Coloring My Life

Monday Missive #80

A Poem: Coloring My Life

God said… 
“Here is your coloring book. 
It’s called life.” 
Then he gave me a box of crayons to use:
A mind, talents, a body, a soul. 
Often I color outside of the lines.
Sometimes by accident.
Sometimes on purpose, 
Thinking that it really doesn’t matter.
Sometimes I use the wrong colors.
I color the sky green, the grass blue, and trees 
orange.
But when I show my pitiful pictures to my Father,
He says, “How beautiful!”
Then in a loving voice he gently instructs.
“Let me show you how to stay inside the lines.
Let me show you what colors reflect truth.”

I’ll always draw outside of the lines,
And use the wrong colors.
But my Father will smile at my crude drawing;
Put it on some gigantic refrigerator door in Heaven,
And tell the angels,
“Look at my son’s artwork!

A Prayer: Christ, You Alone Know

Christ, you alone
Know my heart,
My thoughts.
Teach me patience,
Teach me kindness.
Help me to forgive
Those who have hurt me;
Keep me from hurting others,
Keep my way lighted
With your steadfast love.
Forgive my shortcomings,
My feeble attempts
To please you.
Amen.

A Passage: For Refection

The LORD is compassionate and merciful, 
slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. 
He will not constantly accuse us, 
nor remain angry forever.
He does not punish us for all our sins; 
he does not deal harshly with us, as we deserve.
For his unfailing love toward those who fear his 
is as great as the height of the heavens above the earth.
He has removed our sins as far from us as the east is from the west.
— Psalm 103:8-12 NLT