This Life Is Full of Lovely Things (in a much-amiss world)

To sun-rise starved Southern Ontarion-ers this morning's stunner

was like a sweet elixir to the soul!

Beneath a rush of blushing wings

A fresh start is unfurled...

This life is filled with lovely things

The fresh start that each new day brings

As dawn unfolds translucent wings

Where God prolongs Time’s grace

Child’s laughter to set hearts aglow

Gardens asleep beneath the snow

Waiting for spring to steal the show

As bud-looms burst with lace

This life is filled with countless joys

Mischievous pups and little boys

The beauty each season deploys

To leave us humbly awed

With handiwork by God designed

Then etched, splashed, pearled, swirled and entwined

Like surprises we thrill to find

On sky and sea and sod

This life is filled with wondrous ways

God wills and grants to gladden days

And turn would-be lament to praise

And weight of want to love

Where learning’s tattered lesson-book

Is brightened by bird-song, a brook

And God-ness, everywhere we look

(If we look long enough)

…where life is full of you and me

And Today’s opportunity

A hand to hold, a friend to be

A tender word to cheer

Each other on, through ups and downs

To be part of the art that crowns

The heart and face with smiles, as frowns

That would-be, disappear

This life, filled with mercies renewed

As morning rends night’s tent, star-strewed

Kindles courage with gratitude

In a much-amiss world

Where life is full of lovely things

To counter cares it surely brings

Beneath dawn's rush of blushing wings

A fresh start is unfurled

© Janet Martin

It was impossible to capture the full scale of the magnitude of the sunrise with

a camera lens. Its colors ran north and south without bound!

I began today's poem yesterday morning before Duty prevailed...

I wonder what yesterday's poem would have been??😅

Yesterday afternoon I was treated to this 'bird-song'

from a treetop symphony!

Before I finished 'yesterday's' poem this morning,

the wonderful Psalm below from today's devotion

began Today with utter loveliness!!

Ps. 130

Out of the depths I have cried to You, O Lord;

2 Lord, hear my voice!

Let Your ears be attentive

To the voice of my supplications.

3 If You, Lord, should [a]mark iniquities,

O Lord, who could stand?

4 But there is forgiveness with You,

That You may be feared.

5 I wait for the Lord, my soul waits,

And in His word I do hope.

6 My soul waits for the Lord

More than those who watch for the morning—

Yes, more than those who watch for the morning.

7 O Israel, hope in the Lord;

For with the Lord there is mercy,

And with Him is abundant redemption.

8 And He shall redeem Israel

From all his iniquities.

Yesterday's poem-kindling...

When Best Intentions Run Awry

This didn't go as planned!

To Grand sonny's 7 yr. old logic it made perfect sense to take a stick

 and whack the snow and ice out of this little china bird-feeder,

completely unaware that Gramma received it for Christmas

 from a family she did childcare for, 

and who thoughtfully picked out this bird and tea lover's gift .

Gramma, (as she came upon the scene of Grandson 

beating the feeder to bits after 'it was broken anyway' 

and before she heard the explanation that caused 

what appeared to be radical unreason!!) 

did not react as patiently as she should have, ahem!!

And then Gramma apologized for her quick and quite annoyed reaction,

and gave him a little 'explanation' on why she treasured it

and on respecting people's things. 😓😅

Grandsonny was very sorry💔💗

It reminded me of how we all sometimes are part of best intention run amuck.

He was simply going to get rid of the ice😂😇

but, no matter how well-intended the objective

 if, when all is said and done

we leave someone wounded/broken or in retrospect realize

our intentions were misguided,

 we owe repentance and apology to whom it is due

however noble our initial intentions were!

The above episode may seem like a pale example,

but the principle  is the same, 

no matter what the details of the issue.

As we mature we realize even compassion can make mistakes.

Sometimes love can get a bit tangled in that fine line 

between sinner and sin!

Oh God, help us all (Whether leader or laity)

 to be humble enough always, to stand corrected!

Would that we be sorry when we should!

God is faithful to help us pick up the pieces,

and move forward by His grace,

for His glory!

Sometimes our best intentions run awry

The good-we-would misses the mark we sought

And every earnest explanation ‘why’

Cannot suffice to fix the wrong it wrought

Sometimes stumbles can test the ‘humblest’ heart

Surprising Self with startling clarity

When Noble Reason errs, (if but in part)

Wreaking havoc from flawed integrity

Fumbles can foster brutal wake-up calls

With jolts intended to open our eyes

Because no one is above pride’s pitfalls

Or too superior to apologize

Then, sometimes all it takes to get along

Rather than justify the cause so much

Is to say ‘I am sorry, I was wrong’

Then let forgiveness work its healing touch

Sometimes our best intentions run askew

The good-we-would leaves shambles in its wake

And every explanation will not do

Other than owning up to love’s mistake

© Janet Martin

Dear Lord, remind us, rather than stooping to sling stones,

to bow humbled hearts before you in prayer for one another!

John 8:2-11

Now [a]early in the morning He came again into the temple, 

and all the people came to Him; and He sat down and taught them. 

3 Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery.

 And when they had set her in the midst, 4 they said to Him,

 “Teacher, [b]this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act.

 5 Now [c]Moses, in the law, commanded us [d]that such should be stoned. 

But what do You [e]say?” 

6 This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him.

 But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, [f]as though He did not hear.

7 So when they continued asking Him, He [g]raised Himself up and said to them,

 “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” 

8 And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. 

9 Then those who heard it, being[h] convicted by their conscience, went out one by one,

 beginning with the oldest even to the last. 

And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 

10 When Jesus had raised Himself up [i]and saw no one but the woman, 

He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers [j]of yours? 

Has no one condemned you?”

11 She said, “No one, Lord.”

And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; 

go [k]and sin no more.”

Nothing But This...

Happy First-Friday-in-February!

F- is for Forgiveness!

***

To hold a grudge is such a heavy weight to carry through the day

Forgiveness frees us from its spite and lets it gently slip away 

Ah, life is much too brief to mar it with the bitter grief of hate

Forgiveness melts its iron bar and flings ajar love's glorious gate 

***

A friend and I decided to bring a splash of 'sunshine'

to February's dreary debut by hitting a few thrift stores

with Extreme Leisure!😂

I found the treasure below to hang in our kitchen dining area

as a gentle reminder of what I/we can quite quickly forget!

Have we nothing but this to bring

To God when shadows fall

To be a gift, fit for a king

Though it may seem so small

Have we nothing but this to prove

The flower from faith’s seed

It is enough. A word of love

A kind and thoughtful deed

Have we nothing to leave behind

When death its due will claim

It is enough, to love, be kind

In Jesus precious Name

Enough to see in every face

The scarred hand-print of He

Who helps us to mirror His grace

With kind humility

Lord, let the Name we utter/cherish most

Because of Calvary

Grant nothing but love's greatest boast

'Not I, but Christ in me'

© Janet Martin

This is (one of) my daily devotionals for this year.

January's 'pathway' focused on God's will

February's pathway focuses on Forgiveness

Forgiven!!-David Crowder

Come as You Are- David Crowder

Of Steadfast Cheer

 

Happy February!

 The month famous for the day that celebrates 

what we hopefully celebrate every day;

Love!

Morning By Morning-Pat Barret (feat, Mack Brock)

Then do not worry ‘bout today

God is a ‘help me’ prayer away

In every circumstance of need

He will our helpless heart-cry heed

Should sorrow try our happiness

He does not leave us comfortless

Should fear threaten courage to steal

Should faith fall prey to sight’s appeal

Should temptation’s enticing stance

Lure us from promises God grants

Should idle words and prideful thoughts

Turn stepping stones to stumbling blocks

Should hope be inclined to despair

Beneath love’s pressing weight of care

Should Want be wont to disobey

Turning alas, to our own way

Should trust grow weary in the fight

To cling to what is good and right

Or, as we face the enemy

Forget ‘not I, but Christ in me’

Or should confusion author doubt

As to Who life is from, about

Or worship bow to lesser gods

That human natured dust/lust applauds

Should trouble its dark shadow cast

The love of God remains steadfast

In whatever we face today

He is a ‘help me’ prayer away

He is a faithful Friend indeed

A Helper in our time of need

A Father to the fatherless

A God who keeps His promises

Hope’s anchor in the storms of life

Joy’s strength amidst opposing strife

Contentment’s gladness undeterred

In all who delight in His word

Where, though we are the Tempter’s prey

God is a ‘help me’ prayer away

What comfort, kindness, peace to cheer

For God is always 'help me' near  

© Janet Martin

Heb.13:5

Keep your lives free from the love of money 

and be content with what you have, 

because God has said,

 “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.”

Rom.8:38-39

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, 

nor angels nor principalities nor powers, 

nor things present nor things to come, 

nor height nor depth, 

nor any other created thing, 

shall be able to separate us from the love of God 

which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

January Farewell Lyric

 A few final, farewell January mementos before February takes center stage

We had 3 sunrises in January; on the 4th, 21st & 22nd...

Though you are infamous because of temps that chill us to the bone

And gales that wail and howl and make us humbly glad for home-sweet-home

And though the farmer does not miss your tricks of frozen pipes and taps

You still spill much to love; your bliss of Jack Frost art, your pristine wraps

Your cooler pace than when we chase spring-summer-autumn’s urgent task

Your gratis shadow-show poured flawlessly on snow, from yonder flask

Your still-life ebb and flow of tundra; white and blue capped sense of seas

Your subdued quietude of muffled, snow-truffled brook-song and trees

Your feathered patron-jam at feeders filled with ceaseless flickering

Your yellow flash as sparrow-hawk crashes carefree bird-bickering

Your pure delight as white-on-white leaves speechless troubadours agape

Your happiness, that we confess is as simple as tea and cake

Your first-month-of-a-new-year-status, soon stripped of its pedestal

By a momentous apparatus that drains every season-full

Drains the outdoor rinks of pink-cheeked youngsters with star-sparkly eyes

Drains the eaves of ‘cicle-brickle, drains the bite from squall-rent skies

Drains winter’s hour of its power to hold gold and green at bay

Drains the bud to leafless lintel, drains bluster’s lackluster gray

Dear January, if we could I doubt that we would hit ‘repeat’

Yet in your wake you leave an ache for lyrics lost beneath Time's feet 

© Janet Martin

Your still-life ebb and flow of tundra; white and blue capped sense of seas

Jack Frost garage floor art!!

Of Payoffs In Waiting (or Something About a Gaping Grave)

Yesterday my dad's oldest brother (and Wayne's father) was laid to rest.

He is an uncle fondly remembered by his nieces and nephews

 for his good-natured, uncomplaining and optimistic outlook

 though his life had many hardships!

We cousins are in a stage where funerals have become our meeting place

and with these gatherings comes the solemn reminder

our childhood playmates are not children anymore,

all of us under the influence of Time's unflinching touch 

and we are reminded of this truth;

that death can come to the young

but it will come to the old

and the realization is dawning that our generation

 is on the heels of the one we are, 

one by one, laying to rest!

A ripe old age turns to mist

 in death's twinkling of an eye!

So then, as we turn again 

to shoulder our yokes of scarred delight

pray we do not lose sight 

of the only payoff that counts

when, for all 'momentary mountains/afflictions, 

the eternal payoff is unveiled!

2 Cor.4:16-18

Therefore we do not lose heart.

 Though our outer self is wasting away, 

yet our inner self is being renewed day by day.

 17For our light and momentary affliction is producing 

for us an eternal weight of glory that is far beyond comparison.

 18So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. 

For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Just beyond what we can see ...

(No matter how bitter/sweet)

lies Payoff's Eternity...

Below, a bit of 'sweet'.

This dog can be sassy and silly one minute

and sound asleep at my feet the next!!😂

Though the payoff of push and shove

Through ups and downs of life and love

May appear, to the sphere of sight

Like a showcase of scarred delight

While grappling with the yoke of truth

By fresh parades of fading youth

And though the payoff may seem small

For prayers that rise and tears that fall

Where today holds no guarantees

That Circumstance will aim to please

The Hierarchy of Hope and Dream

We nurture with fondest esteem

…and though the payoff drags its feet

Where hold and letting go compete

Something about a gaping grave

When mourners meet, its scene to brave

Reminds us with sobriety

Of a payoff we cannot see

The payoff for man’s hope and hurt

Is not a fresh-turned mound of dirt

Is not a final farewell tear

Is not the boon of now and here

Oh no! Death is the turn of key

Where push and shove/life and love’s payoff will be

So then, before it is too late

Pray we would reevaluate

The quests and payments we applaud

And rest our confidence in God

Who will, for all eternity

Unveil what the payoff will be

© Janet Martin

We sang two of my favourite hymns yesterday

What a Friend We Have in Jesus

and Abide With Me

Guarding Against Ungratefulness

Hebrews 13:15 

 Therefore by Him let us continually 

offer the sacrifice of praise to God,

 that is, the fruit of our lips,

 [a]giving thanks to His name.

I am so thankful to a friend who called me yesterday

to make sure I didn't miss the stunning rainbow!

I would have too, because I was * busy making lunch for 

my daughter and grandchildren. (a no-school day celebration)

The children's exclamations of delight filled the air as we gazed.

The rainbow was followed by a few hours of brilliant sunshine

 to cheer our sun-starved spirits!

"it's easy to be grateful in moments like this" I contemplated.

"Why is it so easy to slip into ungratefulness when things aren't so much to our liking?!"

Ungratefulness is like a heavy foot upon the soul

It blinds us to a showcase where God’s works of wonder toll...

***

Ungratefulness can make us miss blessings that God designed

To keep us humbly glad when we were otherwise inclined

Ungratefulness is like a heavy foot upon the soul

It blinds us to a showcase where God’s works of wonder toll

And causes discontentment because we forget the One

Who ought to awe us constantly with all that He has done

Ungratefulness produces bitter fruit, its song and dance

A fickle happiness tickled by pleasing circumstance

Destined to shift and try delight with less appealing bent

Ungratefulness forgets the gift as soon as it is spent

And scowls and vents and kicks against the pricks of trying test

As if we were deserving of only The Very Best

Ungratefulness is often apt to fix on the façade

It tramples on a flower while shaking a fist at God

It cusses and complains, where hymns of thanksgiving should be

It robs us of the joy that God prepared for you and me

And warps, with wishful thinking, the wellspring that He designed

To keep us humbly glad when we were otherwise inclined

© Janet Martin

Give Thanks

Another easy-gratefulness moment!

I missed taking a photo a few minutes earlier when Eager Helper tripped on the stairs

as he was bringing leftover Christmas cookies up from the downstairs freezer,

and the box dropped sending ziplocked bags of cookies for a tumble!

After being comforted, smiles returned!

Sometimes that's when gratefulness is even sweeter, right?!

After disappointment's tears are dried!

Because life is bound to bring devastating disappointment!

One pic of what turned into 

Classic Minestrone Soup! Yummy!