Measure

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light.
1st Peter 2:9

God, I’d like to be
the measure of a man
you would have me be.
Close my ears and eyes
to how the world defines me.
For when I look
to the left or right
of the road you’ve set before me
suddenly I stumble.

Season my speech
with words wise and giving,
an attitude of joy,
one of great thanksgiving.
If by chance someone hears
some of what I say
I pray my focus
is on the Holy Spirit
because I sought Him
and prayed.

There was a time, Lord,
when the mirror used to be
something other than my friend,
and there was a sad moment in my life
when I prayed for a sooner end.
Thanks for holding off calamity
with your loving hand
and saving me.

If we don’t turn off the news
sometime
with its
relentless
negative
auto-repeat,
we risk rendering our witness worthless
to the point, we cannot speak.
But no matter how dark
the world may become
if we turn our eyes to you
and the sacrifice of your son
we will be saved.

You Lord,
the one who measures rightly,
the one who made the world,
and all its wonders
will always bring us back
from the brink
when we call.
Even though we’re prodigal
and have nothing at all
to earn it,
you’ll forever
heap upon us
so much devotion
we can’t help but share it.
Thank you, Lord.
Thank you, thank you, thank you
for sharing
so much
it could never
ever
be measured.

© Joel Tipple 1/26/2019

I Choose Joy

“Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”
Dr. Seuss

“The most wasted of all days is one without laughter.”
Nicolas Chamfort

“What day is it?”
“It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
“My favorite day,” said Pooh.
A.A. Milne, Winnie the Pooh

‘Oh yes, nodded Pollyanna emphatically, ‘he said he felt better right away, that first day he thought to count ’em. He said if God took the trouble to tell us eight hundred times to rejoice, He must want us to do it – some.’
Elenor Porter, Pollyanna

From the moment we begin a day,
foggy though we may be,
a choice is made,
destiny laid,
to carry on through eternity.
A deep connection to God
and how we fit in His plans
each dawn’s birth
we must employ.
But I can’t imagine
God and beginning
unless I’m beginning with joy.

I choose joy!
though circumstances
shout a different direction,
though news in its varied guises
favors a negative slant.
I choose hope over despair
though hopelessness
clamors for attention,
and tries to blind us
to better horizons
before our faith
has a chance.

You may call me a Pollyanna,
but I don’t mind.
In a world filled with darkness
count me in
with the light giving kind.

Give me joy!
A better, not bitter mindset
is fighting against the tide.
But God wouldn’t tell us to rejoice
without giving us fuel for the ride.

In the course of a day
on this earth,
we make countless choices
that affect
ours and others’ lives.
I have a certain faith,
God’s not playing with loaded dice.

I choose joy!
It’s a habit worth promoting
a way to identify
life
versus death.
When waters threaten to drown,
joy makes you taller.
I’m enrolled
in God’s Hope University,
so I suppose
that makes me
a Joy Scholar.

Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.
Psalm 47:1

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Romans 15:13

© Joel Tipple 1/19/2019

Future Through Failure

“Success is not final. Failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts.”
Winston Churchill

“Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.”
Henry Ford

“You build on failure. You use it as a stepping stone. Close the door on the past. You don’t try to forget the mistakes, but you don’t dwell on it. You don’t let it have any of your energy, or any of your time, or any of your space.”
Johnny Cash

“The flaw in, say, austerity, is that its success is predicated on the relative exactitude of math rather than the shifting liquid imperfection of people’s lives.”
Steven Weber

God, you see a painting of me,
But it’s one, I fear,
I often fail to see.
I know you,
the ultimate artist,
with the deft stroke of your brush,
can make a man
by your plan
from this accumulation of dust.
I’m not finished
because you’re not finished with me.
From failures to future
the ups and downs of life,
I refuse to give in to misgivings.
I won’t wallow
in disappointment and strife.

But He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 ESV

©Joel Tipple 1/12/2019

The House of Mourning

Solomon says in Ecclesiastes 7:2,
“It is better to go to a house of mourning
than to a house of feasting, for death
is the destiny of every man;
the living should take this to heart.”

Does this mean that we should seek suffering?
Maybe not, but, as inevitable as death,
so is suffering in this life. In suffering, however,
there is much that God would teach us,
if only we are willing to listen.

I’ve been to a few funerals
in my time. If we’re honest, they’re probably
not the sort of thing we look forward to.
Though, as followers of Christ, we know
we’ll see our brothers and sisters again.
So, we go to honor, mourn, and yes, rejoice,
when we know another soul has gone to meet our Lord.
But amid all those emotions regarding death
are vital truths about life,
the life God would share with his children.

Running from the feast of fools
toward the house of mourning,
seeking wisdom
through the pain.
From the mortal to immortal.
A curtain pull.
A door swing.

What of the other side?
What awaits?
The one who metes out righteous judgment
has the ultimate say.
Those who claim there is no justice
will discover their error on that day.
Choose well.
Choose life.
Choose Jesus,
the only way.

Then when it’s my time,
if you must play a dirge for me,
place within it a lilting note,
for when my time comes,
I’ll be traveling to my forever home
to be with those saints who’ve gone before
and wait for those yet to come.

Surely joy greater than our imaginings
or any verse in any poet’s tome awaits us there,
past the house of mourning,
where we pause to celebrate
and grieve
and pray.

To the house of mourning
we will bring a light
and invite the Lord,
holding back the night,
for the day,
for the day.

© Joel Tipple 12/16/2018

Angel

And he came to her and said, “Greetings oh favored one, the Lord is with you.”
Luke 1:28 ESV

A) Angel Gabriel, the messenger of God.
N) Naturally when you visited Mary you told her to not be afraid.
G) God sent you to greet and prepare Jesus’ mother for the miraculous birth.
E) Endless. The kingdom of our Lord.
L) Last. If I ever saw an angel, it’s likely the last thing I would see just before I passed out.

© Joel Tipple 12/13/2018

Words in the Letters (Mary)

My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for He has looked on the humble estate of His servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; for He who is mighty has done great things for me, and holy is His name.
Luke 1:46-49 ESV

M) Mary, the mother of Jesus,
A) a woman chosen while still a girl.
R) Random doesn’t apply to you, prophetic
humble servant, and protector of our Lord.
Y) You were witness to His miracles, but the first
was His birth.

© Joel Tipple 12/11/2018

Random Word Poem (Lemon)

L) Lemons aren’t that good at being round.
E) Extra cheese has a heavy sound,
M) My you look well today!
O) Oh! Because you cut out cheese. Okay!
N) Na na na na. Na na na na. Hey hey hey, goodbye!

© Joel Tipple 12/9/2018

Reflection

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen; Not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”
C.S. Lewis

When you view your reflection
in the mirror,
what you see
is largely up to you.
You can see your size
through God’s loving eyes,
or you can conjure a negative view.

You can see your heart
like that belonging to the Grinch,
several sizes too small.
You can see your height
as too high,
or maybe you believe
you’re undertall.
Unless you learn to see
what your mirror can’t see
you don’t know yourself at all.

Don’t cover up how God’s really made you,
by painting over it or willfully not seeing.
Thoughtful reflection
can overcome rejection
when you pause to reflect
on these things.

© Joel Tipple 12/8/2018