Category Archives: Spiritual practices

Wait on the Lord

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If ya wanna find some peace of mind,
Gotta set this house in order!
If ya wanna be the change you seek,
Gotta set this house in order!
If ya love yourself and you wanna be free,
Gotta set this house in order!
And wait, wait on the Lord!

If ya wanna do His will for you,
Gotta set this house in order!
If ya want your slice of paradise,
Gotta set this house in order!
If you’re feelin’ bad and ya wanna be glad,
Gotta set this house in order!
And wait, wait on the Lord!

If ya wanna feel the Spirit heal,
Gotta set this house in order!
If ya wanna know He loves you so,
Gotta set this house in order!
If ya wanna give out hope and bliss,
Gotta set this house in order!
And wait, wait on the Lord!

“Set this house in order” means putting our consciousness, awareness, focus, attention, and intention in the right place. I.e. on the Highest Good so that we can experience, first in meditation and then throughout all areas of life – with God’s help!, the kingdom of Heaven that Christ proclaimed is within us.

—
Today’s napowrimo.net prompt was to write a call and response. While I expected a kind of chant, I didn’t expect what some might call a good ole Gospel or revival song! But here it is, in poem form at least. I won’t be surprised if it becomes a song. 🙂

Now only 4 days left in
NaPoWriMo.
It’s been a commitment and a good one!

Two Roads

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Two roads diverged in a wood,*
Both forked and neither too good.
I took the path that I “should”
And scared, crept deep in the wood.

I heard opinions and crowds
Advising ever so loud.
I let their arguments wow
And took the way of the crowds.

Oh all the feelings they had!
In turn I also felt bad.
I feared the worn, hurt, and sad
Oh all the feelings they had!

They held a piece of my heart,
But now I’m making a start
To end the suffering part
And heal that piece of my heart!

For all the people’s advice,
They may not be very nice.
I can’t afford the high price
To buy the people’s advice!

Two roads diverged in a wood*
Both forked and neither too good.
I found the truth where I stood
And boldly trod through the wood!

*Robert Frost “The Road not Taken”

—
Day 25 prompt at napowrimo.net was, write a poem using a line from another poem, and take it in a different direction. Robert Frosts first line of “The Road not Taken” inspired this poem for
NaPoWriMo.

Balance and Supply

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Instrument: Brio – Red Cedar Concert Ukulele

1. We look for too much seeing
And not enough believing;
Too much taking
And not enough giving;
Too much doing
And not enough being.
But that’s ok
‘Cause we can change!
Refrain:

2. We come for too much going
And not enough staying;
Too much working
And not enough playing;
Too much talking
And not enough praying.
But that’s ok
‘Cause we can change!
Refrain:

3. And we do too much forcing
And not enough letting;
Too much hurting
And not enough blessing;
Too much grudging
And not enough forgetting.
But that’s ok
‘Cause we can change!
Refrain: (Twice)

Refrain:
When we choose to change our mind
And we are ready, we find
The Truth of God’s design
Of balance and supply.

Like

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If like gives birth to like, then plain to see,
Our “thinking makes it so,” as Shakespeare said.*
It shapes experience for you and me,
But deeper than the mind is Spirit’s head.

For in the soul and heart is wisdom pure,
Beyond the knowledge growing in this world.
Yet as we give it power, more and more,
Our science is a smoke screen that unfurls.

The Spirit won’t demand that we depart
From progress and advance of humankind.
O may we lead by soul and know by heart
And not from separation seek, but find.

And grounded in the Spirit of our birth,
We might attract more “like” upon the Earth!

*William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 2, Scene 2

—
Day 23… The NaPoWriMo prompt was to write a Sonnet. This one is Shakespearian in form, but I make no claims of being a master of the Sonnet! I’ve written others, but haven’t revisited them in over 10 years. It’s nice to get reacquainted with this timeless poetic form as part of
NaPoWriMo.

Earth Day Reminder

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I forgot about Earth Day.
Now what does that tell you?
That Earth Day isn’t profitable?
Or promoted?
Or honored?
Yes, all these things,
And none of them.

I forgot about Earth Day.
And that tells me
I need to reconnect with this planet on which I live and breathe,
This unthinking, unassuming mother who asks for nothing,
But deserves all the abundance of Life
For sustaining our own.

I forgot about Earth Day.
But I also remembered.
So may we all,
And shower her with blessings
Even if,
Or because
She never asks!

—
Day 22/30 of
NaPoWriMo,
from the prompt to write about Earth Day, at napowrimo.net.

Related

Earth Day Affirmations

Self-sufficiency + Independence = Impossible

How to Weave a Tapestry

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Paint a picture in your heart.
Someone else’s will not do.
Choose the colors and designs
That are meaningful to you.

Warp your loom to measure threads.
Keep the tension all the same.
Round and round you wind the yarn,
Making up your picture frame.

Over, under, over, under,
Filling in the detail sure,
Back and forth across the warp,
Goes weft that makes designing soar.

Separate threads now interlacing,
Shuttles transport yarn beyond;
Tapestry is taking shape,
And life is every weaver’s song.

—
The NaPoWriMo.net prompt for today was to write a didactic (instructional) poem teaching a practical skill. I couldn’t shake the weaving idea, so this is my contribution for day 19 of
NaPoWriMo.

(Get Back on That Pony and) Ride

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Instrument: Tempo – Seagull Excursion Folk Acoustic Guitar

1. Life is like a pony ride.
It’s calm and smooth at times.
But when it kicks you and throws you down,
It’s not so gentle and kind.
But
Refrain:

2. You trot through meadows with flow’rs in bloom,
And colors all ablaze.
Then slog through spongy, muddy ground
When life has turned to grey.
But
Refrain:

3. The rhythm of the clip and clop
And the beating of your heart,
They move together through this life
And up to greater parts.
So
Refrain: (Twice)

Refrain:
Get back on that pony and ride, my friend.
You won’t get where you’re goin’ unless you round the bend.
This journey has a purpose, and on that you can depend.
So get back on that pony and ride, ride, my friend.

Download Mp3

Right click this link and choose “Save Target As…” or similar to download and save.
(Get Back on That Pony and) Ride – Mp3.

What I Fear

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I fear my feelings, great and small
That pile up and roll and balls,
Compress themselves so dense and deep,
To build their house on top of me!

They decorate my mind and heart
With everything that’s cold and dark.
They take my thoughts and feelings good,
And burn them up like coal and wood.

I fear the way that I would be
If they should get the best of me!
And so I turn to God above,
Within me now, for strength and love!

I may not always feel His peace,
But I know God will never cease.
He calms the storm and every fear
And makes these feelings disappear.

God washes out their house of sand,
For I am in His guiding hand.
He shows me where to build my place:
Upon His rock of truth and faith.

—
This poem was very loosely based on today’s NaPoWriMo prompt. The prompt was an Almanac Questionaire, and one category was “What I fear.” Also based on the New Testament parable of the wise builder and the foolish builder.

Click here for more from NaPoWriMo!

Mirror of More

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In the mirror I see
What I think is all me.
But illusion is there
In these eyes and this hair.
I am much more to know
Than the outside can show!
When I look and I find,
Deep within my own mind,
All the Presence of Good!
And how I wish I could
Bring reflections so sweet
To the mirror and me!
And when I go within,
This is what I begin:
To depict for the world
Spirit’s image unfurled!
Not for praise of my own,
But so others come home
To the One, true and pure,
And the Mirror of More!

—
Today’s prompt at napowrimo.net is to write a poem with doubles, in the form or in imagery. This is my humble, heartfelt submission for
NaPoWriMo.

I Know

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I know the Spirit is within me.
I know I live beyond this lifetime.
I know the Truth sets me free.
I know that God is all there is.
I know separation is illusion.
I know that Love is real.
I know that for all I know,
I know nothing,
And unless I examine my life
And improve from within,
I know that life is not worth living!

—
This one is unprompted, for
NaPoWriMo,
with 18 days left!

Inspired by:
“For all I know, I know nothing if I cannot demonstrate a better life.”
–Dr. Paul Leon Masters

For confidential spiritual support from this foundation,
click here.