low bends the reed

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low bends the reed

March 26, 2015 by bluecottonmemory

low bends the frozen reed, like a heart unmoved
by a mother’s plea
faith, let it break not beneath the weight, she cries
bent over the Mercy Seat

thawed and bruised, like a heart wounded to waking
by a mother’s plea
faith, let it break not to loss, she cries
bent over her Father’s feet

thin and reedy it faces the sun, reaching
by its own heart’s plea
break this heart open to love thee well
a mother’s child cries at the Mercy Seat

A bruised reed he will not break, (Isaiah 42:3)

Posted in faith, Family, parenting | Tagged a mother's prayer, Encouragement, Faith, Family, Five Minute Friday, nature photos, Poetry, the mercy seat | 29 Comments

29 Responses

on March 26, 2015 at 10:36 pm | Reply Andrew Budek-Schmeisser

Beautiful!

Can’t say I’m the bruised reed, though. I’ve always said that after the dust of WW3 clears, the only life left on the planet will be cockroaches…

…and me.

Well, it’s the company you keep..!
on March 26, 2015 at 10:42 pm | Reply Andrew Budek-Schmeisser

OK, and I will sound like an idiot, but when I read the title, I read, “Low Bends Lou Reed”.

And when I dropped in on Amy Boyd’s FMF post, entitled “Peel Away The Layers”, I read “Peel Away The Lawyers”.

Well, been sick, yeah, but Lou Reed? And Lawyers?

Scary.
- on March 26, 2015 at 10:50 pm | Reply bluecottonmemory
  
  I hope you feel better soon, Andrew – and sometimes, when I’m really tired, I read things differently, too! I was talking to a mom-friend of mine today and we our hearts were grieving over these teens who are bent to breaking – and not a God-kind-of-breaking – and the importance of an interceding heart, and the anguish in that interceding heart for saving grace! BTW – I think God has bigger plans than cockroaches being the only inhabitants of His creation:) Standing on faith with that one! Shalom!
on March 26, 2015 at 11:24 pm | Reply Shannon Bibby

As a mother of 2 young children, when I read this it tugged at my heart. I pray my munchkins always turn to God so that they don’t ‘break’ however, I also know that as they grow older and have more life experience, hardships will build strength and endurance. So, I pray that their loads are lessened but heavy enough to bring them to their knees so that they humble themselves before God and to know “For when I am weak, then I am strong.”
- on March 26, 2015 at 11:29 pm | Reply bluecottonmemory
  
  It is through challenges I think that we come to know God more heart-to-heart. I like how you pray, “their loads are lessened but heavy enough to bring them to their knees so that they humble themselves before God” – that is such gentle, wise foresight of what our children need! Thanks for coming by and sharing your heart with me!
on March 27, 2015 at 1:50 am | Reply nan @ lbddiaries

Again, poignant and beautiful. Your words come from so deep inside you – and that shows.
- on March 27, 2015 at 2:08 pm | Reply bluecottonmemory
  
  Oh, yes, Nan – this mothering is not a shallow, easy thing! Shalom, friend!
on March 27, 2015 at 2:19 am | Reply Poppy

So lovely to meet you!

‘thin and reedy it faces the sun, reaching
by its own heart’s plea’

I know this sentiment well, and cannot tell you how uplifting it is to open the shutters every morning, letting the sun lay its warmth on my shoulders.

Beautiful.

Poppy
- on March 27, 2015 at 2:09 pm | Reply bluecottonmemory
  
  The visual you carry with you – opening the shutters to the morning sun – and its warmth – there’s gentleness, strength and grace in that image of the Father coming! Shalom, Poppy!
on March 27, 2015 at 10:52 am | Reply Michele Morin

There’s nothing more important than a mother praying for her child. I’m also surrounded by a herd of boys. I love the picture on your blog. Glad to have run into you today at Faith Filled Friday.
- on March 27, 2015 at 2:18 pm | Reply bluecottonmemory
  
  My blog photo is dear to my heart, though the son who ended up thrown into the ocean might not have liked how that session ended! LOL – I wouldn’t want to go through a day of parenting without having our God beside me – and the ability to pray – directly into His presence and know He’s got it! Shalom, Michele – within your herd of boys, too!
on March 27, 2015 at 10:52 am | Reply Liz

Beautiful!
- on March 27, 2015 at 2:20 pm | Reply bluecottonmemory
  
  Thank you, Liz, for coming by and for your kind comment! Shalom!
on March 27, 2015 at 1:41 pm | Reply amypboyd

Such beautiful words. Thank you for sharing.
- on March 27, 2015 at 2:20 pm | Reply bluecottonmemory
  
  Thank you, Amy, for coming by and sharing such sweet encouragement! Shalom!
on March 27, 2015 at 7:04 pm | Reply Mary Dolan Flaherty

beautiful poetry.
on March 28, 2015 at 8:26 am | Reply enthusiasticallydawn

Oh, I love your beautiful poetic voice this Saturday morning. I so resonate with the mama’s heart conveyed.

I love your list of links too! Thanks for that. I have been hard-pressed to keep up with linking lately and hopping to visit and read the offerings, but so appreciate a list of links to share, peruse and join when I can. 😉
- on March 28, 2015 at 10:13 pm | Reply bluecottonmemory
  
  That you, Dawn – from my mama’s heart to yours! I’ve had a hard time linking and visiting this last year – just follow God’s timing and where He leads you in your perusing and blog visiting! I understand – and God knows what you need!
on March 28, 2015 at 12:37 pm | Reply micey

So good.
- on March 28, 2015 at 10:14 pm | Reply bluecottonmemory
  
  Thanks so much, Micey – from one boy-mom heart to another!
on March 28, 2015 at 4:57 pm | Reply rcubes

Your beautiful poem brought back memories of my own mother…With hard working hands gently folded each night, and her knees calloused perhaps as tears rhymed her silent petitions for my brothers and I was sure for me, as we were growing up…I knew Someone heard those cries because they were always being lifted up with her unwavering faith…I always pray for my son but it never hurts to always be reminded to be persistent in doing so…knowing you have your own “boys”…Blessings to you sister…Be strong…in the Lord’s mighty power.
- on March 28, 2015 at 10:17 pm | Reply bluecottonmemory
  
  Rosel, you have a gift for such heart-filled encouragement – in the work of your hands I read about – and in the words and prayers you write! Persistence in parenting with faith – that is the key – and we lift each other up through our encouragement and prayers! Blessings to you – and Shalom in our week ahead!
on March 29, 2015 at 5:40 am | Reply joanneviola

So grateful He knows our breaking point & comes quickly to give us all we need. Blessings today!
- on March 29, 2015 at 11:06 pm | Reply bluecottonmemory
  
  He knows our breaking point – and that point is greater than we realize. He sustains us, if we let Him, in the wait of those prayers sent out! Thanks for coming by! Shalom, Joanne!
on March 29, 2015 at 2:42 pm | Reply Joanne Norton

It was neat pictures, etc., how you put this together. Thank you. Nice to see “you”. 😉
- on March 29, 2015 at 11:08 pm | Reply bluecottonmemory
  
  Really, I should have put the icy grass/reeds first – but so many people just do not want to see ice and snow anymore. I took the grass/reed photo last fall while I was taking photos on a soccer field. I knew just the right chance to use it would come along – and it did! Thanks for coming by – and nice to see “you” too! Shalom!
on March 29, 2015 at 10:27 pm | Reply Donna Stone

This is lovely. Thank you for sharing.
visiting from #FellowshipFridays
- on March 29, 2015 at 11:09 pm | Reply bluecottonmemory
  
  Thank you, Donna! God can take the challenge and make something lovely out of it! Thank you for visiting! Shalom!
on April 2, 2015 at 9:52 pm | Reply hollythewoo

You are gifted and I’m so grateful you linked up with us at Grace & Truth so I could read this and tell you so!