Tag: Fujifilm

cloudy winter day

so what’s up
cloudy winter day
what have you got to say
you remind me of me today
a little chill
a little gray
the blues are above you
somewhere high in the sky
like the blues
down inside me
where i’m tired
and i don’t want to try
to pretend anymore
that it’s sunny
act like it’s all okay
cloudy morning
i hear what you’re trying
to say

wait
weep
stay
don’t keep
it together
just be
feel
don’t try
to weather the weather
rest
pray
chill
gray
stay
connected
to
your
Creator
on this
cloudy
winter
day

the last ornament

a frosty cold dawn
a gray featureless sky
feels just like me today
there’s a frozen mist
sprinkled on the ground
it’s a monochrome morning
a colorless song
that sounds like me today
so i guess
i’ll take the Christmas tree down

Christmas carols
echo in my living room
the grandkids laughing
wrapping paper tearing
meals we were just sharing
are now memories
and there’s something sad in me
at the end of 2023
so i guess
i’ll take the Christmas tree down
a quiet end of the season
a gentle closing of the year
and for no particular reason
a tear appears
and it’s okay
the past three sixty-five
well…
let’s just say
it can be hard to be alive
there have been days of good cheer
sorrow and struggle too
said a final good-bye to mom
and then there are the fractures
in the family
feeling all the anxiety
and those whispers of failure
just rise
amidst an endless
ostinato of whys
so i guess
i’ll take the Christmas tree down
a plastic stained glass window
with a little boy in prayer
amber crystal beads
a shiny red ball from Macy’s
a tiny wooden christmas tree
a three story ceramic house
a quiet Christmas mouse
glimmering shimmering
sparkling dazzling
all are put to rest
almost done
there’s just one
the last ornament
it’s a smiling angel
holding a star
with colored gems for wings
so there i stand
with this angel
in my hand
i can almost hear it sing
a song of grace
a melody of peace
a smiling angel in my hand
helps me know
i’m in His hand
so i hum a tune
i can’t remember which one
but i remember
the fractures and failures
are held in His hand too
all our fractures
all our failures
so grateful He holds them
grateful He knows them
thanks for listening
i’m done
taking the Christmas tree
down

His Light is near

this Christmas
may your soul shine
as you take time
to reflect on God above
and love your family
and see your story
is from His hand
of love

for you are here
and His Light is near
so lay those burdens down
this tiny Child
is here for you
so put away the frowns
and rest in His light
rest in His peace
rest in His joy
may you be free
and not anxious
for you are precious
for you are here
and His Light is near
for you are loved
from above
He came
to be
with
you

rain rain rain

let me talk about the
rain rain rain
inside my heart
and all those words
i thought would build
just tore us all part
let me talk about the
rain rain rain
inside my mind
and all the shame
and fighting ways
and all this wasted time
let me talk about the
rain rain rain
inside your pain
and all your tears
all my broken tries
we can’t go back again
let me talk about the
rain rain rain
i threw it all away
don’t go
the skies
inside our lives
will clear one day
please stay
and share this rain
between us
darkness now
there must be a way
through all this
muddy ground
a story must be here
let’s look around
and find one
who knows
maybe it will
keep us sheltered
from all this
rain
rain
rain

i will raise my voice

so this new day has come
whose will
will be done
in my heart and mind
today

these colors dance and play
they call and say
there is more to you
more to me
than this world often
will let us see
so many lies
so many tries
to measure up
to just keep up
you get tired
worn
cast down
and torn
God help me see

i bear Your image
strong and true
it is ruined
stained
and needs to be
renewed
like this new day
i will rise and sing
with the colors bring
a song of praise
i will raise
my voice
and say
thank you
for who You are
to me
thank you
for all that
makes me
me

the dark
the light
the rest
the fight
i will listen to
these colors sing
life up my eyes
and enter into
Your peace
Your grace
Your will
Your way
my heart
and mind
are yours today
not my way
not my will
but
Yours
be done
always
and in
all ways

if i let go

what will happen
if i let go
stop pretending
i have this
under control
what would happen
if i released
and ceased
from all this
striving
and trying
to make it
all go away
what if
i choose to stay
in the waiting
in the long
and unknown space
called faith
if i fall
will i just
be absorbed
into the fear
and sadness below
or will
He catch me
enfold me
come alongside
and
hold me
still
it feels so safe
right here
i’ve got something
i can do
clinging to
my stubborn pride
not falling
seems
like a good use of time
but He wants
to continue
to write
this story
called
my life

so

i

let

go

and

then………

lead us home

hope bears the longing
of returning to the home
we’ve never seen
for deep within our hearts
eternity cries
and we see without eyes
our true identity
in Light
in Peace
in endless days
love beyond imagining
like a seed set in our soul
eternity calls us to let go
of little things
where the darkness grows
and desires too small
to carry the weight
of all our sorrow
rise and cause us to fall
we really must die
to the wrong inside
things we see
and all we hide
and live in the unseen
for this world
is not our home
the seed inside
cannot thrive
in the midst of pride
surrendering
we cry
and pray
heal us
break us
shape us
and
lead
us
home

and shine and fly

new day
shines
and sings
colors bring
a smile
or two
we journey on
some journey through
this beauty
brings to mind
there is
so much more
to find
than
momentary
distractions
they
leave me
fractured
i want
i need
i thirst
but all this greed
whatever
it is
i choose to feed
seems to
get
a hold
of me
i want to let go
i want to be free
in His truth
i will be
the true me
and shine
and fly
with colors bright
and soar
and seek
and risk
this self
and choose
to love
to sing
to breathe
and start
remembering
i
was
meant
to fly
i was meant
to see
and
one day
be
in
eternity

stop wait listen faith

i don’t think
i would mind
getting lost beneath
a gold and yellow sky
watch the crimson
snow leaves
gently settle
at my feet
smell the pine soaked
breeze
be as still
as the trees
as they surrender
their beauty
and let go of their
color laden leaves

i lift up my eyes
i wonder if my
prayers can soar up high
to reach your ears
oh God
are you near
we’re really lost
have you given
thought
to our broken
hearts
we really
could use
a new start
i surrender
the beauty
i think i possess
let winter
come
and clean my soul
no more pretense
i’ll wait with the trees
in silence
and cold
welcome this season
of dying
less trying
of seeing
and being
i’m lifting my hands
God please
bring us your aid
don’t want to be afraid
as i walk 
this painted path
there is beauty
when we fall
upon your Light
and stop
and wait
and listen
in faith

and stop
and wait
and listen
in faith

settle

i want to settle
like the setting sun
all the crazy
as i run
through the tears
and disorientation
from the madness
of meditation
on the losses
and the misses
the noises of confusion
settle like the setting sun
into color
and calm
the balm of a song
that reminds me
that though there is wrong
in me and in you
that redemption is true
that beauty resides
in the heart
of life in Christ
for He suffered
He cried
He was angry
and He died
He lamented
and prayed
take this cup away
so sadness
and heartache
anxiety
is a thing
we can bring
to His Cross
to His care
to His suffering
settle
oh my soul
settle
in the stillness
of the Light
of His love
the color
of His grace
the glory
of His kindness
the promise
of a better place
where tears
will never fall again
light will never set
and never end
settle
oh my soul
settle
feel it all
and settle
your Savior knows
He sees
He feels
so don’t push
the mess of life away
let it remind you
a better day
awaits
walk by faith
not by sight
it’s going to be
all right
settle
oh
my
soul