Month: January 2022

Open me up to receive 
your goodness and let 
my mind and soul move 
in the direction of giving 
help and goodness to others.  
It is easy to get distracted 
in this busy life.  We have 
what is good beyond 
measure in this country
 and still waste resources, 
fighting each other instead 
of helping those in need 
here and abroad.  Help us 
to overcome this deficiency.  
Let us bear the cross
 as true Christians. 
 Amen

Steve Haarman aka Stanaki

The truth is known, but
It is kept quiet for it 
Does not serve one’s purpose
To have it in the open
It is raked up like 
The leaves in fall and
Put in the plastic bags
That time will not decay
It serves the general purpose
Of the one who wishes control
Followers do not question
For how would they know?
They have trust in the false god
Will follow him everywhere
Over deserts and thin ice
They really have no care
But they notice, slowly,
Things are falling apart
The order they are used to
Is fading away; the crumbling
Is about to start and now they
Wonder where they went wrong
The love they had is gone like
Echoes in a song and they fall;
They cry; and then blame
Will things and times be the same?
Where is the truth?  Who has 
Kept it hid and why did they do so?
We are in a grave situation which
Didn’t have to be.  Lying and cheating
Prevailed, there is no mystery
We know; we knew; and we ignored
Denial was a pleasant thing
Now we have chaos and insurrection
Nothing was true that was claimed
It was just a power trip for those
Who carried the flames and we
Saw what happened and stood there
Those in charge did not care as
Their purpose was served, yes
They rolled the dice, then spoke
Out as though everything was nice
And now we are paying the price
When will we ever learn?

Stanski 
January 17, 2022 ^

I try to get better

Try to settle my path

But interruptions of

Faith, desire, and ground are

The main streams of things

That keep letting me down. 

The gift of life is amazing and

Something of which I had no part

But mine is mine and the

Living of it is up to me

Yours is yours and waiting for you

Systematic corruption subdues

Then you search your mind

A critical thing and you endure

Realize the things you must do

You miss your chance, take a pass,

Realizing you are not that far

From exceeding beyond expectations

Begin to realize the importance of life

To waste it would be foolish,

But so many of us do, with regret

It does not mean life is over

There is still time for us yet

It takes the trying and

The settling on a plan

The showing up; the execution

Soon you are on your way

It may seem like a Merry-Go-Round

But finally, you get your grip

You may think you are going nowhere

But slowly you are moving step by step

The way it goes for most of us

And the thing that is amazing

A new appreciation of living

We notice the amazing

Delights of nature and how

Life moves on without us

We laugh, we think, and we cry

Find we have some regret

But what we have is solid

That is a sure bet

Stanski

January 16, 2022

There are many kind,

considerate people

in our midst. 

We should appreciate

and imitate. 

To do so

would add to

the beauty of

our world. 

Too many are

dour and

suffering depression

and cannot see good

when it is looking

them in the face. 

Today is a gift. 

There is much to do

and many people

who need to be served.

And many words

To be written

Stanski

January 15, 2022 ^

There are many kind, 
considerate people 
in our midst.  
We should appreciate 
and imitate.  
To do so 
would add to 
the beauty of 
our world.  
Too many are 
dour and 
suffering depression 
and cannot see good 
when it is looking 
them in the face.  
Today is a gift.  
There is much to do 
and many people 
who need to be served.
And many words
To be written

Stanski
January 15, 2022 ^

Time to scratch away
Wondering what will follow tonight
No desperation or hesitation
Miracles of nature, witnessed all day
Am I insignificant?
I wonder, how can I compare?  But
To quit I wouldn’t dare

Manifestation beheld is a gift
Should I not give back?
I am not clogged by any aberration, 
But have a clear view and no excuse,
Nor do I seek one

Sometimes the shrouding can block my vision
But my trained eye looks through 
The thickest cloud and finds an answer
I will talk back, say, get out of my way
These mysteries are bigger than the skies and
Deeper than the ocean
So I absorb and feel gratified

My expression of joy is limited even though
The volume of it that passes through me is overwhelming
I am blessed if that is the question
My observations always fast track to the origin
It is then that I feel humbled
It is then that I know that I must step up and
Be the spire that can be observed not for my notoriety 
But more as a beacon of light for those unable to see

This is duty and accepted
To not would draw close a curtain that would then be the end of me
No worries, my structure is strong, blessings again
I will not suffer fools but take them by the hand and
Lead them to where they can see that their words ring hollow 

Their belief then, in the mystique of life, supersedes all my efforts
I sometimes become the pupil
This is overwhelming
A real gift without a bow
One that we all long for, and will receive eventually 
As we will faith, if fulfilled with reality

Stansberry McKricken aka Stanski
01/15/2022 ^

Sad eyes smile, but you sense pain and discomfort,

pride so great, that truth must be hidden,  

less perceived flaws are detected.

The dance goes on, music is playing and

cheating reality is still a viability,

the game keeps being played, until finally

a fatal stumble exposes everything. 

The house of cards never stood a chance,

the cleaning and painting were good,

creating the semblance of peace and order,

but in the end it all came tumbling down and

now, who is left to pick up the pieces? 

The cry for help comes with all the explanations

which were lost before, but now suddenly

become an ally in pleading the case of

inadequacy in relationship to the chore

that was before them to make things work. 

Then the dash from being oblique to obsequious as

the appeals for help appear like froth and

hard love is the best answer, but since we are

all sinners and heretics to our own code,

we must give in once more and do what it takes to

crawl through this crisis, hoping it will be the last,

but knowing otherwise, because life does not give us

a special way of circumventing problems. 

When they are yours, for whatever reason,

you put on the yoke and pull your share of the burdensome load. 

Time will wash this episode from your mind and

your own life will become relevant in a more personal way. 

Friends will stop asking how you are doing because

Your forlorn look will have disappeared, replaced by

One of peaceful expectations.

Stansberry McKricken aka Stanski

August 24, 2015 ^

I read about the number of soldiers who

lost their lives in our involvement in Vietnam

and it breaks my heart.  Sons, brothers, fathers,

husbands, and friends numbering fifty-eight

thousand and to this day no one gives a good

reason why.  Fifty-eight thousand young men

died and we still wonder why.  Today in

the reading of Samuel 4:1-11 we hear that

the Philistines went into battle with Israel

and defeated them killing about four thousand. 

The people of Israel could not understand and s

ent for the Ark of Lord from Shiloh that it

might go into battle and save them from

the grasp of their enemy.  The Philistines

drew on their courage and engaged in battle

and slayed thirty thousand foot soldiers. 

The Israelis could not understand and

felt betrayed by God, but God had not

made any promises.  Today as I write

there are thousands of men and women

dying in battle against the tyrants of

our enemies and we continue to wonder

why does this warfare have to exist? 

Jesus taught us the two commandments

to love God above all things and

our neighbor as ourselves. 

It seems so simple.  A four-letter word: 

Love.  Love of others, if taken literally,

seemingly would end all warfare, murders,

fighting, burning, and looting.  But it is

difficult to love when these things take place. 

Still we must try and teach by example. 

The process is slow, step by step,

but we must begin.

 Stanski

January 13, 2022 ^

I walked by

the flower cart

in the grocery store

and saw  

a special

on roses. 

They were only

$8.95 for

a dozen beautiful

long stem and red.

I thought about

the impression

they would make

at home

when a certain someone

unwrapped them,

but then

thought again. 

A dozen is

like an apology

for something

I didn’t do

or an act of

being ostentatious. 

Still, they could serve

as an imprint

of my love,

but then again,

how deep

would that

impression be?

I walked away

from the cart

empty handed and

continued my shopping,  

then drove to

the flower shop

where I picked

a single yellow rose

with just a few

tinges of orange.

It looked

exceptional to me

and would speak

volumes of my caring

and love. 

It was unique and

maybe spectacular,

but more important

it was a thoughtful gift

and unexpected. 

A rose is a rose is a rose

and by any other name

is still a rose. 

This is true,

but equally essential

is the art of selection.

When you care

you can be

very subtle

in the way

you express yourself.  

Wouldn’t you rather be

a spectacular comet

blazing through the sky

for a few seconds

than a smoldering ember

in a dying fire

lasting for hours?

I know I would.

Stansberry McKricken aka Stanaki

January 31, 2015 ^

I look out my upstairs window

If it were not for the trees

It would be a beautiful moonscape

Does the moon have ice piles?

Does inland seawater splash on them

Growing them and turning them white?

Is it cold?  It must be for how could it not

Is it I who has to fetch two bucketsful

Of this grayish-green liquid and

Carry it back over rough terrain

The length of two football fields?

I will need help.  I will need strength

I will need encouragement and

Mostly I will need prayer

There is a small fire burning

The water will be boiled

We will scrap the barren soil

For the growth of something we can boil

And make a soup for our hungry children

I wonder about all of this

There is hunger everywhere

Where is the man with the loaves and fish?

Oh!  I forgot.  He turned that over to us

We have allowed this sad situation

We were self-centered; ignoring

The tyranny occurring about us

We allowed division and then winners

And losers.  We didn’t follow instruction

It is not a moonscape even though it could be

It is not I who has to tread over ice for water

Or dig for weeds and grass to make soup

And watch our starving children die

But somewhere, not far away

We have the same hopeless condition

The children will die, but the trust in

The redeemer will only get stronger

Faith, hope, and love; the perfect gifts

For the One who needs nothing and

As a thankyou gave His life for us

We are a strange breed

We have much to learn

Stanski

January 12, 2022 ^