[cornerstone]


wiry little boy with glasses
grew to be prison chaplain,
found his niche ministering
[ to guys inside the walls ]

make one bad decision
or follow foolish friends
and train ride ends with
[ time inside the walls ]

they have watched men die
but won’t cry, except to see
another sinner get baptized;
[ set free inside the walls ]

we’ve been taken through;
frisked before entering gate,
blessed to worship too with
[ church inside the walls ]


Melissa hosts poetics at the pub with Johnny Cash singing his Folsom Prison Blues…

joy ride


“Time goes faster the older you get”
i realize it’s true, especially the good times

meandering multiplied (s)miles,
you and i on camping road trips;
every curve reveals

another vista of love’s wonder upon
bespectaculared smiling blue eyes,
mirror pools of creation’s beauty.


Quadrilles and smiles with De and dVerse poets today 🙂

acrostic affection

graphic from vecteezy.com

All of you are the
best-loved grand
child, of course!
Dearest of dears,
each of you is a
favorite of ours.
Goodness knows
how much we’re
incredibly blessed
just to personally
know you and your
luminous parents!
Sweetest peeps,
never doubt that
our love for you all
pulses on forever.
Quite naturally and
rather proudly, we
say your genes and
talents are amazing,
understandably so!
Valentines of mine, I
will cover you with
xxxx and oooo as
you grow mature,
zip-lining into life!

______________

Linking to dVerse where Laura hosts MTB…

waiting for epiphany

Frank hosts haibuns for first dVerse prompt of new year…


Covenant promises were broken and son’s family torn apart by unwanted divorce. Our extended family suffers open wound of missing member, like amputation of limb. Love betrayed, life upended, dreams died. No wonder God hates divorce. It wasn’t His plan.

We witness son’s pain and his own sad choices. Too many words, not enough action. Bitterness and resentment move in like unwelcome squatters. Children confused by chaos that’s no fault of their own but caused by adults not adulting.

Difficult emotional journey for all. Loyalties forced to change. Lifestyles rearranged. The mother of our grandchildren remarries; estranged and stranger to us. Doors closed and locked. Yet, we love our grands…hope new family succeeds?!

_______

leave the past behind

beautiful wedding photo

how must i forgive?

sin’s web

Photo by Rafael Garcin on Unsplash

_______

“to err is human”

we’re easily entangled

one mistake…ruin.

________

“Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Proverbs 4:23 (NIV)

trusting, tried & true


oh JOY, joy, joy threefold

we celebrate this day

as year is growing old

oh joy, JOY, joy threefold

may our own faith be bold

God hears us when we pray

oh joy, joy, JOY threefold

we celebrate this day!


Much to celebrate this season with Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day. Our family also celebrates three milestones for our newest granddaughter, Maggie Mae: healthy birth (Nov. 28), successful heart surgery (Dec. 12), and homecoming (Dec. 24)! Thank you for your prayers.

when storm subsides

May be an image of goose
photo of sundogs by Valerie Hoffman

bark shrill in pale sky

damp chill creates twin sun dogs

guard stark winter day

Christmas lessons & carols

At dVerse poets , we look back on 2025 for the last poetics prompt of the year…


Looking back in rearview mirror,

on events of past month of year,

swipe tissue under blurry eyes

and serve up slice of humble pie.

Sweet baby, born before her time,

fits beautifully in family line

but tiny heart anomaly

means coming home not yet to be.

God, in his wisdom, has a plan

higher than that of mortal man;

helpless we feel to watch and wait

while surgeon’s skills work delicate.

Magdalena will live her name

demonic power of death won’t reign;

her will to live is stubborn, strong

her parents, faith-full, walk along.

Grandparents care for brother, Gid

( and wonder at precocious kid! )

family and friends all watch and pray,

believe in miracles today!

patchwork friends

our friendship, not hemmed in
by time or location, offers ample
ease for plenty of free movement.
we started on school bus, bobbin’
as fresh-facing kindergarteners;
as middle schoolers, we darted
on bicycles to local pharmacy,
spacious park or shopping mall
to gather summer memories. in
high school and college, took
backstitch or two along the way,
but eventually stood witness as
each took vows binding ourselves
to husbands (promises we’ve kept).
an old favorite friendship that can
stretch seamlessly across the years
and distance; comfortable and warm
as a patchwork quilt; hearts appliqued
with sisterly love, lined with laughter,
covered with grace-patterned shalom.


For my dear friend, Joyce

Joining with dVerse Poets to “sew” some poetry together!

prayer for faith, hope, love

Our newborn grand daughter, Maggie Mae, born 11-28-25, awaits heart surgery 12-12-25.


Dear Father God,

who knit this little one together

in her mother’s womb,

why are we now tied up in knots?

we wonder as we wait for her coming heart surgery…

it’s hard to hope for the best when we imagine the worst,

and yet…yet…yet…YOU. You are with us

in the waiting; You are Immanuel, Lord of Advent.

You watch her sleep (as monitors beep) in this sterile space;

You hold our dear grand daughter in your gracious embrace.

You love her more than her mother, father, or any of us can.

You hear bold prayers by day and quiet sobs in the night.

You are the ultimate Healer and we know You will

work on her tiny heart (even as you work on ours).

Grow all our hearts bigger, like Yours!

Amen.

light will dawn

alone in the dark

waiting and watching with hope

God’s kingdom coming!

Spirit is deposit of

amazing inheritance.

_____________

From today’s sermon by Pastor John Lee on Micah 7when the darkness is deep, we look for the Light!

raven


intelligent eyes

watch tourists enjoy salmon

until winter comes

brave wings push into snowstorm

heart of alaskan spirit

______________

Previous Older Entries