Love Versus Tolerance

18 Dec 2013 18 Comments

by enthusiasticallydawn in Writing Life Tags: , , , , ,

Credit

Love is a safe place.
It is the place
 where all of your puzzle pieces
 spill out-
are not scrutinized
 as they lay vulnerable on the table,
but instead 
gently explored,
held up to light,
put together again
with grace and dignity intact…
Tolerance believes you need fixing.
Love says, “Beautiful!”
Tolerance says, “Acceptable.”
Love embraces. Always.
Tolerance shakes the hand, 
is cordial-
but only at a distance. 
Love smiles, 
brings relief, leans in close.
Tolerance shrugs, nods, scurries away.

Love reads between the lines, listens without words,
fears not silence.
Tolerance speaks often, without ears.
Listens not, never hears…
the heart.
Cares not.
Really.

Love acknowledges the whole.
Tolerance accepts a part. Reluctantly.
Keep your “tolerance”, have it your way.
I’ll take love, hands down, any day.
For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. 
Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
1 Corinthians 13:12


Linking with dVerse for the return of OLN 2014!
Linking with Emily for Imperfect Prose.

And with Jen:

and with Tracy:

And with Jennifer:

and Marissa:

Reading List: Cozy Reading Spot

and Create with Joy:

If I Had a Ton of Money

15 Nov 2012 14 Comments

by enthusiasticallydawn in Writing Life Tags: , ,

If I had a ton of money, this is what I’d do…
I’d hang up my workout tights
and move to a zoo
(yes, like the movie)
I would hire lots of folks to care for those pets
 I would most likely hire a live in vet

or two…
If I had a ton of money
I’d hop on the next plane
But wait-
I get fearful so instead
I’d take a train
Where would I go?
Not exactly sure
But my girl has a hankering
to see a little more
If money was no option I guess I could say yes
when she mentions for the umpteenth time
New York for the “Best”-
New Years Eve and overnight,
my head hurts thinking ’bout
that unholy sight
If I had a ton of money there’d be peace at home
without the interruptions of that noisy phone
ringing off the hook
I’d pay back every loan
but the bills add up
as we moan and groan
If I had a ton of money
I’d buy my mom a place
 anywhere she wanted
 with breathing room,
   and space
If I had a ton of money,
our pets would have the best,
of care and food and needed meds
and all of the rest
love will have to do
when times are tight
when your teeny, tiny zoo
is quite a sight,
and vets cost a lot; so does food
it seems so sad
when you have to choose
Some people don’t get it
not at all
they haven’t lost a thing
Haven’t had a fall
I’ve had my childhood stolen away
but in the end I gained new life
when I found The Way

I have seen death
steal the last breath
of the one who loved me most
which put my faith to the test-
to my shame
 I was her boast

she deserved more…

If I had a ton of money
I’d give it all away
to whoever needed it,
watch as it would fly away-

money sprouts wings…

If I had a ton of money
I know I couldn’t buy
back my old friend, Steve,
or the answer to why
God gives and takes away
 this I know is true-

If I had a ton of money
what would I really do?
Spend my days at this keyboard,
 between visits to my zoo.
I’m too late for a date at dVerse!
but linking with Emily and more anyway !

the imaginary garden with real toads

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Just When You Think Your Ducks Are Safe

20 Sep 2012 16 Comments

by enthusiasticallydawn in Writing Life Tags: , , , , ,

Photo Credit
Now listen, you who say, 
“Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, 
carry on business and make money.” 
Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. 
What is your life? 
You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 
Instead, you ought to say, 
“If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.” 
As it is, you boast and brag. 
All such boasting is evil
There I am with my ducks lined up. 
I am starting to think that all things are possible. 
I’m so busy looking at my ducks and lining them up, 
I don’t realize my downward gaze. 
My shortsightedness. 
Well, they were lining up nicely. 
Until suddenly someone came and blew those little ducks right out of the water. 
I am standing, soaking wet feeling silly for my foolishness. 
Humbled in a moment.
 Why must it always come again and again to this? 
And there I am longing for heaven, right in the midst of the mess. 
Wondering how the messes seem to mold themselves into
 the perfect storm for the season of my life. 
I forget. 
Oh, I despise that I forget His promises in an instant.
 Forget He is sleeping just below deck. 
And I am watching the waves and cursing the storm, all to my shame.
 He rises and rebukes the wind and the waves, 
yet I am not so easily calmed.
Because ducks are supposed to line up, right?
Then I realize I have been so busy planning that it is 
Wednesday when I am reading my Monday devotional and dumbfounded, 
I read the words…
“You will not find my peace engaging in excessive planning: 
attempting to control what will happen to you in the future. 
That is a commonly practiced form of unbelief. “
~ Sarah Young in Jesus Calling
I sit straight, the words stinging me upright.
I absorb the blow.
Am awed and humbled.
I have been planning and lining up my ducks and missing something.
Unprepared, though He wanted to prepare me
 in my quiet time for the storm brewing, 
unknown to me.
The Eye of that storm Sunday, settled over our home by Tuesday 
and I was taken by surprise.
Because I was busy with my ducks. 
How they were lining up so nicely.
Now they seem so insignificant really.
Because the Maker of ducks and me, 
really is in the business of lining up the ducks just right.
And sometimes when I am lining them up, 
He needs to blow them right out of the water to set them aright.
I want it to be easier.
I want it to be neat.
I want those ducks in a row.
I want the peace that comes from my planning.
I want the security of seeing my ducks in a row.
Yet I know it cannot be so.
Because I am not guaranteed tomorrow.
And sometimes ducks are distracting.
So I lift my gaze to the one who has ducks, 
storms and all in the palm of His hand.
He leads me again and again lately to Psalm 121.
It’s as if He is really asking me to own it in my heart.
That I might truly believe from my core that which I profess. 
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—
    where does my help come from?
 My help comes from the Lord,
    the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:1-2

Oh, Lord I know better.
Forgive my unbelief.
 Perfect love casts out fear. 
Help me believe where I doubt.
You are faithful.
You are perfect. You are love.
Lord, help me to trust You, in the weak places, 
where I rely on self instead of your grace.
May you help each one today who is trusting in anything 
else but your grace, to be free of that which hinders them
whether, doubt, fear or unbelief. 
In Jesus Name. Amen. 

Summer Drive

18 Jul 2012 8 Comments

by enthusiasticallydawn in Writing Life Tags: , , , , , , ,

Blue sky stretched open like 
a long anticipated invitation
trees line my drive
sunshine caressing branches of grace
that spill shadows
onto black tar
leading me
onward
mind driving faster than the speed limit
open road
 smooth
“It’s That Girl, Again”
Basia croons
and indeed I’m lifted
through the sun-roof
soaring
pondering a million thoughts
unconstrained
as wild and suicidal
as those birds
daring across four lanes of 60 mile an hour metal
and certain death
and I ponder how death 
can be merciful
at times
But why should things that fly die?
And who dares death on a day when sunlight brings 
effortless smiles and easy pleasantries
One hour and 40 minutes of driving
God is my passenger
or is He driving?
The only thing on my radar are questions…
like why should anything die without meaning?
How is it that car rides turn into philosophical journeys?
I’m all alone with Him and now
20 minutes of silent dialogue with The Creator of All 
and I wonder and pray
about the meaning of even this very moment
and realize 
it’s all fragile
like the spider’s web 
precariously made
torn down by morning
and the sun’s rays reveal destruction and hope
He rebuilds again
yet my heart aches and yearns beyond
this moment
this existence

I wonder if my own inner darkness will spill over like tree shadows…
I want to tear down my own web…
rebuild it
escape the darkness
of the unknown
another week of wondering if he will break
if she will turn
if love is faithful
when the cash is low, the tank dry and nowhere to turn
all darkness
and all feels squeezed
ribs closing in
can’t breathe
But still, returning
to 
it’s good…

©Beneath The Surface: Breath of Faith/Dawn Paoletta

…she welcomes bad weather, she remembers how life really is.
“She’s back, it’s that girl again
Saying, all is good and well
But why is she looking so pleased
After all that has happened?

And yet she has the time of her life
Forcing us to smile, to be kind and glad
To welcome bad weather
But we know better how life really is
She’s demanding too much

It’s that girl again preaching how to love
(That girl)
What’s more, she suffers fools gladly
God knows, why? And annoying us all
But has the time of her life”
Lyrics by Basia
Sharing and celebrating with dVerse Poets and Imperfect Prose

A Magical Day (Re-Post) Mother’s Day Celebration Post

10 May 2012 9 Comments

by enthusiasticallydawn in Writing Life Tags: , , , , , , , ,

All glorious is the princess within her chamber;
her gown is interwoven with gold.
~Psalm 45:13

 It started out as an ordinary day. It was supposed to be one of those “productive me” days. The kind you know needs to happen because, it’s that time of year again. The word vacation has less power over me as the last few weeks of Summer have been squeezed slowly out of my planner pages.
That next month (September) keeps appearing as I plan the days ahead and all that needs to be done by D-Day (1st day of school). So with all this in my mind, of course I had my TO DOs for today completely mapped out. After all, I am, if nothing else, obsessively, compulsively organized. In a most disorganized way. At least on paper I look pretty organized, thanks to my Planner.
But somehow paper planning and reality have a way of missing each other and leaving me
miffed in the midst of it all.
Today that was a beautiful gift.

Today, my planner had not accounted for the magical day that would unfold, to my wonder and joy.

“Mom, will you please let me see your wedding dress?”
pleaded my daughter as she looked at me with what I call her Junior Mint eyes.

Um, I am thinking…not in the plan…warning, warning.
I flashback to Robot in “Lost In Space” (doesn’t take much for me).

She has become a fan of the program “Say Yes To The Dress” and she wanted to see how mine measured up. Until today it has been hanging in our garage.
 It has been in the zipped tight gown bag since our honeymoon.
Today that gown emerged and made our mundane day a very magical one, indeed!
Of course she wanted to try it on.
The excitement and pure glee my daughter displayed as she posed,
primped, giggled and posed some more were absolutely priceless.

It is amazing to me how a wedding gown makes every girl feel beautiful, precious and royal.
 Like a princess. 
Special. 
Prized.

Princess Katherine Grace
Even if she is all or any of those things…there is something intoxicating,
 wonderful and heady about a wedding dress.

A wedding dress has the power to make the one wearing 
FEEL embraced by beauty.

When I text-ed the pics to my hub, he almost had a stroke!
But my girl and I had a million laughs as our afternoon became magical.

The day got more interesting later when my mom returned home
and wanted to know why my dress was hanging in the hall.
After looking at the pictures we had taken, she mentioned her gown and I immediately
(me being the Keeper of the Photos) retrieved her wedding photos to show Katherine.

Mom poses with her Wedding Gown photos

You know, we never did make it out for all the errands.
But what my planner can’t show, my heart does reveal.
It is well with my soul. 


Today I had a plan.
I had my To Do Lists written.

But today instead of my plans – 
I received
 a better thing.


 A beautiful gift.
 A magical day…and for that I am thankful.

 

The Dress on the Big Day!



We topped our magical day off with an appropriate movie
 tonight: Cinderella! 
It was just the way that we rolled!
On my scale of great Mother/Daughter days,
this one will go down as memorable!

The king is enthralled by your beauty; 
honor him, for he is your Lord.
~Psalm 45:11
* Stay Tuned this week for a Mother’s Day Giveaway! 

Linking my Magical Day post with Emily’s over at Imperfect Prose…
AND Jennifer @ Getting Down With Jesus!

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