The existence and ripening of a fruit,

Or idea,

Or relationship

Does not happen instantly

Each has its own season

Its own time

Speeding up the process

Results in a high rate of failure

Trying to rush a grape to fullness

Might rip it from its vine

Technological advances

And man made devices

Cause us to forget

God created the natural world

With its own set of laws

Established by the highest intelligence

Functioning at a divinely designated pace

Arrogantly man tries to alter that design

Thinking he doesn’t have time

To wait

Technology puts answers at our fingertips

Instantly

We are bombarded with news, facts, lies

Instantly

We can order whatever we want

Instantly

We can speak to a person across the world

Instantly

So much information to wade through

Instantly

This Instant world we live in

Programs us to discount time

Time is the most valuable thing we have

In rushing it

We miss the essence of life

We move through each day

Focused on our next task or our last

Suddenly a week has passed then another

Fourteen sunrises

Fourteen sunsets

They don’t happen instantly

Each has its time

Nature keeps functioning

Regardless of our tasks

Regardless of whether we notice

Regardless of how instantly

We live our lives

Twice a day creation plays across the sky

For all to see with the naked eye

How blessed we are

Whatever you long for

Dream of or need

I wish you fertile soil

In which to plant your seed

May it grow to fruition

Grow tall and strong

Be all you hoped for

And,

Of course I pray,

It doesn’t take too long

E.A. Fussell

02.13.2020

Wrinkles branch 

Across my face

Creating an 

Unfamiliar landscape

Who is this woman 

Staring back at me

She is a force 

Not many birds 

Have known

Save for a few

And all of them

Far away 

Have  flown

E.A. Fussell

02.12.2020

We had planned to visit Italy together

But plans often go awry

We didn’t plan for cancer to take you

Gone at such a young age

All of our dreams crashed into nothing

I made it to Italy

Thought I could escape

Your memory

But the future we never shared

Haunts me here too

I rented a quaint place

A shop below

Where I sell our things

Above it a small apartment

Where I imagine you might fly in on wings

One bicycle rests outside

Remember we had planned

To cycle the cobbled streets

But now there’s only one cycle not two

And oh how I miss you

E.A. Fussell

02.09.2020

This morning

As I picked up

One of my favorite things

A latte made with heavy cream

The barista asked me

“What’s on your agenda today?”

“Not-a-lot”, I replied

“And Sunday is my favorite day

To do not-a-lot”

E.A.Fussell

02.09.2020

Art

All forms

Pulls me in

Excites me

Once again

E.A. Fussell

02.05.2020

Step step step

Starts my day

Treadmill rolling

Reminding me

I’m going fast

Getting nowhere

Except in my mind

Where I live a beautiful life

E.A. Fussell

02.06.2020

If you are surrounded by

Storms and worms 🐛

Keep pushing through

Soon you will see

Sunshine and butterflies 🦋

E.A. Fussell

02.01.2020

Lately

Numerous people

Have felt compelled

To tell me to “ Breathe”

Which is a way of saying

“Slow down” or “calm down”

“it’ll all be okay”

In my construction life

I am not a calm person

Wide open is my speed

I don’t know how to slow down

And just breathe

Who has time for

Deep intakes of air anyway

All I need

Are short gasps of pure oxygen

Just enough to get me thru

To the next task at hand

Perhaps occasionally exhaled

In colorful expletives

I will retire one day

That’s when I will slow down

That’s when I will breathe

Until then

I choose to run wide open

Trying to curtail my exhales

From turning into F-bombs

While knowing that each day

I maxed out my energy

With the effort I gave

E.A. Fussell

01.30.2020

Be still” is one of the most difficult directions to follow, especially when we face a storm.

Sometimes the storm isn’t even for us but we feel compelled to help and suddenly find ourselves in the middle of it. Helping isn’t always the best thing.

If you know someone who continually needs help to get through a storm, maybe that’s because you continue to help them and they never go thru the storm alone with God.

We have a tendency to insert ourselves in God’s place thinking we are helping when we are actually prolonging or negating the lesson or the change the storm was intended for.

Even in our own storms it’s easier to rush for a solution instead of being still and listening for confirmation from the Word of which direction we should take.

When we try too hard or move too fast for a resolution we again insert ourselves into God’s place and may take the wrong path.

Storms are a part of life. Some are ours some are for others. They can be personal, professional, or spiritual in nature. Try to remember that not every storm is meant for you to ride through.

Be still, wait on the Lord, He will be true to His Word and direct you, if you wait on Him.

E.A. Fussell

1.17.2020