Archive | April 2014

God Restores

Apr28

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The pain is teeth grinding.
Every movement,
Every breath,
Every moment of existence,
I weep.

Sometimes to fight is easier,
Keep determined,
Keep faith,
Keep refusing to let go,
I force it.

Other times I plea pitifully,
Stop this,
Stop it,
Stop this direction I’m headed,
I plea relief.

Can man possibly understand,
It’s agony,
It’s messy,
It’s devouring me bit by bit,
I disappear.

Bare bones left in pain,
Still hurting,
Still swept away,
Still, always, in agony,
I go under.

But I am never alone one minute,
God weeps,
God holds me,
God understands my heart,
He never leaves.

Though this valley is dark,
Feels compressed,
Feels stalked,
Feels like the enemy will win,
He is victory.

Though disease may take life,
Strip humanity,
Strip dignity,
Strip me of all of me,
He’s there.

Though Satan means this evil,
God makes good,
God fulfills promises,
God never, ever forgets
Even me.

Whatever your battle, your pain,
Your fight,
Your agony,
Your life’s fragile moment,
God redeems.

The years eaten by locusts,
What’s stolen,
What rusts,
What’s systemically destroyed,
God restores.

I will hold on to His hand,
Though suffering,
Though beaten,
Though physically losing,
He lives.

He lives with me and in me,
No doubts,
No questions,
No turning back now for
Valleys do end.
            d.f.a.v. 4-27-14
Keep fighting,
–Donna

A Good Man

Apr25

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Many men would consider  it a compliment to hear someone refer to them as “a good man”.  But in the seventeen years my husband and I have been married he has repeatedly requested for me not refer to him with that compliment.

Why?  Compared to many men he  would win that title without question.  But the other night after helping me I thanked him and said, “You’re a good man Honey.”

He replied with, “No, no I’m not.  Do you want me to tell you why?”

” Why do you call me good?” Jesus answered.  “No one is good except God alone.”  Mark 10:18 N.I.V.

Then my husband went on to say that if Jesus didn’t feel worthy of being labeled as a “good man” how could he himself dare to allow me to refer to him in this matter?

Point taken.  Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans in chapter three, verse ten, “As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one.”

Compared to Christ we all fall short of the mark.  I certainly do daily.

My husband is a man with many good qualities and characteristics.  He strives to be Christ-like.  I could ask for no better man than he.

What about us?  Do we measure up to the standards set by Jesus? 

When might you be ready to be willing to have yourself labelled as “good”?

A little something to think about,
—Donna

Words

Apr23

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Broken,
Demeaning,
Careless,
Unfocused words
When used to form bricks
Make poor foundations.
Selfish,
Judgmental,
Punishing
Poorly flung words
Make unreliable cornerstones,
Make broken hearted people.
Some words,
Should never,
Have been invented
Much less used
To build lives upon,
Or to nest in hearts.
Jesus spoke
Loving words,
Contolled words
True words,
Never vulgar words
Even at His crucifixion.
Our words
Must measure
In stronger love
Than the coarse ones
Flung carelessly by the world
Uncaring of the seeds sown.
Otherwise
Our words
Say we are
The same as the world,
Judgmental and even vile,
Mere followers of the crowd.
But we
Are called
To be not
Of this world,
The wise speak truth in love,
Especially to our children’s hearts.
We are
Not called to
Speak before thinking,
Use the worst words
To belittle another
Or imagine we empower ourselves.
          -d.f.a.v. 4-22-14
Choose wisely,
–Donna

Love Will Win

Apr21

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Easter morning 2014 of our Lord
I cannot understand way back
To that first Easter morning
Exactly what it was like…
The record of those events
Are much to flat, so one dimensional
Though exciting and glorious no doubt
It was a road I did not hike…
But it was the crucifixion on Calvary
That made that Sunday morning
Of such importance to all men
So glorious that set me free…
Jesus was not found inside the tomb
Or stolen away in dark of night
Nor gone to Heaven not to be seen
But resurrected for the women to see…
I was not there I cannot know
But for an event to change us still
It must not be some gibberish tale
But the most pivotal moment in history…
The time when Satan’s fate was sealed
The time when others still cut it down
Trying to convince mankind it was a lie
But you cannot silence God’s pure glory…
For from the grave in deaths embrace
Jesus Christ arose as He had proclaimed
The earth sang in glorious praise
On that first Easter day…
There I did not need to be
My faith is upon God’s solid ground
He tells no lies, He does no wrong
He is faithful in deed and all He says.
What’s more important that anything
Is that you too can rest assured
The glories of Christ second coming
Are promised still in his sweet assurance…
That when He returns to Earth a second time
Satan loses his reign of terror
Is cast into Hades forevermore
No more mankind to puppet dance.
        d.f.a.v.  4-20-2014
—Donna

Satan’s Mistake

Apr18

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Dark had entrenched around Light
Evil hollered with wicked glee
Long he’d planned for this moment
Since Heaven he’d been forced to flee.

Demons circled, swirled about Golgotha
Passing from one hardened heart to the next
Others might dare to claim what happened
Satan laughed ’cause he wrote the text.

Satan sat haughty in triumph
Victory surely at last belonged to Him
There was no hope for God’s creation
It had flickered, it had died, not merely dim.

He watched the grave swallow the body
Bound by death clothes in the tomb
No hope of survival, nor of revival
A cold dead body in earth’s womb.

I’ve won, Satan believed in triumph
Jesus was dead by his design
Evil knew success for a moment
But doubt began to edge in his mind.

He realized too late his mistakes
There was no undoing the deeds he’d done
Satan moaned and belittled himself
Who had won when he killed God’s Son?

Three days he’d have to wait now
Three days for victory to be sure
He’d see it through to prove he was best
Surely from death there was no cure?
               d.f.a.v. 4-18-14
“It’s Friday…but Sunday’s coming…”
–Donna

In View of Home

Apr16

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The sun rose this morning
Though dark clouds hid the sky
High above the thunderstorms
Bluer skies pleased the eye
Yet whether it be wet or dry
I will raise my eyes beyond
Where gates of pearl
And streets of gold await
When this earth I bid goodbye.

The sun sinks behind the hills
As the moon begins to climb
Violet, orange. rose and blue
Your brushstrokes delicate and fine
Beauty spoke in graceful rhyme,
Stars pinprick velvet blue
My heart is tuned to only You
Please Dear Lord I look to see
Your face awaiting mine to view
At last at last it is time.

Sun will rise and sun will set
Moon grow pale then bright
Stars twinkle down from the past
Day arrives then welcomes night
A brighter light the Son ignites
The glow of which is always seen
In the hearts of man who choose
To welcome Christ into their heart
And find at last Home fits so right.
d.f.a.v. 4-16-14
—Donna

Do I?

Apr15

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If I say I love you
But never obey you
Do I really love you?

If I obey You in fear
Of repercussions and tears
Does that bring You cheer?

If I serve You diligently
Yet I serve rigidly
Do I serve You completely?

If I ask You sincerely
To let me serve You genuinely
Do I love You freely?

If I love You Yahweh
Will I not do so everyday
Follow You in every way?

If I say I love You
But never speak with You
Can I really love You?
–4/14/15

If I Lived Then

Apr14

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If I lived back then in the time
Jesus physically walked beside
And if I had come to Jerusalem
It’s streets I would run long side
I’d be waving Palm branches
“Hosanna!” I’d shout out loud
Only thoughts of Him I’d have
In that rejoicing, happy crowd.

Today the rumors would hiss
Strange He was this Jesus guy
Claiming He was the Son of God
King of Jews must be in disguise
He wasn’t well liked at the temple
Challenged Pharisees and our ways?
Ate with sinners and loose women?
I’m no longer as sure as yesterday.

It’s Passover Week try to let it go
What’s it to me the priests grief?
Now into the crowd I’ll blend
Turn blind eye to mankind’s mischief.
I’ll keep my counsel to myself
Forget the things Jesus taught,
The status quo isn’t quite so bad
Turn away from the love He brought.

It’s Monday now but Friday comes
Though I see only to this afternoon.
I have no desire to be caught in this
I can ignore this sense of doom.
The rituals of this week I’ll keep
Enjoy the family I rarely see
Focus on the sacraments and rites
After Friday life goes on as it be.
d.f.a.v. 4-14-14

—Donna

What’s Hard to Understand

Apr11

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Freely I admit Lord
There are things I don’t understand.
Like algebra, rodents and pedophiles,
Grace extended when undeserved
Mercy ruling when unreserved
And why bad things happen…

Lord what’s the point of
The really unpredictable
Like tornadoes, earthquakes and floods
Hurricanes with pathways of endless strife
Takes a husband leaves a wife.
And when things happen to the good. 

Lord maybe I don’t get it
Understanding may not be necessary
For faith, hope and charity
Never losing hope in Your sovereignty
Respect for Your amazing majestically
These things are all amazing.

Father the bad in life happens,
Senseless acts of nature and man
The heartaches, sorrows, pain
It will be hard to keep doubt away
To believe Your will does happen anyway…
I need You to help me love endlessly.

                    d.f.a.v. 4-11-14

—Donna

Visitors at the Cottage by the Sea

Apr9

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Abba Father,
Watching from the deck Lord
There’s a woman half my age
Sitting on the foot of the Cottage ramp
Shivering in the days cold and damp.

Invite her up for a hot cup of java
She sees the open Bible and scoffs
So I tell her my story with You
And she’s hungry to know can You help her too?

She shares her story with tears and sighs
Barren, broken and now abandoned
No one will ever love her again she’s sure
Little I say will make a difference to her.

I start with Sarah, Rebecca and Hannah
Tell her I know You and the difference You’ve made
Maybe. Maybe she’s willing to listen
Even though in her eyes tears still glisten.

Silence stretched on she gets up to leave
Half-way down the beach she turns to wave
Will she ever come back this guest unplanned
Ever make God a friend to help her to stand?

Don’t have the answers I leave it to You
But I thank You so much for our guest today
For the chance to share in another’s life
May Your words shine a light n her strife.

Thank You Lord for this place by the Sea
A place of prayer and serenity
Tomorrow Lord for it’s in You hand.
Send another guest down along the sand.
          d.f.a.v. 4/9/14
Let it be,
–Donna