Secret Choices in Life
April 9, 2015
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There are only two choices
One is wisdom, one is folly
It’s a daily decision
It’s very simple
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This invitation
To choose the road you will take
You’re free to decide
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If you want to know just ask
Your Father’s glad to tell you
Is there anyone asking
You answer for you
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You can know which road
It is your freedom to choose
We all have been hurt
I’m no exception to this
We all get it in the neck
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There is a secret
To be found in both choices
They’re both inviting
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One will bring you understanding
Stolen water will taste sweet
Food that’s eaten in secret
Is so delicious
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This secret life leads to death
They don’t know the dead lay there
Folly’s guest will die quickly
And not remembered
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Understanding leads to life
Doing right adds to learning
Darkness of death is exposed
Years added to life
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Where do I begin
First, stand in awe of your God
Seek knowledge and good insight
God’s a real person
He knows my name and loves me
Even though I chose folly
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A promise I claim daily
God never forsakes those who seek
To know and find out the truth
About God and self
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Understanding comes
Love flourishes in secret
In stillness God comes
Embracing us in folly
Surprising us with real joy
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They’re no exceptions
In this world we will suffer
A reality
The world we build will shatter
The pressures are just too great
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Folly and wisdom
Which direction will you choose
You can medicate and die
Surrender and live
This love surpasses knowledge
Understanding will breathe life
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These reflections come after reading and meditating on Psalm 9 and Proverbs 9. I have a practice I do each day to tune my soul to the basic realities of life. I live my life in a day. “I number my days by one.” Bob Nelson I practice the basic fundamentals of soul each day like a musician practices his instruments. I practice seeking understanding above all else or I find my soul deceived by my own pride, lust and greed that sit in the secret places inviting me to choose to feed their hunger. This daily practice of stillness has lead me to the secret place of joy where I have been surprised with an intimate friendship of Presence that is not based on my feelings. It is based on discovering what is true about the world, self, God and real friendship. Folly taste good in the moment. It leads to death. Understanding will breathe life. It leads to Joy.
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Proverbs has been my Father. Psalms has been my mother over the last 54 years.
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Proverbs 9:6 “Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk in the way of understanding.”
Proverbs 9:10 “The fear (stand in reverent awe) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Psalm 9:10 “Those who know your name will trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.”
Healing Process
February 26, 2015
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There is a healing process
For those aware of the wound
Who name the lie adopted
This deep soul cancer
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When a person is ready
Desperate for the healing
Then choose to fight for your life
And Renounce the lie
Revoke the insidious
Darkness with the light of life
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The Secret hidden
To be discovered by all
Who are seeking truth
You are the “Beloved of God”
Healed and made whole by this love*
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Replace the lie that’s hidden
Believe in the love that’s given
With all your heart, soul and mind
This mysterious joy
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This revelation of love
Made clear in your own story
Remembering the times
You arose above the pain
Finding greatness in your soul
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I choose to respond
Feed the Master Truth of Love
Daily focus on this light
Move with intention
Toward this pinhole of light
This inexpressible joy
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I know this process is true
I live it each day of life
Like a mirror I reflect
Unspeakable love
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At the heart is forgiveness
For myself and enemies
For my parents and dear friends
Who’re only human
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Yes, it is a choice
Feelings will not dominate
My heart is open
I’ll choose to respond daily
I’ll receive love and give it
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The death of these lies
Is a painful decision
The lies are so familiar
Only His love compels me
To trust love larger than me – (love demonstrated)
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This is a process of deliverance from myself. When man is at the center destruction follows. This does not need to be proven. Look at past history; look at the present; you can know the past will dictate the future unless man discovers the greatness of real love.
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That love must begin by training to love you so you will then know how to love others. Light the fire in your own soul by turning from the lies handed down to us from generations. When feelings dominate, death follows. When truth dominates freedom follows. Choose love and forgiveness and Joy follows.
My Desire
February 25, 2015
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As I prepare to enter the soul country of the lives broken by terror the Psalmist led me to write my response to these Psalms. 25, 55, 85, 115 and 145. Slow down and listen to the unseen voice of the Maker of the Heavens and the earth and get in touch with “Your Desire.”
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My desire is to bring you
My life, my soul, my passion
Show me and teach me your ways
Guide me in your truth
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You’re the healer of my soul
Lifted me out of the pit
Quenched my thirsty soul
In quiet I come
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When I am silent
I remember my failures
My weaknesses I ponder
I hunger for you
You receive me with kindness
Your mercies draw me to you
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When I draw near you
You always come with your joy
Incomprehensible love
Rooted in history
Promises that never fail
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I choose to believe
This revelation of love
Confronts us humans
Who wander in wilderness
Looking for the face of God
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I found the freedom
To live spontaneously
Meditate and consider
Accept my failures
And the failure of others
See through eyes of compassion
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it’s fun to be free
To know I have the freedom
To choose what makes sense
Many voices are calling
I found one I can trust
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The past affirms this
The present brings me His peace
The future I celebrate
Eyes opened by the Spirit
To see the unseen as the Real
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Music In My Soul
January 20, 2015
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There is music in my soul
I’ve trained to practice basics
My body is the instrument
My soul holds the strings
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When the strings get tight
And stress gets unbearable
A surprising sound
When I surrender my soul
Music flows that brings comfort
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I draw near to God
A daily practice I’ve found
When I feel good or feel bad
He always comes near
That is the promise he made
One I choose to trust today
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The winds on the sea
Can toss the soul all about
The storm and the rain bring grief
I learned this one thing
When I’ve set my sail to seek
The storms have become a gift
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This mystery comes
To all and not just a few
Who choose to seek love
To be defined by what’s true
To align the soul with joy
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Freedom is the fruit
Peace passes understanding
My mind and heart are captured
Knowledge will illuminate
Hope is born in the darkness
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I interviewed a young musician years ago and asked him how he played the instrument so well. He said, “My coach is a concert violinist. Every day she pulls out her instrument and practices the basics until she gets the sound out of the instrument she wants. I do the same.” My instrument is my body. My soul holds the strings. I found the coach of life eager to train me to be loved and love. Psalm 20 holds promises I have found to be true. The music in the Psalms is what I train to practice. All the best!
Path to Joy
January 15, 2015
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Knowledge is priority
A cheerful heart leads the way
Secret things will come
When love’s received
When I get over myself
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Understanding is the path
Your story and the others
To do this I must listen
Search for the wisdom
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Insight comes to those
Who seek it with all their heart
Who have the courage to ask
Move outside the box
Of religion and the world
I focused on a person
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I sought the counsel
Of those who know how to love
Know how to be still and hear
Not fix me but help
Point to possibilities
Give respect and room to think
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Their cheerful look brought me joy
Good news brought health to my bones
Friendship born in acceptance
With laughter and song
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I will pursue righteousness
I will hunger for the truth
I will make love my focus
For myself and God
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God teaches me how to love
Brings me freedom to be me
Enhances those around me
Surprises with joy
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My simple prayer to God is this.
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I want to please you
To bring joy and love to you
Be light in the world
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These reflections come after reading Psalm 45 and Proverbs 15.
Choices
January 6, 2015
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We all make choices
Know we will fill up our time
This takes good thinking
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I love it I have the freedom to choose who will influence my mind the most.
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Move to the Light
January 3, 2015
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It is not easy
To be a human being
With all the trouble
With all the failure we share
We inflict on each other
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Children suffer most
What they receive they will give
What they hear they speak
These cycles can be broken
A gift from the Son of man
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Forgiveness – the miracle
It breaks the cycle of death
Opens the window to joy
Freedom to be you
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When there are hard times
I’ll stop and evaluate
And move to the light
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No darkness exists
When the light of life is there
The Son of man came
To give life abundantly
He did it being human
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The movie “Unbroken” reveals the inhumanity to man. It illuminates the power of forgiveness in the midst of man’s inhumanity to man. Louis Zamperini’s overcoming reveals the greatness in a person who decides to never give up. He discovers the freedom to be Louis Zamperini. The book “Unbroken” reveals the rest of the story of how the move to total inner freedom came from forgiveness – the greatest miracle of his life. I John in the New Testament tells how to “Move to the Light.”
Friends in Flight
July 4, 2013
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We are friends in flight
We’ll follow the lead pilot
Our gaze riveted
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Our mission is clear
Being empowered by love
Filled with compassion
Flying in tight formation
We enter with confidence
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With the speed of light
We penetrate the darkness
With hope and real joy
In the midst of suffering
We break the pain barrier
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Our Lead models how
He shows us how to be real
This kingdom treasure
Has awakened me to joy
I choose to sell all to find
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Courage needed now
In radical discipline
Encouraged by this love
To move with real faith
Beside wisdom in the darkness
Showing trust in his Presence
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Freedom for the prisoners
Sight for those who are blinded
Good news for those who are poor
Release the oppressed
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He will lead us in
To accomplish His mission
Light penetrating darkness
Healing the soul inside out
Available to all who come
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This writing is dedicated to Larry Malone, retired Navy Captain who flew a A-6 Intruder off the USS Enterprise during the Viet Nam War. Larry models for me the healing process of a deep soul wound. He along with many gave himself to war for our country. He came out with a deep soul wound as result of the “death transactions” he was called to participate in as a young man. They equipped him to fight but he was not equipped to deal with the internal wound that he came out with. His story tells the healing process through the years.
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He is now a “friend in flight.” We fly as wingmen to the Jesus our lead pilot. On this day when people of this nation celebrate the freedom, I honor Larry and so many who gave their lives courageously. Larry returned to fight a different war, a war of the soul. He now is fighting for the young men and women who experienced this deep “soul wound” he understands.
Thank you, Larry, my friend in flight.
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My friend Genma also highlighted Larry on her blog and radio show:
http://genmaspeaks.blogspot.com/2013/07/vietnam-navy-pilot-larry-malone-on.html
Those who died for freedom
May 28, 2012
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Today I will remember
Those who have fallen so young
Because of the bad decisions
Of Adolf Hitler
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Normandy and Omaha
On those beaches lay the dead
Of young men who were heroes
Who died for freedom
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Each person has a story
That is known by very few
Each would say “ordinary”
If they only knew
Each life is special
A sacred gift to cherish
Remembering the sacrifice
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an examined life
July 6, 2009
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I awake with a vision
Of who I will be today
I see the vision then go
Into the valley
It is a valley of tears
Of my own and the others
But with the tears there’s laughter
With vision there’s joy
Some think love is a feeling
Certainly it is a part
A flower brings a feeling
But the roots give life
The vision must be rooted
Like the roses of sharon
I found my roots in searching
For what is the truth
I found a person
Whose thinking I have trusted
He is my teacher
An examined life
I discovered a wonder
Of pain and surprise
Of pain because of evil
Of love rooted in a joy
Why do so few find this joy
Where are the people seeking
What really matters the most
There you’ll find freedom
Having the question matters
How can I love and be loved
Seeing life through love’s lenses
This has been my quest
You must want to know
With all of your heart and soul
What is the real truth
Answers will come, I promise
Take responsibility
For what it is that you believe
What you hold sacred
Today’s a good day
It depends on how you think
Not the circumstance
written July 6, 2009
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Internal Freedom
July 4, 2009
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Liberty has come
Our country celebrates
Our freedom today
Finding this freedom
We think that it’s external
Let’s give it some thought
It’s more important
What I do in private space
Than in the public
I train to listen
To the inner voice of hope
Not trusting feelings
Feelings come and go
Controlled by circumstances
My life is bigger
Awareness and space
Are secret keys to my life
Gifts I give to me
When I do not choose
And act without thinking
I find I suffer
And those around me, also
Suffer in ways that are sad
Our forefathers suffered here
Inwardly they sought freedom
They searched their soul for answers
That rose from within
They followed their dream
We stand today in freedom
Because they had the courage
To give up their lives
written July 4, 2009
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Your Story Matters 