A poppy pinned

A poppy pinned

Poppies in a grassy field are seen,

In Flanders' wide and tortured fields.

Splotches of red upon a sea of green,

Remind us of those who did not yield,

But chose to stand against the flood

Of forces poised to steal our peace

And even scared, stood firm so we

Could live lives free of tyranny.

But that was years ago, say you.

Tell me it straight, what did they do?

They stood beneath the field of war

In trenches dug with sweat covered hands

They stood for neither rich or poor

But for every child, woman, man

They are the cries of friends and foes

Thrown down upon that muddy waste

Barbed wire stood where grass had once

Yet all of this they chose to taste.

Upon the bugle's rally cry

They mounted ladders slick with rain

And charged, those brave men, their's to try

To buy our freedom through their crimson stain.

Now near one hundred years ago

On Flanders' fields they took their stand.

Many gave their lives to show

That evil could not take our land.

So stand with them upon this day

Free to live your lives in peace

A poppy pinned to stake our thanks

For men and women and died for you and me.

Delighted in me!

This poem came to my mind as I read 2 Samuel 22. David's just been delivered from all his enemies and in his triumphal prayer of thanks God, he says,

"In my distress I called upon the Lord; to my God I called.
From his temple he heard my voice and my cry came to his ears."
"He bought me to a broad place; he rescued me because he felighef in me."

Not out of duty, but out of lovery and delight. This poems comes out of these verses.

Delighted in me!

I called out my voice
In my deepest despair
And my voice carried up
To his throne and his ear.
He heard my voice calling he heard my heart's cry
And out of his love
Comfort could not deny

Delighted in me!
Delighted in me!
My God and my saviour
Delighted in me!

When still unaware
Of the state of my soul
Of my deepest disgrace
Of my need to be whole
He sought out this sinner
And made him his son
He paid for my sins
Even every one!

Delighted in me!
Delighted in me!
My God and my saviour
Delighted in me!

When one day he comes
With the trumpeter's peal
And all earth sees clearly
His glory revealed
He'll look to his children
And welcome them home
We'll reign with him then
For one reason alone.

Delighted in me!
Delighted in me!
My God and my saviour
Delighted in me!

At the foot of the cross

At Formacion 2013 we've had times to reflect in silence. Time just to be still before God  and listen. This poem started forming during the time of singing before we headed into our reflection time and then continued into it. It's very honest and quite personal. I think these are the most honest poems as they show you your heart and mind. They're like a window in. This poem is both mine and everyone's. Everyone's welcome at the cross of Jesus.

At the foot of the cross

At the foot of the cross I lay my fear
All those worries that I hold so near
For he listens as he holds me dear
And calms my troubled heart.

At the foot of the cross lay my dreams
all things I'd hope to be
For he knows the plans he has for me
And I know those plans are good.

At the foot of the cross I lay my pride
Those selfish thoughts I keep inside
Your cross shows a servant side
To the person you want me to be.

At the foot of the cross I lay heart
In all its broken, battered parts.
You gather up the broken, Lord
And restore them in your love.

At the foot of the cross I lay my sin
These blood-stained rags I'm living in
And watch your son put them onto him
Making me whiter than snow.

At the foot of the cross I kneel, my king
My only plea is that of Him
Who died to buy this sinner free
Would cover every sin of me.

At the foot of the cross I stand once more
As a child of the living God restored,
My eyes are fixed on the heavenly goal,
Oh, sweet, sweet Jesus you've made me whole.

What can I say?

This poem came out of a word someone brought this morning at church. It's simply a reflection about what I've come to know about what Jesus has done and what that means. It just leaves me thinking, What can I say?!

What can I say?
What can I say
My new-found friend?
What can I say
'bout the God who sends
His son to change
The state I'm in?
To make me free
From a weight of sin?
I'll tell you what
I've come to know
Then have a think
Is this what you know?

You took an accused
You made me free
You paid my dues
And ransomed me.

You gave me life
At your great cost,
Gave your son
To save the lost,

Stepped into this fetid pool
And purified its waters

Took all my sin,
Bore it for me,
Carried it all
To Calvery.

You chose me first,
Gave up your rights,
Held legions of angels
From their saving flight,

Took all that sin
that stained my soul
And bore it on the cross
To make me whole.

So, what can I say
To the thing that you did?
What can I say
To the choice that you made?
What can I say
to a father's love?
What can I say
To the price that you paid?

But thank you, dear father,
Thank you my king,
Thank you sweet Jesus
For giving everything.

For choosing this sinner
In spite of my stain.
For enabling this stray
To become your child again.

For making a bridge
'cross the chasm-like pit.
For holding my hand
As I crossed over it.

For welcoming home
With wide open arms
This one who was bought
By those nail-scarred palms.

Oh yes, I will say,
And cry out in song
That the thing that I craved
Was you all along.

You made me complete,
You'll see me on through
& you'll guide me each day
'til I come home to you.

So, what can I say?
My friend, simply this.
My God reached out to me
And gave one saving kiss.

Now knowing what I know,
I leave it to you.
What will you say
As he reaches to you?

The rainbow fox

The idea for the rainbow fox came from Tanya's twitter feed today:

1. The boy's made-up stories - incl a rainbow fox and friendly lamb 2. Kathleen Norris' The Cloister Walk. 3. Good writing stint #fb

— Tanya Marlow (@Tanya_Marlow) June 17, 2013

What is the rainbow fox, you might ask?  This is the rainbow fox.

The rainbow fox
Have you ever wondered
about the blueness of the sky?
Or the scented rose's redness?
Have you stopped and wondered, why?
Why are colours all so vivid?
Why's the world not black and white?
Well, today do choose to look and see
The world's most marvellous sight.

The rainbow fox my friend is out!
He touches every flower he sees,
from the tiniest of daisies
to the most towering trees.

He skips among the children's clothes
and dots between the shops
and all the while he smiles his smile
as colour waves he drops.

His tail is like a burning fire
all oranges and reds.
And crowned on top in crimson flame
stands his majestic head.

His eyes are deepest pools of ink
each darkest shades of blue.
But if you look more closely
there are others colours too.

His paws are striped bright green and gold
like emeralds flecked with light
each blade of grass he graces leaps
and dances in their light.

His body, oh that glorious sight!
changes all throughout the day
From orange with the rising sun
to purple late in day.

Keep your eyes open and you'll see
a glimpse of foxie's art.
From the yellow in your cornflakes
to the greenest leafy park.

Each sunset graced by foxie's tail,
is laced with goldish tones
and when that chariot meets the sea
he sits his golden throne.

So now you see, my new-found friend
the colours all around
are the rainbox fox's finest work
our master artist, found.

TheWeeScottie