Tag: poetry

The Birds of the Air Have Fled…

The air is different.
Cooler
Scented with readiness…
Waiting

asphalt autumn beauty colorful

The birds are restless of wing;
Apples hang heavy
As people and days
Move a little faster.

Anticipating the season;
Bringing in the harvest
Preparing to face
The cold gray of winter.

This short burst of color–
This cacophony of bird chatter
And swinging scythes–
Will give way to moaning winds
And skeletal branches reaching out
To empty skies.

Autumn is here– you can feel it in the air and see it on the trees here.  It’s coming on to “sweater” weather.  Football, the smell of vineyards heavy with grapes and orchards filled with apples and pears.  Gardeners and farmers are tripping over pumpkins and squash, and preparing to bring in the corn, wheat, and beans.  Squirrels are starting to zip about and look for nuts and seeds to store.

selective focus photography of squirrel

There is a sense of urgency about this time of year– the harvest is ready to bring in; it will not wait for a more convenient moment.  Preparations for the coming winter must be completed while the good weather holds.

adult beverage breakfast celebration

There is also a sense of completion and evaluation.  We look back at the summer with longing–did we make the most of sunny days and delayed sunsets?  Did we bring in a bumper crop?  And we look forward with a little anxiety– are we ready to weather the biting winds and bleak days ahead?

God has given us seasons– where I live, there are dramatic changes from summer to autumn– in other regions, there are changes from rainy season to dry season.  Each change gives us time to pause and notice where we have been and where we are headed.

adult affection baby child

The same is true in our personal lives– we go through seasons of change.  Children grow to adulthood; young parents become empty-nesters (eventually); hectic days at the office give way to days at the doctor’s office; bank accounts and circles of friends grow or shrink.

In every season, we should give thanks– for health, youth, and wisdom, as well as trials that refine us, and discipline that shapes us.

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I-Bug

It started out small– a glItch, really.
Every tIme I began to type, the same thIng would happen.
At fIrst, I barely notIced.

After all, It wasn’t lIke I couldn’t read my own wrItIng.
It wasn’t In every lIne or word;
It was a sIngle letter.

But then It began to spread.
As tIME passed, It becaME more dIffIcult.
I notIced a theME.  I could stIll read the words,
But theIr MEaning was gettIng lost In
SoME way I couldn’t quIte deterMINE.

It was begInnIng to spIll Into MY speech;
IMpossIble to MEnd; MEldIng Into MY mInd’s
NIches, MErgIng wIth MEdIocre comMEnts
And MYsterIous MEltdowns.

I I I I I,

ME ME ME ME ME.

As I and ME took over, yo_ went mIssIng.
ThIngs were s_ddenly less peacef_l…
Even Jes_s seemed sIlent In the dIn of ME and MINE.
SIn and prIde– I co_ld always be fo_nd there.

It was a fast-spreadIng vIr_s– s_rely leadIng to MY r_In:
_ntIl I lIstened to a stIll, small whIsper…
A Holy breath of fresh, clean, wholesome change.

AAAHHH!

Exhaling the I’s and ME’s, and breathing in YOU–
Brought hope and healing; renewal,
Perspective and life.

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More Important

Everything I thought I wanted
Was more important than
Spending time in prayer that day.

The noise of the radio in the background;
The daydreams and worries in my head-
Drowned out
That still small voice.

As the day passed by
My thoughts and actions
Turned…
Your presence
Nowhere to be found.
My worries and fears
Cancelling out
Faith.
UNTIL– I saw Your power in someone else’s life, giving ever increasing
Faith;
Cancelling out
My worries and fears–
(Nowhere to be found).
Your presence
Turned
My thoughts and actions
As the day passed by.

girl-praying-hands-eyelashes-41942.jpeg

That still small voice
Drowned out
The daydreams and worries in my head;
The noise of the radio in the background.

Spending time in prayer that day
Was more important than
Everything I thought I wanted.

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What Does Prayer Look Like?

What does prayer look like?
Do I bow my head,
Or lift my face toward heaven?
Should I fold my hands,
Or lift them up like an offering?
Do I kneel?
Should I fall prostrate on the ground?
Should I sit in my favorite easy chair?
Or stand in the corner of my closet?

What does prayer sound like?
Is it sung in joyful cadence?
Or murmured? Or chanted?
Or recited?
Is it poured out in an unknown tongue?
Does it sound like groaning?
Or humming? Or sobbing?
Or laughter?
Is it shouted on the street?
Or mouthed in reverent silence?

What does prayer feel like?
A weight lifted?
A breath of pure majesty?
A ray of cleansing light?
A mist of living water falling on dry ground?
Energy and motivation?
Peace?
Complete trust?
Being held?
Being overwhelmed?
Being lifted?

Prayer cannot be defined or comprehended–
Not because we cannot find ways to speak about it,
But because it involves a God who is beyond our
Comprehension.
Our closest friend
Is robed in impenetrable glory.
Our Loving Father
Is the King Above All Kings.
We cannot be too bold or too quiet.
We cannot surprise Him with our
Emotional outbursts, or
Our halting, awkward noises,
Or our sophisticated verbiage.

He IS.
And we are
Aware
Of His Presence!

AMEN!

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A Little Prayer

I said a prayer
It wasn’t much–
I had no power
To heal or touch.

My words were few
Clumsy, and lame–
I barely knew the
Person’s name.

What could I do
So weak and small?
Would such a prayer
Reach God at all?

But I bowed my head
I knelt and prayed.
I trusted God
And I obeyed.

I said a prayer
‘Twas all I had
To offer one
Who felt so bad.

She said a prayer
For me–For ME!
She could not know
She could not see..

The hope that came
The peace it brought–
That little prayer
Who would have thought?

God used her words,
Even clumsy and lame.
God heard her pray
“In Jesus’ Name..”

Not all at once
Not all in a day,
But God answered
When she chose to pray.

I met a man
His face was sad;
I knew that look,
And I was glad

To say a little prayer
To smile and nod;
To lift him up
Before the throne of God.

It wasn’t much,
Just a word or two.
But I said a prayer,
For I know it’s true…

God hears my prayers,
Clumsy and lame–
God will answer
“In Jesus’ Name.”

He said a little prayer,
He sought My face;
He asked for mercy,
I gave him Grace.

It wasn’t much,
Barely a moan
But it caught My ear,
And it reached My throne.

He thought it was small,
And clumsy and lame,
But My heart was glad–
I knew his name!

Don’t ever underestimate the power of prayer– we may never see the “answer” we expect, but God hears our every whimper!

Jeremiah 29:13 New International Version (NIV)
13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

https://www.biblegateway.com
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What if?

What if–
I say the wrong thing, and ruin someone’s day?
Or perhaps I get lost and lose my way?

What if–
I get bad news about my health
Or suddenly lose all my worldly wealth?

What if–
Friends turn to foes this week?
What if I can’t find the peace that I seek?

But

What if–
I take it to the Lord in prayer?
Bring Him every question and care?

What if–
God prevented that unseen wreck;
Stopped me from falling and breaking my neck?

What if–
God saw the looming temptation
And removed me from the situation?

How many times had God stepped in
And quietly saved me from the effects of Sin?

And when He hasn’t–do I really know
If my life would be better if God never said, “No!”

What if–
I trusted and always gave praise
When God’s answers reveal His mysterious ways?

What if–
I ask and seek and knock,
Knowing my God is the Eternal Rock?
Knowing that God hears, and cares, and sees
Much more than I do when I’m down on my knees.

“..casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7 (ESV)

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Two Women

Based on Proverbs 9

photo of women taking picture

“Let all who are simple come in here.”

Two women, so alike in some ways–
Both attractive and energetic,
Both young and vivacious.

But

One has prepared a table; the other has prepared her bed,
One talks of virtue and honor; the other whispers secrets.
One requires commitment; the other promises no strings.
To enter either door is to be changed.

architectural design architecture brick wall bricks

A man entered the door of the wise woman.
He was simple, uncomplicated, straightforward;
A man of few words, but noble heart.
He ate at her table, put his boots outside the door–
Carried her over the threshold.
Time passed, children came.
They added on to the house.
Put in a garden; got a dog.
Others took note.
There were gatherings–
Holidays, barbecues, reunions.
The house was a home.
He never looked back.

man standing beside his wife teaching their child how to ride bicycle

Years later, the man died.
His neighbors and family all spoke
Of his honesty, integrity, and wisdom.
His wife mourned and was comforted.
He was the father of three,
The grandfather of seventeen.

adult affection baby child

Another man entered the door of the foolish woman.
He was simple, uncomplicated, straightforward.
A man of few words, but a yearning heart.
He ate her food and drank her wine; slept in her bed–
Wallowed in her perfumed sheets.
He laughed at her coarse jokes,
Reveled in her catfights with the other girls,
And the stares of other men.


He bought her jewelry.  She bought him a car.
They lived the dream: parties and vacations;
Dancing ’til dawn and no responsibilities.
They forgot to pay the bills; they wrecked the car.
Others took note and shook their heads.
Time passed.


She moved in with someone else.
He moved into a hotel.
There were other women
And other hotels.
There were neighbors, friends–
Cars, jobs, bright lights and
Stolen pleasures.
But he was never the same.

woman holding ceramic mug while smiling photo

Years later, the man died.
His neighbors and friends
Spoke of the loss
In passing, over a beer.
The woman had almost forgotten him.
When someone brought up his name,
She said, “Such a simple, stupid man.
I wonder what ever happened to him.”

“Let all who are simple come in here.”

 

 

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If Only I Had Known…

I would have taken the scenic route
Stopped to smell the new-mown grass,
Or the languid marshy odors
Drifting through the open window of my car.

I might have stopped off to see my old friend
Whose house I have passed a hundred times
On my way from somewhere to somewhere else–
Stayed awhile, relived memories or made new ones.

I would have let the others speak
Drinking in their words, tasting them, weighing their wisdom
And nodding, or not, let them take the spotlight a little longer
While I held my own cleverness in check.

I would have prayed with more reflection, and
Less impatience.  I would have used fewer words,
And chosen them with more care.  I would have shown
More gratitude and less “attitude.”
I would have cried more and sighed less.

I would have risked speaking up in those awkward moments:
“I didn’t mean that.”  “I’m glad to know you.”
“I’m so sorry.”  “I love you.”  “Please know that I love you.”
“You have an amazing smile.” “You are important.”
“God loves you with an everlasting, unshakable love!”

I would have watched more sunsets and fewer TV shows.
I would have written more stories and read fewer magazines.
I would have danced like no one was watching.
I would have sung like no one was listening.
I would have invited others to join me.

If I had known that I have five more years;
Or five more months, or five more decades…
Would I live differently?  Pray differently?
Love differently?  I hope so. 

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Where Am I?

Smack-dab in the center of Sin and Pride;
You could find me in Peril, Intrigue and Rebellion–
Guilt surrounded me, pain and despair held me fast.
But I was not in Repentance, Mercy, or Grace.

I had to die to “I”– let it go and let the Son redeem the Sin
Trade Pride for Prayer, and Hype for Hope.

But I am no longer lost or dead– and no longer a slave to sin or pride.
I can now be found in Faith, and Charity;
I thrive in Fellowship, I have a Friend in Jesus,
A Spirit to guide me, and a vision for Eternity.
It is not “I” who lives, but “I AM” who lives in me.
Salvation, forgiveness, life, and victory are all mine;
Alive in Him, I am found in Christ– sanctified,
And never alone.

sky sunset person silhouette

 

Romans 8:1-5 King James Version (KJV)

8 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh:4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.5 For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.

 

1 Corinthians 15:57 New International Version (NIV)

57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

 

 

  • A brief note about Scripture references and quotes:  I try to give scripture references and quotes in various translations, though I give most in the New International Version (NIV), the English Standard Version (ESV) or the King James or New King James versions (KJV or NKJV).  I don’t intend to cause confusion by doing this.  There are several excellent translations/versions available, and for a good comparison, there are several wonderful Bible study websites (two of my favorites are Bible Gateway and Bible Hub  ).  I simply find that there are some nuances that make for easier reading or use in the blog.  Often, one translation will have notes and cross references that are wonderful for further study, but confusing to include as part of the blog quote.  I encourage anyone to read the verses in whatever translation they have available, feel most comfortable using, or feel is most trustworthy.  I also welcome comments or corrections.
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The Road to Hell…

I started down the boulevard,
Freshly paved, smooth and gleaming,
Its lanes clearly marked and a gentle rise
Toward a glorious horizon.

New construction sites caught my eye;
Here was progress– here was the future!
I drove on, excited in my new course,
Dreaming of destiny and fulfillment.

view of city street
Photo by IKRAM shaari on Pexels.com

Gradually, the scenery changed.
Construction gave way to abandoned projects:
Half-finished high-rises, silent storefronts,
Driveways leading nowhere, weedy parking lots.

Now the road, so smooth at the beginning,
Twisted and turned without purpose.
Gravel and broken pavement lined with
Abandoned cars and broken glass.

white and black house painting
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Frightening thoughts intruded–
I had seen no open stores, no gas stations,
No houses, or other cars for miles.  I was alone.
There were no crossroads; no places to turn around.

The road that had begun with so much promise
Was now a rutted path going nowhere.

photography of railway
Photo by MESSALA CIULLA on Pexels.com

I woke up in a cold sweat– it had been a dream.
More– it had been a warning.

I had “good intentions” for my journey.
But the easy road, the appearance of future success
Had lured me away from the path marked with suffering
And paved with ancient truths.

I had packed no maps, ignored the GPS, and trusted to “instinct”
To lead me, not to a fixed destination, but to “discovery.”

I drifted back to sleep, and dreamed that I was back at the beginning.
Roads branched out all around me.
The gleaming new boulevard no longer held any appeal.
But now I studied the other roads.

aerial photo of buildings and roads
Photo by Aleksejs Bergmanis on Pexels.com

There were so many; roads leading to “enlightenment”;
Roads offering “fame” and “immortality”;
Narrow paths promising “mysticism”;
Superhighways advertising “happiness.”

Off to the right, there was a tiny filling station–
The old fashioned kind, with a service man.
He offered to fill my tank, but then he said,
“They all end up in the same place, you know.”

abandoned business classic dirty
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

I looked up into his eyes–eyes that held in them
The wisdom of the ages and boundless love.
“Enter in at the narrow gate…”
“I am the way, the truth, and the life…”
“This is the way, walk ye in it…”

He turned and walked through the back door
And I followed him down a sunlit path,
Up a small rise, and into glory.

landscape photo of pathway between green leaf trees
Photo by Skitterphoto on Pexels.com

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