All Things New

Here is a poem I wrote some time ago. I read it for a memorial service for Mr. Harley Clendenon on Sabbath, November 17 at the Palo Cedro Seventh-day Adventist Church. Several persons asked for a copy after the service, so I thought I'd post the text on my blog. I hope it will bless you. Feel free to share it with others.


All Things New
Elder O. Kris Widmer

First Printing 5/22/2005, Updated and Printed 11/17/2007


Reflecting on the present suffering of Mrs. Doris Tonn.
Two operations for ocular tumors have taken her eyeballs, and therefore her vision.
In love and care for Mrs. Tonn, and the many others who are waiting for…all things new.
Mrs. Tonn died in 2006

Read publicly at the funeral of Mrs. Phyllis Sample in 2005
and Mr. Harley Clendenon in November 2007


When Jesus comes in glory
There’s something grand He’ll do.
He’ll fix all of our problems,
As He’s making all things new.

New mountain and new river
New creature and new tree.
But I’m really looking forward
To some brand-new parts for me.

And brand-new parts for you!
You’re prob’ly missing some.
And even if you’ve got them all,
They’re prob’ly out of plumb!

“Old age is not for sissies.”
There’s times it is no fun.
We’re usually greatly altered
When a surgeon’s scalpel’s done.

Our final office visit
Is planned for outer space.
The Good and Great Physician
Has agreed to take your case!

He is a wonder worker
In every specialty,
With a friendly “grave-side” manner,
And His services are…free.

Some people need a hand or foot,
Perhaps a leg or arm.
It could be from Thalidomide,
Or injuries on the farm.

Perhaps it was an illness
Or perhaps it was the war.
So many people cope with less
That what they had before.

Perhaps you need new fingers
So your reach is full extension.
Perhaps you need new features
That I should not here now mention.

Perhaps you need new eye-balls
So again you’ll have your sight.
God plans to give you new ones
That will sparkle with delight.

Perhaps you need new kidneys
The two you had, went bad.
(I speak of several friends I’ve known,
And also my dear Dad!)

God will fix the big things.
And the smaller things as well.
Perhaps you need new ear-drums
Or your parts that taste and smell.

Up there, they won’t be broken
Your nose will work just fine.
And your nerves will send new signals
Down your perfect, brand-new spine.

Perhaps you need a Pancreas,
Or perhaps a healthy Lung.
God will give you what you need,
They’ll stay…forever young.

Perhaps your problem’s mental.
You’ve Alzheimer’s in your brain.
Well, at the second coming
You’ll be perfect, right-as-rain!

Here’s a message to the youth,
“You too will get your scars.”
Perhaps you’ll slip a disk or two,
Need a rod in your lumbars.

We all are getting older,
However long we live.
And it really is desirable
To the “death” alternative.

But that don’t make it easy.
Some days it is the pits.
When Sciatic nerves are burning,
And your fake knee gives you fits.

Remember that this body
Will not take you to God’s bliss.
And any part of you gone bad,
Is nothing that you’ll miss.


For in the resurrection,
On that glad and happy day,
The God of Restoration
Will come, and have His way.

He’ll smooth out all your wrinkles
And He’ll give you back what’s gone.
And then they’ll light the candles
And He’ll shout “The Party’s ON!”

“Come here, my precious children,
Leave your problems in the dust.
I know this will be different
But you’ll like it, you’ll adjust.”

We’ll gather round God’s throne,
The broken ones transformed.
The blind shall start sight-seeing.
The cold folk, finally warmed.

The deaf shall hear the overture
To “Moses and the Lamb.”
As amputees clap rhythm,
Stompin’ feet.! Wow! What a jam!

The dumb shall start to speechify.
The lame will take a stroll.
Then, all the “partial people,”
Will at last, be finally…whole.

When Jesus comes in glory
There’s something grand He’ll do.
He’ll fix all of our problems,
As He’s making all things new.