Sandra Heska King

daring to open doors

  • Home
  • About
  • DISCLOSURES
    • Amazon Affiliate
    • Book Reviews
  • Published
  • Contact
  • Blog
    • Commit Poetry
    • Dared

Monday Meditation: Bitter Turned to Beauty

May 9, 2011 By Sandra Heska King

The pot brewed bitter.

Hurt and anger bubbled.

Until the mixture burst its bounds.

Words popped, veiled in humor.

But cork screwed heart hole, burrowed deep.

And I could not retrieve it.

Though I tried at once, the one who bears the wound preferred to embrace it a little longer.

And would not speak the words that would heal both.

I stood naked as a midwinter tree.

Bitter cold.

Stripped of pretense.

Humbled.

So spirit heavy, I crumpled at the feet of Him who freely gives.

And grieved the sludge that darkens His reflection.

Though aware of what He scraped away to show Himself more clear.

Yet sadness gripped me close until today.

In the yard.

Awash with wind-whiffled shades of green and pink and purple.

Gold tinged.

And ruffled white.

Once naked branches now gowned in glory, fit for a ball.

Adorned from inside out.

Bitter turned to beauty.

The grass floor’s dotted and smeared with dandelion butter.

Invites an easy slide.

Tulips bob to the music.

They call me deep, to come and dance.

I let it go.

Trust it to the One who bleeds grace.

Who clothes me from inside out.

And I dance.

Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many. ~Hebrews 12:14-16 (NLT)

Dancing with Laura and L.L. and Michelle and the sisters.

 

On In Around button

 

Share this:

  • Email
  • Print
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest

Filed Under: stories and reflections

Comments

  1. Cassandra Frear says

    May 11, 2011 at 11:32 am

    Peace.

    • Sandra says

      May 16, 2011 at 10:24 pm

      To you as well, friend.

  2. HisFireFly says

    May 11, 2011 at 11:40 am

    “bleeds grace”

    oh yes, this…

    • Sandra says

      May 16, 2011 at 10:25 pm

      🙂

  3. Jen says

    May 11, 2011 at 2:24 pm

    I have a bit of bitter that needs to turn into beauty. As I breathe deep, I accept the invitation to surrender.

    • Sandra says

      May 16, 2011 at 10:25 pm

      Daily . . .

  4. Jennifer@GDWJ says

    May 11, 2011 at 3:08 pm

    Wow! That red just POPS! Love.

    • Sandra says

      May 16, 2011 at 10:26 pm

      Bright, isn’t it? You could lose a ladybug in it. 🙂

  5. S. Etole says

    May 11, 2011 at 6:44 pm

    such a needful transition …

    • Sandra says

      May 16, 2011 at 10:26 pm

      One I need to make often.

  6. Heart n Soul says

    May 12, 2011 at 10:53 am

    breathing deeply…this was truly beautiful.

    • Sandra says

      May 16, 2011 at 10:28 pm

      Breathing with you. Thanks.

  7. Jeanne Damoff says

    May 12, 2011 at 10:54 am

    Gorgeous! Your photos. And your heart.

    • Sandra says

      May 16, 2011 at 10:28 pm

      Thanks so much, Jeanne.

  8. Michelle DeRusha says

    May 12, 2011 at 1:31 pm

    God has healed me through nature more times than I can count (in fact, that’s what this week’s Hear It, Use It post was really about — finding hope — and the outdoors helped me get there). Thank you so much for linking this up, Sandy. And those tulip close-ups — my word!!

    • Sandra says

      May 16, 2011 at 10:30 pm

      I find hope in red these days. And joy in yellow. We find Him in His creation.

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Flickr
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter

Meet Sandra

I’m Sandra, a camera-toting, recovering doer who’s learning to be. still. Read more…

Get updates from the stillness by email

Your personal information is safe and will never be shared.

Archives

Categories

Instagram Inspiration

sandraheskaking

A tale of two iguanas... I did not see the iguana A tale of two iguanas... I did not see the iguana in the background until I downloaded the photos. That, I believe, is the one that got caught in one of the openings in the neighbor's chain link fence. We tried in several (safe) ways to dislodge it without luck and could think of no other option but to leave it. Somehow it apparently dislodged itself. We also believe this is the pair that was getting into another neighbor's garden. We haven't seen either one since the last cold snap, so we are wondering if they survived. 
🌱
Thinking some may have tumbled from their perches last night. Pretty sure it will be raining iguanas tonight since we are under a frost advisory. It's cold. And windy.
Just sing... sing a song... Singing our way into Just sing... sing a song... 

Singing our way into the weekend.
"We don't just see. We learn to see." ~ Russ Ramse "We don't just see. We learn to see." ~ Russ Ramsey in Rembrandt is in the Wind
Now you see me... now you don't. Now you see me... now you don't.
"I started looking and listening. I realized that "I started looking and listening. I realized that work, like life, is shot through with poetry. It was everywhere. I was so taken with what I discovered that I wrote a book about it." @gyoung9751 
🌱
Whether you work in an office, a retail store, a restaurant, or at home... Whether you work on roads or on power lines, or on high buildings...Whether you collect trash or preach sermons, or care for your kiddos. Whether you do art, or weave words, or take photos of a common gallinule AKA moorhen AKA swamp chicken--it's all shot through with poetry.
🌱
So pay attention. Find a poem.
🌱
Read more at https://www.tweetspeakpoetry.com/2023/01/10/its-poetry-at-work-day-2023/
Rising… Rising…
Everyone needs a little balance in life. And maybe Everyone needs a little balance in life. And maybe a beauty routine. And breakfast. Especially breakfast. I wonder if it consists of a few fire ants. I hope so. (Well, not mine. I'm having oatmeal with chia seeds. What are you having this morning?)
🌱
P.S. Happy Friday!
"Though your destination is not yet clear You can "Though your destination is not yet clear You can trust the promise of this opening; Unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning That is at one with your life's desire." ~John O'Donohue 
🌿
A blessing for a new beginning in a new year. I'm sure he wrote it especially for me. At least I'm claiming it. Maybe it will speak to you, too.
🌿
Also, I'd really like this skirt --> 
🌿
Read the whole poem--> -->
🌿
Well, bummer... The whole page didn't print. Read it in the comments below.
"What precocity, a bird half the size Of an Anjou "What precocity, a bird half the size
Of an Anjou pear." ~ Stephen Kuusisto in "The Mockingbird on Central" (Find it in The Poets Guide to the Birds edited by Judith Kitchen and Ted Kooser)
🌱
"The morning pages are the primary tool of creative recovery." ~ Julia Cameron in The Artist's Way. 
🌱
I've been in a long creative drought, so I started morning pages--again. This time I've got a bit of an accountability group through @refineretreat's Refinery--which I finally also joined this year. I'll turn 74 this month. I'm not ready to grow old while I age--though everything does seem to take longer while time goes by faster.
🌱
#aweandwonder #tsaweandwonder
Tonight’s walk in the neighborhood. I’m still Tonight’s walk in the neighborhood. I’m still kinda amazed that out of all the places we could have ended up after moving from a place I said I’d never move from), here we are—planted right next to the northern Everglades. Six-plus years, and I still shake my head in wonder.
"So fancy is the world..." ~ Mary Oliver in "This "So fancy is the world..." ~ Mary Oliver in "This World." #aweandwonder #tsaweandwonder
Look, Mom! I can walk on water! #aweandwonder #tsa Look, Mom! I can walk on water! #aweandwonder #tsaweandwonder
Gazing into 2023 like… Let’s take it step by Gazing into 2023 like… 
Let’s take it step by step with hope and courage. Also I hope to be posting again more often.
🎉
Happy New Year!
The morning before the last morning of 2022. 🌴 The morning before the last morning of 2022. 
🌴
71 degrees. Heading to 83. I can live with that.
From the top of Brasstown Bald—the highest point From the top of Brasstown Bald—the highest point in Georgia at 4784 feet.
Winding roads… Winding roads…
Tonight's moon. It's kinda okay. Tonight's moon. It's kinda okay.
Don’t mind me. Just storking by. Don’t mind me. Just storking by.
I’ve gotten several messages asking if things we I’ve gotten several messages asking if things were okay. Yes. I’ve recovered after 3 weeks in Covid jail. Also, I’ve been a bit scarce on social cuz we’ve been finishing up house renovations, and there is SO much that now needs to be cleaned and stuff put away. Also, we’ve had the second oldest grand with us for two weeks. I “should have” at least shared some stories about our adventures, but we’ve relished the time and kept busy. One can’t leave South Florida without a gator encounter, though, right? Tomorrow the two of us fly back to Michigan, and then I will spend a week with my sister where I expect I will be put to work in the chicken house and the gardens and become a glad(iola) roadside proprietor for a day at the Four Star in while she and my BIL attend a family reunion. I’ll also get to see my dad in the nursing home and spend a couple nights with my daughter. D will hold down the fort here. Then maybe by the first of next month, I’ll be able to finish putting things in order, breathe, find some writing space and get back to normal. Whatever that is.
I tossed and turned all night. And then the storm I tossed and turned all night. And then the storm started. I finally got up about 5ish and sat outside to watch. Until a couple mosquitoes found me. Also, the jasmine hadn’t gone to bed yet and smelled heavenly.
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Get the Mug

Embrace the life you have t s poetry mug

Privacy Policy

Full privacy policy is available HERE.

I Read Light

TSP-Red button

bibledude-net



Sponsor a Child

Join the Compassion Blogger Network

[footer_backtotop]

Copyright © 2023 Sandra Heska King · Site by The Willingham Enterprise, LLC on the Genesis Framework by StudioPress · Log in