I don't wear gloves when I plant my Spring flowers.
I like to feel the soft, warm soil.
I like to feel where the roots go.
Deep, deep below.
I don't mind having dirt under my fingernails.

I like feeling the sunlight on my hair.
And hearing the birds sing in the air.
While I plant beauty in the soft, warm earth.
I don't mind having dirt under my fingernails.

I like to feel the soft, warm soil.
I don't mind having dirt under my fingernails.

Drop by drop.
Her grief falls.
Making circular indentations.
In the dust.
She falls to her face.
In the dust.
From which she came.
And pours out her sorrow.
Her anger.
Her regret...
Before Him.
Her fingers claw the dust.
In her anguish of soul.
Until she touches His feet.
Drop by drop.
The tears fall.
Until her floodgates open.
And she unleashes her grief
upon the One she loves.
Over all she has done.
And not done.
Over all she has lost...
He lifts her face up
between His hands.
And looks into her eyes.
"You are forgiven, dear one.
My treasure. My bride."
She lays her head against
His chest.
Finally at rest.
As the last drop falls.
To the dust.

A glorious pink and blue sunrise
paints the sky.
And on this new day,
this is where I fix my eyes.
In the light of its beauty,
my troubles seem to shrink in size.
For as I behold glorious colour,
and let go of my woes,
Joy can begin to flow.

Face to face.
I let You love me.
And cast out my every fear.

Face to face.
I let You unlock my heart.
With Your tenderness.

Face to face.
I let You teach me.
Your ways.

Face to face.
I speak to You.
As my closest Friend.
And I hear.
Your tender voice.
Such love!
Such intimacy!
Oh, why have I
spent so much of my life.
Running from You.
Spurning Your affections.
Grieving Your heart.
Avoiding...
the Wilderness.

But now...
but now...
Face to face.
You draw me.
Closer and closer.
With cords of Love.
You ravish my heart,
O Lover of my soul!

Face to face.
I give myself to You.
In surrender.
In trust.

Face to face.
My eyes see You.
My heart hears You.
As I submit myself
to Your rod and staff.
In Your Refiner's fire,
You consume.
All my dross.

In the wilderness.
In the grief.
In the darkness.
I behold You.
Face to face.
In intimacy.

My mourning
is turned
into dancing.
As I behold Your
glory, Your wisdom,
Your unending love.
And come away.
With healed wounds.
With fears  calmed.
With renewed purpose.
Having beheld You.
Face to face.

Sorrow
upon
sorrow.
I let
the tears
flow.
And I learn the pain
of letting
go.
I drown
in the loss.
Of your love.
And all we could have been.
Sorrow
upon
sorrow.
I let the tears flow.
Flooding
over
me.
Flooding
over
me.
I let
them
flow.
And I learn
the pain
of letting
go.
Until...
at last...
I am whole.
Again.

(edited)

Water flowing gently from a hose.
Slowly...
It flows.
Little boy student,
so dear to me.
We watch the water,
him and me.
We watch.
We listen.
We live in the moment.
We live joy in the moment.
Joy and peace.
In the moment.
The only reality
is NOW.
As we stand and gaze...
at water flowing gently
from a hose.
Slowly.
It.
Flows.
This.
Is.
NOW.

No matter how often I wander.
No matter how much I stumble.
Into worldly temptations.
Into my will, instead of Yours.

I keep running back to You.

Back into Your arms.
Where I belong.


No matter how many broken cisterns I hew out.
To try to fill the void.
I end up feeling.
Empty and dissatisfied.
And so...

I keep running back to You.


When will I learn.
To just.
Stay?


The time.
Is.
Now.

I lift up my gaze to the sky.
Where does my help come from...
when I cry?
My help comes from my Lord and my God.
Who will not allow slumber to make His head nod.
He is my Protector.
My Knight in shining armour.
On my weakest side,
where I am most vulnerable.
The sun by day will not burn me,
and the moon will not strike me down.
The Lord will keep me safe
from all evil and harm,
as He watches over my life
and keeps me in the storm.
He will watch over me when I
walk out the door,
and when I come back home.
I lift up my gaze to the sky,
where does my help come from?
From the Lord, the Great and Mighty,
Creator of Heaven and Earth.
He is the reason I can walk free from fear.
For He is my Helper.
Who is ever near.

You come to me.

With healing in Your wings.

Your Love washes over me.

Filling every crack.

Of my broken soul.

Tear after tear.
Falls.

The One who calls her
"beloved."
Catches each one.
In His nail-scarred hands.

Then,
He reaches
into her heart.
And heals every wound.
With gentle
caresses.
Of His
Unfailing.
Unrelenting.
Everlasting.
Love.

You tell me I am beautiful,
with eyes like a dove.
I can feel Your arms around me,
covering me,
as You hold me in Your love.
I can hear Your tender whisper,
to my broken, frightened heart.
As You remind me to live in this moment,
and let my fears of the future depart.
Jesus...
Your love overwhelms me.
I can feel Your Presence so strongly.
That it makes me weep.
You are my Shepherd and I am Your sheep.
I am a little lamb carried on Your shoulder.
Oh, let me become so accustomed to Your voice
whispering in my ear,
that I might stray from You less, and more often stay near.
You tell me I am beautiful.
You hold me in Your arms of love.
You are in this moment.
My tears become a flood.

(C) Elizabeth T., 2016

He took the scorn that should have been mine.
The crown of thorns which pierced His brow.
Should have been mine to owe.

The beating which marred Him
beyond human recognition.
Should have been my sentence for sin.

He took the nails that should have been mine.
He carried the Cross which I should have borne.
It should have been I
who was...
mocked
scorned
whipped
stripped
wounded
abandoned.
Left.
To die.

But He chose to take my sentence.
My suffering.
My sin.
My shame.
So I could live.
In eternity with Him.
Oh, how great a Love is this!
That He would suffer such great pain.
For such an unworthy sinner as I.

I bow my knee and worship Him.
With tears of gratitude.
For my redemption.
He carried the Cross I should have borne.
No greater Love has ever been shown.

I bow my knee.
And worship Him.
For He took the sentence
that should have been mine.
And made it His own.
No greater Love.
Was ever.
Shown.

Weeds.
Thorns.
Briars.
Cover the garden.
Hiding all that is under them.
I pull.
I tug.
I endure the noise of the machine.
To get rid of every single one.
I labour.
And then.
I uncover.
Green treasure.
Shiny leaves of green.
Soft leaves of juniper.
As two lovely bushes are exposed,
from under their long-endured
weedy cover.
Is this how it is with the trials of life?
The pain.
The rejection.
The anger and sorrow.
Like the weeds that try to cover.
The hope of tomorrow.
The weeds that try to hide.
The hidden treasure.
Of what God wants to teach me through this.

Hidden treasure.
Hidden treasure.
Of knowing He loves me all through the storm.
The hidden treasure of knowing I am His.
And because of this...
I shall see His goodness.
Because of this...
I shall behold...
Hidden Treasure.

(C) Elizabeth T., 2016

He whispered into my soul today,
on this warm Spring day
in January.
To live in the moment.
To enjoy Him in the now.
And not ask questions of the future,
which I do not yet need to know.
My life ahead is in His hands,
and therefore all will be good.
I do not need to see what lies
beyond the bend of this road.

Listen to the birds, He says to me.
Remember that they do not store
for the future or worry.
Feel My Presence in the warm
Winter breeze.
And in the chickadees hopping
within the trees.
Feel the warmth of My love
in the sun upon your face.
Take a deep breath.
Rest.
Let go.
Release.
Live in the moment.
Enjoy Me in the moment,
He gently whispers to my heart.
Walk in step with Me in the present.
Upon the road called Now.
And let My peace and joy
overflow.
Within you.

He whispered.
Into my soul.

In the spring and in the autumn,
in the calm and in the storm.
I give thanks to You, O Lord.

In my sorrow and in my joy,
in times of bounty and times of uncertainty.
I give thanks to You, O Lord.

In times of darkness.
In times of sickness.
In times of abundance.
In times of youthful vitality.

In times when I do not understand why.

I give thanks to You, O Lord.

In days of rest; and days of stress.
In days of struggle; and days of hopefulness.
I give thanks to You, O Lord.

In every season.
In every season.
I give thanks to You, O Lord.
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord,
unto me. (Thomas Chisholm, 1923)
I give thanks.
To Thee.

The pond is a mirror.
Of reflections.
On calm ripples.
Orange, green, blue.
With graceful, long-necked geese.
Floating above.
And feet gliding beneath.
Calm ripples.
Calm.
Quiet.
Beauty.
Leaves dance down.
One by one.
And land on the surface
of the calm pond.
With calm ripples.
In brushstrokes of
orange, green, blue, black, brown.
The beauty of nature in autumn
sings a symphony of colour and beauty.
There is beauty in autumn's death.
There is indescribable beauty.
Which puts my soul at rest.

(edited)

White, glittery snow.
Like frosting on branches.
Hung so low.
Beneath the Winter sky of blue.
Shadows of branches
upon the white.
Like an etching upon a page
that's blank.
Blank page.
Newly fallen snow.
New tracks to be made.
In my new life that lies ahead.
I reach a field...
Blank page.
White snow.
I have the urge to run.
Ready...
Set...
Go!
Snow splashes up
like cold bath powder over my feet.
As I run with joy
across the big expanse.
Making new tracks.
In newly fallen snow.
Upon a blank page.
I leave footprints so bold.
A flock of doves flies over me.
Lord, I am taking this personally.
As Your message to me.
That I am, at last,
Free.
Blank page.
White snow.
New tracks.
New.
Life.

(edited)

The wolf prowls.
After the frightened, vulnerable sheep.
She is alone.
And can be so weak.
He knows where her weaknesses lie.
So he stalks her.
Tempts her.
Lures her.
Towards a path of darkness and danger.
Craftily...
he tricks her.
He lures her.
Further and further away from the Good Shepherd.
He promises her rewards.
"Come with me. Go this way.  Meet this handsome stranger.
You won't be lonely anymore.  You will find love."
He traps her.
He takes advantage of her.
He knows she is easy prey.
But this he fails to see:
The Good Shepherd has never stopped loving her.
He will never fail to keep His eyes ever upon her.
He waits.
Silently He waits.
For her to choose...
the way that is right.
He knows how to rescue her from her own foolish ways.
He knows she is easy prey.

Even though I struggle through the storm,
and waves of sorrow crash over me.
And even though right now I am
a solitary figure upon the shore.
Eventually...
the calm will come.
And there will be joy and rest again.

Even though I ***** my way through the dark valley,
and see no light ahead.
And even though my heart
is filled with regret.
Eventually...
the dawn will break.
And my days will be hopeful and bright.

Even though the path of my life has taken a turn I did not expect,
and I know not what lies ahead.
I will put my trust in my Saviour and Lord.

Even though this trial may be long.
Eventually...
I will burst forth
shouting a new song.

And eventually...
This too.
Shall pass.

(edited)

I looked into the eyes of an eagle
on my holiday.
Overwhelmed was I
by his awesome strength and beauty.
So full of power and majesty.

What a magnificent creature
is the bald eagle I see.
On the bare branch before me.
He is so close that it takes my breath away.
Such beauty.
Such power and majesty.
Perched triumphantly on the tall stump
before the mighty mountain.
Breathtaking.
Majestic.
Beautiful.
Glorious.
A glimpse of God's glory.

I looked into the eyes of an eagle
on my holiday.
A lifelong dream has been fulfilled for me.
So full of power and majesty.

And then...
he flies away.
I hear the ****** of his gigantic wings.
I.
am.
undone.
Glory.
Glory.
Glorious eagle.
Full of power and majesty.

She walks on the path set before her.
Through mountaintop of hardship,
and valley of rest.
Through sunshine of happiness,
and storm of trial.
Through refreshing rain of His Presence,
and bitter cold of grief and loneliness.

She walks on.
She walks on.
In weakness and strength.
Through tears of loss
and joy of gain.
Through fear and uncertainly,
transformed into inexplicable peace.
For beside her on the path.
Are His INVISIBLE FOOTPRINTS.

My breath in icy cloud.
Before my face.
Fingers stinging.
From bitter cold.
Modern carriages at
crawl speed.
On icy road.
Ghostly white
dances in whispers.
Across sidewalks frozen hard.

A flock of humble sparrows
sing joyfully.
As if in gratitude.
And the voice of God.
To my soul is heard.
For He is still here.
In Winter's cold.

Alone and afraid.
Broken and lost.
She falls on her face
in the dust.
And then she hears His Voice.
Calling.
Calling to her.
To come and rest.
To come and trust.
She lifts up her eyes from the dust.
She whispers His name, "Jesus."
He comes to her in the dark.
He speaks to her out of a burning bush.
She wrestles with Him each night in the dark...
"I will not let You go until You bless me."
Every anchor has been removed,
that He may be the only One left.
She clings to Him in the dark.
She lets Him hold her in the storm.
Alone and afraid.
Broken and lost.
She journeys through the wilderness.
She stops fighting the wilderness.
She lifts up her face from the dust.
Her eyes behold Him,
and He holds her in His love.
In the wilderness.

Then...
He takes hold of her right hand
and says to her: "Fear not."
He journeys with her through her
wilderness.
To the other side.
Where there is a land flowing with milk and honey.
But first,
she must journey through this wilderness.
Until at last.
She has learned.
To trust.

Joy.
Given by God.
In the depths of my soul.
Until it overflows
into
shouts of praise.
And dancing.
Crazy.
Songs sung loud
in praise to my
King.
My youth renewed
like the eagle's,
as I soar on freedom's wings.
JOY.
Overflowing.

I am sorry I haven't been a more perfect Mom.
A more giving and unselfish one.
But please know that I love you.
Despite my shortcomings.
I may not be all you expect me to be.
And sometimes I don't have a great memory.
But please know that I love you.
And that God is working on me.
I pray someday you'll understand,
that I too, am only human.
I've done the best I could,
with who I am and what my life has been.
Please know that I love you,
and pray God's blessings upon you.
I will never stop being your mother,
even if I don't always get it right.
Please be gracious to me,
my precious, miracle children.
And forgive my weaknesses.
I pray that when you rise up one day,
you will call me blessed. (Prov. 31:28).

(C) Elizabeth T., 2016

The Lamb of God
wore a crown of thorns.
Pressed down hard upon His brow.
Piercing ****** into His holy brain.
That my mind might be healed by His Word
of Truth.
That I might clearly see.

The Lamb of God
wore striped wounds upon His back.
That the heavy burden of sins I bear.
Might be unloaded at the foot of His Cross.
Forgiven.
And left there.

The Lamb of God
was nailed to a tree.
With excruciating wounds to His
hands and feet.
That I might from sin's chains
be forever released.

The Lamb of God
faced fear for me.
Through ****** tears of agony.
The Garden of Gethsemane. (Luke 22:22-24)
That I might be a lamb in His arms.
Who need never fear what may come.

The Lamb of God
was abandoned by all.
Family, friends, and even God His Father.
Left alone to die on a cruel Cross.
With broken heart.
And pain of loss.
That I might never be alone.
That my heart might be healed
of every scar and wound.

The Lamb of God
was pierced in the side.
Laughed at.
Scorned.
Stripped naked.
Made Monstrous. (Isaiah 52:14)
That I might be made beautiful.
That I might be forgiven.
That I might be clothed with Him.

Oh, how deep, how great, how unfathomable
is His Love!
I weep over this...
And my own unworthiness.

The Lamb of God
breathed His last.
"Father, forgive them." (Luke 23:34)
"It is finished." (John 19:30)
He was laid in a new tomb to rest.
While those He loved mourned, and had
their faith put to the test.

The Lamb of God
Oh glory! He rose!
On the third day.
Just as He promised.
"He is not here. He has risen.
Just as He said." (Matt. 28:6)
Just.
As.
He.
Said.

The Lamb of God
The Risen Christ
My Lord and my God!
Raised to life.
That I might walk new and redeemed.
As forgiven.
Treasured.
Loved.
And prized.

The Lamb of God.
The Lamb who gave up all for me.
Who gave up all for you.
The Lamb of God.
Who won the victory.
Oh, how I love my Lamb of God!
Who gave up all.
To set us free.

Lord---

Help me

to slow down.

To breathe.

Deep.

To sway.

Like young trees

in the gentle breeze.

To the rhythm

of life.

Called

rest.

(edited)

Lord, light the fire in my heart for You alone.
Let every other desire in me.
Glow under Your control.
Like a tiny flame.
Until the appointed time.
When it is allowed
to burn free.
Again.

I broke a painted *** that was a picture of me.
Then tried to glue it back together.
Piece by piece.
But try as I might,
I could not fix it.
I could not repair myself.
Cracks remained with wide gaps.
A little triangular piece was put in a random spot.
It just didn't fit.
The *** is finished...
but now cracked...
imperfect.
I could not repair it.
I could not fix myself.
But then...
a candle was put inside.
And a beautiful miracle shone
before my eyes.
A lovely, gentle light glowed forth
between the cracks.
Just like the Light of God...
the treasure within...
shines out through my brokenness.
I am a cracked ***,
made even more beautiful,
by God's Light shining through my cracks.
My imperfections.
My brokenness.
I am a vessel...
broken...
cracked...
for His Glory.

A blanket of cold white.
Covers the landscape.
As nature begins.
Her Winter sleep.
Beautiful white.
Snow.
White.
Clothing everything in sight.
Yet the sun still shines warm.
With light upon white.
Snow lit up.
Brilliant bright.
God above chose to create snow.
The colour white.
For He is good.
And washes my sin away.
Snowy white.
God above who is wrapped in Light.
Created light.
That we might not stumble in darkness.
For He created all things right.

A blanket of cold white.
Covers the landscape.
Beautiful white.
Snow.
White.
Light upon white.
Proclaiming the goodness of God.
Who does all things right.
Who does all things with Love.
Like Light.
Upon.
White.

I teach her to paint flowers.
I play cards with her.
I wheel her outside in her wheelchair.
In the warm, sunny air.
I show her I care.
While my dear mother in Heaven
looks down and smiles.
I smile too.
And then.
Shed a tear.