The Soul Wound
June 28, 2013
Loving God is the first one
Loving each other is next
Give me a pure heart
The deepest soul wound
Unspeakable tragedy
Is understood by your God
He shares the same wound
Betrayed by his friends
Who thought they knew who they were
Jealousy and strife
They were awakened by love
Friendship indescribable
This story I tell
After listening to the wound
The soul wound fully expressed
Given space to heal
In the safety of true friends
Peace passes understanding
Who Are the Heroes?
November 12, 2012
“Life breaks everyone”
A line that is familiar
But some become strong
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The human heart will judge you
Whether you are religious
Or just believe in yourself
On the twists and turns of life
You’re wise to seek good counsel
The ones who can admit
Tell the truth about themselves
Come out from hiding
Hold themselves accountable
Then arise from the ashes
The General Petraeus
A leader in the country
Told the truth about himself
Then resigned his job
Many condemn him
His own heart judges him most
How he handles this
Will be the test of his life
King David can be of help
Power does corrupt
Pride makes one vulnerable
Easily deceived
Lust will dismantle the soul
Greed poisons the human heart
A leader has fallen hard
His great opportunity
Is to model now a way
To be forgiven
One way to escape
The deep judgment of your heart
Meet one that’s greater
Who knows your story so well
Who loves you like his own son
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General Petraeus, your story is not over. God meets you with the same compassion he met David the King, the “woman at the well”, “the Centurion”, “the thief on the cross” and me. I pray mercy reigns for you, your wife and your children. Let the world see now, how a leader rises by the grace of God.
Ernest Hemingway stated: “The world breaks everyone, and afterward, many are strong at the broken places.”
“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up to us all–how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?”Romans 8:32, Psalm 51
The Language of Tears
June 17, 2012
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The voices that I hear
Are the ones who are not speaking
Their silence is screaming out
I do know their pain
~
Suffering is the teacher
It is one I did not choose
Desperation silenced me
I now have language
~
All along the way
People have arisen here
I did not know I needed
Their voices touched me
Their presence ignited me
A fire lit up my soul
~
Friendship sets me free
To listen to the heartbreak
And wait in silence
Compassion invites me in
Only my tears tell my heart
~
It is the language of tears
It is my deepest desire
To make real what is the truth
Extravagant love
~
Dedicated to Julie
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Those who died for freedom
May 28, 2012
Ty Osman II – A Legacy of Faith
March 14, 2012
To observe Ty’s life was like watching a beautiful, brilliant shooting star. He was in perpetual unfettered motion. Even when standing still, his eyes sparkled. His smile was so infectious that it drew you into his orbit. At Coker Creek, it was such great fun to watch him connect with Adair or to play with Keller and Paden. I loved how Ty worshiped with abandon. He lived and worshiped full-out!
I think you brought God glory, Ty. Just know that you leave us wanting more – just like a beautiful, brilliant shooting star …
~
From Ty’s Dad:
Ty keeps comforting me from heaven with memories and even his words. “God is here. His presence is evident. Take a look around you: what do you see?” Reading these words makes heaven seem a little closer.
~
From Ty:
It is hard for me to imagine trying to sincerely believe that this world and everything in it is all that there is … There is no way that this just happened by chance. A greater power, obvious to me, definitely had a hand in creating all of this. One of the things I do not understand is how someone could believe differently. To think that something as fragile yet as powerful and complicated as the brain was not crafted carefully by a higher power is crazy. It does not make sense to me. God is here. His presence is evident. Take a look around you: what do you see? All the way from the intricateness of a cell all the way to the expansiveness of the universe, He is obviously involved.
Ty Osman II – Legacy of Joy
March 13, 2012
Ty Osman II – A Treasure
March 7, 2012
Bill Frey – A Gift
March 4, 2012
Remembering 9/11
September 11, 2011
There are many stories of kindness and heroism rising out of the tragedy of September 11, 2001, but you don’t hear many stories about the dogs that helped in the search for survivors. On a recent trip to New Hampshire for the Heartbeat Retreat, I met an impressive man, Gary M. Jobes. Gary was one of the fireman called to help with the rescue efforts. He told me a story about the search and rescue dogs looking for survivors in the wreckage. His words touched my heart, and I wanted to share the story he told me with you.
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Rescue Dogs
The dogs moved through the Twin Towers, looking and searching. They were trained to find living people. The dogs were confused and disoriented because no living people were to be found; they were only finding the dead. The firemen quickly started hiding so that these highly trained dogs could be rewarded by finding someone alive.
The dogs spent long hours searching, and their paws became cut and burned. The firemen were approached by a shoemaker who offered to custom make leather boots for each dog to cover their injured paws so they could continue to search. Each dog had its own fitted boots and a number so the shoemaker could make a new set as needed. He created the protection the dogs needed to do their job. The firefighters, dogs, and shoemaker worked together as a team to help our country on the tragic day when 2,974 hearts stopped beating.
For the Hurting
The shoemaker gave
A gift with no strings attached
An example to follow
His only desire
Was to give all that he had
To save the lost ones
And give the compassion needed
Hope
April 23, 2011
To read the true story this poem is based on click here.
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Mary and Martha
Their hope did not come
When they wanted Him to come
They were grieving and broken
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Jesus disappointed them
He did not come when they called
He did come with a surprise
With power and love
~
He came to them right on time
To teach them new things of God
They knew He was their good friend
They knew He was God
~
“Your brother will rise to life”
His presence revealed this truth
He wept when He saw Mary
He knew her name well
~
Yes, He knows your name
He also weeps for you now
He knows your story and your grief
He is here for you
~
He asked for Mary
She heard Martha whispering
“The teacher is calling you”
To come and see Him
~
He is calling you
Do you hear His whispering
His voice can be heard
Use both heart and mind
And focus on His story
Dedicated to our special family friend Michelle.
First posted on my daughter Sara’s blog “A Spacious Place”.
Your Beauty
March 23, 2011
Healing
November 22, 2010
Souls refined
June 22, 2010
fountain of life
May 20, 2010
What I often hear ….
April 23, 2010
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