–written 10/26/2018
Tears fall from your weary eyes
As your foes plan your demise
You think you lost it all
But I’ll protect you from the fall
For you are precious to me
Your light I will always see
Your presence brightens my life
And it never causes me strife
You have given me much love
You’re a gift from up above
You give me reason to be
Because your soul shines in me
–written on November 24, 2018
Don’t let the fire inside you die
Don’t let others tear down your soul
Don’t let them kiss your dreams goodbye
Or make you feel like less than whole
Because you are worth more than gold
Even if no one told you so,
Though you do not fit into a mold
You’re beautiful from head to toe
Become all you were meant to be
Be full of compassion and love
So that people will finally see
The gift you are from up above
Dear Friends,
I have been saddened by the general climate of the world around me. So many people are hurting, and some people seem to have the need to be nasty to others. Despite it being the holiday/Christmas season, it seems that a lot of people are more stressed than ever. I think Roy L. Smith was right when he said, “If one does not have Christmas in his heart, he will never find it under a tree.”
So, how do we have Christmas in our hearts, or how can we have joy and peace this holiday season? The answer is simple, yet difficult to do: We need to love each other like we never have before. I don’t mean the mushy, romantic type love. I don’t even mean just friendship love. I mean the all-out, sacrificial, agape love!
Many around you carry deep pain and hurt inside. Some may have lost a loved one around the holidays. You may even be one of these people, and to you, I say this: There is hope when you can be vulnerable and tell a trusted friend or loved one how you have been feeling, so that you can begin to heal. Someone out there cares for you. Don’t give up.
If you are not, or if you are already in the process of healing, I say this: Do not let the stresses and pressures of life allow you to overlook these people. Do not let your heart become calloused and apathetic to the hurting people around you. Always strive to be compassionate and caring to others. It could make a world of difference in their lives, and could even save a life! Don’t just ask someone how they are doing and walk away. Listen to and try to be genuinely interested in what they have to say in response.
Always try to uplift people and encourage them. If you see a peer or co-worker doing a good job, thank them for their efforts. If someone is down on themselves, encourage them by pointing out the good you see in them. If someone thinks no one cares about them, tell them that you do and then demonstrate that love and care by doing a tangible act of kindness for them. Maybe it can be as simple as a kind, encouraging word. Or maybe it can be watching their kids, if they have children.
This can take us out of our comfort zone, especially if we don’t like some of the people we are dealing with, but it is well worth it.
Friends, let us bring joy and love to the hurting people around us today and help them experience the best Christmas or holiday ever!
Patricia
You are a gift from the great God
Your sunshine grows more every day
As I see the light in your heart
Even when miles pull us apart
Your service has protected me
From many dangers and despair
I’m so sorry I couldn’t see
The great hero in front of me
But now I see your gallant love
For your country and fellow man
Your great compassion from above
And the great beauty in your soul
-written 11/4/2018
I have seen you struggle all your life
Among others you have had much strife
People treating you like just a toy
For them to just use and then destroy
But they don’t know the light in your soul
The light that makes you awesome and whole
They don’t know the joy you brought to me
Or how precious you will always be
Don’t let their dark extinguish your light
Remember your value in my sight
Because you’re unique and set apart
And that I love you with my whole heart
-poem written: 10/17/2018
In a world of darkness and pain
Where they treated you with disdain
You were reaching your very last rope
But, in me, you saw glimmers of hope
God sent me to show you His love,
Agape love from up above
The one that would never leave you
The one that would show itself true
I, too, was a sad, lonely soul
Looking for someone to make me whole
In God, I found a love so true
The love that’s now shining in you
written on 10/3/2018
— To everyone in my life who has believed in me
I felt alone for so long
I felt no one really loved me
Years of pain and hurt inside
I didn’t let anyone see
I was so torn and broken
I thought no one would love me
But my heart you would open
Healing the deep pain inside
You showed me abundant love
And gave me the strength to stand
Because you believed in me
And who I was meant to be
