Lesson in the Sunrise


A dark cloud of apathy
Split the morning
Perfectly in half
Left to linger
The damage left behind
Will be impossible to mend-
Strange, love exists
On both sides
Of the darkness
I must believe it does-
Rays of hope
Able to burnish holes
Through the shadows
Of indifference
Affording hope even
In the murkiest of storms-
Light joining hands
Across the darkness

On a recent morning drive, I noticed an unusual sunrise. From my vantage point, a large dark cloud divided the sun’s fiery red glow in half. The clarity of the division was daunting. Yet despite the chasm, beauty existed in each half.

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.”  Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Simply Sunday

Grain of Sand

What kind of footprints
Am I leaving behind
As I walk through each day?
Are they easily erased
By the wind and rain?
When walking alone
That may be the case-
But what if my feet
Are like those of a child
Following the impressions
Left by those walking ahead?
Confident or unsure
It does not matter
They are not mine alone
But instead, a grain of sand
Within one layer of history
Where many who walked
And continue walking
Will faithfully
And gently call me back
When my feet
Step off the path

Cause to Wonder


Present my entire life
All the years prior
And will hold its place
Long after I’m gone
Freely lending itself
To spark a child’s imagination
On a big-sky night
Look! It’s following me!
A peaceful protector
Freely lending itself
To ease a grown-up’s worries
Just be still and breathe
A picture-perfect perspective
And timely reminder
Comfort and joy
Can come from far away

Disappearing

Photo courtesy of my mom 💛

Seen in a simple glance
Felt in a single step
Eyes compelled
To focus on the source
And not the darkness
Attempting to sneak
Into my periphery–
Though it may try
It cannot block
The quiet promises
Of hope and warmth
Flowing from the light
Lengthening each glance
Strengthening each step
Assurance that this light
Will not be engulfed
Rather, that the darkness
Will eventually disappear

Confession

Do not live in fear
Does not mean
I am never afraid
Live a life of joy
Does not mean
I am never sad-
When afraid
I remember love
When sad
I remember hope
Neither the words
Or the feelings
Contradict each other
Instead, they affirm
Causing my heart
To beat stronger
And my faith
To grow deeper

Book Release Day!

Today’s the day!

Quiet Embers: A Poetry of Faith is now available at the following links. There is also a Goodreads link for anyone who reads the collection and would be willing to leave a review.

My goal in writing is always honesty and connection. My hope is for the reader to be encouraged and just maybe to think Me, too! ❤️

Amazon ebook

Amazon Paperback

Lulu

Goodreads

Special thanks again to Tara Caribou at Raw Earth Ink.

Happy Announcement!

Faith is personal. It ebbs and flows as we move through life. Hymns and scripture are part of my journey. They offer hope and simple reminders of God’s love.

I’m excited to announce my poetry collection, Quiet Embers-A Poetry of Faith. It will be available next Tuesday, June 25!

What a joy to work with tara caribou of Raw Earth Ink https://raw-earth-ink.com/. Her creative attention to design and layout added so much to the collection. Also, a big thank you to my son, Ryan, for the beautiful cover art!

I will post links once it’s available for order! Until then, here’s a sneak peek.

Simply Sunday

A sacred space
Exists between
Birth and death
No matter the
Length of time
It is so much
More than time
Influenced by
Persons
Places
Choices
Everyone
Experiencing it
Differently-
We embrace it
Hide from it
Run away from it
But it finds us
And sometimes
Miraculously
Surprise us

Describing Faith

The way sunbeams
Pierce the gray
Morning clouds

The way a melody
Sweetly greets
My morning yawn

A quiet breeze
Causing the trees
To gently sway

A blade of grass
Singly illuminated
By the afternoon sun

The way pinks and reds
Grace the horizon
Right before nightfall

The way Grace
Eases the fears that
Arrive with the dark

Each experience
Accepted with
No sense of doubt

Knowing the Source
Is always present
Even though unseen

Baby Leaves

All it takes
Is one early
Spring shower
And bright
Green smiles
Suddenly appear
Around every corner
The color is so vibrant
So fresh and new
It causes me
To question
Whether or not
It is genuine-
Then, a quiet breeze
Happens to pass
And baby leaves
Begin to wave
Their friendly wave
The smiles growing
Instantly wider
-Theirs and mine-
And I am gently
Reminded to embrace
Each new season
With hope and faith
Oh, and maybe a smile