by Paul Mayes Jamar

Where do you get your strength?
From pumping iron and exercise?
Running a certain set of miles length?
All admirable, but not at all wise.

The joy of the Lord is my strength,
It enables me to face life’s storms,
Not requiring study or me to think,
For it naturally flows from God’s arms.

The stones will cry out if I hold my tongue,
For exultation of Jesus must come out,
His praises will forever in Heaven be sung,
And on Earth as well, without a doubt.

Why do we sing of a child’s birth each year?
And spread joy always at Christmas time?
Is it not beneficial to all of good cheer?
Giving back as much as is given in blessings so kind.

It is that substance that makes the old, young,
Gives us purpose and meaning when life’s dull,
Who can resist singing when Carolers have begun,
An old favorite carol to break December’s lull.

Gain strength to overcome all your problems,
With joy to the Lord, who solves them all for us,
It is natural and a little less than beautiful to Him,
When we express our love for our Savior, Jesus.

Paul Mayes Jamar was born in Brownwood, Texas in March 1955. He spent most of his life in Texas, just within the last twenty years he moved to Missouri. He graduated from Angelo State University with a Bachelor of Arts Degree. Mr. Jamar was a third generation radio broadcaster owning several stations in the Austin, Texas area. He has written four books of Christian poetry. He hopes to get published soon. He has been published in Highland Park Poetry’s website with his poem, “Bluebonnet Sonnet,” and “Sunrise,” and in their book on Shoes, with His poem, “Shoe Holes.” Also, soon to be in Central Texas Writers Society’s Anthology on Nature with his poem, “The Big Red Ant.” Mr. Jamar lives with his wife Cynthia Jamar, and has three children living elsewhere.