The First Step Toward Happiness

 PAD Challenge Day 5:

For today's prompt, take the phrase "The First (blank),"

replace the blank with a word or phrase, 

make the new phrase the title of your poem, 

and then, write your poem.

The first step toward happiness is, Love the Lord, Your God

The second follows on its heels with cup of coffee laud

and tea parties with friends and neighbours!!! 

Oops, until reason's rhyme

Decided get-togethers 

was akin to deadly crime

(but getting high on cannabis is A-okay as long

as there's six-feet of outdoor space 

between what's right and wrong) 

okay, let's start over, I got a bit off track, sigh...

The first step toward happiness is, 'do not hold a grudge'

The second follows on its heels with 'let God be the Judge'

(But never mind His Word designed to have the final say

That will not fade even when heavens and earth pass away)

Oh dear! One more try!!!

The first step toward happiness is, to put on a smile

The next is not a second step but rather, second mile

For when we help our fellowman we find, to our surprise

That loving one another is where true happiness lies!

© Janet Martin

Yes!! That's what I was trying for!

Thank-you😘

Grand-sonny puts on the BEST smiles...

His sister is a bit more camera-shy

To Become a Champion

PAD Challenge day 4: For today's prompt, write an active poem.

I can still hear my mom and gramma encouraging us 

when we were children and ready to quit,

 'deah veah ohaldt, winned'. 

Translation from Pennsylvania Dutch,..

 'the one who keeps on wins!'

Jordan Spieth is living proof!

The one thing he did not do was quit!

'sometimes I shot balls till my hands bled

and nothing seemed to help' said

Jordan Spieth in an interview 

after his win at the Valero Texas Open

Anyone who follows golf is surely celebrating and rejoicing

with Jordan Spieth, after yesterday's triumph at the Valero Texas Open

  ended a four year victory-drought; his first win in 83 starts!!

Eagle, birdie, bogie, par

What a lot of ways there are

To test confidence and grit

Suffer long and do not quit

Grimace, grumble, grapple, grin

Take a few knocks on the chin

Weep, pray, rant, rave if you must

Slam your club into the dust

Weather heat and wind and rain

Take a deep breath, try again

Perfect drive or bunker-shot

Sometimes high-five, sometimes…not

Sometimes fairway, sometimes rough

Sometimes ace and sometimes duff

There is no way to win but

To keep on with drive-chip-putt

If you want the winner’s cup

Do not, oh, do not give up

This is the only way, son

To become a champion

© Janet Martin

Love Language of God

PAD Challenge day 3. For today's prompt, write a communication poem.

We in Ontario are just on the verge

of bursting into first glorious green!

Meanwhile....(enjoying our neighbour's puppies)

You burst forth, glorious and green

To both pious and libertine

Your showers fall to tame earth’s dust

On both the just and the unjust

Your buds unfetter Beauty’s fleur

Whether gaper is rich or poor

Your sunshine is so warm and sweet

On every shape-shade of bare feet

Your puppies, mischief-cute and soft

Your woodland fair where zephyrs waft

Your sense of Something wonder-wild

Your laughter of unbundled child  

Your brook and bird warble unfurled

In kindred hymns around the world

Convince this bard without a word

Spring is the love language of God

© Janet Martin

Hope

PAD Challenge day 2: For today's prompt, I want you to answer the question, 

"What does the future hold?"

 Then, make your answer the title of your poem and write your poem.

It all 

boils down 

to this;

Where we

 are, God

 also IS. His

 Promises 

will still 

abide

No matter what time may betide, No matter what people may doubt, 

Each breath we take is not without permission from the one 

who gives 

the first 

breath 

whereby 

mortal 

lives

so it all

boils 

down

to This

Where

we are 

Hope

Also

Forever

IS

Before the mountains were born 

or you brought forth the whole world,

 from everlasting to everlasting you are God.

Psalm 90:2

Prelude To Perfect Harmony

Morning rends time’s seamless quiver

Like a Hallelujah Hymn...

Turning to these dear familiar verses this morning...

in Lam.3:22-24&32

Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.

They are new every morning;

Great is Your faithfulness.

“The Lord is my portion,” says my soul,

“Therefore I hope in Him!”

Though He causes grief,

Yet He will show compassion

According to the multitude of His mercies.

From the unplumbed heights of heaven

As moon and stars are subdued

Ensembles of night are riven

With mercy’s anthem renewed

Morning rends time’s seamless quiver

Like a Hallelujah Hymn

To partaker from the Giver

Hails hope’s haloed seraphim

Ever faithful through the ages

Man’s Maestro of numbered days

Tunes the timbre of time’s pages

We cannot reckon His ways

But, because of sins forgiven

And the purchase-price He paid

We praise the God of Salvation

For this new day He has made

Our Father, who art in Heaven

Thou who lovest one and all

Keen us to the composition

Where moments like eighth notes fall

In steadfast determination

Weening that which will become

The sacred manifestation

Of worship’s recorded sum

Help us follow the instruction

Of love's baton in Thy Name

Till pray, death is the induction

Into Heaven’s Hall of (Thy) Fame

Where our songs will never falter

Nor our music be off key

As Beholding melts faith’s altar

Into perfect harmony

© Janet Martin

 

O, God Our Help in Ages Past

 

Till The Storm Passes By

 

Arise, Arise (and let the sacrifice of praise begin)

 

Without His resurrection there could be no 

hope of resurrection/Heaven for us 

on the glorious Day when He returns!

Hallelujah, Hallelujah

Is this not then the most precious verse in the whole gospel!

Matthew 28:6

He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.

Because He Lives

Lest ignorance or apathy becomes our greatest sin

Arise, arise, and let the sacrifice of praise begin

The tomb that held His body and the stone that sealed the door

Could not contain the hope of man that lives forevermore

Then do not let the stones cry out but sing with all our might

Salvation’s plan has been fulfilled; darkness has turned to light

What seemed to be the end was but the part that man could see

The sorrow and the suffering before the victory

Take heart, the part that we behold is not fulfillment yet

Then praise He who did not withhold forgiveness of sin’s debt

But gave his life to offer man, life more abundantly

By becoming a bloody, broken body on a tree

At Calvary they could not see death and hell overthrown

Or fulness of the gospel as it poured from skin and bone

Or how He was set down, enthroned at the right hand of God

For they had seen the heavy stone, the guards, the lifeless bod

But then He rose and grief turned into joy beyond compare

Hope lives; then let redemption’s hymn become a living prayer

He loved beneath the hateful smite and sting of nails and swords

Oh, praise the name of Jesus, King of kings and Lord of lords

For He will not forsake us; His love is faithful and true

Victory’s shining hour waits when life’s travail is through

Receive the gift He came to give; the One we crucified

And crowned with thorns has borne The Rose; let Christ be glorified

© Janet Martin

I Will Come To You...

I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

John 14:18

Let us never dare to think when we see God

we will hold Him accountable to us for something

we are called to suffer!!

On the brink of His betrayal, torture, and crucifixion

to purchase man's redemption 

He gave His Disciples (all who will believe in Him)

a most precious promise!

Have you claimed it/Him?

And I will pray the Father,

and he shall give you another Comforter,

that he may abide with you for ever;

John 14: 16

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, 

whom the Father will send in my name, 

he shall teach you all things,

 and bring all things to your remembrance, 

whatsoever I have said unto you.

 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:

 not as the world giveth, give I unto you. 

Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

John 14:26-27

The above verses were part of a comforting funeral message

 for the family and fellow-mourners

at the loss of Cody Troy

my nephew's son/brother's grandson.

We mourn, but with hope of seeing him again!

 Father Along was sung at the first part of the service

 which aunts and uncles attended

 (second stanza esp. fitting)

Near The Cross

Oh, God, the sense of loss we feel

When loved one’s ways are parted

Can spark longing’s utmost appeal

And leave us broken-hearted

But You, whose ways we cannot know

Though we may seek to fathom

Are always faithful to bestow

Your uttermost compassion

When on the brink of agony

To purchase man’s salvation

You poured Your sacred sympathy

In words of consolation

‘I will not leave you comfortless’

Oh, what a tender token

This most precious of promises

On the eve of Your death spoken

For all who believe will receive

Your Holy Spirit’s kindness

A Truth the world cannot perceive

Because of grievous blindness

But you provide a Comforter

In sorrow’s darkest hour

While we behold the sufferer

You behold grace and power

The bud, before the bloom unfolds

Does not reveal its glory

So too mortal visage beholds

But a glimpse of the story

Then help us not to hate or doubt

Love beyond comprehension

But pray instead for those without

Thy Spirit’s intervention

You will not leave us comfortless

Though trial's troubles test us

We have your precious promises

To sustain and to bless us

Oh God, you know grief's anguish too

You suffered our pardon

Then help us wholly lean on you

Lest our hearts should harden

© Janet Martin

Yet Hope Lives

 

(my brother's grandson)

In Memory of Cody Troy

August 27, 2019-March 28,2021

Yet Hope Lives

When God reaches down from Heaven

For a child, so sweet and fair

Hearts with sorrow’s pangs are riven

We are tempted to despair

When death claims a life so tender

Grief is raw and tender too

Yet Hope lives as we remember

Where this little angel flew

Safe within the arms of Jesus

Is the little child He lent

For a little while to please us

And make homes and hearts content

Gifting gladness with their laughter

Weaving through grief’s agonies

Fond echoes that linger after

Touch has turned to memories

God ordains our days of passage

Before one has come to be

Some He spares from life’s cruel heartaches

Some must suffer patiently

So, by grace that we are given

We will hope and not despair

When God reaches down from Heaven

For a child so sweet and fair

© Janet Martin