Blessing-Bestowed or Love-lavished

The first line of this poem was born as I delighted

 in another beautiful shower this morning! 

Fields and gardens are leaping with joy!

1 John 3:1

See what great love the Father has lavished/bestowed on us, 

that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! 

The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

He sends the sunshine and the rain,

His mercy new each morn, amen

He sends, to prayers of you and I

The perfect timing of reply

And to each test of trust we face

He sends His all-sufficient grace

He sends us hope for every care

And many angels, unaware

Where doubt and dread could oft prevail

He sends His love that cannot fail

Through the sovereignty of His Word

His purpose abides, undeterred

To grief, love is bound to incur

He sends a Faithful Comforter

And to each sin that we confess

He sends His complete forgiveness

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow

He sends a Way through every woe

He sets upon the thorny stem

A delicate rose diadem

He sends the fruit, instilled in seeds

He sends the means to supply needs

Where the enemy flaunts dark fear

He sends his Word to gird and cheer

He sends, in every breath, a gift

He sent a cross to bridge the rift

Sin’s debt would make impassible

But His shed blood has paid in full

Then, when our life on earth is done

He sends Himself to bring us Home

Janet Martin

This poem was part of today's devotion...stunning and true!

The Secret

I met God in the morning

When my day was at its best,

And his presence came like sunrise

Like a glory in my breast.

All day long the Presence lingered,

All day long he stayed with me,

And we sailed in perfect calmness

O’er a very troubled sea.

Other ships were blown and battered,

Other ships were sore distressed,

But the winds that seemed to drive them

Brought to us a peace and rest.

Then I thought of other mornings,

With a keen remorse of mind,

When I too had loosed the moorings,

With the Presence left behind.

So I think I know the secret,

Learned from many a troubled way:

You must seek him in the morning

If you want him through the day!

From Spiritual Hilltops by Ralph S. Cushman

Take Time Out For Jesus-Charlie Pride

Counting Happiness-Splashes...

I was ready to dash off and seize the day 

when my heart-strings snagged on this flower bouquet...

(and voila, its beauty begged to be immortalized in poetry)

It is like a splash of sunshine to brighten a stretch

of dreary weather!

What are your happiness splashes today?

A quick peek at a few of mine in the past few days...

A few months belated birthday celebration for our oldest Grandson...

(because unexpected interruptions turned into time passed by!)

Gramma and grands day...

Of eager child learning to read...

Craft and games (and silly singin' in the rain puppy) aftermath...

This puppy makes you smile and tap your toes the first time you hear him...

After the 150th time you want to hurl him outside to sing in the rain till he croaks!!😅

This ugly critter below still exists simply because 

of the mischief and laughter it provides for my grandchildren...

put it on grandma's shoulder-lap-head-plate and listen to her scream/shriek!

(p-s-s-t! sometimes for their enjoyment Grandma exaggerates reactions a bit)

...also, Grandma is biding time till PAYBACK! 😂

Let's count splashes of happiness we else might overlook

And gather them like pages in a heart-shaped picture book

Let's never take for granted what may never pass again

But be sweetly enchanted by love's lyric and refrain

Let's tune our hearts to see and hear love's many-splendored shades

Leaving pleasures to ponder when music or flower fades

Like the warmth of a handshake long after the clasp has cooled

Or the delight of daisies after nature's rod has ruled

Or wisdom, after it is schooled in hard-knock's purple eye

Or served with big fat slice of life's old-fashioned humble pie

Let's admire the poetry that needs no words to say

'I love you' in a smile, a wave, a fresh flower-bouquet

Let's do all that we can to collect nuggets of love's gold

Of eager child learning to read, of toddler's hand to hold

Of birthday hugs and cards and cakes, of laughter's sanguine bells 

Of ling'ring over cups of tea to postpone fond farewells

Of cherishing words like 'hello' 'we' 'us' 'ours' and 'together'

Of making precious memories no matter what the weather

Of taking time to stand still and behold the footprints ere

the one who leaves them vanishes into yesterday's air

Of sipping sacred servings of tick-tock, tick-tock, before

It is too late to try to taste the Time that is no more 

So, drink from life's communal cup only today can fill

And tip its chalice upside-down and let happiness spill

Like pennies from a pocket or like sparkles from the sky

Before the cup is but a shell holding the ocean's sigh

Stand still! and let the thrill of looking author wonder's hymn

Because the love of God is something that nothing can dim 

And this new day that He has made will soon join yesteryears

Let's count splashes of happiness before it disappears 

And thank the Lord for dentists when druthers would druther not

They are a precious blessing when a tooth-ache's what we've got

And thank Him for the tasks that sometimes almost steal our smiles

The people and the places we love make it worth their whiles 

And thank Him for both toil and rest; the best life has to give

And thank Him for our share in it as long, as long we live

Janet Martin

To Life, So Rich With Lovely Things

There is an incalculable silver lining to sorrow!

It reawakens us to life's wealth of joys

overflowing from God's fount of blessing! 

Our personal 'wealth' may differ in the details

but the Hand that grants it is

The Same and Changeless!

Ps.65:8 

The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;

where morning dawns, where evening fades,

you call forth songs of joy.

A friendly book, a cup of tea...

The glory of heavens run wild...

The beauty of mother and child...

Each gear that turns the working world...

(are you ever blown away by how vital every single 'gear'

of the working world is?!!)

This life is rich with lovely things

The fount from which fresh morning rings...

This life is rich with lovely things

The fount from which fresh morning rings

As earth emerges, soft and still

To perch upon my window sill

A friendly book, a cup of tea

The precious gift of you-and-me

The humble happiness we feel

For handstitched quilt, or homecooked meal

The balmy breeze that melts the snow

The warm handshake to say ‘hello’

The smile across a crowded room

The bud instilled with perfect bloom

A front porch splashed with spring sunshine

A color-kindled laundry line

The glory of heavens run wild

The beauty of mother and child

The lamb that leaps in verdant mead 

That hand that doth the kindly deed

The laws of nature, undeterred  

The power of a gentle word  

Each fear in faith’s banner unfurled

Each gear that turns the working world

Each upsy-daisy where we fell

Each brook that tunes the sylvan dell

The green of youth, the sage of age

The thrill that fills the empty page

With lure of lyrics, wild and free

(The poet’s sweet insanity)

…for time and ink are not enough

Where the inventory of love

Pray, stirs a constant, conscious laud

For blessings from our gracious God

For unchartered, uncharted ‘new’

For common wealth of Task to Do

For much to touch and taste and learn

From Time's momentous no-return

Forbid, lest care our visage dims

We stumble on a vault that brims

With wonderment, God's goodness brings

To life, so rich with lovely things

© Janet Martin

Psalm 65

Praise awaits[b] you, our God, in Zion;

to you our vows will be fulfilled.

2 You who answer prayer,

to you all people will come.

3 When we were overwhelmed by sins,

you forgave[c] our transgressions.

4 Blessed are those you choose

and bring near to live in your courts!

We are filled with the good things of your house,

of your holy temple.

5 You answer us with awesome and righteous deeds,

God our Savior,

the hope of all the ends of the earth

and of the farthest seas,

6 who formed the mountains by your power,

having armed yourself with strength,

7 who stilled the roaring of the seas,

the roaring of their waves,

and the turmoil of the nations.

8 The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders;

where morning dawns, where evening fades,

you call forth songs of joy.

9 You care for the land and water it;

you enrich it abundantly.

The streams of God are filled with water

to provide the people with grain,

for so you have ordained it.[d]

10 You drench its furrows and level its ridges;

you soften it with showers and bless its crops.

11 You crown the year with your bounty,

and your carts overflow with abundance.

12 The grasslands of the wilderness overflow;

the hills are clothed with gladness.

13 The meadows are covered with flocks

and the valleys are mantled with grain;

they shout for joy and sing.

Fernando Ortega-Come Thou Fount Of Every Blessing with lyrics

God Gives; We Take...

Yesterday's hold-and-letting-go 'lament/minuet'

inspired today's give and take contemplation...

James 1:17

Every good and perfect gift is from above,

 coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, 

who does not change like shifting shadows.

Acts 17:28

For in him we live and move and have our being.

’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’

How often we are like this robin,

who took full advantage of a freshly-filled birdbath!

We soak and splash in the faithfully-replenished fountain of blessing.

Pray we thank the Giver for all we take! 

God gives; we take. All we receive precedes relinquishment

Each accomplishment we achieve the fruit of favours lent

Goodness and mercy’s wellspring spills; we drink, with gifted breath

Too oft mindless of He who fills the fount of life-to-death

God gives; we take. A treasure trove of generosity

Anoints our touch-and-taste with love’s accountability

Where all we have is what we take while He ordains the chance

And it is up to us to make the most of all He grants

God gives; we take; and if we suffer loss tis but the part

Of gain we often overlook until it breaks our heart

And bids us contemplate the sum of grace till we are awed

For all we have is given from the outstretched Hand of God

God gives today; we wake and take it, consciously or not

Ah pray, that what we make of it is the best we have got 

He gives; we take. Forbid we boast in anyone but He

Who loves us to the uttermost for all eternity 

© Janet Martin

John 19:10-11

So Pilate said to Him, “Do You refuse to speak to me?

Do You not know that I have authority to release You 

and authority to crucify You?”

11Jesus answered, “You would have no authority over Me

if it were not given to you from above.

Therefore the one who handed Me over to you is guilty of greater sin.”

Olives That Have Known No Pressure - Hymn 626

Olives that have known no pressure

No oil can bestow;

If the grapes escape the winepress,

Cheering wine can never flow;

Spikenard only through the crushing,

Fragrance can diffuse.

Shall I then, Lord, shrink from suff’ring

Which Thy love for me would choose?

Each blow I suffer

Is true gain to me.

In the place of what Thou takest

Thou dost give Thyself to me.

Do my heart-strings need Thy stretching,

Songs divine to prove?

Do I need for sweetest music

Cruel treatment of Thy love?

Lord, I fear no deprivation

If it draws to Thee;

I would yield in full surrender

All Thy heart of love to see.

I’m ashamed, my Lord, for seeking

Self to guard alway;

Though Thy love has done its stripping,

Yet I’ve been compelled this way.

Lord, according to Thy pleasure

Fully work on me;

Heeding not my human feelings,

Only do what pleases Thee.

If Thy mind and mine should differ,

Still pursue Thy way;

If Thy pleasure means my sorrow,

Still my heart shall answer, “Yea!”

’Tis my deep desire to please Thee,

Though I suffer loss;

E’en though Thy delight and glory

Mean that I endure the cross.

Oh, I’ll praise Thee, e’en if weeping

Mingle with my song.

Thine increasing sweetness calls forth

Grateful praises all day long.

Thou hast made Thyself more precious

Than all else to me:

Thou increase and I decrease, Lord—

This is now my only plea.

Richly Blessed

'Whatever it is that presses us'

 the first words in today's devotion

immediately had my full attention!

So much presses us, doesn't it?!

The sorrow of loss of loved ones,

Compassion for many who shoulder 

long-term caring for loved ones,

such as elderly parents/spouses with dementia,

Anguish presses us, for all who are living in sin,

who have not come to saving faith in Christ

who do not know and are not cheered

by the joy of God's love for us

and humble love for Him.

We suffer with the sick, (so many)

We weep for the lonely,

We mourn for the poor...

...then, the next words in this devotion;

'go tell the Father;

put the whole matter into His hands'...

As I pondered His faithfulness, though 'pressed'

I realized again, I am/we are richly blessed

1 Peter 4:10-12

For

“Whoever would love life
    and see good days
must keep their tongue from evil
    and their lips from deceitful speech.
They must turn from evil and do good;
    they must seek peace and pursue it.
 For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous
    and his ears are attentive to their prayer,
but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil

Are we not richly blessed?

Through every circumstance

The way and will of God is best

What peace this knowledge grants

What comfort for the soul

Whatever storm assails

God's will is in perfect control

His goodness never fails

What then, has faith to fear?

Though harsh may seem the test 

Surrender fills the heart with cheer

Because God's way is best

...by whose stripes we are healed

By whose grace we are saved

By whose Spirit faith's hope is sealed

By the pardon He braved

The part that we behold

Is never long possessed

Salvation ensures wealth untold

Are we not richly blessed?

© Janet Martin

Eph.1:18-19

I ask that the eyes of your heartb may be enlightened,

 so that you may know the hope of His calling, 

the riches of His glorious inheritance in the saints, 

19and the surpassing greatness of His power to us who believe. 

What Wondrous Love Is This-Fernando Ortega

 

Like a Lovely Treasure Hunt

John 15:11
I have told you these things so that My joy may be in you 

and your joy may be complete.

John 16:24
Until now you have not asked for anything in My name. 

Ask and you will receive, so that your joy may be complete.

It's the time of year when blog posts and poems don't have any fixed schedule!!
Right now I'm waiting for zucchini date nut loaves to finish baking...
oops!! just checked them and they're done! (recipe below)

 

 I began this poem yesterday before heading out to a

belated birthday tea with some friends I used to do childcare for...

inspiring this line; Thank God for little boys and girls; 

for cups of tea with cake-slice bliss...

(I intentionally didn't take my camera with me but thoroughly regretted it)

Enjoying leftovers today and treasuring the memories !

this was last weekend's slice of cake bliss 😋

Black Currant Cake

To search for simple joys each day is like a lovely treasure hunt...

Like rooster at daybreak that crows to rally us with raucous noise...

Like bud that always without fail bears handiwork, second to none

Who can instill the seed with bread,...

Who but God can turn every head to marvel at His evidence...

To search for simple joys each day is like a lovely treasure hunt

To keep discouragement at bay and touch the hem of God’s garment

The weight of love’s workaday cares, or circumstance, heavy with ‘why’

Without the One who hears our prayers, would drain life’s cup of gladness dry

Thank-you dear Lord, for the sweet joy and peace that comes from trusting You

Content to know none can destroy Your promises, faithful and true

This world reels and groans with unknowns, yet overflows with simple joys

Like rooster at daybreak that crows to rally us with raucous noise

Like bud that always without fail bears handiwork, second to none

Like night as it grows pale and wears blue and blush scarf, then brooch of sun

And as daylight grows dim dusk splays a gold and coral masterpiece

As heaven’s declarations brim with praise for He who does not cease

Goodness and mercy’s glory-days are not reserved for Select Few

God loves to amaze us with ways that mere mortal cannot outdo

Who can instill the seed with bread, or offer death’s deliverance

Who but God can turn every head to marvel at His evidence

Who else can crown Bygone’s vast ‘Had’ with Holy Ground of a new day

For us to rejoice and be glad for simple joys along life’s way

Like fresh baked pies, cookies or tarts, like curious little girls and boys

Who find the soft spot in our hearts and tickle us with simple joys

Of innocence and grins and curls, dimples and freckled nose to kiss

Thank God for little boys and girls; for cups of tea with cake-slice bliss

For colour-kindled laundry lines and gardens bursting at sod-seams

For honey-suckle and grape vines, for happiness of hopes and dreams

Praise God from whom all blessings pour in mercies where sorrows run rife

While making us more thankful for the simple joys of love and life

Like strength to tackle to-do lists and pause to smell the posies too

Like lying beneath vistas of cumulus cloud and boundless blue

Like being humbly overcome with gratitude; joy’s sweetest sum

Evoked by things like clumsy bumblebees, covered in pollen crumbs

© Janet Martin

Like fresh baked pies,...

colour-kindled laundry lines 

and gardens bursting at sod-seams

For honey-suckle and grape vines,

and the recipe for;

Janet's Date-nut Zucchini Bread

3 eggs (room temp)

1 cup oil

1 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup white sugar

11/2 tsp. vanilla

2 cups shredded zucchini

11/2 cups all purp. flour 

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

(OR 2 cups all purpose flour)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 teaspoon soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 cup chopped nuts

1 cup chopped dates

Beat eggs then add sugars, oil and vanilla.

stir in zucchini

Sift and add dry ingred.

Do not overmix.

Last stri in nuts and dates.

Line 2 loaf pans with parchment paper

(or grease them but I find they get a bit dark on the bottom

 more easily without paper.)

Divide batter evenly

garnish with a few more nuts if you like

bake at 350F till firm to touch

(between 45-55 min.)

cool and enjoy.

These loaves freeze well which is why I usually make a double batch

We Are Either Blessed or Cursed...

Daily we are blessed or cursed

by what/who we most dearly love/serve💓💔

What/who on life's highway will claim our passion today?!!🙏

SO many choices but only two masters!

And we all, by the voice of choice, serve only one

Matt.6:24

“No one can serve two masters.

Either you will hate the one and love the other,

or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.

You cannot serve both God and money.

Jesus~

***

We are either blessed or cursed by what keens hunger and thirst

By the guests Thought entertains, by the quests desire unchains

By the reasons we confess in our search for happiness

By the voice that choice augments in courses of consequence

We are either cursed or blessed by replies by love professed

By the merits we applaud pertaining to self or God

By the setting of the goal, either for flesh or the soul

By what purpose primes pursuit that in time, turns into fruit

By what pleasure we employ by how we measure true joy

But what character we mold by what principles we hold

By how we view circumstance whether by design or chance

By the armor that we wear wrought by human hands or prayer

By what fuels hope or dread by who rules in heart and head

By what matter cheers or grieves by what faith or sight believes

By what edicts we endear, by what Author we revere

By what promotes worst or best we are either cursed or blessed

By what keens hunger and thirst we are either blessed or cursed

© Janet Martin

Acts 26:28-29

Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You almost persuade me to become a Christian.”

29And Paul said, “I would to God that not only you, 

but also all who hear me today, 

might become both almost and altogether such as I am,

 except for these chains.”

Almost Persuaded 

Matt.5:1-12

And seeing the multitudes, He (Jesus) went up on a mountain,

 and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. 

2 Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying:

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

4 Blessed are those who mourn,

For they shall be comforted.

5 Blessed are the meek,

For they shall inherit the [a]earth.

6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,

For they shall be filled.

7 Blessed are the merciful,

For they shall obtain mercy.

8 Blessed are the pure in heart,

For they shall see God.

9 Blessed are the peacemakers,

For they shall be called sons of God.

10 Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, 

and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.

 12 Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, 

for great is your reward in heaven,

 for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

A Beautiful Life-Jim Reeves

Today's prayer: 

Lord, grant us wisdom, 

from your Word

through Your Spirit

so we may treasure 

Spiritual Blessings

over material blessings.

Amen

I Like (or, So Much to Love)

A riot of snowflakes tumbling from welkin reservoirs... 

It feels SO good to get up and want to stay in the upright position 

after a few mornings of lying down again as soon as I was up...

thankfully the worst of the bug only lasted a few days! 

Still in slow motion, but at least I'm in motion!😅

There really is no end to a poem like this...

I began this poem after reading Brenda's post on Friday morning, HERE

before I was 'under the weather'.

The first line inspired by these little guys...

Thatch matted metamorphosis of finches turning gold...

Icicle-brickled eaves...

Because granddaughter is going to celebrate her birthday this year

 with her other set of Grandparents (in Nova Scotia!) 

we had an early celebration planned for Sunday but needed to cancel it. 😪

However, Granddaughter's/grandchildren's (well, everyone's)

 disappointment was cheered a little

 after being told she would still get her gift.

They did an outdoor 'deck drop-by'...

When they were ready to leave youngest Grandson came to me

 for his regular goodbye hug and kiss.

 When I told him gramma is sick, and better to skip hugs today 

he didn't move but just stood there with his arms held up 😂💗

gazing expectantly with his big blue eyes,

 so of course he got a big tried-not-to-breathe-on-him hug 

and a kiss on his hat 😂

Bird entertainment...

Robins.

Things I Like...

Thatch matted metamorphosis of finches turning gold

British accents; a patchwork quilt, laughter of young and old

The pleasure of an afternoon when to-do lists are tossed

Blush hush of dusk. Pale crescent moon. Babies. Dawn, dipped in frost

Old books that smell like years gone by; that stoke nostalgia’s kiss

Warm mug to wrap chilled hands around while lost in coffee-bliss

Nature's quieter pose, before spring flings ajar bud-doors

A riot of snowflakes tumbling from welkin reservoirs

Impromptu lunch date with dear mom and dad, while life allows

And cherishing them more and more as time its touch endows

Epiphanies while sipping tea with comrades, battle-scarred

(there is no ‘small talk’ when love trusts enough to low'r its guard)

An immense sense of gratitude no poem can curtail

A little lad, mud puddle glad where paper boats set sail

Flowers to give or to receive. April showers. Family

Enchanting lands of make-believe beneath the willow tree

A hand in hand stroll with a child. Icicle-brickled eaves

Worship hymns. Wisdom. Lilacs. Field full of hand-stooked sheaves

Autumn leaves. Winding backroads. Woodland trails. Old bridges. Trains

Thunderstorms. Horses running free with waving tails and manes

Gardens. Meadows. Babbling brooks. Bare feet and Butterflies

Spring peepers. Innocence. Lamplight. Old apple trees. Sunrise

Bible stories and Birthday cakes. Lakes, silver in the sun

Puppies. Long stretchy skirts. Winter rainbows. Workout done

Raindrop plip-plop. The humble joy of health after flu bug

Littlest grandson who won’t leave without a Gramma-hug

Bird entertainment. Robins. Rail fence. Tulips. Daffodils

A freshly cleaned or painted room. Vista of rolling hills

Window sills with flowers. Mother-in-law’s geraniums

Sea-song. Beach walks. Flip-flops. August. Crickets. Dahlias. Ripe plums

Poem-a-day-challenge, God’s glory that heavens declare

Grape arbors. Campfire cooking. Wisteria. Fix of fresh air

Lines filled with flapping laundry. 

Shadow-art on countryside

Scent of summer’s rain-tamed dust or fresh-mown hay. 

Bike ride

Music. 

Forget-me-nots. 

Mercies, too manifold to name

Sisters. 

Hot-cross buns. 

Easter. 

Hope through He from whence we came...

© Janet Martin

I wanted to mention more but the poem was getting too long;

little fists full of first dandelion bouquets

rosy faces framed in woolly hoods

a warm handshake

the meeting of eyes... no words needed

wild-flowered meadow

crisp apple (or, apple crisp!)

mellow, yellow pear

pussy willows

picnics

sap buckets brimming,

wood smoke curlicues,

neatly piled wood stacks,

cellar full of canning=thankful satisfaction

cookbooks,

supper soup,

weathered buildings,

front porches,

front doors,

and so much more

bee-butts, (their bodies  shamelessly burrowed in bloom-bells,)

zinnias, 

watering cans,

ivy,

wind-chimes,

snowmen,

okay, I will stop

Thank-you God, for filling this world with so much to delight us...

Ps.40:5

Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
    they would be too many to declare.