This morning as I had my peppermint and chamomile tea
I sat on the veranda, staring longingly into the distance
Listening to the daybreak songs of the birds huddled around the bird feeder
In the winter sun
Looking at Joburg CBD
Talking to God…
Asking Him to grant serenity
And courage
And boldness of faith
To bless me with a heart that gives
And expects nothing in return
To carry those who have suffered long
And carried burdens alone
I lifted my cup
Asked God to fill it up
With more than just mint-infused tea
But to breathe into, and enthuse me
To fill the cups of others
I asked Him to forgive me for my unforgiving ways
And to shelter me within His love
For as long as life endures
To see the beauty of the Lord
Arrayed in splendour, adorned in glory
In my fellow man
And that as I see the divine spark in those around me
That I may do the best I can
To alleviate the suffering
And bring chaos into order
And into the desert place
That God would bring the water
To the beggars on the corner, to the junkies at the robots
That all whose lips are parched and dry
May find some satisfaction
And refuge for their weary souls
In the depths of God’s perfection
I looked at the horizon
Beyond the Vodacom tower
And as I sipped the last of my tea
I thanked my Higher Power
For all that He has blessed me with
For all that He has done
And that He will keep on doing
Long after I am gone
So let this be my legacy
A legacy of faith
Claiming progress, and not perfection
As we seek to touch the hem of His grace
That my neighbour might see the love of God
Here inside of me
And so I ended with ‘Thy will be done”
And finished my peppermint tea.
Andre Darius Labuschagne is a poet, musician, and pastor from Johannesburg, South Africa. He is currently involved with various church movements – and his theological and philosophical beliefs are reflected in his poems. A recovering drug addict, his poetry also explores themes of mental illness, substance abuse, finding God, and the process of growing towards completeness. He is currently the pastoral counsellor at Lethlabile Halfway House, and hopes to help many overcome their battles with mental health and substance abuse issues. He is also a part of the Village 2.0 which seeks to bring together people from all walks of life to make a difference in the lives of those around him.