Reflections of Life
Is life the rain that falls to earth?
Or the bitter screaming wind
Is it gloomy days and snow that falls?
To cause the trees to bend.
Or rays of sunshine dripping down
To flood the earth with light
Or gentle breezes, soft and cool
And leaves that take to flight.
Children laughing, filled with glee
Dogs and cats at play
Just what on earth is life about?
Each night followed by each day?
It seems there should be more to this
The time on earth we spend
More than rain and sun and snow and such
More than bitter screaming wind.
Like peace and joy and love that floods
Our soul with that special glow
The gentle kiss of a little child
That says she loves us so.
And yet I sense there's something more
That makes life so unique..
Like sharing it with God above
Which makes our life complete.
So look into the streams of joy
The ripples causing strife..
And there you'll see the love of God
Reflecting on your life.
REFLECTIONS OF LOVE
Reflecting on a thing called love
I looked up at the sky
The faded blue, the puffy clouds
“Just what is love?” I sigh.
Is love the touch of a mother’s hand
When pain tears at her soul?
Is it the gentle lick of a new-born pup,
Or a child whose hand we hold?
Is it oceans blue and fields of grain
Across this nation wide...
Or the roaring surf, or a stranger’s hand
The pats me when I cry?
I think it’s all of these and more
This thing called love I seek.
For one word can’t attain to it...
How inadequate and weak!
But what describes it best to me
Is knowing God above...
Who created me, and all these things
Surely, this is love!
THE PATH OF LIFE
Sometimes we walk this path called life
Through weeds and tangled brush
We walk along the crooked path
Forever in a rush.
It doesn’t matter which path we take
They all lead to the grave
A short life span and then it’s over
We face that cold, dark, cave.
But Jesus says, “There’s something more...
Just seek Me and you’ll see
Amid the weeds and tangled brush,
A soul that’s been set free.
And death will not, the victory win
For eternal life I give..
Forget the weeds along the path
With Me, you’ll start to live!”
“Behold the Lamb”
Behold the Lamb
He walked the path that
No one else would walk
The path of love
The path of sacrifice
The perfect Lamb
Who shed His blood
For you, for me
Behold the Lamb
The Holy one of Israel
He beheld the grave
And walked below
To bring Paradise above
To make a place
For you, for me
Behold the Lamb
He reigns on high now
A sacrifice no more
But now a King
Royally on His throne
Beside the right hand of God
He waits for you, for me
by Inez Brinkley
THE CROOKED PATH
Sometimes upon this trek through life
We take the crooked path
We seek our own, we live in sin
Unmindful of God’s wrath.
But stop and think a moment or two
About the path you seek
Where is the joy - the peace in life?
It’s all so incomplete.
For to go through life without the Lord
Is the sun without it’s heat...
A silent bird, a field of mud
A swing without a seat.
So turn your life to serving Him
He’ll make the crooked path straight
You’ll find the joy, the peace in life...
And Heaven will be your fate.
by Inez Brinkley © 1983
A Cloud of Dust
I see the swirling cloud of dust
That gathers where He walks
The people follow close behind
To hear Him when He talks.
That cloud of dust speaks more to me
Than many countless words
It scatters love on the winds of time
Taking flight above the birds.
The path He trod was lonely indeed
No one could understand..
I scarce can take it in myself
How God became a man.
Yet love reached out of the cloud that day
With healing in it's wing
To touch the lonely people He met
They proclaimed Him as their King.
But all too soon they fell away
Cloud of dust now all alone.
To bear the weight of Calvary's cross..
For sin, He would atone.
Now no more does that cloud swirl out,
For Heaven is His throne
There'll be no dusty roads up there
He waits to take us home.
Yet love still swirls about on earth
In hearts like yours and mine..
The gentle love of saving grace
That stood the test of time.
By Inez Brinkley©
"I'll Cry Once More"
The laughter tinkling off the walls
A glow of better days
The ghosts of time smile kindly back
In dancing sunlit rays.
The gentle time of belles and balls
Cavalier's on chargers roam
The whisper of perfume lingers on
A time that's dead and gone.
The black man sings a different song
And hails his freedom true...
Yet deep within he seeks his past
In graveyards not so new.
The fields once boasted their puffs of white
Stood royally.. all alone
But now no more, the fields are bare
King cotton's off his throne!
Killed by progress, I cry big tears
Of sorrow, pain and dread
Come to the funeral follow the dirge..
My beloved South is dead!
I follow it soon, I cross the vane
Immortal, now I see
That death cannot the victory win
From South or even me.
The mansions and the crystal lakes
Gentle breezes in the wind
Ah, once more up there, I'll see it then
The South will rise again!
I'll cry once more, and then I'll meet
The new South face to face
And there I'll see the throne of God..
By far a better place.
By Inez Brinkley©
"The Shepherd"
The sheep rest by the gentle streams
Green pastures all around
They're calm and serene, for sheep are said
To rest when there's no sound.
But let the rushing water come
And they'll scatter to and fro
They need their shepherd to calm their fears
And protect them from each foe.
And we are so much like the sheep
Serene when all goes well
But just let trials upset our life
And then we start to yell!
While Jesus quietly waits, He says,
"My child, come into the fold..
I'll be your Shepherd, calm your fears
Your life I'll take and mold.
Enter by the narrow gate
For I am the only way..
The path of life, I'll lead you down
I'll be there through each day.
My love for you is wide indeed
And just for you I died
Just ask Me in to be your Lord
In your heart, I will abide.
By Inez Brinkley ©
Faded Glory
Plaster peeling off the walls
Speaking tales of woe
Hard times come to devastate
Good times seem to go.
Windows broken, staircase missing
Shutters lean astray
A broken home is sad to see..
It has so much to say.
Once tall and stately, it's past does tell
Of balls and courtships here..
Dashing men on horses came
But one was very dear.
Then gray and blue a clash did meet
The country split in two
My heart beats for the gentle gray...
But God must favor the blue.
They pillage and despoil the land
Their cannons sputter and roar
And soon I get the news I dread..
My dear one is no more.
So now I walk the empty halls
Frail ghost of splendor past
Haunted by the backside of time
Grieving, till the last.
Then faded glory no more I'll see
On gold my feet will trod
For soon I'll see his precious face..
Standing near the throne of God.
By Inez Brinkley ©
"FLOWERS"
The flowers in God’s garden
Are beautiful beyond compare
He gave life’s imitations
Just to show His loving care
And life is a mere copy
Of our final home with God
All pain, and joy, and laughter,
These are the paths we trod.
“My child, I’m truly with you,
To bear your sorrow and your pain...
Your tears kept in a bottle
To show you haven’t cried in vain.
My spirit rests upon thee
To guard your soul this night...
The height & breadth of My deep love
Will be thy strength and might.
By Inez Brinkley ©
Holiness
My soul doth long to be pure and clean
To serve a Holy God
But life keeps getting in the way
Along this path I trod.
I yield one thing and the other too
To keep my life so pure
My thoughts on Him all day and night
My spirit so secure.
But then when down, along this walk
I cry out to the Lord
"I've done my part, I live for you,
Why is this life so hard?"
"Be still My child", He gently says
"You've yet a way to go
Continue in the awesome task
Because you love Me so.
Seek holiness, purity, and righteousness
And claim them as your own
Just serve Me well, for soon you'll serve
With Me upon the throne."
By Inez Brinkley ©
The Color of Love
The colors of the world do speak
To a heart that listens well
They have so much to show to us
They have so much to tell.
The color white shows what He is
All clean and pure and true
This color describes our precious Lord
Who came for me and you.
And green brings peace unto my soul
For I see the gentle streams
With restful pastures all around
A place to dream our dreams.
The color red does say it all
His blood was shed for you
He bled and died upon the cross
Which brings us to the color blue.
I feel His love through this fair shade
All cool and light and true
I think of love all wrapped up in
This color we call blue.
But nothing really could portray
The story that I've told
Except the Living Word He gave
More precious than all lifes gold.
Inez Brinkley ©
Dying Dreams
Peacock grins and haughty pride
Rode out with boys in gray
But years of war caused hope to flee
And dreams are nightmares of day.
We fight and die to preserve our way
The old life of time gone by
With lazy days and endless dreams
Grace and charm that cannot die.
A dream of life the way it was
Cavaliers and belles at play
Dashing men on gallant steed
A warm, rose colored day.
But now, no more, the ease of life
Plantations gutted by fire
Our Southern way is ashes now
Our dreams trampled in the mire.
Rose petals crushed, magnolias dead
And a cause that's slipping away
Too late we see we've lost the war
Steep price we have to pay.
Spurs that jingle, harness creaking
Riding to face death
Life's final foe waits up ahead
Denying even rest.
Yet hope does linger in my breast
For now I understand
The ease of life I'm longing for
Is very close at hand.
For as the throes of death entice
I see it all so clear
A better South than I have known
Is waiting very near.
So Southern Rights mean nothing now
Eyes close in final sleep
The battle ends today for me
No more my eyes will weep.
God's love reached down to take me home
Through Jesus Christ His Son..
For me the trials are over now
Life's final battle won!
I.Brinkley ©
THE FOOT OF THE CROSS
“How lonely it was, that day on the cross
I died in your place, for all then were lost.
Now a new day is born
A new world in it’s place
But the cross is still there, it’s shadow to face.
When, at that point, in your life
Do not dread
Remember, My child, I died in your stead.
The pain now is gone, the blood all dried up
The body is risen, since I drank of the cup;
I died then for you, at a terrible cost...
But a victory for all!
At the foot of the cross”
-I.Brinkley ©
Louisiana
I know it's not a bluer sky
I look upon from here
But clouds seem softer, whiter too
'Cause Heaven seems so near.
The softly chirping crickets sing
About our land so fair
The massive oaks, the shimmering moss
Provide a sight that's rare.
Willows bowing, pine trees bending
Stirring with the wind
Variety adds that spice to it
Much more than I can pen.
Steamboats calling loud and clear
From the muddy Mississip-
Flat land now, but later on
Green hills that rise and dip.
The sultry swamp, the cypress nubs
You'll see them as you go
Through my fair state, Louisiana..
The place that I love so.
God must have favored this spot on earth
For only He could take
A thing of beauty, with grace and charm..
And make it into our state.
-Inez Brinkley ©
A Tree
Tall and stately, stern and proud
A tree is all of this..
And lucky one, he sits and basks
When sun bestows his kiss.
Gentle rain sends moisture forth-
The birds sing out their praise,
For homes they've built on trees’ fair limb
So families they can raise.
Scurrying squirrels and bugs and such
Complete the lively scene-
The tree provides a haven of rest-
Strong arms on which to lean.
Cooling shade for all to sit
Beneath it's outstretched arm
Twisted trunk or skinny limbs
It still has stately form.
What love it shows to all who see
This lonely giant so fair..
And who but God could bless us so,
By placing them in our care.
-Inez Brinkley ©
The Fragrance of His Love
All pain and tears and sorrow too
Is this the cross we bear?
Yet deep within my soul I think
There's something here that's rare.
We struggle with this thing called life
Never looking up above
But all the while our lives are wrapped
In the fragrance of His love.
If we would only seek the Lord
Throughout this trek through life
We'd find amid the bramble bush
There's something more than strife.
But sadly the Saviour stands and waits
While we stumble down the lane
To dry up all our tears
To ease all of lifes pain.
And when we finally turn it all
To Him Who's up above
We bask in the warmth and glow we feel
In the fragrance of His love.
I.Brinkley, ©
Ripples in the Stream
The ripples in the water spread
In an ever-widening arc
Distorting all the images
And making things look dark.
They're beautiful to look upon
And bring us peace of soul
But there is a lesson here to learn
A story to be told.
Just take a look at worldly things
Along this path we trod
They end up like the ripples
They distort our walk with God.
And sin is so much like that
All beauty, fair and true-
But look at it in God's pure light
You'll see ugliness there too.
So look at life objectively
Like ripples in the stream
But keep your eyes on our precious Lord-
And holiness in you will be seen.
Inez Brinkley
Tested by Fire
My spirit cries unto the Lord
"I cannot stand the pain
The trials, the tears, the hurt I feel
As I walk this rocky lane.
This Christian walk does take it's toll
Where is the joy you give?
End the tears, lift up the trials
Just give me grace to live."
"But look, My child", He gently chides,
"Just see how much you've grown
Amid the tears, the trials, the pain
I've prepared you for the throne.
This life is hard, I understand
But gold’s made pure through fire.
Endure it now, just for My sake
Finish the race of life to the wire.
For soon refreshing times will come
Then your spirit will start to soar
And My love will wrap around your heart
'Till I meet you at Heaven's door."
Inez Brinkley ©
