Calming Our Fears

From the words of Dr. Martin Luther King:  “Courage faces fear and thereby masters it.  Cowardice represses fear and is thereby mastered by it.”

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Worry arrives with concerns never to come

Building upon past fears, stoking future ones

Life’s landscape fills with looming mountains

Instead of gentle molehills, fear gathers and stuns

 

Concerns about future challenges come forth

Transforming into worries, fueling more fear

Darkest clouds come together and gather

Who will grab the wheel and start to steer?

 

Waiting for our Lord, He renews our strength

Living by faith, His Word restores our soul

Rejoicing in hope, patient in suffering

Renewed by the Spirit, we feel more whole

 

God always walks with us, seek Him in prayer

Darkest valleys ahead, His love casts out fears

With compassion for our sufferings, hear His Word

Comforted by His rod and staff, God never veers

 

Asking of our Father, seeking His counsel

Bringing clearer witness, through His precise scope

His guidance renews our hearts, calming fears

His wisdom touches minds, filled with Gospel hope

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From Mark 5:35-36:  “While He was still speaking, some people came from the leader’s house to say, ‘Your daughter is dead. Why trouble the teacher any further?’  But overhearing what they said, Jesus said to the leader of the synagogue, ‘Do not fear, only believe.'”

Headlining the News

From recent editions of The Columbus Dispatch, here are some headlines pulled together into a poetry format.  We are blessed in the United States to experience the presence of a free press.  I am blessed to be able to read a local newspaper which does an effective job of being objective in its reporting.

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School funding equity reform continues to vex lawmakers

Economic downturns, budget cuts turn into deal breakers

 

Racism proclaimed as a public health plague

Insuring equitable policies, no longer vague

 

Spare bedrooms shouldn’t be a home for junk

Cleaning and decluttering this neglected funk

 

Underpaid, essential workers feeling pushed to the brink

Working under conditions, where danger doesn’t shrink

 

Books delve into joys, thrills, mysteries of living

Rediscovering one’s love to read, always giving

 

Peaceful protest awakens a small community

Exercising constitutional rights, walk for unity

 

Expectant women consider giving birth at home

Fearing pandemic at hospital, isolated and alone

 

Protest arrives in another small town

Rumors and hatred stir up all around

 

Cool investment of money can buy posh LA chateau

Dazzling, skyline residence requires hefty cash flow

 

Local man walking the state, one step at a time

His reflections leading to a quiet, new paradigm

 

Crippled postal service tackling financial woes

Pandemic cutting usage, usual revenue slows

 

Walking, marching together—freedom as one

Tired of hatred and discrimination—never fun

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Hope Overcomes Fear (Haiku Series #83)

Fear

Stormy clouds approach

Life’s storms threaten with darkness—

Christ quiets the wind

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With Us

Jesus promises

Another Advocate comes—

The Holy Spirit

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Hope

Jesus walks ahead

Emmanuel, God with us—

Coming to save us

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Catherine Marshall Quote

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When the dream of our heart is one that God has planted there, a strange happiness flows into us.  At that moment, all of the spiritual resources of the universe are released to help us.

From Matthew 6:7-8:  “When you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard because of their many words.  Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.”

Monday Memories: Stormy Seas

This poem was originally published in July, 2019, and it was inspired from artwork in a hotel room while traveling out west.  

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Most days, life experiences calming seas

Witnessing each moment, steady to see

 

God provides for us, through it all

Picking us up, even when we fall

 

Life moves along at its normal pace

Taking for granted, God’s free grace

 

Then, stormy seas appear in the west

Bringing worried looks, never the best

 

Life’s ship now encounters the storm

Feeling the sea’s fury, totally reborn

 

The storm smothers this helpless ship

Causing sure footing to slide and slip

 

Panic and worry fill helpless hearts

Asking God, may we try a restart?

 

Our boat takes on water, brisk and cold

Overwhelming our spirit, no longer bold

 

Has our Lord forsaken us at this time?

Sinking ship, as faith no longer climbs

 

Across the tempest sea, comes a voice

Calming the storm and sea, His choice

 

Our Lord and Savior walks over to thee

Releasing the terror caused by the sea

 

In an instant, the dark storm is gone

Restoring faith and hope, now strong

 

God prompts us to maintain our hope

Remaining faithful, steadies our boat

 

Calm or stormy seas, look straight ahead

Accepting God’s grace, always best said

 

Thank you Lord for being with us each day

Reminding us, Your Word points the way 

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Charles Swindoll Quote

greyscale photograph of person standing near the ocean

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Attitude is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than what people do or say.  It is more important than appearance, giftedness, or skill.

From Philippians 4:8:  “Finally, beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.”

A Father and So Much More

This is a very special guest post.  I received a wonderful Father’s Day message from my wife earlier today.  In her own right, Mrs. Big Sky Buckeye is a talented writer who has crafted her share of poetry and other writings.  The photos used are from the WordPress library.

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. . . FIRST

You are their son, and they are very proud

to point you out from amid the crowd.

Your life is founded on what God has done,

and you share the love of His only Son.

 

. . . AND

You are my husband, step dad and grandpa.

You love, and comfort, and help with awe.

Our life together is based on God’s grace,

and together show that in every case.

 

. . . BETTER

You are a father to three special girls.

They are second to none in the world.

You gave them guidance, love and care each day,

and you shared their interests along the way.

 

. . . BEST

You are a father, the teacher all need.

All can see God’s love in you, indeed.

As father, you are still one of God’s best.

With you in our family, we are so blessed.

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Living Water

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What dark depths dwell in our lives?

Sinful nature, lost like sheep

Hearts fill with lasting troubles

Seeing life’s well, much too deep

 

Returning without promise

Jacob’s well cannot quench thirst

Our parched lips, where’s our relief?

Sinful souls, ready to burst

 

God’s Grace, in living water

Blessing in truth and spirit

Gushing with eternal life

Drink deeply, never fear it

 

Who will bring us this water?

We look, but the well is deep

Jesus draws living water

Saving His lost, thirsty sheep

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From John 4:11-15:  “The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, you have no bucket, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?  Are you greater than our ancestor Jacob, who gave us the well, and with his sons and his flocks drank from it?’  Jesus said to her, ‘Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, but those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.’  The woman said to Him, ‘Sir, give me this water, so that I may never be thirsty or have to keep coming here to draw water.'”