To the Trailblazers...That Were and Are

Here is where we live

Where brave hearts fought to free the land

Where we lie and count stars and night

Or dare to dream dreams big and grand

Here is where we live

Their hardship, happiness and need

Cultivated Inheritance

They cleared the fields where we plant seed

Here is where we live

Homes dot the counterpane of years

In towns and countryside, commerce

Conceived by their blood-sweat-prayers-tears

Here is where we live

And place our foot and fingerprints

To circumstance with our response

That soon becomes Inheritance

© Janet Martin

Who, What, Why

The ‘what’ we do is serious, yes

It commands our best try

But even more important than

The ‘what’ is this; the ‘why’

The ‘why’ with which we do the ‘what’

Is at the very core

Of ‘who’ we prove we love and serve

Through ‘why’ we do ‘what’ for

© Janet Martin

Romans 12:1 (KJV) I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

Romans 12:10-11(KJV) Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord.

Of Love's Humble Joys

I pour ‘more ketchup please’

And pick up toys and toys

And wonder at the common cloth

Of love’s humble joys

I wipe noses and messes

To the music of noise

And ponder the simplicity

Of love’s humble joys

I sing a song and read a book

To little girls and boys

And marvel at the preciousness

Of love’s humble joys

Lord, fit me for the Calling

That each task employs

Fill my days with grateful praise

For love’s humble joys

© Janet Martin

Preeminence

Lamp-post of new morning

Brightens land and sea

Time is still adorning

Mercy’s patient plea

Hope, hunger and heartache

Human-heart alloy

Bids us humbly partake

Of both grief and joy

Soon the swoon of dawning

Pales and deepens to

Noontide-valor spawning

Dusk’s indigo blue

Lamp-post of new morning

Wakens you and me

God’s grace still adorning

Pre-eternity

© Janet Martin 

 ...that in all things he might have the preeminence.

1 Cor. 1:18

'It would be an exceptionally-beautiful morning', I remark to Victoria as we wait for the bus,
 'if it was January!'
 -10C this morning and downright b-r-r-r-r!!

Life is NOT a Practice-Makes-Perfect Experience

For today’s prompt, PAD Challenge day 5, we’ve actually got two prompts 

(that is, a Two-for-Tuesday prompt). Here we go:

1. Write an experienced poem. Or…
2. Write an inexperienced poem.

Plant

Prune

Pick

Eat

Life is a harvest

Bitter with sweet

Live

Love

Laugh

Learn

Life is a lender

Of no-return

Faith

Fear

Fall

Fly

Life is a flask

Pouring try, try, try

Look

Leap

Hope

Pray

Life is vapor

Fading away

© Janet Martin