Keeping Our Eyes On The Big Picture

As eyes begin to turn Christmas-ward 

may we see Bethlehem

and when we see Bethlehem 

may we see Calvary

and when we see Calvary 

may we with tender love

see our fellowman

and in humility

Love one another

in every way we can

 My heart goes out especially to those who have had a really hard year

and all we can do is trust the One who has been there

and knows the hurt of hardship

and holds all the answers in His love

Lord, help us trust You for the How when reason seems unjust

Once thorns, not roses pierced the brow of Thee who pitied us

The hands that touched and healed the sick were pierced with driven nails

But still You kept Your father’s will because He never fails

Lord, not for gain of riches vain, forbid that we aspire

But love for fellowman, let this set humble hearts on fire

And help us not to count the cost, for once on Calvary

You gave Your all to save the lost and set sin’s captive free

Lord, when faith fain would stumble beneath burdens hard to bear

When mouth is drained of answers as it lifts the heart in prayer

Protect us from prisons of doubt in spite of what we see

And turn our eyes to look upon the Love of Calvary

…for Lord, we suffer nothing that you did not suffer more

No place to lay Your head, You came, knowing what lay in store

From heaven’s throne to earthy groan Lord, King of kings You came

Author of hope, we cling to You and praise your worthy Name

© Janet Martin

 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy;
I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.

John 10:10

How flat our words of encouragement would be without living hope!


For everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, 
so that through the endurance taught in the Scriptures 
and the encouragement they provide we might have hope.
Romans 15:4

Oh, Mon Amour

 There were trembling lips by mommy and her little girl this morning when they parted...

A bitty cup 'o tea comforts many an ache...

Ah love...

You kiss the mouth with smiles

You mist the eye with tears

You fill the ear with whispers, dear

The heart with yester-years

You compose melodies

As hello and farewell

Arrange with ease fond memories

Where once fleet footsteps fell

You help us to hold on

You teach us to let go

Ah, love you make well worth the ache

That you alone bestow

You kiss the mouth with smiles

You frost the brow with years

You fill the heart with sacred art

 And brush the cheek with tears

© Janet Martin

Of Felled Fronds...

Though it lingers soon the fingers

from a hand we cannot still

Steals the such-and-such we touch

like lilies felled upon yon hill

And the Face once flushed with pleasure

at the treasure it beheld

Learns the elemental measure

of moments that mutely meld

Weaving in their wake meek wonder

for a strange and younger cast

Stirring sentimental hunger

in the heart for seasons past

Yet the very ache that turns our heads

compels us to commit

...to never overlook the threads

soon woven into it

© Janet Martin

Hugs and special prayers today for those holding

dark threads...

They will, Lord willing, become bright again!

This poem By Corrie Ten Boom

is a tender reminder of the big picture

The Tapestry

My life is but a weaving

Between my God and me.

I cannot choose the colors

He weaveth steadily.

Oft’ times He weaveth sorrow;

And I in foolish pride

Forget He sees the upper

And I the underside.

Not ’til the loom is silent

And the shuttles cease to fly

Will God unroll the canvas

And reveal the reason why.

The dark threads are as needful

In the weaver’s skillful hand

As the threads of gold and silver

In the pattern He has planned

He knows, He loves, He cares;

Nothing this truth can dim.

He gives the very best to those

Who leave the choice to Him.

Happy Day Before Thanksgiving Day...

PAD Challenge 22:

For today’s prompt, take the phrase “(blank) Day;” replace the blank with a word or phrase; make the new phrase the title of your poem

Tis November-twenty-something and all through the store

Dash shoppers with carts filled with goodies galore

The stuffing, the taters, bread, cheese, munchies, booze

A new tablecloth, gaudy balls, spike-heeled shoes

Quick glances at cell-phones then frantic ‘oh mys’

Clean the house-decorate-make-and-bake-pumpkin-pies

Make sure we all have clean shirts-skirts-pants etcetera

‘Make a memory’ by doing at least one thing together-yeah!

Hurry home, unload stuff, hang up laundry to dry

Flip out at little Tommy who has no idea why

Blast into the bedroom, chuck junk in a corner

Zip into the closet for the vacuum cleaner

Down the stairs, up the stairs, phone rings…she can’t…

On second thought, she better; it might be important

What, What?!  You forgot to order the turkey?!

Well kids, looks like dinner will be good old beef-jerky

Nope. Back-track to Walmart for a frozen bird

Crowds crowd every aisle, dazed yet undeterred

Looking for things lists have not seen before

A big orange whopple-glop to hang on the door

A glitzy itsy-bitsy filled with ‘stale crunch’ to eat

A centerpiece too big to fit in the back seat

And branches from a sort of pine-treeish-looking thing

Tortured with fake holly berries and red and green string

It’s nudge-push-shove , yes, I blush now just to tell it

People clinging to crushed ads of You-Want-It-We-Sell-It

Only to hear at the end of their wild-goose trek

…sorry, we’re sold out until next year; rain-check?

Now the weary get wearier, the greedy, greedier

While the spenders get spendier and the needy, needier

And tempers are quickened and nerves put on edge

Mother trips on the carpet, Dad backs into the hedge

And out on the streets voices are raised in anger

Because someone caught texting caused a fender-bender

And now everybody is worked up and riled

They pocket their phones ‘yes, it coulda been a child’

Meanwhile, mentally reaffirming while they’re still alive

That today was the last day they would text and drive

…then its back to the house but straight out the back door

Better stay clear of this yearly kitchen uproar

I, baffled beyond logical explanation

Decided to find out just ‘what in 'tarnation’

In a world of quick-stops, on line shops, self-check-outs

What is all this frenzied, hyper-rush about?

 ...and you could have heard a pin drop when this Canadian asked it

Jaws fell, so did apples from a dropped apple basket

Why, have you not heard, someone turned to say

You better hurry for tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day

© Janet Martin

written entirely for humor-value...well, almost.

I'm Canadian so the only rush we have here are those falling prey to Red and Black Friday-sale decoys dangling on every cyber-street corner;-))

and every store window.

Happy Day Before Thanksgiving Day, dear American Friends