Writing Commissions

Would you like to commemorate a special occasion with a personal tribute?

Do you have a story to tell in a memoir but lack the time or know-how to write it? I’d love to help. I enjoy writing one-off poetic or prose pieces, and I’m always happy to discuss potential commissions.

Below are some examples: a diamond wedding anniversary poem, an extract from the Foreword for a friend’s book and a poem for a friend’s funeral.

Diamonds

60 years of life together

Two diamonds in the rough

Facing calm and stormy weather

With grit, true and tough.

 

60 years of love and fun

With arguments galore

Travelling the world as one

Eager to explore.

 

Building up an empire

One day to leave behind

Not properties and assets

But heirs, true and kind.

 

The children and the grandkids

Have an act to follow

60 years of faithfulness

Investing in tomorrow.

The Bunch by Peculiar Medinus – Foreword

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.

Galatians 5: 22

Since we are all created in the image of God, in our natural temperament we exhibit these qualities to some extent or another, though marred by our inherent sinfulness. Some of us are naturally quite patient but may lack joy; others are naturally more self-controlled but may need to develop meekness. God’s grand design for humanity is that we should be conformed to the likeness of His Son. Romans 8: 29. Not that we are becoming clones, far from it! Every detail of God’s vast creation, from the microscopic bug to the vast swirling galaxies, cries out with God’s passion for diversity. God’s fingerprint is on each one of us, but we each bear a unique fingerprint as we grow into the perfect version of ourselves, reflecting God’s image in our own individual way. Each new creation in Christ is planted as a tree in God’s bountiful orchard and each one of us will bear fruit that is subtly and beautifully different in flavour from the fruit of the neighbouring trees.

For Maria

You are going ahead of us on a route we all must follow;

For us it may be decades, years or months, perhaps tomorrow.

You may be the first of us to look on Jesus’ face

Because you’ve turned away from sin and trusted in His grace.

 

Jesus Himself will raise you up as He promised in His Word;

For all who truly call on Him are by His mercy heard.

You’ll be welcomed into heaven by the arms of One you cherish.

Receive from Him a body which won’t sicken, fade or perish.

 

But what will it be like, we ask, that Life in the hereafter?

Work and rest, family and friends, love and fun and laughter – 

All the best that this life brings in the next will be fulfilled;

This is what awaits us there when this life’s storms are stilled.

 

You are going ahead of us to a country found “above”.

Go boldly and we’ll follow you to the kingdom ruled by Love.

Your gifts of grace we’ll hold close as we walk behind;

And echoes of your strength in ourselves we hope to find.