How's Your Who-What-For and Why?...(and latest Dave update)

A jumble of thoughts and prayers stirred this poem. I came to this conclusion;

No matter what we are dealing with, if our motive is for anything/One other than God,

we've got a problem! 

Do not boast about tomorrow,
    for you do not know what a day may bring.

Prov.27:1

We do not know what waits to be;

We only know Who knows our heart

And its intent; humility

And human traits are worlds apart

The who-what-for defines the why

The eye is easy to deceive

Until we learn the Truth of lie

The hour that we first believe

If not for God then who-what-for?

What merit mentors word or deed

The eye, a wily troubadour

Is prone to pride and wanton greed

…and without God to guide and keep

Ah, we are like ships lost at sea

Until we learn to trust the lead

Of He who stirs humility

We do not know what waits to be

But this we do; God holds the door

Where Now leads to eternity's

Awesome, Awesome Forevermore

…then we should bow most earnest hearts

To what we hear, so what we do

Will not be for life’s lesser lords

But for He who loves me and you

 When life’s last breath dies on Time’s air

To seal Now's heel-toe tromp on sod

Pray, with humility prepare

Where this who-what-for leads to God

© Janet Martin

Here is the latest update from Karen, Dave's wife, on my brother Dave, who fell from a roof at the end of June...

Hi Everyone,

Well some good news! Dave is starting to be able to use his left shoulder/arm a bit more; he is beginning to be able to lift it a little. Tomorrow we go for the ultrasound to see if anything is torn in there. Hopefully it was just from the broken collarbone. Today was our first day in Elmira for physio. Dave is still having a hard time sitting- the chair has to be able to lean back. Dave has tried eating at the kitchen table but always ends back in his recliner-chair. It is hard to watch. I can see he wants to but it is difficult for him to use his arms and the chair just bothers him too much. I had to laugh today in Elmira. He was trying to fill out the forms but I could see that he was having a hard time, trying to hold the clip board and the chair was too straight. I am not sure what the question was but he looked at me and asked which he should answer; unable to work or something else. I laughed ‘you can’t fill in a form but you think you can swing a hammer!’ The secretary also had a good laugh. He really wants to get back to work.--days are getting long and boring. On Saturday we went to a family Reunion for lunch, which he enjoyed but it wore him right out. He came home and slept, got up long enough to eat and then was in bed for the night at 8:30. Please continue to pray for patience and healing.
Thank-you so much

Sidenote; The stress of Time it takes to heal can take a daily toll even while counting blessings. Please pray for them in these day-to-day challenges, that they may be gracious  and pray God keeps blessing Karen with her beautiful sense of seeing humor even in the hard stuff!

Master of Mindset

You slip through us and trip us up or guide the seeking heart

You turn us to the right or left, build up or tear apart

And no one is invincible; the world is full of you

Sometimes you are a liar; sometimes you are kind and true

You hide in smiles and words, in scowls and howls of discontent

You ride on trains, in planes; you wear a worker’s filament

Or sometimes you are fat and lazy and talk far too much

And no one is immune to you and your designing touch

You play with thought as if it were a hapless, harmless toy

And fill the mind and heart with that which hand will soon employ

Therefore the wise will seek to define you and test your goal

The foolish are swayed by your wind and heedless of the soul

The way you are will shape the way we are or hope to be

You hide behind ten thousand names, both foe and family

For better or for worse you veil most certain recompense

A blessing or a curse, you immerse us in Influence

© Janet Martin

I'm struck anew as I watch Grandson Brantley absorb his surroundings, at how powerful Influence is.

It begins long before we become aware of it;

in family, then friends, schools, books, music, movies, churches,workplaces, etc.

Wherever we go, there it is!

What kind of influence do we allow to influence us as we influence those about us? 

Reminds me of this quote; More is caught than taught

Emily took these photos the other day to celebrate 7 months of Brantley!

 No wonder the author of this hymn was moved to pen these words...

My Soul, Be on Thy Guard
by George Heath

1. My soul, be on thy guard,
   Ten thousand foes arise,
   And hosts of sin are pressing hard
   To draw thee from the skies.
2. Oh, watch, and fight, and pray,
   The battle ne’er give o’er,
   Renew it boldly every day,
   And help divine implore.
3. Ne’er think the vict’ry won,
   Nor once at ease sit down;
   Thine arduous work will not be done
   Till thou hast got the crown.
4. Fight on, my soul, till death
   Shall bring thee to thy God;
   He’ll take thee at thy parting breath
   Up to His blest abode.

A-a-a-h, A-a-a-u-gust

Whether in the garden or kitchen, 

Whether dawn or dusk

August is a rainbow

Beneath halcyon heaven’s hills

A heath of rainbow ribbon spills

It frills the rills of musky husk

And swells in dells of dewy dusk

Where bulrush drains the creek’s refrains

And troubadour of Time unchains

Pulsed vibrato of cricket lay

And stubble-sweeps where wheat fields lay

Fringed with bronze frond, amethyst pond

And dawn’s silver, mist-kissed Beyond

…where everywhere the keen stare looks

Earth flares with wild-bloom garden nooks

Its splay rivals with arrayed rows

Of corn-bean-beets and tomatoes

We snare its fare in jugs and jars

In pictures framed with daydream-stars

The hazy laze of mid-day droops

And draws chit-chat to shaded stoops

To mingle with green-leafy sighs

A-a-h, August; summer’s paradise

Heatwaves ripple on dust-glazed street

And slows the banter of bare feet

Now dash, now splash, Want’s fathoms fade

In cool blue pool, pink lemonade

And August is the poet’s loom

To weave with gold and purple plume

An echo-lay of days gone by

March-April-May, then June-July

Cat drowses in the pumpkin patch

Breeze browses through corn-tassel thatch

A-a-h August; bees buzz vine to vine

What is fills what was; bloom bells chime

Holly-hock, larkspur, zinnia, rose

A rainbow-ream of petals flows

In drip by drop like tick by tock

Into a vault of ether lock

As summer’s sultry color-world

Is gleaned and shucked and weaned and curled

Into a song of hued delight

To play when all the world is white

© Janet Martin

I always forget just how much I love August in southern Ontario until it is here again... 

(photos below do not do justice to dew/rain-glossed roses, but it does grant a glimpse of the awe in a-a-h!!) 

Like Roses From God (are His promises) Sympathy or Encouragement Card poem

My grace is sufficient for thee(2 Cor.12:9)

Help-Refuge, ever near(Ps.46:1)

To them that are of broken heart

And contrite spirit’s tear(Ps.34:18)

I send a Comforter(John 14:16)

To heal sorrow’s heartache

To all who call upon my name

I never will forsake (Ps.145:18,Deut.31:6)

Wonderful Counsellor(Isa.9:6)

I, Jesus Christ the Same(Heb.13:8)

A father full of pity for

Each one who fears My name(Ps.103:13)

My peace I give to you(John 14:27)

Come, I will give respite(Matt.11:28)

Fear not, my child, be not dismayed(Isa.41:10)

You walk by faith, not sight(2 Cor.5:7)

Love bears, believes, endures

And love will never fail (1 Cor.13:7-8)

I, merciful and rich in love

Though grief comes, will prevail(Lam.3:32)

Great is My faithfulness(Lam.3:23)

I, Father, Shepherd, Friend(2 Cor.6:18, Ps.23:1,John 15:15)

I, in the midst of trouble’s woe

Will strengthen, save, defend (Ps. 138:7)

An answer in your mouth

My Word, thy faultless trust(Ps.119:42)

Lamp to thy feet, Light to thy path(Ps.119:105)

A Rock, righteous and just(Deut.32:4)

The God of all comfort(2 Cor.1:3)

My rod and staff to cheer(Ps 23.4)

My grace is sufficient for thee(2 Cor.12:9)

Fear not, for I am near(Isa.41:10)

© Janet Martin