Influence

Investigate a life, and you will find the fingerprints of friends.

The Golden Leaves

The golden leaves have fallen now— cracked and brown and dying, swirling in the autumn air that slips around me, sighing. All that’s left of a youthful dream, conceived in winter’s wait and born beneath the sun’s warm gaze when all the trees create. So soft—the pink and white unfolding— blossoms on the trees that […]

Seasons: Four Haiku

Creaking with the cold: groaning, sugar-sprinkled pond. Highway for a squirrel. – Plunks of sky break glass. Tiny ringlets: small, then large. Spirals in a pond. – Water flees away! Restless waves reverberate. The tire swing sways. – Whirling with the wind, ghostly whisks of red and brown mirrored in the glass – – – […]

Rain

I’ve seen the sky break free to run, letting down a billion feet to race like school boys through the grass and plunk their footprints on my glass. Enchanted by the winsome beat, I could not miss the hiding sun.

Thoughts of Spring

How fair the morning glow of Spring when sunshine hikes the eastern hills and summits in the dark of night, breathing out the hopeful light. Our hearts with awe, it stills, as it wakes the slumbering birds to sing. Across the fields the daffodils unfold—a sign of pledges kept through winter’s long and harsh […]

On an Easter Morning

Fairer than the fields of Spring, dancing in their flowery dress; dearer than the hymns we sing, hearts poured out in gratefulness; greater than the cares we bring that hard against our spirits press; the thought of Christ, our risen King, strong and fast in faithfulness!

Disciples’ Hymn

Come, arise, in morning song, let us think of Jesus! Christ, the church’s cornerstone, risen God now lead us. Crucified by evil men, Satan’s power entombing, raised up by the Father’s hand, royal rights assuming. – Christ has sent our Comforter: Holy Ghost indwelling heralds of the gospel truth by His power, compelling. Baptized by […]

Mirrored Mercy

Every eye transfixed above, the clouds proclaim: The Son of God. The very sky cries out in language only God can understand. People crowd to see the Servant King now alone, apart from all the world. The cross of law and love. Soldiers dazzled by the sight, a prophecy fulfilled. Sufferer—living, dying. Thus it always […]

Death

All things die: the strongest ox that pulls the plow, the laughing girl in the olive tree, the peaceful doves beside the road. All things die—but not my Lord. – All things die, and lie forgotten in the ground and join the elements of earth: the thronging crowds that hear Him preach will soon be […]

The Last Lamb

It always seemed the lamb should die at night with dark like curtains, solemn, wrapped around, while pools of crimson gathered on the ground. Instead he died in milling crowds—and light. The priests were quick; their bloody hands a flight of flashing knives. The bleating sheep! The sound of death that pinched my beating heart […]