seems only the best are taken

To honor Rallyn Van Beek, Betty Mennega, Kara Tippets, Phyllis Meerdink, and Ed Zomermaand; whose loss is grieved, whose memory is treasured, whose faith is rewarded!

pilgrims on a journey

through lonely valley

of uncertain, unchosen

battles of aging, cancer,

treatments, injury and pain.

how to understand it?

how to go on? one step by

wobbly step, one tough day to next;

Spirit lifts struggling saints

 in present hard grief to

glimpse higher vision.

their suffering redeemed by

the Father for holy purpose as

spirits grow ever stronger

with time, faith and courage.

dying is simply a

passageway to paradise,

true rest, complete healing;

they know the Prince of Peace

who calls and carries them home.

IMG_6975

photo: “Rose of Sharon” (crown anemone) in “Promised Land” (Israel)

when leaves have wings

(dreamstime: royalty free stock photo)(dreamstime image)

flock of black starlings

dark shapes clinging to bare tree

now leaves fall…skyward! 

 


Kristjaan shares his knowledge and experience at Carpe Diem Haiku Kai ...my haiku today tries to incorporate the element of “surprise”

 

beauty is …

 

evident in

self-sacrifice;

deny one’s

own needs

to satisfy one

who’s even

more needy.

 

go hungry to

feed a child,

feel thirsty by

sharing last

water bottle,

be humbled by

another’s honor.

 

listen to

someone’s

complaint,

ease a pain,

change a bed

or diaper for

young or old.

 

doesn’t come

naturally, but

life and love

will demand

we give up

our own ugly

selfishness,

 

if we want to

live beautiful.

 


 

Written for Mary’s poetry prompt on “beauty” at d’Verse Poets

summer camper

Linking with Carpe Diem Haiku Kai….

photo credit: afbini.gov.uk

photo credit: afbini.gov.uk

laudamus te

“To a Skylark” by William Wordsworth

 

heavenly skylark

inspires song of Wordsworth poem

melody of praise

flying_skylark_02

Skylark (Alauda Arvensis) Royalty Free Stock Images

air in motion

our atmosphere

photo by S. Etole

Photo credit:  S. Etole

is making some

commotion here

 

wind blows

chinook whips

zephyr flows

tempest grips

norther howls

westerly stalls

squall prowls

microburst falls

 

yes, it will please

to dry the laundry

on soft breeze

 

but gusty gale

 

frames a pout

when all umbrellas

turn inside out!

 

 


Sharing with TweetSpeak Poetry…

 

 

i fightis colitis

 

stressed out

pressed out

spread thin as

melted butter

dries into hard

charred toast

(cheap toaster,

get what you

pay for, huh?)

 

calendar days

overlap, overfill

with uneventful

events (or ever

errant errands);

can’t clear any

cluttered squares

for open spaces

just to breathe.

 

responsibilities

worry like dog

that won’t let go

of old stale bone;

just bury them

(in moist garden

with earthworms

in dirt) dig ’em up

later, composted.

 

body is inflamed

system attacks own

internal flora/fauna

(acidic thoughts

exacerbate cycle:

over-react  or

stuff fears deep?)

irritated colon tries

to digest itself.

 

is it possible

to self-correct

immuno-hyper-vigilantis?

 


 

“Therefore we do not lose heart.  though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”

2 Corinthians 4:16-18

 

 

 

 

pheasant pleasantries

keeping-pheasants-51dff6695d617

 

“haiga” for Carpe Diem Haiku Kai

inviting an archeologist to dinner

IMG_6847

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tel-Aviv we’ve filled out the guest list

Tel-Beersheva it’s bring your own beverage

Tel-Dan ancient veal will be an entree option

Tel-Masada he’s welcome for duration of siege

Tel-Avedat her ostracon reveals menu caveat

Tel-Jericho to not throw dishes at any busboys

Tel-Megiddo we’re serving a 26-layer dessert!

 


Linking to Imaginary Garden with Real Toads

 

freedom’s creed

 

The right to believe what you choose comes with

the responsibility to allow another’s free choice.

The right to say what you want comes with

the responsibility to listen to another’s view.

The right to publish your own words comes with

the responsibility to enlighten another’s mind.

The right to live where you would comes with

the responsibility to live at peace with another.

The right to act on your convictions comes with

the responsibility to let others act on theirs.

The right to experience the joy of being alive comes with

the responsibility to respect the life of another.

When faith, speech, or action no longer respects the LIFE of another,

then it forfeits freedom and it  must.

be.

stopped.

middle-eastern mosaic

 

sheep and stones dot steeply jaded hillsides

waves gently ripple across flashing sapphire lake

flock of creamy white gulls wing high on moist air

flowers pop like bright gems from monastic garden

blossoms clothe almond orchard in translucent pink

 

children chatter on walk to gate-guarded schoolyard

vendors persistently hawk a myriad of market wares

pilgrims from global village tour preserved holy site

devotees bow reverently in faithful, diverse prayers

soldiers drill younger patriots to handle heavy guns

 

traffic honks over chaos of narrow cobbled street

song of acapella worship echoes from chapel dome

aromas of food, local grown, entice to exotic buffet

history’s dusty layers exposed by digging ancient tell

cultures clash at civilizations’ crowded crossroads

 

next year in jerusalem

IMG_7109

anticipation of pilgrimage to

holy land for the christian

state of israel for the jew

and palestine for the arab

jerusalem, ironically named

“foundation of peace”,

salem (shalom) means

“wholeness, unbrokeness”

yet real shalom eludes us all

land divided

walls broken down

relationships strained

how will diverse people live together in sacred space?

who will take a vow of peace and keep a promise?

it is a land of no lesser miracles!


“The Lord watch between me and thee…”   see you when i return!

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