Showing posts with label selflessness. Show all posts
Showing posts with label selflessness. Show all posts

Monday, June 26, 2023

Enough, Just to Sing

 





It took quite a few attempts to locate, zoom in, capture and identify
 this little Sunday-afternoon 'songster';
a fledgling rose-breasted grosbeak 


(Please correct me if I am mistaken!)





Through dark shadows of love’s sorrows
Over the mayhem of life
Without worry about morrows
Unaffected by vain strife
Seeking no self-aggrandizement
Performing without applause
Or eye-catching advertisement
To attract creature to cause

Not by warble-envy taunted
Nor by fear or dread deterred
But with melodies undaunted
Sings and sings the little bird
Enough to know its Creator
Who grants each minstrel its part
Hears beyond the pitch and meter 
To the timbre of the heart

…oh may we learn by example
From this little feathered thing
How to be content and humble
...enough just to sing and sing
By bias and vaunt unhindered 
Honored to take our place
Enough just to praise the Giver
For our portion of His grace


© Janet Martin

Matt.6:26-27
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns,
 and yet your heavenly Father feeds them.
 Are you not much more valuable than they? 
 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life[a]?

Thursday, September 16, 2021

Of Un-Self-Discovery or Joy-Quest #1


Self-discovery can be a brutal awakening!
The journey of learning to truly love, 
a lifelong undertaking...
unlike the delight of a child on a swing💖
Instant and pure!


Little children, because they live in the moment
are unaware of what a gift it is to truly taste pure joy!
(the aim of the swing-game is to tickle the leaves with toes 
(she did it and her smile is one of pure joy!!)

Little children also soon start to show 
the self-centered nature of humans.
But because innocence has not yet
fallen prey to ulterior motive/selfish ambition
they are quick to love and be loved,
and move on to the next moment!


Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit.
 Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.

Self when absorbed with self is blind
No heritage for humankind
When Self is spent, is left behind
For future benefit
Soul’s carriage, formed of skin and bone
When intent on itself alone
Worships idols of wood and stone
Atonement’s deficit

Self-joy relies on circumstance
The short-lived pleasure of the dance
Is a most pitiful romance
Devoid of love or skill
The drive to thrive in vain excess
Indulging self with yes, yes, yes
Will never lead to happiness
Self cannot self fulfill

How wanting are the riches of
The one who never learns to love
Where enough is never enough
To quench desire’s thirst
But, disillusioned bitterness
Will crown the summit of success
Epitome of emptiness
The life of self put first

For joy is not a purchased thing
No dancing puppet on a string
It is found in truly loving
God first, then fellowman
Then pray, this little life of mine
Will be a light to shine, shine, shine
As Self, engrafted to The Vine
Fulfills the Master's Plan


© Janet Martin

By ourselves we will always fall short of the mark
but by the grace of God and for His glory
given in his name is enough!
Hallelujah!
 

Thursday, November 26, 2020

Lessons Easier Said than Done

 

This is nothing new; the uncertainty of the times we are in!
God bless you as we learn together
to trust and lean more completely on Him!





As God’s co-workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.
 For he says,
“In the time of my favor I heard you,
and in the day of salvation I helped you.”[a]
I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, 
now is the day of salvation.

Learning to lean longer, stronger through meeker relinquishment 
Learning to let weakness be the catalyst to Super-strength 
Learning to be less of me so that there can be more of You 
Are all lessons that are so much easier to say than do 

Learning to listen rather than pour out my heart’s misery 
Learning to be still and know that you are Graced Sufficiency 
Learning to let go while holding on to You, unfailing One 
Are lessons far easier said than wholly, holy, humbly done 

Learning to trust without knowing what lies near or far ahead 
Learning to rest in the promises You gave to us instead 
Learning to live each day like it could be life’s severing tie 
Are lessons far easier to say than do, but we should try 

© Janet Martin

Wednesday, May 29, 2013

What Makes a Successful Marriage?



 


For all the words written, repeated and referenced
For all the books gathering dust on our shelves
Marriage must be a constant endeavor
To put the other before ourselves

‘Easier said than done’, that’s a promise
It seems that Self is a dominant voice
Subtle and always eager to be noticed
Willing to be our soothing first choice

Two become one but with two opinions
Two become one in new love immersed
and Marriage will be a beautiful union
Only if each puts the other first

Alone it is hard to apply resolution
The tie that binds two hearts near and dear
Must be secured by a Third divine portion
God will enable us to persevere

© Janet Martin

Love-lessons in marriage are endless! On Monday hubby and I, Lord willing, will celebrate 25 years of learning! The analysis of what I have learned is this;

Two selfish people= disaster.   
One selfish person= abuse.  
No selfishness= Happy marriage
(or instead of no selfishness perhaps simply; each seeking selflessness)

We have experienced seasons in each of these categories.