Fields of Summer

by Mark Greenelsh ©2025
One summer aloof, entitled teenagers from the city reluctantly visit their cousins and are won over by their hospitality and the genuine joy of country life.

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(Verse 1)
Jaded eyes and heavy hearts,
We dread this trip to rural parts.
Expecting boredom, dirt, and strain –
Visiting the country, a dull refrain.

(Verse2)
But what we find here takes our breath,
Frontier joys that simply impress.
The hollow downbeat of city lore
We set aside to play this score.

(Chorus)
Oh the laughter, oh the fun,
Horseback rides and river runs
County fairs and starry nights,
Becoming friends, life’s true delight.

(Verse 3)
Peach pies baking, music playing,
Hayrides under moon’s soft swaying.
No screens to stare at, no malls to roam
Just fields of summer and this cozy home.

(Chorus)
Oh the laughter, oh the fun,
Tailgating before a setting sun.
Watching in awe as fireworks ignite
Becoming friends, life’s true delight.

(Bridge)
The city now feels cold and gray.
Its allure has faded away.
For in these rolling hills we find
A peace that opens heart and mind.

(Verse 4)
We no longer crave the city’s buzz
These country ways have won us over.
Swapping noise for nature’s breeze
This is where our spirits ease.

(Chorus)
Oh the laughter, oh the fun,
Fly-fishing till the day is done.
Barnyard dances and bonfire nights,
Becoming friends, life’s true delight.

(Outro)
Reluctant guests, we now depart.
Country kin, bonded with our hearts.
Times to remember, lessons yet to learn
We’re counting the days till we return.

The Humble Gardener

Like a good gardener, a godly woman joyfully dedicates herself to extending God’s love to tend her family.

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(Verse 1)
Before the morning light breaks through,
She rises with the early dew,
Her hands already know the way,
She tends the earth before the day.
She sees the blooms before they grow,
A vision from God that he bestows,
Where empty soil and shadow lay,
She sees the color, come what may.

(Chorus)
With God she humbly gardens our home,
He fills her day with seeds to sow,
She turns the soil with patient hands,
And coaxes life from barren lands.
Every bloom, every vine that climbs,
Every harvest, every season’s time,
Is rooted in his grace and love,
A glorious garden from above.

(Verse 2)
She kneels down in the stubborn earth,
And works it hard for all it’s worth,
No task too dirty, none too small,
She gives herself completely, all.
She presses seeds with steady care,
Into the dark, she puts them there,
Believing that what is underground,
Will someday push up through the ground.

(Verse 3)
In faith she returns each day,
The garden needs her come what may,
With patient hands and watchful eyes,
She reads the soil, she reads the skies.
She waters when the dry days come,
She shields the tender, fragile ones,
She notices the smallest change,
A leaf, a shoot within her range.

(Bridge)
And when the cold wind bends the stem,
She does not turn away from them,
She stakes the broken, clears the weeds,
Gets on her knees for what love needs.
Through every frost and heavy rain,
She walks back out and starts again,
No perfect season does she need,
To plant another promising seed.

(Verse 4)
She pulls the weeds without a word,
The quiet work goes mostly unheard,
She guards this ground from what would steal,
The tender things that grow and feel.
Our children grow beneath her care,
Like sunlit blooms in open air,
She sees in them what can’t be seen,
And keeps on watering the dream.

(Verse 5)
When harvest time has finally come,
She carries in what she has grown,
Still warm beneath the afternoon sun,
No bounty kept for her alone.
She fills the table, fills the street,
Shares every hard-earned, golden thing,
And in the giving makes complete,
The beauty of God’s blessing.

(Chorus)
With God she humbly gardens our home,
He fills her day with seeds to sow,
She turns the soil with patient hands,
And coaxes life from barren lands.
Every bloom, every vine that climbs,
Every harvest, every season’s time,
Is rooted in his grace and love,
A glorious garden from above.

Iron Sharpens Iron

God loves you and made you to love him and love others in joyful fellowship. Engage by faith and thrive.

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(Verse 1)
God created you from dust, formed by sovereign hands,
Not to walk in shadows, lost in shifting sands.
He breathed his love into you, set his fire in your chest—
To know him in the sunrise, find in him your rest.
True love’s a living language, spoken face to face,
Not a solo journey through some empty, silent space.
From garden dawn to wedding feast, the pattern’s clear and true:
He wired your heart for connection—with him and me and you.

(Chorus)
So step into the circle where the broken find their song,
Where iron sharpens iron and the weak become the strong.
Don’t hide behind your questions, don’t face the night alone—
In the fellowship of saints, you’ll find you’re finally home.

(Verse 2)
Isolation whispers sweetly, “You don’t need the mess,
The complications, confrontations, better to regress.”
But going solo can be quicksand, consumed by worry.
Deception weaves its web, while depression kills your joy.
Instead trust the God who sends you warriors for the fight,
Who gives his Spirit as your Counselor and your light.
Who plants you in a garden where the roots grow intertwined,
Where voices speak the truth in love—with your best in mind.

(Chorus)
So step into the circle where the broken find their song,
Where iron sharpens iron and the weak become the strong.
Don’t hide behind your questions, don’t face the night alone—
In the fellowship of saints, you’ll find you’re finally home.

(Bridge)
When your vision’s getting narrow and you’re sure you’ve got it right,
Others can lead you to a viewpoint offering new sight.
When you stumble, they will catch you, when you’re proud, they’ll bring you low,
When you’re weary, they will carry you through valleys dark as coal.
So praise together—voices proclaiming all God’s glory
Pray together-plant your faith like seeds and watch his story,
Learn together—at the table where the Scriptures come alive,
Serve together—be his hands and feet, help the broken soul revive.

(Verse 3)
Marriage is a mirror of amazing love divine,
Families are the training ground where sacrifice refines.
Friendship is the laughter shared over coffee and through tears,
Community’s the chorus that will drown out all your fears.
From the Father, through the Son, by the Spirit, we’re made whole—
One body, many members, inter-connected souls.
Step into God’s embrace, united by his boundless love
Together we thrive as more like him we become.

(Chorus)
Step into the circle where the hopeless find their song,
Where the Spirit moves in power and the captives break their bonds.
Don’t build your walls in secret, don’t believe you’re on your own—
In the love of Christ among us, rejoice—you’re fully known.

This One Sun

If a man’s life was condensed into one day, he would make the most of it to cherish the woman he loves.

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(Verse 1)
If dawn were birth and dusk my final breath,
If all my years collapsed into one sun,
I’d walk beside you, marveling the depths
Of life’s garden where our forever’s spun.
I’d brew your coffee just the way you like,
Kiss your forehead while the morning glows,
Whisper affirmations, hold you tight,
Tell you you’re stronger than you’ll ever know.

(Verse 2)
By mid-morning light, we’d chase our dreams,
I’d be your champion, your loudest voice,
Build you up when doubt tears at the seams,
Celebrate each victory, each choice.
I’d pack your lunch with notes on folded sheets,
“You’re brilliant, brave, beloved, and free,”
Dance with you barefoot on kitchen feet,
Pour into you all you pour in me.

(Chorus)
So let me love you like there’s no tomorrow,
Like every moment might be our last,
If this were our only day to shine,
I’d be content just holding your hand in mine.

(Verse 3)
When afternoon arrives with softer gold,
I’d slow the pace and simply listen close,
Hold space for stories you’ve been longing to unfold,
Remind you that you matter, you’re enough, you’re whole.
I’d tend your garden when your hands grow tired,
Pull weeds of worry from your sacred ground,
Fan into flame whatever dreams you’ve harbored,
Make sure your laughter is a frequent sound.

(Verse 4)
At twilight’s edge, with colors bleeding through,
I’d wrap you in the blanket of my arms,
Watch the horizon paint itself for you,
Shield you gently from the world’s alarms.
I’d stroke your hair and memorize your face,
Trace constellations on your weathered skin,
Thank you for choosing me, for choosing grace,
For being my outside and my within.

(Bridge)
I won’t be chained to past regrets,
Or drown in darkness yet to ensue,
This present moment is all I get,
To do my best to cherish you.

(Chorus)
So let me love you like there’s no tomorrow,
Like every moment might be our last,
If this were our only day to shine,
I’d be content just holding your hand in mine.

(Outro)
And when the stars appear like scattered hope,
When night descends and pulls me toward the deep,
I’ll rest beside you on this gentle slope,
My hand in yours as I surrender sleep.
One day or eighty years, it’s all the same—
I spent my heartbeat loving you completely,
Every second blessed to speak your name,
This fragile, precious life lived sweetly.

Held

A man deeply empathizes with the woman he loves who is hurting. He holds her close and comforts her with the comfort he has known from God.

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(Verse 1)
The shadows in the room are growing long
And your spirit’s feeling weary, far from strong.
I see the weight you’re carrying in your eyes
The heavy clouds beneath your summer skies.
Right now I won’t offer answers tonight.
I won’t try to make the darkness bright.
I’m just reaching out to pull you to my chest
A quiet place for your tired soul to rest.

(Chorus)
And I’ll just hold you ’til the world fades away
In the silence where the healing words stay.
I feel your racing heart begin to slow
Now and always, I won’t let you go.
You’re wrapped in a love that’s steady and true
I’m breathing in the very soul of you.
Two hearts rhythmic, beating as one
Let worry go, your peace has begun.

(Verse 2)
I hear the things you haven’t said out loud
The hidden rain inside the heavy cloud.
I’ve walked the valleys that you’re crossing now.
I know the salt of sweat upon one’s brow.
So let the comfort I have known be yours
A shelter from the wind behind these doors.
No problems solved, no lectures to be heard
A strength of presence now, instead of words.

(Bridge)
Do you remember that rainy summer night
Dancing in the kitchen under candlelight?
Or the time I was down and you held my hand
Without saying a word, you helped me stand.
The long drive home beneath a crescent moon
Knowing we’d found our hearts in perfect tune.
Every scar we’ve gathered, every mountain we’ve scaled
Is the bedrock of a love that has never once failed.

(Verse 3)
I look deep down where your secrets hide
And touch the light you keep tucked inside.
I wipe the tears away with a steady hand.
You find rest knowing, I understand.
Your eyes meet mine and your fears dissolve
Whatever comes next, together we’ll solve.
Your precious smile starts to bloom on your face
Safe and secure in our divine embrace.

(Chorus)
So I’ll just hold you ’til the world fades away
In the silence where the healing words stay.
I feel your racing heart begin to slow
Now and always, I won’t let you go.
You’re wrapped in a love that’s steady and true
I’m breathing in the very soul of you.
Two hearts rhythmic, beating as one
Let worry go, your peace has begun.

(Outro)
I see you. I hear you. It’s enough to be known.
You’re not in this valley, or standing alone.
I’m holding you now, I’ll hold you then.
It’s gonna be okay, my love, my friend.

Dancing with a Shadow

Though a wife laments a widening drift from her husband, she resolves to find ways to connect again.

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(Verse 1)
We used to linger over morning coffee,
Sharing dreams beneath the kitchen light.
Now you scroll your phone through toast and silence,
While I sit here fading out of sight.
Your book collection gathers dust unspoken,
Mine sits beside it like a stranger’s shelf.
We sleep like islands in our king-sized ocean,
Each one drifting further from being held.

(Chorus)
I’m dancing with a shadow where you used to be,
Reaching for the hand that doesn’t reach for me.
But shadows prove that somewhere light still shines,
And I still believe you can be mine.
We can learn new steps, rewrite this song we know,
I won’t give up on us—I won’t let go.

(Verse 2)
The kids’ last boxes left our halls so hollow,
Their laughter echoed, then it disappeared.
Were they the only bridge between our islands?
The question I’ve been running from for years.
You work late now in your basement workshop,
I watch my shows alone upstairs in bed.
Saturday’s just chores in different corners,
Sunday’s full of things we’ve left unsaid.

(Chorus)
I’m dancing with a shadow where you used to be,
Reaching for the hand that doesn’t reach for me.
But shadows prove that somewhere light still shines,
And I still believe you can be mine.
We can learn new steps, rewrite this song we know,
I won’t give up on us—I won’t let go.

(Verse 3)
I found our wedding album in the attic,
Your eyes held mine like I was all you’d need.
When did we forget to really see each other?
When did comfort turn to apathy?
I know you’re struggling beneath your armor,
I see you trying though you don’t know how.
This gap between us wasn’t built in one day—
But brick by brick, we can rebuild us now.

(Bridge)
Let’s set the phones down, talk until the sunrise,
Share what moves us, what we fear, what’s true.
Let’s try your hiking trails, you’ll try my painting,
Find common ground in something fresh and new.
Ten minutes daily, really looking, listening,
Date nights where we remember how to play.
Small steps can cross the widest canyon, darling,
If we both choose to walk this bridge today.

(Chorus)
I’m dancing with a shadow where you used to be,
But I’m extending my hand so you can dance with me.
Because shadows prove that somewhere light still shines,
And I still believe you will be mine.
We will learn new steps together, reclaim what we know,
I’m committed to us—I won’t let go.

(Outro)
So here I stand with hope and hesitation,
One hand extended in the fading light.
Believing we can find our way together,
That love birds can still learn new ways to fly.
Our nest is empty, but our hearts aren’t hollow,
Together we can fill this space, I know.
Tonight I’m asking—will you stop and take my hand?
And dance with me again, not just with my shadow.

Harbor Light

A man patiently tries to show a special woman that he truly cares for her, but due to toxic past relationships, she responds tentatively.

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(Verse 1)
You sailed through storms I’ll never know,
Stumbled ashore with jaded eyes.
I didn’t ask about the wrecks,
Just lit a lamp against the night.
I made you tea, I closed the blinds,
Let silence say what words could not.
You fell asleep on the couch by ten—
I grabbed a blanket and tucked you in.

(Chorus)
You’re scared the shore will pull away
The moment that you trust the land.
But I’m not tide, I’m not the wave—
I’m a guiding light, a gentle hand.
However lost your compass spins,
I’ll be the harbor you dock in.

(Verse 2)
You’re still deciding who I am
Still scanning for a hidden cost.
There are moments when you soften,
When your walls come halfway down.
Then fear floods back in like an ocean,
And you retreat without a sound.
But I see you trying, I see you fight—
That’s enough for me to hold on tight.

(Verse 3)
I’m learning the notes of your heart’s song,
Play them softly when days feel long.
I don’t control or twist the truth,
I hold your hand and see you through
You waited for the mask to slip,
For me to turn into the rest.
But this is all there is of me—
Simply one who wants your best.

(Bridge)
I’m not the one who broke your trust,
I’m here to serve and lift you up
I’m not the voice that cut you deep,
I’m here to listen and help you heal
I’m an anchor in the raging sea
In hopeless sails, I’m your breeze.
Supportive, caring, patient, kind—
The love you thought you’d never find.

(Chorus)
You’re scared the shore will pull away
The moment that you trust the land.
But I’m not tide, I’m not the wave—
I’m a guiding light, a gentle hand.
However lost your compass spins,
I’ll be the harbor you dock in.

(Outro)
Journey the long way, take your time,
I’ll keep the windows lit till dawn.
Whenever you need me, love—
I’m here for you to lean on.

When You Showed Up

Over time a young woman moves from longing to escape to longing to be with someone as she realizes the value of relationships in life.

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(Verse 1)
This town felt like a prison cell,
These streets whispered my mistakes.
I wore their judgment like a shell,
Walked with the wrong crowd for my sake.

(Verse 2)
You were just a classmate passing by,
Nothing remarkable, yet nothing to hide.
When the school bus left me behind,
You kindly offered me a ride.

(Verse 3)
I thought escape would set me free—
My happiness tied to a new start.
You saw something else in me:
The problem lived inside my heart.

(Verse 4)
You appeared with groceries at our door
When cupboards echoed bare and cold.
You let me vent the hurt I stored,
Spoke wisdom that seemed centuries old.

(Verse 5)
Divorce shattered my family’s home,
I dropped school, moved far away, yet near.
You found me work, said I could grow,
Pushed me toward night class and a career.

(Bridge)
I didn’t need anyone, all failed me.
But that’s not true, I’ve needed you.
Through your eyes I learned to see,
Change starts with me and my attitude.
Bad habits fell like autumn leaves,
Now I serve others, not just me.
Career blooming, my future retrieved—
Yet distance grew where you used to be.

(Verse 6)
I heard you’d moved on, doing well,
Maybe I was just a phase back then.
Perhaps you helped because I fell—
I’m not sure where we stand as friends.

(Chorus)
I’ve fought to break free from my past,
Built a new life from the sorrow.
But I’m praying you still draw near—
My future’s empty without you here.

(Verse 7)
Time has taught me: Though I’m standing tall,
No longer needing you to survive.
I realize I want you through it all—
It’s being with you, I feel most alive.

(Verse 8)
I tracked you down with trembling fear,
Risked my heart, laid myself bare.
“I used to need you, now it’s clear—
I deeply want you. You’ve become so dear.”

(Chorus)
I’ve fought to break free from my past,
Built a new life from the sorrow.
I’m praying you still draw near—
My future’s empty without you here.

A Bird Too Rare

A woman is grateful, and at times, overwhelmed by a special man in her life who loves and honors her.

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(Verse 1)
You brought coffee to my door in morning light
Before my eyes had even opened to the day
And I stood there stunned, just watching you—
A sunrise catching on your gentle face.
I’ve rehearsed a thousand thank-yous in my head
But they all dissolve like sugar on my tongue.
How do I name this tenderness?
This slow unfurling in my chest?

(Chorus)
Your love falls down like honey, golden, warm
Like rain on cracked and thirsty ground.
I’m learning how to hold this light
Without fearing when the sun goes down.
You’re teaching me that good men grow like gardens
In the ruins where the wild things used to live.
And I’m standing in the harvest
Still learning how to give.

(Verse 2)
You remember things I mentioned once in passing—
My mother’s favorite flower, how I take my tea.
While others built their kingdoms on my bending
You’re kneeling just to tie my shoes for me.
Some nights I wake up breathless, almost guilty
Like I’m holding something never meant for me
A bird too rare, a bloom too bright—
What did I do to deserve this spring?

(Chorus)
Your love falls down like honey, golden, warm
Like rain on cracked and thirsty ground.
I’m learning how to hold this light
Without fearing when the sun goes down.
You’re teaching me that good men grow like gardens
In the ruins where the wild things used to live.
And I’m standing in the harvest
Still learning how to give.

(Bridge)
So I’m learning your silences, the language of your sacrifice
How you carry weight you never speak aloud.
I’m memorizing what brings you joy—
Your laughter is like music I was born to know.
I leave you notes in jacket pockets, prayers tucked in seams.
I cook your favorite meal on heavy days.
I’m braiding my love into small things—
The way you taught me…grace displayed.

(Verse 3)
The ghosts of men who took and took still linger
In the corners where I learned to make myself small.
But you walk in like morning through a basement
Your hands opening every curtain, breaking every wall.
And when the old fear rises, whispering
“This goodness is a stranger passing through”
You hold me steady, roots in earth
And I choose to plant myself here too.

(Chorus)
Your love falls down like honey, golden, warm
Like rain on cracked and thirsty ground.
I’m learning how to hold this light
To let it settle, root me down.
You’re teaching me that good men grow like gardens
In the ruins where the wild things used to live.
And I’m standing in the harvest
My arms wide open
Learning, finally learning
How to give as I receive.

(Outro)
How to give…
All of me to treasure you,
The rarest gift I’ll ever hold.

Out of the Shade

Caught between heartache and hope, a young man tells the woman he adores the truth about the man she’s with — and asks her to let him love her the way she deserves.

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(Verse 1)
You fall for the charm he puts on display
Your heart dives deep regardless of why
I see the truth while you’re led astray,
He pulls you close, yet bleeds your colors dry.

(Verse 2)
His warmth and distance shift like restless tides,
You change yourself to keep him drawing near.
His whispers break your closest ties,
And one by one, friends disappear.

(Chorus)
Why can’t you see, he’s no good for you?
To him you’re just an object, a conquest.
Give me a chance to treat you like a queen,
To put you first and work for your best.
Step out from where he keeps you in shade,
Turn your face toward the rising sun.
Take my hand before it’s too late,
We can make a better life as one.

(Verse 3)
You talk of dreams, he says your head’s in clouds,
His goals revolve around himself alone.
He pushes for a ring, a house right now,
Before you’ve even learned to stand and grow.

(Chorus)
Why can’t you see, he’s no good for you?
To him you’re just an object, a conquest.
Give me a chance to treat you like a queen,
To put you first and work for your best.
Step out from where he keeps you in shade,
Turn your face toward the rising sun.
Take my hand before it’s too late,
We can make a better life as one.

(Bridge)
I’d never ask you to erase your friends,
I’d never silence what you feel inside.
Wake up and see. With me you’re free,
An open field where you can run and thrive.

(Verse 4)
It burns to watch him walk you to your door,
When all I want is to walk with you more.
Don’t settle for a love that leaves you small,
While I’m here ready to raise you tall.

(Chorus)
Why can’t you see, he’s no good for you?
To him you’re just an object, a conquest.
Give me a chance to treat you like a queen,
To put you first and work for your best.
Step out from where he keeps you in shade,
Turn your face toward the rising sun.
Take my hand before it’s too late,
We can make a better life as one.