When, In All This World...

We are bearing a universal cross.

We mourn for suffering and loss of life the world over, 

due to COVID 19.

Let's face it; we're all family.

How about a great big group prayer-hug?! 

Father in Heaven we adore You

Father in Heaven teach

us to trust You for no one

 is ever out of Your reach

Let faith be our Beacon

when sore tempests roll

Dear Father in Heaven

Let faith in Thee make us whole

In Thy Name we pray,

Amen

 2 Corinthians 1:4
Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, 

that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, 

by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.

When, in all this world of wonder, have we ever felt like this?

Bound by kindred hurt and hunger to love’s hug and tug and kiss

When have we, though still oceans, countries and continents apart

Ever felt this closely knitted; sister-brother, heart-to- heart

When in all this world of trouble have we ever faced as one

The awareness of a bubble floating fragile ‘neath the sun

Where the blue dot we inhabit holds love's means to bridge each rift

(We are all indebted creatures to the Giver of life’s gift)

When in all this world of sorrow have we let love intercede

Pulling to the same tomorrow for a universal need

What gathers us more completely in a world of us and you

Than when we suffer together and then help each other through

© Janet Martin

Fragile Fabric...Fold With Care

 Sharing some photos of grand-daughter's first birthday, taken by her momma.

We were able to share a mini face-time party. (so thankful for technology!)

 ...plus one with her VERY mischievous brother 😁

I feel foolishly humbled to even think of grumbling over not being able 

to attend our grand-daughter's first birthday party, 

when I think of all the doctors and nurses sacrificing their time and maybe lives 

away from familyfor days on end to help fight the war on COVID 19. 

Wow! are we not learning to take  NOTHING for granted?!!

 Treasure today. Feel its fabric. Study its design.

Who knows what tomorrow holds!

Now we look a little closer at the fabric of today

Patterns that once seemed quite common bloom in gorgeous disarray

My, the sky is like a poem written in blue-tumbled hues

My, the little lad is handsome in his muddy running-shoes

Forget scolding; suddenly just holding you feels full of holes

As we look a little longer at what comforts and consoles

Bud-bejewelled branches reaching where the chilling winds recoil

Closed signs in shop windows teaching us the sheer beauty of toil

Footsteps floored by the awareness of the holy ground we tread

Where fine art in wild abandon falls from brushes overhead

Let’s not leave until tomorrow what we should achieve today

Lest the time we hope to borrow has somehow vanished away

Let’s look closer at the fabric that morning mercy unfurls

Lest we miss motley mosaics of spilled milk and baby girls

Where what sometimes feels eternal is a blip of now and here

Moment-momentum like waves that wash the shore and disappear

Let’s look closer at the fabric that soon folds and enfolds This

Find the music and the magic in the measure of What Is

Where patterns, fleeting and precious soon evolve and rearrange

Fading like fond, farewell kisses tossed and lost on winds of change

© Janet Martin

Love's Beck and Call

Tis not in vain,

Life’s grief and pain

The Unknown road we trod

If twist-and-turn

Helps us to learn

Our utter need for God

The loss we share

The cross we bear

Is worth its weight of woe

If by its mien

We learn to lean

On He who loves us so

Tis not in vain

If what we gain

Transcends man’s numbered days

As what we learn

Bids us to turn

From proud and careless ways

Pity the one

When life is done

Who did not humbly heed

Love's beck and call

That bids us all

To reckon utter need

© Janet Martin

 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. 

The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, 

who loved me and gave himself for me.

Gal.2:20

Sunday Morning Social-Distancing Meditation

Behold, God is mighty and despiseth not any:

He is mighty in strength and wisdom...

Job 36:5

Behold, God exalteth by His power:

Who teacheth like Him?

Job 36:22

Behold God is great,

and we know Him not

neither can the number of His years be searched out.

Job. 36:26

God thundereth marvelously with His voice;

great things doth He which we cannot comprehend.

Job 37:5

...He causeth it to come:

whether for correction, or for His land or mercy.

Hearken unto this, O Job:

stand still and consider the wondrous works of God

Job 37:13-14

Timely devotion this morning...

 

Oh Lord, what we perceive as bad You work for our good

Then help us trust Your promises no matter what we face

Forgive us when we fear because of Love misunderstood

Remind us of the all-sufficient power of Your grace

How faithful through each season You Have Been, Are and Will be

Then change mind’s art of reason to heart of humility

The battle is not ours, save upon knees with head bowed

Lest we become proud, let us pray then watch You intervene

Help us not to rebel but accept what Your love allowed/allows

Through substance of things hoped for; evidence of things not seen

You work for our good; we who would soon forget

If You did not wake and shake us from attitudes sight-set

Oh Lord, You see beyond the comprehension of our thought

And long for us to lean upon the Pillar of Your Word

For Lord God, you are faithful and Your promises fail not

(Though doubt would oft creep in without faith’s embers raked and stirred)

Remind us who You are; oh Mighty Shepherd of Your sheep

Lord, heal this nation through the thorn that wakes us from our sleep

Surely Lord, thou dost shudder at the ignorance of we

Who dare to challenge Thoughts that taught the seed and wrought the star

Who even with the wisdom that we glean can never see

More than the outer fringes, Holy God, of who You are

Who works for our good in ways too wondrous too descry

The artist of the peacock’s plume, the ocean’s floor, the sky

Lord, let us never dare to curse the One who grants The Way

From death and hell to everlasting life; You paid the price

Lord, let us live in earnest heed of that sure Judgement Day

Remembering obedience better than sacrifice

And as we plead to Thee, oh Great Physician of the Soul

Help us trust Thy Deity to  truly makes us whole

© Janet Martin

"who ever imagined this?!" hubby and I said as we were turning in last night

and thinking  about Sunday # 3 of no  'assembling of ourselves together'...

Thankfully we can worship right where we are 

but we sure do miss the fellowship of togetherness!

Momentous Mold

We are having a full-on dose of gray today

after a few gold-splashed lovelies! 

Lo and behold, the grey and gold that fuels have and hold and such

Bursts at the seams, surges and streams birthing requiems soon lost to touch

*Eddy and whirl, teddy and girl caught on a swirl of sequined mist

Your sky is young, time’s galleon a ship laden with dreamer’s grist

Now push, now pull, morning is full of moment-tulle soon worn and torn

Now work-play-pray, up and away the tattered fray of day is borne

Now wake and sleep and laugh and weep; where none can keep one wisp or sigh

Of gray or gold as have and hold becomes the mold of days gone by

© Janet Martin

*for my granddaughter who turns one today but

Whose birthday will be remembered as the one we had to celebrate from afar

Due to social-distancing due to COVID-19