Poem for my family

The Holiday wave sweeps in like a tide
Bringing the new and unknown in,
And sweeping the old familiar aside.

The boys who looked forward to seeing the lights,
The girl in her velvet red dress, beret, and white tights.
Are replaced with working hours, friends, DVD's and cars
And people of interest named Chris, Luke and Lars.

Matt, our dear son, who stands out in a crowd,
Is now in the Air Force and makes us so proud,
He has many friends, who are loyal and love him,
And his family who knows there is no one like him.

Chris, as fine a man that ever existed,
Could have been bitter, felt cheated, he resisted.
He has built a life that many would envy,
All who know him, love him, for his qualities are many,

Dear Elizabeth, our Elizabeth, a gift from that first day,
Has made our lives richer, our sun shine brighter in so many ways.
Just a smile, just a word, the wisdom that you bring.
We pray that the bells of love, and happiness, in your life will ring.

My Deborah, I love you with all of my soul,
I commit to you that your happiness will be my pure goal,
Through all of these years, we're still here side by side,
Many descriptions are valid but may I say, "It was a heck of a ride".

But here we are sitting around this old table.
To remember other times as much as we're able.
Trying to see if we can not just act, but feel cheery.
But the memories of this year will leave us sad and a bit teary.

As sunshine and summer will dry out the moss,
Only time will begin to lessen the loss.
A mother, a father, a big brother are gone.
And now we are trying to make life go on.

Deb, I can't pretend to feel it.
But I know that you
Feel that smothering feeling that says sometimes, "I am just not going to make it"
We as a family will not lesson or forsake it.

When the sky seems gray, and your moods my be blue,
Chris, Matt, Libby and I will always be here for you.

I know that it doesn't compare to the value or hurt,
But in the back yard under a pile of dirt
Lies our old friend who was with us from the start,
A witness to the life of a family the good and the bad parts.

He never took sides never said "me too!"
Never asked for more than we gave him,
He always perfectly loyal and true,

Sometimes I think I see him out the corner of one eye,
Oh, how I wish it were Him,
Just one more time,
Just one more time,

So here we are back at this old dinner table,
It supports our family to this day, it is able,
To be dropped on, spilled on, nicked, kicked and abused.
It is available to see the many more ways it can be used.

Like this group of people who sit here now,
We look back at times and sometimes ask how,
We got through it all, how we've made it this far,
God's mercies have sustained us, rebuilt us, retrained us
His comforts have been many when we've asked, and when we've not,
We've all given less, by far, than we've got.

So the final words that I say here today,
Are dedicated to the One who has guided our way,
When mountains seemed uncscaleable and tunnels seemed long,
Amazing Grace became much more than a song.

Our future is Eternal, not just a five or ten year plan,
Our house is built on rock, not on blowing drifting sand,

So let us finish with a prayer that will support us,
As sure as this old strong table will stand,

Lord we commit ourselves, with abandon, into your loving compassionate hands.