In the Winter of the Soul

"He who lives in hope dances without a fiddle."

Unknown

In the winter of the soul

Reach from your cold room toward a window

Reach toward a cracked door

Reach forward, reach outside that room

To a warm and sun-filled place beyond yourself

In the winter of the soul

Reach—pull—climb out of the dark places

Stretch to the light—to help—to hope

Look out, look up to the source of all comfort,

And love will shine in on you, and you will grow.

We might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold on the hope set before us: which hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both sure and steadfast...

(From Hebrews 6:18-19  KJV)

Light

 Count on it—God intrudes in glorious and myriad ways.

Joni Eareckson Tada

Light

by Elece Hollis

You are the light outside my window 

Streaming in through cobwebbed panes

Bringing truth to free me from

All my dusty shame

You are the light streaming in,

Pure from heaven,

Pulsing its way

Even into the murky and hopeless

Places of my soul.

I have tried to make my own light,

But man-made oil runs out

Flames flicker and die

Through it all,

You are there Jesus,

You light my life.

You help me see the words,

So I can sing!

Just as a father has compassion on his children, 

so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him.

For He Himself knows our frame;  He is mindful that we are but dust."

 Psalm 103:13-14  

Fireworks

Open your eyes and the whole world is full of God.

Jakob Bohme

Like a bursting firework rocket

Shouting out the praise

Of God the master craftsman

Crafting wonderful displays.

Tight inside a sprouting seed

Bulging up the stalk and now,

Building, growing, bursting bud

From inside out kapow—oh wow!

Grow me up inside, Jesus;

Fill me up with your true life

Stuff me so full I swell and burst 

A colorful blossom sparked with fire.

© 2014 by Elece Hollis, author of  A Celebration of Family with Helen Steiner Rice   http://bit.ly/1m7uCeK

Find Elece's other blogs:  http://whatsgoodabouthome.blogspot.com/       http://prairieplaces.blogspot.com/

Glass

Mosaic

Work of glass

Light plaited 

Candy apple red, 

Rose, rust, 

Amber, blue, 

Green, orange,

White, pink zig-zags 

Woven ribbons

Arrows shining 

Colors inside and out

Zinnias

Zinnias are circus flowers.

They have pizzazz!

They make the passerby shout with glee.

Make him recall an old melody.

Zinnias are not the slightest tad shy; 

They shout and wave

As you walk by, "Look at me.

 Look at me. Look at me! 

I'm as bright as bright can be!

 Butterflies love to dance atop me.

On tippet-toe they ride the breeze,

They light and flutter merrily."

 Zinnias, you make quite a show,

 With colors and shapes that

 Swirl and glow, that shout, that sing,

 That mesmerize flocks of bumblebees!