Thanksgiving For a Wonderful Day

It’s a perfectly marvelous, glorious day.
The springtime is bright in a light-hearted way.
Softly and kindly God’s speaking to me
and I answer with praise for the wonders I see.

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Seconds

I once had a second or two.
So I did with them what I could do.
Well, I schemed. Then I cried.
How those seconds flew by!
Now they’re gone like a dream I outgrew.

Praise

With heartfelt thanks
and joyful praise
we have forgotten
wayward ways
that once obsessed
our anxious days.

Forget that now.
Remember praise.

Lounge

Demons love to lounge and blame
and curse beneath a pretty sky.
With ugly words they seek to maim.
Demons love to lounge and blame.
Avoid them when they’re taking aim.
Reject the shameless words that fly.
Demons love to lounge and blame
and curse beneath a pretty sky.

Paste

A paste of sparkling, sticky snow
clings to the leafless trees.
The sky is cloudy blue and cold.
My eyes look on all these.

This all reflects the mystery
that we are here to see.

That’s when the prophet stopped to praise
with thankfulness and we.
Well, we as well began to praise
with thanks for all we see.

From Evening’s Dusk To Full Mid-Day

From dusk to dawn was darkest night
then twilight pointed out new day.
The dogwood trees in bloom are white.
He leads us on the blessed way.

Eugenia offers “dusk” for her prompt this week.

Psalm 23:6, “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.” (KJV)

Soaring

The darkness blinding us has gone.
We know the Lord as we are known.
Face to face we finally see
soaring past all mystery.
The part we could not see is shown.

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Eugenia offers the word “soaring” for this week’s challenge.

1 Corinthians 13:12, “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.“

Roar

The watchers on the wall will sound
the trumpets warning should they see
the enemy. Persistently
we’ll hold the line. To Him we’re bound.
It’s up to us to stand our ground.
Survival and salvation: May
we thank the Lord for every day
He gives to let our voices roar,
our praises to the heavens soar.
We hear His voice. We rise, obey.

Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “roar” to be used in a D-line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge. Eugenia offers “survival” as her prompt this week.

Hook

With freeze and thaw of wintry woes
some fear the still-life’s gonna die.
Why spin the news so fast that I
can see the lies beneath fresh snows?

There is the Lamb that heaven shows,
the One who can unseal the book.
The losing side will try to hook
the world with sorrows. Persevere.
The sea of glass and fire comes here
with victory and praising. Look!

Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “hook” to be used in a C-line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge. Eugenia offers the theme “still-life” as her prompt this week. A commentary on Revelation by Michael Rood was on my mind especially verse 15:2 which he kept referring to.

Swoop

The care they take is on display
as swallows from the rafters swoop.
From nest to ground they make a loop
to feed their young throughout the day.

Can evolution show a way
that’s plausible when all I see
is nature mocking endlessly?
Chance has no chance to make sense here.
There’s much to doubt. They no doubt fear
we’ve lost our gullibility.

Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “swoop” to be used in a B-line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge.

Gratitude for Rest

Constricting envy cannot rest.
It meditates throughout the night,
turns dark the dawn of morning light.
Our lungs can’t breathe. We’re python pressed.

We’d much prefer to be caressed
without this dust. We don’t need more
of what they’ve got. We’re looking for
a way to make the python go,
stop scheming, squeezing, wanting so.
The Spirit breathes. We see the door.

Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “rest” to be used in a A-line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge. Eugenia offers “envy” as the prompt for her challenge this week.

Rise

It’s not the sun. It’s not the moon.
It’s not the stars. They serve as signs.
The ordered light they offer shines,
but cannot sing a sacred tune.

He’s coming and He’s coming soon.
We lift our voice. We lift our hands
abandoning our once prized plans.
In unison our praises rise.
In expectation, earth and skies,
are eager, waiting for our stands.

Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “rise” to be used in a D-line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s Decima Challenge. Eugenia offers “unison” for her weekly prompt. I am thinking of Romans 8:16.

Fresh

The Lord resides within his mind,
or so he thinks, but not his heart.
His wheelchair today won’t start.
The internet goes blank. He’s blind.

He rises standing there to find
rebellion as his mental mesh
is torn revealing fallen flesh.
Knocked down his demons seek the door.
His heart’s been cleaned renewed now for
a will aligned and temple fresh.

Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word fresh to be used in a C-line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge. I am thinking of Psalm 51:10.

Hazy

This hazy morning’s white with snow
that’s covering the summer grass,
depositing a fluffy mass.
May spring appear and let things grow.
The winter’s beautiful although
it’s much too cold with silent chills.
I’d rather sleep than look for thrills
while running out about the park
where footsteps leave a foot deep mark,
unless that’s what I hear He wills.

Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “mass” to be used in the B-line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s prompt. Eugenia offers “hazy” for her prompt this week.

Bathing Beauty Blue

The sky is blue. The grass is shifty green.
The kingdom is on autopilot now
and David has some time to look. She’s seen.
He questions should he, could he, and then how?

Bathsheba’s bathing on her warm rooftop.
She wonders if the king can see her there.
The beast can’t make its wagging tail stop.
It fears they’ll go and cool off somewhere.

He has a wife too many, he’d admit.
She has a husband also after all.
He wonders how to grasp the horns of it.
The beast is charging for an early fall.

The sky is green. The grass is baby blue.
Uriah’s coming home tomorrow, too.

A submission to Chel Owen’s Terrible Poetry Contest. This week’s theme is a “sonnet about a period/historical romance”.

Holiness

It’s holiness that makes us hush
not happiness that runs away
with pleasures leading us astray
in nightmares while the waters rush.

With affirmations rich and plush
we thank the Lord who made the sky,
who made the earth and birds that fly
and creatures on the land below
and in the water. See! They show
the glory of our God on high.

Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “hush” to be used in an A line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge and Eugenia offers “affirmations” for this week’s prompt. I was thinking of Jerry Bridges’ book, The Pursuit of Holiness.

Will

It’s perseverance that we need
with faithful focus, pure of heart,
repenting any wayward part.
We let the Holy Spirit lead
with prayer the writings that we read.
Avoiding tricks deceivers play
we stay upon the narrow way
that follows closely His own will
thus finding that we’ve served until
the coming of the final day.

Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “will” to be used in a D-line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge.

Writing the Final Chapter

With little deeds I wrote my book.
May viewers not be led astray.
The cluttered moments blew away
when upside down the world was shook
and what was left is what I took.
I reasoned rightly I should read
the words I knew I ought to heed.
“You’re much too late,” the devil said,
“Tomorrow morning you’ll be dead.”
This final chapter’s all I need.

Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “read” to be used in a C-line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge.

Eugenia offers “chapter” for this week’s Thursday Prompt.

Art and Promises

His promises He’s come to keep.
Deception’s seen through flashy art
as idols fall and drift apart.
Where demons dug delusions deep
the truth’s now clear. The liars weep.
Here comes the morning freshly made
as night departs and star lights fade.
It’s now we fully understand.
We are the bride. We take His hand.
Our ransom long ago was paid.

Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “art” to be used in a B-line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge.

Eugenia offers the word “promises” for this week’s Thursday Prompt.

I am thinking of the last chapters of Revelation.

Jubilant Christmas

He’s there for every foe or friend.
The special gift of Christmas day
foreshadows sacrifice and may
our hearts renew, our false ways end.
While there’s still time let praises send
our gratitude beyond our tears.
Rejoice! His Spirit watches, hears
as we are blessed with penitence
for wanderings that made no sense.
We wait. Come soon – the Lord appears.

Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “friend” to be used in an A-line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge.

And Eugenia offers the word “jubilant” as this week’s Thursday Prompt.

May you have a jubilant Christmas!

That New Day

There’s nothing that’s been left untold.
Our Shepherd’s voice we loved to hear.
Our hope replaced our urge to fear.
We followed calmly in the fold.

Obeying never will get old.
You’ve led us on the lasting way
where praise became our urge to pray.
Your joy now fully fills our hearts
and overflows. What’s sad departs.
We watch the sunrise of Your day.

Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “day” to be used in a D-line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge. Eugenia offers the prompt word “untold” for this week’s challenge.

Road To Damascus

May all of us walk up that road
that leads from blindness to what’s true.
Priorities get altered, too.
We struggle pained against the goad
refusing to give up our load
of dark delusions – off they fly.
In brilliant light we breath a sigh
of joy proclaiming, as we pray,
the humble praise we raise today
when we were stopped by God on high.

I was thinking of Acts 9 and Erica-Sommer Dudley’s song, Road to Damascus.

Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “sigh” to be used in a C-line for this week’s décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC.

Rich and Notable

What’s notable, that I would find.
I ditch the fake that thinks it’s rich,
ignore the wizard with his witch,
resist a compromising mind
that fantasizes till it’s blind.
Not one of us walks here alone.
We see enough what’s dimly shown.
With fruit maturing on the way
we hear and follow so we may
know fully as we’re fully known.

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Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “rich” to be used in a B line for this week’s challenge. Eugenia offers the word “notable” for this week’s Thursday prompt. I am thinking of 1 Corinthians 13:12.

Stuff and Compassion

Compassion is forgiving stuff.
It’s powerful if one is meek
and raises up the burdened weak.
Not one of us can get enough.

Though waves are high when storms are rough,
though skies show off their grays,
the Lord’s aware of all our ways
so may we stay compassionate
and offer worship. Think of it:
We have the privilege now to praise.

Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “stuff” to be used in an A-rhyme of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge. Eugenia offers the word “compassion” for this week’s prompt.

Shadows

The shadows cast on Plato’s cave
suggested there’s a source of light.
The Gnostic orderings of night
all lacked the means by which to save,
but that’s just what we would get right
since time is short before the grave.

Eugenia offers the prompt “shadows” for this week’s Thursday Challenge.

Learn

Through cold gray clouds the sun still beams
on soundless white and frequent fear.
That was a wintry time of year
when what was bad went to extremes.

Till Judgment comes demonic schemes
of wickedness rehearse their coup,
but there’s still time. May hearts renew,
return, repent, refrain and learn
to let the Spirit help discern
the flaws in stuff we thought was true.

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Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “learn” to be used in a D-line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge.

Pride

Rebelliousness will find its fall.
Self-righteousness will show the way
deceived deceivers go astray.
They think they’ve won, but lost it all.

On wayward paths some hear His call
and follow giving up their pride.
The faithless seek a place to hide.
The leaves descend upon the land
and snowy winter takes a stand.
The warmth’s for those who went inside.

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Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “pride” to be used in a C line of a decima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge.

Time

Delusion masks the sense of it.
Deceptive dreaming wastes my time.
From out of this I’d love to climb,
this dark, demonic, dragon pit.

Against the wall in mud I sit.
I see a makeshift rope appear
and from above the voice I hear
is telling me to grasp it tight.
There was no way, but now there’s light.
Death grabbed my feet, but mercy’s near.

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Ronovan Hester offers the rhyme word “time” to be used in a B-line of a décima having rhyme pattern ABBAACCDDC for this week’s challenge. I was thinking of Jeremiah 38 about Jeremiah being rescued from the dungeon of Malchiah when describing the rescue from this dragon pit.