Expression

Ink in a bottle sitting on my desk

Waiting to fill the fountain pen

To overflow the page with words

Eraser set in place

Until the pencil markings

Require a change

Reading glasses perched on my nose

So that the detailed work

Can flow

Paper available

To pens, pencils and markers

The tools may vary but the goal is expression

Wild in the City

Patches of wilderness

Scattered through the city

Keep us in touch with Your earth, Lord

If we are willing to visit it

Textures of tree bark rough to the fingers

With dried grasses crunching underfoot

Scents of growth or decay

Soon after rain

Entangled with the taste of wild food

Whether sweet or sour

Impress the sight even more strongly

As it all layers together

Respect

One part of the group has the money

But the other part of the group is beginning 

To provide personnel

To keep the whole group functioning

And yet a polite lack of respect

Is constant through a subtle

Show of power, control and favouritism

We live it every day

And yet are not supposed to recognize it

Or comment upon it

The desire for control

Is broken at the cross

And shattered at the empty tomb

Yet we are drawn back into it

As the culture around us permeates

What we think and do

But we are called to freedom

Sunset

Pink in the west sky

Turns bare trees to silhouette

As the sun leaves us

Walk The Walk

Winter comes close

As the New Year approaches

Leaving 2015 behind

Knowing we have walked with You, Lord

This past year

Hanging on tight when things got tough

Exuberantly dancing when laughter

Was the gift

Always knowing You are close by in the heart

Looking forward toward Your leading

Knowing security in You

Autumn Cleanup

Raking leaves into

Piles to be carried onto

Growing compost heap

Periwinkle

An unchanging green

Creeping along open ground

Bursts into purple

Your Stories, Lord

Yesterday, Lord, we remembered Your birth

With get togethers, food and gifts

And in the midst of it all

Was the re-enactment of Your coming

A telling in detail the story of Your birth

Did the Sunday school pageant two weeks ago

Tell the story as clearly?

How often do we hear the stories of You

Told clearly?

Or are they read aloud once

With the expectation they'll be caught

Just like that

With no interaction 

With the telling of the story

We have the stained glass windows

That show scenes from Your story

We have the church calendar

That moves us through 

Christmas and Easter each year

But have we become too sophisticated

For our own good?

Do we rely too much on reading

To facilitate the passing on of our stories

Without taking the time to tell them

Embrace them and walk our way through them?

Pursue His Purpose

Presenting the story that unfolded

Under the light of the star

Reveals God's initiative to 

Save people from themselves

Unknown to general comprehension

Eternity entered time as a baby boy

He grew in obscurity

In a country remote from the

Seats of

Power

Under the watchful eyes of 

Roman soldiers keeping the 

Peace in a rough world in

Order that He could

Suffer death in exchange for

Eternal peace for all who will believe in him

Log House

Solid wood built high

Fixed in a permanent wall

As shelter for us

Log House

A log house in the woods

Where the deer and the wild turkeys roam

A place for a heart to settle in peace

While the imagination soars free

Surrounded by the scent of the undergrowth

When walking through the woods

Alive to the possibility of wild flowers in place

While the wild animals wander free

Simplicity

Simplicity gives

Space for ideas to weave

From mind to fingers

And back again

As something beautiful

Is created

Christmas

Christ, the promised one, became a man at

Home on earth as citizen and yet

Refugee for a time to avoid jealousy

In power

Seeking safety 

To grow into

Maturity ready to face his

Assignment of teaching and dying for

Salvation for each who believes in him

Why Poetry?

A simple observation

A single question

Learning to sort it out

One catch in the breath at a time

Solstice Yesterday

My early morning walks

Will soon begin to brighten

As the nights begin to shrink

On their way to summer

Praying

Lord, it was amazing to be with Your people

And be the one to stand up and pray

To gather us together as a group

As we talk with You, Lord

About Your world and Your creatures

To ask for Your love and peace to spread

And fill our lives

And be an influence in this world

Unfocused

Sitting here unfocused again

--Guess what it's Monday

And we had a busy weekend

Rebekah and Jamie came Saturday

On our way to Dad's

For a family Christmas

Then they stayed overnight

With us so we could spend 

Parts of Sunday together

--Breakfast and then late lunch

With us attending three different churches

In between the two

Facing Retirement

Freedom fifty-five was unappreciated

But time continues moment by moment

And suddenly we realize

So much has passed

But a sixtieth birthday approaches

With acceptance that retirement

Could be the next stage

And with that a new vision for life in this moment

One

God in three persons

Yet there is one God

Church in millions of people

Yet only one church truly exists

Now and always

The mind tries to understand

To organize

To visualize

Yet it is perhaps best to simply accept

There is one

Then we can work towards

Practical implications of living as one

Throughout history there have been many

Attempts to live as one

And yet each generation grapples anew

With the concept of one

Beginner

In this day and age

Perfection is the goal

Forgetting we need space to develop our talents

We aim to compete with the work of master craftsmen

But the beginner

Is allowed to simply be that

Begin at the first level

Then keep working 

Through to a comprehensive ability

One that quietly draws notice

For a combination of technical skill and artistic vision 

December

Day after green day is passing

Even as December is more than half gone

Christmas will soon be surpassing

Even as autumn remains in effect

Memories of winter amassing

Bare trees covered in snow

Elegant homes for squirrels bypassing 

Requirements of local builders 

My Books

Solomon once said

"Of making books there is no end."*

And now today

I am adding to that endless mountain

Books of my own design

Even as my heart flutters in excitement

The movement is towards books

With my name on them

*Ecclesiastes 12:12

More Tea

It seems I write often of tea

Perhaps because it brings a pause

To my life, to my thoughts

Allowing me a time to refresh

Before whatever life brings next

Manuscript

Memories in bite size chunks

Arranged for reading on

Numbered pages

Under the watchful eyes of me

Susan's poems

Combined with EhLu's illustrations

Reveal

Ideas and actions of life

Perceived, understood

Today

Shiver

Saturday awoke with a shiver as

Home felt abandoned by heat and

Invaded by cold

Very thankful for portable heaters and

Electricity to provide relief until the

Repairman arrives to fix the furnace

Coffee

"A toonie for a coffee?"

But the stranger shook her head

And walked passed into the coffee shop for tea

But later--when her tea was packed

In her backpack to go

The shake of the head was replaced by

"What do you take in your coffee?"

And hands warming with a large double double

Joy Now

Step by light step we walk with You

But the imagination dances far ahead

With such a pirouette that it can

Carry us away

But You keep us firmly planted

When we live life now

In this moment

Grounded yet filled with a dancing joy

God Keeps His Promises

Going into Your Word, Lord

Opens other lives to my view

Dipping deep into stories brings

Knowledge to 

Explain

Experience as I walk with You

Past lives open up ways to 

See this world, to interact with

Hope

In a fresh and

Serious way as I

Proceed

Relentlessly forward into the love

Of God: the promise keeping God

Making mercy and grace key elements

Influencing my life

Seasonally and daily

Energizing my attitude as I 

Strive to lift You up for the world to see

Choices

The path before me

Divides with freedom to move

And the dance begins

Choices Begin for Retirement

Andrew is moving toward

Retirement

It has been almost a full five years

Since Freedom 55

Now he is ready

And as he moves toward

Embracing freedom

Perhaps

I will become a pastor

Here in London

Choices Begin for a Book

I began to sort through my poems yesterday

To move toward publishing a book of poetry

From 300 poems I chose 108

Amazing to realize it can become reality

Morning Walk

A silent walk disturbed only by rabbits

Scurrying away to avoid detection

By the people walking up a country road

As the sunrise approaches

Quietly

Ontario Breakfast Tea

Rebekah found it in British Columbia

And mailed it to me

The simple description sounded like something

Mom would like to drink

And so it was mailed to Ontario as a gift

For the tea drinker

Ontario Breakfast tea being drank

In Ontario for breakfast

Ahhhh

Deliciousness 

A Community

A walk to the store to refresh the body with food

A walk to the library to explore ideas

A walk to church to meet together in worship

A simple way to keep community connected--

Just live within a short walk of life

Photographs

A memory recorded by cameras

As two were married

And now the arranging of photos

Into books to keep the remembrance fresh

Sunset

Walking home last night

The road traveled west

Suddenly the sun changed everything

As the pink-orange circle lowered dramatically 

Behind the simple houses of east London

Lighting the sky above intensely

And then

It was gone

Propitiation

You, Lord, became a person

To grow as we do

To be hurt as we are

To love as we can

To die as we will

To rise again so death will

No longer be permanent for us

And so the story is told

Of You in Bethlehem with Your parents

Visited by shepherds and wise men

The story that gets lost in the anxiety

Of gifts and parties and general busyness 

Yet it is so simple

You became human

And dwelt among us

Until You died for crimes

That we commit

So death couldn't keep You down

Christmas and Easter

Are the two ends of the whole

That makes us whole

When we believe in You, Lord

Monday

The introvert and the busy weekend

Requires a Monday that's quiet

Perhaps

A lazy morning after breakfast

And an afternoon editing a manuscript

--Just thinking of it brings

Peace 

Stained Glass at Church

Coloured glass cut to 

Catch the sun to glow stories

About Jesus' life

Arranged in windows

Presented as simple scenes

That radiate truth

Contemplate events

Narratives of a growing

Faith of redemption

Forgiveness leads to 

Freedom to live outside hate

With simplicity

The Warrior Woman

The woman as warrior

Was simply a legend in this culture

We heard of Joan of Arc in history class

A simple blip on the timeline of history

That was not repeated for centuries

We heard of Mulan in fairytales

Saving China

We heard of Wonder Woman in comic books

Saving the United States

But now women are soldiers

Living and dying in war zones

And yet the picture is still alien

To our stereotypes of women

Called to be the beauty

Who nurtures all

With the stamina of a work horse

Light

When evil is discovered

The response is often overdone

Everyone must fall in line with a new reality

Even if the good is destroyed in the process

Why?

Laziness? Emotional over reaction? Hatred?

But we are called to love

Each morning we awake we are called to love

Lord, You are light and You are love

And in You no darkness is found

You have called us into the light of You

To be light in this world

But hatred extinguishes that light when it can

And yet Your light will always come back

Growing as it moves in us

Photos

A moment captured

Expressions lighting the face

My heart leaps anew

Learning Tools

For learning there are both

Books and videos available

In today's world

Each attracts different students

Andrew and I both like to learn new things

He is drawn to videos that show how

To do what he wants to do

While I'm drawn to books that can

Progress slowly or quickly

Depending on how much I already know

Moving pictures or pages with words

Different styles to the same end

Learning something new

As a way of life

The Helper

God is the helper

Woman is the helper

Somehow the treatment

Has been vastly different

Throughout history

What are we missing in this term?

To treat God as the inferior

Breaks relationship with God

To treat woman as the inferior

Creates much of the pain of history

Yet people quickly realized anyone can be

The helper

And so slavery has long existed

But God is my helper

And he is neither my inferior

Nor my servant/slave

The helper is simply one who

Works with us in partnership

Leaving us working as a team

Moving Toward Poetry

Book two is on the horizon

But soon it will be close

Enough to work with

Close enough to choose

What it will contain

Six months of writing

Provides movement for choice

The Rewrite Continues

Writing fiction and yet trying to keep

Reality in mind

With made up characters

In a made up story

In a real location

Does keep the balance between

Fiction and reality interesting

The Painting

An autumn scene

Painted in oils by Grandma

Many years ago

Propped on the window sill

As encouragement to creativity

My Walk

Standing by the road

Watching me as I pass by

Calm and peaceful

Yet fully aware of my presence

The deer have become climatized

To me and to Andrew

There are no high fences between us

Yet they stay and graze

While they keep an eye on us

As we walk by

It has taken five months

Of almost daily early morning walks

Up my hill in the country

To reach this point

A city girl on a country walk

Amazed

Rewriting

Questions to ponder

While rewriting a story

To make the flow smooth

Bottle of Ink

Intense liquid words

Kept safe in a bottle

Ready for paper

Light

It begins inside

When You touch the heart, Lord

It radiates outward

Through eyes and actions

It illuminates the path

One step at a time

As I follow You

To walk in Your light

Just Keep Going

Just keep writing

When thoughts are fluttering

Through chaos

Just keep singing 

When the notes lock into

Contractions in the throat

Just keep walking

When the chill of autumn

Deepens into winter

Just keep reading

When the noise of the world

Threatens to overwhelm

Just keep living

In the midst of growing darkness

Life is still amazing

Rest

Rest

For the mind

Is as required as rest for the body

But how does one

Convince the mind to rest?

Is that where play comes in?

A Poet

A poet

Begins in a world of beauty

Challenged by the pain and hate

That devour all they are able to take down

Yet life is the goal

As the poet reaches for words

To ignite hope

The Watchers

Walking down the hill

We became aware of being watched

But as soon as we noticed

The silent statues and

Stopped

We became the watchers---

For the deer returned to motion

And silently wandered away

Magnifying Glass

Carried in a pocket

To be pulled out whenever the situation

Demands

To pull into focus

Whatever details are eluding

The naked eye

A simple piece of glass

Shaped to enlarge the question under 

Scrutiny

How often do I use

These words on paper as a means to a

Close-up view?

Research

Yesterday I had two questions

That I took to Google

The answers were amazing

And informative

Two instant learning sessions

As I spent a few minutes processing

The available information

Life isn't quite so instantaneous

The question bubbles to the surface

Only to be buried again

For lack of information,

Resources and practical experience

But then it comes full circle

And when the answer comes

So does the ability to follow through

And the question becomes

Accomplishment 

The President's Lecture

Yesterday

There was a lecture at the university

That I walked to

A brisk walk

In the sunshine

Of a November day on which the snow was

Melting

The topic was the power of

Simile and metaphor

To shape the world around them

Particularly how they have shaped

Canada

And our view of ourselves as a nation

Photographs

Today I work with the photos from the wedding

To put together a collection for family

A memory

Of family together celebrating

Even as we mourned those missing

And the photos will be a constant reminder

That some were missing

Good Morning

Twenty minutes to clear my brain

De-clutter the remnants of yesterday

Prepare to find words for today

As I come to this journal

To explore my life

Freedom

Coyotes crossing the road

A pair of wild dogs

Traveling through the woods

Then another pair

Going in the same direction

Wild dogs on the move in the country

Such a contrast to the city

Where a single dog without a leash and owner

Stands out as unusual

A well ordered city

Wrapped round and round

With rules to protect us

And yet in the woods

Freedom still steps quietly

Friends

A new book to open for the first time

An old book from childhood 

Tucked away on the bookshelf

To be returned to periodically 

The spectrum is broad

Interests are wide

And now movement is toward

Poetry

A new endeavour embraced 

When singing poetry

Has always been my way

Bible Study

The buzz, the murmur

The sound of people working

To finish an assignment

--And everyone finished

Then after tea

We shared our findings

In the group for all to know

Lord, it felt like a giant step forward

As each person contributed

To the sharing of work done

Poetry Six Months Later

A pencil in my hand

And suddenly thoughts become words

On paper

A different adventure dealing with

Words on paper

Sentences flowing from left to right all the way across the page work to explore questions for teachers.

But my thoughts for me

Lord, somehow the movement to variety

In line length

In word choice

With little or no punctuation

Frees my words enough to

Simply write every day

But next I want to add

Music

To take a story

And put it in a song

Quiet Morning

The week begins

With quietness

As I rest the fullness of the weekend

Tea is calling

To be enjoyed

After a long leisurely walk up Meadowlily

1 John

The buzz of people working in Your Word

Reading it, searching for the words

That focus us on the author's intent

Abide, Sin, Know, Love, Born of God, Light

And Fellowship

Each a key element to reminding believers

They already know the truth about the Son of God

And have eternal life

A letter in place to remind us

Who we are

And what we have

Because confidence in walk

Come from knowing this

Language

How does one learn a language

That flows as pictures through the mind?

The language has been written down

Composed into individual sounds

But not divided into individual words in sentences

Because of the flow within the meaning

One

To work together as a team

Can be elusive

As each person has their own focus

Their own drive

Their own goal to aim toward

And yet teamwork

Partnership

Fellowship

Call us to work as one body

Where each job is different

Yet essential

And working toward being one healthy whole

I Must Decide

I will not hate you 

Fear will flit through me and by me

On its way to being released--let go 

I will not hate you 

You have proved you can kill the body 

But you cannot do more than that 

I will not hate you 

For it is time to remember a man who came 

To die on a cross to seal my life 

And the lives of all who will believe in him

To seal my life forever 

I will not hate you 

November Flowers

Purple asters still appear in sheltered places

With the shortened brightness of goldenrod nearby

Each contrasting with the growing brown

Of dying greenery

As the landscape prepares for snow

Path For Poetry

Walk forward

And the path appears

Faith

Is required in every stage

As I step onto the path

Not knowing what the result will be

At present I'm writing poetry

Where Free Verse dominates

Even as I have tried some structured forms

Introduced in Avis Harley's ABC books

But now I am reading

Poetry handbooks by Mary Oliver

And I am captured by

"Rules for the Dance"

The desire to write singable poetry

Runs deep through me

A new path to walk toward

Not knowing the twists

Or the hazards

That lie before me

Tea

Loose leaf tea

A luxury

In this day of mass produced tea bags

Stored in tins

Arranged in the cupboard

And today

Their sticky note labels

Will be changed for magnets

Covered with hand made labels

Games

People play games

(And I don't mean Scrabble)

They arrange details

To control people

Then wonder "What happened?"

When the game whiplashes

Back 

Full force

On themselves

Then their anger

Erupts

All over the place

When in fact they

Were the ones playing games

With other peoples' lives

Wild Turkeys

Strutting single file

Crossing the road cautiously

Eyes open alert

Six awkward birds stalk

Arranged shooting game style but

Safe from hunters here

Tattered Curtain

The tree is wind tossed

As the howling of autumn

Arrives to pass through

Autumn Curtain

The seasons have changed

Our tree has yellowed

And the autumn curtain

Is tattered

As the wind brings down the leaves

And so bare branches

Will soon be all that remains

Silhouetted

Against the sky

Until the green of spring

Creeps back

This Moment

This task

The one that busies my mind and hands

Keeps my attention

Focused

To this point in time

Suddenly the clock or calendar

Intervenes

To amaze me with a snapshot

Of how much time has passed

But then I return

To the joy of now

As life is lived in this moment

Books

How do I remember

The most influential books

I have read?

1 John

Showed me You, Lord

And assured me I do believe in You

Philippians

Taught me

Joy is a choice

And I can build my life on that

The Mrs. Pollifax series

Gave me a life renewed by adventure

Even in the senior years

Lord of the Rings

Simply left me with hope

Sara Crewe

Overcame trials even when

Separated

From all she loved

A Tale of Three Kings

Encouraged trusting You, Lord

No matter how the human kings behave

Jane Eyre

Gave a rerun to Sara Crewe

As Jane overcame trials

While feeling all alone

The Paper Bag Princess

Outsmarted the dragon herself

And exposed the truth around her

Brat Farrar

Where I watched You, Lord

Sift the story

Through the evil

To find

Your truth and love

The Gospel of Ruth

With its extravagant partnership

Focused on loving more than enough

With loyalty and exuberance 

Note for Books

1. 1 John, a letter by the Apostle John found in the New Testament of the Bible.

2. Philippians, a letter by the Apostle Paul found in the New Testament of the Bible.

3. Mrs. Pollifax mystery series by Dorothy Gilman.

4. Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien.

5. Sara Crewe, a children's book by Frances Hodgson Burnett.

6. A Tale of Three Kings, by Gene Edwards.

7. Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Bronte.

8. The Paper Bag Princess, a children's book by Robert Munsch.

9. Brat Farrar, a mystery by Josephine Tey.

10. The Gospel of Ruth: Loving God Enough To Break the Rules, by Carolyn Custis James.

Just Keep Writing

Deer sightings are common now

Just keep writing

The new draft of the story 

Has arrived for a rewrite

Just keep writing

Time spent in 1 John

Has become exciting

Just keep writing

The Karen language is

Opening up--slightly

Just keep writing

There's even a place in the calendar

For friends to visit

Just keep writing

And so I find myself

At my desk

Early in the morning

With paper and pen

And a sense of Your presence, Lord

Just keep writing

Wholistic

When we consider our health

We tend to heal better

If we treat the entire person

Rather than simply one symptom

The cough calls for syrup

The headache  calls for aspirin

But the person needs rest

And healthy eating

The whole person recovers

When the whole person

Is treated

Is language learning

Similar?

We have divided it into

Vocabulary and

Grammar and

Conversation

Perhaps we'll succeed

Better

Immersed into the language

With only necessary explanations

So the study of 1 John

Has begun

And together we are using

The "wholistic"

Approach to language

Acquisition

Solitude

Peace for thought

Solitude for work

But what happens when those around

Won't allow that as fully as it's needed?

Little work gets done

Frustration mounts upon frustration

What is so difficult

About solitude?

Apparently everything 

When one's family is extroverted 

A childhood of lone time

Teen years filled with long walks

Alone

And a room in which to read

And ponder

To plan 

And consider

Alone

We Remember

Would they protect others?

Our fathers, brothers, sisters and uncles

Travelled far overseas

To aid another people

Facing the hostility of invasion

So many died

We remember their loss

So many lived

We remember their victory

And still protection calls to us

As a new generation

Goes out to protect from tyranny

We remember

We remember

The New Sound

Languages have different sounds

Unique tones

Which can make learning a challenge

To find the new sound as an adult

One that was not part of your own communication

Growing up

Try it

Get it wrong

Try it again

Eventually a small success

But fleeting

Until the sound finds its place 

Solidly in the speech pattern for today

Learning

A life of learning is an amazing

Endeavour

Books, lectures, hands-on experience

All contribute

To growing day by day

As I simply walk with You, Lord

The pressure of school

With exams and essays

Is finished

But the exhilaration to know

And to grow

Remains

A constant element of life

A Walk To Church

Through the city

One step at a time

To be part of Your people

Together

The autumn leaves

Still hanging in brilliant colour

Or drying on the ground

Provide

The scents of an ending season

Even as new people

Meeting You

Signals renewal and

Life eternal

The Neighbour

To welcome the neighbour

In need

We must trust You, Lord

To reach out to the stranger

In need

We offer help to You, Lord

My right hand making muffins

My left hand preparing tea

My feet walking many miles

Offer You to another

With love

Musical Poetry

How do I learn to write

Musical poetry?

Read it?

Listen to it?

Attempt

To create it?

Language Quirks

Dearly Beloved

We are gathered together . . .

Why does the two syllable 

Beloved

Become the three syllable

Beloved?

Blessed are the peacemakers

For they shall see God . . . 

Why does the one syllable

Blessed

Become the two syllable

Blessed?

Stature

Emphasis

Importance

Focus

The possibilities are many

But where do I look for 

An answer?

Home

A place for head to rest

When the eyes close 

A place for meals to be

Shared together

While we discuss the day

A place out of the 

Distractions of the world

A place

Of our own

Company Coming

A phone call made

An invitation issued

Friends will come for a visit

Poem

Compact

Life in a nugget

With a spark of fire

That ignites hope within me

Angels

Creatures

Of the spirit

Persons living loyal

To the holy One they can see

Always

Friends

Quiet

Yet abounding

With thoughts and ideas

Provoke me to consider life--

My books

Seagull

Bold squawk

Demand for food

Circling far overhead

Alight to scavenge in the sand

Mine! Mine!

Smile

A light in the eyes

Spreads a curve across the mouth

That touches another soul

Written To Spoken

A new day has arrived

Before the sun has risen

Changing the 

Darkness to light

Every moment is important

Finding steps forward

Going toward dreams

Hoping for joy

In each place along the way

Just

Knowing words

Left alone on paper

Manage to impress

Nobody unless they are read

Ongoing endeavour

Pursued

Quietly to offer thoughts for

Readers

Silent

Thoughts expressed

Until the silence is broken

Vacant space reverberating

With the spoken word

eXalting

Yet another conversation

Zeal for dialogue

Control

How much are others

In control

Of our choices and actions?

To find the balance

Between using individual 

Giftedness

While still remaining

In community

Is a daily challenge

For each of us

Knitting

Needles

And yarn produce

Things to wear for winter

A variety of sweaters

And hats

Home

The world is coming to this city

From my home I can get around

Via Trafalgar Street

Twenty minutes of walking

Finds a Muslim high school

In the east

Or a Buddhist temple 

In the west

Show a sample

Of the changes happening

As the world continues 

To move to me

Words

To express my thoughts

One tiny piece at a time

Words are built on words

Bicycle Path

Running

By the river

On its was through London

Miles of pathways cocooned inside 

Wildness

Rewrite Update

Yesterday the first rewrite

Was completed

Today I check for typos

Then email it

It doesn't seem quite real

And yet is feels entirely natural

As this step is finished

Just Keep Singing

Joy expressed

Needs more than words

Sometimes

The music joins in to declare

The depth words alone can

Miss

Prayer for Healing

Paul prayed for healing

Three times

But Your answer was Your presence

And with that he was content

But Paul also saw You, Jesus, heal people

On many occasions 

Now Lord, I pray for me

I don't know how my healing 

Would glorify You

But I ask Lord--

That You be glorified

While I am healed

--the baldness on my head

--the lack of strength in my left arm

--the cough that interferes with life

I have been drawn to this position before

To pray for personal healing

But here I am once more, Lord

Only Your power can accomplish this

So I leave it with You

But I do ask: Please, Lord, heal me

Deer Again

Andrew is excited

To be seeing deer

Again

Three yesterday

As we walked up the hill

While the sun was 

Rising

Pink behind the trees

Making the woods

Silhouette

What Bubbles Up?

To sit at my desk

With pencil in hand

Considering what to write

Poised

To capture

Whatever bubbles up

Lord, my sixth month begins

Today

And still I enjoy

Being at my desk each morning

To lay hold of thoughts

With words

Next

What's next?

It's an interesting question Lord

One thing finishes

Leaving room for the next

Sometimes it's easy to decide

If there's a lineup of possibilities

Waiting

But only one is suitable at that moment

Sometimes it's a challenge

With so many interests

But limited resources

Once in a while it's almost impossible

If nothing touches the heart

Because the heart has gone cold

May You keep my heart alive

Following Your lead for whatever is

Next

Friendship

Unplanned

Conversation

Lightly catches up lives

Hope for future time together

Brings warmth

Connection

To hear and understand

The joy that brings

Whether it's a language

Or a subject

Because there's connection

In understanding

To do and understand

The joy that brings

Whether it's on the computer

Or creating something by hand

Because there's connection

In understanding

To be and understand

The joy that brings

Whether it's walking with You, Lord

Or interacting with other people

Because there's connection

In understanding

Wind

The wind has arrived

I can hear it through the tree

They warned us about yesterday

But it is only arriving now

Waves of wind

Then silence

Before another wave of wind

Once daylight begins to glimmer

I may find a fresh blanket

Of leaves on the ground

--Or maybe not

It's the end of October

And our tree is still green

By the time the leaves are yellow

It may require simply a gentle breeze

To bring them dancing

Toward the earth

What's On My Mind Today?

I come to the paper

Early in the morning

To write my journal of life

But sometimes a topic

Isn't immediately there

Clamouring for attention

So many different things

Can capture my interest

And yet the older I get

The more the variety

Comes together in You, Lord

--And in Your church

Deer

Seven deer

Through the trees

Milling about nervously

Once I noticed them

Wanting to graze

But wanting me to leave

Finally they began to wander away

--Amazing pockets of wonder

In the city

Band

Music for worship

Produced by a band

Needs musicians and 

Singers

The leader must sing

But must the leader also

Play an instrument?

I suspect the combination 

Is for convenience

Rather than necessary

Am I willing to step forward

To try?--

Organize and lead a band

As a singer only

Music With You, Lord

A voice raised in joy

Being accompanied by instruments

Changing notes form melody

Declaring joy, praise, love or pain

Engaging the whole being

For worship

Gear up to express

Hope in You, Lord

In the tiniest details

Just as much as the broadest

Knowing You, Lord, through Your Word

Listening to the Spirit within

Motivates expression through

New styles and 

Old--always with You as the focus

Potential for unity as we have

Quality together as the church

Realizing we are a body

Simple

To sing and make music

Unless we allow it to be encumbered when

Vanity steps in

With rules rather than heart

eXtend our unity

Yes, Lord

Zero in on one body in You

Framed Words

"God keeps his promises!"

The words in the frame

And on the frame

Noah's ark

A constant reminder

Of truth

Being something to rely upon

Journal

To write my thoughts

My experiences

My wonders

To step out with confidence.

A life lived in You, Lord

Is filled with light

And lived in peace

Yet the rough places appear

Wherever we walk

Am I willing to be open

About recognized imperfections?

Is it not enough that

Unrecognized imperfections

Scream from the page?

Concert

Fundraiser Karen style

--Singers traveled here

From different cities

To perform a concert

Audience involvement

Praised the singers

By burying them 

Under mountains of leis 

--Fundraiser fun style

House Almost Ready

A neighbourhood fire

More than a year ago

Left a family

Living in rented quarters

But the new house is up

The lights are on

The finishing details are

Keeping the builders busy

But soon

Very soon

Our neighbours will be back

Return of Singing

The songs were sung all week

The voice lessons were listened to

About freeing the voice

And living in the moment to reduce tension

Simple lessons

Silly things seemingly to practice

And yet (--the amazing bit)

I sang to an audience yesterday

--And enjoyed singing

Walking Sticks

Exercise for me

Walk in silence of nature

Using arms as well

Chipmunk

Scurry

Across the road

A zip in the open

As quick as a flash of light

And gone

Sing

To sing without fear

Requires life in the moment

Relax muscles--breathe

Visiting Friends

A task was left to us

By Rebekah and Jamie to bring some

Closure to the wedding by

Delivering a few of their thank you cards

Express and personal

From the parents own hands

Going around the city

Handing out photos of the couple that

Included their thanks

Just a few that Andrew and I

Know personally

Letting them know we still care for them as we

Move into 

New avenues in life that

Open new skills and

Personal

Quests with You, Lord

Reassigned

Service

To different cultures

Under Your one umbrella of church: the body of Christ

Vast breadth of cultures appear here as I

Walk by Buddhist temple to the west and Muslim high school to the east

eXcitement of cultures coming here--

Yet one afternoon together connecting with old friends

Zone of renewed friendship

Worship Culture

A church with two worship cultures

Became a church with one pastor

Complexity ensued as two

Different service times became reality

Endeavouring to work with one pastor

First solution made one culture second class and

Generated a serious test for loyalty in worship band culture

How to deal with swinging start times and 

Inability to travel with friends from the other service

Just because someone will consistently have to wait

Keeping young parents waiting every week for children

Lacking a friendly flow at one service

Momentum is lost every time flow is lost

No flow is caused by complexity

Ordained by the need for a solution

Perhaps change is needed now

Quest for unity requires flow in worship

Requirement for both services

So how do we

Tackle this lack of

Unity?

View the two cultures as one church

Weave the unity back in with a single start time

eXtend equal honour to each culture

Yet treat all as one church for ongoing

Zest in worship

Deer

Three deer

Grazing in the field

Watchful of me

As I approach

To watch them

Just Keep Writing

A jumble of thoughts

Grow messier by the moment

Just keep writing

Words on paper help to sort

Through to find the truth underneath

Just keep writing

A cacophony of voices

Cause chaos all around

Just keep writing

Until a single voice is heard

Your voice, Lord--direct and quiet

Just keep writing

Scattered Thoughts

I am cold after yesterday's snow

Yet it melted by noon

Today will be what?

Lord, nothing's happening with poetry today

Are my thoughts too scattered from

Two days of not writing?

We visited family on Friday and Saturday

Then I slept in on Sunday

But now I am beginning again

--With little focus

London

A little piece of England

Transplanted to Canada

To put down roots and grow

Renovations

Old redesigned for

New dreams as then reworked

With now first in mind

Bicycle Path

Path curls by river

For walking, cycling through green

Draws community

Crouch Library

Neighbourhood centre

Where welcome for each is real

Resources for growth

Home

Bricks and windows give

Space for children to grow strong

Roots before wings spread

Favourite Stories

What sets a story apart

To be remembered?

The characters?

The teller?

The story itself?

The moment it's told?

The audience?

Each element would play its part

So how does one try to predict

What story to tell?

Or is it simpler than that

Are we simply made up of many stories

And so we simply respond

To stories?

But that answers why we listen

Rather than how we find favourites--

Perhaps the words of another are true--

"Stories find us when we need them" 

Active Waiting

Active waiting

Brings the story to life: As metaphor

Could this show You

Desire of us active waiting?

Even as we wait

For life to develop to a point of bloom

Going forward

Has many threads

I can pursue even now

Just passively waiting

Keeps the mind and heart

Lost in limbo

Many options stand before me

Now

Only Your

Path draws me to balance action with waiting

Quiet

Relaxing which

Settles my heart is combined with

The active learning which

Undergirds my

View that life involves growth

Whether

eXcitement or peace are before me

Yielding to active waiting provides

Zest for today

Overcoming

Another day in history

Before I reached today

Challenges loomed in front of me

Defeated me when I had not begun

Everything that pulled my heart

Found a frown on the face close to mine

Growing deeper with time until--

Hope surged through me in spite of disapproval

I chose to follow the

Joy in my heart

Knowing You approved even if another did not

Lord, Your quiet voice

Motivates from within

Never

Overpowering, yet

Persisting

Quietly, consistently

Ruling my thoughts and my dreams

Showing me my talents and joys

Through long walks alone

Under Your watchful protection

Viewed through the eyes of hope

Walking became the gate to overcoming

eXactly in the fields I had dreamed

Your guidance, Lord, brought

Zest to the journey

Creativity

Thoughts fill the mind 

Erupting through the heart 

As lines, notes, beats, movement--words 

Our language contains so little of who we are 

As we work to convey our understanding 

Our feelings are exposed 

Through the variety that creativity provides 

To each of us 

 

Expression

Music rises 

From within to be set free

To the winds

(And the ears)

All around 

Words bubble up 

To be put on paper 

And released 

To the world 

The elements of life 

Find expression 

Through words and emotions 

Music and freedom 

Thanksgiving 2015

A year later 

Is approaching quickly--

Family Thanksgiving was difficult yesterday 

Without Debra 

Lord, life on this earth always ends 

You've designed it that way 

Yet it is so difficult to lose loved ones 

To death 

We know of life beyond death 

We believe in eternal life 

But that makes it only a little easier 

Yet life with You, Lord, still draws us 

Back to hope 

That life beyond death is reality 

That we are free to release loved ones 

To You, Lord 

And move forward 

In faith  

Freedom

I can choose

Lord, You have given freedom

And so I can choose

To live the life I've always lived

To strike out on a new path

To share my time with others

To be alone with You

A simple gift to every person

If we will truly accept it--

Freedom

We can choose 

Hope

A lilt in the voice

A smile on the lips

A light in the eyes

When despair passes

At the return of hope

A hug to another

A kiss on the cheek

A deep breath in the lungs

When the darkness ends

At the return of hope

Community

A disconnect 

Between the two groups

Causes

A break in community

Because

Start times are different

When people arrive together

Someone is early for one service

Or late for the other

Such a simple solution

--Have the preacher preach

Only once on Sunday

By using video camera and live projection

Have that sermon in two locations

At the same time

Both services begin at the same time

Both congregations know they belong

Hope

Expectancy

Of good

Even when surrounded

By pain

Because You, Lord

Hold my hand

Each step of the way

New Attempts

An old ditty from childhood

"Can't think, brain dumb

Inspiration won't come

Poor ink, bad pen

That's it Amen"

Expressed my frozen brain

But life includes overcoming

Instead will learn to relax that attitude

To allow the flow of thought once more

Only

Worship

Recognizes

You, Lord, as the only

Provider of breath and beauty

Always

Language Learning

Awkward

As I begin

To practice more and more

Speak the language repeatedly

To learn

A Room

A room of my own--

With a door that closes

That makes such a difference

After years of being on call

Always

It's true the door can be knocked upon

Or shouted through

But somehow the closed door

Makes the space feel more solitary

A desk

A chair

A daybed for naps

With shelves and shelves of books

A window looking east

Out onto a tree

A space of my own

To dream by

Poetry

"Life distilled"--

Flavour infuses

Aroma captivates

Melody haunts

--Poetry tantalizes

Class Participation

See what the text expresses

About the subject at hand

Then spend time putting that

Into poetry

Lord, is this the next

Assignment to try?

When I ask the class

To tell the story

It's like hitting a brick wall

Is this because I'm demanding sentences?

Would poetry avoid the internal brakes

The mind imposes when the perfect answer

Is out of reach?

Journal

Blank pages

That remained empty

Until I threw away

My mental guidelines

Of what a journal should be

Then I began

To use poetry

To simply express

What is

Salad

Tomato chopped

Cucumber diced

Avocado for creaminess

Lime juice sprinkled over all

Freshness of summer

Anytime of the year

To Learn

To learn without a textbook

Is a challenge in a society

So dependent on written instructions

But other ways to learn are real

Take a deep breath

Accept the challenge

Jump right in to the experience

Gerber daisy

A  single flower

Poised on a long sturdy stem

A pop of colour 

On a dreary day

To brighten the moment

Clouds

As simple as water above the air

That bring rain

Or cooling shade

Yet shape, colour, density

Lend themselves to moods

Whether frivolous or overpowering

That texture our lives

More than droplets of mist

Could predict

Success

Oppression of the many

For the greed of the few who succeed

In the struggle for power, wealth and luxury

The equation set by the fall of mankind

In the beginning

Oppression of none

Was the original goal

As man and woman faced the garden and battles together

A partnership intended to produce joint power and success

From the beginning

Clogged Drain

Puddle

In the sink

That remains unmoving all day

Requires a plumber's

Expertise

Poetry

How does poetry

Differ from prose?

Why do I enjoy writing my journal

This way

But balk at full sentences?

Somehow this expression

Works for me--

But why and how?

Here I can focus on a word

Or a phrase

To illuminate an idea

Without concern for every bit of punctuation

Topics vary greatly

As life presents new questions.

Thank You, Lord

For providing variety of form

For sculpting thoughts

Within our languages

Language

What enables some to learn new languages easily

While others struggle for years

To learn a second one?

My walk in this endeavour is renewed

As I work once more to learn the Karen language 

Will I finally find room on my tongue

For a language different from my mother's?

Life Online

The extrovert often prefers life face to face

With people

Prefers to avoid an extensive online presence

The introvert often enjoys the arms length

Interaction of the world online

An opportunity to tell one's story

At one's own pace and in one's own way

Intense or laid back

Gentle or complaining

Choices and time alone to make those choices

Inspire the introvert

Camera

We live in a world

Filled with cameras

To capture us in good moments

And embarrassing silliness

But life is still to be lived 

With confidence

Makeup

A change

Of line and colour

Becomes like a best friend

You always want by your side

But it's not a need

It's simply an expression of being

So never fear

The camera 

Without it

Facing the Re-write

A novel lies

Before me

Covered with 

Detailed comments

Evaluating my narration

For elements that entice an audience.

Going forward with suggestions

Hoping to produce work

Inclined to draw a reader in to 

Join my characters on an adventure

Knowing safety while

Losing awareness of real time in

Motion and motivation that exists

Nowhere except in this imaginary world.

Open to whoever reads the story

Providing a

Question to 

Resolve.

Seeking

To see new found characters

Uncover the person who

Violated the call to respect life

With all dignity and love. Who instead

eXalted

Yet once more the cult of self--a

Zone that rejects the light of life.

Seagulls

Scavenge

Demanding food

Circling the sky above

As people fill the beach below

Saucy

ESL Bible study

How does one focus

On each student in a one room school

Where the differences are honoured

And each student works at their own level?

How do I find this for the Bible study?

The levels of English comprehension vary greatly

As one group is too slow for some

And incomprehensible for others

How to find the approach that works?

Return

Music revives

Questions awaken interest

Preaching energizes

The pastor is back

Facing The Edited Version

First draft can be weak

--As long as you edit brilliantly!

Edit brilliantly?

I have read the comments

From the editor--

Some large changes need to be made

How will I tackle that?

Glad the weekend is here

It gives some space for thinking through 

The consequences that will result

From changes to the story

Next Home

A home in the woods

Where the deer wander freely

--Neighbours to delight

Dreams

The dream that won't go away--

Pursue that we're told

But you can't until you really notice it

In its simplest form

I've drifted toward writing for many years

But always wrote as a teacher:

Facts, facts and more facts

There was no success 

Since I would show it to no one

Now I'm writing mystery fiction and poetry

Enjoying it and the process

As I put it out for others to read

Re-write

Re-writing begins

The edited copy arrived yesterday 

And so the adventure moves forward

As I face the red and blue marks 

All over the paper

Time to take the passive voice

And turn it into active action

The reader

Can experience in their imagination

Lunch With Mom

Walk home

From school when spare

Lined up beside lunchtime

For lunch of my own with Mom

--Bonus

Shared Tea

Sat with cat

Relaxing in the sun drinking tea

Set down my tea 

While my mind wandered

Through thoughts

Suddenly aware of a furry head in my tea

Thoroughly enjoying herself

Learning a Language

The process begins again

As I work to break the unilingual wall

Around me

Contact my teacher

To set up lessons once more

Will this attempt be more successful?

Moving Toward Illustrations

Illustrations now

Begin to percolate in the 

Mind of the artist

Poetry sets theme

Imagination conjures

Concepts to design

Today

Lord, its interesting watching life move forward

With a relaxed pace

Yet filled with a growing variety

Your timing Lord, makes it work

I'm amazed at what You can fit into a day

And today I talk with an artist about the second book

Before I return all the questions to the publisher about the first book

So that the mystery novel can move to the next stage

In the timetable

Process to a Book: Cover Design

Questions for me to answer

So that the artist can design the book cover

A trip to Chapters to see

Designs on other books

Overwhelming variety

Simple elegance to cluttered kitsch

Matte finish or glossy

Stark no graphic to comfortable country cute

Yet through the experience

A direction was found

A simple design with a single nondescript songbird

Bible Study in September

Serious study with workbooks

Notebooks and pages of 1 John to read and mark

Together the adventure began on Saturday

Together the adventure will continue

Our small group is back together again

With a different style

And yet it's our group--

The one that began at Mumu's home five years ago

Will it now bring a break through in understanding?

Hope

Guidance

Encouragement

One tiny step today

On the journey--life lived with joy

Embraced

Hope

It glistens as water for the thirsty

That sparkles as it guides

To the well of living water

Bible Study Begins

Old friends

Sitting around the table

Working through the massive workbook

The sheer volume of questions

Would overwhelm one alone

But was fun done as a team

Partners together in learning

About You, Lord

Process To A Book: Considering Illustrations

Images for a book

How does one decide?

Poetry is words spoken

Or words written

But it can be layered

Visually with more than words

One to eleven images

For a book of poetry

What will enhance it?

Deepen the experience

Of poetry?

Image evoked

Through words

Yet digging to the core

To touch me

By an added visual element

Autumn Approaches

Leaves

Begin to change colour

As they prepare to fall to the ground

The smells of autumn already surround

When I walk by the river

The drying leaves

The browning foliage

As green retreats for another season

Splashes of golden rod

And purple asters

Muted against dull green

As it drains from the scene

Water

Drizzle

Drips from the leaves

Rain

Smacks on the roof

Water

Refreshes from a glass

After exertion

From a watering can

Returns life to a shrivelled plant

After a dry spell

In the winter

Freezes into crystal patterns

Frost, snow, ice

That warms back into water

To keep us all alive

Bible Study

Three basic parts:

--Observation

--Interpretation

--Application

How to use it to its fullest

In an ESL setting?

Ponder the complexity

Reduce it to simplicity

By understanding the key components

In the Heart of a Follower

A favourite pastime of mine

Brings together the Word of God and the Spirit of God in me

Challenges me to understand

To puzzle through to a conclusion

As a discipline it is called meditation

As a part of life it is simply 

Pondering

But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. Luke 2:19 NIV

Contrasts

Deer

Graceful creatures

In the wild

Move with quiet assurance

Even as they are wary of people

Poised to run if required

Turkeys

Strut across the road

Crash through the underbrush

Equipped with wings

Yet choose comical awkwardness

On the ground

Next

Move into deeper phase

With discipleship Bible study and

Liason between the English church and the Karen community

My designation becomes

Missionary

Smoke

Smelled smoke

Inside my house

A faint whiff

A flicker of fear

But no source found inside

When I stepped outside

I tracked down a neighbour

Burning leaves

Evoked old memories

Back to childhood

And the fires of autumn

Not many burn leaves in the city

These days

Stages in an Adventure

A process began when I

Began to write a mystery

Challenge to put a story on paper

Delineate characters and action chapter after chapter

Endeavour to create a novel

Fascinating

Goal brought me into contact with a writing contest

Home can still be where

I work

Just as pastor's wife and homeschool mom

Knew me as a homebody

Looking for future employment

My personality

Needs a home setting

On my way to that now as I

Practice writing each morning

Quest to improve

Rhetoric

So many words on paper bring me now

To the editing component

Unknown levels to be delved

Vision to complete led the

Way through the contest--an

eXtravaganza--that I lost--

Yet I have

Zeroed in on a contract to publish

Purr

The purr came back

The hiss couldn't keep it away

--And I got my cuddle

Competency

Competency

Without written directions

Is difficult

In a person raised on written directions

How do I overcome this challenge?

Two subjects are creating this impass:

--the Easy Worship program

--the Karen language

To move into success

Will require what?

Thanks Pinterest!

Lying on my back in pain

Hour after hour

Over the course of a few weeks

With little to do

I couldn't read books for long

Facebook doesn't fill that much time

Finally I asked my daughter

To sign me up for pinterest

So

I signed up

And began to collect

Things that took up no space in my house

     It reminded me of my mother's files

     Magazine articles

     Newspaper items

     Photographs

     Carefully saved and filed away

As I lay there collecting

Information and encouragement

I began to notice

I was drawn like a squirrel to bird seed

To information about writing

Over the weeks

The encouragement gently prodded

By the time the pain was gone

I was serious to begin

--First a mystery novel

--Then poetry on a blog

We'll see where the journey leads

Thank you pinterest!

Territory Wars?

Reepicheep would bound over to visit

For caresses and cuddles

Extending purrs in return

Cally has moved in from down the street

Sprawled out in front of our car

On the driveway 

Sunning herself

A claim of expanded territory?

My Mystery

Invest in myself

A novel concept

Why did I avoid it for many years?

I set aside money to invest in people

But always thought the "people" would be someone else

Now to realize I will

Invest in myself

To edit

And publish

The mystery novel entered in the writing contest

Invest in my own writing

A new adventure will begin

An extension of the initial stage

That told me the story

It grows into the hard work of editing

To make it something that tells others the story

Then it will bloom 

Into a published mystery novel

Released to the world

9/11 Birthday

One year later

A little girl was born

Hope and joy out of grief felt at a distance

The news reports remembered devastation

But family rejoiced with new life!

Quick and lively little sister to tag along

Beloved daughter to nourish

Love will insist on its own way

Happy birthday Abby!

Slice of Now

Plumbonkers revisited?

Take out a collection of my poems

And rework them for publication

In a book

What a cool concept

Centred, left aligned, right aligned?

Illustrations?

They would fit better with poetry

Details to work out

Today a contract for a mystery

And agreement for a second book

But no illustrations for the mystery

Details, details, details

Lots of work ahead revising the mystery

Suddenly I'm a writer

Soon I'll have a published book

All the while also beginning the Bible study

Lord, why does it feel comfortable 

Moving in two directions at once?

Ideas

Ideas are encouraged

Pursued

Followed to their conclusion

Allowed to grow

To multiply

--Then move into reality

Find the Team

Businesses have learned to

Find the team first

Then grow into it

How does that work Lord?

Port Stanley Pier

The pier opened yesterday.

When we arrived

We became part of the steady stream

Of people walking out into the lake

On the safety of the pier

Set far out into the water

To protect the harbour

With walls to protect

The people walking out to experience

The power of a Great Lake

As the waves began to pound--

Storm on the way

To test the new pier

Beach

Get away

Lord, sometimes we just need to get away

A different texture under our feet

The landscape stretched to the horizon

A place to sit near other people

Yet in isolation

As they are intent on the get away also

Away from home

To sand, sun and waves

Labour Day

Remember

Release from being "less than"

Unions have battled hard for workers

Feminism has battled hard for women

The advances have been real

But

Always new fronts in the battle

For those who are treated as "less than".

Who are today's "less than"?

--Migrant workers

--Sex trade workers

--Surrogate mothers

--The aborted ones

These are just a few of the world's "less thans".

Lord, You love each and every "less than"

Through You, the kingdom work comes

--Injustice is attacked

--Mercy and grace will flow.

Baby

Snuggle

Wrapped in softness

Concordance

Big book

Boring book

--On the surface

Big book

Study tool

--To dig deep in the Word

Big book

Light switch

--To reveal the light and living water within

Big book

Old fashioned

--That still provides help in this modern world

Big book

Gateway

--To a long slow soak in Your Word, Lord

Reepicheep

Neighbour's cat

Often runs over to greet us

As we leave for a walk

Purrs and cuddles

To start the day

Phone Call

Phone call

To us--

Suddenly Andrew has a job interview

To be chaplain

At a nursing home

He applied months ago

--With no response from them

One phone call

And all that has changed

Maybe he'll have two job offers

After a four year drought

A quiet excitement

On this front

As we wait to know more.

Gord and Denise

Anniversary time again!

Brings another year to

Celebrate

Doing life together!

Energy expended

For boys raised,

Goals for education reached,

Home renovations accomplished--

In the spirit of working as one and yet two

Just

Knowing 

Love is part of the relationship.

Memories bring

New

Opportunities to

Present 

Quiet

Reflection of lives

Savoured

Together

United as family

Vibrant in life

Watchful for each other

eXciting day--

Yes--a new year

Zeroes in to begin.

Home

A little house

East of Adelaide

Filled with the evidence

Of lives lived here for twenty years

Books for me

Old computers for him

Remnants of homeschooling days

Tea cans and drum kit

African violets and guitars

Deck swing and television

Interests as diverse as opposite personalities

And as similar as ministry 

With new Canadians

Teacher and pastor

Sharing a home 

Together

Moving Through

A walk

Across the river

Jumping from rock to rock

A simple step when they're adjacent

A pause for courage and a leap

When the space between is wide

But the river will be crossed

The firm ground will be reached

The next stage of the journey

Will begin

Passion

Passion

It's easy to find

But so hard to let show

It attracks attention--the wrong kind

Negative attacks

That leave bewilderment

And uncertainty

Passion

Will not go away

It simply digs deep inside

And waits

Then one day it emerges again

With a sense of readiness

Anticipation

Joy

And butterflies in the stomach

But now the wings are waiting

Passion

Will fly

Your Word

Your Word, Lord

Gives life

Brings hope

As it invites us in--deep within

To find the source of thriving

Radiance

Emerges

As You are trusted

And so begins a walk with You, Lord

And all of it goes back

--Way back

To time spent in Your Word

Seeking to know You more

Pilot Project

A hope runs deep inside me

To see the Karen (and many others)

Thrive in this land called Canada

Deep roots in You, Lord

And a growing fluency in English

Is the path I choose to pursue.

This month is a new beginning

On many fronts

But for me it begins a Bible study

That puts people deep into You, Lord

As they also go deeper into Your Word in English

Lord, may we see a breakthrough

No generation needs to be sacrificed

For the next

In You, Lord--each of us can thrive.

Today

Scattered thoughts--

The single idea is elusive--

Time to recover from the crazy weekend--

Visit from our daughter and son

Visit with Dad and family

Then went to church by myself

(the new reality with Andrew as pastor elsewhere)

Before lunch out with Andrew to meet the people he'll work with

A full weekend

Now is the time for quiet

--And a long walk

Settle my thoughts

To write my story

My story--what brought me to this point?

Why has my heart drawn me to work with the Karen community?

Dad

Long walks down by the lake

Soccor teams coached

Scouts helped while Carl was there

Busy at church

--Or busy away from church

Overtime at GM

Books and more books

Concern for your family of four

Fifty years (almost 51) with Mom

Long walks at the Oshawa Centre

Golf

Politics and the NDP

Hard drinks and opinions

Plans for your next trip

Chipmunks in the backyard

Goldfish in the rainbarrow

Long walks at the Ability Centre

Well Dad--it's been a full 80 years

Happy birthday!

Writer

There once was a girl in Whitby

Who wanted to express her heart on paper

But got discouraged by the grades

In English class

There now is a woman in London

Who is putting that behind her

By letting her words find their way to paper 

Every day

iPad

Device designed to help

Do my work

Plans for teaching, writing, editing

Word upon word strung together

Ready to go

Crickets

The cheep

Breaks the morning silence

In an ongoing song

Evidence of wildness

In town

Thriving

Language barriers

Create walls between people

But there must be a way through

For those new to the country

Their children often pierce the walls quickly

But thriving needs to be an option

For the parents as well

Would a hands-on Bible study

Be more effective

Than a conversation circle?

With Bible training and

Heart engagement

English fluency would seem secondary

To the task at hand

And yet would still result

Pinterest

Avoided as a timewaster

And yet

When the pain laid me on my back for

Hours on end

It provided encouragement

. . . for good health

. . . to follow dreams

. . . to write

Dragonfly

A buzz

Gentle touchdown

Colour and transparency

Hovering a moment

And it's off faster than my eyes

Can follow

My Study

Desk in the centre

Surrounded by books

Gazing out the window

That looks out at the green of a maple tree

A daybed for a reading corner

It's an amazing space

Into the world of ideas

And words

A soothing retreat behind a closed door

Study

A desk

For new writing

Surrounded by my books

--Friends of a lifetime gathered here

With me

African Violets

Colour

In a small pot

Mem'ries of Aunt Irene

Settled on my own window sill

--Joy spot

Rearrange

A work space is shaping up

As we arrange and rearrange the furniture

A little house

Being maximized for two

Music room and t.v. room for him

Study with a window and a swing on the back deck for her

Once its all been moved around

Many shelves of books to sort and simplify

And african violets to pot for the window sill

We can settle to work routines

And living routines

That allow individual work space

And togetherness

All under one roof

Writing

Learning to write is an interesting approach to life

Putting thoughts on paper where others can view them

Is scary on some level

After a lifetime of keeping them hidden inside

Is this where I will meet other minds

As we struggle to understand

The life You have given us to live?

But through it all is the call to love

--May these words contribute to moving fences

And tearing down walls

So that all people can find Your love, Lord

Trust

Trust You

Ev'ry moment--

With our reality

Because knowing comes in hindsight--

For peace

Prophecy

Prophecy is an interesting

Element of life--

Easy to ignore

And yet how often do You speak

Through us before the reality?

We walked into a church

With him saying "It needs to close"

And it did.

And now I'm walking toward ordination and a Bible study

Saying "There needs to be a school for thriving"

Only when we look back will we know

If they are words from You

Together

Well Andrew, my dearest Andrew,

Today's the day--

35 years married (to each other!)

And still facing the future together

It has been a fascinating time

To follow the Lord together--

Pastor and wife

New places: Arnstein, Brockville, London

Raising a beloved daughter

Studying God's Word

Walking--always being drawn back to walking

A bicycle built for two

Many elements to a life together

Apartments and houses

Anywhere can be home

Now on the verge of a new adventure

Pastor and missionary

Still working in the Lord's field

Even as we begin to work at different churches

We are still one family--together

with lots and lots of love,

Susan

Hope Bible Institute

A freedom that is new is filling me

Bringing joy

That will move me forward

Into the dream of twenty years--

A school

That initiates thriving

By bringing minds and hearts deep into Your Word

And tongues fluently into English

The plan is simple

The speed is slow

The guide is the Holy Spirit

Through the Word

Let's go!

About To Begin

Pieces

Arranged by You

Work, ordination, school--

Moving forward by Your guidance

Thank You

Pastor

(English speaking)

At the Chinese church here

Fin'lly to work with You only

Not me

I move

Toward new things

As a missionary--

Teaching, writing, ordination

Through You

ABCs Moving In

ABC books have long been favourites--

Before I ever wrote ABC poems

Catching a structure that helps form my thoughts

Demanding more than just a few syllables

Excavating my memories

For gold . . . or coal

Going longer than Haiku or Cinquain

Homing in on the underpinnings

Inside

Just searching for You, Lord

Knowing You

Live inside

Makes my world secure

New excavations daily lead to new discoveries of You

Open my heart, open my eyes--open my mind

Personal

Quiet

Retreat from the chaos outside into the 

Security of You

Tangled emotions can rest

Under the reality of 

Vindication through repentance 

Wherever I am

eXtreme living water wells up

Yielding life everlasting--the

Zenith

Walk

Four feet moving while we talk

As we go for a long country walk

The sounds in the bush cause us to balk

Is a coyote or bear also out for a walk?

The sight of the soaring hawk

High above the steps of our walk

The silence suddenly rent with a squawk

As we see the flit of blue jays above the walk

Walk

The long distance--slow

With room for thoughts to soar high

Above the footsteps

Walk

Long walks

Into silence

Give room for thoughts to grow

To explore my internal depths

To rest

Early Morning

An early morning with paper and pencil

Before me

Considering what to write about

Doing the brain clearing

Exercise of writing of everything and nothing

For twenty minutes before

Getting ready to tackle a topic or two.

Home is a relaxing place to write each day

In the atmosphere of my office

Just arranged for me

Knowing the door is closed

Leaving me free to concentrate.

My thoughts

Needed for consideration

Open to words that are

Perhaps--shaped

Quite

Ruthlessly (or gently)

Seeking a kernel of

Truth to express onto the page

Under my window that 

Views the tree providing shelter and . . .

Whenever it

eXtends its reach into my thoughts

Yielding inspiration Ay to

Zed.

Birds

A flurry of wings off in the

Bushes as we walk by--

Chickadees

Darting through the greenery

Ever searching

For food.

Great egrets wading in the river before flying

High into the trees--stark white against more green.

Into the sounds of mourning doves and blue jays

Just walking along the paved path

Knowing we are surrounded by wild birds

Looking for food and shelter.

Mother and father sparrow feeding their young

Now and throughout the summer

Out of reach of the neighbourhood cat

Perched on the roof of our car

Quietly watching the busy birds.

Robins on the ground

Searching for worms

Turning heads sharply to hear the movement

Underground

Value in the calmness of 

Watching the birds

eXactly where they live--even the

Yellow goldfinch

Zeroing in on a feast of thistle seeds.

Carl (Happy Birthday)

A baby brother entered the scene

Back in the days when life was simpler

Carl was his name

Danger was his game--

Even with signed permission in a letter

For dirt bike rides through the  fields.

Getting out with friends

He avoided three older sisters

Intent on the world as he saw it

Just following his path.

Karl and Carl hung out when  they were young, but

Life always included friends

Motorcycles grew until

Now a Harley Davidson

On the road gets him around.

Past days in the fields

Questing adventure

Readied him for

Solo trips to work and group

Trips with Monique

Until life is simply an adventure

Veering toward the sunset

With Monique at his side

eXalting just as much in the freedom of the road

Yes--she has her own motorcycle--

Zooming down the highway together.

Flying Solo

A fear of flying solo

Brings a person down to nothing

Certain she needs more communication--

Decisions are impossible without a permanent team

Ever needing reassurance 

Finds her lost and alone and in the end unable to work

Going alone is part of life

Helplessness is rejected

In pursuit of the dream in the heart

Just fly solo

Knowing that others will eventually join the team

Live now and

Move toward the goal enjoying life

Now truly is key

Operate in the moment--even when that includes flying solo

Possibilities explode when

Questions don't demand

Results different from reality

Seek the goal

Then enjoy the path that is actually 

Underway

Viewing the results

With love and

eXcitement

Yet allowing others to add

Zest when they are ready

Priming the Pump

Written

In haste to clear

Clutter filled to edges

Space now left to focus my thoughts

With ink

Priming the Pump

Clear thoughts by writing

To focus thoughts on details

Words both splashed and planned

Priming the Pump

Priming the pump

To experience water in a gush

Feed the pump water

Priming the pump

Clearing the writer's mind to focus

To experience the words in a rush

Priming the pump

To experience water in a gush

Stepping Forward

Confidence grows

As You settle the path

Before me

Ordination to seek

School to open

All part of movement

Toward newcomers thriving in Canada

By thriving in You

Deer

Doe--alert

on country

road

"Is

all

clear?"

Doe--graceful

steps forward

crosses--

soon followed

by

fawn prancing

behind

Work?

Still holding back

With no decision in sight

He decides

Then he hasn't decided

Back and forth it goes

It's never been a difficult decision before

Why is it this time?

Footsteps

The floorboards squeak

As he walks above me--

Writing behind a closed door

Leaves me open to sounds

The tock of the clock

The squeak of the floor

The chirp of the crickets

Singing outside the window

Waking and writing

As the neighbourhood

Begins to move

Greg and Kelly (Happy 25th Anniversary)

Together in love

Bound by a link of marriage

With Katie and James

Ministry focused

Yet following the Lord where

He leads--step by step

Home filled with laughter

Yet striving to reach out with 

The love of Jesus

Twenty-five years since

They said "I do"--lots of time

To show it's for real