Today I will choose …
December 6, 2011
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He arrived first at the tomb
But he would not go inside
I wonder why this is so
Fear paralyzes
Simon Peter went inside
No body was to be found
The linen cloth lay folded
That covered his face
Faith welled up inside
When John saw the body gone
Before this none understood
Why he must be raised
They left and went to their homes
The son rose in a new day
Many stood stunned and sobbing
Kneeling at the tomb entrance
Two angels appeared to her
Sitting where He laid
“Why were you weeping”
“They have taken my Lord away”
“I cannot find him”
Jesus then stood before her
She did not recognize him
Do I see Jesus
Standing beside me today
Please open my eyes
Mary dearly loved Jesus
Jesus heard her tears of grief
Jesus asked her this question
“Tell me why you are weeping
Who is it you are looking for?”
She could not see him
Thinking he was the gardener
She asked, “Where have you laid him?”
I will go and retrieve him
Jesus said, “Mary”
When he spoke her name
She turned and cried, “Rabboni”
The word means teacher
“Mary, you cannot hold me
I must rise above the world
To be near to my Father
My God’s your Father”
Go tell this to my brothers
Mary Magdalene obeyed him
And went directly to them
“I have seen the Lord”
Have you seen the Lord
Pray for faith to remember
If Jesus appeared to them
He’ll appear to you
Yes, He’ll come and dwell in you
Christ lives in those who believe
Today I will choose
Accept the truth of his love
Act by faith in Him
All of the fear will leave you
When you place your trust in Him
It is important to know
That Presence based on feelings
Is what robbed Mary that day
From seeing Jesus
Jesus is risen
He loves you and hears your cry
Listen and believe
~
© Terry S. Smith
December 4, 2011
These reflections were written after meditating on John 20.
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Renew and Restore
September 24, 2010
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Finding a clear path
To do what is right and just
Is the path I want
~
Get understanding
Make it your priority
Otherwise you’ll find yourself
Living in darkness
Not knowing which way to go
Filled with fear and judgment
~
Guard your mouth and tongue
You’ll avoid calamity
Be clear on what you focus
A secret to know
Whatever that focus is
Will only grow much larger *
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Give thought to your ways
Your feelings can deceive you
Fear will rob your life
Bitterness is a cancer
That will spread through your body
~
Seek wisdom and clear insight
When desperate, come to God
One who loves without limit
Has power to rescue
~
Insight never comes
Before you choose who you’ll trust
You must use your mind
Decide who is trustworthy
Then have the courage to act
~
Anxiety kills
Is blinding and harmful
A doorway to death
~
“Do not be afraid”
Three hundred and sixty-five times
Spoken by your God
This is a voice of promise
That renews and restores life
~
© Terry S. Smith
September 21, 2010
Meditations written after reading Proverbs 21; John 15; Colossians 3. (* Inspired from the quote: “Whatever you focus upon, increases.” Andy Andrews The Noticer p.13.)
Light
December 17, 2009
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Christmas season brings the lights
Lighting it up with hope, joy
Looking to give and receive
The Light of the world
Light within is the answer
Many walk in dark places
Confused and afraid of the night
Because they can’t see
There is a presence
Given to all who believe
A love without end
Where can I find peace?
The most important question
Asked when I was young
Wisdom is what I needed
Insight to find a new way
A longing for what is true
A way to find peace
© Terry S. Smith
December 16, 2008
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give up control
November 10, 2009
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Courage is what I seek
To act in a timely way
I will face my fears today
I rise and confront
The living lies that rob me
Of the great joy of living
My beliefs are hidden deep
That arise when I am stressed
They will steal my peace of mind
If I let them rule
I will learn to play
To laugh and sing a new song
And give up control
The most difficult process
Hidden in the human heart
To see myself as I am
Takes courage and love
© Terry S. Smith
written November 10, 2009
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Begin being still
July 28, 2009
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Good conversation
Is what I look for each day
Begin being still
This helps me become aware
Of a larger loving voice
I’ve discovered that my eyes
Are the windows to my heart
My mind will give direction
In the “morning watch”
Temptations will come
To take advantage of me
So I’ll guard my eyes
I’ll choose the focus
Many voices are calling
Anxiety knocks
Fear of the future
And the many ways harm comes
Can rob me of the now
“As iron sharpens iron”
We each sharpen the other
Let us consider
And look for the perspective
That is the reality
Where are you focusing now?
written July 27, 2009
see Proverbs 27:17, Proverbs 27:20
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path of hope
July 3, 2009
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I see pain and rejection
I see fear and loneliness
Is there anyone hearing
These were my thoughts
I couldn’t trust the “many”
The voices who claim to know
The answers to my trouble
I began to search
Believing I could find out
Which direction I could take
To keep from repeating
What was given me
I decided honesty
With myself and those with me
Is the only way to find
A path I could trust
There’s something about
Just making a decision
Not to repeat history
This decision worked
Set me on a path of hope
Believing that I could think
It makes life interesting
When you find the fire in you
That is larger than your pain
Looking for what is real
written June 15, 2008
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the reality of death
June 18, 2009
Death sits as my enemy
It’s a constant reminder
Of my own powerlessness
When it comes I weep
~
It is sudden and swift
It is like a tornado
We don’t like to think about
The reality
~
I know that death is coming
With my head but not my heart
Somehow I think I will escape
Where do I get that
~
I decided to face it
To turn and look death straight on
I’ll not live my life in fear
And miss the great joy
~
Two kinds of death that I see
Physical and spiritual
What blinds people from seeing
Are internal lies
~
Those lies must be confronted
And only you can do it
Be sure you get all the facts
You’re responsible
~
Who is it that speaks to death
That’s what I wanted to know
I sought an authentic voice
Not religious talk
~
We all have been hurt
I have tasted the injustice
Relationship betrayal
I grew up in it
~
I decided I would stop
The cycle of death given me
The one my parents lived in
The questions began
~
Each person has a story
That deserves full attention
Everyone needs to be heard
That’s what I believe
~
Real conversation
Is what I need from someone
Who will listen and respond
And consider well
Understanding my story
And me understanding theirs
~
written June 17, 2009
after a week with several deaths
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