Photo by Sebastian Voortman
They were each alone and tired of talking.
She remembered when she thought she told the Truth.
Then she grew up and knew it an impossibility for the corruptable man.
Yet their longing made them bolder and knit them together.
It is a risk you choose, even if it means you lose everything else.
Like The Master said, “you must lose your life to save it.”
Photo by Flo Maderebner
You may think you know me but you best beware,
I am stronger than any thing so You best take care
You mistook my illness as my identity
but the Healer came to me and set my spirit free!
I won’t run from haters or keep quiet your lies
The Spirit teaches me the Truth and why
You mistook my smallness as fragility
But my Maker gave Eagle’s wings to me!
I soar, I speak up, and I tell the Truth,
lies make you sick and bitterness takes root
Your Pharisee bondage is a con artist scam
I will listen and obey the great I AM!
Photo by Vinícius Vieira Fotografia
A mystery revealed. When we are born we know nothing of Truth. We believe those around us are truth tellers. We believe WE are truth tellers. We believe our parents tell us the truth and they believe it too. Our homes are warm and dry so safety must be true. Our siblings play and live the same as we do so how we live must be the true way to live. Our schools must teach true facts so educated people must be true. Our religion must be true because it rules our behavior, our traditions but the fact is we are born liars. We are born enemies of God and do not know truth. We are born liars, decievers, and accusers. The Truth is not in us until the Holy Spirit of Jesus Christ utterly dwells within us. God’s Word states that not one of us is good and that humans love darkness and when the Light of the World came we did not know him. Until He chose to reveal to us, by the Spirit of God himself, who came in the flesh. Until Jesus! This is the Epiphany, the Light of the world who is the God Man Jesus. The One born in Bethlehem. The One who grew up without sin. The One who was crucified for all sin. The One who rose from the dead. The One who ascended and lives on High. The One who will return for His people and will reign forever. He is the only Truth!
So why are we surprised that we lie to each other and put on masks, and build detailed facades of being perfect families, perfect marriages, and perfect churches? Why are we surprised that some of us had Godly truth telling parents and some did not? Why are we surprised when our five year old child lies to us or sneaks candy from the pantry? Why are we surprised that we are or once were liars and not valiant for Truth?
This is an important part of understanding the ” state of human kind and our sin. Understanding our sin is the way that leads to falling on our faces before The Holy and repenting with humility. There is not plural Truth! There is only One Truth!
“All have sinned and fall short… (Romans 3:23). All of us need redemption. All of us are liars if we say this isn’t true. Truth is a person in flesh and a person in the Trinity of God’s very being. We do not know Truth in our lives until we humble ourselves to receive the Grace and the Mercy of The Holy One who is the very definition of Truth.
” and they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for Truth…Jeremiah 9:3
Photo by Lisa Fotios
I remember that sweet lavender dawn
you looked at me across the room
you were thinking I was still that little girl
who cried over all the pain and gloom
Ah yes that sweet little girl is still here
but she is not afraid and her heart is free
By God’s grace she has grown into a woman
and can face each path with eyes that clearly see…
We have traveled far, that little girl and I
We have danced and died, laughed and cried
We have known romance and reality
We remember and forget, we dream and sigh…
I love that little girl and the woman she became
she could always spot a faker and call a spade a spade
She is me and I am she woven and spun by God
We travel well together upon this earthly sod…
You said I had become a grown up girl
and what you say is true
This grown up girl is a woman now
and has no need of you…
Photo by Simon Migaj
The crave for connection… As we approach the advent of the first coming of Christ I am reminded that in my sixty three years of life I have never observed a more isolated society even though communication avenues are more brilliant than ever. I love that we share the love of our families on Facebook as this is the most critical form of connection in the human race…though all of us cannot connect with blood family we still have a longing to belong.
There is much data out there now regarding anxiety and shame. I believe that most of us are still very uncomfortable with these very two unraveling entities. Shame unravels the deepest level of our ability to “connect” to anyone and Vulnerability, which causes anxiety, comes with the extremely high RISK of being wounded. Connecting with another human being is that level that gives life meaning. To tell the true story of your whole heart tells who you are. Most of us guard that story due to past failures to be understood or to find ourselves left like a wounded soldier bleeding on the battlefield…while this may sound somewhat depressing I do not believe this is true…I have lived my life both ways. One, guarded from any and all who might hurt me or think me strange (which no doubt I am strange. Hal) On the other hand I have chosen to take the Vulnerable life path in my latter years and here is why…The most vulnerable person I have the deepest relationship with is Jesus Christ. He chose to be vulnerable in the hopes that those who believe in his sacrifice will always have Hope and Life…deep inside of us we all long for these two things above all else in my opinion… when I reflect on the Courage it takes to deny “shame” and embrace “vulnerability” it is mind boggling…I have messed up innumerable times attempting these two actions of life. The result is it leaves me victorious, humble, and often times “wounded” and at risk for “injury” deep down in my soul but oh my how WORTH it the victories, failures, and wounds have been! As I approach 64 years the end of the month I must say yes I have regrets and there are things I would do differently now but I do not regret one single day that God has allowed me to breathe the breath of an abundant life and to embrace the sweaty, difficult, messy parts as well as the fragrance of a rose or a daffodil in the Spring, the salty sea of Summertime, the woodsmoke smell of Fall, and the biting cold of Winter over and over again…
My Christmas wish is that I would continue to tell the story of my whole heart and that each of you would share yours too. It is the reason for those of us who believe in the Holy Birth of Jesus continue steady on…
Where Charity stands watching
And Faith holds wide the door,
The dark night wakes, the glory breaks,
And Christmas comes once more.
Photo by Pixabay
I want to stay next time
Don’t wake me up from my young girl’s dream
It is a place that I love and call home
This dream carries me in my older days
a special place where my soul has flown
In the middle of this young girl’s dream
all the ones I love never have to leave and
sometimes when the world is unkind
There is only Joy like the Sun’s glow
It warms my hands and soul as I am growing old
Photo by Pixabay
Truth, like the wind, slips through the smallest cracks
invading the rules of order
Truth seeps through the cloistered religious dust
annihilating that which splits us asunder
Rumour and counter rumour that Grace is truly free
The darkness of the lie gives way to Hope
Challenging clear-cut rules that divides
Our Salvation is clearly ours to receive
Showing us the way to the path of brilliant light
Photo by Andy Vu
It began to astound me, I cry out, oh God help!
Truth has become a catch phrase of Hell!
Man has his face in the gutter with his booze!
Woman is killing herself for the fountain of youth!
Children with no interest in conversation or humanity!
Babies without voices filling up the heavens!
Churches re-phrasing God’s word to suit their situation!
Politician ‘s rumors and counter rumors spew!
Evil’s darkness lies in wait for a chance to consume!
The one in the shackles is the only one free in the room!
It begin to astound me that I must always agree with you
Or be outcast as a biggot or hatemonger or shrew!
So I will trust in the purity and promises of God
Who is good and loving in all his ways!
I will search the horizon both morning and night
for that final wave to break upon the shore
when there will be no dying or crying anymore!
For it is a fool who says there is no God!
Yet I am astounded even more at His ever lasting love!
His mercies are new every morning!
I count each day to be the day of His glory!
May this be the time my faith will be sight!
Was there ever a more astounding day to ponder!
“…but you, oh child of God flee these things and pursue godliness, faith, love patience, gentleness. Fight the Good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life, to which you were called and have confessed…” 1 Timothy 6:11
Photo by Wendy van Zyl
There are no new words that I can write
No way to change the world tonight
I can feel a sadness coming round again
Trying to take me someplace I’ve already been
I am just calling it what it is
The way God made me, I am a child of His
When loneliness visits and friends don’t call
It is best not to compromise the Truth at all
Contentment is not happy and sad is not depressed
I’m still so far from wisdom, always was I guess
This melancholy often drives me to my knees
It is just the way God made me, I am a child of His
Photo by Aleksandr Slobodianyk
The galaxies in the Night’s heaven are like living poetry
Your beautiful idea happening right in front of me
The air is clear and crisp in a season of knowing
Joy and grief, tears and smiles the evidence of living
Love falling down like white feathers all around
I cherish your gifts to me Oh God, I see you in utter Holiness
