CHANGING FORWARD

Inevitable unavoidable change

Always lurks around the corners

Waiting patiently beyond seeing range

Keeping feet unsteady and precariously balancing on the borders

Commanding incredible amounts of serious thinking

Destroying the luxury of mindless routine comfort

Unwelcome consciousness in the creating

Disburses uneasy demands on personal effort

No turning back at yesterday to look

The new awakening of change will not content allow

New chapters building the pages of the book

Change personal expectations, perspectives, and force accountability now

With intestine-like twisted tubes precisely connected

To brightly lit monitors, loud alarms, and dinging bells

Fluids travel the tubes with deliberate speeds and measured paths

To the unaware patient quietly dependent

While he is briskly pushed in his bed through the hall

To sophisticated machinery and more specialized testing

It is the Intensive Care Unit, better known as ICU

Where angels work feverishly daily to save lives

Carefully balancing a necessary self-imposed survival numbness

With the deep human compassion that drives them

I dropped a feather in the air

It fell in my mother’s hair

More feathers she grew

Until she almost flew

She gave me a squeeze

It made me sneeze

Then feathers were everywhere

My eyes seeped through the willow tree
Walked along the grass and sand
And immersed in the cool lake water

My ears listened to the still quiet air,
The occasional passing hum of a tiny airborne insect,
And my own heartbeat, alternating with occasional intestinal rumble

My thoughts flew across the sky to the water’s other edge
Exploring the mountainside where I peeked into the mouth of a cave
To see a mysterious creature napping quietly in the dark coolness

From the porch chair I had not moved
Except my eyes to blink away the warm dry air
And my hand to swat away a fly

A rare reprieve I briefly found
Contrasting completely to the fast pace of modern noise
That most often engulfs and exhausts me

The silver morning sky slowly brightens
As the sun’s rays reach
From behind the horizon
To scout the lingering clouds

The trees stand as motionless statues
Waiting for the winds
To move them
To dance through the day

The air thickened by yesterday’s cool rain
Rises to welcome the warm sun
With a ghostly white presence
That blends with the clouds
To erase the horizon’s divide

The void of color is in
Striking contrast to the previous dawn
Yet its statement is equal to the others

It is magnificent to open ones eyes,
Breathe in a subtle grandeur,
And ponder the wonderment
Of infinite uniqueness

Greeting and pushing the trees aside

And swirling around the corners of the house

In a playful arrogant rush

The horses darted in and around the cooling wind

With equal mischief and excitement

Kicking up their heels in the air

In direct rebellion and competition with the changing elements

The whistling interruption of the hyper air

Synchronized to the exuberant beat of the horses hoofs

And joined hands at the opposite horizons

Partnering with the sky’s stampeding gray clouds

It was an aggressive and expected announcement

Of the arrival of an old and dear friend

An Appropriate and suitable escort for

The welcome introgression of the seasonal change

Beauty comes from within, I know

But on the outside it best does show

Seeded deeply in the heart

From where sincere meaning must start

It germinates with nutrients gathered from the soul

And works its way to the surface to reach its splendid goal

The wind whispers through the Oak trees
Dipping briefly to stir the creek water
Before racing up the hillside
 
Three crosses stand
Broadcasting their eternal story
While the wind slows slightly
Bowing low in quiet reverence
 
Bursting to a roar
In a swift upward lift from the crosses’ feet
The wind reveals renewed vigor
And determined direction
 
It quickly engulfs the church
That stands on the hill so beautiful and grand
With panoramic views across the land

Cradling it lovingly in its arms
It gives honor to the missions anxiously anticipated
And recognition to its consecrated holiness
 
The wind that began with the whispered prayers of a few
Roar with the excited shouts of more
Then explodes with the dedicated and arduous efforts
Of many of the past, present, and future
 
Entrusted and empowered with a new consecrated vessel
All embark on the voyage with comfortable assurance
While facing the expected and unexpected
Faithfully knowing it is not without immeasurable reward

To the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Homage to The Holy Trinity
Is now and shall always be duly given

The mantle
Stood strong
Firmly anchored to the wall
Sure of itself
Hanging firm
Anchored strong
And proudly holding all that adorns it

The floor
Laid flat
Creating a solid foundation
Sure of itself
Quietly dependable
Loyally level
Supporting everything that exists above it

The person
Living well
Firmly footed to the ground
Proudly supporting family all around
Sure of himself
Focused on the light
Anchored in his faith
And held eternally in the hands of God

All around

But Texas terrain

Can be a pain

Prickly pears

At you stare

Waiting for you to come near
So they can stick you in the rear

Other plants anchored deep in the ground
Creep low and climb high without a sound
Resulting in rashes and itches galore
Pure misery from head to floor

Bees, wasps, yellow jackets, scorpions, and mosquitoes
Are low flying jets fully loaded with poisoned torpedoes
Dangerous rattling and coiling snake surprises
Slither from under the rocks when the temperature rises

But be aware of the two legged creatures
With cunning smiling faces, pretty and agreeable
For they can be more dangerous and deadly
Than all the Texas terrain hazards in medley

Is constantly penetrated by lethal emissions of information

It acts as a sieve for overflowing tragic realities

Until life’s emotional impact is slowed to manageable

—GOD CREATED THE COCOON FIRST —

—AND THEN CAME THE BUTTERFLY—

In the very early morning

My not so brave little dog

Cautiously sniffed an inch of the darkness at a time

It reminded me of the roadrunners

That often venture through the neighborhood

Stopping frequently to check the surroundings

Then quickly sprinting to the next spot to repeat the routine

The strong breeze pushed against my face

Forcing the tiniest moisture drops to kiss my cheeks

As they disappeared into the black air

Escaping with giggles and gloating of their victorious mischief

I smile quietly now knowing it will be another beautiful day

Looking forward to the neighborhood roadrunner routine

And remembering the stolen morning kisses with my dog

It is amazing how He makes it all grow

He watered it so nicely yesterday

Now I am taking out weeds as we go

I am always careful to thank Him sincerely

For the world He has rented to me

His guiding hand always given so kindly

For whatever the need may be

It took a lot of courage

But a question I had to concede

“I appreciate Your care for my vegetable voyage

But why must You also grow the weeds?”

God smiled at me with a compassionate smile

But He did not speak as I wished

I continued my labor for a while

Weeding in quiet redemptive peace

As we finished for the day

With joy, beauty, and gratification

I realized how in God’s subtle way

He had taught me a valuable lesson

Without the bad

We cannot appreciate the good

Without the sad

How do we measure happiness, as we should?

The cold morning air pushes against me

While recently consumed coffee resists the assault

A log now in the fireplace slowly joins in battle

Quickly followed by the rising morning light

Light snores from the other recliner

Evidence a quick morning nap stolen

After the previous restless night

The air is still quiet

In comparison to the night

But is revealing labor signs

Of a wonderful new birth

Anticipation escalates

With the accumulation of internal caffeine

And the invasion of

Agenda gathering thoughts

Anxious muscles slowly forgo resistance

Until the chair concedes

To the welcomed

Birth of a beautiful and promising new day