Of Blue on Blue

One of the moms I do childcare for lost both her grandparents within two weeks. 

Her Grandma's funeral is today.

Lloyd and Shirley were married for 63 years 

and raised their large family in this community

They were well known and loved and will be missed by many!.

Death has a way of kindling the flame of awareness within us!

Awareness of the brevity of life even if lived to a ripe old age!

Awareness of the preciousness 

of what may appear commonplace

until it is no more!

So let's linger longer

... over supper,

on garden benches

lets dance in the rain,

delight in the sunrise,

...and such, 

Before what may seem commonplace

slips from our touch

Where yester-twilight’s countryside

Was veiled with deeper blue on blue

Soft pink, the ink of morning-tide

Seeps through the heavens far and wide

To melt the mantle twixt the view

And toll the bell of life-to-do

How faithfully new morning breaks

Through bars to hold the stars at bay

While we tend to soon-morrow’s wakes

Of toil and trust’s relentless stakes

While seasons subtly ebb away

The gap twixt grace and Judgement Day

A sense of something more endears

Us to the precious peal of grace

For with life’s gathered, dwindling years

That like a little mist appears

And soon no fingertip can trace

We cherish more, the commonplace

Of smiles to wear and help to lend

Of gratitude for mercies new

While moments fall and seasons wend

Their way from beginning to end

Where, who knows who will next pass through

The veil that deepens, blue on blue

Each day on earth, a gift of grace

Time like an easel, splashed with pleas

Lord, teach us to treasure each face

Of loved ones still in our embrace

Before A Final Brushstroke frees

A Masterpiece of memories

We tread the sacred breadth of Now

Absorbed by little life-to-do

As breath-by-breath winnows the bough

Of blooms we often miss somehow

Until Death lowers blue on blue

And draws another face from view

© Janet Martin

James 4:14-15

Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.

What is your life?

You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.

Instead, you ought to say,

“If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”