When...I Love You

I feel different every day and so it helps if I hear you say 

I love you. I love you. 

You are beautiful today. 

And when I cry it helps when you hold me close 

Whispering, 

I’m so sorry you are feeling sad. 

Remember crying does not make you bad. 

I love you. I love you. 

I’m so glad that you are mine. 

And when I laugh and you laugh too 

My joy is magnified by you. 

And when your words make me laugh along, 

I often feel like a happy song. 

I love you. I love you. 

Your smile helps me to find mine too. 

And when your life feels weighted down, 

And all you want to do is frown and be alone.

It helps if you come seek me out 

Just wanting me to be with you – alone, and quiet. 

Together.  United as you seek relief in your own way. 

As you walk by the place I am, 

I love when you reach out your hand and touch me softly 

To let me know that I am seen. 

This lets me know that you seek me, 

No matter where,

And that you care. 

When we walk together into a room, 

and I feel your hand on the small of my back, 

I close my eyes with pleasure, 

Feeling secure that you are there. With me. 

And that you claim me as yours. 

I make many mistakes and some hurt you, 

but I hope I say I’m sorry too! 

Then I hope to hear you say, 

I love you, I love you. 

I love you more each day 

And am really thankful you choose to stay. 

When you say I am sorry when you don’t get it right, 

I hear “I love you with all my might. 

You are Precious to me. 

My treasure. 

I love you.”

Grief

 Written for a friend

May 2018 in Salt Lake City

Grief

Grief can be so heavy

And so hard to bear

That it's odd when others

Cannot see it there.

Sometimes grief sinks down so deep

We think it's there to stay.

We wonder if we will

Be glad again one day.

Our loved ones are remembered,

And we miss them so.

We often feel hollow inside

No matter where we go.

Then one day through the darkness

A little light gets in.

And a little joy peaks through.

It will come again!

It goes away, then comes again

More quickly every day.

And you start to feel that peace

Until it's there to stay.

Our loved ones are remembered

And we miss them so,

But we carry happy memories

Everywhere we go.

And things they did that hurt us,

Or pains from long ago,

Are calmed by our dear Savior

Loving you more than you know.

And if some pain or sorrow

Rise up now and then.

You can pray to Father

And peace will come again.

The World Is Against Me?

Photo by sebastien rosset on Unsplash

The world is against me.  How do I know?

As I walked down the sidewalk I stubbed my toe.

Then I tripped on a branch.  Fell.  And skinned my knee.

And to top it all off I got stung by a bee!

I yelled really loudly and started to cry

And, of course, that is when a man walked by.

I was so embarrassed my face turned red

And I started to wish I had stayed in bed.

But I took a deep breath and wiped my face

And walked down the road at a slower pace.

The world is against me? No.  It's alright.

Things could be seen in a different light.

As I walked down the sidewalk I stubbed my toe

Which, just for a while, had me walking slow.

So when I got to the corner I saw a friend

Who when she saw me really grinned.

We had not talked in a few years,

And seeing her brought happy tears.

As I went on my way my eyes were wet

From seeing a friend I was glad I had met.

I did not see the branch that made me trip.

And I did skin my knee (but I didn't flip!).

And while on the ground I saw a flower

Growing up through the sidewalk -- amazing power!

I plucked it so I'd have a bit of Spring

To carry with me.  A happy thing!

Then I sniffed that flower, while failing to see

That right on the flower was a stinging bee!

I yelled in frustration and started to cry

And that is just when the man walked by.

I was embarrassed and turned really red

And I really did wish to be back in bed.

I wish I could say the man saved the day

But he really just chuckled and walked away.

I could see just enough to glare at his back.

Which was carrying on it a big back pack.

I happened to be headed the same way as him

And as I looked at the pack I started to grin.

For there on the top was a stinging bee

Looking just like the one that had gotten me.

Should I warn him or not?  I'll let you decide.

I just saw a friend I can ask for a ride.

The world is against me?  Maybe it's true.

Or maybe there are ups and downs in all we do.

We Go

I didn't know what to name the poem, or what poem worked with it
and so here is a random deer:-)

I smile, but the tears come

I laugh, though I'm blue

I cry, when I sit here

Thinking of you.

I walk, in the sunlight

I sit, in the dark

I hide, in the shadows

Inside my heart

Time passes, though slowly

It goes, yet it stays

My dreams, they don't help me

Through these long days

It's hard, when hard times come

It's good, when they don't

We live, and our life goes

Problems, they won't

We go, oft together

We go, times apart

We go, and I love you

With all my heart.

Prayer

Photo by Carlos Magno on Unsplash

We reach up toward heaven

Every time we go to pray.

We try to gain an inner peace

To take with us each day.

We pray.  We speak to Father

Giving thanks for blessings giv'n.

We pray to reach an inner peace

That comes when we're forgiven.

And if we pray then we will know

The calming of His voice

That reaches down to speak to us

That tells us we are choice.

We'll find that we are comforted

When the going is not smooth.

We'll find He's understanding

Of our every thought and mood.

He'll teach us to be better

Than we otherwise would be.

He'll give us strength to carry on.

He'll help us clearly see

That praying brings us inner peace

That nothing else can bring.

It helps us to be better

In every little thing.

When we don't take the time to pray

We move steadily away

From peace and love that we can find

When we kneel down to pray.

My Savior

This was taken at the home show on June 7, 2024 at the end of
my radiation treatments.

My Savior comforts me when I'm afraid.
And though it seems sometimes that He is very far away

I trust that He is close, holding me up day by day.

And when the storm beats down, He's not asleep.

He holds His hand outstretched to me when the path is steep.

And keeps His watch as giant waves come crashing from the deep.

And when I feel so sad and all alone

I think of His great love and all He did so I could come home.

I know that He's with me no matter how far I may roam.

I feel His peace around me when I'm still,

And ask for strength and courage to trust Him and do His will.

He helps me to hold on through any sorrow that I feel.

And when I fail again He won't condemn.

He'll pick me up and help me so that I can start again.

My Savior knows my sorrow and the guilt or pain I'm in.

So when I do not know which way to go

I take a step toward Him and His light makes my path glow.

I know there's hope because there is no path that He won't know.

My Savior comforts me when I'm afraid

And I give thanks to Him while on this world that He has made

And trust in Him to guide me through the path that He has laid.

I thank Him for the beauty all around

The wonder and the happiness in every joyful sound.

I thank Him for the good and lovely things that here abound.

But most of all I thank Him for His love

For wanting me despite my faults to live with Him above

In His kingdom filled with joy, happiness and love.

**This song was written February 12, 2024 just after I was diagnosed with breast cancer. (DCIS)

Hola My Friend

Photo by Ty Downs on Unsplash

Hola my friend, let's take a trip to Mexico together,

And we will sit upon the sand and enjoy the sunny weather.

I'll buy a sombrero so I can fit in,

And you can eat fish while I go for a swim.

Then we'll sit side by side at the sea.

What a happy day that will be.

Hola my friend, while in Mexico we will have a fun fiesta.

We will dance around my sombrero and then take a siesta.

We'll dance and we'll sing and we'll have lots of fun,

Then you can eat fish while I go for a run.

Then we'll sit side by side at the sea.

What a happy day that will be.

Hola my friend, let's meet new people and eat Mexican food.

And they will hug us and ask us to stay and enjoy the happy mood.

Our new friends will smile as we speak espanol,

And you can eat fish, while I go take a stroll.

Then we'll sit side by side at the sea.

You, all our new friends, and me.

Adios my friend, we've had such fun in Mexico together,

With dancing and singing with our new amigos in the sunny weather.

We'll take my sombrero, and some shells just for me,

And you can eat fish while I climb up a tree.

We will one day come back to the sea.

What a happy day that will be.