Election Day!

Hi everyone! Wowzers! I know it has been a hot minute since I have last posted on here. I can explain...but not in today's post. I'm sure you could imagine how hard of a year 2020 has been. It has been trying for all of us, BUT today is election day here in the United States of America! We are all looking to the future now. As we thoughtfully cast our votes and prayerfully await results, I interrupt my hiatus from blogging to share with you this lovely, relatable poem and prayer heard on "The World and Everything In It" podcast I listen to every morning. Take heart.

"The Way" 

Cheryl Balcom 

I travel a road between right and left,

red or blue, no or yes.

Each side pulls with grains of truth,

Disguising their pride, away from you.

I long for unity, for peace, for hope,

But find myself tangled in the enemy’s rope.

For ears are tickled, eyes are blind,

And deception runs deep on either side.

Where are my teachers, Lord?

The ones that you say, 

I will hear behind me saying, ‘This is the way.’

I’m listening, Father, but my ears are clogged,

With the murky dimness of desire’s fog.

For my desire feels true, but my heart can deceive.

Help me to hear you, help me believe.

Let truth come to light is my passionate prayer.

I pray for discernment and compassion and care.

While voices are raised and arguments strong,

May my thoughts rise above them, in worship and song.

Whichever side wins, you are still on the throne.

I will live it, believe it, and make your name known.

May I choose not one side, but choose only you.

For you are the Way, and the Life, and the Truth.

Who has spoken and it came to pass,

unless the Lord has commanded it?

Is it not from the mouth of the Most High

that good and bad come?

~Lamentations 3:37-38

_______________________________
Thanks for stopping by! Get out and vote wisely, trust truth, and keep the faith! Our Lord reigns.

 ↓ For More Optimistic Reads ↓ 

“How the Virus Stole Easter” A Poem by Kristi Bothur

I couldn't have said it any better than the way Miami City Ballet's Artistic Director said it: 

"In times of massive upheaval, of insecurity, of darkness, and of the unknown, artists and art will rise up to show what courage looks like and what resilience can do. This is what artists do, they lift people up to bring them closer to humanity, they lift people up to bring them closer to grace."  ~Lourdes Lopez 

Of course, I'm partial to the art of ballet, but that quote goes for any medium of art and I feel like now more than ever, it is poetry that is ministering to my soul the most in this season. Creators and artists everywhere are rising to the occasion to deliver hope to people with their talents and giftings. Lately, I keep stumbling upon emotion-evoking poems I can't help but not keep to myself, so dear readers, I hope you are not growing weary from all my poetry posts. Here's another one coming to ya today! I hope you love it as much as I do! Surely this one will make you smile. Let me know in the comments down below what you think about this awesome piece and how you feel about poetry in general! Enjoy!

How The Virus Stole Easter 

by Kristi Bothur With a nod to Dr. Seuss 😊 (To be read in the rhythm of the "Grinch")  

Twas late in ‘19 when the virus began,
Bringing chaos and fear to all people, each land.

People were sick, hospitals full,
Doctors overwhelmed, no one in school.

As winter gave way to the promise of spring,
The virus raged on, touching peasant and king.

People hid in their homes from the enemy unseen.
They YouTubed and Zoomed, social-distanced, and cleaned.

April approached and churches were closed.
“There won’t be an Easter,” the world supposed.

“There won’t be church services, and egg hunts are out.
No reason for new dresses when we can’t go about.”

Holy Week started, as bleak as the rest.
The world was focused on masks and on tests.

“Easter can’t happen this year,” it proclaimed.
“Online and at home, it just won’t be the same.”

Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the days came and went.
The virus pressed on; it just would not relent.

The world woke Sunday and nothing had changed.
The virus still menaced, the people, estranged.

“Poo poo to the saints,” the world was grumbling.
“They’re finding out now that no Easter is coming.

“They’re just waking up! We know just what they’ll do!
Their mouths will hang open a minute or two,
And then all the saints will all cry boo-hoo.

“That noise,” said the world, “will be something to hear.”
So it paused and the world put a hand to its ear.

And it did hear a sound coming through all the skies.
It started down low, then it started to rise.

But the sound wasn’t depressed.
Why, this sound was triumphant!
It couldn’t be so!
But it grew with abundance!

The world stared around, popping its eyes.
Then it shook! What it saw was a shocking surprise!

Every saint in every nation, the tall and the small,
Was celebrating Jesus in spite of it all!

It hadn’t stopped Easter from coming! It came!
Somehow or other, it came just the same!

And the world with its life quite stuck in quarantine
Stood puzzling and puzzling.
“Just how can it be?”

“It came without bonnets, it came without bunnies,
It came without egg hunts, cantatas, or money.”

Then the world thought of something it hadn’t before.
“Maybe Easter,” it thought, “doesn’t come from a store.
Maybe Easter, perhaps, means a little bit more.”

The churches are empty - but so is the tomb,
And Jesus is victor over death, doom, and gloom.

So this year at Easter, let this be our prayer,
As the virus still rages all around, everywhere.

May the world see hope when it looks at God’s people.
May the world see the church is not a building or steeple.
May the world find Faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection,
May the world find Joy in a time of dejection.
May 2020 be known as the year of survival,
But not only that -
Let it start a revival.

Wasn't that fun? To check out more really amazing poems  just hit the "poetry" tag below or on the right-hand-side column under "tags" Thanks for stopping by!

______________________________________________

   More Optimistic Reads  

-  "The Gods of Men Are Falling" ~ by Roda Griffin

- "Cycles" ~ by Unknown 

- "God's Hall of Fame" ~ by Walt Huntley

The Gods of Men Are Falling

 "Christians can't be frightened with 'Heaven'," my old roommate encouraged me with during our discussion after church this morning. Also, to further enhance your daily dose of eternal perspective brought to you by The Occupied Optimist, below is a poem my pastor shared in our church service this morning. I hope it speaks to your heart as it has spoken to mine.

The Gods of Men Are Falling 

by Roda Griffin  (March 21, 2020)  

The gods of men are falling
They’re crashing to the ground
And with the endless tumbling
Men’s lives and dreams are drowned

The gods of men are falling
The house is coming down
We stagger with the pressure
And silence is our sound

The gods of men are falling
The god of health goes first
We’ve worshipped at this altar
Where many find their worth

One touch of blackened illness
Has brought us to our knees
No one is exempted
Indiscriminate disease

The gods of men are falling
The god of sports is gone
Entertainment’s vanished
Pop culture’s lost its song

Hollywood is emptied out
Each resident has fled
The god of movies cannot save
We plead to God instead

The gods of men are falling
The god of leisure’s next
Cruising ships sit vacant
The travel world is vexed

Planes sit grounded from the air
Dream holidays are dashed
We cry over our losses
It happened all so fast

The gods of men are falling
The god of wealth stripped whole
The stocks, they spiral downward
It’s way out of control

Our lover, wealth, abandons
He’s taken wings of flight
Grinding business to a halt
It’s happened overnight

The gods of men are falling
We worshipped them with heart
We gave our souls to their embrace
We served them all in part

We placed our hopes upon them
Entrusted them our soul
We set them up as idols
We followers untold

But...

These gods of men are falling
Empty at their core
Within a day they make their grave
Destroy us by the score

We looked to them for mercy
The love our hearts longed for
But they could never save us
False idols, as they are

And now we see the fallout
Of trusting emptiness
These gods would never save us
They’re lacking every strength

The gods of men are falling
They fall before I AM
The only true, eternal God
Who was, and is to come

They bow before His greatness
Who makes the sun to rise
The One who made the earth and seas
The One who rules the skies

They bow the knee before Him
On their faces fall before
The One who with a Word commands
The One who rules it all

The gods of men are falling
We’ve peeled their layers back
Seen them for what they really are
And all the power they lack

The true God, He is standing
Where the gods of men fall flat
He has been our Saviour
And He is coming back

When all has crashed around us
The house of cards is gone
God will still be for us
God and God alone

This world is just a passage
A temporary home
One day we’ll live in heaven
And worship at God’s throne

No sin disease may enter
No contaminant allowed
No, nothing that’s destructive
Will be part of that crowd

So take heart, dear believer
And when you look around
Don’t be fearful when you see
gods falling to the ground

They were never meant to save you
Or be worshipped or be served
By a child of God like you and me
As though heaven’s here on earth

You’re a child of the Mighty One
Who still sits on the throne
And while the world unravels
You won’t ever be alone

Our great and Sovereign God
Who never slumbers, never sleeps
He it is Who stands beside you
He it is Who your soul keeps

So let the gods take tumble
To reveal the Lord our God
Who is great in all His power
Who is Faithful to His Word

Who is loving, kind, compassionate
The Saviour of our soul
Who surpasses any idol
Who amounts to more than gold

Our everlasting Father
Prince of Peace, the Mighty God
Wonderful our Counsellor
Who is the Word of God

He will never, never crumble
He will never, never fall
Our past, present, and future
He is God over it all!

...And with that my heart cries, "Maranatha!"
Thanks for stopping by today!
Stay Healthy and Safe
and God Bless!

______________________________________________

   More Optimistic Reads  

This Song!

I know I'm supposed to be the optimistic one, but I need to take a moment and process some somber sentiments... It's all over. As quickly as the holidays came, they went. I feel like I've missed them. Traditions are fading, but it's okay. I'm coming to realize that this is just the way things go. Things change...
But what I ABSOLUTELY LOVE about this life is that Christ never does. And that's some truth you can stand on!
_______________
I would like to share with you the lyrics to this old time song I discovered when listening to one of my favorite radio programs the other night called "Night Sounds" hosted by a man named Bill Pearce. Though a rather melancholy sounding song, I have fallen absolutely in love with it, but to damper things even more, I can not find anything online or on itunes about it! It is like a song with no trace! I believe it is called "Cycles" and was sung by a Tenor singer named Johnny Hall according to what the radio host said. Listen, if any of you have ANY information about this song or have heard of it before, I would love to hear from you! I suppose I could contact the radio program to get more information, but anyway, I hope you enjoy the words of the song that I've provided for you down below. Be blessed.

-   Cycles   -

Like the spinning of a wheel that never seems to stop,
all life goes on
Another year, another week, another day, another dawn
and all the many changes that we feed our egos on
are just cycles through which others have gone

on and on
life goes on
you can't slow it down, or stop the dawn
there is birth and growth, there is growth and death
and you're held in that cycle as long as God gives you a single breath
and the most elaborate fantasies that you could ever dream
will not interrupt that cycles perfect scheme

well the one who rules the cycles is the only one to set you free
for sin has made the possibility of death a certainty
so Jesus had to finish out that cycle meant for me
for Gods law demands the cycle be complete

on and on
life goes on
you can't slow it down, or stop the dawn
there is birth and growth, there is growth and death
and you're held in that cycle as long as God gives you a single breath
till you take what Christ has offered you
The gift that's Oh so rare,
Salvation from the cycles dreadful snare

Salvation from the cycles dreadful snare.


What did you think? Leave me a comment down below to let me know! God Bless You! Thanks for stopping by! comment, follow, subscribe and don't be shy!

______________________________________________

   Look What's Trending...  

The Lord is My Pace-Setter

Sharing this with you all because sometimes we need to be reminded of the one who is taking care of us...

-   Psalm  23  for  Busy  People   -

by Toki Miyashiro

The Lord is my Pace Setter, I shall not rush,
He makes me stop and rest for quiet intervals,
He provides me with images of stillness,
Which restores my serenity.
He leads me in ways of efficiency, through calmness of mind and his guidance is peace.
Even though I have a great many things  to accomplish each day,
I will not fret,  for his presence is here.
His timelessness,  his all-importance  will keep me in balance.
He prepares refreshment and renewal  in the midst of my activity,
by anointing my head with his oils of tranquility,
My cup of joyous energy overflows.

Surely harmony and effectiveness  shall be the fruit of my hours,
For I shall walk in the pace of my Lord,
and dwell in his house forever.


a "Japanese version of Psalm 23" published in Guidepost Magazine 

God Bless You! Thanks for stopping by! comment, follow, subscribe and don't be shy!
______________________________________________

   Check These Out...  

Have A Very Merry Blogmas!

-    Blogmas  Day One   .  Last  Normal  Day  of  Rehearsal  For  The  Year !   - 

It's that Blogmas time of year again! Essentially, Blogmas is when bloggers everywhere commit to posting daily material pertaining to Christmas, lasting for 25 days starting the 1st of December and leading up until Christmas! One of the easiest ways for a blogger to keep up with all the Blogmas posting is to simply document one's day. I suspect that posting good content every day isn't going to be an easy task for me, as I certainly don't consider my life to be very exciting, but I'm jaded so maybe you will think so?! Yes, I will post a little bit regarding my redundant dancing-all-the-time-life, but you can expect for me to be posting Christmas DIY's and gift making ideas, holiday recipes, as well as a whole lot of other randomness to keep things interesting on here...so here we go!!!

Blogmas  Day One 

Considering today is only the first day of the month (yay!), I think it would be safe and accurate for me to say that: I believe today has been the HARDEST day of the whole month so far!!!  But seriously! Besides the fact that today is the first day of the month of December, and our last normal day of rehearsing our Christmas rep. before going out to perform for the rest of the month, not much Christmas cheer was to be had today. It wasn't a bad day. It was just LONG and PHYSICAL, but good.

The trainees have already started their Christmas performing season and on mornings when they have to perform and they are not available to clean the Ballet Magnificat studios, I and another company member do it for them. It is a good way to make a couple extra dollars but can be a lot of hard work. Let's just say there is a lot of floor to be covered when sweeping the floors in a dance studio! 

This morning my alarm clock went off at 5:30 am. I left the house at 6:30am for the dance studio to clean it for 2 hours, then my normal dance day commenced. After a time of worship and devotions unto Jesus, at 10:30am we took our hour and a half long ballet class which was followed by rehearsing ALL our Christmas rep all afternoon which included a shortened version of Most Incredible Christmas, Light Has Come, and the four pieces we will be presenting in a Christmas production next weekend being put on by a local church here in town called Crossgates. It was a lot of dancing, but knowing that it's Friday was the hope that got me through!

Immanuel, God with us

A post shared by Ballet Magnificat! (@balletmagnificat) on Nov 29, 2017 at 6:29pm PST

After dance, I was scheduled to assist my dear friend Elisa with more cleaning of a house through her housekeeping business. Gotta save up extra money for the trip to Israel I will be taking in February!  It took us nearly two and a half hours to clean the house. We finished at 7:30pm and by that time my body was SO SORE!

The day could not have finished any better though! Elisa, Catherine, and I (The cleaning team) finished our day with having dinner together with spring rolls. We had a jolly good time and the spring rolls were delicious!

Nothing like a fresh meal and friends to help you recover from a LONG day!

  If you've made it to the end of this post, thank you for reading! I know this is not the most Christmasy Blogmas blog post but I will leave you with this beautiful poem about friendship to warm your heart. In this season of gift-giving, let us not take for granted our friendships. May we recognize this season, how much of a gift each of our friendships are, in and of themselves. 

Be Blessed! 

EVERYONE NEEDS SOMEONE

by Helen Steiner Rice 

People need people and friends need friends,
And we all need love for a full life depends-
Not on vast riches or great acclaim,
Not on success or on worldy fame,
But just in knowing that someone cares,
And holds us close in their thoughts and prayers-
For only the knowledge that we're understood,
Makes everyday living feel wonderfully good,
And we rob ourselves of life's greatest need,
When we "lock up our hearts" and fail to heed,
The outstretched hand reaching to find,
A kindred spirit whose heart and mind,
Are lonely and longing to somehow share,
Our joys and sorrows and to make us aware,
That life's completeness and richness depends,
On the things we share with our loved ones,
and friends.

*As Seen at http://helensteinerrice.blogspot.com/

I hope you have a fantastic and restful weekend in the Lord! 25 days until Christmas! What will you be doing with your time leading up until Christmas? It's a bustling time of year! Stop by for some more daily Blogmas updates from me!  Next week we Ballet Magnificat dancers hit the roads again for Christmas tour! Here's to hoping the rest of my Blogmas entry's are more interesting than this one! Let me know what you would like me to write about! I love you my dear readers!

______________________________________________

   Have You Read...  

A New Year! A New Day! A New Life!

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland." ~Isaiah 43:18-19

A New Year! A New Day! A New Life! 

by Helen Steiner Rice  

Not only on New Year's but all the year through
God gives us a chance to begin life anew,
For each day at downing we have but to pray
That all the mistakes that we made yesterday
Will be blotted out and forgiven by grace,

For God in His love will completely efface
All that is past and He'll grant a new start
To all who are truely repentant at heart

And well may man pause in awesome-like wonder
That Our Father in heaven who dwells far asunder
Could still remain willing to freely forgive
The shabby, small lives we so selfishly live,
And still would be mindful of sin-ridden man
Who constantly goes on defying God's Plan

But this is the Gift of God's limitless love,
A gift that We all are so unworthy of,
But God gave it to us and all we need do
Is to ask God's forgiveness and begin life anew.

______________________________________________

   Related Content  

Wet Feet

 "I have come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly" (Jesus)

~John 10:10

WET FEET

by Leona Choy 

How can I say

I have experienced The Ocean

when only my feet are wet?

Sand between my toes

I slosh about

in the shallows.

Have I no regret

that I haven't tasted yet

the midstream ecstasy

with its current pull

and deep euphoria?

Shallow is safe?

Deep is dangerous?

Oh! The false premise

of humdrum humanity!

I could miss

The Great Everything

by bartering it

for little nothings

safe sedatives

that chain me

to the shore

eroding, consuming

my days, my years

risk free, yes

but with a phony guarantee

while I am lulled

into insensitivity

with my feet only

ankle deep

in The Fathomless Ocean

of Life.

*As Seen at http://leonachoy.blogspot.com/2014/05/more-than-shallows.html

__________________________________________________

   Other Popular Reads  

• The Gods of Men Are Falling by Roda Giffin
• The Lord Is My Pace-setter (A poem for busy people)  by Toki Miyashiro
• How The Virus Stole Easter by Kristi Bothur

God's Hall of Fame

"Now if we are His children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with Him."

~Romans 8:17

God’s Hall of Fame

by Walt Huntley

Your name may not appear down here

In this world’s Hall of Fame,

In fact you may be so unknown

That no one knows your name;

The Oscars and the praise of men

May never come your way,

But don’t forget God has rewards

That he’ll hand out someday.

This Hall of Fame is only good

As long as time shall be;

But keep in mind, God’s Hall of Fame

Is for eternity;

To have your name inscribed up there

Is greater more by far

Than all the fame and all the praise

Of ev’ry man-made star.

This crowd on earth they soon forget

When you’re not up at the top,

They’ll cheer like mad until you fall

And then their praise will stop;

Not God, He never does forget,

And in His Hall of Fame,

By just believing on His Son,

Forever – there’s your name.

I tell you, friend, I wouldn’t trade

My name, however small,

That’s written there beyond the stars

In that celestial Hall,

For all the famous names on earth,

Or glory that they share;

I’d rather be an unknown here,

And have my name up there.

________________________________________________

I Hope you enjoyed reading that gem of a poem that I found

 while surfing online this weekend.

Are you a Child of God? If you are not sure click here.

__________________________________________________

   More Optimistic Reads  

• "The Lord Is My Pace-Setter" By Toki Miyashiro
• "The God's of Men Are Falling" By Roda Griffin
• "How The Virus Stole Easter" By Kristi Bothur