Sacred Mantle...

We all know someone touched by death's solemn sadness, their lives forever altered...

It wraps a sort of sacred mantle about the heart for what we dare not take for granted; each other!

I visited with such a mother yesterday, and we talked of other families who are mourning as well.

Sacred mantle ’round the heart

Who can tell the morrow

Who can know that solemn start

To love’s anguished sorrow?

Who can know, amidst the rush

Of love’s common giving

Who will be the next of us

To pass beyond the living?

Sacred mantle ‘round the heart

Keens a kinder gladness

For each face and place and part

Not yet rent with sadness

© Janet Martin

Little Poem for a Big 'Best Blessing'

It’s nice to have nice neighbours

Wouldn’t you agree

The kind that is but isn’t

Kinda like family

The kind that you can call on

For help, hello and such

A friendly wave, a catch-up chat

If we’ve been out of touch

The kind that makes humbly sure

That we’ve been double-blessed

By the people that live next door

Because our neighbours are the best!

© Janet Martin

First and Foremost

The Birth of Jesus

…But after he had pondered these things, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to embrace Mary as your wife, for the One conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a Son, and you shall give Him the name Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins.” All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet:…

Matt.1:20-22

(The Title Page in this video has an error: it should say Matt Mayer instead of Matt Redman)

To He who lends dawn’s mystery

And bids night’s awning dim

He bids that our love should be

First and foremost for Him

God sent His Son to earth to move

And change the world.  Jesus

Through lowly birth and death would prove

How great His love for us

Upon a donkey mile on mile

His mother Mary rode

To Bethlehem; heavy with Child

To search for night’s abode

No room was found to lay her head

Only a stable’s floor

Only a manger for the bed

Of Jesus Christ, the Lord

Holy, most holy King of kings

Stepped from His throne to be

For all mankind, The Offering

That sets doomed sinners free

They gave to Him the name Jesus

According to God’s Word

And faithful through the ages, still

The heart of man is stirred

No greater story ever told

It is not finished yet

Until the prophecies of old

Unfold all that He said

From He who lends dawn’s mystery

And bids night’s awning dim

He commands our love to be

First and foremost for Him

© Janet Martin

The Greatest Commandment

…“Teacher, which commandment is the greatest in the Law?”
Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart
and with all your soul and with all your mind.’
This is the first and greatest commandment.…

 Matt.22:36-38

Happy First Day of Winter (or Happy-days-will-start-to-get-longer)

In keeping with The Times, the rain outside the window is trying hard to turn into snow.

Last night's rain dissolved the last clinging traces of white,

So after all that snow we've had, we're back to Dreaming of a White Christmas!

Happy Winter Begins!

Season of boots

Coats, mitts and hats

And smoke and soot,

And fireside naps

And steaming mugs

And ice and snow

And sweater-hugs

And cold gales, oh,

And dazzling sweeps

Of green forgot

And shoveled heaps

Of you know what

And fuzzy socks

And small-print books

And crisp, brisk walks

And pillow-nooks

And scrabble-boards

And poetry

Some without words

Like stars set free

To tumble-twirl

In soundless lilt

And tuck the world

Beneath down-quilt

The barren tree

A work of art

Its melody

A tug-of-heart

The dormant lea

A Master Peace

The cup of tea

A sweet release

Season of grays

And fresh-baked Yum

Of humble praise

For Home-warm-home

Of breath-cloud b-r-r-r

And frost-starred glass

Of winter, shiver-

Come-to-pass

© Janet Martin