Month: November 2013

Embracing the inevitable

/ Joy Lenton / 13 Comments

Autumn weaves its magical misted mellowness across our land.

We bathe in its golden glow of fruitful abundance.

Leaves dance bright then fall in sympathy with our moods.

All too soon decay and death hang heavy at the door.

Tinged with a chill air signalling further change in the atmosphere.

Seasons shift.

Imperceptibly then inevitably.

And we are forced to shift our perceptions and expectations along with the weather.

Adaptation is required to live well in a new season.

Though it doesn’t always come easy.

Change

You wear two faces

Friend and Foe,

encourage me to embrace

and withdraw

as you tug me out

of my comfort zone.

You steal Familiar

and Safe from out

of my grasp

until I’m left

clutching at straws

dangling mid-air,

readying to make

the leap of my life

or draw back in fear,

loose-leaf trembling

quivering on tentative twig

instead of solid branch.

When I flee from you

I’m left panting and gasping

slinking back to bolt-holes.

When I allow you entry

I fly free as bird

caught in your current.

I hate Unknown,

hate even more Uncertain,

draw life’s breath in Safety

dream sweet-slumber in Security,

have fear of falling, failing,

hopes and legs akimbo.

Now you whisper gentle, low,

resounding to my very depths –

I’m no joy-stealer, peace-eroder,

confidence-crippler.

I’m what you need

to Become and to grow.

©JoyLenton2013

How do you feel about embracing change?

What aspects do you enjoy or fear?

This post is the first in a new series of #mondaymusings

The first topic is about change in its varied forms.

Photo Credit:Jen Mguni at freshmercies.com

Sunday snippet:Retreat

/ Joy Lenton / 6 Comments

It’s Sunday. A day to do life differently if possible.

Have a pause.

Take a break.

Rest from the usual activities.

Enjoy simply being rather than doing.

Retreat for a while in order to reconnect with God and rediscover all He has blessed us  with.

Breathe deep and easy. Savour the sights around. Sense His Presence.

You know it will do you good.

God ordained a day for this purpose.

His desire is for us to be renewed, rested, refreshed and restored for all that lies ahead.

Retreat 

In this world 

of rush and hurry

it is good sometimes

to pause from the flurry;

savour the flavour of

renewed zeal and zest

of the spiritual kind

that brings peace and rest

to soul and mind.

Let go the cares

Let go the noise

escape the world’s snares

entertainment and toys.

Find a quiet place 

where healing resides

to soothe fretful hearts

and God’s Spirit abides.

Let in the Light

Let in His Voice

that speaks soft

and calms us

so that we rejoice 

to heed yet again

what we once felt was lost

a treasure indeed –

The Pearl of great cost.

Let Love enfold you

Let Grace restore

all that is broken 

will be redeemed evermore,

enriched by His Presence

engulfed by His care

enlivened inside

as we lean, learn and share.

Returning once more 

to our home lives again

externally the same

internally changed

we have eyes to discern

sacred in the secular

made profound in His Name.

©JoyLenton2013

Day 23  in 31 day challenge of #poetryforthesoul

**NOTE** This poem first appeared on Words of Joy as a response to taking a mini spiritual retreat a few months ago. Though we don’t necessarily have to go away from home to spend quality time with God and enjoy a restful break.

Grace notes

/ Joy Lenton / 12 Comments

How do you picture grace or try to describe it?

I see grace like musical notes that play out in our lives as rich background sound to all our senses, bringing harmony and melody to our moments and a song of praise to our lips and hearts.

These grace notes are Holy whispers we need to train ourselves to listen and respond to.

We live, breathe and have our being in God’s grace.

We are enabled, equipped and encouraged by its anointing.

We have all the riches of God’s treasure store laid out for us by faith in Christ.

Where does one begin to suggest the source of all strength, the power, peace and purpose of knowing our Saviour?

As a weary M.E sufferer (who has very limited energy or inspiration today), I know I cannot do full justice to these things.

But I pray that my lowly offering here will still touch your heart with some small measure of mutuality, a flicker of recognition or understanding.

START…

‘Holy whispers’

Dew-dappled leaves

sunlight fronds filtering through the trees

with holy whispers calling on the breeze

suggestive of love, hope and laughter

kindled with knowledge of joy hereafter.

With friends to hold hands and heart

for whether we’re young or old

they are a rich part  of common grace

goodness God gives and deploys

to be acknowledged and enjoyed.

And as we trust in the promise of Your word

 believe and receive all we have heard,

as we behold Your face

seeing life through new eyes

with renewed and restored view

of delight and surprise in dealing

with the everyday, we become aware

of how it all comes back to You.

Everything looks better than we had thought

it could be as we have sought

to know and follow closely

being alert in seeing each and every day

is liberally laced

with Your love

 revealing a fresh way of living

with help from within

and support from above.

For such is life when

You bring our senses alive.

All is gift

All is grace

All is Christ seen

within and around.

His love surrounds

Everything

enabling the freeing

of all

that soils and despoils

©JoyLenton2013

STOP.

Like many before it, this poem had a life of its own.

I began with marvelling at creation.

And veered off into marvelling at the Creator Himself.

Which is no surprise when He is the Source of all grace, all goodness and life itself.

Linking here with Lisa-Jo Baker and all the brave and beautiful writers who participate in #fiveminutefriday. Today’s prompt is:‘Grace’.

You are very welcome and warmly invited to join in.

PS:Grace is a topic I’ve written about many times before in Words of Joy and made into a series called ‘Grace Notes’. It all began here.