With Every Beaming Break of Day

'I believe it is very important for people to appreciate each other'

 -my Dad's thoughtful reply

to my 'I appreciate you more the older I grow' 🙏💓

As break of a new day dazzles creation

 I am so thankful for the gift of fresh opportunity

to forget past failures and regrets and press on...

Pressing on toward the Goal...

Phil.3:12-14

12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect,

but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.

13Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it.

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,

14I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.

Behold love, gold and silvered lined

Transcends the bars of yester-rue

With goodness and mercy, brand-new...

With every beaming break of day

For all that Bygone holds at bay

Of opportunity declined

Behold love, gold and silvered lined

Transcends the bars of yester-rue

With goodness and mercy, brand-new

With every gleaming gift of grace

In spite of what none can erase

God, rich in mercy meets us where

We all have darling, equal share

To take this day He made to fit

Faith’s freedom to be glad in it

With every teeming morning-tide

Rife with renewed mercies untried

To cheer the common ground, we trod

Of moments leading back to God

He overflows the part we see

With virgin opportunity

….to love Him and each other more

And to be truly thankful for

His favours, as He bids us trust

Goodness that baffles mortal dust

And kindly cheers us on our way

With every beaming break of day

With every beaming break of day

Oh, may we never cease to pray

For many sorrowing and sick

For courage, as we face the thick

Of unknowns waiting to unfold

Linings of gray, silver and gold 

Janet Martin

I am SO thankful I didn't know yesterday morning

that love would challenge me (in the form of a girl

who used to be in my childcare) to ple-e-e-eae hold her pet...RAT!!! 

'He's so cute and he doesn't scratch or bite' 😭

I was NOT as calm as the photos may seem to suggest!!! 

P.S. I agreed to do it only after they agreed to take a picture

as living proof that I did indeed

HOLD A RAT!!! 😆

Morning Hymn

Lyrics: 1. O, how lovely is the morning, when it is begun with God; Joy and thanks our hearts adorning, as behooves a child of God, Waking after night so fair in the Maker’s gentle care, Rising without grief or sorrow to a new and joyful morrow. 2. Let our eyes be raised to heaven where the sun is shining bright, And on hill and dale and meadow is dispensing life and light; But far more than sun in space beams the Saviour’s kindly face; Truth and kindness, peaceful nearness shine out in eternal clearness. 3. Even as the springtime flowers grow beneath the sun’s warm rays, So the Lord by His own powers makes us garlands for His praise; He invites most lovingly: Little children, come to Me! All should truly know Him ever, call Him Brother, Lord, and Saviour! 4. This day also He will guide us, in our work His help provide, And on wisdom’s ways He’ll lead us, standing ever by our side, That on this whole blessed day no mishap can come our way; And that under His rich blessing night will find us sweetly resting. 5. Through His grace made sweet and easy, we’ll His teachings understand, When he on the path of duty gently leads us by the hand. O, how blest the child that may in His grace begin the day, Whose desire and wish is wholly by His love to be made holy. ​ 6. Come then, Lord of life eternal, step into our midst, we pray; Help that we may not be merely hearers of Thy Word today. To our teacher, O, be near; bless the children gathered here; May we thrive in fullest measure, and Thy heart in us find pleasure!

Praise God For You, Dearest of Dads

3 Trust in the Lord, and do good; 

so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed.

4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: 

and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord:

and he delighteth in his way.

Ps.37:3,4 & 23

Today is the birthday of a man who

I love and respect/admire beyond words!

Happy 84th Birthday, Dad

Praise God, when you were young you gave your life to Him then sought

To walk in paths of righteousness, by His Word led and taught

A lamp unto your feet, a light to shine upon a way

You could not see but knew the Truth will never lead astray

Praise God for the good man whose steps are ordered by the Lord

Who knows, without God's armour he will fall prey to the world 

Who loves the tender Shepherd and the Saviour of the soul

And seeks to honour Him as he presses toward faith's Goal

Praise God for dads who teach their children to obey and trust

The kind Heavenly Father who remembers 'we are dust' 

And like Him, they are patient too, when live-and-learning' errs

And all that he can do is keep them in his earnest prayers

Praise God for you, dearest of dads, and beloved, more and more

As your children grow older and more humbly thankful for

The example you gave us that no money can afford 

Of the steps of a good man that are ordered by the Lord

Janet Martin

Of August Days

Snaring some frames to cherish long after August's adieu...

even if this barely skims the surface 

of one of my favourite months! 💖🙏

Of kitchen saunas while an honest canning day’s work bears

Jarred gratitude for veg and fruit in answer to spring’s prayers...

Of splash-filled pond, finch on a frond,

of dew-drop-dazzled morn...

Of cob-wide grin and buttered chin while crunching yellow corn...

Of dinner dreams where Option gleams with oh, so much to choose...

Why so many food-photos??

Because August is a month of extravagant menu options!!

Of monotone cicada drone and cricket cheep-cheep-cheep

Of lazy breeze ruffling lush trees with lyrics half asleep

Of kitchen saunas while an honest canning day’s work bears

Jarred gratitude for veg and fruit in answer to spring’s prayers

Of splash-filled pond, finch on a frond, of dew-drop-dazzled morn

Of cob-wide grin and buttered chin while crunching yellow corn

Of pots that boast a flavour-host of garden-garnered hues

Of dinner dreams where Option gleams with oh, so much to choose

Of thankfulness to God who blesses seeds with sacred spoil

Garden and field billow with yield; treasure from vaults of soil

Of rain-song thrills as mercy spills and parched landscapes are drenched

Where puddles lie like scraps of sky on vistas, kindly quenched

Where zinnias stream and cosmos gleam like gems in August’s crown

Where gladness gapes at nature’s capes, God-stitched and gently thrown

O’er hills and dells, while wonder swells in souls, speechlessly awed

By poetry of chicory, Queen Ann’s Lace, goldenrod

…by cloud-pied blues as sky-wide views unfurl God’s glory-show

By hummingbird, with wing-span blurred while darting to and fro

By honey bees with sticky knees, by butterflies that waft

From fount to fount, too quick to count the number of pitstops

While artists stare, seeking to snare some loveliness to frame

And gently tease to galleries no brush or pen can claim

A dust-sweet blaze of August days, that flare and fade with ease

To tug and smart in works of art entitled Memories

© Janet Martin

Where zinnias stream and cosmos gleam like gems in August’s crown...

…by cloud-pied blues as sky-wide views unfurl God’s glory-show

By hummingbird, with wing-span blurred while darting to and fro

By honey bees with sticky knees, 

by butterflies that waft

From fount to fount, too quick to count the number of pitstops...

Blessedly Assured

Thine is the kingdom, the power and glory

Forever. Amen

Matt.6:13

This morning this poem came as a gift to my own heart's cry, 

as God, through His word convicted and comforted me. 

I pray it does the same for you 💓🙏

So much sorrow and sickness (physically and mentally)

So much corruption and carelessness,

so much deception and distraction...

So much more the power and glory of God

pursues and prevails!

I Sing the Mighty Power of God

Draw near to He who loves us more than mortal mind can guess

Who hems us in behind, before, with truth and righteousness

Who IS steadfast and does not leave or forsake us, like we

Whose thoughts are easy to deceive when fixed on what we see

Trust in the Lord who knows our need; beyond Thought’s repertoire

God’s goodness and mercy exceed our most noble desire

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; in His promises bask

For He is able to impart more than we think to ask

When we are tempted to despair, where wickedness is grim

Call upon God in earnest prayer, for a mind stayed on Him

In spite of all that we cannot appease or understand

Beyond man’s meager Scope of Thought God IS in full command

His Sovereign Order does not cease; He is holy and just

And He will keep in perfect peace, the mind of steadfast trust

Though what we see appears to be in utter disrepair

The Father of humanity is constant in His care

The Author and Perfector of faith’s proving intercedes

The grace He grants always enough to meet the hour’s needs

Though grief and pain and loss molest, while scorners jeer and wink

Soon faith’s brief sojourn will be blessed in ways we cannot think

Eye has not seen nor has ear heard, or grazed thought’s wildest ken

The things God has prepared for all who adore Him. Amen

Who love Him heart, soul, strength and mind, and trust implicitly

In spite of arguments inclined by what appears to be

…exceeding, inexhaustibly beyond Thought’s lofty roar

God is able to do and be immeasurably more

Then, trust in Him with all your heart, draw near to Him and pray

Assured that what we see in part He will make known someday

© Janet Martin

Eph.3:14-21

For this reason I bow my knees to the Father [f]of our Lord Jesus Christ,

 15 from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, 

16 that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, 

to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, 

17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; 

that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 

18 may be able to comprehend with all the saints 

what is the width and length and depth and height— 

19 to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; 

that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly 

above all that we ask or think, 

according to the power that works in us,

 21 to Him be glory in the church

 by Christ Jesus to all generations, 

forever and ever. 

Amen.

Of What Will Never Change...

I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever:

with my mouth I will make known Thy faithfulness

to all generations.

Ps.89:1

Dear family...

This is a one-birthday-poem-for-all-of-you!

Better late than never!

We celebrated the last family-birthday of the year yesterday 💝

(Happy 31st, Melissa!)

...and this poem began 'hatching' as I cherished the moments

with my 'brood' 😅

Back when you were much smaller and I was much younger too

Often it seemed my mother-heart would burst with love for you

And, try as I would, I could not find words to fit the joy

A mother feels when she beholds her precious girl or boy

Back before time stole what I thought would last much longer then

Before tours of tomorrow turned you to women and men

Often, I thought my heart could burst with love, defying speech

As I grappled with the discourse of much to learn and teach

Back in youth’s green-gold mold, replete with hold-and-letting-go

While days turned into stars, that fell and melted like spring-snow

I never dreamed how, as time flew through weathered best and worst

My love would always make my heart feel as if it could burst

Back then I thought that life’s best days would leave love feeling blue

As arms and laps, then rooms released the present-ness of you

But for all that the call of life is destined to estrange

My heart still feels like it could burst with what will never change

My mother-heart will always feel like it could burst with love

The tenderness that stole my breath when you were small, still does

The love that followed all your firsts in prayers you never knew

Remains the same; my love and prayers will always follow you

© Janet Martin

...and that goes for my grandma-heart too 🙏💖

Granddaughter is distressed over

her 'looth tooth', hanging by a thread,

which she finally let mommy tug out with some thread

just in time to enjoy the dinner

The above video ends with youngest Grand-sonny asking if he can finally

have some of the M&M's he spotted in the pantry 😂💘

With Thee

 

Psalm 72:18-19

Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel,
Who only does wondrous things!
 And blessed be His glorious name forever!
And let the whole earth be filled with His glory.
Amen and Amen.

Before the duties of the day

Rush in to draw my thoughts away

Where creature cares will always be

Lord, first I want to sit with Thee

Before the becks and calls of life

Like waves upon a sea, run rife

'ere joy and strife resume their spree 

I want to kneel in prayer with Thee

Before I tend to love’s demands

I want to touch your nail-scarred Hands

Lest I forget Thy love for me

I want to spend daybreak with Thee

...and praise Thee for Thy gift of grace

For hope and comfort's resting place

Before life's pressing charges plea 

I want to learn to love/live like Thee  

© Janet Martin

Still, Still With Thee 

Still Still With Thee

by Harriet Beecher Stowe

1 Still, still with Thee, when purple morning breaketh,

When the bird waketh, and the shadows flee;

Fairer than morning, lovelier than daylight,

Dawns the sweet consciousness I am with Thee.

2 Alone with Thee amid the mystic shadows,

The solemn hush of nature newly born;

Alone with Thee in breathless adoration,

In the calm dew and freshness of the morn.

3 Still, still with Thee! as to each newborn morning

A fresh and solemn splendor still is given,

So does this blessed consciousness, awaking,

Breathe each day nearness unto Thee and heaven.

4 When sinks the soul, subdued by toil, to slumber,

Its closing eyes look up to Thee in prayer;

Sweet the repose beneath Thy wings o'ershading,

But sweeter still, to wake and find Thee there.

5 So shall it be at last, in that bright morning,

When the soul waketh, and life's shadows flee;

O in that hour, fairer than daylight dawning,

Shall rise the glorious thought, I am with Thee.

Amen.

A Masterpiece of Reverence (in the making)

 

Romans 12:11

Do not let your zeal subside;

keep your spiritual fervor,

serving the Lord.

Ephesians 6:7

Serve with good will,

as to the Lord and not to men,

1 Corinthians 10:31

So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do,

do it all to the glory of God.

Psalm 100:2

Serve the LORD with gladness;

come into His presence with joyful songs.

1 Samuel 12:24

Above all, fear the LORD

and serve Him faithfully with all your heart;

consider what great things He has done for you.

💝💝💝

Dear poet-(whether-we-know-it-or-not!)

Here's to Fresh Fervour/Favour for Today's Poem-possibilities!

A little glimpse at yesterday's ballad 💗

Today, like a fresh page is laid beneath each poet’s pen
Where this new day the Lord has made glistens with grace again
For we, apt to forget the bent of breath, cut down to size
Composing, as Today is spent, a poem of replies
Intangible and permanent, moment-ink spills and dries

‘Oh God, have mercy on us all’ as lyrics rush reply
Blotting fresh pages as they fall, with love oft run awry
As mortal clashes with Sublime; with grace we cannot daunt
While give and take’s rhythm and rhyme, perplexes wishful want
We loot inkwells as old as Time, supplied with virgin font

‘Thy word is a lamp to our ‘pen’, a light unto our ‘page’
Thy Word is truth; foolproof, amen. Faithful from age to age
Then, with this day Thy goodness grants, may we, though sadly-flawed
Recognize Dried Ink's permanence; then seek to write, love-awed
A Masterpiece of Reverence to Thee, most gracious God

© Janet Martin

I Peter 3:8-12

Finally, all of you be of one mind,

having compassion for one another;

love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be [b]courteous;

9not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling,

but on the contrary blessing,

knowing that you were called to this,

 that you may inherit a blessing.

10For “He who would love life

And see good days,

Let him [c]refrain his tongue from evil,

And his lips from speaking deceit.

11Let him turn away from evil and do good;

Let him seek peace and pursue it.

12For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

And His ears are open to their prayers;

But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil.”