How Precious

Dedication: for some beloved friends of mine and their precious son.

How precious is a moment.

When tiny infant is dying.

When you say goodbye.

Times when sleep avades you.

This is when we treasure most.

Our memmories...

We fully absorb each moment.

For while they don't last forever...

In recolection they last for a time.

Memmory is such a gift.

Perhaps that is why Dementia is so painful.

The gift is taken away.

But it is something shared stroungly by others.

When one forgets, another recalls.

All stand together, sharing these moments.

One that I will hold dear is that of little Daniel.

A little star that shined who's light is held and will not be forgoten.

This poem is for him and his parents and family.

May we not forget that he lived and was so loved.

Let us share in the preious memmory of little Daniel. 

Feel

All of it. Pain, sorrow, not only yours but others.
So deep it wounds you.

But... if I did not feel...
How would I know?

To just hold, stroke, speak gently.
Be present and give all attention.

Till you find the pain bearable.
For I bear it with you.

Truly sorry that someone I
care about is in such pain.

So... thank you God.
For allowing me to feel.

To feel a little like you did.
When you bore all our pain.

“Come, Mr. Frodo!' he cried. 'I can't carry it for you, but I can carry you.”

― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King

Hold me

Hold me now, I am weary.
Hold me now, you are dear.
Hold me now, I'm not okay.

You listen, I cry.
Hold me now.
You understand, I relax.
Hold me now.
You accept, I settle.

Hold you now.
I see your long day.
Hold you now.
I sense your pain.
I hear your voice my love.

"Hold me now."
Say it out loud. 
"Hold me now."
Come to embrace.

"Hold me now."
I already am.
"Hold me now."
Here you are safe.

Your love is like Christ's.
You seek me when I am lost.
In my dark days you don't let go.
When I forget, you remember.

Thank-you Father God for the people,
that love me as you love.

In His Hands

Lord, who would I be without you?
How would I see the world?
What would fill my heart?

Time and time again temptations.
Time and time again questions.

Where should I find my motivation?
Why do I even gather with your people?
Will this questioning end?

        ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To everything there is a season.
The season of questioning has finished.

Here I am with you, safe and loved.
Here I am my Father, saved by grace.
Here I am to worship, just as I am in you.

Thank You that nothing can clutch me from your hands.
Welcomed as one of your beloved children.

Happiness

Happiness is a learned thing.
Learn what, where, why and when.

Happiness is a choice.
Choose to be contented, not to dwell, but to look ahead.

Happiness is when we discover.
Be fascinated by the little sparks in the dark.

It is hard to be happy.
But I urge you, do not give up.

When you tire of searching call to the people who bring you joy.
Those who will stand by you in ups and downs.

Oh Lord, thank you for blessing us with other people.
The happiness I find in you is boundless.

Peace

Part 1

Dear Peace,
Where did you go?
I searched in vain to find you.
Not in friends, family or anyone I know.

Why don't you stay?
I see a glimpse of you, every now and then.
But you just nod, smile and pass away.

What have we done, that you allude us so?
Surely you will be back again.
For without us wanting you,
willing you and wishing for your presence,
you will desert us.

Oh Lord, help us to desire peace.
Bring Peace to us , as you do in Christ.
Make us like you, willing to forgive and forget.
Help us to remember your ways.
Shape our minds, hearts and actions.
Show us the way to peace.

For there is no one in heaven and earth like you.

Part 2 

1 Corinthians 1: 10-14:

'I appeal to you, brothers and sisters,
a in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ,
that all of you agree with one another in what you say
and that there be no divisions among you,
but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought.

My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household
have informed me that there are quarrels among you.
What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”;
another, “I follow Apollos”; another,
“I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”


Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you?
Were you baptised in the name of Paul?'

If we divide what will be left of our unity in Christ? 
How can we share words of hope, faith, and love,
if we cannot find peace together?
Why throw away what God freely gave us in the sacrifice of his son?

Let us not tie up each other in knots.
Others will try to do just that every minute, of every day.
Instead let us pray; 'Father lead us to find peace, teach us your ways'.

New Book

Hello Readers,

First of all, thank you for taking the time to read the poems I write.
Because I know that they are being read,
I recently decided to do something daring.

I've collated my poems into a book of poems.
All by me and available on my publisher's website;

Xibris: https://www.xlibris.com/Bookstore/BookSearchResults.aspx?Search=while%20we%20wait

My new book can also be found on;
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com.au/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_10_6?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=while+we+wait&sprefix=while+%2Caps%2C352&crid=2FZZT6OTCGMIR&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3Awhile+we+wait

So please, if you would like to hold my book in your hands, click on the links above.
Thankyou 😊

Relationships

Hard. Easy. Partners. Friends.

Family. Colleges. Questionable.

Why do we value each relationship?

Do we value that person in our lives?

or just how it makes us feel?

What we can get out of it?

Good or Bad?

People come in all shapes and sizes.

They come, and they go from our lives.

Those that mean something to us are the ones that stay.

So, who do you make time for and who makes time for you?

How do you show that you care?

When was the last time that you told them?

Hugged them? Sent them a message?

Self-sacrificing love means going out of your way to

demonstrate that you care, making you words match your actions.

Making someone dinner, doing their laundry, driving them home.

All are examples of self-sacrificial love.

This is how Jesus loves us. Without us having loved him first.

Often, we serve others in the subconscious knowledge that they

may well return the favour, love us in return.

When was the last time you simply loved someone without that expectation?

In a way that hurt you and helped them?

Lord teach us how to love.

An Entreaty

Mark 9:23-25 Jesus said to him, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him who believes.”

Immediately the father of the child cried out and said with tears, “Lord, I believe; help my unbelief!”

Sometimes I wonder if I'm just going through the motions.

If the way I think and what I say and how I act is just a facade. 

Do I really believe that God sent his son to die and rise again, to save not only me, 

but everyone else too? 

I want to. But It's not easy. I question if I really do believe, or do I just want to believe?

I'm influenced by those around me to keep hold of what I refer to as my faith. 

Is it really my faith, or is it their faith projected onto me so I may perceive it to be mine? 

Are we just encouraging one another to believe in the world's biggest lie? 

Yet how can a lie go undetected? The gospel has spread like wildfire across the centuries. Surely it would have been totally disproved, and its followers disbanded by now if it were of man's invention.
But time and again academics who began as atheists, become not only Christians, but evangelists.
Fulfilling what Gamaliel the Pharisee said, when the gospel first began its spread:

"Therefore, in the present case I advise you: Leave these men alone! Let them go! For if their purpose or activity is of human origin, it will fail. But if it is from God, you will not be able to stop these men; you will only find yourselves fighting against God." (Acts 5:38-39)

Those whom I care about I who care about me...

People whom I trust and value their options...

Most of these people are Christians...

But some have turned away, slowly giving up their faith.

It was no longer precious, but instead turned into something that they resented and rejected.

Dear God, I don't know what kind of person I would be without you living with me.

Directing my heart, soul and mind every day.

I am guided by you for give up the God who is just yet whose love surpasses all understanding.

Please my Heavenly Father, remind me every day where I stand.

Let me remain supported by Christ, the solid rock, and not give in and tread down upon the sinking sand. When you call me home, may I then in Him be found. 

Words of Faith

“My soul thrusts for you as a parched land thrusts for rain’ Palam 143:6

My soul was parched. My thought was dry. I was out of words. Deflated. Had lost confidence in my beloved God. I was afraid to speak in case, he was indeed, a tyrant.

Then came a sprinkling of hope… It occurred to me that I was not alone. “Others have experienced this before me”, I said to myself. Unlike me they were more objective and logical. Not overcome by emotion, but willing to grapple with the historical and science evidence. Challenging God on uncomfortably raw moral questions. After reading and listening to podcasts, Audiobooks, and talking openly to Atheists I made a discovery. It was this; the fact that intelligent people have done so for centuries. Beginning and continuing to read the book of Job and seeing his words. Words such as these:

“O earth do not conceal my blood. Let it cry out on my behalf. Even now my witness is in heaven. My advocate is there on high. My friends scorn me, but I pour out my tears to God.” Job 16:18-20 (NLT)

I’m glad that God gave us doubt. Without it I would not have questioned. If you want to truly understand someone you need to ask them questions. It demonstrates that you value that relationship. I want to better know my Father; therefore, I question. That I may see him more clearly, love him more dearly, and follow him more nearly, day by day (God Spell).

Not to do so would make us complacent. We would not then be restored. Nourished and reassured by his words each day. Comprehending and gratefully accepting Jesus’ death and resurrection.

I once saw engraved on a young women’s gravestone the words;

“I have redeemed thee, I have called the by thy name, thou art mine.”

Conveying to the Atheist: Injustice, imprisonment, despair, anger, scorn and scoffing.

Yet to the Christian…

These words mean hope, joy, and a deep sense of peace.

The question is…

What do these words mean to you?

Christmas Creates Community

Community is formed in small groups,
all celebrating together.
Christmas community lasts a month.

Community is enhanced during Christmas.
Christians gather to remember that Christ came into the world
to bring them into God's family.

No matter who you are, or why and how you celebrate it.
Christmas creates community.

For Christians the community lasts.
It does not fade when the festivities are over.
For we are celebrating God adopting us into his family,
by sending his son so that we might call him father.
We have accepted his invitation and been welcomed into his home.

Like Sheep 

“All we like sheep have gone astray. Each turning to his own way. But the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all” Isaiah 53:6

“You Lord are my shepherd, I will never be in need. You let me rest in fields of green grass. You lead me to streams of peaceful water and you refresh my life. You are true to your name, and you lead me along the right paths. I may walk through valleys as dark as death, but I will not be afraid. You are with me, and your shepherd’s rod makes me feel safe. You treat me to a feast, while my enemies watch. You honour me as your guest, and you fill my cup until it overflows. Your kindness and love will always be with me each day of my life, and I will live forever in your house, Lord.” Psalm 23

“I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for his sheep” John 10:11

“I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me- just as the Father knows me and I know the Father- and I lay down my life for the sheep.” John 10:14-15

The Bible talks about Christians, (we that trust and know Jesus as our shepherd), to be like sheep. The world tends to think that we follow blindly, ignorantly, without a thought or a doubt. But this simply isn’t true.  We do doubt. Each time we wander and lose our way our shepherd seeks us out. He embraces with joy, bringing back to him, and placing our feet back upon the path.  

The world questions us as we travel, “Why do you want to return? How can you be certain that he is guiding you on the road you want to go? Why do you love and trust him? Is it all worth it?”

My answer is that he laid his life down for me. Everyday he demonstrates his love for me. He knows me inside and out… and yet still he cares for me. I trust him to always have my back. He knows the plans he has for me and he works for my good. He created me, knitting me together in my mother’s womb. He knows me, what behind me and what is to come. My shepherd promises to remain by me whatever challenges may confront me. 

“But how do you know this? Why do you just assume? Where is the evidence that God (if he even exists) will keep his promises? Is God as great as you believe he is? Isn’t the gospel too good to be true? The world contradicts. 

You see, I know that God keeps his promises. He has done so again and again. He promised that Jesus would come and redeem us, bringing us back to the God who invites us to call him “Abba Father”, just as he does.

The only thing that makes me special and privileged. The only way I can have this hope and assurance is this; that while I was still a sinner, Christ died for me. I don’t deserve it. I didn’t have to work for it. I only had to accept it.

Thankyou my Father in Heaven. May I never want to stop serving you, praising your name, being part of your family, your child, and your daughter.  

Time

Everything takes time.
Time to heal.
Time to mend.
Time to feel.

Everything takes time.
Time to process.
Time to appreciate.
Time to comprehend.

Everything takes time.
Time to develop.
Time to reflect.
Time to grow.

Without time we shatter.
Without time we fail to comprehend.
Without time are stunted.

Embrace time with gratitude.
For everyone needs time.

Together

Dedication: To everyone who has experienced mental illness, this is from me to you...

Darkness doesn't discriminate.
It can take anyone.
So what can we do?

We don't always recognise what is consuming us.
We don't always recognise the way we think is warped.

When we do...
A friend or family member expressing concern.
A colleague gently taking us to one side.
An outsider asking the question; are you okay?
You seem...

Just remember that no matter how fearful, ashamed,
lost, alone, confused, or angry you are.
You are not alone.

What you're going through is by no means uncommon.
Friend or family member.
Colleague or outsider.
We understand, because it takes one to know one.

No need to be ashamed.
Feel free to stretch out your hand.
We can show you the way.
After all, we've come this way before.
I've come this way before.

The Lord my God is the light to the path on which I tread.
He said "it is not good for man to be alone".
He said "it is finished".
He said "that whoever believes believes in me shall not die but have eternal life".

Jesus sent his disciples out in twos.
Jesus has given us the Holy Spirit.
Jesus has given us hope of  a day when her will wipe away every tear.

Faith in Jesus and his promises means hope and security and forgiveness.
It means knowing where we are headed as brothers and sisters in Christ.
The rod there is not always easy, but that is why we travel there together.

Thankyou

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thankyou that you value me.

Thankyou for sending your son to die,

because you value me.

Thankyou that you don't give up on me 

as I give up on you.

Thankyou that you give your children each other. 

Thankyou that you know the road isn't always easy.

Thankyou for giving us the Holy Spirit, to help us fight

sin, fear and despair, with hope, light, and life with you. 

Thankyou that you care for us without reward.

Thankyou that your gifts are abundant. 

Thankyou that you use the weak to help the strong.

Thankyou that you equip us to do your work,

of spreading the gospel side by side. 

Thankyou for all the reasons that you give me 

to smile, dance, and sing for joy. 

Thankyou that when a Christian dies, we; 

as fellow members of Christ's body have tears falling on to smiles. 

Thankyou for giving us the hope and promise that one day,

when we are all gathered around your throne, you will wipe away every tear.

Thankyou that you can be relied on to keep your promises.

Amen. 

Praise Be To His Name!

Undulating waves.

Rocks and fossils.

Colour, size and shape.

The Lord spoke and 

there they were.

Laughter, puzzles, books.

Food, walks, time away.

The Lord gave us the

ability to enjoy.

Songs, voices upraised.

Small communities of Christians.

Coming together as one by grace.

The Lord has provided in Jesus.

Praise be to his name!