May Today Be...

And just like that it's Summer

Happy First Day of Summer!

May today be a hymn of praise

to He who grants all of our days!

Isa.61:10-11

I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,
My soul shall be joyful in my God;
For He has clothed me with the garments of salvation,
He has covered me with the robe of righteousness,
As a bridegroom decks himself with ornaments,
And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.
 For as the earth brings forth its bud,
As the garden causes the things that are sown in it to spring forth,
So the Lord God will cause righteousness and praise 

to spring forth before all the nations.

After yesterday's wind and rain the garden, adorned with nature's jewels,

 springs forth with vivid hymns of praise!

May today be, in Bygone's trove, 

above all else, a cherished thought

A gem in a collection of 

learning to love the way we ought

A token where devotion crowns

the tempo that unravels days

Composing from hope's ups and downs

a memento of grateful praise

May today be in reverie 

a masterpiece Past mediates

Into the kind of poetry 

ink never quite encapsulates

Arpeggios that waltz and brood, 

o'er vistas of echoes unbound

A breathless sense of having stood 

with shoes removed on holy ground

May today, as moments are spent, 

augment inestimable worth 

An intentional investment 

in treasures not beheld on earth 

As, grace upon grace grants no lack

Because God keeps his promises

May today be, when looking back

A frame filled with God's faithfulness 

Janet Martin

Before We Face Today's Unknowns...

Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love,

 for in you I trust. 

Make me know the way I should go,

 for to you I lift up my soul.

Ps.143:8

Before new dawn

breathes soft upon

yon star-glazed canopy

Before our feet

touch down to meet

fresh opportunity

Before we wake

or birdsong breaks

the silence of the night

Before hopes, dreams,

wants, plans or schemes

stir in whispers of light

Before the air

begins to bear

the brushstrokes of Today

God goes before

to hold the Door

then kindly lead the way

© Janet Martin

 

Dear Lucy, Then Heaven...

Dear Lucy, today marks nine months since

you were suddenly called Home...

May all of us who miss you so

honour your memory by loving well

those still within our reach!💓🙏

Lucy loved flowers...esp. peonies!

In her eulogy one of her children remembered her calling to them

to come and stuff their face in a peony 

'because you have not lived till you've stuffed your face in a peony!!'

So Lucy, this peony-season each face-stuffing is in tender memory of you...💝💔

 Won't you too, take time to stuff your face in a peony?!

and when you do, thank God for your loved ones, 

pray for those mourning the loss of a loved one

and consider, if God should call you as suddenly as He called Lucy

nine months ago, if you are prepared to meet Him

because you have received the gift of salvation 

when you believed in Him! 

This is one of the first verses our parents taught us to memorize

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, 

that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

***

When Death, the Scythe that ceases Time, gathers a loved one beyond reach

Then Heaven, once hope's distance clime becomes longing's uttermost roar

Where, though we stagger 'neath the weight of lessons love must ever teach

We turn our eyes toward a Gate that gleams far fairer than before

When Death delivers Farewell's rift and stuns the grasp of mortal ken

Then Heaven, once salvation's gift becomes sorrow's song, over-joyed

And though our tears may flow, we know God's keeps His promises. Amen

He cheers us with strains of 'hello' wafting across yon, gaping void

When Death reminds we who remain how small-swift-sacred is life's lease 

When earthly loss is Heaven's gain then Heaven suddenly draws near

Compelling us with humbler hearts to look upon the Prince of Peace

Until faith turned to sight imparts the face of God and loved ones dear 

When Death, the Scythe that ceases time fells dust-to-dust's brief vestibule 

Then Heaven, once hope's distant clime draws grief to gaze beyond the grave

On He who gathers back the soul, who made Heaven's hope/Home possible 

Conquering death and hell for all who call on Him, Mighty To Save 

~Janet Martin

The Sweet By and By

June Jingle or Anticipation Undone

 Photos directly below from Gingko Footprints Peony Gardens

We have passed the halfway mark of June...already?!! 

Time for a little June jingle as we realize

that what we long anticipated is well underway;

That twinkle in time's eye after winter is past before it begins again! 

That first perennial-garden burst of columbine-lupine-iris-peony pleasure

before lilies-roses-phlox-delphinium-daisy delight

before dahlia-aster-sunflower-sedum...well, you get the idea 😊💖 

Below,  my first roses in many years!

Lupine longing is lavished!

Columbine craving contented...

First foxglove fantasy fulfilled! 

(a first for me in all my years of flower-gardening!

It may not look like much but it is the fruit of much perseverance and patience!!😅)

Anticipation lowers bars where once in winter’s world of stars

We lingered over dreamy hues of verdant greens and welkin blues

And visions of a garden walk midst peony and hollyhock

And benches where we would recline beneath plumes of wisteria vine

Anticipation realized is Pleasure, slowly, sweetly prized

In the luxury of a nose buried in summer’s first red rose

In lounging with tea and a book in a breeze-serenaded nook

Or where perennial bowers bend with the return of flower-friends

Anticipation turned to June is a green-giddy afternoon

Green pastures on yon hillside spread; green-leaf percussion overhead

Green ambience drenching the dell where once lackluster shadows fell

Before each stark, dark barren limb throbbed with nature’s green-whispered hymn

Anticipation kindles cheer for favours lent, year after year

For so much beauty to behold as hours, like flowers unfold

For laundry-lines where clean clothes waltz, for children turning somersaults

Beneath lofty vaults of soft sky tinted with twilight’s lullaby

Anticipation comforts souls where happiness is full of holes

Where joy would lose its wooing spark where dreams oft fall shy of their mark

But June is always right on time and full of delight’s seasoned chime

And colours of summer begun and Anticipation undone

© Janet Martin

Anticipation of long summer evenings...is Reality!! 

For Each Precious Dad...A Thank-you Prayer

Happy Father's Day!

(and prayers for God to comfort those who are mourning the loss of 'dad' this year)

 My Dad

My children's Dad

My grandchildren's Dad

Thank-you God, for each of them!

Our Father who art in Heaven

You gave us dads here below

To be an earthly reflection

Of the love that You bestow

Dads, so steady, kind and giving

Strength on which his family banks

Working hard to earn a living

Often without praise or thanks

Our Father who art in Heaven

Bless each precious dad today

Make Your face to shine upon them

As they trust you and obey

Grant them strength, wisdom and patience

Let Your Word direct their thought

Cheer these unsuspecting students

As by a child, they are taught

Our Father who art in Heaven

Comfort those who mourn ‘dear dad’

Pour Your unfailing love on them

As they miss who once they had

Then, help us to love and honour

‘Dearest Daddy’ while we may

So we thank You, Heavenly Father

For each precious dad today

© Janet Martin

Num.6:24-26

“The Lord bless you

    and keep you;
the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;
 the Lord turn his face toward you
    and give you peace.”

These Are Dark Days...

In Times Like These

In times like these it would be very easy to fall prey to fear but...

2 Pet.1:3-10

His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness 

through the knowledge of Him who called us by His owna glory and excellence.

  4Through these He has given us His precious and magnificent promises, 

so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature,

 now that you have escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.

5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue;

 and to virtue, knowledge;

  6and to knowledge, self-control; 

and to self-control, perseverance; 

and to perseverance, godliness; 

7and to godliness, brotherly kindness; 

and to brotherly kindness, love.

  8For if you possess these qualities and continue to grow in them, 

they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive

 in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

  9But whoever lacks these traits is nearsighted to the point of blindness,

 having forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

10Therefore, brothers, strive to make your calling and election sure.

 For if you practice these things you will never stumble, 

11and you will receive a lavish reception into the eternal kingdom 

of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

These are dark days of doubting God

Of lack of fear and reverence

For He, who through His own shed blood

Purchased mankind's deliverance

From death and hell; sin's penalty

That only Jesus justifies 

He alone sets captive souls free

And fits us for Redemption's Prize

...for all have sinned and fall short of

The glory of God, kind and true

Holy, faithful, and rich in love

He helps us love each other too

When days are dark with doubt and dread

And evil's bold and blinded boast

Mocks or disregards the Godhead

Of Father, Son and Holy Ghost 

These are dark days of unbelief

In our Lord's glorious return

When He will triumph over grief

And pain; when this old world will burn

And Faith will will behold all things new

No suffering or forecasts grim

As He who IS Faithful and True 

Unfurls eternity with Him 

Janet Martin

Rev.21:1-8

Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, 

for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. 

Also there was no more sea.

  2Then I, [a]John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven

 from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 

3And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying,

 “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men,

 and He will dwell with them,

 and they shall be His people. 

God Himself will be with them and be their God.

  4And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes;

 there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. 

There shall be no more pain, 

for the former things have passed away.”

5Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” 

And He said [b]to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”

6And He said to me, “It[c] is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. 7He who overcomes [d]shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. 8But the cowardly, [e]unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

If it were not so I would have told you!

Jesus-

John 14:2

Breath By Breath...

Seeing all the flowers on Sunday at Whistling Gardens

(all photos on this post taken there)

refreshed the enthusiasm of working in my own gardens...

(until I cut through the internet cable with my edger!)

Happily the efficient repair crew has it up and running again!

 Sharing a few more peony photos from Sunday...

***

Each day holds starkly sudden transports

From Time into eternity, for… none knows who

Behooving us to consider things we often don’t!

Each breath, each hour, each step, each grace

Drawing us toward One Universal Certainty.

The other day I read this quote;

‘We often say life is short. Enjoy it!

It would be better to say,

‘Eternity is long. Prepare for it!’

Breath by breath we draw toward

The moment when we meet the Lord

Dear one, tell me, who can afford

To ignore what is certain

Hour by hour we bide our time

Until life’s clock is drained of chime

And death reveals the mystic clime

Veiled by breath’s wafting curtain

Step by step, soul carves its flight

To endless day or endless night

Where none returns from thence, to cite

Its horrors or its wonders

Grace by grace, we face today

Dear one, fall on your knees and pray

For, in each breath eulogies play

And eternity thunders

© Janet Martin

2 Peter 1:12-15
Therefore I will always remind you of these things, 

even though you know them and are established in the truth you now have. 

 I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of my body, 

 because I know that this tent will soon be laid aside, 

as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. ...