When the armies of darkness surround you and the strongholds are built against you, do not surrender to the enemy. Bolster your soul and fall before the alter with the cross that you were chosen to bear. In solemn humble prayer, you can overcome what ever the enemy may dare, for you will be enjoined to God when you seek him there.

After all other ways have fail. When violence and anger accomplish nothing. When the drugs can no longer **** the pain. What is left out there? In a state of hopelessness, a wear soul contemplates the unthinkable. What is one less person they think. In that moment of desperation, a glimmer of hope sparks to life. A kind word or a gesture is remembered. The seed of hope has been sewn, perhaps in an inadvertent way. By someone who speak of Jesus, or did his command. Kindness has opened the door where hope was lost and shown that perhaps there is another path.

Looking for inspiration ,letting the mind wander and the eye catch something to inspire you. In a world full of clutter, getting inspired doesn't always come easy. Some think beauty brings out words, but ugliness can create inspiration. Simplicity is not always the best form, sometimes complexity is required. Finding layers to peel away until you get to the truth of what you are looking for, can be exhausting but sometimes it is worth the effort. Is a cat on a fence, just a cat on a fence? Why is the cat there and what is it's purpose? A muse is not simply one thing for all people, it can be many things for many. You just have to look until you find what inspires you.

If I offer you bread instead of a bullet, will we begin to talk? If I accept that your beliefs are different from my own, can we begin to understand one another? If I come to your aid without seeking to change who you are, will we then have peace? Standing across from another person half a world away, it is often difficult to see eye to eye. While one set of values governs our thoughts, another path has influenced a different way of life. In order for us to get along, we must first find common ground. Only then can we plant the seeds of hope and peace.

The world looks for the creator of all things, but cannot see God. Many people talk about God , but don't live what they teach. There is enough misery and suffering in the world to make us wonder where God is. Yet it is in the most obvious and unlikely places that we find God.

A distance star calls to me and I follow it. Over the horizon I go, looking for the next place to rest. By the light of a pail dark sky filled with a thousand pin ****** in the veil of night I am guided on my quest. I do not know where adventure will take me or if I will find good fortune or failure. I only know that I must go. For to sit idly by and not take a chance, is to ensure failure, but to risk everything with absolute uncertainty is to have lived, even if I never succeed. So by the light of my star, I will venture forth. Holding only to hope that wonder will find me and that I will at least have good stories to tell.

Through crowds of people, in a sea of noise. It is hard to distinguish yourself. Some form groups and shout and scream. While others do violent things. To get attention and send a message that will last, I have to rise above these things. In a message that warms the heart, I will write or sing. I will give words of hope and show many beautiful things. Casting words and melodies that paint a picture for others to see, I will join the discourse and make my point by finding my voice and letting the beauty inside of me speak.

I pulled down some stars to see what they would do, they burned my hand and made me sorry I did it. I wanted to talk to a fish, so I stuck my head under water, I soon realized I could not breathe. I decided I would pursue self enlightenment so I filled my bed with nails, I didn't get much sleep, but now I am truly holy. I tried many things to make my life less dull, so I think I will paint myself and watch it dry. That sounds like a lot of fun.

On a journey from my first breathe, helped along by those who say they care. Taught what they think I need to know, then sent forth to fend for myself. I have made mistakes along the way, many paths have I taken. Some have been short and others I still walk, yet all end in the same fate. Along the journey, I have had triumphs and I have made sacrifices. I have seen joy and sorrow. Some of these have been mine and some belong to others. Now as I draw near the end of a chapter in the book of my life, I look back and strive to hold no regrets. I can only hope that the places I left are better off than when I found them and that the people I have known may have been helped more than harmed. At the end of one journey, I look to the next in hopes of finding my way yet again.

I speak my mind but no one listens. I scream but no one pays attention. So I stop talking and start doing. I find one problem then I solve it. Then I move on to the next. One person at at a time, one problem at a time. I make it my own affair to help others instead of myself. Little by little, my life begins to change. I see the world begin to close in around me. When I was screaming no one would listen, but now that I am quiet and doing something about it, my words of action seem to speak louder than I ever could.

I climbed an ancient mountain up to the snowy peaks. I ascended to where you can touch the sky. In the frigid cold and the radiant blinding sun I looked around for paradise but found nothing but empty barren ground. In frustration I yelled at the sky then heard a faint echo and then the crack of thunder all around. I stumbled and fell to the ground as sheets of ice slid down around me and tumbled down the mountain side. In a snowy haze I regained my senses and stood on sure ground where the ice had been now was bare frozen earth. I had come to the heights of heaven looking for answers, but all I found was cold and an empty sky. Then I turned around and in a blinding moment, I saw a sheet of ice like a mirror, in it I saw my reflection staring back at me. It then came to me that my journey had not been in vain. While I had ascended in search of ancient heroes in another worldly home, instead I saw the truth about myself and who I really am. The heroes of old were not in truth Gods, but more than what people thought they could be.

Passion burning through her eyes, a furnace of desire pent up inside. Her sweltering gaze lets you feel the heat. She longs to be unleashed by the man who holds the key to her heart. Writing in internal passion, she releases her desire with a longing stare. She can scorch the paint off of the walls of your heart, go after her if you dare? A fire lives in her soul wanting to be released. Are you the one to tame her, do you hold the key?

They come when there is an emergency. They will pull you of a burning building or get a kitten out of a tree. They mend the broken and the injured everyday. They will jump out of their comfort zone and go into harms way. Some of them wear Red and some of them wear blue. Some carry a medics bag and some wear a gun. All are unsung hero's when there is dangerous work to be done. In the dark of night or the burning sun at mid day, when you call for help they are never far away. First responders never running away from trouble but to the scene of what ever incident there may be or to where someone is in need.

A sport as old as time itself. Many trophies have been placed on a shelf. Many stories have spawned grand tales. Some went looking for a minnow and found a whale. Others fish for the livelihood. A bad day of fishing can be better than a hard days work. To be in the elements and enjoy the open air. To just be on the water has something primal in it. To know that we are connecting with our own past. Fishing will go on for generations as long as there is a line or net to be cast.

Tying a silver cord from the lesser light, I cast the line towards a distant star but catch a comet by the tail. It pulls me up as I grab a mountain top to hold on to the earth. I am drawn into the celestial realm as the catch seeks to get away. I feel the line go taught behind me as the man in the moon pulls on the silver twine. Together we haul in the shooting star and decide it is not quiet big enough to keep, so we let it sail on it's way. Now as I sit with the man in the moon, I wonder just how I will get back home?

Oh how the fish jump about, oh how they dive high into the air, upon a lake so pristine and clear. To the delight of any fisherman what seems to be an abundance of game, fit to be taken on any given day, but alas this is not the case for a fish is smarter than they look. The aerial display of agility does not translate to a fish on a hook. For while I admired the splendor of a potential catch of the day. The fish had other plans and simply danced away. As I placed my boat into the water I noticed that their dancing stopped, they swam away from my part of the lake to another spot. In what was almost with a mocking choreography that the fish escaped my grasp. Choosing to go to where my baited hook was not to continue their little fishy dance.

They stole it, it was a conspiracy so says the disenfranchised nut job. It wasn't our fault, we did nothing so says the liberal left wing voter. Never mind the candidate was toxic and needed hazmat suits to be handled, we were robbed. On goes the rhetoric as they are told to resist. Become the deep state and dig in for the long haul. You are not defeated voters, you are resistance fighters. From California to New York and other places in between, the cry goes up as they take flight. One by one they blame everybody and everything but themselves. The loon bat takes flight not knowing that it is an endangered species as it's delusional world crumbles in lieu of common sense.

She wears her in many different styles and likes short dresses. She wears bright colors in clothing and makeup. She is full of sass and laughter. She likes to make a splash with her wit and her smile. She gets attention where ever she goes, but is never dull or boring. She offers a warm hand and support to any friend in need. She personifies the confidences that her parents taught her, all the while exuding *** appeal. She loves to wear heels as often as she can, she loves to know she was watched as she walks by. She will wink an blow you a kiss if you are luck. She will leave you speechless if you catch her eye.

In a garden full of blossoms and blooms, I spy a cricket sitting on a leaf. It chirps in the warmth of the morning sun, singing to the world. The dew glistens on the flowers that sit in rows like a rainbow. Each color giving way to the next. I feel the cool earth beneath my feet as I smell each blossom. I take in the smells so fragrant and alive. My senses are heightened with the aroma of all that is around me. The essence of nature is alive as bees buzz looking for nectar along side the colorful Humming Bird and the Butter Fly. I loose myself in the simple joy of nature as I lay down beneath the majesty of the flowers in the garden want the joy of their beauty to never end.

A carpet of color adorns the open spaces. The lilies and tulips blossom by quiet streams, as wild flowers shimmer in the morning sun. The wind whips the seams of the tapestry that nature has woven and the pollen blows from it like golden flecks of a secret treasure. The flowers of the field are for a moment, but a unique beauty that can change the soul for a lifetime.

Direct your efforts that what makes a positive change. Open up your mind to new ideas and possibilities. Step into another persons shoes and walk with them to help carry their burden. Stay fixed on the goal at hand. When you endeavor to make a difference through determination and resilience, things can be made better when we truly focus on change.

Right my ship and turn it's sails. Set the rudder on a true course. Look to the heavens and see the light that guides me. Over the horizon destiny calls. Onward upon the snowy caps of crashing waves. My ship gently rocks on the adversities of life. Knowing what is with in my heart and being true to myself, I set forth following my own star and no one else's. It is the light of  my dreams that guides me. To succeed or fail is mine to choose.

Consider a piece of wood taken from a tree. When you cut it and carve it, there are several ways that you can go. The wood has a natural pattern that is called the grain. It is a template put there by nature to allow for a smooth flow in the contour of the wood. When you cut against the grain, then you might find it more difficult to work with. In life, there are patterns and grains that we can follow. When we cut across them, it often leads to difficulty as it does with working a piece of wood.

Stepping into the heights of heaven, I walk along the misty ways. Where Eagles fly and the sun shines just a little brighter. From on a high peak where few will ever walk, I look back on the problems I left below. In quiet solitude I travel in contemplation of things that I want to know. I search for answers in the sky and the land around me. As I watch nature, I see that my footprints fade with each step, as I travel through the mountain mist, and leave no footprints in the clouds.

I walked along one day and I saw a well beaten path. I stepped off of my usual route and seemed to be in a familiar place. Before me I saw foot prints worn in the dirt. I stepped upon them and they were the same as mine. I looked in the far distance and I saw a shaded figure walking. I ran to catch up with him, but I could not. Before I knew it, I was well down the road, so I felt that I should just go on. A little further ,then a little more until the path I had been on was left behind. I then looked back and saw the foot steps and in the distance I saw a shaded figure looking at me. I could not make out who the person was, so I just carried on, each step I took was the same as the one that lay before me. Finally I stopped and looked back again, the path behind me had grown darker, but I could see  a figure coming behind me. It was then I began to ponder, was I following another, or perhaps I was following a path that I had already walked and the foot prints in the dust ahead of me were actually my own?

Just a few cents is all they say it takes. Then you can save a life in a far away land. Combined with the efforts of others you can feed a child. What does it really mean and why has it taken so long. For decades we have been feeding the poor, yet they continue to come, more and more. Where does the money really go, has anyone ever truly ask? Is it some kind joke or a Ponzi scheme that never ends. Why can't we just give the money directly to those we would like to help, then we could truly see what a dollar a day means to someone else.

Place a rose in your hair, so that crimson can shine against the gold. Say yes to my heart's desire, withhold not that which I want from you . Let your true nature come to fruition as I stand lost in a memory. My eyes have captured a vision, a remembrance and yet it is so real. I hold out my hands to seek your embrace, my fingertips tremble for fear that you are a mere shade of what was. The Rays of the Sun outline your form, a goddess descending from Olympus, an angel that is Walked Out Of Heaven. My heart has lost its rhythm and I am smitten. I feel your breath as your lips touch mine. I can no longer think, I can only exist in the moment. I can only be what you will let me, as my being is overcome with your forbidden Delights.

Hanging in a place where it can be clearly seen. Delicious to the eye and tempting to the soul. Beauty unequaled, it is what you know you cannot have. Forbidden fruit no matter what the form, is always an enticement.

In life we make choices. All choices bear consequences. For every action we take a reaction occurs. Some actions bear good and some are for ill. All things work towards an end. Giving kindness, brings forth mercy. Being cruel brings forth hate and loathing. Render unto another that which you would wish for yourself. In all things seek to be wise and just. For in the end, all things return to us and time makes us all equal. No one escapes the hand of time and the deeds we do while marking our days bear results towards our end.

When you kneel to pray, forget me not. When you are in times of joy, forget me not. When you are sad and feeling lonely, forget me not. When you are seeking answers, forget me not. When you have lost all hope, forget me not. In all things remember me, for I am with you always, so please forget me not.

Render good to those who cannot repay you. Offer mercy to those who do not seem to deserve. Give but do not expect to receive in like kind. Smile at each day, even if it is dark and gloomy, for somewhere there is a need for rain. Count your blessings and not your problems and soon you will find the problems are not so important. Live in harmony with all as well as is possible. Pray often for others even if they don't know you did it. Care deeply for family and try to forgive even if it is hard to do sometimes. Let these be the links in a chain of kindness that binds us all together as friends.

I am flawed and not yet complete. I work very hard to be better, but I often fail. I am judgmental but I try not be. I can be cynical though it profits me nothing. I want to succeed but I am not sure what it looks like. I want to be a difference maker, but I cannot find where to start. I am a hot mess sometimes but I am trying to get that straightened out. I stumble because I keep falling into potholes, but I am fixing them as quickly as I can. Be patient with me and consider that we are more alike than you would admit. Please forgive my imperfections, I am a work in progress.

I am imperfect, but I will seek to live a better life. I will stumble and fall, but I will get up and keep on trying. I will profess him, even when all reject me. I will give him my praises and do it all for his glory.

For his name ,I shall be reviled. For his name, I shall be forsaken. For his name, I shall be outcast. For his name, I shall face death. In all things I shall be faithful until the end. I shall overcome ,for his name is Jesus.

Often taking chances, willing to step out of the safe zone. Into the churning waters of controversy I will sail. No one has ever become favored from the safety of shelter. Only when you are willing to face the storm and risk making the ultimate sacrifice, are you apt to be rewarded. So live quietly and in safety if you wish, I shall step forward into the breach of danger. To protect the innocent and help the lost, for fortune only favors the bold.

Courage in the face of adversity. Self sacrifice in the face of want. A willingness to risk it all for fortunes favor. Rise to the occasion and answering the call. Only the stalwart will ever know what lies over the horizon. It is this hearty breed that takes on the challenge and risk life and limb to claim the prize of fortunes favor.

Tyranny is seductive until the puppet masters reveal themselves. Freedom seems difficult, but being responsible for your own actions is better than chains. Any who would have others make their decisions do not deserve freedom and should not be surprised when they are enslaved. Freedom requires sacrifice, freedom must be earned and protected. For freedom is a precious commodity it is often purchased at a high price, but while it may not be easy, it is well worth the cost.

On the night patrol in some desert never heard of before, a private first class shivers from the cold. On the deck of a ship off the coast in a deep blue sea, a sailor prepares an aircraft to launch, to help those in need. In a war torn nation, a nurse mends wounds and sets broken bones, wishing she could be with her family, but her duty calls her here. Across many time zones and foreign lands, to gardens of stone with memorial walls, many keep watch and pay the price so that we may relax and be at ease. Let us never forget the price they pay, some giving their all. This is what our rights demand, this is freedoms cost.

A man on crutches walks by a flag on the town square. His left leg is no longer there. He stops to salute the flag before he moves on, a small child looks in wonder at what he has done. Tugging on his mothers skirt he points and she says that he shouldn't stare, the man hears her words and quietly draws near. The woman looks up startled and seems embarrassed by what she has done. The man just smiles and tells the woman I too have a son. He is in school right now learning all kinds of things. He will learn to be polite and what freedom means. Just like your boy will do someday, so don't be embarrassed because you see I only have one leg. I gave it up for your freedoms, a price I was gladly willing to pay. So don't shed any tears and please don't be sad. I salute that old flag because I am dam proud. I was one of the chosen few that had a price to pay. So you and many others can live a free and peaceful life. God Bless Our Veterans.

Clinging to the crevice of a sheer granite face, looking down at the earth below. Ascending through the wind swept edges of jagged rock, pulling up with your own power. Holding your breath until you find your next foothold. Starting before the sun is up and finishing as the sun sets. Standing atop a high peak, knowing that through sweat and determination that you have won the day. Then the sun sets low and you begin to ponder the descent of tomorrow. Wondering if the  journey down will be as wonderful and fulfilling as the climb to the top.

When your journey is too much, just hold on to my hand. When you have grown weary, let me help you stand. When life tempest blow you off course, let me be your guide. When you have a mountain to climb, I will be by your side. In all things I will give you friendship and find you when you are lost. I will ever keep you in my prayers no matter what the cost. Through adversity and joy, through the thick and the thin. I will support you and be there until the end. So until we part ways and move to the next life. Remember you can ever call me friend, until death does our friendship divide.

In childhood delight we played in the dust and in old age our finality is to return to the dust in which we played. As the dust of our childhood slipped through our fingers, so the sands of time slips away and returns us to the dust of eternity.

Blue Orchids bloom in the middle of winter as green Apples hang from frost covered trees. Gold dust falls out of seed pods and Diamonds glisten at the bottom of a half frozen stream. The air is heavy with the perfume of maidens playing silver Lyres as they watch the Blue moon pass the Red sun. The forest is filled with plain white birds and bears with Red and Yellow fur, paw in the water for fish the color of rainbows. All of this happens, as I sit quietly in a swing made from hanging vines covered in black Roses, in the land that came from my mind.

The shadows grow long as the days get cooler. My flowers have faded and lost their bright colors. The leaves on the trees have begun to change and their is a chill in the morning air. I walk in my garden and sit quietly on a bench, I hold a cup of hot tea in my hand. I close my eyes and hear laughter of children so far away. I see the silver shimmer of new frost on blades of grass. I feel the nip of the cold on my nose. I long for yesterday, when things were so much simpler, when we were children and life was easily explained away. Unfortunately the seasons change and now with white hair taking away the raven hues of my youth, I can only sit quietly and reflect as the unchanging seasons shift and I find frost in the garden of my life once again, as time is slowly slipping away from me.

The cold wind howls outside. The window Payne is covered with the first ice crystals that herald in the coming fall.  I roll over and look up at the frost on my window. I see the exquisite designs of each silver flake that covers the chilled glass. I watch each one carefully, then I watch the morning sun come and takes them away. Each one a hand painted master piece of natural beauty, that will not be repeated again.

Filled with rage at the stupidity of others. Seething with the lust for their blood. Wanting to slash and cut deeply into the heart of the problem. Cursing at the existence of people too stupid to live. Daring anyone who crosses my path to speak an ill word so that I might unleash my fury on their inferior intellect. All filled with rage and hate, looking to find a way out. Then I look into the mirror one more time before I go and realize that all the things are me.

Raised in the Everglades, with hair as wild as the Spanish Moss, she rides an airboat just like she was born on it. Sliding through the tall grass into the bog, chasing Alligators with a gun and a dog. All of the boys would like to tame her, but she is the apple of her daddy's eye. She likes to wrestle Alligators and drinks like one of the guys. With a lever action rifle she gets up before the sun. She has gators to catch before she can have any fun. So with all of her tags filled, she runs her boat on a sand bar, fires off a shot to open a can of beer, and with the sun setting she yells the party starts right here.

Roll out the crust and lightly cover it with brown sugar. Cut up the peaches and add some cinnamon. Place the filling into the center and cover over with the hand rolled crust. Dust lightly with sugar and put into an oven at a decent heat. Sit back with a cup of hot tea and watch the magic take place. Smell the air until you smell the fragrance of paradise. Look at the crust to make sure it is crispy and golden brown. Turn off the oven, then open a window and place the pie to cool. Fix a *** of coffee and wait for family and neighbors to come around. Cut the pie into slices and serve it up with love. Watch how folks come together and laugh with sparkles in their eyes. This is how you make and enjoy a Georgia Peach Pie.

Giving is not meant to be reciprocal, it is meant to be out of compassion and love. Love for a fellow human, or love for a true friend. Caring for a family member when they are down on their luck. Showing mercy is it's own reward. Caring is not a requirement, but a way of living. The greatest givers go unseen by others and the greatest expectation for charity and kindness is to get nothing in return.

It has been 3 days since I needed it. My hands have become unsteady and I am shivering with cold chills, though it is warm outside. My eyes have cleared up but I have black circles under them from lack of sleep. It hurts to even breathe at times. I am sweating like there is no tomorrow and I am unsteady on my feet. I have to sit down too often, but I am determined to make it through this. There is not a pill I can take, I must suffer for my life. I want to just give in, which has been the problem in the past. To let go and feel the warmth shooting through my veins, is a quiet peace but then it is just temporary. I cannot hide from my problems in a syringe anymore. I must face the reality of what I am becoming before it is too late.