Spiritual Journeys |
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The Night I Found God (Challenge) |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania ![]() |
In Candle's Glow Rewritten for Sunshine's challenge She lay in silence all alone An empty room became her home She shivered lonely in the night Her only freind a candle’s light Her trembling came not from the cold But secrets that remained untold And so she lay her weary head Upon the lonely birthing bed With loss of sight in fever's flair And not a single soul to care With every passing gasp for breath She knocked upon the door of death But there within the candle’s glow A Friend appeared and came to know The sorrow dealt in cruelest plight And with one candle lit the night Remembering the steps she plod To save the little child of God A child some gave little worth Rejected well before his birth She asked her God how can it be Not one kind soul to comfort me And just one soul to welcome him Into the world in candle’s dim Then asking God that she not die Before the child had time to cry Her memory faded in the night With pain that pierced the candle’s light God's Grace then granted she remain To face the truth of sorrow’s pain But in that night she came to know God's Love in humble candle’s glow Now every time a candle’s burned Her heart is pierced and memories churned In flashbacks of a painful night She trembles yet in lonely fright In every wick a wicked truth A candle lit and burned in youth A sorrow deep in every flame But burning brighter is God’s name For through her pain and trembling fright She brought into the world that night Another life, Another light A little candle burning bright And now each year she celebrates With candles on his birthday cake And peace that only she would know To see his face in candle's glow Elizabeth Santos [This message has been edited by Elizabeth Santos (edited 05-30-2000).] |
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© Copyright 2000 Elizabeth Santos - All Rights Reserved | |||
Rosemary J. Gwaltney Senior Member
since 1999-08-26
Posts 997northern mountains, Idaho |
I'm humbled by this powerful, mysterious poem. It takes me on a journey I've not been forced to know. But I do know it's a beautiful poem; and I do comprehend much of it; and I do know pain; and I do know I'm grateful for your sharing. With love. ~ ~ ~ The spiritual wind that holds survivors aloft, plants the seeds from which bloom new hope ... R.J.G. |
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ellie LeJeune Member Elite
since 2000-01-10
Posts 4156King of Prussia, PA USA |
Dear Elizabeth; A magnificent poem. This epic tale tells of pain, lonliness, and sweet redemtion. Beautiful! Ellie 02 |
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lucky Senior Member
since 2000-01-17
Posts 1601Idaho |
My Dearest Friend, When I was younger (ha!), I made vows to light candles on all those special daz and devote a memory and a special time to their love and caring (and of course mine) and of course their loss. Many years have passed since then and the candles have became many... I do, however... still light them from time to time today,,, but I’m not as orthodox as I used to be back then when I made the vows and had plenty of time to give. But Liz, you know something..? I don’t know where (today) I’ve gotten all these hidden tears for you..! You have become so close and so dear to my heart, and I don’t know how that has come to be (Surely it must be God). I think I told you my mom died in 97,,, but did I tell you dad still goes out faithfully every day to talk to her and naturally God. This is a kind of devotion that is still a wee bit beyond my understanding as yet, and though I don’t always light candles... they are forever burning... and they never leave my thoughts or mind. Your strength is awesome and I have to tip my hat. You do know I’m just a 50 year old baby peeking over the edge of the nest... Yeah... I’m scared toooooooooooo. The fall appears frightening. I don't have much to give to show my love and care, but you do have my faithful prayers. Love (lucky) Dale If I could paint a portrait, of this life in which I've led, and somehow sketch a story, of the visions in my head, I'd start out with a canvas, stretched tightly in a frame, and in the bottom corner, I'd leave room to sign my name. (Michelle A. Bartley) |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania |
Ellie, Thanks so much for your kind response Liz RoseMary and Dale, I only wrote this for the challenge, and even though this incident was the beginning of snowballing events in my life and was bitterly painful, I almost never think about the past, except when a see a candle lit, and then I think of how strong these events have made me. Yes Dale, I am a few years older than you and I'm still scared. Sometimes I worry about tomorrow, but for the most part I live each day as it comes, and so do we all.For some reason, I feel that your hearts have visited the pits of sorrow way beyond where I have been. I don't know this for a fact, but something comes out in your poetry that I see, but I don't know what. I only know that you are both very special and I'm so proud to have come to know you Thank you both for your comments Love Liz |
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BSC
Moderator
Member Elite
since 2000-02-04
Posts 2919New York, USA |
Wow Liz - What an incredible poem. It just brings so many feelings to the surface, so powerfully written and beautiful. Please know that you and your family have been, and are still, in my prayers. Bonnie [This message has been edited by BSC (edited 05-26-2000).] |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
Elizabeth, what a beautiful light you have brought to all of us. You have met the challenge well, my friend. Thank you... Sunshine Look, then, into thine heart, and write ~~~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania |
Bonnie, Thank you, dear, how sweet you are to think of us, and your compliments are very kind' Love Liz Sunshine, Thanks for the challenge. you picked a great topic. I'm sure there are some who don't know the answer to this, who may have always been close to God and don't remember when or how. Liz |
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LadySofia Member
since 2000-05-16
Posts 238FL., USA |
Liz, I think everyone has said it already, but you have here a poem that wrenched my heart.... "In every wick a wicked truth A candle lit and burned in youth A sorrow deep in every flame But burning brighter is God’s name" This took me to another world entirely...you definitely met Sunshine's challenge! ^_^ Amanda Shall I compare thee to a summer's day? Thou art more lovely and more temperate, Rough winds do shake the darling buds of May, And summer's lease hath all too short a date. Sometimes too hot the eye of heaven shines, And often is his gold complexion dimmed; And every fair from fair sometimes declines, By chance or nature's changing course, untrimmed. But thy eternal summer shall not fade, Nor lose possession of that fair thou ow'st; Nor shall death brag thou wand'rest in his shade, When in eternal lines to time thou grow'st. So long as men can breathe or eyes can see, So long lives this, and this gives life to thee. William Shakespeare |
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WhtDove Member Rara Avis
since 1999-07-22
Posts 9245Illinois |
Liz, there is always something so deep and powerful in your writing! That just stirs the soul. Thank you for leaving us with this Light and Hope! <*\\\>< God does have a sense humor. Just take a look at the platypus! |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania |
And you, Amanda have also taken me to another world in revelations of events in your life. I'm sure you felt this poem deep down inside Liz Wht Dove, The power comes from the truth, the depth from experience, and the Love from God. Thank you |
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Elizabeth Santos Member Rara Avis
since 1999-11-08
Posts 9269Pennsylvania |
After the challenge, I put the proper and true ending to this poem and thus will edit it above Liz |
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Sunshine
Administrator
Member Empyrean
since 1999-06-25
Posts 63354Listening to every heart |
This piece now comes, full circle. Well done, my friend. |
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Alle'cram Senior Member
since 2000-02-28
Posts 1816Texas |
Liz, "Then asking God that she not die" ... "God's Grace then granted she remain"... "With candles on his birthday cake And peace that only she would know To see his face in candle's glow".... Lovely, I really liked the new ending,Marcy |
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Jester59701 Member
since 2000-02-29
Posts 154 |
Wow Elizabeth!!! Absolutely beautiful!!! Jester |
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