We are at odds with ourselves

We make choices.
God allows.
The promises He makes
are true.
He is forever
faithful.
But us?
We are at odds
with ourselves.
We question.
We see one thing
and yet another
Never the same
it appears.
Our faith is weak.
We falter,
we fail
to keep our eyes
our heart
our mind
on Him
who knows us
beginning
to
end.

Cathy Orrick Luders 

2.7.2011

The Day

The Day
Each moment
No
not each
but
many
combined
becomes
a day ...
of
light.

The Day
God created
from nothingness
and
is given
to us
who
God created
from dust.

The Day
a gift
Each day
The dawning
Sunrise to Sunset
returns
to us
Bringing
opportunity
to
be and
become
fruitful.

"God called the light Day and the darkness He called Night. So the evening and the morning were the first day." (Genesis 1:5)

"And it was so ... And God saw that it was good ... And He rested ... And He blessed" (Genesis 1-2:3)

The Day.

The tree

The tree
silver
barren
lifeless.
beauty
gone?

The tree
still.
To gaze upon

turning
turning
fading
in and out

The tree
a glimmer
hope radiates
each branch
each strand
each needle
to another

a highlight
a memory
long ago
forgotten
dreams ...

The tree
like a prism
bright
in
noon day sun

do you see?
the colors
playing
the golds
and reds
and turquoise blues
and greens

Silvery blue
like wide open spaces
sky
with storm
looming
and
cool swift water
lazily
flowing
over rocks
and stones

Bright green
like fresh grass
and flowers
budding,
bursting forth
in
springtime
beauty

gold
the fabric of life
born and reborn
and born
again
The richness
of God's grace
springs
eternal

red
embers glowing
stop.
Be mindful
Reflect
Listen
to your heart

The wheel
round and round
spinning
specks
of light
travel
up and up
to the top
and down
again

Warmth
and
coldness
together
apart

"To Everything
there is
a
season
a
time
for
every
purpose
under heaven."
(Ecclesiastes 3:1)

The seasons
continue
begin
and stop
again and again

"That which is
has already
been,
and
what is to be
has already been. ...
that which
has been
is
what will be
That which is
done
is what will be
done."
(Ecclesiastes 3:15, 1:9)

One season
to
another
We live
We die
We live again

The tree
Is it lifeless
Is there no beauty
Is there meaning
or has it been lost
Is there peace

In a world of so many

In a world of so many
You are so alone
Standing
Sitting
Walking to and fro
No one there

God above sees
Watches
You and you and you

In a world of so many
You think you are alone

But God
Waits for you
Still patient

In a world of so many
You need not be alone

God can be your friend
Your father
Your love
Your heart

In a world of so many
You needn’t be alone

Reach out and touch
The one
Who died for your very soul

In a world of so many
You are so alone
So lost
So incomplete
So afraid

In a world of so many
You think there is no one
Who cares
But you are wrong

In a world of so many
God is
Still

Yesterday
When you were alone
Today
When you are alone
Tomorrow
What about tomorrow?

Cathy Orrick Luders
1.15.2011

God created ... He is ... It is enough

I do not understand.

I see
what is written

I hear
what is spoken

I listen
to God's spirit
within me

I study
His word

I seek
His purpose for my life

I find rest
from the days' struggles
Through Him
in music
soothing to my soul
in worship
in prayer
in fellowship

I rejoice and thank Him and praise Him
in that it is my soul
as much as yours
He came to save
Through His Son
Through Jesus,
The Christ, The Messiah.

But still,
I do not understand
why You,
IF you really believe in God
and of God
Why would you not believe
Jesus and God are one?

God created.
Period.
God gives life
And He takes it away.
Period.
The miracle of birth
is because of God.
God created.
The stars, the planets,
the mountains and valleys,
all that is and was
and is to come --
God created.

He is more,
above and beyond more.
God created.
This is His world,
His creation.

How dare we put God
underneath us?
How dare we claim
to know more ...
oh we know so much ...
what we believe we think is true.
How dare we?!

Before us
There was no us.
God created.
Before the earth was formed,
There was no earth.
God created.

God is
Today
Tomorrow
Yesterday

God spoke
To prophets
and apostles
Men and women
And speaks still
To you and me.

He is
He was
He always has been
He continues
He came.

God can do
and be all,
at anytime.
God created.

He planted His seed
In Mary, the young girl
engaged to wed Joseph
And Mary gave birth
It was prophesied
Isaiah foretold
what the Lord would do
who the child would be

"for unto us a child is born,
unto us a Son is given;
And the government
will be upon His shoulder.
And His name will be called
Wonderful,
Counselor,
Mighty God,
Everlasting Father,
Prince of Peace."
(Isaiah 9:6)

God created.
He is.
Jesus is.

It is enough.

Cathy Orrick Luders

1.10.2011

"I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me." (John 14:6)

"...you believe in God, believe also in Me." (John 14:1)

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3:16-17)

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vine-dresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit, for without Me you can do nothing." (John 15:1-2, 5)

Christmas is present

Christmas is past,
 yet
Christmas is present.

It is at Christmas
believers portray
 the reason
for the season.

It is at Christmas
we are reminded
of God's promise
and God's gift.

God came,
to help us
out of our misery.

God came.
He came as the baby Jesus.

The miracle.

The promise.

Not just at Christmas,
but throughout the year.

He is here.

He has come.

Let's rejoice.

Let us live
with Him
in our heart
and soul
and mind.

He is here!
He has come!
Jesus!

Amen and Amen.

He is my shepherd

The Lord
He is my shepherd
... He can be yours too
He knows me
He knows you

And I know Him
more and more
closer and closer
The relationship deepens
He is always near

But we
are not

When we go
our own way
Follow another path
a road we think
will bring us more
- of what we're unsure -
But when we seek
other avenues
The relationship falters.

He still knows you
He is still near

But you have moved away
and the relationship with
The One
that matters most
is no longer.

He is my shepherd
He knows me
He is always near

And I know Him
more and more
closer and closer
and the relationship
deepens.

Cathy Orrick Luders

12.27.2010

"I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own." (John 10:14)

"The Lord is my shepherd; I have everything I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the dark valley of death, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You welcome me as a guest, anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings.  Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the Lord forever." (Psalm 23, New Living Translation)

When The Lord calls

When The Lord calls
your name
whispering softly,
"Come my child,
your room is ready."

You go,
ready to depart now
for a calmer place
nearer to Jesus
barely aware of what is
left behind
ties of family,
friends too
Tiredness
overcomes you
and God's
still small voice
is what you hear
and what you
answer to

"I'm coming Lord.
I'm coming home."

and those who remain
face remaining time
without that physical presence
but memories linger
and the Lord --
He is nearer still.

Cathy Orrick Luders

12.24.2010

"Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to myself; that where I am, there you may be also." (John 14:1-3)

Jesus is the gift ... the best gift of all

What is the gift?
The gift we seek
The one to give another
The one another brings

What is the gift?
Is it love shared
a sacrifice made
Together
or alone

What is the gift?
on this
Christmas Day?

Who gave the gift?
Who gives it still?

It is NOT Mr. Claus
It is NOT
that one in a red suit
and white beard
who shakes when he laughs
who comes but once a year
and makes you think
he knows what you want
and will bring it too.

No.
It is NOT Mr. Claus.

It was and is LOVE.
It was and is a sacrifice.

Jesus is the gift.
The one we seek
The one we share
Love come down
from heaven above

Cathy Orrick Luders

12.23.2010

"For Unto Us" .....



"For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6)

May you be richly blessed this Christmas!

Look down, Look Up ... to Jesus

Look down where He lay
born amongst animals
no room at the inn
to His mother, Mary,
a virgin
uniquely chosen by God

Listen to the songs
of Jesus' birth
Away in a Manger





Look down where He lay
Hear the quiet, the stillness
See the sky
a star-filled sky
with one just ever so bright
To show us
where He lay

Look up
in the sky
to the heavens
where the Lord Jesus
reigns
He sits at the right hand
of His Father

Son of God
Son of Man

O Holy One
O Holy Night



Look down where He lay
Look up where He reigns

Set your mind on things above, on Jesus
and you will find the way to true joy.

Cathy Orrick Luders 

12.12.2010

Outside looking in

Outside
looking in
What do you see?
Who are you who sees whatever it is?

Do I speak in riddles?
Does God
Is the Bible
a jumbled conglomeration
of words
mismatched
discolored
out of sync?

I read
I study
I listen
I read again
I remember
I write
I ponder
I read again

Enough you say, you think
But no, it's not enough
Never enough
The Bible
God's Holy Word
offers insights
anew
every time

Don't stop now
The best
is yet to come
The best
began with creation
The best
continued with Abraham and Moses and David
and Solomon and Ruth and Paul and Peter

The very best
is Jesus
God's son
Born of a virgin
Living among us
Died for our sins

The very best is Jesus
who rose from the grave
and sits at the right hand of God
who sent the Holy Spirit
to live within each of us
personally
upon our acceptance
of Him,
our Savior, our Redeemer, our Lord, Jesus.

Outside
looking in

Who is outside
What is outside
Who is looking in
and who sees?

Cathy Orrick Luders

11.26.2010

You speak

You speak.
silently,
sometimes softly
sometimes ever so loud
but not with words
spoken.

sometimes written
sometimes in art
the snapshot
the painting

sometimes
the way we walk
how our arms hang
how we stand

tells, says all.

sometimes
our view, our vision
of our life
and of another
is seen
through eyes
downcast
flashing anger
wincing with pain
bloodshot with tears

sometimes.

You speak.
Does no one hear
your pain
your cry
your need
Will no one listen

What am I to do
you think

I too was there.

Many have come and gone
Some have stayed
in place,
lost still
and alone.
Others,
maybe you
have gone on,
found the missing piece
of this puzzle of life.

For God
can be your shield
your protector
your guardian

He will hear your cry of distress
and He will care
He will direct your every move.

He will listen
to your pleas
He will put gladness
in your heart
and lightness to your step.

He will give reason
to trust
He is merciful
and loving
and worthy of praise
and thanksgiving.

He is kind,
yet judges righteously
He is Truth
He is honorable

He instructs
provides insight
leads us to
and through
places we are fearful of

He will save you
He will bring you
a gift ...
a singular gift whose value is priceless ...
The gift of eternal life.
One you cannot repay
Cannot earn.

A gift to accept
and live.

Cathy Orrick Luders

10.23.2010

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9)

To Know

To Know
To Live
To Be About
yet aware
of the future outcome
when Jesus returns.

To not fall
down in a heap
To not remain
desolate and filled with despair.

To know
... more than head knowledge
... more than thoughts
... more than responses from other people.

To know
the true meaning of life
To find
our way, the way
to Jesus

To not be afraid
To reach out
To grasp hold

To reflect
on where and what we are
where and what we have been
where we will go
what we will be.

To see
beyond our eyes
into our heart.

To review
and remember
Bible prophecies of old

To believe
the promise of the Holy One
To accept
His love for you
His gift of salvation

To live
renewed
re-nourished
reborn
... a new life
... a new beginning
... a new you

"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (John 3:16-17 NKJ)

To search
To find
To believe
To accept
To know
To live

Do you search?
Have you found?
Do you believe?
Have you accepted?
Do you know?
Have you been reborn?

To know more about accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior: http://windowtochristianministriesiniowa.com/ReflectionsOnJesus.html

God knows

"God is God. He knows what he is doing. When you can't trace his hand, trust his heart." - Max Lucado

God knows
what He is doing
Not I
I barely know
what I am doing
only surface things
they seem
are of consequence
But not so
God knows
what I am about too.
He knows
my comings
and goings
where I've been
and where I've still to go

His purpose is
not always mine
My goals are not
always His

But He is
and I am only a
fragmented
piece of His creation

It should be enough
to rest
in His loving embrace
and be
at peace.

Cathy Orrick Luders

9.27.2010

Memories of sadness

Memories
Sometimes not so good
The day a loved one dies
The events
Leading up to that moment

Sometimes
It is the day
The actual day
Like Tuesday
Sometimes
It is the date
Sometimes
It is something
Special just the two
of you did together
Sometimes
It is a fragrance
An item of clothing

Sometimes
The memory
So invades you
Nothing matters
And
No one can
Touch the hurt away

Although it surely helps

Sometimes
The need
To be with another
Escapes us
And
We are stuck
With ourselves

Oh to go away
Eventually
It will,
It does.

The not so good memories
Move over
Leaving room
For happy and carefree moments
Of another time
Long gone.

Cathy Orrick Luders

9.22.2010

In Memory of

My Mother

Mae Stoner Orrick

July 31, 1910 – September 23, 1996

Yesterday

8:35 p.m.

Won't go away
Bothersome
Moments past
when
nothing
No pain
No unrest
Moment or two or more past
... many yesterdays.

Try
to put
thoughts
toward Jesus

Sometimes
hard
to do

Movement here,
there

Twinge
of pain
striking
vengeance

Don't like
where I am

Imagine
uncountable more
don't like
where they are

Seek
comfort
envelope self
within
God's
sheltering wings

Swim
head swaying
not to any tune
don't want to fall

Comfort
fails
Can't find release

Restricted.

Am reminded.

We are
one in the spirit
We are
one in the Lord

...in life
in death
in life ever more

A time will come
A season
Tomorrow

May never like
where we are
but
with Jesus
we have
hope
for a better
hereafter.

Cathy Orrick Luders

9.13.2010

Video by Jars of Clay

Anxiety is a bit unsettling

Anxiety ...

Grabs hold
Whips us off center
unsettling it is.

Give in
Give up
Forget it.
No use

Lives to live
Ours to live
For whom
For what
For why

Anxiety.

I must,
as you
give it all
to the Lord. ...
Every anxious thought
that creases the pages
of my brain

It is no wonder
my head
aches so.

The Lord knows
what we have need of ....
and what we are to do
about it -

we are
to pray
and trust
and then wait,
fore it will be given
in His time.

So we must
do this ...
we've witnessed God's answers.
He does not delay.

                                                                                                              Cathy Orrick Luders

9.7.2010

The calm before the storm

Still.

Calm is the air
before the storm
brewing
in the morning sky
shatters all
in its path.

Cathy Orrick Luders

7.4.2010

The love of God

The love of God
is not that same love
that revolves between
individuals interacting together

The love of God
came
as Jesus came;
as He became
... a human being

The love of God
is joyous communion
through
His Beloved Son, Jesus
It is a commitment to
fully engulf oneself in
all that Jesus is
and does
at all cost

The love of God
goes forth
subjecting to any and every
misinterpretation
and
prejudice

The love of God
withstands all
is above all
and through ...

Because of His great love
for me and you
all of mankind
we too go forth
subjecting ourselves to all
in the world
but not living the same.

The love of God
surrounds us,
completes us,
reminds us ...

We are one with Him.

The love of God
accepts us as we are.

The love of God
commands us
to love another
just as He has loved us.

John 13:34 --"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another."

Cathy Orrick Luders
3.17.2010

The ground is emptied

Not many days past
the ground cover
was snow.

Not the
pure white freshly fallen
variety
that beautifies
God's glorious landscape
But
the filthy dirty
kind
that sits around,
reminding us
of a fallen world
filled with
sin and misery

The ground
covered with snow
is emptied...

God's creation --
the Sun --
its warmth
enveloped the earth
bringing about
a transformation,
a renewal.

A soggy mess
of brown
and dull
gives way
to glorious greens
of grass
and wondrous arrays
of colorful flowers
buried deep
within the
crevices of the ground
winding their way
to the top ...
searching.

Just as we.

Jesus came to earth.
He was born to bring us life.
He lived among us.
He died to set us free.
He was buried.
He rose again.
He lives.
He reigns.

So we too can live.

Cathy Orrick Luders
3.16.2010