CITY WRITER

 

CITY WRITER

Sauntering through the crowded city streets

He soaks up every language, light and air,

Praying for all and everyone he meets.

Nothing prepares his heart to write like prayer.

He licks up the city's feeling and tone,

Like drips down a summer ice cream cone.

Still chilly in the filtered morning light

A mocha buys his seat in the coffee shop.

He scans the paper through before he writes.

He sips his coffee, tall with an extra shot.

Reading a novel, he was up too late.

Now to write himself, he must be awake.

Next he reviews what he wrote yesterday,

Assuming each character's perspective.

He's fully immersed in the interplay,

Trying out each one's smile or invective.

He's soon lost in another place and time.

Gathering ripe fruit from the muse’s vine.

At noon he savors a hot bowl of soup.

He closes his eyes to give them a rest.

He leaves his table to a larger group.

It's important not to become a pest.

In a park he finds a shady table

To weave the plot of his modern fable.

This poem was published in the book Take Me To The Garden.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YSVLW24/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i10

Amazon Author Central page.

I am posting some of my poems beginning with a few on writing.  In between poems I intend to post segments from the introduction to my book I AM, Poetic Reflections on The Gospel of John.

WRITER ON THE BUS

Huddled in his seat on the swaying bus
Oblivious to all sights or soundings.
He doesn't see or hear the rest of us,
Standing, shoving, crowded all around him.
Some are bored, some too loud, others napping
While his fingers on the keys are tapping.

Fogging windows shut out the passing world.
Draping mists dim the winter afternoon
While he’s in his secluded corner curled.
His focus seals him in his small cocoon.
He is off somewhere in a thrilling story
Risking everything for truth and glory.

Sailing the southern trades on golden seas,
Or mushing dogs cross the frozen tundra;
Only such driving visions does he see.
He’s caught up in all the fears and wonder,
Holding firmly to his inspiration,
Undisturbed by lesser fascinations.

The story's pace now takes away his breath,
Coming faster than even he can write,
As his character faces life or death!
Now the end draws near—but so does the night.
He must step from his imagination
Having reached his stop and destination.

This poem was published in the book Take Me To The Garden.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YSVLW24/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i10

Amazon Author Central page.

THE PURPOSE of SEX

 

I remember pacing in the nervous-fathers’ room at the hospital those many years ago. Hospitals were just starting to allow fathers into delivery rooms, but our hospital was not that up-to-date. Finally the nurse stepped in to say our baby had come and I could see her in a little while with my wife in the room. As soon as she slipped out I was out the door. I knew the hall they would take to the room. They rolled my wife’s bed around a corner right in front of me. Before anyone could stop me I had our beautiful blond headed daughter in my arms. 

Despite modern notions, immediate physical pleasure is not the purpose of sexual relations. Sexual intimacy was given us for the blessing of procreation? Actually, we are talking here about two kinds of pleasure. This is not unlike the pleasure of eating. If the purpose of your eating is simply sweetness, the pleasure will ultimately be ruined in the deficiency of nutrition. The sugar will become like a poison in your system.

The goodness of intimacy includes both the immediate pleasure of glandular release, and the long term fulfillment of generations. These two are closely related. There is glandular release at the beginning as a couple seeks to procreate. This is often one sided. Many women do not enjoy the sex act. It is also true that pregnancy brings months of discomfort followed by the intense pain of child bearing. But her pain is quickly forgotten at the joy of a babe in her arms. 

When the pleasure of sexual release is the only purpose, the blessing of in depth relationships will be lost. Sex becomes the selfish act of using another human being merely as a source of pleasure. 

Parenting is difficult, but parent child relationships can be unbelievably fulfilling. Devoting time and energy to our children gives richness to life. Of course, this requires long-term discipline. The purposes of a parent need to be unselfish. This is usually a long term work of God in our lives. Children also bring hope for the future of humanity. And while there will be some pain, possibly all of your life, you can also pass your highest and best traits along in their lives. 

I am aware that I am saying some things that will be controversial to many of you. There are a number of aspects to this upon which I have not touched. And frankly, I would like to hear from you, especially if you disagree with me as most of society and possibly most Christians do in these days.

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/

http://theanchorofthesoul.blogspot.com/

http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/

http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

Website

http://daveswatch.com/

YouTube

https://goo.gl/PyzU

Amazon Author Central page.

LIGHTNING ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP

LIGHTNING ON THE MOUNTAIN TOP

Standing on the thundering alp, 

Drenched in heaven's driving tears 

With bending knees and tingling scalp

My glasses whining in my ears;

 

He's drawn me to this holy place.

Shying from His glorious essence, 

I'm wincing from His gleaming face,

Trembling in His holy presence.

  

Streamers reaching from my heart 

Do not draw the heavens there. 

Though I do my trembling part

Heaven draws and meets my prayer.

This poem was published in the book Take Me To The Garden.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YSVLW24/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i10

Amazon Author Central page.

WRITING

I thank God for the privilege of  writing all these years. Early in my ministry, I attended The Billy Graham School of Christian Writing. It was a great boost, especially in writing for magazines. Through my years of pastoring, I regularly contributed to Christian periodicals. In those days there were three or four times as many Christian Periodicals, and magazines in general, than those that have managed to stay in business to this day. I really miss some of them as a writer, a preacher, a Christian, and as a thinking human being. 

When it became obvious that I would have to retire from pastoring having been diagnosed with cancer, I worried that I would go crazy if I had no place to preach. I automatically shifted my energy to writing. It has been quite as fulfilling. I am now drawing near the end of my ability to write coherently. And yet I find peace in looking back on what God has allowed me to do.  

I have written a little about my writing over the years. One of my blogs targets other writers and is called Writing Prayerfully, http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/. In it I wrote many articles. One was entitled, The Foundation of Writing. I began the piece by saying, “It stretches metaphor to say that the foundation of writing is from above, but you get the point.” I wrote another titled, The Marvel of Stories. Another was called, Why Do I Write? In it I said I write as a ministry, and I featured my book AGAPE on the love of God. One of my blog posts was on Writing for The Future. Another was titled, Writing In Your Weakness. I wrote one called, Writing Your Highest Values, and another was, You Are What You Write.

What I have written I wrote because God loves you. And I pray that He will meet needs in your life that I would never know how to address.

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/

http://theanchorofthesoul.blogspot.com/

http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/

http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

Website

http://daveswatch.com/

YouTube

https://goo.gl/PyzU

Amazon Author Central page.

REDEEMING TIME

 

We are at the starting line of a new year. In Ephesians 5:15-17 we read,

“Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.”

This version of Scripture interprets rather than directly translating the metaphor in Ephesians 5:16, calling us to make the best use of our time. The wording of the metaphor is “Redeeming the time.” The word translated, “redeeming,” can mean to buy something back like redeeming something that has been pawned. We must redeem or make the most of every minute of our lives.

Let me make a few applications of this verse.

Redeeming the meaning of our lives

How much time have you spent praying about God's purpose for your life? No success, no pleasure, nor impressive appearance will be as fulfilling as living in the will of God.

Redeeming the relationships of our lives 

What can you do today to improve or restore your relationships? Relationships take time and energy. Do you pray for family members with whom your relationship is strained or broken? 

Redeeming the completion of our lives

I used to run in Long distance races. Of course, describing those races as long distance is relative. To a marathon runner, a half-marathon is a medium distance race. So, from their point of view, 5 and 10Ks are shorter competitions. The most difficult race I ever ran was the Sound to Narrows 12K in Tacoma Washington. Many runners consider it to be twice as difficult as most 10K races. This is partly because of the hills and dips along the Puget Sound shoreline. And its final mile rises uphill all the way to the end. But however difficult your race, you have to run every step of it.

I remember running another race where I did not know the course before it began.  I topped a hill toward the end and saw the finish line hardly more than a hundred yards ahead of me. Had I known it was so close I would have begun my final kick earlier.

In Psalm 90:12 Moses wrote,

“So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

http://watchinginprayer.blogspot.com/

http://thinkinginthespirit.blogspot.com/

http://theanchorofthesoul.blogspot.com/

http://writingprayerfully.blogspot.com/

Website

http://daveswatch.com/

YouTube

https://goo.gl/PyzU

Amazon Author Central page.