The Yearning

The Yearning

The stare that pierced my soul

with brows arched stern

I shrank beneath her eyes

disapproval’s cut and burn

I longed for her smile

One sparkle from those grey-blue peeps

That said, “I love you, I am so proud,

that you are mine for keeps.”

Days ran into years;

Rain turned into tears;

Forgotten yearnings buried deep,

Now spring forth as I watch you sleep

Soft white box cradled your form;

Is that a breath that I see now?

A serene face was not to be;

Scornful death lay on your brow

I longed for her smile;

I searched her face still and pale;

But sternness chiseled out its frown;

Was it concealed behind the veil?

Minutes seem to be a thief;

Eternity holds every grief;

And though I sought but one small trace,

they bore you out with scornful face.

Written by: Elizabeth A. Van Cleve

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But For a Moment

But For a Moment
(Rip Uncle Steve)

But for a moment
Eyes flutter, the light beams enter
Wind rushes in
Whips us up into its fury

But for a moment
Peals of laughter echo in the corridors
Rainbows burst out
Full of magical illusion

But for a moment
Screams shatter into a vortex of pain
Thunder roars in bad temper
Afflicting for its demented pleasure

But for a moment
Starless nights swallow up beauty
Shadows play carelessly
with terror and loneliness

But for a moment
Throbbing, insatiable yearning
Dawn uncovers her fragrant garden
Soul touches soul, swirling into one

But for a moment
Time ticks by seconds
Daylight hides secret sins
Memory serves our delusions

But for a moment
Eyes flutter, and light beams dim
Soft breezes quietly pass
vanishing into a timeless sea

But for a moment
Despair bows her head
The sun drops from the skies
And teardrops fall into the river of moments

Written by Elizabeth Van Cleve

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The Name I Love

Written for my husband…

The Name I Love

TROY~

The name I call out to when I have a need, or when I am scared

The face I search for in a crowd

The voice I listen for and know among many

The one I trust above all else

The arms I snuggle in when I am cold

The shoulder I lean on when I cry

The eyes I draw encouragement from

The strength that gives me a sense of security

TROY~

The name I fell in love with

The face I could never forget

The voice that tells me, “I love you.”

The body I passionately merge with

The hand I hold onto

The one who holds me tight in his arms

The eyes that see into my soul

The name most oft upon my lips

My lover! My best friend! My soul mate!

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On the Wings of an Eagle

I turned my head and heart,
and looked the other way;
For long the road did span,
that traveled into day;
The night had wearied my soul;
In pieces my heart did lay.

One by one my fingers weakened,
till my hand let go it’s grip;
My eyes roved over the faces,
that watched while my footsteps slipped;
And the voices that had cried, “Ever faithful!”
Carried tales on the winds of gossip.

Dishonest the ones who shout loudest,
to shut out the voice of despair;
And cover the truth with avoidance,
deceiving themselves that they care.
Naked they feign to be robed,
in holy apparel so fair.

Like sand through the hourglass passing,
days vanish into the night;
So few the souls who have lived,
with love as their true guiding light;
Proudly they lift up their weapons,
lost in a terrible fight.

For power is the cry of their battle;
Their cages are baited with fears;
History tells of the bloodshed;
Many lamps have been smothered with tears;
Freedom is only a byword,
passed along the chains of their peers.

I turned from the road that signed,”upward,”
and traveled back into the mist;
I left the burden of “righteous,”
And all of the rules they insist;
Now I fly on the wings of an Eagle,
with a radiant face that is kissed!

Written by Elizabeth A. Van Cleve

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Be Still and Hear Him

Be Still and Hear Him

Oh that I might understand
God within, and so expand
Across the nations to every land
Be still! Be still! and hear Him!

God, He speaks inside your soul
His word is present and takes control
Go within and you’ll be whole
Be still! Be still! and hear Him!

Too many times we search without
And hear the preacher who loves to shout
But this is not what God’s about
Be still! Be still! and hear Him!

Heaven’s not so far away
When you invite the Lord to stay
From within, He’ll hear you pray
Be still! Be still! and hear Him!

Go within and shut the door
Meet him there, He’ll not ignore
Your hope, your Joy, He will restore
Be still! Be still! and hear Him!

Oh the sweetness of His voice
And to know that you’re His choice
He will make your heart rejoice
Be still! Be still! and hear Him!

Written by Elizabeth A. Van Cleve

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A Time to Dance

(Ecclesiastes 3:4)

A time to sing
A time to rejoice
A time to lift up
high your voice

A time to praise
It’s not by chance
God tells us very clearly
There’s a time to dance!

A time to celebrate
A time for fun
A time to laugh
For all the good He’s done

A time to take your love
And with a little Romance
Hold them very close
And take the time to dance

God’s word is very clear
There’s a time to dance
Let that Joy that bubbles up inside
cause your feet to prance

A time to sing
A time to praise
A time to laugh
A time to celebrate
A time of joy our spirits to enhance
God is very clear
There’s a time to dance!

Written by Liz Ann

“You have turned my mourning into joyful dancing.You have taken away my clothes of mourning and clothed me with joy, that I might sing praises to you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever!” Psalm 30:11

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Just One Drop

Just One Drop

Just one drop from your tender eye;
Just one compassionate tear that you cry;
Look thou upon me and hear my plea,
Just one drop of your sympathy.

Just one drop, of sweat from your brow;
Just one earnest effort to lift me up now.
Reach down your hand to me from above;
Bless me with strength for my weakness, my love.

Just one drop of blood you have shed;
Just one crimson drop that you bled;
Oh may in mercy it fall upon me-
Just one precious drop to be free.

Just one drop of oil, fragrant and sweet,
Found at the beautiful Savior’s feet;
Please, for my bruised, crushed heart employ;
Send through your Spirit, the oil of JOY!

Just one drop is all I desire;
One drop of Holy Ghost fire;
One drop of Calvary’s Love;
Just one drop is more than enough!

Written by Liz Ann

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Why I LOVE Christmas!

Every year at Christmas time I see so much increasing negativity about this holiday season; especially amongst religious people. They get out their research tools and begin to post all the history about the so-called “pagan” beginnings of Christmas and why Christmas is not Jesus’ birthday and how it is a tradition of men and why we as Christians shouldn’t partake of it.

Years ago, when the idea was first introduced to me that as a true Christian I should not celebrate Christmas because God never “ordained” it in the word of God as a holiday, I was troubled about it in my mind. I thought for a long time about it. I prayed over it. I looked around and I saw all the negative aspects that were obvious. Santa Clause was a pagan conceived idea that was a lie told to children every year. People were running around spending money they didn’t have to heap up more toys that their children didn’t need, while other children in the world were starving. Historically Christmas was obviously not a christian holiday but had evolved into one. So really, should we as Christians be celebrating this holiday?

I thought of my little children. They were so excited about Christmas ~the most wonderful time of the year. How would I break the news to them that we would no longer partake of such a wonderful holiday celebration? I already never did teach them that there was a Santa Clause. We celebrated Christmas as a celebration of the birth of Christ.

I made this an earnest matter of prayer to get the mind of God crystal clear; At this time, this is the scriptures he brought me. It is from the book of Esther, at the very end of the story, when the Jews had experienced a great victory over their enemies who had tried to destroy them; They were rejoicing over their victory and here is what they did.

“This happened on the thirteenth day of the month of Adar, and on the fourteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy. The Jews in Susa, however, had assembled on the thirteenth and fourteenth, and then on the fifteenth they rested and made it a day of feasting and joy. That is why rural Jews—those living in villages—observe the fourteenth of the month of Adar as a day of joy and feasting, a day for giving presents to each other.” Esther 9:15-19

The Jews made a holiday of feasting and giving each other presents to celebrate the victory they had won that day. God had not told them to make this holiday. But they observed it year after year.

“But,” some argue, “we do not even know when Jesus was really born? And God did not tell us to celebrate his birthday.” Well, God did not tell you to celebrate your birthday either, yet most of you do and who cares if we know the exact day he was born or not. Many people throughout have never known their real day of birth but have designated a day to celebrate every year anyhow. It does no harm.

This year God has shown me even more. God has spoken to me in regards to the “pagan” beginnings of Christmas and said, “Every seed is sown in mud.” He also brought to mind the story of Joseph and how his brothers sold him into Egypt out of hatred and jealousy, but in the end of it all, Joseph said, “What you meant for evil, God used for good.”

Many go to great lengths to point out of all the “bad” that comes with Christmas, but what about all the good that comes as well? In this world, in every home, in every neighborhood, distict, town, business, state, culture, religion etc… there is good and there is bad. God has placed us in a world of good and evil and we have a CHOICE ~ to choose the good. To say that Christmas is the cause of all kinds of evil, goes hand in hand with the argument that guns are the cause of crime. It makes no sense. Its not the celebration, but the heart of those who practice it that matters.

I have sung for years at the homes for the elderly and brought the message of Christ to them. I have seen them cry and rejoice and light up as we sing to them the familiar Christmas carols. I see shoe boxes for children being put together in abundance with love and sent all over the world to brighten up little children’s lives. I hear laughter and music and families that come together that may never otherwise see each other, but make that time, because its Christmas. This is just a tiny fraction of what goes on for good in the name of CHRISTmas!

Some will practice with greed and malice and the absence of Christ; But others will lift up the babe, and once again, the beautiful story of the virgin birth will fill the land.

I for one could not even imagine ending the year without the beautiful renewing spirit of Christmas. The spirit of giving, and forgiveness and the good news that a SAVIOR was born into the world. What a dry, empty, end of the year it would be without Christmas~ that one time of year that we hear the carols of ANGELS once again.

Yes, there are a lot of not-so-good things that come with the season as well, but let me end my rejoicing with a quote from the apostle Paul when he was imprisoned for his faith and some were slanderously speaking of the gospel throughout the palace;

“What then? notwithstanding, every way, whether in pretense, or in truth, Christ is preached; and I therein do rejoice, yea, and will rejoice.” Philippians 1:18

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR ~ GOD BLESS YOU!

A Christmas Poem

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Finding a True Friend

“There is a friend that sticks closer than a brother”
Proverbs 18:24

Finding a True Friend

When she met you face to face
and you smiled tenderly;
And you said, “How do you do, its so nice to see you.”
When she turned her back away. Did that smile fade away?
And the whispering began? Did you run to tell your friend?
“Guess who I saw today?
Guess what she was wearing today?
Guess who she was with today?
Guess what she looked like today?
Oh I am in so much dismay,
That she would go so much astray!”
Oh those naughty nasty words,
carried on by winds and birds,
Find their way back to the one,
Who was scourged from tongue to tongue.
And the wounds they cut so deep,
that she cannot even sleep;
She will never trust again,
Those she once thought were her friends;
For their smiles she learned were fake,
She had made a grave mistake.
But she learned through all the pain,
that a true friend would remain.
And so rare if truth be told,
they are worth their weight in gold.

Written by Elizabeth Ann Van Cleve

“We don’t lose friends, we just learn who our real ones are.”

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Borne Up On Angel’s Wings

Wednesday I was scheduled for surgery. I had originally thought this surgery was fairly simple and would take about an hour. But a few days before, I found out it was a little more complicated than I thought and would take closer to four hours. I became a little nervous even though the surgery was a procedure routinely and successfully done. I have never had surgery except to fix a broken nose back in 2000 and so this was major for me.

I have been under a huge spiritual battle due to some major shifts in my spiritual walk with God and fighting hard to take and maintain new ground. People everywhere all have different opinions about God, and in these days you really have to anchor yourself firmly in the solid rock of Jesus Christ. You have to know that you are hearing and following what HIS voice is speaking to your heart, and not another. Because we are on a battlefield right now and the battle is raging and in a battle, their in much confusion.

So prior to surgery the thoughts came that I could possibly die and since people all around me are questioning my position before God because of these changes I have made in my life, it has had an affect on my mind even though I fight hard against it. If you tell a smart person they are stupid, over an over again, after awhile, they will come to believe it. You can convince someone of anything. The mind is a powerful thing.  The apostle Paul says in  2 Corinthians 10: 5, concerning the mind,  “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”

I asked two of my dear friends in Africa to pray for me and they were so earnest in their affections toward me and their Christian love and zeal was so fervent in my behalf. They told me they were going to be in prayer and fasting while I was in my surgery and assured me that God was already with me. I had such peace that morning. Then I put out a last minute prayer request on FB and many others added me to their prayer list.

I came out of surgery cradled in Gods arms. I was literally being borne on Angels wings. My husband said to me he has never seen someone smiling so much coming out of surgery. God was talking to me too. He was holding me in the most beautiful heavenly light I have ever known and I was full of peace and happiness and he was assuring me that I was his child and he was speaking a special message to me that I will not particularly speak of now. I could not help but smile. I was in heaven with God. It was incredible. The following poem began to form in my heart and this morning I finished it.

God also witnessed to me later that I was to pass through more trials and testings and the heavenly witness was given to me to strengthen me. Very soon after I was severely tried and wounded so much so that my heart despaired. But this morning I took my pen in hand and went back to the place of God and finished my poem and I am encouraged. God is my helper ~ therefore I will not fear!

 

Borne Up On Angel’s Wings

Cradle my heart, great God of mine
Upon Thy bosom , so soft divine;
Thou hast borne me up on Angel’s wings;
While heavenly choirs softly sing.

Raptured on wings, gentle and warm;
Cradled like a child,
Safe from all harm;
Embraced in your glory,
 Loved clear and bright;
Speaking to me
Your truth with delight;
Upon my heart you’ve written the call;
God is love! God is light!
In Him is no darkness at all!

For heaven came down and visited me
And Jesus has talked with me personally;
I understand now why nature joyfully sings
For I have been borne up on Angel’s wings!

Written By, Elizabeth Ann Van Cleve

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