Once in a Bue Moon First Spiritual Thursday

It is the incredible "Once in a Blue Moon First Spiritual Thursday" today!

Today, try to find a verse or passage, a snippet of something that mentions the moon.  Then write to it.  How does it apply to your life?  How does it affect you?  Has it ever helped you?
If you don't have a passage, that's okay, too; I'm sure you still have some thoughts and connections to that awesome moon!

Yesterday was the convergence of many moon happenings.  First we had the second full moon of January, so it was a Blue Moon.  Then it was also the closest it comes to the earth all month, so it was a Supermoon.   And there was a total lunar eclipse revealing to many the Blood Moon (due to the red color of the moon during the eclipse).

I am so excited to read what others have come up with today.  I'm hoping it is as exciting to you.  Did you see the eclipse?  Here in Maine it is not a very clear event, and it was early yesterday morning.  I awoke at 4:45 am (which I have been doing some lately).  I had forgotten that I even wanted to get up early to see the full blue, super, soon to be blood, moon.  I was thinking I'd get up and start the oatmeal in my little slow cooker for breakfast a couple of hours later.  When I came out of the bedroom and walked through the living room with its big windowed cathedral ceiling, there was light on the floor and shadows cast by trees and the window dividers.  I went to the window and could see the full moon shining big and bright, staring at me.

Unfortunately, the beginnings of the eclipse here were happening just as the moon was setting, or really just after it had set.  So you could only see it at a good high point that was unobstructed - so you could peek around the curve of the earth!  By the time it was starting to do any eclipsing, it was light and gone well down past our trees and the other side of the river valley.  So I didn't see it.

The moon has always fascinated me.  The lunar landing happened when I was a teen.  So exciting.  We were really on a roll with space exploration.  I expected that we would be way farther along by now.  Mars or moon living certainly would have been established by 2000, let alone 2018.  Maybe we'd also have made contact with those on other planets.

I remember as a young child, sitting in the back seat of our station wagon, traveling at night to see cousins or grandparents and seeing that moon out the window following us.  I asked my mother about it.  Was it really following us?  No?  Then why does it look like it is?

And more questions. Why did it look different sometimes?  Was it really a different shape?  How come we couldn't see all of it?  What was it made of?  Was it a sun or star?  Then how come it was lit up?  I was just fascinated by the fact that the other side of the moon had been unseen by anyone, yet this side was always there for us to see.

The moon to me is the symbol of the infinite possibilities of life and knowledge, my mother's care and the eternal care of the Lord.  It is a comfort knowing that it is our night light in a dark world, a sign that God is always there even when you can't see the sun.

It is my reminder to be a reflection, casting His light wherever there is darkness.

Psalm 136: 9 The moon and stars to rule by night: for his mercy endureth for ever.

My found poem from a collection of verses with Moon in them: 

references in no particular order:
Deut. 4:19, Job 25:5, Ps 8:3, Ps 72:5, Ps 72:7, Ps 136:9

The Moon

consider the moon

precious 

put forth
for seasons
to rule by night
the moon endureth 

for ever 

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Poetry Friday - Warm Up with Poetry

In February, a group is doing a poem a day (or as many as we can fit in or feel inspired to write), sponsored by Laura Shovan in celebration of her birthday/birth month.  She has done this for a number of years now, and this will be the first time I've participated.

I am hoping that I can keep up with the "task", as I have also been reading some inspirational books, and taken up a manuscript that I put down a couple of years ago.  There's not a poem to be found in it (yet.).  But recently, since reading parts of the books, the story has been flowing through me again, and I'm trying not to stop it.  I have just over 7000 words with perhaps a couple thousand more to go.  I've read it to my husband and son, and they liked it.  But then again, they like me and wouldn't want to make me cry.  I'm thinking of reading it to a group of fifth graders as it's probably good for grades 3-5.  Any suggestions as to how to get a decent "reading" on whether it is good for that age or as a read aloud for younger kids.

I've always been well received in classrooms reading a couple of short stories for k-1.  But being a teacher, I can't tell if they are responding to me or the actual story.  Okay!  I just talked it out enough.  I will have a different person read it aloud, and I will observe!  Thanks.  You guys give good advice!  And if you think of another idea, let me know.

Poetry is a good warm up though, for any writing, so I am going to try to keep at it until I can't fit it in.  That's silly when I listen to myself...  "can't fit it in..."  Right.  I can't NOT fit it in.

Yesterday was our first warm-up for the February challenge by Laura Shovan. We will be writing Ekphrastic poems, which are poems in response to some form of artwork.  Thursday's art was done by Joy Dickson, posted with permission of the artist.  My response is below it.

Daughter

Sometimes I look
Upon your face
And I see lace;
Sometimes I see
The fire
Behind your eyes -
Some hope
Some dream
And you have grown
In days it
Seems.

By Donna JT Smith

You will probably see other ekphrastic poetry today as you visit other Poetry Friday linkers at Carol's at Beyond LiteracyLink.

Found Poem in James

Today's Found Poem is in James 1: 19-26

Let man be

swift to hear,

slow to speak;

Doers of the word

shall be blessed.

If any man

bridleth not

his tongue

but deceiveth,

this religion 

is vain.

by Donna JT Smith, 1/20/2018

Sunday's Found Poem: Joy and Peace

Found poem from KJV is from Isaiah 55 today.

Joy and Peace

As rain and
snow from heaven
so shall my word accomplish
and prosper whereto I sent it;
go out with joy,
led with peace.
Mountains, hills,
and all the trees
shall be an
everlasting sign.

by Donna JT Smith

Isaiah 55: 10-13

10For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and returneth not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:
11So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.
12For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.
13Instead of the thorn shall come up the fir tree, and instead of the brier shall come up the myrtle tree: and it shall be to the LORD for a name, for an everlasting sign that shall not be cut off.

Frost on the Pane

I had taken a couple pictures on Sunday of some gorgeous frost on the window at church.  And I MEAN gorgeous!

See!!

On Monday, I spent time composing a frosty poem about it and was going to get this post ready for Friday by copying it here.  I opened the page up to paste the poem in, and I typed the title "Frost on the Pane".  Then all sorts of stuff broke loose.  Frost on the PAIN came into my head... an ice pack... what kind of pain?  Would an ice pack work for all kinds of pain?  What would you use for a different kind of pain/pane?  This emerged.  There is a pattern here.  Each stanza has 10 words; the last stanza is found words from the first four stanzas.   I think I will name it.  How about Five and Tensome?  That would only be funny to someone who was around for the Five and Tens...(variety stores before Walmart, Zayres)
And that is how a poem can grow sometimes.  Like frost on a window pane.  It can start as something else entirely and then a little thing happens and it turns around and makes you write something else.  I'm not posting the other one, even though it was all rhymy, lilty and fun just the way I like them.  This is not any of that.

Comfort

An ice pack

may still

the pain

but not

today.

I bravely
choose instead

the filling
warmth

of joyful

soul.

I welcome

dear comfort,

my respite,

my care

all mine.

Selfishly

jealously,

I guard the joy

but will

share -

Not ice

but the
soul filling
warmth dear,

I share.

by Donna JT Smith, 2018

This I plunk down here.  I will be back to sing-song again!

 ************************************

plucked heartstrings swirled words

tucked away, releasing sway;

notes rising with birds.

**************************

acorns unsquirreled

unburrowed, uneaten, wait;

more trees in spring.

************************************

(Where did those come from? Huh. Two Haiku for you.)

On to more Poetry Friday!  Visit the poetry offered by our hostess, Jan at Bookseedstudio.

Sunday's Found Poem: Seek

Today's poem is found in Luke 12:22-31 KJV   Words are in order as found, and keep the essence of the Word.  Creativity is restricted to the choice of words retained.

Seek  

life is more     
     than meat,
body more 
     than raiment.
O, seek not things
     of the world;
seek God,
     all shall be added.

by Donna JT Smith, Luke 12:22-31 KJV

Here is the portion of Luke 12 from which it has been gleaned:

²² And he said unto his disciples, Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat; neither for the body, what ye shall put on.
²³ And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? The life is more than meat, and the body is more than raiment.
²⁴ And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit? Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?
²⁵ And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
²⁶ If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?
²⁷ Consider the lilies how they grow: they toil not, they spin not; and yet I say unto you, that Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
²⁸ If then God so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, and to morrow is cast into the oven; how much more will he clothe you, O ye of little faith?
²⁹ And seek not ye what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, neither be ye of doubtful mind.
³⁰ For all these things do the nations of the world seek after: and your Father knoweth that ye have need of these things.
³¹ But rather seek ye the kingdom of God; and all these things shall be added unto you.

 

Poetry Friday - Draft

Yesterday, and a few other days I talked about my new OLW: Flourish, so I am not going to do it again here! These are the links if you are searching for people's 2018 Word!

New One Little Word?
Found Poem from KJV
Spiritual First Thursday - Tah-Dah 

Kitchen window at night

There was a lot of strong wind last night, and blowing snow recirculated itself after it stopped emanating from the sky... it re-emanated, re-animated through the blustery winds.  It was a great night to be inside with power!

Whiteout - our front window view of the storm

As I lay in bed, the slightly ajar bedroom door (not closed because then the cat would be insulted and try to work his way in through the edge with his claws), a draft kept moving the door and making it creak.  I could feel the cold air on my face.  Nothing was open, but on nights like these, the wind is bound and determined to find a way in some little crack or knothole that isn't visible and doesn't allow air in at other times.

Draft

A draft arrived through

Squeaky door

Then swooshed around

My bedroom floor.

It rudely, crudely brushed

My cheek,

And I got up to find

The leak.

No open door or 

Windows, still

I felt the breath of

Winter's chill

Seeping through my walls

And ceiling

Sending bits of paper

Reeling.

When the winter

Air is thin

Wafting drafts can fit 

Right in;

But in my flannel

Warm as toast

I can ignore that

Win(d)some ghost!

by Donna JT Smith

More Poetry Friday goodness may be found by clicking on the links over at Catherine's Reading to the Core.

Happy New Year, All!

First Spiritual Thursday: Tah-Dah!

It is the first Thursday of the month, and so it is Spiritual Thursday!  Which means we have a topic and a host.  Today's topic is our 2018 Word for the Year, and Margaret Simon is hosting today.  She has written a beautiful description of our reason and method for being selected by a word.

A few weeks ago, my word found me.  Flou-rish, flourish.  When I first read it at Starbucks, I saw it as "flour-ish" (which, looking back, is kind of appropriate, too, if you think of "flower-ish"!  A flower is a fancy decoration, and it grows when nourished).

This "flourish" was imprinted on an ornament at Starbucks, and it fairly slapped me in the face...with a flourish, of course.  I tried to ignore it.  Walked past it to get my Latte Macchiato Venti, and bumped into it again at the register.  Sat down.  Thoughts crept into my head.  Should I get the ornament?  No.  You have enough ornaments, and besides that is like a fancy, shmancy, word for something superfluous.  No.  Sit down and drink your delicious drink and write something using this wonderfully fast WiFi... your online writing can really flourish here.  Ok, "Flourish", that's really enough. Go back to your shelf.  You are getting intrusive.

But there it was again a couple of days later in another Starbucks. I picked up the ornament.  It started to sink it, creep beneath my skin, burrow to my core... but it wasn't as solid a word as "Bold" or "Reach".  Or was it?

I decided to look it up in the Bible.  If I could find it there, then I could use it/own it. I couldn't remember seeing it there though. "Be fruitful and multiply" was the closest I could come off the top of my head... But a search showed me it was there.

On the next trip to SB, I picked up the ornament and set it on the table beside my computer.  I showed it to my husband.
"Are you going to get that?" he asked.

I bought it.

I decided to tried it out.  It flourished in a poem.

And last Sunday I tried it out again - it's flourishing in a found poem using the Bible verse in which it was found.

So, you found me, did you, you little spark of a word?  Okay, I'll let you guide my steps this year.  I'll see what growth, what flowers, what tah-dahs are in store!  I'm ready!  Bring on the nourishing, flourishing New Year!