The Passing of Time

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“Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you. I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you.” Isaiah 46:4 (NIV) / Pixabay

The Passing of Time

Time moves very slowly
     as we anxiously wait;
Whether it’s news from the doctor
     or a baby that’s late.

Minute by minute
     the hands seem to stall,
when we listen for footsteps
   or wish they would call.

Days linger so long
     watching snow fall in the spring.
We yearn for warm sunshine
     flowers, leaves, birds that sing.

Time drifts along languidly,
     it sets its own pace.
We often wish it away
     till in the mirror we see 
            our face.

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Love’s Release ~ Five Minute Friday

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I’m doing double duty today.  Not only is it day three of the Poetry challenge; it’s also Friday!  Today’s prompt is “Release” in celebration of the release of Kate Motaung’s (the founder of Five Minute Friday) book called “A Place to Land”! I’ll tell you more about this wonderful memoir very soon. So here’s my attempt at once again, joining Poetry and Five Minute writing together.  To read more great posts on “Release” go to http://www.fiveminutefriday.com

“For you know that God paid a ransom to save you from the empty life you inherited from your ancestors. And the ransom he paid was not mere gold or silver. It was the precious blood of Christ, the sinless, spotless Lamb of God.” 1 Peter 1: 18-19 / Pixabay

R oll away your stone of doubt.

E xit your tomb of fear.

L oosen your hold on crippling guilt.

E scape the chains of the world and

A ccept the hope and freedom of

S weet forgiveness,

E ternally ours through the One, who out of love, paid it all.

The Ring

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Day 2 of the April Poetry Writing Challenge

 

“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” 1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)

The Ring

Polished facets capture the light 
and sparkle
Exactly like the glint in your eye when you
asked again.

Its still new weight against
my skin
an ever-present reminder of the anchor you are 
in my life.

Encircling my finger
unbroken
Just as the cycle of seasons we’ve weathered and
been renewed in. 

Presented in a box 
a pretty jewel. 
But on my hand
a beautiful symbol
of… 

Vows spoken in our youth but lived
across time, 

Commitment ever renewed, withstanding
the ebb and flow of our story, and  

Love evolved, strengthened, and protected
by Him,
who perfectly led me
to you. 

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Years

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I’ve been doing some crazy stuff lately and this ranks right up there, but even though I’m getting a late start,  I am going to once again attempt to write a poem a day in April to celebrate Poetry Month.  I’ll be the first to say that it’s unlikely that I’ll accomplish this goal, however I’m going to give it my best!  And who knows? Crazier things have happened! (believe me!)

“There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV) / Pixabay

Years

10 ~ Bike riding, marble playing, days of carefree fun!

20 ~ Nose in books, food on trays, late-night stories spun.

30 ~ Planning lessons, housework looms, a new daughter joins our son!

40 ~ Busy life, kids grow up, suppers on the run.

50 ~ Empty beds, who turned up the heat, career is almost done.

60 ~ By God’s grace I’m 59 and 60’s just plus one! (Boy, I hope it’s fun!)

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I Don’t Want to Settle ~ Five Minute Friday

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It’s that time again! I am linking up with the talented writers over at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com 

The prompt today is “Settle”.

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but few things are needed – or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10:41-42 (NIV) / Pixabay

I didn’t settle down to write today until supper was cooked and the mess cleaned up. My day just got in my way.  There were phone calls to make, laundry to finish, and preparations for the Sunrise Service at our church to be made.  Before I knew it, the sun had set and I hadn’t even turned on my laptop.  I’d planned to write after lunch but despite my best intentions, I was distracted by my to do list.

I’m here to tell you my prayer life isn’t much different. I begin my day with the best of intentions: coffee, devotions, and prayer.  The reality is more like: coffee, Facebook, and more coffee.  When I finally do settle down to spend time in prayer, my day gets in my way!  In the midst of my gratitude is my grocery list.  Smack in the middle of my confessions are the contacts I need to make. One minute I’m naming my  joys and the next, I’m naming jobs that need to be done.

Sound familiar? Jesus had come to visit Mary and Martha.  Mary settled in next to Him but the Bible tells us Martha was distracted by the big dinner she was preparing. There was food to cook, dishes to wash, and guests to serve. So, just like me, Martha’s day got in the way of her spending time with Jesus. Maybe you can relate, too.

Martha asked Jesus for help with her to do list.  He gave her so much more! He gave her Himself!  He’s inviting us today to also let go of those things that worry and upset us and choose the Only thing we need! I don’t want to just settle for distracted prayer. I want to, like Mary, choose what is better!  How about you?

Time’s up!

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Comfy Pants Routine ~ Five Minute Friday

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It’s Friday!  Yay!  Time for another five minute free write.  Today’s prompt is “routine”. Want to read more? Click on over to http://www.fiveminutefriday.com

Time starts now…

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT) / Pixabay

I’m in a comfy pants routine!  When I was teaching full time and flitting here and there with kids, wearing comfy pants was a luxury!  An unexpected snow day or rare weekend with no plans allowed me to slip into those soft, stretchy, cozy pants for a bit! Now that I’m retired though, I find myself each morning (or afternoon…shhhhh) routinely reaching in the drawer, passing over the jeans, and pulling out my now well worn. comfortable, favorite easy to wear attire. IF I’m going to stay at home, that is! Although it seems socially acceptable these days, I have not adopted wearing comfy pants out in public.  The mirror doesn’t lie!  While soft and stretchy are great for relaxing, not so much for bumps, lumps, and rolls on a retired gal’s body! I just don’t want to run into someone I know and share those parts of me with them!

You know?  I’m kind of the same with my Christian life; it’s great when things are easy and comfortable.  Not so much when there are bumps in the road of my faith walk, lumps of regret for things undone caught in my throat, or guilt rolls over my heart like a boulder. The Bible doesn’t lie! I’m a sinner and I don’t always want others to see those parts of me, either.

Maybe something needs to change, though.  Don’t worry! I won’t be wearing my comfy pants out and about anytime soon. But, I am learning that if we make sharing with others the shortcomings and challenges in our Christian life routine, we find those parts of us aren’t as different  as we thought they were, and even better than that, we can begin to encourage one another to see ourselves and all our parts in another way: as becoming the new person in Christ, God intends for us to be!

Times up!

Now where are those comfy pants……….

 

 

 

 

 

The Land of Regret ~ Five Minute Friday

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I can’t believe it’s Friday already!  And it’s Five Minute Friday at that!  Today’s prompt is “regret”. Oh boy…….brings about a lot of stirring in my soul. Definitely something I continue to struggle with.  Maybe you do too.  I know there will be so many insightful posts that you can join me in reading today at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com

“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for Which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phillipians 3:13-14 (NIV) / Pixabay

The Land of Regret

In the land of regret there is no peace,
No solace waiting there.
Instead you’ll find words not said, deeds undone, 
Relationships beyond repair.

In the land of regret you’ll find no joy,
No celebrations to behold.
Just wasted time, a sense of loss,
Stories that remain untold.

In the land of regret love is lost,
Contentment does not abide.
But living there are mistakes we’ve made, hurt upon hurt,
And dreams we’ve had that died.

In the land of regret it’s easy to drown
In remorse, worry, and woe.
The devil tells us we’re doomed to stay;
An empty tomb shouts it isn’t so!

You see my friend, we have a choice to make
Of where we’d like to be:
Looking back to the past we cannot change or
Looking up to to the One who sets us free!

 

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Beauty of His Love ~ Five Minute Friday

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My five minutes today is actually a five minute edit.  The words of this poem I wrote a while ago kept running through my head today. Pretty sure I needed to be reminded again, so decided to rework it to share here along with other writers addressing the prompt “beauty” over at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com

“This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!” 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NLT)/ Pixabay

The Beauty of His Love

My mirror tells a story
I don’t want to hear.
Of passing time, sagging skin
And other things I fear.

Wrinkles, laugh lines,
A hair on my chin?
How can this be my outside
When I feel so young within?

Age spots, freckles,
A scar by my eye
I’m marked head to toe
By years passing by.

Just at the time
I began to despair
A Still Small Voice said;
“See My masterpiece there!”

Leaning close to the glass,
I looked long and deep, 
And the reflection I saw
Caused me to weep.

For at that very moment
My heart began to sing
Because I had forgotten
One very important thing.

I’m marked on the inside.
Saved by His grace!
My blemishes are forgiven.
Jesus died in my place!

Every hair on my head,
The imperfections I see;
Are all part of His plan,
For me being ME!

Now, the face is the same
But the story is new.
God’s helped me to discover 
 The beauty of His love shining through.

Classroom Whys ~ Five Minute Friday

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I almost didn’t join Five Minute Friday today when I saw the prompt was “Why”. With everything going on in the world around us, I knew it was going to be difficult to write something meaningful in the wake of such tragedy. Yet, here I am.  Thoughts have been pounding around in my head and so with prayer, here I go.  I am sure you will find many moving posts to read today over at http://www.fiveminutefriday.com

Time starts now.

“”But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the Kingdom of God belongs to such as these.”” Luke 18:16 (NIV)/ Pixabay

The call came over the intercom.  Door locked. Lights off. Curtain on door drawn. Blinds shut. Table in the corner of the room turned on its side. Precious Second Graders huddled low behind the table.  Roll taken.  These were the steps I followed in my classroom every time a “Code Red” drill was scheduled. With each action, my heart beat a little faster as I tried to move with confidence and put on a brave face.  No matter how many times we went through the practice though, worried “whys” tumbled from the tiny lips of my students. “Why do we have to do this?” “Why would someone want to hurt me?” And each time I would try to quiet their souls with the best answers I had, which between you and me, were weak at best, because I had (and have) the same “whys” they did!

During every drill, I made a promise to those nervous, wide-eyed babes; “I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe. No. Matter. What.” But could I?  Oh, I had plans and ran through scenarios in my mind. But the news had shown me way too many times that despite heroic effort, my promise could be hard to keep. And so my “whys” just kept coming.  It was the stuff my nightmares were made of!

Fast forward to today.  I’m retired now and so thankful that in my 32 years of teaching I only heard “Code Red” as a drill.  Even though I’ve had to imagine what a school shooting would be like, I cannot fathom what those involved go through. Why was I spared when others have suffered so? Why are children becoming murderers?  Once again, I only have weak answers.

You and I know that the “whys” aren’t just confined to the classroom.  They tumble from lips in our homes, our workplaces, our churches, and in the world.  It’s easy for me and maybe for you too, to get so lost in the “whys” of it all that we forget the Who.

 Jesus said:
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.  In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart:  I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NIV)

There’s so much suffering everywhere we look. My tendency is to question and to want to somehow understand the purpose in it all. Depending on myself or the opinions of others though, just leaves me asking more questions. Can you relate? I’m learning that instead of those “whys” we need to be WISE and depend on  Jesus.  When we do, we can take heart in The Promise that is never broken, The Peace in the midst of chaos, and The Only Answer that can overcome the whys of a troubled world.

I invite you to join with me right now and say a prayer for all those who are suffering.

 

 

 

 

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Agree to Disagree ~ Five Minute Friday

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I look forward to Five Minute Friday!  It’s always fun to see where it leads my little brain! Today’s prompt is “Agree”.  If you’d like to see more thoughts on the subject click over to http://www.fiveminutefriday.com

“Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone.” Romans 12: 9-10, 18 (NLT) / Pixabay

We couldn’t be more different, my husband and I.  From the moment we met, when this city girl shook up his country world, it was evident that there was little upon which we would agree.  He’s talk radio and I’m music up full blast.  Sweet tea with a little ice is his preferred drink; Mine? Unsweet with ice to the max.  He’s an early bird. I’m an owl.  We have dueling thermostats. Mine usually requires a sweater while he’s in short sleeves.  Sleep number? His, high. Mine, low.  And when his head hits the pillow? He’s fast asleep, while my mind whirls and twirls before I finally drift off.  And after all this time, the list continues to grow.

They say opposites attract and for thirty-four years and counting we’ve been proof it’s true. It hasn’t always been easy; but early on we made the decision to just agree to disagree on the simple stuff.  More importantly though, we realized that when it comes to things of greater significance: our faith, our mutual respect, our love for each other and our family, we’re on the  exact, same page.  Our differences have generated laughter, prompted discussion, expanded our understanding of things, and added variety to our lives; but it’s those core values we agree on that have made our relationship possible.

“Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body.  We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other.  In His grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well.” Romans 12:4-6 (NLT)

Our world today seems focused on all the ways we are dissimilar in an attempt to force us further and further apart. I’m afraid it’s working.  How about a different approach? What if we applied a little magnetic science (and the experience of an old married couple) and allowed ourselves to be drawn to those “opposites” we come in contact with? Think of the laughter we might share, the new things we could learn, the better understanding we would have if we would give “agree to disagree” a chance! I believe we’d begin to see people sharing more mutual respect, genuine care being given, commonalities discovered, and relationships being formed.  I don’t know about you but this beach girl married to a mountain man thinks that’s exactly what this world needs more of!

Time’s up.

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