Phyllis Diller (1917-2012)
A smile is a curve that sets everything straight.
Johnny Carson (1925-2005)
People pay more to be entertained than educated.
American Comedians
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Category Archives: Poetry
Monday Memories: Sailing Away
Sometimes life’s waters become turbulent
God’s seaworthy vessel carries the day
His Word quiets the daily storms we face
With His Spirit, angels leading the way
Jesus has walked on the water we sail
Inspiring many to always believe
Encountering rough “Titanic” struggles
Our journey will overcome, the storm leaves
Sailing off course, we have a champion
Jesus fathoms, walking ahead of us
Father, Son, Holy Ghost . . . never alone
Following our Savior, in whom we trust
God’s faithfulness, sets a perfect heading
Sailing away, His true compass leading
Generations Wait
From Isaiah 3:8: “For Jerusalem has stumbled and Judah has fallen, because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord, defying His glorious presence.”
Searching for answers
World filled with darkness
Swirling anarchy
Life’s empty starkness
Finding false answers
Faith in God grows cold
Lost in wilderness
Sin captures foothold
Forsaking Father
Evil’s invitation
Follow sin’s idols
Life’s new fixation
Fearing discipline
Israel hiding
No place now to turn
God’s wrath deciding
Marching Israel
Away from its land
Generations wait
For Messiah’s hand
From Isaiah 7:13-14: “Then Isaiah said: “Hear then, O house of David! Is it too little for you to weary mortals, that you weary my God also? Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign. Look, the young woman is with child and shall bear a son, and shall name Him Immanuel.'”
Faith, Hope, Love (Elfchen Series #82)
Believing
Hiding
World’s light
With swirling anarchy
Sharing Gospel, removing darkness
Faith
Anticipating
Seeking
Father’s heart
Giving of ourselves
Kneeling at Calvary’s cross
Hope
Blessing
Reading
God’s Word
Grace and mercy
Calling us to repentance
Love
Seasons Eternal
Mankind hurtles toward unknown
Nature’s seasons relay what’s known
Autumn prepares for transition
Holding off winter’s ambition
Both man and nature look ahead
Unearthing their most common thread
At times, life needs relaxing pause
Forsaking bright lights and applause
Terrain changes to snowy scene
Covering life white, without green
Man growls at cold, numbing weather
Spotting fireplace, warm together
Winter’s snowfall hiding its gems
Waiting for newest, greenest stems
Spring awakens frozen landscape
Encouraging life’s next escape
Man and nature again feel free
Twinkling eyes find each budding tree
Creator’s Spirit, love transcends
Seasons eternal, never end
Testing Our Faith
From Proverbs 11:8: “The righteous are delivered from trouble, and the wicked get into it instead.”
Life encountering trouble
Feeling faith shriveling up
Surrounded, total darkness
God calling, drink from My cup
Life’s trials testing our faith
Walking path filled with hardship
Shadowed by prowling darkness
God calling, He rights our ship
Life challenges fragile faith
Hungering for something more
Shrouded by empty darkness
God calling, enter My door
Life summons Abraham’s faith
Overcoming our miscues
Illuminated in light
God calling, walk in Christ’s shoes
From Isaiah 33:2: “O Lord, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble.”
Autumn Moments (Haiku Series #158)
Changing
World turns upside down
Equinox flips earth’s seasons—
Hemispheres apart
Impatience
Eager autumn colors
Summer still hanging around—
Knocking at the door
Visionary
Fall’s preparation
Life’s transition to winter—
Glorious spring waits
Monday Memories: A Heart Transformed
This short story was written in December, 2019, and it encourages each reader to draw upon his or her thoughts. The ending paragraph speaks from the heart of a writer who looks for a future filled with hope.
There was once a leader in a far-off land in the “Make Believe” world of a toy box. This leader was made of wood, and featured the well-crafted workmanship of his Creator.
Despite appearances, there were flaws in the leader’s character. He was dishonest and bullied everyone around him. His actions as leader led to friction and decisiveness in the toy box. The leader continued to govern with a misguided mind and agenda. His heart seemed hardened to the point that other toys really wondered if he even possessed a heart.
One day, the boy who played with the toy box every day asked the leader, “Why is your character so bad?”
The leader ignored the question, and the boy played with his other toys. Perhaps being made out of wood had made him inflexible with a hardness of attitude. Everything the other toys did or said seemed to go against his grain.
Meanwhile, more and more heat came from some of the fiery citizens in the toy box. Their patience was wearing thinner with each passing day. A few toys even threatened the leader with more than just words. The leader was paranoid about being literally “put on fire” from some of the other toys’ actions. After all, he was made out of solid wood.
After observing the crippling turmoil in his toy box, the boy told the other toys, “I will ask the Creator to help us with this mess.”
The boy prayed a special prayer to the Creator:
Dear Creator, the toys and I ask for your help. Our leader needs to change his bad ways so that all of the toys will enjoy a better life here in this toy box. We look to you for aid and support. Amen.
The Creator heard the boy’s prayer-filled words. Overnight, he came into the toy box and removed the leader, who was sleeping soundly. He remolded the leader into a better person with a benevolent and caring heart, which had been missing all along.
The leader was returned to the toy box with a heart no longer as hard as wood. He was transformed into a Gospel-led leader.
Divine Masterpiece
From 1 Timothy 4:4-5: “For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected, provided it is received with thanksgiving; for it is sanctified by God’s word and by prayer.”
Looking down from Heaven
Viewing God’s creation
His divine masterpiece
Touching eternity
Scaling lofty mountains
Traversing snowcapped peaks
Holy divine witness
Sustaining life’s purpose
Feeling wind’s gentle touch
Fording mighty rivers
God’s lasting masterpiece
Sailing to calmest seas
Walking fertile valleys
Nurturing blessed life
Steady divine presence
Harvesting earth’s treasures
Sharing nature’s seasons
Supporting life’s stages
His living masterpiece
Breathing with God’s Spirit
Sowing life from His seed
Preserving life’s harvest
Father’s divine wishes
Blessing each sacred life
Waking up each morning
Tasting each mystery
His divine masterpiece
Praising God’s gentle hands
From Genesis 8:22: “As long as the earth endures, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”
Life’s Messages (Elfchen Series #81)
Precious
Life’s
Lasting foundation
Steadfastly built upon
Holy Word of God
Unbreakable
Perpetual
Life’s
Darkening journey
God’s light filling
Our lantern of hope
Everlasting
Pivotal
Life’s
Faltering trust
Sin’s empty promises
Driving us toward God
Redemptive
Big Sky Buckeye 