Rhonda Bronte Brown is a National Board-Certified Teacher and retired teacher/counselor whose work has appeared in Better Than Starbucks, The Trouvaille Review, Meat for Tea, The Orchards Poetry Journal and The Best Haiku 2025 international anthology and several online journals. She holds both a BS and a Master’s degree and writes children’s literature and poetry exploring nature, SEL, and STEM.
When we ignore God's design for us, we travel the road of fools. When we ignore the Holy Spirt's call to pray, we search for significance. When we ignore hope and water weeds with bitter tears, we fall into depths of despair. When we ignore the yearning for spiritual things, we sacrifice character. When we ignore God's design to fill us with His love, we walk alone.
When we hear God whisper, we see with clarity.When we love our soul like the soil loves the tree, we are secure. When we hope through unanswered prayers, trust is restored. When we listen with the self God designed, we walk in faith.
Above is a rewrite of a post from last year.
When your soul has lost the fear of God’s design, you travel the road of fools.
When your soul’s meaningful purpose is lost, you search for your significance.
When you separate your soul from your heart, you fall into depths of despair.
When your soul is empty, you fill it with things.
When your soul yearns for love, you sacrifice your character.
But...
When your soul listens for God's whisper, you discern the words of the fool.
When your soul is filled with meaning, you find your purpose.
When your soul is linked to Jesus, you are filled with understanding.
When your soul is full, you pour out God’s wondrous love.
When your soul is loved, you stand your ground.
Truth-
Jesus is the solid rock, immovable and perfect.
God’s design is for you to know HIM.
spring buds pop their heads, February trickery, winter snaps, not yet! Published
Feb 11 winter's shield hoarfrost, snow blanket survive or succumb #HaikuSaturday #haiku
rewrite for NaHaWriMo little ones frolic under silvery moonbeams till stillness comes
a sparkled light cast night recedes behind the stars tomorrow sleeps
Feb 18 varied highs and lows February vacillates spring's on its way
Photos by RL Brown
Nature's mystery sprightly beads nestle betwixt succulent leaves
Pearly light of glistening eyes echoes a dance of the coming spring.
@NaHaiWriMo
Feb 1 daybreak morning’s blush slips through the mizzling mist published
Feb 2 dawn/birdsong Antiphonal tweets robins, warblers, and blackbirds sing dayspring's symphony rewrite: pastoral harmony robins, warblers, blackbirds antiphonal tweets
Feb 3 crowing rooster A crimson trim comb Proud strut, perched high. Good morning world
Feb 4 sunrise morning’s song returns chee-pippety-chee spring arias
Feb 5 Breakfast peel double whop, pop biscuits fried light and golden sprinkle sugar dust
Feb 6 morning the morning light hums dreams dance in dawn's shadow young hearts sing
Feb 7 Missed breakfast Can't wait for lunch time to graze, brunch
Feb 8 ELEVENSES An elvish break peanut butter and banana RIP Elvis.
Feb 9 Noon high noon shadows hide under feet
Feb 10 Lunch teacher on the run, recess, copier, meeting lunch in hand.
Feb 11 Midday a contagious yawn a midday stretch What comes after ELEVENSES?
Feb 12 nap time little ones play till stillness draws the sleepy eyes shut all rest.
Feb 13 teatime front porch cool breeze scones, clotted cream, preserves Iced cold bourbon tea
Feb 14 afternoon out-of-town son calls visit with elderly neighbor afternoon delight
Feb 15 Happy Hour family conversations around the dinner table happy hours
Feb 16 Dinner break a few rules cold pizza for breakfast, hot pancakes for dinner Yum!
Photo by R. Bronte Brown/ South Korea
Feb 17 Magic Hour/Golden Hour silvery moonbeams night recedes behind the stars tomorrow sleeps in dreams
Feb 18 Sunset evening wanes sunlight etches closer to twilight's shade (reference to age -etch-wrinkles)
Feb 19 blue hour sky colors ripple a unique aerial view coming down down down
Feb 20 Twilight cicadas sing silence merges with darkness tree shadows creep
Feb 21 Dusk fireflies hover low in eventide tealights flicker
Feb 22 Evening evening sounds surround life nestles, tweets and twitters cease swissssh goes the porch swing
Feb 23 Vespers Violet skies of royalty evensong of repentance, Ash Wednesday
Feb 24 Bedtime Bedside, on my knees whispers ascend to heaven I lay down to sleep
Whispering to heaven before I lay down to sleep. My dreams and hopes
whispers of wishes ascending to heaven as I lay down to sleep.
evanescing pass out of sight, memory, or existence. "water moves among reeds, evanescence, shines" To dissipate or disappear like vapor.
Feb 25 the eleventh hour America's demise wokeness disinformation downfall from within
Discernment's gift facts vs narratives dividing truth from opinion
Discernment's gift is dividing truth from lies- fact vs opinions
Feb 26 Midnight Snack An internal clock wakes hubby at 12:01 sleep walks to the fridge
Feb 27 Wee hours Wee morning hours Perseid meteor show July and August
Feb 28 death haiku 1. autumn falls silent under the evening snow 2. Winter winds whistling, Indian summer's last stance, bowing gracefully Feb 28 Last Hour /death haiku Thanatos’ grim triumph- fallen, betrayed from within The Afghan Thirteen,
Above all by Michael W Smith.
Above all powers above all kings above all nature and all created things. Above all kingdoms above all thrones above all wonders, the world has ever known.
The worst thing to fake in life is being a Christian. It is not because of name-calling, being dishonest with others and yourself, or for personal gain. It is just because we will all stand before the judgment seat one day. Jesus is the only one who can redeem us/you.
Ultimately, the one thing you cannot fake is your salvation. It is freely given, and the Holy Spirit calls us to accept or reject God’s gift. The heavenly Father is the judge, and when His Son says I died for you, your sins are wiped away, never to be remembered. Salvation is genuine or not. God’s truth reveals our sins, and Jesus’ blood wipes our sins clean.
Plague by doubt, belief wavers. A clearer vision may be needed.
Once as a child, I saw a star travel across the sky. I rushed in to tell my parents, but it was gone when I came back outside. They didn’t believe me. It was a traveling star, a sign. I was only six, but I believe in that star. I saw it. As an adult, I saw the movie October Sky. It was then I realized what I actually saw was a satellite.
Once in college, I believe God called me to a year’s service with Campus Crusade for Christ. That summer, I raised financial support all summer and still fell short. I missed the early training, but I still believe I was called. I kept on. I called on the last day to say I did not meet my goal. I was sorely disappointed. I still believed I was called, but I doubted. She told me I had till twelve o’clock, even though I felt it was over. I continued to call. Yes, as you can imagine, I reached my goal by twelve and spent the year overseas serving the Lord with Campus Crusade for Christ.
Have you ever felt that you were not on God’s to-do list? I have. Have you believed wholeheartedly in the wrong thing for years? I have.
Have an answer for you about doubt? I do not. Faith the size of a mustard seed can move mountains. How that is true is for each of us to discover.
Faith can be likened to a train with an engine and a caboose. Putting your energy/belief in God and His Word is like putting your energy/ fuel (the coal) into the train engine, and it moves forward. If you place your energy (the coal) into the caboose, your feelings, and not God’s Word, the train doesn’t move. Feelings wobble, constantly change, hurl you forward or hold you back. Emotions should not take the lead; they can spiral you out of control if you weigh yourself with them. We have free will by which we balance head and heart and life.
We are each designed with strengths, talents, and weaknesses. Some things are only possible to achieve with a lot of effort. We can develop our abilities for God's glory or self-edification.
The story of the three servants illustrates how our capabilities can be multiplied to honor God and grow in that talent tenfold. But if our fear of God is void of love, honor, and respect, we can misuse our talents and spend them on ourselves. (Many Christian artists whose talents developed in the church have turned their efforts to focus on the world.)
I'm still discovering hidden talents that I allowed self-doubt to steal. I am working on developing and honing talents that may not be my strongest area. But the takeaway is that God will bless my efforts by acknowledging Him, especially if I'm willing to give him the glory.
It not just receiving but also a matter of discovering who God has created me to be. I pray that God will guide us in developing our skills and talents and we continue to discover how God has wonderfully designed each of us.
Psalms 139:14 I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.
Luke 19:11-27
International Children’s Bible
A Story About Three Servants
11 Jesus traveled closer to Jerusalem. Some of the people thought that God’s kingdom would appear soon. 12 Jesus knew that the people thought this, so he told them this story: “A very important man was preparing to go to a country far away to be made a king. Then he planned to return home and rule his people. 13 So the man called ten of his servants together. He gave a bag of money[a] to each servant. He said, ‘Do business with this money till I get back.’ 14 But the people in the kingdom hated the man. So they sent a group to follow him and say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king!’
15 “But the man became king. When he came home, he said, ‘Call those servants who have my money. I want to know how much they earned with it.’
16 “The first servant came and said, ‘Sir, I earned ten bags of money with the one bag you gave me!’ 17 The king said to the servant, ‘Fine! You are a good servant. I see that I can trust you with small things. So now I will let you rule over ten of my cities.’
18 “The second servant said, ‘Sir, with your one bag of money I earned five bags!’ 19 The king said to this servant, ‘You can rule over five cities.’
20 “Then another servant came in. The servant said to the king, ‘Sir, here is your bag of money. I wrapped it in a piece of cloth and hid it. 21 I was afraid of you because you are a hard man. You even take money that you didn’t earn and gather food that you didn’t plant.’ 22 Then the king said to the servant, ‘You evil servant! I will use your own words to condemn you. You said that I am a hard man. You said that I even take money that I didn’t earn and gather food that I didn’t plant. 23 If that is true, then you should have put my money in the bank. Then, when I came back, my money would have earned some interest.’
9 responses to “RECEIVE”
strengthwithdignity
Beautiful redbird painting, Rhonda! I think some hidden talents were “stolen” through self-doubt, while others were hidden in the soil until the right season, then they come forth for “this season” and we enjoy walking with Him in this “new season.” May the Lord bless you in this new season of creative endeavors!
Talentless, my joy’s still full
(do you know just what I mean?),
and like the handsome cardinal
I need do naught but sit and preen
and show that though within my brain,
I’ve really got nuthin’ cooking,
I surely am, and will remain
the definition of good-looking.
Eat your hearts out, jay and finch,
as you flit through busy days.
I’ll take my mile, you take your inch
and we’ll see who gets the praise
of portrait to raise world’s morale
painted by a lovely gal.
What we receive by Faith
Your faith can be likened to a train with an engine and a caboose. Putting your energy/belief in God and His Word is like putting your energy/ fuel (the coal) into the train engine, and it moves forward. If you place your energy (the coal) into the caboose, your feelings, the train doesn’t move. Feelings wobble, constantly change, hurl you forward or hold you back. Emotions should not take the lead; they can spiral you out of control if you weigh yourself with them. We have free will by which we balance head and heart and life. by RLBrown
Better Than Starbucks Poetry and Fiction Journal November 2022 Vol VII No IV
As morning’s first blush slips through the mizzling mist, dawn’s chorus begins. The woodland world wakes, nestlings fluff their feathers, squish together and listen to their twitter song.
Blackbirds sing a low mellow tone blending choral notes to a dayspring chant. Red-breasted robins' antiphonal tweets twitter back and forth. A cool zephyr breezes through the budding trees, and a hermit thrush adds a rhythmic woodwind harmony.
Chee-pippety-chee-chee, Jenny wren joins in with a light peppy lilt, stepping up the beat. Colorful warblers echo a descant as tiny rainbows shimmer in twilight’s dew. A Capella chorus in one voice sings a spring aria.
A blue jay’s catcall
signals a tail twitching taunt,
kitty in the weeds.
Rhonda Bronte Brown is a retired counselor/teacher who lives in Arkansas. She was published in Better Than Starbucks, the Trouvaille Review, and Haiku Seed Journal in February and March 2022. She also writes children’s books. Find her online at https://brontebrown2.com.
My inspiration for this poem came one spring morning while listening to bird songs at dawn's light. The slow build of antiphonal tweets and the sudden end, orchestrated by my cat, Tom, reminded me of Bolero by Ravel.
Short version: TopTuesdayTweets 80 WC spring February 13 Spring Haibun by rbrontebrown Good morning, Sunshine. Rewrite of Spring Sings
Stretching through morning’s dew, the sunlight cracks at dawn. Nestlings fluff their feathers and squish together to listen to their twitter-song.
The red-breasted robins engage in antiphonal tweets. Jenny-wren adds her chee-pippety-chee-chee as colorful warblers chime-in. A cacophony echoes in dewy twilight.
Goose pimples giggle as my toes squish in the tender grass. A cool zephyr breeze flows, inviting the day to begin. Butterflies dance atop neighboring blooms, suddenly-
a Blue-jay catcall! Signals a tail-twitching taunt, kitty in the weeds.
Nonfiction Narrative of a true navigator-Eleanor Creesy was the first navigator to sail a new supply route around Cape Horn and set a speed record that none could beat/ Excerpt from Navigating Stormy Seas/ (Sing to the Wellerman’s Tune)
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In 1851, the clipper ship Flying Cloud raced from New York to San Francisco in just 89 days, 21 hours.
During the California Gold Rush, fortunes were made or lost in sleek clipper ships. The route often took more than a hundred days. But in 1851, the Flying Cloud carried $50,000 worth of cargo from New York to San Francisco around the tip of South America in record-breaking time under the command of Josiah Perkins Creesy Jr. and his wife and navigator Eleanor Creesy. Two years later, they broke their own record by 13 hours, a record that still stands.
The Daring Navigator of the Flying Cloud: The Eleanor Creesy Story by RL Brown
The Flying Cloud’s a clipper ship, with billowing sails of canvas white, Filled to the brim, we catch the wind weather foul or fair- huh
Heave ho and aweigh we go, bring the sugar and hopes of gold. Heave ho and away we go, We’re bound for Californ-i-O.
Five hundred tons, she's weighted down, yet the race is on to blaze a trail The captain’s eye is bent t’ward speed We sail with’a sailor's prayer. Huh
Heave ho and aweigh we go, Coffee, sugar and tools for goal Heave ho and aweigh we go We’re bound for Californ-i-O.
Two saboteurs tried to sink the ship By drilling holes in the beams below But the first mate heard a handy tip And took those villains down.
Heave ho and aweigh we go, We fight against both wind and men. Heave ho and aweigh we go, we’re bound for Californ-i-O.
The bow dips low as we ‘round Cape Horn’ Her reckonings broke the old sea’s chain. A course so true that none could beat. for hundred years, a matchless feat. Huh!
Heave ho and aweigh we go, sugar, coffee, and tools for gold. Heave ho and aweigh we go, we’re bound for Californ-i-O.
The Clipper Ship Flying Cloud
Josiah Perkins Creesy, Jr. commanded the ship, and, uncommon for the time, his wife Eleanor navigated. As a child in Massachusetts, she had learned navigation skills from her seafaring father.
Credit: The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley
WIP
If rain no longer fell, would tears cease to flow?
If blue dropped from the sky, would a smile return?
If darkness engulfs the world, would light find its way?
If longing is understood, would yearning fade?
If sadness disappeared would you be free?
Your faith can be likened to a train with an engine and a caboose. Putting your energy/belief in God and His Word is like putting your energy/ fuel (the coal) into the train engine, and it moves forward. If you place your energy (the coal) into the caboose, your feelings, the train doesn't move. Feelings wobble, constantly change, hurl you forward or hold you back. Emotions should not take the lead; they can spiral you out of control if you weigh yourself with them. We have free will by which we balance head and heart and live. by RLBrown
shadows hide, lurking beneath (the fog)
Light invades, droplets dissipate, shadows revealed.
living life in a fog, drifting desparately
a seasonal leaf
grounding roots
friends are the rings inside
January submission The Monthy Kakai-(Gratitude) by RL Brown
A clarion call on gradient winds, eagles hitch a ride. (January sky) #poetry, #haiku,
snow falling lightly
moonbeams prance (glisten)
nestled deep, all sleep
Like a river, creativity flows, bends, hits a dam, spills over, finds another way, is a mist, and gets lost in a fog but is ever moving forward to new horizons.
Jungle Gym on steroids Welcome, all humanoids Imagination Play Station Parallel universe- TRAPezoids. #LimerickSunday #LimerickRhyme Outside play station in Korea
The night star shines through the night illumatinating the way
a single voice announces, the king's arrival, to live among us.
Christmas morning rings as the morning light hums, as a new song begins.
The Troubadour sings illuminating darkness, dispelling fear.
Echoes of joy ring
The songless world yearns to hear.
The troubadour’s song.
Morning's light hums
through hate and despair as hope
sings a new redemptive song.
on a morrowless day nighttide meets at winter's gate light concatenates
#haiku #HaikuSaturday #haikuseed
winter solstice Dec 21, 2022
6 facts about the winter solstice
The magic moment. While many focus on the winter solstice as a day in the calendar, what we are actually talking about is a very specific moment which is over almost as soon as it has begun. ...
The Sun stands still. ... Winter begins. ... Nine hours darker. ... The earliest sunset. ...
8 fascinating facts about the summer solstice
It arrives like clockwork. ... Time stands still. ... It's not the earliest sunrise of the year. ... It's been observed throughout human history. ... Flooding the Nile. ... Greek feasts. ... Ancient Roman celebration of home and hearth. ... It's still celebrated around the world today. March/ September Spring Equinox March Equinox
Terrestrial tides collide rising high, but twice a year. sun and moon poised.
A morrowless day arriving on the equinox perfectly balanced.
January sky Its sheer so clear, so blue. Nothing leaves a mark.
Wintry sky shear blue bright and clear cirrus trails Shear Cirrus trails in the clear, wintry blue sky.
Emotional world
Spinning round the sun leaving
Unanswered questions.
#HaikuSaturday by martha vandivier
@Vandiviergrade3
My Reply:
In between twilight
answers lie within us
for finding the Truth.
#HaikuSaturday by RL Brown
Snow in Arkansas
Ump, get real, it's Arkansas
Snowing in Arkansas
#HaikuSaturday
We have a saying in AR, if you don't like the weather, wait a day!
5:59 PM · Nov 12, 2022
·Twitter Web App
wispy sheers, whispering change, forth-telling
Whiptail: journal of the single-line poem @whiptailjournal
Cirrus clouds are thin, feathery, and wispy; portents of rain. #haiku #monoku #whiptailjournal https://pic.twitter.com/
Winter's warning wispy, feathery thin, Cirrus clouds, portents of rain.
Replying to @whiptailjournal
Whiptail: journal of the single-line poem
@whiptailjournal
speckled sunlight of pattern pathways
Share a monoku you wrote and the story behind it.
The story behind this: I was reading Richard Peck this summer, inspired by his writing.
Nov 21 Replying to @jerroldconnors I never had an invisible childhood friend, choosing now, I would pick the mischievous confidence of Bugs Bunny and the quiet friendship of Winnie the Pooh. I wouldn't care for gremlins since they work for Murphy's Law.
Nov 22 Friendship Replying to @JThomasABC Like a leaf that is brief-lasting a season, branches that hang around for a while, or the roots that keep you grounded, friends are the rings inside you. #InvisibleThings
Nov 23 Creativity Like a river, creativity flows, bends, hits a dam, spills over, finds another way. A mist that get lost in a fog, but is ever moving forward- to new horizons. @lozzawriting
Invisible Things/Creativity
Nov 24: Joy Grandbabies create a rite of passage for parents to become Grand! @AndrewsSusanM
Passing the responsibility of raising a child to your child and watching them guide, struggle, seek your help and advice, and getting to love and trust them to do their best is pure joy.
Nov 25 Hope hurts! Hurtful words dash across the heart. Dreams unrealized lie in waste. Lost in the darkness, we cry. Hope lies beyond our regrets and missed opportunities. Hope restores the heart and clears the way for renewed dreams. Hope heals!
#InvisibleThings @jerroldconnors 5:30 PM · Nov 25, 2022
Trouvaille Review, February 15, 2022 Publication
excerpt:
Winter winds whistling
Indian Summer's last stance
Bowing gracefully
Winter’s dignity
Lifeless trees' quiet strength
Autumn seeds nestled deep-
Sheltered. #haikusaturday
Originally written separately, then one poem.
brontebrown2 
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