September 21, 2018

Some Days I Feast, Some Days I go Hungry ... By Jocelyn Faire



Some days I Feast ... and some days I go hungry ...
Faith feeds writing ... as writing feeds faith ...

Tear stained prayers and laments occupy more pages of my journals than the dear diary this is what I did today kind. I've heard songwriters complain that most of their lyrics are morose; that many songs are penned in heartbreak. There is something universal to writing out one's pain in those dark days of the soul. Many times I have wondered/thought that my faith is stronger during times of difficulty, during times when I needed God for every breath I taken ... and wondered if faith fades when I rely on myself too much. The dark days are sometimes the blessings in disguise, the blessings I would not wish on anyone. For me, these times of writing give voice to the disturbing questions, helping me find clarity in the confusion, and forcing me to dig deeper, going beyond the churchy pat answers that just don't fit. Perhaps the reason my pen has not been as prolific lately, is because my life is going too well at the moment? But would God want me to remain in a heavy-hearted mode, to stay close to Him? Or does He want me to learn to rejoice? I pray that I may continue to walk close to God and be grateful for the beauty of this abundant season, for the beauty of His grace-filled days. And to keep me on my knees, I have more than enough prayer requests coming my way on behalf of other people.
In contemplating how faith and writing spur each other on ... these words spilled out in two short poems.

I write to right what has gone wrong,
to turn laments into a praise or song
I write to say Thanks, more often to beg please
I write hesitantly while on my knees,
I scribble blindly through the tears,
I write immobilized by overwhelming fears
Sometimes I write from a sense of duty,
Sometimes it's the sheer enjoyment and beauty,
And often, looking back I marvel to see
Divine intervention has brought clarity.
God's signature is all over the page.
So as I write along the way,
My hope is to taste sweet manna each day.
(I hope to be feasting till my final day.)


The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want.
But why do I still want?
Why have my longings continued?
I want to feel loved,
I want to feel accepted.
Help me be loving and accepting.
I want to travel, to explore your world
And I want to be settled at home.
Some days I want to be at home with you.
I want to stand firm in the winds of change
And Lord, the changes are happening all the time, I can't keep up.
I want to be a person of prayer, a woman of good deeds,
but time is occupied with immediate needs.
And sometimes my wants seem shallow, I'm embarrassed to say
Caught up with things that seem important at the time
I want my spirit to be at ease, 
I want to go with the flow, your flow.
Really God, what I want is ... You.

He leads me beside still waters,
He restores my soul.
Thank-you God
          (You're welcome)



Some days I feast and some days I go hungry. With Paul, I am learning to be content in all my days.

9 comments:

  1. Eloquent, profound, touching... as always. Thank you for so consistently sharing your heart. It is great to meet you face to face at Fall conference, too!

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    1. Thanks Tracy and it was delightful to meet you in person, and to take part in your Act Up workshop ... You are inspirational!!

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  2. Hi Jocelyn. Such a tender and real message. Your consideration of faith brings the word to life. As I process your writing I see faith is much more than just a word. It is indeed part of one's life. I appreciate your poems also and the poignancy they touch me with.

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    1. Thank-you Alan, I appreciate the comment of faith as much more than a word, indeed it is life itself.

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  3. Love you poetry, Jocelyn. Thank you for your generosity with your creativity and your books from the Writer's Conference that will be put to good use.

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    1. Thank you Bob, and I appreciated your seminar and getting to meet you.

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  4. Your writing brings tears to my eyes today, Jocelyn. You write with such honesty and depth that I can feel what you are feeling and somehow translate that to the language and feeling/thoughts of my own heart. Connection. Writing. Faith. All come together and I believe God in our hearts is the catalyst, the translator from your heart to mine. My tears taste gratitude.

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    1. Oh, Sharon ... I think hearts that have tasted tears and sorrow have a way of connecting with words. I agree with you that God in our hearts is the catalyst. Blessings to you!

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  5. I so appreciate your gift for writing poetry, something I do not possess. Your inner feelings are revealed within each line and it's so beautiful! Another heart felt post that lets us see a glimpse of you and the world around you. Thanks Jocelyn for sharing your faith.

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