Life's Patterns - Re-posted

All the patterns that form my life

Swirl in my mind tonight;
The love, the joy, the broken heart,
The sorrow and delight.
 
They swirl in bright and vibrant shades,
In textured overlays,
Of memories and hopeful dreams
From all my life’s long days.
 
I might have wished for brighter shades,
Less dark colors would do,
But life is much more beautiful
When splashed in varied hue.

Ecclesiastes 3:4    

a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

Photo courtesy of Annie Fitzsimmons & taken at the Chihuly Glass Museum Bridge

Clouds and Light - Re-posted

The lights went out, the world went black,

The wind howled past the eave. 
There was so much work still to do
Before we'd know reprieve. .
 
Then I heard laughter split the dark, 
The candlelight flared true.
While we all gathered closer still,
That sweet joy saw us through.
 
It was as the night lingered on,
That I stepped back to see
We all had worked so hard all week,
We needed to be free
 
For one night, filled with loving joy,
Unexpected and sweet.
You cannot have a golden sky
If clouds and light don’t meet!!

Never Alone - Re-posted

I dwell in sorrow half the night,  

The chaos of the day

Can overwhelmed me ‘til I run

And try to hide-away.

But in the silence where I hide

I find good company,

For you are always waiting there

And you always love me.

I’m not your finest creation,

My faith is often frail,

But you have always stood by me

Through every new travail.

It’s not your faithfulness that’s weak

But mine that fails the test;

Yet every time I quit or fall

You hold me to your breast

And let me know that I am loved

In spite of all my shame;

You lift me up and dust me off

You call me by my name.

All of the heavenly voices

And all the songs they’ve sung

Cannot be sweeter than the sound

Of my name on your tongue

I am not worthy of your love

And yet you still love me;

Each day I chain myself with fear,

Each day you set me free.

So meet me in that silent place,

Where I am on my knees,

I’m not as strong as I should be,

But let me serve you, please.

The Lunar Eclipse - Re-posted

I understand the how and why,

The science of it all.
Yet, in the end, it’s all in place
In answer to His call.
 
The heavens recognize His voice
And move at His command
In ways that science postulates,
But can’t quite understand.
 
It is the arrogance of man
Which leads us to believe
That we can understand all things
It took God to conceive.

In The Tempest - Re-posted

I’m in the heart of the tempest,

I feel the storm winds rise.
The dark clouds of despair and fear
Are filling up my skies.
 
But through them all, I see Your face
I hear You call my name,
I rise to face the turbulence,
Your strength is mine to claim.
 
And on that strength I will rely, 
Though tempests roar above,
For I can face the fiercest storm
If I stand in Your love. 
 
Job 27:20-21
Terrors overtake him like a flood; a tempest snatches him away in the night.
The east wind carries him off, and he is gone; it sweeps him out of his place.

Today's Grace - Re-posted

Thank You, Lord, for this day’s grace,

It is beyond belief.
I’d had no luck upon my quest 
And You brought me relief. 
 
I’d searched with little good result, 
Before my need was great,
But lately I’d begun to doubt
Whether it was too late.
 
And then, when I was ready, Lord,
Suddenly it was there.
As if You’d had it planned that way,
In answer to my prayer. 
 
Now I will do my part in this,
To put things into place,
But first I needed to thank You
For this day’s gift of grace. 

Romans 11:6
And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.

All Glory - Re-posted

All glory to your name, my Lord,

You sing within the dawn,
And with the setting of the sun
Your glory lingers on.
 
Oh Lord, You thunder through the skies
You roar within the sea,
And yet you offer gentleness
To broken souls like me.
 
May all Your children heed Your voice,
And lift to You their praise,
That they may dwell within Your Grace
For all their earthly days.
 
Psalm 29:3
The voice of the Lord is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the Lord thunders over the mighty waters.

When I Look Up - Re-posted

I looked up at what I now faced,

I felt lost and afraid.
This was something I could not do,
It’s not the way I’m made. 
 
It towered far above my head,
It seemed to touch the sky,
And I was certain, if I tried,
I’d more than likely die.
 
But then I recognized something,
There’s grace in that fell cup;
I’m more likely to see God’s face
When I am looking up!
 
Isaiah 40:26
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

Speak Sweetly - Re-posted

Speak sweetly, when you start to speak,

Those words might just come back
And you don’t want to face them down
When you’re under attack. 
 
We don’t think how our words might sound
When we speak them in rage,
And what we bellow in our youth
Might haunt us in old age. 
 
So pick the words you speak each day
With just a little care.
That way, when they come back to you,
There’s joy and comfort there.

The River's Path - Re-posted

The river’s path may wind a bit,

But still its course is true.
It’s bounding through the rocky banks,
From source to oceans blue. 
 
Though my path has meandered some,
Whatever else I do,
I know that, like that river’s flow,
I’m headed straight for You. 
 
The rocky outcrops of my life
May twist the straightest course,
But I know You are where I’m bound
And that You were my source.

So I can’t get lost on the way,

I’m bounding straight on through
Until I reach my journey’s end,
I’ll flow through life to You. 

Revelation 22:1
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb

It Is By Grace - Re-posted

Even when I’m falling apart

You reach out to hold me,
And I may fall, but not too far,
For You won’t let me be. 
It is by grace, and grace alone,
That I am holding on, 
For if Your grace had not been there,
I’d be already gone. 
 
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Living Waters - Re-posted

The stream flows sweetly down the hill

Its water running free
To nourish all along its path
As God meant it to be.
 
The storms of life may stem its flow,
Or turn it from its bed,
But patiently it finds its way
Back to the path instead.
 
For God has set it on its course,
Its water flows from Him,
And it would not fail in this task
Though all the world turn grim.
 
Thus is it, too, in my life now,
My mind clogs and moves slow,
But no debris can stem the stream
Where Living Waters flow.
 
I’ll stand in faith and hold to Him
Whose grace wells up in me,
Until I am the flowing stream
That He’s asked me to be.
 
John 7:38
Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

This photo is a gift from ATF, who always looks for the perfect shot for me! Love you, A!!! 

Still Far to Go - Re-posted

I’ve come so far from where I was,

Yet still have far to go.
No matter how much I have learned,
There’s much I still don’t know.
I think I understand so much,
Then something comes along
That leaves me wondering just where
My thinking all went wrong.
 
Still, while I quest to be much more
Than what I am right now,
I’m grateful to have come this far,
And learned so much somehow.
But this I know, without a doubt,
That all I hope to be
Is meaningless without You, Lord.
Please keep on leading me.

Letting Go - Revised and Re-posted

I let the sun go down on wrath

And when I woke at dawn
I was so caught up in my rage
That all my joy was gone.
 
I found no pleasure in the light,
Nor in the sun warmed breeze.
There was a burning in my heart
That nothing seemed to ease.
 
I was bereft of all my joy
And wasted the whole day
Thinking through what had made me mad
And what I ought to say.
 
It wasn’t til the day was lost
That I began to see.
By harboring my anger so,
The one I hurt was me.
 
So, Lord, I lift this praise to You
Before one more day’s done,
You’ve helped me to cast off my wrath
And healing has begun.

Ephesians 4:26-27 
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

Buffeted and Blessed - Re-posted

Though I may have been buffeted

And battered some by strife,
The blessings far outweigh the grief
When I look at my life.
 
I could count all the things that hurt,
That tore the heart of me,
Or I could turn my gaze instead
To where my eyes should be;
 
The friends who make their love a gift,
The peace that fills my days,
The grace that lead me through tough times,
The words I lift in praise.
 
So many scars that time won’t heal,
But they mean less to me
Than those scars earned on Calvary
Which set my spirit free. 
 
John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

Thinking of You - Re-posted

Why is it, in quiet moments,

My thoughts turn back to You?
With all the hopes I’d like to live
And all that I’ve been through,
How is it that I always find
My mind is fixed on You?
 
There are so many plans to make,
Of things I’d like to do,
And all the mistakes that I’ve made
Require a thought or two.
Yet when I find the time to think
I find I think of You.
 
I don’t know how it came to be,
I just know that it’s true…
When I have quiet time to think,
I always think of You.

They Will Follow - Re-posted

They'll follow in the path you lead,

So choose a path of worth.
For what they see you live today,
Is what they’ll carry forth.

The words you speak, they’ll speak someday,
So choose your words with care.
Make them uplifting, words of faith,
And not words of despair. 

Teach them to walk with head held high,
However rough the road,
By living your life with courage
Despite the heavy load.

As you treat others on the way,
With kindness or with pain,
They’ll learn and give it back to you.
Which lessons will remain?

So, watch yourself, most carefully,
For they are watching, too,
And they will grow to live their life
As you taught them to do.

Proverbs 22:6 
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

Clouds and Light - Re-posted

There will always be dark clouds

Scattered along the way
And some days you may only see
A world in shades of grey.
 
But in each grey cloud on your path
There is a seed of light,
A light that makes the difference
Between hopeless and fight.
 
The little light that tells the world
This storm will soon be past,
For there is hope where there is light
And darkness cannot last.
 
We each must choose what will see.
For me, I know what’s right,
While some may choose to see dark clouds,
I choose to see the light!

This wonderful photo of silver linings is a blessing from my dear friend, TAF! Thank You!

Repeating Again - Re-posted

Why do I have to learn again

Things I’ve already learned?

Why must you show me one more time

What I have once discerned?

Could it be, not that you repeat,

But I the lesson spurned,

Thus to the topic where I’ve failed

We are bound to return?

Again, once more, you offer me

The lessons I forget

Until, one day, I will retain…

But I’m not quite there yet!

Jeremiah 17:23

Yet they did not listen or pay attention; they were stiff-necked and would not listen or respond to discipline.

 

My Star - Re-posted

You woke me from a peaceful sleep

Stirring me to look out
And find a star filled midnight sky
Glittering all about.
 
I saw them sweeping the night sky,
Like cool and distant flames.
They say You know each one You made,
And call each by their names.
 
I found that thought so comforting,
Yet I knew that by dawn
All of the stars that brought such joy
Would fade and then be gone.
 
You truly must love me so much
For when dawn touched my face,
One last star lingered in the sky
And whispered of Your Grace.

Psalm 147:4
He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.

A Better View

It’s time that I lift myself up

And change my point of view.
I have to reach some higher ground
To find the pathway through.
 
This world is getting crazier
With every passing day
And if I can’t find higher ground
I might well go astray.
 
There are so many crossing paths
That seem right at first glance,
But I would be much wiser to
Look upon them askance.
 
I don’t have time to sit and wait,
But I need to see clear
So I can avoid pits and snares
Before I draw too near.
 
Oh Lord, please help me to climb up,
And find a better view.
I’m trying to stay on the path
That leads me right to You.
 
Proverbs 22:5
In the paths of the wicked are snares and pitfalls, but those who would preserve their life stay far from them.

This photo is a blessing from ATF from a recent photo safari in Africa. She has given me so many and I hope to work more of them in as we go! Thank you, ATF!

The Edge of Sorrow

At the ragged edge of sorrow

Where old memories live on,
There the heart longs for tomorrow,
Though yesterday's never gone.
 
It is in such empty places
That the brokenhearted dwell,
Striving to erase the traces
Of their spirit crushing hell.
 
All the long years of their grieving
Will give way in time to peace,
But for now, there’s no believing
Sorrow will give them surcease.
 
Hold them, Lord, within Your stillness,
Heal their broken, tortured hearts.
Hopelessness becomes an illness,
But, in You, true healing starts.
 
Psalm 34:18
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

A Prayer For Our Little Ones - Re-posted

Don’t let them stray far from the path,

Lord, keep them on the way;
And, if You don’t mind, make their trail
Straight and smooth, I pray. 
 
I know that there must be some dips
And hills along their road,
But let them be the little kind.
Oh, and a lighter load. 
 
I want to shelter them, oh Lord,
From all that could bring harm,
Though I know that they’re safest when
They're snuggled in Your arm. 
 
I know their path will be their own
And You have them in hand,
But I still love them oh so much. 
I know You understand. 
 
Psalm 143:10 
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

Doing My Part - Re-posted

I’m more than I might seem to be,

Not just a chubby face.
In fact, I’m part of the great plan
Which God has put in place.
 
My part is not significant,
But, even though it’s small,
I will answer joyfully
When I hear my Lord call.
 
You might not think it matters much,
The task that He made mine,
But God made me to do this work
And that suits me just fine!

Weeping and Peace

My heart is touched by weeping Lord,

That simply won’t subside
My cheeks are flooded with the tears
My brimming eyes have cried.
 
I wish that I could find the peace
That always eludes me,
But there is no peace in this world
As far as I can see.
 
But still I trust in Your Grace, Lord,
For Your promise is true.
I may not find peace in this world,
But I have peace in You.
 
So I will weep a while longer,
For this world’s full of pain.
And, in the end, the tears will pass,
While Your peace will remain.
 
Job 16:16-17
My face is red with weeping, dark shadows ring my eyes;
yet my hands have been free of violence and my prayer is pure.

What's In My Way - Re-posted

There’s always something in the way,

Some little snag or snare.
It’s not enough to dissuade me,
Just slow my getting there.
 
Sometimes I let it frustrate me,
And I forgo all grace.
But all that does is make it worse,
And I'm in the same place.
 
I need to get perspective back,
Shrug those small things away.
There’s far too much that matters more
To let them cause dismay.
 
Lord, help me see small things as small,
And focus on my goal.
That way I’ll get there happier
In heart and mind and soul.

Watch For Dawn - Re-posted

The colors of the dying day

Drift into coming night,
Defying darkness’s onset
With one last burst of light.
 
It will not admit all is lost,
Though night is rushing in.
For it knows full well, with the dawn,
That it will come again.
 
It’s easy to believe I’m lost
When darkness looms ahead,
But, like the day that drifts to night,
I’ll watch for dawn instead.  

In Abundance - Re-posted

I pray for you, abundant life,

In all things of value;
Love and joy, mercy and peace
Enough to see you through,
 
Family and friends who love you
When life is hard to bear
That you might find the strength you need
Never to know despair,
 
A chance to do more than you thought
And even sometimes fail,
So you can face whatever comes
With faith that will prevail.
 
I pray for you, abundant life
Filled with God’s gifts of grace,
And, most of all, I pray that you
Live life in His embrace.
 
Jude 1:2
Mercy, peace and love be yours in abundance

Help Me Understand

I cry out to You in my fear,

My worry and my doubt.
When I can’t fathom a way though,
I know You’ll lead me out.
 
But what I find most troubling, Lord,
Is that I still know fear.
Though You have always answered me,
I sometimes doubt You hear.
 
I don’t know what it will take, Lord,
For me to understand
That You love me enough that You
Hold me within Your hand.
 
Perhaps You need to write it bold
Across the morning sky
So even I can understand
The truth I can’t deny!
 
I want to live with faith in You
And leave my doubts behind.
So, Lord, please help me understand
With both my heart and mind!
 
Psalm 119:34
Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law and obey it with all my heart.

Meager Wealth - Re-posted

My pickings seem meager to me,

But when I think of those
Who live without hope every day,
Without clean food or clothes,
I recognize my cup is full,
That I am blessed indeed.
I lift a grateful praise to You,
You meet my every need.
 
So I don’t ask for more for me
I ask it for the weak,
I ask it for the hungry poor,
The lost, afraid to seek,
And for those trapped within nightmares
Though they are wide awake.
Oh Lord, please fill their empty cups,
I ask You for their sake.       
 
Psalm 23: 5-6
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.