Happiness, Heaven-on-earth and Love

This poem was written with young parents in mind but

has something in it for us oldies too😉😄

(yes, it's muddy boots and wet-everything season!)

(because I do childcare some 'memories' stay quite fresh😅)

"Me? Trouble?!! 

How can you even think it?!"

It doesn’t always look like much; the noisy thick of it

Can spill and spread in such a way to make you ‘sick’ of it

Yes, you confess the mess is often quite more-than-enough

It doesn’t look like happiness, heaven-on-earth or love

You slip on the spaghetti that your darling toddler flung

Next week you’ll find one dried to the ceiling or a chair wrung

The toy-box you replenished at Christmas with eager joy

Is like a decoration ignored by dear girl and boy

Between lost socks-boots-mittens, you find scribbles on the wall

Where budding artists practiced while you answered a phone call

First signs of spring are tracked across the fresh-mopped kitchen floor

‘Enjoy these Best of Days’ says ‘Mrs. Old’ who lives next door

The sink is full of dishes while fridge and cupboard run bare

Baby is teething so you do not have patience a hand to spare

You sure could use the nap your youngster refuses to take

It would work such sweet wonders for your arms, back and headache

The bills are due, there are a few you had not counted on

Thank God for work and by His grace you’ll keep chugging along

…where Something steals your breath as only Little Tot can do

And you forget all but the precious face looking at you

Yes, it can feel like quite a fight, the messy ‘stick’ of it

Keeps you from understanding quite, the tender quick of it

But some day you’ll look back and see (like we did) sure enough

That this really is/was happiness, heaven-on-earth and love

(Optional ending)

(…the point to this ditty I guess is, whether young or old

In the middle of muddle-cuddle-mess-blessed hug-and-hold

Or past the place of youth and grace as we embrace ‘what’s next’

And wonder at the mirror-face, half-laughing and half-vexed

…we ought to try to take and make the best of where we are

Nobody needs to be perfecto or a super-star

But learn to count the beauties and the blessings one by one

Because no matter where we are, where we are is soon gone!)

© Janet Martin

Remembering What's Important

I've come to the conclusion

that happiness

 seldom fits like a glove

That clutter 

is the tinsel of

Live, 

Laugh, 

Love

💗

Some tinsel-tatters of the weekend...

(Victoria's hand-painted valentines)

 

Melissa's  sketch-table

Furniture rearranged for comfort, not style!

traces of Grand-daughter's visist

Sunday was a wonderful day for a winter walk...

...and sometimes instead of the futility of scolding about pet peeves we just 

let. it. be...😍

Today in Ontario, Canada we are celebrating Family Day!

Cherish.

Jim and many others do not have a holiday today.

Thank-you snowplow-drivers, truck-drivers, healthcare workers etc.!

Here's to remembering what matters and letting go of what doesn't!

Who knows what a day may bring?!

Rememb’ring what’s important 

Hand to hold, a hug 

Thinking more of others 

As we learn to love 

Remembering what matters 

(put that phone away) 

While the young child chatters 

While he wants to play 

Remembering to let go 

Of the bitter grudge 

Lest its malice poisons 

All we taste and touch 

Remembering the merit 

Of love’s chast’ning rod 

Knowing we can bear it 

If we yield to God 

Remembering to cherish 

What we have and hold 

Soon yon echo-chariots 

Refine gray to gold

Rememb'ring to be reckless

With kind word and kiss

Priming time's momentous

Metamorphosis

Remembering the treadle

 Making memories

From the common mettle

Of moments like these

 

Remembering what matters 

Never mind the mess 

With its homespun tatters 

We weave happiness 

© Janet Martin 

A few more mementos

And on the golf-front

Jordan Spieth and Spieth-fans hopes soared

and fell with the ball!

Better, but not Best.

Best goes to Daniel Berger!

What an impressive eagle putt on the 18th for the well-deserved win!

Dear family, church-family, friends, neighbours, and blog-visitors...

I have not stopped giving thanks for you, 

remembering you in my prayers.

Eph.1:16

Someday, Forevermore or Bond of Freedom

(for we who share the bond of freedom in Christ)

For now we are apart but someday

worshippers will sing together forever and ever!

This first song is very fitting for the times we are in

(worth the while to read the translation)

Simon & Max Khorolskiy - Не грусти, не рыдай

FILL MY CUP, LORD | THE LIVING STONES QUARTET

 

Glorify Thy Name

 

1 Thess.4:16-18

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, 

with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, 

and the dead in Christ will rise first. 

After that, we who are still alive and are left 

will be caught up together with them 

in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. 

And so we will be with the Lord forever. 

Therefore encourage one another with these words.

From sea to sea and shore to shore we who believe are bound 

By a sweet and communal cord of common, holy ground 

The blood that washes sinners clean and sets the cursed soul free 

Is Mercy’s universal vein that binds God’s family 

Salvation, wrought through Jesus Christ is our saving faith 

His death, to pay the debtor’s price no offering could erase 

For blood of bulls and rams could not atone and justify 

Only a Perfect Lamb, the Son of God could satisfy 

And by His outpoured blood we are unified far and wide 

To be the family of God; His pure and spotless bride 

Not by our works (lest we would boast) but by the grace of He 

Who gave his uttermost upon the cross of Calvary 

From sea to sea and shore to shore, while onward ages roll 

A beautiful, mutual yoke binds soul to soul to soul 

Of we who are freed from death’s sting through He came to save 

Because He died and rose again, Christ has conquered the grave 

Jesus fulfilled salvation’s plan, His name above all names 

Has given to the soul of man, hope, without guilt’s past claims 

Redemption is the joy we share, His love the song we sing 

In universal praise and prayer to Jesus Christ our King 

© Janet Martin 

Sum of Influence

 

My mother gave all of her siblings and children a 'book' binder for Christmas;

a story she has been writing for over a decade that began

the day she was born and shared in her words some of her life

up until her marriage to my dad!

As I read it I marveled over and over what a lovely, wonderful mother we had

long before she was a mother!

(this, I am sure was not her reason for writing the book)

this is my observation as she shares some of the memories 

and lessons she documented over the years

and put in a book as a memento for future generations, to peek into the past

and help us appreciate the pieces of lives that have helped to shape our own!

My mom and dad were such faithful

(not perfect, but faithful) examples of faith

and the older we get the more we value the priceless gift

our childhoods were and the foundation they laid for our

own journeys of faith for this life. 

Life can evoke a sense of sacred threads placed into our hands

that only by God's grace and through His Word  

can we weave them into something of value

for future generations to cling to!

Our grandson turns four today!

The next generation is wasting no time in growing up too fast!

From this...

...to this in the twinkle of an eye

(and a few groans😉)

He is quite a character!!

How manifold the pieces of 

what makes our life and shapes our love 

How hidden are so many parts 

of other people’s hopes and hearts 

that ever-deftly intertwine 

the tendrils of the family vine 

to weave with circumstance and choice 

the mentor of tomorrow’s voice 

as influence unfolds its sum 

in generations yet to come 

© Janet Martin 

A Picture Hides A Thousand Words

While I was arranging my advent center-piece

the dried black beans I soaked overnight boiled over. 

(every so often I soak a bunch, then cook and freeze them)

It doesn't seem to matter how big a pot I use they will boil over 

into a black mess on the stove!

It's just ridiculous how much foam they create!

So, as serene as the centerpiece appears, all by itself

it sits among the mess and hub-bub of life

and the smell of burnt bean-water in the burner😆

Reminded me of the drama of taking family-photos

which for us is not an annual event!

First there's the, 'what shall I WEAR?!!

To the 'you're not wearing That, are you?! 

to Mom, does this look okay?

 to 'how's my hair?'

 to, mom's hesitant query to the nonchalant one; are you...ready??? 

and the not-hesitant 'yup'!.

SO much more than meets the eye goes into The Family Photo!

But. It . Happened.

Thanks to a nice November Sunday

and super photographer Brittany Ruppert 

for all her amazing farm animal noises which kept

children and adults distracted/relaxed/laughing/smiling!

(the reason Victoria is just about dying of laughter on every photo)😂😂

A picture hides a thousand words 

Behind its tidy guiles 

Is so much more than seen or heard 

In polished, paper smiles 

A picture only snares a glimpse 

We siphon from the mess 

To capture from the chaos, glints 

Of arranged happiness 

Oh, Brant 'Johnny' dear, don’t cross your eyes 

Quick, click the shutter please 

Where, fingers crossed, we snare a prize 

Midst disharmonic ‘c-h-e-e-e-se’ 

A photo (do not be deceived) 

By that which visage meets/metes 

For meek, sweet stance is oft achieved 

Through threats or promised treats 

Now everybody, one-two-three 

Oh no! I laughed-blinked-sneezed 

And ho, he thinks I didn’t see 

What Mister Kissed-her squeezed 

I’m thankful for the memento 

Of precious photograph 

I’m thankful that they only show 

The quiet, composed half 

I’m thankful for the keepsakes of 

Seasons soon turned to Was 

While time steals days but never love 

In spite of all it does 

I’m thankful for the sweet half-lie 

In tidy, pretty pose 

Of so much more than meets the eye 

…unless you are a rose 

I'm thankful for moments that smiled

Midst life's rough-tumble ways 

As we capture for morrow's child

Snapshots of Good Old Days

© Janet Martin 

We, By Ourselves Cannot Love

 “I am the vine, you are the branches. 

He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; 

for without Me you can do nothing.

John 15:5

We watched a much needed rain fall these past few days!

This rain however did not dampen the spirits on the weekend
at our family reunion/Jim's mom's 89th birthday celebration

because love is bigger than weather and such...

(Cake credit to Daughter-in-law Lucille )

Dear Mother,

Through the years in tears and laughter you were there,

 gentle and tough

Teaching us the tender meaning of this four letter word; love

Hard and heavy were the sorrows that you weathered

by God’s grace

Showing us by your example how to shoulder what we face

Through the ups and downs of living you found strength 

for care through prayer

For the taking and the giving that a mother learns to bear

Mother dear, we want to thank you

for all that you are and do

And a birthday is the perfect time to say that we love you

© Janet Martin

Love fills in the gaps that otherwise would gape with want.

Love comes in all shapes and surprises,
often wrapped in disappointment and trouble!

Love is not a solo-sport!
 Love is our solace and support!

And we only find love from God through others.

 How often does getting what Self pined for, fall short of the happiness-mark?!

We alone do not have within us the means to make ourselves happy!
We alone do not have within us, love...

We by ourselves do not possess noble ability

To love; it lacks genuineness of true humility

No matter how good the intention, thought is self-inclined

And often needs God’s intervention to keep motive kind

We, by ourselves will never find true happiness, it lies

Within the hustle-bustle of love’s hellos and goodbyes

It overflows in hearts and eyes as we hold and let go

And grants a glimpse of paradise still scarred with shards of woe

We often overlook the lining in burdens we bear

Or misunderstand the refining that is wrought through care

Where we all need each other to accompany and aid

Us in this sister-brother-father-mother promenade

When life’s sailing is smooth, soon Self becomes careless and cold

And undermines the truth of Who lends all we have and hold

The ties that bind us close both to God and to fellowman

Are woven not with threads we chose but oft by change of plan

A branch cannot bear anything unattached to The Vine

A dead and fruitless withering, ah, this is God’s design

For we by ourselves cannot produce flourishing fields

Love and humility, the fruits only Attachment yields

© Janet Martin

A Little Like a Wave (that rolls across the land...)

Welcome! Day Three of Summer...

 The first day of summer was almost perfect...

I say 'almost' because it seems in life/love there is ALWAYS

a 'fly in the pudding', right?

Sisters💖

Melissa came home for her first visit this year (because of the pandemic)

then someone's truck broke down and Jim needed to work on Sunday, cutting our visit

a little short because we needed to drive her home on Sunday morning instead of later in the day..

Our whole family was together at last...except Matt; He was at his buddy's wedding...

so we learn to commit to treasuring the moments 

that slip through our fingers like sun-sparkles on water

A little like a wave that rolls across the land and leaves

Behind a wake of wonder spent on petal-wings and sheaves

And echo-sparkles, strewn like diamonds on a dusty path

Where wafts the mist of sun-kissed days in summer’s aftermath

A little like a dream come true but reality-warped

As avenues of green and blue turn bronze and heat-wave scorched

While we are humbly smitten by God’s mercies, new each morn

Where silver gleams the rippling surf of barley-fields and corn

A little like a front porch perch as we lean to behold

A panoramic surge of oceans, purple, pink and gold

Where hills, wild-flower frosted flare and fade and none can tame

The tide that spills across earth’s shoreline; summer is its name

A little like the blur of childhood after it is spent

A mosaic of moments molding bittersweet lament

Where what so long we hungered for is caught upon a swell

Of turquoise-tinted fervor always ending in farewell

Then dawdle in the dreamland that cold, winter nights compose

And give yourself permission to be beguiled by a rose

And loiter by the bank that brims with daisy-hymns and such

Before the hour, like the flower falls prey to time’s touch

Drink deep; the dewy dazzled dawn is like a fount of stars

Walk on the water of front lawns to flower-frothed sand-bars

And wade, waist-deep through afternoons that soon will not exist

Snare summer’s sunshine-wine in flasks for winter to untwist

Dare to be carefree, for a little even while we bear

(Because of love’s Thereof) its steady, sweaty weight of care

Do not wait for a Better Day to treasure now and here

Because with ev’ry cheep and chirp summer will disappear

A little like a pang piercing asunder heart and soul

A little like a bulging pocket with a little hole

A little like a rhapsody half-written and released

A little like a photograph, faded and fondly-creased

The Hand that gifts the sands of time and sifts its ebb and flow

Helps us to hold but not to cling, to love and then let go

So then, when Summer slips beyond the reach of glossy leaf

A hint of peach will linger to sweeten her loss and grief

© Janet Martin