Digging It - Poetry From My Past

Here are some random mini-poems, penned over the decades past.

Teenagers

First date
touch act to follow


Untitled

I want a window
with a room



Multiple Personality Disorder

Wild Child born of a different form
known by no one but held by many
you run unpredictably hither
yon.

So abstract your thinking
none can pursue the depth
of the twirls and times which
resist and survive in a dimension
we lack.

Mind minglers distract and confuse.
Your awareness goes beyond what we
sense when you capture our thoughts,
refusing your own dream,you
want us to be your security.




Over, Easy

Relationships
like two eggs
cracked open
poured out side by side
to be scrambled until inseparable
or left alone, sunny sides up -
anyway you do it,
they're cooked.

Sixteen (plus 43) Candles

How much money do you have to have to be rich? Money may make you wealthy but you can still be poor. Your life -- health, friends, family, and God are what make you rich.

I always thought that when I reached the age I am I would have it all figured out. But the older I get the less I know. I'm going to trust God, pray more, worry less, and definitely eat more chocolate!

If you want to stay active and in shape you need to find a fun way to exercise with friends. Something you look forward to doing, not something exhausting that you dread. For us, that is racquetball. I always look forward to the next game; it's always fun. I play with friends and when I'm done playing I discover I got a fee workout. Oh, and when you go back home, if there is a furry, four-legged creature hanging around to greet you, that's pretty cool too.

Life is what you make it - tired old saying, but true. You cannot expect other people to make your life more fun or to be there for you all of the time. Everyone is busy leading their own lives and you are not their top priority. If you are lucky enough to have a loving spouse/partner, a loving family and terrific friends, then you have a very rich life.

Sometimes I think I never grew up. I still believe life is all about giving of yourself and loving others. I have seen much death and destruction and sadness over the years. I have read and watched and been a part of many of these things. Yet, there are those moments, triggered by a picture, a comment, a sound, a smell- something where time stands still, and I am able to focus on how beautiful things may be.


When I read your request I had something pop into my head immediately. So here is my one thing I've learned in life and I feel it applies to more than Christmas.

Somehow or other it came just the same...
It came without ribbons! It came without tags!
It came without packages, boxes or bags!
Maybe Christmas doesn't come from a store
Maybe Chrismas...perhaps...means a little bit more!

Sally is back

The drama is over. Sally Grace, formerly Sally Sue, is back at our house. Her middle name became Grace because it was God's grace that went to work big time on her behalf.
Capturing a loose dog, especially one which has not fully bonded with its new owners and home, is a challenge. Long story short, we all did as much as we could to provide familiar scents for her to track. Clever girl that she is she did get into the live trap 2 times without engaging the door closing device! Clever woman, her new owner, put a piece of cardboard down and Sally had to step on it to get to the food and when she did the pressure set the release off and closed the door.
She's fine, trimmer than before, cleaned up now, and feeling relieved that she's inside. We'll get a couple pounds back on her, work with her more and see what happens. Everyone is grateful. For now who can ask for anything more?

Easter Hodge Podge

Happy Easter to everyone!

We're getting snow. Very funny, God! I think Christmas was a lot like this. Well, it's not enough to stop people from going to church and on to dinner, or even the mall. Nothing stops people from going to the mall, who am I kidding? We went to the 5:30 service last night so that families with guests would have more room today.

Update on missing pooch - I know you're all tired of me going on about lost little Sally but get over it. She needs to be captured. And, if you'd all pray hard for that I'd be done with the story!!!! Last night she was spotted crossing the road at her usual fast trot pace and that was encouraging for her owners. They went back home and re-baited the live trap. Sometime between 1:30 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. the trap was cleaned out of food but the gate was not tripped. Sally had been captured in a live trap before (during her stint as a wild, unloved, uncared for dog). We're hoping she just got lucky and missed stepping on the closing device and will realize now that there is good food there and she will return. One of our dogs went down on Friday and "laid her scent" making a trail back to the house. Now Sally knows her way even more so we have to all believe she will soon return and be captured!

Next week I teach in our small group - about the mind sciences. YIPES. Thank goodness for Google. I can probably get a lot on Christian Science, Unity School of Christianity and United Church of Religious Science. We've learned a lot about the other religions and cults - WORLD RELIGIONS & CULTS 101 by Bruce Bickel & Stan Jantz. It's good to be informed.

Photo Gallery

Since I have the spare time right now I've dug out a few other photos to engage your imaginations. I wish I took my camera everywhere I go but I have to admit I don't. The photo of the butterflies was taken in our yard.



The two girls were in a nearby town at a festival.









The demolition shot was in Biloxi, MS, while on a break during a mission trip. We worked on several home projects for elderly and distraught people. You get dirty. You learn you have always set your own limits and therefore underestimated yourself, especially in God's eyes. But He always offers more chances for you to wake up to your capabilities!





Mission trips have a way of bringing new understanding. But, then, so do butterflies gathered on a cone flower on a summer's day, and small, giddy children, anticipating the excitement of what's next at a small town festival.


We should take time to be amazed by the small things more often.

The Flame Continues - Birthday Candles

What have I learned in my 55 years? Not nearly enough I fear, but certainly this: In a world chock-full of options, a little patience and some prayerful thought and trust get us the divine guidance we need to make the right choices. My life is nothing like I thought it would be when I was dreaming in my 20s. It is, however, much better than I ever imagined. Each new day is a gift.

I have learned to try to smile at every one I come in contact with. I heard somewhere that when you smile, you are giving that person a gift.

OK, one of the things I learned is not to expect people to be grateful.
When you give something just give it and let go.

As for life's lessons, I guess I'd have to say I've learned that life
definitely isn't fair. You just make the best of every situation, and with
God's help, move on.
And, I've learned that it is far more rewarding to give rather than receive.

Wanderlust and Ironies

We haven't been on a vacation since our trip to CA over a year ago. I'm getting ants in my pants, cabin fever set in long ago. It's time to hit the road. And, so I shall, but not until June! That will be to the opposite coast and I'll be working with wild horses for two weeks, on an Earthwatch trip. In the meantime I thought I'd share some of the CA photos.
There are always unexplained coincidences in life. As it turns out today I posted these as a draft, to work on the text later, and if you look closely you'll see the first photo is wild turkeys. After shutting down the computer I hopped in the truck to go to APL for a bit. On the way, about 2 miles from our house, was a flock of wild turkeys! The males had their tails spread. They were parading around for the females who were discreetly giving them the once over.
Spring has sprung, no doubt about it!
Oh, the closeup photo is at the botanical gardens we visited in CA. The next one is a far north shoreline. We were driving along shorelines then delving into the woods. What a sense of smallness this gave us!