Category: inspiration

Positive Encouragement

I follow some amazing poets here on WordPress. If you’re following them too, then you know how wonderful they are. They boggle my mind with descriptive images and wordflow.

I’ve been keeping my work very simple lately, less on descriptive images and more on encouraging, hopeful phrases. Sometimes I sense a proclamation of hope and write it down. I see this as a change inwardly and publicly.

There are several reasons:

It’s been a tough couple of years for all of us. And I just feel the need for each of us to be lifted with some positivity.

It’s been a tough couple of years for our family, which I’ve already mentioned here.

To be honest right-wing extremism disturbs me a great deal and that affects my writing. I’m not much of a Joe Biden fan now but extremists on the right are the greatest threat to our country. I call them the AR-15 Culture. Anyway that’s a rant for another time.

Lastly, but not the least important is my health which includes chronic pain. It doesn’t get better, it gets worse over time. That’s the nature of it.

I don’t feel a need to retire right now, but when I do I will not disappear. I want this blog to always be here so I can post, and read your wonderful work.

So yeah, I’m keeping it simple, hopeful and encouraging. That’s my goal!

Peace. Thank you so much for reading!

Writing and Image Copyright © 2022 rivers renewed

The Most Amazing Person on the Planet

After all these years I’m still here blogging! Thank you everyone for reading and for your wonderful comments! I’m truly grateful.

If you’re new here, all are welcome regardless of your background, race, country of origin, your identity, your preferences or your faith. If you have no faith, I hope you will feel welcome here too! We all have a lot in common.

For those of you that are new here, I have just a few notes to share. My wife and I are older. Notice I did not say old! Just older.

As much as I love writing and blogging, the love of my life, the one I call “My Love” is the most amazing person on the planet and she is the one I want to be with. Due to the pandemic we like to go to the park together. And we pick up food and go outside to eat.

And because of our age we unfortunately need to go to the doctor sometimes. For example, I recently took her for her chemo treatment. And I get treatments for chronic pain.

So, I said all this because I do not blog from my phone anymore. I needed to “unhook” that part of technology. And I might be busy at the doctor’s or being in love or both. So please be patient with me in responding to your messages, seeing your posts, and visiting your site you asked me to check out for the first time.

Thank you again for being here!

Peace.

Writing and Image Copyright © 2021 rivers renewed

Happy Father’s Day

I cannot think of anything more important in my life, than being the best husband and father I can be.

Besides being married to the most beautiful, amazing woman on the planet, being a father is by far the greatest achievement of my life. Our children are grown now, and they are absolutely amazing people!

They are filled with faith, care about others, and we are incredibly proud of them. And they are excellent writers! Isn’t that something??!

Wishing you a Happy Father’s Day!

Writing and Image Copyright © 2021 rivers renewed

People in My Neighborhood #2

Named for the Blessed Mother, you can still see her sitting on her front porch on warm days

a small wave, a big smile, does she remember my name? It doesn’t matter.

She also tends her flowers in the yard, even though her husband

is gone now, never alone she still holds onto God,

with her soft voice lifting prayers,

a gentle spirit,

and a cornerstone

of our community.

Even….in her nineties.

Poetry and Image Copyright © 2021 rivers renewed

As Wind Song Moves Through the Pine Trees

As wind song moves through the pine trees, I can hear hawk wings descending

out of the clouds, and I finally let go of those phrases

I carried as a prayer, shifting and shaping them,

will it be a poem?

as another feather drifts,

to the Earth

from the blue sky.

Poetry and Image Copyright © 2021 rivers renewed

Winter Vision Quest

It was winter when he left the reservation. No one sought a vision in the winter, but he did, he needed to. Maybe vision wasn’t the right word, but he was searching for cleansing……some type of hope, anything really. Despair and vodka had taken their toll. It was good to be in the mountains again, even with the snow. And he smiled noticing how slow his mule was.

He had everything he needed, the mule, a good rifle, his bow (that he had made years ago from the finest oak), and a small lodge with blankets. He knew he was also carrying grief for his people, the poverty and sickness slowly killing them…. yes a vision is what they all needed.

Days later, with a fire going….. the vision came in the smoke and flames. He saw his people being reborn. It was spring and everything was blooming. The people were strong and happy…. not sick at all.

He knew he must take this vision back to his people, to encourage each one. The end of all things…. was not quite not yet.

They would all live again.

Writing Copyright © 2015, revised 2020 rivers renewed, image from Pinterest, Crow Scout taken 1908

Note: This was not written initially about the virus, but I think it applies today.