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Fog! The Poem

What’s this? I thought we already addressed fog for the weather series! Emily Anne, of http://unkilleddarlings.wordpress.com commented that she thought “there was a poem in there somewhere, waiting to be extracted.” Well, rather than listen to the muffled shouts of “let me out” by the Fog poem, I’ve decided to be merciful and do just that.

Held between hills
like water stopped up in a funnel
that low-level cloud
presents
for morning
formation
but it lacks the discipline
to hold steady for long
better at ease
than attention

It’s everywhere and nowhere
at once
a twirling mist
seeing through you just
laughing at
impregnable
barriers and borders
and motions

Stepping aside for a car
then stepping back in
like a haughty star
you might move through me now
but sister…
believe me
you’ll never see far

A field of cows
might appear half-calf
an orchard of trees
could seem
half-staff
it can define your mind
indeed
like mine
without coffee

delayed
not landing

foggy

London
and trench-
coats
foggy

from directions
all four
cast

foggy

Liebster Award

Oh my goodness. Time once again to drag the tux out of mothballs. Do people use mothballs anymore? The ever generous Emily Anne http://unkilleddarlings.wordpress.com has seen fit to nominate my blog for the Liebster Award. Although the award is intended to go to blogs with less than 200 followers, I think it’s important to honor the spirit of the award, if not the letter. Truth to tell, although I know how many followers I have, I can’t tell how many the blogs I nominated have. Also, although a followers number is
posted on my cover page, it’s clear that’s counting my Facebook friends. I’m sure someone will set me straight, and that will only be the beginning of the grand jury investigation.

liebster

Here be da rules:

1. Thank the Liebster Blog presenter who nominated you and link back to their blog. Thank you very much, Emily Anne. You’ve been a great supporter!

2. Post 11 facts about yourself, answer the 11 questions you were asked and create 11 questions for your nominees.

3. Nominate 11 blogs of 200 followers or less who you feel deserve to be noticed and leave a comment on their blog letting them know they have been chosen.

4. Display the Liebster Award logo.

Eleven facts about me:
(Please note… Only ten facts exist, so I lied about one of ’em)

1) I loved American Bandstand when I was very young and would practice the dance moves in front of a mirror. Unfortunately this did not translate into the ability to learn choreography when I grew up.

2) I used to give speeches to large groups of the neighbor’s cows. I mistook their rapt attention for interest in my topics. It’s likely they believed I would eventually feed them.

3) My wife and I met at the height of the disco craze. No, once again, choreography did not matter. Yes, we looked awesome.

4) I have been married to the same wonderful woman for over 30 years, all of them in a row.

4) This fact is sort of about me: I’ve come to the conclusion that if you love your cat, it is doomed. If you actively dislike your cat, it will probably see you through your retirement years.

5) I have shoes older than you.

6) I finally decided there is a life beyond having a clean and tidy car.

7) My faith, band and choir got me through high school.

8) God continues to get me through all the other phases of life.

9) Chunky peanut butter, but if you prefer creamy, I can be swayed.

10) Les Miserables is my favorite musical. Even though I’m sure the motion picture is wonderful, I’m not going out of my way to see it.

11) I relate more to John Boy from The Waltons now than I did when it was still on the air.

Questions:

1. Apples or oranges?
Oranges. They’re juicier.
2. Dogs or cats?
They both have their place, but unless you have a really bad rodent problem,
I just don’t see the point of cats.
3. Coke or Pepsi?
Sorry, I don’t like either one.

4. Psych or The Mentalist?
I actually haven’t seen The Mentalist, but I love Psych. I’m impressed with the writing. Very funny.

5. Mac or PC?
I think it’s all about what system you’re used to. I’m a PC guy because that’s what I’ve always used.

6. If you were to have your ashes scattered post-death, where would you like to be scattered?
I suppose the ocean, if you could guarantee the person scattering wasn’t facing into the wind.
I just don’t want to be responsible for that.

7. If you could miniaturize one person, real or imaginary, and carry them around in your pocket–who would that person be? Billy Graham.

8. Floss before or after brushing your teeth?
Eww! After!

9. If you could do one thing with no consequences, what would it be?
Floss after brushing my teeth.

10. Ever watch Workaholics? If not, you should.
I can’t. I’m working that day.

11. What’s your life motto?
Be more concerned with caring than being cared for.

My questions:

1) Favorite actor?

2) Favorite song?

3) Chunky or creamy peanut butter.

4) Shoes or bare feet?

5) Do you know what toe jam football is? Would you explain it to me?
Don’t google it. I didn’t.
6) Favorite bible verse

7) Exercise you would choose to do just because you love it.
Don’t cheat and say, sex.

8) What drives you to a fit of nostalgia?

9) Assuming you could sing, who would you serenade? What would you sing?

10) What is your greatest frustration?

11) What was your most embarrassing moment?

Here are my nominees:

http://parentingandstuff.wordpress.com/

http://bowlingchef.wordpress.com/

http://mercy4brokenhearts.com/

http://scvincent.com/

http://journeythrugrace.wordpress.com/

http://meggiesfervor.wordpress.com

http://topshelfself.wordpress.com

http://lesplaisirssimplesdelavie.wordpress.com/

http://shrinksarentcheap.wordpress.com/

http://justafterwords.com

http://jordandkay.wordpress.com

Weather: Fog

When you think about it, fog is very sneaky. It’s all passive aggressive with its violence. It isn’t the kind of weather that comes right out and pummels you, somehow. It just creeps in and slowly drops a veil in front of your face. That’s why people who write scary stories use it all the time. As is the case most everywhere, the drive-in-theaters where I live are long gone. The last time I went to one was either shortly before or shortly after I was married. Lori and I went to see… that’s right, you guessed it, “The Fog.” Not a bad flick, and to make it even more creepy, it was actually very foggy that night. It wasn’t foggy enough to obscure our view of the screen, but it did add a sinister ambiance. Mostly, I remember Adrienne Barbeau.

Fog is sometimes a factor in multiple car accidents. Lori remembers a day when she was in 5th grade. The fog was terribly thick and her school was near the freeway. The children started hearing cars skidding and impacting each other, over and over. It went on for some time, and closing the classroom windows didn’t keep the sound from intruding. Now that would be a great time to allow prayer in public schools.

I was with my father late one evening on a tow service call. We were traveling slowly down a steep and narrow mountain road, called the Wildcat. At one point he had me get out and walk ahead of him to verify where the road was. We weren’t that far from home, but that night it might as well have been 100 miles.

Weather: Rain

home0512 017

Rain
You mist-ify
for you we’ve torrential love
you cloud
our minds with vapor
and
drops from
heaven above
Bits of you with friends float
ocean liners
and
surround land
till chunks of that
form islands
complete with
fruity drinks
and bands
You’re sometimes swift when you’re a river
but then again
you can be
serene
You might bob about in a lake
with a
panoramic woody
scene
You’re our life to drink
or filled with lives…
creatures we’ve seen
and not
You’re where sailors go
the ones who returned
and those forever sought
You float Huck’s raft
and bring God’s wrath
You swallowed the Egyptians
whole
You’re there when we’re skating on thin ice
and there
when the thunder rolls
Rain, we celebrate you with a tidal wave
for the thrill
that fills
our souls
You make us happy
when you stay for a time
but
even more so
when you go

You See Me

kidsnsunrise-009.jpg

You see me
anything false floats away
ash
impermanent as when it was
smoke

You’ve gently
drawn me in
to begin
discarding yesterday’s
clothes

In my dreams
I stop
running
away
anyhow

Your Word
woos me
to here…to You
to
now

Nothing Wasted

Purpose laden
wearing your work
on
your clothes

Promise taken
youth spent
before you
could
grow

Redemption made in
the
form
of a rough hewed
cross

Nothing wasted
life
re-purposed
through
the cost

Relinquishment of Control

Will your car start tomorrow morning when it’s time for you to go to work? Will a freak storm level most of the town you live in? Will your future wife walk into your office, look into your eyes, and see something that she can’t really describe, but which irrevocably changes both of your lives? I sometimes play that game in my mind, where I go back in time, but this time I’m armed with the knowledge of what has already happened. But what if you went back and changed one thing? What if you decided to get your car fixed before that day it wouldn’t start? What if that change in timing meant you turned your head at the wrong time at the office and that magic moment never happened? Going back in time doesn’t seem like such a great idea now, does it?

thelordreigns

It’s easy to see how our meddling with time could mess up our future. We aren’t meant to have that kind of power. But what would change in your future if you gave control to God? What if you actually became so sensitive to God’s voice that He didn’t have to keep hitting you over the head to get your attention? You might say, “That would be great, nothing bad would ever happen to me, because I would always be in God’s perfect will!” Wrong! Even when we do our best to listen to God, stuff happens. A lot of those happenings are things we don’t like. But God knows what we need, long term or short term. His plan is always best, even if we don’t understand. For I know the plans that I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a future and a hope. Jeremiah 29:11

Father, let me know you so well that I trust you to read the map.
I won’t constantly stop the car and complain that we are going the
wrong way. When you say, “Turn here,” I won’t ask you if you’re
sure, I’ll just turn the wheel. Let a peace wash over me that tells
me I will get to just the right place at just the right time to have
the future you’ve designed for your servant.

My Mobile Heart

A thousand miles or a few
you carry my heart with you
I want to be with you
wherever you breathe
Time grows heavy and still
passing away from you
Tides murmur the sound
of long restless seas

Lord, if you would
construct a storm
to move the world
like a globe of snow

shaken by a child

rearrange north south
east and west
make every path
bring her home

make fewer the miles

Just let me see

You’ve

brought her home

to

me

For Lack of Sleep

When I’m running short of
sleep sleep
and my thinking isn’t
very
deep deep
conversation may become
diff
icult
Land o’ Goshen! I could even in
sult
for lack of the proper
syn
apse
whole nations have been known to
coll
apse
So a wise man in
times
like
these
should correct the
sit u ation
by getting some
zeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

The Economy of J.Q. Person

It’s the economy,
clearly
John Q. Person.
That’s why you’re busy
messing with your phone.
But is it true that if you looked up
and met the world’s eyes,
the reflection would show
you’re alone?

There’s nothing wrong with money
if you don’t fall in love with it,
but dollars never could heal a man’s soul
Only one power here or heaven
can give you what you’re craving.
Only Jesus Christ can make you whole.

It’s the economy, J.Q.P.
Moths emptied your wallet
and all you do is run in place.
But more money and a better ride
won’t cure the emptiness inside.
Have you considered what may
be at stake?

There’s nothing wrong with money
if you don’t fall in love with it,
but dollars never could heal a man’s soul
Only one power here or heaven
can give you what you’re craving.
Only Jesus Christ can make you whole.

It’s the economy.
You’re vexed
Mr. Person.
Is it the libs
and cons
in D.C.?
At night you lie and wonder,
“would any amount of money
fix what is broken in me?”

Disconnect from the marketing, Person.
Just say no to what’s there for sale.
Learn to meditate on what is for real, son.
Leave alone what all the parrots rail.
Polly wants everything.

There’s nothing wrong with money
if you don’t fall in love with it,
but dollars never could heal a man’s soul
Only one power here or heaven
can give you what you’re craving.
Only Jesus Christ can make you whole.

He cares for you, John Q. Person.
And he’s coming back.

He’s there for you, John Q. Person
And he’s coming back.

He’s not an infomercial, John Q. Person
Yeah, He’s coming back.

Coming back, coming back, Person-ally
Coming back, coming back, Person-ally.

John Q. Person
Introducing, John Q. Person.