Awe's Treasure Hunt

 I remarked to my sister this morning that sometimes I mourn 

the myriad beauties I miss because one must sleep!

 I am reading Stars Come Out Within  by Jean Little

as she recounts her battle with worsening eyesight 

that pushes her to the edge of blindness!

It renews thankfulness for the gift of sight!

Here are a few thrills I witnessed this week...

Each day ought to be a treasure hunt for awe
whether outward or when stars come out within.

I know a place where wild trees bloom unseen by living soul

We witness much but still only the fringe of wonder’s whole

The tender touch that begets beauty’s manifold hurrah

Makes getting up each morning like a treasure hunt for awe

Where momentarily I might mourn for majesties missed

But cannot sorrow long where a new throng of thrills untwists

Like mist that drapes earth’s eastward edge as morn’s heavens declare

The glory of Creator God who gilds this thoroughfare

With beauties none can number or find ink enough to pen

But be glad we have eyes to behold again and again

And vow to never simply look, but let sight’s mercy spur

A hymn of thankfulness to Beauty’s Divine Creator

© Janet Martin

Free Fortune

 PAD Challenge day 17: For today’s prompt, take the phrase “Free (blank),” replace the blank with a word or phrase, make the new phrase the title of your poem, and then, write your poem.

A fissure in yon vault

Expands, ruby and gold

Like music, flows into a waltz

That heaven cannot hold

A whisper shatters deeps

Renewal gathers sway

And draws from dust and ashen heaps

Hope’s phoenix of new day

The friendships we released

As darkness set its seal

Arranges a fantastic feast 

Of mercies to reveal

© Janet Martin

Jeremiah's (and our) hope...

 Because of the LORD’s loving devotion we are not consumed, 

for His compassions never fail.

 They are new every morning; 

great is your faithfulness.

Lam.3:22-23

Outer Fringes

Indeed, these are but the fringes of His ways;

how faint is the whisper we hear of Him!

 Job 26:14

Both sunset last night...

...and sunrise this morning

...were of exceptional caliber and colour!
Like an ethereal orchestra!

(it inspired a personal 'psalm' of sorts)

Psalm 19:1-6

The heavens declare the glory of God;

the skies proclaim the work of His hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech;

night after night they reveal knowledge.

Without speech or language,

without a sound to be heard,

their voice a has gone out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world.

In the heavens He has pitched a tent for the sun

like a bridegroom emerging from his chamber,

like a champion rejoicing to run his course.

It rises at one end of the heavens

and runs its circuit to the other;

nothing is deprived of its warmth. 

Master of Creation

Maestro of the sea

Author of salvation

For humanity

Dark and light are driven

Beneath Thy command

Artist of the heavens

Sculptor of the land

Comforter of sorrow

Keeper of Time’s toll

Father to the sparrow

And man’s deathless soul

Hope in doubt’s confusion

Shepherd to the flock

Peace amidst the doom in

Human-natured talk

Both Taker and Giver

Goodness, mercy, love

Guides the rippling river

To the ocean’s trove

Ruler of each season

There is none like Thee

Who else defies reason

Without Reason’s plea

Who else grants seed’s ration

Or saves us by grace

Taking kind compassion

On this human race

Who Thy might can fathom

None else can compare

Invisible awesome

Lamplighter of air

© Janet Martin

 There is none like You, O LORD; 

You are great, and great is Your name in might.

Jer.10:6

Psalm 86:8
O Lord, there is none like You among the gods, nor any works like Yours.
Psalm 86:10
For You are great and perform wonders; You alone are God.

Exodus 15:11
Who is like unto thee, O LORD, among the gods? 

who is like thee, glorious in holiness, fearful in praises, doing wonders?

Psalm 89:5-8

 The heavens praise Your wonders, O LORD—

Your faithfulness as well—

in the assembly of the holy ones.

For who in the skies can compare with the LORD?

Who among the heavenly beings is like the LORD?

In the council of the holy ones, God is greatly feared,

and awesome above all who surround Him.

O LORD God of Hosts, who is like You?

O mighty LORD, Your faithfulness surrounds You. 

Job 38:12
(click link to read the following four chapters of awesome declarations of God's might)

 “Have you ever given orders to the morning,
    or shown the dawn its place,

Universal Arousal...

Creation throbs with songs and sobs

It flails earth's floor with hail and sleet

Then when the storm is spent it lobs

The flowered heath beneath our feet

Creation surges with a splurge

Of wonderment so great and small

Where birth and death emerge and merge

Into winter, spring, summer, fall

Creation stirs the heart of hearts

Desire at a loss for words

As manifold nature imparts

God’s art in hills, rills, trees and birds

Creation draws us to our knees

It awes us like nothing else can

And wakes us to the Mysteries

Of God within the clod of man

© Janet Martin

 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.
John 1:3

This afternoon we were entertained by this woodpecker clinging to a leaf, by all appearances!