The Ocean

 Crashing  

       Raging 

           Roaring

Waves

      Higher and

          Higher

Colors

     Dark Blue

         Light Blue

            White

               Green

Winds

     Stronger and

        Stronger

           Twirling

The Ocean

     Cast

        Cast upon land

Cast

    Out of its bounds

        Destroying

            Destruction

Then:

     Calm

I don't understand

 Jesus, 

I don't understand those :

   who complain

 I don't understand those :

  who cannot accept others

   who cannot rejoice

    who cannot give thanks

I am confused

Why do we clap in church

Why do we shout in church

Why do we ask for prayer

But...do not work on the Bible Verse...

  In Everything Give Thanks.

I do not understand , Lord

Love

 Love, when Love is not returned 

     When Love is not acknowledged

Be tender, compassionate, caring 

  When those are not reciprocated

Forgive, when wrong is not seen by the other

  When others think they are right

Let no Bitterness grow

Yes, hurt is there and Pain

Let Love cover the Hurt, The Pain, the Grief

Grief, yes Grief, something died

Relationships changed or never were

You want to revive the relationship

You want to heal the relationship

But, it's not happening

So, then there's Love

Love endures and is Patient

Love is Kind, not jealous, not envious

Love is not arrogant or rude

Love, Loves, even before Love is returned

Or even is it never is returned

Loneliness

 Loneliness. Don't be afraid of loneliness. When it knocks on your door, let it in. Invite it to sit on your couch. Loneliness is there to teach you something. Loneliness will say..get out that box of cards and send someone a note; remember Trudy ? Why don't you give her a call. You haven't called her in a year; Go look in your kitchen cabinets. See all those spices, etc ? you could make a dish for Sally who twisted her ankle; How about volunteering to play games with the elderly at the nursing home ; Go for a walk. Make sure you talk to someone else who is out. Loneliness wants to teach us to get out of our shell. Yes, friends and family are busy. Yes, friends and family have moved away. Yes, friends and family have perhaps passed away. Yes, you will cry ! Maybe you are crying now ! I hate loneliness. I hate that feeling. It's like an emptiness. Something or someone is missing. You are missing them. Life has changed. Why? Why can't it stay the same ? So, I say again..Let loneliness come sit on your couch. Let it teach you something. In saying that, I am also saying it to myself. I must embrace loneliness too. And you know ? It's not forever. It gets easier, but we must most likely make some moves to help it become easier. Plus, let's not forget to tell our Heavenly Father about our loneliness. He feels our sadness.

EXPECTATIONS

 I expected certain expectations of you

  But:

     it didn't turn out that way!

You didn't become what I intended

You don't think my thoughts

You don't like the things I like

You don't have the opinions I have

So now ?

  Now:

  comes Love!

  Love, Mercy and Grace

They come marching in...

     Each with a blanket !

They take their blankets called

  Love , Mercy and Grace

      and they cover you...completely!

You didn't become what I expected

   -- what I wanted !

I'm so glad !

So GLAD that you're not another me !

  

THE PIT

 The pit was dark and empty

forsaken , full of death

The air dank and miserable

poisonous for breath

Why have they thrown me in here?

Why do they hate me so ?

I treated them with kindness

This truth they'll always know

When will they take me out ?

When shall I be set free ?

The answer lies unknown

The answer do I plea

The pit was dark and empty

I stayed within it's depths

I contemplated freedom

with each and all my breaths

WALLS

 The inside of the house had walls

     Walls to keep out

     Walls to keep in

     Walls for protection

     Walls for decoration

Some Walls took you up

     Some Walls took you down

     Some Walls were old

     Some Walls were new

Some Walls had pictures

     Some Walls were plain

     Some Walls were beautiful

     Some Walls were ugly

Some Walls were in transition

    - part up, part torn down

The Builder had a plan

     The Architect had a plan

But, the home owner kept changing his mind

     The homeowner hadn't decided

     what will make him happy...

     despite painful choices.