Community’s landscape
Overflowing with needs
Steps of kindness gather
Warming with grace that feeds
Invisible to most
Sowing with heavens’ love
Seeds of kindness planted
Sharing peace from above
Hope arrives every day
Connecting with traction
Breath of kindness travels
Harvesting each action
Slowly outlook changes
Nourishing so many
Light of kindness nurtured
Forwarding with plenty
One week, one day, one hour
Volunteering mends hearts
Proof of kindness growing
Doing its faithful part
From James 1:2-5: “My brothers and sisters, whenever you face various trials, consider it all joy, because you know that the testing of your faith produces endurance. And let endurance complete its work, so that you may be complete and whole, lacking in nothing. If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you.”
Trusting with confidence
Facing life’s many trials
Testing of faith endures
Patience studies each mile
God supplies every tool
His wisdom offers light
Faith strengthened every day
Removing doubts each night
Leaving evil’s darkness
Rising sun brings great joy
Receiving peace through grace
Richness in truth deploys
Temptation’s breath withers
Forgiveness brings fresh start
Every chain now broken
Filling hope in one’s heart
Persevering each day
Walking with Christ above
Embracing tomorrow
Submission tastes His love
From James 1:12: “Blessed is anyone who endures temptation. Such a one has stood the test and will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him.”
Winter day’s sunshine
Frosty’s cousin liquefied—
Playfulness melting
All things now in place
Embracing mother’s lifestyle—
Child’s room makeover
Teen doing homework?
Dreamy imagination—
Ambition snoozes
Nasty winter gale approaching
Forecast broadcasting storm warning
Heavy snow, high winds, Arctic cold
Village alarms sound by morning
Life transcends to total frenzy
Salt trucks loaded, very much ready
Snow plow crews set for night’s work
Village life scrambling, unsteady
Packed grocery stores in chaos
Hurried, panic-filled shopping carts
Shelves urgently growing empty
Village pace quickens beating hearts
Students anticipate closings
Looking forward, lazy “Snow Day”
No classes, no books, no lessons
Village hunkers down, people pray
Winter storm “Tabitha” churning
Pondering, bewitching blizzard
Overnight fury passes on
Village eluding storm’s wizard
The Weather Channel has been naming winter storms in America since 2012-2013. You may have picked up the connection between the “bewitching” blizzard and the name of the storm “Tabitha.” Tabitha is one of the available winter storm names for the 2020-2021 winter. Tabitha is also the daughter of Samantha (Elizabeth Montgomery) on the successful American sitcom “Bewitched” from 1964-1972.
Originally posted February, 2021.
From Isaiah 9:2: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who lived in a land of deep darkness—on them light has shined.”
Outlook’s scarred landscape
Uncertainty’s shadows
Pervading, cold darkness
Hope’s final ember glows
Peace overpowered
Gloom of night never leaves
Witnessing life’s heartbreaks
Another day must grieve
Despair comes ashore
Empty vessel of grace
Asking, where has light gone?
Hope discovers its place
Each burden gathered
Sunrise at last arrives
Breaking oppressor’s rod
Messiah’s love alive
Resurrection breathes
Savior’s mercy shall rise
Sharing heavenly view
Redemption’s lasting prize
From Isaiah 9:6: “For a child has been born for us, a son given to us; authority rests upon His shoulders, and He is named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
Trusting
Heavenly lamp
Spirit’s faithful beacon
Heart illuminated in light
Clarity
Placing
Burdens aside
Spirit’s embracing hope
Heart transformed by light
Tranquility
Downloading
Resurrection’s peace
Spirit’s forgiving grace
Heart strengthened through light
Eternity
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.
Conflict’s illumination
Breathing at darkened crossroads
Competing sides debate
Feuding over each thought sowed
Wisdom arrives with patience
Lowering volume through grace
Pausing time to listen
Slowing down rhetoric’s pace
Conflict’s common ground merges
Finding compromise through peace
Hearing words of reason
Solving puzzle’s missing piece
Wisdom empowers new day
Offering one blessed choice
Walking together now
Gathering with single voice
From Colossians 13:13-14: “Bear with one another and, if anyone has a complaint against another, forgive each other; just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.”
Faith’s journey with Christ
Seeking all things above
Heavenly treasures wait
Revealed in Messiah’s love
Bitterness removed
Embracing Christian love
Salvation’s welcome voice
Nourished from heavens above
Spirit of patience
Spreading each truth of love
Just as Scripture teaches
Joined in Christ, grace shines above
God’s mercy forgives
Sharing peace from above
Harmony’s hope brings joy
Marked with unlimited love
Resurrection’s light
Raising praises of love
Redemption fills each heart
Witnessed by Lord from above
From the words of American pastor, Harry Emerson Fosdick: “Bitterness imprisons life; love releases it.”
Pre-dawn’s innocence
Preview with minimal light—
Sunrise holding back
Epic cataract
Lazy river’s destiny—
Crushing waters roar
Creator’s spirit
Tall grasses reach to heavens—
Prairie much alive
From Luke 1:27-27: “In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.”
When shall we ever meet?
Longing to meet my Lord
His lamp, lighting the way
Filled with love, now on board
Life’s laboring turmoil
Enchained by sin’s shackles
Christ offers lasting Grace
Freed from darkest jackals
Heaven’s gifts come to earth
Filled with unselfish love
Each dawn brings liberty
Embracing newfound love
Rejoice, again rejoice!
No more trembling in fear
Appearing like day’s sun
Safely home, Jesus steers
From Luke 24:50-53: “Then He led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up His hands, He blessed them. While He was blessing them, He withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.”
Big Sky Buckeye 