Books for Christmas

I was blessed to be born into a family that loves to read.  Books were valued, cherished and are still given more often than any other gifts.

If you feel the same, here are a few outstanding new books that would be perfect to wrap up for your favourite people.  Don't forget to keep a copy of each for yourself too!

Glynn Young, a constant encourager of other writers has written his first novel Dancing Priest that I have not yet had the opportunity to read, yet I can recommend it, knowing the power of his words.  It is available here at amazon.com in both paperback and digital versions.  Visit Glynn at his blog Faith, Fiction and Friends or his novel page.

There is never a wrong time to give copies of Billy Coffey's novels.  His new book Paper Angels was released in November and should not be missed.  You can read more about this delightful novel at Billy's site.  While you're there, wander about and read his blog, I'm certain you'll be captivated.

And then there is the new book on writing by author and poet L. L. Barkat.  Rumors of Water: Thoughts on Creativity & Writing speaks into the heart and spirit of anyone who feels God's call to pick up a pen or lay hands on the keyboard.  You can find L. L. at her blog Seedlings in Stone or at The High Calling where's she is an editor or at Tweetspeak Poetry and T. S. Poetry Press

These should help you finish up your shopping, or perhaps cause you start all over again!

 

More, much more

Seeking nourishment
a bit to nibble
crumbs
instead You spread
upon my table
a lavish feast

no scant drops
of water

You poured

the sweetest of wines

I needed shelter
from winds, rain
prairie snow
four walls
to make a home
"not just that"
You said
by giving us
rooms to spare
and acres of green

Yes, I would have

rejoiced

in cottons, coarse wool

practical clothing

but You've chosen

the finest fibres

of cashmere

wrapping me soft

in the riches of Your love.

God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. 
Ephesians 3:20 The Message

My response to the cashmere writing project at T. S. Poetry Press

 

No boasting here

I stroke a brush
against canvas
layers of colour
dripping heart
for all to see

I drop words
into lines
on papers and screens
stripping soul
for all to read

I sense pressure
from my own fingers
drumming my back
“well done”
as if I could lay claim
to creative ability

I cannot boast, now
as I look
upon the sunrise
His glory
And I, even I,
The work of His hands

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands  Psalm 19:1 NIV

Another fortune from Psalm 19 - submitted to T. S. Poetry

Cataloging Green

green is life
exploding
green borders the road
that takes me home
green shoulders the paths
God sets before me
green marks the way down
to winding waters
green as fresh
as cucumbers first crisp bites
green a soft resting place
for a weary head
green are the fields that nourish
providing food, play, peace
green the background
where colours burst wild

green lush
green lives
green loves
refreshing, renewing
the promise of green yet to come
I pass through days
surrounded
green

We're cataloging colour at TweetSpeak Poetry and the High Calling Focus.  Stop by to read how colour has invaded the words of poets words and the camera lenses of artists today!

Farming words

For this round of the One Word at a Time Carnival, Peter chose the word farm.

I am blessed beyond measure that eleven years ago God chose to relocate me from the urban jungle of the Chicago Metro area to the rural Canadian prairies.  I write often about the beauty I see and the lessons He teaches me here.

We have been playing with wordles at Tweet Speak Poetry, so today I have chosen to create a wordle from my blog posts about farming life.


Click on image above to enlarge

 And now I take the words from this image to form a new poem:

Another season's
sweat
drops on the soil
seeds scatterd
in the abundance
of rain
pray for sun
something like
trust
knowing God
let go
of fear

Join in the sharing at Peter Pollock's - talking about the word farm.

More poems hiding...

The exercise of finding what poems hide in the wordles of other poets is proving addicting!

Here's a little poem found in L. L. Barkat's wordle from her book InsideOut:

God wind burning
wild
tender sugar day
now remember
love.

and this found in Maryann's wordle:

Hands speak long
time turns fast
marking an ancient way

and in Joanna's romantic wordle:

Passions deep
Spirit irresistable
these feelings read
poetry
saying sweet
blessed joy.

There's more at the Facebook page of T. S. Poetry Press

Poems hiding in plain sight

Last week L. L. Barkat asked us to play and create wordles to share.  As we posted and linked she found poetry waiting in our word pictures and challenged us to do the same.

I found this poem hiding in plain sight inside Deidra's wordle:

Many golden minutes
found
shower of silence
listen well
let go
let rest refill
thoughts break
still
wisdom gives words

and in Sandra's wordle this poem took shape:

Glory breaks
morning sun
whispers beauty
hope begins to flow
look long
go deep
possibilities explode
hearts spill joy, peace
another day takes wing

Visit the Facebook page of T. S. Poetry Press to read what poems other's have found.