The Woodpecker Tree

Since it’s April for a few more days,

and April is poetry month,

I’d thought it would be fun to share these pictures

and the little ditty that goes along with them.

There’s a good sized Ailanthus tree that’s dying

below our house in “Grandpa’s” backyard.

The Pileated Woodpeckers are showing off

their skills at its base.

The amount and size of chips would make

you think a beaver had been there.

Amazing! 

Grandpa has made up a little sing-song,

and the grandkids all like to sing along.

“Woodpecker pecking on the Woodpecker Tree,

Don’t come pecking on Grandpa and me!”

Andrew loves his Grandpa.

I’m so glad the two of them can spend time together.

Family is such a blessing.

“Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past.

Ask your father and he will tell you,

your elders, and they will explain to you.”

Deuteronomy 32:7

Christ in Me

A few weeks ago I was reading

a familiar verse from the book of Galatians:

“I have been crucified with Christ.

It is no longer I who live,

 but Christ who lives in me.

And the life I now live in the flesh

 I live by faith in the Son of God,

who loved me and gave himself for me.”

The line “Christ who lives in me”

hit me in a new way. 

The truth of it.

 The power of it. 

The humility of it.

It turned into a poem.

I’ve written very little poetry in my life,

so I feel vulnerable sharing it here.

But I’m hoping it will bless someone this week before Easter.

There is such POWER in Christ’s death and resurrection!

But it comes only in joining Him in His surrender.

Surrender is hard.

It’s scary.

But it is safe.

His love for you will not fail.

EVER.

If someone can love us this much,

giving our lives to Him is only reasonable.

Christ in Me

I gave my life to you my Lord,

Surrendered, yielded, bowed my knee.

It was no longer I who lived,

But it was Christ who lived in me.

But there are times I snatch life back,

My fear, my pain, my false control.

I wander from my Lord and God,

Who gave His life to make mine whole.

So I must choose to lay it down,

Each day, my self, my soul, my will.

To take my cross, the one He chose,

And walk like Him to Calvary’s hill.

Then when my heart spills real and good,

With truth, with love, humility,

I cannot own the smallest praise,

It is you, Christ, who lives in me.

                             JESSICA

A Bit of Spring Poetry

 April is Poetry Month.

I’ve loved poetry for as long as I can remember.

I think it started with my Mamma reading us poems

from the Childcraft book, Poems of Early Childhood.

That began a love for collecting

books of poetry – especially old ones.

My “grown up” books are still all boxed up

since our move.

They’re waiting for shelving.

(I’ve dreamed up a little “library” made

from the space that was a laundry closet

in the old part of our house.

Sometimes the dreams take a little longer

than the more pressing realities of life.)

Yesterday I asked my daughters

if they’d help me out with some poetry.

Cassia picked out this poem

from the same old Childcraft book

my Mamma used to read to me.

APRIL

The tulips now are pushing up

Like small green knuckles through the ground.

The grass is young and doubtful yet.

The robin takes a look around.

And if you listen you can hear

Spring laughing with a windy sound.

EUNICE TIETJENS

Kadence enjoys writing poetry,

so I asked if she’d write a poem.

After school she took her little brother on walk to the farm

and came up with this somewhere along the way.

 

SPRINGTIME WALK
A bird is flitting in the trees,

I feel a soft and springy breeze.

I feel a little hand in mine,

In front of me is a big green pine.

I stop to pick a Redbud blossom,

My God’s creation is SO awesome.

The chickens run to greet us too,

The sky is clear and bright and blue.

The horses stop beside the gate,

And whinnying, they stand and wait.

It’s nice to walk on a warm spring day,

And listed to the horses neigh.

KADENCE

“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

Worship the Lord with gladness;

come before him with joyful songs.”

Psalm 100:1

Spring Daffodils

“Daffy-down-dilly is new come to town

With a yellow petticoat, and a green gown.”

A small adventure happened.

It seems like this is what Spring should be.

Sunshine and Daffodils.

So many Daffodils that even when you’ve picked enough

to make the most massive bouquet,

no one could ever tell that some are missing.

 The girls picked flowers for hair

and oohed and ahhhed over the color variations.

The Boy picked flowers.

And rocks.

And sticks.

“Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad;

let the sea resound, and all that is in it.

Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them;

let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.”

Psalm 96:11,12