Way back in my days of childhood I played in fields and wood,
Underneath the sky and sun every chance I could.
Not too far from my home, but slightly out of sight,
I could not hear my mother call though she yelled with all her might.
She might have come looking for me while our supper soon got cold,
Sometimes she would bring me back, my ear she’d firmly hold.
Then one day she found a bell, whose former owner was a cow,
Although I couldn’t hear her before, I sure could hear her now.
“Ring-a-ling-a-ding-a-ling” meant supper’s on the table.
And I would sprint up to the house as fast as I was able.
Call me ugly, call me stupid, call me a wayward sinner,
But whatever you do, please be true; don’t call me late for dinner.
The memory of these days gone by still beats within my heart,
And now when I hear cowbells my hunger pains do start.
But now I’ve a greater hunger, a hunger for to pray,
I want to speak unto my God each minute of the day.
The hearingest ears in the universe He hears both good and bad,
And I would want to bless His ears with something sweet not sad.
He surely hears a world of woe each and every day,
Tween cursing and complaining and the evil people say.
I surely want to thank Him and praise Him from my soul,
To intercede for my fellow man that is my daily goal.
But I am so forgetful, my busy day distracts,
And the devil he hates prayer so he constantly attacks.
So Jesus I’ve a favor that I will beg of You,
I know that You can do it, for there’s nothing You can’t do.
Can You install a little bell inside my little mind,
That rings just like a cowbell from a different time?
“Ring-a-ling-a-ding-a-ling” means that it’s time to pray,
And may it be my alarm clock and ring till end of day.
And thanks and praise will never cease for Christ deserves our best,
I cannot plead enough for others and for my sins confess.
There is no better place to be than your heart upon its knees,
The prayers of a humble heart are bound to our God please.
So ring it while I’m working, Lord, ring it while I play,
Ring it loud, ring it clear, ring it all throughout the day.
So if prayer makes me happy and makes Jesus happy too,
Then I would want my prayer to be constant and be true.
What is that sweet sound I hear, a ringing in my ear?
Though noisy is the din of the world I hear it oh so clear.
It is a Holy signal from my God who Loves my soul,
And I will come a running before my love gets cold.
Tertius
The sound of the bells will be heard
when he enters the Holy place before the Lord….
Exodus 28:35
A note about “Tinnitus”: I am never satisfied with the frequency that I pray. Although I spend some feeble, mind wandering, half asleep minutes where I spend in prayer and that alone, I always desire to improve that time and pray all during my day just as I would hold a constant conversation with a human companion. With all the business of the day I tend to ignore God even when I know He is present with me. Being that I have a slight case of tinnitus from cutting brick for many years this poem should definitely help my prayer life. God is good, if you don’t believe it just ask Him!