don’t know If I can face it again Can’t stop now I’ve traveled so far To change this lonely life I want to know what love is I want you to show me I want to feel what love is I know you can show me Gonna take a little time A little time to look around me I’ve got nowhere left to hide It looks like love’s finally found me In my life There’s been heartache and pain I don’t know If I can face it again Can’t stop now I’ve traveled so far To change this lonely life I want to know what love is I want you to show me I want to feel what love is I know you can show me Show me I want to know I want to know what love is I want you to show me I want to feel what love is I know you can show me Oh, let’s talk about love

A self-improvement guru can’t escape the rut he’s been in since his wife’s death.

Music video by Ashanti performing The Way That I Love You. (C) 2008 The INC. Records & Universal Records, a Division of UMG Recordings, Inc.

Conservative Poet

Tom Zartâ??s 87 Poems of Love
Family & Faith

LIKE A LILY AMONG THE THORNS

Like a lily among the thorns,
So are you among the rest.
Your love is my joy of life
Which by Godâ??s grace is the best.

When I sleep my heart is awake
It is the vice of love within.
By day or night I seek your love
My life mate, my partner, my friend.

You ravish my heart with just one look
When Iâ??m less than you desire.
Your eyes speak without words
As displeasure kindles your fire.

Your beautiful and extraordinary
Like a fragrant flower from the wild.
I dream of the day you softly whisper
â??My love, I carry your child.â?

The vines put forth their tender grapes
The fig tree her sweet fruit of life.
My love for you is everlasting
As you nourish my need for a wife.

God gave man a woman to adore
And a woman a man to respect.
God gave us children we love till death
To provide for, cherish and protect.

Until itâ??s dawn and the shadows flee
I will hold you close and ponder
Our life together past and present

And may our future be blessed by wonder.

RELATIONSHIPS

One of the most rewarding things, each of us can do

Is the acknowledgment of others and their fears.

To promote their happiness and sense of worth

By our love, concern, laughter and tears.

Staying eager to display are willingness

To recognize our support from others.

Where would we be without the people we love

Friends, mom, dad, grandparents, sisters and brothers.

We treasure our relationships and pray to maintain them

As they give us our passion and purpose in life.

Cherishing our family, our faith, our country

Our honor, our husband or wife.

A SCORNFUL WOMAN & A SELFISH MAN

A scornful woman can rip you apart

Destroy your libido and harden your heart.

They shout their list of your every flaw

Declaring youâ??re lucky you get it at all.

A selfish man can become even worse

When they lie, cheat, beat, steal and curse.

Always demanding to stay king of the castle

As they force their partner to suffer their hassle.

A happy woman thrives on love, faith, family and friends,

A worthy man provides, protects and defends.

Say â??Noâ? to Satan and cast him out

Say â??Yesâ? to Jesus and become his scout.

MY HOPE TO FIND LOVE

So here I am, like many times before
All alone with my face to the moon.
Down on knees praying God
For someone who will love me and soon!

The smallest deed done is better than intention
When you wish to receive wisdom from above.
No matter what happens, I refuse to give up
My hope to discover the magic of love.

The better the reason for my existence
The better the life I will live.
Searching for someone who will share their love
By their joy when itâ??s their turn to give.

My hope to find love has somewhat diminished
Though my need for romance still remains.
Sometimes I feel like Sampson himself
Broken hearted and shackled to chains.

THE GREATEST LESSON ONE CAN LEARN

The greatest lesson one can learn
Is how when loved, to love in return.

Joined together through night and day
Equally yoked in work and play.

Remaining true both body and soul
Never loosing our common goal.

Sharing each other the best we can
Before we are but bits of sand.

Mutual love is beyond compare
Serving one another in the life we share.

Without compassion humans lose
Simply by the path they choose.

Love is a miracle from God to man
How some deny it I canâ??t understand.

WINGS of HEAVEN

Itâ??s a wonderful situation
To be in love with you.
All my thoughts have changed
Because of everything you do.

I lack the desire for others
No yearning for their love or favor.
All I wish is a life with you
Till itâ??s time to greet our Savior.

I was afraid I would never find love
Leaving no stone unturned.
I had to suffer through stupidity
To grow from all I learned.

Life is too short to remain a fool
Who doesnâ??t see blessings handed down.
From now to judgment I will love you
Till the wings of heaven whisper their sound.

SO DEAR TO MY HEART

So dear to my heart are my loved ones at home
As I toss and I turn in my bunk all alone.
Everyday I see death, hate and corruption
Combat is Godâ??s proof of manâ??s malfunction

For family, comrades and myself I pray
To my love with this poem I wish to convey.
I knew I loved you though never how much
Till by war, Iâ??m forced beyond your touch.

Where violence thrives, thereâ??s the stench of death
With the taste of fear on every breath.
Who shall prevail, who shall die?
As the sadistic kill beneath Godâ??s sky.

Baghdad has become manâ??s highway to hell
Where the hearts of darkness are alive and well
I count each day till itâ??s time to come home
And be with my love and never alone.

Love You
Your Marine

MARRIAGE SEX AND ROMANCE

Some other time, Iâ??m not in the mood
Why cant we just cuddle and watch TV?
When couples drift into the celibate zone
Itâ??s not long till someone will flee.

Sexual fulfillment helps preserve love,
Parenthood, marriage and self-esteem.
Those who maintain it avoid saying no
To be blessed by its pleasure and gleam.

While dating we tend to be more romantic
Putting forth the best of our charms.
Sharing dinners, long walks and lustful weekends
As we spend more time in each others arms.

How many times have you said â??not tonightâ?
Exposing your happy home to harm?
Todayâ??s crushing deadlines leave little time for love
Leaving partners with sorrow, sadness and alarm.

So share one another with red wine and time
Dial your own number and leave the phone off the hook.
Enjoy some romance, sex and laughter
Improving your mood and the way you look.

MOTHERS

Thereâ??s no greater power on earth
Than the love we get from our mothers.
They feel our fears within themselves
Far more than sisters or brothers.

As seasons pass; in time we learn
We canâ??t always rely on others.
No mater what our mistakes may be
We know we can run to our mothers.

Mothers have great big aprons
To hide from the world our flaws.
They kiss and scold when we do wrong
Teaching compliance of laws.

From birth to death mothers lead
Our angels of kindness from above.
They give us more than anyone else
Preaching the importance of love.

Moms are certainly Godâ??s gift to earth
So if you still have one, let it be known.
You canâ??t imagine your life without her
While the seed of your future is sown.

DONâ??T  FORSAKE  ME ?

Donâ??t forsake our love my darling
On this night before our wedding day.
I know your ex is crying to get back
But thatâ??s just the price heâ??ll have to pay.

Good guys provide for their families
Tell the truth, pay bills and remain true.
Bad guys procrastinate, chase women and party
Then blame their shortcomings, on â??youâ?.

I will love you only and tend to your needs
Never to lie, steal or cheat.
Giving all I have to share and prosper
And when wrong I will accept defeat.

Your happiness is my inspiration
For when I please you, you please me.
I wish to father our children and give them love
And be the best husband a man can be.

MY FAVORITE POET

My favorite poet is God above
Who gives Earth its rhythm and rhyme.
Not pied pipers of misguided souls
Who promote distrust, hatred and crime.

Poetry is nature serenading in song
The peaceful roar of the oceans waves.
The wind through the trees and over the hills
And the flowers in the fields by the graves.

The sound of rain as it waters the thirsty
The songs of children at play in the park.
The far off rumble of trains or thunder
As they pass through the night in the dark.

The joy of our babies first words and steps
The passion of life with its heroes and clowns.
The on going struggle to survive our sins
As we proliferate in hamlets and towns.

My favorite poet is our Father of love
Who was first to know us before birth.
His poetry prolongs every thing we love
As His deliverance gives life its worth.

I WHO HAVE NO ONE

I who have no one, no one at all
Envy others as in love they fall.
Sleepless nights, with inward burning
Feeling hopeless, tossing and turning.

Lord please forgive the fool Iâ??ve been
Hiding from goodness in the shadows of sin.
I humbly pray to heaven in space
For one more chance to regain my grace.

Iâ??ve lived my years indulging myself
Leaving decency and principle on the shelf.
Now that your light shines on my face
I pray for forgiveness in shame and disgrace.

All I ask is your life mate for me
And I pledge to become all I can be.
A soul without love is empty and void
No wonder so many become destroyed.

Outside my window thereâ??s the thunder of rain
And the haunting sound of a far away train.
I feel your presence as I silently cry
For someone to love before I die.

JESUS IS A FISHERMAN

Jesus is a fisherman
Who saves the souls of man.
Dead or alive He leads the faithful
To the streams of promise land.

He sees us when weâ??re happy
He hears us when weâ??re glad.
He whispers words of hope to us
When we face something sad.

As wicked thoughts control the mind
Evil deeds control the heart.
Jesus is who we turn to
When from sins we must depart.

Jesus is a fisherman
Who baits His hook with love.
Casting His line in your direction
From the banks of heaven above.

LOVE CONSUMES ALL

Love consumes all physical functions
Hearing, taste, touch, thought and smell.
It can heal, destroy, weaken or bond
Those caught in its presence and spell.

May I be remembered by tears of love
When my hands lay across my chest.
Displayed for view to say goodbye
To my family, friends and the rest.

Until itâ??s time for my final farewell
I will serve whom I love even more.
These words of passion inhabit my heart
Conveying my need for all, I adore.

PASSION AND LOVE

Samson so loved Delilah
He ended up grinding grain.
Anthony so loved Cleopatra
He lost all and was slain.

David so loved Bathsheba
He drifted from Godâ??s command.
The way I feel makes it easy
To imagine and understand.

Youâ??re the inspiration of my day
And the delight of my night.
The joy we share as we conceive
Makes everything feel just right.

Thank heaven for passion and love
Blessings from God to man.
Without them weâ??re mere creatures
Subsisting like ants in the sand.

TO BE BLESSED BY LOVE

Darkness submits to the brightness of day
For all rich, famous or peasant.
God gives us love as a tool of endurance
For what is glorious, painful or unpleasant.

He gives us friends that mean so much
Though His greatest gift is fathers and mothers.
From them we learn the guidance we need
Or from grandparents, sisters and brothers.

How rewarding it is to share our concerns
Of the burdens that trouble manâ??s soul.
With words of love, passion and faith
With happiness and purpose our goal.

To be blessed by love elevates life
Projecting a radiance of grace to our face.
Like the heavenly bodies that illuminate the night
As we voyage through the vastness of space.

THE JOY I FEEL

The joy I feel within my heart
Has overcome my void.
No more foolish, selfish acts
Risking love to be destroyed.

Youâ??re the rainbow of my day
And the tiger of my night.
Your style of loving me
Leaves no reason to fuss or fight.

Happiness shuns the selfish
Who fail Godâ??s test of time.
Contentment comes as a gift
To hearts of the thoughtful and kind.

I obtain my daily need
As I awake to find you near.
The love we share celebrates life
As we laugh or cry with tear.

Through out each day, there are moments,
I find I need you even more.
Youâ??re the radiance of my life
Who I worship, serve and adore.

I LOVE BEING LOVED BY YOU

My life overflows with happiness
As my favorite dreams come true.
My days and nights are magical
Because of everything you do.

You stand by me as troubles occur
And listen to my worries and fears.
You share my burdens and my joys
With faith, compassion and tears.

Godâ??s gift to man is someone to love
Which can be both splendid and rare.
Throughout life thereâ??s nothing better
Then those who will love us and care.

Thereâ??s the past, present, future, and beyond
Which will test our measure by what we say and do
Too many overlook the thrill of now
But not I, â??for I love being loved by you.â?

WEâ??LL ALL REUNITE IN TIME

Fame, wealth, prestige, and wild women
For too long were my passions of life.
One day I found sweet liberation
When God gave my heart to my wife.

33 years we loved one another
Sharing all we possessed and more.
Last year she passed in the middle of night
Never to shadow our door.

Iâ??m sure in rapture, she awaits
For me to arrive in heaven divine.
Iâ??ll miss our children and grandkids too
But weâ??ll all reunite in time.

THE LAST GOODBYE

Iâ??m on my way to greet my Master
And shake His hand when I die.
Iâ??m on my way to john sweet Jesus
In His mansion beyond on high.

Iâ??m on my way to escape manâ??s woes
Where the faithful rise to tell their story.
Following the path of love and compliance.
Guided by Godâ??s magnificence and glory.

As I journey to and from all I love
It hurts to say my absolute goodbye.
Iâ??m on my way to divine fulfillment
But for those left behind, â??I cry.â?

The Last Goodbye

MOMS

Millions of dewdrops greet the dawn
As hungry of bees buzz the clover
Dazzling butterflies flutter about
As moms give love the world over.

Lessons learned at our motherâ??s knee
Last a lifetime till we grow older.
Popping up when troubles accrue
Like a whispering angel on our shoulder.

Gods gives us friends that mean so much
Children, fathers, sisters and brothers
Though far, far above all the rest,
No one loves us more than our mothers.

In and out of friendships, jobs and partners
Our mothers always remain our evening star.
Those who where born to a selfish mom
Make the rest us realize how lucky we are.

How great life is to have a good mom
Who reads what we feel but canâ??t say.
Nothing means as much, as her tender touch
And for all who are without one, â??we pray.â?

SHOULD TOMORROW START WITHOUT ME ?

Should tomorrow start without me
Remember I love you
Looking down from up above
Seeing everything you do.

If I become a casualty
I pray you will love again
Whom ever makes you happy
Iâ??ll consider my friend.

Should tomorrow start without me
Remind our boys, God loves all who care
And when life seems too harsh and cruel
With â??Himâ? they must share their prayer.

I have proven Iâ??m not a coward
Who breaks and runs to survive
Always fearing death will kiss me
As the streets of Baghdad I drive.

Should tomorrow start without me
Be proud I choose to serve
Our faith and our patriotism
Earn the freedom we deserve.

I miss home more than ever
It breaks my heart to stay away
I canâ??t help but want to hold you
And whisper what I say.

PASSION

Passion is any strong feeling or thought
Of love, hate, fear, anger and grief.
The emotional joy of sexual desire
Sometimes the suffering of saint or thief.

The cruelty of man nailing Christ to the cross
His treatment subsequent to the last supper.
Continuing conflict with endless war
Make it seem weâ??re prone to suffer.

All must carry their own cross in life
While they struggle to survive the day.
Passion reveals how much we desire
As we race toward our outcome and pray.

WHO?

Who wrote the tune the songbird sings?
Who made the diamonds we wear on rings?

Who caused the snow and rain to fall?
Who made spring, winter, summer and fall?

Who gave man a woman to love?
Who made the clouds and sky above?

Who lights the stars and moon in the night?
Who makes heaven and beyond so bright?

Who gives us babies we follow till death?
Who made us able to speak with our breath?

Who gives us heroes willing to die?
Who made the tears we shed as we cry.

Who shows us hope and guides our way?
The same one who loves us night and day.

SATISFACTION

Too many people never know satisfaction
For their goals for happiness are placed too high.
Most of us complain about what we can’t have
When we’re not bedfast or in the grave, we lie.

No one finds satisfaction from serving themselves
Contentment takes place, by our unselfish concern.
The more we repent and regret our wrongs
The more we are able to retain what we learn.

So tally your blessings and be thankful for life
And remember there are those who wish, they were you.
Satisfaction and love are what mere mortal’s pray for
Though the lucky among us, who feel both, are few.

LOVE & HATE

Unselfish concerns are the footstones of love
Though far too many still waste time on hate.
Real happiness happens to the lucky in life
Who’ve bonded to others with love as their fate.

Malice, disfavor and ill will complicate life
To where our days resemble frustration’s hell.
The warm rush of love can turn things around
Enabling the sleepless to again rest well.

Tender love and affection generate fondness
Where hatreds repugnance eats body and soul.
Friendship, attachment, good will and charity
Are the mother’s milk of life, when love’s our goal.

So recognize hate for what it truly is
And reject it when it whispers in your ear.
For the power of love is the only way
To avoid corruption, resentment and fear.

MY TRUE LOVE

Lord, have mercy on my soul
For all the wrong I’ve done
When I was young and foolish
And searching for some fun.

My daddy told me, son
You reap what you sow
Everything Iâ??ve learned the hard way
Are the only things I know.

I searched all the honky tonks
And every bar in town
The right woman for me to love
I had not yet found.

My mother always said
Why not look at church
Thereâ??s where youâ??ll find
The right one to end your search.

So, here I am singing a song
To the music of a choir
Next to me is my true love
Who sets my heart on fire.

I can see her left hand
And thereâ??s my wedding ring
She catches me peeking at her
With every line we sing.

A man and wife are equally yoked
In everything they do;
That’s why I celebrate
God saving me for you!

CHRISTMAS

Husbands with ladders hang lights on their home
As all who have no one feel sad and alone.
The churches are full of the faithful that sing
For the birth of our Lord, is a spiritual thing.

The sound of Christmas sweetly fills the air
While frantic shoppers hustle from here to there.
The windows of storefronts at this time of year
Reflect all their wonders as Christmas draws near.

Little ones stand looking with their nose pressed to glass
As model trains on display come speeding past.
The path to Santa is lined with girls and boys
With a list in their heart of their favorite toys.

The stores shelves are crammed with dolls that crawl or walk
Games, cars, trucks, planes and stuffed toys that sing or talk.
The miracle of Christmas comes once a year
When all that we love seems more precious and dear.

THE SEED of LOVE

A kindly woman can make a sad man sing
With her love and affection winter seems like spring.
Of all the pleasures in life given to a man
There’s nothing beats the touch of a woman’s soft hand.

God saw Adam alone on Eden’s floor
Then decided to give him Eveâ??s love and much more.
So take what you need from she chosen for you
Then rid thyself of others and to her be true.

The Lord planted love within mankind’s heart
Though things can grow sour when from Him we depart.
Love and hate are but two sides of life’s golden coin
So be ready for both no matter whom you join.

DOUBLE TROUBLE

To tell you the truth, it still hurts to share;
Even though with him your heart is not there.
I’ve tried hard to think what brought this about
For we’re not the type who enjoy sneaking out.

Your husband, my wife, were into themselves.
Like old Christmas toys, they placed us on our shelves.
Somehow we managed to take ourselves down
And found one another while out on the town.

You gave me your number for reasons well known
And now you weep as you drive home alone.
It’s hard to make love when the romance is dead
It causes confusion in your heart and your head.

There’s a battle inside as your mind and heart fight
While you lie by the wrong one in the middle of the night.
We now know the meaning to the words of that song
That it hurts to love someone and to the wrong one belong.

HOLLYWOOD WOMAN

Hollywood woman, I’m in love with you
Though you’re always on your own stage.
Some days you love me and some days you don’t
No wonder I’m in such a rage.

You baited your hook
Then threw me a line
And like a big crayfish
I thought you were mine.

But you have that fever
To fish other streams
And youâ??ll be the cause
Of many menâ??s dreams.

For other men have loved you
And other men have cried.
Every last one of them
Has felt you inside.

Before long youâ??ll grow old
And your looks shall fade
And all youâ??ll have left
Is your video parade.

Those who once loved you
Will be dead or gone
And youâ??ll lie alone
In silence till dawn.

A MAN’S BEST FRIEND

A manâ??s best friend is still his faithful dog
Who anxiously awaits his return home.
Where would man be without his canine love
When his human mates have left him alone.

If a man was as good as his dog thinks
He’d be more famous than a football star.
It’s too bad our wives don’t feel the same way
I guess its because they know how we are.

Man has no fear of his dog’s love for life
Though itâ??s usually man who buries his pet.
It matters not be they large or small
What animal has loved man more, as yet?

GETTING OVER HER

I thought we’d raise our only child
And feed him with a spoon
But, his mother loves another
And they’re on a honeymoon.

All my friends say I must stop
Loving her, of course
So I drove my Ford to a honky tonk
Still lonely from divorce.

From out of my chair, I must get up
And ask someone to dance
For, if I plan to get over her
I know I’ll need romance.

The dance floor is almost full
Of country kings and queens.
I feel a pair of eyes
Just checking out my jeans.

I can see a smiling face
I’m almost at a run
For I know if I dance
I’m going to have some fun.

She stands up from her table
And reaches for my hand
Then I lead the both of us
Right up in front of the band.

Somebody turned the spotlight
Toward the dance floor ball.
She is so beautiful
I’m afraid I might fall.

Here I go, a-gambling
A gambling with my heart
For when I love a woman
It always hurts to part.

BODY HEAT 1O5

We drank several glasses of champagne
In the living room of her house.
Around 9:30 that evening
I found myself in her blouse.

I fondled and kissed her so gently
Like the soft footsteps of a mouse.
To my surprise, she opened her eyes
And said, â??look, we’re not going to play house.â?

I right away replaced her clothing
And buttoned her blouse once more.
There was no doubt of my defeat
As I lay there upon the floor.

She said, â??tell the truth, are you angry?â?
I answered, by far I was not
“It’s more important what you think of me
Than what I may not have got.”

She wiped away a tear from both eyes
And said, “you’re my kind of man.”
At that point, she did arise
And to me she held out her hand

She led me away like a blind man
Who had somehow lost his cane.
When we reached her bedroom door
I thought I’d gone insane.

Before long, we found ourselves naked
As she held me in her palm.
Can you dare imagine, my friend
How hard it was for me to stay calm?

We touched all the forbidden places
As our body heats reached 105
If love’s relief had not been achieved
I doubt if we’d still be alive.

WITHOUT LOVE

Life is simply a circus
With too many fools on the stage.
There ’s greed, fear and indifference
As many hearts suffer from rage.

Divorce is like a bad book
Where the heroes get killed off to soon.
When we reach the point the light goes out
Then weâ??ll stand up and leave the room.

Without love we become such fools
In a desert which has gone all dry.
When the one we love ignores us
Thereâ??s nothing to do but cry.

The worst curse that one can endure
Are those who just wish to take.
When all we give is our own love
To find out we’ve made a mistake.

Of all the prizes life may bring
To be loved is by far the best.
That’s why so many search for it
For without love, what good is the rest?

THAT OLD COVERED BRIDGE

We returned to that old covered bridge
Where as sweethearts we used to go.
To kiss, hug, and squeeze in the shadows
While beneath us the water would flow.

Up under its wood roof of shingles
Is where we took refuge from the rains.
Carved in some boards within that old bridge
Side by side youâ??ll still find our names.

Our memories of our past childhood
Are a gift from God for us to keep.
Like that picture you once gave me
Which I peaked at before I could sleep.

We find ourselves back at that old bridge
Only now, with our kids to catch fish.
We pray someday that they’ll find love
And come here with someone, just to wish.

SOME MEN PRAY

Some men pry to marry the woman they love
Where my prayers can’t help but somewhat vary
As I humbly pray to heaven above
That I am loved by the woman I marry.

The essence of love is its spiritual fire
And thereâ??s nothing more sought after on earth.
Man’s only escape is his own flight
But what, without love would his life be worth.

Love can be manâ??s worst pain or best pleasure
A dangerous gamble he must take in life.
For he who falls in love with the wrong woman
Shall find all he’s worked for belongs to his wife.

THE COAL MINER

Coal mines in my daddy’s day
Were dug with strong hands and back.
They got larger and deeper
As the lungs of the miners turned black.

Cave-ins, fires and explosions
Were my fatherâ??s daily fear.
But what choice has a man
When the wolf of hunger is near.

With three small kids and a wife
There were five stomachs to fill.
As we lived in poverty
In our shack below a hill.

I feel his blood within me
As the years of my life pass by
I’m proud that dad dug King Cole
For a miner so am I.

Life to me is but a rose
Though it’s thorns can make me cry.
And like my dad before me
To my Lord I will not lie.

In cold earth someday Iâ??ll sleep
With a shinny stone above.
Carved in it, shall be the words
I have known the joy of love.

ADAM THE LONELY

Adam, the lonely was chased from God’s land
When Eve picked that apple with her foolish hand.
Delilah, the evil, cut a champion’s hair off
When Samson; the strong man’s heart became soft.

David the shepherd, a king among men
Was teased by Bathsheba and driven to sin.
A man needs a woman to build up his pride
To bolster his ego and to lay by his side.

Life mates are a treasure and difficult to find
I feel like a blind man who’s lost in a mine.
Lord, I’m a sad soul with no hand to hold
Searching for someone who’ll love me when Iâ??m old.

TO HAVE AND TO HOLD

Our house is big, though our family’s small
The phone’s off the hook, cause we don ‘t want a call.
I need you darling more than anything
For your sweet kisses make a sad man sing.

I can feel life’s clock as it pounds away
While the moon says hello to the dying day.
I pray to partake every sight and sound
While I still enjoy the right side of the ground.

Nothing beats the love of a willing mate.
So little time for fun before it’s too late.
The Lord made you for me and me alone
And not for others that you might have known.

LOVER’S TOAST

Come to me with just your love
And I will pledge you mine.
Feel my lips and share my glass
And we shall sip red wine.

You’re the red rose of my day
And the lily of my night.
Nothing is so grand in life
As when you seize me tight.

Love’s uncertain future is
Where mankind’s torments dwell
With both it’s pain and pleasure
Our lust is alive and well.

DADS AT WAR

Where would I be without you dad
My hero of night and day?
I’m so glad you love my mother
And take time for us to pray.

The last time we played baseball
You reached for me with your hand.
I looked at you, then made a wish
That I might be just half the man.

I love my father of earth,
And I love my Father of heaven.
It’s a lot for me to love, you know
For Iâ??m only eleven.

Mom and I sure miss you
Since you left to defend our flag.
When others ask, where is your dad
I can’t help but boast and brag.

MOMMA

Oh, I love my momma
Sheâ??s the reason Iâ??m alive.
Her total love for me
Has made her struggle and strive.

Jesus had a momma
Who bore Him in a cave.
She couldnâ??t help but love Him
From His birth to the grave.

Should I hang on the highest hill
My momma would be there.
I know her love would follow me
My Angel of despair.

Her hair is now all silver
As I hold her fingers, worn.
Oh, God, bless this wrinkled brow
From whose body I was born.

LETTERS

We were just the best of friends
I knew him all my life.
I’m sure that he, towards the end
Found out I love his wife.

He drove his car right off a cliff
And crashed into the sea.
I know it was no accident
For a skillful driver was he.

He must have found our letters
Of love that shouldnâ??t be.
He’s the type to harm himself
Instead of killing me.

As I looked in his wife’s eyes
She sadly said to me,
Instead of us, he killed himself
Because of lovers, such as we.

Lord, have mercy on our souls
For her husband, my friend, has died!
No one else may ever know
But God how much we’ve lied.

HONEYMOON CRUISE

The gulls have gone long ago
As we sail a peaceful sea.
The skies are blue, soft and kind
Where else would we wish to be.

Late at night, as we embrace
In front of a reggae band.
You kiss me, and then you whisper
I want to be alone with my man.

A little after midnight
We both slip away.
In such of some time
For the games lovers play.

Alone in our cabin
Your skin is so soft.
Iâ??m just that angel
Who fell from aloft.

After twenty-five years
Of our love has gone
It’s a honeymoon cruise
We find ourselves on.

May the Lord show mercy
On any of those
Who have never been loved
Or ever been chose.

MY LOVE of LIFE

Wise men learn more from watching fools
Than fools do from watching wise men.
I should know for I’ve been both
I can ‘t believe how lucky I’ve been.

Everyday as I speak out
With verse I come alive.
My lust for life shall be fulfilled
As another day I survive.

I take the clay of every day
And mold it to my fashion.
All I need is my true love
Whose heart flows free with passion.

I thank the Lord who watches us
For blessings which are mine;
That Iâ??m festive, fit and free
To love my wife who’s sweeter than wine.

LITTLE BABY

Little baby, I love you
For you are a part of me
Each and every inch youâ??ll grow
I want to be there to see.

Someday youâ??ll chase fireflies
Who ride the breath of the winds.
Someday you’ll be all grown up
And out on the town with friends.

You have your daddy ’s freckles;
You’ve got your mommy’s eyes.
I pray to God every day
Youâ??ll survive all of life’s lies.

Little babies shoot up fast
As they need to stretch and grow.
They do such things as children do
In a world theyâ??ve yet to know.

Someday you will understand
How your parents feel inside
Someday youâ??ll have your babies
And raise them with great pride.

Of all the gifts that life may bring
A sweet baby is still the best
Your mom and I shall love you
Till the day we’re laid to rest.

ONE MAN’S PRAYER

Where are the women who need a good man?
Where are the women with love in their hand?

Where are the children who played on the lawn?
Where are the children when mom and dad are gone?

What about the marriage that began with smiles?
What about the marriage that ended in trials?

What about the future of all involved?
What about the problems that must be solved?

Answer these questions that tear at my heart.
Answer these questions that keep us apart.

WHAT LOVE MEANS TO ME

I know now for sure what love means to me
Itâ??s a chance to be needed and to give happily.
For Iâ??ve felt what itâ??s like to be sad and alone
And wish for that someone I could call my own.

Itâ??s just like young Adam when he lost his rib bone
God gave him Eve, so he wouldn’t sleep alone.
When a man loves a woman, thereâ??s many lessons heâ??ll learn
As she respects him, her favors heâ??ll earn.

One thing for certain, when your thoughts are for real
As you hug and you kiss, you love how you feel.
Some live a lifetime just a step from love
You are that person who gave me my shove.

The world has both givers and those on the take
Life can be bad if your love’s a mistake.
I can’t help realize how lucky I’ve been
For you are my wife, but best of all, my friend.

I WON’T BE THERE

Itâ??s true; I’ve been living with a looser
And it’s been going on too long
I’ve prayed for the courage and, now I have it
To sing you your farewell song.

I won’t be there in the morning when you need me!
I won’t be there when you call on the phone!
I won’t be there in the bed beside you
As you lay by yourself alone!

Too many times at night I’ve cried
Wondering why you wonâ??t just come home
Staring at the clock on the wall
As I lie half awake by the phone.

For so long it was enough that I loved you
Though now my heart needs more.
So, I’ve packed up my bags and my pictures
And I’m on my way out the door.

WHEN YOU LOVE A MEAN WOMAN

When you love a mean woman it hurts down deep
In the middle of the night when you find you can’t sleep.
I remember those times we kissed in the park
Covered by moonbeams and stars in the dark.

You told me you loved me and would never run away
Though now, there’s another with whom you play.
Somebody tell me what Iâ??m doing wrong
Somebody show me before I’ve waited too long.

Other women I’ve met, they remind me of you
It makes me afraid of what they might do.
But life without love isnâ??t living at all
Everyone needs someone who waits for their call.

I thirst for a woman who will love me again
One who needs both a husband and friend.
Dear Lord, I pray for my angel of love
So I may fly high on the wings of a dove.

SHE’S MY BUDDY

Adam and Eve lay beneath the stars.
I wonder if their love was as strong as ours?
Darling, I love you, Iâ??m not afraid to say
Our love just grows with each passing day.

I was afraid our love would grow cold
Thatâ??s what Iâ??ve always by others been told.
Iâ??m glad they were wrong, so I sing this song
For you are the woman to whom I belong.

Without your concern I have nothing at all
Thereâ??s no one to help me should I take a fall.
I need your love it builds up my pride
Bolsters my ego and stands by my side.

Many men still search for someone like you
Case to find a good woman isnâ??t easy to do
Lord, I thank you for the love of my life
For she is my buddy as well as my wife.

OUR MOTHER’S LOVE

Our mother’s love like a candle
Burns brightly upon the shelf.
As she lights the way for all others
Never thinking of herself.

Seven little kids in a farmhouse
By my moms hard work survived.
Through her love and faith in Jesus
We learned how to struggle and strive.

The lilacs still bloom by the window
Where our mom would quilt and sew.
In the winter she’d sing by the fire
To the tunes she thought we should know.

Our father labored at a quarry
In the dust of the earth every day.
He worked so hard for his money
For the bills our family must pay.

Little sister came down with pneumonia
And almost died in bed.
Our momma lie sick beside her
Putting cool rags on her head.

We were sure glad to see daddy’s face
As he drove up our driveway
He ran up and into the house
Then knelt by their bed to pray.

Oh, Lord, please save my family
From the fever that burns within
For we have always loved Jesus
And will serve Him till our end.

Our mother and sister survived
But daddy, he died long ago.
When it’s our time for heaven
Weâ??ll see many that we know.

TILL THE END of TIME

I feel like Samson pushing the stone
For I gave into love and now I’m alone.
Betrayed by a woman, I gambled and lost
And now I suffer what disloyalty cost.

Samson was blinded by the blade of a knife
After his capture by the love of his life.
Imprisoned forever and forced to grind grain
To spectator laughter, the whip and the chain.

The same so am I, a victim of chain
For Iâ??ve too many memories of you in my brain.
Together my darling from a window we shall peer
It will be from heaven both faraway and near.

The heirlooms of tomorrow the woman and the man
Waiting for our ashes to sift through the sand.
I will  love you always, till the end of time
Now and then dreaming of when you were mine.

SAD DAD IN JAIL

They put me in prison for the deed I’ve done
I killed the drunk driver who crippled you, son.
Your mother, my wife, she died in the wreck
That’s the reason I broke that man’s neck.

His dad was a rich man, who pulled lots of strings
So well connected he could do many things.
I live in this hellhole with all sorts of men;
Iâ??m sure glad most like me and call me their friend.

The food here is so awful, I’ve lost many pounds
I’d rather feast on the vittles the guards toss the hounds.
At night we play cards and you don’t dare cheat
For if you get caught, youâ??ll be stomped on by feet.

Most inmates fashion some sort of knife
To help out their odds in a fight for their life
I took me a padlock and snapped it on a chain
Then hid it in my pant-leg to keep from being slain.

I get to see you on our family day
The worst part about it, is when you cry as you play.
Many times you question, “Dad, when can you leave?”
As the tears from your eyes drop to my sleeve.

Our visit is now over as they wheel you away
I whisper, “I love you” and you see what I say.
It’s time to go back to my one-room, shared cell
And try to write a song about a sad dad in jail.

SOLDIER IN THE RAIN

Iâ??m just a soldier who stands in the rain
My memories of home are what keep me sane.
Back home is a land of milk and honey
Ruled by lust and love of money.

But, what can I say, when I serve her true
For I volunteered to see this war through.
Now, that Iâ??m here, it’s hard to believe
We’re just the victims of those who deceive.

As darkness falls on the rice fields of Nam
Scared men with rifles walk the shadows of the calm.
It’s thousands of miles to the steps of my church
With its stained glass, steeples and lost souls who search.

Off in the distance I see an arc light
Bombs being dropped on children at night.
I’ve seen that evil they call the “yellow rain”
And how life withers when it’s sprayed by a plane.

All of my buddies have been taken away
No more touch football will they ever play.
Zipped in their body bags for the long trip home
Are some of the bravest, I’ve ever known.

War is a hell, devised by man
There’s death in the sea, the sky and the land.
Lord, I canâ??t help but wish I were home
Back with my love, whom I hope is alone?

WE WISH YOU WERE HOME

I remember that fair in September
As we waited for a Ferris wheel ride
Just as you reached for my fingers
I felt how I loved you inside.

The next thing I knew we were airborne
Above all the eyes of the crowd
Surrounded by rainbows of neon
As the moon popped from behind a cloud.

You asked, “daddy, do you love me”
I answered I couldnâ??t live without you.
Then you reached up and tugged on my collar
As we flew in that chair painted blue.

Now you are grown and gone
And have marched away to war.
As I’m writing this letter
I yearn for your knock at our door.

I got out some rags and the wax
And gave your old Ford a rubdown.
I went for a ride of remembrance
While its mufflers made your favorite sound

I drove by the park to ponder
Those ball games we loved to play.
I can ‘t help but worry and wonder
If you’ll ever come home to stay.

Your girlfriend still teaches school
We see her every seventh day.
There’s no doubt who she thinks of
When she folds her hands to pray.

Your mother still talks to your picture
As she works at her sewing machine.
I hope my son you realize
How much to us you mean.

PLEASURE SEEKERS

That road of pleasure seeking
Has so many deep pitfalls
And all the while we walk on it
In the distance the devil calls.

Some folks drink those bubbly spirits
Or smoke that tall green weed
Anything to dull their conscience
As they sow their wild oat seed.

I’ve been no angel in my life
Though I fell from a righteous shelf
When I took those risky chances
And tried both, many times, myself.

Now I’m tired of being foolish.
So I sing my songs at church
With one eye on my hymnbook
And the other free to search.

If you’re yearning to love someone
Let’s get together and seek no more
Kiss and fondle by the fire
And push pillows across the floor.

For we need love, health and money
And may we live to enjoy them all
Before we ‘re old and in our autumn
And our leaves begin to fall.

THE FIRST ONE TO LOVE ME

The first one to love me was you; Lord
And nothing can take that away.
My soul is refreshed by living water
While my heart flows with love each day.

I thank you for the love of my family
And I thank you for the love of my life.
I thank you for all of the blessings
You give to each husband and wife.

Your glory rides high on the sunsets
Your voice is the thunder of rain.
I thank you for all of the heavens
And Jesus who came to be slain.

I feel when your eyes are upon me
As you listen to my humble cry
You’ve redeemed the soul of your servant
To dwell in your mansion on high.

Iâ??ll claim each and every promise
From the Lord of the earth and sky.
I’m so glad Iâ??m free from my bondage
Of the grave where my body shall lie.

I thank you for parting the darkness
And guiding my footsteps each day.
I thank you for being my shepherd
You’ve walked with me all the way.

I know your armor protects me
From the devil in search of his feast.
And all who are lost without you
Shall dwell in hell with the beast!

CHRISTMAS IS COMING

Christmas is coming and I’m all alone
With no one to snuggle at night.
My wineglass is empty to help dull the desire
To kiss you by soft candlelight.

A rare pearl of value, you don ‘t leave alone
Or someone will steal them from you.
After they’ve gone and flown far away
It’s hard to know just what to do.

I’m watching my neighbors hang lights on their tree
With tinsel and striped candy cane.
I took you for granted and didn’t hug enough
And now I must suffer my pain.

Lord, I’m so lonely; I wish I could die
Then be born to relive again.
I realize the value of someone to love
And the danger of my selfish sin.

There’s a ring on my phone and a knock at the door
Which do I dare go for?
If neither is you, I’ll break down and cry
And again pound my fist on the floor.

I run down the hall and the doorknob turns
As the swirling snow rides on the wind.
There, in my doorway, it’s the face I love
Such a beautiful present to send.

Now, I am happy and dancing around
With a permanent smile on my face.
As children are singing their Christmas love songs
And the world is a wonderful place.

PATHWAYS

Lord, I’m so lonely, I thirst everyday
In search of the love I need
like a man in prison with no warmth at night
A slave who seeks to be freed.

For I need a woman who will heal my heart
So my life won ‘t seem so wrong.
Iâ??ll lie down beside her and gamble again
Then sing of our love in a song.

Remember, young Adam, your first favorite born
Who slept in your garden alone.
You took form his body and transformed some flesh
Then gave him a woman unknown.

Whichever the pathway I should choose to take
I realize that there will be brambles.
For the man who has visions everyday of his life
Will always be the same who gambles.

Now, to heaven I pray, for my treasure of life
After searching the deserts in vain.
Iâ??m tired of mirages from fool-hearted women
Please give me someone whoâ??s sane.

May her eyes be turquoise with cheeks like peaches
Ripe and ready to risk.
Soon theyâ??ll turn rosy when she sneaks a peek
To the tingle of where I kiss.

Though I will love her, I shall never follow.
Nor will I ever lead.
I’ll walk beside her and share all I have
For the children who spring from seed.

If we should argue about foolish things
I ‘d rather be loved than right.
Then when I lie down at the end of my day
I’ll sleep with a smile at night.

ENCHANTED

Over any man who feels lost without love
God gives women divine powers.
They can break our hearts or deflate our ego
And cause us to buy diamonds and flowers.

They have compelled kings and presidents to beg
Wild singles to commit to change their way.
Loving us with pleasures problematic to replace
With flashbacks of their passion night and day.

Women mother our babies who we love till death
For us to raise, protect and provide for.
They contribute revenue, affection and direction
With love, companionship and more.

They insist we never abuse or disgrace them
Cheat, lie or take their love for granted.
Which helps us to become more than we are
In love and totally enchanted.

WHISPERS

The one thing I’ve learned about happiness
It will never last pretending you’re not you.
Somehow, someway the truth will arise
And all that you hide will show through.

Sooner or later, one way or another
Something in your life seems wrong.
You go to bed unhappy and awake the same
Repeating life’s mistakes too long.

One day, to yourself, you begin to question
Is this who I am and wish to be
How will I choose to live the rest of my life
Till the angel of death comes for me?

Most people wish to be at peace with God
Oneself, and those we love.
Frequently taking a look at our past
Praying for guidance from above.

Thank heaven for the whispers from the heart
Which remind us that evil has it’s voice too.
It’s always a battle amid right and wrong
As we ponder and perform what we do.

LIFE

Life’s a book written through
Where the pages are the years.
There’s good, evil, false, and true
With laughter, sweat, and tears.

Our days are songs composed by God
As we set them to music with pleasure.
His cup of life is for us to drink
Though, He, decides the measure.

Hurried and worried, dawn till dusk
There’s no time for a curtain call.
We burn our candles from both ends
And we’re lucky to be alive at all.

Cards are shuffled and hands are dealt
For all to place their bets.
Youthful blunders, adulthood struggles
And old age, with its regrets.

It matters not, how long we live
But more, how well we play our part.
For the road to heaven is always near
As long as there’s truth in our heart.

EYES OF LOVE

A mind may see a thousand eyes
Though the heart yearns for two
When the eyes we love have up and gone
To the arms of someone new.

Eyes that twinkle, I distrust
For they are the distant stars.
Eyes in love have a steady glow
Like Venus, the Moon or Mars.

Eyes of love, like planets at night
Use borrowed light to shine.
Eyes are the living lenses
To the camera of our mind.

Eyes tend to believe themselves
Like the blind love of mothers.
Eyes speak without words
To the hearts and souls of others.

LOVE

No rope or cable can hold so tight
What love can do with twine.
No kiss can taste so bittersweet
As the one which captures our mind.

The first sign of love is the last of wisdom
As eager hearts fulfill desire.
Love is just a staple of life
Though heaven sparks the fire.

Heaven knows no rage like love
Once to hatred it has turned.
How wise are we who are such fools
Who forget the lessons we’ve learned.

Love, indeed, descends from heaven
Like a shooting star across the sky.
Love sometimes stirs the dust,
Till tears fall free from the eye.

God must love people in love
Or he wouldn’t make so many.
Those who claim it’s a mental disease
Have never been loved by any.

Love is stronger than life itself
And jealousy more cruel than the grave.
Men and women have loved one another
Since they spent their nights in a cave.

When the hands of love
Touch the strings of souls
There’ll be babies on the way.
That’s the basic rules of life
No matter what games we play.

Like the flowers in the fields
We shed our shields
To be warmed by the sun.
We live our lives the best we can
Till death catches us on the run.

MY WILD ROSE

You ‘re the full moon of my nights
And the sunshine of my day.
Like a queen upon her throne
You rule what I do and say.

It’s God who makes us beautiful
And the Devil who makes us mean.
It all depends on whom we follow
Which way our lives shall lean.

With one foot in the future
And one foot in the past
Let us try to live our days
As though each was our last.

You’re the wild rose of my life
My flower of desire.
Made by God for me alone
Out of earth, stars and fire.

MY WIFE

You’re the bone of my bones
Who I love for my wife.
The flesh of my flesh
And my partner in life.

For me to have and to hold
For better or for worse.
To love and to cherish
Though we might fight and curse.

Be I richer or poorer
Till death makes us part
I will give you great portions
Of my soul and my heart.

Heaven won’t be heaven
If I don ‘t see you there
May the first to go
Be me, is my prayer.

FAMILIES

The first stage of a family group
Begins with husband and wife.
Shelters are rented, bought or built
As they yearn for more from life.

Families are found throughout the world
In bone clusters buried in caves
Where ancient people lived and loved
‘Till death placed them in their graves.

Humans still have that need to group
As a family to survive
They love and care for each other
In the world in which they strive.

Families are a nation’s crown jewels
Far more than a golden coin.
Members find love and sympathy
From the groups they’ve chosen to join.

TEARS

Tears are the raindrops of the soul
And there’s one for all who die.
They are the silent words of grief
As they fall free from the eye.

The shortest verse in the Bible
Is the one where Jesus wept
So, if you hold back tears, “shed them”
When your pains too harsh to accept.

Tears are lovelier than a smile
When they come from those you love.
As they seek relief from sadness
When you’re summoned from above.

Tears are a love-mates humble gift
When it’s time to say goodbye
Though the eyes are wet and swollen
With time and patience they dry.

LOVE & ELECTRICITY

Love and electricity are a lot alike
For we never seem to miss them till their gone.
We need both, every day of our life
And even more so between twilight and dawn.

Love resembles a self-consuming amber
A static current of both pain and pleasure.
It can warm our bed and lighten the darkness
And for most who don ‘t have it, it’s a treasure.

We can turn it on or we can turn it off
Depending on whatever we’re forced to do.
It may shock us, please us, thrill us, or hurt us
Though once without it, we can’t wait to renew.

THE SEED OF LOVE

A kindly woman can make a sad man sing
With her love and affection winter seems like spring.
Of all the pleasures in life given to a man
There’s nothing beats the touch of a woman’s soft hand.

God saw Adam alone on Eden’s floor
Then decided to give him Eve’s love and much more.
So take what you need from she chosen for you
Then rid thyself of others and to her be true.

The Lord planted love within mankind’s heart
Though things can grow sour when from Him we depart.
Love and hate are but two sides of life’s golden coin
So be ready for both no matter whom you join.

FORGIVE ME

Forgive me, forgive me
And I’ll kiss your tears away.
You’re the first thing and the last
I think of every day

Let bygones be bygones
And be willing to forgive.
And I will love you only
Every moment I live.

I love you and I need you
It’s a fact and not a lie
So if you plan to punish me
Say anything, but good bye.

PARTING

The truest words, which portray my love
I speak to you from within m

Are you in love or is someone in love with you? If the answer is yes to either of these questions, then this article might be useful for your love life. The emotion of love that you are feeling cannot be defined consistently. It however can be experienced and described in an understanding manner. Whatever the type or intensity of love that you are experiencing right now, it might be useful to compare it to what Robert J. Sternberg (1986) considered as a complete form of love, which he termed as â??Consummate Loveâ?. Now before we get into the debate of whether there is such a thing as â??a complete form of loveâ?, I would like to qualify that I am only quoting Sternbergâ??s perspective as a comparison benchmark and not as the only dogma for love. Another matter to be noted is the use of the term â??personsâ?.

Why I use the term â??Persons?â?

The term person is being employed here to avoid gender biasness and heterosexism. My personal view of gender is that, it stands for â??the state of being male or femaleâ?, and sex refers to sexual orientation (Weiten & Lloyd, 2006). Thus, whether you are a male or a female, with whatever sexual orientation, you can experience the emotion of love. I believe that up to this stage, there isnâ??t much controversy. But what about the next question?

What is the traditional perspective of love and sexual orientation?

Male can fall in love with a female and have sexual relationship. This is acceptable according to heterosexism. But when a male falls in love with a male or a female falls in love with a female and have a sexual relationship, there are no problems among themselves, but they might face almost militant type of aggression and opposition from others. We are living in the nuclear age, with astounding advances in arts, sciences and technology, and yet there are still large segments of societies, that either cannot or do not want to understand and differentiate between gender,  love, and sexual orientation.

Love and sexual orientation

Love is an emotion that can be experienced by males and females (persons). Sexual orientation can simply be described as personsâ?? sexual preferences with the other gender, the same gender, or either gender (Weiten & Lloyd, 2006). So we have labels for persons with different types of sexual preferences. Males who prefer females are called â??heterosexualsâ?. Males who prefer males are called â??homosexualsâ?. Females who prefer females are called â??lesbiansâ?. Males or females who prefer either gender are called â??bisexualsâ?. The foregoing labels all refer to the subjective sexual preferences of individual persons. As in heterosexual love relationships, it is biologically and psychologically possible for homosexual, lesbian and bisexual love relationships. And these love relationships are then reciprocated in sexual relationships. However it must be noted that in certain instances, a heterosexual, homosexual, lesbian or bisexual sexual relationship is devoid of the emotion of love. It is purely a preferential sexual orientation. The next matter is to clarify any possible debate over the foregoing gender and preferential sexual orientation in a personâ??s love life.

Consummate Love: A Comparison Benchmark for Love

I believe that at this stage of this article, those who hold the heterosexism perspective might be ready to debate on the ethical, moral, legal and religious issues of gender and preferential sexual orientation in a personâ??s love life. Before I continue, I would like to clarify that as a graduate student of Counseling Psychology, I am only interested in the process and dynamics of consummate love as a benchmark for love regardless of the preferred sexual orientation. I do not support nor am an activist of any particular perspective of gender or preferential sexual orientation.  The issues of gender and preferential sexual orientation ought to be resolved by the receptive individual person within the context of their own societies. So what is Sternbergâ??s consummate love?

What is Sternbergâ??s Consummate Love?

            Though there are many definitions and concepts of love, this article would focus on Sternbergâ??s Consummate Love. Robert J. Sternberg considered consummate love as a complete form of love. He listed Intimacy, Passion and Commitment as the three vital components that determine the type and strength of a personâ??s love. Let us first look at the three vital components that develop a complete form of love. The first component is intimacy.

            First Component â?? Intimacy

                        Sternberg (1988a, pp. 38-40), identified ten aspects of intimacy which are self-explanatory. 1) Desiring to enhance the well-being of a loved one. 2)  Enjoying happiness with the loved one. 3) Esteeming the love one highly. 4) Being able to rely on the loved one in times of need. 5) Possessing mutual understanding. 6) Sharing oneâ??s self and oneâ??s possession. 7) Accepting emotional support from the loved one. Providing emotional support to the loved one. 9) Communicating intimately with the loved one. 10) Appreciating the presence of the loved one in oneâ??s life. Next, the second component is passion.

            Second Component â?? Passion

                        Passion can be either positive or negative intense desires, including sexual desires experienced in a love relationship. Passion also includes needs like self-esteem, dominance, submission (Evans & Tait, 1991, p.212). And lastly, the third component is commitment.

            Third Component â?? Commitment

                        Commitment is the cognitive component of love which includes both short term and long term decisions in loving a person. The short term decision is to love your partner. The long term decision is to maintain that love and make it endure (Sternberg 1986, 1987, 1988a). It was based on these three components of love that Sternberg developed the seven different types of love experiences. The seven different types of love experiences are as follows.

What are the Seven Types of Love Experiences?

1.      Non-Love: There in an absence of intimacy, passion and Commitment. This refers to an acquaintance kind of relationship. This has no love experience in this category.

2.      Liking: There is the component of intimacy but passion and commitment is absent. Friendship relationships typify this category.

3.      Infatuated Love: There is the presence of passion but intimacy and commitment are absent. This is the â??love at first sightâ? type. It can be very sexually orientated.

4.      Empty Love: There is the component of commitment but intimacy and passion is absent. In collective societies that belief in arranged marriages, the initial stage of marriage might fit this picture. This kind of situation can also describe failed marriages but where divorce is put on hold for the benefit of children or other considerations.

5.      Romantic love: Intimacy and passion are present but commitment is absent.  Sometimes intimate friendship that has sexual attractions develops to fit this category.

6.      Companionate Love: There is intimacy and commitment but the absence of passion. Long term friendships fit this category. Marriages in which the initial passion has cooled off also fit this category.

7.      Fatuous Love: There is passion and commitment but the absence of intimacy. Whirlwind love affairs of celebrities typify this category.

8.      Consummate Love: This has intimacy, passion, and commitment. This is what Sternberg called the complete form of love. It is the comparison benchmark for love.

            When two persons regardless of their sexual orientation are in love, the complete form of love to aim for is the consummate love. The reason being, it has all the three vital components of Intimacy, passion and love. All other forms of love do not develop into a consummate love. Achieving consummate love involves a lot of effort, time and a conscious will power to achieve and maintain. It is almost an ideal form of love. That is why I consider Sternbergâ??s perspective of consummate love as a reference guide to be used to compare our love life. The questions that we must continuously ask ourselves are:

1.      Do we have an intimate love life with our partner?

2.      Do we have a passionate love life with our partner?

3.      Do we have a committed love life with our partner?

4.      What type of love life do we have?

So whoever you are (male or female), and whatever youâ??re sexual orientations are (heterosexual, homosexual, lesbian, bisexual), check your love life using Sternbergâ??s perspective of consummate love as a comparison benchmark. You will instantly know where you stand in your love life with and for your partner. As a person who loves another person or as a person receiving love from another, you will know what type of love life you are experiencing now.

A beautiful song from a beautiful man

Music video by Leona Lewis performing Bleeding Love. -Watch this video with lyrics at www.vevo.com (C) 2007 Simco Limited under exclusive license to Sony Music Entertainment UK Limited

Spinnin’ Records presents Edward Maya & Vika Jigulina – Stereo Love (OFFICIAL VIDEO)