grace, life, Poem

Whose That Old Man Staring At Me?

When I look in the mirror, I see a face,
Worn by time, weathered by grace.
Eyes like rivers, deep and slow,
Tracing the miles of where I’ve been and where I’ll go.

Once a young man, full of dreams and fire,
Now an old man with a heart of quiet desire.
Wrinkles tell stories, lines carved by years,
Each one a reminder of joy and of tears.

Hair, now silver like mountain snow,
A crown earned through valleys and peaks below.
These hands, they’ve labored, they’ve built, they’ve prayed,
And this back has carried the burdens I made.

I see the youth that once ran wild and free,
Chasing horizons and climbing every tree.
Now I walk slower, with a wisdom grown still,
Finding beauty in each moment, a life fulfilled.

For age is not a thief; it’s a friend in disguise,
Teaching me to cherish, to love, to realize.
So I nod to that old man staring back at me,
And thank him for the journey—wild, long, and free.

-MJHarvell

bible, choices, faith, Growing, life

GUARD YOUR HEART!

Proverbs 4:23 tells us, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” Now, I reckon ol’ Solomon knew a thing or two about life when he penned those words. Life has a way of wearin’ us down, from the daily grind to the unexpected bumps in the road. But you know, it ain’t the world that gets us – it’s how we let it in.

Guardin’ your heart ain’t about buildin’ a wall so high that nobody can climb it. No, it’s more like pickin’ who and what gets to live rent-free in your head and soul. Every day, life throws a heap of stuff at you – worries, complaints, maybe even a rude driver or two. But if you let all that mess inside without a filter, it’s like openin’ the front door and invitin’ trouble to sit a spell.

Your heart is where all your actions, words, and thoughts begin. And if you ain’t careful about what you let in, well, it’s bound to come back out in ways that’ll surprise you – and not always for the better.

So today, take a breath, say a prayer, and ask yourself, “What’s worth guardin’, and what’s worth lettin’ go?” ‘Cause when you guard your heart well, life flows a little smoother, and that peace you’re after? Well, it starts from within.

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RESPECT!

1 Thessalonians 5:12-13 tells us to “respect those who work hard among you” and “hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work.” Now, I don’t know about you, but this reminds me of those folks who keep the wheels turning in our lives—the ones who don’t get the spotlight, but without them, nothing would get done.

You see, too often we think leadership is about being up front, but real leadership is about getting down to work, being willing to serve, and making things happen. It’s about rolling up your sleeves, digging in, and working like you mean it. And when you see someone doing that—whether it’s a pastor, a teacher, a nurse, or just your neighbor who always mows that one strip of your lawn you keep missing—stop and recognize them. Tell them you see what they’re doing. Lift ‘em up. Let ‘em know they matter.

Now, Paul didn’t just say, “Give ’em a pat on the back and move on.” He said to hold them in the highest regard in love. It means cherishing those who serve with their hearts, whether they’re in the pulpit or behind the scenes.

Let’s face it, if we want to build a community that thrives, it starts with loving the ones who lead by example. So today, take a moment to thank those who are faithfully working, not for applause, but because it’s their calling. When we honor those who serve, we honor the very spirit of what God calls us to be—one body, many parts, working together in love.

Telling Stories, Sharing Grace And Loving Folks!