Posted in Poetry, tagged encouragement, faith, Future, God, hope, life, Love, Poem on December 31, 2010| 9 Comments »
Muddy Waters
Roll On By
Washed Away
By The Tears I Cry
Heartaches Come
But Are Swept Away
When My Eyes
Are On The Lord
Each Day
Cloudy Sky’s
Can Blow On By
The Sun Is Shining
I’m Not Going To Cry
Because God Loves Me
He Holds Me Tight
I’m In His Loving Arms
Each Morning And
Every Night
Troubles Come
Most Every Day
Sadness Tries
To Take Me Away
Still I Stand Firm
I’m Not Going To Let Go
Because He Holds Me
And He Never Lets Go
And I Know He Never Will
asa
images by: asa
Posted in Poetry, tagged chances, differnet, individual, life, Poem, Poetry, risks on December 25, 2010| 19 Comments »
What is wrong with being different?
Why do we all have to be the same?
So much to be said about individuality
But you just try!
You’ll see who gets the blame
Why so many stereotypes?
In their neat little boxes and paper bags
Are we so quickly and neatly summed up?
In single file categories, straight lines, plain flags
Color blind ideas in a Rainbow world
Fear, walls and divisions, human traditions
Where bigotry stands behind twisted pickets and lies
With blood stained hands creating hatred that is hurled
At people like you and I, just people, folks, you and I
Whose right is it to make us cry
Just because we are who we are
Do we have to kill ourselves?
Or be drug behind someone’s car?
Or beat to a pulp and left for dead
Just one more fallen star?
Just get the message! Be different……
…..at your own risk….
Go, but not too far, take your chances,
But be willing to bear your scars
Love is by far the one and only way
Still, every rose has it’s thorn
Often even in love there is a painful price to pay.
asa
photos: internet
Posted in Reflections, tagged blessing, christmas, family, fun, God, holiday, home, life, Love, tree on December 22, 2010| 2 Comments »
MERRY CHRISTMAS
It is Christmas time again and let me first say Merry Christmas to all of my family and friends whom I love very much. I hope and pray that you have a wonderful holiday season and that you are all richly blessed. 2010 has been a difficult and painful year in many ways yet a very blessed one all the same. My family and I have been through a lot and have learned a lot. We still have a long way to go but with God’s help and friends support we will reach the finish line.
We look forward to the year ahead as we say goodbye the this year and all of it’s trials and blessings. In 2011 we anticipate the return of our son Nathan from over seas and the wedding of our oldest daughter Amber to Gabriel and my brother Ben to Abby. All still months off but the excitement and anticipation is already building.
There are some obstacles in the weeks and months ahead and we do not know what we may have to face but we are standing firm. We know from past experience that God will take our hand and guide us through what ever the year ahead brings. We hope for the best year ever and many blessings for us and for all of you.
One thing that has been in short supply is money and with the early arrival of winter is has been even more evident. Christmas is going to be old fashioned this year to say the least. A message from Nathan, some friends and family, a good holiday meal and a few small gifts for the children are all we are hoping for. Hearing from Nate is most important and most unsure at this point. We are not sure where he is, so we pray for him, and all the service members over seas and for all their safe returns.
Due to the struggles of 2010 we almost did not get a tree. My wife and I were not too troubled by this but out 13 year old daughter was. That made me feel differently and I had no idea what to do so I ask God to help. I was not sure what to do and I waited and He came through, as He always does. Sometimes we have to wait and sometimes things do not turn out our way but He is always faithful and always sees us through.
Deborah was the answer to the question and to the prayer this time. (As she often is for me.) She was making a rice bag for a friend and had gotten some money for supplies and material to make it. When she left her friends house she went and bought the supplies needed and found there was some money left over. It had been agreed upon that since this rice bag was for free and not for sale so any money left over from supplies was Deb’s.
On the way home Deb stopped by a Salvation Army thrift store just to see if there were by chance any artificial trees there for sale. She found one tucked away in a corner. It had a run over by a truck look to it and seemed hardly worth any money or time. Still she felt that she should get it. “It had a lot of potential.” she said, it cost exactly the amount that she had left over which was not very much. She bought it with a hope and prayer and a lot of thanksgiving. We were not sure how it would turn out but we had a tree. Our miracle tree. Our “Tree Of Grace.” I am amazed at how it all came to pass from start to finish.
It started with a poem that turned into a prayer that turned into a little girl’s answer to prayer. It makes the struggles worth it all when the amazing and miraculous results come about. The tree ended up being a very nice artificial tree that was once a beautiful holiday treasure only to be injured and mistreated and ultimately discarded. Only to be rescued by someone who saw the potential. Now it is once again what it was meant to be. A magnificent symbol of grace.
We worked hard undoing scrunched up and bent over branches but in the end it was a work of love and tenderness that paid off. Just like Charlie Browns tree, ours was transformed from an ugly damaged thing to a beautiful work of our Father’s art. Wow!!!! Breathtaking!!! We are all so thankful for this blessing and this symbol that has been placed in our lives when it was beyond our means. Grace and mercy for today, hope for tomorrow. A child and her families Christmas tree of grace from God. I am so blessed to be a part of it all. May you be blessed as this year ends and the new one begins. May your dreams all come true and when they don’t may you see the blessing even in that. Good always comes around if you wait. Happy Holidays to all.
asa
photos by; asa
Posted in Poetry, tagged christmas, christmastree, compassion, family, hope, Love, Poem, tree on December 10, 2010| 11 Comments »
Look at the compassionate Christmas tree
All decked out, such a symbol of grace
Colorful lights and brilliant sparkling ornaments
Bringing joy and delight to many a face
Across many great lands of this world
A beautiful act of annual congruity
If only if could be always so
That the people of this world
Diverse though they may be
Could be drawn together
Into the boldness of unity!
United we stand divided we fall
Joined together for the common good of all
And for the one who made us for each other
Each one of us together taking our place
Doing our part for our human race
Everyone taken care of, no one left out
From the great and tall to the weak and small
No throw away people here, not one
All can be redeemed all can be fixed
No Scarlet Letter
No Mark of the Beast
Only love and peace and hope for all
From the greatest of the great
To the very last, the smallest of the small
No one is too broken
No one is beyond repair
When it is pure Love’s acclaim
That the living truth does spare
So many lives shattered
So many lives filled with shame
So many wounded, hurting souls
Bearing all the guilt and all the blame
For the evils pressed upon them
They gather around the trees
Praying for hope and peace to be there
Two trees standing in the garden
One a tree of grace
One a tree of despairs
One tree’s beautiful lights
Announcing a new birth of hope
One tree stark and barren in death
Hung with compassion and care pronouncing
For all to see that there is hope
To be found in the tree of despairs
Life springs anew from the bareness of death
Both trees a symbol of the One True King
The Master of unity who one day will bring
His Kingdom to the humble ones
Who wait for His glorious return
Look at the beautiful Christmas Tree
Look at the tree of despairs
Where love and compassion were hung
For us, to show how much He cares
So take the time to think deep, breathe in
All that this means and how glorious it is.
Oh Christmas tree spectacular and vivid
May you speak your magic to the hearts of all.
asa
image by; asa
Posted in Poetry, tagged birthday, blessing, daughter, family, Love, Poem on December 8, 2010| 3 Comments »
Happy Birthday Amber
I Love You So Much!
My Heart beats with pure joy
At every thought of you
The woman you have become
The person you have always been
Never cease to amaze me!
You are my delight
My shining star
So wonderful and brilliant
In every life you touch
You shine with beauty and love
Twenty Five Years, so fast
A quarter of a century, just a blur
So quickly have those
Precious Years Vanished
They have taken wings to fly
And soared into sweet memories
Leaving yesterdays dreams far behind
Now is the time to feel the need
Grab the years that remain
Let the Spirit’s Heart and
The minds eye clearly guide you
With Love and Compassion
For all who cross your path
As the grains of sand
Each one a year, a gift
From our Father God
Spin with love a tapestry of life
To be lived in passion for others
No matter what it is
That you may choose to do
For that is how you will be measured
In the eons of time beyond our world
By those who never die
Who will some day greet you
As the last grain of sand
Falls into the future.
My lovely daughter
Who is such a blessing to me
And to the entire family
May you be blessed in all you do
May favor shine His face upon you
And may you always know
That from the deepest depths of my heart
You are loved beyond measure
Happy Birthday Amber
I Love You So Much!!!!!!
dad
A Beachcomber's Reflections 