These Are My JOTtings, Part #2

Challenges

The challenges of life are marked
by things we truly are.
Youth's strength we knew, it often sparked
our deeds to take us far.

But age enjoins our work be paced,
now slower tasks complete,
the youth PRs have been effaced,
but wisdom's quite replete.

So many minds, so many thoughts,
so where can we agree?
So few've the Standard I was taught.
No eye-to-eye we see.

The Earth is heavy with great souls,
and history, now past.
O, can our future be made whole,
that life on Earth may last?

We weep at things we once thought plain,
but now great doubts arise.
Can hope we knew now live, again?
Can Joy renew our tries?

The challenges of life we know
are based on human skill.
Through challenges, we often grow
to know the Blest Lord's Will.

The challenges we would escape
are making us to be
the very wine of broken grapes
poured out in front of He.

The challenges our crowns do make,
that one Day when we're Home,
we'll throw before Him, now awake.
His Glory Ever's tome.

by Jay O’Toole
on July 11th, 2023