Monday Memories: Walk With Me

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Walking in the quiet, pre-dawn darkness

Inviting someone to share its calmness

Appreciating the morning’s starkness

Jesus joins these moments of peacefulness

 

Sharing these special times, feeling so blessed

Listening to Savior Jesus, what joy!

Feeling renewed, with mercy invested

God’s Son gathers peace, ready to deploy

 

Witnessing this time, brings purpose to life

Forgiving light, leading this faithful walk

Sensing Christ’s harmony, removing all strife

His eternal love, conveying faithful talk

 

God shapes His flock as a skillful potter

Drawing closer to our Holy Father

 

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From Death to Life

From Isaiah 64:6: “We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a filthy cloth. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away.”

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Coming into this harsh world

Born spiritually dead

Ruled by darkest deceptions

Sinful nature fills life’s thread

 

Do we deserve God’s goodness?

Facing our Holy Lord’s wrath

Separated by our sins

Satan lights a wayward path

 

Our lives resemble darkness

Righteous acts, thin and meager

Offering nothing of value

Father’s true love, remains eager

 

Calling upon the Lord’s name

Deliver us from our sins

God, the Potter, molding us

Transforming the clay, He wins

 

Once living under the flesh

Filled with darkest death and sin

By Holy Grace, saved through faith

Walking with Christ, life’s linchpin

 

Placing virgin faith in Christ

In spirit, alive through Him

Body and blood, Cross vanquished

Sins pardoned, new life in Him

 

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From Ephesians 2:4-6:  “But God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with which He loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ–by grace you have been saved–and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”

Satisfying Moments (Elfchen Series #38)

Caffeinated

Morning

Needing ambition

Starting day’s engines

Fueled for another shift

Coffee

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Sugar Explosion

Dreaming

Sweet treats

Glazed or sugared

Some filled with sweetness

Doughnuts

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Comfort

Music

Artists singing

Streaming endless tunes

Thoughts lost in melody

Peace

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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.

Lights in the Night

In viewing our decorated Christmas tree, there are so many blessings to be found.  It is the inspiration behind this sonnet-styled poem.  The photographs found at the end of this post come from our tree, which is loaded with so many memories.

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Angel overlooks wondrous scene below

Twinkling, flickering shadows spanning night

Christmas magic knocking at life’s doorstep

Brightest lights illuminate with delight

 

Past memories radiate all around

Precious ornaments and shapes of all kinds

Warmest smiles, children and grandchildren

Cherished, family love reveals and shines

 

Teddy bears proclaiming a mother’s love

Filling with peace, singing with hope and joy

Lights in the night, reverent birth of Christ

Angels celebrate, God’s grace now deploys

 

Sharing love of a Savior, lights the way

Father’s everlasting gift comes this day

 

One Holy Night

From Luke 2:12-14: “‘This will be a sign for you: you will find a child wrapped in bands of cloth and lying in a manger.’  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace among those whom he favors!'”

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Each year turns life’s blessed page

One decade, then another

Hidden in the thickest woods

Wee church stands, like none other

 

Hymns singing praise with each day

Worship long into the night

Circled by God’s creation

Snowfall covers, always white

 

Each Christmas Eve remembers

Joy arrives with love, gift-wrapped

Bringing lasting peace and hope

God’s faithful love, now untapped

 

Sing “Silent night, Holy night”

Candles’ shadows dance inside

Receiving our promised Prince

God lives with us, this yuletide

 

Night reaches up, touching stars

Father looks down, filled with love

Salvation’s gift, from a babe

Hosannas ring, from above

 

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Italian opera singer, Andrea Bocelli, sings “Silent Night” in this a cappela version.

Sharing Some Kindness

From Galatians 5:22-25:  “By contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  There is no law against such things.  And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.   If we live by the Spirit, let us also be guided by the Spirit.”

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Seeing mankind standing along the road

Bearing heavy burdens, life’s overload

 

Stopping to say, travel the other way

Sharing some kindness, from our Lord today

 

Shining Jesus’ light, for all to follow

Hearing His Word, rich wisdom to swallow

 

Overlooking life’s narrow-minded walk

Sharing some kindness, truth becomes our rock

 

Lending helping hands, sisters and brothers

Showering daily grace, like none other

 

Forsaking life’s blindness, opening eyes

Sharing some kindness, never in disguise

 

Helping others who travel beside us

Inviting them, catching rides on God’s bus

 

Loving with patience, goodwill overflows

Sharing some kindness, warming hearts aglow

 

Recalling Christ’s call, handing out His love

Sharing His mercy, planted from above

 

Paying it forward, kindness shared each day

Harvesting endless treasures from God’s way

 

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This poem is inspired by singer Glen Campbell’s classic tune, “Try a Little Kindness.”  Here is one of his renditions of this remarkable song.  Pay it forward, show the world some kindness.

Divine Immanuel (Haiku Series #114)

God’s Promise

Shall be born for us

Our Wonderful Counselor—

Sharing endless peace

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God with Us

Walking in darkness

Witnessing a wondrous light—

Rejoice!  God in flesh

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Kingdom Come

Born in Bethlehem

Uphold justice, righteousness—

Mighty Prince of Peace

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Monday Memories: European Christmas Traditions

This poem, originally written and published in December, 2018, has been updated in its style. The basic theme remains the same from the original post.

Americans celebrate many Christmas traditions from far away

Several come from Europe, continuing to bless lives to this day

 

Christmas in Europe recognized on one of two dates

Gregorian or Julian calendar establishes its final fate

 

Much of the European continent observes St. Nicholas Day

Exchanging gifts of sweets will make it the merriest of days

 

In German homes, Advent calendars displayed every year

Eating sweet fruit bread, exchanging gifts with those near

 

Spain holds special Midnight Mass throughout its vast land

Walking the streets on Christmas Eve, with torches in hand

 

French homes decorated with Christ’s Nativity, sharing its light

Burning in fireplaces, cherry wood Yule logs illuminate so bright

 

Old Man Christmas—Romania’s Father Christmas—Santa’s tagline

Singing beloved Christmas carols, blessed children’s voices shine

 

November and December fill Danish life with parties and more

Receiving presents, every Advent Sunday offers much in store

 

St. Nicholas drops in on expectant children in Ukrainian towns

Singing on the streets, Christmas carols remove sad frowns

 

Naples creates most magnificent Nativity scenes of all-time

Savoring Italian Christmas cake and hot chocolate, so fine

 

Many British homes adorn and trim two Christmas trees

Decorating with plenty of holly, ivy, and mistletoe to see

 

America’s European ancestors brought much to this land

Celebrating Christmas with traditions, enduring and grand

 

All photographs courtesy of Pinterest.

Love in Christ

From Isaiah 40:3-5:  “A voice cries out:  ‘In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.  Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.  Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all people shall see it together, for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.'”

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Earth filled with gloom and doom

Sinful and fallen race

World empty of joy’s light

Love transforms from God’s grace

 

Love comes from the Father

Love bringing God to earth

Love for our salvation

Love born in His Son’s birth

 

Angels proclaim great news

Majestic, glorious

Never-ending peace sent

God’s love victorious

 

Christ delivers God’s love

Replacing life’s darkness

Silence and confusion

Overcoming starkness

 

Compassion sharing hope

Shepherd gathers His lambs

Lighting the world with love

Grace breaking sin-filled dams

 

Sunrise leads to Jesus

His Kingdom never ends

Rejoice in His Glory

Rising Son’s love now mends

  

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From Ezekiel 34:15-16:  “I myself will be the shepherd of my sheep, and I will make them lie down, says the Lord GodI will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy.  I will feed them with justice.”

This final poem completes the series posted on each Sunday during Advent.  If you missed any of the previous Advent-inspired poems, here are the links:

Fear Not

From Matthew 14:22-24: “Immediately He made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead to the other side, while He dismissed the crowds. And after He had dismissed the crowds, He went up the mountain by Himself to pray. When evening came, He was there alone, but by this time the boat, battered by the waves, was far from the land, for the wind was against them.”

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Life’s storms intensify

Overcoming with fear

Facing each hostile sea

Darkness, nothing seems clear

 

Spiritual squalls come

Turning world upside down

Battered by strongest gales

Fearing each wave’s knockdown

 

Christ’s love intercedes

Praying hands, clay’s potter

Mountains to heavens

Walking on calm water

 

Jesus never leaves us

Storms quietly subside

His blessed protection

Lasting, sovereign guide

 

Fear not, faith’s spark ablaze

Christ’s true light boldly seeds

Following Son of God

Hope ripens from His deeds

 

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From Matthew 14:25-27:  “And early in the morning He came walking toward them on the sea.  But when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified, saying, ‘It is a ghost!’  And they cried out in fear.  But immediately Jesus spoke to them and said, ‘Take heart, it is I; do not be afraid.'”