The Clouds of Heaven Proclaim His Glory
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
Grandmother’s Birthday
We celebrate your birthday Grandmother
Because you have come this far
Your life may not have been easy
It made you the person you are
You have so much love for all of us
Each one is important to you
You always say encouraging words
That help us see another point of view
We love you very much, Grandmother
Your kindness will always be sung
It doesn’t matter how old you are
You will always be forever young
The Cloud that Changed my Life
The room was full of happy people
They were singing and praising the Lord
All joined in together
Singing with one accord
I longed to be a part of it
But I didn’t know what to do
So I asked my heavenly Father
To be merciful and bless me too
Suddenly, a woman shouted "Hallelujah!"
I raised my head to see,
A pretty white cloud appeared out of nowhere
It seemed to be coming towards me
I jerked my head backwards
To avoid a collision, you see
That is all I remember, until I was awakened
By a lady standing in front of me
She tugged my blouse anxiously
Until I opened my eyes to see
The room was the same as usual
No one seemed to have noticed me
After the church service was over
And we were going home
I did not ask my sister about it
Because, I thought I had done something wrong
I waited until the next morning
When the sun was shining bright
I asked my sister very shyly,
"Sister, what did I do last night?"
Sister said, "I don’t know, you were sitting quietly
Then suddenly, you ducked your head"
Sister did not say anymore about it,
She changed the subject instead
I treasured the incident in my heart protectively
Knowing it was not just a dream
I did not know what happened, but
I know what I had seen
The years have come and gone
As I grew into womanhood
I always had a feeling
My life was directed by something good
Whenever I heeded the voice within me
The choices I made turned out all right
I was usually blessed beyond what I had hoped for
Then, I began to see the light
I studied my Bible fervently
Until I could recite many parts by heart
I still did not receive an understanding
Of what the cloud did impart
Many years later, and
Many life’s changes had taken place
I moved to another city
Directed by his grace
One morning as I was leaving a prayer breakfast,
I looked up to see the blue sky,
A flock of birds flew overhead,
A fleece of clouds floated by
I stood for a moment in amazement
A particular cloud seemed to appear,
I shared my cloud experience
With a lady who was standing near
She related how the cloud filled the temple,
As written in 2nd Chronicles, Chapter five
The cloud in the temple was so dense
The priest could not enter and preside
I have many questions unanswered
The appearance of the cloud I can’t explain
I know I had witnessed something so special
That my life would never be the same again
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About the Book
This is not a book about poetry alone. It’s a revelation portraying the glory of God in many ways: how He leads, guides, and protects His children. I wrote this book of varied inspirational poems in hope that those who read my book will be led to have a stronger faith in God. This is the first time since that long-ago night in church, when I was age 13, that I have desired to share my story of "The Cloud" with others. I wrote the cloud experience in the form of a poem, "The Cloud that Changed my Life." Some of the poems tell a story, true life events, Bible stories or the pursuit of spiritual growth. This book, I believe, will appeal to both young and old alike. There is a poem for everyone!
About the Author
Roxie V. Barfield was born in Marion, South Carolina. She graduated from St. Agnes Hospital School of Nursing in Raleigh, North Carolina, with a Registered Nurse (R.N.) degree. She met and married Cleo Joseph Barfield. From this union two sets of identical twins were born, Don and Juan, Tina and Tonia. The Barfield family lived in Kinston, NC, before relocating to Pomona, California, year 1961. Roxie’s husband departed this life December 5,1983. Roxie’s further studies include earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Behavioral Science at the University of La Verne. She retired after twenty years of service as a Vocational Nurse Instructor. Aside from her church affiliations, she now serves as a Senior Peer Counselor volunteer in her community. Roxie’s hobbies include reading, traveling, collage art work, crossword puzzles, and writing poetry. Her first edition of The Clouds of Heaven Proclaim His Glory was written in 1998. She stated, "Poetry allows use of imagination, feelings, and creativity. Poems can be written in plain and simple language. There is more to poetry than meter, thythm and rhyme. Some poems carry a message. Writing poetry is one of the best forms of self-expression I know."