Poetry

Remembering

/ Joy Lenton / 2 Comments

It is Remembrance Day today and our thoughts stray toward those who gave of themselves to secure our freedom and peace.

In the remembering there is nostalgia, recognition of pain and loss, and reminder of hope for the future.

Fields

Fields of death blush poppy-red with blood-soaked

reminders of another poured out offering

sacrificial stained scarlet thread and flood

of grace upon the cross as Jesus took upon

Himself our sorrow, sin and shame

overcoming the curse of death

securing victory in His Name

Fields of toil trampled as mud ditches, slurry

to soil a soul, drain hopes and dreams

of riches in these lands where fortune beckons

and greed reckons it right to fight to win

where all is counted lost or gain

as men sigh discontentedly and long to find

safe harbour and cleave to their own hearth again

Fields of life spring bleach-white unto harvest

lands of opportunity, chance to exchange

the better for the best and lead others

to a place of knowing and growing strong

before they enter their eternal rest

Here ~ man, woman and child of every tongue

rejoice in full salvation for everyone

Fields of joy dance bright, Elysian pure

rippling rivers of refreshment for warriors

made weary fighting brave and bold

now resting from their labours as they savour

peace at last within spirit, body, mind,

meet and greet with great delight loved ones

lost, now reunited forever more with kith and kin

©JoyLenton2013

Our true home

/ Joy Lenton / 8 Comments

Do you ever crave for more than this life offers?

Feel a desire to be elsewhere.

Feel out of synch, out of place, like you don’t belong here.

Have a yearning for a place you can’t quite put your finger on.

Those feelings are a way that God speaks to us with eternal longings that are placed within our spirit.

We are made for more than ordinary.

We are created for the extraordinary privilege of being in relationship with our Creator God.

Our lives revolve around the natural while we experience and begin to crave touches of the supernatural.

As the old song says, this world is not our home, we’re just passing through it.

Though many years pass here, we also have eternity to spend in God’s presence.

And just now and then, a brief flicker of recognition burns in our soul as we sense a degree of heaven on earth.

Gain a foretaste of the riches of grace poured out for us here and those still to come.

Find a hunger in our hearts for more ~ even as something stirs within, our hearts are touched and eyes are opened to God at work.

“Earth’s crammed with heaven ~ And every common bush afire with God ~ But only he who sees takes off his shoes ~ The rest sit around and pluck blackberries” ~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning

I long to be one who sees.

How about you?

‘Heaven’

A far off country

as close as our next breath

Seated now in heavenly places

known completely after death

Glimpsed in a loved one’s eyes

and the cries of a newborn’s birth

Way beyond moon, stars or skies

close and familiar as earth

Sometimes it’s hard to believe

we will live and belong there

It takes grace and faith to receive

the Truth and Hope we will share

All the joys and the glory

of a life surrendered to God

We’re already part of the story

of the path which Jesus trod

No matter what our ponderings

no matter where we now roam

despite all future wanderings

heaven is our heart’s true Home

©JoyLenton2013

I am honoured to have this poem featured today on Joy de Kok’s site. Do check out the great poetry there.

Day 27 of  31 days ~ #poetryforthesoul

Love and loss

/ Joy Lenton / 4 Comments

Since time immemorial, poets have written about love and loss.

Such topics are natural outpourings of the soul.

My words are not always drawn from experience.

Sometimes a hint exists.

And more than a large share of poetic imagination.

I’ll leave you to guess which.

The poem here was written a few years back in the heady days of love given and received, coupled with those painful times of love denied or lost, and published here for the first time.

‘Outlived love’

Distillation

of quiet, unbroken tears

wells up between us.

What can I say?

Channels block

Stop

and locks are drawn

though finely

as a thin veil covering

the Past and refusing

re-entry to the future.

Something

slowly dies

creeping with cowardice

from our hearts ~

a love we once trusted

but lost.

©JoyLenton2013

Human love can take us to dizzy heights or plummeting depths of emotion.

It is a wonderful yet fragile thing, prone to alteration and change, often as fickle as our feelings.

The only love that is totally unconditional, constant, continual, dependable, eternal, forgiving and ever-giving is the love of God as seen in Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour.

In it’s pure, Holy flame we can rest secure. Feel safe. Be comforted, warmed and encouraged. Breathe easy. Feel completely accepted and validated.

“We love because he first loved us” ~ 1 John 4:19

Day 25 ~ 31 days of #poetryforthesoul

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.

In dark places

/ Joy Lenton / 10 Comments

How do you feel about the imminent approach of Winter?

Are you a huddler into sweater and by fireside, or maybe an outdoors adventurer savouring cold wind biting cheeks and snow falling on face?

Much depends on our health and how our moods reflect the seasons.

Especially for those who suffer from SAD, with the nights drawing in, weather becoming increasingly cooler, and darkness descending on our daylight hours, it can often feel like we’re in a closed off place and space, removed from others and even strangers to ourselves.

Our souls long for light and bright, welcoming warmth, celebrating cosy and comforting.

The poem below was written in sympathy and empathy for all who feel isolated by their circumstances and crave change for the better.

‘As bulbs’

As bulbs lie dormant in dark places

with  calm expectancy of life to come

so we go through dark nights of the soul

when all feels hushed and numb,

cloaked, concealed and muffled

with neither sight nor sound

nor word of encouragement in any measure

can seemingly be found

in landscape dry, barren and bleak

where we have shuffled slow

with moan and sigh

waiting for God to speak.

Have we been forgotten, left to our own devices,

or can we sense midst the gloom of feeling rotten

that a flicker of hope rises within and

Someone really is close by us here

who sees and understands, holds us safe

and deeply cares?

Throughout the days of hurt and pain

we discover all is not lost as we had thought,

and faith rises bright

as we turn again to the One

who paid a great cost to lift us

out of any pit we may have fallen in

back into His radiant Light.

©JoyLenton2013

Windows and views

/ Joy Lenton / 2 Comments

I wear my heart on my sleeve and (so I’ve been told) on my face too.

Sometimes our emotions are plain to see.

Or we may become expert at keeping them hidden.

Fearing exposure. Vulnerability. Guilt. Ridicule. Shame.

No matter how guarded we think we may be, God sees our hearts. 

And that’s a good thing.

He alone can perform heart surgery on damaged, wounded emotions.

He alone has power to transform and restore.

His grace and mercy are new every morning.

His love is totally unconditional. Endless. Unlimited. Complete.

Our own loved ones can know us pretty well.

Though maybe only to the extent to which we reveal ourselves to them.

Much can be concealed.

The poem below speaks of knowing and not knowing.

Windows

It amazed me to discover

you didn’t know the colour,

while I could relate

every shade and hue

in friends and family.

Yet you have viewed

things very differently,

observing every nuance

of emotion as they

appear and dance

with great variety.

For though you may not

easily notice colours

that I can see,

you never miss a chance

to catch the whole

range of feelings

that are there for me

in the windows

of my soul

©JoyLenton2013

Day 20 – 31 days of #poetryforthesoul

In His Presence

/ Joy Lenton / 10 Comments

There are days when prayer seems as simple as breathing sweet and easy.

On others it feels like laboured heavy-breathing after a long climb.

No matter how it feels to us, we can rest assured that God delights to hear our prayers.

And we are always welcome to come into His Presence.

This poetic prayer came about when sleep-deprived and weary.

I wanted to stay and pray in the quiet place where my soul communes with God.

But my mind and body had other ideas.

Lord,

I wish that I could linger longer in Your Presence

to sense the touch of Your fingers on my life,

and really catch the essence of what it means

to rest from strain and strife as I learn

to distinguish the better from the best,

to resist the tug of urgent, rush and hurry

calling attention to all I need to do

causing needless anxiety and worry

while pulling me away from You.

And I know it’s more important to turn aside

from things that drain and steal my energy

when I hear Your Voice calling

“Come and abide with Me”.

You are the only One who can give me

lasting hope, joy and peace

and I live and function best

with Holy Spirit grace and ease.

So I come, willing now and able

to stay a while and feast

at Your abundant table,

stay in Your Presence

gaze at Your Face,

feels arms of Love surround me

in a safe and warm embrace,

soak in Your Love-light

pure, holy and true

and emerge refreshed, restored

strengthened and renewed

©JoyLenton2013

**Note** – This post is one of the ‘here’s one I made earlier’ variety that waits for such a time as this. I am still taking a break from my usual writing schedule and needing as much rest as possible while away visiting family for a few days. But I hope to be back in the swing of things again soon!

What is life like?

/ Joy Lenton / 8 Comments

Questions on life have preoccupied scholars, theologians and laymen alike for millennia.

There are many and varied responses to this question.

It is rarely the proverbial  ‘bowl of cherries’ of popular myth.

Or if it is, then some get all the sweet succulent ones and others experience sourness and nothing but a mouth full of pips.

My painter/artist/writer friend, Pamela Hodges, is researching this topic for a forthcoming book.

You are invited to participate in the content of her illustrated new work by sharing your thoughts here.

I saw the invitation a couple of months ago and was so bowled over by the idea that I couldn’t contain myself.

Soon I scribbled a few thoughts, then the creative juices ran free.

As I wrote poetry flowed and you can read the result below.

My hope (and Pamela’s) is that you will catch the (writing) bug and send her your ideas.

They don’t have to be perfect, poetic or profound.

All entries will be carefully considered – one line is sufficient, I got rather carried away!  – and the best ones collated into the book with full acknowledgement given.

Plus, if you are a winner you will also receive a free e-copy of the book.

How good is that?

Do check our her lovely blog. She is currently going through a great series on learning to be confident with expressing your creativity.

I hope my post below will initiate the imaginative processes.

‘Life is like…’

A blank page, open book waiting to be written,

mystery of story unfolding with so much to fit in

Awe and wonder of a newborn’s cry,

comfort blanket cuddles and a lover’s sigh

Birdsong at dawn as earth stirs fresh and light,

a continual war zone, battleground, a fight

Heavy storm clouds threatening a sudden downpour

turning of the tide, waves on the shore

A weary trudge up a winding stair, wandering

aimlessly in a maze and getting nowhere

Harmonious melody, music in the air,

watching a movie unroll with popcorn to share

Mud pies and madness, joy beyond measure,

heavy mantle of sadness, merry-go-round of pleasure

Dark and light and every shade between, unfurling of a flower in the

petals of a dream, a silence and a shouting, a whisper and a scream

Kaleidoscope colours converging, finding rainbows through the rain,

pinprick stars of hope emerging through inky velvet stain

Intoxicating, heady champagne and wine, a drumbeat

marching steady, dominoes flat in a line

Mellow sunset rays warming heart and soul,

long hazy summer days doing nothing much at all

Footsteps treading in virgin snow, hesitant

and wary about where to go

Treasure mined in darkness, rich jewels glinting bright,

clouded shade and starkness of a never-ending night

Delicate gossamer thread spun into intricate webs,

songs and sonnets in our head, memory that flows and ebbs

A dandelion clock blowing years away, puffing through

gloom and fog, lost as waif and stray

Water to the thirsty, an unstoppable flow,

a dance filling heart, mind, body and soul

An adventure, journey of discovery, beginnings and birth,

all that lies between despair and dying here on earth

The best gift we’ve ever had, infinitely precious and rare,

which takes time to unwrap and invite others to share

A great vision, an open vista, a laugh, a tear, a song,

a brief spell, just a mist here before all that lies beyond

©JoyLenton2013

This is probably one of the longest poems I’ve ever written, and if you’ve made it all the way through then I thank you for your great patience, my friend.

And as I am taking a little needful break, there is much for you to ponder on here for a while!

Future poetic outpourings will be shorter. Promise 🙂 We’ve made it to day 18 of #poetryforthesoul and I look forward to catching up with you again soon.