Xapa to the World

Category: Christian Living

Poems relating to life as a Christian.

  • Poem: The Heavy Moon

    December 11th, 2006

    The night is falling around me,

    As the colors of the sun sink below the line of trees.

    My spirits are down tonight,

    Thinking of unfulfilled dreams and distant goals.

    Inability and incapacity weigh my heart in the evening.

    Feelings incapability and stagnation are deadening.

    I sigh, and turn around the car to drive back home.

    Out of the corner of my eye, I notice a light.

    Natural and serene, but present just the same,

    I toss my glance to the side and see the moon.

    My old friend. 

    He is fat and plump stationed in the sky.

    He has the color of a pumpkin aging gently.

    Seeing him makes my heart leap,

    For he is a dear friend and a messenger from God

    Reminding me of His love and care. 

    The world around me seems to melt away,

    Then suddenly it fills back in like the light of the stars,

    Or waves crashing on a rocky cliff. 

    I thank my friend for his delivering the message

    And kiss at the sky to my Papa

    And drive home feeling lighter than the heavy moon.

    Sarah ><>

  • Poem: Time = Clarity?

    November 8th, 2006

    “Timing is everything.”
    So they say
    And every day I live, I find out
    How true it is.
    These past couple of years are spent in haziness,
    Like the fog outside,
    Filling in thegaps of the trees.
    Reminds me of the cotton in a
    Bottle of pills.
    No, this is softer, less coarse.
    It’s pleasant to my eyes, my mind.
    I love the fog.
    I know, some point, it will become clear
    But I’m enjoying sitting here,
    Ignorant of what’s 30 feet ahead of me.
    All I see is me, fog, and the near distance.
    I feel a Presence, beyond my sight,
    I know it’s You.
    And I love it.  I love, love – love it.
    Is seeing clearly asll it has to be?
    Or can I be content in this
    Pea-soup dream of a reality?
    I think I can.  Should I?
    Only time will tell.

    by Sarah ><>

  • Poem: Watching the Air

    May 20th, 2006

    Two spectators enjoying the day –
    A beautiful sun and gentle breeze,
    Both watching the planes
    Coming in and out.
    We want so badly to be up there too,
    But I’m on the ground and
    His wings are too small.
    So we’re sitting and watching,
    Content to be landlocked with the sky high above.
    I sing out a song
    His chirps fill the air –
    Both grateful to be alive
    And listening to Brandenburg play from my car.
    Someday we’ll both get our wings.

    Sarah ><>

  • Poem: Presence in a Storm

    May 17th, 2006

    Something about a storm makes me
    Feel the presence of Yahweh.
    My God – Papa – His name fills my mouth
    As sweet as honey.
    The thunder, the lightning…
    It’s all Him, nothing more, nothing less.
    His strength blowing against the trees,
    Making them bow down to Him,
    Their creator.
    The rain announcing His omnipresence,
    He’s always there, washing us over.
    It’s overpowering – the sound of the
    Millions of drops, echoing and falling.
    Constant drop, drop, drop, drip, drop.
    I’m chilled inside by the eerie feeling of the air
    Yet warm by the understanding –
    He’s here and I’m nothing.

    Sarah ><>

  • Poem: Loneliness Vs. Truth

    November 30th, 2005

    I don’t know why
    Every time Christmas rolls around
    Why I’m reminded of a solitude
    Which habitually hangs over me.
    Of all things to think about
    It’s my least favorite.
    Give me anything else,
    Even natural disasters, and I’ll be fine.
    This feeling is not just my own,
    But shared by the whole of humanity.
    A nagging feeling inside that
    Whatever the circumstance, situation,
    We are alone.
    Yet, I know I’m not alone!
    This pain that creeps into my heart each winter
    Is not brought by Truth.
    It is an attempt to supplant my hope.
    It is a tactic by one who terrorizes the night
    Who seeks to take our focus off of
    The One Who is forever with us
    And put it on us,
    Sinners stuck in a sinful world.
    This is loneliness, but it is not Truth.

    Sarah ><>

  • Poem: I Remember

    So, a couple of years ago, my college group was sitting down for its Bible Study on September 11th.  I forget which day of the week it was…seems like Sunday…and earlier that week, I had printed out a list of all the guys from Ohio who had been killed in the war.  We sat and read through each name and then had a moment of silence.  It was really moving…at least for me.  And then I wrote another poem…per norm.  Here it is:

    I Remember


    September 11th, 2005

    I remember how it felt –
    The disbelief, the awe –
    With the smoke pouring out
    Of the tall, strong towers.

    I remember the fear
    That crawled onto everyone’s face,
    How the hair began to stand
    And sleep failed to come.

    I remember the hatred
    That filled many walls,
    Even those with Your Name
    Plastered and painted in gold.

    I remember the sorrow
    As the many died
    And our boys put on uniforms
    Fighting for us abroad.

    I remember the looks
    On faces, first stunned,
    Then numbed and
    Then, forgetting their purpose.

    I remember it all
    And I shudder at
    How quickly we all fall
    And forget our despair.

     – Sarah ><>

    Have YOU forgotten?

  • Poem: Beautiful Feet

    July 25th, 2005

    I’ve looked at the mountains many times
    And been captivated by their beauty.
    They stand majestic over all of creation,
    Looking down, casting a shadow on the land.

    My heart’s dream would be to climb
    And hang on the very top, shouting out –
    Shouting out God’s glory and praise to the world.
    No doubt my feet would be dirty and pained,

    But You’ve called them beautiful! These feet,
    They’ve carried me halfway around the world for You.
    They’ve walked through mud, dirt, filth, water,
    Anything You’ve placed before them.

    But the Message empowers the body
    And any pain I feel is only the aching in my heart
    Of wanting to climb that grandiose mountain.
    “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news.”

     – Sarah ><>

  • Poem: Just For One Day

    This poem was also a challenge given by the poet’s community.  The challenge was to write a poem about what we would want to do if we had one day to do anything.  The format was not set, just the theme.  I had many things I would like to do…so I put them all in here:

    Just For One Day


    July 23rd, 2005

    Just for one day, I could dream many things.
    What would I give a whole day for?
    Is there anything I desire so much for?

    Yes. Just for one day, I’d like to rest
    In the arms of a man who loves me.

    Just for one day, I’d like to know
    That all my waiting hasn’t been for nothing.

    Just for one day I’d like to fly so high
    I swear I could never fall down.

    Just for one day, if I did come down,
    There’d be someone there to catch me.

    Just for one day, I’d like to know
    That true love really does exist.

    Just for one day I’d like to be
    All that God wants me to be.

    Just for one day, I’d like to be strong enough
    To climb the highest mountain.

    Just for one day, I’d like to love completely
    Without any strings attached inside.

    Just for one day, I could dream many things.
    What wouldn’t I give for a whole day
    For anything I so much desire?

     – Sarah ><>

    PS.  I wrote a new poem last night!  First on in about 5 months!  🙂  Maybe it’s coming back!  🙂

  • Poem: He First Loved Me

      Here is a poem that I particularly like.  The title should strike a cord with my Calvin-buddies out there.  🙂  No, that’s not really a just statement, because regardless of whether you lean Calvinist or not, you have to acknowledge that God loved us first because we were made by Him, and knew Him not until we were created.  He loved us before He made us.  Isn’t that wonderful?

      When you read the first part, it looks like it doesn’t fit, but at the time of writing, I was struggling with having just come out of a relationship, or something of the like.  I can’t remember.  God has blessed me with a short-term memory to some heartaches in my past…without taking away the lessons learned.  But, as always, my introspective self sought to determine my motives for serving God.  Several came to mind, which are mentioned below.  But God’s still, small voice…his gentle whisper…comes through and reminds me that I am not my own and would be lost without Him. 

      I had a discussion with my boss yesterday about how hard it is to think that good will come from bad events in our lives…yet, God promises us that He will make good of them.  It’s hard to see…and somehow, God has graciously helped my heart bypass doubt that the bad will turn good, and when something bad is happening, I am already looking with hope to the good…whatever it may be.  I know that not everyone is able to do that though…so I am grateful for it.  BUT, back to the conversation…we discussed some of the bad things that have happened in her life, and I pointed out some things that I noticed as far as good that has come from those things having happened to her.  It was neat.  She said that with the things that have happened in my own life, she’s surprised that I didn’t turn out more wild and unruly than I am. 

      I think it was Billy Graham who said that the reason God made him a preacher wasn’t because he was such a good guy.  It was because he is capable of such bad things that God decided to keep him on a shorter leash than others.  Maybe that’s how it is for me.  I’m no better than anyone else, but I’m certainly capable of some evil things.  I reflected that thought in this poem.  I hope you can relate to it as you read.  Thanks!

    He First Loved Me

    July 19th, 2005

    I feel I’ve let You down again.
    I was walking around and got distracted
    By the handsome faces
    And beautiful words. Oh, I flutter at those.
    I asked myself, “Self, why do you
    Do so much for God and His Cause?”
    Some thoughts in me cry, “She’s weak!”
    “She’s too good!” “She’s afraid!”
    Ah, fear. Yes, I do believe that’s a big one.
    I stay with God because I’m afraid of what my life would be,
    Without Him.
    I do fear the world, though I discreetly hide it.
    I fail to open myself up for fear of
    Being sucked in and lost in the morass.
    Or worse! Afraid of being hurt…
    But one thought does speak softly,
    It sticks out in the meekness of its nature.
    “Because you love Him.”
    And I think – I love Him because He first loved me.
    Yes, so I will take my rest in those words.
    “He first loved me.”

     – Sarah ><>

  • Poem: Faded Glory

    May 26th, 2005

    This place which You created,
    The earth I call my home,
    Is a beautiful workmanship
    That calls me out to roam.

    Every eyeful I receive
    Brings my thoughts closer to You,
    But it’s all a faded glory
    You’ve told me this is true.

    No matter where I go
    I see it and I know,
    There’s something greater set apart
    For this race of man, dull of heart.
    I hear it in my ears,
    And I feel it in my tears,
    Both we and earth were made for more
    and so this heart of mine implores,

    Take me to the place
    Where Your glory’s clearly seen
    Where my heart is just as rest –
    Yes, I know I’ve never been

    But it’s right where You are
    And my heart won’t hold the scars
    Of the brokenness I felt
    When I left You and fell.

     – Sarah ><>