Walking with Jesus

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Selected verses from Psalm 122 bring inspiration for this poem.  America, as a nation, needs healing and reconciliation.  The two verses of Scripture take us on a journey from where we have been to where we wish to go.

From Jeremiah 6:14:  “They have treated the wound of my people carelessly, saying, ‘Peace, peace,’ when there is no peace.”

Praying for peace in our city

Loving Jesus takes center stage

Welcoming peace into all hearts

Hearing love of God over rage

 

Listening to cries of anguish

Walking with Jesus protects all

Showing empathy for neighbors

Sharing His peace at every call

 

Stepping forward with trusting words

Treating these wounds with Jesus’ care

Saying “peace, peace” with conviction

Lifting hands high, love fills the air

 

Standing and feeding His lost flock

Replacing discord, Jesus comes

Proclaiming a new dawn today

Following Grace-filled, beating drum

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From Isaiah 57:19:  “Peace, peace, to the far and the near, says the Lord; and I will heal them.”

Time with God (Haiku Series #79)

Come to Me

Life’s sinful burdens

Repent, go to our Father—

Forgiveness received

red neon light signage

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Rich Harvest

Faithfully sowing

Planting seeds in fertile soil—

But, God gives the growth

man planting plant

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Never Lost

Only from God’s Word

Filled with faithful love and hope—

Finding a road map

young woman with map looking away on city street

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Monday Memories: Sweetest Dream

This updated poem was first-published in March, 2019.  Every day I accept the personal challenge to follow a healthy lifestyle in managing my blood glucose levels.  With proper exercise, eating right, and taking medications, I have been able to succeed.  I sometimes use humor as a tool to keep myself motivated, and writing this poem serves this purpose.

three assorted donuts with milk

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Sleeping at night brings pleasurable dreams my way

Dreaming of sugar-filled treats most every single day

 

Tasting a doughnut filled with vanilla cream

Allowing my sweet tooth to sample a dream

 

Advising the doughnut to vanish and scamper away

Appearing next, freshly baked cookies wish to stay

 

Smelling the melted chocolate and cookie dough

Rolling over, my taste buds scream out to know

 

Dashing dreams of cookies, a delicious pie arrives

Looking at coconut cream is a mammoth surprise

 

Tossing in bed, my mouth anticipates the sweetest taste

Cruising into my dream, appears a cake—freshly baked

 

Licking my lips, velvety-rich chocolate cake will be my fate

Sampling the moisture-rich texture seems a perfect mate

 

Closing my fantasy suddenly, my mind stirs awake

Remembering to manage my sugars is no mistake

 

Envisioning so many tantalizing, indulging treats

Controlling sugar levels will be a bitter-filled feat

bakery baking cake chocolate

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Called to Persevere

From Hebrews 10:19-20:  “Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, by the new and living way that He opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh).”

optical glass triangular prism

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Sharing these words of eternal hope

Living with hope-filling optimism

Gathering with positive people

Persevering through God’s bold prism

 

Living as faithful children of God

Hearing our Father’s message of hope

Realizing now, hope springs from our Lord

Praising His Word, helping us to cope

 

Joining into a New Covenant

Filling with assurance from His Creed

Approaching with hearts, clean from evil

Washing with His pure water, indeed

 

Recalling our earlier struggles

Showing compassion through hopeful hearts

Maintaining endurance, life’s ahead

Remaining faithful, as life restarts

 

Holding fast to God’s blessings of hope

Encouraging daily, each other

Blessing with our love and gracious deeds

Standing with our sisters and brothers

built structure against sunset sky

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From the words of American pastor and Christian author, Jim Cymbala:  “We urgently need people who encourage and inspire us to move toward God.”

Hamlet’s Summer Day

The inspiration for this poem comes from a photograph published on Jan’s blog in her “Wordless Wednesday” post.  Check out her site for some wonderful poetry, inspiration, photography, and so much more.  There is probably a hint (yes, definitely) of the rustic and tranquil life experienced in the small communities of western Montana.

green mountains near river under blue sky

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Picturesque, isolated hamlet

Resting below mountainous shadows

Nestled along lake’s calming fingers

Life’s narrative writing tranquil prose

 

Sunrise crawls over the mountaintop

Cruising silently in their small boat

Early to rise anglers find their spot

Baiting hooks for trout with rainbow coats

 

Soon village shops begin to open

Curious shoppers fill crowded streets

Welcoming Farmers’ Market today

Locals selling homegrown goods and treats

 

Later, stillness returns to the town

Sunny, summer day comes to an end

Sun setting behind lake’s dozing shore

Waiting for tomorrow’s best friends

brown wooden boat on dock during sunset

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Moments with Nature (Elfchen Series #17)

Tender Moments

Morning

Gentle rain

Geese flying overhead

Nature starts her day

Serenity

alone animal bird clouds

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Nightly Blessing

Sunset

Evening twilight

Chorus of colors

Painting our Creator’s masterpiece

Nightfall

photo of mountain under orange sky

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Changing

Trees

Tiny buds

New leaves sprout

Growing greener, bigger, fuller

Grandeur

2019 May 24 Walnut Woods and Chestnut Ridge 014

Summer’s glory in full display at Ohio’s Chestnut Ridge Metro Park.

Choices Through Faith

From the words of American pastor and Christian evangelist, Vance Havner:  “Life is a series of choices between the bad, the good, and the best.  Everything depends on how we choose.”

action adventure challenge climb

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Our daily walk encounters many tests

Life’s decisions shall never be easy

Facing a series of heartfelt choices

Sometimes feeling so alone and uneasy

 

Quality decisions lead life forward

God’s Word and righteousness always shining

Making choices, pleasing to our Father

Our Lord’s love, His sacred silver lining

 

God chooses our Savior—His Holy Son

Jesus becomes our faithful source of life

Bringing lasting redemption to ourselves

Hope-filled Cross saving the foolish from strife

 

Our Father calls many, few are chosen

His chosen, precious cornerstone—Jesus

Believing in Him, never put to shame

Living by faith through our Lord, who frees us

 

Jesus chooses us in His Father’s name

Days ahead offer bounties of treasures

Following His love and wealth of teachings

Therefore, bear lasting fruit through His measures

person sitting on mountain cliff

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From 2 Corinthians 5:6-7:  “So we are always confident; even though we know that while we are at home in the body we are away from the Lord–for we walk by faith, not by sight.”

Never Alone

I keep a daily journal of “take-aways” from my devotional readings.  This poem was crafted from some of my February entries.

sea beach footprint steps

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Sitting alone and hopeless

Faith’s shadow, covered in rust

God awakens mind and soul

In His Spirit, words bring trust

 

Turning to God, always there

His footprints walking ahead

Through life’s hefty challenges

Our Lord brings our daily bread

 

Reading from His Holy Word

Always giving thanks and praise

Marvelous things, God has done

Our hope alive and ablaze

 

Growing in faith, from our woes

Therefore, pray . . . listen . . . follow

Righteous life following Christ

Savior’s hope, never hollow

 

Facing temptation each day

Alignment with Son of God

Blood and body shed for us

Boldly fleeing evil’s fraud

brown and silver cross table decor

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From Galatians 6:1-2:  “My friends, if anyone is detected in a transgression, you who have received the Spirit should restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness.  Take care that you yourselves are not tempted.  Bear one another’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”

Baseball Memories (Haiku Series #78)

National Pastime

Inning by inning

Baseball’s enduring fabric—

Life in a box score

white baseball ball on brown leather baseball mitt

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Trailblazer

Baseball broadcasting

Dodgers’ Jackie Robinson–

Game open to all

arena athletes audience ball

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Count on Him

Iron Horse plays each game

Playing in Yankees pinstripes—

Lou Gehrig stands tall

high angle view of train on railroad tracks

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Monday Memories: Graceful Precision

This poem was written in November, 2018, to honor one of my granddaughters for her dedication to her sport of gymnastics.  Her passion and skills definitely show how far she has progressed over the years.  

woman doing yoga

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Music accompanies daring tumbling moves

Elegance and personality match the groove

 

Connecting a back layout with a back handspring

The floor exercise generates applause that rings

 

A most challenging event brings a fearless test

Strength, agility, and balance need to be best

 

Moving from the lower to the upper bar with such ease

The uneven bars finish with a dismount sure to please

 

A front handspring explodes from the springboard

Elongated body soars high to earn a worthy score

 

Twisting with a half or a full displays superb skill

The vault produces athleticism to deliver a thrill

 

Forward and backward walkovers with such poise

A 360 degrees pivot creates a hush with little noise

 

Connecting all the rhythmic moves with no doubts

The balance beam ends with a precise dismount

 

A spectacular gymnastics meet delivers the very bold

The crowd watches in amazement, nothing seems old

 

Competing for a high score and a gold medal, too

Such graceful precision will see this girl through