Big Sky Buckeye

A writer's journey continues

Her Spirit Lives

Posted on May 20, 2021 by bigskybuckeye

**Montana’s Crazy Mountains (courtesy of Pinterest).**

Howling wind joins darkness

From mountains standing tall

Screaming into valleys

Her spirit lives to bawl

River bottom cuts through

Shudders at her loud cry

Escaping into night

Her spirit never dies

Myths and legends live on

Woman wanders away

Never noticed again

Her spirit roams to prey

Crazy Woman Mountains

Dramatic island range

Lives into eternity

Her spirit must not change

Another winter night

Shivering voice calls out

Noisy lungs never sleep

Her spirit lives throughout

**Another view taken from the south with the Yellowstone River in the foreground with autumn’s colors (courtesy of Pinterest).**

Montana’s Crazy Mountains stand as a sentry above the valley near the town of Big Timber. Nicknamed the “Crazies,” the wind always seems to be blowing. If you wish to read more about them, here is a link to the mountains.

Always Present

Posted on May 19, 2021 by bigskybuckeye

From Psalm 27:1: “The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?”

Father walking nearby

Hearing heartfelt prayers

Healing life’s brokenness

Always present, God cares

Dark fears and emotions

Steps stumble, almost fall

Slowly confidence grows

Feeding faith from God’s call

Recalling faithfulness

God’s hope covers this place

Healing former despairs

Love shining through His grace

During days of trouble

Stirring praises of joy

Father’s shelter protects

Grace’s refuge deploys

Once withdrawn in darkness

His light calling lives out

Always present, God cares

Love covering throughout

**Photo by Ryutaro Tsukata on Pexels.com**

From Psalm 27:13-14: “I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”

Life’s Morsels (Haiku Series #135)

Posted on May 18, 2021 by bigskybuckeye

Exploration

Perseverance roams

Ingenuity flies high—

Planet “Mars” explored

Discovery

Hidden by dense woods

Living through generations—

Treasured, seasoned home

Harvest

Sowing fertile fields

Nurturing with tender care—

Tomorrow’s goodness

**Photo by Jennifer Poole on Pexels.com**

His Great Love

Posted on May 16, 2021 by bigskybuckeye

From Deuteronomy 8:3: “He humbled you by letting you hunger, then by feeding you with manna, with which neither you nor your ancestors were acquainted, in order to make you understand that one does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of the Lord.”

**Photo by Jose Aragones on Pexels.com**

Life’s darkening journey

Never exempt from pain

Evil always prowling

Adversity’s campaign

Seeking life’s foundation

Holy Word, God alone

Heavenly love provides

Troubles no longer groan

Praise our Great Comforter

Treasures open, His love

Understanding God’s law

Commandments from above

Freed from harsh wilderness

Rejoice with faithful trust

Delighting in God’s love

Filled with hope, life adjusts

Depend upon the Lord

Manna nourishing needs

Trials teach bold lessons

His great love always leads

From Romans 8:28: “We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to His purpose.”

Faith’s Journey (Elfchen Series #58)

Posted on May 14, 2021 by bigskybuckeye

Cornerstone

Anchor

God’s Word

Answers life’s doubts

Steadies each shaky step

Grace

**Photo by Manuel Keusch on Pexels.com**

Beacon

Wilderness

Testing faith

Facing certain adversity

Christ walks with us

Strength

**Photo by RODNAE Productions on Pexels.com**

Resilience

Guideposts

God’s wisdom

Growing in trust

Before life reaches new

Crossroads

**Photo by James Wheeler on Pexels.com**

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.

Conquering Fears

Posted on May 14, 2021 by bigskybuckeye

From 1 John 4:17-19: “Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because he first loved us.”

Bringing anxiety

Life’s darkness encroaches

Where can we always turn?

Father’s light approaches

Bitten by sinful grief

Burdened at life’s abyss

Time to admit these fears

Seeking truth to dismiss

Frightened by life’s trials

Being honest with self

True feelings now exposed

Finding Bible on shelf

Coming to our Father

Reaching out to His hand

Time now spent in prayer

God’s Word faithfully stands

God’s hand vanquishes fears

Lasting comfort and peace

Heavenly rod and staff

Salvation, life’s new lease

Father’s infinite love

Grace casting out these fears

Supportive hand and Word

Conquering fear-filled tears

From the words of American pastor and Christian teacher, Charles Stanley: “When fear begins to sink in, I pray harder, study longer, and read my Bible more closely. God wants to cast out the fear and doubt in your life.”

Living in Christ

Posted on May 12, 2021 by bigskybuckeye

From Colossians 3:1-2: “So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.”

Living in Christ, never alone

Marked with genuine, lasting love

Walking in daily harmony

Bread of Life, feeding from above

Living in Christ, finding mercy

Filled with thirst for Holy kindness

Quenching faith with living water

Spirit healing sin-filled blindness

Living in Christ, cherished moments

Covered by His forgiving grace

Centering on infinite love

Patience guides, finishing life’s race

Living in Christ, tasting His love

Called to follow in faithful ways

Building new life with righteousness

Heavens singing with blessed praise

Living in Christ, God’s chosen ones

Baptized, newest children of God

Praising Heavenly Father’s love

Comfort received, His staff and rod

From Colossians 3:14-15: “Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in the one body. And be thankful.”

Spring’s Temptations (Haiku Series #134)

Posted on May 11, 2021 by bigskybuckeye

Ready to Go

Respite from winter

Digging into Mother Earth—

Spring planting on deck

Next Step

Dancing with nature

Waiting to plant spring’s garden—

Following her lead

**Photo by Jackson David on Pexels.com**

Backing Off

Eager to plant now

Oops, garden struck by frostbite—

Better to sit tight

**Photo by Curioso Photography on Pexels.com**

Monday Memories: Mom’s Summer Woes

Posted on May 10, 2021 by bigskybuckeye

This free-verse poem was originally published in June, 2019. While the theme is filled with humor, between the lines one can read about the endless duties of a mother. In this case, she is busy during a summer’s break from the school year routines. This repost is dedicated to all mothers for a job well done!

**Photo by Sharon McCutcheon on Pexels.com**

Summer finally arrives

Breaking from school routines

Children eager, excited, hyper-filled, energized

When does Mom get to take a break?

Chauffeuring children everywhere

Swimming lessons, sports camps

Gas tank never seems full

When does Mom ever get to run to a special place?

Thunderstorms pop up

Bringing their usual culprits

Rain, wind, hail, lightning, thunder

How did Mom’s new umbrella end up in the yard?

Enjoyable family gatherings

Long picnics, games aplenty

Lots of tasty food prepared

But Mom—why are we picking up a bucket at KFC?

Travel plans made

Laundry, packing, laundry, repacking

Mom still must be “Mom”

When does Mom get to enjoy “her” vacation?

School arrives again

Summer finally over—finally!

Bus leaves with the kiddos

Why does Mom hit the snooze again?

True Motives

Posted on May 9, 2021 by bigskybuckeye

From Proverbs 21:2: “All deeds are right in the sight of the doer, but the Lord weighs the heart.”

**Photo by Elena Saharova on Pexels.com**

World around us

Views outer selves

Not always true

God sees ourselves

Examines hearts

What’s false, what’s true

Peeling away

Each beating clue

Colleagues at work

Neighbors and friends

Hold opinions

Not through God’s lens

God’s view prevails

Noting actions

Mindful of thoughts

Weighs each fraction

Most important

True motives say

Pure intentions

Every day

**Photo by fotografierende on Pexels.com**

From the words of American Christian author, John Eldredge: “If the narrative of the Scriptures teaches us anything, from the serpent in the Garden to the carpenter in Nazareth, it teaches us that things are rarely what they seem, that we shouldn’t be fooled by appearances.”

Share this:

Share this:

Exploration

Discovery

Harvest

Share this:

Share this:

Cornerstone

Beacon

Resilience

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Ready to Go

Next Step

Backing Off

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: