In the Garden

He waits.

He longs

for us,

for our company.

He delights in us.

He longs for us to 

walk with Him

in the garden. 
 
We hear Him gently, 
whispering our name...
What do we do
when we hear 
His whisper?

Do we run to Him, 
longing for His company?
Do we busy ourselves
with earthly
distractions?

Do we drop
whatever we are doing
and walk in the garden 
 with our Heavenly
Daddy in the cool of the day?

 He yearns for us to
 listen to Him
speak into our hearts...
to speak direction in the midst of days 
when we are terribly and hopelessly lost 
in dark forests...
to speak peace when we're drowning in 
 turmoil and our ship is sinking in the storm,

to speak His perfect love to cast out our shivering fears,
to wrap His divine comfort as a blanket and bandage around our open wounds...

We only need to walk with Him
in the garden
and He will be enough...
More. Than. Enough.  

Copyright © 2012 Marie Nease    
  
  

Bare

The last of the leaves,

swirling in their letting go,

unveiled in autumn's glow,

now reveal the

true beauty of 

her intricate branches, 

bare, yet reaching

heavenward.

Though Winter's chilly

winds may gust,

and her arms bow low,

she'll be able to stand.

Her graceful limbs grow

strong, enduring Winter's rest.

Hopeful, budding green

will sprout again in Spring. 

Her graceful branches,

dressed in Spring's newness

stretching skyward,

into vivid blue, inviting, 

attract a feathered friend

to perch awhile

 and share an 

enchanting song 

heard before, but only

in her dreams...  
© 2012 Marie Nease  

  Hope deferred makes the heart sick,
   but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life.

Proverbs 13:12

      

 

Thankful beyond words

In the wee hours 

of Thanksgiving morning...

I should be sleeping,

yet I am awake...

there are moments

of keen awareness

of those who are suffering,

of those who are mourning

the loss of spouses,

the memories

of family members,

and of friends

who have gone

before us,

especially those who've

gone before their time...    

at least before we were ready

for them to go...

for them to leave us.

There are others

who are not sleeping,

hearts who are weeping

for those whose

lives hang between

this life

and the next,

wondering how many

hours will pass

how many days

will loved ones last?

So, humbly our hearts bow

crying out, we don't always understand

why you allow

suffering and sickness; 
hold our hand

as we struggle to look up into Your face

thankful for hope, 
dancing in the midst of grace.

I'm thankful for family
and friends
who are still with us...
For precious, memory making
kind of days 
to touch their hands,
their hearts
fully while we are able.   

And so we learn

in the letting go.

We learn 

in the stretching,

in the growing,

through times that ache,

to be thankful in 

ALL

things

experienced

in this world

because we are 

in the process

of getting to know

a personal God,

a process of being

changed into HIS image,

He who chose to send His

only son to redeem us

from sin...

from ourselves

and unto Himself.

So, in the wee hours

of this Thanksgiving morning

I am so "thank full"

for all the reasons

for all the seasons 

of life

and how God chooses

and uses 

every

tiny 

detail

 of our lives

to draw us

unto

Himself.

Amazingly,

God draws us closer

to His heart

because His love is beyond

our imagination...

He longs to live through us

in divinely illuminating,

forever communicating.

His immense love,

the expense poured out

His blood freely

sacrificed 

for us... 

So thankful

beyond

these

words.

 Copyright © 2012 Marie Nease 
 

  

                 

 

   

Learning to Enjoy the Walk

peace, even in the lonely

hope, even in the longing

vision, even in the dark

dreams, even in discouragement

splashing in puddles

smiling through tears
seeing through fog
sunsets after rain

 

smoothed in the stream

songs in the pain

miracles in storms

bending in the wind 

flying high in rising currents

learning to enjoy the walk

ⓒ 2012 Marie Nease

 

   

Then they rest

It's Autumn 

and I'm falling

back into 

Your arms...

dying to my plans,

my expectations,

my longings,

my dreams...

 I'm falling...

I'm resting...

I'm trusting

in You.

    

Nature trusts...

Nature doesn't argue with her Creator...

when Autumn arrives on schedule, 

leaves just let go, 

twirling...

trusting...

and

then 

they 

rest.

© Wingdreamer  

Chords

I'm dreaming of the end 

of this waiting for you,

you who long to be by my side

as intensely as I ache 

for your arrival

in my life,

in my heart.

I'm looking forward

to singing with you...

you who'll know how

to play the chords in my heart

that nobody else

has known

how to play.

I'm counting the days

till I'll hold hands and pray with you,

you, who will hold my heart

and I'll hold yours,

pursuing our Father God 

as one.

I'm looking forward

to dancing with you,

you who'll get me

like I'll get you, 

turning and spinning

celebrating our love

in joyful rhythm. 

 I'm smiling at the thought

of laughing with you,

you who love to laugh

until tears merge with the

smile lines on your handsome face.

I'm waiting for the time

when I'll eat of God's Word with you,

you who will hunger 

for His Word as intensely

as I, as we break bread together

and drink of the wine 

remembering.

I'm anticipating the ways

I'll work through ups and downs with you,

you who are committed to loving

together, confident of God's calling

us to a holy, yet earthly love,

perfected, as we gaze at

the beauty of our Lord

and seek Him together

in our home. 

 

I'm yearning for the moments

of serving God beside you,

you who desire to flow

in your gifts and callings

glorifying our Father, 

fulfilling our purpose

together.

I'm longing for the days

I'll experience true love with you,

you who will love me

as Christ loved the Church.

and I'll respect and honor you

forever giving and receiving

in love.

I'm craving the time

we'll spend writing

the last chapter of US,

I'll understand how

to sing the melody

to your soul

that no one else

has heard. 

To hear the chords 

to play the chords

in your heart,

that no one else

has played.

© Copyright 2012 Marie Nease 

 This is a work of heart, an evolving creative work. 

(probably will continue to make changes and improve it.)