I’ve Flown Away

I’ve flown away

And may I say

I won’t be back

For several days.

And may I add

You’re likely glad

That other poems

Aren’t quite this bad.

(I’ll be back at my desk on August 9. Have a great week, all.)

The Artistic Playground

I must once again say

Thank you to

Susan Ariel Rainbow Kennedy

(aka SARK).

I picked up one of her books

At our public library.

The whimsical illustrations

And doodles

As well as text

Handwritten with

Various coloured markers

SHOUTS

Come.

Have fun.

Spread your wings.

And what did SARK

Teach me?

Well

By being herself

She gave me permission

To do the same.

Her work isn’t Perfect

(Whatever that means).

The letters vary in size

And are sometimes

Difficult to read.

The illustrations

Are colourful and childlike.

A reflection

Of her joy and whimsy.

I am re-entering

The Artistic Playground.

Yesterday

I started an art journal.

I decorated the cover

And filled a couple of pages.

But then

I realized

It wasn’t what I was going for.

I can’t just sit down and create

Without some forethought…

Though I wish desperately

That I could.

So

What did I do?

I tore out the pages.

And I covered the front

With beautiful, handmade paper.

There are no words on the front

And no pictures on the inside

Yet.

But now

I feel as if I’m getting someplace.

Resistance to create

Something that’s not perfect

Shouldn’t hold me back.

The desire to make it

The best it can be…

(i.e.: the best reflection of me)

Will take planning

And maybe even practice.

This isn’t just

An artistic endeavour.

Or an exercise it vanity.

It’s an exploration

Of who I am

And who I want to be.

More importantly

I hope it ends up

A discovery of

Whom I’m meant to be.

Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails (Proverbs 19:21 NIV).

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Feel Free to Dance

“Dance like no-one’s watching…”

This is one of my favourite quotes.

Not because others don’t matter.

(Have I mentioned

I’m all about relationships?)

On close examination,

I believe

This quote isn’t about others.

It’s about me

And how I approach life.

Does the opinion of another person…

Or what I fear they’re thinking…

Prevent me from being myself?

Only if I let it.

Of course

Being authentic is easier to talk about

Than to do.

But I think it’s important.

I’m all about truth…

As well as relationships.

If I never cry

How can others know

It’s safe to cry with me?

If I never laugh

How can they know

It’s all right not to be

Serious all the time?

If I never dance

How will they know

They can express their joy

Be silly

And be real

Without fear of

Criticism and judgment?

May your heart dance…

And if you’re so inclined,

May your feet follow.

Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow (Jeremiah 31:13 NIV).

 

Sitting Quietly

I have the privilege

Of sharing the skies with

Some pretty amazing people.

Each one is unique.

Yet

We share so many similarities.

Sometimes we soar

At breathtaking heights.

Sometimes we fly in erratic patterns.

Onlookers wonder if we have a clue…

And so do we.

Sometimes we fly

Through the raging storms

And somehow escape

To tell the tale.

Sometimes we fly alone.

Sometimes in groups.

And sometimes with a companion.

And yesterday

That’s what I did

For much of the day.

And it was wonderful.

The pressures of Too Much

Weighing me down

Physically and emotionally

Were set aside.

I began to learn

The value of sitting quietly.

Sometimes

That’s when we soar the highest…

And allow others to do the same.

The LORD’s justice will dwell in the desert, his righteousness live in the fertile field. The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever. My people will live in peaceful dwelling places, in secure homes, in undisturbed places of rest (Isaiah 32:16-18 NIV).

Trash Compactor

Remember the scene in Star Wars

Where the heroes

Are almost crushed?

Well

That’s how I feel this morning.

Though I’m not knee deep in sewage

The walls are closing in.

One one side TIME.

On the other RESPONSIBILITIES.

Instead of garbage floating around

What I must leave undone

Is piling up.

If

By some miracle

The walls stop closing in

There is still the danger

That lurks beneath the surface.

In the last hour

I have developed

A whole new respect

For those who suffer

From anxiety attacks.

I’ve also developed

A deeper appreciation

For those who won’t quit.

They seek to scale

The slick, smooth walls

Refusing to entertain the idea

That there is no hope.

And then there are those

Who are pulled under by

The unseen monster.

They never stop struggling

Somehow

They keep coming up for air.

So today

Whether I take to the skies or not

I want to be like them.

Like those who hope despite the odds.

Like those who keep fighting

No matter how many times

They go down.

And yes

Just like in the movie

I know the walls

Will not crush me.

The monster

Will not drown me.

I will rise

To soar again.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God (Philippians 4:6 NIV).

Only a Fraction

Despite

The heat

The humidity

And the unsettled stomach,

I have

Much to be thankful for.

Reconnecting with a high school friend.

Anticipation of lunch with yet another friend

And a private viewing of her wedding pictures.

An evening out with

Two of my favourite men.

A beautiful orchid

In the centre of my dining room table.

Word of two successful surgeries.

Participation in

Supportive online communities.

The list is virtually endless.

When I started to write this post,

I was thinking about

How crumby I felt.

And then I began to

Count my blessings.

Though it’s still hot

And the humidity hasn’t broken.

Though my stomach is still

A little iffy

And I’d like to get a little more done

Before retreating to the comfort

Of my air-conditioned bedroom.

I realize I could sit here and type

Until morning and still only touch on

A fraction of the blessings

That flood my life.

A good reminder.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts (Colossians 3:15-16 NIV).

Reading Mode

There are times writers

Aren’t all that interested in writing.

This one anyway.

Yesterday

I enjoyed a mini retreat

At the hospital

While a dear friend

Had surgery.

Why do I call it

A mini retreat?

I got to read for hours

Something I haven’t taken

Time to do in ages.

The more I read

The more I want to read.

My shelves are well stocked

With books I’ve begun

Or want to read in the near future.

It doesn’t help matters

When the newest issue of Writer’s Digest

Arrives in the mail

Or when

My collection of e-books is steadily growing.

But then

On the other hand

It would be a blast to celebrate

A completed manuscript

By jumping up and down on a trampoline.

Sound strange?

Check out Frank Peretti’s page on Facebook.

Now

Watching that post was

A great start to my day.

So

Whether I spend it writing

Reading…

Or preparing for my company tomorrow…

I want to thank the authors

Who cause me to soar.

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer (Psalm 19:14 NIV).

Off to Dreamland

It doesn’t really matter

How much I will it.

There comes a time

I just can’t fly any longer.

I want to soar.

I want to make headway.

I think of all the things

I still want to do.

But really

After all these years

I’ve come to know myself.

I wished I’d learned

Much earlier

To recognize the signs…

And heed them.

How do I know when it’s

Time to walk away?

To fold my wings

And set down

For the night?

It’s not just when

My eyes start to fall

Or I begin to yawn.

It’s when

Irritability and frustration

Make an appearance.

It’s when patience

Has reached its limit.

It’s when

The reserves are depleted.

So

With new resolve

To be more productive

Tomorrow,

I fly off to Dreamland.

Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will never be shaken (Psalm 62:1-2 NIV).

 

Not About Me

It’s not all about me.

OK

You already knew that.

And so did I.

But today

I was reminded of that fact.

The arrival of a new baby.

Congratulations

Mommy and Daddy…

And the whole clan.

I also learned

That a dear friend’s uncle

Passed away.

Add to that

The discovery that

Two friends have separated.

Now joy and sadness

Are alive in the same heart.

Lastly

I read that a young dad

Has been hospitalized.

They don’t know what’s wrong.

Thankfully

He is doing better.

So

Add to the mix concern

And many other emotions

And that’s where I am.

Does that mean I can’t fly?

Absolutely not.

It just means

Sometimes

I soar with those whose hearts

Are filled with joy.

Other times

I wrap my arms around

Those who are hurting.

And often I must

Bow my head

And let my prayers

Wing heavenward.

Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn (Romans 12:15 NIV).

Upside Down Day

I usually end each post

With a scripture verse

Or two.

Today

I’m going to call it

Upside Down Day.

Remember

Opposite Day

From our childhood?

No?

Not to worry,

That’s another story.

Anyway

Upside Down Day.

I was responding to

A comment on my blog.

My dear friend

Insightfully said

The reason she has trouble flying

Is because she sits too long.

Powerful words.

I must confess

Though I’m busy, busy, busy,

Sometimes I’m not really flying.

If I neglect the Flight Manual

And the Flight Instructor,

I’m only fooling myself.

I opened the Manual,

And there it was…

Colossians 3:1 (NIV)…

Since, then, you have been raised

With Christ,

Set your hearts on things above,

Where Christ is seated

At the right hand of God.

What’s important to God,

The Flight Instructor?

If I can discover that…

And I can because I have

The Flight Manual

(aka the Bible)…

I will truly fly

If what’s important to Him

Becomes my priority.

May I learn.

May I change.

May I fly.