On your mark, get set, go

Yesterday was the Pinewood Derby for Andrew and Nicholas' scout troop, the last for Andrew as he will be crossing over to Boy Scouts next month. I thought about all the years we've spent in Cub Scouts and how quickly they've flown by. I sat at a table in the front corner while helping collect money for the upcoming Blue and Gold banquet. It was a good spot because I could sit back and take in the atmosphere, watch the activity. My how things have changed. Click here for last year's take and here for the 2010 race. You'll be amazed at how much they've grown.

For example, Katie was involved. For many years she wanted nothing to do with anything scout related, but now it's different. Gee, I wonder why? She and her friends, who also have little brothers, manned the concession stand. Every time I glanced over, there they were taking pictures and cramming their mouths with candy.

Meanwhile, Nicholas had an entourage of girls following him and he was loving it. He tried to take them backstage, but I put an end to that real fast. I know he's only in third grade, but you just never know with him.

Andrew was helping with the actual races. He sat and watched calmly in between. During their basketball game earlier in the day he had been hit in the head with the ball. I'm sure all the chaos drove him nuts. The boys didn't win this year, but they really didn't put much time into it. Pete's in grad school now, remember?

There was a lot of unstructured time. The young kids got rowdy after the first hour. By the third hour, we were ready to go. As I close, let me quote another mother my exact sentiments, "Why can't they just let the little cars roll down the ramp and be done with it?"

Chilling Out

Red Spot II, Wallisy Kandinsky

This frozen field, my mind, plays tricks on me
it goes from chilled to hot in seconds flat
shocks thoughts electrifying to my feet
and on the earth a flame of anguish sparks.

All because of silly things, a misplaced shoe
or perhaps forgotten homework, dirty tracks
across the rug, those crazy dogs
(oh, I love them so).

Then all at once I feel serenity
it startles like an unexpected touch
a cloak of permeable karma flows through me
like magic all the heat is gone
I’m chilled again, born into God’s realm of joy.

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration:
*The Sunday Whirl (anguish, field, permeable, shocks, flame, fresh, startles, earth, born, feet, serenity, frozen)
Picture inspiration:
*The Mag

Bubbles and Whistles to Tickle Your Side

Johnny knows how to
blow bubbles from
his nose when
he cries,
but I am the
ONLY one
in the class
who knows how to whistle,
the young boy told his mom
who laughed so hard it hurt.

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration: IGWRT- Mary’s Mixed Bag (A conversation poem)

Truth (Raveled Rhyme)

Could I but travel through these rocky

woods, empowered with a drive for inner

peace? A death-defying sanctum down

this road... of weary feet upon the ground.

I close my eyes and trust the sound
of birds singing to a higher

power. Will it lead me through? I need not

cower; one step I take, one leap of

faith and I am closer to the

truth.

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration: Poets United Thursday Think Tank (Roads)

The form is one I created called Raveled Rhyme. Here are the guidelines:

first word of line 1 rhymes with first word of line 2
last word of line 4 rhymes with last word of line 5
first word of line 7 rhymes with first word of line 8
last word of line 10 rhymes with first word of line 11
lines 3, 6, 9 do not rhyme; or they can rhyme with each other
last line is one word/ same as title
lines can be of any length
unlimited number of lines

****

Please... tell me what you think.

Subcutaneous Communication

Over, under, out -- Roger
acquired an infection
that with quite some introspection
and a wreck he had resulting
in reactions slow and lumbered
a slothful snail they called him
prompting great consideration
of a viral invasion deadly
in his network crashing body
creating bubble condensation
on his skin, this Trojan foe
a risk of life taken
for hooking up this microchip
to the world-wide web;
over, under, out.

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspirations:
IGWRT Kenia's Wednesday Challenge (future)
 3WW (bubble, lumber, wreck)

A Tongue Twister?

He asked me if I'd ever

felt a tongue

outline my body from head

 to toe, enticing pleasure, warming

sizzle, moisture spreading, heartbeat

threading pulses that

drive you crazy 

and

I

said

no
~~
~~
~~
~
~
~
YES

 

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration: Poetry Jam (senses)

Look Out for Cars

Nicholas and I went on a bike ride today. He was upset because he had spilled his Sonic slush drink. I thought the diversion would be good and it was. I love that little guy. He is full of contagious energy and always has so much to say.

First we talked about bike helmets. He wanted to know if when he was bigger he could stop wearing them.

"Cars will be able to see me then," he justified.

"No, honey. We always wear helmets because it keeps our head from getting smashed if we should have an accident."

But I wanted to continue on and tell him that I've seen a young boy die because of a bike accident. If he'd been wearing a helmet, he'd be alive. It was when I lived in The Woodlands. The place is full of walking trails and kids venture out after school. Well, a neighbor's son was on his way home, darted out of the trail across the intersection without looking and... you know the rest. It was horrible.

My children will wear bike helmets.

We also talked about dogs. Nicholas has a friend down the street, and he rides his bike to the boy's house by himself. He said something about a dog barking at him once. So I told him that if a dog ever started chasing him, he should ignore it and keep pedaling. Even if it's growling just keep going, don't look in its eyes.

On the way back from our ride, a dog did just that. It was a large, but precious, dog. He started following us so closely that he almost knocked us over. He barked and tried to get in front of our bikes. I looked over at Nicholas and he was looking straight ahead with a serious expression of determination.

"I sure am glad you told me about dogs like that," he said after the dog turned around and headed back home.

"Just remember, always look ahead and move forward, no matter how vicious things seem; don't pause for a second, keep pedaling. But always look out for cars."

~~

“So He (Jesus) said, “Come.” And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. But when he saw that the wind was boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, “Lord, save me!”” Matthew 14: 29-30

Inspiration: Scibbling Spiritual Sand at Wolfrosebud's blog- Click the link to join in and/or read more inspirational words.

Warning: A Small Package

Photo: Boris Hoppek

She came in a small package

fleece worn and ribbon tied

innocent and modest, or so she seemed

with silky smooth skin

a fountain of milky pearl

wrapped up like a bow

laid upon for the taking

temptation on a platter

this grackle, waiting to attack.

~~

@laurie kolp

Picture inspiration: Magpie Tales

Snippets of the Truth

The Peabody sisters had a knack for story-telling

a charm in whispering words that crush the human spirit

scatter ashen children with shards of gore and horror

droning on about dark urges roiling from the depths of hell

virgin maidens whose lips scald all who come too near

chasing sanity with magic spells a basic instinct --

for their stories told were but snippets of the truth.

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration: The Sunday Whirl (ashen, knack, scald, sisters, crush, instinct, story, scatter, urges, shards, charm, whispering)

Also linked to IGWRT's Open Link Monday... anyone's welcome!

A Day at the Sun

Suzy invited me to the sun one day

We swam through Cool Whip as we played

Leap frog with peaches and mango

Jumping hoops of pear mandiango

Until the heat was too much to bare

So we stripped down to our underwear

And lo and behold I did discover

Fruit salad in secret places uncovered

@laurie kolp

**

My son's edible sun

Please join me at Imaginary Garden with Real Toads where the topic is NONSENSE

SEXercise

The secret to a smaller
waistline only Mama
knows, but Papa wasn't
complaining. I've never
seen them more in love.

@laurie kolp

Picture/prompt inspiration: Poetry Jam

**Click here for my dVerse OpenLinkNight offering.**

Believe It's Possible: Revealed and Unveiled

The mysterious invitation

Last night I had the privilege of being a part of an unveiling. Of what? I'm sure you're wondering. Well, according to Webster's Dictionary, unveil means to 1. remove a veil or covering from; or 2. make public. Both definitions are applicable to what took place; but before I fill you in, let me backtrack a bit.

Nearly a year ago I met this amazing woman, Cathy Taylor, who not only owns her own business, but designs the exquisite jewelry (and other things) sold there. She was struggling with some of the same issues as me, and when we got to talking I found out she had lost a dear friend, too. Rather than cardinals though, her connection with her friend Myra involved butterflies. We visited several times and then I didn't see her for awhile.

One day Cathy called me from out of the blue. There was a lilt in her voice, a sense of peace I hadn't heard before. She wanted to get together for coffee and so we arranged for a meeting time.

When I saw Cathy again there was a sparkle in her eyes and a smile on her face that truly came from the bottom of her heart. She told me she had been on a Walk to Emmaus, that she had had a spiritual awakening there. All of her burdens had been lifted and she was ready to follow God's plan for her. She didn't quite know what it was yet, but she did know it had something to do with Myra and butterflies. Cathy wanted me to help her with the writing aspect of whatever it would be and I gladly said yes.

It soon evolved into a new line that Cathy would call Believe It's Possible because Myra had been such a positive reflection of faith even in the midst of her debilitating cancer. Cathy and Myra had been friends since high school and Myra had clearly recognized the struggles Cathy had been facing. Shortly before her death, Myra had told Cathy that she would be part of a miracle one day. Little did she know she would be the miracle!

Since then, Cathy has been working hard on this new line. She managed to keep last night somewhat of a mystery to all involved, which has grown to include an artist, a bookkeeper, and much more. These people have been placed in Cathy's life, too. The beautiful thing is that none of us cares about the money aspect of it... we simply want to help Cathy fulfill God's plan for her.

A small section of the beautiful stage

Now back to last night. When I arrived at the church where it took place, I had no idea what to expect. The parking lot was full and I thought I wouldn't know anyone there, yet I walked into the room of people and felt right at home. I saw a few familiar faces. I found a spot in the front and soaked in the splendor of the stage, music, ambiance. Then I saw a friend and went to get her so she could sit by me. We waited in suspense until finally, the show began.

A serene Cathy unveiling her past

What can I say about this amazing evening filled with joy other than it moved me to tears? I wasn't the only one either, according to the sniffs I heard behind me and my friend who was downright sobbing. Cathy unveiled everything about her past with complete candidness. She celebrated her friendship with Myra and the significant role she played in Cathy's recovery even after her passing. Before the night was over, she unveiled the first pieces of jewelry and gave them to Myra's mother, husband and three sons. Myra's legacy would live on through this Believe It's Possible line, the ministry she always wanted.

I can't wait to tell you more, but God is writing the story, you know, and His time can be slow. I promise I will unveil more as it comes to fruition. Until then believe in the power of prayer, believe in the power of miracles, believe in the power of God. Believe it's possible. I do.

***
Linked to Scribbling Spiritual Sand: "She (wisdom) is a tree of life to those who take hold of her, and happy are all who retain her." Proverbs 3:18

Reels of Real Horror, Imagined

I’ll let this poem write itself while

I sit still and contemplate

no… worry, really, about you

and your friend’s crazy notion

to sleep outside in freezing

temperatures the depth of my morbidity

starting to surface in this horror picture

show between my ears and suddenly you are

lying dormant, frozen to death in your sleep and I’m

kneeling at your side sobbing uncontrollably

unaware of the spectacle I’m making, which

in all honesty comes from the hot pink tent

pitched in your friend’s front yard

~gasp~

the next reel shows a maniac kidnapping

you as you try in vain to scream

but your friend’s already dead so this man

takes you away like Elizabeth Smart and I am

there trying to save you but he says,

“Shut up broad!” and throws me in the icy pool out back

~shiver~

now a texting soccer mom is driving

home in her Cadillac SRX after a crisp

night of debauchery, jumps the curb, runs into

the yard and I CAN’T STAND THIS ANYMORE

so I make a resolution to have faith and let it go

after all, “They’ll be inside the house within the hour

anyway,” says hubby and I hope he’s right because

I’m not ready to sign on the dotted line

step back from mollycoddling and let you

learn the hard way.

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration: The Sunday Whirl (vain, dotted, dormant, reel, kneeling, surface, still, spectacle, depth, resolution, contemplate, broad, crisp)

Nature's School

Somewhere in Austin, TX

When all the world was green
Children played outside with one another
Learned the dynamics of relationships
How to get along, give and take
They moved their growing bodies
Realized their strengths and limits
Raced down grassy hills like barrels
"Last one's a rotten egg!"

Reason became second nature as they
Darted through lush fields of connect the dots
"Tag, you're it!"
Played hide-n-seek with trees as base
(They made good hiding places, too)
Through the thick forest a game of maze
Discoveries made textbooks could never teach
When all the world was green

@laurie kolp



Prompt inspiration: IGWRT w/ Marian- (When all the world was green)

aros

Bridal wreath dances in the wind
anticipating the big day
with the white dress.

***

Sitting in church
she picks at her amaranth fingernail polish-
peeling away the layers.

***

A Fresh Perspective:
Subbing makes me glad
I don't teach anymore.

Enough said.

***

warm Grape Nuts on a frozen grapes morn
oh, no
flung across the keyboard
oh, yes
Friday the 13th

***

Impel was the word
that was supposed to be
but with a Texas twang
pronounced im-pay-el
by the teACHEr
he spelled it i.m.p.a.l.e.
knocking him out
of the final spelling bee.
I'm impelled to impale
HER. oink. oink.

***

@laurie kolp

*To view my River of Small Stones click here.

*Linked to IMGWRT Open Link Monday

Virtuous

Veering off the path 

impulsive volition

violates

God's plan

~versus~

vehemence

blind faith

victory

one step at a time.

~

Which will you choose?

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration: Poets United Thursday Think Tank (Choices)

A Sunny Day

They said to let go
of brutal resentment
focus on this moment

inhale love and trust
(children laughing)
exhale sullen memories
(Retribution 101)

or drive to the first
beach on the left.

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration: 3WW (brutal, sullen, trust)

***

aros, Day 11

For breakfast, grapefruit
the aisle in the sky;
a dose of Vitamin C.

Signs

aros, Day 10

Happiness signs:
Indigo gleams
Juniper shines
Kaleidescope dreams

@laurie kolp

I used Traci's Poetry form that came from the challenge at IGWRT. You can read more about it on her blog Poemflow.

I came up with a form I named Raveled Rhyme. If you try it out, please share. Mary Mansfield has written one here.

Thank you Traci and Mary.

Saying Good Morning

I took this last summer at the lake

“My voice You shall hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.” Psalm 5:3

It never fails that when I'm having a bad day I can usually trace it back to forgetting or not allowing enough time for a Good Morning, God when I woke up. The good news, though, is that I can start my day over at any time with a prayer. It doesn't have to be an elaborate prayer spoken in tongues, a simple conversation will do. What I usually say goes along these lines, although the words may vary:

Dear God,
Thank you for this wonderful day. Please help me know your will for me and give me the power to carry it out. Open up my heart to your word and remove whatever is blocking my way to you. Amen.

I used to think, why pray? God couldn't possibly hear little old me. Plus, with my Catholic upbringing I felt that all prayer had to be formal. Now I know that's not true. Even if I only say God help me it will be enough.

PROMPT SOURCE~ **Wolfsrosebud's Scribbling Spiritual Sand - Every Monday morning she'll post a Bible verse as inspiration.

A Rainy Day

aros, Day 8

Monday stayed home sick today
he was up all night complaining
with thunderous outbursts, discontent
and when he finally showed his face
at Morning Dawn's drive-in show
sallow was his color, off
so in he'll stay today.

Linked to IGWRT's Open Link Monday

@laurie kolp

The Man (Blind) and My Demise

With hair like straw of wheat thatched upon a roof
and eyes as gray as stones beneath the earth

the man appeared in lightning’s fluttering flash
at the wooden gate where I stood, for what
forgotten on this night of blackened mist.

I watched his weathered hands grope the fencepost
with troubled breathing and bubbling spit

thousands of reasons rushed through my mind
on why I should turn and bolt
but
I
stayed.

The blind man with a raspy voice
asked if he could come inside awhile
sit and warm up at my cozy hearth

a fact I wondered how he knew, too late
I realized as my head bounced on rooted
ground, a dormant fear I had I felt rebuild
and I knew he was back
to
finish
me… sigh.

@laurie kolp

The Sunday Whirl (thatched, hearth, fluttering, breathing, flash, gate, stones, grope, rebuild, thousands, bubbling, forgotten)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

aros, Day 7

Fog is a heavy cloak
of consternation
blinding
all perception
polluting
sanity
until
the son's light
lifts it.

Little Dribblers

aros, Day 7

hustle
tumble
ball
hoggery
shoot
dang!
come on
foul
scowl
hustle
lanky
swanky
woosh
yeah!

@laurie kolp

Pucker Up!

Not long ago I wrote about the time Pete looked at me and screamed. I had on a bright lipstick color that resembled a citrus decoupage. Needless to say, he didn't like it. Click here to read the story.

Day 1

Now I have a new lipstick problem. I found this reddish gloss-like stuff on sale called liquid lipstick. I decided to try it out. Big mistake. When I got back to my car and applied the shine, it dried like clay on my lips. And it stayed. For days it stayed. I'm not kidding. It was on when I went to bed that night and it was still there when I woke up. Lunch, still there; dinner, check. My lips felt like a peeling sunburn and looked like a brain because the color faded in the deep crevices.

See how it's dried and cracked on my lips, day 2?

I like the fact that I don't have to reapply, but I don't like the fact that the color's on for a very long time once the paint job's done (and, no, makeup remover doesn't get it off). I can kiss my kids without them having to worry if I left red lips on their cheek, but I can't leave red lips on Pete's cheek. Once that gloss has dried, there's no turning back. I guess if you were contemplating having an affair, you might want to use this (or have your lover use it); but my lips are mum, so don't quote me.

I have learned a thing or two from this ColorStay Ultimate goo.

When things go wrong, it stays

I've learned to paint my lips sparingly and only in a still car, or my teeth will be red for hours. I've learned to take my time lest I color outside the lines and look like a clown. The most important thing I've learned? Save it for dance recitals. Note to self: Don't be in last minute costume change rush when putting it on Katie's lips. Scrap that idea, I'll throw it in the back of my drawer.

A Lesson in Soap

aros: Day 6

Microwaved...

...or grilled...

...soap will never crayons be
scraps that melt together

but the house and yard
won't smell like school

rather, a fragrant shop
with an airborne lather.

Splurge

Homemade taste
vanilla treat
in swirls
a cone
sweet
Blue
Bell
dig
in
.

@laurie kolp

Prompt inspiration: Poets United Thursday Think Tank & Poetry Jam

Life Assembled

Ella's post over at Real Toads today is called the Art of Assemblage. We are to make a list of 10-12 beloved items around the house. Rename or add adjectives for each object. Assemble them into a poem.

I walked around my living room and came up with this list:

1. cardinals- friendship, vibrancy
2. angels- hope, truth
3. piano & guitar- musical expression
4. Nerf gun bullets- fun, children
5. dogs- unconditional love
6. plants- fresh air, life
7. pictures- family, acceptance
8. computers- connections, wires
9. fireplace poker- gusto, pokes
10. BOOKS (everywhere)- opportunity
11. crosses- faith
12. board games- entertainment, togetherness

Here's my poem:

Life Assembled

Life is in the air we breathe
the hope, the faith, the vibrancy.

Expression flows in wired dreams
a song, a poem, Monopoly.

Acceptance comes from up above
family fun and crimson love.

So with a child's veracity
enjoy today's opportunity.

@laurie kolp

Ferocious Friends

What a naughty tactic
coming from the dogs
Jake and Snowy
placing their paws
at the fence's zenith
scaring off
the neighbor's cat.

@laurie kolp


Prompt inspiration: 3WW (naughty, tactic, zenith) & aros, Day 4

aros, Day 3

dancing figures across the wall
sun's shadow play
while outside leaves somersault
hours of winter's day

@laurie kolp

Reveal

unravel truth
travel within
your beating heart
seldom seen
translucent sheen
two souls apart
release lament
appease guaranteed
a refreshing start
inhale honesty
exhale façade
reveal

@laurie kolp

At Real Toads, Kerry challenged us to create a new poetry form. My form is called Raveled Rhyme. Here are the guidelines:

first word of line 1 rhymes with first word of line 2
last word of line 4 rhymes with last word of line 5
first word of line 7 rhymes with first word of line 8
last word of line 10 rhymes with first word of line 11
lines 3, 6, 9 do not rhyme; or they can rhyme with each other
last line is one word/ same as title
lines can be of any length 
unlimited number of lines

**

Here's a tighter variation excluding the stand alone rhymes with longer lines:

Emancipation

Splashes of deep cinnamon
clash with the muted décor,
walls resemble the forest floor
balls of explosives drop white
swirls of leaves at death’s fight.
Girls in pink gingham with scented
tissue offer the crowd breasts augmented
issues of sexual prowess. The men agree
voices howl like CRACKS of a tree,
choices garnered at the local dive;
emancipation.

@laurie kolp

Driftwood

Moevs, Marina River

Pick-up sticks on the river bank
reveal chaos amidst a reflective odyssey
left behind, the jumbled wreckage remains
untouched the course in life has changed
as the past fades into a distant mirage
allowing room for a peaceful future.

@laurie kolp

Picture inspiration: Magpie Tales







aros, Day 2

A two-week holiday, the kids rise early with anticipation;
back to school on Monday, the kids want to hibernate.

****************************

In Gratitude with Action

It's been such a lovely winter break from school, dance, TaeKwonDo, basketball, CCD, scouts ~sigh~ and the list goes on. We have had a blast with our Christmas gifts; especially the ping-pong table and my new bike. Now we can all go on family bike rides and that's what we've been doing, the weather has been so mild. I feel extremely blessed to have the opportunity to enjoy life with my family.

Off I go

It's great to have a bike again. I once owned a fancy mountain bike. I rode all over town on that bicycle. When Pete and I got engaged we even took our bikes camping. The picture below was taken on that trip.

On my old bike after Pete and I were engaged

Notice how I wear a helmet now that I'm a mom?

Eventually children came along as did tough times. It seems like we were stuck in a rut of bad luck for several years with sickness, surgeries, car wrecks and financial woes. So when Pete got an offer to trade a bike for a car, well... you guessed it; there went my bike. I didn't have time to ride it; remember three children in four years? Anyway, there was no money to buy another car after Pete's third accident. The son of a friend had lost his car privileges after getting into too much trouble, but his parents wanted him to have a bike to get around on; hence, the switch. The kind act of that friend made the world of difference in our lives and for that I'm grateful.

  2012~ Motto:ACTION, Word:GRATITUDE

For the new year, I plan on being more active. My word for the year (remember last year it was perseverance?) is gratitude. I will be grateful in times of rejections and illness because there is always something to be thankful for. I'm starting with you; I'm so grateful for those of you out there who read my blogs. May 2012 bless you with peace and abundance.

AROS (A River of Stones)

I'm taking part in the January AROS challenge- to write a small stone daily. What is a small stone? It's an observance written into a short poem or vignette. Click here to learn more. It's not too late for you to join.

I participated last January and July. Taking note of the small things helps me stay in the present moment and enjoy it. It slows me down and helps alleviate stress.

I will post my small stones here daily (along with my other memes) and then add them to the tab at the top of the blog, My River of Stones, along with last July's stones.

********************

Day One:

Loose bamboo shoots discovered
Reaching skyward in I's and X's ~
A boy's dream
An adult's nightmare

@laurie kolp

Linked to Real Toads Open Link Monday