But what is to be done...?

Thump Thump Thump

Tap Tap Tap

Drip Drip Drip

Clank Clank Clank

Whoosh Swoosh Gush

Mysterious sounds

Thoughts in a Flurry

Feet in a Hurry

Everyone at every turn, 

appointing themselves Judge and Jury.

All the Chaos each and every demand

taking its toll. 
Boy, you think..." It's a little much,

I could really use a hand."

But what is to be done?

To kick?

To scream?

To shout out a command?

Stand tall and adamantly demand?

Best case scenario, best possible outcome

is to take a deep breath,
 grab hold of God's promises

and allow Him to hold securely your hand.

He knows how to get you through the troubled waters, beyond any obstacle blocking your way.

No time limit or expiration on the offer.

God is totally great that way....He is here to stay! 

Your Are A Champion

Doodles and dawdles

Ducks with endearing waddles

Webbed feet and fluffy feathers

Rounded beak, so sweet I can hardly speak

Bunny zippy, darting, hopping, jumping

Nose all a twitch, so much fun.

My side is in a stitch. 

Laughter and smiles

tumble over one another like 

the current in a stream trips over rocks.

Flowers everywhere; my eyes full of color

and my nose tickles with the scent of spring.

Blue skies prevail over the grey of winter.

White puffy clouds take the stage in its direct center.

Breezes blow cool and sun warms my cheeks.

The heavy load of this life lifts a might

in the face of such beauty and laughter and delight.

It is an ever present truth, those trials of life...

Some tiny in scope, others loom large,

But through it all, keep your smile at hand

and a spare laugh in your pocket

To determine to rise above the fray...

To decide to do it with fresh strength every day.

New beginnings in this season of renewal.

It's a great time to remind yourself that you are a precious gem,

a completely one of a kind jewel.

Your worth is priceless.

Your reason for being... unique.

You are like no other!

Remind yourself each day

and every hour...

on the minute, if need be.

You are extraordinary...truly,

with an adjustment to your heart

and a tweak to your thoughts...

You will realize you are a treasure to your 

heavenly Father

and the friends and family that surround you.

There is no reason to feel so abjectly low and pervasively blue.

Swing open the window wide and let the light pour in.

Switch out the mirror you've been looking in.

Shed light on the truth, let it out of that box.

It is the one marked with the label...

PRICELESS TREASURE

It indicates that at this thing called life, though the 

path has been rough and the climb rocky and steep,

you are a Champion!

Tuck yourself safely into your heavenly Father's

lap and allow His protective arms to encircle you in safety and in peace.

That thing you have been longing for, waiting for, craving with all your being....

Peace, Rest, Relief from the Grief

Lift up your head and open your eyes...

It's there in your reach.

It won't move away from your grasp on the particularly hard days 
or on the ones spent at the beach!

Dust Yourself Off

Dust, Rust, Crust

Shake it off....It's a must!

When you look through a perspective

 rarely viewed by others, if ever,

 you see what they do not.

It translates that you understand 

what others do not.

Do not begrudge

the solitary nature of your position; 

allow it to ring out clearly and loudly 

of what you see and what you know.

Be the looking glass

 for those that 

cannot see clearly. 

Be the instrument

 that brings truth

 and peace into focus.

Shine bright as you were created to shine.

Shaking off the dirt, soot, and dust that blows over you.

Begin with, maybe uncertain steps....

A sprinkling of doubt, a temptation to hide, to pout.

But begin. Start out, move forward. 

Gain strength and a sure footed stance.

Stick with it onward and upward. Go ahead

and do what you were made to do...born to be.

Let it shine for all to see.

Dare to believe you can step out of that 

place of longing to take your position

and establish a sense of belonging.

Sing, dance, write, cook, build, create;

Take care of business, do whatever it is;

paint, draw, play, run, talk....

do that which only you can do....

There are lots of people in the world, 

but there is only one

You!!!

I Have A Proposal

Flower buds and ribbiting frogs

Newborn calves and foals and lambs

Canning fresh fruit and making delectable jams

Gentle breezes and pollen induced sneezes

Crawling bugs and flying bugs and slow moving slugs

Longer light filled days, it all comes alive in Spring

Romance is assisted by clear starry nights

Sunkissed cheeks and windswept hair that

send thoughts of hugging and kissing into flight

Birds build nests and dogs chase butterflies

Children look out the window from their classroom

wishing, waiting and wanting the bell to ring freedom

Spring is full of fun, and romance and allergies

Daydreaming and vacation scheming

When spring comes and the blooms and birds

provide color and songs for eyes and ears

We should feel like kids again carefree and joyful

WHAT IF:

You just feel cranky

You wake up discouraged

Your hope feels flimsy

Your dreams appear colorless

Your  energy  is low and you are plain old listless

Cheer up and let yourself off the critical list

Take a time out and give it all a rest

It's impossible to be continually grade A and at your best

Fill your tank that is clearly low

Step back, let it wait, give it time

You should realize that taking care of yourself

is paramount, a healthy outlook and happy heart

Sometimes the best way to take part in life is to

say "It's about me today."

Giving out requires taking in.

Running the race and getting to the end

by remembering it is a marathon and not a sprint.

Take a nap, go for a walk, read a book,

sit down with a good friend

and have a long chit chatty kind of talk.

Then you will smile when the birds sing and the 

scent of the flowers tickle your nose.

You don't have to do any of it but, it is what I propose.

Green Isn't Just For Frogs

Green Eyes

Green Eggs

Green Clothes

Green Beer

The Land of the Leprechaun

Land green and lush

producing people of stamina

 and untold strength.

Through history they have 

endured and survived 

to have better, be better, live as Irishmen.

They have taken up this task at great length.

Flung like stars in the heavens, Irish people make their mark around the world, but in every heart they call Ireland home.

Its not just a fairyland for the gnome.

Land of legend, a story telling people

of conviction and rich history.

The story is of a country and story quite personal comprised of struggle 

and victory, 

of triumph knit together by individual contribution, sacrifice, and a collective goal.

Fighting others and each other....

 for beliefs held dear and it came at a dear price indeed.

Reaching back to the past and stretching towards the future, tying these two together in the present.

On this day we think of clover, four leaves in number.

We think of pots of gold 

and little men 

that guard them. 

We drink beer tinted green

 and

 luck........ Irish in nature.

Let us enjoy the day, have

 a laugh and a giggle or two.

Along the way let us honor the Irish today 

for their strength, determination, and can do attitude to carve out something better and stand tall in the process.

This blood some of us possess a drop or two...

it may be true of you

or not.

Bear this in mind, whether you are Irish or your blood is of a different kind,

observe the strength of the Irish

and make a note.

Tip your hat to St. Patrick and the people he loved so deeply.

On this fun day of remembrance, let us

honor the Irish with fun yes, but let us

give it some thought and also do it a little reverently and sweetly.

Wait Eagerly

Neatly trimmed 
Candle Wicks

Puppy Tongues 

Warm Licks

Winter Days 

slowly giving way

 to spring afternoons

 and

 memory filled picnics.

In the winter days, the trees let it all go. 
Allow their bare selves to be seen true.

The landscape can be viewed straight through.

Do we ever do this?

To let it all be seen uncloaked, uncensored, unashamed.

Our thoughts honest

Our words direct

Our actions clear

In the cold barrenness of winter....

when circumstances

 come in flurries and pile up like snow. 

Which way to turn?

Which way to go?

All winter, the trees stand as grand sculptures

unadorned, colorless.

We see every turn, every twist of each branch.

The scars and imperfections visible......
plainly seen by the naked eye.

No pretense.

What you see is what there is....in that moment....
for that season.

However, there is more to come. 

More to be seen.

More to be enjoyed.

To tantalize the taste buds to give pleasure to the eye.

The days turn softer and the sun caresses and coaxes....

the branches release, in perfect timing 
new born leaves....
Fresh budding flowers soon follow 

to announce a new season has begun.
Smartly dressed in shining,
 new greenery and trimmed in vivid color
 we benefit from 
the renewed shade of the tree
 in addition to all its beauty.

Are you feeling like a tree in winter.... 
exposed,
completely stripped?

Your next season is in place and the proof of it....
the truth of it.... 
will surprisingly
 soon announce its arrival 
in equal splendor. 

Don't let the chill of a long winter keep you
 from believing in a spring that will surely come.

Believe for the new thing inside of you.
 Trust the timing that it is not too late, 
that it is choosing 
its arrival with perfection, 
that it will be the moment for positive connection. 
In reflection you will see the pieces fit
 and the order in which they came.

You can securely depend on the fact that 
He is steady
yesterday, today, tomorrow... 
always the same.

Tending to each detail for your ultimate best.

You can stop trying so 
terribly hard
 and take a breath,
 have a rest.
Wait eagerly
for your spring.
Spring forward and into all that awaits you.
Your winter season is finished, it is through!

Dream A Little Dream....All Your Own

Dream Catchers, Dream Snatchers

Dream Holders, Dream Moulders

Dream Squashers, Dream Wishers

Who are you? Who of these comes 

closest to describing you true?

Who do you hang with, do life with,

go about your business doing your thing with?

When a dream is a seed, it needs nurtured so it can grow.

At the right time when you have grown 

right along with your dream,

it will come together, all together true.

A dream now a reality is still a delicate thing, 

Don't ignore its fragility.

Be bold and protect what belongs to you!

It doesn't transfer or expire.

It isn't something that you can hire.

The stamp on it reads...."Y.O.U."

So what are you going to do?

Pick it up or lay it down?

Be a dream catcher

Develop into a dream holder

Waste not one second more

Face it, we are all getting older

Attach yourself to someone

that fills the description of a dream moulder!

And the dream snatchers and squashers

of this world

Sad pitiful creatures; often appearing 

beautiful, successful and clever.

Look closer....they are heart empty, imagination lacking

tongue wagging bullies

with twisted motives and twisted features.

They are common thieves.

My suggestion is to stay away from people like these!

Dream once, Dream twice.

Dream three times.

Take my advice.

Snatchers are always lurking.

Try confidently looking them

straight in the eye 

and smirking.

Be bold.....grip tightly

to that dream you hold!!

Between a Rock and a Hardened Place

Between a rock and a hardened place.

It can happen, those rough spots and tight jams.

They occur, gnaw at you like a burr.....

Irritate, agitate, aggravate......

Overwhelm you with what looks up at you

from your overflowing plate.

It pays to pause and recognize 

what is the root, what is the cause.

Identify the source.....and with this information

create a plan and plot a course.

A way of escape from what pains your body

And weighs down your soul.

The little unnotable things 

that take an exacting toll.

This isn't a matter of checking it out 

with everyone you know.....

And taking a poll. 

As a matter of fact, how can I say this?

I must use a measure of tact.

It is no one's business; 

no one's authority has any power

here except your own.

Weed out the confusion, lock the door of open opinion

and hang a sign that declares.....NO ENTRY.....

And if need be, POST A SENTRY!

The rough, hard, difficult, challenging, unpleasant,

ongoing, seems like never ending stuff....

can cause us to become gritty, gruff, 

and full of some seriously, poisonous, bitter kind of stuff.

Can.....but doesn't have to.....

Speak to that "stuff", tell it to keep moving all the way through,

Don't rest, put up your feet or make yourself comfortable here.

No room or welcome will be made,

No red carpet will be laid.

Be assured, getting weary or discouraged is no sin,

but don't let those things live in you.....

It makes it impossible to win.

Our hearts are resilient, but they have limits,

they can break.....

We, as humans, have a great deal at stake.

So don't let those rough spots harden your heart

  or turn you into stone. 

Be comforted by the truth that,

 as hard as life deals with us,

we DO NOT walk through it alone!

God is absolutely with us and securely on His throne!

So, between a rock and a hard place? 

Don't let it harden you!

God is the solid rock upon which we stand. 

Lean into the rock and away from the hard place.

You will discover the tenderness and strength you need.

The Love, care and security you require 

in those moments 

when you feel

under duress and under fire. 

When between a rock and a hard place, 

don't allow it to cause the inside of you 

to become a hardened space.

Let God's strength and tenderness seep into your heart.

Open up.....do that much.....do your part.

It's a brand new day.....Make it a brand new start!

Appearances

Appearances can be deceiving.

Appearances can give you pause.

 Appearances can cause you to feel distressed and slightly depressed and like not getting dressed. 

But All is not always as it appears, so look deeper, believe for the best and wait a beat or two to fly into a panic. 

Don't run around acting all manic. 

So you are stressed and tired and feel you have no options or recourse. 

Yes, it is important to keep moving forward in life. 

It is valuable to always reach for the stars. 

But rushing around all the day will cause you 

to pay dearly and nearly take you out. 

Make you cranky and throw you into a pout.

So remember, part of forward is stop. 

Part of success is not constantly reaching for the stars, but sitting quietly and gazing at them. Part of taking care of your family is taking time to be set apart from them, to collect your thoughts and center your heart. 

As you grow weary, nothings feel like giant somethings and somethings appear ten kinds of impossible. 

So sit down gaze at the stars and consider who hung them in place with care.

You can't do it all. I can't do it all. 

It's Christmas, a time to consider that oh so tiny bundle of love that is the focus and heart of the season. 

That bundle who can take the burden that is crushing you and help you stand tall and strong once again.  

By all appearances you might be in a pickle. 

At every angle your life might look like a giant tangle. 

If you realize you need to look from a different view, take a cue from the keeper of the stars and all at once you will express an enormous Whew!!!!

He can see what we cannot. 

And reach farther than you ever possibly thought. 

Do what you will. Believe and expect how you want.

 For me, I will consider who hung the stars in place with care and choose to believe life is about to get better, 

the burden lighter and the days sweeter. 

Because as I consider the stars, 

I know the dude that did 

this incredible feat

 is worth giving my all 

and worshipping at

 His feet.

Just As I Am

 Knee Jerk

Rug Pulled

Boy, that guy

had me fooled.

Lost my way

Wrong way

What a day

Don't know quite

what to say.

Crowd closing in

 Trouble, Trouble, Trouble

I'm feeling a bit done in

Send help double quick

this forest I'm stuck

in is too thick.

Kneeling down

just as I am

I set aside my anxiety

release it out of my hands.

At first I struggle to loosen

my grip, but then I open my

hands and let it slip.

For my anxiety laid down 

and offered up,

I get in return a great peace

 and sense of well being.

God has my back...

on the good days

in the rough spots

  in the tight jams 

and in the 

sweet moments that

 linger.

Never alone

Never lost

My yes is the only thing it costs!

Odds Are..........

On Christmas morning

many things are discovered

countless surprises uncovered.

Puppies pop up,

New bikes,

Sleds,

Skates,

Basketballs

and building sets.

Video games,

cameras, warm sweaters

and personalized paper

for writing sweet, tender,

handwritten letters.

Wishes are often made

that cannot, will not,

should not fit in a box.

Wishes are made nontheless 

with expectation blooming.

If you are one of those people

believing for something to

come to you that is 

impossible or improbable or

unlikely  from an average 

point of view.

Believing anyhow

is what I encourage

Because to believe is the

most important component

found in these dreamers

who received.

Be a believer

a dreamer

an expecter....

Be Against All Odds...A Receiver!

Then I Remember

Frosty Morning

Dressed in Filthy Rags

Beard grown out

His shoulders sag

Lost in a cycle

of hopelessness

and utter despair.

He isn't alone

in number, others

like him huddle

in corners of buildings

and other out of the way places.

The needs mount

I feel helpless to 

lend a hand....

Offer true solutions

Make a difference.

Then I remember

the one and powerful 

thing at my disposal. 

So I pray 
and

release more resource in

greater force than mere

wishes ever did.

I can't see 

immediate results.

I can't know 

the whole story.

I lift up my prayers

and let them go. 

Remembering every problem

is not mine to solve.

It doubles my resolve

to do my assignment

with extra 

care and attention.

So much to do 
I don't even know it all

If I did, it would entail

far too much to mention.

Take a cue,

Yes, I mean you.

We can't do it all

Or fix it all

Or solve it all.

 The answers are there

and the help is at hand.

But just remember,

you as the one and only

you... have an assignment

designed with your name,

abilities and gifts.

So all the choices, 

distractions and tugs on your 

heart and your time....

Keep in mind,

you have a special occupation.

The perfect one for you!

Do it with your whole heart

 and all the energy you can muster.

Before you know it, 

in your particular

style and way,

what you do will

make a difference

and in a manner

you may not see

what you do will

save the day.

Pause Along The Way

Knock, Knock goes the door

Upon its opening, the invitation

to come in is extended.

Suddenly several snow covered

boots are standing empty in the 

hall with the melting snow 

dripping on the floor.

Clickety Clack goes the train

on the track around the tree.....

circling, whistling, announcing

Christmas is on its way;

 it's quite near!

Popcorn pops as the board games
 are laid out.
The fire in the fireplace crackles
as the music plays.

Togetherness...enjoying the festivities
The night drenched in moonlight and Christmas wishes.
At the evenings' end the boy leans in
to give his girl, under the mistletoe, kisses.

Christmas has its basic elements that we all share, 
but Christmas looks a little different
 to everyone everywhere.

When you ask, "What is your favorite part of Christmas?"
You will get as many different answers 
as people you ask.

The one thing.
The simple thing.
The common item in the basket of 
Christmas choices
You will hear from a million voices,
is that feeling of home, security, cozy continuity.
The warmth that wraps you in familiarity.

The lights, cookies and assorted sweet treats,
 the smell of pine, the laughter 
as games are played and popcorn is eaten.
The cherished thoughtful gifts....
They all sit on the foundation of home.

There are those among us who know none of this.
They travel the world or travel the streets.
All they do and all they know is to roam. 

Christmas has no sparkle or shine, 
no sense of
cozy warmth or familiar embrace.
They are not connected to person or persons
or any one place.

As you hustle through your days
preparing for every little tradition and each
special occasion during this season,
 might I suggest.....

Pause along the way 
to look people in the eye and smile sincerely
as they pass by.
A little gesture maybe, but probably not to them.
Could be the only genuine acknowledgement they receive.

Why not make an
 extra effort to 
pass out those sincere smiles
 from this day until Christmas Eve? 

And then the day after
and the day after that
until you and those passersby
have something to
open their hearts
 to once again
or maybe
for the first time
have something beautiful
in which to believe.