August 2007 Newsletter
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In This Issue:
A thought for the Month by Stan Almendro
Whisper Poetry News by Giselle Visser
A Poem (Ode to an Ancient Oak) by Faith Leslie
Blind Faith & Free Will by Paul Cousins
Confusion by Orsila
Memories of You
MOM by Merle Hope
Announcement!!!!
A news flash just received from the corridors of eternity is that Satan & all his demons have taken LONG LEAVE.
When questioned how he could afford to leave the doings of his kingdom unattended he said that he was actually bored to death with nothing to do and that Christians, The Church & in Particular Ministers had worked him out of a job.
Their programmes (supposedly received from God) of:
- Lack of Ministering the Word of God
- So Called Visions & the effort to sustain this activity was keeping them all so busy that he did not have to do anything drastic in the heavens to divert them from the REAL purpose of God
Oliver Wendell Holmes said:
“WHAT LIES BEHIND US AND WHAT LIES BEFORE US ARE TINY MATTERS COMPARED TO WHAT LIES WITHIN US”.
I truly believe that each of us has something unique, special and very beautiful waiting to be written, spoken and shared with the people around us. Your creativity and talent can lighten up someone’s day, it can make a moment special, or it can create friendships. It even lessens burdens and makes hearts more cheerful.
Let’s make the most of the two remaining months before the competition closes, and search within ourselves for that something special and unique such as a thought, a poem, a story, a drawing or even just a photo and share it with family, friends, colleges, and other club members.
Let’s make a difference in someone’s life. Sharing our thoughts of love, joy, happiness and kindness which can be done and seen through our talent and creativeness, will not only enrich the lives of others, but will leave one with a inner joy, peace and happiness that can only come from within.
If you have a special phrase, thought, word or poem you would like to share with others, please contact or e-mail our office. We can arrange to publish it in our next newsletter. What’s within you can only become a beautiful reality once it’s shared with others. In such a way you will make the most of life!!
Blessings
Giselle
A seed so many years ago
Was planted here in Stellenbosch.
You saw the centuries roll by
And lives begin, and grow, and die.
Babes on rugs beneath your leaves
Enjoyed the cool, refreshing breeze.
Then children climbed your sturdy boughs
And played their games of make believe.
Young men courted sweethearts here
In twilight as the sun sank down.
A bridal pair exchanged their vows
With roses twined amidst your twigs;
Then once again life's cycle starts.
Your roots grow deep, your branches high,
Acorns drop but none will grow -
Your seeds will feed the farmer's pigs.
The centuries will load your boughs
And cause your trunk to hollow out,
But yet you stand - a monument -
A living testament to faith.
In October 2000 I met an angel. On the outside she was just an ordinary day to day angel, no fire and brimstone, no fancy feathers, no airs and graces, no holier than thou disposition. A perfect angel… The perfect angel!
This angel brought me a gift… A blunt gift… The perfect gift for "a been" there, done that, got the T-Shirt, and spiritually dead born again agnostic… The gift of choice… the gift of insight... the gift of blind faith... the gift of free will...
The gift presented in the form of a message - A message so close to home and delivered with such conviction that it turned my entire non-belief system totally upside down inside out almost overnight.
The message was a warning of impending doom - An incoming drastic life change, the collapse of a dream…
Through this message I was offered the choice between believing in my own ability to shape my own destiny, to use the information I was given to protect myself and my family, or sitting back and waiting for fate to take it’s course, going down with the sinking ship. Choosing the first option was an easy choice to make, but it was not without immense pain and sacrifice.
The message gave a time period of 2 weeks. 2 weeks to prepare and build up some protection against the evils of a plot hatched by the business partner of the day to strip me of my worth and dignity. The message also said that I had knowledge and the strength to overcome this. The knowledge to defend and the strength to fight back. Using this knowledge and strength would require of me to learn 2 things… Blind Faith, and Free Will.
The big day came, and so did the attack. Right on schedule. Being ready for it meant a total change of character for me. Not easy, but I now had to stand up and say NO! A difficult word to say with conviction when you have never used it before. The gloves were off and close combat on a mental and spiritual level began. But it was different now, something was very different… I had a basic belief in a universal force looking out for me and mine, an angel on my side, and of course blind faith, and free will…
The sacrifice came in the form of a drastic drop in living standards and the countless hours of blood sweat and tears required to rebuild and to redefine me. It was never easy. We lived through 4 years of having at times to feed my family of 4 for a whole month on as little as some people spend on a pair of shoes. Enough hardship to break an average person, but then I am not average because I have been given the keys – Blind Faith and Free Will.
And so I hear you ask…What is Blind Faith and Free Will?
Blind Faith is the ability to believe unconditionally that you have the inner knowledge and strength to overcome every obstacle in your path despite the odds…
Free Will is knowing that you have freedom to chose your own path and walk it without fear…
Having these two keys in your life will allow you to progress to new levels of physical, mental and spiritual self worth
Confusion runs through me
But nobody wants to see
How my heart is breaking
From the pain they are creating
The Question: Why go on?
They say I must be strong
Pain is just an illusion
For those who don't know the Confusion!!
Dawn reminds me of your sweet smile
Noon reminds me of your lovely eyes
Afternoon reminds me of your warm hug
Evening reminds me of your gentle hand
And night reminds me of your soft kiss
I dream of you when I sleep
I cry for you when I weep
I think of you in every way
I look for you every day
I search for you high up in the mounts
I search for you along the flowing river
I search for you down the long winding road
I search for you everywhere on sacred Earth
And then find you there---
peacefully tucked in my heart--- forever---
Dear Mom, you are old and grey,
no one gives you the time of day.
Lonely in your ancient days,
Dad is gone, he always paved the ways.
You loved one another with a love that lasts,
now you can only remember the past.
My heart aches for you, your sorrow and pain,
my efforts to cheer you, are much in vain.
You need lots of love, but what can I do,
only love, and try my best for you.
Nobody remembers way back then,
how you helped, worried and strived for them.
They are young, strong and bold,
they don’t know what it’s like, getting old.
They are too busy to pick up the phone,
say “hello there, do you feel alone”.
Or visit just for a little while,
make you laugh and see you smile.
They have forgotten what you did for them,
you and Dad, you were younger then.
Grumpy in your older years,
nobody understands your fears.
A frail old lady who’s memory’s gone,
the family is too busy, to come along.
Just visit for a while, listen to you patter,
and make you smile.
Give you a hug, don’t worry Gran,
we all love you, we will visit soon again.
Pick up the phone, “hello dear”.
no phone calls, through the lonely years.
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A Thought for the Month
Whisper Poetry News
