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Rhymes & Reasons

Category: News & Current Events / Topics: Conservation & Environement Disaster Faith Memories

Gulf Oil Redefined

by Greg Asimakoupoulos

Posted: July 4, 2010

A present-day look at the past…

Remember when Gulf oil
was the place you stopped for gas?
The folks in Plaquemines Parish
filled their tanks en route to mass.

The Gulf guy washed their windows,
checked their oil and their tires
and while he pumped high octane
they would quench their thirst with Hires.

Fast-forward 50 years or so...
When someone says Gulf oil
what comes to mind are not gas pumps
but beaches now quite soiled.

Beachcombing isn't just a stroll
along the sandy shore.
To comb the beach is hardly fun.
These days it's so much more.

It's raking tar balls from the sand
and digging up what's dead.
It's sifting through the gooey sludge
while feeling endless dread.

And though the combers work each day
they never are quite through.
Tomorrow's tide will yield more tar
and with it more to do.

As in the Gulf, the waves of sin
deposit daily crud
that only can be neutralized
through Christ's most precious blood.

And so it's good to comb our hearts
confessing what we've done
that we might sense God's cleansing grace
with each new rising sun.



Search all articles by Greg Asimakoupoulos

Greg Asimakoupoulos (pronounced AWESOME-uh-COPE-uh-less) is an ordained minister, published author and chaplain to a retirement community in the Pacfic Northwest. Greg maintains a blog called Rhymes and Reasons, which he graciously provides to SeniorLifestyle.

Greg's writings have now been assembled in book form. See the SeniorLifestyle Store.

E-mail the author (moc.loa@veRemosewA*) Author's website (personal or primary**)

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Posted: July 4, 2010   Accessed 132 times

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