Patient, yet restless
Every life needs a purpose—
Listen for God’s call
Do not be troubled
Holy Spirit walks with us—
God’s peace be with you
Days, weeks, months go by
Feeling God’s Gospel Spirit—
Never growing old
From Psalm 62:1-2: “For God alone my soul waits in silence; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall never be shaken.”
Anticipating in faithful silence for the One
From Christ, comes our Salvation He won
God brings deliverance from life’s trials
His steadfast love proclaims and smiles
Witnessing transformation by Christ’s renewing love
Pouring out our daily needs to the Holy Lord above
Witnessing the Apostles in their committed walk
Learning about Jesus as His words openly talk
God delivering His promise, acceptable and good
Trusting in our Heavenly Father, as we all should
As a single body with Christ, persevere in daily prayer
Meditating upon what lies deep inside, our daily cares
Trusting always, we come forth to pray
God standing as our rock, always stout
His fortress never shaken with doubt
Allowing the Holy Spirit, a welcome space to invade
Loving one another, because Jesus ultimately gave
Replacing negative thoughts with a positive way
Slowing down, counting blessings—let us pray
Spending less time, filled with our trivial worries
Praising God for His message of faithful courage
God’s kingdom depends upon His mighty hand
Feeling His promises, His will covers the land
Answering the great question for all to behold
Accepting Christ as Lord and Savior, so bold
Reveling in God’s glorious adventure, with trusting love
Allowing Him to assist, in sending answers from above
Trusting always, we come forth to pray
God standing as our rock, always stout
His fortress never shaken with doubt
From Romans 12:11: “Do not lag in zeal, be ardent in spirit, serve the Lord.”
From Psalm 23:4: “Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff–they comfort me.”
Being careful with life’s missteps
Sinful disobedience waits
God’s Word touches our inner soul
Hell pleasing, never be our fate
Our truest, most faithful support
Shall always arrive from His love
God’s Word will endure forever
His Spirit reigns from high above
When life’s dark trials boil over
Creating quagmires of distress
God’s Word quells each predicament
His next move leads like playing chess
Our life’s journey travels by faith
Transformed by Christ’s merciful heart
God’s Word reaches out, filled with hope
Bringing a new day, let’s restart
From 2 Corinthians 5:7: “For we walk by faith, not by sight.”
Office
Flexible schedule
Working from home
Feeling fulfilled and happy
Retirement
Busy
Digital devices
Talking each day
So, why can’t we?
Pause
Writing
Rough draft
Building a novel
Hours of editing await
Masterpiece
The German-inspired poetry style of Elfchen (or Elevenie) contains five lines of poetic verse, usually without the use of rhyming verses. A total of 11 words are used with a sequence of one, two, three, and four words before ending with a single word in the final verse.
College basketball star and high school majorette
Growing up under Montana’s brilliant Big Sky
Destined to raise this band of brothers as their sons
Rearing five boys, better than any Fourth of July
Household of boys born over a span of twelve years
Perhaps their father dreams of a basketball team
While their mother nurtures with love and care
Quintet of brothers’ thoughts filling with biggest dreams
Brothers grow up, facing life’s many challenges
Inspired by a father with amazing courage
Battling back from near-fatal car crash in his youth
His steadfast work ethic always encourages
These driven brothers discover their niche at school
Excelling with their academics in the classroom
Competition fuels a welcome outlet through sports
Lives mature too quickly, future destinies zoom
This family story would never be complete
The boys’ mother remembers God’s lovely bouquet
These five brothers always cherish their one sister
Believe it or not, she’s born on Valentine’s Day
This poem gives you a quick glimpse into my childhood family. Growing up under Montana’s Big Sky was a blessing for my brothers and sister. The memories will last a lifetime.
Sower scattering any seed
Wildly without any foresight
God scatters His Word as planned
His aim, truthful in its flight
Called to sow His righteous seeds
Following a living light
Sharing of God’s Holy Word
Walking in Jesus’ delight
These efforts shall bear His fruit
Quenching the rich, fertile ground
God adds the living water
Patient, His trust to be found
Not every seed shall bloom now
Some will lie quiet and wait
Just as a pine cone pauses
Holds seeds for their proper fate
Spreading God’s Word to others
Using our freedom for good
Allowing Spirit to work
Sowing for Him as we should
Sharing love and forgiveness
Lord’s eternal Word aligned
Taking blessed, scattered seeds
Harvesting fruit of all kinds
From Isaiah 55:10-11: “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return there until they have watered the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.”
Bagels and cream cheese
Delicious breakfast or snack—
Sweet carbs explosion
Triple chocolate
You bake it, then I eat it—
Decadent cheesecake
Buttermilk pancakes
Dreaming of breakfast’s sweetness—
Oh no! Diner closed!
This poem is a guest post from my then 11-year old granddaughter. She wrote this poem for her Language Arts class, and she has given permission to post her untouched words just as she wrote them. Enjoy the gratitude that she shares.
This warm bed
that is really comfy and soft
that is only payed off
by my parents and their jobs
that is filled with
blankets, pillows, and stuffed animals
that is around me as I
dream off to sleep
I lay there at night
to recharge my body
I lay there to rest
my body
I lay there if I am sick
to help heal my body
I lay there to wake up
to get ready for the day
As we get ready to
dream off again
I lay there ready to fall
asleep
Soon I am fast asleep ZZZZZZ
From Ephesians 4:31-32: “Put away from you all bitterness and wrath and anger and wrangling and slander, together with all malice, and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.”
Life’s battered bucket sometimes overflows
Facing daily challenges, too immense
One challenge standing apart from the rest
Using forgiveness seems much too intense
Our righteous Father teaches forgiveness
Extending His mercy through earnest hearts
Breathe every truth in its entirety
Receiving His grace with humble hearts
Take in God’s Word, His Holy Commandments
Burying bitterness, it lifts the heart
Always best to forgive, forget, move on
Beating with freedom’s light, opens the heart
As humans, reacting much too quickly
Expressing heated anger, fixing blame
Slow to forgive, even more to forget
Stepping now with humbleness, drowns the flames
No longer in the enemy’s darkness
Praying the sun does not set on one’s rage
With our Lord’s truth, filling with righteousness
Following God’s way, life writes a new page
From the words of American pastor and Christian author, Jim Cymbala: “Looking back over my life, all I can see is mercy and grace written in large letters everywhere. May God help me have the same kind of heart toward those who wound or offend me.”
From John 8:32: “And you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”
Blessed land stretching from ocean to ocean
Spacious skies wink at fields of abundant grain
Framed in by towering, majestic mountains
God’s Grace covering the land like fruitful rain
Lady Liberty extends her message of hope
Calling out, only demanding to breathe free
Ensuring freedom for the huddled masses
Keeping her torch lite, from sea to shining sea
Asking God to mend a nation’s ills and flaws
Lifting praises up to the Father above
His glory be forever praised here below
Liberty and freedom shall ring, filled with love
Forgiving our nation’s errors and transgressions
Healing hearts of discord, peace now safeguarded
Leading this nation out of its dark wilderness
Remembering an old path, long discarded
Nation founded from scratch, with lasting vision
“All men are created equal” crying out
Endowed from the Creator, come certain rights
Life, liberty, pursuit of happiness shout
“America the Beautiful” is a beloved song. You are invited to listen to this familiar song, as sung by Lee Greenwood
Big Sky Buckeye 