Getting Settled

Everything in life has a lesson attached Whether we like it or not It doesn't have to make us feel good We don't have to like it But there is something to learn Something we should have done better And can start improving upon today A shinny green mini bucket loader Basking in the sun with a bucket half-full of firewood An abandoned gas station with a lot still full of old cars and a few trailers A new gray van pulling a horse trailer Much too slow along the back roads Long strands of golden brown hay Lazily flattening and perking up in the breeze As I walk around my nice clean apartment I know there's something I forgot The dishes are done And the beds made Maybe there's an appointment I missed Or a bill I'm supposed to pay Maybe I forgot to brush my teeth How embarrassing would that be! A tiny pink doll stroller Left out by the mailbox by the road Bright white lines painted along curving, cracked roads And the barely visible double yellow center line A bobble-head...

Oh, how I love Those onions They put So spar-in-ly On my burger I want to save And I want to go out Be one of the guys Live a little Be responsible, for the future And have something for my hard work But it tastes so good

Today, there's nothing to do Morning coffee and breakfast Then shower, shave, brush teeth, and take my vitamins But there's nothing else to do today Except the morning dishes And the trash And dusting a few places I never seem to get to Even though it's sorta clean, The sink, toilet, shower and floors maybe need it But I need more to do today I might get in a work-out or two A brisk jog in the afternoon And some push-ups before bed But then what, still nothing I could organize my filing cabinet Or call my sister or mother But I probably won't So today I might just take it easy And watch some sports

Is easy When you're alone Or when somebody might be watching It's sorta quiet And deafeningly loud It's green, purple, and blue And sad when it rains It's following along And fitting in It's making new rules And remembering old friends It's something you work at Every single day It can come easy, But it's not misunderstood It's there for you Including everyone It's just the best The best there is

We worship the conqueror of sin That's respect Being good doesn't always get you what you want Don't be bitter Yet not I, but through Christ in me Let us close in prayer We all have sin debt No matter how hard you try, nobody can live a perfect life Every day we sin in thought and can not control this But we believe We try our best to live a good life by worshipping the Holy One Being a part of the community and helping others And thus we our debt is forgiven And we are asked to celebrate Living joyous lives

Has been clogged for months When I wash my hands Or brush my teeth Even shave It fills up with soap scum and hair and paste It drains in like and hour, sometimes bubbling up and leaving a smelly residue I've poured a whole bottle of drain cleaner Down there One portion at a time I have a plunger That does nothing Over and over I've tried Again and again it remains clogged Until one magical day I found the perfect angle with the plunger And with a plop And a glug Water flowed freely again The clog was free And my bathroom was back

 I dislike struggling for everything I have in life I respect and appreciate the value The good things have I also wish to avoid the fight If I can, if only I could I know that everyone wants the same thing What is good, what's great I am a hard worker The struggle is real And I choose me I'll be around, as myself Working hard and showing respect for what I get A soapy, spongy scrub For every small detail and curve The wide, long hood And the intricate trunk Suds rile up the black dirt Swirling about the paint, shimmering in the sun And slowly dripping to the ground beneath That moment When all your hard work pays off Years and years of blood, sweat, and tears Fits Things work out the way they are supposed to It's not an explosion of success It's a slow drip of satisfaction That's going to last Maybe a minute, maybe a lifetime We got it and we are glad Buckets of fresh water must be filled And carried from the house To be drizzled and splashed and filled again Hopef...

Finally, I don't have to come in early Or stay late Just to get everything done My days off are for resting I can sleep in We have all the help we need There's no more stress Of filling two positions Calling for help when there's a line And everyone else is busy We have someone now Before work I can drink my coffee And read the news After work I go for a walk or work out Just like the doctor recommended It's getting better and I'm glad

Hate is when someone doesn't like you For no reason They don't give you a chance Because they already know everything They are too busy or don't care or are just plain mean A flimsy sign for a local concert is bent all the way to the ground As the wind suddenly swells up all around The air is thick and heavy and brooding Rolling black clouds rapidly cover the once clear blue sky and hide the full moon previously in view It's gonna rain Any second now Hate ruined my day But I got over it Because there are nice people out there Smiling faces and cheerful voices And that's what counts

I need my snacks They make me feel better And help me sleep I don't drink or smoke I exercise and eat right Mostly, except for snacks I'm suffering for no reason All I need to do is walk to the kitchen Open the pantry and grab some chips or popcorn Withholding is a stress I don't need in my life right now I don't need to lose weight or improve my physical health What I need is my moment to be happy, to be relieved But I choose well I do the right thing Tomorrow is another day My sleep will be fine With or without my junk food I will wake up refreshed and pleasant Tomorrow is another struggle With that which I should not do With that lazy, casual feeling that it's fine But I will win I am good And I'm doing what's right

I have a use for all my clothes Everything I've bought And been given And acquired Looks good until I've worn it out I have nice clothes and casual clothes But nothing just sits in my closet or dresser I have backups of everything in my pantry And weeks worth of food in the fridge and freezer Nothing gets wasted or goes bad Most days I eat leftovers Most portions are precise I have new shoes, old shoes, and pretty worn out shoes Ripped and broken shoes go in the trash I have what I need And rotate accordingly until everything is worn out I've removed everything I don't use or need Collecting dust in storage Because it's good to be useful

That first bold step onto the pavement along the side of the road The crisp, fresh, afternoon air, and the bright, warm sun blazing down upon your face as you head out In this short-lived journey of health and adventure Your breath thickens as you mechanically place one foot in front of the other Thinking about what's for dinner and how refreshingly pleasant everyone was today And nothing really Except the struggle Tired feet, half-way through or even better Stumble along the grass where the terrain isn't quite flat, but a much needed escape from passing cars Care that sometimes glare, sometimes smile about living life Living longer and better, one step at a time, one day at a time One last mad dash back home to the telephone pole designated as the ending point Dripping with victory Pouring with life

I feel fat Society tells me I'm doing OK I hear good words But when I look in the mirror I know I could be doing better I could be eating healthier meals And having fewer snacks Exercising more regularly And pushing myself harder I'm not going to live forever But I want to make it count I feel good Right now

I'm gonna play through the pain I'm on my feet all day every day For work My weak knee needs to cooperate I've been working out Strength training and cardio That's what pushed me over the edge Caused me to go weak The only way out is through I can't take time off And I'd rather not stop exercising I want to build muscle Victory over weakness

The last remnants of summer still waft int he air Sneakers fall firm on the hard pavement Beneath the glow of the just bright enough street lights The silence is broken by two cars creeping past with headlights that temporarily blind until you look away for a second, but can still see in the darkness for a moment after they've passed A quite couple mumbles beneath their porch light Just off the main road in town The lights begin to fade and darkness is left A whimsical fear is seen but not heard The chill up the arms and down the legs feels rather nice, refreshing even A quickened pace brings the beginnings of a dampness of the forehead Quelled by the night and the chill of darkness before it began Crickets play a constant symphony of noise in the night Ending as it began In the light, near the cars Safe and sound

May he strengthen your heart so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of the Father The King of glory The Lord giveth and blessed is the rock Free from the folly of sin In whom there is no deceit Disciple or learner In silence try not to sleep When breath and heart slow from a life of constant motion Sing songs of joy To witness is to bring others to a life changing event We're not all that we can be Jesus went to a wedding with his mom At the wedding they almost had a disaster when they ran out of wine Jesus saves the wedding by turning water into wine A wedding, which is the promise between two people to hopefully remain together forever in continual joy, was almost ruined And ordinary wedding, water, was turned into a spectacular event, wine, by the presence of eternal goodness People need this thing in their lives to turn the ordinary into extraordinary To make promises last and remain true Forever

I've waiting all my life Going this way and that Chasing that which is shinny and desiring the plain and ordinary I've been discouraged and persevered Through the good times and bad It's meant to be I know it in my heart At the sight of her presence I feel light and joyous I grow taller and stronger I can smell every small detail Fitting puzzle perfect into place I feel in my soul It's meant to be I've full of light and loving I sing the praises of good works Everything I've had before and into the future Is good, nothing but good, so help me Find the way to believe it really is happening The beginning of forever The end of nothing It's meant to be Everyone will know There's always gonna be negative thoughts that creep up and assault us Doubts that whine and fears that electrocute the senses That's all meant to be And matters to me Because I care Now and forever