I wrote this for my secretary and very dear friend, Georgine. I presented it to her before the congregation in celebration of her fifth year of service…and just before she was about to take a trip to Scotland.

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MY DEAREST GEORGINE

My dearest Georgine, both delightful and fair,
Five years it has been since I first was aware
That you are the one that the Lord would declare
Is just the right steward of that gilded chair.

You type and you order and answer the phone,
And these are but splinters of so much unknown
For with bright sunlit spirit and generous tone,
You serve the Lord well, as an angel on loan.

You work with a man, who is mortal, indeed,
Who rushes around day and night at high speed,
Who relies and depends upon you for his need
And bellies himself to your candy jar feed.

This man is your pastor, e’en more so, your friend,
Who delights in the times of good cheer that we spend
While seasons and crises unfold without end,
I thank you, Georgine, and so now I have penned:

If you were a di’mond, you’d glisten and shine.
If you were a coin, you’d be one of a kind.
If treasure you were, you’d be too hard to find.
If you were a light, we would surely go blind.

Although, I must say, as we carve in this notch
I sat and I waited and tapped at my watch,
“Please come back from Scotland, my schedule I botch.
(I sure hope she brings back some really good scotch.)”