River Dawn

I'm out of town for the holiday weekend and when I travel I always seem to rise early in the morning. We are in Sacramento today and I had the pleasure of taking my morning walk along the Sacrameto river. Very beautiful and, at least for me, inspirational. Below are two poems I penned as I walked. My hope and prayer for you this day is that you may seek out the moments of beauty and inspiration along your way, wherever you may go.

River Dawn

The first golden rays of sunlight
Stretch out across the land
To meet me on the levy
And they take me by the hand
As I wander by the river
In the morning's first embrace
Soaking up the tranquil beauty
I've discovered in this place
And the river draws me onward
Meandering its shores
Where countless other dreamers
I daresay have tread before
Serenaded by the morning doves
And other birds unknown to me
My heart drifts down the river
Past the delta to the sea
While shafts of light illuminate
The cottonwood's downy snow
To create a pale aurora
All about me as I go
I could wander here forever
Down this path I've struck upon
Soaking up the peace of morning
Where the river meets the dawn
                              By Frank Carpenter ©

You Meet Me

A Psalm of Morning
Lord, I meet You in the morning
Where the quiet waters flow
Into the very depths of me
And through my weary soul
You turn my heart back towards You
From whence it may have roamed
And fill me with the Spirit
Which has made my heart Its home
You quiet me, You comfort me
You incline my heart to hear
The words of your still small voice
As You whisper in my ear
Lord, You meet me in the morning
Where the quiet waters flow
Into the very depths of me
That I may just be still and know
                          By Frank Carpenter ©

The End of the Jetty

Last Sunday morning I rose when it was still dark and drove to the tip of the Balboa Peninsula, whereupon I scrambled over the rocks to the end of the west jetty at the entrance to Newport Harbor. I’ve lived in this area my whole life, but I’m not sure that I had ever made it out there before. However, I’d had a hankering to do so because an image of that spot had been swirling around in my head for a few weeks, and I was well-rewarded for my efforts. Now I do live in an amazing area, but it never ceases to amaze me what there is to be discovered just a few minutes from our front doors. The trick is that we actually have to walk out of our doors in search of adventure. If we’re busy and we don’t care, then we’re not likely to experience anything truly amazing. Yet, if we actively pursue beauty or wonder or adventure there is plenty to be found within striking distance of wherever you may be. An open mind and a little creativity can often open doors of experience that we might never have thought possible. I’m trying to learn to approach each day with the thought, “Well God, what have you got in store for me today?” That’s the kind of open-ended question which is more than likely to deliver.

The other thing I find is that being up and ready to go in the morning makes a world of a difference if we want to discover all that life has to offer. If we’re spending our whole lives just barely getting ready in time for the next calendar item we’re liable to walk or drive right by some of the best moments that life has to offer. Much of life happens in the margins, in the blank squares on our calendars or extra moments in a day. Take, for instance, my experience of last Sunday that I have relayed in the paragraph above and the poem below. I woke early in expectation of something worthwhile happening. I drove and walked and boulder hopped and had the margin in my life to sit out on the end of the jetty all by myself for an hour. I experienced all that, actually saw all of those animals up close, felt the ocean spray on my face, experienced the wonder of creation first-hand and reveled in the beauty of an amazing new day … and still made it to church on time. That’s what I mean by actively pursuing beauty and wonder and adventure. Half of life is simply showing up, just being available to live it to the fullest.

For those who are willing to approach life, or any given day, with that attitude there is a rich reward waiting for them. Not a monetary reward, but the simple joy which comes from actually living life. The proverbial brass ring isn’t always even tangible. I understand that not everyone has the good fortune to have the ocean so near at hand. However, there are pockets of beauty and wonder everywhere. There are sunrises and sunset everywhere. There are perfect flowers and majestic trees and dew-covered spider webs everywhere. The secret of enjoying life to the fullest isn’t about where you are, but who you are. It isn’t about what we see, but how we see. You can never find happiness or experience joy by simply being in the right place; physically or financially, or whatever. It’s about being a person who is willing to experience happiness and joy, being willing to go out and look for it … wherever you are.

So I challenge you to ask that question. “Well God, what have you got in store for me today?” Ask that question and then get out of bed or off of your comfy chair or away from your desk for a little while, and then go look for the answer. Me? I hiked to the end of the jetty, and I wasn’t disappointed. How about you?

The End of the Jetty

I hiked to the end of the jetty,
to its point, at the end of all things
In the grey of an early spring morning,
to see what the moment would bring
With the land and its worries behind me,
I gazed out over the sea
To the edge of the far horizon,
letting my mind wander free
The surf rose and crashed about me,
breaking, it seemed, at my feet
Flooding my morning with thunder
and the spray that I find so sweet
The bell buoy clanged out its cadence
as it tossed in irregular swells
While the seals who perched upon it
called out to me, “all is well”
Countless sea gulls serenaded,
swooping or bobbing nearby
A curious pelican joined me,
then sized me up eye to eye
A pod of dolphins meandered past,
not more than a stone’s throw away
But they took their leave and swam on
after bidding me a good day
Starfish clung to the rocks below,
in patches of orange and red
As the relentless waves strove doggedly
to dislodge them from their bed
Sea lions worked the edge of my perch,
as the bait fish darted and dashed
In their timeless dance with predators,
while the ocean foamed and crashed
Down in the depths the brilliant orange
of garibaldi could be seen
Among the restless arms of kelp
which fringed the waters green
All this I observed on that morning
and the images flood my head
Such beauty and wonder savored
while most folks were still warm in bed
But I hiked to the end of the jetty,
by myself in the earliest grey
To let the ocean wash over my soul,
and usher in a glorious day
             By Frank Carpenter ©

The Art of Living

I’m attending a birthday event tonight for a friend who is a painter. In his honor, and at his request, everyone is encouraged to bring some expression of their own creativity to share. Looking forward to see what the night has to offer because this is a very creative group … seriously above average.  Naturally, I’ve composed a poem to recite in his honor. As I pondered what to write I was struck by the fact that we, as image-bearers of our Creator, are naturally inclined to creativity. Though mediums vary dramatically, we all express this part of our God-given character in some way. I would encourage and challenge each of my readers to consider how this occurs in your own life. Consider, also, that each day of your life has the potential to be a masterpiece as well. Here is my poem for the day:

The Art of Living

As we create, our art captures life
Though, at times, life imitates art
Our minds may direct the pen or brush
Yet the voice behind each is the heart
Though mediums vary, we’re born to create
Whether we paint, sculpt, bake or sing
For we are the dutiful image-bearers
Of the Creator of everything
We are fearfully, wonderfully made
The very masterpieces of He
Who sculpted mountains, painted the sky
Poured the waters into the sea
So whether we wield cameras or brushes
Work in wood or flowers or clay
The character of our Creator
Finds expression though us each day
Composers and dancers please Him
Musicians echo His praise
Each creative beat of our hearts
Worships the Maestro in untold ways
We create because the Creator
Has Himself our lives imbued
With color, with texture and beauty
Light, depth, perspective and mood
We must discover our mediums
As each interprets his Master’s call
And even life itself is an art form
Perhaps the loftiest one of all
As we work out our existence
In both new and creative ways
We manifest the Master’s character
Throughout the course of our days
Filling the canvas before us
With all that we have to give
For the greatest masterpiece of all
May simply be a life well-lived
              By Frank Carpenter ©