On Keeping Simpler Days Alive...

I LOVE simple things,

like bowls and baskets of freshly-picked garden-fare...

like the meals they make...

 like lines of clean laundry flapping in the breeze....

like puppies...

like almost dinner-plate-sized hibiscus...

The list really is endless, isn't it?!!

Sometimes we look back at the simpler way life used to seem

Where time has smoothed the bumps and twists and left a kind of dream

-world in its place; its weariness and brokenness forgot

As we trace precious yesterdays with sentimental thought

Sometimes we mourn Bygone's idyll of simpler, slower pace

And in life's seeming frantic quest for more, feel out of place

Forgetting for the moment, what remains no mystery;

To keep life's simpler days alive is up to you and me

Sometimes the wily ways of want seem to have seized control

Influencing a kind of pace that drains love of its soul

Too pushed to pause and let the beauty of creation awe

Too rushed to linger where progress does not enforce its law

Time's breadth of Day remains the same; twenty-four hour lease

The Word of God will never change; it leads in/to paths of peace

(For the unknown has always tried the hope and trust of hearts

Progress still cannot compensate for what God's Word imparts)

Sometimes we mourn the seeming loss of simpler yesteryears

Before technology seduced and enslaved eyes and ears

While just as it has always been, God's handiwork abounds

In evidence of He whose steadfast mercy still confounds

Sometimes it seems what mankind deems as progress, serves instead

To maim the mind, with chains designed to bind and leave for dead

But wisdom is still free for all to seek and find, if we

Remember what we leave behind is up to you and me

 (thank-you Wendell Berry)

The hand that rocks the cradle rules the world; this is still so

Dear mother, homemaker, remember this when you feel low

And quite forgotten in a world where VIP's  compete 

The charge of keeping simpler days alive is no small fete

  

The charge of keeping home fires burning is a high call

For happy home-sweet-home is surely the best wealth of all

Where simpler ways are praiseworthy, and blaze contentment's trail 

Where gratitude is still the key to joy that cannot fail 

The simpler days had their fair share of trouble's portion too

As wisdom's worth was then it is today, and all time through

We are the master of our choices just as They were then

And simpler days can still survive if we so choose. Amen

Janet Martin

Prov.2:1-8

My son, if you accept my words

and store up my commands within you,

2 turning your ear to wisdom

and applying your heart to understanding—

3 indeed, if you call out for insight

and cry aloud for understanding,

4 and if you look for it as for silver

and search for it as for hidden treasure,

5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord

and find the knowledge of God.

6 For the Lord gives wisdom;

from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.

7 He holds success in store for the upright,

he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless,

8 for he guards the course of the just

and protects the way of his faithful ones...

💗💙💚💛💜

If you still have zucchini and you're not sure what to do with it

the casserole in the above photo is a quick, satisfying supper,

Esp. with a side of freshly sliced tomatoes

or garden-medley salad.

The pictured salad is simply a blend of Greek salad ingreds.

tossed with a light dressing...

Zucchini Casserole

3 eggs, 

1/4 cup olive oil

Whisk then add

1/2 cup flour

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

whisk till smooth then stir in

2 cups shredded zucchini 

1/2 cup thinly sliced onion

1/4 cup green pepper

1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

1 finely chopped jalapeño pepper (optional)

1/2 -1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1 cup (or desired amount) of meat 

such as cooked ham, bacon, sausage or pepperoni

(also optional)

Pour into a 9x13 or similar size casserole dish

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes

Love Is Not All Sugar Donuts...

Today's post touches on children young and old,

on sweet treats, on two-part promises

and includes a sweet-treat recipe!

Children!

Beautiful, busy, eager, teachable, impressionable

most precious of all children!! 

On Friday, because it was the last official childcare day

for my 'Friday boys' we made 'tim-bits'/tea-balls.

(a recipe from my childhood)

see end of post for recipe

(for the sake of privacy I cropped the best part

of the cuteness, but hopefully you get the idea 💓

There are very few complaints from any of us, when our mouths are filled

 with warm sugary loving...

However, love isn't always warm and sugary, is it?!!

And when Miss Janet said , 'no more donut balls for now'

 there were tears of disappointment.

A child has not yet gained the insight or experience to know what is best for them, 

and sometimes listening/accepting/obeying daddy and mommy's decisions, 

rather than childish demands induces tantrums.

Eventually as the child grows/matures they (hopefully) 

begin to appreciate and trust their parent's wisdom. 

The happiest child is the child who has learned, like it or not,

 to listen to/trust mommy and daddy.

What a kind favour parents bestow on their children

as they gently and firmly leave no doubt as to who is in charge!

So too, our Heavenly Abba/Daddy knows what is best for us, 

and it is also crucial that we, his children, 

learn to trust Him and obey His commands. 

The promises God gives us to take refuge, comfort and peace in

 often requires something on our part as well as His!

Below are but a few of His great and precious

 (2 part) promises !

2 Pet.1:3-4

His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, 

through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, 

4by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, 

that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, 

having escaped the [c]corruption that is in the world through lust.

Matt.18:3

“Assuredly, I say to you, unless you are converted and become as little children,

you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.

 

 John 15:7 

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, 

you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.

Heb.10:36 

You need to persevere, 

so that after you have done the will of God,

you will receive what He has promised.

Ps.37:4 

Delight yourself in the LORD; 

And He will give you the desires of your heart.

Prov.3.5&6 

Trust in the Lord with all your heart 

and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways submit to him,

 and he will make your paths straight.[a]

Ps.145:18-19 

The LORD is near to all who call on Him, 

to all who call out to Him in truth.

He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him;

 He hears their cry and saves them.

John 14:23 

Jesus replied, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. 

My Father will love him, and We will come to him 

and make Our home with him.

Isaiah 1:19

If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the best of the land.

Isaiah 48:18

If only you had paid attention to My commandments, 

your peace would have been like a river, 

and your righteousness like waves of the sea.

Psalm 119:2

Blessed are those who 

keep His testimonies 

and seek Him with all their heart.

How often we see parallels between earthly and Heavenly parenting!

Prov.3:11-12 

My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord,

Nor detest His correction;

12For whom the Lord loves He corrects,

Just as a father the son in whom he delights.

Neh.1:5

Then I said: “LORD, the God of heaven,

 the great and awesome God, 

who keeps his covenant of love 

with those who love him and keep his commandments,

Psalm 103:17-18
But from everlasting to everlasting the loving devotion of the LORD 

extends to those who fear Him, 

and His righteousness to their children’s children— 

 to those who keep His covenant and remember to obey His precepts.

1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, 

He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins 

and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

Oh, how often I am prone to want God to do His part

while unwilling to do mine;

to repent, trust, obey, surrender, sacrifice, yield, wait,

These words conflict with the bent of human nature...

Human nature prefers the 'sugar donuts' of life!

Love is not all 'sugar donuts'

Inducing sweet smiles and cheers

Sometimes love is 'thou shalt have nots'

Resulting in sobbing tears

Love is not all beds of roses

Or a smorgasbord of treats

The One who innately knows us

Mingles delights with defeats

Lest we becomes proud and greedy

Centered on self-pleasing plan

Love reminds us we are needy

Of God first, then fellowman

Because love is more than licking

Frosting-coated mixing bowls

Love is learning to stop kicking

When parental love controls

Because love is tears and laughter

Holding close and letting go

Trusting the blade of the Grafter

When Want's 'yes' is met with 'no'

Love is not always soft cuddles

Love oft suffers long and hard

Until self-will melts in puddles

Pliable and battle-scarred

Love is bearing, caring, sharing

From the greatest to the least

Celebrating while preparing

Someone else's five-star feast

Love is patient in the process

Love is both race and reward

Not all thorns are crowned with roses

Not all losses are restored

...while love, like a life-long 'college'

Winnows wanton, worthless boast

As we grow in grace and knowledge

Of the One who loves us most

Love is not all songs and dancing

Love bears both bitter and sweet

While learning the fine romancing

Of washing each other's feet

Janet Martin

Tea Balls

(nice to mix the night before if you think of it)

With mixer beat well 2 eggs and 1 cup br. sugar

Then add: 1 cup butter milk or sour milk

Beat well then STIR in 1 cup heavy cream

and 1/2 tsp. orange flav. or zest of 1/2 an orange.

Mix dry ingred. and stir in with wooden spoon or gently whisk

till flour disappears.

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1 tsp. soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp salt

3 and 1/2 cups flour

Cover. Let stand a few hours or overnight.

Heat frying oil to approx. 350F.

drop batter by teaspoon full in hot oil.

Test one to see if it is cooked in the center;

if it is continue dropping, turning, lifting, draining

till batter is used up. yield: 4 doz.

Cool and toss in a mix of white and icing sugar,

cinnamon sugar or glaze.

For Goodness' Sake

 It's November, which means-

2025 November PAD Chapbook Challenge: Day 1

For the 2025 November PAD Chapbook Challenge, 

poets write a poem a day in the month of November. 

Day 1 is to write an entrance poem.

Job 1:21

And he (Job) said: “Naked I came from my mother’s womb, 

And naked shall I return there. 

The LORD gave, and the LORD has taken away; 

Blessed be the name of the LORD.”

Eccles.12:7

Then the dust will return to the earth as it was, 

And the spirit will return to God who gave it.

Today, waiving all entrance fees...

Before we can partake...

Extends fresh opportunities...

(Today is my mother's birthday!

She enjoys scones so hopefully these Classic Pumpkin Scones 

will bring a bit of 'special' to her day.)

Naked we came into this world

For all we gain and learn

When life’s final breath is unfurled

Naked we will return

So rather than accumulate

What we soon leave behind

Tis better far to concentrate

On being good and kind

For we all share in common this;

Our empty-handed birth

And, to mimic life’s genesis

So too, we leave this earth

Today, (waiving all entrance fees

Before we can partake)

Extends fresh opportunities

To live for Goodness’ sake

So then, for goodness’ sake let’s make

Kindness a common goal

Remembering that all we take

Beyond This, is the Soul

Janet Martin

Fruit-Evaluation...

How often love relinquishes what we dearly love 

for Who we dearly love~

***

To love something is never Reason enough unless

it is because we love someone

***

2 Tim.3:1-5

But know this, that in the last days [a]perilous times will come: 

2 For men will be lovers of themselves, 

lovers of money, 

boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents,

 unthankful, unholy, 3 unloving, [b]unforgiving, 

slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,

 4 traitors, headstrong, haughty, 

lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 

5 having a form of godliness but denying its power. 

And from such people turn away!

***

We all know it is foolish to wait till autumn to contemplate

what will be the harvest!

Harvest depends on what we sow during planting season!

Today in the Season of life it is still planting season,

even in November.

Fruit is no liar;

we reap what we sow.

We are wise to pause time and again, and evaluate

humbly and honestly the health and hardiness

of the fruit on the tree...

Matt.3:10

The ax is already at the root of the trees, 

and every tree that does not produce good fruit 

will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

On today's to-do/planting-harvest list; can pumpkins...

Roast beets for supper 'salad'...

(Below, last week's first time recipe-try and new fall favourite!)

Myriad medleys of  moments served up inspiration for today's poem...

Upon a scale we oft forget, the fruit of love is weighed

Each new day, rife with gleaming 'yet' grants opportunity 

To manifest love's evidence, as word and deed are laid

Before the One whose ordinance lays the ax to the tree   

 

Upon a scale we cannot see, we heap the fruit of love

While God's goodness streams fresh and free, like rainfall and sunshine

His mercy hails and we reply; as what we prize we prove

By who we serve; vain to deny the fruit upon the vine   

Great peace have they who love God's law, yea, nothing will offend

Then pray for more genuine awe as we approach The Scale

For love is not a liar as it fills limbs that will bend

With fruit of heart's desire and the proof that will not fail 

Upon a scale none can revoke love's sacred fruits accrue 

The deed we did, the word we spoke, the Thought, secretly sown 

Then pray we pay more earnest heed as we embark anew

To till the ground and plant the seed that by its fruit is known

Upon a scale held in hands scarred by love, nailed to a cross 

We heap our answer; no holds barred, holy, holy, the fruit 

Because it tells the tender truth; futile, all verbal gloss 

The fruit of love, the sacred proof that silences dispute  

Gal.5:19-26

The acts of the flesh are obvious: 

sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery;

 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy,

 fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; 

drunkenness, orgies, and the like. 

I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this

 will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance,

 kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 

23 gentleness and self-control. 

Against such things there is no law. 

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh 

with its passions and desires. 

25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 

 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Gal.6:7-10

Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. 

Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return.

  8The one who sows to please his flesh, 

from the flesh will reap destruction;

 but the one who sows to please the Spirit, 

from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

9Let us not grow weary in well-doing, 

for in due time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

  10Therefore, as we have opportunity, 

let us do good to everyone, 

and especially to the family of faith.

 

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