Nostalgia has a way of finding us at odd times.  For some reason I’ve been gripped with thoughts and memories this week about past eras of my life and the people that populate those moments.  Maybe it’s God’s way of reminding me how faithful He’s been through every step of my journey.  Because though I don’t doubt His provision, I sometimes need that prompting to trust, even when the way ahead is obscured.

Read my previous posts in this series below.

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Brushes | Day 11
Each person in our lives
Leaves an imprint
Whether there for a day
Or a lifetime
The brush shoulders and
Their palette remains
Upon the canvas of the soul
Lonely wanderer
Or cherished friend
Each a new shade on the surface
Every moment, a new brushstroke
But whether vivid hues
Or dimmer shades
They work in harmony
Painting the picture of who we are
Leaving themselves open to the same

Nap Time | Day 12
It’s not as much about the silence
As the lack of being needed
Not the time to breathe a moment
But the space to dream
Because when every spare instance
Is spent chasing after others
The precious few seconds of stillness
Mean so much more

Beauty in Mundane | Day 13
Sometimes the next task
Is chopping potatoes
And not a grand tour of the world
Instead of preaching to the multitudes
I find myself before
Humbler crowds
With small fingers and upturned faces
Dreams of grandeur come and go
Like the fading light of day
And I thought, once,
My place was there
Somewhere other than here
But God has a way of
Setting things straight
By the sound of running feet
And the next thing to sweep
By the tomatoes and the onions
And the chime of the dinner bell
By the prayers and holding hands
And the peace at day’s end

Kitchen Table | Day 14
If there was ever a place
To hold all the good and bad
It would be here
The grains brushed by so many tears
Of joy and sorrow
A surface lovingly kept
Wiped clean and polished
Buried, at times,
Under the burden of
Textbooks and calculators
Laptops and essays
Art projects and recipes
And so many memories
But always renewed
By morning
If there was ever a place
To represent all we hold dear
All the triumphs and pep talks
Harsh words and hard conversations
It would be here
Seated around this kitchen table
Already bearing more than lifetimes

Requests | Day 15
Give me strong hands
To pursue the day
With the diligence You’ve called me to
Give me kind words
To encourage the hearts
You’ve put within my reach
Give me a tender heart
To listen wholly
To the needs that daily abound
Give me quick feet
To answer the call
Wherever You would have me go
And give me the courage
To stand up in faith
When the time of trials comes

Back Roads | Day 16
It’s not always the straightforward path
We’re called to walk
Some roads call for meandering
And winding through valleys
And steep inclines
They may not be the fastest
But they tend to be less traveled
Which makes it easier to enjoy the view

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