de birthday boy!

So “Happy birthday!” now, old man, to you.
This day I should recall, from other years.
It caught me by surprise this year it's true.
I'm glad that when each morning's sun appears,

our neighbours near are you and your lady.
I'm glad of opportunities to share,
& scheme, & dream, become a team, fam'ly.
God, I remember your good plans to care

and furthermore to grow us up, become
much more than we'd imagine, leaving these
old ways for dead, the best is yet to come.
So we are given hope in ev'ry breeze.

Each wind, the spirit that brings rain (or not),
the breath of this old earth, and of ourself.
Each turn of Earth around the sun's bright spot,
brings closer to our coming out in health.

And though you're fifty six years old today,
if Jesus’ way of seeing things is used,
you're “fifty six years young”, I think he'd say -
within a cent-u-ry you will have snoozed!

But until you do rest in peace - asleep,
each day's another chance to share his life,
and learn in God's good world, to have a peep
at what he's doing now. His power's rife.

The pow-er of the rule of God right here,
the will of God that's done - on Earth, as Hea'en,
may it be seen more in your life this year,
& even more for you're young “fifty seven”!