People don’t believe

Even when things are obvious

They have no faith

In pronounced proclamations

They are stuck in their

Limited logical thinking

Even when the truth

Is right in front of them

People who know what

They are doing and

Then do it with success

Are still portrayed as losers

The subject is changed

A flaw in the character

Of the doer is presented

Thus nullifying what has been proven

The sinner has been forgiven

Announces the desire to

Care for the poor and needy, but

No one surrenders to this claim

Why are they stuck, when

Results are screaming victory/

Where is their logic in denying?

It leaves no room for redemption

Promises made, promises kept

What could be more sacred?

People are not moved by truth

A prophet is not welcome in his homeland

Stanski

September 28, 2022, ^

The light is blinding as

It reflects off the inland sea

It makes you turn your head

It causes no sound; just is

Tree limbs are swaying in

The mild late September breeze

There is a natural rhythm

Nature has a way with music

Two Blue jays are chasing each other

Their flight is from tree to tree

They may be looking for food

You can hear all of their squalor

They are around for a half hour

They are beautiful birds and

Elevate your appreciation of life

Pileated Wood Peckers are also

A wonder.  They are a flighty bird

Going from tree to tree looking

For one which has creatures in it

These little creatures are their dinner

The Hummingbirds which are a delight

To watch have closed up shop for

This year.  They are off to wherever

They go, but will be back by the

Next Mother’s Day.

Now it is raining for the third

Time this morning.  There is never

A dull moment.  Waves are slowly

Moving to the west.  They move as

Smoothly as did Fred Astaire on

The dance floor.  There are also

Creatures to be aware of:  Bear,

Wolves, Bobcats, Raccoons and

Porcupines.  You don’t see them often

But when you do you stay away.

Stanski

September 27, 2022, ^

Sprinkles; hardly enough

To get you wet, but enough

To let you know that

It is all over.  Winter turned

To spring, then summer and

Fall.  Now we are watching

And waiting for nature to do

It’s chemistry.  Jack Frost can

He decided to hang around

And slowly the leaves are

Being painted.  He is about

A month early in our area

Football stadiums are hot

Close to one hundred degrees

Not to be outdone the

Pumpkins show us some frost

Except for a couple of times

The snowfalls were mild and

The snow blower did not get

Much of a workout nor did we

Spring gave us some flowers

And things seemed promising

But we were gifted with gray

Skies and cold weather,

Followed by quite a few days

Of rain.  Then clouds of gray,

Very dreary looking so many

Decided to wait for June to

Bust out all over.  June was

Lazy so July took over and

Nice weather on a regular

Basis finally happened, but

This was interrupted by a change

Cloudy for a few days, then

Sunny, then repeat.  We know

Now what to expect for fall

And winter.  It isn’t good.

Stanski

September 26, 2022, ^

Weather-wise

It is a great, great day

Today you have to look for it

But it is there for the taking

It has been a peculiar year

Four seasons for sure

And each season had

Four seasons.  It is hard

To believe that we saw

Snow in July, frost in September

Leaves changing color in June

Rain was common as were

Gray, cloudy skies.

People seemed out of sorts

No looking in the eyes

Or smiles on faces

We had plenty of events

Many things to do without

Leaving Gulliver or Manistique

Venders did well as people

Were eating more than normal

New boutique stores opened

And the Art Center was

A spirit lifter with local art

And one great art show

My neighbor said that

Sometimes he didn’t even

Know what year it was, but

Whatever year it was, it was

Too cold.  He no longer worries

As the angels came and took

Him away.  It was a sunny day.

Many hearts were broken

Today we accept what we have

Tomorrow and the next few days

Will be warm and there will

Be complaints.  That is how

Life works

Stanski

September 25, 2022, ^

Jesus Calling, September 25

INSPIRATION –Jesus Calling

by Sarah Young

Pour all of your energy into trusting Me. It is through trust you stay connected to me and aware of My Presence. Every step on your life’s journey can be a step of faith. Baby steps of trust are simple for you; you can take them with almost unconscious ease. 

Giant steps are another matter altogether: leaping across chasms in semi darkness, scaling cliffs of uncertainty, trudging through the valley of the shadow of death. These feats require sheer concentration, as well as ordered commitment to Me.

Each of My children is a unique blend of temperament, giftedness, and life experiences. Something that is a baby step for you may be a giant step for another person, and vice versa. Only I know the difficulty or ease of each segment of your journey. 

Beware of trying to im 23:4
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
    I will fear no evil,
for you are with me;
    your rod and your staff,
    they comfort me.
 1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you.

Proverbs 29:25
 25 The fear of man lays a snare,
    but whoever trusts in the Lord is safe.

ALL IN ALL

I’ve spent time in the hood

To the surprise of many, I like it there.

I am fond of the blues and

Where else you gonna look for them.

Those inner city blues, make me wanna holler.

It feels so good to linger,

Especially with others who do dat.

I’ve got a secret place I like to go.

I’ll sit and listen, look at “The Dreamer”,

Ask him a few questions.

He can make me cry, but I keep listening and

What he says makes sense, so

there are no tears in the end.

I like to throw the dice.

Some call me mister magic, but

I won’t take their money.

I would rather roll snake eyes.

I’ve been called knucklehead, but

I can’t help it.  I give back

All that I win and try to explain

That if I win, someone loses and

Ask them if they can afford to lose and

The answer is always no sir,

So there you are.

These are the best of people.

Sometimes I think of the Boy’s Town logo –

He ain’t heavy, Father, he’s my brother and

Aren’t we all?  I’m just saying.

Stanski

September 24, 2022, ^

The funeral party was small

Only a few who scattered

In different directions

After the cemetery service

This was usual in the Dakotas

Rural areas with few farmers left

They were broken people

Afraid to leave for now

So they stayed with hopes

For next the year

And prayers for a mild winter

Spring came and plowing began

Fragrance from the earth was good

Spirits were high, but things went wrong

Drought put an end to wishes

A funeral atmosphere without a body

These were the plains; arid soil

And desolation; isolation

No more springs for this broken family

Another house on the prairie doomed

Time went on; newcomers arrived

New times; machines; irrigation

There would be success along with failure

Life would unfold for better or worse

Stanski

September 23, 2022, ^

LAKE IS QUIET

No clouds, waves or wind

Only the voices of birds and insects

The shore line was littered with stones,

Pollen, and other debris

Seagulls were floating overhead

Looking for an easy meal

And on the lookout for predators

Looking at them for an easy meal

The lake was smooth

Almost like an ice-skating rink

You could almost imagine the

Sounds of happy skaters, but we were

Only nearing the end of summer

We could not possibly imagine what

Was before us in the coming seasons

We would have our color tour as

Jack Frost, the magnificent artist, would

Paint the leaves of the deciduous trees

A palette of color, unimaginable

Beauty which will diminish our best efforts

Then winter will have its say

We can only hope that the clippers

Will be mild and endurable

For now I remember seeing a man swimming

A little less than a mile in each direction

He was a teacher, a professor, and this

Would be his last swim and he looked good

By early spring he had gone to his reward

Cancer, a quick acting form, had taken him

Our mortality supersedes the weather and I am

Curious about what happens when we are gone

And then the wondering if we succeeded in life

Also, will our accomplishments be remembered?

Most have no idea of all that has been done

Because it was done quietly, silently and by choice

Life like the seasons will go on

There will be low tides and high tides

Sometimes we think we are essential but

The grave yards are full of indispensable people

We should be aware of this fact

Life is a precious gift; it has one season

Live it well

Stanski  

September 1, 2021, ^

A lifetime

A marriage

Six children

Good times

Difficult ones, too

Sun shines

See your way through

Sorrow, making you cry

Laughter, until tears in the eye

Ups and downs

Never stagnation

Resigned to growth

Treasure the sublime

Unexplainable happenings

Gifts of love

Wormless apples

Woods forming chapels

Aroused by virtue

Accept all pain

Bear the cross

In His name

Many good things

Come to an end

Prepared or not

Angels are sent

They take away a soul

Leaving a hole

In the once swelled heart

Still never alone

Memories, we hone

Save the spectacular

Throw out the woes

There is truth

Also, make believe

Nothing alters

What we perceive

What is left?

No time to rest

Keep at it my family

You’ve had the best

We have lost two

Nothing we can do

But live our lives to the fullest

Steve Haarman

September 22, 2022, ^

If you look for truth

you may find comfort

in the end; if you

look for comfort

you will not get either

comfort or truth

only soft soap and

wishful thinking to begin,

and in the end despair

presented by Stanski

September 21, 2022, ^