For God alone my soul waits in silence;
from him comes my salvation.
2 He alone is my rock and my salvation,
my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.
Psalm 62:1-2 ESV (English Standard Version)
Resting in the knowledge
that it’s not just talk.
My reality is
God is my rock.
A lot of people are tossed about
fretful because of the news:
war and destruction
in this world.
But in the final analysis
only one house will remain,
and that belongs to the Lord.
© Joel Tipple
Writers have to battle
putting words on paper
to prove we’re astute.
So each time we sit and write
we offer up proof, and proofreaders
offer up judgement.
Then there are the artists
who like to draw, and when they’re done
they’ll show you what they drew.
As with words, the form and function
their art takes is something they are
quite willing to show you.
Now these days there isn’t nearly the need
for that wonderful word, swingletree.
But what a joyous exciting name for the wooden bar
that helps balance the pull of steeds.
So that closes accounts for this week’s Dictionary Roulette.
It’ll be back next week, unless I miss my guess.
© Joel Tipple
I suppose technically this isn’t really the first rain of the season. But these are the first decent sized drops we’ve experienced in our neck of the woods in some time. In our part of Northern California (read Oregon/Washington, not that place with the sun and beaches) this Summer has been nice in the extreme, so nice in fact that we’ve been issuing warnings to non-natives to not get used to it. We’re low on water right now so we’re grateful to see any precipitation. But what does one do when that deluge comes along and you’re caught out in it with no umbrella? The answer isn’t carrying an umbrella all of the time. Instead, become a Ninja Umbrella Surfer!
There’s a tactic I use when caught by the first rain.
It isn’t because I can’t stand being wet or that I’m vain.
But invariably when the heavens begin their leaking
I have to resort to what I call Ninja Umbrella Surfing.
It works best on city streets where there’s likely to be a crowd.
Frankly, in smaller locales it’s generally not allowed.
You find a fairly friendly looking vict…, I mean, person, holding a
good sized umbrella and start up a conversation, pretending you’re
a normal fella (or lady. Our program is not sexist). Continue
the discourse, keeping a weather eye, being ready to move on to
another umbrella, should you lose the one you originally caught.
Ninja Umbrella Surfing. Why carry your own umbrella?
© Joel Tipple
Shadow, are you opposed to light?
Do you think your poor image is
associated
with your negative disposition?
© Joel Tipple
Your name belies your disposition, not hard at all. You started life catching wind on a poorly designed chime.
Now you adorn the door to the backyard shed. When you landed here, the shed’s paint was dark gray. Now the paint
is peeling and faded, every bit the hue of battleship gray, after the battle. No, you aren’t hard, but you do endure.
You do endure.
© Joel Tipple
Do I think myself opaque, Lord?
Not transparent, though I surely am.
Hesitant, do I seek to hold back
some part of me from your plan?
Help me surrender every aspect,
reveal you in me as I do.
Mold me, oh great Maker.
Perfect me for Your use.
© Joel Tipple
Speak into my life hope.
The horizon appears bleak sometimes
and I’m looking for a length of rope.
Speak into my life light.
At times it seems so dark and I can’t see well to fight.
Speak into my life strength.
I’ve tried too long to make it on my own
and feel I’m about to break.
Speak into my life faith.
I started with what seemed enough.
Now my belief feels second rate.
Speak into my life and pray.
We both need God to fight for us
and help us win the day.
For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.”
Matthew 18:20 English Standard Version (ESV)
© Joel Tipple
(S)entient beings need to be recharged
(l)et’s face it, to live large
(e)xtra hours awake becomes a losing proposition
(e)levate your health
(p)ursue more dreams asleep and catch more when you’re awake
© Joel Tipple
For the world at large
or the world at small
convivial places are not so common
as we all
would like them to be,
though the patrons of corner watering holes would
beg to differ.
We read
or see
or hear about
nations at war with their own people,
hot spots,
where shifting political and financial fortunes
leave a few men in dubious authority while families seek in vain
for solid ground.
Is our future so bleak as the daily news would lead us to believe?
Would the privities shared between a few power brokers determine our future?
Is there another way to live that circumvents
the schemes of morally bereft leaders?
We have a representative who truly advocates for us.
He proved His moral authority and leadership by His literal sacrifice on our behalf.
Jesus Christ has already fought and won our battles for us.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses. Instead, we have one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet he never sinned.
Hebrews 4:15 International Standard Version (ISV)
© Joel Tipple
in my backyard
army men
fought their battles
with plastic guns
and melted crayolas
an old aquarium
with a handful of tadpoles
from the ditch
grew legs and hopped away
couldn’t say which
way they went
the sandbox
shared by the cat
how I lived through
the germs that
i played in
i don’t know
the old barn
seemed huge
and dark beyond measure
smelling of old wood and hay
and ancient treasure
the coins a friend
and i buried
in a box we carried
up the hill
someday maybe they’ll
find it and wonder
days lasted forever
the future was far away
time to ponder that later
for a boy in the country
a whole world ago
© Joel Tipple
Write here, Joel. 