Michelle's Muses, Meditations, and More

I wrote this some time around 2019. I sat at the Mirrored Window in the office I worked in, which was across the street from Hope Center, where a large population of homeless, addicted, mentally ill, and the poorest of our community was ministered to daily.

The Mirrored Window

Every day they pass
I see them but they don't see me
One-way, mirrored glass between us
The homeless, the hopeless
They gaze upon their reflection as they go by
Sometimes a quick glance
Sometimes they linger
The Passers seem to want
To avoid what they see
The Lingerers appear to wonder
At the image staring back at them
"How did I get here?"
"Is that REALLY me?"
"Is there any hope for that person I see?"
Some seem oblivious to their surroundings
Talking to unseen entities
Occasionally, yelling and arguing
With invisible tormentors
One man caught the attention of this observer
Curly, Sandy gray hair, bushy beard
Reminiscent of a weathered sailor
Daily pushing a shopping cart
Filled with all of his earthly goods
Two dogs, well -fed pit bulls, tied to the cart
Happily prancing alongside their human
Summer heat, winter chill
They were a constant, joyful reprieve
In the mundane day of an office worker
Recently, the weathered man passed
No cart, a backpack, and NO dogs
His countenance told a wordless story
Of heartbreak
His canine companions, one of his sole
Sources of earthly joy and comfort
Torn from his already miserable existence
Now he passes, mostly alone
Sometimes accompanied by a fellow sojourner
Sadness evident in his grizzled face
Tears come to my eyes as I witness
The pain so evidently etched in flesh
From the comfort of my chair
On the other side of the Mirrored Window

Michelle Wood

Vision clearing
Like morning fog
Giving way to the
Brightness of noonday sun
Ever more apparent
Stark in it's contrast
Dire in it's consequence
The War Eternal is revealed
My Internal Eye has been opened
My Heart of Hearts awakened
My Inner Knowledge enlightened
The Wisdom of the Ages
Has taken center stage
A laser beam of Light bathes
The only Player who matters as
All peripheral participants melt away
Into the darkness of backstage
Who is this that stands
Front and center?
I move closer, curious
I see…
MYSELF!
Perplexed, I retreat a little
It cannot be, for I know
That I do not belong in
Such a role,
The center of importance
But, as I ponder this seemingly
Out-of-order conundrum
I hear a voice, mesmerizing in beauty
Beckon me to once again
Draw near, stand still, observe
I obey and in wonder I witness
A phenomenon so astounding
To behold, that I am
Rendered speechless
The character I originally witnessed,
Myself
Began to quiver, like waves of light
Pulsating with the Eternal
Song of Heaven
And a New Image began
To fill in as the OLD Image faded
With each Wave of Light,
Pulse of sound
Love took shape before the
The Great Audience of the Ages
I disappeared and where
I once stood…
There was Jesus
My life, swallowed up in His
My life, Inconsequential in and of itself
And all that I'd heard with
ears of flesh
Over a lifetime of
“ Ever hearing, but never
Understanding” began
To make perfect sense.

‭Galatians 2:20 NKJV‬
[20] I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Michelle Brewer

Regret and Shame

Deeper than the oceans depths
Entrenched, this entity, “Regret”
Her companion, “Shame”
Follows close behind
Dwelling ever in my sober mind
Frolicking through a land
Called “Past”
Singing songs of misdeeds
And their Shadows cast
A painter’s brush always in hand
As she darts in and out of another land
A place called , “Present”
Where “Now” resides
She takes her brush
And “Gloom” is applied
To every surface, far and wide
Dimmed in grays
These two worlds collide
“Shame”, her sister, boldly taunts
Wags her finger
Her voice fills my thoughts
Skillful in the art of prose
Day and night does she compose
Accusations, fear, and doubt
Self-loathing, preaching
“NO WAY OUT!”
She and her sister, they travel on
To the land Called “Future”
And beyond
Convincing that all hope is lost
For a future life that is
Worth the cost
Of existing in a world of pain
These enemies, Regret and Shame
What shall we say? Is this the end?
Is this our lot? Can we not ascend?
To another land, more lovely yet
Where forgiveness flows
And with Grace we’re met?
I’ve heard tell of such a place
Where dwells a Savior
And His sweet embrace
One Who carried all our Shame
Regret and Sorrow
He knew no blame
He embodied every sin
Our Substitute is found in Him
Victorious, He took the keys
Opened the prison and
SET ME FREE!
Michelle Wood
07/28/24

On Connection & Community

A reflection
On CONNECTION
Deep introspection
With no misconception
As to the relation
Of God’s communication
To the population
His motivation
Without hesitation
Is LOVE…

COMMUNITY
Is the Father’s way, you see
His children beautifully
Living in His unity
Walking in blessed harmony
Has always been the Father’s fantasy
A crushing blow unto the enemy
Against his wiles it is a remedy
Jesus left us with this legacy
Playing through us in a symphony
Called LOVE

Michelle Brewer
8/14/24

Hey all! I've recently started writing quite a bit. I thought it would be nice to create a page for just that purpose. So...here it is! I'm hoping that what you read here will get the "Train of Thought" moving down the "Tracks of Psyche" and you'll gain something of value to take away from here. Bless you on your journey.