Tag Archives: weary

Nobody to Somebody

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Disclaimer – This poem was written in jest a few years back, but can reflect how we all feel from time  to time…

I don’t want to call for insurance quotes on someone else’s car,
or ask about fees on phones for calls made near or very far.
I don’t want to vacuum up food that was left after falling to the floor
Because somebody thought someone else was their personal servant or worse…

something more!

And I surely don’t want to clean up the puddle in the middle of the bathroom,
rake the leaves, wash the windows or sweep up dirt with the aging broom.
I don’t want to shovel the sidewalk or beat the rugs out in the yard,
because dear Lord, today it seems extremely hard!

I sweep the floors, vacuum the carpet, and dust the dusty shelves,
all this I do all because others don’t usually do it for themselves.
I scrub the tub, water the lawn, and then I pull the weeds,
Dear Lord, will there ever be a shortage of these repetitive, tedious deeds?

I suppose I could scream, toss a plate, or throw a fit,
but I don’t think anyone would notice,or hear, or care, no – not even a tiny bit.
I could mumble, I could nag, I could stomp my feet in a rage
I could complain and record it all within my dairy, or at least upon one page.

I don’t want to pick up, wash, dry or neatly fold the clothes, iron another shirt -
I just want to sit in a chair, eat a popsicle, and in a quiet fit of rebellion – just revert.
I want to be a kid again, whine for what I want, then stomp my feet and cry when I don’t get it,
listen to mom and dad count to ten and watch them pretend that I’ll submit.

I want to play in the park, run through a sprinkler, take a bath and leave a mess,
try on every shoe, every shirt, every hat and every dress.
I want to leave my dolls and dolly’s dollhouse in the living room and then,
get out every piece of furniture and every doll I find and play with it all again.

I just want to pretend that for just one day I have nothing that I must do -
but lay on the couch and watch TV, or make things with sticky, white school glue.

I want to summon my servants to feed me bon bons, my list could go on and on.
I want to tell others what to do, start silly arguments – win every single one.
Then after watching every movie I owned and my day came near its close,
I’d realize I was selfish and self-centered, one could probably suppose.

Instead I guess I’ll be a somebody and do the things I was created to do -
wear a smile, hum a tune, encourage another, click my attitude to ‘NEW’.
I’ll pick up the socks, wash the towels, get it done someday, somehow -
Today I’ll choose to be the somebody I’m created to be and hopefully be selfless (at least for now).

Remember…
You’re somebody… You’re His!

A New Year, A New Decade

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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.

Going Back

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bee-on-yellow-flower-cropped-webOne of my favorite places this year has been the rose garden at the company of Harry and David. They used to own Jackson and Perkins until they sold it a few years ago. Jackson and Perkins specialized in roses. Harry and David’s rose garden was the ‘test’ garden. Every color, species, and size of rose you can imagine, hangs out at Harry and David’s garden.

I’ve made several trips to the garden this year, while living in Oregon. I’ve taken guests there, my granddaughter, my neighbor and more. Most of them have had a similar reaction to mine… breathless. Speechless. In awe.

The colors are magnificent and stunning, surprising in some instances as they flower buds in a deep red, opens to orange and fades to a yellow. Some have one large stem that dons eight or more blooms – a bouquet in itself.

When I have gone alone is when I can truly take my time and enjoy every step. I could spend the day there. There are asters, lilies, peonies and butterfly bushes. Ornamental grasses, fruit trees, lavender and well – I could go on and on – it’s there. The saddest thing to me is that no one else is every there. It’s always void of someone to walk it’s path, linger over the fragrances as my little granddaughter loves to do.

In each row, with each step, I find a reason to praise God. With each water drop that twinkles in the sun’s rays, I find a reason to smile. With each honeybee that buzzes from one petal to the next, I almost laugh. I find I can disconnect from the despair I sometimes feel. The tough moments. The trying times. The mundane. I can walk on the thick, lush grass and find one more bloom, one more color, one more surprise to be thankful for.

Eventually it’s time to go home. I have filled up the camera card with pictures of bees, blooms and bunnies. I download the photos onto my computer and relive those moments again. I see God in every picture. I see His beauty, His creativity, His peace, His provision. I see how He cares for me.

I hadn’t been to the rose garden for a while and as I walked the paths today, God refreshed my spirit. Sometimes we get caught up in the day to day despair of life. In the tough stuff that we must deal with. In the tedious, the mundane, monotonous day to day of life. We wonder if there’s anything greater than washing dishes, folding clothes, or taking the garbage out.

And then, we spontaneously take a trip back to a place where once we were met by God and find Him there once again. And once again, so faithful as in the times before, He strengthens and refreshes our spirit. Sometimes going back is a good thing. Sometimes it’s the only way to go forward.

I encourage you today, if you’re tired, weary, worn out and feel defeated, think of that place where you have met God and been renewed. If at all possible – go there and bask in the love and grace of His presence. If it’s not possible to go there, find a quiet place where you can close your eyes and remember the time (or times) you did, dwell on it and He will come to you, right where you are. Let Him fill you up. He will. Count on it.

Sherri