How Long Must He Wait?

Patience

My eyes fly open;

The race is on!

Before I know it

The hours are gone.

Worn out I sleep

And one more day,

He waits for me

To kneel and pray.

In One Single Moment

Resolve

For one tiny single moment

The hands of time stand still;

As I ponder at the crossroads

 Do I cave or bend my will?        

There is obvious opposition…

The choice is mine to make;

I will have the final say

If I fail it’s my mistake.

If I see the glass half empty,

Choose sunshine over clouds;

All depends on how I think

What mind-set I allow.

How positive my attitude,

The world cannot define;

 No one can decide for me…

The power to choose is mine.

The Big Picture

Gentle Reminder

I watch my children struggle

Make choices they’ll regret

But when I try to intercede

The spirit cries “not yet!”

My aching heart grows heavy,

And I begin to pray

“I love them, Father, so much

There are not words to say.”

Then quietly the message comes

“I know, I love them too;

Though hard for you to understand

I love them more than you do.”

“How could that be?” I wonder

“You know, I am their mother;

I would give my life for them

I love them like no other.”

And patiently, He chastens me

“Remember, cherished daughter;

They’re yours because I sent them,

But I am still their Father.”

Such humility and gratitude I feel for Heavenly Father's wisdom. Parenting is the hardest thing I've ever done, but I'm so thankful for divine direction...and for those teaching moments that come when I've made a mistake, that help me do better.

Undeniable Reality

Wings To Fly

I want to hold you close,

Keep you by my side.

I want to grant permission

For you to run and hide.

I want to protect you

From every mortal pain;

I want to make it easy

When I hear you complain.

I want you to choose, child,

What I consider right.

Do everything required–

Don’t hesitate…don’t fight.

But that is not God’s plan;

He gave you wings to fly.

And often I’m reminded

I need to let you try.

"Don't Judge Me Because I Sin Differently Than You Do"...

Stones

Unkind words and judgments,

Stones thrown by those so proud;

Rarely miss their destination,

Quiet targets in the crowd.

The single woman down the street

Who lets her children be

Unruly and disgraceful imps

Who’re better off unseen;

The family all observe in church

Whose house looks like a dump;

Some assume that is expected

From a woman rather plump;

The man who cannot hold a job

They glare at with disgust

And carelessly they gossip

Sharing feelings of mistrust.

Those who claim to follow Christ

Despite the way they live;

Who err when “no ones watching”

And expect God will forgive.

He that hath no sin among you

Cast a stone, they heard Him say;

And those judging cast their stones

To the ground and walked away.

Dedicated To My Beautiful Daughter

Eternity

Kneeling together

To never part;

Clasping hands,

Binding hearts.

Across the altar

I get a view,

A tiny glimpse of

Forever with you.

The experience behind this poem is too personal and sacred for me to share. However, it causes me to reflect often on the beautiful summer morning when, in the LDS Seattle Temple, I knelt across the altar from my “very soon to be” husband to be married for time and all eternity. Behind each of us was a large mirror which, when we faced each other, created reflections within reflections of the two of us together. It seemed to have no end and symbolized the eternal union of the two of us on that day…and forever. What incredible blessings await us in Heaven; how wonderful to know I will share them with him, who I learn to love and cherish more and more with each passing day.

No Greater Love

Because I Love You

Roman soldiers stood spitting…

Right in my face no less―

 And yet I understood, this was

The beginning of the test.

While laughing loudly and mocking,

They tore my clothes away;

Then harshly placed a crown of thorns

Upon my head to stay.

Carelessly, they chained and beat me;

It seemed a contest now…

Who could inflict the greatest pain,

Take courage from my brow.

Now tired and weak they placed me

On the cross still on the ground;

The mallet used to drive the nails

Made a horribly deafening sound.

Then struggling to raise me,

They shoved the towering tree

Into a hole deep in the earth,

And they kept mocking me!

“If thou art Christ, the chosen God,

Thy power let us view!”

But I prayed “Father, forgive them

They know not what they do.”

Then searching, I found my mother,

Tears spilling down her cheek.

I gave her to John to care for;

No words of regret did I speak.

Then humbly I spoke “it is finished;”

I died on the cross that day.

But knowing you needed a Savior,

I knew there was no other way.

“I love you,” He quietly told me;

Then calling me by name

He held out His hands to show me…

Now I’ll never be the same.

Peace That Only He Can Give

Compassion

I see your tears; I feel your pain;

Your suffering is my own.

How well I know Gethsemane;

Thou dost not weep alone.

-Karla Claybrook

This just stirs my soul…to know that in my deepest darkest hours, He whom I love and reverence weeps with me and does not leave me alone.

Truth Be Told...

Logic

The fire of negative emotion

Burns hot, intensely bright

Until the flood of love puts out

The flame and makes things right.

This was inspired by an experience I had with my eldest son. He and I got into an argument on the way to my dropping him off at the bus stop one morning. As he got out of the car, he slammed the door and I breathed a sigh of relief that he was going to be gone for a few of hours. On my way back to the house, I had an impression that I should bake him a batch of cookies and leave them on his bed with a love note. I quickly decided that he was not deserving of such treatment and dismissed the impression. However, it came to me again…this time a little more firmly. Needless to say, I did end up baking the cookies and making him a card and as I did so, my heart was softened and filled with compassion toward him. When he returned home several hours later, he came inside, slammed the door and went straight to his bedroom. Only a few minutes passed before he came out and exclaimed “You sure do make it hard to be angry at you”. He hugged me and thanked me for the cookies and card and we had peaceful interaction between us for the rest of the day.

As It Should Be

To Be Loved

In the quiet corner of my heart

Where few are called to enter,

I feel your influence in my life;

You see, you are the center.

In all my dreams while growing up

I imagined who you'd be.

I ached to know how it would feel

For you to rescue me.

I wondered what you looked like;

Would I recognize your face?

But when I tried to imagine

The thought would be erased.

I wondered if you'd love me.

Would I really matter to you?

Who would I have to be like?

What would I have to do?

I wondered, would you be gentle?

Would your words to me be kind?

If I could look inside your heart

What intentions would I find?

Would we ba happy together,

Be sad if we were apart?

If I went away for a little while

Would there be a hole in your heart?

Now I don't have to wonder;

You're all I imagined you'd be.

And I know with all my heart

That you will always love me.

I don't know if I deserve you

But Heaven has blessed me so.

As long as I know you love me

That's all that I need to know.