Peace and Purpose

After the storms have passed

There is peace.

After the storms have passed

There is rest.

Sometimes

It is best

To sit

And contemplate

The peace

Rather than to 

Rush headlong

Down the same

Worn paths.

In the peace after the storm

Seek purpose.

In the peace after the storm

Seek meaning.

Then

You can best

Determine

The path

Forward

To the next

Adventure

Awaiting

Just ahead.

Purpose

We all need purpose in our life,

It fuels our will to live

And keep on striving every day

With all our strength to give.

Without it we are just a rat

Caught within a cage,

We fight against confining bars

And daily voice our rage

At how it is another's fault

But, never is our own

That we are not successful

And it is quite well known

How they must have cheated

Or, had advantage over us

When the truth is so much simpler

Of how we missed the bus.

It's all about our purpose,

Why we get up every morn

And work to do the things in life

For which we were born.

If you are lacking purpose

Spend some time upon your knees

And God will help you overcome

If you ask Him with a "please."

It may not be the way you think

But, He will fill your heart

With reasons to get up every day

Until this earth you part.

So, rise and then move forward,

Don't sit there till you die

Or, think that you are worthless

For that's the devil's lie.

Live your life with purpose,

Moving forward every day,

Take others on your journey

As you travel on the way

And you'll be filled with joy

Even when there are some tears

As you overcome your failures

And conquer all your fears.

Purpose is the answer,

One of life's great mysteries;

Find reason for your presence here

And The Father, you will please.

Enduring Purpose

Purpose is inevitable.
From the hardened crust
Of a molten pool
The molecules form
An enduring node
That is pushed upward
In the violence of
Cataclysmic collision

Where it is broken
From the heights,
By the ice which has formed
In minuscule cracks,
To slide slowly
Down the mountainside
Until the warmth
Of lower atmosphere

Frees it to be washed
Into the accumulating
Waters rushing
Toward the faraway
Basin which holds
The substance of life.

Abrasive time rounds the edges
Of the shard as
Storms roll it onward
Through the torrent
Finally to rest on
Distant shore where
Laughter rings and
Tiny hands grasp
The ancient stone

Only to hurl it
Skipping across
The quiet pool
Where the silvery
Shapes flit
Among the shadows.
It's purpose
Has been fulfilled.

Craving Relevance

Blogging is often an expression of one's desire for relevance -- to be heard -- to believe that one's opinion has value.  It can be a record of events in one's life that says, "I was here!"  It can be an expression of views on politics, religion or other subjects that says, "Look at me, I have something to say!"

Everyone wants to have "followers" of their blog.  Otherwise, all blogs would be set to private.  That is also an indicator that bloggers want others to see their opinion.

Bloggers like to respond to comments.  Instead of meaningful dialogue with one's friends -- or, perhaps it is not meaningful dialogue with one's friends -- the commentary dialgue on a blog offers a degree of anonymity that allows the expression of opinions that might not otherwise be voiced for fear that others would look down on one's views.  Maybe that is why so few truly engage in meaningful dialogue on a face-to-face basis.  Comments also allow the freedom to be rude, mean or denigrating to other commentors -- at least within the "rules" allowed by each individual blog owner.  Venting is a therapeutic release, I suppose.

Why is there such a craving for relevance? -- to be noticed?  -- to believe that one's thoughts and opinions have value?  Is it part of the survival mechanism of our species?  Sounds a bit anti-survival to me.  After all, it is the one out front waving the flag that tends to get shot first.  For most species survival means blending into the background and not being seen -- except during courtship.

Are we courting others?  Seeking followers?  Why are so many people uncomfortable as part of the "herd"?  There is safety in the herd.  Yet, we risk exposure by allowing ourselves to become vulnerable to others through what we write in our blogs.

It reminds me of a little child who craves the attention of a parent.  "Look at me!" is the cry -- just before the bicycle crashes and the knee is skinned.  Is it a remnant of the infant's need for care because it is helpless to care for itself?

Just suppose that the craving for relevance is part of our design.  Suppose that our physical life is in fact a period of gestation for our spirit.  We crave relevance because we are made for a purpose.  If we don't know our purpose, we are programmed to seek it.

Only through God is our purpose revealed.  Until we seek Him we cannot find the purpose for which he made us.  Without Him we continually seek and strive for "success" or "recognition" that says, "I'm relevant."  What we truly need is to realize that we ARE relevant to God.  He has called us to Himself.  He justified us through His sacrifice.  He gives us purpose when we submit to Him.

"For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life." __ John 3:16

The Task List

In the morning when I wake
I like to spend some time
Discussing with the good Lord
What He has on His mind
For me to do today.
Sometimes it seems quite clear to me
The tasks He has at hand
For they come welling up within my head
And it is easy to understand
How they fit within His way.
But there are other times it seems
The direction is not so clear
So I know that I should expect
Some new things to appear.
That's when anticipation
Of adventure to be found
Leads me through the daily chores
That always come around.
It is that sense of expectation
That the Lord is standing by
Directing things within my day
That makes the time to fly.
And it's because I keep on looking
For the way His guiding hand
Shapes events in people's lives
Who in adversity must stand
That I can face each day with confidence
Within this world of strife
For He has called me to His purpose
And works good within my life.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who are called according to His purpose." __Romans 8:28