Memories of Momma

Posted on: February 26th, 2023

I found some letters in a box with memories of my mom

In the letters she describes her joy of mothering

At the time she lived in one room behind the church

Where Byron had his giggles and Ruthie had her curls

The weather cold and lots of snow up in Fort St John

Daddy teaching school a hundred miles from our home

My sister was the oldest and she wrote these stories down

The times she had with momma 

I’ll sing them to you now

One day while driving in the car  we got stuck in the mud

We all got out and had to walk a mile through the muck

At home all warm and dry she made hot milk with toast

It was our favorite treat to eat we all loved it the most

One day she started singing when she saw Robert and Lloyd

Their faces in the window watching her hang the clothes outside

How much is the doggie in the window she would sing

The feeling I remember and the warmth that it would bring

I got a new bicycle when, we lived in  Prince George

Her laughter was contagious as she rode it round the yard

She always made me feel good even when I’d cry

She had a way of kissing make the pain just go away 

When I was a little girl I would waken in the night

I saw my momma praying radiant in the candle light

With tears on her face her hands open in the air

Singing sweet to Jesus kneeling at the kitchen chair

She often sang at church I’d have a stirring in my soul

She prayed the Lord would heal her but was content to go

She beckoned me come near her just before she died

Jesus loves you Ruthie she said 

I was standing by her side

I memorized the Lord’s prayer sitting on my mothers knee

Our father in heaven hallowed be your name

Her voice so gentle I recall the radiance on her face

Now singing sweet to Jesus with all of heavens saints

“I Pray”

Posted on: November 9th, 2022

a song by Bob and Maureen Clark

“Ten Second Poem But Just Right” by Maureen Clark

I wished

How I wished

For something

Beautiful

To come of this

Doesn’t make it  happen

Or so

But still

Better to wish

Than not

Better to hope

Than stop

Then what?

Then what?

Than nothing

Sold Me A Slave a ballad by Bob Clark

Posted on: July 7th, 2022
https://connecticuthistory.org/venture-smith-from-slavery-to-freedom/

Venture SmithBroteer
1730, Born in Dukandarra
In the Savannah of the west Africa
They named him Broteer he was a tender of sheep 
When his world turned over by an army of thieves
He watched as his father was tortured and killed
Then put on a slave ship jam-packed-overfilled 
 
Bought by an officer of the Rhode Island slaver for
4 kegs of rum and a small piece of linen
Spared from the smallpox that pillaged the boat
And brought to New England to a life with no hope
Stripped of his name and renamed Venture
He learned a lesson, don’t trust your owner
 
Beat many times, clubbed and was blamed
Brutally robbed, betrayed and then shamed
The time had come for him to seized the hour
Apply his great strength for bargaining power
Was purchase by Smith who treated him right
Gave him the means to buy back his life 
 
Finally a free man he purchased some land
Worked as a sailor, all part of a plan
Fished and cut cordwood now his main mission
Was to buy back his wife and boys securing their freedom
Purchased more land now his money invested
A few short years he now had a 100 acres
 
Sacred to the memory of Venture Smith
Son of a king, kidnapped then sold
One out of 12 million African captives
Who crossed the Atlantic Ocean the middle passage
His story a view of the bitter fought battles
Of slavery, freedom and equality struggle
 
It came burning hot into my mind, How he flattered me
But how he lied When he got me there I wasn’t mine
Taken away Identity, Sold me a slave
 

Something to Think About Something to Ponder a song by Bob Clark

Posted on: May 17th, 2022
A Sappy Load of Shit

We got tall buildings but shorter tempers, 

Wide Freeways,  narrow viewpoints. 

We spend more money, but got less real things

We got bigger houses but have smaller families, 

More conveniences, but less time with them

We have more degrees but less common senses

Got more knowledge, but less judgment

We think we’re experts, yet have more problems

Take more drugs, but feel more badness. 

We spend too reckless, laugh too little, 

Drive too fast, let anger control us

Stay up too late, get up too tired, 

Read too little, watch to much TV, 

We don’t listen but talk too easy

Make a good living, but not a good life. 

We’ve added more years  then we die to crabby. 

Been to the moon and back, conquered outer space 

We’ve done large things, but have so little peace. 

We’ve cleaned up the air,  but polluted our minds. 

We’ve conquered the atom, but forget to be kind

We plan more, accomplish less, always in a rush,

Can’t even wait for just one late bus

Build more computers to hold more stuff

Always complaining that we don’t have enough

Steep profits but shallow relationships. 

We worry more   but pray much less

Two incomes  but more break ups

Can’t understand I think I need to give up

These are days of quick trips, and fornicate

Lay lady lay  and throwaway babies 

We need a solution  we need a  answer

Someone told me I’d find it in scripture

Spend some time with the ones you love

Say a kind word    give a warm hug

Do a kind thing for someone in need

Say, ‘I love you’ and do a kind deed

Life isn’t measured by the breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away.

Let There be Light song by  Steph Macleod

Posted on: April 29th, 2022
When I sail the lonely deep
          Dm             Am
When the midnight watch I keep
                                       E7
I stand amazed as stars on the billows gleam
            Am                 Am/G
And though I know a storm is rising
    Am/F#          Am/F
High above the dark horizon
Am              E7                      Am
I know oh Lord, I know You are here with me

[Chorus]
               Am
So let there be light
          Fmaj7        C
Lord let it shine
          Esus         E             Am
Out of your heart  and here into mine       
                       Am/G
When it rains from heaven above
          Am/F#          Am/F
Let it rain sweet heavenly love
            Am
Let there be light
E       E7              Am
Oh Lord, let there be 
[Verse 2]
There’s a call on the restless tide
Like a longing endless night
And it breaks the bow like a raging symphony
And though I may be far from shore
I am anchored to Heaven’s door
And Lord I know, I know You are here with me

[Chorus 2]
               Am                  Fmaj7   C
So let there be light    And Lord let it shine      
       Esus            E                       Am
Out of your heart               and here into mine
                               Am/G
Lead me out of the eye of the storm
       Am/F#                   Am/F
Into the promise of the crimson dawn
               Am          E     E7                Am
Let there be light    Oh Lord, let there be light
[Bridge]
Am                      C/G
Your grace is enough Your grace is enough
F                       E                       E7
Find me here oh Lord surrounded by an ocean of love             X3

[Chorus 3]
               Am
So let there be light
               Fmaj7   C
And Lord let it shine
         Esus          E                     Am
Out of your heart               and here into mine
                               Am/G
Lead me out of the eye of the storm
       Am/F#                   Am/F
Into the promise of the crimson dawn
               Am
Let there be light
       E7                      Am
Oh Lord, oh Lord, let there be light
Am/G       Am/F#        Am/F
Let there be light, sweet Jesus
               Am      Am/G
Let there be light
F                    E7
Let there be light oh Lord
               Am
Let there be light

“Loving You” – a song for Greg and Sheila

Posted on: April 11th, 2022
I’m sinking  falling
Almost to my knees
I am shaking I’m hurting
Tears run down my face
I am missing you right now again
It’s not an easy time
It hurts so bad I’m crying
Can’t say I’m doing fine

You’ve been here in my life just 20 years or so
You brought me so much joy 
Would never let it go
You lifted me so high
Our hearts would touch the sky
You’d bring me down real slow
We’d snuggle here so close
 
All those blissful days my memory is full
The sea, the sky, the land the world
Your joy in it exposed
Tomorrow you had plans and me too
Marriage Love and home
Why was I allowed to have you 
Then to see you go

Now sweet baby you’re flying
I can see you climb
Now my child your sailing
Free from earthly pine
My precious girl your home now
Can almost hear you sing
All your dreams are real now
Living with the king

The wind is crying to me 
The clouds are streaming on
The crowded stars are blinking winking
I’m trying to understand. 
The sun would make me see it 
If it shines a million times. 
When children ask me to do it
I Do it one more time

The sun will rise tomorrow and 
The stars will understand 
And I will rise tomorrow 
Just as daisy’s are all twins.
And God will shine upon us
While he holds us in his hand.
And I will grow much older but
Loving you will  never end

“Am I a Fool” a song by Bob Clark

Posted on: February 25th, 2022

I saw you coming down the road away

Your clothes askew and it’s the middle of the day

Your body language says that you don’t care

If I was waiting here or anywhere

Am I a fool Am I a fool 

To think that you’ll be true

Think I’m a loser well think again

If there’s a loser then count me in

Feels like I suffer from an actual wound

The hurt gets deeper every time you move

Am I a fool Am I a fool 

Cause I’m still wanting you

I loved you more than once I got to say

It’s killing me each time that you don’t stay

Can’t get you off my mind I’m not sleeping

Got to admit you’re driving me insane

Am I a fool Am I a fool 

I’m still loving with you

Am I a fool Am I a fool 

Am I a fool Am I a fool

Ah hell I still love you

“My Love” a Lullaby by Bob Clark

Posted on: February 25th, 2022

[URIS id=3305]

Best Friend I Ever Had a song by Bob Clark

Posted on: February 16th, 2022
My Dad, Elmer George Clark in the garden

Best Friend I Ever Had

He spoke in a soft and quiet voice

And then he’d listened for a while

I’d want to hear his gentle words

I’d want to feel his tender smile

Folks around town  called him Mr.

He would greet everyone with a big “hello” 

Then he’d asked  “how you doing”

They would feel compelled to tell him so

He was a simple kind of man

He’d reach out take my  hand

He’d lead me straight to Jesus

He was, 

Best Friend I Ever Had

I could tell him all my problems

His eyes would smile when he bent down

He would always stop what he was doing

I  knew he’d understand

He had a garden out back home

On knees I’d see him pulling weeds

Then he’d take a bag of produce

He’d always find someone in need

“Breathe In Me” a song for Eva by Bob Clark

Posted on: January 28th, 2022
Give me bread when I am hungry
Give me wine when I am dry
Give me hope when I am losing
Breathe in me Your life

Is there a reason to this madness
Is there a reason to this hell
Is there a way to rise above it
Can I escape this prison cell

Is it true your loves forever
Is it true you came to die
Is it true You really suffered
And I’m the reason why

Can I know you hold tomorrow
Can I know you hold today
Can I feel your arms around me
Can I trust that you will stay

God groans with us, is with us in suffering and meets us in this place. The stripping away of our security or what we think faith to be in the easy, forces us to have a new understanding of joy and peace within trial and testing. I think it’s comforting to know that we have a God that isn’t above our sorrow. He’s with us in it and feels it even more deeply than we do. He doesn’t expect us to have answers or to defend His sovereignty in this. He just asks us to abide in Him. I’ve seen it practiced in our house church. There’s so much encouragement in abiding, listening and communing together the way we have been. Love you all so much.

by Eva Buttrell spring 2020

" The doors are fantastic. Thanks! I am so pleased. You can see the veins in the leave designs. This door has received compliments from our framer and plasterer who see many door designs. We will enjoy it so much!" -Alison M.