Kind Word Art

No smiles for the camera today...

But my, she sure brightens a rainy-no-gardening morning!

A kind word is like sunshine

To kiss the bud of gloom

It breaks the shell where wonders dwell

Then swell into glad bloom

A kind word is like ointment

To soothe the wounds of woe

Its gentle grace will heal the place

Where harsh words dealt their blow

A kind word is like laughter

To cheer the dreary day

Like Baby's smiles, it sweetens miles

That had seemed dull and gray

A kind word is like flowers

A garden on the air

It calms distress with happiness

And brings hope to despair

 A kind word is a rainbow

Above the storms of life

A tender spark to break the dark

With love’s unfailing light

A kind word is a diamond

Drawn from a heap of stones

Where haters hurled shards from a world

Of base and broken thrones

A kind word is a picture

Of how heaven will be 

It paints its art upon the heart

In perfect poetry

A kind word is a gift, dear

That we can all afford

And what can ease life's miseries

Better than a kind word

© Janet Martin

May Morning Melody

New morning spreads its fledgling wings,

Alighting on Time’s teeming tress

And from its perch of heaven sings

A hymn of hope and happiness

Where in the thick of highs and lows

And faith-lings learning how to fly

The beauty of God’s love bestows

A launch-pad to another try

For if He gave what we deserve 

Alas, what dread each day would be

But from yon fair and eastward curve

Grace authors morn's new melody

So raise the roof of sun and cloud

With ancient hymns of humble trust

For Mercy’s providence endowed

His proof once more to likes of us

© Janet Martin

 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.

Ps.59:16

What Seems Seemingly Small...

 ...hopefully in a week from now these seeds will be planted!
(wow! hopefully seems to be the much-used word of this spring😏)

From these seeds we hope to harvest vegetables.

We plant them with intention.

Most of what we plant often without purposed intention,

holds a far more crucial harvest!

Those small choices we make often without much thought at all

Those small bites that we take ( c’mon, mostly just crumbs that fall)

When, given enough time and taste will then reveal the sum

As seemingly small ‘morsels’ make/shape the person we become

That seemingly small drink or two, the seemingly small thought

Makes us feel satisfied with what we do (when we should not)

For left unguarded and unchecked a little thing becomes

Without intentional neglect a lifetime’s solemn sums

We ought to pay close heed to seemingly small moves we make

For what is first a teeny seed holds harvest in its wake

And what begins as ‘little sins’ if unaddressed becomes

The decline of morality in monumental sums

© Janet Martin

 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.
The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; 

but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.…

Gal.6:7-8

 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, 

lest at any time we should let them slip.

Heb.2:1

On Being Beautiful...

 What's your Beauty-secret?

How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, 

who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, 

who proclaim salvation, 

who say to Zion, "Your God reigns!"

Isa.52:7

Be the beauty; Not for sake of duty’s strict and cheerless hue

But because love bids us shine for Jesus in all that we do

Be the smile, the second miler; be the kind word, helping hand

Be the cup-of-listening server; be a Son-sparkle on sand

Be the arm around a shoulder; be a bedside shining star

Be the flower of the hour by blooming right where you are

Be the person you would wish for when the way of life is hard

Be God’s mercy and compassion; Be the beauty of the Lord

© Janet Martin

Looking Beyond What We See

 Yesterday's Sunday morning message challenged us to rethink our attitudes on suffering !

Often we pray to be freed/healed from them when in fact, scripture teaches otherwise!

 ...and then, while I was working on this post up came this post on Ann Voskamp's blog!

Hard Times? How to Hear God's song louder than any hard times!

Look, but look beyond the beauty brimming from the beaming bloom

Look, but look beyond the duty of the modest mop and broom

Look beyond the pond that sparkles like a rhinestone in the sun

Look, but look a little deeper than the sweep of seasons spun

Look, but look beyond the panoramas stirring sacred sighs

Look, but look beyond the frond that lavishes the earth, then dies

Look beyond time’s bitty bubble that does not burst to thin air

Look, but look beyond the trouble to the One who put it there

Look beyond the work that is more than the sweat of toil to sod

Look beyond the hurt that sometimes drains us enough to trust God

Look beyond want’s fondest ‘druthers’ to the Place of faith’s reward

Look, but look beyond the surface to the grace of Christ our Lord

© Janet Martin

  And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. 

1 Pet.5:10 

 

 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, 

worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 

2 Cor.4:17

 

 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, 

and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 

Phil.3:10