May the garden of your heart be in perpetual bloom!
the azaleas bloomed
then blew away, the lovely
pear blooms did not stay
so brief is our bloom
gone tomorrow before we
are fully aware
of the beauty we
carry, the spring in our hearts
the bloom in our cheeks
rose petals softly
fall at our feet, covered with
soil, buried again
to be nourished in
the deep, rising in glory,
the cycle of blooms
Do you look for signs of spring? In south Louisiana, the pecan tree is always the last tree to sprout buds. We like to take that as a sure sign that winter has ended, no more freezing temps, it is now safe to plant spring vegetables. Legend has it, when the pecan leaves come out, winter is finally over. But sometimes winter doesn’t give up without a fight – so we hold our breath and root for the pecan tree, rejoicing at the first sign of green, celebrating the strength of spring.
The pecan leaves have sprouted,
always the last to emerge.
Legend foretells this is the sign of
spring, the promise that winter is over.
That was before climate change:
all bets are off now.
This morning a powerful north wind
blew, chilling the air
threatening to tear off the tender
tufts of green
shaking the limbs of the steadfast
pecan tree
yet the baby leaves held,
clutching momma's fingers
and momma wouldn't let go;
the green remained
evidence of the strength of spring
in the face of power
proof that winter must finally
blow away
There’s more than one way to celebrate Easter – wishing all of you peace and blessings today!
the sun finally came out
the wind kicked up her heels
trees danced to the rhythm
of a bird chorus, insects
hummed a steady underline
as barking dogs joyfully
joined the symphony
a piece of tin from
an old storage shed
rattled and banged
a perfect percussion
green blades of grass
shimmied in the warm
air like hula dancers
a rustle of new leaves
rose and fell like
applause, it was
quite a show
this spontaneous
spring performance
in the mysterious
world of nature
leaving gifts of peace
and contentment
the music of heaven
filled the hearts of every
creature with ears to hear
may we hear the music
and be blessed, may our
souls be at rest, may we
receive all the goodness
life has to offer
filled to overflowing
expanding and growing
living and giving life
loving and beloved on this
Easter Sunday afternoon
This is a prayer about seeking God in the dark days. As we enter Holy Week, may we hear His voice and find our way to the light.
Lord, help me!
weariness has wrapped
around my bones
bringing me to my knees,
weakness and weeping
follow me
like dark shadows
pressing me down
flattening my vivre
I listen for your
voice, but all I
hear is the wind
lonely, empty echoes
blowing through my
soul, devoid of life
where is your breath
Lord, where are you
in these troubled times?
if you are in the
cracks of this broken
world, then there shall
I go, seeking your
face in the shattered
pieces of this fragile
life, seeking you among
the fallen, the crippled
and crushed
I will look for your
face until I find
some kind of sign
a glimpse, a touch,
a fragrance rising
out of the ashes
a wisp of hope,
a quickening like
the flutter of wings
a butterfly emerging
from darkness into light
with the promise of flight
let my heart
attune to yours, Lord,
lift me out of the darkness
let me walk in the light
Lord, we are so
fragile
our lives could
snap
at any moment
our breath
could end and we would
depart this earth
leaving behind our
loved ones
to pick up the pieces
without us
may we find You in
the broken
pieces of this world
may You take
our brokenness into
Yourself
and give us Your
resurrected life
let us live our days
on earth
infused with Your
love
wrapped in Your
protection
overflowing with goodness
for each other
blessed to be blessings
encouraged to give courage
healed to touch lives
let our days on earth
be filled with You
and let us know
that You alone are the one
we can count on
forever
This message is for all of us – a reminder to get up each morning and keep going.
For every one who walks the line
between beauty and the broken
For every seeker who takes the time
to look for the good in life
For every hunter of lasting treasure
buried beneath the ordinary
For every runner falling short of the
finish line
For every dashed dream leaving its
stain of disappointment
For every broken heart gathering its
pieces to be sown like seeds of hope
For every warrior who has lost his
way
May you stand in the presence of
light today
May you walk in the company of
everlasting joy
May you rise each morning and
begin again
Keep walking, keep moving, keep
going, dear friend
A poem for anyone who has ever put pen to page – may you know the power of the pen.
my pen is my voice
a silent voice streaming
ink-covered thoughts
across the page
my pen speaks softly
words wrapped in truth
like breath flowing
through moving lips
the kiss of language
pressed from person
to person, blessing
upon blessing
soundless messages
quietly welling up as
the eyes read the words
again and again
the power of the pen
This is for everyone fighting a hard battle: may victory come today.
Add a little sunshine
to chase the shadows away
Throw in a dose of kindness
to keep the monsters at bay
If you want to slay a dragon
begin with the light of day
Fly high the flag of victory
as the nightmare fades away
Let hope take wing and angels sing
Go forth and conquer this day
This is a short story in verse, about ordinary brilliance and the inner light we carry. It is a reminder that all of us are light bearers – we are made to shine.
You love me in the sounds
of the morning
in the heartbeat of the
awakening world.
You love me with the frost
on the rooftops
sparkling like diamonds
and the dusting of white
glistening across the lawns.
You love me in the flight
of the silver-white
bird, gracefully making
her way to the pond.
You love me in the crowing
of the roosters, the chirping
of small birds, the yapping
of little dogs - these are the
voices of your love.
You love me in the greeting
of the neighbor, the rumbling
of the school bus, in the normal
everyday work-and-play slice
of modern life.
You love me every day
in little ways, let me have eyes
to see, let me have a heart
to receive your never-ending
love for me.