Monday Memories: Step by Step

One of my favorite places to walk is a short drive from my home.  Walnut Woods Metro Park (the Woods) is a special place to find nature’s treasures along its easy to moderate trails.  The photographs shown with this poem were taken a few days ago.  Enjoy!

Peaceful Walnut Creek meanders along the northern border of park.

Early morning light beckons

Putting on worn hiking shoes

Overcast skies hold back rain

Nature waits with charming views

 

Driving to a park, the “Woods”

Tranquility always waits

Peace and beauty reaching out

Eager feet, needing no skates

 

Step by step, walking farther

Park’s vastness, shouting with joy

Around each bend, nature smiles

Many sights and sounds deploy

 

Morning excursion teases

Birds sing back and forth on cue

Precious blossoms smelling sweet

Coffee can’t top nature’s brew

 

Time seems to pause with each step

Today’s time comes to an end

Ticket punched for return trip

These “Woods” remain a best friend

 

A few signs of spring’s early blossoms still can be found, but they will soon be gone.

Originally published June, 2020.

Faith’s Resurrection

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

Photo by Kamp Ve Enduro on Pexels.com

Hope’s refuge, waiting in Lord’s highest place

Father’s steadfast love endures forever

Lighting way for each faithful endeavor

Proclaiming Savior’s song of victory

 

Bond of peace, opened at Calvary’s cross

Unified as one with body of Christ

Sharing patient gentleness, though high-priced

Bearing one another in faithful love

 

Measure of forgiveness, joy’s lasting gift

Marvelous in Lord’s single, faithful breath

Overcoming lasting darkness and death

Waiting at heaven’s gate, His love-filled grace

 

Witnessing Savior’s nail-pierced hands and feet

Faith’s Resurrection, forever complete

 

Photo by Tima Miroshnichenko on Pexels.com

From Luke 24:36-39:  “While they were talking about this, Jesus Himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’  They were startled and terrified and thought that they were seeing a ghost.  He said to them, ‘Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?  Look at My hands and My feet; see that it is I myself.  Touch Me and see, for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.'”

Before God (Elfchen Series #186)

Journey’s Invitation

Discipleship

Trusting student

Growing in enthusiasm

Faithfully following heavenly Master

Serving

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Reverent Voice

Temptation

Darkness inviting

Righteousness guiding heart

Father’s perfect law speaks

Conscience

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Savior’s Love

Judgment

Before Father

Living Redeemer’s sacrifice

Witnessing His nail-pierced hands

Salvation

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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.

Patience’s Landscape

Photo by Adam Borkowski on Pexels.com

Meeting darkness once again

Searching for morning escape

Knowing sunrise overcomes

Patience, changing day’s landscape

 

Deflecting morning worries

Finding peace in clearest sky

Touching early hour’s stillness

Patience, never say goodbye

 

Wanting calmness, come forward

Filling positive mindset

Nurturing new attitudes

Patience, powers life’s reset

 

Stirring kindness from within

Enduring love for others

Overflowing into hearts

Patience, shared with another

 

Sailing serenity’s seas

Reaching for each shooting star

Focusing on tomorrow 

Patience, lowers each crossbar

 

Photo by Vasily Baranov on Pexels.com

Living by Faith

From Galatians 3:23:  “Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed.”

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Descendants of Abraham

Believe, follow Father’s law

Obey in faith, His teachings

Transforming each sinful flaw

 

Righteously living by faith

Journey’s steps mirror His law

But only washed clean by Christ

Promising Spirit’s breath draws

 

Father sees Jesus in us

Forever covered by Him

Dressed in faultless righteousness

Pealing sin from every limb

 

Before faith’s light descended

Guarded under divine law

Revelation through Jesus

Belonging, darkness withdraws

 

Faith witnesses Father’s grace

Forgiveness sustains His law

Crucified Savior tastes death

Resurrecting, He foresaw

 

Photo by Rodolfo Clix on Pexels.com

From Galatians 3:25-26:  “But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith.”

Living Reflections (Haiku Series #262)

Change

Shifting paradigm

Lifetime of transformation—

Human poles reversed

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Time

Sensing empty tank

Journey’s destiny now waits—

Pause life’s clock, refuel

Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com

Discovery

Adding one more thought

Searching for life’s unusual—

Never pigeon-holed

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels.com

Monday Memories: Coast to Coast

worms eye view photography of statue of liberty

Photo by Jamie McInall on Pexels.com

Sightseeing from Atlantic to Pacific coasts

Experiencing America, with much to boast

 

Lady Liberty’s gleaming torch welcomes all

Blazing autumn colors define Vermont’s fall

 

Appalachians conceal valleys, nestled with small towns

Nashville plays music for biggest “Country” hoedown

 

Florida’s Everglades house gators galore

Across America’s skies, bald eagles soar

 

Commanding Mississippi River slices through the land

Florida and California beaches offer up surf and sand

 

Interstate highways transport autos everywhere

Great Lakes provide a waterway, here to there

 

New Orleans offering its French Quarter to entertain

To the South, Rio Grande River creates a watery lane

 

America’s breadbasket reaps harvests from the Great Plains

Loaded grain, freight, and more journey on mile-long trains

 

Towering Rockies sing of marvelous beauty up high

Visiting out West, appreciating a Big Montana Sky

 

Seattle’s Pike’s Market, a distinctive place to treasure

California’s redwoods, their height is one to measure

 

Arid Southwest rains bloom flowers throughout the land

Grand Canyon’s brilliant scenery plays a winning hand

 

Finally reaching the Pacific coast at long last

The Golden Gate Bridge arrives much too fast

golden gate bridge san francisco california

Photo by Ignacio Palés on Pexels.com

Originally published September, 2019.

Righteousness Through Faith

From Romans 3:20:  “For no human will be justified before Him by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.”

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Falling far short

With Father’s law

Darkness of sin

Man’s many flaws

 

False righteousness

Enemy seeks

Transgressions breathe

Judgment shall speak

 

Condemnation

Actions deserved

Love intervenes

Mercy preserved

 

Empty works fade

Grace filled with love

Sin meets Savior

Called from above

 

Calvary bleeds

Empty tomb’s light

Redemption saves

Heaven’s hope bright

 

Righteousness found

In Christ, our Lord

Through faith, not works

By His accord

 

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From Romans 3:27-28:  “Then what becomes of boasting?  It is excluded.  Through what kind of law?  That of works?  No, rather through the law of faith.  For we hold that a person is justified by faith apart from works prescribed by the law.”

Beloved Shepherd (Elfchen Series #185)

Stability

Eyes

Always scanning

Shepherd leading home

Faith’s blessed green pastures

Hope

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Tranquility

Ears

Listening closely

Shepherd gathers each

Faith’s blessed still waters

Peace

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Eternity

Shepherd

Resurrection’s light

Rescued from darkness

Follow to be saved

Jesus

Photo by Elias Tigiser on Pexels.com

Pushing or Pulling

Courtesy of Pinterest.

Life’s many contrasts

Endless connections

Myriad of opposites

Seeking further inspection

 

Day overcomes night

Life’s next stepping stone

Stubborn mindset accepts change

Learning from world’s great unknown

 

Every new journey

Wisdom’s gathering

Life learning to navigate

Recalling facts, staggering

 

Confidence growing

Life’s balancing act

Success opens one more door

Rising to sign new contract

 

Life teaches lessons

Trials not all rough

Either pushing or pulling

Guiding wagon, easy stuff

 

Courtesy of Pinterest.