Poems and Prayers of Bura Dell Bowen

The following poems and prayers were collected by Muriel Stenoien Myrbo and are presented for your enjoyment. Many of us who were close to Grandma can here be reminded of her unique and ultimately endless faith.

Dear Lord, I have no jewels fair
to lay at Thy dear feet,
No costly spice, no perfumes rare
to offer at the mercy seat.
Only tears of bitter pain,
tears of deep regret.
Are these enough? Canst Thou forget
that I have grieved thee so?
No diadem, no costly robes,
fit for a King to wear,
Only a cross of vain regret,
a cross so hard to bear.
My tears, my cross, I bring them Lord;
to lay at Thy dear feet;
I pray Thee cleanse them with
Thy blood, and make the gift complete.

I met Him in the twilight,
my Lord, my Saviour, King.
I knew my sins forgiven,
my heart began to sing.
Oh Jesus, Lord and Savior, how pure,
how wonderful Thou art.
Engrave dear Lord, I pray Thee,
thy likeness on my heart.
Take dear Lord, I pray Thee,
the things I’ve left undone.
May some purer, stronger hands
complete the tasks I have begun,
And fashion from these lowly roots,
fit vessels for Thy use.

I hear the bugle calling, mother;
it is calling me to come.
Soon my footsteps will be blending
with the rolling of the drums.
Soon another army will be marching,
to the conflict o’er the foam.
I’ll bid good-bye to loved ones
and the harbor lights of home.
Shine on harbor lights,
I’ll be praying each night,
That you’ll guide my footsteps
home, on land or on sea
There’s no place for me;
but home in the Old U.S.A.

I love the mountains tall,
their majesty proclaims,
A God of might and mystery
reigneth over all.
I love the rolling, rocky streams,
that journey endlessly,
Along the mountains’ windy trail,
to join the boundless sea.
I love the prairies, wild and free,
untamed by mortal man.
The breezes hum a lullabye,
that only I can hear.
I love the rippling, singing brook,
Such music I have never
found within a music book.
I love to tread the lonely trails,
and hear the wild birds cry.
I love the birds, the trees,
the flowers.
A gypsy I would be,
and roam God’s
grand and glorious world,
A captive soul set free.

Lord Jesus Christ my Savior,
I come to Thee today;
I ask thee to direct me,
in all I do or say.
I want to keep my promise,
to be thy servant true;
I come to thee for orders,
my Lord what shall I do?
I want a heart not heeding,
what others do or say;
I want a humble spirit,
to listen and obey.
I serve thee without ceasing,
’tis but a little while,
My strength, the Savior’s promise,
my Joy the Savior’s smile.

To Teresa

The postman just brought me a letter
With news that you
have a new treasure
To cherish and love, a wee
baby girl, so bright a new,
It seems a ray of sunshine
has strayed down to you.
The blue of the heavens
shines in her eyes,
A sweet elfin smile, from rosy red lips,
Follows tears, like sunbeams
follow showers.
Her two tiny hands have power untold,
She rules like a queen,
within your threshold.

In the Stillness of the Night

In the stillness of the night,
blessed Jesus be my light;
Draw me closer to the fountain,
fountainhead of Grace and Might,
Jesus lead me through the night,
in the stillness, blessed stillness,
Lord I hear Thy loving call,
draw me nearer to Thee,
Savior, thou alone can make me whole.
In the stillness of the night,
let me see Thy Blessed face;
Keep me from besetting sin,
flood my soul with Thy free grace.

Hear my Prayer Oh Lord?

Hear my prayer dear Lord I plead,
Forgive each thoughtless word and deed.
Give me a heart of flesh I pray,
From which the stone has rolled away.
A heart of prayer and pity Lord,
For souls in darkness and despair.
Bless and guide, dear Lord I pray,
Increase my faith day unto day,
As thou, O Lord, doth see my need.
Dark is the night that hovers o’er.
Help me to trust thee more.
Content to know that thou are near,
And faith believing cast out fear.

My Children

Only God knows how much I love you,
none more dearly than the rest;
Altho at times it may have seemed
that you were loved less
Than those whose feet were prone to stray
from paths secure, to wander
the forbidden ways;
For these ‘tis true, more tears
were shed, more prayers-
That scars of sin they might not wear,
Nor vain regrets for wasted years.
And when they stumbled,
sometimes fell, that to the Lord
Who “Doeth all things well”
their hearts might turn,
And thru his boundless love and grace,
the stain of sin might be erased;
Their lives for eternity be redeemed.
For ths one thing I humbly pray,
your lives may not have been in vain;
To some soul in grief and pain,
you may have brot surcease;
And when before the Lord you stand,
you may some sheaves of harvest bring,
And hear His gracious,
“My child, well done.” For this I pray.

To Doug – 1954
(serving in the army during Korean war)

Watch and pray, be not downcast;
Soon the day will pass away
And day will dawn at last.
Hold fast thy faith in God;
The path You tread, He too has trod.
As he rose, you too shall rise,
And dwell immortal in the skies.
Redeemed, reclaimed, the Guerdon won;
The victor walks with God’s dear son.
Watch, wait and pray,
You soon shall see the dawning day.

To Ben – 1952
(serving in the navy during the Korean war)

Sailor, sailor in the deep,
thy loving Father doth not sleep.
Winds may blow and foe alarm,
rest thou on His mighty arm.
And as of old in Galilee,
He’ll still life’s fretful waves for thee.
Sail on, pray on, my sailor boy,
let not sins waves thy soul annoy.
Fear not the storm, the foe, the reef;
Thy father doth His vigil keep.

Dear Lord, take my hand, and any talent I may possess. Help me to immortalize the faith of my fathers. If some fainting soul is in a measure strengthened, some blind eyes opened, I will have served in a very small way to further the cause of Christ on earth, it will not have been in vain. “I remember,” are oft-used words of the
grey-haired generation, and we are especially blessed
if our memories are good.
The sound of my father’s voice raised in prayer or songs of praise are early and precious memories to me. I never heard my father curse, nor use an obscene word. If anyone told a shady story, or took God’s name carelessly in his presence, his sarcastic rebuke would bring a blush of shame to the face of the offender.