Happiness of Rain

 Last week's little rainfall was lapped up by the sun in no time flat

so once again we are singing praises for a much needed rain!

Earth laughs; from laden heavens spills the happiness of rain

It splashes into flower cups and dances on the lane

It kisses thirsty gardens, and douses the dusty street

And draws a puddle world of bliss for children in bare feet

As thirsty hills and fields are drenched and quenched; the robin sings

With the contagious happiness of rain-drop dazzled things

© Janet Martin

The Key to Finding Happiness

“It is not how much we have,

but how much we enjoy,

that makes happiness.”

— Charles Spurgeon

This little gal finds happiness

in mixing and stirring

(oh, if only you could hear the pleasant chatter!)

I enjoy small blips of quietness and tidiness

amidst the mess and mayhem of memories😊💗

(Some people spring and fall clean.

I tend to winter-clean and reorganize 

because outdoor work is on pause!)

Rolling-pin-collection dusting is complete...

Why a rolling pin collection?!!

I have no idea other than once I started, I was amazed at

how many colours, shapes and sizes they come in...a bit like people😅

 

This life runs rife with choice and chance

That makes us pray or fuss/cuss

How we reply to circumstance

Is always up to us

This life runs rife with want and need

Awaiting our reply

Where common font of word and deed

Is up to you and I

This life runs rife with ups and downs

Beyond our control

A smorgasbord of smiles and frowns

To rankle and console

This life runs rife with so much care

Where all we have is lent

A feast to favor faith’s welfare

Is always God’s intent

This life runs rife with more or less

Of yes and no combined

The precious key to happiness

Is up to us to find

© Janet Martin

I am also enjoying some

Spurgeon , thanks to Christmas gifts!

Prov.3:13-18 KJV

Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, 

and the man that getteth understanding.

14 For the merchandise of it is better than the merchandise of silver, 

and the gain thereof than fine gold

15 She is more precious than rubies: 

and all the things thou canst desire are not to be compared unto her

16 Length of days is in her right hand;

 and in her left hand riches and honour.

17 Her ways are ways of pleasantness, 

and all her paths are peace.

18 She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her: 

and happy is every one that retaineth her.

New Year Happiness Anticipation

 Ageless hopes for a Happy New Year!

A kiss on Child’s soft, chubby cheek

Or on down-crown of golden curls

Daybreak, all gold and purple chic

And great big hugs from little girls

A brook, earth’s most enchanting crease

A book to feed word wanderlust

A nook in nature’s masterpiece

To worship God with love-awed trust

A winter’s morn, fluffy and white

A shock of corn, forlorn, forgot

Dusk’s friendly fireside delight

Hot soup to ladle from a pot

Crumbs after buttered toast is gone

The yawn and hum of the mundane

The short answer to a question 

Tiny tap dancers made of rain 

Ageless thrills of discovery

The carousel of season-tide

Spring's bud-untethered filigree

Excitement of Here-comes-the-bride

A way to get from here to there

A new Today untried, untrod

Blue heavens to capture our stare

And draw our gaze upward to God

Warm slippers, sweaters, blankets, smiles

Such simple pleasure-treasures, oh

Coffee, clean, folded laundry piles

Gardens asleep beneath the snow

God’s Word to cheer and teach and guide

Unaltered by the change time brings

Beauty's pastoral countryside

To make us feels as rich as kings

Unwalled woodland sabbaticals

A perch beneath trees lofty tress

The happiness that animals

Bring to a world of peopled-ness

The joy that birds and flowers birth

As we behold God’s creature care

The purity of guiltless mirth

The surety of answered prayer

The wealth of family and friends

The hope beyond love’s groans and sighs

Unbeaten path that dips and wends

Wonders to take us by surprise

Two tots for tea, a turquoise sea

The payoff view after the climb

Mist-grist of unpenned poetry

The felling fist of Father Time

And for earth’s very careworn road

Faith’s very Heaven-glorious goal

Because Christ paid the debt we owed

And saved The Very Deathless soul

© Janet Martin

Potential Disaster...(by Faith Averted)

November unfurled in a blaze of glory/mercy renewed!

Cares press and threaten happiness; The shroud of The Unknown

Could blind us to what remains true; we never walk alone

Could have the gall to cast a pall of rude ingratitude

Before our eyes where morning skies unfurl mercy renewed

Could make us dread what lies ahead if we forget to lean

Upon The Word, undeterred by what will be-is-has been

Could toss about and make us doubt Hope’s anchor of the soul

Could rob us of the peace and love of faith that makes us whole

Could weigh us down with cynic’s frown where beauty breaks earth’s vat

Could make us miss the joy of This while fretting about That

Could darken hearts with venom darts while morning breaks night’s mold

And melts the stars from heaven’s bars to wash the earth with gold

Cares press and threaten holiness; the intellect of man

Could justify what some deny because they doubt Love’s plan

But God will bless with happiness those who trust Him and praise

The Giver of More Than Enough as mercy numbers days

What could befall cannot forestall God's goodness preordained

Nor circumvent His mercies bent with justice still contained 

Though what we see appears to be doom and gloom's bitter fruit  

What could unfold cannot withhold grace and truth's Absolute 

© Janet Martin

First when I got up life seemed to be trying to press

its shroud of cares upon my shoulders then My devotions included 

Psalm 47

Clap your hands, all you nations;

shout to God with cries of joy.

2 For the Lord Most High is awesome,

the great King over all the earth.

3 He subdued nations under us,

peoples under our feet.

4 He chose our inheritance for us,

the pride of Jacob, whom he loved.[b]

5 God has ascended amid shouts of joy,

the Lord amid the sounding of trumpets.

6 Sing praises to God, sing praises;

sing praises to our King, sing praises.

7 For God is the King of all the earth;

sing to him a psalm of praise.

8 God reigns over the nations;

God is seated on his holy throne.

9 The nobles of the nations assemble

as the people of the God of Abraham,

for the kings[c] of the earth belong to God;

he is greatly exalted.

...and Brenda's post once again reminded me

to celebrate life's ever-present beauty and joy!

That was all before the glory of daybreak when

'The heavens declared the glory of God;

the skies proclaimed the work of his hands.'

Psalm 19:1

...so no matter what is going on to compose our secret 

or not so secret cares and sorrows that could seek to dethrone our

happiness/holiness,

what a joy to remember

'God reigns over the nations;

God is seated on his holy throne.

Psalm 47:8

August; Summer's Magnum Opus (or Masterpiece of Happiness)

I snared the first eight lines before tots arrived then

throughout this morning the poem kind of composed itself.

Nap-time allowed me to tether it to page😀

Mist-mantled meadowland at morn...

Plush pastures brushed with blushing brume...

Where children barefoot and carefree

Run through the hearts of you and me

Little Girl; Janet, why do you walk everywhere?

Me, puzzled; Well, that's how I get to where I need to go. 

What should I do instead. Crawl?

Little Girl, laughing No!! Run! I run!

 😂😅

Yes! She does💕

 

Where butterfly cavorts with bee

While sipping purple nectar-tea 

Where sun climbs into big blue span

Then melts like butter in a pan

Where Baskets brim with task to do

Where harvest hymns ring with ‘thank You’

Like tot, learning to smell, not tug

Like pup waiting for treat or hug

(aw, I missed the shot with her nose in the air yipping her Best Beg, while

Little Girls munched fresh zucchini-nut muffins and pup wanted one too😋😂

She will not take her eyes off the muffins, because, you know, 

just in case they drop it, or a few crumbs at least!

Like zinnia, dahlia, marigold

Floral heirlooms from days of old 

August; summer’s magnum opus

To thrill forgetful folks…like us

Mist-mantled meadowland at morn

Regimental squadrons of corn

Plush pastures brushed with blushing brume

Lawns dazzled by a diamond-loom

Cricket-staccato’s unfazed lilt

Hexagon-halos of webbed gilt

Gardens; earth-granted paradise

Feasts, planted for our mouth and eyes

Where children barefoot and carefree

Run/dash through the hearts of you and me

Where butterfly cavorts with bee

While sipping purple-nectar tea

Where sun climbs into big blue span

Then melts like butter in a pan

Where Baskets brim with task to do

Where harvest hymns ring with ‘thank You’

Where souls flow over with glad laud

Where we glean gifts bestowed by God

And pause to drink earth’s Beauty in

Like peach-juice, dripping down our chin

With joys running too rife to count

Like hummingbird at lily-fount

Like zinnia, dahlia, marigold

Floral heirlooms from days of old 

Like tot, learning to smell, not tug

Like pup, waiting for treat or hug

Like laughter; sparkling on the breeze

Like silver wind chime-melodies

Like Echoes of The Artist's 'Yes'

As Masterpiece of Happiness

Unfolds. Before bloom's exodus

August; summer's magnum opus

© Janet Martin

Happy Birthday, Melissa

 

Happy Birthday, Melissa💗

In spite of this past winter and spring's thorns (aka lockdown)

we cherished its rose...Melissa living at home for a while!

We miss you and love you

and also are so thankful that life is feeling a bit more normal

and you can get your city-life fix again😊

So many precious moments enjoyed...

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

Rejoice always, 

pray continually, 

give thanks in all circumstances;

 for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus.

Wishing you a wonder-full year ahead filled with happiness!

Happiness is life’s lovely prize

Not hiding in what money buys

But in contentment’s treasure trove

In trusting God, in faith and love

In cherishing the day in hand

As it washes across the land

Like waves that wash across the beach

In the sweet pleasure of a peach

In tasting fully every drop

That sparkles from yon Mercy-cup

Happiness is a job well done

Not found in wild-goose chase of ‘fun’

But in the awed awareness of

The One who grants life's work-pray-love

And gives us Hope no matter what

Perplexes us with ‘if’ and but’

It fills time's mist of highs and lows

Not just with thorns but with the rose

And as we trust God with each need

We will be most happy in deed

Happiness is love’s ‘welcome home’

The joys that turn into a poem

A willing-to-help attitude

A second-to-none gratitude

A hug, a smile, a love-you wave

Making the best of what we have

Embracing who we are because

Of Who created each of us

His one-of-a-kind works of art

Happiness is a thankful heart

© Janet Martin

SO thankful for sweet, determined beautiful you!

Thankful for God's faithful provision for you.

God bless and keep you well and hope to

See you soon!

After-Holiday Happiness

 

I scribbled this one on the way home today as I realized our comments

breaking little stretches of silence 

were either retrospect or looking ahead...

A toss-up between retrospect

And wondering what will be

A tug twixt heart-string dialect

And half-penned poetry

A futile fight, of holding tight

And gently letting go

Reeling from the brunt of delight

In drifts of echo-snow

…and sensing Time's searing caress

No bargain can defeat

After-holiday happiness

Is always bittersweet

© Janet Martin