You opened the window
to my soul;
sun streaming through.
Flawless radiance
and unbroken truth.
Warming my face, lifting my eyes.
Shadows will always come and go,
but in brief moments passing by
I still see the light.
I’ll bask in the moments;
these moments of life.
You held my hand,
As we strolled the shore.
Leaving footprints behind,
And dreaming afore.
Your smile - the sun.
Your laughter - the sky.
Your song carried my heart.
Words a lullaby.
Told me stories;
Of salt and of sea.
We built castles of sand;
Kingdoms of dreams.
Beyond the shore,
You bravely led me.
To the careless waters.
To the roughest sea.
And with keen eye,
You watched ebbs and flows.
Showed me how to stand firm,
And when to let go.
When ripples swelled.
Fear against me laved.
Yet, you held me so close,
And we rode each wave:
You taught me how to love
And how to be loved.
You taught me how to fail
And how to succeed.
You taught me how to trust
And how to trust again.
You taught me when to persevere
And when to surrender.
And on these sands,
Where we laughed and played
Where you taught me to be strong.
Take a risk, be brave.
Now, I hold their hands,
And we stroll this shore.
Leaving footprints behind,
And dreaming afore.
___
By Elizabeth Willis
It’s a fact, information these days gets moved quicker than McDonald’s ice cream can melt in the hot Texas sun. People from all over the country get the latest news stories and popular trend updates every 5 seconds. The human race is so captivated by their phones and other electronic devices that everything else has become trivial. It seems that making eye contact is a thing of the past and handshakes are for the birds. But fret not! New studies show that real human connection is actually a waste of time and was never needed in the first place.
Mr. Leevme A. Lone tweets, “When I’m on a dinner date with my wife and I have something to say, I shoot her a quick text message across the table. I’ll add a few emojis in there sometimes to really set the mood.”
Candis B. Moore-Wright sent in a quick Facebook message stating, “Bedtime stories are a treasure in our home. What a memory making experience! I simply connect my phone to a Bluetooth speaker, press play on the kids’ favorite audiobook, and shut the door. I don’t even have to waste time on goodnight kisses. The audiobook app automatically sends audible bedtime kisses to my kids at the end of each story.”
Just within the past week, standardized achievement tests have become extinct. It’s been known for some time that this form of testing is completely irrelevant, but no one wanted to address the dinosaur in the room. So, out with the old and in with the new and improved Facts and Useless Information IQ Test. Also known as the FUII Test. Students are passing with incredibly high scores.
Some experts feel that the change in society is having negative effects on families, relationships, and overall quality of life. Dr. Just U. Wate claims, “We need a miracle to bring back fellowship between friends and connection within families. It will take someone from the inside boldly speaking truth to the rest of us. If that person doesn’t show up, we will be forever imprisoned on the outside.”
With so many opposing viewpoints plaguing society, we can all agree on one simple thing: numbers don’t lie. A recent study in the Journal of Artificial Emotional Intelligence showed that 90 percent of families still spend time together at the dinner table each evening. In-depth discussions and heated arguments on social media platforms take place as users spend quality time with their loved ones. The JAEI suggests that many families should begin to implement a reflective or quiet time each evening before bed. Pastor Ailee N. Ate says, “The perfect ending to any night is the soothing sound of fingers tapping on touchscreens and punching at keyboards. The streets are quiet, the church lights are off, and the hum of the wifi box sings our babies to sleep.”
Calendars don’t darken details.
Clocks don’t swallow shame.
Midnight won’t erase memories.
Noon won’t save a name.
The past cannot hide affliction.
Future can’t heal pain.
Youth won’t bring about exodus.
Aging doesn’t break chains.
Time continues ‘round.
The sun and moon change.
Days continue forward,
but the Timekeeper remains the same.
Sorrow lies with darkness.
Disgrace leaves a stain.
Grief paves its own path,
but His love always makes a way.
Outside my window,
I see
details in the sky
that tell stories of
unspoken sadness,
childhood pain,
the hand of abuse,
injustice and shame.
Outside my window,
I watch
the sun gather
every single tear.
Storing each one
in the clouds above
until they burst with grief
on the earth below.
Outside my window,
I hear
the cries
of ten thousand people.
Voices once silenced.
Their stories
raining in my front yard
outside my window.
Lies
Bribes
Social posts
Pictures
Mirrors
Status quo
New Hair
Name Brands
Makeup on
Slender
Tougher
Fit Girl Strong
Organic
Natural
Raw Egg Smoothie
Single
Married
Love’s a Doozy
Working
Schooling
Late Night Dining
Tanning
Shopping
Weekend Wining
Spit up
Clean up
Baby’s Whining
Get up
Fed up
TV Dining
Bills
Chores
Sleep’s a doozy
Homework
Field trips
Playdough smoothie?
Got a cold
Feeling old
Second cup of coffee strong
Shower mold
Still on hold
Still got no makeup on
Toys
Noise
Status quo?
Timeout
Lights out
Check my #mompost
Huddled by your bedside
terror flooded
the brilliance in your eyes.
Hatred
shouted outside your door.
Division shattered your world.
Questions you dared not ask.
Sweet sounding songs
of childhood gone so fast.
Your hands
reaching for crippled love
as it walked into your past.
Heavy tears stormed your view.
Sorrow fading
your eyes of sapphire blue.
Washed-out
shade of a grayish hue.
Your childish vision askew.
Under a carbon sky,
you lay in wait.
Grief waged war with your mind.
And loss
replayed in torturous chime.
Your consciousness marking time.
Then a voice called your name.
“Rise up my son.
Sleeping heart awaken!
Come forth
into triumphant light,
and see I have won your fight.”
From shadows of slumber,
where life ran dry
you saw a faint glimmer;
a hope.
To new arms open wide,
you stepped out with seasoned eyes.
Unbroken, whole
Light in my eyes
Hope and destiny
Happiness and you
Untraditional, foreign
Blindsided
Unhinged and crumbled
Drowning in fear
Run away, escape
Terror in my eyes
Come and find me
Rescue me (and you)
A vision planted.
In stillness, a promise given.
Two hearts cultivated, seeded,
and grown in preparation.
A thousand prayers
they cried out over the land.
The ground saturated with tears,
permeating seed sown with their hand.
A thousand times,
they labored over the field.
Working faithfully, tending joyfully;
waiting patiently for crop to yield.
A thousand moments
of trial and testing,
of drought and desert,
of fire and refining.
Then, ten fold
their blessing came.
Righteousness looked down from the sky!
Faithfulness sprang up from the ground!
The fields were white with harvest,
and the gathering began!
A vision planted!
A harvest given!
A promise never forgotten!
Hope Composed 