The Winning Run

I gripped it tightly,
my hands welded to the bat.
I watched the pitcher lean
and slightly tug his hat.
Then it launched!
A missle! a zooming blur!
I swung my arms for impact,
the ball my only lure.

FWUMP! "Strike one!"
The umpire announced my shame.
Only two more shots to win this!
The bleachers chant my name.
The second try was worse!
The ball curved in deceit.
I heard my coach behind me,
"Never take defeat!"

I blocked out all noise.
My eyes and arms were one.
I swung my arms of fluid steel
and CRACK! The ball was gone!
The ball and I both flew
(I to first, it, the sun).
I ran as though I were the wind,
a bullet from a gun.

Then gravity snuffed out
the speed of that high ball.
Descending like the fallen angel,
it bounced behind the wall.
"Home run!" called the ump
as I hurred to home plate.
That was it! My team had won!
I never felt so great!

I was in a dream
as cheers rang out from all.
I felt like I was soaring
far higher than my ball.

He Was There

Alone
the fog descends, obscures my view.
On my own
adrift at sea, my life askew.
And there--
a thunderclap cuts through the night!
All the waves begin to churn
in the air the lightning burns
and my soul is tossed in fright!
Soon I'm spinning in the storm,
I'm blind to all the world.
First I raise and then I fall!
Will I make it through at all?
Raging, threatening my life,
shaking me with fear and strife,
the storm rages 'til it's past
and the sun comes out at last
then suddenly my sight's unfurled:

There, in the midst of that great storm,
with a glow of holy light,
Christ the Lord stood in the air
keeping me inside His care!
He helped me to survive that night!

Though I had felt I was alone
and the storm so hard to bear,
there was never need to fear
for my Lord was always near!
In the storm He was always there!