🎵 Whisper A Prayer
Recently, I did a Bible study that had a devotion for each day, and part of that devotion was a daily breath prayer. At first, I was a little concerned about the possibility of mysticism or that it was some new age idea. So, I did some research. Apparently, the idea of breath prayers goes back to at least the 1300s, and it is a way to uphold the Scripture that says to “pray without ceasing.” These prayers are short words that can be spoken with an inhale and an exhale, or in your mind in the same amount of time.
Psalms 150:6 WEBUS
[6] Let everything that has breath praise Yah! Praise Yah!
https://bible.com/bible/206/psa.150.6.WEBUS
1 Thessalonians 5:16-17 WEBUS
[16] Always rejoice. [17] Pray without ceasing.
https://bible.com/bible/206/1th.5.16-17.WEBUS
There’s a great article explaining “breath prayers” with history and examples at Christianity dot com written by Mary Oelerich-Meyer. She mentions in her article that the English word inspiration comes from the Latin word ”inspirare” which means “to breathe into.” That makes the verse that says “All Scripture is God-breathed,” have a much deeper and more powerful meaning.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 WEBUS
[16] Every Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, [17] that each person who belongs to God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
https://bible.com/bible/206/2ti.3.16-17.WEBUS
It’s easiest to remember breath prayers by praying Scriptures or songs. For example, inhale saying, “The Lord is my Shepherd,” and exhale with, “I shall not want.” Or, inhale with, “Thank You, Lord,” and exhale saying, “for saving my soul.” Anything that helps you whisper (breathe) a prayer in the morning, at noon, and in the evening like it says in the old hymn Whisper A Prayer. The song (one of my childhood favorites) reminds us that we can pray all the time, and God will answer all the time to “keep your heart in tune.” And we want to keep our hearts in tune because we know that Jesus may come in the morning, at noon, or in the evening.
So, I wanted a good way to remember some breath prayers for myself, and after trying different memory tricks, I decided to use the letters in my own first name as an acronym. I liked creating them so much that I wrote a bunch of prayers for others as well and now call them Breath Prayer Acronyms. And then I started putting them on pretty backgrounds to send to others who might need “inspiration.” For example, for the friend with cancer I’ve asked readers to pray for and his caregiving wife. The images I made for them are at the bottom after the video. There’s also an image I made using the letters for our writer’s group.
But first, here are the prayers for my own name without using an image background. And if you comment that you’d like me to write a breath prayer acronym for your name, I’ll gladly try. If I don’t know you, I’m not certain how it will come out since personalities and needs have ended up in all the acronyms I’ve written so far, but God could inspire me to write exactly what works for you without knowing anything about you. He does that sometimes. 🙂 Anyway, here’s mine…
C: Inhale: Create in me …
Exhale: A clean heart, Lord.
R: Inhale: Rose of Sharon, …
Exhale: May Your beauty flow through my soul.
Y: inhale: You are worthy, Lord, …
Exhale: Of all my praise.
S: Inhale: Save me, oh God, …
Exhale: For your Divine purpose.
T: Inhale: Teach me Your ways, …
Exhale: Your words and Your will.
A: Inhale: All of me, Jesus, …
Exhale: Wrap in all of You.
L: Inhale: Love is greatest …
Exhale: In who You are.
And here’s a video of Whisper A Prayer…
And here are the promised images…
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🎵 Computerized Music Studio 🎶
Can a computer really create its own music? I somehow qualified for a trial of Gemini Pro, and I’ve just learned that I can plug in some lyrics and have it create a music track and vocals. Now it’s not like in the old days of AI origins (just a couple years ago, lol 😂) where all image requests were totally distorted, but it does get a few things wrong on the vocals, and sometimes it has technical glitches. I guess it’s all part of my cyber journey. But I had some good experience and fun while working on these, and I even felt a little like I was in the studio with a band trying to get a track just right. While I’ve never truly enjoyed being on stage, I’ve always loved the studio experience.
So, back in 2013, I wrote a chorus that was part of a prayer. I wrote how I longed for God to see me as pure, holy, and undefiled. I’ve sung it to God many times because it’s where I desire to be, and where I desire to come back to when the cares of this life have distracted me. Here are the lyrics to the chorus…
Holy, pure, and undefiled,
Let my heart and my mind be...
Holy, pure and undefiled,
Lord may I be more like Thee.
The AI cannot use the tune I created myself, but since I’m more of a lyricist than a musician, I decided to let it choose the tunes for me. Now I guess I have to learn my own song. Lol 😆 Here are two 30-second videos with the lyrics set to different music tunes and styles…
When I asked Gemini (Google’s AI) to add some music for me, it wanted to know a style. I started with an anthem sound, and I love what it created.
And then I asked for the same chorus with a country sound and a male vocalist. I liked this one a lot as well.
Finally, I decided to write some verses to go with the chorus, but there were things that didn’t work in every video until I ran past my limit on generations of new songs. I guess it’s about 50 of the short ones and only 10 of the long (3-minute) ones, so I’ll have to wait until it fully resets to try it again. When it does, I’ll create a new post, and then I’ll put a link here for anyone who follows this one. I’d love to hear your thoughts, though.
Psalm 98:4 BSB
[4] Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth — let your cry ring out, and sing praises!
https://bible.com/bible/3034/psa.98.4.BSB
Find the complete song with 3 verses and new music and vocals on my post from April 22nd titled Holy, Pure, and Undefiled.
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📖A Muse in Mourning
I was searching for something else when I came across an old story I’d drafted but not edited in 2013 for NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writer’s Month, which has—sadly—shut down for good). I’m thinking of finishing it, so I thought I’d get some opinions and thoughts from readers here. Please comment and share your reactions and ideas to the opening page of chapter 1 for my novel A Muse in Mourning. Thanks!
She just isn’t listening anymore. I’ve tried everything: the soft whisper of an idea, the steady hum of a conversation, and finally, the shrill scream of a shout. I believe I’ve exhausted every trick a muse has to get her subject’s attention, but the signal seems dead. She can’t—or won’t—hear me anymore.
Six months ago, when her father left her mother and sister and she moved back home to help, I felt Cameo begin to pull away from me. Between busy and exhausted, her mind had no time for even a tiny jewel of creative thought. I fought for her. I am a relentless fighter. But she started turning a deaf ear to my ideas; to my voice. It wasn’t just silence either; it was a thickening of the air, like a sorrowful fog had engulfed her. Now, there is no more resonance. There is just the heavy, quiet of a room where no one speaks. What am I supposed to do when the very expression of my being has buried herself in such deep grief and sadness?
We were born into this world as a pair, an ancient spark of creativity, and a brand-new heart filled with creative potential. We are the same thing, just experienced from different sides. But now she’s letting the fire go out just to keep her mother’s mourning company. She is trying to be a good daughter, but at what cost to herself? If she refuses to listen to my voice, she will calcify. She’ll become a monument to the girl she used to be—her mind becoming an unworkable stone with no creative spark; a relic of a daughter instead of a living, breathing woman. And if she settles into that lifeless state, I flicker out.
A week ago, I couldn’t take the distance anymore. I abandoned the edges of her mind and got right in her ear. “Cameo!” I screamed, my voice breaking. “Please, just hear me.” I was crying by then, begging her to feel the pulse of the heart we share. “Write, Cameo. Just pick up a pen. Draw a stick figure. Anything to bridge the gap between us. Don’t just bury your face in the glow of that screen to escape the shadows of this house. You bought that device to build a world, not to hide from this one. Your life depends on it.”
I added the last part in a ragged whisper: “And so does mine.”
So, do you want to know more? Does the title and opening page grab you and stir your curiosity? Does the story of a caregiver being too worn out to be creative resonate with any of you?
I have so many books and stories started, and they tumble around in my mind making sure I won’t forget them. But sometimes, one pops up unexpectedly and begs me to work on it. And now I invite you to join me on the journey.
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🎵 The Poetry of Poetry: And the Biblical Rhythms that Never Fade
Every April, while I’m finding excitement in it being National Poetry Month, I’m hearing many “I hate poetry” voices–even from my fellow writers. But I don’t think it’s poetry they hate. If they read God’s Word, they are reading poetry in a lot of it, especially the Psalms. If they listen to music, they are listening to the meter and rhyme of poetry. I think it’s the abstract and flowery ideas often found in poetry that they feel resistant to; not the idea of rhythmic words.
Poetry is to words what a kaleidoscope is to bits of colorful glass. When tumbled together in the presence of mirrors and light, the pieces in the kaleidoscope can present an image that will stop you in your tracks and take your breath away. And the same thing can happen when you read a poem that captures words with precise rhythms you can feel like a song.
In biblical poetry, the use of parallelism (like mirrors in a kaleidoscope) creates a cadence that works as a mnemonic to help you remember the words and their meanings long after you’ve closed the book. It’s why so many Scriptures can easily move into song — the music is already within the words.
So today, I invite you to look more deeply into the idea of poetry. Look at why the rules of meter and rhyme (the musical elements) of a poem matter for both writers and readers. Ignore the idea that every poem is by a creator who abuses artistic license (though there are plenty) and let yourself enjoy the poetry that surrounds you in so many ways. Even nature with its mirrored flower petals and fractalized seashells displays itself as a poem without words. So, if you understand the technology and technique behind it, you’ll understand and admire the poetry of it.
There is an unspoken symmetry in the words that click with our spirits. It’s like the broken pieces in a kaleidoscope lining up to become a star, sparkling with unexpected beauty. My article, “The Poetry of Poetry” (1300+ reads at Scribd.com) is your invitation to open up the kaleidoscope and look at the mechanics behind the design. The exact placement of the mirrors and where light is invited in can completely change the reflections of the glass. You’ll learn the mechanics of poetry in what I’ve put together, and it will help you see how a poet can use words and rhythms to create reflections that pull you into the vision of the piece.
Download the PDF of The Poetry of Poetry
And, finally, enjoy this beautiful version of Psalm 23 (Surely Goodness, Surely Mercy) by Shane and Shane. This will give you biblical poetry with the mathematics of perfect harmonies. For me, this song with lyrics was easy to sing, and it brought more than one moment of tears.
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Grace by DNA Story–About Shayne
It all started one Valentine’s Day in 2018. A life-changing blessing with a journey that still continues.
Back in the early 2000s, hubby found a company that did DNA to look for genealogical connections. I was happy when he found a few cousins and wanted the same experience. But they didn’t do women’s DNA. Fast forward to Ancestry DNA, and they did. So my gift was the test kit, though I was really hesitant to spit in that tube. That hesitancy pushed me to the middle of the year, but I think the timing was perfect.
Shortly after my results came in, hubby was viewing the site since we had it in his name, and he told me, “You’ve got a message on Ancestry that I think you’re gonna want to see.” And there was this beautiful message from someone Ancestry said could be a very close cousin or grandchild. What? I’m thinking, wait I’ve already seen how the numbers look for my first cousins, and these numbers are way higher. I did some quick research to see how the stats work on DNA, and ours were more likely to be half-siblings. I’d met my other half-siblings, so this new connection was both confusing and exciting.
I wrote back right away and told this new relative that I thought he was likely my brother, and I’d be so excited to get to know him better. Then I called my half-sister in Texas and told her I thought we had another brother. There’d been a bit of distance between my dad and I for a few years (that’s a whole ‘nother story), so she called him to ask if we had another brother. At first, he said we didn’t, so I checked with his brother, my uncle, and he said he wasn’t even in Arizona during that year. Now this called for prayer. In the meantime, we spoke on the phone, and I learned that he’d been adopted as an infant and had never met anyone to whom he was blood related.
Fast forward to May of 2019, and Shayne, with his wife Heather, were on their way from Canada to the US for our first meeting. That’s the first image above, but the airport background wasn’t pretty, so I replaced it. Hubby made them the welcome sign they’re holding and has been a huge support as God has expanded this territory in my life. It would take too many words to tell you all we discovered about each other, but it was so neat every time Heather would notice similarities and state, “Oh, you guys are definitely brother and sister!” Though he’s a bit bolder as you can see by his fishtank antics. 😁
We met again in October of 2019 in Nashville, and shortly after that, I was able to fix things with my dad enough to get a phone call from him and then plan a visit to see him and his wife. During those calls and visits, I was able to tell him all he was missing by not acknowledging this son of his, and I quoted him a Bible verse to dissuade some of the guilt he may have been fighting about not having been there all his life. Of course, he was excused because of not knowing about Shayne, but I still wanted him to feel like God showed favor to him because of children he had fathered–not necessarily children he had always raised. That verse is…
Psalm 127:4-5 BSB
[4] Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, so are children born in one’s youth. [5] Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them. He will not be put to shame when he confronts the enemies at the gate.
https://bible.com/bible/3034/psa.127.4-5.BSB
Now forward to November when Hubby and I were able to get a stay in Branson, Missouri, for ourselves and my sister and brother-in-law. She’s the one with whom I share both parents, and we were raised together for most of our growing up time. We all went together to the small Missouri town where our dad lived with his bride of 10 years, Cheryl. We had a wonderful visit with both of them, and we left with encouragement for our dad to contact Shayne. On Christmas Day of 2019, my brother heard his father’s voice for the very first time. (happy tears)
All the wheels were put in motion for Shayne to meet his (our) father after the winter weather let go in Canada, but that was 2020, so you know what happened there. Borders couldn’t have been shut any tighter. And again, we all went to prayer. In the meantime, I lost a very dear aunt in Arizona who was like a mom to me and my sister. That was just before the lockdown, and it filled the year with chaos and stress. Meanwhile, a good friend was watching her mom struggle with Alzheimer’s, and I was trying to be supportive of her. A crazy year but God’s presence sustained all of us.
Sometime in the late summer of 2020, my brother was able to find a way to get him and his wife Heather across the Canadian border. And they drove down to meet Dad. I was getting the play-by-play and so excited for both of them. Almost a week later, I got a call from the friend whose mom was struggling offering to take me to Missouri to see my brother and my dad. I will never be able to pay that gift back, and I’m forever grateful for the moments she gave our family before Dad left this world. And the miracle of timing for my brother to meet his father and our father to meet his son. (melt)
Again, there’s so much more to tell (which is why I want to write the Grace by DNA book), including the fact that I got another sister out of the deal because Heather and I also shared a lot of similarities–especially about spiritual things. So I’ll close this here by telling you why I chose to share all of this today. It’s because tomorrow’s blog will be all about a big event for my brother, and I’m super proud of him. He is releasing his first single from what will be his first album. I’ll share his website and teaser for tonight, and all the release stuff, including why he chose his particular performer name, tomorrow.
This YouTube page has links to Shayne’s website (where you can sign up for his newsletter), Facebook, Spotify, and Instagram…
https://youtube.com/@shaynesavagemusic?si=j2u8FhzTK-7x8PjG
And here’s the teaser from his Insta post…
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With This Wing, I Thee Wed
Nope, that’s not a typo. It’s what either me or hubby said on our wedding day 35 years ago. I know I tried to put his ring on the wrong hand, though. Lol 😂 But despite starting with a few mistakes, today makes 35 years of being dedicated to each other in marriage.
Our first celebrations were a little bigger, like his showing up at my job in a suit and carrying flowers on our first anniversary. Health and age can slow ya down a bit, but we are still happy together, and a simple meal out while wearing more comfy clothes is just fine with both of us.
Hubby doesn’t know yet (until he reads this post), but I made a list of 35 special thoughts about our 35 years together. These are the things that stand the test of time in my brain, and they are the thoughts that keep me wanting to stay together (for another 35 years) as long as possible…
35 Thoughts on 35 Years
1. “My Valentine's Day was 2 days ago.” (See my post When God Plans a Meet Cute for the story);
2. Talking to my Aunt Shirley on the phone. (She knew I'd be moving to Kentucky after a few conversations with him.)
3. He started praying while driving through a scary snow storm
4. He made me a house key with "I ❤️ U" etched into it.
5. Taking me to meet his brother at his job when he first met me in person.
6. My wedding day with Esther (his family friend who knew him all his life) performing our ceremony and almost crying as she saw his happiness.
7. Taking me downtown in my wedding dress to see his sister at the hospital where she worked as a nurse.
8. Taking me to my family in Arizona for our honeymoon.
9. When my Grandpa met him and then introduced him to a neighbor as his grandson. (Like he knew right away that he was right for me forever.)
10. Our first trip to Cave Hill Cemetery to feed the ducks (and see Colonel Sanders grave).
11. Our first Thunder Over Louisville.
12. My birthday gift of Oreos in a flower tube with a carnation on top.
13. My 30th birthday when he dressed up as “grim reaper” and took me to lunch at the downtown galleria.
14. Taking me to see the hospital where I was born. (And announcing on the video he was recording that the most wonderful girl in the world was born there.)
15. Big bunches of balloons for many special days.
16. A sign that says, ”I know what love is because of you.” (See it on Flickr.)
17. Lungs suctioned out joke: He had me believing his every word, so when he told me that people who move from dry climates to humid ones sometimes need their lungs suctioned out, it didn't seem impossible. They did it to my grandma due to cancer, and I was coughing up all kinds of yuck when he told me. But what made it funny was months later, on the phone with my uncle asking how I liked Kentucky, and I said, “Well, I haven't had to have my lungs stuffed suctioned out yet.” I'll never forget his laugh as he asked, ”What? You believed that?!”
18. Taking our nephews and me to see where I went to middle school and to meet some of my family.
19. Many scavenger hunts including one where the final clue was taped to a brick then wrapped as a gift. I still have the glider rocker it led to 20+ years later.
20. My 50th birthday party with friends and a scavenger hunt of clues to get my next clue by figuring out which guest was being suggested.
21. Being a cat man (and bringing 14+ new kitties into my life).
22. Letting me go to Arizona for my aunt and for my mom when they needed me.
23. Providing me a home (and painting the kitchen yellow as a surprise).
24. My door of Valentine's conversation hearts. (Flickr pic with kitties and the door in the background.)
25. Wonderful travels to places like Gatlinburg, the Ark Encounter/Creation Museum, Branson Christmas, World's Largest Rocking Chair, and more.
26. Supporting my writing (including a few conferences).
27. Supporting my singing (even if the album never got released).
28. Getting my DNA that let me find a brother I never knew I had.
29. Making the welcome sign for my brother and sister-in-law when they came from Canada for us to meet for the first time.
30. My butterflies on the ceiling and many other butterflies, including wind up ones that jump out and flap that he kept hiding in my laptop. (Flickr pic.)
31. My garnet birthstone ring specially made by our friend, Mark. (He's the one battling thru chemo & radiation now, so please pray for him and his wife Debbie.)
32. Singing hymns and gospel music with me. I especially love our travel games when we try to name (and sing) a song for each letter of the alphabet.
33. Flying to Vegas when my mom passed, and also taking me to Missouri for my dad's funeral. Oh, and weeks off for a trip to Arizona when my Grandpa passed.
34. Matching Proverbs 18 T-shirts and many Blessed Girl shirts.
35. Fighting to get stronger to stay with me longer... Forever and 3 Days!
HAPPY 35TH ANNIVERSARY to my husband and the love of my life! 💕✨💕
And there are so many more moments and memories in my heart and mind. Thank you readers for sharing my quick trip down a 35-year memory road (too long for a lane). Maybe you can make your own list of memories about someone that matters to you.
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For Pete’s Sake, What is a Minced Oath?
(CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Hi, my name is Saint Peter. Welcome to Heaven! It looks like I've found your name here in The Lamb's Book of Life, so you'll be spending eternity with us. But there is a concerning note here that says you have a tendency to use a lot of minced oaths. Is that a habit you can break?”
“Oh, for Pete's sake, I thought that was better than using the words they stand in for. Besides, shouldn't I get a pass since Feb 26th is actually For Pete's Sake Day?”
“It's what? My name is on a special day of the year?”
“Well they don't know for sure, but since the phrase is likely a euphemism to replace something like 'For Christ's sake' and because you knew Him, it's a good bet that it is a reference to you.”
“Wow, that's pretty interesting. But you know, you might not want to be talking about bets in here either--good or bad,” Peter adds with a grin.
My little scenario above is not a probable one at all since we’re all more than likely going to be devoting our words to worship The Lord and not even thinking about euphemisms and minced oaths, but I thought it was a fun way to introduce this annual day. And doesn’t the heart have a great smile as he finds the latest person’s name to welcome them in?
So, you have probably used minced oaths (or euphemisms) yourself at some point in your life. And you may have developed some that you use so regularly, you don’t even know what they were originally replacing. Things like shoot or dagnabbit or fiddlesticks or sugar take the place of words that often begin with the same letters, but the replacements sound a bit more respectful.
For example, I once heard a small story about a little boy who was riding his bike home from the grocery store when he hit a puddle and went into the dirty water food and all. Frustrated, he shouted, “Jesus Christ, God Almighty!” A preacher was walking nearby and asked him what he just said. He quickly changed his words and said as if posing a question, “Cheese and crackers got all muddy?”
If you want to read more about the history of this day, just visit the National Day Today page at https://nationaltoday.com/for-petes-sake-day/. As for me, I just might end up in that scenario because I tend to use a lot of what we used to call by words. I’m certain they are better than using “colorful language” (a euphemism for cussing or swearing), and they can help release some steam of frustration. But I try not to use the ones I was trained against like gosh, darn, or geez. And I really don’t like OMG (since it’s effectively calling out to God but not waiting for Him to answer), but I often say, “Oh my goodness,” and hubby jumps in with the Scripture about our righteousness (goodness) being like filthy rags. It’s one of those joking things that is actually true. But the truest part is that even though our sins make our souls dark, the Blood of Christ will wash us and cleanse us to make us whiter than snow.
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A Valentine’s Day Haiku
Happy St. Valentine’s Day! Oh, you didn’t know this day was named for a real guy who existed in 3rd-century Rome. Read more at the Británica website to find out about this patron saint of lovers, people with epilepsy, and beekeepers.
Our local Christian writers group meets monthly to equip and encourage our members to keep writing for The Lord. This month, our meeting fell right on Valentine’s Day, so we decided to celebrate with yummy treats and a fun writing exercise. We taped our homemade conversation hearts to the white board and challenged members to use as many of the words as possible. We had a nice variety of stories, poetry, and even a wonderful devotion. I love what people can do with the gift of creativity God has given us. Me, I chose haiku, so here’s my use of the 18 given words…
What's the greatest love?
What example does it set?
Where do we find it?
Love could be candy.
Wrapped in a chocolate hug,
With a rose on top.
I got one of those.
From my sweetheart; my husband,
But it was cookies.
Instead of a rose,
It was a red carnation.
It brought me such joy.
His love touched my heart,
Even without poetry,
He showed affection.
And I adore him.
My admiration of him,
Will last forever.
That and three more days,
Because his love is a gift,
Always mine to keep.
Our first time to speak,
Was a February call,
From a long distance.
Only recently,
Did he show his devotion,
With some jewelry.
A red garnet ring,
That I love to wear daily.
And show to others,
But I don't need it,
Or even some fancy doves,
To know he loves me.
Now it’s your turn. If you are a writer, I challenge you to create your own creative piece using the 18 given words in the above image. And, if you put them on your own blog or social media page, please leave a comment and let me know where to go read it. In the meantime, maybe I’ll work on the blog I set up years ago for the group and try to get some of their pieces shared on it. I’ll update this post with a link when I get some new content there.
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Heart Quake
(CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
February 9th, 1969, a little girl’s heart was broken when her daddy climbed out of a window and left her and her sister and their mother in the middle of the night. My memories of that time are a little foggy because I was so young, but I think it was the days after that I recall even more. The song “Daddy’s Home” played on the radio about the same time every evening, and I remember always waiting at the living room window to hear my dad pull up in his loud, rumbling car. Maybe the song only played at exactly the same time once, but it feels like every time because of how the memory is cemented into my mind.
Fast forward to February 9th, 1971, at 6:01 AM Pacific Standard Time. Our new apartment was in Sylmar, California, and just blocks from the San Fernando fault line. The earthquake registered 6.6 on the Richter Scale, and the shaking woke me up when it knocked a chest of drawers over and slammed it into our bedroom floor. I jumped down from my top bunk and ran to the kitchen yelling, “Mommy, Mommy, there’s a monster shaking the house!” Hmm, maybe my mom and step dad babysat us with a few too many Godzilla movies. 😁 Anyway, she told me it was an earthquake and that I should pray. Then she ran barefooted across broken dishes to get my sister out of her bed and put both of us in her room under lots of blankets. It was one of her most motherly moments.
Through the years, there have been other events on February 9th that seemed to make me wary of the day every year. Not every year, of course, but enough to keep me a bit on edge at this time each year. Today, though, it was the exact opposite. First, I was able to get outside in the sunshine for the first time in 2 weeks. Then I got some time to visit with my sister over the phone. And, best of all, I got news from my friend that her husband’s cancer was only on the tongue and not in the throat as they suspected, and the doctor even came out of surgery smiling. So, this year flipped the script and brought some really good events to this date.
The heart can quake or shake for a million reasons, and often those quakes leave cracks that don’t go away easily. But those who follow and serve The Lord know how the Balm of Gilead (a healing medicine) can calm the shaking and even repair some cracks. Jesus, not only our Healer but also our Comforter says this in John 14:15-18 KJV…
[15] If ye love me, keep my commandments. [16] And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; [17] even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. [18] I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.
https://bible.com/bible/1/jhn.14.15-18.KJV
As we continue through this heart and love month, remember that there is a God who is not “somewhere OUT THERE” but is actually near to us whenever we seek Him. He desires to share His love with us so much that He provided His own blood to cleanse us, so we could come boldly into His presence to get what we need. If you are a reader who has never received salvation, just speak out to Him with a pure heart and tell Him you want to try things His way because you’ve heard it can be much better. Tell Him the truth about everything, and then bring Him your brokenness. Watch Him work and bring you love beyond words and peace beyond understanding. 🛐🕊️☦️
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Beyond the Mirror (a scrolling poem)
Many years ago, I was on the phone with my sister, and she was heartbroken by the changes she saw in some of the young girls in her church. Puberty had taken hold of what used to be innocent little darlings in her Sunday School class, and pride seemed to be growing faster than their maturity. All that mattered was how they looked, who liked them (in their peer groups), and what was happening next in their busy calendars. They had become too busy and self-focused to even think about God or the lessons they were once taught.
I told her it was normal, and it didn’t mean she wasn’t a good teacher or that she had dropped the ball. It was part of learning how to let go of the apron strings and reach for the future. But, having once been teenage girls ourselves, we both knew what was happening and that it could be a dangerous time when peer pressure could lead to bad decisions that could negatively affect those futures.
As much as we want to prevent it for others, most of the time, people (especially teen people 😏) must learn on their own, and sometimes by hard lessons. But we can continue to shine a light of truth around them, so they’ll know where to look when they are confused or feel beat up by unreal expectations. In that vein, I put this poem together, and I love how it came out. It was also one of my first times using PowerPoint, so with days of trial and error, I finally created a video of the slideshow to present it. A wonderful Creative Commons soundtrack made it perfect. Enjoy the video, and/or read the words below. If you know a teen or young woman that can be inspired, please share it. And now….
Beyond the Mirror
Mirror, oh Mirror,
please tell me what you see.
Am I beautiful?
Do I need more makeup?
Am I the prettiest and best,
with shining eyes
for the whole world to see?
I want to be special.
I NEED to be special!
What are my gifts?
Can I sing? Dance?
Who am I,
and what can I do
to be wonderful
on this earth?
Oh, Mirror...
Please tell me.
~~~~~~~~
What? Look in my pocket?
Ooh, a bunch of smiles.
Thank you.
They'll be perfect
for more selfies!
Um, tissue. Why tissue?
I'm not sad.
Am I getting sick?
Hold on... What is this?
Bread?
Why do I have bread
in my pockets?
Wait! Why are my arms
suddenly looking
so muscular?
And my shoulders...
they're, they're getting
so... so wide.
Why?
What's happening to me?
This isn't what I asked for.
Mirror! Wait, Mirror...
Where are you going? Mir...
~~~~~~~~
Oh, hello, sad little girl.
I didn't see you before.
Would you like a smile?
Oh, she took it,
and ran away with it.
Oh my, where did all these
sad people come from?
Here, you can have a smile, too.
And so can you, yes.
A tissue? Of course.
Wow, I've used up
all my smiles.
Oh, no,
I see another sad child.
What do I do?
Wait,
would you like some bread?
It worked!
He was just hungry.
~~~~~~~~
Why are you crying, lady?
My shoulder?
A hug?
Sure, you can have those.
Can I help you
carry that burden,
you ask?
Yes, actually I can.
Wow, that was easier
than I thought it would be.
We worked well together.
~~~~~~~~
Whew,
that was a busy day.
I'm getting tired,
but it's not a bad tired.
It's...oh, hello, Mirror.
Where have you been?
One more smile, you say?
Oh, yes,
that looks much better on me
than more makeup.
Thank you.
I see the real beauty now.
It was always there, huh?
I just needed to look...
Beyond the mirror.
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