Author: stevehaarman

A new day was beginning

Almost at the time

The previous one was ending

We enjoyed a wonderful fish dinner

Along with a lot of wine and cognac

We sang songs, many songs to

The strumming of a guitar

We were loud and off key

But had a blast as we worked

Through every song we could

Get our hands on, including

Kenny Rogers, “The Gambler”

Which we all liked and felt we

Had performed a pretty good

Rendition.  The bottles kept

Emptying and the voices got

Louder.  The tambourine was

Jingling and someone tapped

On an old African Drum.  We

Wore on into the next day

Which is this day and finally

Someone suggested that we

Call it a day.  Someone called

Out, “Just one more song”,

So we sang one more and

Then another and another

And finally ignored the last

Request for just one more

It was time to go.  We didn’t

Exactly stagger out, but it

Was close and only two fell

No one was injured seriously

A good night that will

Long be remembered

Stanski

November 2, 2022, ^

The morning after Halloween

The sun rises slowly and is blinding

Waves, barely formed, come

To rest on the shoreline

The lake is at rest and no birds are seen

The sky is light blue and on the

Distant horizon there are a few clouds

The temperature is around forty degrees

Which is not bad for November

One-sixth of the year to go and

Much work lies ahead and the goal

Is to be caught up before the end

Some of us are like that, always

Worrying about what we still have to do

It is good because we add to the

Intentions and ambiance of the community

Many see a beautiful jewel potential

While others are satisfied with a

Quiet lump of coal.  Every fresh idea

Is turned down by someone for various

Reasons like “Who is going to do it” when

No one has explored that aspect because

It is a new idea and there is a possibility

That it interferes with someone else’s plans

Which are usually selfish and take away

The chance to work on good projects and

As a result act like the slow, shallow, waves

And accomplish nothing in our effort to improve

Everything is possible if we come together

And make a determined effort, but egos and

The need to control usually get in the way

The sun is still blinding as it reflects off of

The windows and lays its light on various

Items in the kitchen exposing more work

That will get taken care of.  It will be a great

Day and when over we will be happy at all

The things done.  Maybe we will sing songs

Of praise to our creator, but we are never sure

Stanski

November 1, 2022, ^

I sit at a table in the sunshine

The warmth it gives me is nice

It shines through the window and

The glare if you should look out is amazing

Yesterday we marked a trail for snowshoeing

When breadcrumbs were recommended about

The fairy-tale of Hansel and Gretel

Many times new trails in life are pursued

Some take too many and are confused until

The right one for them is found

Then there is no stopping his growth and potential

I put on a baseball cap to cut back the sun glare

I think of the road not taken.  The only reason

Was because of the wear.  The traveler took the

Other because it was grassy and wanted ware

The other road will never be taken and one

Wonders what life may have been had it been

We often think about our own lives and how

Fate or serendipity moved us this way or that

One might have been a minister rather then

The electrician he turned out to be

Between the two choices the soul and the body

Are taken care of and care is very important

Choices are often difficult to make and

Making the wrong one could be costly while

Life, if the other road had been taken, is sublime

A fine, final, October mist lifts from the lake

It settles on the thirsty dry ground.  As I

Watch I notice a path in the woods and

Decide to travel it.  The ground has many

Leaves covering it.  I look for trash and empty

Drink containers, but there are none.  I take this

As a good sign and return to where I started

I am thankful for the clean woods but also for

The beautiful day which I will not forget

Tonight is Halloween and the evil ones may

Plan on doing things that are harsh, but mostly

Little children will be happy even though it is a pagan day

We can make up for it by praying on November 1 and 2

These are All Saints Dan and All Souls Day

Stanski

October 31, 2022, ^

Flat screen on a flat wall

Sitting on a flat chair

Suddenly feeling flat

With laughter coming

Out of a flat can

I wonder about my blood

Is the flow flat and

What am I doing?

My iron level is flat

Blood pressure is low

Where am I going?

That is my question

Do I have purpose?

Am I on a detour?

Will time wait for me?

I feel very flat

I ache

Not with pain

Witnessing the waste

Has me this way

There are answers

Can we come together?

Leave our ego at the door

Get back to basics

Would that be good?

I want to lie down

Flat on my back

Think about life

With all its hope

All of its promise

We have the tools

They were left with us

A constant instructor, too

Shall I remain flat or

Should we go to work?

Stansberry McKricken aka Stanski

January 1, 2017^

The sun makes a dramatic line across the horizon

No errors; straight as an arrow, as has been said

Closer this way the wayward wind is pushing

Three and four-foot waves pound the shores of

This large body of fresh water.  An inland sea

That provides excitement, fear, beauty, and

All of the other emotional aspects which would

Go with watching its behavior.  This same reckless

Wind is causing the last of the colorful leaves to

The ground.  When you see theM in their glory

You are lifted and thank the Creator for this gift

He provides for us that many times go

Unappreciated as do so many of His gifts.

The sun breaks through the fluffy gray clouds

And warms the air which has been damp and

Penetrating to the point it chills your bones.

The beauty is still there and the clouds make

Recognizable shapes and you begin to wonder

If we are getting a message in code from above.

He is universal and has told us to follow Him.

One could spend a day listing all the actions

That should take place if we were to follow.

Each leaf, although a miracle, represents

Someone who has died by persecution,

Enslavement, malnutrition, war, natures

Viciousness, and exposure to the elements.

We wish our prayers were enough and since

We cannot travel to help we wonder about

Sending money to those on the front lines

Helping as many as they can.  Maybe that is

What we should interpret from the dazzling clouds

The waves keep saying, pray more, send more and

Do not give up.  The cross may be heavy but is

Worth bearing and the beauty we see is not

Reserved for us alone.  A blackbird lifts up

From the shore.  It reminds one that they do

Not abandon their duties of taking care of their

Large family.  Each bird has an assignment.  How

They know we will never know but believe that

The hand of God is involved.  He will be with us

And help us as we proceed with our duties.

As the clouds move we must also move getting

On with our commitments and duties.

Stanski

October 29, 2022, ^

The sun plays its own games, pouring light

on the lake’s waves which sometimes is blinding

and at other times beautiful.  In the early morning

the red ball lifts slowly onto the horizon and

the game is on.  There are times when the clouds

seem to come to life and catch some of the color

the sun offers.  The clouds in turn offer shapes

which are interpreted in many ways by people

watching them from the same vantage point.

This is the wonder of it all.  Whipped cream or

an elephant?   It is all in the beholders eye and

no two see things the same way.  Old Sol must

laugh a lot at our foolishness, but then we really

don’t know.  We have expectations.  At funerals

we would like gray overcast clouding to help our

feeling of sorrow.  In the mornings and evenings,

at rise and setting, we would like the sun to color

the clouds and give us picturesque views of the sky.

Sometime we get our way and other times know

the sun is playing games with us.  We have no choice

except to go along with this.  Our gardens relish

the sun and need it if they are to be productive.

At times we complain about the heat but without it

we would be in serious trouble.  The wind blows

the clouds in all directions, usually when they are

white and fluffy.  The low hanging clouds may contain

mist, but our friend, the sun, evaporates it quickly

and we move on.  All energy comes from the sun,

which is a single star.  Our seasons come from the

way the earth tilts at various times of the year.

it is constant and we could not imitate it if we tried.

Stanski

October 28, 2022, ^

RUBIES OR DIAMONDS

The sharp cold wind penetrates through your garments

and chills the bones in what seems like a broken body. 

You smile and continue on your path knowing there will

be warmth when you arrive at your destiny.  This situation

 is not new and you have endured it many times over the years. 

Raindrops plaster you, and you bow your head as you continue on. 

This is a march, a one-man parade; birds are singing and

leaves are falling, sometimes looking like large snowflakes. 

To be sure, you are not ready for a diet like this. 

It is still too early in the year for this kind of bitterness. 

You begin to think about things beyond yourself and

know that there is plenty of hardship being felt all

around us, not only locally but across the globe as

tyrants, posing as leaders intentionally enslaving

people of one group or another.  Fear is the real boss

and hopes is the only remedy, but hope remains that

unless there is intervention.  Strong leaders in peaceful

countries have to stand up and take stern positions

against these enemies.  Only then will the tide turn. 

Terrorists are cowards at heart and when they feel

threatened they back down.  If we are impatient,

they are long-term planners.  Their movement

continues with new leaders and they quietly wait

for their opportunity.  I look at the lake and notice

that the sun is reflecting diamonds off of the mini-waves. 

Bushels and bushels of diamonds to lift our spirits and

instead of being grateful we stand, look, and wish

they were rubies, because then maybe things will change,

but it will take an investment of ruby red blood and

diamond grade weapons to make an impression on

the evil ones.  How much are we willing to sacrifice? 

The cost is high I think as the sun swirls a blaze of

beauty across the trees which are losing their colorful

leaves.  Nature is unpredictable.  It can give us sunny

beaches or raise its ugliness in the form of hurricanes,

and floods.  Diamonds or rubies?  We wait and react. 

As in all conflicts, we fail to step back and view

the enormity of what we are doing and as we look at

things today it is doubtful that we ever will, until it is too late.

We abide.

Stanski

October 27, 2022, ^

The day is cold and windy; waves

are splattering on the shore;

rain is falling in spurts, and

leaves of all colors are falling

[from the trees.  Still, there is beauty. 

Nature is constant; there is always beauty. 

We have to look for it at times

but mostly it is there in front of our eyes. 

All we have to do is open them and

we will be awed by how

the creator works.  From the stars in

the night sky to the sun shining

strobe-like light from the lake,

here is beauty.  It becomes incumbent

on us to try to imitate nature and

provide beauty for others. 

There are many in need and even

the smallest effort on our part could

have a major impact on them. 

So little effort on our part brings

major rewards for those with

no expectations.  We could walk by

and still feel good, but taking time

to help out is beyond measure

the thing to do.  We do not know

how long our efforts will be available

to us because we do not know how

the creator works.  It is not ours to know

so our behavior should always be to

love, honor and respect others. 

If we do this we will be part of

an angelic army, willing to sacrifice

to help others.  Our reward will be substantial,

not only now, but forevermore. 

The rain falls; the leaves drop;

the wind blows, and the lake stirs. 

These things will continue long after

we are gone as will our opportunity

to do good things.  There is no excuse

for waiting if we are to follow Him. 

Act now and try to imitate His love.

Stanski

October 26, 2022, ^

We know it is time to fall back, just as

the leaves transform from green to their various colors. 

This is an act of nature and the creator. 

It is part of the seasonal change. 

To me the most interesting trees

to watch are the Tamaracks. 

They are velvety green throughout

the summer and after the first frost

begin to change to a light yellow,

which is beautiful, but cannot compare

to the brighter yellow they become

just a few weeks later.  This yellow

overwhelms me and keeps me humble

and thankful for the gift.  From this dazzling

shade they go to a golden yellow,

then a deep golden, followed by a golden-brown

and then to a brown, dark brown after which

they fall to the ground.  This process is delightful

and makes us realize that we have little

influence on nature or climate.  The petitioners

for burdening us with taxes in order to mandate

us to change are flying around in their private jets,

laughing at the amount of money they are making

on this hoax should watch the Tamaracks and

realize that they too will eventually be turning

brown in the ground and all of their provocations

will have been for nil.  Until then we endure and

remain at peace with ourselves while their ego

takes them anywhere in their jet planes where

they will receive recognition and plaques of gratitude

given by the ignorant in festive ceremony. 

They are not concerned by the pollution they are causing

while I sit and admire the beauty of the trees

which absorb carbon dioxide and exchange it for oxygen. 

What goes around comes around and there will be a day

when truth prevails and we may all live in peace.

Stanski

October 24, 2022, ^

The seasons feel as if they’ve flown by,

and the coolness of autumn is here! 

This year has been billed with joyous

moments of hope and healing. 

We have much to be thankful for –

including both the Africa Mercy’s

return to Senegal and the celebration

of the Global Mercy’s long-anticipated

first visit to Africa.  Today, patients are

receiving life=changing surgeries,

local doctors and nurses are expanding

their skill sets, and lives are being

transformed forever.  And all of these

heartwarming accomplishments are

thanks to the dedicated support of

friends like you.  Because of this support,

sight is being restored, tumors are being

removed, and futures are once again full

of possibilities.  There is excitement for

the future with the incredible work

Mercy Ships is accomplishing in close

collaboration with professional volunteers

from all over the world, the staff in global

offices, and the African partners bringing

cures and hope and changing lives forever. 

You are welcome to becoming a part of this

journey and with your help – the best is yet

to come.  We look forward to all that lays

ahead and appreciate your prayers and

friendship (contributions of money) as

hope and healing are continued to those

who need it most.  Gifts may be made to

Mercyships.org or P.O. Box 2020,

Garden Valley, TX 75771.  800-772-SHIP.

“For I know the plans I have for you,

declares the Lord, plans to prosper you

and not to harm you, plans to give you

hope and a future.” – Jeremiah 29:11

Please consider helping today, monthly,

and forevermore.  Angels and Africans

will be cheering for you

Steve Haarman aka Stanski

October 24, 2022, ^