The Imminence of Yesterday

The imminence of yesterday

Is ever-present where the Now

Teases our touch with gold and gray

And tests us with Time’s here and how

The spigot from whence moments drip

Rouses a hunger in our core

To realize how quick they slip

From fingertips to nevermore

And in this flow of come-and-go

And have-and-hold’s hello-good-bye

We learn to cherish soft and slow

The here-and-now's swift silver-sigh

…etched on an alabaster reel

Of oh so near yet far away

Where touch is keened with the appeal

And imminence of yesterday

© Janet Martin

Excited to have Melissa move home today until the New Year.

A Prayer

Abide with us, oh, loving Lord

As long as moments flow

From this, Your hand where naught is stored

But what we do for You

Abide with us, oh, gracious God

And may our actions prove

Our willingness to honor you

In humble deeds of love

Abide with us, oh holy One

And let us not forget

The gift of Jesus Christ Your Son

Who paid sin’s awful debt

Abide with us, Savior of all

Instill in us Your peace

And stir us to obey your call

Until our moments cease

Amen

© Janet Martin

Bethlehem's Star (Today's Christmas Poem re-post)

Bethlehem’s star has not dimmed its glow

It beams clearly now as it did long ago

Into the darkness of earth’s desperate night

Bethlehem’s star still offers His light

Still now we gather in awe of His might

To wonder and worship and seek this true Light

Over each cradle and grave see it shine

Mercy and goodness and love so divine

‘Peace on the earth and goodwill to all men’

A message of hope as true now as then

Come one and all, oh, come as you are

Follow the Light of Bethlehem’s star

Janet~

“Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” Matt. 2:1

Of Clock-laughter

The clock laughs from its perch

And doesn’t seem to care

How fast it eats the morning

While I throw a little prayer

Into the air, because the clock

While we were taking-giving

Took what we thought was time enough

And turned it into living

The clock winks from its perch

Imbibed by faded summers

…a constant farewell flow and lurch

Welcomes naive new-comers

While we, both blessed and burdened

By the ether of its order

Chase feet with prayer because the stair

Of time is getting shorter

The clock grins from its perch

It never snores or falters

Where work and home and school and church

Shape and re-shape our alters

We take and break clock-offerings

They spill in faded flowers

The clock tick-tocks, laughs, winks and grins

And plants the air with hours

© Janet Martin

We got home late last night, resulting in a morning of almost-missed buses. I stood in the door-way flinging prayer to the air, asking God for His care to bless and keep...

Victoria's blissful, leisure enjoyment of honeycomb came to an abrupt end as as Mom noticed the clock..."BUS TIME!!"

Then Who Am I To Think Perhaps...

Then who am I to think perhaps

The grace of God suffers a lapse

When dreams collapse or dark despair

Wafts like a noose upon the air

And who am I to think His love

Will somehow be not quite enough

Or that His promises somehow

Do not apply to here and now

And who am I to doubt His will

Or Strength my own weakness to fill

What He has said, so will He do

God, help me then to trust in you

© Janet Martin

But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Cor. 12:9