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
Tag: love
Measures
Relief, joy, calm
Emotions experienced
In different measure
At the births of
Our three children –
Circumstances varied greatly
Each one a miracle-
Whether feeling
Relief, joy, or calm
Thankfulness covered us
Like a warm blanket –
And each miraculous time
Love was the binding
That wrapped each stitch
The gentle hand
That collected each tear
While changing each diaper
Our children know their stories. They’ve heard them more than once. And they know each other’s stories. If asked, they could choose which emotion most closely matches their birth. They are also the best at describing each other’s personalities.
I’m thankful they call me Mom. ❤️
Simply Sunday
Oh, Bother
It’s not the getting older
That bothers me
Yes, I often wish
My body felt less stiff
My joints were less achy
But it’s not the getting older
That bothers me
Aging is a natural progression–
I’m beginning to understand
What bothers me-
It is the time passed
Compared to the probability
Of the time remaining
Life’s great happiness is to be convinced that we are loved. Les Miserables, Victor Hugo
What is the Point?
I am looking forward to spending this long holiday weekend with Mom. I am certain we will go out for lunch and to Starbucks. Oh, and probably eat ice cream. 😉 Where we go and what we do isn’t the point though. The point is spending time.
Being back where I grew up allows me time for reflecting. And in those reflections, new memories are added. With that in mind, I decided to re-share two poems I wrote several years ago.
Happy Independence Day!
Safety Net
Grandma and Grandpa
Lived next door
Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins
Numbering in double digits
Big kids played
With little kids
Running and laughing
Growing stronger
And bigger with
Each passing year
An unspoken truth
That no matter
How far I fell
Someone would catch me-
Like a little child
Bouncing on a knee
Ride a little horsey
Don’t fall down-
A truth that remains
Despite passing time
And increasing distance-
A living safety net
Interwoven from one
Generation to the next
Fourth of July
He worked hard
His entire life
Married young
Raised nine kids
In the country
Strong and stubborn
Loved to laugh
Mellowed over time-
Without a doubt
Dealt with struggles
That I never knew-
I still see him
On the porch
In his overalls
After a long day
Promising to dance
At my wedding
If I will check the mail-
Liked to argue
Loved his family
Was always ready
To welcome them home-
Looking forward to
Family gathering later
That very day-
But in the morning
While everyone slept
After waking early
And making the coffee
He sat down in his
Favorite chair
At the young age of sixty-seven
Grandpa died on the Fourth of July
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! ❤️
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.
Gravel Roads
Looking at me now
You might not guess
Where I come from
Sometimes, I even forget
But today, I choose
To remember
I come from
Climbing trees
Digging in the dirt
Making mud pies
Walking down the
Tree-lined gravel road
Leading away from home
While hearing
Don’t go past the red clay hill!
I choose to remember
Loving this place
That held my life
In love and security
Loving this place so much
When the time came to leave
I was ready to go
Not to run away
But to continue
Walking down the
Tree-lined gravel road
This time, hearing
Come back soon!
As I passed the
Red Clay Hill
Taking home
Along with me
For the journey
Sharing one of the poems I wrote in a recent poetry circle. Many thanks to Ali Grimshaw https://flashlightbatteries.blog/ for sharing her heart and creating such a beautiful space. ❤️
Simply Sunday
A recording of
Ocean waves
Playing
On one side
An actual bird
Outside
The window
Chirping
Good night!
You and me
Me and you
Sitting quietly
In the middle
Gently rocking
The weight
Of my world
Gradually easing
With the increase
Of your sweet sleep
Rocking our granddaughter offers time for reflecting. I often think about how my parents felt when their grandchildren were babies. Which, of course, reminds me how much I miss Dad. And even though I wish he could have met Emi, I am so thankful for his influence on my children.
What a joy. Witnessing my dad, my husband, and my son be loving fathers. I do not take it for granted and will be forever grateful for their examples. Happy Father’s Day! ❤️
Undertow
I’m not sure
If sad is
The right word
I’m not sure
If sad is
The right feeling
Sometimes emotions
Seem to trade places
Not in a swirling
Sea of whitecaps
Tossing me from
Side to side
No, more like
A silent undertow
Gently shifting sand
Beneath my feet-
Knowing I can’t
Call you to say
Happy Father’s Day!
But remembering
All the times I heard
Thank you! How’s my little girl?
Simply Sunday
Serving Security
Nothing fancy
No gourmet recipe
This batch was not
As fluffy as I’d
Have preferred
Then again, I haven’t
Made them in
Quite some time
Still, there’s something
Sweet in the making
And in the sharing
A Saturday morning
Family tradition
For many years
Before I even realized
It was a tradition
But the kids knew
They sensed security
In such a simple thing
And for that
I am grateful-
This batch may not
Have been my best
Let’s face it, it wasn’t
But my little granddaughter
Ate them up just like
Her dad, her aunt,
And her uncle used to do
Piano Girl 