MORNING AND EVENING
By Ronnie Wolfe - June 14, 1994 

In the morning of life, time is sweet;
The energy of the new-lit sun there meet
With moistened flowers who drink the morning dew
And wait for heat to fade their tender hue.

Tender life at first but soon is strong
To meet the unfair challenges of wrong
And face the 'nevitible force of life,
Which brings upon its face a wrinkled strife.

From work and heartaches, toil and pain,
Life's morning turns to actions vain,
And life seems but a space from which to die,
From heat of sun and wind from arid sky.

But then a shower of freshness comes
Like morning dew or sparrows' songs.
A touch of life renews the day
It is God's Spirit, come to stay.

So, rejuvenated by his love
Life goes on from life above.
A new life given by Spirit birth,
Life's worth living on the earth.

But just as showers all pass by,
This, too, shall pass, and troubles vie
For entrance in the heart and mind
To shackle me, to hold and bind.

The day goes on, the air expands
From heat of life's unruly hands;
The flowering rose so tender past
Begins to fade from life at last.

Cruel enemies of disease
Take hold upon this life of ease
And crack the peddles, bend the stem;
The peddles fall to the passing wind.

What is life?  The rose grows old.
The peddles fade, the heart grows cold.
And then it stops.  "What, now?" you say.
The rose expects a better day.

Call his name; he is not here.
Give him words; he does not hear.
Because in evening when suns go down,
Our dear friend was Heaven bound.

Now the evening shade is gone,
The dark of night's song ever sung.
Death's shadow passed upon his tent
And into life his soul was sent.

 Into Heaven itself, so said his Lord,
And thus by trusting on His word,
His day is gone, his spirit saved.
We place a flower upon his grave.

But in a new a happy morn
Where fresh flowers are daily born,
He sits among the seats of praise
To worship God throughout the age.

There just remains a peddles few.
These represent me and you.
Our memories fond, our faith is sure
That those who believe in God endure.

Written for the funeral of Mr. Hobart Kelly, my wonderful neighbor and friend in the Lord. 
He passed away on June 12, 1994.