The Pathmaker - To Pops on his 80th Birthday

The Pathmaker

God directs the steps of the man.
If he listens, the man will walk
That path.
Rocky through battle
Steep during turmoil
Smooth during joys of life
is that path.
But all the while
God directs his steps.

See, God knows
The faces he'll greet
The souls he'll meet
The children he'll hold
The lives he'll mold
All along the way.

God knows that every step
is purposeful
is planned
is preordained.

God knows that every step
Carves the path
Clears the path
for those following close behind.

And those behind watch.

They watch the pathmaker as
He watches the Director of his steps.

They watch, closely, as he
Leads,
Loves,
Provides,
Protects.

And they are
Led,
Loved,
Provided for and
Protected.

Then,

They rise, filling each footprint
with tiny feet
with growing feet
one
by
one.

Feeling out each crevice
With such determination
In constant emulation
of the pathmaker.

And their lives are forever
Joined to that path -
To that well-worn, God-led path.

All because the pathmaker
Watched the Director of his steps.