*********

Realization - God makes my life joyful, not my circumstances -
my focus needs to be on Him and others....
 

STEPS IN LIGHT

Open to the light that's always there 
Suns fire warming 
Die to self 
Serve for love and not for duty 
Love without reservations 
Smile and shine 
Looking for no reflections 
Each step a worship 
Fulfilled in joy of others 
Rejoicing in their happiness 
As your Maker lets you know. 

990723
 

*********

even when God gives you hope for great blessings,
particularly ones you've waited for for a long time,
you need to keep the center of your life on Him....
 

SERVICE UNDER HOPE

Of hope I know a little, now
But, Lord, please let it be in you
And not in me or others
So readily an idol it becomes
And blinds my heart and soul and mind
From serving you
With all that as within
Please make me content
In blessing's path
Prepared to sacrifice it all for you
With calm and peaceful heart
Should you require.

990730
 

*********

it's a great releasing thing 
when you realize that with God really CAN and DOES 
make all things to work for the good of those who love Him
He will make the right things happen 
no matter how clumsy you are in messing things up!
God has me right where he wants me now!
 

FREEDOM

Freedom!
The mind soars, Amen!
Yes, praise the Lord!
Above the clouds
In sun and joy
I'm free inside His will!
It's in His hand!
And I can live and grow and be
Unfettered,
Loosed,
Set free to live!
With every ounce of joy and heart
Within this frame He's placed me in!
Praise the Lord all his creation!
Yes, praise the  Lord!
Amen!

990731

*********
 

IT'S RIGHT!

Sudden grin and smile
As I know I'm where I am supposed to be
Alone I'm blessed and not alone
My heavenly Father
Giving all the riches outside and within
Always
In circumstances right and circumstances wrong
I stand aright 
even though I know it not
Yes, smile
Indeed!

990802

*******

A temptation worked through....

 
TEMPTATION

It grows in creeping tension
Woes, unsettled
Tightness, chest wound up
Hunch in shoulders
Beginning stretch at edge of tearing
Muscle ache
And wavering desperation
Silent scream for more
It's not enough
There most be more for me
Why all for someone elses?
From depths of rended heart
Lord, why, oh why
The burning cry of agony
Constricts 
And with its dagger 
Slits apart my soul.

 990806
 

**
 

RESTORATION

step back and look
step gently round
see where I was in sin
the light
it clearly points it out
and blazing burns its rebel darkness
yes it makes it shrivel down
and smoldering shrink
away from heart
replace with sadness 
turn to joy
redemption, gladness
peace, relief
and healing
in tear-filled happy thanks 
stand quietly awhile in grateful prayer
and in redeemed and blessed
soul declare again
My God, how great Thou art!
 
 990806
 
 
 
*******
 
 
JUST REST

peace, 
release,
let go and open
look up at sky and spreading clouds above
and wonder
let the moments pass
no need for expectation
slow
no being more
than what you are
no shows, impressive
no tight and ragged focus
let go and
quiet, knowing trust,
just meet the moments as they come

 990810

 
 
*******
 
 
SIMPLE

 
CAMPOUT MORNING

A small fire
of blessing
Warms a chill and sunrise morning
cheerful flames 
that crackle warm
and make
a quiet comfort
underneath
horizon's sunrise sky
In field around
the flowers all
in quiet, ready testimony still
stand ready for the day.

Cheerful sunshine circle,
All horizon round
And over hill 
the busy humming streets
of hidden city
still can't reach
to touch the splendor
of stretched out 
blue and gold and grey
of outstretched clouds.

 990821
 
 
 
 

*********

God sets the path of my life
no matter how hard I try to make things happen
the way I want them to.  Stop fighting to rule the universe 
and rest in the fact that
God has it my life under control....
 

THE ANCHORS LOOSED

Once more,
Once more a thought, 
A slowly roving wind,
The massive moving through the soul,
A looking out
With mighty mortal anchors dragging
Soul, my soul,
I see that you are down
And burying yourself,
I see your frame is tired
But let it go,
Yes, let it go,
Release the anchors of control
You cling to
While you try to row the world
Onto your own insistent path
With grim and clenched jaw
'Gainst failing self-determination.
It's not the sea of life you row against,
Even though you feel
These are the waves
That threaten to engulf you.
You frantic flee the lessons of your Lord
Yes, one by one, he cuts the pillars of your pier
Breaks loose the net by which
You on your own attempt to catch
The ocean of your life
In vain you try to reel it in,
Your sin,  your confidence in self alone,
Your childish "Lord but it just had to be!"
And yet in face of your own stubborn, foolish heart
He takes the strands away
To break the stone inside you, soul,
and bring you to Himself.

Where else,
Where else could you, can you, go?
the rocky spar
Out on the edge of sea
There you most cling - to solid rock
None else but God,
Not my own helm, not my own reins on life
But yes, no burden!
No anchor chains to drag me down below
Repent,
Relent,
And rest in God, my soul.

980618

*********
 
Written while being offloaded from my first job 
due to funding considerations -
perspective, perspective....
 
 
LAST DAYS OF WORK
 
I feel the hammer blows
In forge of life
And though I know the Master Smith
Still holds me in His hand
I get depressed by strife
And failure as I walk amidst
The coals and feel their heat
Begin to melt my bones
And just as I begin to think
That I will melt away in harsh defeat
He holds me up to catch a ray
Of sun and lets me know the fire
Is not His wrath, His anger, or His ire,
But lasts to burn away impurity
And make me with all surety
Depend on Him
And stand sure on His paths.
 
930427
 
 
*********
  
 
MUSING WHILE TRIMMING
 
Our lives like trees that have gone too long untended
Grow in twisted dying tangles
Unless we are mended, sins cut off
By saw and shear
All the thorns and thistles
We hold dear removed
And thrown away
So that although the shape of what we were remains
We now grow healthy
Nourished by the drops of mercy's rain
Branches growing in the light
Produced by God's own Son.
 
930513