earth

hope: listening for the sound of hope in your soul

/ Joy Lenton / 11 Comments

hope - blackbird singing on a tree - listening for the sound of hope in your soul @poetryjoy.com

“Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and sings the tune without the words — And never stops at all.” — Emily Dickinson

Notes of hope

A blackbird’s throaty warble
rises above the voices
on the street, making conversation

because we’re all hungry
for company, for solace,
even at two metres apart.

But I’m listening more
to the notes of hope and joy,
bringing a reminder
that this too shall pass,

time will move on as it
always does, and we will return
to a new normality at last.

My solitary blackbird
friend has no soul companions
but it doesn’t deter him

from belting out his song,
from shrugging off the sadness
because he’s on his own.

He is staying put—for now,
to bring cheer to our hearts,
hope for the housebound
and isolated, while he sings

of spring, of life and birth, burgeoning
earth, of newness, of growth and hope
continuing beyond this moment.
© joylenton

hope - blackbird on a garden fence - notes of hope poem excerpt (C) joylenton @poetryjoy.com

“Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God.” — Corrie Ten Boom

I will rise

/ Joy Lenton / 14 Comments

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‘I will rise’

Some days..

part of me longs to break free

become unshackled from the earth

shake off dust, soil and toil

relinquish all but new birth

Maybe..

I will gather galaxies, bathe

in a sparkling sea of stars

or journey to other planets

visit Venus, Jupiter or Mars

stride unhindered over mountain peaks

sneak a view in a volcano or two

dive into indigo oceans deep

and climb pathways high and steep

One day..

these limbs will move and lift with ease

and pain will be a mystery

I will rise sky-high, out of sight,

as a balloon flies swift and

bright, then disappears from view

I may..

begin floating near eternal Light

my eyes watching years unravelling

like string, to pull me back

or draw me in, while I’m

travelling closer to You

©JoyLenton2014

“We know that when these bodies of ours are taken down like tents.. they will be replaced by resurrection bodies in heaven.. Sometimes we can hardly wait to move ~ and so we cry out in frustration… The Spirit of God whets our appetite by giving us a taste of what’s ahead. He puts a little of heaven in our hearts so that we’ll never settle for less” ~ 2 Corinthians 5:1-2, 4-5 (The Message)

Linking here with  Beth,  Holley and Jennifer. You are very welcome to join in.

balloon ~ i will rise file image pin

Earth, wind and fire

/ Joy Lenton / 4 Comments

As we mark the occasion of Pentecost, I am considering the varied ways in which Holy Spirit makes Himself known to us.

He gives us life and breath.

Initiates our new birth.

Provides all we need during life on earth.

Sustains us through to mortal death.

He hovers over all, anoints, equips and saves.

The author of our life ~  keeper of our days.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters” ~ Genesis 1:1-2

earth haiku file image pin

 

“Do you not say, ‘Four months more and then the harvest?’ I tell you, open your eyes and look at the fields! They are ripe for harvest” ~ John 4:35

haiku ~' Wind'harvest file image pin

 

“When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what appeared to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them” ~ Acts2:1-4

fire haiku file image pin

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