Trust Worthy

“Everyone should just trust Jesus” said Five-year-old Faith

to me yesterday morning during Sunday School. 

And so, in spite of all the times we fail we trust again...

For happiness contingent on

Love’s humble thankfulness

For lasting difference hinged upon

Love’s daily faithfulness

For reverent worship fixed upon

Love’s total forgiveness

For hope and courage anchored on

Love’s Rock of righteousness

For strength and grace to carry on

Love’s High-Call common-ness

For triumph through the Only One

Who leads to Heaven-ness

© Janet Martin

How often do we hear/read this verse below and still 'lean on our own understanding'?!

 Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding;

Prov.3:5

Do We Remember?

 Love must be sincere. 

Detest what is evil; cling to what is good.

 Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. 

Outdo yourselves in honoring one another. 

Rom.12:9-10

9/11...do you remember where you were?

I was feeding Victoria who was 1/2 a year old 

when the images started to appear, interrupting every programme on TV! 

First I thought it was a glitch and changed channels and soon realized 

Oh NO! This is for real!

We remember, not to inspire hate, but love...

Do we remember to love one another

Do we remember to pray?

Do we remember to thank Mercy's Author

Of Time, for another day?

Do we remember that grace has no borders

Creatures of need, one and all

Do we remember our Ultimate order

That love is mankind's Greatest Call

Do we remember to not take for granted

What may be tomorrow's loss

Do we remember blood-tears that were planted

Years ago, at the foot of a Cross?

Do we remember fear, tasting like cotton

...feeling that kinship of pain

Do we remember or have we forgotten

And returned to our old ways again?

Janet Martin~

Yes, we remember today!

Will we still remember tomorrow

and the day after...?!

Tribute to the fallen...Ships of Heaven Blackhawk

Desire, Without Second Thought...Oh!!!

 This morning to someone who slept in I suggested turning in a little earlier at night remarking,

"I know it feels nice at the time but it often is not worth it in the morning" 

and I was struck how this applies to most things that please first glance or natural inclination...

and we all have something/things we struggle with at some point/points!

Face value often-times betrays

Seducing us in wily ways

For gaze is eager to indulge

On pleasantries sight will divulge

And as we covet its delight

Oh, soon we yearn to try a bite

Then when we try a bite we earn

The consequence of its return

So we should discern (not with eyes)

If what we desire is wise

This training ground for what remains

Tests want and will with subtle chains

Beware; lest fare that freedom craves

Is that which in the end enslaves

For Vice appears so nice, oh my,

In colours pleasing to the eye

As Endeavor is caught off guard

Sound Choice seems just a bit too hard

Charmed by the teasing, pleasing form

That takes a ling’ring look by storm

Deception cons Want with decoys

First glance perceives as promised joys

Desire without second thought

Ah, what disaster it has brought

Where face-value often betrays

Seducing us with wily ways

As what appeared so nice before

Is the costume Temptation wore

And gaze was eager to indulge

The pleasantries it might divulge

© Janet Martin

 Do not love the world or anything in the world. 

If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  

For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—

is not from the Father but from the world.  

The world is passing away along with its desires, 

but whoever does the will of God remains forever. 

1 John 2:15-17

Worth our while just to listen to the first sentence in the video below!

(of course, then hopefully we are 'tempted' to listen to the rest!
Isn't good Temptation The BEST!!?)

Earth Is Not Heaven...

SO much bad news these days…

So much trouble we see

If this was all there was, then hope

Would be a mockery 

 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. 

In this world you will have trouble. 

But take heart! I have overcome the world."

John 16:33

Logic cannot ration Reason

It cannot explain Unseen

Earth is not a slice of heaven

But the steppingstone between

All the love we have been given

Is not immune to life’s care

Earth will never be like heaven

Just the means to getting there

This brief blip of hurt and hunger

With happiness tucked betwixt

Where nobody can grow younger

Should make us make sure of this…

With time’s what-why-how and wherefore

That its days and years allow

We should never, ever ignore

Who we should acknowledge now!

Here we beg, barter and bluster

Beneath Mercy’s loyalties

But the best that we can muster

Is a trove of memories

…where gross under-estimation

Makes us think God isn’t fair

As if somehow earth was heaven

Not its sorrow-stricken stair

© Janet Martin

 However, as it is written:

 "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, 

and what no human mind has conceived" -- 

the things God has prepared for those who love him--

1 Cor.2:9

I’ve heard this quote stated in a few ways…

For a believer this life is as bad as it gets

For an unbeliever this life is as good as it gets

Or,

For an unbeliever earth is as close to heaven as they will get

For a believer earth is as close to hell as they will get

Role-Call (before the Roll Call!)

Waiting for Victoria's bus...

Wake up, wake up, the cup that tips and spills time’s quintessence

Pours morning’s glory-tide across the yard, brook, field and fence

It rushes through the downtown square and skims the heaving sea

A holy invitation from heaven to you and me

To break the bread of life where joy and strife their portions mete

To give the whole of heart and soul to every crumb we eat

To return to the Giver with our simple say-and-do

A hearty, humble labor that manifests love’s “thank-you”

© Janet Martin

 Bye-bye, Victoria!

 Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might;

Eccles.9:10

Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.

Col.3:23-24