Saturday, November 24, 2018

NAMING NAKED

"I come to the gar~den...alone...
While the dew is still...on the...roses.."
    ...did that rose just move???
"And the voice I hear...
.....WHAT was that???

~gulp~

"Whose there?
Now I know you're there
I don't easily scare
Jesus is here...well...at least he's near"

Listen to yourself, girl
You are crazy, here in your secret place
Where nothing or no one can be
It's your uniquely designed, secluded space

Where was I?

Now I'm not in the mood

There's the gate, my reliant escape
Out of my truth, into his grace

Why won't the gate open
I can't get out...let me out

Finally, a voice speaks
And stills the fear, threatening to...what!?!
He said, "Peace little one
I have you now, in the grain of your cross

Your fear is great as I behold your naked soul
You believe I can give you any gift, but never make you whole
You believe I will provide, but never keep you safe
You believe you are trapped inside your very own gate

What is your truth, my love
What is your consuming fear"

My mind searched deep and wide
As I trembled in LOVE's presence
It floated up and out
"You are nothing more of less, than nature's peasant"

"Ah, yes...you have no value, unlovable to the core
Yet here your LOVE stands, desiring to know you more"

He drew near to me and whispered,
"May I enter into your scars
You will have to trust LOVE
To understand who and where you are."

Although I agreed, the fight was fierce
It took years for HIM to strip me bare
But nothing could prepare me for the rage
When HE entered ....THERE

Like a howl in the darkest night
My soul uttered out a thick, black cry
The deliverance of the wicked
That part of grief that had to die
.....lain upon the wooden altar

While I smelled burning flesh
And heard the popping of the fire
He grew brighter and lovelier
As I allowed the Cross to receive my desire

.....I am naked before HIM, and unashamed
...........my naked has been named
........................FORGIVEN

Written by Trudy Schrader on 11-24-2018



Sunday, November 18, 2018

LOVE'S OUTCASTS

He knew who he was,and what he was
He was aware of his sins more than most
But this man can heal, they said
So he humbled himself, and left his post
....for a moment with LOVE

She knew the laws concerning women
Her blood flowed daily for twelve years
If they saw her, she would die
But hope compelled her to silence her fears
....and reach for LOVE's garment

She heard her daughter in the wee hours
Cry out in torment, from voices in her head
She knew that she was not a member of the house
But she would try, even if He said...

.....NO!

He said, it's not good to give the children's food to dogs

Demons are pressing my daughter
I must press in, past all pain and sorrow
I may be a gentile
But LOVE might make me His daughter

....yes, but even the dogs eat the crumbs from under the children's table

Humility moved LOVE to compassion
Humility took LOVE to a woman at a well
Where Love saw her rise and fail
Five husbands, and dingy veil

Only LOVE can bridge the gaps
Between rank, position, and purpose
When life fails humanity and we can't see
That LOVE is proof that our God has heard us

....and given us assurance that there are NO outcasts in the Kingdom of LOVE.

Written by Trudy Schrader on 11-18-2018

Wednesday, November 14, 2018

WHEAT WISDOM

Once there was a seed of wheat
Given to righteous owner
Who entrusted it to His servants
On a time-limited loaner

One took the wheat in hand
And let it fall upon the hardened land
Sorrow and grief lined his path
Committed to never giving to others what he lacked

Yet another took the seed in a bag
To his designer garden bed
He sprinkled it, with great joy,
On the perfect, plastic, place where rootless fruit remains dead

The third eyed the owner with disgust
As he kicked hard at land of dust
No place on earth could invite
The seed among thorns, offering beauty with a bite

Last but not least, received the wheat
And blessed it with words of love
Taking care to plant, water, and weed
The garden granted by God above

When the harvest time came
And the owner gathered His servants to give account
The grateful owner had a harvest to share
While the others accused the owner of giving them a lesser amount

....while they remained blameless

The owner declared "Away from me
You liars and thieves, taking only to receive
Never attempting to ground your seed
In the faith of what you believe

You chose to give your seed to the enemy
Fear and failure was easier to keep
Than to be accountable to the owner
From whom you willingly received

You have no wheat because you let the seed die
No one is to blame but your father, who lies
Harvest time has come and empty is your lot
Full of  stuff your faith in fear has bought"

No matter the ground the wheat lies upon
The seed will never be a tare
But the stewardship of the seed
Will expose the level of care

......while opportunities remain open

Written by Trudy Schrader on 11-14-2018



Tuesday, November 6, 2018

DEALING WITH DISTRACTION

Walking or wading in water
Along life's way
I could sense a pull toward
Something...no someone

The life-laden leaves
Drew out breath from my being
I grew greater in the moment
If not for the pleasure of knowing 
.....who or what I would be seeing

The birds of the air gathered
In a location, around the noun
Light gathered at a spot and shone
As if there were no sky or ground

Closer and closer I come to the moment
Revelation would soon be mine
I would know and be known 
By something or someone above humanity
    ....divine

I heard movement and looked left
I saw Him, if only for a glance
I knew Him, and He knew me
But someone smeared my screen
............I awoke without a second chance

To possess the image

Was that what I was pushing for
To own experience, unique to me
Was I placing my identity in the natural
Trying to prove value on what others see
......coming through my creativity???

Stupid distractions with magnetic attractions
Pulling and fooling the bird in flight
I don't want to be grounded in order be founded
In the legality of level-headed laws...that bite
.......and eat the heart of man

LOVE is all I want
........all circumstantial evidence is distraction
                       The End

Written by Trudy Schrader on 11-6-2018