postaday

The Refrigerator

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I’m uncertain whether the rest of the world
shows such an affinity for display
of so many wide ranging items as we Americans
on our refrigerators today.
I’m sure there are many
which are so organized that they
surely represent a family
with all its ducks in a row
at work
and even at play.

Then there are cold boxes such as ours
with a mish-mash of photos and art
that depict both young children
and adults that merely seem young
though not physically,
maybe at heart.
There’s odes to procrastination
like a gift certificate half used
with paper
now yellowed
and just a little abused.
There are photos of children in school
and with their families at Christmas.
There are x-rays of bones broken
several presidential administrations
past. There are coupons put up
with good intentions and recipes for food
inventions.
I’ve a mind to clean it all,
to make the fridg. look right.
I just hope I don’t lose something
important like an Eisenhower
presidential election ball invite.

Saturdays

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Summer Saturdays of my childhood
smelled like fresh mowed hay
and forts of wood,
or cardboard,
or blankets being blown in the wind.
Oh, to get those days back again.
To my mind on a sunny Saturday morning
they return now and then.

debacle loan hypocrisy

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When he said
I just want to be a loan,
They mistakenly thought
he intended
solitude,
but really
he wanted to share
anything within
him worthy

She felt so defeated
by her inability to finish school
she referred to the whole episode
as her debacle-laureate.

The two “hippos” stood in line
hoping their vet had taken a “hippo-cratic
oath
but
was up on his shots himself
so as not to be filled
with hypocrisy.

That’s how you play

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Life’s full of little bumps in the road
but perspective paves the way
and the shocks seem less shocking
as you learn to catch them.

Remember when you were learning to catch
and you learned to meet the ball.
Instead of throwing your hand out there,
you met it in space. In the same way, big challenges,
and the little ones that feel big,
can be met in a fluid motion
and held
or tossed away.

Don’t get me wrong,
the bad hop will occur,
but everyone has to deal with those.
Handling bad hops is just one of those
expected unexpected things.

Hone your dignity and grace,
but don’t over-worry about saving face.
Someone needs to see you be human
and use wisdom to rely on God to finish
the game.

A Word to the Wise

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A bird the hand is worth two in the bush…
unless it’s been eating berries all day,
then you’re better off not having it in your
hand at all. Don’t even get me started on
what it’ll do to a white t-shirt.

New Energy

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There’s no night so dark
His name can’t illuminate,
no depression so deep
He can’t lift it.
No heart so weary
and grown tired of beating
He can’t recharge
like the sun coming up.

The meaningless
find new meaning.
Those wondering why
find new hope.
Those finding themselves
short of the summit
suddenly spy
a new length of rope.

He’ll breath into you compassion
when maybe you thought
you didn’t care.
He’ll be the force
lifting your wings
with angels into ebullient air.

A Little Bit Lower

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When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers,
the moon and the stars, which you have ordained; What is man that
You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than
God, and You crown him with glory and majesty! Psalm 8:3-5

A little bit lower,
my Lord.
Some days I feel
more than just a little.

Quite a bit lower,
and yet
You deign
to walk with us
and remain our God.

We allow circumstance
and the vagaries
of human nature
to overwhelm
our peace in you.

Help us return
to that peaceful place
that is all of you
and only your influence.
Let the noise of our
minds fall back before
your light, which chases
shadows of fear away.

Ministered to

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Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain
and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and
all their glory; and he said to Him, “All these
things I will give to You, if You fall down and
worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go Satan!
For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord
your God, and serve him only'” Then the devil left
Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister
to Him. Matthew 4:8-11

Lord, I pray that we have the strength, and steadfastness
of faith to honor you as your Son did on that difficult
day. There are many days when we don’t. But sometimes we
rise to the occasion. On those days, we feel your pleasure,
and sometimes, we are ministered to by angels.

Confide Single-foot Face card

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A friend is one you are free
to go to
and without fear
of embarrassment,
confide.

They won’t,
like a single-footing saddle horse,
show off what they know about you.
You should expect more than a shark
holding more than his fair share
of face cards.

Content

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Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer
and thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.
Phil. 4:6
I know how to get along with humble means, and I also
know how to live in prosperity; in any and every
circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled
and going hungry, both of having abundance and
suffering need.
Phil. 4:12

Lord in all my days
in my times of lean
and well fed
the times I look forward to
and yes those that I dread
build within me a structure
of peace
like a tree
long used to storms
let me not rely on happenstance
but rather look to You
Your steady hand
and guiding voice
will always hold me fast