And She Waited

As her petals began to open
Delicate and damp from
The Spring morning dew
Her sweet message was released
Carried away on a gentle breeze-
And she waited
Soaking in warmth from the Sun
Her soft, pink skin stretching
Toward the light-
And she waited a bit longer
Marvelling at the towering tree above
And the green grass below-
Finally, her message was answered-
First, her friend Butterfly
Stopped in for a sip of tea-
Buzzing Bee was next to visit
Grateful for shared resources –
The first of many sacred exchanges
Each one required great patience
And long listening-
All worth the wait

Sharing a poem from a recent poetry circle. A big thank you to Ali Grimshaw. 🩷

Simply Sunday

We teach by example
Intentioned or not
They learn from the example
Intentioned or not
Little eyes watching
Little ears listening
Little hands reaching
Little souls speaking-
If I look long enough
Glimpses of my actions
Will be seen in
The hearts of those I love
There is no avoiding-
Praying I give more thought
To the intention
And reflections seen
Give cause to smile

Not Enough

Feeling the need to speak
Knowing the importance of
Choosing my words
Carefully-
Not speaking is unacceptable-
Emotions swirl in my head
Threatening to exit in a scream-
Until I pause
Take a breath
Whisper a prayer
Allowing it all to be filtered
Though my heart –
Love your neighbor as yourself
Leaves no room to vilify or dehumanize-
Be kind and compassionate to one another
Holds no space for intimidation and hatred-
Love those who are foreigners,
For you yourselves were foreigners

Carries no capacity for arrogance or exile-
Choosing my words carefully
Knowing they are not enough
And actions must follow

Photos taken by me in Washington, D.C.

Winter Wisdom

Each tiny twig
Like a cold hand
Reaches toward the sky-
Too many to count-
Each held in place
With its larger branch
Securely attached to the trunk-
The roots, always unseen
Yet, their presence felt
With every passing storm
Their wisdom entrusted
In this season when youth
Fades with the falling leaves
And lessons emerge
From an intricate design-
A skillfully drawn
Pen and ink against
A blue-pink watercolor sky-

Teaching my outstretched hand
To soak in the warmth of even
The most short-lived
Patch of Sunshine

Remembering my sweet Dad today. Miss him so much. ❤️

Simply Sunday

Tea parties and bears
Building blocks and bubbles
Favorite shows
Favorite snacks
Silly Songs
Belly laughs
Rocking chairs and
Rhyming books
One more drink
One more snack
Soft blankets
Sweet lullabies
Sleepy eyes
Dreamy naps

Only Then

After all the leaves have fallen
And bare branches
Are covered in snow
Only then can we see
The precious homes left behind-
Homes constructed using
Carefully gathered materials
Perfectly woven in preparation
For a season of life
Lived in the trees –
A temporary season
Filled with holding
And protecting precious cargo-
Fragile eggs and then tiny birds
Chirping and eating
Sleeping and growing
Until all are ready to fly off
Into their next adventure
Leaving their home behind-
Providing an opportunity
Within their leaving
For us to wonder, reflect,
And possibly even relate

Magic


I love the way it stops
Us in our tracks
Forces everything to
Slow down-even time
At least, that’s how it feels –
Pausing while walking
Past a window
Watching as it gracefully
Flutters to the ground-
Slowly trapesing outside
Feet sinking under
A white, fluffy blanket-
Not only are we forced
To slow down, but
Also magically transported-
Allowing me to see the world
Through the eyes of a child
One moment, my childhood memories
Soon followed by those of my children
Until returning to the present
Where I watch
As my granddaughter steps
For the first time
Into the magic of a snowy day

Observations

New every morning
Ready and waiting to greet us-
One day, a gracefully
Blended watercolor
The next, child-like
Sponge-painted clouds
On bright blue
Construction paper-
Certain summer afternoons
Perfectly uniform shapes
Stenciled onto an
Azure backdrop-
And on not-so-happy days
A blank gray slate
Hovering in agreement
With the tears below-
Only a few from
An infinite list-
Simple descriptions
Of the sky above-
Once seen, never
To be seen again
Except in memory
If we remember
It is new every morning
Ready and waiting to greet us
Hoping for a greeting in return

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”
‭‭Lamentations‬ ‭3‬:‭22‬-‭23‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Simply Sunday

Decided to share a Simply Sunday from this time last year. We are battling colds this weekend. Nothing too serious. And a front came through bringing cold temps and snow flurries. Here’s to hot tea, honey, and warm blankets.

Our Voices

Strange to think
My voice sounds
Different to your ears
Than to mine-
An awareness
Only realized
When recorded
And played back-
Like listening
To a stranger
Nothing at all
Like the voice
Inside my head-
Sounds odd to me
But you don’t
Seem to mind-
I guess all that
Truly matters
Is for the voice
Inside my head
To match the one
Inside my heart

Two Sisters-Written and read by Kelley Morris

Quiet Embers-A Poetry of Faith

Now available at-Amazon Paperback

Fade to Smile


Twinkling Christmas lights fade
Snowman family on the corner
Waving goodbye. Until next year!
Santa and his sleigh? Long gone
Nativity scenes? Packed away

Beautiful reminders of
Love and innocence
Drawing smiles from even
The grumpiest of Scrooges
Shhh! That’s our little secret

Realizations accompanied
By gray morning skies
And approaching cold
As deer graze in the field
A little while longer