Poetry - Walkin' on the Water

I have heard and read the story of Peter walking to Jesus many, many time, but one time I noticed that after Jesus lifted him from the waves, Peter walked back to the boat with the Lord.

I thought of the miraculous victory
of living in the power of God.

It spurred thoughts of other great Bible characters who had moments of victory through the power of the Lord. I wrote this poem, which I hope to make into a song some day.

I want to live my life
"walkin' on the water" and
"soarin' with the eagles."




WALKIN' ON THE WATER

Have you ever gazed only on your Creator,
So that nothing else existed?
Did you forget the thundering and winds,
Crashing and whirling about you?
Did you step beyond the walls of safety,
Consciously trusting your Lord?
Have you ever felt the thrill of walkin’,
Walkin’ on the water?

Have you ever faithfully stood for your Lord,
Doing the right amid the foes?
Did your heart beat with fear and faith,
Knowing that others watched and laughed?
Did you bow your head humbly to your King,
Knowing He would see you through?
Have ever felt the peace of sleepin’,
Sleepin’ with the lions,
Walkin’ on the water?

Have you ever spoken boldly for your Saviour,
And roughly tossed to the ground?
Did you feel the pain of stinging words,
Your name smeared with mud and scorn?
Did you wipe your cheek and try again,
Grateful to be worthy of Him?
Have you ever felt the joy of singin’,
Singin’ at midnight,
Sleepin’ with the lions,
Walkin’ on the water?

Have you ever seen the things of this world
Through the eyes of your Redeemer?
Did pleasures, worries, and sins seem
As dust as you looked to the sky?
Did you feel the power of His Spirit
Give you victory o’er temptations?
Have you ever felt the strength of soarin’
Soarin’ with the eagles,
Singin’ at midnight,
Sleepin’ with the lions,
Walkin’ on the water?

O is for Owls and Otters

Owls and otters and octupi!

(Oh my!)

Find some fun writing ideas on
Polliwog Pages.



For more A2Z fun, go to Peej's Blog

Monday Manna - What an Awesome God !

I am hosting Monday Manna today, where we meet to together to study a portion of God's Word. You may link to your blog with thoughts on this verse (with the Linky at the bottom of this page), or you may add a comment.

"Come, behold the works of the Lord;
what desolations He hath made in the earth."
(Psalm 46:8)



This last week, the whole country has watched and followed the path of Hurricane Irene. It swept across the islands of the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and Bermuda. It twirled up the East Coast, leaving uprooted trees, damaged buildings, and flooded roadways in it's wake. Millions lost their electrical power. Some lost their lives. I pray for the families who are suffering. I pray that they will turn to God for comfort and strength.

Natural disasters (earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, etc.) fill me with awe, for they are God-made. I am not foolish enough to deliberately stand outside in their fury, but I do not panic and fear. I know that my God, the one who knows each sparrow, is in control. The winds and the waves obey His will.

I heard a story of a man whose cabin shook in an earthquake. He ran outside, leaping about and shouting to the sky,"Do it again, God! Do it again!"

Because of sin, we all deserve God's anger and destruction. God is holy and just, but He is also full of mercy and forgiveness. Those that belong to Him, those that have accepted His Son Jesus and His gift of eternal life, are safe in His almighty hands. Nothing can touch them, unless He allows it. They can have perfect peace knowing all things happen for His eternal purpose.



The Israelites trembled and cried when they saw God's great power on Mount Sinai, and we should tremble in reverent fear,also. God made us, and He has the right to destroy us. He made the hurricanes and tornadoes. He can do whatever He wills. Yet, He loves His own and protects them. Do you belong to this awesome God? Do you feel safe in His everlasting arms?

"What have I to dread, what have I to fear,
Leaning on the everlasting arms?
I have blessed peace with my Lord so near,
Leaning on the everlasting arms."

(words by Elisha A. Hoffman)

Lord's Day

GONE TO CHURCH




"How Great Thou Art!"

Kids Write

Swish over to Polliwog Pages
to read an exciting story
"The Night of the Tornado"
written and illustrated
by Katelyn Zoss.

Monday Manna - New Verse Aug. 29

I will be hosting Monday Manna this next week. Take the time to find this verse in your Bible. Read the other verses before and after it to get the context, then next Monday, write what the Lord has taught you about Himself. Post it on your blog, and link it to mine, or just write your thoughts in the comment section, so we all can learn from it together.

Psalm 46:8

"Come, behold the works of the Lord;

what desolations He hath made in the earth."

Friday Fiction - It Can't Be That Hard!

For all those starting school -
Students and Teachers




IT CAN'T BE THAT HARD!


"Are you sure you don't want a helper,

Miss Perkins?"

"Oh, I'll be fine. I taught twenty fifth-graders for three months in my student internship. It can't be that hard to handle four kindergarteners for a few hours."

"I don't know. I'll check on you later.

Call my office if you change your mind."

"Don't worry about me, Mr. Simmons.

We'll be fine."

"Okay, if you say so."

"I can't wait to use some of the things I learned in college, like cooperative study groups and creative freestyle writing."

"I never heard of those. You can try those new methods, as long as the children learn to read and count. You call me, if you need help."

"Good morning, Bobby. Welcome to kindergarten. I'm so glad that you will be here all morning with me. No, don't cry…"

"He's such a sensitive boy, Miss Perkins.

He's never been anywhere without me."

"Don't worry, Mrs. Schwartz,

he'll be fine in a few minutes...I hope..."

"Hey, I'm Scotty! Are you the teacher?

I just had a birthday. I'm five. How old are you?

I bet you're over a hundred!"

"Good to meet you, Scotty...a hundred ?... This will be your desk, right here. No, you don't need to look in everyone's desk. This one is yours."

"Hello? Miss Perkins?”

“Yes, Ma’am, may I help you?”

“This is my little Sarah. If she …uh…has a...an accident...there's an extra pair of undies in her backpack. She's so shy around…uh…strangers that she doesn't always speak up when she has to go."

"Oh,okay...an accident ?... Thanks for telling me. I'm sure we'll become good friends in no time."

"Hey! That's mine! Mrs. Perkins, that fat boy hit me and took my new pencil!"

"First of all, Scotty, we don't call people mean names in this classroom."

"He's mean to me. He took my pencil."

"Good morning, Tommy. Give the pencil back to Scotty. We need to respect other people's property here at school."

"I hate it here. It's dumb!"

"Tommy, we are all going to be friends

and not fight, right?"

"Miss Perkins,

my mommy gave me some Gummy Bears.

Can I eat them now?"

"No, Scotty.

You have to wait for snack time, in one hour."

"That's forever!"

"Not really... it sure feels like it ... When the hour hand...the short stick, gets to the nine...to right here...then we will have recess and a snack."

"It will take forever!"

"Oh, don't cry, Bobby.

We are going to have lots of fun today."

"Miss Perkins, Sarah smells funny. Peee-ew!"

"Oh, no... Sarah, come with me.

I'll help you in the ladies' room."

"Sarah is a stinky pants. Sarah is…"

"Now, Tommy, that's enough!

You boys sit still

and look at these books while I'm gone."

"Can we have a snack while you're gone?"

"No, Scotty, I want you to be super-duper quiet

for just a few minutes, okay? Please?"

"I'll try, but don't be gone forever."

"Hey, that's my book, Scotty!"

~ ~

"I'll tell Miss Perkins that you took it."

"Tell me what?"

"Miss Perkins, Scotty tore my book!"

"Can't I leave you for five minutes?"

"You were gone forever!"

"Scotty, sit down...

Tommy, give me that book... Bobby,..."

"Waaaaaa"

"What a crybaby! Bobby is a sissyface.

Bobby is a sissyface."

"Boys! Boys!"

"Miss Perkins, is everything okay?

Someone reported yelling coming from your room."

"Oh, Mr. Simmons, you were right! I can't do this! We haven't even touched one thing on my agenda. This is too hard; I need help!"

~ ~ ~



For more great stories,

march over to Julie's Blog.

Don't forget to leave some comments.

A Highlights Highlight!

(a carving at the Highlights' Office)


On my way back to Maine from the Faithwriters' Conference in Michigan, I realized that my husband and I would be passing close to Honesdale, Pennsylvania. It is the place where I send submissions to the Highlights Magazine. I contacted their office and was invited to visit.



Kathleen Hayes, the editor of High Five (a new magazine for 2-6yr. olds) gave us the royal tour of their office-a very interesting old building (History of Highlights) and introduced me to the staff. They answered my many questions and asked me about my writing, too.



We saw one of the first issues,
published in 1946.



Highlights has come a long way

in the last 60 years.



They have a variety of puzzle magazines

for those who like -
Hidden Pictures
Puzzlesmania
Mathmania
Which Way USA


Highlights is online, too!



With features for
Parents and Teachers

and interactive games for kids.
Highlights Kids




Here is a fun MadLib-type of game -

Story Twisters

They even have their High Five magazine

in audio form,
so the kids can hear the words

as they follow along.



Listen to my action poem "The Bullfrog"

HERE



Highlights has been a big part of the education of America's children. Now they are even reaching other lands as their magazines are being published in other languages.

I'm excited to be part of their team.

Poetry - Family

FAMILY

Family is anyone you love.
Maybe not in your family tree,
Sharing your name or blood.
Forever in your heart they’ll be.
No one should ever be lonely because...
Family is anyone you love.

Family is anyone you love,
Sister, brother, friend.
Shaping your life, taking a part,
Always through thick or thin.
No one should ever be lonely because ...
Family is anyone you love.

A2Z - N is for Nando's Bible

NANDO'S BIBLE



Five years ago, I had the privilege of meeting Fernando Angeles, a man who grew up in a small village in the eastern mountains of Mexico. As a child, Nando spoke Tenek (an oral language at that time)and only heard about God in Latin or Spanish.



After he had gone away to school and learned to read Spanish, he was given a New Testament. He read the entire book in ten months and learned that salvation didn't come from being good and following rules, but by believing in Jesus' gift of eternal life.



He went to Bible school and later to the United States to learn more. Now, he and his wife, Christy, minister to his own people. They are also translating the Bible into Tenek so others can hear Christ speaking in their own language.




I have written about Nando's Bible, and I had the privilege of teaching it to our VBS this summer. I am hoping to publish it soon so that young people will see the need to reach out to those around the world who have never heard the Gospel in their own language.
(See an excerpt from Nando's Bible HERE.)



Pray for Fernando and Christy Angeles, facing the darkness of sin while they strive to reach the Tenek people of Mexico.

Monday Manna - Make it Worth It

Today's Monday Manna
is hosted by Joanne Sher
at An Open Book.
We are focusing on this verse -

Galatians 2:21
"I do not frustrate the grace of God:

(invalidate, set aside, nullify - AMP. BIBLE)

for if righteousness come by the law,

then Christ is dead in vain."

What if you spent a lot of time planning a special day for a spouse? You worked to save money - often going without things - to buy some tickets for his favorite singer and reservations for his favorite restaurant. You wanted it to be just right.

But...he said, "I don't want your gift.

I'd rather plan it myself.

I don't want you to spend money on me."

Wouldn't it really hurt your feelings?
All that effort and sacrifice would be in vain.

Grace is God's gift to me -the perfect gift.

When I try to earn forgiveness through keeping the law,
(rules and regulations, do's and don'ts)
I am saying, "No thank you, God.

You didn't have to die for me.

I can pay for my sins by myself."

Even after I have accepted His salvation,
I sometimes act as if I have to keep working at it.

I am being selfish and stubborn and arrogant.

Why can't I rest in His love?
He has forgiven me and I am His child.



My old life is gone. It died when He died.
Now I live a new life because He lives in me.


"I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live;
yet not I, but Christ liveth in me:
and the life which I now live in the flesh
I live by the faith of the Son of God,
who loved me, and gave himself for me."
(Galatians 2:20)

Lord's Day

GONE TO CHURCH




"Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty!
Early in the morning our song shall rise to Thee"

Do You Like Me?

Polliwog Pages now has its own page on Facebook.

((CLICK HERE)



Will you "Like" me, please?

Friday Fiction - Walkabout Willie

Trek over to Polliwog Pages
for a listen to an Australian radio station.

M is for Maine

I've lived in Arizona, Bahamas, and New York,
but I love living in Maine.

I love the ocean,



the trees,



the people,



and the way of life.



Don't tell anyone,
but I even love the snow.



Yes, I like to travel and
see other places,
but there's no place like
my HOME in Maine.



STATE OF MAINE SONG
by Roger Vinton Snow

(CLICK HERE FOR TUNE)

Grand State of Maine, proudly we sing
To tell your glories to the land
To shout your praises till the echoes ring
Should fate unkind send us to roam
The scent of the fragrant pines,
The tang of the salty sea will call us home.

Oh, Pine Tree State
Your woods, fields and hills
Your lakes, streams and rockbound coast
Will ever fill our hearts with thrills
And tho' we seek far and wide
Our search will be in vain
To find a fairer spot on earth
Than Maine! Maine! Maine!




Peej's Blog