Wish

While a year of my life

concludes on this day

a year of my life begins.

Ends and beginnings

together inlay

become chapters 

of stories therein

some to be told

over frosted white cake

as if history

now reprised.

Others are secreted,

only in view

of one looking

deep in my eyes...
   
    hide
    make a wish  
    take a breath
   
There are times when I celebrate

times when I mourn  

the days that have followed

the day I was born.

Some days are wearisome

leaving me worn

wishes forgotten

thoughts full of scorn

or at very least crumpled

tattered and torn

cast off in my worry

and pain from the thorn...
 
    cry
    lose a wish
    take a breath
 
As I reflect on the past year

measure the depth

the distance across it

the height and the breadth

gaze at whole of it

pensive

instilled

with joy of a rose in it

wishes fulfilled

I find stories glorious

love stories true

adventure and comedy

memories new
 
    smile
    see a wish
    take a breath
 
I open my book

to the page with the fold.

The next chapter waits

for this year to disclose

whether hope births assurance

in things yet to come

and perseverance arises

to challenges won

whether longing fulfilled

provides strength like a tree

where pruning and new growth

bear fruit within me

 
   close my eyes
   take a breath
   make a wish

 “The Lord gave another message to Jeremiah. He said, ‘Go down to the potter’s shop, and I will speak to you there.’ So I did as he told me and found the potter working at his wheel. But the jar he was making did not turn out as he had hoped, so he crushed it into a lump of clay again and started over. Then the Lord gave me this message: ‘...can I not do to you as this potter has done to his clay? As the clay is in the potter’s hand, so are you in my hand.’”

‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭18:1-6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“Then Jesus gave them this illustration: “No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and uses it to patch an old garment. For then the new garment would be ruined, and the new patch wouldn’t even match the old garment.”

‭‭Luke‬ ‭5:36‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“‘Are you tired? Worn out? ...Come to me. Get away with me and you’ll recover your life. I’ll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace...’”

‭‭Matthew‬ ‭11:28-29 MSG‬‬

“Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. And may you have the power to understand... how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.”

‭‭Ephesians‬ ‭3:17-19‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“We can rejoice, too, when we run into problems and trials, for we know that they help us develop endurance. And endurance develops strength of character, and character strengthens our confident hope of salvation. And this hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭5:3-5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“‘I am the true grapevine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts off every branch of mine that doesn’t produce fruit, and he prunes the branches that do bear fruit so they will produce even more... Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.’”

‭‭John‬ ‭15:1-2, 5‬ ‭NLT‬‬

“As the Scriptures say, ‘People are like grass; their beauty is like a flower in the field. The grass withers and the flower fades. But the word of the Lord remains forever’”

‭‭1 Peter‬ ‭1:24‬ ‭NLT‬‬

LIFESONG

There are two ways in life.

Two choices apply.

One choice is to live.

One choice is to die.

If I focus on death

I’m worthless like chaff:

separate,

rootless,

and crass.

Lacking in sense,

riding the fence,

wasted,

searching

for more.

Walking in dark,

standing unmarked,

resenting

the law 

of my Lord.

Sitting alone

with thoughts’

undertone

of places

I ought not to be.

Standing transfixed

by solar eclipse,

scorning 

the light

I can’t see.

Yet...

If I focus on living,

I’m strong 

like a tree.

I naturally choose

to nourish my leaves

by rooting myself,

preventing the wither,

drawing my life

from the flow 

of the river.

Reach out 

as I grow,

living in truth,

reap what I sow,

bearing much fruit.

I rise

toward the sun,

focused in thought,

surviving the heat 

in seasons of drought.

Embracing

then rain

with branches that bend,

knowing it strengthens 

my heart to depend

on the roots of my faith,

on promises true,

belief they’ll prevail

and never 

fall though.

Like a tree 

planted strong,

I’ll meditate long

and prosper 

in all I may do.

There are two ways in life.

Two choices apply.

One choice is to live.

One choice is to die.

“Oh, the joys of those who do not follow the advice of the wicked, or stand around with sinners, or join in with mockers. But they delight in the law of the Lord, meditating on it day and night. They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do. But not the wicked! They are like worthless chaff, scattered by the wind. They will be condemned at the time of judgment. Sinners will have no place among the godly. For the Lord watches over the path of the godly, but the path of the wicked leads to destruction.”

‭‭Psalms‬ ‭1:1-6‬ ‭NLT‬‬

http://bible.com/116/psa.1.1-6.nlt