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Ice Age
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Before the vernal equinox
my vision was blurred by ice
I could not foresee your touch
melting me and giving sight
I warmed myself with embers
from a fire not my own
that simply chilled me deeper
and flash froze me to the bone
Now numbed by icy spirits
I trudged through wild winter’s ways
blinded by whipping whiteouts
grasping things along the way
Howling winds of self-made gales
deafened me to songs of hope
until I suddenly sank
through an icy path that broke
You saw my futile thrashing
and hopelessness to survive
Your Sun of Spring then gave me
eyes to see and come alive.
Wendy/2013
My coming to faith/trust in Jesus Christ opened my eyes to the beauty in nature as if I had moved from a black and white planet to a full color one! My eyes didn’t see well when my heart was in an ice age…
Warm-hearted Blessings ~ Wendy
What was one difference that you noticed in your life after a Spiritual awakening?
I really like this one; the poetry and it’s very inspirational. Steve
Thank you! I was again inspired by creation and its Creator.
Blessings Steve ~ Wendy 🙂
These are amazing photos, Wendy–and your words, well I just can’t choose a fave phrase; however, “self-made gales” speaks very personally to me. It wasn’t deliberate, of course, but I did bring most of my troubles on myself–in my blind and starving state. I agree that all of nature looks more vibrant when Jesus breathes Spring into our souls. Even though it’s been quite gray of late, I went out briefly yesterday and felt a heightened sense of the coolness in the air, and the scent was so fresh–the “gray” suddenly looked “pewter”!! God bless you–love, sis Caddo
Thank you, Caddo! Even your comments are poetical – I love it! I happen to collect miniature pewter figurines…and you are so right – the West Coast has a pewter look to it lately. 🙂 Oh, may I use that in a poem? Hugs!
Blessings dear sis ~ Wendy xo
Beautiful words, Wendy. You are so eloquent, and I know you speak from your heart. I especially relate to “My eyes didn’t see well when my heart was in an ice age…” When my spiritual awakening began, I wrote some words in my journal: “The icebergs of my heart are melting. They dripped very slowly at first, but now they’re thawing fast. It is the flame of love that melts them, as it burns ever more strongly. One day those icebergs will be gone, melted and merged into the Sea of Love.”
Lizzie, your journal excerpt gave me goose bumps ( not from the icebergs either)! God is love. He draws us to himself because He loves us is so evident in your very beautiful words. Thank you for your lovely comment! Hugs!
Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo
Your words are touching me .. more than I could describe in my limited English.
A difference .. Everything is more intense, “more present” – I can now see small but great things and the beauty in these things which I used to walk past without even noticing them .. and a special atmosphere .. a deeper meaning ..
Thank you for sharing! I can relate to “a special atmosphere” too. Although I have always appreciated things like trees and flowers – now I marvel even in the bugs that I find on them. For me, the intricacy of creation points to a Creator.
Blessings new friend ~ Wendy 🙂
Beautiful, Wendy. I feel as you do… the day I gave my life to Christ, my eyes were opened and it was as if I was seeing for the first time. …and it’s been that way ever since, just like the Scripture says, “from glory to glory!” Thanks for this inspirational word! Be blessed! 🙂
Thank you, Daisy! It is definitely like a honeymoon feeling when one is newly reborn…but with the Lord it keeps returning. I sometimes make myself slow down when I am smelling a flower and really look at it and ponder that He made it knowing that both the bees and people would enjoy it… Hugs!
Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo
you create beautiful imagery with words. simply stunning. cannot answer your question… i am not exactly a christian but rather perhaps a buddhist agnostic. been there, done that… as i age, i change.
as i’ve grown older i’ve come to realize certain truths *for me* – Spirit is the same for all but interpreted by each in individual ways. i wish the world and it’s varied beliefs would realize that not one has every answer…. there are more people dead in the name of religion than for any other reason on earth. very sad… someday perhaps that will change?
regardless many blessings, my dearxoxox
Thank you, Linda! I am so glad that you commented, as I purposely asked in an inclusive manner as I want to respect that not everyone has the same belief/world view. You are so correct that so much killing has been done in the name of religion.
Love is so much better than hate. I wish for a world that can agree to disagree with gentleness and respect. One of my children has chosen, for now, to be an atheist. I love and respect this child equally with the other two. We learn from each other: And I understand that faith cannot and should not be forced – that would not be Love. 😉 Thank you for your gentleness and respect. Hugs!
Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo
Lovely and probing, Wendy. Your poetry pairs so well with your image. I cannot remember a time when I did not sing “Jesus loves me, this I know” and mean it. But as years have come and gone, more and more I rephrase the song: “Jesus knows me, this I love.” Oversimplification, perhaps…but it describes the personal relationship which then begins to define the way I see everything. Thank you for your post.
Oh, Mary Ann, I love that: “Jesus knows me, this I love.” It is truly amazing, for me, that He loves me even when He knows what I am like… Hugs!
Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo
Though I grew up happily going to church and wanting to please God, my big spiritual awakening happened in college. Homesick, lonely, and generally down, I prayed in my journal to feel real joy again. On February 20, 1997, I attended a large group meeting on campus of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. Seeing other students just like me, pouring their hearts out in worship was new, exciting, and it all filled me with joy: for I realized the object of their worship was Jesus, whom I thought I knew. It turned out, I was just beginning to see. JOY!!!!! Unbeknownst to me, one of the friendly people I shook hands with that night would become my husband four years later. Joy.
Your poem was so vivid. I know what it is like to be blinded by snow literally, and to feel cold and lifeless and hopeless, too. Hallelujah for the Son’s melting, healing, life-giving love and grace!! I also remember how physically cold I could be when depriving myself nutritionally. Jesus has truly thawed my heart!
Blessings to you and your family tonight. –Alison
Thank you for sharing from your own life. Hugs! Alison, your words really touched me. Some parts of your story reminded me of my own…
I, too, went to a meeting at college and realized there was something more than I already knew about God. When the young leader prayed I began to cry as he sounded like he was talking to Someone who was really listening. I vowed, in my heart, to seek after the Lord at that moment. My first step was to buy a Bible and start reading it. Being a poor student – I bought the cheapest KJV I could find. That prayer and that Bible was the beginning of my life long love of His Word and Himself… I never went back to that meeting, but I began to search for a church that believed and preached the Bible I was reading.
Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo
So wonderful, Wendy, this poem and photos . ..and how you described really being able to see nature after Jesus opened your eyes. You are so gentle and lovingkind. I love that! One thing that changed for me, was that I used to like the dark .. to be in the dark, to not turn lights on, etc. etc. But after Jesus showed me the Light .. I love light! I light up the house, light candles, love to be outside in the sunlight. 🙂 God bless you and your eyes that see Him all around you!
Thank you, Debbie, for your always thoughtful comments. Hugs! Your love of candles and sunlight remind me of a special friend of mine who has taught me to love candles too. They are so soothing – like a visit with a friend! 😉
Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo
The one thing I noticed after being awakened was that general sense of hope for the future. I found that Eternal hope in Him. I also began to see that I was not unimportant to Him. My story was not just “bad luck”, but something that could be beautiful because of Him!
Beautiful thoughts! Your words draw tears… “What is man that You are mindful of him…?” is what I am reminded of (from Psalm 8).
Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo
The Holy Spirit always gives us a thaw, in his perfect timing. Beautiful Wendy…
Yes! I just shared a picture of a clock on Facebook from someone else that says: ” God is always on time.” He truly is – even if we don’t understand what’s going on…
Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo
Everytime i experience a spiritual awakening i always noticed a sense of comfort and security like my fears are lessened and im just confident on whatever decisions i made knowing that everything will be okay at the end. Thanks for sharing this..your words are very inspirational and your photos reminded me of my entry in a weekly photo challenge which i posted on my blog at Gasm Travels Its one thing i miss doing during winter and i wish i will experience snow again…..enjoy taking photos of melting ice, its gives a different kind of pleasure especially when you discover unexpected figures coming out of your photos….
I love that post you did, Susan! It is fun taking shots of ice and snow. I took lots when we had our white Christmas…it’s almost all melted away now. The icy photos are winter’s flowers.
Blessings dear friend ~ Wendy xo
thanks Wendy, you can still find something interesting out of water droplets from melting ice….try doing macro photography and you will get something beautiful….take care….
Oh, yes, you are so right about that! I did this while they were melting and I have some future posts coming with the results… Thank you for the encouragement, Susan. There’s always something in creation to photograph in all seasons. 🙂
After my recent spiritual awakening I realized…I was awake! No pun, I had felt as though I was missing everything around me going on. God is wonderful. Thanks!
Thank you. I agree that God is wonderful! And I can sure relate to what you said…
Blessings ~ Wendy 🙂