a poem in my pocket

if you die,

let me keep a

favorite piece of

your worn clothing

to hang in guest closet,

or lay folded in deep drawer

when i’m lonely, i will pull it

out to touch a precious memory

cuddle softly round my neck

bury face in warm texture

dampen with my tears

smell your love

once again.

dawn

of first day

God speaks:

“Let there be Light!”

brilliance bursts forth

illuminates the void

chases darkness

into its corners

earth’s history

begins

photo by lynn: Bougainvillea (Israel)

Advent means “coming”. Emmanuel means “God with us.” Christmas is a worldwide celebration of Jesus coming to earth as a baby over 2000 years ago. Yes, he has come! What are we still waiting for??

We wait for his Spirit to come in a personal, more intimate way; to transform our hearts, to fill our lives with his love. We want to know Yeshua better as a friend and brother who will forgive every sin and heal our brokenness. Jesus means “he saves”. Could God be patiently waiting for us to come to him in faith?

Creation groans and we groan with it. We were created for paradise; we ache for ourselves and our hurting world to be restored to its original perfection. The King is coming back to make all things new and we anticipate that great (and terrible) future day.

Angels announced his first coming and told each witness, “Fear not”. Though times grow dark, we who believe can fearlessly hold out his light of hope. His kingdom citizens work, watch, and wait for heaven’s final trumpet fanfare when the Lord returns in power and glory!

mid-winter’s flower

thorns pierce blooms like drops of blood

messiah’s coming