Master of the Mind

Those voices in my head are not

Always polite or wise or kind

Oh, what a mess they make of thought

If left to masters of the mind

If left to masters of the mind

Oh, how the love of God I grieve

He knows that thought and sight are blind

Their voices condemn and deceive

Their voices condemn and deceive

They turn fear to a work of art

Faith would feel rather than believe

Without God’s word hid in my heart

Without God’s Word hid in my heart

I could not know the Way-Truth-life

Or peace His promises impart

Or heaven’s strength for earthly strife

Oh, heaven’s strength for earthly strife

Makes bearable life’s push and shove

A bulwark in the storms of life

A steadfast Source of Truth and Love

A steadfast source of Truth and Love

What more should mortal want or need

His Word to measure and approve

It does not falter or mislead

It does not falter or mislead

Its truth no brainstorm can outsmart

Where I am prone to pride, hate, greed

Without His Word hid in my heart

© Janet Martin

On Rearranging The 'Furniture'

Make room though your life is crowded

With living’s insistent duress

For awe, when spring’s first green has shrouded

The landscape with happiness

Delight in the wonder of flowers

Though worry its plunder imparts

Make room in the bloom of spring’s bower

For joy shaped in pink bleeding-hearts

Make room for the music of heaven

To soothe away sorrows of earth

Make room for hope’s glorious season

To satisfy death with rebirth

Let goodness and mercy of sunshine

And tender-sweet tempo of rain

In spite of life’s colors less sanguine

Make room for rejoicing again

© Janet Martin

Human-kind...

Whoever in the world we are

Wherever we may be

However rich or poor we share

Much commonality

For joy and sorrow’s high and low

Or love or longing’s sigh

Or God’s free grace whereby we go

Is mortal’s kindred tie

With hurts and hopes and wants and needs

We walk-run-fall-crawl-climb

(If we are known by our deeds

Let’s make them worth our time)

Then, for the sake of greater good

With fellowman in mind

It makes one wonder why we would

Be anything but kind

© Janet Martin

 And be ye kind one to another, 

tenderhearted, forgiving one another, 

even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you.

Eph.4:32

Ultimate Goal...Happy 20th Birthday, Matt

Soon time for all its trouble takes

Each share of joy or strife

And from collected echoes makes

The picture of a life

Where rise and fall of day to day

Not one hour repeats

Grace pours into the painter’s tray

Fresh faith-and-valor fetes

Where constant charge of Now and Here

Is like a gift from God

Love’s colours of both smile and tear

Anoints time’s temp’ral sod

…and instills a most solemn Urge

Within the human heart

As subtle-swift, a steadfast surge

Turns moments into art

Were Gallery of Days Gone By

Showcases Learn and Teach

As That and This soon fills the eye

With pictures out of reach

…and what once seemed like ‘nothing much’

Clad in modest veneer

Becomes, beneath bequeathed taste-touch

A legacy, my dear

Then seek with all your heart, the truth

Pursue integrity

Remember in your days of youth

He who made you and me

With humble mind, take daily stock

Of Time’s Ultimate Goal

Where common tick and tock of clock

Soon strips all but the soul

© Janet Martin

Dear Matt,

 So thankful for the gift of you

that heaps the heart with joys

while soft and swift years turn into

What makes men out of boys

Lord, bless and guide and keep this man

Winnowed from boyish zeal

Lord, make him weak enough to stand

and strong enough to kneel

...and as the years unfold their due

 Of Unknown's breadth and length

Lord, help him learn to lean on you

For both wisdom and strength

Matt, so glad for the gift of you

For all that God has planned

I pray that you always cling to

 His kind, Unfailing Hand

Mom~

(also, SO thankful for all your friends, young men of integrity and truth!
 I often pray for you all!)

 Remember your Creator in the days of your youth, 

before the days of trouble come and the years approach when you will say,

 "I find no pleasure in them"--

Eccles.12:1

Isaiah 33:6
And He will be the stability of your times, 

A wealth of salvation, wisdom and knowledge; 

The fear of the LORD is his treasure.

Ecclesiastes 10:2
A wise man's heart directs him toward the right, 

but the foolish man's heart directs him toward the left.
 

Matt.6:33

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, 

and all these things will be given to you as well.

Ps.119:9
How can a young man keep his way pure?
By keeping it according to Your word.