A Jasmine Blossom

The sweet perfume of thy petals

Will accompany me this day

Invigorating my soul

Strengthening and guiding my way

Given by the loving hand

Of a pure and radiant heart

A reminder of His constant grace

This living work of art

Your intoxicating fragrance

In an instant transports me

To the pivot of my essence

The threshold of His Mercy

Your fragile, delicate blossom

Will slowly wilt and die

But the glory of your fragrance

Is beyond the mortal eye

Gratitude With Every Breath

It takes challenges to recognize success

It takes experiencing illness to truly value health

It takes struggle to find and appreciate peace

It takes poverty to understand the responsibilities of wealth

When I can't breathe, when I can't see, when I have no energy

I pray to God for insight, for strength and my heart lifts

For I realize that a life without tests would defeat the purpose of living

And I am grateful for the tests, for the challenges, for the struggles, for they are all gifts

Listening for Wisdom

There is a calm reverence found in quiet reflection

Moments caught, captured, cherished

The gentle rhythm of air filling and exiting the lungs

Listening for God's confirmation

For wisdom's manifestation

When it comes, it is a whisper of insight

A soft urging, a tender knowing within our hearts

If we are patient, quiet, open, we will hear

We will pull into reality a tiny spark

A gentle glow in the dark

If we take this tiny epiphany and let it grow

Feeding it with contemplation and meditation

Until it is manifested in change, learning, action 

We will find that we have the tools to face any test

We will find that we are truly and utterly blessed

Photo taken by my dad (Kevin Trick).