Unbridled Hallelujah

A hymn of praise to our awesome Creator and Saviour!

Isn't being marveled speechless the best?!!

(as I was yesterday at Ripley's Aquarium in Toronto, Ont. Canada)

Gen.1:20

And God said, 

Let the waters bring forth abundantly 

the moving creature that hath life...

Whether we are poring over His Wonder-full Word or

witnessing wonders of His Hand,

whether we are weeping for joy as we behold

in our mind's eye, the cross of Calvary

or whether we are wonder-struck,

 beholding glimpses of God's majesty in creation...

Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;

And His greatness is [b]unsearchable.

 Ps.145:3

To the God of creation

Oh, may our honor be

More than mouthed adoration

But heart-humility

To the God of salvation

May our lives confess

With faithful exaltation

Redemption’s righteousness

To God, of earth and Heaven

May worship never cease

Through Him we are forgiven

Christ’s death, our death’s release

To God be all the glory

The beauty of His grace

Will reveal faith’s full story

When death unveils His face

For the God everlasting

Who will make all things known

Hears the cares/prayers we are casting

Before His glorious throne

God is hope's restoration

The Savior of the soul

The healer of all nations

The faith that makes us whole

The joy of the believer

Sin's pardon all may claim

The dread of the deceiver

Who trembles at His name 

To Alpha and Omega

The Beginning and End

Universal ecclesia's

Father and faithful Friend

May unbridled devotion

Compose love's fervent lay

Majestic as an ocean

That no shoreline can stay 

His goodness and His mercy

Without reserve, run rife

Absolute Supremacy

The Way, The Truth, The Life

Boundless heights and depths thunder

With evidence of He

Who eclipses awed wonder

Who will bend every knee

To God, love’s divine Author

May our devotion brim

All glory, praise and honour

Belongs only to Him

Mortal boast is folly

All we have, He gives

Through God, just and holy

Redeemed Sinner lives

© Janet Martin

Psalm 145:5

I will meditate on the glorious splendor of Your majesty,
And [d]on Your wondrous works.

(read whole glorious chapter here)

Reminded me of this song video

I Will Praise Him Still

Call To Dance

Writer's Digest poem-a-day (PAD) Challenge Day 2;

For today's prompt, write a second chance poem.

A ballroom, misty blue and gold dangles from waning moon

A sense of more than 'growing old' unfolds from night's cocoon

 The heavens, like a butterfly, spreads ethereal wings

 Hope's magnum opus fills the sky; creation sings and sings

For, to a track record of stumbles comes a call to dance 

 As from the Hand of mercy tumbles mortal's second chance

Upon its maiden voyage, morning's gleaming barge embarks

Laden with leaps of courage and the heralding of larks

Desire drives the dreamer wild with bud-bejeweled sweeps

Where quiet poet is beguiled to dredge ink-fueled deeps

And never waste the wonder that deserves more than mere glance

As boundless heavens thunder, soundless, with love's second chance

Janet~

Lam.3:22-23

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases;[a]
    his mercies never come to an end;

they are new every morning;
    great is your faithfulness.

Family...(or Best Gift Ever)

'This is the BEST day ever!"

declared Little Girl through a mouthful of raspberry jello and whipped cream💓😊

(don't we all feel like that when we have our mouths full of our favorite food?! lol)

Here's a fun little take on the poem-prompt below

Favourite Food

It is extremely hard to be rude

When one's mouth is full of one's favorite food!

So maybe the way to treat our fellowman

Is to eat as much favorite food as we can!😅

Happy April!

Writer's Digest poem-a-day (PAD) Challenge Day 1:

For today's prompt, pick a word that begins with F, 

make it the title of your poem, and then, write your poem.

Today, ah, what a gift

Of sacred tears and smiles

As morning sets a barge adrift

That dusk deftly exiles

Today, ah, what a course

Of forceful ups and downs

A gift that God’s mercies endorse

And twilight’s tableau crowns

Today, a tray that tips

And who knows what will spill,

But He who permits and equips

According to His will

Today, ah, what a lease

From God to man is borne

The canvas of love’s masterpiece

-es restored morn to morn

Today, ah, what a call

It bears for you and me

To remember that we are all

A great, big family

Let’s treat each other thus

And treasure each Today

For nobody knows which of us

Will next be called away

Today, always today

The page where ink runs rife

And writes with what we do and say

The story of a life

Today, let’s live and love

As kindly as can be

For you and I are all part of

God’s great, big family

© Janet Martin

Rom.12:9-21

Love in Action

9 Love must be sincere. 

Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 

10 Be devoted to one another in love. 

Honor one another above yourselves. 

11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.

 12 Be joyful in hope, 

patient in affliction, 

faithful in prayer. 

13 Share with the Lord’s people who are in need. 

Practice hospitality.

14 Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. 

15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn. 

16 Live in harmony with one another.

 Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position.[c] 

Do not be conceited.

17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. 

Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone. 

18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you,

 live at peace with everyone.

 19 Do not take revenge, my dear friends,

 but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: 

“It is mine to avenge; I will repay,”[d] says the Lord. 

20 On the contrary:

“If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”[e]

21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

The Place Prepared (For We Who Believe)

 The Cleft of the Rock

Unto the Hills

Let not your heart be troubled

Through storms that toss life’s sea

My word is true; I have gone to

Prepare a place for thee

I am Thy tender Shepherd

And Lamb of Calvary

Do not despair; beyond life’s care

The place prepared for thee

Take up thy cross with courage

Though harsh the way may be

Each step, each tear, each prayer draws near

The place prepared for thee

Let not your heart be troubled

If ye believe in Me

Love will not fail; death will unveil

The place prepared for Thee

Then worship Me with gladness

This present misery

Is but the woo that draws thee to

Thy place prepared; with Me

© Janet Martin

John 14:1-6

“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 

2In My Father’s house are many [a]mansions; 

if it were not so, [b]I would have told you. 

I go to prepare a place for you. 

3And if I go and prepare a place for you, 

I will come again and receive you to Myself; 

that where I am, there you may be also. 

4And where I go you know, and the way you know.”

5Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going,

 and how can we know the way?”

6Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. 

No one comes to the Father except through Me.

Foretaste...

 Hymn of Heaven- Phil Wickham

I was introduced to the above song last night.

While we long for Heaven we delight in its foretastes...

hymns like the one above or

such as the heavens declared the past two mornings!

Yesterday...

Daybreak kindles expectation

Draws ajar starred crepuscule

Floats above unbound creation

Flaming frays of gauze and tulle

God’s hand ruffles welkin tresses

Lowers a translucent scrim

To showcase His masterpieces

Earth and heavens exalt Him

Wonder exceeds explication

Praise and worship interlace

For the Author of creation

And the glory of His grace/face

Daybreak, like a boundless ocean

Rushes over eastward shores

Delight turns into devotion

Mercy has not barred its doors

Daybreak ushers in fresh favor

Faithful hands tip love’s pure grail

Bidding us once more to savor

Promises that will not fail

© Janet Martin

Today...just now

(after gorgeous Sailors/driver's-take-warning skies; freezing rain/sleet has started)

Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer,
And He who formed you from the womb:
“I am the Lord, who makes all things,
Who stretches out the heavens [c]all alone,
Who spreads abroad the earth by Myself;

Isa.44:24

This Is Not Role-play (prince and princess-training)

Grand-daughter (little princess) turns three today!

Her wish; a princess party! 

So on Sunday mommy, aunties and gramma enjoyed some princess role-play

(quite unlike the training of these little charges)

Let’s be gently kind and patient; let’s be diligent in prayer

For princes and princesses in training need our utmost care

Seems too soon the tender duel between right and wrong begins

Innocence is like a precious jewel; let’s guard it with angel-wings

This is not role-play; this higher calling than most calling is

Prince and princesses require constant correction and kiss

This is no small undertaking; title Mom and Dad imparts

This is Wisdom-in-the-making melting its way deep in hearts

Preconception under fire, fatigue-warped, sweet, would-be joy

Duty dominates desire, all for darling girl and boy

My, oh my, so much explaining; wisdom is a hard-earned crown

While Prince and Princess In Training strain at chains of featherdown

Let’s ask God to guide and bless us; lest we lay a stumbling block

Lest we trip prince and princesses at the mercy of the clock

Let’s love spills and stains and messes; what a gift each moment is

With prince and princesses in a sacred metamorphosis

© Janet Martin

Her sheer delight at her first glimpse of the eagerly anticipated birthday cake

made me wonder if perhaps this is how our faces

will look when at last princes and princesses in training will behold 

the eagerly-anticipated Day/King!👑

a few more fond-moments memories...

Prince/Brother, who received a random-patches 'quilt/comforter' for his birthday 

made by great-gramma (my mom)

 was just as excited as Princess when she received hers

 because they were hoping she would get one too!

Train up a child in the way he should go,
[a]And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Prov.22:6

Dusk Reflections

Due to crisp temperatures tonight's walk 

was brief and brisk! 

B-r-r-r-r!!

At dusk the day dons slippers

Soft and plush and pink

Shadows lean against the hill

Like quills poised for ink

The landscape is an easel

The skyline, a sill

Where stiff silhouettes are etched

Dark and stark and still

At dusk the quiet thickens

Until all we see

Are reflections in windows

Where day used to be

© Janet Martin

Because We Are His Loved Ones

 

As I pray for they who suffer great sorrow for the loss of loved ones, 

for those in war torn countries or

for those who suffer angst of concern for loved ones in war torn countries, 

for they who suffer the ravages of physical affliction, 

for they who must watch loved ones suffer

and oh, especially for they who have still not believed 

but reject the Saviour of the soul, 

( whose most beloved we are,)

for all who miss out on the joy this world cannot give

Again and again I cast my care on Him 

because He cares for you and me!

Sweet, sweet comfort in the midst of bitter grief!

We are not alone in our suffering...

'After we have suffered a while the God of all grace

who has called us unto His eternal glory

will perfect, strengthen, stablish and settle us!'

2 Pet. 1:10

Amen

Because He cares for me and you, whatever may befall

We need not fret; He’ll see us through our struggles, great and small

Because he bids us cast our every care before His throne

We need not worry for we never bear love’s cross alone

Because He is the Way, the Truth, the Life eternally

We need not join the fruitless strife of doubt’s futility

Because greater is He in us than he of worldly creed

We need not fear, but simply trust for He supplies our need

Because He honours those who honour Him, though scorner’s jeer

We need not let their insults dim the hope that we revere

Because He died so we may live, and bore our sin and shame

We need no purpose but to give all glory to His Name

Because God’s love runs deep and wider than thought’s farthest glim

All that we need He will provide as care is cast on Him

Because of faith’s established goal, though dark the strait between

Our need, the Saviour of the soul, will wholly intervene

Because our utter need is met in faith's redeeming hour

We need not fret; because the cross will never lose its power

© Janet Martin

1 Sam.2:30

But now the LORD says: ‘Far be it from Me; 

for those who honor Me I will honor, 

and those who despise Me shall be lightly esteemed.

Far graver than the battle is an illusion of peace

Causing our souls to slumber while evil's armies applaud 

Far graver than war’s fearful horror's while death-tolls increase

Is walking, talking, laughing, living without fear of God

Far graver than faith's groaning as we stand on steadfast guard

Is the seductive courting of diversion's deadly dance

Far graver than the blood and tears that stain streets, sorrow-scarred

Are hands and feet, soft, smooth and lily white with ignorance 

Far graver than the suffering that rouses our pleas

For more than this world can bestow, is life without a care

For, graver than the crushing blow that brings us to our knees

Is living without ever bowing before God in prayer

© Janet Martin

In The Cross The Peterens