Thursday, June 28, 2018

Dear Pretty Pleasure

This morning's 1-minute Bible Love Notes  devotion focused on a topic that has filled a train of thought  going round and round in my head recently! 

I've listened to this message many times because it encourages us to be diligent and wise! 

Dear Pretty Pleasure...
You steal, with bold appeal, attention’s appetite to fill
Where taste and look and listen are always eager to thrill
Be careful, some enjoyments seemingly harmless at first
Drop little seeds that grow into a fruit flagrantly cursed

The root of evil oftentimes disguised by pleasure’s vim
Flaunts little lies to lure our eyes from attributes of Him
And not until the sting of consequence startles our gaze
Do we become aware of Temptation’s ingenious ways

…of tearing down while we were busy being quite at ease
With the compliance to senses always eager to please
Where human nature does not care to pay a pretty price
For something that purchases nothing… but humble sacrifice

Popular opinion based only upon Opinion’s sum  
Begets from dregs of blind belief a horrendous outcome
My dear, my precious, dearest child, pray God to draw your eyes
To look into His word to ever keep you truly wise


Our God, a kind forgiver forgives the mistakes we make
He does not leave us helpless or hopeless; but for our sakes
He gave His word, His perfect word that will not pass away
But guards and guides us with pure truth toward the Judgement Day

© Janet Martin


Flower-song





A color choir trembles where
Not long ago the earth was bare
And from a page of pungent bars
Unfolds a stage of flower-stars

A refuge from the busy street
We gather in sun-hats, bare feet
To linger in the changeless ways
Of flowers in these changing days

Far removed from harsh stones and sticks
Hurled whilst debating politics
Here in the cool of day methinks
God still walks midst purples and pinks

…and all the wonder-tinted plumes
That break the bud with brilliant blooms
A hymn of flawless harmony
To cheer the likes of you and me

….where flowers, perfect from the start
Are like sweet music to the heart
Then we join nature’s flower-throng
To praise the Author of their song

© Janet Martin




Wednesday, June 27, 2018

Perspective for Peace





Come, all ye sons and daughters
Sing triumph’s hip-hooray
Is still the same today

Then do not fear the contest
We walk within the will
With three words, “peace, be still”

© Janet Martin



Who Knows...But This




What waits to be in poetry?
Will it be triumph of success?
Or disappointment's infantry
Marching through tampered happiness

What waits to be for you and me?
Ah, will it author joy or dread
As twilight lowers to the sea
A canopy of bronze and red

What waits to bloom where bud as yet
Has not unveiled the thread within
The Future, a dark silhouette
That Today's colors will fill in

What waits to be a memory?
Where consequence and circumstance
Insist upon the courtesy
Of how and why we choose to dance

Who knows the woe that waits to be
The joy still set out of our reach
Where Love, in perfect sympathy
Lends lessons only tears can teach

What waits to be revealed where we
Walk through a way as yet untrod?
Who knows but this; that we will be
Held and beheld by faithful God

© Janet Martin

 Looking unto Jesus
the author and finisher of our faith;
who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross,
despising the shame,
and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Heb.12:12

 He has delivered us from such a deadly peril, and he will deliver us again. On him we have set our hope that he will continue to deliver us,  as you help us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gracious favor granted us in answer to the prayers of many.
2 Cor.1:10-11

This poem was inspired in part,
as I prayed for my sister-in-law Karen who is still not able to walk since her fall a few weeks ago.
Hopefully a cat-scan this Friday will give some answers!
Please continue to keep her and Dave in your prayers! 


Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Rites of Passage...


What a month celebrating the 'rites of passage' this June has been!
Babies, birthdays, baptisms, weddings, anniversaries...and funerals!
This is life.


Hope and heartache meld mere moments
Joy and sorrow interlock
Love and longing try their torment
Through the ticking of the clock

Winter, summer wields its whisper
Mystery and aftermath
Carves within thought’s world of wonder
Faith and fear’s opposing path

Sunrise, sunset-seasoned suture
Skims the sod and keens the Soul
To the winnowing of  Future
Drawing us toward The Goal

Give and taking in the making
Of what we will suffer next
Leaving we of sleep and waking
Sweetly glad and sorely vexed

© Janet Martin