I’m still thinking about Christmas. This will give you something to think about for all the Christmases in your future; in fact you can capture that sense of wonder every night as you gaze heavenward.
Monthly Archives: January 2017
Loving You
Loving You
I am with you,
As One Who has always loved you,
Loving you as you began your life’s journey
To the kingdom of Heaven,
Your true home,
Loving you all the days I have appointed you.
Loving you unto dying and your death,
Loving you as the breath of life.
I have played upon the strings of your heart,
So that you would hear My music,
Even midst dissimilitude and dissonance.
Let not the unbelieving of the world,
Let not discordance and strife of flesh,
Let not the deceiver of Men,
Draw a curtain before your eyes.
Fix the gaze of your soul upon Me,
Here in your heart,
I reign, holy and at rest,
Upon the throne
At the center of your being.
Do Me homage
As you arise at the break of day.
Bow before Me
With the rising of each sun.
Dance with Me,
Following My lead.
Cry with Me in the sorrowing.
Plead for sinners in their fall.
Lend the hand of prayer
To uphold the weak and weary.
You journey as one
In the One Who is All Love.
Peace, My child.
Peace and refreshment,
Here at my altar.
I polish and perfect you,
That you may be
A monstrance of humility,
Fading from prominence,
As I send out my splendor
As grace and blessing.
All is gift to the one
Who receives with the seasons,
Yielding to the winds that blow upon the soul,
Welcoming the water of spring rains,
And the summer torrents,
Allowing blankets of snow
To still you in repose,
Awaiting new life, My Life.
© 2015 Joann Nelander
A great Inauguration poem
The following poem was written by Ted Ruiz and published by Fox News:
Twas the night before Inauguration, and up in the tower,
The Donald reflected on his newfound power.
The conservative masses had come out in force,
And delivered a victory that would chart a new course.
The snowflakes were shell-shocked with tears in their eyes,
The media lied to them . . . What a surprise.
They had been promised a Hillary win,
But the criminal Clinton took one on the chin.
And though from all corners celebrities flew,
They made no impression, for they hadn’t a clue.
They talked about climate, racism, and such,
And they made up good stories . . . But didn’t know much.
The fake news and ignorance came at a cost,
And they can’t understand all the reasons they lost.
They blame it on Comey and Bernie and Vlad,
But fail to acknowledge the one that was bad.
Yes, Hillary Clinton, in many ways flawed,
Was her own biggest hurdle toward getting the nod.
The campaign exposed her corruptness and greed,
And her speeches were punch-less as ten dollar weed.
So out in the streets there arose such a clatter,
It was Soros paid protesters and Black Lives Matter.
With cities to pillage and windows to smash,
They knew not the issues, but needed the cash.
Eight years of Obama had given them cause,
To expect a replacement of their Santa Claus.
But soon the protesters will feel the pain,
When the wheels fall off of the old gravy train.
And now all the snowflakes are riddled with fear,
Upset and offended by things that they’ll hear.
The cocoa and crayons will help for a while,
But fact-based opinions will soon cramp their style.
I originally supported, and voted, for Cruz,
In the end, I would vote for whoever they choose.
He wasn’t my first choice, but soon I’d concede,
The one they call Trump is the one that we need.
I saw him on TV in front of a crowd,
He spoke about veterans, it made me feel proud.
He spoke about energy, safety, and jobs,
Taking this country back from the Washington snobs.
He was dressed in Armani, all tailored and neat,
And the Brunos he wore made the outfit complete.
For a man of his vintage, he seemed rather fit,
And he looked presidential, I have to admit.
His eyes glowed like embers, his smile was the best,
And his hair was the color of my old hunting vest.
His love for this country was on full display,
And his actions spoke louder than his words could say.
He thanked all his voters, and before he was gone,
Saved thousands of jobs while Obama looked on.
The fate of this country left nothing to chance,
So, he filled out his cabinet weeks in advance.
The men he had chosen were of the same mind,
Let’s set the bar high, and not lead from behind.
He picked up his phone as he rose from his seat,
With a flick of his finger, he sent out this tweet;
Now Mattis!, now Kelly! now Sessions! And Pruitt!
On Perry! On Flynn, You’re the ones who can do it.
Start lifting restrictions and building the wall,
Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away all!�;
The roar of his audience rose from the stands,
He kissed all their babies and shook all their hands.
He answered their questions and calmed all their fears,
They knew it would be a fantastic four years.
Then he jumped in his limo, and off to his jet,
A fellow that Liberals won’t soon forget.
He sent one more tweet as the evening expired;
Happy Inauguration to all,
AND OBAMA YOU’RE FIRED!�
Just as I Am / Through a Glass Darkly
Just as I am,
All that I am,
You behold me.
I see so little,
So little of me,
So little of You.
“Through a glass darkly”
Sufficiency suffices,
In Faith, believing.
Mingled here, Your Mercy,
Grandeur, clouded in Mystery,
I rest as a babe.
Just as I am,
A mystery unfolding,
Ever so small.
Cradled in universe expanding,
My stuff born in your stars,
Fit in Time in me.
Just as I am,
Spirit, soul, body,
Free to choose my destiny.
Mingle my “just as I am”
With You,
My Destiny.
Called into being,
Ever renewed,
Moments, all grace!
Made in Your Image,
Knowing my Maker,
I must but trust.
This is my prayer.
These are my moments of grace,
Though “through a glass darkly”.
© 2016 Joann Nelander
The Breath of God
O, Magnificent One,
O, Magnanimous One,
O, Adorable One,
In the splendor of Your Godhead,
You stoop to lift me.
As Father, You gently raise me,
To plant Your kiss.
You span the distance between us.
Your overcome the flesh, the world and Evil, itself,
In the humility of the Cross.
You paid the price of my son-ship.
Knowing Yourself from eternity,
Eternally begetting the Son.
You planned to make humanity holy
By the Spirit of Jesus, Your Only Son.
O, Magnificent One,
O, Magnanimous One,
O, Adorable One,
As You breathe forth Your Spirit,
I gasp and hold fast that Sacred Breath.
©2017 Joann Nelander
“Evangelical Is Not Enough” by Thomas Howard
Alex Jones, recently deceased, once a Pentecostal preacher turned convert to the Catholic Church in speaking of the experiences that led him into the Church of the Early Fathers said. “We are what we have been taught. To rise above what we have been taught takes great integrity,” Truth has a price and he determined that no price was too high. The climb though poses problems that can seem insurmountable. He mentioned the book below that helped his wife, Donna, make that climb.
“Evangelical Is Not Enough” by Thomas Howard