Both Banner And Anchor

Circumstance,

such as what my husband's cousins family is faced with 

would crush without

The Greatest Love of all which grants

grace for the trial, strength from above

unfailing sympathy, undying love!

The dad of the young man that was killed
encourages the other young man involved
 to use this 'mistake' as a steppingstone, not a millstone'...

I know I shared this song pretty recently but it bears repeating!

A banner of pure gold unfurled above the stirring land

Enlarges over the whole world mercy’s First in Command

Where steadfast rise and fall of storms that mortal subject braves

Without God’s Greatest Love of All would drown us in its waves

The Light that lights the world is greater than dawn’s flaming flare

And though like rain our tears are pearled on petals curled with care

From fathoms without frame Love’s abiding promises roll

Hope rides upon dread's lethal main that fain would crush the soul

The power of His might no other force can apprehend

The hour’s unfazed appetite no man or beast can bend

The tie that binds its sum no frantic fingers can undo

Where what is gathered will become the dust of me and you

…then look where morning breaks through yonder bars of darksome deep

Our Greatest love never forsakes the charges in His keep

No matter what befalls where loosened tempests toss and seethe

The power of the cross installs Hope’s anchorage beneath

© Janet Martin

 We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, 

a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain,

Hebrews 6:19

Some Positive Nevers...

They say never say never...
Depending what it is, good advice,

but there are some nevers

we may cling to fearlessly!

Thankfully.

Time spent with a child is never wasted...
Below, a popular look-at-the-new-day vantage-point that never gets old:)

It's been a busy morning already!

Canning the last of the sausage from a pork order we got yesterday

 reminded me of an occasion earlier this winter when

the financial advisor dropped by to talk about investments, retirement savings, etc.

He was quite intrigued by the heap of bulk sausage on the table,
all the jars being filled etc and wondered what on earth we are doing?!!

When I explained how we pack it in jars,

coldpack it in the canner 

and bring it to a rolling boil then reduce to medium heat and steam for 3 hours
 he with a most bewildered expression asked

'rolling boil, what...is a rolling boil?!!'

He had the same look on his face as I am sure I have as he runs through
phrases such as; asset allocation, index funds, equity, bonds, dividend, capital... 😁😂!

Victoria made a treat for her co-workers...

Something ‘bout new day imparts

Gladness to my heart of hearts

Whether weather gold or gray

God is never far away

…wrapping us in His embrace

Draping destiny with grace

Fitting us to face the task

Whatsoever He may ask

How-so-ever colours blend

Where-so-ever highways bend

Whosoever we may be

He loves uncondit'nally

Never leaving us alone

Never forgetting His own

Never granting worthlessness

Never breaking promises

Never nonchalant or mean

Ever present, though unseen

Never inconsiderate

Never ungracious or late

Never takes a holiday

Never turning us away

Ever tuned to humble prayer

Ever constant in His care

Ever faithful to the end

Ever Everlasting Friend

… Something ‘bout new day imparts

Gladness to my heart of hearts

Whether weather gold or gray

God is never far way

© Janet Martin

Never will I leave you,
Never will I forsake you.
Heb.13:5

Hallelujah Fount (because we need its Certainty in these Uncertain Times)

This song that Victoria was listening to this morning...

and this verse  I read in my morning reading...

For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.
John 1:16 ESV or NLT version
From his abundance we have all received one gracious blessing after another

 ...helped inspire today's poem...

because let's face it; it takes more than the piece/peace of pie to turn panic to peace!

When we begin to count

Blessings bestowed, unfurled

We feel a hallelujah-fount

Drown the fear of this world

As we begin to see

With kinder, meeker stance

The philharmonic symphony/sympathy

That mercy’s Maestro grants

Where we are not alone

To face the foe of dread

Where God is still upon His throne

Yet with us every step

Where seasons keep their pace

And grace is never swayed

In spite blessings we disgrace

And messes we have made

Where we live in moments

Of one day at a time

Where we are the recipients

Of promises divine

For no man here on earth

Can fully reassure

Without God’s Word to instill truth

Whereby we will endure

And then, as we believe

Speech becomes dumb with awe

Where we were numb now we perceive

The wonder of love’s law

And how God sees our need

Beyond the present fuss

And works ahead to intercede

On the behalf of us

His light of Righteousness

A lamp unto our feet

His hope through divine promises

To make the bitter sweet

His Beauty marred and scarred

With testaments of pride

Where love trod a road cruel and hard

And then was crucified

…to pay the debt we owed

To defeat death and hell

To prove the Sovereignty of God

With the tomb’s empty shell

Where we, unto this day

May touch those Hands engraved

With the insignia of grace

By His name we are saved

Ah! Then the blessing-fount

Thought cannot comprehend

As humbly we begin to count

His mercies without end

Where Heaven’s Finale

Is worth earth’s short travail

While we lean on His Guarantee

Of love that will not fail

© Janet Martin

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.
1 Thess.5:11

another awesome song...

Oh, To Know

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, 

but the Spirit who is from God,

 that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
1 Cor.2:12

 

Oh, to know we are forgiven

Fills faith’s flight with wondrous worth

Tunes heart chords with hymns of heaven

Midst the pangs and twangs of earth

Oh, to know no one is ever

All alone through God alone

Comforts us with kind endeavor

Not to fear time’s vast Unknown

Oh, to know that we are able

Not through might of mortal form

But hope’s anchor keeps us stable

Through the night of trial’s storm

Oh, to know love’s purposed blindness

How, no matter what we boast

Nothing takes the place of kindness

Proving who we love the most

Oh to know soul’s condemnation

Cannot keep its curse of woe

As the promise of salvation

Frees the convict on death-row

Oh, to know in spite of stumbles

By the grace of God we press

My, but how this favour humbles

Grumbles turned to thankfulness

© Janet Martin

Abiding Anchor

 This song has been going round in my head since last week
when my son played a small bit he recorded
as a man in the next room on a job site sang this hymn as he worked...

Against the tides that surge and crash and moan

Unwavering amidst the foaming crest

Steadfast within the gales that wail and groan

Abides the anchor of God’s promises

Unshakeable while wild life’s mistrals seethe

Until it feels like hell its depth unchains

Still resolute, unmovable beneath

The anchor of God’s promises remains

Unyielding as grief wields a numbing blow

And courage crumples in sorrow’s travail

Firm in the roiling spoil of Eden’s woe

God’s perfect promises will never fail

My love, though earth and heavens pass away

And stars fall like green figs from storm-tossed tress

Rock-solid in the tempest's spewing fray

Abides the anchor of God’s promises

© Janet Martin

Heb.6:18-20

 Thus by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie,
we who have fled to take hold of the hope set before us may be strongly encouraged.
 We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and steadfast. 
It enters the inner sanctuary behind the curtain, 
 where Jesus our forerunner has entered on our behalf.
 He has become a high priest forever in the order of Melchizedek.…