[header of two silhouetted men standing apart. They frame the words in the header.]
Papyrus Collective
"Our Generation... Our Legacy."
deathrowinmate.org
papyruscollective@gmail.com
__________________________________________
Post to blog#6324

"When Tha River Wants To Keep Still! Part One"

One thing after another! Just when you set a plan into motion and you have gotten used to what the river's regular flow, the river finds the need to remind me:
The river never stands still!

The River is always flowing, ever-changing, as the current is constantly kicking up dust. The river floor is ever-changing. The river is subject to raging tides, rip currents, rouge waves, and dramatic drops in the river floor without warning.

Sounds a lot like tha river of my life.

Born in poverty, I raised my two little boys and a new little sister in a one-bedroom apartment. Neglected and accused. Moved from one side of my family to the other. On one side of the shoreline, my name and face came at a price. On the other side of the shoreline, I was mistreated and accused of everything out of the ordinary. In and out of Y.A jail and prison.

Ten out of a text. I have been reading for years. When Jesus fed the 5,000 with two loaves of bread and had the guys load the ship with the leftover food. Then a storm broke out and everybody on board panicked. Then went and woke up Jesus, who was alseep below deck. He woke up and all he said was, "Please be still!"

My heart asked if I understood why Jesus told them to keep the leftover food. There was my answer. Oh, how we forget the circles, blessings, grace and mercy that God gives.

I may have grown up in poverty and raised my siblings, but God saw to it that they never got sick. That they were fed and they could depend on their big brother.

I may have been tossed from shore to shore, but God kept me safe. I ain't never broke a bone in my body and never have been shot.

In and out of these prison walls, I learned more than I ever would have; even when I was thinking on the streets and threw it all away, God has kept me in so many ways than I care to name right now.

But it reminded me of the many blessings God gave me and the magic words: "Peace, be still!"

[signature]
Calvin Chism T-34897
SQSP Death Row, East Block
San Quentin, CA 94974

Papyrus Collective
P.O. Box 70023
Riverside, CA 92503
PapyrusCollective@gmail.com

There are two types of death row prisoners: those waiting to die and those writing to live.

"When Tha River Wants To Keep Still! Part Two"

Bam! Just like that, God shows up out of the blue with a much needed blessing. I need this, I need that. Should I ask my homies? My environment is changing rapidly like the floor of the river. I got my hands full. I have to strike the right balance.

I just wrote Part One of this eight days ago. I let all my worries go and let God in, and declared "Peace, be still!" to my soul. But, as God would have it, with new levels comes the devil!

Now check this out! Let me show you, God. So I am walking in peace and all on the same day, just an onslaught of issues happen. All that I must deal with in a specific manner. As I am laying down, assessing the days, issues, and events, I get a piece of mail from one of my uncles I rarely hear from. The blessing! Look at the contents. My soul yelled "Peace, be still!" and I fell out laughing.

'Cause the worries of that day could not bring me down from where God had put me. In the midst of me stressing, God showed me his blessing that I had already claimed.

All I am saying is to remember from where cometh
your strength and speak the words
Peace, be still.

[signature] T-34897