Lisa Notes: Grateful for close calls

Grateful for close calls

When heaven and earth collide
sometimes heaven takes all
unless earth holds on harder
from permission to not yet secede.

The close calls of collision
they rouse the drowsiness
toes inch near the line but no further
footsteps turn opposite and run.

The Maxima barely misses
cancer digs almost too deep
oak topples the fortunate direction
hot temptation releases in time’s nick.

Peek over the edge and kneel
thankful for the one that got away
this one comes from heaven too
when grace and flesh collide.

* * *

Thankful that the too-close tornado in Auburn yesterday missed my daughter’s home (and prayerful for those whose home it did hit below).

We’re closer to the edge than we think, yes?

Had any close calls lately?
What outcome are you grateful for?

Comments (24)

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Dianna · 699 weeks ago

Grateful to know your daughter's home was missed yesterday, Lisa. I'm sure seeing the picture of the home that it did hit brought back many memories for you. Glad to know you are okay. Hugs.

1 reply · active 699 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 699 weeks ago

Yes, it did bring back memories, Dianna. She said they got electricity back last night at midnight. That brought back memories too. :-) I was never so grateful to have electricity than after a week without it.

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nikolehahn 45p · 699 weeks ago

I, too, am grateful it missed your daughter's home. Tornadoes certainly remind us of God's power.

1 reply · active 699 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 699 weeks ago

Nature sure has a way of reminding us, huh? I always am most reminded of God's power when I stand on the shore of an ocean. But tornadoes definitely can have the same effect (just not the same sense of peace with it).

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flowingfaith 23p · 699 weeks ago

Whew. Wow. What a reminder to count our blessings and seize the day! Thanks for sharing, Lisa! BLESSINGS!

1 reply · active 699 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 699 weeks ago

Hope this wasn't too much of a downer. ha. But those close calls really can shake me awake to remember to "seize the day." Thanks, Mari-Anna.

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Barbara H. 65p · 699 weeks ago

Wow! So glad your daughter was spared. I was in a very big building that a tornado hit once, but inside the only problem was a few ceiling tiles falling, thankfully.It does shake one up, though!

1 reply · active 699 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 699 weeks ago

I've never actually been in a tornado myself, thank God. But I did experience ceiling tiles falling during a hurricane.

When Jeff and I were honeymooning in Hawaii, Hurricane Iniki showed up and devastated the island of Kauai. We all started off in the ballroom of the hotel in the early morning of its arrival until the ceiling started falling from the winds, then they put us all in the bowels of the hotel (I didn't know they existed until then!). Quite a wake-up call for two newlyweds in la-la land. :-)

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Julie · 699 weeks ago

Glad your sweet girl is okay!!! Kurt told me one blew through SC just about a half hours drive South of Charlotte. Glad Glad it didn't go further north where there are many whom I know and Family that i LOVE and MISS!!! It is amazing the wrath of Nature's fury...To see the power God can put into a wind is enough to ME...that I would think anybody who believes HE is the Creator would have a healthy and reverant Fear of His power ...What an AMAZING God we serve...To know the LOVING side of HIM however...dispels the fear that could arise. Hugs to you LIsa. Saw your last reply and betting that is a honeymoon that would be hard to match! What a memory! :-)

1 reply · active 699 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 699 weeks ago

We talked about the fear of God in my Bible class last night. Like you said, the loving side of God dispels many fears that could arise, yet we still always keep that reverent fear of him. Reading that today in "What Women Fear" too--love the repetition!

"The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom" (Proverbs 9:10).

Yes, the honeymoon was one of a kind. We decided if we could survive a hurricane in our first week together, we were going to make it. :-)

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Jeri Taira · 699 weeks ago

Wow. After reading this, we really are closer to the edge than we think. So thankful your daughter is safe. So thankful for the peace of mind it gives you Lisa.

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Lisa notes 103p · 699 weeks ago

I think the most about how close we live to the edge when I'm in the car.... It's a miracle that we almost always make it safely to and from wherever we're going.

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Caroline · 699 weeks ago

Grateful for this attitude of gratitude you have shared today, Lisa. And thankful, too, for the good outcome for your daughter! Praying right now for those affected...

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Lisa notes 103p · 699 weeks ago

Thanks, Caroline. I thank God that no one was injured (as far as I know) but several are definitely inconvenienced, if not also financially hurt.

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floyd · 699 weeks ago

Wow! Truly the hand of God shows mercy... We are one breath away from eternity. Literally. Glad to hear your family is alright. Praying for the ones who came face to face with reality.

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Amy Sullivan · 699 weeks ago

Oh, so thankful the tornado missed your daughter's home. Thank goodness!

My close call? My daughter wandered away in the store a few weeks ago. She was gone for five minutes, but during those five minutes, every news story I've ever seen about missing children came flooding back to me.

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Sharon · 699 weeks ago

Praying for those affected in the Auburn/Opelika area.

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Barbie · 699 weeks ago

So thankful your daughter is okay. That would put things into perspective for me.

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tinuviel · 699 weeks ago

Grateful with you for your daughter's safety. Funny, this message has popped up several places in the last couple of days in the lives of friends and family and in reading. Well-done on the poem. "Peek over the edge and kneel
thankful for the one that got away ." A good reminder.

Blessed weekend to you, Lisa.
My recent post Some Earworms Are Made for Sharing

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Angie · 698 weeks ago

love that phrase 'when grace and flesh collide'...
My recent post On creativity...busyness...and gratitude...

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Faith Barista · 698 weeks ago

Hi Lisa, So glad to hear your daughter is safe! My goodness. I'm actually sitting in the urgent care waiting room right now. I just missed a close call with my swiss army knife, I think. I was trying to poke a hole in an apple juice drink for CJ and the knife folded on my pinky! ... I'm thankful it's not worse than it could've been. ... btw, did you write this poem, Lisa?! It's wonderful!
My recent post A Soul Pick-Me-Up: Write Letters of Gratitude

1 reply · active 698 weeks ago

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Lisa notes 103p · 698 weeks ago

Yikes. Sorry about your pinky! Praying they fix you up with as little pain as possible.

I did write the poem. A poet I'm not, but sometimes I do like to experiment anyway. Words--they attract us in so many ways, yes? :-)
My recent post Touch deep

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KristineMac 92p · 698 weeks ago

This is a beautiful poem. I'm rejoicing with you that your daughter is safe. Things can be repaired and replaced. :)
My recent post Looking Beyond the Turkey

1 reply · active 698 weeks ago

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