May-day Loom-in-essence/Luminescence

Sigh...but I need to say it; today we are over halfway through May

So, don't waste a minute of what is still in it! 

Remember a month ago?

Some Then and Now shots

(I hope you feel the tug and release of this poem; I wrote the first four lines in each stanza with 8 syllables but then the last 4 lines with 7 to change the tempo a little)


After starker, darker hours

Worlds are washed and splashed with flowers

Nature dons its purest essence

Fronds of *lushest luminescence

Budded bower wakes and spills

Sheen of green to trees and hills

Where earth’s mirth and majesty

Runs its poem to the sea

Fills the rill with lilting lyric

Tempts the wander-stricken spirit

To climb twilight’s shadow-ladder

Listen to leaf’s lisping chatter

Lie beneath wreaths of perfume

Pink with breath of apple-bloom

Where the sky and beck and lea

Runs awry with poetry

Heart soft-tugged twixt please and thank-Thee

Art of season origami

Like the bud still filled with myst’ry

Life unfolds what soon is his’try

Storm and sunshine coalesce

Hope-heartache-hurt-happiness

Quill of thorn spills hunger’s rose

Still of morn wills wonder’s woes

Listen to past’s prelude playing

Daybreak glistens with decaying

May-days murmur through emotion

Like a river to the ocean

Wows us where expectancy

Turns today to poetry

Lures us with pure lust for life

Where the dust of death runs rife

© Janet Martin

Loom-in-essence...

*click link for more luminescence!

Earth Is Not Heaven...

SO much bad news these days…

So much trouble we see

If this was all there was, then hope

Would be a mockery 

 "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. 

In this world you will have trouble. 

But take heart! I have overcome the world."

John 16:33

Logic cannot ration Reason

It cannot explain Unseen

Earth is not a slice of heaven

But the steppingstone between

All the love we have been given

Is not immune to life’s care

Earth will never be like heaven

Just the means to getting there

This brief blip of hurt and hunger

With happiness tucked betwixt

Where nobody can grow younger

Should make us make sure of this…

With time’s what-why-how and wherefore

That its days and years allow

We should never, ever ignore

Who we should acknowledge now!

Here we beg, barter and bluster

Beneath Mercy’s loyalties

But the best that we can muster

Is a trove of memories

…where gross under-estimation

Makes us think God isn’t fair

As if somehow earth was heaven

Not its sorrow-stricken stair

© Janet Martin

 However, as it is written:

 "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, 

and what no human mind has conceived" -- 

the things God has prepared for those who love him--

1 Cor.2:9

I’ve heard this quote stated in a few ways…

For a believer this life is as bad as it gets

For an unbeliever this life is as good as it gets

Or,

For an unbeliever earth is as close to heaven as they will get

For a believer earth is as close to hell as they will get

Thank God For Godly Mothers/Women

We enjoyed a mother-daughter day with mom today...

no pics but lots of chit-chat! (missed you. Mar!)

My sister who hosted the luncheon sent us all home with beautiful blooms!

My mom modeled/models Prov. 31; 10-31 for her daughters...

 Strength and honour are her clothing; and she shall rejoice in time to come.

She openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness.

 She looketh well to the ways of her household, and eateth not the bread of idleness.

 Her children arise up, and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praiseth her.

 Many daughters have done virtuously, but thou excellest them all.

 Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: but a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.

 Give her of the fruit of her hands; and let her own works praise her in the gates.

Prov.31:25-31 

Of all the blessings that life grants

One holds a price beyond compare

It fills our hearts with humble thanks

For godly mothers everywhere

Though words will never be enough

We try in sweet and sundry ways

…and for a godly mother’s love

We lift to God a song of praise

We thank Him for mother, so dear

Who through wisdom, not of her own

Taught sons and daughters to revere

The one true God on Heaven’s throne

Who, by her walk, (not words alone)

Her children, when grown can applaud

And thank her for faithful love shown

That let them glimpse the love of God

© Janet Martin

Earth-heaven's Wee While or Of Parent and Child

 For readers not on FB, in case you missed the 'news'...

 Congratulations to my niece Brittany and her husband Josh! 

They are proud new parents of a baby girl born on Saturday! 

Welcome to a whole new world of wonder!

Can't believe our grandson is 16 mos. old!

Few things in life are quite as dear and lovely to behold

As tender wonder wakening in yester’s girl and boy

When they become the parents of their own sweet boy or girl

Their arms full of new baby and their mouths speechless with joy

There is no sight quite as delightful as parent with child

In new worlds filled with pat-a-cake and baby-hush-a-bye

Where learn-to-walk becomes a catch-me-if-you-can run wild

As mom and dad arrange life around precious sweetie-pie

Ah, there is nothing in the world as beautiful as this;

The clinging-to-one-finger-stroll, dad tall, child oh, so small

Or chubby arms about the neck, or goodnight’s softest kiss

As weariness becomes a way of life’s best years of all

They always seem to catch our eye and stir a tender smile

Where innocence and inexperience make quite a pair

But there is nothing lovelier than earth-heaven’s wee while

Of this-pig-went-to-market-oh-no-we-lost-teddy-bear

© Janet Martin

...and the next best thing to parent and child I'm just beginning to learn,

is grandparent and child!

Brantley loves his grandma's rolling pin collection....

 Suddenly there was a big crash and he scooted away with an 'uh-oh, I might be in trouble' look...

 'Oh Brantley', I said with a serious face, 'what did you do?!'

Then, to ease his uncertainty about Grandma's face I smiled and said, 'oh, it's okay, you're just a curious little boy and Grandma loves you so much. Do you want a hug?' 

and he broke into a big smile of relief and came flying into my arms, 

his heart-thump-thumping against mine

Train up a child in the way he should go: 

and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Prov.22:6