by Merrilyn (Merri) McElderry
I wandered out in fields on starlit night,
Clutching fear in tightly rounded fist
Thinking I’d find peacefulness in flight,
And give up fruitless efforts to persist.
Crossing stubbled field, by need possessed,
With outlined sentinels etched across the sky,
I slowed my pace, scooped stillness to my breast,
And stood there soul-filled, uttering no cry.
My heart voiced wordlessly a prayerful song,
While facing still the row of blackened trees,
“Oh! thank you for the place where I belong!”
I knew God’s grace, and dropped to bended knees.
Then looking up, I felt His answer bloom:
There is no holding back Truth’s light above.
As radiance broke through the curtained gloom
I silently released it all to Love.
Monday, February 26, 2018
Peter's Faith
By Ken Cooper
Matthew 14: 15-33
Heaving, rocking, no ordinary squall,
Forget the fishing, survival is all:
The wind is contrary, deep is the night,
When we see Jesus, - it gives us a fright!
We had left him alone upon the far shore:
This must be a spirit amidst the storm’s roar!
But he felt our fear as waves merged with sky,
Calmly said, “Be not afraid; it is I”
My thoughts were in turmoil, how could this be, -
Things impossible he’d do constantly.
The previous day five thousand were fed
And all he had were some fish and some bread.
Walking on water and standing on sea,-
It does make me question reality!
Dare I believe in my friend, in my Lord,
“If it really is you, give me the word”.
I feel the strength of his simple command
For he has said “Come” and I cannot be harmed.
I step out of the boat and onto the sea:
Each step toward Jesus has strange buoyancy.
But winds and waves continue to scream.
What am I doing? Surely I dream?
I look down at my feet, deep water there,
I feel all alone. I feel sudden fear.
It seems like slow motion, as I start to sink,
I’d glimpsed something true, I’d been on the brink,
But this is no dream, am I going to drown?
“Lord save me!” I cry as I drop down down down.
He answers my need without need of time.
In the instant I call his arm around mine.
My friends stand amazed, they all want to shout.
But Jesus asks quietly “Why didst thou doubt?”
Jesus’ calm presence dissipates fears.
We enter the ship, and the storm disappears.
The power of God and dominion of man
Becomes even clearer, for with God we can!
I now claim the faith that mountains can move,
The mere mustard seed that thy works I prove,
For I will remember, undoubtedly,
When I saw the Christ, I walked on the sea.
©Ken Cooper 2018
kengcooper@btinternet.com
www.kencooperpoetry.com
Matthew 14: 15-33
Heaving, rocking, no ordinary squall,
Forget the fishing, survival is all:
The wind is contrary, deep is the night,
When we see Jesus, - it gives us a fright!
We had left him alone upon the far shore:
This must be a spirit amidst the storm’s roar!
But he felt our fear as waves merged with sky,
Calmly said, “Be not afraid; it is I”
My thoughts were in turmoil, how could this be, -
Things impossible he’d do constantly.
The previous day five thousand were fed
And all he had were some fish and some bread.
Walking on water and standing on sea,-
It does make me question reality!
Dare I believe in my friend, in my Lord,
“If it really is you, give me the word”.
I feel the strength of his simple command
For he has said “Come” and I cannot be harmed.
I step out of the boat and onto the sea:
Each step toward Jesus has strange buoyancy.
But winds and waves continue to scream.
What am I doing? Surely I dream?
I look down at my feet, deep water there,
I feel all alone. I feel sudden fear.
It seems like slow motion, as I start to sink,
I’d glimpsed something true, I’d been on the brink,
But this is no dream, am I going to drown?
“Lord save me!” I cry as I drop down down down.
He answers my need without need of time.
In the instant I call his arm around mine.
My friends stand amazed, they all want to shout.
But Jesus asks quietly “Why didst thou doubt?”
Jesus’ calm presence dissipates fears.
We enter the ship, and the storm disappears.
The power of God and dominion of man
Becomes even clearer, for with God we can!
I now claim the faith that mountains can move,
The mere mustard seed that thy works I prove,
For I will remember, undoubtedly,
When I saw the Christ, I walked on the sea.
©Ken Cooper 2018
kengcooper@btinternet.com
www.kencooperpoetry.com
Wednesday, February 14, 2018
ELIJAH AND THE STILL SMALL VOICE 1 Kings 19:7-12
By Ken Cooper
My life in danger, to this cave I have fled:
My God has provided and given me bread;
For foes seek my life to take it away,
So, scared to go out, and affrightened, I stay.
“What doest thou here, Elijah?” rings in thought
“Is this hiding what service to God has now brought?”
But the enemy’s strong, too strong for just me:
“Go forth and stand forward: My message you’ll see!”
A great and strong wind gusts with power and might;
It blows down huge rocks from their mountainous height.
They crash to the ground, and their impact is clear,
But deep down I know that the Lord is not there.
An earthquake shatters the rocks all around
And chasms appear in the trembling ground.
The power is awesome as I stand and stare,
But the message remains: the Lord is not there.
A fire bursts forth, and with flame the land lit:
The landscape burns bright, and rocks blister and split.
There seems no escape from this heat everywhere,
But once more this knowledge: the Lord is not there.
A strange calm replaces the forces that raged:
An infinite stillness that time never aged.
My fears fall away, for a voice sure yet small
Says clearly within me. “Fear not. God is All”.
Let quietness and stillness be my assured choice,
For only in listening can I hear God’s voice:
No matter what challenge attacks, gives alarm,
I know now so clearly, with God, there’s no harm.
God says: “I am Soul, omnipotent All,
I hold you secure: and you never can fall.
The tender touch of My infinite power
Is always besides you. I'm with you each hour.”
And just like both Moses and Joseph before,
God now directs me that I do that much more.
His radiant glory enlightens my way,
I must now go forward. I cannot just stay.
Oh, show me dear Father this way I must go,
To share with Thy children the Love all must know, -
For it’s only through Love we can express Soul:
To understand Life, is to fulfill Life’s role.
“My soul shall be joyful in my God” Isaiah 61:10
“The very circumstance, which your suffering sense deems wrathful and afflictive, Love can make an angel entertained unawares” S&H 574:27-30
©Ken Cooper 2018
kengcooper@btinternet.com
www.kencooperpoetry.com
My life in danger, to this cave I have fled:
My God has provided and given me bread;
For foes seek my life to take it away,
So, scared to go out, and affrightened, I stay.
“What doest thou here, Elijah?” rings in thought
“Is this hiding what service to God has now brought?”
But the enemy’s strong, too strong for just me:
“Go forth and stand forward: My message you’ll see!”
A great and strong wind gusts with power and might;
It blows down huge rocks from their mountainous height.
They crash to the ground, and their impact is clear,
But deep down I know that the Lord is not there.
An earthquake shatters the rocks all around
And chasms appear in the trembling ground.
The power is awesome as I stand and stare,
But the message remains: the Lord is not there.
A fire bursts forth, and with flame the land lit:
The landscape burns bright, and rocks blister and split.
There seems no escape from this heat everywhere,
But once more this knowledge: the Lord is not there.
A strange calm replaces the forces that raged:
An infinite stillness that time never aged.
My fears fall away, for a voice sure yet small
Says clearly within me. “Fear not. God is All”.
Let quietness and stillness be my assured choice,
For only in listening can I hear God’s voice:
No matter what challenge attacks, gives alarm,
I know now so clearly, with God, there’s no harm.
God says: “I am Soul, omnipotent All,
I hold you secure: and you never can fall.
The tender touch of My infinite power
Is always besides you. I'm with you each hour.”
And just like both Moses and Joseph before,
God now directs me that I do that much more.
His radiant glory enlightens my way,
I must now go forward. I cannot just stay.
Oh, show me dear Father this way I must go,
To share with Thy children the Love all must know, -
For it’s only through Love we can express Soul:
To understand Life, is to fulfill Life’s role.
“My soul shall be joyful in my God” Isaiah 61:10
“The very circumstance, which your suffering sense deems wrathful and afflictive, Love can make an angel entertained unawares” S&H 574:27-30
©Ken Cooper 2018
kengcooper@btinternet.com
www.kencooperpoetry.com
Thursday, February 8, 2018
“I have dreamed a dream” Genesis 41
By Ken Cooper
The readiness of Joseph, something to sing about…..
“I dreamed this dream, magicians bold,
Do tell me what it meant?”
And out of all the wisest men,
There was no answer sent
Now Joseph never lost his faith,
The Lord stayed by him true;
Two years unjustly imprisoned,-
No bitterness he knew.
When the need for Joseph came,
Mentally he was ready.
Oh, what a lesson for mankind!
His spirit had kept steady.
At last he came out of prison,
Was shaved and clothed afresh.
He knew that God was his Father:
They saw him as just flesh.
“I dreamed a dream O mortal man
And I wondered what it means?
There is no one here can help me,
Can you interpret dreams?”
And there he stood before Pharoah,
Did he feel strange or odd?
His reply came straight from the heart:
“My standing is of God.”
And with the Spirit Joseph spoke;
The dream it was revealed:
For with God’s wisdom all was clear,
And harmony was sealed.
Oh Holy Spirit wash me through,
True humbleness please find:
In patient trust, when I let go,
I see unfolding Mind.
Oh Let me learn from Joseph’s love,
With understanding true,
To be awake is not to dream,
It is to be with You.
©KenCooper2018
kengcooper@btinternet.com
http://kencooperpoetry.com/
The readiness of Joseph, something to sing about…..
“I dreamed this dream, magicians bold,
Do tell me what it meant?”
And out of all the wisest men,
There was no answer sent
Now Joseph never lost his faith,
The Lord stayed by him true;
Two years unjustly imprisoned,-
No bitterness he knew.
When the need for Joseph came,
Mentally he was ready.
Oh, what a lesson for mankind!
His spirit had kept steady.
At last he came out of prison,
Was shaved and clothed afresh.
He knew that God was his Father:
They saw him as just flesh.
“I dreamed a dream O mortal man
And I wondered what it means?
There is no one here can help me,
Can you interpret dreams?”
And there he stood before Pharoah,
Did he feel strange or odd?
His reply came straight from the heart:
“My standing is of God.”
And with the Spirit Joseph spoke;
The dream it was revealed:
For with God’s wisdom all was clear,
And harmony was sealed.
Oh Holy Spirit wash me through,
True humbleness please find:
In patient trust, when I let go,
I see unfolding Mind.
Oh Let me learn from Joseph’s love,
With understanding true,
To be awake is not to dream,
It is to be with You.
©KenCooper2018
kengcooper@btinternet.com
http://kencooperpoetry.com/
LOVE IS EVERYTHING
By Ken Cooper
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself”. Matt 22:39
O Lord my God let love for Thee
Take over all my being,
Let recognition of true self
Just flood through all I’m seeing.
In gratitude for God’s great Love
I find my life in You.
And thus I find Your Love o'erflows,
In everything I do.
©2017 Ken G Cooper “Unlock Potential - With Love”
LOVE IS GENTLE
In God's dear Love where we belong,
Her Love is gentle, His Love strong.
It does not matter where we are -
Whether here or very far.
Boundless Mind protects us all;
For wisdom covers every call.
Listen: feel Love's infinite touch:
God loves us all, so very much.
©Ken Cooper 2018
kengcooper@btinternet.com
www.kencooperpoetry.com
“Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself”. Matt 22:39
O Lord my God let love for Thee
Take over all my being,
Let recognition of true self
Just flood through all I’m seeing.
In gratitude for God’s great Love
I find my life in You.
And thus I find Your Love o'erflows,
In everything I do.
©2017 Ken G Cooper “Unlock Potential - With Love”
LOVE IS GENTLE
In God's dear Love where we belong,
Her Love is gentle, His Love strong.
It does not matter where we are -
Whether here or very far.
Boundless Mind protects us all;
For wisdom covers every call.
Listen: feel Love's infinite touch:
God loves us all, so very much.
©Ken Cooper 2018
kengcooper@btinternet.com
www.kencooperpoetry.com
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