PAD 8 always changes or always the same

Everything changes

except the One

who is the same

yesterday, today, and forever.

Good.

Holy.

Loving.

Forgiving.

Eternal. 

Lori's gift

L et love, laughter and

O pen and warm conversation

R efresh your spirit

I n this place

PAD 7 activity

Leaving

Geese flying

Wind whipping branches

Leaves falling

Leaves crunching

Parents raking up leaf piles

Kids leaping with glee

PAD 7 activity

Nightly Activity

After everyone goes to bed,

I get out my markers and tablet

and doodle while watching shows

on my computer till

all begins to fades away.

PAD 7 activity PB celebration

The Saturday after Thanksgiving

I love celebrating Thanksgiving,

Remembering all the good things

God has given me.

But the Saturday after

bursts forth in long-

awaited activity.

Starting early September

our host-home client

is ready for Christmas.

Christmas shirts and Christmas movies

and often pushes the Christmas button

on her communication device.

But the Saturday after Thanksgiving

We decorate the tree and the house.

The whole town decorates.

The Christmas music plays.

Putting up the Christmas tree

signals to her that everyone else

is finally getting with the program.

PAD 6 phobia

Claustrophobia

Crowded plane

In economy

We’re smushed in

Coffin-like

I wish I could fly first class

Someday-sigh-someday

PAD 6 phobia

Glossophobia

The fear’s a false presumption so

I wish I’d conquer it for good.

When time to speak, I’m full of fright.

It’s how the story always goes.

A boulder nestles in my gut.

And with a glance, I’m set to go.

My gaze rests there upon my notes.

I try risk looking past my nose.

And with a punch, I start the show.

I claw my way through nervousness.   

And press on through with what I know.           

At last, path’s end is there in sight.

Then with deep breath, I let it flow.

Applause is sweet, when it’s done right.

PAD 6 phobia

Agoraphobia

He’s holed up at home

Not far does he roam

The computer his dearest friend

Explores Google Maps

Avoiding mishaps

He’s up with the latest trend

He thinks of those times

With reason and rhymes

When he dared to venture out

But it’s safer here

To live without fear

Sheltered from judgment and doubt

PAD 5 wire

Wired up

Ready to go

Two thousand miles later

Ready to go

to bed

PAD 5 wire

The Bomb

The hero has to clip a wire

Just when he was about to retire.

His cutter wavers over the blue.

Will he be able to follow it through?

Next he contemplates the yellow.

We hold our breath for the fellow.

As the clock ticks, he turns to the red.

Will this one leave everyone dead?

With seconds left, he clips the right one.

 He’s got the bad guy on the run. 

PAD 5 wire

W inding, wiggling, curving, turning

I nside the walls of the house

R effusing to work=

E aten by a mouse

PAD 4 Imagined World

The Magic Food World

Wouldn’t it be nice

to live in a world

where you could eat

anything you wanted

and not gain an ounce

over your healthy weight?

I wonder if you’d get tired

of spending all day

eating favorite foods.

And then there’d be

all of that grocery shopping,

cooking, and cleaning.

In this imaginary world,

it would have to be magic food

where just thinking about it

would make it appear,

and with a snap of your fingers,

the mess would cease to exist.

Would you possibly do anything else? 

PAD 4 Imagined World

The Queen of Denial

rules a world

where problems

disappear like ghosts,

but her loyal subjects

seem to be operating

in a parallel universe

they call reality. 

PAD 4 Imagined World

Depression

is an imagined world

where all the negatives

gather around like vultures

to devour the flesh of the dead.

PB appreciate

Get well

And remember

that the God who watches

sparrows is watching over you.

You are worth much more than birds.

PAD 3 If I'd Only blank

If I’d Only Finished What I Started

New ideas are like

new lovers.

thrilling, refreshing, promising.

But the more time you spend with them

they become like the fat, gray, frumpy spouse

you’ve been married to for fifty years.

Writing projects can be like that. 

PAD 3 If I'd Only Blank

If I’d Only Kept My Mouth Shut

I often marvel

at how often a quiet person

like me can get herself

into trouble

by saying the wrong thing.

You’d think

by saying fewer words,

I’d choose to say the right ones.

At least, with writing you can hit delete,

but still, I should hit it more often.

So if I’d only learn to say,

“Excuse me.” “That came out wrong.” “Sorry.”

I may spend less time

beating myself up

for saying the wrong thing.

PAD 3 If I'd Only Blank

If I’d Only Said No

If I’d only realize
that each yes amounts

to spending time.

Each yes adds stress

to a day

already chock full.

One more yes

makes me renege

on something else.

Yes can be

like writing a check

on an empty account. 

PAD 2 animal spirit

Cat

Its glowing face compels me.

Its warmth beckons.

So I will sit here on laptop keys.

I have no regard for poets.

Haven’t you got a pen? 

PAD 2 animal spirit

Tiger

With a purposeful stride

I hide in tall grass

and stalk my prey.

With a growl in my throat

I pounce, devour, rest, purr.

I thrive.

PAD 2 animal spirit

Monkey

I swing and glide

from limb to limb.

I’m way up high,

agile and trim.

Don’t come so near,

I’m right up here.

And I will snatch

your hat. 

PAD 1 stay leave

Leave

L et’s go where the grass is greener,

E xperience life at its fullest.

A dventure and accomplishment awaits.

V enture forth victoriously.

E nd the boredom and discontent.

PAD 1 stay leave

Stay

S imply not leaving. Sticking around.  

T aking the opportunity to be content

A nd enjoy the comfort and beauty around you.

Y ou made a promise, have a purpose. Stay for the joy of it

PAD 1 Stay Leave

Stay

Still, long

Sitting, sleeping, meditating

Rock, mountain, bird, elk

Soaring, racing, walking

Fast, far

Go

Acrostic

Prayer

P utting power in my life.

R eminding myself who He is

A nd how much He loves me.

Y elling quietly to move mountains.

E nergized by hope and grace.

R easoning together, soul white as snow.

Acrostic

Jesus

J ustifier

E ternal hope

S avior

U nderstanding

S pirit provider

Acrostic prayer

Procrastinator

P lease orchestrate my day, Lord.

R ight now, I don’t feel like doing anything.

O pen my eyes to Your will for me today.

C reate in me a desire to do my Father’s will.

R emind me of my purpose here on earth.

A nd teach me to number my days, like in Psalms.

S pirit fill me now and enable me to pray God’s will.

T rinity, I love You, three in one God.

I ntervene in all of my cares and concerns.

N urture me in faith and in Your Word.

A ctivate Your grace in my life so that I will obey You.

T rusting You to guide me and have Your way in me.

O rchestrate my life, like the Grand Conductor You are.

R ight now, I don’t feel like doing anything.

PB Halloween

Halloween

H aunting spooks and wandering witches

A pples to bob and candy to gather

L eaves crunching under shuffling feet

L aughter and giggles of little imps

O wls hooting, bats flying, spiders scurrying

W ind whistling through barren branches

E erie sounds and sights, funny ones, too

E ngaging in high-spirited mischief

N iggling memories of childhood fun

Acrostic prayer

Lost

L et them know You and love You

O penly all the days of their lives.

S how them that this world will end in its

T ime, but Your home endures forever.

No ideas poem

Lazy Muse

I type out lines

while hubby cares for our two.

The dishes wait.

The dust gathers.

The to-do list feels neglected.

But I type away

hoping my muse will get off her duff

and inspire me.

Is my muse lazy

or is it me?