bfwriting

[bfwriting]

The Ashes of Life

By Lorna Blackford

The ashes of my life

What can I do with the ashes of my life?

Have I truly rejoined the dust of the earth so soon?

These ashes appear worthless.

A structure erected upon ashes can do nothing

but subside into the ground, a waste of effort.

~

I turn to God, giving myself fully to Him.

With God, all things are possible.

Even ash can become stone again.

He uses the Holy Spirit to fuse it all together;

God promises to make me anew.

~

The ashes of my past become the rock,

the firm foundation upon which

Christ builds new life, my life for Him.

I am reborn, the old self dead and buried with Him.

I become a new creation, belonging fully to God.

~

What once was ugly, scarred, and misshapen

takes new form through God’s grace.

I have been resurrected.

In mercy he has looked upon my life

and found me beautiful within.

~

I have come through the fires

which burned the chaff from my life,

leaving only the precious golden wheat.

He used the fires of my life to remake me

in His image once again. I am rectified.

~

Now fully His, He has

fanned the flames of faith within.

But this firestorm is His

and burns brighter than

the flames of this world ever could.

~

The ashes of my past life are melted down.

From the ashes, I am restored to life.

He used the ruins of my old self

to build a firm foundation, His foundation,

upon which my new life will be built.

#Lorna Blackford #poetry #writeblr #writers on tumblr #my writing #poets on tumblr #our writing #women writers #christian poetry #presbyterian

[bfwriting]

The Power of Four

By Lorna Blackford

How does God accomplish

things in this hour?

Does He act in power?

Does He depend upon us, the weak?

Does He use His people

both the bold and the meek?

~

He is one – the three in one.

Many times, his hand touches

this world as the 3 + 1.

He is the three, who is the one?

I am the one. You are the one.

We are the one – the Church.

~

Does God love only His followers,

the body of Christ?

No – we are all His children.

Caring for a few does not suffice.

Whether we remember him or not in our rush

to live life to the fullest, he has not forgotten us.

~

He is one – the three in one.

God as Father, Spirit and Son.

Many times, His hand touches this world as the 3 + 1.

We know the three, but who makes it 4?

I am that one. You are that one.

We are that one – those who listen.

~

What do we listen for?

We listen for Him to send us.

Those who sit in stillness to know that He is God,

He shows us how to help others bear their burden.

Whether their pain is obvious or hidden,

our call to search them out is not in doubt, it’s certain.

~

He sends us for the broken, in desperate need of the love of God,

for those who stand in their own way of feeling His ever-present love.

What does it take to reach those

who feel forgotten, unloved and downtrodden,

who can’t see God reaching for them?

It takes the 4, not less, nor more.

~

This world depends upon you

whether it understands it or not,

whether it accepts you or not.

It needs those who have found the peace of Christ,

those who have felt His loving embrace through the Spirit.

It needs you; it needs me; it needs us.

~

It takes all 4 – we are the hands of Christ!

Let us use these hands to embrace

our neighbor in love, in forgiveness,

leaving judgement behind,

spreading God’s loving power

to brighten the future of this darkened hour…

~

He is one – the three in one.

God as Father, Spirit, and Son.

We add to him to make the four.

Together we are so much more!

I am that one. You are that one.

We are that one – let us act as one.

~

God calls us to act – to BE His

love in this broken, divided world.

Live your life as He has taught us through the Word.

Let God’s Word speak out to all

through the work of the four: Spirit, Son and Father.

With us in the equation it can go faster if not farther.

~

Let His word guide us to bridge

the gap between us, His children.

If there is no bridge – then use the Word to build one!

Father + Son + Spirit + children:

Let God act through the power of 4.

Apart, we feel insignificant; together we are exponentially more!

#hands of christ #god's call #Lorna Blackford #writeblr #our writing #my writing #women writers #poetry #writers on tumblr #poets on tumblr #rhyming poem #christian poetry #presbyterian

[bfwriting]

The Master Sculptor

By Lorna Blackford

I had my boundaries all drawn in darkly.

I had worked for years, carefully,

Painstakingly outlining my present, my future.

Trying to ignore the roots of my past,

Trying to hide myself from the Truth.

But there is no hiding from You.

You came bringing change.

You brought pain, confusion.

You brought laughter and joy.

You took my life, drawn in shades of gray,

Shadowed and dark,

And with your crayons, your colored pencils,

You colored outside the lines of my life.

You took that which was dark and dreary

And breathed new life into it, into my being.

The well-worn paths of my life were cut off.

~

Color suffused my being:

The red of pain, of anger and frustration,

Depression drawn in the darkest of blues.

Even as I hit rock bottom, I looked up to You

And saw skies drawn in pastels

Calling to me; reaching toward me;

Drawing me up out of the mire of my life

And painting a new road, a new path to follow.

Hazy and indistinct at first, still it called to me… it still calls to me.

My future, once so carefully planned

Has become a nebula full of color and light,

Swirling in new directions, carrying me

To places unseen, previously only dreamed about.

~

I relinquish control of my life into the hands of the Master Sculptor

To shape, to mold me into what You wish for me to become.

The light You shine into the darkest depths of my soul

Drives away the last vestiges of black, of gray.

A myriad of colors play and dance before me,

The future You promise as I follow Your path.

No longer seeing the dark, or seeking the dark,

My eyes are now drawn to the light.

I move boldly forward, bold as the colors

You have used to correct my path,

To obscure the dark lines I had drawn. I am set free.

#Lorna Blackford #faith walk #poetry #writeblr #writers on tumblr #my writing #poets on tumblr #women writers #christian poetry #presbyterian

[bfwriting]

I Am, You Are

By Lorna Blackford

When I am broken, as my past comes back to haunt me,

feeling lost and empty, a shadow of my former self,

aching with a sense that life’s too much to be borne,

in anguish, I cry out to You

and I am, You are.

~

You are there, strengthening me.

Your presence cutting across the static in my mind,

muting the voices that tell me I am not enough…

As silence descends,

I am, You are.

~

You are the Father guiding my steps,

picking me up when I fall, wiping my tears away

and wrapping my heart in Your tender embrace.

The judgement of the world falls away

and I am, You are.

~

You are there with Your Word, which You write upon my heart, singing a song

of Your grace and forgiveness, as a parent crooning to their weeping child.

With tremulous steps I push out into the world again, uncertain…

but I will trust in You and go where You tell me,

because: I am, You are.

~

You are the light for my path, my rock and strong foundation.

With You, though the world rocks around me,

though blows fall upon me from all sides,

I will not be shaken

for I am, You are.

~

You are the source of my understanding, my lens through which to view the world.

My focus shifts and I see the pain of the people,

lashing out at what is good and wholesome in the world,

at those who follow You, who live in hope

that I am, You are.

~

You are the creator of heaven and earth, the conqueror of evil and death.

One who waits with open arms to offer forgiveness and healing

to those who cry out, maybe not knowing to whom they call…

To whom do we cry out? To You,

for You are the great I am

#Lorna Blackford #writeblr #our writing #my writing #women writers #poetry #christian poetry #writers on tumblr #I am #I am poetry #presbyterian #original writing

[bfwriting]

What I Believe In

By Evelyn Blackford

I do not believe

In fairytales of old times

Dead and gone fore’er

~

I do not believe

That the hope in this wide world

Is a dead-end cause

~

These statements don’t match

But both can be true all the same

As light and dark reign

~

Good and evil times

Are always transpiring

Somewhere in the world

~

You just need to be

Able to see the whole truth

In reality

~

I believe in this:

There is a careful balance

Between good and bad

~

We all go through life

Tiptoeing between the lines

Hoping we step right

~

We have the power

To choose which side we are on

Whether right or wrong

~

Decisions define

Who we are on the inside

And where we will stand

~

So choose carefully

The future of your world is

Depending on you.

#Evelyn Blackford #poets on tumblr #poetry #my writing #writers on tumblr #writeblr #women writers #haiku poem #haiku poetry #haiku study

[bfwriting]

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

John 13:34

The Holy Bible(ESV)

#christian #presbyterian #holy bible #bible quote #religion

[bfwriting]

The Twelve Days of Disney

By The Whole Blackford Family+1

On the ___ day of Disney, my Disney gave to me... 12 hours of driving 11 Disney meals 10 sleepy bus rides 9 closed rides 8 bottles of ice 7 dwarves a mining 6 night time shows 5 pins to trade 4 hours of waiting 3 hours to nap 2 tired feet And a star that we can wish upon.

#song lyrics #parody #12 days of christmas #disney #writeblr #writers on tumblr #our writing #poetry #poets on tumblr #repetitive #The Blackford Family

[bfwriting]

What Kind of Person Am I?

By Evelyn Blackford

What kind of person am I?

I say embrace emotions

As my masking smile is fried

And I can't remember last I cried

Oh what kind of person am I?

~

Saying everything's ok

Is just how I get through the day

The happiness in me has died

Oh what kind of person am I?

~

They say deceit’s a great offense

As I lie for self defense

And I can't escape this cage I've built

The lies I've made are based in guilt

~

As my veil has finally fell

I've fallen out of this untruthful spell

~

The feelings I have tried to hide

Are here to stay no matter what I've lied

So better just embrace the pain

‘Cause all my work has been in vain

~

My emotions are jumbled

And I still haven't cried

But I can handle these things

Most of the time

~

Remember a smile isn't all that it seems

It can hide one's doubts

And dull one's dreams

~

But if one drops the act

And stops saying they're fine

One’s problems are faced

One step at a time

~

I've dropped my masks

I'm true to myself

Though I still haven't cried

Please tell me, what kind of person am I?

#Evelyn Blackford #women writers #writeblr #writers on tumblr #my writing #poets on tumblr #rhyming poem #poetry #song lyrics #original song

[bfwriting]

Don’t try to Run

Inspired by Leviathan!Castiel in Supernatural

TW: Dark Themes

(Please Don't Read Mom)

By Evelyn Blackford

Stay with me,

don’t try to run.

Your help has gone.

It’s time for fun.

~

Your help has run,

we’ve scared them off.

Don’t try to run,

we might get rough.

~

Running is futile

Don’t try it, you’ll see,

That this isn’t the worst,

Of the horror side of me

~

Your help has run,

we’ve scared them off.

Don’t try to run,

we might get rough.

~

Our body decays

As we search for another

Your loved ones are taken

Their souls we shall smother

~

Your help has run,

we’ve scared them off.

Don’t try to run,

we might get rough.

~

This darkness inside

has eaten us whole.

The terror, you fear,

will swallow your soul

~

Your help has run,

we’ve scared them off.

Don’t try to run,

we might get rough.

~

Don’t try to run.

Just give up.

We smell your fear

like it’s poured from a cup.

~

Stay with me.

The end has come.

Your help has gone.

It’s time for fun.

#tw dark themes #Evelyn Blackford #poetry #poets on tumblr #writeblr #my writing #writers on tumblr #women writers #horror #terror #supernatural #leviathan castiel #castiel #spn related #song lyrics #original song #please don't read this mom

[bfwriting]

She Flew with Bright Colored Wings

By Evelyn Blackford

She flew with Pure White wings on her back,

As she blew into this world.

She flew with Pure White wings on her back

As her life’s story was unfurled.

She flew with Bright Purple wings on her back,

The sky a brilliant hue.

She flew with Bright Purple wings on her back

And her smile was quite the view.

~

She flew with Brash Green wings on her back,

As she watched him fly with others.

She flew with Brash Green wings on her back

As she wished that he was hers.

~

She flew with Cold Blue wings on her back,

Her tears as cool as ice.

She flew with Cold Blue wings on her back

As she realized not all were nice.

~

She flew with Bold Red wings on her back

As she tried to contain her rage.

She flew with Bold Red wings on her back,

For they judged her by her age.

~

She flew with Hot Pink wings on her back

With her heart aflutter beside her.

She flew with Hot Pink wings on her back

As he did not leave for another.

~

She flew with Dull Grey wings on her back

As she learned he could not be saved.

She flew with Dull Grey wings on her back

As the cost could not be waived.

~

She flew with Sick Yellow wings on her back

As she heard the battles’ roar.

She flew with Sick Yellow wings on her back

As she was drafted for the war.

~

She flew with Rich Orange wings on her back

As she found comrades in arms.

She flew with Rich Orange wings on her back

As she sounded the alarms.

~

She flew with Warm Peach wings on her back

As she was told she could go home.

She flew with Warm Peach wings on her back,

Since she no longer had to roam.

~

She flew with Soft Pink wings on her back,

As she found a family once more.

She flew with Soft Pink wings on her back,

As she held a child she’d do anything for.

~

She flew with Deep Red wings on her back,

As her family she did defend.

She flew with Deep Red wings on her back,

When she realized this was her end.

~

She flew with Pitch Black wings on her back

As her life’s story had been told.

She flew with Pitch Black wings on her back

As she was gone before she was old.

#poetry #rhyming poem #repetitive #tragedy #writeblr #my writing #writers on tumblr #women writers #a life well lived #a life short lived #Evelyn Blackford #color analogy

[bfwriting]

Belief is a Tremulous Thing

By Evelyn Blackford

Hope may be the thing with feathers,

But Belief is a tremulous thing,

And as the fabrics of time unweave,

It changes and changes and changes

As the devout doubt and the idle believe.

~

The ones who doubt are the ones,

Yes they are the ones that change things,

They are the ones that do.

They want things to matter,

They want things to be true.

~

The idle believers do nothing.

They "know" things are as they are.

They think they've done their duty;

To have no doubt in their cause,

Rather than bringing forth beauty.

~

The doers are shamed for their doubt

Even as they make the world a sweeter.

The idle ones revel in praise,

As they dampen the devout ones' actions.

The good ones fall, the evil raise.

~

So tell me now, which is better here?

To believe wholeheartedly

And do nothing?

Or to doubt it all

But do work in the name of something?

#poets on tumblr #poetry #writeblr #writers on tumblr #my writing #women writers #christian #a question of faith #presbyterian #Evelyn Blackford

[bfwriting]

My Life and My Love

By Evelyn Blackford

I love 

Oh how I love 

I will love till the end of my life, 

to the ends of the earth. 

I love the scorned and 

I love those who have an abundance of it. 

I love my family and my friends, 

my acquaintances and even, yes, my enemies, 

though it is hard and hurts to do so. 

I love and I love 

and it sustains me 

and it kills me, 

gives me hope and brings me pain 

and I love to my benefit… and detriment. 

I love those I will never see again. 

I love those who are gone. 

I love. 

Oh, how I love, 

I will love to the ends of my days, 

and beyond.

#poetry #poets on tumblr #life and love #love in my life #My Life and My Love #christian #life #writers on tumblr #my writing #writblr #presbyterian #Evelyn Blackford #bfwriting #women writers

[bfwriting]

A Tale I Did Not Tell

By Evelyn Blackford

This is a tale I will not tell Nor have I told And am not telling now. I sat with a girl I did not know In the house we’d shared for years. We told tales there of tomorrow And what yesterday might hold. We sang to music without words We wove stories we’d never heard We wrote the script of an Improv show Me and the girl I did not know. We lay on a bed we did not own As we ate melted ice cream cones. Who were we to sit there though? Do not ask us, for we don’t know. We listened to things we did not hear And spoke of things we did not know We contemplated on our year As friends we did not know. As this is a tale I did not tell And have not told Nor am I telling now, You may not believe the things that befell In the house we’d shared for years. If there is a lie I told In this nonexistent tale It would be the girl I did not know For I knew her very well.

#poetry #poets on tumblr #my writing #writeblr #writers on tumblr #rhyming poem #rhymes for kids #Evelyn Blackford