Showing posts with label happiness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label happiness. Show all posts

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

For Our 'Happy-in-Waiting' (in Happy New Year)

I started this poem a week ago,
snaring lines as they bobbed by...
This week I finally had a chance to collect more fragments
from my trek through impending happiness-es!
I splashed through brooks, 
went on a picnic,
 laughed at a silly, fat robin,
and SO much more!

Happy Whatever Happy-in-waiting is waiting for you!



Winter’s canvas to be tickled with giggling snow-angel throngs


Below, one of my all-time favorite shots from days long gone
Victoria and her cousin...
Hush! plush-pink peony pom-poms wait to pop nature’s green cork...

Chill winds to be charmed and taken by soft zephyrs, blossom-sweet
Gardens to be warmed and ‘wakened by the banter of bare feet
Barren branches to be garnished with whispers of God-spun lace
Snowy hillsides to grow tarnished as sunbeams give winter chase

Dust to stir as fields are planted with both seed and farmer’s prayer
Hearts and souls to be enchanted by glory, heavens declare
Buds to burst with petal-plunder, miracles in every pod
Happiness immersed in wonder by the handiwork of God

Sassy robin tugging dinner from a grassy smorgasbord
Scrumptious supper-soups to simmer, coffees to be brewed and poured
Into fav’rite mugs, hand hugged and ever so blissfully sipped
While the bashful morn is tugged across skylines, pink and gold dipped

Summer’s harvest to be pickled, autumn to dwindle leaf-songs
Winter’s canvas to be tickled with giggling snow-angel throngs
Cheese and whole-grain cracker-stackers to pack in a picnic lunch
Bunch ‘o please-and-thank-you-happy snackers munching carrot-crunch

Steps to slow to walk with children, innocence to steal our breath
While we point the way to Heaven from earth’s thoroughfares of Death
Cozy snuggle-with-me twilight while outside the world grows dark
Foibles turning into hindsight as discernment meets its mark

Solemn Last Post and Reveille Remembrances-lest we forget
Fires to be stoked and fences to tend to, not mended yet
Hush! plush-pink peony pom-poms wait to pop nature’s green cork
Rush of seasons waits to romp and vex wild wanderlust with work

Payments to be made and worry to teach us to use our knees
Patience to test ‘we’re late’ hurry, as we search for phones, shoes, keys
Kindness to be shown, ink-hunger to be fed with books, books, books
Inner child to rediscover as we wade through fields and brooks

Cakes to bake and decorate for birthdays yet to celebrate
Beach to stroll and hand to hold; don’t wait until it is too late
Silver poplar’s shiny shivers, tap dancers made out of rain
Waltzing on impromptu rivers gushing down the street and lane

Naughty puppy to be scolded, antics by Mr. Mischief
Laundry to be washed and folded, to-do-lists-achieved-relief
Days to drain of exultation to God for blessing-heaped trays
Thought to tune with adoration, heart to overflow with praise

© Janet Martin

Scrumptious supper-soups to simmer,
(instead of scrumptious supper-soup, last night was scrumptious, supper-stirfry!)
Chicken and veg stir-fried and served on a bed of stir-fried/steamed cabbage and black beans










Friday, December 15, 2023

The Best Gift (We Can Never Buy)



John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us.
We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son,
who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.





We cannot buy the things that only God grants, through His love
The pelf and pleasure of this world can never satisfy
No bag or box or bank account is ever big enough
To hold or purchase happiness, no matter how we try 

His death and resurrection purchased hope for everyone


We cannot buy pure joy or peace only God grants, through grace
His joy in us makes joy complete; nothing can take His place

How futile is the search for happiness then, without He 
By faith, may see His glory too, the glory of God's son

The things that truly satisfy, cannot be bought or sold
No matter how we try we cannot purchase happiness
Only God grants The Gift that transcends this world's transient hold
Silver and gold can never buy His precious promises

The best gift we can never buy and only God can grant
Is free to all who call on Him; the Saviour of the soul
Though we may gain the whole world, without God's best gift we can't
Find hope, truth, peace or joy; these come through faith that makes us whole

© Janet Martin

Ps.146:5
Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, 
whose hope is in the LORD his God:

Matthew 16:26
What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet forfeits his soul?
 Or what can a man give in exchange for his soul?

Monday, July 17, 2023

Hope's Happiness

Ps.144:15
Happy are the people who are in such a state;
Happy are the people whose God is the Lord!

Ps.146:5-6
Happy is he who has the God of Jacob for his help,
Whose hope is in the Lord his God,
6Who made heaven and earth,
The sea, and all that is in them;
Who keeps truth forever,...


Hope reminds us of a debt owed but God's provision paid
And goads us on to rejoice in this day that He has made
To be a glad bondservant for the Lord of earth and sky
Then, find a kind of happiness no words can quite descry


(from My Utmost For His Highest-Oswald Chambers)

Hope’s hailing happiness endures, though disappointment-vexed
Hope cheers us onward and secures the anchor of the Soul
Beyond the realm of seasons that roll one into the next
Hope draws us to the Reason for its undefeated goal
And hones a humble foothold in the promises of He
Who helps us where new day unfolds whatever waits to be

Hope’s holy happiness delights the heart that trusts in God
Its precious confidence invites, nay, excites us to be
A vessel in His hands; the hands that rule sky, sea and sod
A vessel heeding His commands with unfeigned fealty
To love Him with heart-soul-strength-mind, and neighbour as ourself
As, filled with his Spirit we find the riches of hope’s wealth

Hope’s humble happiness reminds us we have all we need
As tick by tock the clock unwinds tethers of dust-to-dust
As we embark once more upon missions of word and deed
Hope’s sacred summons spurs us on toward the One we trust
Rousing in us renewed distress for vessels still adrift
Unanchored in the happiness of Hope; salvation’s gift

© Janet Martin





Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Perfect Fit...


When the backdrop of day is green
Because the bud has borne its sheen...



And when the crown of it is blue...


And when the dawn of it is new
And when its gown is lilac-starred
And its breeze like soft seas unbarred...


And when its flowers smile and nod
And when its Gardener is God...



Is it not enough just to fit
Into a teeny bit of it...



When the backdrop of day is green
Because the bud has borne its sheen
And when the crown of it is blue
And when the dawn of it is new
And when its gown is lilac-starred
And its breeze like soft seas unbarred
And when its flowers smile and nod
And when its Gardener is God
Is it not enough just to fit
Into a teeny bit of it...

And make the most of it because
Soon it will be the Day That Was

© Janet Martin

1 Chron. 29:11
Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, 
The power and the glory, 
The victory and the majesty; 
For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours; 
Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, 
And You are exalted as head over all.

Friday, January 6, 2023

Of Real-Time Poetry (and learning to read it)

The end of the old year and the beginning of the new 
have seen very little sunshine in our area!
 Celebrating happiness in today's post! 
Hopefully, it will be like a splash of sunshine in spite of the weather!


The 7-day forecast coming up has yellow in it. yay!


I want to be impacted by the thunder of the clock

I want to be distracted by fallen leaves on the walk 



This is the day the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

The hard-pressed quest for happiness can sometimes overlook
The day’s unbridled loveliness in Real Time’s poem-book
Of beauty borne on loved one’s voice, of gladness turned to prayer
Of cherishing the charge of choice with conscientious care

Of birthday boy, wild with pure joy of turning sweet, sweet six
Still unbothered by life’s employ of moment-metered tricks
And diehard quests for happiness where happiness runs free
In the strange font of noise and mess of Real Time poetry

Of little girl who tugs the hand of honored smiles run wild 
(Surely there is nothing so grand as hand-in-hand-with-child)
Where Real-Time poetry can mete no sweeter happiness
Than tugs and hugs and dancing feet and pretty princess dress

Time’s wizened ways, where yesterdays accumulate, become
A surreal haze charged with displays of Real-Time’s soldered Sum
Where change mingled with changelessness teaches us as we age
In hard-pressed quests for happiness, to treasure every page/stage

The changelessness of change adapts to every size and shape
And draws dreamland’s fantastic mats out from beneath rapt gape
Reminding us not to get caught up in fond fantasy
Lest we miss the momentous jot of Real-Time Poetry

The quest for happiness is like a thief that steals the show
While buds turn into leaf and hold turns into letting go
While happiness fills coffers with lyrics that spill and brim
When love becomes the author and when life becomes a hymn

Happiness makes the most of now and here’s imperfect ‘yes’
It takes in stride both smile and tear with humbled thankfulness
Not overcome with yearning for what simply cannot be
Happiness is in learning to read Real-time Poetry

I want to be impacted by the thunder of the clock
I want to be distracted by fallen leaves on the walk 
I wanted be dumfounded no matter which way I look
By poetry unbounded in life's Real-Time Poem Book

© Janet Martin

I learned the first song as a little girl at school!







 







Saturday, October 8, 2022

Long Live The Mess!

 Beauty is a messy business, isn't it?!

Fresh bouquets from gardens and fields
 spill petals and bugs.
Food prep spills, splashes and drops
before the delight of dining!
(hopefully LOTS of food prep happening today 
for thanksgiving dinner tomorrow...
In Canda we celebrate thanks-living in October)
And wow! the mess that we can make while enjoying dinner!
(esp. when children are present. ahem.
We love blaming messes on children, don't we? 😅💖)
And in the daily course of chores and joys,
From indoor to outdoor we go,
and even though we kick off shoes 
on the mat inside the door
we still somehow trail lots of outdoor in.
In the summer road dust,
 (Because our windows are big
and we live in farming country with lots of tractor traffic!)
in the winter, furnace dust
and wood stove ashes, but we are cozy!
Isn't it great?!!
The whole mess of a full life aka happiness!
coffee spills and all!

Before we can enjoy this...

This....

Before we can enjoy this... (recipe below)

This...
Midst lots of eager, curious, happy helpers/tasters!
And one MIGHTY mess!!


Oh! isn’t beauty worth its mess
Or joy its price of grief
Is not the bloom of happiness
So worth the tattered leaf?
The petal that falls from the stem
The crumbs from bit o’ cake
Are they not worth the diadem
Of stars strewn in their wake
Like teardrop, bittersweet, unfurled
Upon the cheek, soft kissed
Before the door shuts on a world
Of mayhem turned to mist

© Janet Martin


Veg Soup recipe...
I tweaked this recipe to my liking
omitting corn and adding black beans.
Also besides precooking the black beans
I mixed everything raw and water bath canned it,
steaming each canner full for 3 hours
(in case you would like to try it!)

From the old Mennonite Community Cookbook





Sunday, September 18, 2022

September Bliss

 


Bliss, sweet bliss
A book and tea
With crickets and zinnias for company...


Bliss, sweet bliss
Nigh fair as June;
September Sunday afternoon



Bliss, sweet bliss
Time cannot touch
Life's simplest pleasures we love so much


Bliss, oh sweetest
Bliss of all
Summer's chair perched on the brink of fall

~Janet Martin~


above page from the book The Shape of a Year by Jean Hersey



Tuesday, July 5, 2022

Happiness of Rain

 Last week's little rainfall was lapped up by the sun in no time flat

so once again we are singing praises for a much needed rain!


Earth laughs; from laden heavens spills the happiness of rain
It splashes into flower cups and dances on the lane
It kisses thirsty gardens, and douses the dusty street
And draws a puddle world of bliss for children in bare feet
As thirsty hills and fields are drenched and quenched; the robin sings
With the contagious happiness of rain-drop dazzled things

© Janet Martin



Friday, January 7, 2022

The Key to Finding Happiness

“It is not how much we have,
but how much we enjoy,
that makes happiness.”
— Charles Spurgeon

This little gal finds happiness
in mixing and stirring
(oh, if only you could hear the pleasant chatter!)


I enjoy small blips of quietness and tidiness
amidst the mess and mayhem of memories😊💗

(Some people spring and fall clean.
I tend to winter-clean and reorganize 
because outdoor work is on pause!)
Rolling-pin-collection dusting is complete...
Why a rolling pin collection?!!
I have no idea other than once I started, I was amazed at
how many colours, shapes and sizes they come in...a bit like people😅

 


This life runs rife with choice and chance
That makes us pray or fuss/cuss
How we reply to circumstance
Is always up to us

This life runs rife with want and need
Awaiting our reply
Where common font of word and deed
Is up to you and I

This life runs rife with ups and downs
Beyond our control
A smorgasbord of smiles and frowns
To rankle and console

This life runs rife with so much care
Where all we have is lent
A feast to favor faith’s welfare
Is always God’s intent

This life runs rife with more or less
Of yes and no combined
The precious key to happiness
Is up to us to find

© Janet Martin

I am also enjoying some
Spurgeon , thanks to Christmas gifts!



Prov.3:13-18 KJV
Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, 
and the man that getteth understanding.
14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, 
and the gain thereof than fine gold
15 She is more precious than rubies: 
and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her
16 Length of days is in her right hand;
 and in her left hand riches and honour.
17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, 
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: 
and happy is every one that retaineth her.