We like God
To stay small
In His box
Down the hall,
In the attic
Up the stairs
Until that day
Standing on chair,
Pull the cord
Drop the door
Bring it out
Manger to floor,
Dust it off
Nice and clean
Pretty little
Nostalgic scene,
Merrily we
Dance and sing
Of a tiny
Newborn king.
Copyright 2018. L.L. Shelton.
America! Most Gracious! Free!
Give of yourself- your liberty!
Crumbs from your table,
Please share with me.
I may take my time to read
And write the English that is yours,
I may not know your history
When I embark upon your shores,
But I will learn as you nurture me
In the bosom of tranquility,
Grateful for opportunity,
Escape from dreadful tyranny.
Copyright 2010. L.L. Shelton.
Sparkling diamonds in the sky,
Gold dust beneath my feet,
Treasure trailing ‘round each corner
Suggesting to my eyes to peek,
Flitting, fleeing, bouncing,
Bush to tree to flower,
Life is running overland
Displaying awesome power,
Masterfully orchestrated,
Most colorful parade,
Distraction still is paramount-
Enmeshed in this charade.
Copyright 2018. L.L. Shelton.
I’ve been working with a particular client for several years. I’ve prayed over this person, prayed for this person, actively listened, instructed in Scripture and from acquired knowledge, and read entire books in an effort to be of further assistance in the person’s specific situation.
As we closed our last session before this one, I was moved to pray for this person to be courageous and trusting enough, along with possessing the emotional stability, as well as the mental clarity and stamina necessary to be absolutely honest with me concerning an area of life that I suspected was continually being misrepresented. I felt the power of God as I prayed.
I wondered, as my client slowly walked away from my front door, head low, if after seeing the person regularly for years, I would not see my client again. This person had been hedging and protecting information necessary to a healing for a very long time.
My client did return for the standing appointment kept over the years and began nearly immediately to share important things, complete with notes from personal journal, that are essential to progress toward genuine emotional wellness and assuming a position to implement ideas for positive change. We praised God together and thanked Him for answering prayer before closing the session. Honesty is a valuable tool and sincere prayer is certainly invaluable.
Copyright 2018. L.L. Shelton.
Parkinson’s, Lewy Body Disease, and Alzheimer’s are progressive dementias for which there is no existing cure. A dementia is a brain disorder creating senility. We now know that these illnesses are associated with the loss of acetylcholine, an organic neurotransmitter, which is a necessary building block in creating the myelin sheath around the “tails”or “tentacles” of each of our neurons (brain cells). Interestingly, the loss of acetylcholine has also recently been linked to the development of schizophrenic illness.
Imagine a sword without a scabbard. Imagine that the sword is in active use, twenty-four hours each day, seven days a week, three hundred sixty-five days per year. It is never housed in a sheath, but is continually exposed to all of the elements- weather and clashes with other weapons, stones etc., without the occasional rest and protection provided by the scabbard. Perhaps our neurons are similarly in need of being sheathed.
While it is likely that there is, as with possibly any bodily malfunction, a genetic pre-disposal to these brain disorders as well as environmental/behavioral triggers, the destruction of acetylcholine has been found to be particularly associated with excessive orgasmic activity and self-stimulation. The use of fantasy and/or porn appears to increase the risk. It is easy to see that those diagnosed with an intimacy disorder or sexual addiction are at an unusually high risk for developing these mental diseases. Do you have google in your pocket? Access to the internet? Be bold. Do some research.
Excess (gluttony) and self-centeredness are prohibited by our Maker. God has his reasons for His instructions concerning the use of His design- His functioning systems. If only we would learn to take Him at His Word. His character is trustworthy and has never been on trial. It is our character that is lacking, ours that is in need of defense.
Copyright 2018. L.L. Shelton.
(On Romans 1:20)
Nature is my emissary:
Stop denying me.
You search for me there
On someone’s shelf,
In painting, film or poem,
In the mind of someone else.
Seek me here, where I am found,
Calling to you from the ground,
Whispering encouragement
In gentle breezes all around,
Driftng through the sky as clouds,
Racing through rivers
And running in streams,
Staring from stars,
Your yearning in dreams,
I am with you where you are-
Reach for me.
Copyright 2018. L.L. Shelton.
You wanted to take care of me,
I stood stunned:
In my mind a tempest stirred,
My thoughts whirled round
Your voice unheard,
Brilliant to bleak the colors ranged,
Patterns clashed and raged,
Many things have traversed here,
Books from page to page,
Ideas and ages old and new,
All left me ill-prepared for you.
Copyright 2018. L.L. Shelton.
(With a nod to Galt Niederhoffer)
How does missing occur
without having?
Without holding?
Why does one long
for something never known?
When does a smile wax sin?
Is that possible?
When does a gaze
become extraordinary?
What distinguishes friendly
embrace from intimate
brush of hands?
Where does existence
become betrayal?
Truth will never be
put asunder:
For the answer to these
and other related questions,
tune-in tonight
following the evening meal:
Main course: Self- examination,
served with a side
of self-deprecation,
Finished with a flourish
of nine inch nails.
Copyright 2018. L.L. Shelton.
One of the greatest misconceptions about God is that He demands our allegiance, inspiring our obedience, for Himself- to feed His giant ego or something… God demands our allegiance, inspiring our obedience, for our sakes- to keep us safe from greater harm than the fall will naturally do us…
And yes it brings Him great glory to be the perfect benevolent father that He is- always looking out for His children, keeping our best interest at heart, putting us ahead of Himself, doing what is right for us in spite of our willfulness and our misunderstanding of Him; in this sense it is for Himself. He longs for our best.
The Bible is the beautiful flawless love letter of a perfect parent to His children- and IMHO the perfect document. I’ve read it a few times. I’ve read it cover to cover. I’ve read it in chronological order. I’ve studied through it verse by verse. I’ve prayed through it and read it just for the joy of it, and though I remain imperfect until that day, I believe it and I am encouraged.
God is good all the time. ❤🙏🏻
In springtime evening,
I hear you calling
One to another,
Weet weet weet weet
Weet weet weet weet!
Weet weet weet weet
Weet weet weet weet!
I wonder what it is that you say.
If I could speak as you,
Would we be friends?
Copyright 2018. L.L. Shelton.