Cheer Up!

We often hear of things to fear, that seem to plague us all,

Asian Flu, and things we do to up cholesterol,

Ills and Pills, and Doctor bills, seem par for the course down here,

Aches and pains that rack our brains, and the loss of things held dear.

These all add up to fill our cup, with troubles and with crying,

Beyond our feeble will to sup, and we’ll all end up dying.

And we sometimes feel that all is lost, and hang our harps on the willow,

And find our cheer replaced by fear, when we put our heads on the pillow.

But listen up, and listen well, real life will just be started,

When we join with other Saints, who before us have departed,

To sing the praise for eternal days, of God’s Glorious Son who sought us,

Who bore our griefs and sorrows too, and paid the price that bought us.

New bodies then will grace us all, like Him we all shall be,

All tears and pains will be forgot, for all eternity.

So cheer up Sister, and Brother too, it’s better up ahead,

We’ll really be alive up there, and not among the dead.

So look at our bodies when we have gone, lying in the casket,

It’s just our tent a-lying there, with flowers in the basket,

Let them play the funeral dirge, and weep and sigh in sorrow,

We’ll then be far beyond it all, in God’s prepared tomorrow.

Cheers.

~Ben Iler

Feb. 26, 2002