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Posts Tagged ‘The Master Series of poems from the Amidst Series’

“What your Best Friends Are” copyright 2010 John J. Rigo, Texas Commentator

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on March 15, 2012| Leave a Comment »

"Your Little Green Friends"

One of my dearest friends from over thirty-five years ago was a gentleman by the name of Cliff Russell.  Cliff is dead now.  At that time he was the Father in a loving spirit that my real Father never was, between his drunken whisky binges.  One day while in my thirties I related to him my disappointment with an individual that I thought was a friend. 

Cliff had an easy way about him when he was offering advice. It was that “home-grown” attitude from being born and raised in Louisiana.  He related, “Johnny, let me show you, what your best friends in life look like.”  Slowly he withdrew from his pocket a roll of hundred dollar bills.  As the saying goes, “The roll was big enough to choke a horse.”  

Cliff went on to say, “This is your Little Green Friends. They will keep you warm when you are cold, cool when you are hot, and will buy you all the company, you will ever want, when you are lonely.”  To this day I have never forgotten one of the loving lessons given to me in my life from a dear, now departed friend.

 

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“The Sandals of Jesus” copyright 2010 John J. Rigo, upcoming book, “Passion Amidst Apathy” including a Commentary on Foreclosed Churches in East Texas

Posted in Commentary on Churches, Foreclosed churches in East Texas?, Mabank Texas, Poetry, Presbyterian, Presbyterian Church in East Texas, upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy", tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 12, 2012| Leave a Comment »

 
 
 
Commentary:  It recently came to my attention that a Pastor of a Presbyterian church in East Texas is finally moving on.  What is so hugely funny, is that he is going to a higher level of administration in the Presbyterian religion. What started out as a financially sound church was destroyed literally by this Pastor.  In spite of a “no confidence vote…twice” this Pastor insisted in taking this over century old church to a huge remodeling phrase.  The project added little to the church and spent close to a million dollars of church assets and loans on the property. 
 
Since the remodeling, there has been no church growth to speak of, while the members struggle to pay the huge loan on this church.  Churches should not be monuments to the ego’s of their Pastors, sadly as this church had become.  Hopefully, the stain glass window which was dedicated to his name will be quickly modified to remove all memories of his poor judgement in his prior position in this church. 
 
Simply by typing in the Google search bar under, “Foreclosures on Churches” including the following link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/03/09/us-usa-housing-churches-idUSBRE82803120120309   one can easily see that it will be a matter of time that this East Texas church will also be foreclosed.  Recently one came up with a great name for a foreclosed church turned into an eatery.  A great name for such a place would be the “Last Supper.” 
 
 
The Sandals of Jesus are only worn by very special Ministers.
They walk with the greatest of thoughtfulness towards others.
Any form of harm whether physical or mental
would they never bring to another.
 
True gentle souls are they
in their centering of their love of God.
Always thankful.
Always demonstrating appreciation
for every kindness that comes their way.
 
They speak not of darkness but of light.
They are light
that brings peaceful joy to others.
 
Many lay claim to wearing these sandals
but few are worthy to touch
even the straps of Jesus’ sandals.
 
So I ask you the “Godless Ministers of God”
to remove those sandals from your feet
for you are not worthy
to have the name of Jesus
pass your lips
much less
wear His sandals.  
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….
“Many go by the title, ‘ Ministers of God,’  but few are worthy.”  Saying by John J. Rigo, Texas Poet and Commentator

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“A First Love Remembered” copyright 2010 John J. Rigo, upcoming, “Passion Amidst Apathy”

Posted in Poetry, upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy", tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on March 6, 2012| 1 Comment »

 
 

Age seventeen, top row, third from left.

 
What time never erases
is memories of a first love.
A sweetness of innocence never regained again.
 
It was a brief five minutes that our eyes met that summer day.
I a young man with the blue uniform of a brand new Air Force Recruit.
Tall strong and youthful at seventeen
still in the midst of basic training at an Air Force Base.
 
You at sixteen with a beauty that was clear and eternal of the moment.
My bus was leaving,
the connection of our eyes was unmistakenable.
In just minutes we swore a forever love between us.
 
Truly that moment was a magic
that will never be again.
Two parts of a universe
meeting in a most unlikely place.
 
It has been fifty-one years since that meeting.
Still I remember you from time to time
in such vivid detail.
 
I wish you Love in the journey you took beyond
the days of our permanent separation
five years latter.
 
Was I then a vessel of a lost ship
for a very long time.
The haunting of a First Love
never leaves Love’s Way.
 

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"After All This Time" copyright 2008 John J. Rigo upcoming "Passion Amidst Apathy"

Posted in Poetry, Texas' Poetry, upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy", tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , on February 19, 2012| Leave a Comment »

After all this time
my mind still turns to you.
Our love embers still burning
in the halls of my memories of you.
 
Still reaching for the feel of you
next to me.
The sweet smell of you
the sound of your sleeping breath
bringing peace to my aching soul.
 
Where ever you may be this morning
know out there in the cold cold night
there is one who loves you
beyond all that is precious to me.
After all this time
I still love you.   

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“We Are Proud To Announce, we are a Top Editors’ Choice” copyright 2012 John J. Rigo, Publisher and Author

Posted in McKinney Texas' Poetry site chosen to be "Top Editors Choice.", tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 20, 2012| Leave a Comment »

We are proud to announce that the WordPress site  “Spirit Filled Poetry”  aka https://spiritfilledpoetry.wordpress.com was chosen to be the “Top Editors’ Choice” for an international site called Bloggers.com.  Bloggers.com consists of thousands of blog websites across the world.  

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“A First Love, Recalled” copyright 2010 John J. Rigo, upcoming, “Passion Amidst Apathy”

Posted in upcoming book "Passion Amidst Apathy", tagged , , , , , on January 7, 2012| Leave a Comment »

The piano played a familiar melody in my memory.

Images of summer came to mind.

We were in love.

Warmed by our dreams,

and the oneness that was us.

 

Wherever each of us were,

we were never apart.

Our bonded souls filled all spaces between us.

The melody of that summer will always be.

For you see,

a first love,

never dies.

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"I Am Overcome in the Joy of Your Love" copyright 2005 John J. Rigo "Rainbows Amidst Storms"

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , on January 3, 2012| Leave a Comment »

My Lord, my God, I come before you,
your humble servant,
overcome by the love Thou has shown me,
as one of your creations.
One made in the image of your
encompassing and eternal love.
I ask, as your servant,
for the wisdom to know Your will
so that you may find pleasure in me.
May I bring pride and further joy
to you in your creation.
When the darkness of days were before me,
you were my Light, when no hope was seen.
You were my Friend, when all turned away from me.
In the depth of my deepest sorrow and loss,
You helped me rediscover the joy of Your
eternal love for me.
I surely would dammed
throughout eternity without the Light
of Your love before me.
I pray each day to do only Your will as my God.
Let me not be overcome by my foolish pride,
nor ever feel that the blessings,
You fill each day of my life,
are from my efforts.
The greatest gift that You chose to give to your creations,
you gave to me, which is the choice of free will,
to love or not love You,
every day of this physical life.
Give me courage,
and keep me mindful
of Your love each day.
Protect me from the evil of the world,
that awaits me in the possible fall,
from Your Grace.
In my awakening each day,
as I greet the miracle that is around me,
never let me forget the joy,
that overcomes me when finding,
and being in Your love for me.
And, if it be Thy will,
let my soul
stay in your love,
abiding in your eternity,
that awaits me.
 

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“‘Red, White and Blue,” A Poem, and Personal Story, Dedicated to 9-11″ copyright 9-11-2001 John J. Rigo, poem selection from “Rainbows Amidst Storms”

Posted in A Personal Story of 9/11, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on September 5, 2011| 2 Comments »

   
 
 

courtesy of life.com

The following poem was written on the afternoon of 9-11.  It relates to the sorrow and pain of our country losing loved ones in a senseless killing of innocence in the deaths of 2,973.

“Red, White and Blue” copyright 9-11-2001 John J. Rigo

Red, White and Blue are the colors before me on this day.

It will be a day remembered by numbers used to summon help.

Nine, One and One, bring only the recall of white dust,

rock, and twisted steel in a sea of sorrow.

Can these tears wash away the pain

that this day brings?

Tears shed for those we love and are no more.

I cry out for my Brothers and Sisters in the depth of pain

that befalls their hearts.

Could there be a greater sin,

then a day so dark?

I think not.

I pray for peace, comfort, and hope,

for the souls rejoined with my Lord this day.

Red, White and Blue,

I cling to thee for hope, peace,

and healing in Thee.

For Thou are the only One,

Who can bring sense to this gruesome day of pain.

…………………………………………………………………………………………………….

Personal Story:  I was born and raised in New York City.  My younger, and only brother, Richard Rigo of Smithtown, New York worked as a building engineer within blocks of ground zero.  He commuted every day to his building in the city from Smithtown.

On the morning of the attacks, my concern was for his safety.  Blessfully, he was on his way to work when the attacks began.  He returned home safely.

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"An Earthbound Angel" copyright 2008 John J. Rigo upcoming "Passion Amidst Apathy"

Posted in Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on April 2, 2010| Leave a Comment »

My Bride, Linda Terry-Rigo

She spoke of death, matter factually.
She told me what the afterlife was.
The detail was clear and without doubt.
An earthbound angel returned,
to quiet my fears and give me peaceful assurance.
Who was this creature that gave me this gift,
with such authority?
I had known her for over thirty-five years.
We have been together over eighteen years.
She is the wife of my dreams.
A true “Giver of Life” is my bride.
How blessed, am I, this day,
to have time shared with her.
Thank you God,
for this gift of life to me.  

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