A Day Like Today

I'm not quite sure what it is
About a day like today
That speaks to me differently
Than any other day

...Maybe it's the morning sky
that calls to me
...almost begging me to jump in and seize the day.



...Maybe it's the ability to see the path that is before me.

...or the world of possibilities in the distance

...Or the beauty of what is right before my eyes.

 Or maybe...

Just maybe it is a moment of awakening

When I see how His Light peaks through

In the most unexpected places.

Today I Pray...

With gratitude

for this day of awakening

And for the reminder of all that is possible

through You

Keep me focused 

so that I might not become

lazy or complacent

Guide so that I don't lose my way

Help me, always,

to hear that rooster crowing

in the distance

To awaken my spirit

Today I Pray...

for more days like today.

New Day

Friday morning
Some might say the end 
of yet another week
Blazing by
at lightening speed

But outside my window
it's different

A spring sunrise
fresh dew on the grass
Trees speckled
with white, red, pink, yellow

This isn't the end of anything
It's just the beginning

Today I Pray

With gratitude for another day


With a hopeful heart
that's ready to put aside
frustrations
and focus instead
on the infinite possibilities
that come from hope

Help me today,
and always,
to keep my attitude
positive and uplifting


For I do believe that
with You
and with faith
and perseverance
each new day
has the potential
to be better than the one before

Whispers

Each day begins the same
A stretch
...to open myself
to receive the day You've given me

A moment of thanks
A prayer for Your guidance
throughout my day

Then a quiet moment while I listen
For a cue from You

"How can I serve you today, God?"

Sometimes I hear Your response
In the rush of the wind,
In a hug from my child,
Or in the purr of the kitten
Curled up in my lap

Sometimes I hear You calling
From a distance
And I spend my day
Searching
Listening
Following your call
Each moment
Moving closer to You

Then other times
Like today
Your presence is certain
I am calm, peaceful, centered
Yet Your voice is but a whisper

…and it is only through
Quiet reflection
That I can hear



Today I Pray…

Stay with me today…
…help me quiet my mind

So that I can hear
Your gentle whispers

I am ready to walk
...please guide my footsteps

Help me, today
....As always
To be the person
You have designed me to be

October Blooms

Inspired by Judy
And photos of her October roses
I set out for a walk in the garden
To catch a glimpse
Of the last blooms of the year

The grass was long and in need of cutting
And for the most part
The the flowers looked tired
and dried after a long summer
Of colorful splendor

But as I rounded the corner
To my delight
There,
Among the aged leaves
A burst of color

Autumns blooms
Of lavender
Red, yellow, pink and orange

The leaves weren't pretty
They've been nipped by early frost
But the flowers were jubilant
Summers last hurrah



Today I Pray...

...that like these late summer flowers
I don't surrender
to the chilly moments of life
And instead keep striving
To bloom

"May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the holy Spirit." Romans 15:13

Quietly

The day breaks
quietly

No crash
No boom
No bang

Just the steady tick tick tick
Of the clock on the wall

And a silent rush
Of comfort
As a new day begins

Surely in this morning sky
I see a glimpse
Of heaven

And I feel Your quiet presence
In my heart
my mind
my soul

Quietly
the day begins




Today I Pray...

...for comfort in the quiet moments

...for peace within

...for a positive attitude

...and the focus to make the most
of the gift I've been given

...another glorious day

Between Here and There

In the space between
here and there

You'll find
Countless words
that tell the story
of my dreams

Things I only imagine
because the space
seems so vast and
I don't know how to cross
the great divide

You'll find
Fears so real they
could swallow you whole

Fear of ridicule,
or failure,
Fear of the unknown

Like a river
That separate distant shores

Though I can swim
There's no way way to know
if I am strong enough
to make it across
Or if the undercurrent
will sweep me away

So close
Yet so far
...the space between
here and there

One thing is sure
I'll never
know my strength
or ability

...Until I dive in

Image from www.wisconsinrivers.org

Today I Pray...

...for your continued guidance as I move from here to there

...help me to stay focused

...help me to shake off the negativity

...and tune in to the encouraging voices

...help me to know when I've reached the best point to dive in

...and give me strength to swim


"A psalm of David. The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. In green pastures you let me graze; to safe waters you lead me; you restore my strength. You guide me along the right path for the sake of your name. Even when I walk through a dark valley, I fear no harm for you are at my side; your rod and staff give me courage." Psalm 23:1-4


A note to my readers: I just had to share this with you because it truly is amazing. Normally when I include a Bible verse, I take some time researching to find a verse that "fits" my theme or resonates with me on that day. Today though, after writing my poem and prayer, I literally opened the Bible at random. This was the very first passage I read. As you can imagine, I wept upon reading it.

Let the Curtain Rise

A sliver of a moon

In an indigo sky

Stars sparkling like glitter

Behind cotton ball clouds

Nightfall

Through the eyes of a child?

No - God's artwork

And the view

from my tiny piece of the world

In the distance

A storm

Illuminates the clouds

And the thunder beats

Like a drum roll

Standing there

I feel His presence

And with complete certainty

I know that

the show is about to start

So close to the big reveal

The curtain is about to rise

On the story of my life

Today I Pray...

...I've been listening

...I've been watching and waiting

and breathing in the goodness that

surrounds me.

An everyday blessing from You.

The vibration of Your work

rolls through me

Like the thunder that rolled

through the sky

And I know I am exactly where

I am meant to be

Blessed

Grateful

Open to the infinity possibilities

That lie ahead

And most definitely

Happy

You've walked with me

You've guided me

You've steadied me

I'm ready for the next step

and the signs You're sending

say You know that too

Thank You, for never leaving my side

"Do not work for food that perishes but for the food that endures for eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. For on him the Father, God, has set his seal." Mark 6:27

Are You Out There?

In the still of the morn
I sit quietly

Sleepy morning
Gray skies, thick summer air
Like a heavy blanket
Muffling the sounds
of life

There is no symphony
of birds, and leaves
and breeze

That plays for me each
Sunny summer morning

The vast gray sky
Both suffocating
and endless
Remind me of my place in the world

Are You really here with me?
Do You know me?
Do You hear my prayers?

Closing my eyes
I surrender my thoughts
to the sleepy silence

Keenly aware
of the stillness
that surrounds me

But then the Hoot Owl coos
from somewhere in the trees
And I'm reminded

...That I'm never alone



Today I Pray...

...with gratitude
for your unfailing presence

Help me to understand Your
gentle "coos"
that whisper through the trees

And give me the confidence
and persistence
to become the person
You want me to be

Help me to see the doors
that open to me

And the ones upon which
I may need to knock

Guide me to step
Across the threshold
Of the door
to my good and true life

Inspired - Uplifted - Blessed

I believe
we each have a calling
a special purpose
that God has chosen
just for us

Some spend their lives
in search of that gift

Some hear the call
And answer

Others run and hide

My heart breaks
for the lost souls
That never even realize

That a precious gift
Lives within them

Every once in a while
You come across someone
Whose gifts
Are so abundant
and so inspiring

And the passion with which
They embrace the gifts
That they've been given

Touches you

So deeply

That you can do little
Besides stand in awe

Or fall to your knees
and pray

That when your purpose
is revealed to you

You answer the call
with even half the
Grace and conviction

The beauty
of such an inspired spirit
is no mystery

...quite simply

....that beauty is God

Today I Pray...

...with an inspired heart

...for my friend who has started a new
and incredibly uplifting journey

...that her words reach the eyes
and ears of people who
need to hear her message

...that others find inspiration from her

...and realize the gift
that is within them
and embrace it with such a full heart.

If you don't already know her, I invite you to visit Tabitha at http://www.ichoosebliss.net/. I've said it before, but I'll say it again -- she is an angel among us. If you visit her, be sure to click on the link to listen to her podcast -- or if you'd prefer, find her podcasts on iTunes by searching for I Choose Bliss or tabitha@ichoosebliss in the podcast library.


"Now in Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha. She was completely occupied with good deeds and almsgivings" Acts 9:36

Chasing

Like a dog chasing his tail
Running in circles
Exhausting myself
Getting nowhere

Maybe I'm just
chasing dreams
That can't be reached

Or maybe
I'm so busy looking back
That I'm forgetting
To see what's right
In front of me

God heard my mind racing
and He whispered in my ear:

Silly dog
Stop chasing your tail
Sit
Stay
Rest for a moment
Undizzy yourself

Then look at the world
That lies before you

Go on a long explore
Start moving forward
Sniffing your way
Down new paths

You'll find your way
Just stop chasing your tail


image from Google images

Today I Pray...

...for Your help in stopping the
negative self-talk

...help me to remember
that I can learn from the past
without being fixed there

...and that resting
and looking at what lies ahead
is OK

...but I will never get anywhere
if I don't start
walking the path

Stay Positive

Today I Pray...

...in quiet simplicity

...help me to keep my head up

...and stay positive

Give me grace to stand tall
even if others try to knock me down

And if You could

...please give me a sign

It needn't be much

...just something
for me to hang on to

No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead. Philippians 3:13

Clarity

Optimistic eyes
See life as opportunity

Dreams are boundless
Possibilities -- infinite
...sometimes dizzying

Like a merry-go-round
Spinning so fast

Sometimes it's a challenge
...to find clarity
as the world is passing by

...or to keep sure footing
as you move about

Don't lose your balance
By trying to move
too far, too fast

Steady yourself
Hold tight
Find clarity
Enjoy the ride



Today I Pray...

...for a better understanding of where I stand
on this merry-go-round of life

...for focus within,
steady footing,
and clarity of purpose

Help me to quiet my mind so that I can...

...hear Your call
...enjoy the sweet melody of life's carousel
...and proceed in the directions of my dream
with sure footing and clarity of purpose.

Be A Difference Maker

There is a story that I love about a man and his son walking along the shore. As they walk they discover hundreds and hundreds of starfish have been washed up on the beach. With each step, the boy picks up a starfish and throws it back into the sea.

The man sees the boy's actions and says, "What are you doing? There are thousands of starfish along the shore, you will never save them all -- it can't possibly make a difference."

The boy bent down and picked up another starfish, and tossed it gently beyond the breaking waves, then looked up at his father with innocent eyes and wisdom beyond his years, and simply said, "It made a difference to that one."

photo from http://andrew-ong.com/

Today I Pray...

...that I choose my words and actions wisely

Ever aware that...
...every word
...every gesture
...every moment

...can make a difference.

Reach

Flat footed
Arms at my side
...Waiting for life to come to me

Tippytoes
Arms extended
...Reaching out to grab hold of the life I want



Today I Pray...

for blessings in the form of
...sore arches
...and tired shoulders

Help me to keep reaching out

...to shake a hand
...to help someone in need
...to dry a tear
...to touch the stars.

Reach.

A New Day

Wake to find a new day
A fresh opportunity
New hope
New joy

Look back at yesterday to realize
What worked and
What you could do better
Forgive yourself

Look ahead to tomorrow
To create the life that you want
With the wisdom of having lived yesterday
Give yourself permission to shine

And most importantly
Live today
Fully present
Accountable to yourself
To make the most of the gift that is

...Today

Out of the Fog

Today I Pray...

...please take my hand and guide me

i've been walking in the fog

not darkness, not light

blindly fumbling

trusting

believing

sure that you are with me

yet worried that i can't find the path

guide me

walk with me

stay with me as i find my way

out of the fog

For You

Today I Pray

...for you.

You are a shining star.
....capable of anything you dare to dream.

The world needs you to dream...
...and never doubt the possibilities that come from believing in yourself
...and allowing the Greater Power to work through you.

You are beautiful.

Thank you for being here right at this moment.
Thank you for being you.

Today my prayers are dedicated to you.

Do you know someone who needs to be uplifted?

Share this sentiment with them...

....the power of prayer is infinite.
...it begins with believing...and grows as you share the joy.

Bless you today and always.

Encouragement

Today I Pray...

...for encouragement.

....for someone to tell me that I'm on the right track
...that they need me
.... and they believe in me.

I pray that I take the time to do the same for someone else.

Send me an angel...

....to lift me up and help me on my way.

Today I Pray.

The Journey

A breath of air
A single step
A joyful laugh
A tear

A hug, a kiss
"Be careful. Don't be late."

Cars whizzing
Strangers passing
New friends and old
Home sweet home

Shiny and new,
Job, city, love, home, family
Climbing the ladder
Walking the path

Sometimes by myself
Yet never alone

A breath of air
A single step
The journey begins and ends with You.



Today I pray for awareness. That I see and appreciate all the good that You present to me every day. That I embrace the journey with the passion that it deserves. That I stay focused on the infinite possibilities that exist because of You.

Hope and Promise

Many years of promises made.
Some kept, some broken.

Broken promises, broken spirit
Disappointments build within.

Those held true make spirits soar
Give hope and purpose renewed.

Today I pray for greater awareness of purpose,
That focus and resolve settle deep within me

...and reflect the Truth of Your unfailing hope and promise.


...