One

 A brief reflection on Loss

~ One ~ 

My love, you grew old along with me

those years will never be forgotten

our joys are printed in my heart

your hand print on my palm

We walked long winding paths together

some were in sorrow, most in gain

the pain of losing you is bitter

but the memories sustain

My holding of our love has changed

as you have changed, have died

tucked in a pocket of my soul

your echoes now reside

Til death they will abide there, with

wisdom, strength and memory

dwell unseen reminding me

loss can transform anew

to blossom on with joy!

JoMae

6/14/21 

When I wonder that I’ve scarcely wept after so great a loss, I must remember this - that I’ve had a love like none other whose echoes sustain me still and have become the soil in which I can blossom on.

Braiding The Remnants

 ~ Braiding The Remnants ~

I am braiding the remnants of

our almost 60 years together

the lion’s share of our days

on earth - our sweet duet

Some memories fade as age takes hold

some, stay bright as that day first told

some, thin strings, weave in and out

barely an echo hovering beyond 

refusing to be conjured up

Each day I braid another row and

wrap them round and round to

tie the rug on which I dance

anchored by the echoes of

~ Our Song ~

JoMae

7/7/21

February's End

~ A Field of Dancing Daffodils ~ 

Celebrating the end of February

knowing that spring is not right

around the corner, I thought to

share this cheerful field and

add a touch of color to the

snowy views burying so

many northern friends

JoMae
2/27/21

Seeing these  fields in Holland many years ago, brought to mind William Wordsworth’s ‘host  of golden daffodils’… 

 I WANDERED lonely as a cloud 

That floats on high o'er vales and hills, 

When all at once I saw a crowd, 

A host, of golden daffodils…

Replanted

~ Replanted ~

In the valley, in the shadow

sheltered from the storm

my lines have fallen in

a pleasant place for

one to grow and

blossom once

again

Thanks be to Godde

-JoMae

                    2/6/21

Widowland

 ~ Widowland ~

a nightmare gradually transformed  into

a world full of  new beginnings  where

before remains flowing in your veins

as after slowly opens, takes you in

to bud anew, to blossom beauty

to gently create  new life joy

deeply rooted in the soil

of your lost love

JoMae

1/2/21

“a beautiful place called the land of beginning again.”  

 This last line of  SO WE BEGIN AGAIN, by Jeff Blake

written New Years Day 2017

became the prompt for

Widowland

Empathy

Photo by Elizabeth Spoelhof

~ A Touch of Empathy ~

Lee stepped into the break room with a smile on her face. In part the mask she wore in public, partly real. The room was empty of any other workers, so making a coffee, she relaxed to savor the silence in a busy day. Deep in thought, she was surprised to look up and see Jim, from sporting goods, walk up. She’d met him and his wife at the last get together. A really pleasant couple.  What she didn’t know was that before meeting Mel, Jim had lost his first wife to cancer. He knew the pain first hand.

Having heard about the recent death of her husband, Jim sat with his coke and told her how sorry he was. That he knew how hard returning to the realm of work could be. How disorienting the world must seem as she made her way - now on her own. He spoke as one who had been there and told her that he had. They talked.

The relief of speaking with one who had lived her grief and understood what she was dealing with, poured through Lee.  She didn’t cry, but as they shared this moment, she recognized the unique gift of this man’s kindness. That something special was happening. When break was over and he stood to leave, placing a hand gently on her arm in a heartfelt wish for strength and comfort, encouraging that time would heal for her as it had for him, she knew the moment would live on.

And it has. Joy in life takes many forms. Not long after this encounter, Jim was transferred to another city. Their paths never crossed again. But the empathy of that caring moment does live on. It marks a spark of possibility, of new beginnings bursting from the ashes.  A pivot. New potential delivered through the gift of caring. A gift offered by one person who did not shy away from the awkwardness of reaching out. Did not succumb to the silence born of not knowing what to say. 

For Lee it was a touchstone of the love she long had known. A rekindling of hope that happiness would someday return. A glimpse that the sadness of loss would not reign forever. An affirmation in her heart that life was not over, more gifts would surprise her and she could begin to trust and expect them to appear. 

Now several years on, she still recalls that day when in a moment raw with grief, somebody understood. At a time when it seemed impossible to look forward to anything, when life was just going through the motions, when anticipation seemed a lost art, one man’s empathy touched her core and became a small step in turning life around.  In time sadness did begin to fade, enthusiasm for life slowly returned and the art of anticipation blossomed once again.

JoMae

11/13/20

Presents

~ Presents ~

Savour the Savior

embrace the gift

whose life brought

heaven to earth

whose Presence turns

deep sadness into joy

as surely as a seed will die

in bringing forth a flower

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The meaning of Christmas is embedded in Easter

and in life lessons demonstrated by Christ

Jesus taught with words,

with action and with attitude

showing love, respect and mercy

modeling dignity and justice for all

JoMae

12/24/14

10/23/20

Wishing you some quiet moments between the unwrapping of presents and the laughter of celebrating, to ponder Christ's Presence. And give thanks. -JoMae

Godde our Maker

~ Creator Godde ~

it is You who have made us, not we ourselves

You have molded us in Your likeness with

lives made to love, honor and respect 

You entered our lowly realm to model what

our lives should look like as images reflecting 

Your Holy Self, imperfect human mirrors of Divine 

~ Perfection ~

 oh how we have failed to show our love to

You, our Maker, Redeemer, Friend - how we

have failed to love our neighbors as ourselves

please Godde, make us see our blind shortcomings

make us value others as we do ourselves, guide

us to own respect and justice for all, to love as

~ Godde our Maker ~ 

JoMae

9/25/20

"Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture."  Ps 100:3 KJV 

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Psalm 100:3 as memorized in childhood, came to mind whiile listening to a message recently where the pastor asked Godde our Maker to make us...  My musing led to this small prayer.  Enjoy!

Summer's End

Good Morning World!  

I love to watch my street wake up just beyond front windows as I enjoy hot coffee with my reading this crisp 50ºs morning.

~ Summer’s End ~

(draft)

It is Saturday morning and people are out

with the sun on their back and their dog

on a leash, walking - brisk in warm 

sweaters - this ’taste of fall’ day

first the walkers with their dogs

then serious bikes ride past

 while roller blades fly by

dancing skate boards

  finally small kids -- all 

eager to breathe in

fresh  crisp  air of

~ Autumn ~

even an electric

wheel chair with a 

flowing white beard

speeds by - I wonder

were smaller wheels

once his? Does he

smile behind his

wild whiskers

~ Remembering? ~

(by now 

sun warming

sweaters shed

I should grab my

stick and join ‘em!)

JoMae

9/12/20

A view from my city window this chilly bright morning. Enjoy!

Reflection

~ REFLECTION ~

ONE

Family

the Trinity

three persons 

reflecting the other

Beloved Holy Godde

A loving marriage is 

also a reflection of 

each other and

the Godhead

a family

One

JoMae

3/20/20

Suddenly Solitary

~ Aging Alone ~

I used to see old widows suddenly on their own

and wonder what she did all day alone inside her home

and now I know

I find something fun to read, to make me laugh aloud

I read a psalm to frame my prayer

I think of some old friend to let them know I care

I stumble on a thought provoking article and write my feelings out

I read a novel to travel worlds away and back again refreshed

I study life long interests and ponder new development

I write to sort out all that I am gaining

I’ve learned to gather via zoom and even study there

my days fly by

Another’s list is different. We’re each unique

yet I’ve learned beyond death’s loss

life can be complete again 

JoMae

9/2/20

This morning I was reading an article totally different from these thoughts yet it triggered a need to stop and capture these first lines as they popped into my head. The rest poured out like a brain burp.

Change - Exchange

~ Change - Exchange ~

in each moment of change some familiar is lost

sometimes our choice, yet more often not

as we adjust to each fall let us recall

that embedded in change, exchange abides

deeply tucked into loss, a gain resides

a hidden seed prepared to sprout

like a spark in the ashes ready to glow

may we know, be aware, prepare, take heart

find hope against that day of unsought change

be open - with time - to watch for, welcome and

unwrap the surprise present offered in

The Gift Exchange

JoMae

11/14/19

Presence

~ Presence ~

Beloved Parent, Holy Godde

monarch,  comforter and friend

thanks for your sure presence in

this day. Please bless these hours

grant peace on fear along my way

may wisdom rule in all I do or say

thank you for sweet sunshine

after cold rain of yesterday

thank you for a morning 

pouring promise on

my prayer

JoMae

4/23/20

As If...

~ It was as if… ~

Godde split me open

took home my other half

then pulled me kicking and

screaming into a blessed 

new chapter of my life

Thanks be to Godde

JoMae

3/23/20

Night Visit

~ Night Visit ~

you were lying on your back

tucked under the covers
slightly turned away

totally at home

in that old blue thread bare
tee you often wore

did you yield to an ethereal 

craving for a moment in

your old familiar bed?

I rolled over in the night

saw you lying there and thought

oops I’m in the center crowding him

moved back a bit to give you space

content as if returned to our old normal

only to wake in the morning and realize

your visit was but a sweet dream

a sweet and welcome vision 

an echoing of warm routine

once commonplace and

~ Real ~ 

JoMae

5/2/20

Listening

~ Listening ~

Listening to Godde

who is listening to me

~~~~~

You listen to my heart’s pain

as I pour it out by name

Most Holy Godde

 I listen in the silent quiet

remembering your 

royal presence

knowing I am loved

knowing I am held

a beloved child

 Later, when the blessings flow, and

a thought or notion starts to grow 

I know Your Hand, is guiding me

as with a calmer heart I listen

and give thanks

JoMae

4/19/20

The thing is, so much of prayer is listening to Godde listening to us.  Sometimes, when prayers seem to go unheard, we may be unaware til later, that we’ve been heard - then, seeing an answer, recognize connection to our plea. 

Our answers may not come in words - or according to our timing. They may not be in the form requested, but we can trust that blessings will be there as surely as new seasons come again - and sunshine after rain.

Listening to Pastor Anthony’s sermon on Psalm 102 1-11 from 4/19/20.

Christmas Presence

CHRISTMAS

PRESENCE

May the

gift

of

Christ's

Presence

be

Present

Within

You

Always

JoMae

12/07

This small greeting was first created as a handmade book mark on parchment backed by firm colored paper.