Surrender Never Comes Easy

Surrender Never Comes Easy

Simply give your worries to God;
Such easy instructions amaze.
Just hand it over to the Lord;
We all have heard that phrase.

Place your problems at His throne.
How hard could that possibly be?
Take your troubles to the King.
Why is that such a problem for me?

Don’t pick them up on your way out.
Leave them laying there before Him.
Present your gift-boxed predicaments,
gladly, He will carry them.

Yet, how can I leave them there?
Some are not so easily placed.
I cannot act like they don’t exist
when daily they slap my face.

Still, I refuse to be the spoiled brat
forever whining at His knee,
“Daddy, I want this, need that, fix this. . ."
My conversations a constant plea.

Yes, I know He’s there for me.
Yes, I know God cares.
But, I want my words to be
more than burdens that He shares.

May my petitions before the Lord
be more peppered with high praise
than the cacophony of complaints
I might have a tendency to raise.

I know God understands.
He knows my very heart.
I must raise my voice and rejoice
for the darkness to depart.

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I'm guilty. I have done this same thing over and over again. I take a problem to God and say, "I give up. I surrender this to You. I have tried everything within my power and I can't fix it. It's up to You." And the next day, I am right back where I started; trying to fix things that I have already established that I have not control over. It's not that I don't have faith that God can and will take care of the situation - in His timing. The problem is that things are not solved overnight. You still have to face the difficulty the very next day. The rebellious teenager is still rebelling. The late bills are still unpaid and debt collectors are calling. Needed money just doesn't magically appear. Another car breaks down. A family member loses a job. . . . and I lose my resolve to surrender the situation to Him.

How do I change? If I knew, would I still be making the same mistakes? LOL! I think I have figured out part of the problem though - what I am praying for. I can't pray to change another person. I can pray to change me. I need more grace for myself, personally. I need God to help me learn to be content no matter what situation I am dealing with. The trials are opportunities to grow in faith and in trust and I still have a lot of growing to do.
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King of Kings, Lord of Lords, change me. Help me to accept things more gracefully during difficult times. Teach me to be content no matter what my state in life. Help me to be more accepting of others, allowing me to see them with Your eyes of love. Most of all, when I surrender something into Your care - help me to truly trust in You and leave it there. ~ Amen

Talent - A Gift from God

Silent stones still speak;
whispering of past lives spent;
if you but listen.





Lady Laura

At a glance, I saw her sitting
in the shade of a live oak tree.
Something 'bout her called out to me
and so I chose to change my way;
for to visit with fair lady,
so to learn who she might be.
She sat with cheek on hand resting,
peacefully pondering the day.

Though I’d past there many a time
never had I seen her there;
this young lady sitting where
perhaps she thought no one would see.
Her formal dress did not hide bare
feet peaking beneath fold's flair.
As on a stone she sat sublime,
still more, her mystery beckoned me.

Some roses wrapped around her wrist.
A bouquet lay upon her knee.
Although I came up to greet her,
Shyly, she would not answer me.
Yet, lightly did the stone decree,
Laura, etched for all to see.
Much by family she was missed
for the stone also whispered - Sister.

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First of all, let me say, yes, I know. . . I am weird. I am aware of it. I have admitted it. So, it’s okay for you to say it too, LOL. How many people do you know that actually enjoy visiting a cemetery? I started exploring them first because of genealogy research. Now, I also like to go and admire the detail that sculptors put into so many of the statues. They are true artists! It amazes me that they can take of block of stone and find the features of an angel hidden there – or of a child, a lamb, a Celtic cross or even Jesus Christ in cowboy boots. The young woman portrayed in the picture was craved in 1904 and yet the statue includes details as tiny as her toenails! The talent of stone carvers simply amazes me!

I believe God has given us all some form of talent. Though carving beauty out of rock is something I could never accomplish, each of us have some special talent all our own - a gift from God. There are many types of talent. Some are physical such as in martial arts and other sports, others are more artistic like great photographers, some come in more emotional forms such as an especially caring heart. A few I know have the ability to sketch with such skill that the picture draws you into the page. I know others who bring life to a canvas with various colors and tones, some paint a paper with words, several sing with the beauty of an angel or play an instrument amazingly, some are culinary masterminds, others use puppets to minister to children. See! The list of types of talent goes on and on . . .

Some find their gift from God early in life. Then there are people like me who search even into adulthood before they find their talent - and even then, they're still sometimes insecure about it. If you are unsure what your talent is, don't doubt that you have one. Instead, pray that God reveals your special gift to you - and keep praying until He does. Search within yourself. What do you enjoy? What did you dream of being as a child? What makes you smile? Is there something that brings you peace after a stressful day? Then maybe your talent is tied to one of these joys!
Ask God about your talent. Pursue it. Work at developing it into a thing of beauty like the sculpter worked bit by bit to reveal the beauty hidden in a massive stone. The Bible says if you don't use the talent you are given, you will lose it. So, whether you are a stone carver, a potter, a puppeteer, a musician, an artist with paint or a martial artist. . . whatever your talent - never stop using it! Never stop thanking the Lord for it and He will bless you in your efforts!
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Artist of the midnight sky, Songwriter of nature's chorus, thank You for the talents you have blessed me with. May my development and use of them be blessed and pleasing in Your sight. ~ Amen

Misconception

Misconception

I know the brush you would paint me with and
I'm afraid you have chosen the wrong shade.
For all the good you think you see,
don't paint a portrait that is not me.

I know the glasses you see me through;
noticing every wrong thing that I do.
For all the bad you think you see
a perfect person I can never be.

I know, for all you think you know,
whether you be my friend or foe,
you judge me by what you think you see
but only God sees the whole of me. . .
and only He.

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Short and to the point with this one. . .

I am not perfect. No one is. Others watch and judge us. I am being judged even now for actions and words I am not proud of. Some people tend to think I am something that I am not. In all fairness, I am guilty of judging others. Yin and yang, dark and light, good and bad - we all have both within us. Some people choose to see the good, others find only the negative. Which do you lean toward? Just because we are Christians does not mean we are perfect. If anything, we see our own faults all the more glaring out at us. I have noticed for some time now that my attitude has been wrong. There are some that I don't really want to be around lately because, bluntly, they are not a joy to be around. But, with this in my mind the other day, the thought came to me . . . What do they think of me? Do they think I am a joy to be around? Probably not. With some, I had given up trying to get along. My attitude has been one of being on guard and waiting for them to be hateful and negative; almost to the point of planning my counter attack. THAT is NOT what God would want me to do. Others attitudes have a tendency to rub off, but that is no excuse to set aside what the Lord wants from us; the Christian example we are suppose to be for others. I am making a conscious decision to try and be the peacemaker. I think that is what my Mentor and Master would prefer. I hope that if you are having a battle for peace in your home, at your work place, at school, wherever - that you choose to do the same.
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God, forgive me, please. I am not perfect. I try, but I fail - sometimes over and over again. But, I will get back up with Your help. Set my feet back on the path of peace. Help me to be a source of serenity - calm amidst the chaos of life. Only You can make this change in me, Lord. To quote the apostle Paul, "I am willing, Lord but the flesh is weak."
~ Amen

Family Resemblance

Family Resemblance

I hope that when you look - you see -
you have a sense of some familiarity.
That as you watch, you see the similarity -
traits my Father passed on to me.
So much like Him, I long to be.
I pray my eyes shine with sincerity,
that my words contain simple clarity,
faithfully you find me, praying on bended knee:

To have my Brother Daniel’s devotion;
the willingness to sacrifice the way that Esther did.
Might I love as much as Peter’s passion;
to express the faith of David's - even as a kid.
May my heart overflow with mercy's emotion;
that I might portray sweet Ruth’s loyal compassion.

May I live my life with integrity
and with a sense of expectancy.

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Why a picture of a tree with a poem about family resemblance? Simple. It represents my family tree. We all have a family tree full of ancestors - both of good character and of bad. Jesus had one too. Have you ever really paid attention to it or do you skip over all the "begats"? I used to, until I started researching my own genealogy and decided to start one for Jesus' family in my Family Tree Maker program; just out of curiosity. Even Jesus' tree had what some might consider of questionable character. I think God did it to show that none are beyond His love and grace!

The past few days, I have been working on transferring photos from all of Mom's old albums to the computer to save on a disc. There have been some bittersweet memories awakened with the project. Still, while noticing how much my Dad favors my Grandpa, I realized how much of a compliment it would be if someone said, "You remind me of your Father;" meaning my heavenly Father. What a joy that would be! Then that became a part of my prayers! As I read of Daniel praying three times a day or of how Ruth refused to leave Naomi, I realise that others in my Christian family have traits I would love to reflect as well: devotion, dedication, loyalty, faith, passion . . . and so came my latest poem - an attempt toward a sonnet, something I haven't done in a while. Still, the heart's desire mirrors the written words. How I long for you to see my Father's traits shining through me!

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Heavenly Father, merciful Saviour, help me to learn from the examples of my Christian family written of in Your Word. They all have something to teach. Some are shiny examples of faith; others of the path not to take. I have a tendency to like David, because he showed us both, and he taught how to be truly repentant. Most of all, Abba, let me not be satisfied until my image reflects Yours! ~ Amen