Let Us Thrive in ‘25

A brand-new year, a hopeful start,
Let’s embrace it with a joyful heart.
Leave behind the weight of doubt and fear,
For brighter days are drawing near.

With a positive mind and spirits high,
We’ll spread our wings and touch the sky.
Each challenge we face, a chance to grow,
Through trials, our strength will always show.

Let gratitude guide each step we take,
And kindness bloom in the choices we make.
Together we rise, as dreams come alive,
Hand in hand, let us thrive in ’25.

For every sunrise brings a chance anew,
To build, to create, to follow through.
With courage and love as our steadfast guide,
There’s no mountain too steep, no ocean too wide.

So onward we march, with hearts so true,
In ‘25, there’s nothing we can’t do.
Let’s lift each other, and together we’ll strive,
To make this the year we truly thrive!

Created by
MarkWaldrop

My New Year’s Resolution

My New Year’s Resolution

To live for the moment, to cherish the now,
To savor each heartbeat, to make this my vow.
The past is a story, its chapters complete,
Its lessons are learned, its echoes retreat.

The future looms vast, with worries untold,
A tapestry woven in threads of pure gold.
But why should I fret for a time yet to be,
When the present is waiting, as boundless as sea?

I’ll laugh with the sunrise, I’ll dance in the rain,
Find joy in the simple, find peace in the plain.
For life is a gift, too fleeting to waste,
Each moment a treasure, too precious to haste.

So here’s my resolve, as the old year departs,
To live for the moment—with all of my heart.

Created by
MarkWaldrop

New Year Dawns

In battles fierce with vices, take your stand,
A warrior within, against the shadows grand.
Let peace with neighbors be your constant song,
Harmony that echoes, enduring and strong.

As the new year dawns, a chance to renew,
A better version of yourself, tried and true.
Forge ahead with wisdom, leave the past behind,
A journey of growth, in every step you find.

January 1, 2024
Mark waldrop

Created from a quote from Benjamin Franklin, in his December, 1755 edition of Poor Richard's Almanac.

Joy and Sorrow

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In the glow of the twinkling holiday light,
There are hearts cloaked in shadow, longing for night.
For the laughter once shared, the love once near,
Now echoes in memories, cherished yet clear.

Some face the first of the holidays alone,
With aching hearts for the love that has flown.
Others, the last, with each moment they hold,
Precious as diamonds, more valuable than gold.

So as you revel in the season’s cheer,
Pause for the silent, the grieving, the near.
For joy’s bright mantle may not always show
The weight of the burdens others may know.

Be kind in your words, be tender, be true,
Give a smile, lend a hand, share what’s good in you.
For a small spark of love, a moment of grace,
Can light up the darkest, most sorrowful place.

This season of giving is more than a time,
It’s a chance to heal wounds, to soothe and to climb.
Together, through joy, through sorrow, we’ll find,
The strength in compassion—the heart of mankind.

Created by
MarkWaldrop

Holiday Leftovers

After the feast, the table’s clear,
Yet leftovers linger, bringing cheer.
I thought I’d never eat again,
But hunger returned, as it always does then.

The turkey, the pie, the cranberry spread,
Flavors dance anew, though the meal’s long fled.
Somehow, they seem to taste better this time,
As if patience has seasoned them, oh so sublime.

Imagination turns scraps into treasure,
A casserole here, a soup beyond measure.
Thank You, Lord, for abundance and grace,
For meals reborn, no morsel a waste.

So here’s to leftovers, a second delight,
A testament to blessings, day and night.

Created by
MarkWaldrop

The Man and the Birds

 The Man and the Birds 
(Inspired by Paul Harvey)

A kind and gentle man was he,
Full of love and honesty.
But the mystery of Christ’s descent,
To him, seemed strange and poorly spent.

“The incarnation makes no sense,”
He said, with logic as defense.
God becoming man to save,
Felt like a tale the faithful gave.

On Christmas Eve, his family went,
To church, in worship reverent.
He stayed behind with hearth aglow,
Unmoved by truths he didn’t know.

But then a sound, a frantic thud,
Shook his peace and stirred his blood.
At the window, again it came,
A muffled beat, a desperate aim.

He ventured out into the cold,
And there, a scene began to unfold.
A flock of birds, lost in the storm,
Shivered, seeking shelter warm.

His heart, so tender, swelled with care,
To save the birds from bitter air.
The barn! A haven, safe and dry,
He opened the door, the light held high.

But fear had gripped the fragile flock,
His human presence felt a shock.
He scattered crumbs, he waved them near,
But still, they fled in helpless fear.

“If only I could be like them,”
He thought, beneath the moon’s dim hem.
“To speak their tongue, to share their way,
And guide them to the light of day.”

Then from the distance, church bells rang,
A holy song the heavens sang.
And in that moment, truth took hold,
A story ancient, yet retold.

God became man, He stooped so low,
To guide the lost through blinding snow.
The man, now kneeling, bowed his head,
The bells’ sweet song, his spirit fed.

For now he saw what once was dim,
Why Christ had come to dwell with him.
Like the man and the frightened birds,
God showed His love through deeds, not words.

So on that night, beneath the star,
The man found God was never far.
And in his heart, a fire burned bright,
A newfound faith, a guiding light.

Created by
MarkWaldrop

Proclaiming Christs Birth

The Holy Spirit begins to move,
A gentle wind, a sacred groove.
Through hearts united, pure and true,
God’s love blooms in me and you.

We are His hands, His feet, His light,
Guided by faith through day and night.
A mission given, a sacred mirth,
To share the news of Jesus’ birth.

The world may waver, hearts may stray,
Yet love prevails, it lights the way.
So here we stand, in joy and worth,
Proclaiming Christ, our Savior’s birth.

Created by
MarkWaldrop

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year,
When joy fills the air and loved ones draw near.
The world seems to sparkle, both far and wide,
With twinkling lights and hearts open wide.

The laughter of children, the songs that we sing,
The warmth of the fire, the hope that it brings.
Snow softly falling, a blanket of white,
Transforming the earth in a magical light.

Families gather, their hearts intertwined,
Sharing sweet moments that memories bind.
Kindness and giving, a season of cheer,
It’s the most wonderful time of the year.

Carols resound in the crisp winter air,
Reminding us all of a love so rare.
A child in a manger, a star shining bright,
The promise of peace on that holy night.

So cherish these days, let love take its place,
In every warm hug, in every kind face.
For this is the season to hold what is dear,
The most wonderful time of the year.

Created by
MarkWaldrop

Hope in Silent Night

Snowy view in Carpathian Mountains, winter landscapes series.
In the quiet of December's embrace, I sit,
A silent night, wrapped in a wordless knit.

Moonbeams dance with tree lights so bright,
In the hush, a symphony of starlight.

Children slumber, their dreams unfold,
Yet my heart, in the silence, remains untold.

A plush red blanket, a comforting shroud,
I gaze through the window, in silence, endowed.

The wintry woods stand in tranquil repose,
As the night, like a river, silently flows.

How to find hope on this long, silent eve?
In the whispers of shadows, what stories weave?

I take a breath, seek solace in the still,
Yet my heart resists, an unquenchable thrill.

In the quiet, a journey to hope's soft light,
A dance with shadows on this silent night.

December 19, 2023
Created by
MarkWaldrop

Holy Spirit of Christmas

The Holy Spirit of Christmas came to us long ago,
When in a humble manger, divine love began to glow.
A baby born in Bethlehem, a gift from Heaven above,
Sent by our gracious Father, a token of His love.

For those who seek and welcome Him within,
The Holy Spirit of Christmas breaks the chain of sin.
It lives within us daily, a light that never fades,
Guiding, comforting, and strengthening in life’s trials and charades.

Oh, the Spirit of Christmas, pure and bright,
Fills our hearts with hope, joy, and light.
It whispers peace in the quiet of night,
And shines through faith with heavenly might.

So let us honor the miracle of that sacred morn,
When the Savior of the world to us was born.
Through every season, let His Spirit remain,
Living in our hearts, again and again.

Created by
MarkWaldrop