Here’s to the Kids from the 1990s

By Joel Seppala

Here’s to the kids from the 1990s

Before Harry, Ronny, and Hermione

Before Macaulay Culkin grew up shaggy

When hair was short and pants were baggy

When Pearl jammed after Fraggle rocked

When people sat with cordless phones and talked

When the Cowboys were good and the Patriots stunk

When Leo held to the board while Titanic sunk

When Austin Powers said “Yeah, Baby!”

You’d get a funny look if you said, “Call me, maybe.”

When the Twin Towers still gleamed in the Gotham sun

And people knew when someone said, “Run, Forrest, Run”

Before LeBron, there was a guy named Mike

Who everyone wanted to be just like

We had “Home Improvement,” before HGTV

And cartoons on Saturday morning, for free!

Not every other movie ended in “2”

And the stars were mostly people we knew

I love my internet and instant know-how

But sometimes I still look back and say, "Wow."

Into the Hotel, Out of the Rain

I stepped out of the elevator
On my way down for a grab and go supper
When I saw what I saw
I stopped and stood upright
Wheelchairs
Columns of two outside the elevators
I was breathless and unsure
As if gazing at a heard of mighty beasts
Like that scene in "The Jungle Book"
The old warriors sat waiting for the cars to take them to their rooms
Black hats with pins and patches
World War II
Korea
Vietnam
There aren't many gatherings like this anymore
And there won't be
I thought about lines
And waiting
What lines these men and women have seen
Lines to enlist
Chow lines
Lines for shots (vaccinations)
Mail call
Payday
Lines at Benning, Pearl, and France
San Diego and Saigon
Who knows where else
Now they sit
They've earned it
Into the hotel
Out of the rain

"God Will Provide" Announcement, Archive (Transferred from WordPress Blog, Originally Posted 1-30-16)

“God Will Provide” uplifting new e-book for children by Joel Seppala, illustrated by Kirstin Eggers available now!

After three months of working the collaborative creative process between myself and the very talented illustrator Kirstin Eggers (www.facebook.com/kikikalahariillustration), I am very proud to announce that the children’s book “God Will Provide” is now live for sale on Amazon.com

http://www.amazon.com/God-Will-Provide-Joel-S…/…/ref=sr_1_2…

…

The synopsis is: Squirrel remains faithful to God, no matter the circumstances. Through storm and sunshine, Squirrel sees firsthand that God’s love never fails even–or perhaps especially–for the small and meek.

The target audience is for kids in grades K-3 or ages 5-8.

I’m very happy with the product and I hope you will check it out. The cost for the book is $1.79. The book is only available as an e-book so you’ll have to read it on your computer, Kindle, or i-Device

The book is dedicated to Melissa Seppala. It was her idea to make the poem, which I wrote 6 or 7 years ago, into a book. She mentioned the possibility of a book the first time she heard it. She has been a constant motivator, encouraging me and giving me feedback every step of the way

I hope you like it!

Glory Be to God!

-Joel

One Last Look (Fiction) (Transferred from WordPress Blog, Originally Posted 7-4-14)

As the sign was changed from “For Sale” to “Sold,” one of the boy said, “C’mon Dad, It’s getting cold.”  The man, you see, had gotten old.  As he readied his step into the car he stopped and he looked at a lifetime built on two and a half acres of Missouri hillside.  “I’m sorry, Dad, I can read your face.  I know you’re going to miss this place.”  “Bah!” The old man said as he tightened and stiffened.  “Let me tell you boys something, and you ought to listen.”  You see I’ve noticed lately that the stars at night, they really don’t seem to twinkle THAT bright.  And this year, you see that elm down the way, why-it didn’t bloom this spring ’til almost May.  The fireflies have been extra slow and did you notice the flakes were a little smaller when it snowed.”  The old man’s face began to soften as he continued “the deer, they ate up all my peas and rubbed the bark off the willow trees.”  His pace quickened “And, and I can barely sleep at night with these crickets and bullfrogs and bright moonlight.  Boy, oh boy, won’t I be glad when those turkeys gobblin’ don’t drive me mad, when I don’t have to look at another field sprout and bloom then yield its yield.”  He began to break down.  “I feel better already boys, let's leave this place just how it is, a memory now.”

Basking in the Love of God (Transferred from WordPress Blog, Originally Posted 7-14-14)

By Joel Seppala

How good, how good to sit in the glow of the love of God

How peaceful and how warm

How good you are Lord

Your arms around me, Lord, your strong right arm

Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort me

In you I find peace, Lord, and nowhere else

In you I find security

All week long I fight

but here I am at peace

In your presence, Lord

In your holy light

John 14:27 (NIV)  Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

A Special Time and Place (Transferred from WordPress Blog, Originally Posted 9-27-14)

By Joel Seppala

A Special Time and Place

By Joel Seppala

From thousands of miles away and beyond the tropical blue horizon she calls me still

Those Amber Waves of Grain

With family farms and gravel roads and reflections of all the other clichés that fill country radio

She is not the land of my ancestors; she is not the old country

But she is my home

With porches and sunsets, turkey and deer

It is fall when she most pulls at my heartstrings.  When piled leaves crackle and burn in small fires on the corners of yards in every tiny town, signifying summer’s end.

“Best to get the leaves in before snow buries them.  ‘Could be any day now.”

Old men gathered around convenience store counters talk about the weather or the price of corn or politics.

Ladies at the church plan fall festivities while just starting to whisper about Christmas.

Dads begin to put up bikes in the shed and Moms shop for deals on jackets (of course there aren’t any to be found because jackets go on sale in April)

Gold and black hunting dogs stretch their necks as they watch hundreds then thousands of geese pass by overhead.

A patchwork of memories from a special time and place.

Christmas Medley (Transferred from WordPress Blog, Originally Posted 12-26-14)

(A walk through the Christmas Season)

By Joel Seppala

It’s the beginning of the Season

The first sign of Christmas bells

In the corner of store windows

In the lobby of hotels

Driving in November rain

Listening to the first Ho-Ho-Hos on the radio

Advertising sales and Santas

On dates you’ll need to know

It’s the first Sunday of Advent

When the purple candle’s lit

The newness of it palpable

Children staring at its wick

All the leaves are fallen

Jackets drawn and neatly hung

Christmas songs heretofore hummed

Now are freely sung

Two weeks now til Christmas

And all the lights are bright

A pink candle burns near the altar

While the choir rehearses Silent Night

The shopping in full swing

Eyes heavy, faces cheerful

“Santa’s watching, boys and girls

Be happy…but a little fearful!”

It’s Christmas Eve, one day to go

And everyone is merry

The halls are decked, the candles lit

Everything is ready

Christmas Day is finally here

Time to unwrap all the gifts

Mom and Dad laugh joyfully

Then share a Christmas kiss