Sunrise

Morning on the Back Porch

/ pastorpete51 / 5 Comments

Dawn would be too nice of a description for the gray morning light gradually brightening today’s cloudy sky. But one dove welcomes our morning, sunny or not, with her gentle cooing. Then a mockingbird wipes sleep from his eyes and begins running through his seemingly limitless repertoire of borrowed songs. Not to be outdone one far less glamorous crow, perches on the crown of our roof and loudly proclaims that morning is here: it’s time to wake up and get going for the day! All these members of God’s choir know something about rejoicing in the moment that I too easily forget.

It is good to give thanks to the Lord,
And to sing praises to Your name, O Most High;
To declare Your lovingkindness in the morning,
And Your faithfulness every night, Psalm 92:1-2 NKJV

I confess that with the multiplying of aches and pains, the complications of family issues and the sadness of unfulfilled dreams, that mornings often come with their own chilly spiritual fog. But God has not left Himself without a witness, and when I sit quietly and listen, He sends messengers to wake my heart up again and hope in Him. In the words of the carol, by Longfellow:

“Then pealed the bells
More rich and deep
God is not dead nor doth He sleep,”
Christmas Bells

There is a hope we may find far better than doves, mockingbirds, and crows. A song deeper still than church bells and a dawn that breaks behind any gray sky, because though the darkness of the cross lies ahead, Easter is coming. Jesus watches us through our night seasons, and the depth of His love brightens our grayest morning and shines through even our darkest night!

I Don’t Multi-Task (too well!)

/ pastorpete51 / 4 Comments

Now I could have titled today’s post “OOOOPS!”, but that might have raised a few eyebrows. Suffice it to say that yesterday’s title was meant for today and I have no great excuse, except I started out to post today’s poem yesterday and thought better of it I edited carefully, reviewing all the grammar and spacing, but forgot the headlines! Yikes! Anyway, thank you for my friends and here is the actual, “He Wrote in the Dust” I hope these simple verses may be a blessing in some small way in your life, and let’s take it as Jesus told us, just one day at a time! 

He Wrote in the Dust

This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. John 8:6 KJV

They brought her to Jesus, this woman of sin
But the Teacher bent low and without a sound
Knowing they hoped for a way to trap Him
He wrote with His finger in the dust on the ground  

Using hands that had made on creation’s sixth day
A man in His image before sin without death  
Breathing His life in a vessel of clay
As creation stood wondering man took His first breath

Then as they continued their self-righteous cries
Jesus stood up and spoke boldly to them
“Let him cast the stone who is without sin 
Then he bent and he wrote in the dirt once again

As the woman stood trembling never hoping for grace 
She braced for the pain while covering her face
Instead, she heard footsteps walking away
Then alone with the Savior she heard a voice say

“Where are your accusers? Has no one condemned?”
“Jesus quietly asked as He stood up again
“And neither do I,” Jesus told her and then
"Turn away from your sins, let a new life begin."


“He Wrote in the Dust”
By Peter Caligiuri
Copyright © 2025 all rights reserved

You Can See Me After Sunrise

/ pastorpete51 / 3 Comments 
“You can see me after sunrise.”
I heard Him say to me
“We must meet in the morning.”
After the shadows flee

And His words kept echoing
Through all the afternoon
While busying with this and that
Till evening filled the room

Then I heard Him whispering again
His invitation dear
So quietly I kneeled in prayer
 That I might better hear

For, I’m longing for the dawning
When he shakes me from my sleep
And in His great faithful love
 He will His promise keep

Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,
1 Corinthians 15:51 ESV
You Can See Me After Sunrise
By Peter Caligiuri
Copyright © 2025
All rights reserved