overcoming – Rivers Renewed

Solidarity

I’m flying the flag of Ukraine today in solidarity with the people there. May this war be over quickly. My heart is with them.

Ukraine has about 44 million people and has a democratically elected government. They have been an independent nation for about 30 years. Did you know that?

Some are surprised by Russia’s aggression, but we shouldn’t be.

No comments supporting Russia will be allowed here today. I will squash them quicker than a fly swatter squashing a fly. Was that strong enough? Russia is a bullying dictatorship. I do not allow bullies here!

Send some positive thoughts and prayers for Ukraine today.

Peace for Ukraine!

P.S. I should be back tomorrow with a new post, but this one is important.

Where I Live Now

Did I move to another site?! No. Did I migrate to Twitter? Nah! Not interested.

However I wanted to share where my poetry and other writings come from. In my heart I do seek renewal, wholeness, and the beautiful healing of nature simply because…..I know what broken is.

We all have tragedies that take place in our lives and Rumi wrote about brokenness being where the light comes in. I know what this is like for sure!

My wife almost died from cancer years ago, and she has had cancer several times since then but a different type. Or rather what she had morphed into tumors. She still receives treatments today.

I remember her being in ICU the first time around, her kidneys were shutting down, and she had several heart attacks. It was not looking good. Pain and grief almost took me down completely. I was terrified for years.

It was a blood cancer, in other words the cancer was in her blood. She did recover from that and she’s a walking miracle. Thank God! Now though she deals with tumors.

Yet I want that light that comes through brokenness. I embrace it. Even through other tragedies I seek light that comes through, bringing healing.

The other area my writing comes from is love. The love I have for my wife is incredibly and wonderfully powerful. Love also motivates me in my faith towards God.

I want you to know I am a person of faith, but we are not a part of the far-right weaponized mentality that is destructive. You will never get a Christmas card from us holding assault rifles or shotguns. We would never do that.

Our faith is one of peace, love and tolerance.

So to summarize: my writing comes from embracing the light that comes through brokenness, great love, and faith.

This is where I live now.

Wishing you peace.

Blogging and Life Update

The poem from yesterday, called “Night Wind” came to me so quickly and so clearly, I could not resist writing it down and posting it in a hurry, even though I had to be out the door.

That happens to me, even though I realize I need to slow down, or I think I need to retire from blogging. I always have more inspiration, just when I think I have run out of things to say! I have a writer’s voice like a river running strong.

Yet I always work hard and push forward, sometimes too much. To be honest 2021 has been a tough year. Several family members have died from cancer, and a close friend to my wife also passed away from cancer.

My wife still gets treatments for her own cancer, and that makes bad news even more difficult to deal with. I go on my own appointments for chronic pain, and I often think of the Beatles’ song, “Yesterday”. At least the first few lines.

My wife and I also had separate car accidents! We were both injured separately, but I’m ok now even though my car was totaled. My wife has improved.

It’s not the right time to retire from blogging. However whatever schedule I once had for posting, has gone out the window. I need to adjust my blogging balance and I’m thinking about possible strategies. I’ll keep you posted.

Thank you so much for reading!

Peace.

A Day in the Life II

20160606_164850 Today’s sandwich is chicken salad and the cheese is some really spicy, jalapeno and cayenne pepper cheese.

This is milder than I thought, but definitely hotter than pepper jack.

We also ventured out today to an organic farm, and picked up some produce. And the other day we were at an organic dairy farm for meat and dairy products.

A ride in the country is always good! I really don’t have the inspiration for a poem today, life is busy.

And that’s something I wanted to mention. I’m still out there working, and not from home. Sometimes I work alot of hours.

No I’m not a medical professional, but I have to be there. Yes, we take precautions but I’m very concerned

about my wife’s condition and her immune system. The other day I drove her to her appointment for treatment.

I did think of retiring from blogging but you know what? I love writing, it’s who I am!

And I love your posts! So I’m still working out some modifications.

Now back to my sandwich. Wow, this cheese is great! And the wheat bread is fabulous.

Peace.

Two Stronger Than One

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It always amazes me how a battlefield can draw a couple closer,

fighting together,

two stronger than one.

We hold each other,

alot more now.

Thank you so much for all of your blessings, prayers, encouragement and well wishes! What a wonderful blessing. It has been a very difficult few days but I will respond to each of your messages.

Broken Light

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I’m amazed at how we as broken people can carry

so much light within,

as if heaven pushed back

the grey clouds

destroying the hold,

the seduction of darkness

as if their healing

had already begun….

they become light bearing vessels.

Restoration

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When the scars we carry, threaten another storm

we can simply choose the silence

of the forest,

letting the calmness flow

restoring

who we thought we were.

Love Always Wins

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Death will not speak to us when we lift our poems

as banners waving in the wind,

our words we will fling

like javelins

straight into the heart

of darkness

into the Goliath we call hate

and in the end,

we win,

because love always wins.

This

is our warfare.

Note: From my archives.

Hope Begins to Fill My Eyes

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With wings outstretched, tilting my head, then banking to the left I break the pattern, the shell encasing my sky,

refusing the bonds or to live in the darkness of being discouraged… hope begins to fill my eyes,

with new life until finally the horizon comes into view, and I am free.

Amen.

Shopping for Hats

I love your rosy lips, your bright smile as you try on different hats My Love,

looking in the mirror, looking to me for a sense of validation.

And if you wear this one My Love, no one will ever see me kissing

your cheek, under the brim.

Yes, you will always be beautiful

to me, with or without

your hat on.

Note: My wife wears hats all the time (except at home) because she needs to, having had cancer twice now.

Yet you will not find a more positive, beautiful person.

Two things keep us going as a couple and separately…….our faith in God…… and our love for each other.

Peace.

Tag: overcoming