Southern Magnolia
Peace Within My Soul
Photography and Poem by Norma Beaird
She was making morning coffee,
on a hot and humid day,
thinking 'bout how things were changing,
in a most uncertain way.
She remembered in her childhood,
days were tough, but God was there,
He is faithful in the struggles,
when life doesn't seem so fair.
As these thoughts consumed her minutes,
then she thought to step outside,
for she heard the birds were singing,
in the golden, bright sunlight.
The magnolia tree was blooming,
bees were buzzing all around,
while the wind sent gentle whispers,
here you stand on holy ground.
For no matter what is changing,
in this world of toils and fear,
nature still produces beauty,
in the midst of pain and tears.
For when man has thus destroyed,
all that's good and pure and whole,
just to gain a few possessions,
and a bank account of gold.
Birds will sing their song of morning,
butterflies will spread their wings,
red wildflowers bloom in meadows,
for in chaos, nature sings.
As she watched the Eastern Bluebird,
feeding fledglings from the nest,
she's reminded that the good Lord,
only wants for us the best.
Even when the world around us,
has decayed in sin and shame,
God is there if we will touch Him,
and will call upon His name.
He reminds us with the sunrise,
and the butterflies and birds,
in the clouds and white magnolias,
and His faithful Holy Word.
That when man has thus destroyed,
all that's pure and good and whole,
as I behold God's grand creation,
I'm at peace within my soul.
Matthew 6:25 - 34
25 Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment?
26 Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?
27 Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature?
28 And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:
29 And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed?
32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.
33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.
Copyright 2014, Curtis and Norma Beaird. All rights reserved.
