God – Sunshine Lane

Christmas Time Is Here

Christmas time is here,
meant to be full of good cheer.
There are those, full of woe,
that find it hard and
full of sorrow.

We miss the ones we’ve lost,
so much more at Christmas.
We remember times of joy
and fun,
times of love with everyone.

Then the ache of sorrow,
slowly fills our hearts,
creating such pain,
we’re not sure we’ll ever,
celebrate again.

If only those so joyful,
could share their hearts
and arms with those,
whose hearts are full of pain,
think of how much better
we could make their
world again.

So if you see someone silent,
during the holiday gaiety,
someone with their head
bowed low, with little joy
or levity,
take a moment,
lend your ear, your arms,
your hearts in
loving solidarity.

Give your love this season,
because, it is for this a babe
was born that night,
to show the world that
God so loves the world,
He sent His only son.
God lent His ear, His arms,
His heart in loving oh so bright.

Christmas time is here,
bring the world some cheer.
Christmas time is here,
lend your hearts, your arms,
your ears.

For Christmas time is here…

D. E. Wood-Lane
12/18/17

Dancing Through Life

Life is a dance,
Full of joy, sorrow and grace.

Sometimes we feel like doing a reel,
And sometimes we feel like dancing in place.

We never know what music will come,
As we dance through this thing we call life,
But if we keep dancing and give it our all,
We’ll find in the end a beautiful waltz
That ends all our struggles and strife.

Over the past weekend, my family experienced a huge loss as a dear friend of ours who was actually living in our basement, passed away. He went in his sleep, so his dancing here has ceased, but I know he’s dancing in heaven.

We all have ups and downs and turnarounds in our lives. That is, we do if we live very long at all and get involved in the world and with people around us. The ups keep us encouraged and hopeful. The downs remind us that life on this earth isn’t perfect and is only temporary. However, if we keep on keeping on, never ceasing to improve our dance steps/actions and selves, we know in the end, we’ll find peace.

I, myself, believe I have found salvation and peace through Jesus Christ, God’s son. I believe that He was crucified, died, and then rose again so that all who believe in Him might rise again after we die and live eternally too. For some people, that sounds like too fantastic a story, too unbelievable to accept. Some people call it a fable, a myth, a fairy tale. I call it the most beautiful example of love I’ve ever heard of and so…I take the risk. I accept the story and the gift of Jesus. My prayer is that when I pass away, I will keep on dancing, but my partner will be Jesus. I think Chuck is dancing with Jesus right now, happy, free, and completely devoid of pain. That gives me peace and joy. I pray it will give you peace too, knowing there is someone (God) who loves you so much that He let his son die for you.

God bless you all and may your Christmas be merry and bright!

D. Elaine Wood-Lane
December 14, 2016

Crystal Clear|NaPoWriMo Day 30

There are those special moments
so crystal and so clear,
when we truly understand
what we honestly hold dear.

The moments we can see,
our life as from the sky
and even maybe understand
to the questions we ask, why?

Today I’ve had a moment
when every detail was so clear
when everything made sense
and I had two open ears.

God said: Here’s your mission,
you’ve had it for a while.
I said I’m sorry Lord, as
I hid a teary smile.

I was looking for a mission
somewhere far away,
something with some glamour
and maybe even fame–
and all the time my mission
was so closely gathered near,
I never thought to look and
see if it was here!

God tried to hide His smile,
but I saw it anyway,
and I thanked Him for the
message He let me see today.

My life may be hard at times,
and I wonder if I’m sane,
but God has given me a mission,
so crystal and so clear,
it is to love and care each day
for the ones that
He brings near.

And so we come down to the last day of the month of April and the last day of NaPoWriMo for 2015. I have enjoyed doing this so much! It has been a challenge, I will admit, but I am very glad I participated. Besides the joy of writing so many poems, I have met a lot of really neat and great people all over the world! If anyone had ever told me, even a year ago, that I would get to meet so many people and actually do what I love while doing so, I wouldn’t have believed them.

I hope we can stay in touch!

Peace and love, Elaine

MILO

I want the whole world to know I am now a Grandmama!!

Milo was born yesterday afternoon, 1/24/15, at 4:04 in the afternoon in Aurora, IL. He weighed 7 pounds and 13 ounces and was 20 inches long. Mama, Papa, and baby are all doing well, although little Milo did put his mother through a long and arduous labor.

Grandmama Lane, who had anxiously been “nesting” at home and awaiting news of progress of the labor and delivery yesterday, had this to say when she finally received the call that her grandson had been born, “Oh! It’s a boy!! Is he ok? Is Erin ok? I’m SO excited!” and then proceeded to do the happy dance right in the middle of the living room floor and in front of God and everybody. Grandpapa Lane was quoted as saying, “So it’s a boy! Are Erin and the baby both doing well? Oh, good grief, Dee, quit that!! You’re going to hurt yourself!!” Needless to say, Grandmama and Grandpapa Lane are very proud of the new addition to the family!

Of course, being the sentimental poet that I am, had to write a poem after I slept long through the night to recover from my happy dancing.

MILO

Milo,
one new little human.
Another branch on
a large family tree
that has been battered,
riven, grafted, and
survived to put on
new branches and
leaves of love.

Milo,
a four letter word
attached to a precious,
new little boy
who made me a
grandmother.

Milo,
a new sweet,
tender spot of love
that instantly grew
in my heart forever.

Milo,
a little boy who
I hope will call me,
“Grandmama,”
in that sweet little
boy way that
melts hearts.

Milo,
a new son who
gave my son a
completely new
gentle, mature, proud,
tone of voice instantly.

Milo,
I can’t wait to
meet you and
hold your little
body in the same
arms I held your
dad in when he
was brand new too.

Milo,
a name that will
always equal
LOVE to
all of us.

Milo,
we thank God
for the blessing
of you.

©D. Elaine Wood-Lane
1/24/15

Look for the Blessings

Ecclesiastes 7:10
” Say not, “Why were the former days better than these?”
For it is not from wisdom that you ask this.”

http://olivetree.com/b1/Ecc.7.10.ESV

Well. I guess that’s truth! It is easy to look back at the “good old days” in a more favorable light than the present because we’ve edited out the hard times and bad things from our memories. With the present we haven’t had enough time to do that yet.

In the present, we have many good times, but hard times too. When the hard times come, do we fail to see the good times that walk alongside the hard times? I think it depends on our outlook on life. If we’re grateful for everything, bad along with good, then yes, I think we’ll see the good times and especially appreciate them. If we appreciate even the bad times, it is probably because we know that we will probably learn something valuable from them if we just look for the lessons. Or, perhaps we know that God can make all things good, if given the chance. Regardless, if we look at and notice only the negatives, our focus can become very narrow and dark, like tunnel vision.

All days are created equal. What happens in them can be tragic or joyful or both. Let us remember from whom all blessings flow and look to the hope of an eternal joy, life with God and Jesus forever. That hope will help us through the tragedies and will be revealed in many blessings. Always remember, God loves you. He’s not out to “get” you like a harsh schoolmaster. If He was only looking for faults and failures in us, would He have given us the ultimate “get out of jail free card,” Jesus, His son? No. If He wasn’t giving us every chance imaginable and more to be free, He never would have given us Jesus.

Things I Love–A Poem

I love springtime anywhere,
but I think the longhorn cattle
in the Texas bluebonnets
love it even more.

I love music by
young people.
They rearrange notes
that come out
fresh and young,
sounding like hope.

I love Oikos
apple pie yogurt.
It’s health and home
in every bite.

I love new babies
and their sweet smell,
freshly minted in heaven.
(Do you think angels
dust them with that
right before birth?)

I love a baby
sinking into me
in the rocking chair,
while I hum a lullaby
until we both sleep.

I love poetry,
writing words,
feelings out loud,
to share my heart–
so someone can
feel it beating.

I love Alan’s kiss
hello each morning,
and my kiss
goodnight to him
right before sleep.

I love all
of my sons and daughters,
those of my flesh
and those of my soul.
I pray for them all
each day.

Most of all,
I love God.
I’m thankful
He still listens, because…
I talk to Him,
ALL. THE. TIME.

If I were God,
I’d break up with me
for so much talking,
but He assures me
He loves our talks
and would be heartbroken
if I stopped talking to Him
and telling Him what I love.

God is so lovely,
Isn’t He?
He IS love, completely.

He loved me first.
So I love and love,
and hope to be,
more love,
so someday, when I die,
all that will be left of me
is a sunbeam of love,
shining on the floor.