Showing posts with label baby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label baby. Show all posts

Thursday, January 5, 2023

A Few of the Reasons Why I Love You

Happy 6th Birthday, Grandson!


Yesterday marked six years since Jim and I became grandparents!
(yes, the hockey game was on during the celebration!)😅

When I was a little girl the high-light of turning six
was the dearly anticipated mommy-box 
(mommy pronounced with a short 'e' at the end:
    the word for 'gramma' in Pennsylvania-Dutch) 
I decided to surprise Grand-sonny and start the tradition too.
Now his sister will have the joy of the anticipation! 
A momme-box consists of a calendar-picture-pasted box
(like a shoe-box)
filled with treasures hidden in popcorn!




The inside also holds nuggets of wisdom and treasures from God's Word!
(bigger version of writing at the bottom of this post)



Sister was DELIGHTED... a treasure with her name on it💝


Baby Brother had no idea what was going on but it sounded fun so he joined in the joy too😘


I love you little lambkin with a sparkle in your eye
Or tell me, did a cherub softly flutter from the sky
To burst our hearts with happiness and remind us once more
As long as there are babies, life is worth the living for

I love you little tot with crinkled, freckle-sprinkled nose
As curious as a puppy and as pretty as a rose
A perfect blend of innocence with mischief woven through
To remind us, where there are tots, there’s lots of laughter (and hair-pulling groans) too

I love you little girl and boy eager to learn to fly
You startle love’s parental joy with discipline’s oh-my
Teaching mommy and daddy to talk to God every day
(Because)
As long as there are children there will be reason to pray

© Janet Martin


Below are a few pictures of my momme-box
(Long time readers of this blog have seen it before but not for a while)
received on June 7th, 1972
With a few treasures that came in it...





 

Monday, May 16, 2022

Earth's Exhibition of Glimpses...


Hate, war, sickness, sorrow,
greed, pain, apathy,
hearts hardened against God,
could destroy all hope of  present joy
but for the hope of the home of the soul
and the greatness of He within we who believe
so much greater than he that is in the world!

We cherish each gift of present joy
(like a foreshadowing of eternal joy)
 to balance love's ever-present sorrow)


My daughter just sent me the above photo of big brother's
good morning kisses to baby brother.
(and I weep as I pray for the families afflicted by war)

Earth's beauty (be it babies, birds or blooms)
 without Heaven's hope is futile.

Birds continue to delight...today,
a very rare and special visitor, a bluebird/indigo bunting? 

...and goldfinch


...and our resident downy or hairy woodpecker (absent for a while)

we are still thrilling to see the orioles
(sometimes our place seems to just be a pitstop on their way)



and a mediocre shot of a rose-breasted grosbeak
who eats his supper each evening around the same time we do


Chipping sparrow...


Song Sparrow...

mourning doves...


We rejoice to receive a much-needed rain!




The beauty of the earth exhibits Heaven’s Majesty
The work and word of God is man’s Supreme Authority
Nothing exists but what His favor fashions and allows
Surely at the sheer thought of this our haughty boasting bows

…Faith looks toward a rich reward beyond kingdoms of dust
Bestowed by He who shed His crown and gave His life for us
And wove Redemption’s royal robes with love’s bloodstreams outpoured
Not from goats, rams and bullocks but from Jesus Christ our Lord

There is no common cure for hearts hardened against God’s grace
Against the loving kindness of Jesus who took our place
Though sinless, to become sin’s sacrifice once and for all
The King of kings shed His own blood; no common animal

Sweet consolation for life’s tribulation, who could find
Without the goodness of God who is faithful, just and kind
Without hearts softened as belief begets wonder and joy
Without His promises that no enemy can destroy

Each desperate heart-cry would be too much to bear, but for
Faith’s hope, after salvation opens eyes to so much more
Where earth’s beauty exhibits but a small glimpse of the whole
As we press on until we see the Saviour of the soul

...until we behold He who held us through the storm and strife
Until once and forevermore we pass through death to life
Until The One to whom we pray and pray and pray and pray
Unveils His face, where, by His grace, all tears are wiped away 


© Janet Martin

Heb.4:11-13
Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest, 
so that no one will fall by following the same pattern of disobedience. 
13Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; 
everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him 
to whom we must give account.…





  

Saturday, November 13, 2021

All Part and Parcel Of...


I always have mixed feelings about sharing a post like this:
I think about the families/couples who would love to be able to share in
this kind of joy but for some unknown reason
it is withheld or Baby is gathered back to God before it is born, or right after.
We cannot explain these heart-breaking 'whys'.
My heart cries and bleeds for longing-to-be parents and grandparents!
But, on the other hand, as we remember all we have is lent to us from
a God so much bigger that anything we ever can grasp
we owe to Him joyful thanksgiving and praise
for every good and perfect gift that comes from above...
where we are all part and parcel of His Perfect love!

So we are beyond delighted at (Lord willing)
welcoming another little 'parcel/gift' into the family in May 2022!

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, 
and comes down from the Father of lights, 
with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning.
James 1:17


Grandma got the above shot while mommy was getting this one below...


Humbly grateful...




Where weight of want and wonder wars
Where dazzle of moment-mist pours
Where hope and heartache’s breakers roll
Across shorelines heart and soul

Where what is brief binds sacredly
To what is Chief; eternity
Where we all bear the common bond
Of Here hinged to The Great Beyond

Where life, akin to lilt of leaves
Soon slumbers beneath welkin eaves
Where what we hold, we soon entrust
Back to the mold of dust-to-dust

Where we are part and parcel of
God’s heart of Everlasting love
Where unlike leaves our bloom will fall
Back to the Hands that lent it all

Then, though want and wonder may war
We are a part of so much more
Than time’s sparkle of sun and sod
We are part of the heart of God

© Janet Martin

Grand-daughter and gramma matching outfits 😄💖




Monday, April 1, 2019

Hello Fellow-Traveler...


 PAD Challenge day one; Write a morning poem

 Just can't resist showing a pic of my newest-sweetest-baby-est fellow-traveler
(our grand-daughter, not quite 2 days old)




Hello, fellow trav’ler of pleasure and pain
Of twilight’s goodnight and dawn’s ‘begin again’
Because none of us sets out to fail or fall
Let’s lean on each other and love one and all

Hello fellow-trav’ler where we always meet
On morning’s fresh threshold of gold or gray street
Where we all grow old if we’re given the chance
So let’s help each other through each day God grants

Hello fellow-trav’ler of high road and low
My, my, but what waits to be we cannot know
Where future is never the picture we drew
And we're all just learning what we thought we knew

Hello, fellow-trav’ler where Time’s tolling bell
Soft-nudges us nearer to tears of farewell
Where no one can tell when death’s knell bids us part
So let’s love each other with all of our heart

…and let’s greet each morning like an honoured guest
In all that life offers let’s give it our best
And taste like word-sugar love’s sweetest words yet
Hello fellow-trav’ler, so nice to have met

© Janet Martin

Tuesday, May 15, 2018

Earth-heaven's Wee While or Of Parent and Child


 For readers not on FB, in case you missed the 'news'...
 Congratulations to my niece Brittany and her husband Josh! 
They are proud new parents of a baby girl born on Saturday! 
Welcome to a whole new world of wonder!


Can't believe our grandson is 16 mos. old!


Few things in life are quite as dear and lovely to behold
As tender wonder wakening in yester’s girl and boy
When they become the parents of their own sweet boy or girl
Their arms full of new baby and their mouths speechless with joy

There is no sight quite as delightful as parent with child
In new worlds filled with pat-a-cake and baby-hush-a-bye
Where learn-to-walk becomes a catch-me-if-you-can run wild
As mom and dad arrange life around precious sweetie-pie

Ah, there is nothing in the world as beautiful as this;
The clinging-to-one-finger-stroll, dad tall, child oh, so small
Or chubby arms about the neck, or goodnight’s softest kiss
As weariness becomes a way of life’s best years of all

They always seem to catch our eye and stir a tender smile
Where innocence and inexperience make quite a pair
But there is nothing lovelier than earth-heaven’s wee while
Of this-pig-went-to-market-oh-no-we-lost-teddy-bear

© Janet Martin

...and the next best thing to parent and child I'm just beginning to learn,
is grandparent and child!

Brantley loves his grandma's rolling pin collection....
 Suddenly there was a big crash and he scooted away with an 'uh-oh, I might be in trouble' look...
 'Oh Brantley', I said with a serious face, 'what did you do?!'
Then, to ease his uncertainty about Grandma's face I smiled and said, 'oh, it's okay, you're just a curious little boy and Grandma loves you so much. Do you want a hug?' 
and he broke into a big smile of relief and came flying into my arms, 
his heart-thump-thumping against mine

Train up a child in the way he should go: 
and when he is old, he will not depart from it.
Prov.22:6



Friday, January 26, 2018

Warning...Heart-storm Ahead



 A few of my "I love you' whisperers and best-hug givers. They are worth every weary bone/head!

In every shape and size they catch our hearts and eyes with grins
Our staunchest plans capsized by cutie-pies with dimpled chins
Red-head, brunette, blonde, curly, wave or sleek and jet-black-smooth
They proudly flaunt their trophies of fresh scratch or wiggly tooth

Their arms, thin-gangly, chubby-soft, so warm and full of hugs
This world boasts nothing nicer than its darling snuggle-bugs
The music of their laughter is life’s sweetest song by far
They teach us how to reach, dare-dream, to catch a falling star

How lonely life and love would be without small hands to clutch
How clean and quiet all its rooms; no teddy-bears and such
And who would tug our old heart-strings and change our points of view
If all we had to look at or discuss was me and you

They turn heart-corners inside out and melt stiff-starched routine
They pitter-patter ‘cross a floor where once silence had been
Innocence in its purest form; heart-storms are made of this
A tear to gently shush away and rose-pink cheeks to kiss

Some dream of far-off lands or silver sands that stretch for miles
Give me a child upon my knee, the sunshine of their smiles
For I have yet to find anything as fine and perfect, oh
As childish whispers on my face that say ‘I love you so’

© Janet Martin

Laughter really is the best medicine…here are a few doses I enjoyed today

To me as I was ‘fretting’ over a craft we were assembling;
Don’t worry, she reassured me, at our house we only worry about things that matter…

Little boy frustrated with two little girls dancing about; okay you guys, that’s NOT very cow-ish, now start acting like cows!!(they were supposed to be pretending they were cows;-)

Little boy to me washing dishes; Janet, where’s your dish washer? I point to myself and say ‘here’. He pauses for a moment then throws his head back, filling the kitchen with sparkling laughter ;-)

 and from a mom as she overheard her little ones discussing the do's and don'ts before they arrived 'because we're going to Janet's house and Janet has rules!!!'