A Swing and a Miss (sonnet)

I'm up to bat, the bottom of the ninth,
Our team has now fallen so far behind.
I tap my shoes, and step up to the line,
Aware the responsibility's mine.
I wait for the pitch, swing with all my might,
And get nothing but a whiff of hot air.
I regroup, regrip, and retake my stance,
Stare down the pitcher with an icy glare,
Waiting for a fast ball; give me a chance. 
I look to the outfield and choose my spot,
Ready my bat for the oncoming ball,
Hoping for something hittable; it's not,
It's a curve, and I can't connect at all.
Just when I thought I knew what life's about,
A swing and a miss, and I've just struck out. 

Let Hope Carry You (sonnet)

Hope can be a very powerful thing --
It can lift up a weary, sagging soul,
It can give a grounded spirit new wings,
It can make a wounded heart feel more whole.
Hope is a light in the darkest of nights,
A banner that waves over the lonely,
A beacon that beckons toward the light,
Reminding you that you're not the only
One who feels doubtful, exhausted, and down.
Hope is a bubble to keep you afloat,
A faithful friend that always comes around,
In life's mournful song, it's a cheery note.
Let hope carry you beyond your wishes,
To something your dreams will find delicious!

Catch Twenty Two (sonnet)

Catch twenty two, that's the way it will be.
No win situation; deadlines I can't meet.
If I succeed, I fail miserably,
Nowhere solid for me to place my feet.
A temporary place that I call home,
But nothing to really count on to stay.
No one to rely on, I feel so alone,
Despite what all the professionals say.
A friend or two do give encouragement,
But they cannot change the course of my path.
A blessing or two that are heaven sent,
But no solutions that are holding fast.
Do I dare believe miracles exist?
Am I damned to always wond'ring like this?

A Longing for Heaven (sonnet)

When questions line up like soldiers in line
To take their shot at my crumbling resolve,
When each day seems lacking sufficient time,
And the problems seem too many to solve,
When the worries press and the cares distress,
When the bills are many and checks are few,
When all of life seems a big, jumbled mess,
And I seldom seem to know what to do,
When I fall to the floor on shaking knees,
When I cry to the sky without reply,
When I beg of God, and even say please,
And yet still don't have the answer to "why?"
That's when I cling to promises He's giv'n.
That's when I feel a longing for heaven.

Leaning on the Lord (sonnet)

Just put one foot in front of the other,
And just take one little step at a time.
Trust your subtle instincts as a mother,
Tell yourself, "ev'rything will be just fine."
Just wake up each and every morning,
And with a genuine smile, greet the day.
With each sunset as the daylight's fading,
Say, "we will all make it through this okay."
Never doubt God's power for a second,
Never falter from the path He shows you.
Never linger when His Spirit beckons,
Don't forget He made you and He knows you.
You'll find answers; keep trusting in His word.
You'll find comfort; keep leaning on the Lord.

Today's Comics

It's kind of funny, boys "grow up" into men, but they are often still "thoughtless, worthless clods, insensitive and crude.  They're just like little children - annoying, loud and rude, with hearts as hard as concrete and brains as dense as lead."  Apparently, the whole "growing up" process doesn't affect them all that much . . .

That one is basically self-explanatory, and boy can I relate.  But if I hadn't ever gotten married, and if I hadn't stayed, I wouldn't have my wonderful children . . . and I wouldn't trade them for the world!

To Share, Or Not to Share (sonnet)

To share or not to share, that's the question,
And if I do, the question is, how much?
I sure could use a few good suggestions
On knowing who it is that I can trust.
I know that in the past I've sometimes shared
More info than I should have, probably.
I've opened up my soul and left it bared,
Wide open for all of the world to see.
What happened to letting sleeping dogs lie?
What happened to water under the bridge?
Why can't I let go of the days gone by?
Why do I still care, even just a smidge?
I'm better off keeping things to myself.
There's no use sharing with anyone else.

We're Not Gonna Take It Anymore! (sonnet)

I heard the anger coming through the phone,
I saw the tears start welling in her eyes.
For once she wasn't facing him alone,
With wisdom past her years, she was so wise.
"I have nothing to say to you," then click,
And that was that, she'd simply had enough.
And with some attitude, no less, and lip,
She'd put him in his place for saying "stuff."
I've wondered if my kids could face the world,
With all the garbage that he's put us through.
I proudly thought, "my gosh, now that's my girl."
And in that moment, somehow I just knew:
We've heard his lines too many times before,
And we're not gonna take it anymore!

When Will This Be Over? (Sonnet)

My head shoved in the bookcase like a box,
Him reaming me like crazy from behind,
The banging of the headboard as it rocks,
The screaming pain that makes me lose my mind.
"This is for my kids," I say, and shut up,
I don't want them to awake from their sleep.
The pain, the feelings, they all just got stuffed,
I wish I had the luxury to weep.
When will this be over? When will it end --
The remembering of all that he did?
How did I always force my mind to bend
Around the memories I quickly hid?
God help me, I can't deal with all this pain.
I'm tired of living it over again.

Leave the Past in the Past (sonnet)

Does what happened yesterday really count?
Does what happened years ago matter much?
If they do, then what's the proper amount
To think about the things that were and such?
It is what it is; I can't change it now,
And would I even want to if I could?
I can't go backwards in time anyhow,
And I'm guessing that is probably good.
Today is a new day, a brand new dawn,
A fresh chance to start my whole life anew.
It's kind of exciting, this trip I'm on,
You never can tell what great things I'll do. 
One thing's for sure, the time has come at last,
I'm learning to leave the past in the past.

The One Thing I Still Can't Do (sonnet)

The mean things you say just drive me crazy,
You change your mind one minute to the next.
You say that my memory is hazy,
That somehow all the dots just don't connect.
The funny thing is, I have some pictures
Of things you swear to God you never did --
Sheetrock put up overnight. What is worse --
The fact you lied or the holes that you hid?
I tell myself just to be like a duck
Letting the water roll right off its back,
But somehow I still keep on getting stuck
Having to listen to all of your crap.
I gave up years ago; I forgave you.
Forgetting's the one thing I still can't do.

I Do Not Have the Answers (sonnet)

I do not have the answers for all this,
So many questions left for me to face.
I will not ever get back what I've missed,
I don't know how I'll make it through this place.
Sometimes it feels my prayers bounce off the wall,
I wonder if God even hears me cry.
I sometimes question if He's there at all,
When I can't seem to find a reason why
The things I love the most have been taken.
The darkest night seems even darker still.
My faith has oh so soundly been shaken,
But continue to trust in Him, I will.
I cannot see beyond this awful pain,
But I will praise you, Lord, despite the rain.

Two Whole Hours (sonnet)

For two whole hours, I felt alive again,
Just to see my children smile, laugh and play.
I hadn't laughed like that since who knows when,
But now the melancholy's here to stay.
God, help me, I can't hold on much longer,
Each time I say goodbye, my heart breaks more.
I swear, I don't need to be much stronger,
Are you even watching or keeping score?
I'm trying to hold onto the joy, but
It slips from my hands each time they must go.   
And I'm left wondering exactly what
I will do as the days crawl by so slow.  
God, why can't anybody seem to see
That being without them is killing me?