Monday Memories: A Writer’s Way

silhouette of trees and mountain under blue starry sky

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Discovering words with something to say

Penning poems and stories every day

                                                             

Draining cups of coffee, right on cue

Feeling emptiness, like singing the blues

 

Holding on to thoughts, waiting to give birth

Sailing onward, words waiting to unearth

 

Painting with dazzling textures, shapes, and hues

Viewing sketches, filling these eyes with clues

 

Searching for future poems, like twinkling stars

Linking verses while traveling to Mars

 

Crafting words, really not science you see

Navigating this writer’s mind, feeling free

 

Seeking prose, lost deep in this writer’s soul

Uncovering a few, making each day full

 

Looking for stories, over each rainbow

Finding inspiring words, eager to flow

 

Drinking more coffee, than one should consume

Creating endless text, now ready to bloom

 

Grasping this pen, creating one more tune

Drafting a masterpiece, ready by Noon

 

Writing encounters monumental quests

Hoping these words will always pass all tests

 

Honoring these writing moments, so sweet

Dreaming of fashioning each splendid treat

arid bryce canyon clouds color

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God’s Firm Pathway

From Psalm 37:1-2:  “Do not fret because of the wicked; do not be envious of wrongdoers, for they will soon fade like the grass and wither like the green herb.”

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Another day

One more trial

Kneeling to pray

With God each mile

 

His way shines bright

Patience fills hope

Holding on tight

God’s faithful rope

 

Love conquers all

Wicked step back

Hearing His call

God’s steady tack

 

Temptation folds

Righteousness saves

Crafting hands mold

God quiets waves

 

Dark times expire

Storms fade away

Sowing faith’s fire

God’s firm pathway

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From Psalm 37:39-40:  “The salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their refuge in the time of trouble.  The Lord helps them and rescues them; He rescues them from the wicked and saves them because they take refuge in Him.”

Hope’s Eyes

Every school year brings challenges to our youngest learners in the classroom.  These struggling children find hope in a teacher, administrator, custodian, instructional assistant, or any other type of mentor.  This is the hope of this poem.

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Fearing tomorrow’s tasks

Dreaming of something more

Probing life’s gloomy path

Failing again to score

 

Meeting darkness once more

Ignoring teacher’s clues

Bearing sounds of silence

Surrounding failure’s blues

 

Learning nothing today

Parking in empty space

Sharing with hidden friend

Reaching familiar place

 

Retreating to safe zone

Boarding life’s empty plane

Watching goals crushed again

Seeing more fire than rain

 

Entering new classroom

Looking into hope’s eyes

Hearing assuring voice

Launching learning’s sunrise

 

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Walking in Faith (Elfchen Series #115)

Worthy Journey

Accepting

God’s plan

Setting aside worries

Walking with His blessings

Obedience

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Transcending Grace

Revealing

Our weaknesses

Relationship with Jesus

Transforming each into strength

Healing

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Steady Anchor

Beholding

Faithful lifeline

With heavenly Father

Anytime, anywhere  . . . He’s there!

Prayer

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Morning’s Arrival

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Another sunrise stirring

Playful sunbeams wakening

Night’s peaceful slumber fading

Nature’s gift deserves praising

 

Quiet, gentle breeze breathing

Summer’s garden rejoicing

Big sky’s blue hues revealing

Nature’s paradise smiling

 

Time searches, never pausing

Mysteries for exploring

Future chapters inviting

Nature’s narrative writing

 

Landscape’s tune humming

Joy dances, everlasting

Morning flows with each painting

Nature’s canvas, spellbinding

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Our Father’s World

From John 4:13-14:  “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.'”

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Waking up each morning

Running to look outside

Father’s world always waits

His purpose never hides

 

Listening, nature sings

Filling creation’s peace

Father’s world shares our hope

His labors never cease

 

Walking in His presence

Feeling trust ever grow

Father’s world honors life

His living water flows

 

Witnessing earthly wrongs

Perplexing sadness builds

Father’s world reaches out

His hands mold to rebuild

 

Praising God high above

Renewing faith’s wellspring

Father’s world reigns beyond

His Word forever rings

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This poem was influenced by the beloved hymn, “This is My Father’s World.”  Inspired by the scenery of upper state New York’s Lake Ontario and Niagara Falls, American pastor and Christian writer, Maltbie D. Babcock, wrote a poem.  Following his death, his wife published the poem which later became the lyrics for this well-known hymn.

School Bells Ringing (Haiku Series #192)

It’s Time

Morning alarm rings

Summer vacation over—

Teacher calls my name

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Stay Alert!

Flashing traffic lights

Driving with care in school zones—

Give these kids a BRAKE!

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Students’ Toolbox

Another school year

Effort, attitude, action—

Ready for success

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Monday Memories: Where is Hope?

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The location of Hope County can’t be found on any maps

Perhaps hope resides in our caring hearts, ready to tap

 

Last year’s drought

Brings misery and dried-up hope

Optimistic farmers seed spring crops with unwavering hope

 

A nearby processing plant

Will close soon with vanishing hope

Hurting families look to God for new hope

 

A nation’s inner fiber

Torn and ripped apart with faltering hope

Martin Luther King proclaims a message of rebuilding hope

 

A man sits despaired and forlorn

Being laid off with a future that offers spiritless hope

Receiving a new job brings praise to a God of immense hope

 

A crime-ridden neighborhood

Breathes each day with an absence of hope

Community spirit and love return with true hope

 

A charred Apollo spacecraft

Dashes an American moon journey with little hope

Neil Armstrong walks on the moon with restored hope

 

A scorned and forgotten child

Feels left out at school with fading hope

A passionate teacher smiles and brings refreshing hope

 

A middle-aged woman

Receives news that her body is filled with cancer and no hope

Prayers intercede filled with cancer-free and grace-filled hope

 

A sin-filled world

Awaits a Savior with never-ending hope

God sends His Son to deliver eternally-filled hope

 

Our world contains many places

Where hearts are filled with everlasting spirit and hope

Let’s never turn-off for a second our amazing hope

 

The Bible speaks a great deal about hope.  Search for numerous examples such as from Romans 15:13:  “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Tireless Persistence

From Hebrews 12:1-2:  “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and let us run with perseverance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith, who for the sake of the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken His seat at the right hand of the throne of God.”

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Facing challenges

Darkest, stressful times

Feeling need to flee

Days no longer rhyme

 

Cresting floodwaters

Race seems lost, no doubt

Overwhelming doom

Path blocked, no way out

 

Inner voice speaking

Quitters never win

Winners never quit

Life’s new road begins

 

Looking to Jesus

Faith’s firm cornerstone

Enduring His fate

Never feel alone

 

Hearing His message

Persistence wins out

Yielding victory

Timeless turnabout

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From James 1:12:  “Blessed is anyone who endures temptation.  Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”

Journey in Prayer (Elfchen Series #114)

Fostering

Praying

For neighbors

Spreading Good News

Christ walks with us

Supporting

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Invigorating

Praying

Holy Father

Hearing His wisdom

Spirit’s light ends darkness

Renewing

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Calming

Praying

For adversaries

Sharing Christ’s love

Division begins to soften

Healing

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This series of poems (written in the German-inspired style of Elfchen or Elevenie) shares a total of eleven words in each poem, with a sequence by line of one, two, three, four, and one words.