The King’s Gambit

As I posted a couple of days ago, our family lost a beloved person, my wife’s brother, James “Jimmy” Oquinn. Jimmy is a true man of God. His faith is deep and abiding. During his adult life he worked in many positions in his church, many of those positions were with the youth program. Jimmy’s wife, Cindy (yes we have two named Cindy in the family), we call her CJ. They have two adult children, Tori and her husband Zach and Andy and his wife Imam. Andy and Imam have two sons that Jimmy absolutely treasured, Aubrey and Dietrich.

Jimmy loved to play 42, I love that game too and enjoyed it all the more when Jimmy was my partner. He would bid crazy sometimes and that usually made me crazy. But, as crazy as his bid might be, he made that bid far more often than he would miss it.

The other game Jimmy loved is chess. I think he started playing chess before he learned 42. He was also even better at chess. In the roughly 45 years I knew Jimmy, I beat him at 42 and was able to do so to the point we were about evenly split. In all the games we played, if I EVER beat him at chess, I don’t remember it.

A few years ago, when I lost a member of the family or a close friend I began writing a poem and/or a song in their memory. These became my tribute to them and have assisted me through the early days of losing someone who was a dear friend. CJ pointed out to me in an email that we are more than family, we are also friends.

I wrote a poem for Jimmy. I took the game he loves so much and used it as a metaphor for life in the faith. I hope you enjoy, “The King’s Gambit.”

The King’s Gambit

The world today is all about me.
The needs of others can be hard to see.
When we use mirrors in windows place
We leave too many in shadows space.

Focus on self, robs others in need
Working to help will defeat much greed.
Breaking the rules just trying to win,
Like those who refuse to see their own sin.

The player comes in and sets up the board
Ready for battle with mind and not sword.
The players make moves by rules of the game.
Play fast with the rules and you’ll risk your good name.

White moves his king’s pawn forward two squares,
He then starts the clock and leans back in his chair.
Black moves a pawn, and in doing so mirrors,
A gambit offered makes all eyes glimmer.

Gambits give a pawn and thus will gain power,
Does one player shine while others cower?
To sacrifice one to gain something more,
The gambit will let your power roar.

The gambit can teach us that faith really matters.
And sacrifice shows us that love is the answer.
He worked to show people kindness each day.
Empathy’s the tool that will show is the way.

Give up a pawn to gain some power,
A sacrifice made, will light up the hour.
In chess each battle lives on the board
In life its love that strikes the right chord.

In giving us Jesus God forgave us our sin.
Divine blood woos us come start over again.
God’s greatest call and our deepest desire,
Should strive and reach for things much higher.

Chess players know of the gambit’s pure power,
With practice and study, our skills won’t sour.
To play the game can make one a factor.
Add study to skill and make a chess master.

Players of faith know that God’s before chess.
When we live without love we make life a mess.
Life’s biggest thing is to live in God’s love,
To gain our soul’s desire, life with God above.

The chess player did show he had love for his game,
And he knew of God’s love in Jesus’ name.
To have the second thing, he would quit the first.
The real King’s gambit can make our hearts burst.

The lands of earth he no longer roams
Well done dear chess player, and welcome home.
He saw his mom and dad again were alive,
Then he stepped forward and got, God’s high-five.

Rest in peace, faithful servant,
Keith

Published by drjkbroyles

I love Mike Ashcraft's book, "My One Word." For the past nine years I have participated and encouraged others to participate to in the "My One Word" Challenge. My first word was discipline was my word the first year. Since then my word has been focus, sight, jungle, peace, concentration, serve, genuine and this year is fit. I seek to be fit for my health, my family, my church, my ministries. I seek to be fit in any are of my life where God might point to me. I also have a nickname, "Dr. B." When I was a public high school teacher, Dr. B. is what most of my students called me, at least in my presence. I am still called that by many people though I no longer teach in public schools. I am the author of "Average Joe: With an Extraordinary Story" (available on Amazon). The book fits into the genre of "Biblical Fiction" or "Christian Fiction" and features some of the Bible's lesser known characters. The name of my blog is, "Fork in the Road." Life is filled with forks in the road. It isn't a matter of if we encounter a fork in the road, but when will we and how many will we experience in a lifetime. I love to strum my guitar. I am not a great guitar player but I enjoy it. I also enjoy writing music. I get excited with I feel a new song emerging. I live with my wife Cindy and our little dog, "Bishop" in Lufkin, Texas. I spent the past 30 years as a United Methodist pastor, serving churches all over east and southeast Texas, from just north of Tyler to south of Houston, from the Gulf Coast to east of Madisonville. I currently serve Perritte Memorial UMC in Nacogdoches. I spent one year in the classroom, teaching High School government, economics, psychology, and sociology. Cindy and I have been married for 43 years. We have two grown sons and six grandchildren, three boys and three girls. I enjoy preaching and all it's aspects from research to writing to the actual preaching event. I also love writing, reading. I have dabble in drawing and "painting" with pastels as well as woodworking and woodcarving. My current projects are two ukuleles. I collect, repair and restore guitars too. I play the guitar (badly, but I still do) I also enjoy working with paracord on various projects, mostly prayer ropes I usually give away. I hold an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Business Data Processing, from San Jacinto College in Pasadena, TX, a Bachelor of Science in Political Science with a minor in History from Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX, a Master of Divinity from Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX and a Doctor of Ministry from Carolina University of Theology. This blog started out as devotional writings. In August of 2020, I made a major change to the blog, switching to a daily theme format. Sunday Sermon-usually my manuscript sermon Miscellaneous Monday-misc. writing, poetry, ministry Tuesday Thoughts-Devotion Wed. with Wesleys-hist. & theol. of early Methodists TED Talk Thursday-Video & appl. in current theology Five for Friday-5 things I've seen & my thoughts Sing-Along Sat. - Usually a new song I have written I write, "Strumming a G-Chord with Dr.B." to get my thoughts onto something permanent. After all, they say, once something is on the internet it never really goes away. Still, I hope you enjoy reading it. Who knows, it might generate a bit of discussion between you and me and anyone else who might make their way here. Seeking the Genuine, Keith Lufkin, Texas August 2020 View more posts