you have the power to.....

I quiet my mind.

I hear God’s voice.

I quiet my heart

I feel God’s love.

I quiet my spirit.

I am one with His holiness.

I quiet my soul.

I am aware of His precious closeness.



selfish or selfless or self-preservation?

Am I selfish?

You bet!

Am I tired?

You bet!

Am I whiny?

You bet!

Am I lonely?

You bet!

Am I blessed?

You bet!


Am I hopeful?


You bet!


Am I loved?


You bet!


Am I grateful?


You bet.

finding what you need

A sliver of golden light breaks through the late gray sky.

It breaks through the dark shell of my soul.

A bit of hope returns to my dampened spirit and I find my way to the surface.

I breathe and believe I can be happy and whole again one day.

Part-time Compartmentalizing

Beyond the borders of my soul is a place called God’s grace.

Within the perimeter of my heart is God’s love and it grows daily.

Deep inside my spirit is a spot God keeps clean with His mercy.

I treasure them all and am grateful to Him for residing there.

My life changes daily by His presence.

When troubles come I go within and draw on His wisdom and strength.

life is not for sissies

The misty sunrise evaporates my tears.

God’s sweet embrace erases my fears.

Hope slowly builds in a restless soul.

By God’s continued grace I will be made whole.

Taking time for quiet respite

I find peace for my heart which is desperate.

We must choose our own path to healing

Instead of just wiping our brow and dealing.

Each day is a new page turned

Hopefully remembering all I have learned.

With God by my side I will go the distance

With His great mercy I will give up resistance.

Pray without ceasing!

Dear Lord,

Please bring peace with morning.

Please deliver healing with daybreak.

Please allow happiness with daylight.

Please take me home with noonday.

Please keep us hopeful by afternoon light.

Please hold us safe with evening stars.

Please give us stability with night fall.

In your Son’s name,

Amen.

(this prayer got me through a rough night at parents when they were sick)

I will...with God...live in the present....

 I will not fear with God by my side.

I will not claim sickness with God as my healer.

I will not be doubtful with God as my truth.

I will not be worried with God as my faith.

seasons of life

An early spring day not on the calendar but in the birds’ chorus,

The blue skies and the blossoming trees.

It’s late winter for mom and dad, not by the stars but in their bodies and minds.

It’s early autumn for Terry and me, not by nature but by our waning energy and tired bodies.

It’s the heat of summer for Matthew, not by the sun’s position but through his rising hopes and continued dreams.

Life is a mix of all seasons and all our situations at any given moment.

 

the Power of Maybe...

Maybe tomorrow’s sun will be brighter.

Maybe tomorrow’s hope will be bigger.

Maybe tomorrow’s joy will be more visible.

Maybe tomorrow’s life will be good again.

the journey to wellness continues

The birds sound so happy, content…God is right…they do not worry.

Are the skies blue and sad…no, blue is their crown of hope.

Is the grass green with envy? No, it’s green with vibrant life of new verve.

Are the trees weary with new growth to hold up? No, they are swelling with pride to hold homes for wildlife and shade for a host of nature lovers.

Daylight savings has begun. The sun is not as low in the sky as it was a week ago.

The temperatures are climbing.

A bright flush of growth appears on the land and hope returns.

Can I find that same hope in my life?

on a happier note: I will be published in an upcoming issue of Stampinton's Art Journaling! This came at a time when I really needed a boost!

in a nut shell

sorry to have been MIA but it's been a long hard week

A Few Days


It really began three years ago but it exponentially increased last weekend. Dad decided to go for one of his solo drives. Four hours later he was in Boone ( a hundred miles from home). I was sick and had to let family and Mom go get him and his truck. He was admitted to Watauga Medical overnight. He checked out fine but we were all wrecks. I went up Monday after feeling some better. Took care of getting medical records and follow up appointments. Came home then, hoping to have some rest and go back to do truck recall maintenance but found Mom sick. A huge mess to clean up. Then Dad caught it. Started seeking help from aunt, Home Health Care and hopefully financial aid from Veterans Financial. Maybe enough for three days a week plus another sitter possibility. After much prayer this became a comforting solution.

Next steps

What a weekend and “weekbegin.” I had a virus. Dad took a ride to BOONE, NC! Yes. That’s what I said.


Told mom he was going Christmas shopping. Ended up on 321N. 100 miles from home.

Cop stopped him. Admitted to hospital overnight. No injuries or further stroke evidence. Just mixed up on details. Mom (who can’t do it alone), her sister, brother-in-law, nephew and his wife came to her rescue. Paid for an overnight room and clean clothes and my cousin and his wife drove dad’s truck home. They no longer have keys at their house and mom is most upset. They know it’s the next step to losing all independence.

There are not enough thanks for things not being worse than they were. There are not enough tears to shed for what is.

What do you do without family?

How do you get enough help without hiring, when money is so tight?

How do people get through these things?

GRACE OF GOD! Pure and simple.

AND after reading Guideposts....
I realize God can fix everything.
He mends broken hearts.
He fills empty spirits.
He gathers all souls close.
He never forsakes us.
The old saying goes "if God isn't close, guess who moved" is true.
Never, ever forsake HIM!

to all my faithful

I have created a new blog to help my parents who are aging rapidly, in debt and needing help and hope.
Please check it out at http://www.helptheparents.blogspot.com/
Thanks and blessings!

dark and light

My body is dead weight.

Walking in water

Sinking fast

No one sees me

No one hears me

No one senses me

I feel lost and alone

What do I do

I should get out of this bed where I find no sleep

I should get out of this house where comfort eludes me

I should get out of this life where I feel little of anything

Is this selfish

No

So why do I feel so guilty

What’s next

Is it depression when you keep doing what you must

But fall apart when you stop and should rest

I need answers no one can give me but me

Feeling hopeless

Tears dried up

Empty inside

I am losing , have lost, so much

I can barely see, hear or sense myself anymore

a new season?

Trees bud and flowers blossom.

The morning is awesome.

Spring is nearly birthed

and hopefully my soul will be unearthed;

but gray skies above me hang

as my heart sang

drowning in grief

finding little relief.

Few words of hope

as I try to cope

or live in peace

all my cares release.

Facing the sun

I pray my fears reduce to none.

Maybe a warmer season getaway

will take my troubles away.

Prayers are repeated

as each morning is greeted

and tucked in again at night

keeping life a bit more light.

to be or not to be

be the light to someone's darkness

be the joy for someone's sadness

be the hope in someone's doubt

be the love no one feels

be the color on someone's gray day

be the peace when none is found by anyone

questions

Will I finally choose to be full of joy no matter what?

Will I finally live in the present and be a “this moment” person?

Will I grow a faith of great measure?

Will I find a hope that is real?

Will I believe in the power of prayer?

Will I trust and accept life as it comes?

Will I release all that bothers me?

Will I find balance in my life?

Will I allow clarity to lead me daily?

Will I go the distance no matter the cost?

Will I let the journey be my own?

Will I learn will-power?

Will I live fearlessly?

Will I find answers and cease questioning everything?

 

a simple prayer

O Lord,

Wrap me in Your warmth.

Sustain me with Your love.

Guard me with Your hope.

Protect me with Your peace.

Strengthen me with Your faith.

Fill me with Your joy.

Amen

Three Moons

There are three moons of Corinth.

Faith to circumnavigate life.

Hope to balance on our axis.

Love to create faith and hope.

Such is living daily.

A body among the stars fighting self-persecution in a galaxy of fears.

Doubting my orbit.

Wondering if gravity can help me now.

Journey of a Lifetime

Life MUST be a spiritual journey:

Shaping my vision

Increasing my faith

Quieting my spirit

Following my heart

Extending my soul

Accessing my beliefs

Believing my God

Knowing my Savior

Accepting my hope

Trusting my Guide

Traveling my path

Giving my resources

Expressing my gratitude

Choosing my grace

Praying my mercy

Loving my life

Living my journey

seek

I will paint a life of blessings.

I will sketch a year of hope.

I will collage a month of peace.

I will create a day of joy

Art can be great therapy of mind.