Christian poem 'I HAD A CHOICE!' by Nancy McPherson (Christart.com)

I HAD A CHOICE!
by Nancy McPherson © 2007

REMEMBER MOM, WHEN I WAS TWO, YOU WOULD NOT TELL ME WHAT TO DO.
YOU LET ME CHOOSE TO ACT BAD, CAUSE YOU DIDN'T WANT TO MAKE ME MAD.

REMEMBER MOM, WHEN I WAS THREE, I WOULD NOT EAT WHAT WAS GOOD FOR ME.
YOU LET ME CHOOSE WRONG OR RIGHT, YOU SAID THAT WAS BETTER THAN A FIGHT.

REMEMBER MOM, WHEN I WAS FOUR, YOU DID NOT MAKE ME PICK UP MY TOYS.
YOU LET ME CHOOSE TO LEAVE A MESS, YOU SAID IT WAS EASIER TO DO IT YOURSELF.

REMEMBER MOM, WHEN I WAS FIVE, WATCHING TV WAS HOW I THRIVED.
YOU SAID IT GAVE YOU PEACE AND QUITE, BUT I LEARNED SOME THINGS, I SHOULD HAVE NOT.

REMEMBER MOM, WHEN I WAS SIX, YOU THOUGHT THE SCHOOL HAD THE FIX.
YOU MADE EXCUSES FOR MY PLIGHT, AND PUT ME ON MEDS TO MAKE IT RIGHT.

REMEMBER MOM, WHEN I WAS SEVEN, YOU TRIED TO TELL ME ALL ABOUT HEAVEN.
YOU SAID JESUS DIED TO PAY FOR MY SINS, BUT I DIDN'T BELIEVE I HAD ANY THEN.

YEAR AFTER YEAR, YOU GAVE ME A CHOICE. I LEARNED TO ABUSE YOU WITH MY VOICE.
NO!, I HATE YOU!, GET OUT OF MY FACE! CUSSING AT YOU WAS COMMON PLACE.

I CHOOSE MY CLOTHES, MY MUSIC, MY FRIENDS. THAT'S WHEN THE WORSE REALLY BEGAN.
I CHOOSE MY DRUGS AND HOW MUCH TO DRINK. I CHOOSE, BUT I COULD NOT THINK.

I CHOOSE TO ACCEPT ALL THE DEVIL OFFERED, AND HE HAS A LOT IN HIS COFFER.
WILD WOMEN, WILD PARTIES, WILD DRIVING WAS FUN, UNTIL GOD SAID "YOU ARE DONE!"

I NEVER SAW THE DANGER AHEAD, WERE IT NOT FOR GOD, I WOULD BE DEAD.
SOME HAVE SAID "I WOULD RATHER BE", THAN TO LIVE LIKE THAT, BE NOT ME!

GOD LET ME LIVE SO I COULD CHOOSE, TO ACCEPT THE GOOD NEWS.
I COULD BE IN HELL SCREAMING IN PAIN, BUT I LAY IN MY BED WATCHING THE RAIN.

MY MIND GOES BACK TO MY EARLIEST YEARS, AS MY EYES FILL WITH TEARS.
I WONDER WHY, IF YOU LOVED ME SO, YOU NEVER BOTHERED TO SAY NO!

Please contact Nancy McPherson at "nancymcpherson@aol.com" to request permission to use this poem.