The Young Man and the Sea

Cerulean waves of depth, threatening 

The young man's hope.

What is the scope

Of the horizon?

It surprised him

How well he knew the sounds

Of wind and rain.

He turned around to bait his line

Casting it to the depth of possibility

Doubting his ability.

Yet knowing he must to it cling.

Gray waves of exhaustion, overwhelming

His clouded mind.

Faith and Doubt intertwined

With harsh reality. 

The winds of joviality--

How they had dissapated to doldrums

Of boisterous calm. 

He felt the weight tugging his line.

Lifting it from the sea, he sighed

For the hook held only Disappointment Applied.

When would he land opportunity? 

Silver moon of reflected light, gleaming

Over the man.

As he fights to stand

And flourish and live.

What the light's glimmer gives!

How it paired with the stars points

To True North!

He grasps at the bow, thinking.

Renewing his purpose, line he cast

For he'd harbor no bitter thoughts of the past

For lack of faith could destroy him.

But what could defeat him?

"A man can be destroyed but not defeated." ~Ernest Hemingway, The Old Man and the Sea

Big Enough

For the people of New York City; may God show His power and glory to each of you in a powerful way!


Just like the monoliths that tower above the city streets
Look so much bigger in person than what most generally meets
The eye when you look at pictures, that's what I'm like--enhanced,
So powerful and above all. You must do more than glance.
Refuse to rely on pictures that others give you of Me.
Draw near and take in My glory. Know firsthand My majesty.
I'm big enough to hold your hand in the crowded ways you face.
I'm big enough to meet your needs with My relentless grace.
I'm big enough to grant you strength to share My hope with them.
I'm big enough to pick you up when you fall and yield to sin.
I'm big enough to orchestrate all out for your best good.
I'm big enough to help you do things you never could.
I'm big enough to handle the moments when you cry.
I'm big enough to take it if you need to ask me why.
I'm big enough to sing with you when sun in your life shines.
I'm big enough on cloudy days to whisper "You are Mine."
I'm big enough to satisfy your hunger and your thirst.
I'm big enough to help you when your life yield you the worst.
I'm big enough to give you joy when the roadway seem too rough.
I promise you, my child. Be still. I am big enough.

I'm Speechless

for my Speechless sisters; thank you for all you've taught me about our God...

I look into Your Word

In expectation

I see my Hope, my Peace,

My Joy, and my Salvation.

And I'm speechless.

I see the miracles You do

As You make the blind see.

And I stand in awe

When You speak to me,

And I'm speechless.

I see You hanging there

Upon that cross.

Why don't You come down?

Without You, I'm lost 

And I'm speechless.

I see the empty tomb;

My heart begins to sing.

Say what? My God is risen?

Death could not hold my King?

I'm speechless.

One day I'll see you there

Upon Your throne.

I'll bow to give You praise,
Lift my hands toYou alone,

As always, completely speechless.

"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek You;  my soul thirsts for You; my flesh faints for You, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water. So I have looked upon You in the sanctuary, beholding Your power and glory. Because Your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise You. So I will bless You as long as I live; in Your name I will lift up my hands." (Psalm 63:1-4)

"Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him." (Psalm 33:8)

One of Those Days

It had been one of those days.

I felt tired and worn.

 Everything was crazy.

My heart was torn

Over the actions of others

And my own sin.

Emotions were racing;

And I knew deep within

That there had to be something

Greater to know

Than this discouragement

That brought my head low.

It was one of those days.

He felt tired and worn.

Everything was crazy.

His heart was torn

Over the sins of others

Though He had no sin.

Emotions were racing,

And He knew deep within

That He was giving us something

Greater to gain

He called to His Father

 In the midst of His pain.

It's been one of those days.

For the truly insane.

 I've been needed each time

Someone called my name.

I'm utterly exhausted

In an extreme sense

But Jesus found solace

In His Father's presence.

"Abba, if Jesus needed that

To remember His calling,

I surely need that time

To keep me from falling.

And when I recall a day

That was a daunting task,

I'll remember the things

That You've done in the past."

It's just one of those days

And all is not lost.

I'll remember my God;

I'll remember the cross.

How the Profs Stole End-of-the-Semester-Joy...

In the style of the beloved Dr. Seuss

All the students liked End-of-the-Semester Joy a lot
But the profs who had lots to grade, did NOT!
The profs hated the semester's end--all the ungraded craze;
Don't ask me why--they assigned those essays!
It could be their heads weren't screwed on just right;
Either way, all the teachers were crazy that night.
And while all the profs were evilly typing
All of the students were feverishly hyping.
"And their playing on Facebook," the profs snarled with sneers.
"End-of-the-Semester Joy--it's practically here!"

And the more the profs thought about this "It's-Over Joy" fling,
The more that they thought, "We must stop this whole thing!"
Why, for fifty-three years they'd put up with this now!
They must stop Happiness from happening! But HOW?
And then they got an idea. An Awful Idea!
THE PROFS GOT A WONDERFUL, AWFUL IDEA!
Yes, those profs were so smart and so slick
That they thought up finals and they thought them up quick!
So they took a paper and a pen that was red
And they put a big raincloud over their students' heads.
Then they sat back and chuckled; now they wouldn't be alone
When going through the last-days' groan.
For tomorrow, they knew, everyone in the college
Would be frantically praying for wisdom and knowledge.

The students would have the stressfulness, too;
Although I'm not sure those profs thought it all through.
'Cause no matter what they decide to do,
They'll always have to grade far into the night
The finals we take or the papers we write.
We will still finish first on this whole finals thing,
And because of this reason we can sing, sing, sing, sing!
Although finals stress us out for hours

And though the thought of diligence sours,
The very last laugh will always be ours!

Welcome, finals, while we stand
Heart to heart while trying to cram.
End-of-the-Semester Joy will always be
Just as long as we have we!

Butterfly House

for Denise Ray, who shared my pre-presentation anxiety...

Inside the butterfly house
A dim, worrisome silence
Screaming
With a giddy cry
For relief.

The butterflies' batting wings
Brush against each other
Roughly.
Begging to be let out
And know peace.

The walls that held them in
Feel their tension.
Pressure.
Causing the house to shake
With fears.

Words tumble out of the chimney
Of the haunted house.
Terror.
All the other houses in the neighborhood
Are watching.

And then the moment ends--
The butterflies rest,
Again.
The house settles down
To recover.

Inside the butterfly house
A bright, peaceful silence.
Singing.
The student's form relaxes--
Presentation complete.

Same, Same, Same, Same, Different

A life full of stripes--
Black, white, black, white--
Repetition of day and night.
Same, same, same, same.

She rambles through the mess
Of responsibility's stress.
Perfection rather than rest.
Same, same, same, same.

His head is in his hands
For He doesn't understand;
Where is truth in his life plan?
Same, same, same, same.


Same, Same, Same, Same--
This Truth we can claim
Because Faithful is His name.

Life full of the mundane
Hectic schedule, daily drain,
But because He is the Same
We must be without blame--
Different.

I Got a B: For Best with Grace

The test came
And went.
I tried hard,
I studied much,
I worked diligently.

Only to get a B.

And I told myself
I was bad.
I should've done better.

The test came
And went.
She tried hard,
She studied much,
She worked diligently.

And got a B.

And I told her
It was okay.
She'd tried her best
And I was proud of her.

Today, I was thinking
About that test.
Frustrated with myself
And tearing myself down
For not doing better.

And then Light began to dawn.

Jesus told us to love our neighbor as ourselves
But maybe
We need to love ourselves as our neighbor.
Just maybe.

After all,
I cut her slack
Told her it was okay.
Why was I beating myself up?

Why was I holding myself to a high standard of performance
When all Jesus had for me was grace?

So I asked Him.
What is the truth:
The balance between
Striving for excellence
And striving for perfection?

And He said:
"The test came
And went.
You tried hard,
You studied much,
You worked diligently.

You got a B.
But it's not the end of the world.
I just want you to remember my grace
Remember
That my strength is made perfect in your weakness.

It is okay.
You tried your best
And I am proud of you."

I got a B: For Best with Grace.

College--Robber!

Crazy tests,
Too much stress
Pop culture questions galore,
Awful math,
Difficult path,
Essays and projects and more.
College--
Robber
Oh what you are taking from me!
Indeed.

Ms. Snow said
It was an exchange
Yet why must I find
Molarity's range?
Exchange?
Rearrange.
Change.

Blissful the past;
Security clasped.

Tears,
Fears
Troubling years:
College--
Robber.
For this you are taking from me:
Sanity.