My wish, my prayer

I wish Lord
Oh  I wish
Not worthless dreams
and desires
to pass the time of day
but that which may be
Your desire
entwined
You and I
us
together.

I wish
I wish
but no, it's not a wish
but a prayer
from this heart of mine
to You, O Lord.

A pastorate
as interim
for Your servant
Jim and I
to share
perhaps at
Wilton
or elsewhere
if it be
Your will.

A procedure
removal of tissue
with risk high
for dangerous
growth
accomplished
and to be no more.

Wise instruction
given
to be followed
rather than
doubts believed
and excuses made

The Bible
our guidebook for Life
Those who follow,
who walk in the Spirit
as professed they live
are blessed
The Lord
guides their steps
so they do not stumble.

This my wish, my prayer to You O Lord.

(c) November 3, 2014

Miss you

Jim and I were gone
eight months away
then one day
returned
and discovered

We were missed --
I was missed
by someone dear

such unexpected joy
She and I visited then
and later too

but often
Jim and I
were off
serving the Lord
wherever He led

One day
another day came
and she was gone
a sudden illness
struck
and she lay
quiet in a hospital bed

The stopped visits
became prayers lifted up
and within not many days
she entered
into the presence
of her Lord and Savior

and now
I find
I miss her.

but someday
we will meet again
she and I
and the reunion
will be forever
and ever.

In Memory of
Geraldine "Jerry" Grimm
5/29/1922 - 10/28/2014

(c) November 2, 2014

Ring those bells and hear His voice

(Based on readings in Psalm 100, Psalm 23 and Jeremiah 29:13-14a)

Ring those bells
Ring them loud and strong
filled with joy
and gladness

Hear those bells
in the stillness
of the night
in the clutter
of the day

Remember the promise
the bells
continually bring
I AM WITH YOU
I AM WITH YOU
I AM WITH YOU

Open the eyes of your heart
See God's glory all around
Hear the angels singing
Hallalujah to the King
and the bells of heaven
ringing strong, filled with joy
and gladness

Come into His Presence
with thanksgiving
and praise

The Lord
my Shepherd be
Giving me rest,
quiet moments,
guidance,
comfort,
protection

Listen! to the bells

Once you had sought and found
but now
I have been misplaced
and your searching
lays dim

Awaken! My child
and hear the bells
Seek Me again
and you will find
True Freedom
from all
that keeps you in captivity

Ring those bells
Ring them loud and strong
with joy and gladness
always remembering
I AM THE LORD
YOUR GOD
and
I AM WITH YOU

(c) October 30, 2014

The Light of Jesus lives in you .. walk in His Light

The Light of Jesus
lives in you
But the light
does not
shine through
so others
near and far
can see
the love within.

You chain yourself
to the ways
of the world,
giving way to
discensions
selfishness
jealousy
envy
frustration
hatred
negativity
discouragement
bitterness
outbursts of wrath.

You think yourself
above reproach
but you are foolish
(like the 10 bridesmaids --
five were prepared
and five were not
when it came time
to meet the bridegroom)
You cannot be filled
or refilled
with the Spirit
of God's Love
when days are spent
doing that which is contrary
to His will.

The Light of Jesus
lives in you.
When it shines through,
the love
and joy
and peace
and patience
and kindness
and goodness
and faithfulness
and gentleness
and self-control
will permeate the darkness --
the current state you are in
and you won't live there anymore

The Light of Jesus
lives in you.
Won't you walk in that very Light?

You are God's workmanship
He created you
for good works
to walk in them
not to give in to selfish desires
that do not uplift
yourself or those around you

You are weary and discouraged
You fail to share, to open yourself
to your personal struggles
So no one will see,
no one will know
you are timid, afraid
you are human

You hide behind doors
(not literal, but figurataive) --
you do not allow
another to enter

If you could, would only see
the error, the folly
of your ways
His Light
God's most Holy Light
His Son, Jesus Christ,
lives within you
You can do anything through Him
He is with you always

Step away from the darkness
that seeks control of your mind
Trust in Jesus
Believe in His promises
Be open to instruction
You are not always right
You do not know all the answers
but God does.

(based on readings in Ephesians 2:10 and Hebrews 12:1a-15)

(c) October 29, 2014

The Leaves

The leaves fall

If leaves could speak
would one think of another
why do you still cling
when I am falling,
falling,
falling
one another another
upon the ground
hard

Fallen,
the leaves lay silent
or are scattered
blown here and there
by breezes light
and winds strong

some caught, sucked up
and discarded
burned to nothingness

others, still arayed in beautiful
reds and oranges
become a covering
fading to shades of brown
upon the ground
no longer green and plush

Are we like leaves ....

Do we cling
when we should let go?
when past experiences reveal
The Truth

Do we let go
when we should stay?
when our focus belongs on He
who made us who and what we are

Have we fallen
are we scattered about
not knowing what to do or where to go?

or
do we follow The Very One
who is The Way
and The Truth
and The Life?

"Jesus says, 'I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.' " ~ John 14:6 

(c) October 28, 2014

Don't become preoccupied ... unless it's upon God

Preoccupation
hangs on

God tells us
keep your focus,
your concentration
on Me
not on what may develop
nor on future plans and decisions

The what if's
are not where to dwell

God says
My child
stay close
be aware
and more aware
of all I AM
No need to go
round and round
in circles
without end

Abide in Me
Where I lead you
you should go
for I know the way --
I AM The Way.
I will not lead you astray

The path,
filled with adventure
will show you much
you don't know
Follow Me
Stop and see
the good,
the blessings,
and be
grateful

Don't transport yourself
down the road
of negativity
It won't bring glory
to Me
and it won't help you
be fruitful

Be conscious of Me
at all times
See My wonder everywhere
you go
See the blessings,
see the good

and Be a blessing
to him and her,
all those around you.

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. Do not be like the horse or like the mule, which have no understanding, which must be harnessed with bit and bridle, else they will not come near you." (Psalm 32:8-9 NKJV)

(c) October 27, 2014

Sun (Son) rising...

"Through the tender mercy of our God, With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us; To give light to those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace." (Luke 1:78-79 NKJV)

"For behold, the day is coming, Burning like an oven, And all the proud, yes, all who do wickedly will be stubble. And the day which is coming shall burn them up," Says the LORD of hosts, "That will leave them neither root nor branch. But to you who fear My name The Sun of Righteousness shall arise With healing in His wings; And you shall go out And grow fat like stall-fed calves.
You shall trample the wicked, For they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet On the day that I do this," Says the LORD of hosts." (Malachi 4:1-3 NKJV)


Dayspring
Sun (Son) rising

The world
much lies in darkness
sin and wickedness
we let it be
our fear
greater
than our faith
in the Almighty One
who was and is and is to come

The sun (Son) has risen
Day has sprung forth
but clouds permeate
the skies
The Light
hidden
Our visual view
absent
as is
our hearts of love
for the
downcast
and
downtrodden

The fog may lift
Will our heartlessness
our selfish attitudes
also

The sun (Son) bright
and intense
burns through
cleansing
all within its path
Intensity building
No more
will the opposition prevail

The sun (Son) will return
when day has come
The Day that is coming
The Day of the Lord

All who do wickedly
will become as cinder
burned to a crisp
beyond recognition
Caght in the fires of hell

And the righteous
will arise
and live

(c) October 24, 2014

We are given...His Word, His Joy, His Truth, His Glory, His Love

(Based on John 14:12-26)

Given
God the Father
to
Jesus His Son
to
us His Children,
who believe
and accept Him
as their almighty Lord
and Savior
and abide in Him

We are given
His joy (v. 13)
His Word (v. 14)
His Truth (v. 17)
His Glory (v. 22)
His Love (v. 23)

We are set apart
No longer united with the world
but sent out into the world

to bring others
to saving faith
in Christ
the Son of god,
having been sent Himself
from the heavens
into the world
by God His Father

to be one --
in unity

As God the Father
and God the Son
are one,
abiding in us
we are one
through God the Holy Spirit

We petition you to witness the Love
that brought God the Father to His knees,
coming to earth as the Christ Child,
declaring to all mankind,

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3:16-17)

(c) October 23, 2014

Do you?

Do you have a heart of stone
or a heart of love .... which is Jesus, our Rock?

"I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by my own. As the Father knows Me, even so I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep. And other sheep I have which are not of this fold; them also I must bring, and they will hear My voice, and there will be one flock and one shepherd."  ~ John 10:14-16

(c) October 18, 2014

The slide

The slide of my youth is all shiny and new
waxed for so much fun
down straight and curvy slopes

begun high
where fear sometimes sits  ... where dreams and ambitions may be born

because we are alone
and those around us are unaware

We climb the steps -- sometimes our mom or dad or grandparent watches

They sometimes see our fear and think of their own fears
They sometimes see our pride and  think how brave and strong their child

as we step out and up
onward we go
in this journey called Life
They let us go

One time I fell off the slide.
A short detour, but a long way down
hurling through space.
a broken arm
the result of my thud
when I hit the ground

My arm in a cast
and later a sling
Careful I was
in returning to this place
of doubt and fear ...  of high hopes and expectations

I had to face the doubts ... the anxiety
the fears that loomed high in front of me
and plagued me with questions
too immense for a child.

Preparation for a future time
The future just around the corner
One step in front of another
Take the steps
Don't let fear of the unknown overcome you
Don't let pride and greed become your downfall

The slide of today
seems more frightening
The unknowns are far greater
and the thud at the bottom
harder, more painful
and we remember
the questions of yesterday
and wonder.

Between the years of then and now,
we found God.
He knew where we were,
where we are now
Always
All the time

Not until I let go
of all my perceived notions
reached up
looked up
Did I find the answer.

(c) October 16-17, 2014

"I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears." ~ Psalm 34:4 NKJV

"Take head and beware of covetousness (greed), for one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses." ~ Luke 12:15

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God in all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God." ~ 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4

Jesus Loves You

Jesus loves you
I do know
He loves me too
His Word tells us so

He sees and hears
all we do and say and feel
and covers us
with His Love
His forever, unending Love

He offers His hand
to walk with us
through every high
and every low

He extends His arms
to carry us
when our footsteps
are so worn and weary

He stops to dine
to sit with us
and share a word or two
His wisdom
brings
understanding
and hope becomes trust
and belief more and more true

In the beginning was the Word
and the Word was God
He was and is Life
and that Life is our Light
(based on John 1:1-4)
but in our life's journey
we have lost our way
and the light shone
we cannot see

Jesus loves you
I do know
He loves me too
His Word tells me so

His Word
His Life
His Love
shines
Seek Him out
wherever you are
Come into His presence
and find
peace.

"The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
and give you peace."  (Numbers 6:24-26)

He is the Savior of my soul
The Lord of my life
I Love you, Jesus
and you, praise God, love me.

(c) October 12-13, 2014

Is your light shining?

To shine
like the glowing sun
at noon day bright
or like the twinkling stars
across a wide expanse
of night sky

We are to be
like Him -
The Lord

Loving
Joyful
Peace-filled
Patient
Kind
Good
Faithful
Gentle
Self-Controlled

All He says
All He wills
All He commands

Not less

If our days, our nights
are weary
and we do not shine
with the light from above
we travel a path
not pleasing to God

Our tendencies to grumble
and complain
overcome a better plan
and we give in to
self-pity, hatred, anger, envy
SIN

The light of God dwells in us
We must not keep it hidden
Jesus' death and resurrection
destroyed Satan and Sin

Be all that God intends for you

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of
evil, to give you a future and a hope."  (Jeremiah 29:11)

Do not let the light diminish

Focus on the Lord above
to guide you
through every day and every night.

(c) October 9, 2014 

Who ... is it God?

When we cease trusting God
and listen instead to our own desires,
following those wants over the Lord's will and commandments,
we also cease pleasing Him.

Who do you trust - is it God?
Who do you please - is it God?
Who do you follow? - is it God?
Who do you obey? - is it God?
Who do you love - is it God or is it self?

(c) October 8, 2014 

We can't go back ... where are you?

We can't go back
We think we can
We think things will be the same
the way they were
when last we saw,
even if only a few hours
or days have passed
but change is already evident
Our memories keep it all together
The good and bad, the indifferent, the grief and remorse, the good-byes, the hellos

Beyond our memories, there is no return to what was
We can stay glued to the current situation
or we can move forward into the light
The light of hope -- Jesus
Our light, Our hope.

Where are you --

Are you caught up in memories?
Are you stagnant?
Are you charting new territory with God as your guide?

(c) October 6, 2014

God says, Yes you can, Yes you can

How Lord?
I started
Stopped for study
Discovered a different plan
revealed by You Lord
I see the benefits
I have prepared the groundwork
Yet I don't understand
the way to bring it all together
I think to myself, I can't do this.
But I hear You say, Yes you can.
Like the childhood storybook,
"The Little Engine That Could"
Yes I can, Yes I can
Belief.
In my abilities, yes,
and primarily in God
who will shape my thinking,
my words
who will locate the many pieces
scattered in numerous journals
and within me
struggling to find release
I have begun
I am excited
I am also scared
unsure of myself
I remember
God says,
don't focus on yourself.
Focus on Me
I will bring you through
I will be with you every step
Do not falter
Let Me be your guide
Continue where you have left off
The journey is unending
This is but a glimpse
So much you have to share
The gift I give you
to pass on
will show My glory
to the utmost.

(c) October 4, 2014

A glimpse of God's beauty

A glimpse
of God's beauty
of His wonder
in the morning light

Tree limbs
upward
outward
reaching
Leaves
of orange
and red
and gold
and green
come together
joining
like a spiderweb
in technicolor
A spot of sky
blue
gray
white
Sun so bright
dances
among the leaves ....

and then it's gone.

Rushing wind
bending limbs
leaves
a coat of many colors
struggling to cling
scatter to the ground
cascading
one on top of another

Storms coming
Winter
is
near.

(c) October 3, 2014

Who do you refuse? Who do you accept and believe?

John 10:10 -- "The thief (Satan) does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly." 

James 4:17a -- "to him who knows to do go and does not do it, it is sin."

God tells us
to go
and
to stay

He lets us know
when
the time is right
for what we are to do

When we go against Him
and purpose
in our hearts
what we will
or will not
do
we can expect
an answer
from the Lord
showing
his anger
and
displeasure
over
our lack
of obedience
and
trust.
We will pay.

You think not?!

Our just punishment
will come.

If we say
we are His
and do not
live accordingly,
the way
we think we go
will be
cut off

Seek what is right
and true
Seek the Lord
at all times
Do not harden your hearts
Be open to all the Lord
has to say to you.
See His goodness
all around you
Witness His judgment
when His instruction
you refuse.

The enemy
is everywhere
into every tiny crevice
he strides
He has no fear
His goal is to destroy
however he can
whatever it takes ...
through your mind,
your job,
your co-workers,
your computer,
your phone,
your family,
your next-door neighbor,
the guy or gal at the grocery store.
Wherever you are and go,
the enemy -- the devil, Satan
will work to put you down
and keep you down.

Is that really where you
want to be?

Don't claim this is who you are.

If you believe all that
Satan says of you
what does that say to you
about Jesus --
Jesus is the one who died for you.
Satan didn't.

Satan's goal
is to kill and destory.

Jesus' goal is for you to live ...
abundantly.

Return to Him
Stay with Him
everytime,
all the time.

Say no to all that is evil.

With Jesus
in your court,
you possess all the power
you need to overcome.

Who do you refuse?! Who do you accept and believe?!

Is it God and His love

or is it the Devil and his lies

Do you want to be built up
growing strong in His love

or
Do you want to be torn down
weakened by endless lies

(c) September 30, 2014

He lives ... He reigns ... He is the way

He died
His body is no more
Yet He lives
He reigns

He died and
was buried
and when
the women came
bringing spices
He was gone

Absent
unaccounted for
Yet He lives
He reigns

Where
Who
Why
When

The questions
bounce off
each man
each woman
each child
beloved ones of Jesus

He
born
of God
and the virgin Mary -
betrothed to Joseph,
a carpenter

He
grew,
raised up
by His mother, Mary
and His stepfather, Joseph
in the grace of His Father God
to be
and
to do
the will of His Father
The Almighty God
who lives and reigns
in heaven and here on earth

He stepped out
when but a lad
pursuing the way
He must go.

At 30
His earthly ministry
begun
but the end
near

He died
Yet He lives
He reigns

"It is Finished"
He proclaims

Yet
It has only begun

Jesus came
Jesus left
Persecuted
charged with crimes
we alone are guilty of
Wept
overwhelming sorrow
for His Father -
separated from
and the many us (es)
clinging to
sin
not righteousness
Died
hung on a cross
gave up His life
for you and me
Undying Love
Unending Love
Buried
Three days lay
and He arose
He lives
He reigns

Jesus Christ our Savior
Forever

God sent His Son
Jesus
to be the way
and a helper
The Holy Spirit
to remind us
His way
of obedience and trust
and faith and love
and patience and kindness
and gentleness
should be our way too.

(s) September 29, 2014

We are God's temple

God's temple is holy

Whatever God enters
becomes holy
We as
believers in Christ
are holy
because
God's Holy Spirit
entered us
when we
accepted
God's Son, Jesus,
as our Savior

We are
God's temple
for
God's Spirit
dwells
within
us

But when we
or another
come against
and defile
the temple of God
Destruction
and
Death
will come

For God said,
He would destroy
anyone 
who defiles
what is His.

^"Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?  If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are." (1 Corinthians 3:16-17 NKJV)

(c) September 27, 2014

I am a child of the King

I am
a child of The King
Daughter of The Most High
Son of the Living God

Wherever I am
He is ...
there
everywhere

Whoever I am
communicating with
He hears and listens
and makes suggestions
through His Spirit
who abides
within my heart

Whatever I feel
stress - anger - loneliness - depression
Just emotions
They do not
define me.

I am above the world
I live in the world
but
I am not of the world

My home
My heavenly home
is heaven
Jesus
is my brother
my friend
my Lord, my Savior, my King
God, His Father
is mine too

He is with me always
when I am joyful
when I am troubled
He is there
in sunshine and rain
He is never far
He restores my soul
He lightens my burdens

Always remember
He is your Rock
He is No. 1
For all you seek --
whatever it is,
whenever it happens
wherever you are,
whyever the reason
-- go first to Him.

(c) September 26, 2014