A New Year, A New Decade

Tomorrow is the end of another year
Followed by the beginning of a new year
A new sunrise
Old plans with new ideas
Old habits desiring new disciplines
Old dreams with new hopes

Tomorrow marks the end of another decade
Followed by the beginning of a new one
Ten years ahead of me
To change a habit
To change my community
To change the world

I have a vision
To see the orphans loved
Clothed, fed, and sheltered.
To see the homeless loved,
Clothed, fed, and sheltered.
To see the widows loved,
Protected, cared for.
To see the lonely befriended,
The hopeless hopeful,
The weary strengthened.

Can it be done?
I don’t know.
I do know I cannot do it alone.
But if I can encourage just one heart,
Offer food to just one who is hungry,
Give a coat to just one who is cold,
Give my time to be a friend to the friendless,
Offer hope to the hopeless,
and rest for the weary -
It can be done.
I will not have changed the world,
But I will have changed my life and
My heart will have been changed in the process.

Loved

basket-roses-straight-sharp

egg shells

scattered across the floor

tread carefully

or you’ll cut your feet

bruise your heart

and breaking your spirit

tread carefully

or the current of the river

will suck you under

without compassion

cruel and unforgiving

hold on tightly

to the only Hand

that is stretching out

catching your tears with one

pulling you out with the other

hide safely buried in His arms

feel the beat of His heart

knowing if you were the only one

still it would beat for you

rest peacefully

warmed and covered by His grace

healed by His touch

covered in His mercy

held in His love