Poetry: Reasons And Seasons

When your burdens heavy laden

From the cares you find in life,

And you cannot find a reason

For your troubles and your strife,

When it feels you go in circles

And at times you walk in place,

And your tears flow like a river

As they each run down your face,

You must know you're not alone there

In your place of tears and pain,

And the burdens you now carry

Are not carried all in vain.

For there's reasons and there's seasons

To the mysteries in life,

There's sowing and there's growing

Through our happiness and strife.

We're shaped and rearranged

With each burden that we bear,

A hard heart now made softer

One that understands and cares.

And though your pain seems now in vain

On this journey we call life,

Soon you'll look back and you'll realize

There were reasons for your strife.

A lesson learned, a different view,

We're growing all the time,

You need only search within your heart

And a reason you will find.

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Gina Laurin
©38173-D Come Follow Me, New Hope Books, A Salesian Missions Publication

Image: Pixabay Free Images

Poetry: God Be With You

May His Counsels Sweet uphold you,

And His loving arms enfold you,

As you journey on your way.

May His Sheltering Wings protect you,

And His Light Divine direct you,

Turning darkness into day.

May His Potent Peace surround you,

And His Presence linger with you,

As your inner, golden way.

(Author Unknown)

God be with you as you draw nigh to Him, present your body as a living sacrifice, seek first His Kingdom and put on His armor each day. 
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Image Credit: bambe1964

Poetry: High Flight & Touching The Face Of God

The Most Famous Aviation Poem
and A Mantra For Pilots All Over The World

I don't know anyone of a certain age, who watched any PBS TV at all, who doesn't remember this stirring video clip. It was aired as the sign-off of many PBS stations across the US, during the 60-70s. Of course, it gives me chills as it begins, as the music crescendo rises then levels off, and the narrator's deep voice speaks the first few riveting words, Oh I have slipped the surly bonds of earth...

(Note in email for email followers: Included are 2 Youtube Videos that you can view at my blog. They are the main feature of this post. Please don't miss them.)

The poignant thing for me is not only that the pilot thought so much of God's creation that he considered himself to have touched God's face; but because of what I learned about the author of this highly-emotional poem. He was a young Royal Canadian Airforce pilot, of American and British heritage; whose parents were missionaries. After he was assigned to No. 412 (Fighter) Squadron, RCAF, which was formed at RAF Digby, England, he died in a mid-air collision (Wikipedia). How fortunate that he enclosed such a beautiful poem in a letter to his parents. It has always filled me with exhilarating hopefulness, and continues to bless the world.

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth

And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things

You have not dreamed of - wheeled and soared and swung

High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there

I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung

My eager craft through footless halls of air.

Up, up the long delirious, burning blue,

I've topped the windswept heights with easy grace

Where never lark, or even eagle flew -

And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod

The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

Put out my hand and touched the face of God.

Pilot Officer Gillespie Magee

No 412 squadron, RCAF

Killed 11 December 1941

Magee is buried at Holy Cross Cemetery, Scopwick in Lincolnshire, England. On his grave are inscribed the first and last lines from his poem High Flight:

"Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth –
Put out my hand and touched the Face of God. (Wikipedia)"

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Sources Cited:
Wikipedia- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Gillespie_Magee,_Jr.
Youtube- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qx3WueJWlb4
Feenbox Aviation- http://www.feenixx.com/aviation/High_Flight_Poem_Poster.htm
Deltaweb UK- http://www.deltaweb.co.uk/spitfire/hiflight.htm

Poetry: One Thing You Must Believe

Enjoy your life today.

Thanksgiving is on the way.

They come and go so soon.

Look at the Harvest Moon.

Take a peaceful walk.

To beautiful nature talk.

Holidays come and go.

They come so fast you know.

Find joy in little things.

A little bird that sings.

Wake up! Enjoy today.

Only good things say.

Don't wait another day.

Enjoy your life today.

Holidays come and go.

They come and go you know.

Your joy is not in them.

Or any other whim.

Take pleasure in today.

Though holidays are on the way.

The holiday it will leave.

One thing you must believe.

That joy comes from within.

It's always with you, then.

~ SJ Holland ~

I so look forward to the holidays, don't you? Seems like there's always something that we're waiting on to happen; so that we can be happy and experience joy and pleasure. It's so easy to forget about today when we're so wrapped up in tomorrow. Before we know it, that long-awaited event or holiday has come and gone. And then for a moment, the light seems to have gone out of our lives, and the joy with it.

 

Create things everyday in your life that give you that same kind of joy while you're anticipating an event, while you're waiting on any holiday to arrive. You can, because it does not come from without, but from within.

Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. 

(Psalm 51:12, KJV)

They that sow in tears shall reap in joy. 

(Psalm 126:5, KJV)

Thou wilt shew me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore.  

(Psalm 16:11, KJV)

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Image Credit: tlindenbaum

Scriptures From: Bible Study Tools

Poetry: If We Send No Ships Out None Will Come In

Life without purpose is barren indeed.
There can't be a harvest unless you plant seed.
There can't be attainment, unless there's a goal.
And man's but a robot unless there's a soul.

If we send no ships out, no ships will come in.
Unless there's a contest nobody can win.
For games can't be won unless they are played,
And prayers can't be answered unless they are prayed.

So whatever is wrong with your life today,
You'll find a solution if you kneel down to pray.
Not just for pleasure, enjoyment and health.
Not just for honor and prestige and wealth.

But pray for a purpose, to make life worth living.
And pray for the joy of unselfish giving.
For great is your pleasure and rich your reward,
When you make you life's purpose
The choice of the Lord.

(Author Unknown or possibly Helen Steiner Rice)

My Encouragement To You

Please send your ship out one more time. The answer to your prayer is around the corner.  If you just don't give up you will experience it. The Lord is working to bring your desire into the physical. Let your net down at the time and in the place at which the Lord tells you. Just do it one more time, according to the Lord's will.  It doesn't matter how many times you've tried before.  Just do it again. Your draught of fishes is within reach. Your ship is on its way. Your kite is getting ready to catch the wind.

Luke 5:4-6

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Image Credit: alwaysmnky

Poetry: Life Is A Miracle Don't Let It Slip Away

Looking up at a Winter sky.

We run across cutesy quotations, verse and poetry everyday.  Often our emailboxes are crammed with positive alerts and good news notes, many that we have subscribed to.

Sometimes our lives can seem overloaded with positive thinking suggestions and admonitions to look up, think upwardly, aspire upwards, be upwardly mobile.  I support and promote all of that.  I am a positive thinker and becoming more so, as I combat cynicism, discouragement and dejection.

I ran across this poem in my bulging quotations file.  I don't even remember from where it came.  There is no credit to who wrote this insight into selflessness.  When I read it, I was inspired by the simple suggestions to be present and positive in our lives.

Life is a miracle

Don't let it slip away,

Open your heart to others

Give of yourself each day.

See the beauty in everyone

Regardless of where they've been,

Some have a difficult journey

And really need a friend.

Share your gifts and talents

Listen with your heart.

Do the things you dream about

But don't have time to start.

Pick a bouquet of flowers

Show someone that you care,

Be gracious and forgiving

Life is never fair.

Hold on to your courage

You may need it down the road,

We all have a cross to bear

It could be a heavy load.

If you practice all these things

No matter where you roam,

You may find both sun and rain

But you'll never feel alone!

(anonymous)

Do the things you dream about but don't have time to start.  Make the time to do the things that you don't have time to do. Make the money to do the things that you can't afford.  Make the effort to do the things that you wish you felt like doing...Understand?

Dear Father: I pray that for each person who reads this post, that you will broaden his scope and widen her horizon. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

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Image Credit: Artsy Craftery Design Studio

Poetry: Look Up With Joy

Look up, dear friend,

Where eagles soar

With confidence and grace.

Look up beyond

The stormy skies

Each one of us must face.

Look up with faith

And still the doubts,

The fears and apprehension.

Look up and know

That God above

Knows all your good intentions.

Look up with joy,

With hope and trust,

Then strive to do your best

To make your life

A shining light-

And God will do the rest!

(Vi B. Chevalier, published by Salesian Missions)