Posted in Haibun, Haiga, Haiku, June 2016, Scripture

Determination


Daisies by the rock

Standing tall and blossoming

Growing in a hard place

Haiku
I think we’ve all heard the saying ” between a rock and a hard place” which is an expression often used when we might be in a difficult place in our lives. We might feel helpless, hopeless, hindered, and wondering if we are ever going to get out of the situation at hand and live well again. 

Well, I believe God showed me the answer this morning as my eyes fell upon this big rock on hard ground with two daisies growing right next to it. The daisies are standing tall and blooming beautifully even though they are in hard ground and not really in a place that is most ideal for growth. I doubt anyone purposely planted them there, I imagine it was a happenstance that their seed fell upon that ground, yet with determination and the divine providence of sunshine and rain they grew, and I am imagining that the rock’s presence may have been a beneficial barrier that might have given them some protection from strong winds and rain that could have otherwise beat them down to the ground. 

Since I am going thru a hard time in my life right now I feel God showed me this very good lesson. I think all of us can take this to heart and when the winds of adversity blow and we are tossed to and fro, let’s determine to dig in, stand firm, grow, and bloom near the Rock who is our salvation and strength. 

Adversity winds

blow, tossing lives to and fro 

Stay rooted in faith
Stay rooted in faith

Bloom and grow in the hardest places 

Clinging to the Rock

Haiku

Haibun

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;

my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,

    my shield and the horn of my salvation.

He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—

      from violent people you save me. 

2 Samuel 22:2-3 NKJV

Posted in Double Cinquain, June 2016, Scripture

Keeping Faith


I know,

That someday,

All things will work for good.

I believe all of God’s promises.

I do

Believe.

It’s just living through

The daily grind of life,

All the minutes inbetween,

Til then.

Double Cinquain

And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

Romans 8:28

Posted in June 2016, Reverse Etheree

Keep Looking Up


“Everything happens for a reason”

Is what mother used to always say

“Today troubles may visit you”

“But tomorrow’s a new day”

” Always keep looking up”

“God will make a way”

“This too shall pass”

“Don’t dismay”

“Just trust,

N’ pray”

Reverse Etheree

Leona J. Atkinson 2016

Posted in June 2016, Scripture, Tanka

Friend of God

Scripture fulfilled 

Imputation was given

Abraham believed

Righteousness was bestowed

He was called “Friend of God”

Tanka

#NationalBestFriendsDay

And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. James 2:23

Posted in April 2016, NaPoWriMo 2016, Sea Shanty

Sunday Service At Sea

Sea Shantie (or Chantie) about a Sunday Church Service at Sea
Original Poetry and Photograph by Leona J. Atkinson ©2016

#NaPoWriMo–Day 26–Prompt: a challenge to write a poem that incorporates a call and response. Calls-and-responses are used in many sermons and hymns (and also in sea chanties (or shanties)!), in which the preacher or singer asks a question or makes an exclamation, and the audience responds with a specific, pre-determined response. (Think: Can I get an amen?, to which the response is AMEN!.). You might think of the response as a sort of refrain or chorus that comes up repeatedly, while the call can vary slightly each time it is used.
I wrote a Sea Shantie (or Chantie) in which I imagined what a Sunday Service at sea would be like conducted by a fiery Spirit-filled preacher aboard a ship filled with sailors. 🙂