FROSTY SCENE

Winter is upon us in all its white beauty scenes at times and other times just frosty roofs and lawns. Sometimes, in the spring and fall, frost makes its appearance but its life is short. Here is a poem in honor of frost.

THE OLD YEAR OUT; THE NEW YEAR IN

“Time marches on” as the old saying goes. Things never stay the same. As I think of the passing years with its joys and sorrows, I look forward not just to a new year, but the never-ending year God has for those who love Jesus Christ. And there, I will have no sorrows, only joy. I hope many others join me there.

ALL THINGS NEW

What was can never be again.
The landscape of the present day
is now the shadow on the wall
no matter how I bid it stay.

There's now no mother kiss to heal
my wounds, no father's arms to hold
me when I weep, no bouncing child
to keep my heart from growing cold.

My auburn strands of hair have turned
to gray. My skin, in years gone by,
so soft and smooth, now shows the lines
of years that passed just like a sigh.

If I could hold the reins of time
and from its endless journey free
the joy of moments past, then they
could always be a part of me.

Though not just joys, but sorrows too,
would never leave and never heal.
Perhaps what seems a glorious thought
would simply be a gross ordeal.

And yet inside of me, a part of me
yearns to never say goodbye
to mother, father, child, or friend,
as years are days that ceaseless fly.

The changing days are part of life
for blessings, sorrows, much or few,
until God stills the earthly clock,
and with one word makes all things new.

JUDAH

As I enter January, I think about my grandson Judah who ended his life on January 23, 2022. He was far too young; he would turn 19 that year. Even when someone seems whole and involved with God, there are times the darkness gets too heavy. I pray that no one feels there is no hope as they think this course would be better. I miss that young man, but I know his mama and daddy and his siblings miss him more. And I know that God brings comfort to our hearts as he catches our tears and mingles them with his own.

WHEN DID YOU DRY JUDAH’S TEARS

When did You dry Judah’s tears?
When he first looked in Your face?
When he felt Your warm, calm arms
When he felt Your mercy, grace?

When did You dry Judah’s tears?
When he knew there were no chains,
earth’s enticements now were gone?
Was that when you healed his pain?

When did You dry Judah’s tears?
Before the joy You had for him?
When he knew earth’s arms were loosed?
Gone was bondage to all sin?

Come and dry our tears of grief
from these pain that wounds our hearts
to Your joy because we know
Judah now lives in Your heart.

Darlene Estlow©2023

PRAY AND PRAISE

Christmas is a glorious time to step aside every so often and meditate on Jesus’s coming so many years ago and now how he has a center in my life. So I bring my needs to him, but also my praises for what he has and will do.

AS I PRAY

As I pray, I see your work
in others' lives and in my own.
So patiently I lift the needs
of those I love and of my own.

May you be praised in all our deeds
as we go forth in praising you,
living for your glory, Lord,
walking in your power, truth.

THE WORD WAS GOD

THE WORD WAS GOD

It was God who came that day
to live a life on earth.
No beginning, always God,
becoming man at birth.

It was God who left his throne
on high to wear our form,
coming down to give His peace
to quell sin's awful storm.


It was God who came to die
to spread on earth His light,
that we could walk with Him each day,
delivered from our plight.

May God give us the realization of what Christmas truly is.

CHRISTMAS IS COMING!

To me, Christmas is more than just birth of Christ. It is his whole sacrifice of coming from glory to human form and then, not just to die, but to rise and go back to glory having made payment for our sins.

God in Human Form

Christmas is more than just about a baby. It is about God who came as that baby but was God incarnate. He was God in human form.

GOD IN HUMAN FORM

Watch the angels winging earthward,
singing praises to a king,
giving message to some shepherds--
lowly shepherds watching sheep.
"He is born! The Christ is come!
Peace on earth! Good will to men!"
Now the shepherds go to worship
God who's come in human form.

Watch the star that beams from heaven
guiding wisemen to a king.
Long they travel searching, searching
for the one the prophets tell.
Gifts of gold and frankincense
and myrrh to give the one they seek.
Now he's found, they bow in worship
God who's come in human form.

Watch the people as they gather,
singing carols, giving gifts.
Do they hear the Christmas message
"Peace on earth! Good will to men"?

Are they searching for the one
shepherds worshipped, wisemen sought,
One who died but still is living,
God who came in human form?

From Thirst to Abundance: The Thanksgiving Journey

It’s time to celebrate Thanksgiving. It isn’t meant to be one day, but a lifestyle! It changes my life!

Thanksgiving's Stream

This stream in the desert
delivers from thirst,
from drought that confounds
when we face the worst,

transforms us from takers
to givers to show
those lost in the desert
the stream that will flow,

to turn their dry desert
to a garden of life.
A heart of thanksgiving
deals blows to our strife.