Reborn in Christ (Elfchen Series #51)

Grace

God’s

New covenant

Written on hearts

Christ’s blood frees us

Love

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Truth

Jesus

Teach us

Honesty and boldness

Trusting your faithful answers

Prayer

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Salvation

Hearing

His call

Running to Jesus

Casting away sin’s burdens

Forgiveness

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What’s Your Rush?

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Driving fast down time’s hectic road

Passing new sign’s life-changing mode

 

Hey busy people, “What’s your rush?”

Best to paint life with brand new brush

 

Slow self down, before passing by

More to life than hello and bye

 

Coffee’s better with second cup

Take time to really size life up

 

Spend precious moments, call your friend

Each minute pays big dividends

 

Look around, lend others your hand

Playing music on life’s bandstand

 

Time spent with young children at play

Ageless, feeling younger each day

 

Neighborhood walk with man’s best friend

Rounding out life’s perfect weekend

 

Share love with your special someone

Lighting rainbows with rising sun

 

Cruisin’ along life’s peaceful street

No rush now, enjoying each treat

 

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Sharing Precious Love

From Psalm 118:26:  “Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.  We bless you from the house of the Lord.”

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Rejoice with this new day

God sharing precious love

Blessed Word guides our way

Behold gifts from above

 

Extend love to others

Family and friends shine

Each sister and brother

Feeling God’s love, divine

 

Christ sheds blood, out of love

Building faith’s cornerstone

Treasured, caring, proud of

Never feeling alone

 

Remembering God’s saints

Memories still alive

Cherished thoughts now repaint

Holding tight each archive

 

Lord is God, brings His light

Giving thanks for His grace

Blessed angels take flight

Precious love shall embrace

 

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From Psalm 118:1:  “O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!”

Tasty Sunrise (Haiku Series #127)

Sugar’s Charm

Morning breakfast time

Pancakes searching for sweetness—

Think maple syrup

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Better Choice

Ordering three eggs

Scrambled or over easy?

Make it an omelet

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Believe It

Bacon, sausage, ham

Can’t decide, let’s go for it—

Eating the whole hog

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Eternal and Lasting

From Psalm 100:4-5:  “Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise.  Give thanks to Him, bless His name.  For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.”

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Master of creation’s universe

Father’s love, boundless and enduring

Defying mankind’s understanding

Endless waterfall, reassuring

 

God’s lasting presence covers this earth

Filled with unending mercy and care

Sharing His love, bringing us gladness

Hearing concerns, answering prayers

 

Our world rotates between night and day

Yet, God never ceases His labors

Cherishing us, sheep in His pasture

Caring and loving us—as neighbors

 

God’s eternal and lasting love flows

Filling every second with love

His steadfast love shall always prevail

Sharing His love from heaven above

 

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From the words of Christian writer, Corrie ten Boom:  “There is no pit so deep that God’s love is not deeper still.”

His Presence Leading

From Psalm 88:1-2:  “O Lord, God of my salvation, when, at night, I cry out in your presence, let my prayer come before you; incline your ear to my cry.”

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Cold stillness greets early morning air

Dressed in armor’s extra warm layers

Pre-dawn speaks with inviting brightness

Heavenly Father answers prayers

 

Heart’s emptiness filled with sorrow’s grief

Walking life’s open road with brisk pace

Precious moments with Father’s goodness

He stands ready at this time and place

 

Frigid frost slaps rosy cheeks and nose

Step after step, life moving along

Chill penetrates through extra clothing

Heart needs comfort, love from Heaven’s song

 

Absent clouds replaced with brightest sun

God’s advent warms both body and soul

Speaking with loving mercy and grace

Father softens pain from rocky shoal

 

Walk’s intensity traded for peace

Warmness and hope, alive and feeding

Life’s burdens lightened with God’s blessings

Sharing much more, His presence leading

 

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From Psalm 25:16-17:  “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.  Relieve the troubles of my heart, and bring me out of my distress.”

Christian Witness (Elfchen Series #50)

Absorbing

Allow

God’s Wisdom

To speak aloud

Permeate souls and minds

Truth

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Believing

Courage

Young David

Clinging to God

Lasting perseverance over his

Trials

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Rescuing

Witness

Christ’s body

Wounds and scars

Transformed by our Risen

Savior

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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.

Nothing More Precious

From John 12:44-46:  “Then Jesus cried aloud:  ‘Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in Him who sent me.  And whoever sees me sees Him who sent me.  I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness.'” 

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Across this world’s vastness

There’s nothing more precious

Than our God-given life

Primed to breath by His grace

 

Every precious day

Praise God for its richness

Honor life’s simple ways

Praying with thankful hearts

 

Just as God molds this earth

Spirit works tirelessly

Shaping and stretching lives

Blessing each precious breath

 

God’s precious hands guiding

Framing, leading, teaching

Crafting lives, filled with love

Accept His blessed gift

 

Charged with following God

Life’s precious, rocky path

Falling with stumbling steps

But, Father picks us up

 

Savoring each day’s breath

There’s nothing more precious

Honoring Lord of all

Straight to life’s final end

 

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From 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 goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord my whole life long.”

Following prayer and reading my Bible, my thoughts went into writing this special poem.  Indeed, there is nothing more precious than life.  On March 17, 2021, my stepfather, Ed, went to the Lord.  The love he shared with my mother (his loving Martha) was boundless, and I was blessed to share my Christian faith with him.  The unconditional love given by my mother to her blessed Ed will be a lasting gift because it has been witnessed by so many others.  

Lessons From Failure

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Around life’s corner

Failure’s waiting train

Our very fiber

Split open with pain

 

Chasing newest dreams

Success sometimes waits

Failure comes knocking

What will be life’s fate?

 

Unavoidable

Failure hitting hard

Inevitable

Drawing life’s harsh card

 

Fear of failure breathes

Spreading, holds us back

Life fogging over

Success now off track

 

Vulnerable vibes

Feeling passed over

Alone in darkness

Where’s life’s sweet clover?

 

Lessons from failure

Past trials teach us

Embrace them and learn

Ride fortitude’s bus

 

With renewed purpose

Learn while improving

Plus motivation

Success now moving

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From the words of American writer, Meg Dowell:  “Failure will teach you to be vulnerable.  Failure will show you what it means to chase a dream.  More importantly, your past failures will change the way you value your successes.”

Signs of Spring (Haiku Series #126)

Anticipating

Warmer days ahead

Tree buds filling with new life—

Spring waiting on deck

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Growing

Frigid soil warms up

Transformation taking place—

First green shoots of spring

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Arriving

Crafting welcome signs

Daffodils make announcement—

Spring now official

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