Morning Medley...

 But I will sing of your strength, 

in the morning I will sing of your love; 

for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

Psalm 59:16

Dawn yawns on eastern brink

As what we think we know

Of worst and best

Is put to test

By what day will bestow

The land that lay asleep

Is roused by kiss of sun

The cooing of

The mourning dove

Heralds new day begun

The colors of the world

Shed threads of charcoal-gray

Earth dons its gown

Of green and brown

As night is eased away

Morn spills its beauty-feast

Across new come-to-pass

The grace whereby

We laugh and cry

Strews diamonds on the grass

…and flowers to the branch

That weathered winter’s chill

As soft, within

This skiff of skin

He whispers, peace, be still

© Janet Martin

To Time's Tent-dwellers

 There is only one sure way to be reunited with departed loved ones...

While we are in the tent of our bodies, 

pray, we do what Peter of old urged us to do (his love-letter beneath this poem)

"make our calling and election sure"

Only this makes temporary loss bearable...

and grants peace midst life's storms

As long as we live in the tent of this body

We need reminders to keep us on track

Lest we forget Holy God of salvation

And what it cost Him to buy His own back

As long as we live in the tent of this body

We are the prey that temptation will seek

Then put on God’s armor and never remove it

‘The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak!’

As long as we live in the tent of this body

(for we are souls clad in whispers of skin’)

We need to make sure our call and election

Lest we choose hell; the penalty for sin

As long as we live in the tent of this body

We have free access to our gracious Lord

No excuse, precious, to refuse His pardon

He came to rescue us from just reward

As long as we live in the tent of this body

We wear Soul’s envelope of dust-to-dust

Born to decay, there is no escape from it

Born to relinquish all but this tent’s crux

© Janet Martin

  

...and here, as mentioned, is Peter's tender urging to believers...

2 Peter 1

Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,

To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ 

have received a faith as precious as ours:

Grace and peace be multiplied to you through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord.

Partakers of the Divine Nature

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

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

Through 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.

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

and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love.

For 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.

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

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

Therefore, brothers, 

be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. 

For if you practice these things you will never stumble,

and you will receive a lavish reception into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

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,  

since I know that it will soon be laid aside, as our Lord Jesus Christ has made clear to me. 

And I will make every effort to ensure that after my departure, 

you will be able to recall these things at all times.

For we did not follow cleverly devised fables when we made known to you 

the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

For He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice from the Majestic Glory said to Him, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

And we ourselves heard this voice from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain.

We also have the message of the prophets, which has been confirmed beyond doubt. 

And you will do well to pay attention to this message, as to a lamp shining in a dark place, 

until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.

Above all, you must understand 

that no prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation.

For no prophecy was ever brought about through human initiative, 

but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

But If They Could...

Sometimes we pray for miracles God does not seem to bring

We pray for health and healing for a loved one’s suffering

But in the end God deems it fit to take them from this life

While we are left to mourn the loss of child, husband or wife

…and wonder at God’s perfect way and will we’ll never know

Where “why, God, why”, wafts to the sky as loved ones miss them so

But if they could I’m sure they would from yonder portal call

And tell us Heaven is the greatest miracle of all

© Janet Martin

On Saturday at the wedding, in lieu of traditional wedding favors Jamie and Becca left this;
for so many would-have-been guests, dearly missed...

 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! 

How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! 

For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, 

OR WHO BECAME HIS COUNSELOR? 

Rom.11:33-34 

 Search me, God, and know my heart;
    test me and know my anxious thoughts.  

See if there is any offensive way in me,
    and lead me in the way everlasting.

 Ps.139:23-24

Spring Things...

Spring fills the fields with buttercups and periwinkle stars

In budded copse and tall treetops, hope spills its faithful jars

As faith-filled onlookers, with humble thankfulness applaud

Where creek is full of chortle and the earth is full of God

Spring flings her truest, bluest hue across fine, middle day

It shooshes clouds upon its hills like little lambs at play

It tweaks the cheeks of tulips and rewards the poet’s pen

After winter has lost its will, with flowered things again

Spring wakes within the woman, whispers of her inner child

It giggles in the garden and drives the land-lover wild

It peeks from every crook and nook like a mischievous lad

And makes even the miser look up with a lilt of ‘glad’

Spring plays a harp of willow-wisp, and strings of greenest grass

And larkspur lavished meadow-lanes; its music is first-class

…and up and down the boulevard each yard is like a stage

Where puppy-dogs and children romp like pets let from a cage

Spring rings the bells of heaven; yellow, purple, coral, gold

And everyone bears witness as its miracles unfold

Where we are all receivers, from the greatest to the least

As nature’s kind Creator spreads earth with spring’s glory-feast

© Janet Martin

'Flower' Power

Our Father who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy Name.

Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done... 

Read full prayer here

Oh, we are always on the verge of buds not opened yet

As past and future merge we touch the splurge that Now begets

Then, as the flower of an hour unfolds Ordained Must

We often stagger ‘neath the colors teaching us to trust

We cry to He who fills the bud with shades of His design

His grace sufficient and His ways so opposite to mine

And in our own Gethsemane we weep and pray and groan

“Remove this cup, yet not my will, oh God, but thine alone”

You are our Shepherd; in Your pastures green no want controls

Though storms may toss, beside still waters you restore our souls

Yea, though we walk through the valley of death we fear no ill

Your rod and staff they comfort, as we learn to trust Your will

…where we are always on the verge of buds waiting to bloom

Yet, we are always cupped in the same Hand that picks the plume

Oh Lord, our God, my God, even when no one understands

Help us entrust our ‘flowers’ to the love of nail-scarred Hands

© Janet Martin