~THOUGHTS ON A SUNDAY MORNING~

A BEACON OF LIGHT

Lord, I trust that you will lead me

In this never ending plight

To be a beacon in the darkness

Shinning brightly with Your Light

Lord I pray for strength to witness

To the unknown, scared and lost

Impart to me your wisdom

No matter what the cost

Lord, I pray your Holy Spirit

Will forever be my guide

To seek the sad and lonely

And to constantly abide

With You, my loving Master

Forever, Faithful Friend

Reveal to them Your Glory

As they seek You without end

Help me, your willing servant

Flee from this earthly sod

Make a Lighthouse of my spirit

As I share my faith in God

And of Your Son, Christ Jesus, Lord

I pray I'll give my best

By sharing His Salvation

To a world that knows no rest

--Rebecca Nelson/2003

Blessings to you as you worship the name of the Most High.

(Don't forget I'll be away for a few days...)

Love to you...

~THE BLESSING of PINK and Thoughts on a Summer Day~

~THE BLESSING OF PINK~

Of all the colors I’m starting to think

That I’m truly destined to dearly love pink

It soothes my soul and blesses my being

My heart ever joyful from the beauty I’m seeing

Of all of the colors I’m starting to think

That life isn’t possible without loving pink

For without it the ocean and shells in the sand

Would not be as beautiful, lovely or grand

I dream of a garden, soft petals in blush

Entwined in a trellis, pink flowers a must

Climbing and vining wherever life goes

While thanking my Maker for the tiniest rose

Of all of the colors I’m humbled to think

God gifted my heart by creating all pink

From down here on earth to the heavens above

He’s fashioned the universe with the color of love

For pink brings me laughter, sweetness and bliss

A gentle reminder of life’s dearest kiss

Wherever I wander and whatever I do

I pray God’s pink blessings of goodness on you

Rebecca Suzanne/2010

Blessings to you this lovely, lovely summer day.  

"IF NOT FOR THE MIRACLE...O' Christmas Tree"

~My La Chaumière de Briarwood
CHRISTMAS TREE~

Christmas 2009

MY CHRISTMAS TREE

Proudly dressed in glitter and lace
Shimmering pink she takes her place
Ribbons and Roses, she's clothed to the nines
Filling the room with the fragrance of pine

Bedazzled with ornaments
Twinkling and bright
She shines through the darkness
A beacon of light

Carefully holding
Her memories of love
She stands representing
The One from above

For all of her beauty
For all that we see
If not for the Miracle
She'd just be a Tree.

(c) Rebecca S. Nelson/2009

Blessings to you as your prepare your heart and home for CHRISTMAS...Rebecca

~POEMS, PRAYERS AND PROMISES~ and the Good Stuff in Life...

~A GIFT FROM MY FATHER~

Call me crazy or unbalanced, disorganized or unfocused... But a few months ago when I couldn't find the hand written poetry book given to me by my father, I became totally panicked and afraid. I looked high and low for the deep blue and gold-trimmed journal only to face disappointment after each unsuccessful search came to an end. I feared it was lost forever. When my Mr. AGPMan found it safely stored on a shelf in our guest room, I felt my heart could finally rest. What once had been lost now had been found..

~HAND PRINTED WITH LOVE~

I cannot say for certain when it first was my father presented me with the final version of the book that holds some of his best writings. He began poetry books for all of his children, but I was relentless when it came to him completing mine. I would routinely return it to him on occasion so he could transfer into it his most recently penned poems, prayers and promises...

The last entry my father made in my book was in the late 1980's. It is now full...well, almost full anyway. There are a few empty pages towards the back that he intentionally left blank as he had planned to include a few more "special entries" for when my children graduated college, left home, married, had babies...

~MY FATHER AT 35 (1965)

Sadly, my father fell ill with what my sister Jenny continually calls a 'monster in his brain' and those very special writings would remain un-penned forever... This makes me all the more grateful for the amazing insight he had when he was well. The book holds more than 300 separate writings...

~TRULY TREASURED - DEEPLY LOVED~

The poem above, called "The Only Wealth", was written for my siblings and I in 1979...it is very special to me~

~A SPECIAL POEM FOR MY BROTHER~

In 1963 my Father wrote a poem he called "Kindergarten Scholar" for my brother. Bill was just a baby at the time and my Dad was so happy to finally have a son after two little girls...(little did he know another girl was to follow)~ Even though this poem was not written for me, it remains my favorite of all of his writings. I proudly share it with you below...

~MY FATHER AT 73~ (2003)~
Reading From My Book

KINDERGARTEN SCHOLAR
by: William E. Elliott
10/18/65

I
Infant, infant, shining face
Will you take your destined place
With the small or with the great,
Men of valor, who create?

II
Infant, infant, little one,
You who sleep when day is done~
Rest you well, this carefree night,
The day to come shall bring new light!

III
Kneeling down, I kiss your cheek
Who tomorrow, starts to seek~
Hidden wealth in knowledge land
Secrets too, in grains of sand!

IV
Tucking covers, under chin~
This my flesh and blood and kin...
(Fading shade of summer tan!)
Child tonight, tomorrow- a man!

~MY FAVORITE PICTURE OF MY DAD~

My father began the painstaking task of writing out in long-hand my keepsake book back in 1978. He was the age then that I am today. He could never have known how precious to me his words would one day become or how much more I would grow to love him over the next thirty years...

Today I will be visiting him in the nursing home...the place he now calls home. I'm taking this beloved book with me and I'm going to read to him for a spell.

I'll share with him some of the poems he wrote in 1963, and '65, '71 and '84.

And then I'll turn to the back of the book, to the pages that once were empty, and I'll read aloud to him the poems I've written and carried on in his name...

Thank you, Daddy. For everything!

Blessings to you as you honor, in deed or memory, the ones who gave you life...Rebecca

~THE GIFT OF FRIENDSHIP~

THE GIFT OF FRIENDSHIP
by Helen Steiner Rice

Friendship is a Priceless Gift
that cannot be bought or sold,
But it's value is far greater
than a mountain made of gold~

For gold is cold and lifeless,
it can neither see nor hear,
And in the time of trouble
it is powerless to cheer~

It has no ears to listen,
no heart to understand,
It cannot bring you comfort
or reach out a helping hand~

So when you ask God for a Gift,
be thankful if He sends
Not diamonds, pearls or riches,
but the love of real true friends.

Early next week I'll be in Kansas City. I'm going to finally meet up with one of my longest eBay friends, Ms. Iley... She lives 2 miles from where my hubby and I will be staying and I'm excited about lunching together and sharing my heart with hers...

Isn't it wonderful when something you've prayed for finally comes to pass? God certainly does make all things beautiful (and wonderful!) in His time...

Blessings to you as you remember the faithfulness of the Most High...Rebecca

~HE WENT THIS WAY BEFORE~

A couple of weeks ago I received an email from a precious friend telling me of the unexpected death of her young granddaughter. My friend was overcome with grief and sadness and just hearing of her sorrow was heart-wrenching. Whenever death comes to someone so innocent, I can’t help but want to hide my face from the world…I want to cry out to my Creator and ask “WHY?” and “WHERE ARE YOU GOD? HOW COULD YOU ALLOW THIS TO HAPPEN?”

And so I do! I cry out! I cry out to Him ALOUD and OFTEN! I readily admit to the Lord that I do not understand His ways. I’ve finally learned to take my disappointments directly to the Father and trust Him with all that I cannot possibly comprehend.

For some of you, the road through life is a long one and far too often it seems unbearable at best. The storms of life crash in on you, knocking you down. They are determined to destroy every dream, every hope and every promise… Remember, God never said the journey here on earth would be an easy one, but He did promise you the final destination would be worth your sufferings...

THE ROAD

“The road is too rough” I said “Dear Lord~
"There are thorns that hurt me so!
“Ah yes, my child, I understand!
I walked it long ago."

"There’s a cool green path" I said "Dear God~
"Let me walk there for a time!"
"Oh no, my child!" He gently said
"The green road does not climb."

"But Lord~ I wish that there were friends
That would make my way their own!"
"Ah yes, my child,Gethsemane
Was hard to face alone!"

And so I walked the rugged road
Content at last to know
That where my Savior had not gone
I would not need to go.

And strangely then I found new friends
My burdens grew less sore
As I remembered long ago
He went this way before.
(Unknown)

"Anyone who is having trouble should pray." James 5:13

Blessings to you a you travel the road before you...Rebecca