Dear Kat, Age 14 With Broken Ear Drum

Dear Kat,

Soon you will be hearing better than ever!
Your doctors have exciting new tools to restore what you’ve lost.
You will be first among teens who receive microscopic surgery,
They will build you a new eardrum with a vein!
Famously speaking, You will be in a book -may be more than once.
It will be a long road with ups and downs along the way.
Music will be as important to you as the Art you create now.
You will one day overcome all the troubles you seem to find.
There’s a world out there
Wonderful and happy –it waits for you.
Keep drawing, keep writing,
Keep your friends in your heart
Though you may be far away.
There is one whose life you will
Touch many important times,
Destiny declares you will be
The missionary you dream of
But not the way you dream.
Rather, in a very special way, helping others heal.
You don’t know it now, but you have what it takes to be used by God.
He has a plan and a purpose for you; it may not be what you think.
He will need to make some changes you won’t understand for many years;
Don’t get discouraged, don’t let other’s opinions
cause you tears…
You know who you can believe.
There is much I want to say
But you are not prepared for that.
Just know you are loved by many
Treasured by a few.
Saved by one.
His name is Jesus.

Lovingly your much older self,
Kat (72 yrs young)

Let’s Run This Canteen

An hour before dawn,
A glimmer of moonbeam
Slides through the rolling fog
Like the aroma of coffee lifts from my mug.
Time to turn on the lights, fire up the grill
Check the tables are ready to open the doors.
Grab my mug from the shelf as I head to the dock.
Ahhh, smell that rich steam.
Enjoy the hush and be grateful.
Let’s run this “Canteen”

Strengthsfinder

Shivering in my animal print hospital gown,
I greet this white-robed agent of pain
with a determined frown I ask:
What torture gadget are you bringing me now?
“Now, now my dear.
Dr’s orders, you hear.”

Proceeding to stand myriads of needles in my thigh,
He announced with a smirk no less than wry:
“This “gadget” you see is by far kinder today
It’s called a “Strengthsfinder”; we use it this way.
For people like you, we can bump up the juice,
Speed up the test and see which muscles you use.”

With all that was in me, I began pulling out pricks!
That is until the dial turned made them stick!
I’m sorry. I’m sorry (hands in the air).
Just do what you must,
Be gentle dear sir, in you I must trust.
Please find me some strength and be done!

Yoshi

I fell in love with this puppy.
Her happy smile, cuddly fur, easy to train
Make for a sweet relationship.

Outdoors everything changes when we play–
She plays fiercely, runs like the wind, and snatches every ball.
She’s the best keep-away player I know.

… And she loves me.

Consequential Moments

Sixty-some years ago we ran
Barefoot through the rain
Rode the river rocks
Down the creek again, and again
Drove through mountains
Wind blowing in our hair
Chased fireflies and
Counted falling stars and then…

Fifty-some years ago we ran
Headlong into reality
Drove hours to see family
Changing diapers in the car
Chasing toddlers
Through the store
Counting hours
Between feedings and then…

Forty-some years ago we
Lost our way
Through life
Struggled to
Make sense of anything
Longed to be whole again
Wandered aimlessly
Through heartache and then…

Thirty-some years ago we
tried again to make
Broken lives function
Searched for our
Lost ‘inner child’
Found the child
We had forgotten
Again denied them space, then…

Twenty-some years ago
We found new hope
Love to be explored
Greater Love to be shared
Family to blend
Hearts to mend
Brokenness to surrender
We stood barefoot taking vows, and now…

Today we stand as three
And we are whole in Him.

No Room For Muse

If I had hands I could touch
Every inch of this place without moving at all
I once had only to think of something new
And I could push out a new room or a wall
But everything that came attached to that thought
Filled it up so fast, it came to naught!
That never stopped brilliance
Muse just added another room to decorate
Each room demanded more attention
While every other room had to wait.
Ideas and projects filled every nook and cranny
Till there was no room left in their bony house
No room for Granny or a Mouse
Infrastructure broke down
Ideas left or slowed way down
Soon Muse got stuck
She couldn’t come up with a single new idea
In fact, it seemed like someone was stealing
Her beautiful, brilliant rooms
So along came a helper
And cleaned out the muck
We redid some wiring
Plugged up some leaks
A few months later
After some tweaks
Ideas came returned
Better than ever
Rested and clever
So clear out the junk
Come out of your funk
Let your brilliance
Shine for the one who cleaned it up.

But Wait!!

Hottest hot of Summer Days
As upon my breast, my lover lays
Blanket, barely thick enough to shield the heat
Above the sand that coats our feet
Far from water’s edge

Swirling currents of air rise
To hide encroaching surf
Blinding whiteness, thundering turf
Cold wind blowing by our heads

Perceive I now, rushing horses
Nature’s forces
Bellowing “Move, move now”
Arching back and lover’s hips
Heavy breathing meets my lips.

But, wait!

What gurgling forth comes from my mouth?
What pain racks through my chest?
Spewing salted water through my teeth
Suddenly squinting from beneath
Broad shoulders,
Shock of gray

To my dismay,
It’s not the beach,
It’s not my Love,
Tis but a medic perched above.

 

Simply Believe

 

Drawn to His sweetness like a butterfly to nectar or a moth to a flame

Tender compassion meeting eyes holding back tears

Offering genuine Love to cover and supersede pain

His wide-open arms beg, trust me again

Safety and sustenance

Freely offered to me

Simply believe

At last, I have found

Safety and sustenance

His arms open wide, I can trust again

Unconditional Love that paid the price for Sin’s claim

Eyes of my heart, finding blessed redemption, freedom from fears

I cling to His sweetness, my soul spirit burns with His holy flame

Hallelujah!

 

 

 

Basil Bubbles In My Nose

Hungry
Yearning for pasta now
Tummy bellows like a cow

Pesto and Pasta will have to wait
My muse and I have a date
Wordsmith and Wisdom growing thin
Ignore that longing if I want to win

Mrs Meyer,
You are so smart!
Basil, Be still my heart!

Alas, from this sink I must depart.
Crisp and clean, it met my nose
Soon spongy bubbles from it arose
Bright, cheerful scented ones
Tickling dishes by the tons.

Sunshine Or Storm

Tall slender legs, head held high
Bright eyes watching every move nearby
Ears tightly tuned, every whisper is heard
Beautiful guards her suckling herd

Four little fawns; only one is her own
A wonderous adoption to offer protection
Sunshine or storm, whatever the norm
Food, she must find leaving babies behind
Never too far to hear when danger is near

Her instinct is magical
Her goal is survival
Scars on her back from Coyote attack,
Proof of her powerful hoofs

Beautiful’s majesty, superbly aloof.