A Bitty Joy-Ditty

 This is NOT just a Christmas Song!

What hope, such promise to secure

What grace, such suff’ring to endure

What love, such rebels to pursue

To save us from death’s endless due

What joy, the heart of man should fill

What purpose should each plan instill

What honor should invoke our touch

To serve He who loves us SO much

© Janet Martin

Morning Prayer...(roused by morning/mercy's riveting flare)

 Our heart's deep worship is wordless! 

but sometimes we try to find font to fit, 

though a stuttering shadow, to tell of its wonder!

Wake within my worship, wonder

Transfixed by Hope’s Covenant

Where without it, fear would thunder

Like an avalanche, hell-bent

Stir, through Thy Word, faith’s endurance

*Until sight annuls its need

Startle weariness with nuance

Of new morning’s mercy-deed

Fire desire with longing

For that which earth cannot grant

Keep my idle mind from wanting

That which would Thy love supplant  

Keep my feet and eyes from wand’ring

Where Distraction wields its vice

Lord, help me make Time my off’ring

Through love’s Living Sacrifice

Teach me, as I reach to others

How to make my love like yours

Where we, all sisters and brothers

Need the Hope Thy grace secures

© Janet Martin

 Yesterday, as we gazed at my friend's dad lying in death's repose
we couldn't help but wonder what his last breath's Sight revealed!

Hymn by Margaret Mackay...Asleep in Jesus

1. Asleep in Jesus! Blessed sleep,
   From which none ever wakes to weep;
   A calm and undisturbed repose,
   Unbroken by the last of foes.
2. Asleep in Jesus! Oh, how sweet,
   To be for such a slumber meet,
   With holy confidence to sing
   That death has lost his venomed sting
3. Asleep in Jesus! Peaceful rest,
   Whose waking is supremely blest;
   No fear, no woe, shall dim that hour
   That manifests the Savior’s pow’r.
4. Asleep in Jesus! Oh, for me
   May such a blessed refuge be!
   Securely shall my ashes lie,
   And wait the summons from on high
5. Asleep in Jesus! Far from thee
   Thy kindred and their graves may be;
   But there is still a blessed sleep,
   From which none ever wakes to weep.

To Takers of Time's Latest Prize...

Emerging on yon eastward skies

A band of gold ignites the skies

Where breath of life has lent its prize

As eyes and sighs awake

While Mercy sets the diadem

Of dawn upon earth’s yawning hem

And beckons, with time’s rarest gem

It’s free-for-all, to take

…where man, who sees the outside knows

How sure and swift Time’s gift bestows

A labyrinth of highs and lows

To ‘whys’ and ‘ohs’ God-lent

To bridge the breach of doubt with trust

For this cradle of ash and dust

Is woven through with wanderlust

And worship’s wonderment

Then do not fear; the love of He

Who fashions heaven’s majesty

Then lends to likes of you and me

The rose to crown the thorn

Will not forsake us in the task

All that we need to do is ask

Then believe He who tips night’s flask

And fills time’s glass with morn

© Janet Martin

 ...and oh!!! what a morning!

 where we, a little sun-rise starved through all of November drink,

like thankful beggars from the well-spring of Mercy's surprise!

 (I had to laugh and laugh as I listened and imagined
what my not-so-morning people would do if I cranked this song up first thing when I got up!)

So Much To Love...

 In spite of the' holes' in life's give-and-take glove

There's so much to live for and so much to love!

Below, a few sweet, hole-fillers...

 Every year I tilt my head and say 'the tree's not THAT crooked...is it?'

and 'they' say, 'Yes, it is!' Maybe this year is the last year for this tree...(I say that every year)

it's missing a lot of parts but it's got so many pieces of our hearts snagged in it's Broken Beauty

The hurt-hunger-heartache of life’s Stuff and Such

Makes us much more thankful for its tender touch

Like feeling hope’s laughter after sorrow’s pain

Like seeing the sunshine after too much rain

Trouble can be terrible, we all agree

And sooner or later it finds you and me

But its not for nothing; if simply to prove

There’s so much to live for and so much to love

Like feeling the friendliness of a new day

Where God offers Mercy on Time’s polished tray

Like freckles that crinkle on sweet Suzy’s nose

Like treasure that twinkles on work-a-day clothes

Like hearing the music in spite of the noise

Like licking your plate not to waste home-cooked joys

Like feeling that high-five for a job well done

Like touching the trace of a place echo-spun

Like finding some pocket-change in last year's coat

Like tears not of grief, but that lump in your throat

For blessings where beauty and duty astound

In glimpses of heaven with feet on the ground

Like sparkles of summer on winter’s stark hill

Like a red geranium on a windowsill

Like taking a coffee-break from life’s push-shove

Just to be reminded of what’s not to love

The fragile forgiveness of moments soon slips

To Past's Forever-ness far from fingertips

So God, stir within us Your Perfect Enough

Of so much to live for and so much to love

© Janet Martin

Let's Just Be Friends...

“A new command I give you: Love one another. 

As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, 

if you love one another.”

John 13:34-35

 These two youngsters are still learning the art of friendship; 

one minute its hug-you love, the next its hit-and-shove.

But they are babies and simply 'acting their age'

I've seen similar 'action' whether in body or language 

from we who are 'old enough to know better!'

 

...for there is always more to It Than that which meets the eye

Where judgment’s quick analysis cannot the full descry

So before we ignore the More that Mercy’s love defends

Let’s put our arms around each other and let’s just be friends

Let he or she who has not sinned be bold enough to stand

Aha! See there is no one who is fit to raise a hand

For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God

Then let’s not be so quick to shed a fellow-trav’ler’s blood

Let’s just be friends and then instead of condemnation’s slight

The love of God in us will fit us for life's soul-full fight

Instead of fist-a-cuff His love will change hearts, hard and blind

And turn fear into courage because words are soft and kind

© Janet Martin

inspired by a moment yesterday when I oh, so dearly wish I would have kept my mouth shut!