Healing

Healing is laughter

Healing is tears

Healing is talking

And sharing our fears

Healing is streams

And mountains so high

Healing is holding my hand

When I cry

Healing is stillness

and days spent with friends

Healing’s forgiveness

And making amends

Healing is rainfall

At last after drought

Healing is dancing

And fooling about

Healing is love

A hug and a kiss

Healing is being with

A loved one you’ve missed

Healing is praying

And walking alone

Healing is sharing the things that we own

Healing is touching a life full of pain

Bringing a smile and laughter again

Healing expressed in so many small ways

Healing should flow through our lives every day.

Karen Holmes

July 31st 2013

Pebbles

Pebbles.

All sizes, all colours, some roughened edges, some very smooth

All mixed together, all rubbing shoulders with all the others as they move

With tide and waves and sea, with folk like you and me

As we picked out the ones that called to us.

All changing, constant movement displaced by shifting sands

Picked up and turned around, examined closely by oh so many different hands

Some taken home to keep, some thrown back to the deep

His vast creation that somehow calls to us.

And as we sit, allowing nature to enthral us

We too are moulded, edges smoothed, and strivings eased

We find redemption in crashing movement

And in the peacefulness we hear God’s own reprieve

His voice resounding on the horizon as sunlight bounces upon the waves

As darkness deepens and thoughts find stillness

Our world is suddenly embraced in love and grace

And when we rise, we leave the chains that bound us

We move more closely with that powerful force

For nature demonstrates the power, the truth, the greatness

Of heaven’s king, the one eternal, mighty source.

For we're all different, all mixed together, but if we let Him mould and shape us to His will

He will be faithful, enrich and change us, if we will only find a moment to be still

And let creation speak, and hear the call to us

To be that new creation we are meant to be

Then we we'll be unafraid of waves that crash and break

For God is in control of earth and sky and sea

So take my hand oh God and let me ever move

In the direction that you mapped out from the start

take my whole being now, my soul, my thoughts, my goals

And nurture only what you've planted in my heart.

Will you come stand with me and hear creations call

Will you throw off the things that hinder and ensnare

And like the pebbles, we will move as He directs

Upheld, supported always by His loving care.

Karen Holmes

July 31st 2013

The Real Me

Some years ago I wrote a poem called "The Real Me" and felt at the time that I'd written it for somebody else.  I now believe it was also about me.  My few days in Brighton reminded me of it and I have now written an updated version.  Here is the original

Take me to the city, lose me in the crowd
Silence my emotions with music played too loud
Numb my pain with one more drink for no one knows me here
Another stranger smiling with artificial cheer

Help me put my mask on, hold it firm in place
There's too much vulnerability displayed upon my face
I'll say my lines and play my part
To hide the pain within my heart

Let me act on life's great stage
Play pantomime until old age 
And one day I might dare review
My days, my years, my whole life span
Will you then tell me who I am?
Or who I was, once used to be
Before I lost the real me.



And here is the one I wrote last night

Take me to the city, introduce me to the crowd
When emotions surface, we'll share stories and be proud
Pain is eased and somehow truth is visible and clear
Together we are stronger and our smile is more sincere

Help me take my mask off, give me no hiding place
Permission has been granted for me to show my face
The laughter and the tension, the longings of my heart
Are valid and acceptable, my journey to impart.

Let me dance on life's great stage
Enjoy my role until old age
And when I take my final bow
And credits roll for one last time
Let it be my life I have lived
And may my legacy then be
that I embraced the real me.

Karen Holmes 
24th July 2013

What's in a name?

"I have called you by name" says God, God who made the heavens and the earth declares that He knows my name and uses it to call me.

Can this be so?  He says He is the good shepherd who knows his sheep by name, and I am part of his flock.

Today I have been thinking about names, when I went to collect a prescription the lady greeted me and immediately got my item from the shelf - she didn't need to ask my name, she recognised me and remembered.

Then, as I walked home I saw someone I knew at school, she was always alone at school and I used to be friendly, try to talk to her, but she couldn't respond, she was obviously on medication, obviously depressed and lonely but unable to be reached.  I have seen her a few times in town and said hello.  But today God said 

"Use her name"

As I approached her eyes were focused on the ground, she wouldn't have seen me but I said hello and used her name.  I called her by name.  And she looked up, surprised and said "Hello, K....Karen?  Uncertain whether she'd got the name right but willing to try.

How many had called her by name today?  Had anyone?  She stopped - to my amazement, and I asked her how she is.  We had a conversation.  I learned that she is still struggling and found myself saying, "if I meet you again and we both have time, we can go for a coffee if you like"  She smiled - smiled!  I don't think I've seen her smile before.  And she said "that would be nice"

And then tonight, on the news, I heard that President Obama had got somebodies name wrong.  It made the news!  That's how important names are.

And this blog is for poems and yet this is not a poem. What's in a name?

God knows my name, He uses it.  He identifies me as "Karen" amongst all the other people in the world.

And he knows your name too.

Karen Holmes
June 20th 2013

A word of Warning

Diabetes, let me tell you
You and I will soon fall out
We've walked together for so long
Yet frequently you mess about

You change the rules, yet give no warning
The plans I've made, you disregard
Like spoiled child who's plans are thwarted
You still rebel and make things hard

One day in church you threw a wobbly
So whilst they served communion bread
I sat in shaky, sweaty stupor
And Jelly Babies ate instead

You like to make a mockery
of all my efforts to control
And stand in great contempt of all
who set a target or a goal

Consider this your final warning
You'll get an ASBO if you dare
to treat me with such disrespect
and act as if you do not care

We have to live together
Though friends we'll never be
Dear Diabetes, understand
You've met your match in me!

Karen Holmes
February 3rd 2011

Rededication

Many years ago I went to hear a singer at a local Church of England church.  God spoke that night of having a special plan, a special job for me and gave me a promise from Exodus 23:1-30

"See I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared"  Do read the rest of the passage if you are interested as some of this poem is based on it.  Other parts of the poem touch upon Ephesians ch 6 "Finally be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes"

Sometimes walking the paths that God has appointed us to walk will upset a few people, we may become unpopular with people who previously liked us but didn't this happen to Jesus as well?  Didn't He challenge the religious teaching of the time?

Here is my rededication of myself to the guidance of God and to trusting in Him alone.

Lord I would kneel in solemn dedication
of my intention to trust in You alone
Oh God I'll stand upon the truths you've taught me
Though that might mean I'm often on my own
But what is man if he should turn against me?
what can he do that impacts on my soul?
For futile are the efforts of mere mortals
compared to Your safe keeping, your strong hold
I clothe myself with armour clad with glory
and take my stand gainst any scheme of man
Against the powers, the darkest evil forces
I'll stand my ground against the devil's plan.
For You have said no flame or fire can harm me
No depth of water can dislodge my feet
from that planned path that You have set before me
For You're my shield, my anchor, my retreat.

Lord hear my daily made rededication
May angels guard me and prepare the way ahead
Lord be my food, my nourishment, my healer
In You I trust, by You I'm safely led.


Karen Holmes
20th May 2013

The Heartbeat of Heaven

This week has been important to me and has made me realise how wonderful it is when we are in tune with the heartbeat of God, when we dance to the beat of His heart.


I'm practicing the dance of Heaven
For the steps are written in my soul
I'll choose to move in step with the King of Glory
This must be my one important goal
Though there are many other dances I could join in
The dance of heaven found an echo from the start
I'll dance right here yet in the presence of angels
My steps in time with the beat of Father's heart.
Who else can hear the melody of wholeness
The harmony of tenderness and grace, 
Who else has ears attuned to heaven's glory?
The music that transcends all time and space
Across the land we'll dance as He directs us
And hand in hand we'll move at heaven's pace
The heart of God is beating out the tempo
He leads the way, a smile upon His face.

Karen Holmes
May 19th 2013