It’s spring in my corner of the world…on the ridges and in my soul. Here’s a new poem to commemorate these days.
the world is coming alive again,
and so
am
I…
spring is yawning green,
pushing its delicate fingers through the loam
that knew death with such intimacy…
but it breathes again,
racing to meet a cloud-studded sky
at the horizon to dance a jig
where death has died.
words flow, inky black
yet so alive
from my pen.
funny how, in the months where
the world stretched barren,
my pen was barren, too…
and now,
as the fields are wooing my heart,
my fingertips spring to life with the words
I fought to snare all winter.
a gift, a gift,
it’s all a gift…
the chorus echoes through my mind
and thunders through my ribcage.
all these God-formed hands can do is
plant,
water,
weed,
gather the increase that comes
from the heart of God and never
from my own sweating brow.
fear melts with the last of the snowdrifts, and
I poke warming fingers into the grasp
of an Almighty hand…
grateful,
eager,
in love.
P.S. I had to revamp my newsletter because I was running into some issues with my hosting site…so if you were subscribed to receive my newsletters, you’ll have to re-subscribe here if you’d like to continue receiving them!
(And, hey…if you weren’t subscribed in the first place, now’s your chance. ;))
Funny how differently time is prioritized when it’s in short supply.
If I enjoyed the romance genre (or if this book didn’t happen to be written as a romance…XD) it would likely receive five stars from me. The pacing, the side characters, the plot twists…it’s a heavy read, but an endearing one. It handles the topics of grief and loss so well, and I loved the coastal town feels! And now I want a blackberry lemonade slush. XD
My goodness, the humor in this book! The characters are so real. There are some minor things in it that I’m not a fan of, but in general it’s been an easy fun read with all of the small town feels.
“…the friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice. Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease.”
John 3:29-30
From the journal
God, be my strength and smile today! Open my eyes to see what You are doing.
when my soul is weary and pleading for more than a sin-soiled world, there is hope and satiation in Your very presence beside me…
You are the-God-who-sees. You see me pressed beneath the weight of this deadline…and You call Yourself enough within me to bear this weight. You see me faltering before the most miniscule decisions…and I call You my Shepherd, all knowing and sovereign. You see my longing, and I call You all I’ll ever need.
“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour?’ But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.”
John 12:27-28a
Jumping back a few weeks…what was memorable in your life this March?
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something through one of the links I share in this post, I receive a small commission…at no extra cost to you.:)
I just wanted to pop on the blog and let you know that I have some poetry prompts for you all.
Lent and especially Holy Week is one of my favorite times of the year as we look back on what Christ has done for us and look forward to an eternity with Him. It’s a reflective time of year for me, and that usually means poetry!
I put together some poetry prompts for each day of Holy Week, and if poetry is your thing (or if you want it to be your thing…) please feel free to join me in using them to inspire some new poems!
I’ll be sharing some poetry each day of Holy Week (hopefully!) over on my Instagram account and will post a roundup of my favorites on the blog after Easter.
The post graphic is a bit deceitful, as this February held virtually no snow and lots and lots of spring-like weather. It was definitely a month for the books…
I trace the rainbow through the rain and find the promise is not vain that morn shall tearless be.
from George Matheson’s “O Love that will not let me go”
Things worth remembering…
talks with friends that were good for the soul
lots of walks in unseasonably warm weather
color palette experiments
Chinese food with sisters
realizing how much I dislike elevators
watching geese fly north
learning again that “He must increase, I must decrease” (John 3:30)
lots of fun music practice sessions
hiking with friends (and not losing anyone over the edge)
The discretion of a man makes him slow to anger, And his glory is to overlook a transgression.
“Sometimes I don’t think it’s right to tell funny stories about ministers,” said Felicity. “It certainly isn’t respectful.”
“A good story is a good story – no matter who it’s about,” said the Story Girl with ungrammatical relish.
I had such good memories of reading The Story Girl, and it was so enjoyable to read the sequel! There are portions where witchcraft is handled lightly, however, so that’s something to keep in mind when handing it off to younger siblings/friends. L.M. Montgomery can get a little too poetic (ironic, I know!) for my liking, but the cousin/friend dynamics are absolutely hilarious and touching all at once.
‘If any others flee the room in panic or dismay,’ she said sternly, ‘please remember to close the door behind you. Your sobs may disturb the other test-takers.’
It’s been so much fun to read this book with my sisters! Each character is so vividly unique…my personal favorite is Number Two.😂
…the will of God is the place of blessed, painful, fruitful trouble…It is my conviction that one of the reasons we exhibit very little spiritual power is because we are unwilling to accept and experience the fellowship of the Savior’s sufferings, which means acceptance of His cross.
This Lent devotional has been really thought-provoking. I always appreciate Tozer’s perspective.
Do not be afraid of sudden terror… for the Lord will be your confidence.
from Proverbs 3:25-26
From the journal…
God, may they see Your fingerprints all over my motives and my actions!
Help me to choose You in everything…to love people well because they bear Your image.
I find it so interesting that David ends Psalm 119 – a psalm about the Word of God – with a confession that “I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek Your servant, for I do not forget Your commandments.” No matter how much we love the Word, our hearts are still prone to wander and we’re no less desperate for grace. The commandment doesn’t save; the gospel does.
This post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase something through one of the links I share in this post, I receive a small commission…at no extra cost to you.:)
when you understand that God is never late, you wait differently.
unknown
Things worth remembering…
kicking off the new year with a stomach bug…hurrah! It could only get better from there. XD
practicing bass runs with my brother
road-tripping with siblings and some of our favorite songs
coming up with a tentative title for Project Redemption👀
tea and chats with friends
hitting 50k words on Project Redemption
people watching at Culvers
frigid temps followed by a glorious (albeit slushy) heat wave
music practice that felt like the best worship jam session ever
toting a baby doll and stroller around the mall in disguise
No matter how far from ease, a wise woman’s heart is betrothed to gratitude.
from “The divine proverb of streusel” by Sara Brunsvold
What I’ve been reading…
The School Story – Andrew Clements
…in that instant Natalie saw what mattered. It wasn’t whether the book got published or not. It wasn’t whether Zoe was absolutely crazy – which she was. The important thing was Zoe herself, her friend.
This is such a fun MG read! While I’m not a fan of all of his books, I so enjoy how Andrew Clements’ style shines in this one. He really writes some powerful kid characters, and the mother-daughter relationship almost made me cry. I loved reading this to my sisters. (FYI, it does contain a good amount of name calling. I just skip over those words when reading it to sisters!)
Wonderstruck – Brian Selznick
Maybe, thought Ben, we are all cabinets of wonders.
I absolutely LOVED the experience of reading this book. It kept me turning pages so fast…especially because of the brilliance of using only drawings to tell one side of the story. The author used so many little details to draw the reader in and imply things in such a powerful way. I did feel a little let down by the ending, though…there were some minor questions I’d asked that didn’t feel answered, and I just generally wanted more. Also, with it being MG fiction I struggled with the addition of a few mature elements being mentioned/handled casually. Just throwing that out there as a heads up if you want to hand it off to younger ones. Overall, though, I’d probably reread it for fun, as it is such an enjoyable experience!
In My Father’s House – Corrie ten Boom
She began to make plans – we had no money, no experience – but we started.
I’m savoring every moment of this book. I especially love hearing about how two single women and their father opened their home and hearts to so many in the name of Jesus. (It’s also sprinkled with a healthy dose of Corrie’s humor. :))
The Divine Proverb of Streusel – Sara Brunsvold
Ask Nikki questions, she’d told him. Memorize her answers. Lover her accordingly.
This book feels like coming home. I absolutely love Sara Brunsvold’s poetic prose and the quotable qualities of her writing, but wrap it around a rural setting full of German food and history, characters who are solid and real, and a middle-aged bachelor who is painfully awkward around the woman who adores him? I’m sold.❤️❤️
(While handled so tactfully, dealing with the aftermath of a divorce following unfaithfulness is a premise of the story, so be aware of that if it’s something that’s too painful for you.)
I have learned to kiss the wave that throws me against the Rock of Ages.
charles spurgeon
From the journal…
Sinning isbasically telling God that His ways aren’t good enough for us…telling God that we know better than He does.
Idon’t have to slink into Your presence with the faint remains of stains on my skin. You have purified me completely, and You cause these bones You have broken to rejoice.
In the way I respond to trials and disruptions – help me to see Your image in the souls that trouble my own. May I deal graciously and uprightly with any who cross my path. You must increase, I must decrease. Be Lord over my life, not simply my words!
Waiting is just a gift of time in disguise – a time to pray wrapped in a ribbon of patience – because is the Lord ever late?
Today’s post is a repost from a couple of years ago that echoes what’s been on my mind lately. I hope you enjoy! ❤
What will I leave behind?
It’s a question that’s tugged at my attention for years. As I read the stories of eternal heroes with short lives and stared at the caskets of people I held dear, the question haunted my mind.
so small and
insignificant
one breath will
blow this life away, and
what
will be the proof that
it was here?
mangled lives
and broken hearts?
friendships
that were torn apart by
hands that now lie still and cold?
oh, no!
forbid it, Lord!
A month or so ago a friend and I were wandering through a beautiful cemetery that sprawls over several acres of hills. (You know you have loyal friends when they smilingly join you on strange expeditions.) There were so many old gravestones – some tipped and sinking deep into the soil. Several were ridiculously tall and ornate, but they were so old that wind and water and time had wiped the sentimental words right off of the marker. Their attempts to leave an echo of their greatness were in vain.
Of course I hope that I leave behind me a trail of words that can point others to Christ and to truth decades after I’m gone, but paper burns. Ink fades. Files become corrupted.
If words are all I leave, I’ve failed.
For even if my words could surpass the masterpieces of Dickens and Shakespeare,
If I sang with the voice of an angel,
If the world remembers my name until the world stops turning,
Laurel Luehmann 