“Life… is like a sandbox, in it we build forts and Castles
And spend glorious times together, it is the world Outside that box that gives me trouble“
Rabih Alameddine
April is Child Abuse Awareness
Many children are challenged with neglect and abuse, whether it is a single parent left to raise a child alone, overwhelmed with duties, often leaving children to fend for themselves. Maybe some are left with no parents at all, a father suddenly leaves, the child wondering why…
We had such a good time Playing and laughing Building sand castles With kings and queens Soldiers and trumpets And every imaginable thing One day running out to Play, no one was there Where had he gone? Something must have Happened, she doesn’t know What She was sure it was her Fault Now she has no playmate As the days go slowly by Suddenly her bucket is Too heavy and the shovel Full of holes Sand sifts through her Fingers, looking for her Father who left long ago
“Violet! Sweet Violet! Your eyes are full of tears, Are they wet, even yet, with the thought of other years?
James Russell Lowell
I really like flowers, I raise African violets, and find sometimes they Can be challenging, and quite sassy. They don’t like too much water, when they get soggy they are not Very happy, too much sun, they get grumpy, but with a little love and Care they can be content, and bring much cheer!
Snuggled in their beds Watered and fed Happy where they are Planted Dresses of pink, purple And lavender with bright Yellow eyes This home is all they have Known Sprouting from a seed, then Leaves, buds and flowers
What a great life they have Amongst all the others One morning, perking their Heads from a good nights Rest A shadow is descending A large hand reaches over And bending low, these Pretty violets are lifted from Their beds Disturbed, wondering where They are going They are placed in a box A little violet begins to Cry
“My pot is the smallest Surely you can squeeze me in Please don’t leave me behind” Quickly placing it in the box With the others, then truck Engines are rolling, they are Scared as they travel down The road, not sure where They are going The way seems long and they Are tired Suddenly the truck comes to A stop
When the man lifts the box Placing them on a shelf Their eyes are startled, from Darkness, into bright light Their leaves are drooping, their Flowers are dropping They are not very pretty As people are passing The littlest one cries
“Our toes are cold and soggy And we have caught a chill Please, won’t you give us a Chance and take us home Before we die?” “A time to heal is what we need After our difficult ride” A sprinkle of water, their heads Begin to perk And people start to look “These violets are prettier than Before I think I will buy them” Shadows are passing, they Are placed in a window
Sparkling If not for their time of disaster They would not be brighter Filling this home with Laughter!
“You have been my friend, replied Charlotte, that in itself is a tremendous thing”
Quote from Charlotte
Charlotte’s Web
Spiders can be creepy and scary, and sometimes frightening, But they can be whimsical and funny and fun to watch. One day when I was walking, I came upon some juniper Bushes with some spider webs spun amongst the juniper berries. I thought about how diligent and earnest these little creatures are, and wrote a little poem. Every year they pack their bagswith their Spinning wheels To spend the summer in bungalows Built on a juniper bush, where green fern And monkey flowers grow, and the wind doesn’t blow Gardens hang from balconies high in the air As they sit in their chairs Spinning away as their babies play They are proud of their bungalows and feel Like the elite. Their suites are the best The other spiders are late and stay as guests On the bottom floor, swinging on a web to Visit friends next door In the evening they gather together to share their Tales and play their fiddles on bended knees Eating juniper berry pie and watch the dance of The fireflies The little spiders sang and played as the yellow Moon rose, and with a yawn their eyelids close The season flew by as they busily spun, a spider‘s Work is never done The rainy season comes and they pack their Bags, saying goodbye But they will be back next year to stay at the Juniper Hotel!
This is one of my poems from the book ‘God’s Story Book’ just recently released. Click on my website below to visit my site containing many other stories!
“And I quote David Ansen, because I suspect he speaks for many audience members who entered the theatre in a devout or spiritual mood and emerged deeply disturbed, this is one of the most violent movies I have seen”
Roger Ebert
Its been just short of two decades ago, at Easter time, when one of the most questionable movies was released, that stunned the world with violent scenes of brutality and graphic images.
‘The Passions Of The Christ’ was witnessed by many in horror at the cruelty toward an innocent man, depicting the last twelve hours of his life, tortured and crucified. What was the reason for a Man to be beaten and presented as a spectacle to the world?
Many were perplexed and wondered why? Had the producer forgotten to include, that Christ’s love for us took Him to the cross?
That we would be delivered from the feelings we struggle with from abuse and injustice, thinking no one cares, that
He willingly took our torments upon Himself, that we may be delivered and spared!
March 27th, as the holy Sabbath hour begins, the feast of the Passover, A sacred holiday among the Jewish people, commemorates the story of the Israelites departure from ancient Egypt, commanded by God, that His people will always remember their deliverance from slavery.
Book of Exodus
“So this day shall be to you a memorial…to remind you of your deliverance from the land of Egypt.
Exodus 12:14
The Feast of Unleavened Bread, matzah bread and red wine, are served at a dinner called the ‘Seder’ which consists of special foods representing symbols of the Israelites journey from Egypt.
“And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough they had brought out of Egypt…”seven days you you shall eat unleavened bread”
Exodus 12:39
“In that day I will set apart the land of Goshen where my people dwell…I will pass over, that no plague will come near their dwelling.”
Exodus 8:22
In the land of Egypt a pallor
Has spread
Death is imminent
All sits in darkness but the
Land of Goshen
Where God’s chosen people
Wait for deliverance
And so Moses took his staff in
Hand
For he had a plan to lead God’s
People out of this slavery land
Before Pharoah he cast
A rod, a serpent appeared,
Pharoah became scared
To this stubborn man, Moses said
“Let these people go,
Or pestilence and plague will
Come upon you and your own”
Then Moses struck the water
The River Nile turned to blood
Frogs invaded the Pharoah’s
Palace,
Into piles the frogs were heaped,
Dust was turned to lice and
Flies, flying upon man and beast
And all Pharoah’s people pled with
Him “let them go” but once
Again he would not answer
Until the angel of death struck
His son
Then this frightened man
Said “Into the desert wilderness
Take your children, that they may
Worship your God in heaven”
And so the Great Exodus began!
Multitudes of people were driven
From Egypt
Pharoah changed his mind after
They left
God was tired of his lies!
Following close behind he sought
The people, but this, God had
Forbidden
A large sea appeared, God split
It in two, on dry land His children
Passed through
On the other side they sang and cried –
“We have been saved, but
Pharoah and his army He cast into
The sea, the waters swallowed
Them and they all died”…
“Let this story be told to your children for all generations!”
We have survived the winter, March is ushering in the first day of spring, Signs in the earth are just appearing.One of the first flowers to appear are violets. They remind me of little children buried in the earth soon to come forth. Children are resilient and forgiving, though sometimes abused and forgotten.
Crushed violets lie withered Pressed to the ground Trodden under foot by humanities boot All is silent not a sound Lavender and blue covered with dew Each petal bruised Leaves of green streaked with brown Bleed from the offenders frown Oh, little ones asleep in your tombs, you have died Only to rise again
“One of my favorite quotations “Forgiveness is the fragrance that
the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it”
Mark Twain
“Blue Violets Crushed To The Ground”A Requiem Of Notes Are Gathered Together, As Children Raise Their Voices In Song
Those who learned to dance and sing, in spite of the trials this earth brings, they have heard the call “Let the children come unto Me” All those who have risen from sleep, are reborn and set free!