 
Lady Waiting

Published by:

Hope International Ministries, Mt Morgan, Queensland 4714.

Distributed in Australia by:

Hope International Ministries

www.him.org.au

diane@him.org.au

All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or any other – except for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior written permission of the author.

### Lady Waiting

A poignant journey that began with a search for inner peace

and lead to betrothal to the King of Kings

C L Secretan

Forward by Ken Legg

Lady Waiting is a treasure chest of precious poems, reminiscences and meditations from the pen, or more precisely the heart, of Christine Secretan.

You will find no camouflaged messages, carefully concealed and hidden away in this volume of writings. On the contrary, in Lady Waiting Christine bares her soul and brings us into her personal, private world in a most intimate fashion. Through her journal-like recollections she shares not only her joys and victories, but also her struggles, disappointments, fears and forebodings.

And it is this utter transparency which endears this book to us, for as we join the author on her own personal journey of life we make two discoveries ourselves. First, we are brought into an intimate knowledge of the writer herself. (Though I have never personally met Christine, I feel totally acquainted with her through the self-disclosure Lady Waiting renders.) Secondly, we can't help but find bits and pieces of our own lives. Maybe experiences we can identify with or thoughts we have had but pushed aside because of our unwillingness to acknowledge or deal with.

Christine has discovered the healing balm known as honesty and it is this precious gift she passes on to her readers. But she doesn't stop there. Christine is no pessimistic poet leaving us in depression and despair. Throughout her writings there is woven the wonderful theme of hope, that is the product of faith.

It is a tremendous privilege, and gives me great pleasure, to be able to commend to you Lady Waiting.

Ken Legg

Author & Pastor, Gold Coast, Australia

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Contents:

Forward

Introduction

Chapters:

1 No signs on the road

##

## So many roads

Many a pot of tea

Diaspora

On the edge

A trophy if I win

My melancholy mood

Two-way street

Played for kicks

Pendulum

An audience with him

History

Resolution Street

The traveller's prayer

Sight for the blind

Bridging the realms

Trust in the Lord

The Servant's creed

Just the preacher

#####

##### 2 Vagabonds

Facing face

Wild thing

Joined at the wrist

Time to heal

Broken spirits

Volcanic

Impervious

Tests of time

No need

A stitch saves nine

Moved by the pool

Accountability

On my pillow weeping

Purpose

Just because he asked

Lamp high (Sweet memory)

Devotion

3 Mud on our hands

## Life from the dirt

Destiny

The judged

A trail of footprints behind

Memories of a Girl

Hitchhikers beware

Divorce

Effort

Balancing the scales

Stature

You cannot measure happiness

If my mirror was Thee

Remember me

Holy Oil

Deep (Water from above)

Darkness

Light within the light

He is the victor, let's praise him

##### 4 In the dark

Walls

One step from the sunshine

Idle fingers

Feline

Master of disguise

Virtual reality

Unmarked graves

Willing to bleed

Ageing soldiers

The faces of war

Double vision

Each to the Lord

Nothing so tragic

The beauty within

What price a smile

5 Flutters of the heart

Wretched

No song to sing

How brightly she sparkles

Childlike still

On air

Heart's desire

The sculpture in the garden

Waves

Whispers of your name

Waiting on the moon

Missing you

Such a duet

Encore for my heart

The lady and her knight

6 Love's touch

The depth of heart

Thin ice

Pilgrimage of promise

Unspeakable joy

Magic moments

A jonquil and five pennies

For love

To make you happy

Enigma of one

In your hands I dance

The singer and his song

Betrothal

The music that is you

7 Love in the flesh

The difference is you

Cockroaches for memories

The five star kiss

Captured

A taste of heaven

Chocolate

Lifted

His machine and me

No defence

Woman

Passion

Sunrise, Honey with you

Ecstasy

Your heart

8 The promise of harvest

Perfect pair

Full seasons

Psychology of flowers

A song to the father of my baby

For always (a child's eyes)

To be a mum

Rebecca's farewell

Mother hen wings

Plenty

The mould is love

Her father's daughter

The Father's love

Salvation today

The great I AM

9 Making sense of the picture

Behind the veil

Windows in skin

The gem cutter's window

Life without love

Treasure-trove of love

All his glory

Female of the species

Carousel gone wild

Towers

Language of the heart

Facets

Portrait of a fool

Invitation to dine

Don't knock the manna

Living water

Signed, sealed, to be delivered

Called to heart

10 It was in the fine print

Born abroad

Face to face with you

Unsettled

The searcher's trail

Links

Clarity of vision

Just a thought

A mountain of time

Empty hands

The lighthouse

Red apples

Our choice

Armageddon

Under Jesus' love

More than a name

11 Listen...God's calling

Signpost "Lucifer's Way" "

Seal of the prophets

The Craftsman's stones

God made

Peace

On my knees (Shalom)

Perfect me with your love

Worthy

Scarred, not broken

Eternity is forever

Year of jubilee

Sheep

12 The Bridegroom is coming

Promise (at your feet)

The Promised Land

Heart song – A Messianic people

The Father's love (reprise)

Yeshua Ha Mashiach

Sanctified

Come what may (a song of joy)

Overflowing

Hunger for your love

Every prayer

My heart lifted high

A new beginning

Ready

Introduction

From a chicken came courage for God had spoken.

The chicken (a four month old leghorn-cross pullet) had been missing for over a week; marauding dogs meant hope seemed foolish. Then, there it was, pacing the old picket fence that formed one wall of the run. When I opened the gate it ran straight to the feed troughs. It appeared perfectly well. I thanked God. A voice, the voice of all knowing urged me to inspect my young charge. Panic replaced my jubilation. The water it was drinking was streaming from tubes that protruded from its body. Turning the fowl over I discovered a scant covering of feathers concealed a ghastly sight...Gangrenous flesh alive with maggots.

I prayed. I prayed for the nerve to carry out the job I knew had to be done. Again I was spoken to. What right was mine? Its life had been preserved thus far - through wandering, against assault, and now my condemnation. Penitent I saw myself in that chicken and remembered how for me too God had intervened. I treated its wound as best as I could, placed it in a wooden box and prayed. Not so much for its healing (this I felt had already been proven) but a prayer of thanks for the lesson I had learned.

The pullet's recovery and restoration to a life productive and valued closed the parable; one that spoke of the heart and wisdom of God. God had spoken. With urging I had listened. When years later his voice called me to speak I determined not only would God open my mouth; there would be ears to listen.

1 No signs on the road

So many roads

By the side of the road I stop;

A traveller in need of a rest I relax;

A soul desiring companionship

I strike up a chat...

Urged on by the clock

I reluctantly return to the track,

But which way should I go?

There are so many forks, so many roads.

At the end of my road

Is my destination; this much I know.

But will I arrive there tomorrow

Or get lost en route?

Shall I go directly as planned?

Or detour and look around?

Will I have fine weather,

Or find myself flood bound?

Shall I listen to advice,

Or leave their opinion their own?

Shall I walk with the familiar,

Or be challenged by the unknown?

Shall I travel with company

Or go it alone?

If every question is a junction

Where are all the signs?

Many a pot of tea

The cackles,

The groans,

The feelings outpoured

As we sit chatting

Over another pot of tea.

My grandparents,

My mum,

Dad joins on a break from work,

And I sit listening intently

As an elixir of heart-warming yarns is poured for me.

Memories...

Of fun

As through seasons they've walked:

Stories of autumn leaves, snow, spring flowers

And berry picking; all ended with a tale of a funfair by the sea.

History...

When Vikings crossed;

Family talks complete with ghosts of course;

Neighbours, friends, the houses lived in, And genetic strands that like arms hold me to each scene.

Tragedy...

What was lost

When the country was at war.

The bonding. The terror. The sirens and bombings.

Duty, pride and fear recalled - Granddad served in the Navy.

Reflecting

They make a fresh pot.

Talk swings to a new shore -

Australia. The land of my birth.

What struggles, what laughs they've had since landing here.

While sipping

They chat. I think a lot,

Wondering if I'll ever get to answer the call -

To return to this land of ancestors and beginnings,

To return to these origins that beckon me still.

#

# Diaspora

Diaspora,

Historians' delight;

Banishment,

Beginning of night.

Ostracism,

The hunted in flight;

Exile,

The bearers of light.

Seclusion,

All buried like gems;

Separation,

Now trophies of men.

Expatriation,

Surviving in blends;

Diaspora, In reconciliation it ends.

On the edge

Perched high on the precipice,

This rock face,

This ledge

I abandon all reason and sit facing the edge.

Looking out

I see nothing, not even clouds.

No burdens.

No crowds.

No pressures.

No persons who are loud.

Nothing - and I have no desire

To be returned to reality's ground.

Here the air is fresh

And breathing deep

Its purity purges me of all that once set me on edge.

This fortress is my rock;

I come here to sit, to take stock.

But when the book is read

The statement declares a shortfall of strength.

Bound to this life I must accept

That often, I will be found here,

Sitting on the edge.

A trophy if I win

In the beginning

My desire is to win.

In the beginning

There is something worth believing in.

I endure the training,

It is worth the pain.

I see in the training

The vision of what will be gained.

Beginning with eagerness, self-confidence,

Expectation and smiles;

Enduring the failure, disappointment,

Frustration and cries.

Beginning

Initiates the training.

Training

Arrives at the start of the race.

In the beginning

I run hard with the pack.

I think at the beginning:

"My training earned me a place on this track."

In agony I keep running,

I won't be shamed;

Only those who keep running

Are remembered at the end of the day.

The race over,

What has been gained?

The finish is a beginning:

Of reflections,

Of training,

Of a new goal to be prized.

My melancholy mood

'One day' – words glibly tossed around.

Words that mean never when the world has let you down.

"One day!" is how the mockers taunt you

When all you need is someone to extend a hand.

'One day', like that soulful sound of bass

Holds the power to sink me, to bond me to its tone.

But 'One day' is the rainbow's promised gold,

Yes, 'One day' is the song I sing while walking in the rain.

Two-way street

"He goes his way. I go mine."

"She's into music; I like to cast a line."

He. She. Her. Him. Accusations abound.

He. She. Her. Him. On the roundabout again.

"I've done my bit. I'm not trying anymore.

"It's a two-way street this marriage scene."

Is the catchword of the war.

A pedestrian am I, a witness to the flow,

To all the horns and honking with misery their tone.

A driver am I, caught up in the flow All the horns and honking play the song we moan:

"Two-way streets it is known have not unity in mind.

"The purpose of the two way street

"Ensures no two vehicles ever meet."

"They're good at keeping traffic flowing,

"Keeping each one in their lane;

"Paths may cross, yes that is fine but never ever must they be

"Allowed to travel side by side.

Paths may cross, but should they meet...

"It's a two-way street this marriage scene."

Is the catchword of the war.

Played for kicks

Singles,

Doubles or mixed,

Social tennis

Is just played for kicks.

Player A serves

And the game's begun:

With a pun - an ace.

Such fun.

Game one.

Service number two.

A wink...

And a rally ensues.

With style the game is won.

The onlookers agree

Such sport's a treat so they encourage

This match of repartee.

To keep things light

A drinks break is called

But sips and words are balls to them still

Because players they are on or off court.

"Game. Set. Match."

The umpire calls - She is player A's wife.

Her presence reminds them where the boundaries are.

She leads them off court and cannot help smile.

Yes, social tennis

Is always such fun

Because everybody knows There'll be no scoring done.

Pendulum

Standing on a bridge spanning a chasm of fears -

Paralysed. Stricken. Mute.

Haunted by the trail behind me

Yet I cannot go forward - this bridge has been damaged.

There seems no time for repairs,

Yet if I stop any longer I will drown in my tears.

Please stop the pendulum from swinging,

Halt the time it is bringing.

Put an end to the ticking,

This beat of constant bickering.

Don't let another hour strike,

I've not the strength for one more fight.

Just stop the pendulum from swinging...

Motion without feeling...

The pendulum from swinging,

Walking without moving...

The pendulum from swinging...

I cry and how these tears burn.

Tears of loneliness so I cry them on my own.

I cry (acid tears cut deep and cruel)

Tears of bitterness: "Why have I been such a fool?"

I cry, and realise my well is growing deep

With tears of endurance - the life spring of those who're weak.

An audience with him

Yet again it's being said

"His guitar cries. His guitar sings."

All such comments lead to one:

"His guitar is his real voice."

I understand the masses;

Critics and afficionados alike

Are bound to agree, verbally at least,

For the man himself has often said

He doesn't consider he can sing.

I watch him;

With just fingers and six strings

He closes my eyes and with song asks my heart to listen.

Riding high on his guitar we soar like birds;

Together we share his peaks of joy.

Like an evening storm he changes tune;

We fall, helpless drops of rain.

Tugged at, swamped like corks

We fear we'll die in a sea of moonless pain.

With the last note faded

My eyes once again are opened;

This is not simply talent speaking.

His music is his soul transposed,

And I have been in audience with him.

I cannot play a note nor claim to sing;

I cannot live my life muted.

My heart feels on the verge of bursting.

In acknowledgement I turn to him;

He can free the voice that lives within.

With just his heart a serenade he sings for me.

His guitar may cry and it may sing

But more than fingers do his talking.

As if my very thoughts he knows

He pens this chorus before he leaves:

'Never be afraid to let your feelings show

Cos Baby, your music must have soul.'

History

Searching,

Yearning,

For what will ease my pain.

Grasping,

Hoping,

Only to lose everything again. Into a crater

Dug of my own emptiness

I am fed by this craving

And oh what a mess.

Emerging,

Focusing

On a new thought in mind.

Believing,

Entreating

Love will one day be mine.

Straight from the glory box

Of love's pleasurable things

Comes one to declare:

"All else is history.

Resolution Street

Locked doors, curtains,

Shutters and blinds -

Behind them the world beyond does not matter at all.

Each morning I awaken in this confidence

Yet each morn the truth is revealed with the opening of my door.

There on the street they stand -

Some clustered together, others waiting alone.

They make no attempt to move nor do they block my path

But how can I venture toward them and believe

They can't or won't interfere in any way?

There on the street I am confronted by my fears,

Lingering like ghostly pieces awaiting my move.

They are real and I must face them

For out there on the street beside them

Are the spaces,

The choices I must make

If my destination I'm to reach.

The traveller's prayer

Pausing at the mountain's base,

I gaze at its towering peak.

Contemplating the path ahead

Words come to pave a way:

"Lord, take my little faith;

"I don't want faltering feet.

"Uplift me with songs to sing;

"Yes your words are rhythm to my feet.

"I want to enjoy and complete this journey;

"For this, I ask you walk with me."

Sight for the blind

"Please pray for my Bible." Says one lady, dismayed.

"Why? What's wrong with it?" another voice says.

"It's missing." comes the reply,

"I don't think merely misplaced."

"Where'd you have it last?" inquires her friend.

"About a week ago. I was reading in bed."

"Well," her friend suggests, "Perhaps the dog took it

"Like it does your shoes and has given it to someone

"More in need of it than you."

Clear comes this thought, so I repeat it with a smile:

"What a splendid new definition of Guide Dogs for the Blind."

Bridging the realms

Dust. Clay. Night. Day.

Such are the blocks daily played.

With hopes and dreams our plans are made;

Doubt brings dusk and we watch them crumble then fade.

Hopes and prayers with heavenward aim,

With these God paves our way.

A step in faith is all it takes

To cross the bridge between promise and claim.

Trust in the Lord

Some only see what their eyes perceive;

True vision is what the heart believes.

God offers healing; offers sight to the blind:

"Come, be made whole.

"Come, receive my gift of sight."

A smooth road in life is guaranteed

Not by the lack of hardship we've seen,

Or by how few mistakes we've made.

It's found in the Lord's peace -

In knowing his plan.

The Servant's creed

We are not called to prove what good people we are,

But to show others how valued they are;

So they too can know God loves them whoever, wherever they are.

We are not called to preach as though in sin we've never been,

But to live our life as God's redeemed;

So others can know God's forgiveness is life – yes a heart set free.

When we say we've climbed a mountain, and beam our victor's smile;

Or claim we've achieved something and take relish in our prize;

It's not because we're boasting in self-deserving pride.

For written deep within a humbled heart, imprinted on our mind

Is the phrase that is missing from our every word and line;

Yes "with God's help" is in parenthesis; he's our unseen faithful guide.

Just the preacher

I am the preacher, a vessel of God, a bearer of light.

Traversing the darkness - a star in the night.

I call to the weary; I seek those burdened in life.

Hear ye Christ's message, let his words be your guide:

"You are the branches - I am the vine.

"In order to fruit, in me you must abide.

"You are the creatures - I, the bread, the wine.

"In order to live you must partake of my life.

"Be filled with my Spirit \- the life of the vine.

"As old vessels you can't be filled with new wine...

"If for this purpose you give up your life

"You first must be transformed heart, soul and mind.

"Turn from the darkness, seek ye the light.

"Shine bright in my glory. Bear fruit in the vine.

"Servants of my love go forth in the night.

"Greater the harvest the more souls you find."

I am the preacher - a branch of the vine.

I extend his comfort to those fallen, those tired.

For we who accept it, great peace is the prize;

Life's burdens are lifted for Christ's yoke is light.

I am the preacher - a bearer of light.

I offer light's message to the darkness inside.

For those who accept it there is truth to find:

Our way is illumined for through us God shines.

In this moment of clarity some seek my advice.

Aware of my frailty a thought leaps from my mind:

"I'm just the preacher; I can't fix up your life.

"I'm where I am because God's Spirit is my guide.

"I can turn to the Scriptures, state it's worthy to read.

"I can quote its message but you must be willing to heed.

"I can share in your joy as my Saviour you meet

"And witness your steps as a new creature you leave.

"I can't remove the foes who'll crave your defeat.

"I can't expunge the anger of some you're likely to meet.

"I can't guarantee it's only blue skies you'll see

"I can walk with you when encouragement you need.

"I am just the preacher - God's beacon I shine.

"I hold forth God's light to those lost in the night.

"For those who accept, life is the reward;

"Eternal life with our Saviour, Jesus our Lord."

2 Vagabonds

# Facing face

Losing face.

Saving face.

By these, every move is measured.

Face in hands.

Face tear streaked.

Face lifted high.

Pretty face.

Ugly face.

By this self-worth is judged, even scored.

Smiling faces... how good these make me feel.

Radiant faces... these take me higher still.

Distorted faces... What does their message mean?

What is it you read in my face?

Just a face

Or someone's face?

Is it someone special that you see?

Wild thing

'Uncontrollable'

Is the word the policeman is using.

'Uncontrollable'

Is the word he plans to use against her in court.

He doesn't know her -

Only that she lives fast, she lives hard.

An aversion to suffering steers her to a swift end.

He doesn't know her at all.

He turns his back...

Through an open window she leaps -

She knows she'll not survive if caged.

With a label for this and a label for that

She is fenced by those who feel she is out of control.

With a label here and another there

They add to her suffering;

No one lifts from her the things

That cause her to flee.

No one allays her fear. She is running alone.
Joined at the wrist

Hand in hand,

Facing a common horizon

We stand joined at the wrist.

Joined at the wrist, confident

Our challenge will stand time's tests.

Wearying;

Struggling to break free,

Each accusing the other of tightening the grip.

Remaining resolute;

Sharing, balancing the laughter and pain.

Joined to each other we are bound to the mess.

Hands that once yearned to intertwine

Now endure tumultuous marriage,

Neither able to completely let go.

Through thick and thin we have been;

Sickness and health we have seen

Yet together we remain.

Bloodied. Desperate.

Still joined at the wrist.

Time to heal

I turn aside all hands that near me -

I fear their touch will cause more pain.

I reject the treatment offered -

I fear I lack the strength to take it;

I feel too weak.

A tender hand to brush away my tears;

A tender heart to hold my soul and soothe it

While giving it time to heal.

Yes all I need is a little tenderness...

I will be strong again. I will be healed.

Broken spirits

Friends, optimism and you have a life worth living

So hope dictates that our best is given.

Bridges crossed and time spent lost

Reveal what life is not.

Openness is banished behind some fence

And trust gives way to self-defence.

"You have to be tough or you won't survive it!"

Brazens life's fragile spirit.

Love is a promise of bright days ahead;

While hope guarantees a future that's blessed.

Passing days, changing ways,

Sadly it all fades away.

Endearments turn to bitter words,

A promise to leave is now what's heard:

"Single I was, perhaps I prefer it."

Laments life's tender spirit.

Praise and opportunity are added to the game,

Fresh hope offers us the courage to lift our aim.

Endless trips and rejection slips

Begin their choking grip.

Disappointment firms its cancerous hold;

Defeat ensures a great future's let go.

"Success? I wish I'd not sought it."

Concludes life's sensitive spirit.

Fears. Nervousness. Workaholic hands.

All symptoms of one who's lost the plan.

Shackled to the past each day proves a strain;

Forget tomorrow, the reason is plain:

Expectation is too fragile to grow,

Progress is a matter of moving with the flow.

In deep dark pools of saddened eyes you will see it:

Fragments of life's broken spirits.

Volcanic

A hand gesture summons me to his office, as usual no reason

Accompanies this command. I overlook his manner,

We work well together in fact I like this man.

The meeting progresses smoothly. That is

Until someone's coffee is upended over me.

In a fluster I seek to escape the situation, let off steam...

But compose myself with a deep breath and a reserved tap of my feet.

"Some towels." He calls, eyes fixed on me.

My silence restrains words capable of repainting the scene.

He picks up my unspoken words and

Proceeds to juggle them with boyish delight.

"You want to add colour? You can redo the decor if you like."

"Well someone should!" I quip. "It's not just boring, it's

"Depressing, in fact." In no need of encouragement I continue

My attack. "It's no wonder you all wear faces like that.

"Add some oak; warmth is what it lacks. Change the furniture

"And... " Realising the extent of the audience I have captured I

Slump back.

He cups one hand loosely across his mouth as if deliberately

Drawing attention to a concealed grin. The glint in his eyes

Further suggesting something in this spectacle appeals to him.

"You intrigue me." He offers. "Not just because I like a woman

"With fight. You present a most delightful sight -

"An enigma to challenge my mind. So controlled

"So dare I say, uptight? Just one touch of pressure

"And hmmm, what treasure we find."

Teasingly, he reclines, arms folded. Composed in his chair,

He just sits there, watching me,

Knowing he has just laid my soul bare. This moment is his

Yet his thoughts are focused on where he will go from here.

No one speaks. I understand.

No words are needed. His strained silence is easy to read.

Such control. Such urge to be free.

Just one touch does he need and yes, he'll flare like me.

Impervious

With a need to be wanted,

And a longing for approval,

Why do I react so badly

When each is lavished upon me?

Why do these glances embarrass me?

Why do these words make me feel I'm on display?

Why is it when I receive what I most desperately want

That I feel like a commodity at an auction?

Inadequacy... Endeavouring to please.

Failure, when driven to succeed.

Each time the emptiness reinforces the need,

But the truth won't be known

While I can still swallow this lump in my throat.

Rejection...still searching, seeking my mate.

Disappointment becomes sorrow – alone again.

Self-abasing numbs the pain, then buries it deep,

Where my sadness remains a tombstone no one reads.

Tests of time

Time is rhythm keeper; steady is its pace.

Somehow in the training I lost the yen to race.

Time is a challenge, a means for most to test.

I always seem to flounder just when I reach my best.

Time is a friend to some, achievements it will bring.

I turn my eyes up to the sky but fly with wounded wing.

Time is a fleeting thing. All search for it in vain.

Clouded is the view through my window pane.

Time is a dream at best, a plan of things to be.

O may the Timekeeper teach his time to me.

No need

This world will fill most any order placed.

I need. I want.

Yet no portion can ever see me filled.

Eagerly my hands embrace what will satisfy.

Again I say:

"I've had enough." knowing hunger still.

One day we are told emptiness will have no place.

In the presence of the Lord all our yearnings will be stilled.

A stitch saves nine

'A stitch in time saves nine.'

A proverb proven and true

If it's fabric you're applying it to.

But what if it should be

Your heart, your soul, your mind

That's been damaged and torn?

A stitch in time

Will always save nine.

With patience, and using love as the thread

A gentle hand can work wonders

For the soul fraying at the edge.

Moved by the pool

When life's cares have ravaged you, brought you to your knees,

Stretch out a hand to Jesus - he knows our every need.

So like the cripple you can boldly cry out too:

"I found healing when faith moved me by the pool."

When the darkness of injustice has cruelly blurred your sight,

Turn you eyes up to the Lord; seek answers in his light.

So like the blind who were led when the spirit moved,

Your eyes too can be opened by the clarity of God's Word.

When your burdens seem so heavy you fear you might drown,

Take heart, the Lord is waiting to hold you in his arms;

That like those who felt the power each time the Spirit moved

Your strength can be refreshed in this Living Water pool.

Accountability

If your life could be frozen

At any moment, at any time...

If without warning you could be halted

Like the people of Pompeii...

How would you be perceived?

What impression would you make?

If your life could be ended

At any moment, at any time...

If your life's worth could be captured

By the skill of artists' tools...

What kind of monument would be moulded?

What would be the vision that you leave?

If your life could be suspended

At any moment, at any time...

In what light would you be regarded

By those you leave behind?

On my pillow weeping

What of my children?

How will they fare on their own?

What plans have they printed?

On what foundations will they build?

How well have I shown that

Stability, security, and all strengths known

Are planted, nurtured in a place called 'Home'.

What of my children?

How will they fare on their own?

What prayers have they whispered?

By what principles are they living?

How has been my example that

Nothing else matters once this you know:

Only being right with the Lord grants peace to the soul.

Purpose

Like sides of a coin

Purpose and meaninglessness

Confront us in all that we do.

Depending on the flip -

The attitude we give to it -

Our heart or nothing

Is what will be meted each time.

Just because he asked

When I was young many of life's trappings enthralled me;

One was the stage – it was another world up there under the lights.

Wanting to be a part of it while fear held me firm in my seat;

I was in the audience not merely to see the show

But because experience had proven it was better to watch

Than to take part and fail.

Not so young anymore I still enjoy the stage,

Aware that every day we too are on show as we play out life.

Though I wouldn't say I've conquered my fear,

I do when necessary meet the challenge to rise to my feet.

How did I change? Someone changed me.

A veteran of this stage he called me to work at his side.

We shone; and I shone just because he asked.

Lamp high (Sweet memory)

By the roadside, awaiting morning's light, I stood alone in the dark.

You paused in your journey; with warmth from your heart

And no more than a spark you kindled a fire.

Your love, a light, it burned so bright.

Your love, my life's now sole delight.

Give me courage to hold it \- to hold my lamp high

That one day you will see it and my rescue be nigh

Passers-by did sneer (they valued not your deed).

Still they deride me; your return they cannot believe.

Others dispute my claim yet they can't deny

The proof, the flame that lights my eyes;

The proof you gave to be your guide.

Give me courage to hold it \- to hold my lamp high

That one day you will see it and my rescue be nigh.

"Keep watch for me." you said. "One day I'll return;

"Surely I will find you if that lamp you still burn."

I've remembered your words. I've posted my sign.

My love, my hope, I burn your light.

My love your promise has changed my life.

With courage I hold it. I hold my lamp high

For the day you see it will your glory be mine.

Devotion

For the light that now shines in my eyes

I keep the lamp for you burning.

For the fire that enlivens my heart

I dedicate my life, each day a gift to you.

For the smile that now beams from my face

I give you praise, no other name shall I speak.

For the light in my eyes I love you.

A flame dancing, flickering bright;

No more is the darkness –

The loneliness I once knew.

For the fire in my heart I love you.

A warm embrace it comforts me;

No more is the fear, the cold –

The power that once stood me still.

For the smile on my face I love you.

A picket fence amid roseate blooms;

No more are the memories –

The jungle past shadows grew.

Hand in hand, I need no other.

Face to face, I need not look further.

Heart to heart, I need only your love.

I was. You came.

I was. You claimed.

I am and yours remain.
3 Mud on our hands

Life from the dirt

If life

Is but a tittle,

A wisp of smoke,

A splinter of time,

This life -

Life unseen, microscopic.

Life awesome, universal.

If life can be described as such,

Then what is my life,

That I should consider it prized?

Destiny

Where will you be when your life's at its end?

Forever in heaven? Or in hell 'down below'?

In heaven we're promised perfection without end.

Hell is a place we'd rather not go.

Though hell's wrath is depicted as fire and flames,

What if this furnace is fuelled by things like isolation and fear?

"Fitting punishment for some. Not me, I'm a good person." you say.

Rejection of Jesus gets you in - not your lack of good deeds.

Jesus is preparing a place in heaven for you.

Hell was intended for Satan; God never wanted us to go there.

Blessed with life we must experience death too;

Now is the time to decide whose eternity you'll share.

The judged

Searching for happiness I seek out new friends;

With gusto and mirth we party through dawns.

"I'm wasted." I cry, "I can party no more."

Still burdened by emptiness I walk the road's end.

Lonely, tired, I ask for a room; only to be told

"We've none for the likes of you."

No defence can I offer. I am guilty as judged.

The evidence against me is the adherence of mud.

Locked out, turned about, into the darkness I trudge.

Each step an echo - 'There is no rest for the judged.'

A trail of footprints behind

Like a child on vacation we greet life's myriad of roads.

With our destination in mind we're ready to go.

No sooner than having started do we come to find

Each step of progress leaves a trail of footprints behind.

Sometimes in our journey we meet signs reading: 'Detour Ahead.'

Though irritating at first we find they are instead

A time of refreshing, a chance to put our feet up,

And escape the drudgery of the ruts we trudge.

When in life our circumstances change as they predictably do,

We adapt to the situation with a new pair of shoes.

Yet, when we glance back at the new territory we've claimed

We again find the scene dotted, scarred by the imprints we've made.

With the placement of a single bloom against polished wood

All our memories are sealed, both bad and good.

When at the end of my road I pause to reflect

I pray wisdom will put to rest these footprints I've left.

Memories of a girl

A warm Sunday drive is the beat my feet walk to;

A rolling scene of faces: The familiar; the new.

Then without warning to shatter this view

Is a single glance, clinically labelled 'Déjà vu'.

Silently his eyes read the line: 'Don't I know you?'

In frozen response I rummage the files I once used,

But time has erased the best part of the proof.

I cannot name him. He offers no more. What more can we do?

Deprived of the answers that would expound the truth

We simply pay tribute to one who died in her youth.

To wordless goodbyes we bury her too,

Both parting with memories of a girl we once knew.

Hitchhikers beware

To lone travellers the road is long

So relief runs high when a ride comes along.

To congruous greetings a union is forged,

Fate's then sealed with the close of a door.

To lone travellers the sign reads:

'Hitchhikers beware! There is much to consider

When a journey is shared.'

Too late we fathom those words long spoken.

An error confessed; a heart turned:

"Father, forgive me for being unequally yoked.

Divorce

Death seems a better option than life bearing a placard

Emblazoned with that word 'Divorced'.

It would be a declaration of failure for which there is no recourse.

Vainly I grasp at future and hope, while trying to balance them

With despondent thoughts;

Over and over I attempt to convince myself that things will

Improve, only to once again contemplate the packing of ports.

Reneging on wedding day vows appeals more and more -

Yes, solitude, peace. But that goes against all I've been taught.

Continually I remind myself that though this might please me

I was not alone when I embarked on this course.

## Evidently there is no redemption for me, so a new vow I make:

"Never again will life tempt me to charter love's course."

Effort

I feel irritable today and I don't know why.

The birds are singing. There are no clouds in the sky.

My family is healthy. No friends have died.

Perhaps I've overdone it...

Perhaps I'm just tired. Have I allowed others to engage me -

When I needed that time?

Maybe it's too much pressure on too fine a wire.

What is the matter?

Why is my mind troubling me this way?

It's restless, burdened. I don't want to work

Yet I can't sleep. Things I planned to come back to

Have now been left for a week.

Of course! The problem is clear.

The mind, like a house, should be cleaned daily with zeal.

The pieces picked up, sorted and dealt with at once.

To delight in the mundane doesn't come naturally to me,

So, with effort everything will once again

Be found in its place, and I'll be much better company -

Well, for a little while at least.

Balancing the scales

I am thinner today. I know it.

In fact I felt sure of it the moment I woke.

Without its voluminous armour my face has met the day -

I look in the mirror but don't notice any change;

My face always looks this way.

The circles under my eyes are darker,

But that's because I'm tired. Yes tired.

Yesterday was horrible. Everything went wrong.

As usual I swallowed my failings

Then all night war raged and tore flesh from my bones.

I know today will be just as bad

Because every face I meet will repeat that drawn out story:

"You're too thin!"

Then I'll hate myself even more -

For not being able to be like them.

They can be happy.

They can be content with who they are and what they do.

Or are their faces masks?

I'm not going to lie to fit in with the crowd;

I couldn't be at peace doing that.

I want to be happy...

What is wrong with me? Why can't I get it right?

I need to get this balance right.

Stature

I shall tell you a story,

And I shall tell it in parable so as not to offend.

Its message age-old is:

'The emptiness within comes not

From the image without.'

So begins the tale of the little tree.

The little tree thinks not of the Gardener's plan.

He thinks not of the fruit he'll bear

When his season comes.

His thoughts are only of oaks, cedars

And those whose boughs

Are laden with birds, their songs and nests.

He laments: "What is my life? Where is the worth?"

He cries: "The birds avoid me and I know why.

"All I have to offer is this little twig."

So he strikes a deal with the forces and powers.

The elements test him. The wind blows; the rain falls.

Soon he is mighty, his boughs great and lofty.

He welcomes each dawn and the light it brings.

He cherishes his image and the shadow it casts.

So high is he now he is up in the clouds;

No more can he focus on the cause of his woes -

But it is still there,

Tucked between birds, their nests and lofty boughs.

You cannot measure happiness

Why is it assumed that you're miserable

If you're not laughing all the time?

Or that you're troubled if you eat food healthy and right?

Jolly people cannot be determined simply by their size,

And you cannot measure happiness

By the width of someone's smile.

Just as the tip of the iceberg gives no indication

Of its size, happiness is something

That burns deep down inside.

It cannot be calculated by a sum of outward signs,

Only glimpsed as a flicker dancing in smiling eyes.

If my mirror was thee

I look in the mirror and what do I see?

Contours held up by stubbornness not grace

And impatience has carved these lines in my face.

How different I'd look if my mirror was thee.

I look in the Scriptures. What do I see?

Fullness abounding, a gift of your grace.

On every page your heart is seen in your face.

Your reflection is given in this mirror to read.

I look to the heavens. What do I see?

Embraced in your love, you will wipe my face.

Restored to your image I'll shine in your grace -

Forever to be a clear mirror of thee.

Remember me

Forget me not dear Lord

When I'm stained from where I've lain.

Forget me not Lord when it's seen

My feet have strayed.

Grant me clear vision Lord

To see the journey forward.

Fill me with wisdom Lord

So I'll know each choice is yours.

Touch and fill my heart Lord

So I'm faithful to the core.

Melt me when I'm hard Lord,

Then they'll know the mould is yours.

Keep my feet walking Lord

On that pathway to your door.

Spare me from falling Lord,

For you know that I am yours.

Forget me not Lord,

I'm trying to live your way.

Remember me my Lord

When home I come that day.

Holy oil

If you're not so quick at turning your back

When you hear temptation knocking,

Perhaps it's because your reservoir is empty.

If your responses have grown rusty;

Your conscience seized ajar;

Present yourself a receptacle

For the Lord to fill with oil.

A heart on fire, yes that's what I need –

Permeate, strengthen; set fire to me.

Make clear my desire, yes let me see

Your will, your plan - your Spirit be in me.

Deep (Water from above)

When the river is deep it takes a mighty force

To alter its course.

The wind may blow, and the sun scorch.

There may be some ripples; there may be some loss

But when the river is deep

It takes a mighty force to alter its course.

Dig the well deep Lord. Dig the well deep;

Fill it with water from above.

Dig the well deep Lord. Fill it with your love.

Shield me from adversity. Protect me from myself.

With water from above, Lord preserve me with you love.

Darkness

In the darkness I walked,

Alone; afraid but no one did know -

I hid the fear so I would be feared.

In the darkness I lived;

Lonely - partying so no one would see

I saw no future worth fighting for.

In the darkness I danced.

Never alone; always seeking

The one who'd come and take me away.

Through the darkness I caught a glimpse,

I heard a sound.

In darkness you found me.

I clung to your voice;

It lit up the night.

In the darkness you found me;

From the darkness you led me.

Light within the light

God's love is universal; his canopy shelters all.

Amid the strife and the turmoil

His arms extend this call:

"My love is light, for I am light;

"In it you're meant to live.

"To turn from me lets darkness in;

"The sinful path is dim.

"For you I yearn, my love still burns;

"I know the power of night.

"To guide you home I send the Son -

"Your light within the light."

He is the victor; let's praise him

(a song of praise)

Praise him. Praise him.

He is the victor let's praise him.

In song, in song,

Praising my Lord my heart is strong.

Cleanse me. Cleanse me.

Purify my heart Lord cleanse me.

Fill me. Fill me.

Abode of your Spirit, Lord fill me.

Show me. Show me

The way of your heart Lord please show me.

Lead me. Lead me.

Ne'er let me stray far, Lord lead me.

Onward, onward,

Seeking my goal I'll march onward.

Praise him. Praise him.

Our Lord and Saviour, let's praise him.

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4 In the dark

Walls

LIFE is like a spinning top,

WHIRLING AT FULL SPEED;

Following paths in all directions

But NOWHERE do they lead.

I'M TRAPPED HERE IN THE MIDDLE

While its shell rotates about;

There's NO PURPOSE in me being here,

No way to get out.

I can't live; I CAN'T DIE;

I'm just a PUPPET on a string -

Everyone else enjoys the show,

I DON'T FEEL A THING.

All the people marvel...

YES, the performance was done well;

I know it's JUST ANOTHER ACT

Till I climb back in my shell.

Oh how I wish the owner of this toy

Would give it ONE LAST SPIN,

Smash it up against a wall

And CRUSH my soul within.

One step from the sunshine

Just one more step and I'll be in the sunlight...

Heavy clouds roll in and hide my hope from sight.

Just one quick dash and I'll be out of this rain...

My foot slips and I am drowning once again.

Just one soft touch and I'll feel the words you say...

You neglect me and my heart is filled with pain.

Just one more breath and I'll make it up this hill...

My legs grow weak and leave me standing still.

Just one clear day and I'll get through all these nights...

My struggle is the evidence I'm still grasping onto life.

Idle fingers

His lonely fingers grasp the bottle and pour

Yet another drink. It is not his shaking hands

But his empty heart that fills his glass to the brink.

It is not his will but a night alone

That brings him here to sit and think.

His idle fingers tremble as he fumbles

With the pack. There is no soft hand beside him,

To tease him with a light so he almost puts it back.

There, in that cigarette is something he can hold

So he lights it and draws its fumes right back.

His gentle fingers speak clear to me but not in a

Fleshly way. In his moves I hear this age-old rhyme:

'The devil soon finds work....' The scene sees the rest explained.

In his eyes I glimpse an angel, all he needs

Is a lady and heaven would be his again today.

His soul's burnt fingers, numb with alcohol, sift

The chaos in his mind. No consolation is found

For yesterday. No new plans seem fit to try.

He finds no reason to go home so at the bar he is stationed.

Here no questions will be asked. Here he'll buy himself more time.

Feline

Kitty, Kitty with your soft smooth fur;

Come, it makes me happy when I hear you purr.

Pussy, Pussy, drink your fresh warm milk.

Here, sit on my lap; soothe me with your silk.

Kitty, Pussy, no you don't want to go.

Kitty see there's nothing out there. Why do you still roam?

Puss cat my pet, why do you leave each night?

Why not stay here on the sofa? I'll turn the fire high.

Ginger my love, they say it's in your blood;

Please tell me what you hunger,

Let me fill your need. I've more than enough.

Honey, if you love me, why do you still hunt?

Master of disguise

Family, friends, hugs and kisses,

Festivities, dress-ups and giggles;

Marbles, football, boyish pranks,

Fan clubs, music, movies, dance...

Enter the demon.

Unrecognized.

Accepted.

The reprobate is at ease.

Robbed of innocence

A child is sentenced to life.

Stigma deafens all ears to the plea:

"When will I stop feeling like this?"

Courtship, endearments,

Congratulations, wedding bands;

Foundation pegs, vegetable plots,

Talk of babies and long-term plans...

Enter the demon.

Drunken, full of stress;

Pressured within, without.

Insecurities explode.

A woman stripped of trust

Wears a robe of shame.

Staying silent, alone;

Loving, hating,

Till it all feels the same.

Enter the demon – master of disguise.

Whatever your weakness...

Wherever a door...

The demon's trophy is your demise.

Virtual reality

Lifeless faces devoid of hope.

Frozen poses, there's no way out.

Eyes that mirror what they cannot tell.

I stumble on, not through Madam Tussaud's –

Just one step farther in life's catacombs of hell.

I stumble on. Lifeless faces... Frozen poses...

Cubicles of torment, each picture the same.

Sometimes prisons are steel; sometimes they're just as real.

Unmarked graves

Hardly a day passes without the news declaring

Someone is missing

Or that another has been abused.

A body is discovered.

Murder they say... Who? By whom?

From its unmarked grave

The body's exhumed,

Autopsy performed.

Headlines seize us and we are desensitised

With the details of the crime.

From unmarked graves

We emerge. Ghosts of who we used to be.

Raped, yet nobody saw.

Abused. Who can know the mutilation

The soul endures?

Each day bearing witness to the injuries received.

Each day yearning for renewal and peace.

Willing to bleed

Firm he stands; he moves not either way. To walk away

Will result in shame. If he holds his ground

He'll be hailed brave. With his name at stake he fixes his gaze;

He has to prove this man is not afraid.

Why does it have to be proved this way? All the honour

He's thus far attained, is now jeopardised

By the challenge made. Like a bull in the ring, scarred with age,

His worth tomorrow rests on this clash today.

A man he is; a man he'll always be. The fact is simple

Even plain to see. The evidence there in his genes.

All that means nothing to some it seems,

Unless of course he is willing to bleed.

Ageing soldiers

The past is a minefield. Its territory is the mind.

All the places, dates, and faces

Are now trip wires to each mine.

The past is a war zone. We wear its scars for life.

For the bravest and the frailest

The danger is buried for all time.

The past is a graveyard where dreams did fall with night;

Where ghosts now haunt, even taunt,

But stand we will; all soldiers fight for life.

The faces of war

Life as we know it ends with the advancing sounds;

Panic then fear grips us as this tide sweeps our land.

Simultaneously hearts are crushed as buildings fall.

Nothing's held sacred when your country is at war.

With a mere stroke of a pen a decision is made;

Designated 'allies' or 'foes' - we were children yesterday.

Just a part of the game. Pawns on the board.

We're no loss if you win. We're the victims of war.

Through the dust and the rubble comes a pitiful plea;

Shaken, dazed I reach for the hand stretched out to me

Then recoil at the sight! But why? I've seen the maimed before.

Whoever she was, she now is a casualty of war.

In a haze of adrenaline and fear we're shelled by steel and screams.

Indiscriminately we are attacked, fighting men then disease.

For sake of our country we stand, we fall.

We give our life freely but there's no honour in war.

Once we were 'chosen'; now we're chosen to die.

Spurned, degraded, condemned by a lie.

No answer is found as we're filed through the doors -

Just branded a statistic of a crime called war.

Though the history books' pages are faded and torn,

New editions ensure we'll continue to mourn,

For man has not learned from these annals that form...

Still new pages fill daily with the faces of war.

Double vision

Side by side I see them,

The starving and the full.

Just one line does divide them -

A comfortable verbal border: "Can't life be so cruel?"

Side by side I see them,

The victim and the brute.

Just one thing does define them -

A self imposed enforcer: "I'm the one with boots!"

Side by side I see them,

The prisoner and the free.

Just one wall does confine them -

A powerful social order: "That's where you should be!"

Side by side I see them,

The weakened and the strong.

By their heart the reveals them -

From the inside they are sorted: to show our view is wrong.

Each to the Lord

Heavenly Father, Lord God of all;

Majestic ruler, Creator of all;

Why is there such chaos? Why do we pull from your Word?

What happened to perfection? Why do we all have to fall?

Why if you give in abundance do we still have to toil?

Why when you say all things are possible

Is there no peace, only more wars?

Would we be more trusting if your presence was assured?

Could we change anything if we listened to you more?

Would the world find harmony if individually we answer your call?

Heavenly Father, illumine for us that path to your door.

You have, and you keep giving; may we give you our all.

Nothing so tragic

There is nothing as tragic as a baby's name on a grave,

And there is nothing as tragic as the parents who

Empty hearted return to tend it day after day.

There is nothing as tragic as old folk living alone,

And there is nothing as tragic as the sound

Of children crying when Nan or Pop has been called home.

There is nothing as tragic as a body suffering disease,

And there is nothing as tragic as the loved ones

Who feel guilty for whispering: "God, do something please."

There is nothing as tragic as life viewed through our eyes,

And there is nothing as tragic as the rejection God suffers

When we ignore him, and march through it without him to die.

The beauty within

Sometimes my mood is ugly, and nothing brings me joy

Because my heart is bitter, my soul pressed down.

When happiness rules there is nothing quite like being alive;

Full of bubble, bounce and the confidence to

Tackle the world - this aura is a smooth cushion to ride.

At such times it is easy

To praise you Lord. My desire is to praise you -

To praise you in sun, cloud or storm

Yet there is this battle. A battle I find so hard to win.

Why when your Spirit abides within me

Am I still buffeted by circumstances without?

Why when even death is no enemy I fear,

Do I let life's conflicts suppress the beauty within?

A roly-poly baby toy, weighted at the bottom

To ensure it's upright before the next knock should fall.

Strange but true this vision I see;

It is a comfort, an answer indeed. God is so good to me.

I shall now accept being buffeted around

For I know God will stand me back up,

He'll not let me stay down.

He is my Rock, my foundation,

My life's solid ground.

What price a smile

A penny a dozen I saw them come and go;

Some even touched me and for a moment they'd glow.

To return one was something I'd never known,

So there on the surface they stayed

To fade like untended coals.

In all of this my face grew sadder

As the price of a smile went higher and higher.

A treasure I was given, for it I did not pay.

A smile warm and tender pierced me like a golden ray.

It set my long-dead heart on fire, I could not hide its flame.

Its glow was mine to keep,

Revealed, returned in a smile like that one he gave.

With each day since, my heart's grown gladder

As God's gift of a smile shines brighter and brighter.

5 Flutters of the heart

Wretched

A sea bird -

Alone on land;

A silent dirge

Dripping oil on sand.

A letter -

Thoughts poured in ink.

A storm filled gutter

And repudiation's succinct.

Blood red rose -

The lover's flame;

On thorns beneath the glow,

Impaled are those it's maimed.

No song to sing

## Despite dedicated effort

And all we can offer as protection,

We've all endured it - the record somehow broken.

Usually the prize specimen in a growing collection;

It plays beautifully then...

How could this tragedy have happened?

You dust it and hope it does the trick...

No. It's scratched.

You clean it and hope it's not too deep...

But no, it gets stuck every revolution.

You adjust the weights... try all manner of things...

No. The rut is too deep. This song will sing no more.

You slump back. It meant so much.

Joy. Delight. It's now out on compact disc.

Alas, the story rings the same:

Modern becomes defunct.

All things man-made end in similar fate.

I turn the ring that sits loose on my finger;

Circular, its shape has no song I can sing.

When God wrote that first duet

His song was a harmony,

Where trust was every note.

I thought I heard it sung once.

Now there is only silence.

How brightly she sparkles

A fairy in a bottle

She is to those who keep her in.

Within the glass through which they goggle

There is no room to spread her wings.

How brightly she sparkles -

From her tears. Can't you hear the song she sings?

Of the moonlight. Of her garden.

Of her prayer to spread her wings.

Childlike still

A stage

And a man with skill;

An audience

So childlike still.

The trick

It brought them such joy;

Mystically

Their hope was his toy.

Spellbound

I too fall for a man;

Likewise

I don't understand.

This time

There's no cloak, no wand;

This time

The power is his own.

On air

Spiralling, spiralling;

Autumn dancers take to the sky.

Silently, silently

They're whisked, turned, catching the light;

Blindly a last pirouette lifts them from sight.

Finally we lower our eyes;

The performance goes on but not for our eyes.

Spiralling

Hope soars as he takes my hand.

Silently

He leads me to the beat of the band;

Blindly I forsake all to follow the man.

Finally a kiss closes our eyes -

The encore is continued with each step of our life.

Heart's desire

A house. What images spring to mind?

Should I be asked to name my style,

What kind of building would I choose?

I love the cottage, with garden and thatched roof;

That unique blend of stone and straw,

Where herbs and flowers are together strewn.

So cosy. Inviting. It's just the place for two.

But I'd love a Tudor manor too,

With rolling lawns,

Complete with a labyrinth to stroll through.

Where soft and stark unite in tune

To stand defiantly to all

A timeless view.

A marriage brings similar thoughts to mind.

Should I hope it to last for life

What hopes, feelings should I make known to you?

I love romantic things like ambling in full moon.

Intimate moments of touch and thought

Where all hurts fade because of you.

So naturally, I'd want only to be with you.

But I'd love a man who could flaunt me too

With never a thought

That one could tilt his roost;

Where smiles and pride combine like glue

To boast triumphantly this call:

A couple true.

An ideal some would say I've described;

Indeed, is this not what each heart desires?

To share with another a life of "I love you."

The sculpture in the garden

The ultimate in sheer perfection,

It rightfully holds centre stage.

A masterpiece of creation...

I am held in transfixed gaze

By the beauty of this form displayed.

As the sunlight filters softly down,

It highlights each curve and line

Leaving them shadowed on the ground;

I behold a second time

The symmetry that first caught my eye.

This exquisite piece in fine design was crafted

By the Master's hands.

I can't believe the honour that is mine,

As I behold the splendour of my man.

Waves

Fleeting moments of harmless emotions

Rush in, then away like waves as we play.

Ripples and tingles as sun, sand and surf mingle.

We're partnered then dragged away;

Thus ebbed we wave to meet another day.

Whispers of your name

My Love, do you feel the sunshine

All soft, warm and light?

It's my thoughts of you so tender

Wishing you were here.

Do you feel that gentle breeze

Playing idly with your hair?

It's my prayer for you my lover,

Calling you again.

Each time you feel an inkling

To turn, to glance around;

It's my heart in its longing,

Whispering your name.

Waiting on the moon

A sailor I knew you to be

And yes, I wondered if there was truth in the thought

That you,

That you could have a girl in every port.

But I felt the ocean come with you

When you swept me off my feet;

And I felt my heart run dry when you sailed the next tide.

I've scanned the horizon and prayed each ship be you.

I've manned the lighthouse when storms have brewed.

I've even believed mermaids have lured you,

And succumbed to fears that

This time,

This time you'll not surface again.

Fathomless is my ocean, a sea of regret.

Overwhelming are the rips \- memories that drag me out deep.

Too well I recall my answer of "No."

To your invitation: "Lady, come sail away."

Sailor on the ocean, have you forgiven me yet?

Have you tired of exotic ports?

Let the tide heal our regret;

This time I'll not turn you away.

Missing you

Where, Beloved, is your head tonight?

Is your body restless?

Does it roam its lonely home?

Do you dream of sweet embraces?

Are you grieved when morning comes?

How long, Beloved, will life hold tight the reins?

How long till I see you once again?

Such a duet

Such a duet

There has not been seen

Since love was immortalised

As Romeo and Juliet.

Tell me my lover,

Whisper again

That song of eternity you sing

And I'll not ask ought of you

But the love that you bring.

Come my lover,

The wind in my sails

Through a thousand dreams;

May freedom be the carriage

That brings you ever to me.

Stay my lover,

My love, my life,

My hero, my steed, my lover indeed,

Such a duet there has not been seen;

Such a duet is our secret yet.

Encore for my heart

When I feel the sun on a winter's day

Gently cloaked around me,

I don't applaud - I soak in it.

When I watch you my Love, every day is a stage.

Each move, each word you speak

Is an encore for my heart.

The lady and her knight

You can be my hero anytime; I'll receive you with delight.

You can paint my name across the sky with banners,

Jets or laser lights. I promise I won't run and hide,

Or say: "O my God! I think I'll die." You can be

My hero anytime; I'll be the lady you've hoped to find.

You can be my hero anytime; I'll not mind what mount

You ride. You can come on a silver motorbike with helmet,

Gloves and boots my size. I promise I won't decline in fright

Or say: "No I can't. It's not lady like." You can be

My hero anytime. I'll be the lady kept by your side.

You can be my hero anytime; I'll be faithful all my life.

You can ask me out anytime you like with tickets, flowers

Or plain desire. I promise I won't hurt your pride,

Or say: "I've made other plans tonight." You can be

My hero anytime; I am your lady and your love I prize.

.

6 Love's touch

The depth of heart

Our heartfelt pleas are both bound and read

In the words of whispered prayer,

While each precious tear in silence shed

Weighs full on the scales of care.

The anguished grasp of an empty hand

Cries loud that its pain be shared;

And begs for light in life's shadowed plans

To comfort this soul lain bare.

With our inner screams cast heavenward

We do fall on bended knees,

Then in pain we lie where once we stood,

Alone with our tortured pleas.

In tears I fall on a shoulder strong

And my grief is buried here.

I'm healed in a glow that alone belongs

To the strength of a heart that cares.

Thin ice

What is sugar but something we all crave?

Why want sugar when it simply melts away?

What is this substance we all measure by the grain?

Just a palatable antidote for everything we taste.

What is love then but something we desire?

Why want love, when we end up in its fire?

What is this notion that has us dancing on thin ice?

Just the perfect remedy for the agonies of life.

Pilgrimage of promise

Love beheld

Can captivate the longing soul,

Filling it with untold expectation.

A glow that warms from within

Melting even the heart once frozen;

Exposing it to boundaries unknown

While guarding it with sweet protection.

Love expressed

Is essentially both perfect and pure

While being undeniably passionate.

The effect of which is so tender

Yet is a force unmatched.

So beautiful it should be displayed;

So precious it must be protected.

Love fulfilled

Is the journey from hope to joy -

A pilgrimage of promise.

Anticipation begins the story;

Trust unites word and deed.

Nothing can touch it or see it destroyed.

It is the ultimate - perfect unity.

Unspeakable joy

Some folk think I'm crazy -

I'm always drifting off somewhere.

A heavenly touch embraces me

And I have to close my eyes;

Other times I cannot help but smile.

Perhaps they think I'm daydreaming;

It could be they don't even care.

I don't mind where I am or worry who might see -

Unspeakable joy is what I'm feeling;

Unspeakable joy is welling up in me.

Magic moments

To feel your eyes rest on me

Is a sign you'd have me read.

To feel your touch upon me

Is a key that sets me free.

To know that you want me

Is a wound that's finally healed.

To have you just a moment with me

Seals what's been and what will be.

A jonquil and five pennies

At his request I close my eyes

And hold out my hands like many times before.

Puzzled, I examine my gift

Wondering what it can possibly mean.

Not roses, jewels or some trinket sentimental

But a jonquil and five pennies wrapped only in his thoughts.

Convicted, I understand the reason

For this flower he's bravely given me.

In the jonquil, in his eyes, I see all the moments lost,

Forgotten or long destroyed.

But five pennies?

"One more makes a sixpence," he says, "That's a silver coin."

"The addition of a little to make something special." I think out loud.

"But I don't have any pennies." I conclude.

With a touch sincere he softly whispers:

"I'll accept a kiss in lieu."

With aching hearts and tear filled eyes, we embrace,

And kiss through trembling lips.

Of all the times we've had or yet hope there will be,

This moment is one to treasure.

Seared then sealed, our love will burn forever.

Something lasting is this which binds us together.

Something special is this bond we share.

For love

Why does giving hurt so much?

Sometimes I believe things were better

In those days when I gave nothing,

Felt nothing and never gave thought to

Why nothing came my way.

Since Cupid's arrow struck me down

I haven't been the same.

Now, there's no holding back;

The gift once given is given for life -

A gift only given when hearts unite.

To make you happy

'Chosen to make you happy.'

Not words found on a charm engraved,

Not words entrusted to the strength of a chain,

No, not words you'll hear me lightly say.

No not merely words,

But love expressed in so many ways:

Eyes that appreciate what they behold.

Eyes that search deep to heal each silent pain.

Hands that let go when told.

Hands that soothe when given time.

A heart that knows your ways, your moods.

A heart that grieves when you're not around.

In those moments when that magic that is ours

Causes you to think:

"This cannot last, this cannot be real."

Hold still. Breathe full that promise only you can feel:

'Chosen to make you happy'.

Enigma of one

Like the melody and the lyrics

Together are the song;

True love is believing

Two hearts have been united

To beat in tune as one.

##

##

##

## In your hands I dance

##

## When you take my hand

You alone can I see.

With my hand in yours,

Dream and world unite.

When you take my hand

I feel the tune;

With my hand in yours,

My Lord of the dance,

When you take my hand

In your hands I dance.

The singer and his song

My eyes lack vision;

My heart has eased its beat;

My life without direction;

I have been drained of all but my soul

By the worldly and their world.

Like an oasis in the desert,

An island in the sea,

A balm to heal the hurt,

His voice captivates me.

Like the rain that breaks the drought,

The dove that bears the leaf,

A wall to keep danger out,

His message speaks to me.

Like the stage before the show,

A distant mountain peak,

The first flower to brave the snow,

He is inspiration to me.

My eyes have been focused,

My heart spoken for,

My life given purpose.

I have been filled, breathed upon

By the singer and his song.

Betrothal

A diamond solitaire

Is all she needs -

Its sparkle unsurpassed reflects her heart.

This is his promise

And she wears it with pride.

A comforter, a friend

The Lord said he would send;

The Holy Spirit

To shine from within and claim us as his.

This is his promise

Till we stand at his side.

The music that is you

For your power, and your might O Lord

Our feet stomp upon the floor.

For your strength, and your majesty

Our hands sound praises in the air.

We sing, and we dance

To the music that is you.

For your love, and your compassion

Our arms link in unity.

For your glory and your holiness

Our song lifts your banner in the air.

We sing, and we dance

To the music that is you.

The beat beneath our feet,

The rhythm of our hands,

The language in our hearts;

We sing, and we dance

To the music that is you.

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#### 7 Love in the flesh

The difference is you

If all my prayers could be answered

They'd form whispers on your lips.

If my teardrops could be water

They'd shower you with my kiss.

If all my dreams could be realised

I'd be waking by your side.

If your touch came with the sunrise

I'd surrender to the tide.

Yes, with just the urge in your calling

I am winter in the sun.

Just a gesture of your passion -

I am drenched to the bone.

Just your hand to hold and guide me -

Yes your company I seek.

Just this bond of love shown freely

And each day my life's renewed.

Cockroaches for memories

"I assure you it's not dirty." he said

Searching for an answer in my eyes.

"It touched me." My words, barely audible

Did little to explain the revulsion that engulfed me.

A silent moment passed; he took my hand in his

Kissing it as a gesture that he understood what I could not say.

That touch belonged to a memory still lingering in my mind.

The five star kiss

He says... he need not ask because my heart cannot say no.

... he knows I am his by the surrender in my eyes.

... he will make me his and draw me to his side.

... he will lead me on till there is nowhere else to go.

...its end is but the start because he'll never let me go.

Captured

Once I was restless, an endless searching breeze.

Like a wall you saw me halted and dropped me to my knees.

Once I was empty, a river waiting rain.

Now the banks are overflowing and have been since you came.

Once I was frozen, a lake in wintertime.

The warmth of coming summer, you freed life beneath the ice.

Once I was downcast, a memory on a shelf.

With a vision you restored me and took me for yourself.

A taste of heaven

Meeting you has left me flummoxed; a situation that continues to

Astound me no matter how often it is resolved.

You see, I don't understand... How can just being with someone

Be so wonderful? Even the mere thought of the possibility

Brings a smile, a glow. Quite silly really - being hugged

By a notion! Then each time I am in your presence reality proves

What is already known: It is as the memory preserved it. Heaven.

Sheer heaven. Only now the glow is brighter, warmer, doubled in fact.

Two hearts melting as coals ignite.

Two smiles beaming in unbridled delight.

Two pairs of eyes meeting, searching, uncovering smouldering desire.

Softly you brush aside a wisp of my hair... The fire is alight

And there's no pulling away from it.

Our once flickering eyes are transfixed by it;

Each body craves to be warmed by it;

Our lips touch...

Chocolate

"No thank you. I'm not big on sweets."

"If I may, I'd like a chocolate please."

Maybe I'm a sweet tooth;

I love chocolate's taste.

Maybe I'm a softie;

I don't like nuts mixed through.

Maybe I'm a junkie;

I like it rich and plain.

Maybe there is one exception

That bends my golden rules:

It is the kind that is centred

With mellifluous caramel.

My Love, my lover,

Don't be burdened with fine gifts.

All I need is you and me;

With chocolate I am pleased.

Lifted

With eyes crystal blue

He reveals horizons new.

With hands wisened by time,

Inhibition is cast aside.

With touch like thermal air

He carries me heavenward

To soar with him there.

His machine and me

Climb aboard. Satisfaction is guaranteed.

Turn me on, kick-start or key.

Show me the road, I'll set you free;

The limit is where you want it to be.

He'll return I know to pour his passion on me.

He turns me on and does so with glee.

He sets me free when I follow his lead,

Together we arrive at our destination discreet.

So his machine I'm afraid just cannot compete.

Purr it may, priceless it may be

Yet it cannot give what I know my man needs:

The high that's his when my eyes glint "More please."

No defence

His drink: whiskey neat, occasionally served with ice;

Addicted to activity he chain-smokes 'Milds';

A quest for contentment fuels the motorcycle he rides;

Like nature rugged, fresh, his aftershave is a blend

Of sandalwood and lime.

His semblance pays tribute to the craftsmanship of time -

Determined, strong, still able to smile.

Unaffectedly his voice purls from inside,

And no storms in life have yet managed to quench

The fire in his eyes.

Against the scent of a man there is no defence;

It permeates and overpowers the flesh -

Undoubtedly too strong for the gift of sixth sense.

To gain the trust of a woman is man's greatest strength.

Against the scent of my man I have no defence.

Woman

Like a mist-draped morning

Begs the sun to disperse the chill,

So is the allure of a woman

To a man and his will.

As the sea to the diver

Is deep, with the promise of pearls,

Such is the mystery, the power

That holds a man to his girl.

Like a stream's water refreshes

Those willing to pause on their knees,

The world is fought for, and forsaken When love is what a man needs.

As the dream to the dreamer

Embodies the heart long after dawn,

All this and more she will be

When a man for a woman has called.

Passion

The power, the warmth, the tenderness in your eyes

Melts me, draws me till I'm moulded to your side.

The desire, the love, the gentleness of your touch

Consumes, fulfills yet there can never be too much.

The passion, the joy, this gift designed for two.

What a pleasure it is to share it with you.

Sunrise, Honey with you

A daisy in the garden,

A shelter in the storm,

Your love is here waiting

Each and every morn.

This is nothing to be dreaded,

Nor reason to be blue;

Each day is mine to treasure

Come sunrise, Honey with you.

Ecstasy

The first soft slivers of dawn unfold a brand new day

With new pages revealed as sun is soaked up in the clay.

The advancing warmth quells night's icy stay

To see the earth glow full in this radiant heat.

Fulfilled, the evening falls with seed sown in the breeze.

Once more day's end yearns dawn's return and ecstasy.

The tender breath of life awakens all throughout the land,

Turning flowers full toward the sun to bask in its warm gaze

As autumn leaves are shed by whispered hands.

This call sees all respond, even the mighty trees.

Once free, sweeping arms draw all up heavenly

Till lost beyond where time stands still for ecstasy.

The sunlit kiss of dew ornaments this perfect form

Which yields itself to blossom full and its beauty's increased more.

Purpose is given though it asked not more

With fruit now set by touch of the gentle bee.

Spent, it softly falls lying draped across the scene,

Having given all for this golden oil - pure ecstasy.

A secluded beach has lured us here to spend a day

With nothing to distract us our thoughts are turned to play.

Exposed yet alone, like in the garden God first made;

Just nature's walls do hide us – and also set us free.

Chanting waves suggest heaven too is within reach

Engulfing us in a surging tide till drenched in ecstasy.

A carefree stroll on a lazy day. What better thing to do?

A tree-lined park, a hazy sun... a stage for me and you.

Rolling lawns form seas of velvet hues

And perfumed flowers intoxicate the scene.

On cue darkness falls as a veil of cloud rolls in,

This place, this time is ours alone – it is ecstasy.

To a picnic framed with daises we go. We lie

On a blanket of sunshine, beneath a mountain we'll climb

Sampling the fare of nature's sweet wines.

Sun-soaked climbing paths beckon: 'Follow me'.

Twisting, turning, we are blind to where they lead

Till the summit dares us to its edge - sheer ecstasy.

Fulfilment is found afresh in the waking of each day,

In the breeze's first whispers to the morning's tender rays.

Nothing can match its beauty displayed -

In heights to reach or in mysteries deep.

My darling, I know as you take my hand each time we leave,

Your love will guide me throughout this land of ecstasy.

Your heart

Your heart held and loved me

Before earthly plans brought me into being.

Yes, your call was ever for me

Before I even came to be.

Your eyes were set upon me

Before I knew you were there.

You desired and watched over me

Before I gave you thought or care.

Your love was sunlight to me

Before I knew day from night.

You held firm the hope to meet me -

Yes, faithful as each day's sunrise.

Your words were spoken to me

Before I recognized your voice;

You waited, never forced me –

Yes relationship was my choice.

Before, I knew you not;

Now I long to know you more.

Your love reveals and proves me;

Yes, I can never be as I was before.

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8 A promise of harvest

#### Perfect Pair

The door opens;

The room appears empty, dark.

Then I see them, poised together;

Carved in ebony they are a perfect pair.

But what does this vision have to do

With the sadness in your eyes?

The answer becomes a simple prayer:

That God would cease your pain, yes,

Put a child in your arms,

And a sparkle in your eyes.

Full seasons

Time is often more than a space of waiting.

It's the chance to juggle the thoughts in our hands.

It's the opportunity to perfect all our plans.

Time's efforts are results in the making.

Fruit is the reward of those patiently waiting.

It's the complete circle to seed once planted.

It's the fulfilment of our hopes being granted.

Fruit's value is measured in the tasting.

Birth is the moment to end anxious waiting.

It's the sealing of bonds silently growing.

It's a product of love and keeps unity glowing.

Birth's fullness puts purpose in the mating.

Love is more than a game of two hearts playing.

It's the decision to take one step at a time.

It's the revealing of the best prizes there are to find.

Love's rewards are always worth the waiting.

Psychology of flowers

The child deprived

Survives,

But never blossoms full.

To the darkness it evolves,

Its growth impeded by neglect.

The child encouraged

Is love displayed -

A product of that light.

Nurtured, it endures

Showing its worth in fruit.

The child spoilt

Knows no rules

And is thought of as a weed.

Without the shaping of its heart

It rambles where it wills.

A garden should be glorious,

The flowers worthy of display.

Recognising each variety of the species...

Responding to each one's place and needs...

Remaining ever watchful regardless of time,

Season or where be the field...

Such onus is on the gardeners.

Such toil comes with sowing seed.

A song to the father of my baby

My soul wishes to boast of this prize inside,

This bubble of love that I cannot hide,

A well of jubilance; the cause of my smile.

It cannot be argued, your love can't be denied;

The proof is within me, a situation sublime -

Your heart's declaration is found in my child.

Such love I feel, a love that grows with each day;

So precious the knowledge it won't go away.

It's destined to blossom... but oh the wait!

Eagerly I plan for the expected day.

My reason for song will no longer be words I say

Because all credit will fall on you, the father of my babe.

Words fail me as I gaze upon my man,

His eyes he does not lift from the bundle in his hands.

This man strong now finds he cannot move;

His heart has melted over a baby new.

His hopes, his goals, everything he's planned

Has been devalued by this infant in his hands.

That look. That touch. Such pride and joy,

This perfection is his whether girl or boy.

So moving is this sight never will I deny

Myself again the chance to see it, perhaps many times.

Yes, words fail me but I don't need them to capture worth

For great joy is also mine for granting him the miracle of birth.

For always (a child's eyes)

From summers on the beach and running hand in hand

To skipping through the waves and building castles in the sand.

From catching wind tossed leaves and pulling rampant weeds

To plotting landscaped gardens and planting chosen seeds.

From planning joint adventures excitedly each year

To laying firm foundations toward my hoped career.

From childhood I'll emerge as new pathways are tried

To knowing I'll always remember these moments by your side.

To be a mum

## Noise, noise, noise!

Children and their toys.

To gain control I raise my voice

Then find I've killed their fun.

Oh God, why did you let me be a mum?

Mess, mess, mess!

It always looks like this.

I want the place to look its best

Not the product of a bomb.

Perhaps I should not have been a mum.

Time. "What time?"

Every mother cries!

Oh to do something that I like, but

Too well I know they'll soon be gone;

Somehow I must prize my time as mum.

Gone, gone, gone;

Leaving one by one;

My little girls are moving on.

Soon I know their time will come...

God help them each to be a better mum.

Rebecca's farewell

Wrapped is nothing but tomorrows

A little seed was entrusted to my hands.

In warm rich soil I placed it

And pondered the plant that would be grown.

Against disease and pest I guarded it,

Ensuring every need was met.

Now there stands a tree where once that seed was sown.

Though it seems but yesterday

My hands were given such a seed,

A lifetime has filled me and left me this day

As I watch her leave my hands a rose.

Mother hen wings

"Come home, Love... even for a little while.

"Have a break. Things will look better from here."

"I can't Mum. I can't get time off work,

"And I couldn't leave Mick...

"I just needed to talk to you, Mum. I miss you.

"I wish you could give me a hug."

My eyes begin to well as a mother's prayer is lifted high:

"Lord, please hold my baby girl, wrap her in your love;

"Make her happy once again

"Because I can't bear to hear her crying,

"And I can't alleviate her pain,

"When she's so far from home and these

"Mother hen wings of mine."

Plenty

I want to reap a harvest,

To taste the succulent fruit. But first,

I have to be given a seed.

I want to share the fruits of love -

Tenderness, warmth, sincerity, joy. But first,

Love has to be given to me.

The mould is love

Love has been brought to me in the image of a man.

Such love, such devotion is hard to understand.

Under all my failings Lord, you see the way I'm meant to be,

And with firm gentle urging you draw me close to Thee.

Though surrender to your hands begins a life of tests,

Acceptance of your Son ensures my path is blessed.

Your indwelling Holy Spirit bears testimony to your grace,

So each day my grateful heart does pray:

"Lord, may my life reflect to all the image of your face."

Again, love is brought to me in the image of a man.

My heart's response? "I must replicate it if I can."

Through twin sons I'd like this merit to be shared,

From the twinkle in his eyes to the colour of his hair.

Flip sides of every trait. Nothing left to chance.

Undisputable the image – his worth in a single glance.

To see this vision realised earnestly I pray

With lips and heart as one to say:

"Lord, may love continue printing the image of his face."

Her father's daughter

I watch, I laugh, I share her pain

Then cry because she does not bear your name.

She's bound to one who does support her,

One too proud to see the truth - she is her father's daughter.

Her face, her ways, her cheeky grin

All portray the form she was moulded in.

She walks in steps that were not taught her;

Just her presence sings her song: "I am my father's daughter."

I hope, I wait, I'm praying still

That not just your image but your arms she'll fill.

Honour at last will be restored her;

The day you're heard to say: "I'm the father of my daughter."

The Father's love

The Father's love is patient,

The Father's love hears not the beat of time.

The Father's love is bidding;

Let his glory shine.

Gather all you sons of Jacob;

Hearken too you daughters;

Let Zion wear her crown.

The Father's arms are yearning

For the children of his love.

Come now in his presence,

All you jewels of his crown.

Salvation today

Circumcision of the flesh,

This of Abraham did God request.

A promise in the emptiness. An act of faith.

A child in the wilderness \- a nation today.

God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

This covenant we've kept,

Our blood we've shed.

Circumcision of the heart,

This of us does God now ask.

A desire to return to him. An act of grace.

A place in eternity - salvation today.

God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

This covenant you've kept,

Your Son's blood you shed.

God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob

This covenant is kept;

Bound together by blood that's shed.

The great I AM

Creator – yes, the great I AM;

Creation comes from you.

Lover of creation,

Let this creature be everything you planned it to.

A jewel in your crown,

Yes the sparkle in your eye.

The spring in your step,

Yes one who brings you pride.

The song in your heart,

Yes one that makes you smile.

The reason that you live,

Yes the one on your mind.

The cause of your strength,

Yes the one in whom you delight.

Yes I am impetuous; you are the one who is my balm.

Yes I am emotional; you are the one who keeps me calm.

Yes I am imaginative; you are the one who sees it too.

Yes I am indolent; you are the one who spurs me on.

Yes I am original; you are the one who keeps me true.

Creator – yes the great I AM,

Creation looks to you;

Lover of creation,

Keep this creature close to you.

#### 9 Making sense of the picture

Behind the veil

The soft fading sunlight casts a sombre portrait,

A stark and lonely shadow: a silhouette against a wall.

No depth, no substance, no thoughts to meditate;

Just hopes and dreams to fashion purpose in it all.

The gentle hand of God reaches down to nestle over me,

To see this emptiness appeased with a promise of eternity.

A rose among the thorns or a weed amid the blooms?

Swept up with the multitude as time goes rolling by -

Lips move, words fall, hanging limp in crowded rooms;

Face to face a moment then parted with the tide.

The Lord himself has come in love to walk this road with me.

He is my Lord and my Saviour. He is everything I need.

A glistening falling snowflake is lost upon the ground.

The seasons tumble over... the breath of life is gone.

No light, no dreams, no questions left to understand,

Just an image in the mirror as time has ambled on.

From the very outset God has set his heart with me;

There is purpose in his footsteps, peace in his plan revealed.

Windows in skin

Through windows in skin

We see reflected the image of the nature within.

Take the cat in soft lovable form.

Rubbing, purring yet too well you know

It would kill your bird

Then think nothing of expecting a gentle stroke.

Through those eyes heartless and gold

We see the truth –

The cruelty of the nature within.

The world is full of such contradiction.

Exception is rare.

One is the dolphin. A master of display,

Sleek in form, a smile wide. It beckons to play,

Cackling along with the game;

Ready to help if you need support.

Through those eyes intelligent, humane,

We see the nature inside matches

The form it's set in.

Justifying my reserve the case was closed.

I remained a prisoner of my fear

Till like that dolphin someone I did meet.

One whose perfection was a matching

Of inside and out.

He coaxed. I tried to let go.

"He's just a man, Lord." I reasoned.

Human. Flawed. Such was how I felt.

"My child, have I not chosen him?"

How could I answer? Against the Lord I could not speak.

Under the Father's approving eyes,

He coaxed and I let go.

The Gem Cutter's window

I asked my love: "What makes you so sure? How do you know I am the one?"

He replied:

"Let me tell you a story, believe me, every word of it is true."

"I dreamed I was in a hall or some such place,

"All around me was a priceless jewellery display. "'Spectacular'. 'Beautiful'. Each piece made these words easy to say.

"Then I noticed there in the centre of this place

"A single piece set in a locked glass case.

"I couldn't take my eyes off it; not a word could I say.

"So absorbed had I been I'd not noticed someone standing next to me.

"'Beautiful isn't it?' the Gem Cutter said to me.

"Without waiting for my speechless response he further stunned me.

"'Would you like to hold it?' he said taking out a key.

"He opened the case then presented that piece to me.

"'If you'll come here each day... yes, until the show is over,' he said,

"It is yours to keep.' "

"On the day I met you and you stood facing me

"I knew in an instant the reason for my dream.

"You were the one, and just as in that dream the scene robbed me of speech.

"This time to my surprise, the Gem Cutter's key was your response to me.

"The Gem Cutter shaped you so he knew - he'd planned what each would see.

"He prepared us for a walk that would stretch to eternity."

"I know you are the one for me.

"You're not just the woman of my dreams,

"You are the Gem Cutter's promise to me."

Life without love

Life without love is like a tank lacking water.

It has the potential to hold so much,

Give so much, yet remains empty.

To witness drought breaking rain falling...

To hear water filling dry tanks...

How can such emotion be contained?

Every good and perfect gift is given from above;

To overflow our life with blessings,

To reveal how much we're loved.

Treasure-trove of love

Ali Baba called: "Open sesame."

Our bounty is revealed with a soft "I love you."

This simple whisper magically surrounds us

With a treasure-trove of love.

Countless priceless riches are there for the keeping:

Smiles, surprises, gentle touches, intimate moments.

Each memory lovingly labelled 'Thank you.'

'Thank you for being here.'

'Thank you for caring.'

'Thank you for loving me.'

'Thank you for being you.'

A treasure-trove of love - with simple words we whisper.

All his glory

Behold the peacock's plumed display -

Confidently he makes his statement plain:

"No other creature is thus arrayed!"

This splendid metaphor declares a story -

That of a man in all his glory.

All heed the mighty lion's roar;

Authority's been his since flesh was formed.

His pride is what he lives and fights for.

Not words but awe in this powerful story

Speak of a man in all his glory.

Oh the sight of a thundering steed,

Snorting, prancing with the wind on his heels.

He is broken if he is not free.

It takes respect not skill to grasp this story -

To hold a man in all his glory.

Man was made in the image of God,

A reflection of the perfection above.

Life and fulfilment granted through love.

A place of honour is woman's story -

Beside a man in all his glory.

Female of the species

Since the beginning,

As with Regula Engel and Joan of Arc

The female of the species

Has been assertive - an iron-willed maiden

Embracing death to prove

Life for all could be the way she dreamed.

Since the beginning,

As with Cleopatra and Marilyn Monroe,

Woman's allure has symbolised

What every man's soul does crave:

Possession of all that was offered

When God first presented him with Eve.

Since the beginning,

As with Caroline Chisholm and Mother Teresa,

This nurturer of humanity

Compassion she has served.

Amid the trials of flesh and blood

Her softness extends God's boundless care and love.

Since the beginning,

As with Abraham's Sarah and Churchill's Clementine,

A lady by her man has stood.

A pillar of devotion,

Humbly to absorb then reflect

The honour bestowed upon her man.

Since the beginning,

With each the Lord with purpose he has made.

The female of the species

Is a mystery on display.

Carousel gone wild

Images spun around me like a carousel

Gone wild. Some were up, others down;

Some were dark, others light.

I marvelled at the scene like a dizzy

Spinning child. I then saw as it slowed down

This spectacle was my life.

It occurred to me why I've not enjoyed this ride -

You're meant to enjoy it, not fear and frown

Or you'll hate it all the time.

Well, that day's long been \- now I'm more inclined

To smile. Like a rug turned upside down

I'd not seen life's better side.

Towers

Watching children build towers with blocks

I see that what is intended to be fun is making everyone cross.

Everyone is happy while everything's going to plan

But how quickly it all sours when a tower is knocked down.

Accusations are hurled; anger razes their work to the ground.

This spectacle becomes a meaningful prompt.

I pool all the knowledge I've acquired on blocks.

I recall all the great buildings - written of and known

And how they've remained though eras have flown.

Their beauty, their strength lay in something called stone.

To my surprise my life is revealed as a tower of blocks -

One secure because it has been built on the Rock.

Regrettably I often try to oversee what I don't understand.

Aware of this I declare: "Lord, I'll stop interfering; I'll follow your plans.

"Help me to use wisely each block placed in my hands."

Language of the heart

The ballet. The ballet.

Stories on a stage.

Spinning. Dropping.

Bodies forming words

For my captive soul to hear.

The opera. The opera.

Passion fills the air.

In tragedy, euphoria,

Each resonating voice

Entwines my soul to theirs.

The theatre. The theatre.

The world's ensemble here.

Costumes opulent. Costumes scant.

Hyperbole in face and moves

Mimic my soul's every plea.

Each day life's played out

On a timeless formless stage.

Through smiles and tears, heart and limb,

I am captured once again;

Then heart to heart there comes to each

This universal language

With which our souls can speak.

Facets

The nude relaxed; first lines were drawn.

The flesh found life in the pastels' warmth,

The charcoal's edge and the paint on board.

The session over, the work approved...

Yet how can one thing be so different too?

The group united by the subject they'd used

Were also divided by viewpoints, medium and tools.

And so is life of every birth -

In breath we are one people,

Divided by culture around the earth.

#

Portrait of a fool

"Gather round, help me all."

Brush in hand the Artist bade them all.

"Who'll sit for me? I'll frame it fine for thee."

Seeking fame they formed a line,

Heads held high till the Artist spoke this line:

"I'll paint it true. I'll name it 'Portrait of a Fool'."

Self-assured they stepped aside...

Not one left! The Artist was not surprised,

But knowing their hearts he challenged their minds: "I'm glad to see that I'll meet you all in eternity."

At his words they were perplexed;

The meaning could not be guessed.

Concealed in his message was this truth:

Only they turned from the Lord can be titled as a fool.

Invitation to dine

There is no right or wrong when it comes to brands,

And the choice is yours whether your meat is grilled or baked;

If you prefer orange juice to tomato,

If your muesli is toasted or flakes.

Nutrition through a balanced wholesome diet

Is what healthy living entails.

At the Lord's table we are invited to dine.

It's irrelevant whether those who serve us

Are rabbis, pastors or priests;

Are female or male; wear civvies or robes.

Only that the Lord himself has prepared us the meal.

Don't knock the manna

Sustenance is not determined by lavish fare displayed,

Rather by what you need to meet the rigours of the day.

In the gift of life is where true value's found and weighed;

Every other blessing is the garnish on the plate.

Living water

Taste of the water; be filled with the Lord.

Once you have knelt there he alone will you thirst.

Taste of his wisdom; be nourished with the Word.

Once you have sought it, nothing can match its worth.

Taste of his power; be guarded by the Sword.

Once you walk with him you'll see your foe is cursed.

Taste of true glory; be humbled by what's heard.

Once you are redeemed all his is also yours.

Signed, sealed, to be delivered

I stand alone, nowhere to go;

Unarmed I face my foe.

Afraid, "O God please help." is all I can say.

He answers my plea with a promise he's made.

I smile, ready to fight. Chosen, marked, I bear the Lord's sign.

No banner or arms, just his Spirit inside.

I say: "Victory is mine. Do as you will, you'll not take my smile.

"I am the Lord's whether I live or die."

Called to heart

Saint Andrew's cross

And a single heart –

Common elements

On which to build and each unite.

From the people of generations past

Came the mien I'd walk in.

Mottoes, emblems – history, future set in ink.

To the people I now turn,

Older, wiser, their message I have learned.

'To be worthy of arms one must prove himself so.

'To be a soldier of worth one must live by his creed.'

In Proverbs we are told

That above all else,

We are to guard our heart,

For it is the source of life's consequences.

For generations present and past

God designed our walk with him

As prophets and apostles were given pen.

Disciples, we in turn

Share the Message our heart has learned.

God so loved us all he sent down his love

To crown us joint heirs if his Son we receive.

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10 It was in the fine print

Born abroad

'Home is where the heart is.'

A cliché perhaps,

Nonetheless the truth.

These words wistful

Cut if you've been severed from your roots.

Home is more than buildings,

We all know that -

The house is not the home.

It's more than walls

That hold us

Till we venture on our own.

Home is not merely people

Known to us as kin.

With bonds of blood for mortar

These births, these deaths

Form the bridge

Spanning our life's waters.

Home is not built on memories –

Treasures in our mind,

Or heirlooms kept since time.

Neither eyes nor hands

Can hold dear

What's most valued in our life.

Home's locale is not in history

Where ancestors great

Were honoured with plaques on walls.

It's not these monuments

Ascribing worth

That keep us standing tall.

Home is not a place built or bought,

Lost to war or handed down.

It exists where past and future meet.

Home is an appellation

Timely inscribed

When our heart's at peace.

Face to face with you

Through the blizzard in the night

There burns a soft glowing light;

From the dark I'm freely drawn

To let this glow my numbness warm.

My surrender sets a sunset hue

When I'm face to face with you.

In life's labyrinth I wander,

Crossing waters too deep to ponder;

You are the rock that keeps me anchored -

A bridge to horizons answered.

My every thought finds meaning too

When I'm face to face with you.

When tossed about on stormy seas

And anguish brought me to my knees,

I bow my head to seal my fate

And waive the right to navigate.

I see my fears made passive too

When I'm face to face with you.

While in sun-kissed fields I play

And feel the heavens touch the day,

Or waves gently fill the shore,

Consumed I think there can't be more.

Yet still a spring comes gushing through

When I'm face to face with you.

Though I plummet to the depths

Your arms are there to give me rest;

To lead me beyond darkened bends

To where it is my journey ends.

There, all my battles will be through,

And I'll remain face to face with you.

Unsettled

Discontentment...

Insecurity...

We begin the search again

For a niche to suit our purpose,

A façade to match the phase -

To be fulfilled, be accepted,

Until it's time to move again.

Through infancy

To maturity

Our shells are cast aside.

If we could just accept ourselves

For the creatures that we are,

We'd be settled with our image -

No more vagabonds to be.

The searcher's trail

They search, they cry for the nagging inside.

They hope, they buy, then wonder why

The trinkets and charms can't make them smile.

They read. They listen to stories of old.

"The magic's the power." they're glibly told.

Too late they find their soul has been sold.

Empty, they're filled with the ways of night.

They deal. They drink. They do what they might

Only to find they've wasted their life.

Still they come to the searcher's trail –

The young, the old, the strong and frail.

Till time's end they will come not expecting to fail.

Blindly they search but will not be saved

Unless they find that path God paved.

That one alone leads beyond Judgement Day.

Links

Searching for Atlantis...

Finding no answers.

Seeking the dead in Giza...

This puzzle is not easy.

Cities without mortar!

Who would have thought or

Dared believe in such power

At so early an hour?

What of pictures so designed

They're best seen from the skies?

Or ancient monuments of such skill

They are standing still?

While studying the Sphinx,

Others hope in a link

To what's intrigued them thus far -

By connecting it all with a face on Mars.

The earth is a crypt, centuries deep,

No one yet has found all the keys.

Perhaps in the soil from which we're formed

We'll find our link – the fingerprint of our Lord.

##

## Clarity of vision

##

## In communion with the Lord I am taken to a place...

On entering, my eyes immediately fall on The Table of Learning.

My first impression is that it is a felled tree. How wrong I am -

It is far more than that; yet what it is defies description.

Its surface is solid yet crystal clear. Still two paces away I study its bowels.

Moses, who since my arrival has been patiently waiting, asks:

"What answer do you seek?"

Not a word can I utter. Nothing seems important anymore.

Prompting me with my own thoughts he urges me come closer,

To look in, but unprepared for what I see I turn away.

Wisely he offers: "If you cannot accept the reality of your own reflection

"You'll never be able to see beyond it and be no good to anyone at all."

He gestures to try again. Focused by the lesson I have learned

I am soon overwhelmed, indeed how can such a privilege ever be borne?

Space, depth, time, emotion, even life itself are all somehow there

In this living form.

Allowing me time, he beckons and we walk to the table's end.

Engrossed in conversation I trip on what appears to be a root

(Part of the table I presume), Moses continues on.

I am left wondering what all this can mean.

Intrigued by his acceptance of this event I pause to reflect.

I consider my toe...there is no pain, no, but significance is revealed:

In following I too have got caught up in the Law.

Delighted by this revelation I am keen to go on, to unburden my soul;

So with the table our hub we do this four times in all.

Only now am I aware that a being, infantile in appearance,

Has been hovering silently, sprinkling the table's surface with water from a jug.

Not a drop ever settles because each, like polish, the table absorbs.

This being enthralls me. A creature pure yet cognizant whose piercing eyes

Resemble two huge cut gems, brilliant blue in colour.

Seeking the relevance of his presence I ask: "Does he have a name?"

## In response to my question a name is spoken and though my ears hear it

Only the meaning do I receive: 'Clarity of Vision'.

At this I understand what my visit is for.

Just a thought

## On facing reality: Life is a marathon. To finish well requires pertinacity,

## nothing less. Each day however is a sprint.

## Success here depends on motivation at the start.

On ignorance: The learned are those who understand that with

Knowledge gained comes the revelation that volumes more remain.

On equanimity: This is granted to those who accept that they are

not responsible for the whole show, only to do their best in the role given to them.

On conviction: Equipped with resoluteness and courage, it is the capacity to go

Past the last chartered point - into territory regarded 'beyond belief'.

On commitment: This is found in the belief that the risk of dying en route

To fulfilment is preferable to falling asleep in the comforts of apathy.

On accomplishment: A goal can be likened to the summit

On a distant mountain peak. Though some distance away it is still within reach.

A dream is the misty cloud embellishing that peak –

It cannot be grasped, only experienced once it has been reached.

On perfection: The climax we hope will be reached by marrying the plan with reality.

On love: The miracle cure we all hope for, indeed need. To experience its healing

Power we must be prepared to pay the price asked – total surrender.

On happiness: Something that cannot be added to or depleted by life's highs

And lows, but grows with the understanding that in God we are blessed.

On Godliness: We are but channels through which God speaks.

Keeping the channel free of interference such as fear, bias, pride will ensure

His message comes through clear.

## A mountain of time

##

## Time is like a mountain we've determined to scale,

Yet with every step taken we find

Circumstances ensure we are two steps behind.

For the sidetracks are plenteous, each offering so much to do,

All full of new things to see. Back on the road, fellow

Travellers abound – each with their own story to tell over long

Cups of tea. Each step of the journey leaves casualties too,

Each needing assistance, encouragement and care. Undeterred,

We continue till the weather turns sour, prompting the query:

"Will we ever get there?"

##

## Yet if we follow a direct course to the top and close our eyes

When the signs read 'Stop', we will not have given time to

Look and behold; leaving hidden treasures undiscovered.

We will not have learned the value of sharing – the exchanging

Of encouragement, support, knowledge and wisdom. We will have

Missed the opportunity of giving our time to someone whose

Need for it is greater than our own. Though determination

Will grant us our goals, its method dictates we celebrate them alone.

Far better to climb without considering time;

The prize is not on the summit but in each step of the climb.

For the delays in the journey don't put you behind -

You find instead, you've gained a mountain of time.

Empty hands

The desert is a sea of sorrow,

An endless barren land.

The desert holds no tomorrow

If your fate is in its hands.

The desert is a wasteland,

Just scorching sun to end your pain.

The desert is a mystery planned

For rich seas flow beneath its grains.

Contentment is a lake of promise,

A soothing tranquil sound.

Contentment yields peace and solace

If you find its unmapped ground.

Contentment is a soft sound

That whispers through despairing cold.

Contentment is a mystery found

For empty hands hold hearts of gold.

The lighthouse

Atop a wall of rock is a single wall of stone.

Unadorned, oft overlooked, the lighthouse stands alone.

If you look beyond the plaster you understand

The purpose of its vigil, this jewel above the sand.

As we set sail in life the view is calm, crystal seas

But sadly things aren't always the way they're meant to be.

When, in the dark of night, the once calm sea turns cold, cruel;

It's now we need the lighthouse, a solid rock to anchor to.

When you regain your bearings and reach the solid shore

Turn around, look seaward to those still in the storm.

Remember how you floundered and needed light to guide you through,

So don't turn your back, turn on your light. Be a lighthouse too.

Red apples

## At the table we sit, Matthew and I,

## Discussing the science of colour and light.

## Light absorbed or reflected determines

What's seen by our eyes.

Thus red apples aren't red in the darkness of night.

At creation God said: "Let there be light."

Describing the darkness he called this void 'night'.

God is light; he looked down and found all things

Good in his sight.

Reflectors by design, we must look up if we are to shine.

We come to the scene of Adam and Eve,

Beguiled by the tempter with fruit on a tree.

Eyes open, sun shining, each uttered: "I like what I see."

Vision ironically has the power to deceive.

## So sight led to blindness is the story we tell.

## Temptation brought darkness; consequently they fell.

## God warned them. He loved them – now dressed in blood

## With heads bowed the knelt.

## How close had they been led to the gates of hell!

Our choice

Life as a river pursues its course. Season and circumstance

Do little to curb its pace even less to deviate it from its destination.

Teeming with the new life it has spawned, this river is both the

Vehicle for progress and the cause of suppression.

For some the momentum it generates is their ticket to success.

Combining their own strength and ingenuity with the force of the

Flow they sail effortlessly along its course. Obstacles are no match

For their skill and changes in pace are greeted with enthusiasm,

Being seen as opportune breaks.

For others this unrelenting force of the river is not seen as a hand of

Assistance. Instead, through fear of being caught helplessly in its

Grasp they cling to the edge. Deprived of the wealth of possibilities

The flow offers, they stagnate and soon succumb to the murk of a pond

They cannot leave.

Water, though the essence of life itself, is contaminated by the life

It supports.

Life is the spirit of existence. Whether it remains pure and

Refreshing is dependent upon our relationship with it.

Life is a gift of God. The river of life is the means by which we

Reach our end.

Whether we swim - immersing our self through trust in the

## Immeasurable flowing depths of God's living waters which will

Carry us to him, the source and sustainer of all life;

Or, drown - choosing to go it alone only to discover

Our own strength will carry us through this life only,

Is our choice.

Armageddon

When rules are simple, boundaries are clear. Ten God gave us.

Ten Commandments that we might live in unison with him

And peaceably with each other.

Jesus simplified this further when he said: "The greatest

"Commandment is this: Love the Lord your God with all your

"Heart, all your soul, all your mind and with all your strength.

"And the second is this: Love your neighbour as yourself."

Whichever version you read, these commandments

Define our hope in a life worthwhile.

Beyond this there is danger, darkness and death.

Throughout time a growing band has disputed the authority

Of the Author; even debating the need for such boundaries.

All over the world small groups vainly fight for their rights -

Rights stripped from them by those who respect neither God

Nor his Law.

Others counteract humanity's path to self-destruction by promoting

Global unity. But what or who are we uniting against?

While those who desire supreme power repudiate God's Law

There will not be safety for those under their rule.

For those who mock God there comes Armageddon.

Under Jesus' love

## Under Eastern flowing robes the flesh receives its balm.

## The relentless sun though full of fury is robbed of wrath

To those beneath these robes.

Under Jesus' love we're clothed. With his blood the fabric spun.

Though Judgment Day is set to come, it's on to glory –

There is no wrath for those who wear his robe.

More than a name

"In the name of Jesus," the Pastor continues, "is not a

"Magic formula we tack on the end of our prayer to guarantee

"Results. It means we ask these things be done according to

"The nature of the One whose name we utter. A nature as God

"Himself is – Holy, righteous, just, omniscient, eternal, merciful,

"Compassionate, patient, long-suffering, loving, forgiving.

"If what we ask can be addressed within the bounds of the

"Character of our Lord we can ask anything in his name, and

"Believe it will be done."

This thought she leaves with us: "In Biblical times, names

"Were given for their meaning; not so much the case now.

"What of our own names?

"Do we reflect the nature (the meaning) of the name by which

"We live?"

## Christine I know means 'a follower of Christ'. As a born-again

## Believer in the Son of God, Jesus Christ, Saviour of those

Willing to confess their sins and accept him as Lord of their life

I am (admittedly after some years of waywardness), on the right

Track; walking his way as best I can on this road, my life.

Louise, my middle name is generally rendered 'war heroine'

Or 'warrior'. With terms such as 'fiery' and 'stubborn'

Affixed to me almost daily in my youth I preferred to

Disarm my opponent with an attitude of indifference; failing

This I would resort to physical combat never willing to admit

Defeat. Through years of spiritual tempering, this volatile mix

Has been transformed into a determination more befitting a lady.

My French surname, Secretan, is a variation of Sacristan –

Caretaker of a church/one in charge of the contents of

The sacristy/man of the church. Throughout the generations

Before me, many sons have upheld the family name by

Becoming ministers of God's Word. Similarly, many daughters

Thus moved married men of God.

Pondering all this, I realise the privilege bestowed upon me.

I pause to consider my birth into this divine calling.

Like those before me I too affirm that I will serve God with

More than my name. I will serve him with my heart.

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11 Listen... God's calling

Signpost "Lucifer's Way"

"Why do they do it?"

"Don't they know they'll die?"

"Can't someone stop them?

"At least try. Maybe some would turn away; be saved."

"They can't know what they're doing, surely they can't.

"Or are they so caught up in the throng they don't think to escape?"

Seal of the prophets

No trumpet. No fanfare.

It is at the Lord's call that the prophet steps forward.

Into to the palm of his hand a signature is pressed;

This is no token for with it comes risk.

Around its perimeter, inscribed are words that cannot be read.

Etched centre are the symbols of calling and tribe.

A gift for his journey this seal is a window through time.

Solemnly one question is asked:

"Do you understand the weight of this task...accepting

"You'll forever be marked?"

## The prophet responds with a reverent bow of his head

To feel the will of God burn in his flesh.

His burden, his joy is in being one with the voice of the Lord.

The Craftsman's stones

How hard the heart of one whose eyes can't see,

Whose mind cannot believe.

So proud the heart of those who God's grace refuse

And trust in works to get them through.

## So hard the stone that won't be cut or moved

So is left and another used.

What fate the stones that the Craftsman once chose?

The work has not been abandoned, merely postponed.

Such honour is meant for whom

God's Son was sent, to whom he's calling yet.

God made

God made all things from his realm above.

He is the Creator. His medium is love.

God declared this love by creating the earth

So he could bring forth life from the dirt.

God pulled the day from the darkness of night

To prepare the stage for the wonder of sight.

God stretched a space to form above and below,

That through this vastness his greatness he'd show.

God moved the waters to the places that be

Then moulded the land around and beneath.

God adorned the earth with grasses and trees

Then for survival he gave something called seed.

God placed above us the heavenly bodies we see;

An intricate timepiece for man, land and sea.

God called forth creatures, all sizes and forms.

In pairs he did do this so more would be born.

God mirrored his image and called the form Man

And set them above all creatures to govern the land.

God purposed a message through Adam and Eve:

"Unity is eternal if you'll look first to me."

God made all things with one purpose in mind,

That once we beheld it our Creator we'd find.

Peace

Clouds gather. Clouds disperse.

The sun is hidden then again shines.

The rainbow is a promise that cannot be seen

Unless first the heavens are drenched,

Then after all rumblings cease

Nothing compares to the experience of peace.

Troubles beset us, our knees are bent.

God is gracious. God is just.

His mercy only revealed when our sin we repent.

## Out of turbulent seas

Spreads of treasure are spewed along the shores.

Behind cascading falls

Mossy gardens grow in time-carved tranquil pools.

First breath to final yawn

Life parades both rainbows and storms.

When earth's journey is over

And in his presence we're immersed,

No experience will compare to this promised peace.

On my knees (Shalom)

Persistent thoughts from me depart,

On my knees I have no qualms;

Only peace is found in the Father's arms.

May it be where I'll always be,

On my knees, a heart seeking thee.

Here I know is where it comes –

Peace, peace, peace, shalom.

Kept in his love and feeling free,

On my knees my Lord sees me.

Here to sing his praise in song –

Peace, peace, peace, shalom.

Perfect me with your love

## Call me into your presence

That I might know your peace O God.

Embrace me with fondness

That I might feel your boundless love.

Lead me with your guidance

That I might tread the path you've trod.

Goad me with persistence;

Nudge me with your shepherd's rod

That I might be one you're proud of.

Endure my wandering;

Perfect me with your patience

That I might be like you,

My ever-loving God.

Worthy

## Who is the Lord? Who has heard him speak?

Who is God? Who has dared him meet?

He is El Shaddai – God Almighty.

He alone is wise and mighty.

His purpose is perfect, his decision is final.

He created. He can also destroy.

Man is not worthy to escape from denial's void.

Who then is worthy to come to his throne?

Who then can cleanse us if we can't on our own?

He is Messiah. Yeshua is his name.

He alone is pure; his heart knows not sin's stain.

Himself he sacrificed, for us he died in shame.

We have been washed, sanctified by blood he shed;

Thus God now views us through what Christ did.

Who can deny the price of redemption was high?

Who cannot now say: "Jesus' love bought me eternal life."

Scarred, not broken

"I didn't mean it." The plaintive words declared.

"I know." The firm reply left unsaid the fact that here

Words had been dismissed.

"Can you get another one like it...please Mamma?"

Her little heart begging not to hear the truth.

The splendid form was one of a kind;

Designed specifically for the inner court's void.

"No; there is no other like this one, but I know the Sculptor

"Who made it. He will be very sad to see what has

"Happened to it but I'm sure if it is possible for it to be

"Repaired, he will be the one to do it."

"Will he ask how it happened? Will you tell him Mama?"

"Even if I do not tell him and though I know he is able to do

"Such wonderful work fixing damage that most people never

"Notice it, you will always know. You may not want to look at

"His figure again...Perhaps if you are very brave and tell him

"Yourself, you will be proud of the restoration that will come."

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to...

"Mama, will I be allowed to sit by him to lean on him and read

"My books in his shadow, and have picnics on the big rock he

"Stands on, and..."

"Yes, I think he'll like that very much."

"Thank you Mama. I am going to tell the Sculptor that I'm sorry;

" I love what he's done very much."

Eternity is forever

The dictionary defines eternity like this: 'endless or infinite time'.

If you have ever pondered eternity in the biblical sense,

Often referred to as heaven, you are left with this thought:

"Endless or infinite time to do what?"

Maybe you just believe in heaven because it is better than believing in hell.

If so, you probably believe that so long as you are a 'good' person you deserve

To go there. Sounds reasonable...but what will you do there?

Perhaps you have heard the message that God's love extends even beyond this life

And that he has planned for us an eternity of perfection in the life to come.

You expect to go to heaven because you can believe in a God of love. Again,

What will you do there? With him? For him? To reciprocate this boundless love?

If you have been in love you will recall finding yourself constantly mentioning

Your beloved's name to any one who would listen, and being so enamoured with this person that you could watch him/her all day.

## Or, perhaps been so enthralled by an exhibition or so moved by a speaker

## That any thought of the event coming to an end was a definite downer?

Or, enjoyed a holiday so idyllic, refreshing and perfect that home and reality

Seemed another world away? In fact you wished you could forget it all and stay.

No earthly experience however marvellous can compare with what is ahead for those

Who have asked Jesus Christ to be their Saviour and Lord.

There is no greater love than to lay down your life for another. This Jesus did to redeem us, to atone for our sins, to grant us access into the presence of God. The Bible states we love because God first loved us. Our love for Jesus (and our love for each other) is

A result of Jesus' love for us. If we believe Jesus died for us and repent of our sin, asking Jesus to indwell us, surrendering our will to him, we become 'new creatures'. 'Born-again' joint heirs with Christ to the kingdom of God – eternity.

Not only did Jesus redeem us for this eternal inheritance, he promised to remain with us until that time. Even when he returned to heaven to prepare us a place in which to abide with him throughout eternity, He left his Spirit to be our companion. An ever-present reminder of Jesus' return for us. A holy friend to comfort us in our walk. A wise counsellor to guide us and open our Eyes, hearts and minds to God's will for us in this earthly life.

When will Jesus return? We are not told the precise hour, only that we are to be ready. Through The traditional Jewish wedding custom of betrothal - the groom building a marital place under his father's approval, and coming for his bride in the midnight hour - Jesus urges us to be prepared for his return whatever the hour. Of the ten 'bridesmaids' also waiting for the bridegroom's return in this story, not all are found ready at his coming; those not ready are left behind.

Eternity is not just a better place to hope in for when we die. Eternity is not for those

Who merely say they believe in God.

Eternity is for the bride and the Bridegroom.

Eternity is for the redeemed and the Redeemer.

Eternity is forever a time to praise and glorify our God.

Year of jubilee

I am the Lord your God.

You are my servants, my redeemed.

You are the Lord our God.

We are your servants, praise be to thee.

We lift up our voices before you Lord,

We lift up our voices for the world to hear.

We sing of your glory,

We sing of a time of peace to come.

We face the one who stands against us,

We face a defeated foe.

You are the Lord our God.

Praise be to thee.

You wrote the laws that hold us,

You wrote the laws that set us free.

In your Word there is freedom,

In your Word there is victory.

We set ourselves to the conflicts,

We know there comes a time of Jubilee.

All tribulation is in passing,

All tribulation ends in jubilee.

Sheep

Sheep:

Dumb – content to be one of the flock.

Fleecy – good for garments to keep the weather out.

Herbivorous – tender, no sweeter meat to taste.

Sheep:

We are but sheep in your pasture Lord,

Remind us of your care.

Do we, when need be, give of this abundance?

Teach us your generosity.

When you call, do we render our life in service?

As you Lord did, our Shepherd precious.

Adonai Ro'i

Your pasture is eternal;

Your arms bound our way;

Your providence unequalled;

Your love for us guaranteed.

Hear Lord, the cry of your people:

"May we be today, forever, yours alone to keep."

12 The Bridegroom is coming

Promise (at your feet)

A gleaner she was in the field of Boaz.

I gather your words as they spill from your heart.

He - an admirer of beauty, a protector of kin.

I glow in the knowledge that in your love I am living.

In winter we believe in the arrival of spring.

In drought we survive in the hope rain will fall.

In darkness we delight in the knowledge dawn follows night.

In separation we live in the assurance that you will come again.

Trusting in wisdom Ruth followed the plan;

There on the threshing floor she fell soft at his feet.

Trust is everything when nothing you hold;

Each day reassured by the promise you'll keep.

The promised land

Where there is emptiness and longing in our souls,

There will be found contentment, our bodies made whole.

Where sorrow now surrounds us and tears are daily worn,

There will be joy and singing, no longer will we mourn.

Where fear does haunt us and thorns grow at our sides,

There we'll be in your presence and never need to hide.

Where all roads lead to danger and help is rarely found,

There we'll be free to wander – we will be on holy ground.

Where faith grows in promises and 'hope' our planted seed,

There we'll thrive in fulfilment and never suffer need.

Where now our path is clouded with storms to struggle through,

There will be only sunshine from the glory of you.

Where all our doors are bolted and caution is a must,

There we'll know your protection and give you total trust.

Where shadows now torment us from years of shifting sands,

There will be rest and solace in the strength of your hands.

Where our hopes rest on tomorrow but all days turn to night,

There will be no more darkness and we'll shine in your light.

Where we are but outcasts and yearn our day of rest,

There we'll glow in your comfort and be eternally blessed.

When the harvest is gathered in fullness of your plan

Then we'll stand as chosen seed in this, the promised land.

Heart song – A Messianic people

In memory of a garden where perfection once grew

There came restoration through a seed, single and new.

Set in the rich soil of promise this plant grew strong.

Set apart from the rest it flourished while under the sun.

With its heart held firm it battled seasons and storms

But many times its limbs were broken, torn.

With love for the tree the time for pruning had come,

That once again it could flourish in the warmth of the sun.

Great sorrow hung over the garden rampant with weeds.

Lovingly slips were taken and joined to the tree.

The season is ripe. The time of rejoicing is come.

The Master is returning; the song of harvest is sung.

Favoured, planted, protected by God - called 'chosen seed'.

Rootstock of the nations, the fruit of the tree.

Scattered. Exiled. The remnant, the few,

United together, established forever, God's people the Jew.

Destined. Promised – yours for all to see.

Lord, gather again your people – yours for eternity.

The Father's love (reprise)

Come to the Father; let honour be upon the Son,

For the Father's love and wisdom ordain you be one.

Let your trust in the Father call you to the Son.

Come to the Father; put your trust in the Son

For his love and his wisdom are just as you've known.

Let his love for the Father take you as his own.

Come to the Father; find new life with the Son.

Let his love and his wisdom guide you gently on For the will of the Father plans you walk as one.

Yeshua Ha Mashiach

Yahvah Elyon he is King, lift your voices unto Yah.

He is Lord of everything; sing your praises unto Yah.

In Yeshua will I trust, blessed son of El Shaddai.

Yeshua Ha Mashiach - let your song be Adonai.

Emmanuel, God is with us. Incarnate Diety.

Paraclete my promised friend until Eternity.

I am the Shepherd's and the King's; my Redeemer is the Lamb,

Sheltered safe in Yahvah's wing, in Yeshua will I stand.

Sanctified

In the writings of old,

In the stories long told,

My Lord, I am yours.

When I don't understand

Take me aside,

Look into my eyes,

Take my hand

My Lord, I am yours.

Like the sun in the morning,

So is your glory,

Every moment in time,

Your love on me shines,

My Lord I am yours.

Written of, whispered to;

Redeemed, sanctified,

My Lord I am yours.

Come what may

(a song of joy)

It's a beautiful day

Yes come what may;

Because I have you

Yes Lord I'm with you.

Nothing can me sway,

No from your face.

My rhythm is you

Yes, my heart you've tuned.

It's a beautiful day,

Come sun or hail;

Beside me is you,

Yes my journey through.

You've paved my way

And beside me stayed.

Every breath's for you,

Yes even death it proves

Every breath is you.

Overflowing

I want to give thanks my God,

My soul is overflowing.

Measure my joy,

Measure it in full.

Pour it out as blessings,

Bless him whose favour fell on me.

Hunger for your love

Could I be so busy there'd be no thoughts of you?

Could I forget all that we've been through?

Distract me while I'm working,

Hold me; warm me in the sun's embrace,

Toss white pillows on that spread of blue.

Laden the breeze with whispers;

Let me imagine eternity with you.

Call my name when I'm dreaming.

Wake me; begin my days with time with you.

Assure me I'll want for nothing.

Fill my heart with promises.

Give me a hunger for your love.

Always and forever

Remind me why I hunger for your love.

Every prayer

You keep every word?

I can't believe you've kept them.

As a lover keeps letters, cards, even little notes,

You have kept every uttered and whispered prayer.

Each tearful cry, each wordless plea,

Each joyful song of thanks,

Each heartfelt acknowledgment...

All kept in a golden bowl as incense to surround you.

Each a reminder of my adoration of you.

My heart lifted high

Arms outstretched atop a mountain,

My heart lifted high,

Arms outstretched atop a mountain,

Praise to you my Lord, my Redeemer,

Praise to you my Lord lifted high.

There is peace in your presence,

Security in your love and care.

My rock, my salvation,

How I love to feel you near.

Arms outstretched atop a mountain,

My heart lifted high,

Praise to you my Lord, my Redeemer,

Praise to you my Lord lifted high.

Let me show how much I love you -

With my heart, my life I do.

Today and forever

Lord I will always love you.

Arms outstretched atop a mountain,

My heart lifted high,

Praise to you my Lord, my Redeemer,

Praise to you my Lord lifted high.

A thousand years will not sway me;

Each a chance to prove me true;

My Lord, my Redeemer,

Eternally pledged to you.

Arms outstretched atop a mountain,

My heart lifted high,

Praise to you my Lord, my Redeemer,

Praise to you my Lord lifted high.

A new beginning

Each day that I live

And every step that I take

Is a glimmer of daybreak and a new beginning for me.

All that is within me and whatever can be

Will be fulfilled when your call I hear.

What jubilance! O what joy to respond:

"It is my Lord. My Lord is here."

Ready

Chosen, Esther made herself ready;

Her time of purification unmeasured

Until that call came:

"Are you ready?

"Are you beautiful?

"The king will see you today."

Chosen,

And clothed in your love,

I am blessed (happy and to be envied) -

Your bride betrothed.

Radiant in anticipation;

To fill your heart with pride.

Chosen,

We await our day,

The day the heavens will sing:

"Are you ready?

"Are you beautiful?

"Your Lord will see you today.

