As Long as Earth Remains...

Raise up glad offering of praise and fill the air with song

The gracious Keeper of our days does not forsake His own

And He has promised nevermore to curse the ground again

Though we are rotten to the core and arrogant and vain

As long as earth remains, God said, I will not wipe away

Seedtime and harvest, summer, winter; night will turn to day

So lift hope’s hymn of gratitude; By God’s goodness man lives

And though his heart is wicked yet God’s gracious love forgives

Hallelujah, even as relentless winter seethes and moans

We will praise Him lest His worship rises from the stones

For as long as earth remains the Lord our God assures

Winter will turn to summer for as long as earth endures

© Janet Martin 

Gen.8:20-22...

 Then Noah built an altar to the LORD, and took of every clean animal and of every clean bird and offered burnt offerings on the altar. The LORD smelled the soothing aroma; and the LORD said to Himself, "I will never again curse the ground on account of man, for the intent of man's heart is evil from his youth; and I will never again destroy every living thing, as I have done. "While the earth remains, Seedtime and harvest, And cold and heat, And summer and winter, And day and night Shall not cease."

Yes, I'd Settle for Dandelions Too

"The first day of spring is one thing, 

and the first spring day is another.

The difference between them is sometimes as great as a month."

~ Henry van Dyke

Found the above quote on  Pamela's blog and needed to share it on this stormy Saturday morning...but if you're hungry for some spring pics hop over to her optimistic post:) She mentioned she would even settle for dandelions! I think here we would all settle for dandelions too...anything but white on white on white...

I'd settle for dandelions although I've tugged them tenaciously from each garden row

Or trampled without much appreciation, their sassy yellow-fellow grin

Our eyes are winter-weary, though we don smiles bravely stretched to cheery

We pine vehemently for tender touch of sun-warm kisses on our skin

I'd settle for rain-song rolling from leaves into gutters and gullies and eaves

And about that picnic we planned; I'd smile though it must be postponed a while

Spring vistas are darling and ever-green-sweet even when enjoyed from a window-seat

We crave vivid shades on the Artist's palette; to tease and please and beguile

Bedraggled bushes and mud on the mat; why, I would even settle for that

Because it simply means that earth is preparing for colors like green and gold

As rivers and streams rush and gush with the demise of winter's spent reams

While we kick off shoes and winter blues prepared to bid adieu to its cold

Janet :~)

Hubby just called to remind me that yesterday was March equinox meaning in 3 mos. the days start getting shorter!

...yes, I'd settle for dandelions!

But She Will

 Thursday, our first day of spring did not win any popularity contests!

The weather worsened after I was home...

Spring, as of yet has not beget

What she is well known for

Of violet vales and emerald dales

And glad, sun-dappled floor

She has not spun from rain and sun

Those blossoms on the tree

Or teased to naught the frigid draught

Of winter revelries

But given time, this stricken clime

Of ice and sleet and snow

Will bear with joy the kind alloy

Of green and golden glow

And we know soon the afternoon

Will toss her sun-flecked lanes

Beneath our feet, though now a sheet

Of weary white remains

Spring has not brought forget-me-not

Tulip or daffodil

No garden-play or willow-sway

Or robins, but she will

© Janet Martin

Dance Card

Today I want to touch with gentle hands

Life's music written where I cannot see

The composition of a sweet, slow dance

Unraveling in moment-melody

The names and faces on this card are blurred

With ease Time’s Unknown glides across the air

Like midnight, often far more felt than heard

I sense her whispers running through my hair

Love’s live-laugh-loving lilt, its hold-let-go,

Its intermingling of gritty and grand

Of whirling, twirling wonderment and woe

Oh, let me trace each line with gentle hand

Hope places purpose in each daring step

Where faith and fear approach to take my arm

And often I am torn between the grip

Of precious peace and breath-stealing alarm

But oh, today I want to touch Time’s curve

With gentle hand, enjoy its offering

For this slow dance is more than I deserve

And darling, I don’t want to miss a thing

© Janet Martin

Where Spring-peepers Sing

Snow-swaddled swamp waits in chill-brazen dusk

Wind wails through cattails, blue, bullish and brusque

Umber-capped hilltop rouses thoughts of spring

Where in its twilight the spring peepers sing

Ruddy reed weathered by winter’s caress

Longs for the chestnut of summer-rich tress

Stark-still they suffer knowing time will bring

Saunter of zephyr where spring peepers sing

Shadow-hands etch frozen art on a sheaf

Yearning for whisper of unfolded leaf

Ah, lovely meadow of first-flower fling

Where we can list to the spring peepers sing

© Janet Martin

Thursday Thought on Thought

Within the framework of a thought

Every word and deed is wrought

God bestows to you and me
Head to hand authority 

Thought is nurtured subtly

What we hear and what we see

Plants a seed; oh, fleshly hand

Follows where thought gives command

Mighty matrix of all things

Forging from its hidden springs

All manner of good and ill

Touch is subject to thought’s will

God, teach us with holy fear

Thought’s authorship to revere

For the hand is ever taught

By the power of a thought

© Janet Martin

A few C.S. Lewis quotes to touch your thought today...

Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.

 We all want progress, but if you’re on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; in that case, the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive.

 I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen: not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.

 Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither.

 A man can no more diminish God’s glory by refusing to worship Him than a lunatic can put out the sun by scribbling the word, ‘darkness’ on the walls of his cell.

(one of my personal favorites;) The homemaker has the ultimate career. All other careers exist for one purpose only – and that is to support the ultimate career.

(another fav)   No man knows how bad he is till he has tried very hard to be good.

Birthday Card

Fresh frame of hope stirs, imparting its reach

To unmarked pages of lessons to teach

Up from our slumber we rise to embrace

 The soft unveiling of mercy’s washed face

God’s gracious guidance of Light does not fail

Dawn’s woven wonder in soundless exhale

Melts into morning the darkest of night

Stunning our gaze with its faithful delight

Stitched to the vesture of past, yesterday

Will not torment us again with its fray

But from love’s wellspring that never runs dry

Beauteous advent of Day fills the sky

What will the color of its garment be?

What will it spill to fill vast history?

Momentous miracle, blue, gold and gray

God-granted gift in the birth of Today

© Janet Martin

Willing Winter Away

 Dreaming dreams of Garden-days, Sun-warm kisses on my face, Heaven-dirt between my toes, 

where another summer grows...

From ether vaults mute moments drip

Easing tired tempests from Time’s grip

To past’s eternal deep

For they are frayed and weary-worn

With garments thin and tatter-torn

And it is time to sleep

The poverty of stricken hill

Pines for the laughing daffodil

Where moody winds moan wild

And every tree is like a maid

With arms spread wide to gowns of jade

And nature’s favored child

Somewhere beneath white satin sheen

Begins the stir of evergreen

In Mother Nature’s womb

For she must be delivered of

Those petal-things we dearly love

Of summer-splendid bloom

The kindling of a bandit-breeze

Arouses raindrop revelries

And sassy robin-trill

Where winter reigned, so cold and proud

The color of a kinder cloud

Gentles its stubborn will

© Janet Martin