I Will Give Him Praise

                                                          In the morning when it’s dark
and I’m not yet awake
I shall give Him praise.
I will give praise this morning
for my limited time
and for the gifts He gave,
and for the things He didn’t.
I will be a father,
a teacher,
and a son.
I will be husband to my wife,
who loves me.
I will love her,
because I love her
like He loves me.
I will give praise,
because I have been replaced
by a boy named Joshua,
and a girl named Lilly.
I will give Him praise
for two worthy replacements.
I will give Him praise
for the love He’s shown me.
And I will give Him praise
for my raw open wound.
In the morning I shall praise Him
for my flesh and my blood.
In the evening I shall praise Him
for the bones and dust of my Angel.
I tell you
I shall praise Him
when He lifts me.
And I tell you
I shall praise Him
when he crushes me down.
I will praise.
Me, a sinner!
I will praise Him for His mercy
and the lessons I’ve been taught!
For every tear
and every laugh,
and every labored breath!
When my children are old
let them praise.
In a thousand years
let the children of my children’s children tenfold
give praise.
For now I see
a thousand years back,
and a thousand years front
the line He has given me.
I will praise.
For tomorrow I will live in my son.
And tomorrow I will live
in my daughter’s daughter.
And my ancestors,
they breathe and live in me,
and they praise.
So tell my Grandma,
Frances Wilson
that I loved her so.
And tell my mother
that I’m safe in Cleveland still.
So I will praise.
And tell Uncle Bruce,
who I barely remember
that I look like him now.
I carry them in me
in my praise to the One who created me.