Worry and Fear

I’ve been fretting over changes looming in the family. I don’t do well with change, whether it is good or bad changes. I like things just the way they are! My son and family (5 of my 6 grand kids) will be moving 3 1/2 hours away. In the grand scheme of things, this really is not a big problem, in fact, it is probably a blessing. But I can count thousands of questions, problems and fears, none of which I can quite get a ‘handle’ on. My feelings have all been turned up-side-down, and sorting them is really painful.

I lay in bed at night, awake.
I count the many ways
That life can deal a deadly blow,
And fear creeps in my mind, uninvited.
I search for ways to make things right,
But always come up short.
Sometimes solutions just aren’t clear,
And, hard as it can be,
I need to trust that God, in time,
Will make all right and clear.

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A Place of Endless Miracles

Busy, busy, busy. Life can be that way. There are so many things competing for our attention. It’s not enough to just try to choose what we think is good for us. There are too many things that are ‘good for us’. Days and weeks and months and years and decades can pass by, filled with a never-ending list of things we feel we need to do. I’m reminded of a painting done by Norman Rockwell. Pictured is a large cathedral placed on a busy street in a large city. The pastor is placing a theme/challenge to the congregation “Lift Up Thine Eyes”. But there are many people walking by the church, all of whom have their eyes down toward the ground. Busy, busy, busy. No one looks up to see the beautiful white doves flying skyward. I believe the painting is entitled “Look Up”. So, we too, are often to busy to pause and appreciate the wonderful gifts of God all around us. That’s what this poem is all about.

A place of endless miracles is here for all to see.
It’s found before life’s problems, and calls to you and me.
It lifts us on the wings of praise, beyond all earthly woe.
The key is simple: Gratitude within each humble soul.

In this world of man’s making, where pollution’s pride reigns king,
Where successes sirens call us to selfishness and greed,
Where lust reigns in vanity and sin steals our soul,
Help us be in, not of, that world where God’s truth doesn’t grow.

Help us each day to see God’s beauty that flows through each new dawn,
Unto eve, when stars appear as night comes rolling on.
The moon reflects the Son’s light over land, sky and sea.
Thank the lord for miracles. Please set our spirits free.

Only Grace is able to lift us up above.
Man’s inhumanity distracts us from God’s love.
Help us to truly see with eyes, ears, heart and mind.
Dear Lord, Show us Thy living miracles, so we will not be blind.

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Count The Stars

For my grand kids, it’s back to school time. I’ve been sending kids/grand kids to school now for 34 years! I still remember the day my oldest son went to kindergarten. I can recall what he wore, and I can still see his cute blonde hair and his cowboy shirt. How quickly time passes–sometimes so quickly that it’s scary.

Count the stars in the big night sky,
Count the years, they go flying by,
Love them now, or you’ll ache with sorrow,
They’ll grow free and be gone tomorrow.

Baby diapers to barbie dolls,
Sesame street to shopping malls,
Teddy bears to 10-speed bikes,
Playing Ninja to the big prom night.

Mother watch me and play with me to
Bye for now, can I have the car keys?

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Gold!

I’ve been enjoying watching the Rio Olympics; watching participants who wonder and hope that they are good enough to be awarded a medal. You see great joy and elation, and then you also see heart-breaking disappointment. Sometimes I find myself wanting to be able to reach out and give a hug and remind them that they are of great value and worth, even though they may have finished last in their competition. I can relate to a current tv ad that talks about how the human body has a trace amount of gold. Everyone has gold in them! I like that thought because I believe…no, I know that all of us are royalty because we are children of a Heavenly Father, who is King.

There’s gold that flows within our veins.
It makes us royalty.
Indeed, we’re children of a king–
Heirs of a kingdom heavenly.

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Bottom’s Up

Ok, I didn’t forget to post, I was just to darn dirty and tired from a Uinta campout to do it. But I got some great pictures to post later on, but for now, I’m going to return to material from our Grand Teton trip.

Swans float upon the water with grace and with ease they fly,
But feeding turns them bottom’s up, before each watcher’s eye!

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