Month: July 2013

Open

cropped-family0510-031.jpg

Many times I’ve wondered
at my lack of vision.
What would it take to wash
the scales from my eyes.
Tender words or lightning strikes,
perhaps nuclear fission,
you just can never tell heart-wise.

Just be open
Just be open

Everyone is crying for some freedom,
But with so much they don’t know what to do.
I have found there are so many wrong directions,
leading to blind alleys for me and you.

There’s a cry that’s living deep within us.
Heaven’s message sprouting deep inside,
like two magnets speeding cross the universe,
God’s coming for us and it’s useless to hide.

Just be open
There is surely more than you’ve been told
Just be open
You don’t have to sell yourself to be sold
Just be open
There’s no need any more to be afraid
Jesus knows already what your soul craves.
Just be open
Just be open

© Joel Tipple

Beautiful Design

cropped-flowers42008-0031.jpg

You’re such a beautiful design, yeah,
the one God clued me into, darlin’,
every bit of wonderful He had to work with
when the day was young.

You’re such a beautiful design, and I,
remain devoted after all this time, but
it’s all gone so quickly – so quickly
so quickly.

Tell the director to slow down the picture,
make all the scenes prolong.
Add some more chapters to the story,
a few more verses to the song, our song.

You’re such a beautiful design, uh huh.
There’s not a thing to improve.
To make any comments to the contrary
would be the very definition of rude.

Beautiful, oh so… oh so.
Beautiful, oh so, now now
Ohhhhh, yeah yeah.
Ohhh, beautiful design.

© Joel Tipple

The Battlefield

cropped-kidsnsunrise-009.jpg

2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2 (NASB)

On the battlefield of my mind
where the sounds and sights and smells
of this old world unwind.
Well, the battle won for God would sure be fine,
on the battlefield of my mind.

There’s no question what artillery
this soldier should employ,
cause Jesus fought Satan with
the firepower of scripture,
on the battlefield.

Let’s give the Lord the high ground
Let Him command the field
This day and the ones to follow
let us see what they may yield.
This holy war is fought on battlefields
in the hearts and minds of men
Raise the flag of our God
and sound the call
of victory.
© Joel Tipple

New American Standard Bible Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation

Male Chauvinist Eidetic Reprobate

cropped-1312013-012.jpg

Anyone doubting the fall of man,
or the monkey wrench that Adam
tossed into God’s plan
need only spend time in the brain
of a guy.

Any guy,
just any average bloke,
beyond the age of puberty,
that’s when we are smote.
Brought low we all are,
though desire is natural,
enough being enough
just doesn’t seem quite factual.

At some point all men
act the part of male chauvinists
so objectification becomes ordinariness.
Our eidetic brains compile images
of female parts
and rate them as though for
elaborate charts.

Reprobates all, constant prayer and focus
on God’s will for our minds must be our locus.
It’s not easy, challenging habits ingrained,
not impossible, but worthwhile, taking some pains.
Viewing all women,
at all times
as not objects,
but our sisters, mothers,
aunts, and friends,
worthy of love in its highest form…
and respect.

© Joel Tipple

(Note: Dictionary roulette words are entirely chosen at random, really!)

In the Midst of the Storm

cropped-humboldt-bay.jpg

22 Immediately Jesus made the disciples get into the boat and go on ahead of him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowd. 23 After he had dismissed them, he went up on a mountainside by himself to pray. Later that night, he was there alone, 24 and the boat was already a considerable distance from land, buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it.
25 Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. 26 When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear.
27 But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.”
28 “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
29 “Come,” he said.
Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!”
31 Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?”
32 And when they climbed into the boat, the wind died down. 33 Then those who were in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Matthew 14:22-33 NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.®

In the middle of my storms Lord
I’ve called to You
and asked You to calm the weather
But Your plans for me turned out to be
something so much better.
You gave me courage and strengthened my faith
so I could ride it through,
plus You promised You would never leave
so I could walk with You.
There’s no storm that I will ever face
that will defeat me with You by my side.
With each one that blows, my faith also
grows. I can endure with You by my side.

© Joel Tipple

A Yard of Adventure

DSCN0920

In my yard
for I am six
is great adventure
sailing ships
full of ants
oh so brave
who cling to life rafts
made of eggs
flower borders
with bits of glass
from castles broken
many years past
this bit belonged
to a maiden fair
perhaps she held
this bit there
a cup for tea
passed round and shared
next put on cloak
you’re Robin Hood
chased by the Sheriff
but you’re too good
hidden in
your grove of trees
with your men
a family
adventures many
like books you’ve read
then Mom calls
and it’s time
for dinner
bath
more books
then
bed

Shadow

Shadow
Our cat is old enough to drink. Shadow turned 21 this year. For 21 years she has shared our king size bed. Not that we required a king size bed to keep her. Like most tortoiseshell cats she is on the small side. The mutation also means most torties are female. I just think they look cool. In my lifetime I’ve had three. Shadow came to us with a litter of feral kittens born in a pile of brush outside our shed. We watched them from our kitchen window after they were born. I called Shadow Stripe for a while, after the nasty little Gremlin from the movie, Gremlins. She has a prominent orange stripe in between her eyes. We started feeding the feral family, and when the kittens were old enough, we put out a live animal trap. We caught the kittens, one at a time, and then caught the momma and took her to the vet to have here fixed. We split the cost with our neighbors, who already had a cat from one of her previous litters. Shadow got her name because for some time after we brought her inside, we didn’t actually see her. She would eat and drink and use the litter box, but always hide afterward. Then, one day I went into her room and heard her meowing. She had managed to get stuck inside a dresser drawer. Shadow has always had a delicate stomach, but when she started losing weight in her later years, we came up with the idea of grinding fine her dry cat food in a coffee grinder. Good thing I don’t buy coffee beans.

This is a Recording

flower border

The recording that’s playing,
running in your mind,
that condemns at every turn,
only to rewind,
is not correction or direction
unless you count the blind alleys.
This voice makes it difficult
to rebound or to rally.
It’s not an encouraging voice
to bring you to the fold.
It’s purpose is to bludgeon,
criticize and scold.
Its name is Self-Talk,
and if this sounds like your own,
record new material, call yourself
on the phone. Read what God
says about you
apply some of that.
Let His voice redeem yours;
set your mind to this task.

© Joel Tipple

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12:2