Letting Go
‘letting go’, surrounded
Pictures race across my mind
Of a little one
hangin’ on to mama’s leg
a shelter in the time of storm
Of a proud papa
kissing his daughter
giving her to her husband
Of airport scenes
parting folks
kisses and hugs
and reluctant goodbyes
Of dad, hand on the bicycle seat,
running alongside the precious one
letting go
in the doorway
watching a teenager, alone,
driving away to college
Toughest of all life’s lessons
is holding the hand
of a loved one slipping away
final breaths coming
stopping
a chapter closing
Letting go happens so often
apostrophes in life
we know keep coming
long rows of candles
one being lit
another being snuffed
all in a context
of The Light of The World.
Selah,
Lin 7/2012
Relief!
weeks with little to no rain
but the crops are hanging on!
Drummer Flannagan doin their thing
black blanket tucked under green crops
holding tight to subsoil moisture
So when the crops should look
like the unwatered yards in town
still, they’re growin green!
Soaking up the sun
converting elements to our next meals
Amazing!
We are blessed!
has dropped the temps a lot
Evenings in the 70’s
soft breezes blowing
the roots are going down
deeper and deeper they sink
sipping on the nectar
that we are mostly made of
Leaves that were curled against the drought
are now unfurled, relaxed, relieved….
and so am I!
Waiting for real rain!
But sleeping better!
Selah, Lin 7/2012
Journey
“We went with him”.
as we traveled along life’s highways
He certainly covered a lot of miles
And he always led the pack!
Like icing on our cakes
he flavored our lives in stories
take this one:
Finishing up a tour of duty
at an army camp in Kansas
a friend from Champaign asked if he
could catch a ride back home.
“Sure”, said Ken. “I like to get movin’ early”.
Three hundred miles down the road,
the friend asked if they might stop for breakfast!
He and grandma took cruises
sometimes taking grandchildren
Rewards for graduations!
Once he offered me a trip
join him to the Antarctic!
We did!
Guess who was first off the boat
first feet to hit the beach
Leading the pack as usual!
Oh, how he loved strategy for the journey
whatever it might be…
From his home to office, or doctor
quickest route?
In and out of the Assembly Hall
or the stadium
Seats chosen with purpose
quick in; quick out…
beginning with pushing a grocery cart
zipping around the store
then with his walker
keep pushing!
Know the limit, and be right there!
His counsel was much sought
and highly valued by us all
He gave it to us straight
but only if we asked.
What a treasure!
So many of his guiding principles
were in harmony with the Scriptures:
“If you’re gonna be a bear,
be a grizzly!”
(Whatever you do, do it as unto the Lord!)
“If I can get my students to believe in me,
I can get them to believe in themselves!”
Most thought he was the very best, bar none.
“So if the very best professor, who knows this stuff so well,
believes I can do, I think I can!”
How like Jesus, who taught to believe in Him,
and through him have life, and abundantly.
So he ran the race
passing the tests
boosting his students to pass theirs
Well done
Thou good and faith full servant
Kenneth Wilbur Perry
Selah, Lin 9/2012
Just a Sip
a runner grabs a cup
a quarter inch or water there
No time to grab another
he throws it down
rushes on
the goal still far ahead
Ten miles down
sixteen to go
the runner knows it’s not enough
from top of head
to tip of toes
cooling sweat is soaking
Better than nothing
this ‘not enough’
yet the runner’s thankful
no way back
going forward
trained to do just that
Focus
Concentrate
set small goals
another drink is coming
somewhere forward
getting closer
every step, every minute
July is dry
not much water can be expected
so crops and people reach way down
to find their drops of water
Shade’s an answer
for them both
a gentle breeze to boot
A crop ‘canopies’
people burrow, cocoon
conserving all they can
Just a sip feels so good!
We’ll take it!
Be thankful!
and
keep moving forward!
Lin July 2012
Sunshine
coffee, newspaper, coffee again
Waiting for the sun
to whisk away nights soaking
Straight sticks adorned with seeds
standing at attention
in long straight rows
waiting for the farmer
to whisk and sort and steal away
food
for man and beast
Soybean harvest
is one of waiting
soy seeds so tender, porous
they soak up dew defying
harvest on most mornings
So the farmers stir
and stir their coffee
and do those little things
that always need some doing
checking, testing
rubbing pods between toughened hands
come twelve
aieee! Come one…
and then we roar!
Clipping off the straight sticks
very close to earth
gathering in, sifting, sorting
treasuring seeds
pouring into trucks, into trains
into giant ocean going vessals
Food is on the move!
Come on sun!
I’m waiting!
Selah, Lin
9-2012
Little One
The little ones have been molded
Shaped to look like us
just smaller?
I don’t think so!
Each one, every one
is unique!
A combination, perhaps,
of mom and dad
and brothers and sisters
grandmas and grandpas
aunts and uncles…
the list goes on.
Maybe they’re like
a huge bouquet
all buds
yet to be unfolded
What a blessing
purest joy
to be a part, play a part
in witnessing the unfolding
flowering
How they breathe
How they move
Learn to look at us
smile, frown
laugh, cry
nestle in
relax and sleep in our arms
Wrap tightly around our leg
Run with us
Play hide and seek
Walk with us, hand in hand
Run to greet us
Leap with abandon into our arms
Sit tightly beside us
in nervous times and place
Ride high upon our shoulders
King or Queen of the world!
Seek us out
above all others
when trouble comes their way
Around the world
we can watch them, study them
So many things in common
Maybe what we have is love
played out, lived out
right before our eyes….
Selah, Lin 9/2012
Dad
Bitsy,Jen,Andy,David,Kate
Grandpa
Harry, Libby, Keller, Evie, Sam and Joe