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From the Cottage-by-the-Sea #5, 5/5/2021

May5
Art & photo by dfav.
O Father!  I am here!
You are too let there be no mistake.
My heart leaps with acknowledgment,
My soul drinks in Your peace,
Though outside the pounding storm does not cease.

O Father!  I am here!
Should I rush outside into this gale?
My heartbeat quickens with the waves,
My soul gasps at this darkness mid-day,
Though I see the Son is waiting to show the way.

O Father!  I am here!
This storm is greater than any hurricane.
My heart cannot deny the danger,
My soul remembers You provide for the sparrow,
Though it seems there may be no morrow.

O Father!  I am here!
It is time to pray and praise only You.
My heart longs for Your continual presence,
My soul knows any rescue for anyone is in You,
Though the winds shrill with evil in what they do.

O Father!  I am here!
This wall of darkness slammed down is even worse.
My heart sees in it those fallen and confused,
My soul sends me outside to scream, "Come home",
Though they turn from us wanting to be alone.

O Father!  I am here!
Will You not send me though destruction flies?
My heart cries for what will never be again,
My soul clings to You to withstand the probability,
Though this country is called to accountability.

O Father!  I am here!
Light returns as the storm recedes.
My heart rejoices that our cottage still stands,
My soul mourns for all that is now gone,
Though it is as if the USA never stood alone.

O Father!  I am here!
We search for all the other survivors.
My heart weeps for those freshly wounded,
My soul for those completely wiped away,
Though still proof exists You are here this day.

O Father!  I am here!
Is this vision for now or a future time?
My heart stirs as I look at You,
My soul trusting in Your true direction,
Though others balk let me follow Your instruction.

----dfav
5/5/2021

Abba Father, Thank You

Jul27

Abba Father,

Thank You for air.
Air that fills my lungs naturally
And that air pumped in to complete the need.
Thank You for the care
You demonstrate in this provision.

Thank You for choice.
For being able to choose my action,
To decide what I believe and don’t,
And even what in my heart gets traction,
And what slips on away.

Thank You for encouragement.
For voices of now and past,
Who clean out my wounds and scars
So poisonous infections can’t last
But are washed away by caring.

Thank You for this moment.
Of awareness of my many blessings.
For too often I focus on my needs
On what I perceive as being lacking
Instead of what You’ve already given.

Thank You for Your love.
This never-ending resource of Your being
That sets within me the standard
Through which all of life and man needs viewing.
So I can be Your hands and feet.

Thank You for this time.
When our hearts truly communicate,
When there’s no motivation or mission
Beyond what You would dedicate
Towards You and Your people.

Amen.
       —dfav 7/27/17

—Donna

Jesus

Sep30

Healing,
We may never never forget,
But right now
Jesus…

Wellness,
We need You to help us forgive,
In these moments,
Jesus…

Forever,
For a solution to work long term,
In the dark hours,
Jesus…

Eternity,
Be our love, compassion and truth,
Light up our heart,
Jesus.
            dfav 9/29/16

—Donna

This is YOUR Life

Sep22


Our lives.
The good,
The not-so-good,
The down-right ugly ones.
They’re ours.
Want to claim them, or not,
They’re ours.

Our lives,
Days numbered,
Some live longer,
Some live less,
Nonetheless, it is appointed,
One day,
We will die.

What we’ve,
Done with these days,
Really come into focus,
We really begin to see,
With eternal residence,
At stake we ask,
What choice did I make?

People die,
Age no reason,
No “too young” nor,
No “too old”,
None to good,
None to evil,
It’s appointed.

Accidents happen,
Diseases strike,
Brakes fail,
Hearts break,
Sometimes no warning,
Most times,
No warning at all.

Take care,
Of your business now,
Then regardless,
Of the timing,
You’re prepared,
Ask God,
To rule your life.

People will know,
Even if you never,
Utter a single word,
The vitality,
Of your every moment,
Comes when
You die.

May you not die,
Before your ready,
Before you accept,
The apologies,
Mourn the losses,
Hang on with gusto,
Serve to the fullest.

After all,
You get one life,
No expiration date,
Beyond expectation
God gifted life to you,
How are you gifting,
It forward?

If today’s,
My time, may you know,
I love God,
Our daughter,
My husband,
Our family and
Our church.

What would,
I know about yours?

                      dfav 9/22/16

—Donna

Cottage By-the-Sea #16, 9/16/16

Sep16

Abba Father,
You know the hairs upon my head,
The number of days confined to bed,
You know every word I ever read,
The good and ugly of what I’ve said.
Even if I wanted escape from You,
Couldn’t forget what You say and do.
Yet I blow it all at times beyond belief,
An anger burning deep with no relief.
My mind sidetracked with destructive thoughts,
Pouting hasn’t given the release I’ve sought.
This world only had one spark,
Jesus Himself the light in the dark.
Having now seen man out-of-control,
Sends me running back to Christ’s fold.
Lord, help me please not to lazily sin,
To allow Satan such an easy win.
Even if some wounds are hurt and raw,
Forgiving then forgetting is the call.
Until then when I reach Your side,
May I one day have nothing to hide.
   Amen                               -dfav 9/15/16

—Donna

Existing

Sep7

This is existence without living.

You function through your days,

You breathe, you act responsibly,

All the right signals and ways,

To translate the message as expected,

I’m here, go on, I understand.

But, you don’t understand,

In the secret chambers of your heart,

You’re screaming, you’re clinging,

But you play this crazy part.

Why should all of you suffer?

It isn’t your disease, move on.

Perhaps if you could conceive,

Of questioning everyone’s motivation,

For you learn everyone has one,

You’d understand my determination,

To allow this madness inside myself,

Simply to carry on and on.

To have only the help given me,

The humiliation of having to ask,

For help for small, even intimate things,

Lost abilities to do easiest of tasks,

And knowing you’ve no choice,

If you’re to stay awake or lose it all.
No, this is existence, not living.

              dfav 9/2/16

—Donna

Baby Love

May24

image

O Sweet Little Baby,
There’s so much I can teach you,
Show you,
Explain to you.
But you must first learn,
Patience,
And perseverance.

You will imagine you see love,
Do you?
What is the view?
You must learn love.
Love is new or shabby.
It can come from mommy or daddy.

Let me show you love pristine.
New and awakening.
No mistakes and misgivings.
When love is unspoiled,
By sweat and blood,
Emotions do flood.

Eventually you’ll know love,
By its raw taste,
Of life’s dirt and grime paste.
You can’t be fooled by,
Fancy threads,
And gallant beds.

Love’s smell comes from the sweat of the brow,
Bitten lip when hammer slips,
But metallic blood instead of curse words cross your lips.
Love loosens a bit.
When the conversation centers round,
Why a Christian singer is wearing THAT, pulled far down.

O little one there is much I can teach you,
What love looks like,
What entrapment feels like.
What Christ looked like grave defeated!
Love feels like restored,
At the price unable to be counted.

So come quickly now and share God’s love.
The love that will have endured,
The love that has sin’s cost covered.
Come share the love for one another,
The love of husbands and wives,
The love of friends in our lives.
But, yes, O yes, share that of Christ who will never die.
—Donna.     dfav 5/22/16

Like Christ I Want To Be

Mar28

image

I want to give it all,
Like Christ on the cross,
Counting no loss,
Turn it over to Him,
And walk away,
To follow the I Am.

Like Peter, James and John,
Asked to watch while Jesus prayed,
But awake they never stayed,
Their heads drooped down to sleep.
The thirst for their human need,
Overcame their spiritual intentions,
To be faithful to Messiah.

I want to give it all,
Like Christ on the cross,
Counting no loss,
Turn it over to Him,
And walk away from them,
To follow Christ, the living God.

I’m like so many of this world,
I cannot keep my word,
I choose wrong not right dear Lord,
Please reign me in,
Mold me into a servant true,
Scrape away all the masks,
Purge me of the lies.

I want to give it all,
Like Christ on the cross,
Counting no cost,
Turn it over to Him,
And walk away from them,
To follow Immanuel.
                     dfav 3/27/16
—Donna

A Letter Long Overdue

Feb8

image

Dear God,
I wanted to send You a letter.
Some may call this a prayer,
And that’s okay,
Either way,
Its the content, not the title.

First, thanks because I see better.
Visibility improved so quick its rare.
At the break of day,
I must say,
Thank You for the things I take for granted.

Second, there’s You and Your gift at Calvary,
It floods my life with grace,
Seeps through cracks,
Front and back,
Continuous and flowing.

Second, my husband, all he is and his bravery,
Love for You and us on his face,
Intertwined and strong,
That can’t be wrong,
For it too is overwhelming.

Third, our heart and our joy,
Our daughter, half child, half grown,
Each time she says Mama or Dad,
Cause for joy, not sad,
Even when our patience is tried.

Fourth, we’re among the free, not toys,
We’ve accepted we’re not pawns.
You’ve been patient so long,
We hear the sweetest song,
To it our life and hearts are tied.

Fifth, for our homes, what was and is,
Our meals, someone prepared them,
Clean water to drink and bathe,
More though, to us time You gave,
All the little stuff I take for granted.

Sixth, last but not in priority is the ease,
With which You blessed my day,
For this morning I woke,
To hear what You’ve spoke,
And counted my blessings again.
                    dfav 2/8/16
—Donna

Pour Me Out

Jul31

image
Photo taken by Martha Gaston Taylor, used by permission. PhotoGrid used by poet/blogger to add text to photo.

Lord,
You alone know me complete,
Know all my lefts,
Know all my rights,
Know more of me than I, myself.

Pour me out Sweet Jesus,
Use every drop of me You can,
No one else can use my weakness,
To do anything for good.

You alone know Your needs,
Know the who’s,
Know the why’s,
Can I be a vessel for You, Yourself?

Pour me out Sweet Jesus.
Use every drop You can
No one else can use my brokenness,
To do anything for good.
        d.f.a.v. 07/29/15
—Donna