Of Sacred Things...

Where summer’s flash of flowers brims

Where tasseled sash of harvest skims

Then dims like daylight on the west

And strews death’s silence with its jest

Where pedestals and pitfalls vie

Beneath the circle of the sky

Some make a sport of sacred things

Not knowing what the morrow brings

Where everlasting soul of man

Is set in skins of choice and plan

Where supple splash of hours spills

Into a cup of valves and wills

Before the last gasp fills the rift

Between the Giver and the gift

© Janet Martin

 For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, 

but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God.

 For, “All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flowers of the field; 

the grass withers and the flowers fall, 

but the word of the Lord stands forever.” 

And this is the word that was proclaimed to you.

1 Pet.1:23-25

Jesus, Forever Friend

He wore a crown of thorns

He bore the cross of shame

So when the heart for comfort mourns

We call upon his Name

Jesus, the crown of hope

Jesus, the mourner’s cheer

Jesus, the name whereby we cope

And confide ev’ry  tear

Jesus, Forever friend

He cares for me and you

And always, if we ask He’ll lend

His grace to see us through

He wore a gory flood

He bore the sinner’s rod

He paid our debt with His own blood

Jesus, the Son of God

© Janet Martin

 Salvation is found in no one else, 

for there is no other name under heaven 

given to mankind by which we must be saved."

Acts 4:12

Someday Around the Throne of God

At yesterday's worship-service 

as we sang I was struck with an awesome rush of joy

as I thought of Someday, when from the four corners of the earth

God's family will worship without being hounded/distracted
by darts and daggers of the enemy!

Someday around the Throne of God, what a day that will be

As from each tribe and nation salvation’s worshipers kneel

Unhindered then, by mortal need or darts of enemy

Someday around the throne of God what flawless praise will peal

The Over-comer of the world with proof unfurled, will reign

No fears, no tears, sickness or pain can ever enter where

We’ll be with He who saved us from the wrath to come, through Him

Someday around the throne of God, what fellowship we’ll share

Someday faith will be sight, and hope will cease and so will prayer

From the four corners of the earth His followers will rise

Those who were dead will shed the grave and meet Him in the air

Someday, around the throne of God, worship will laud the Prize

His hallelujah hymn will thunder like a rushing tide

Someday a celebration unlike any earth has known

Will fill eternity when the Groom comes to claim His bride

And She will never cease His praise someday around God’s throne

© Janet Martin

 Rev.19:6-9

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude,

 like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

“Hallelujah!
    For our Lord God Almighty reigns. 

 Let us rejoice and be glad
    and give him glory!
For the wedding of the Lamb has come,
    and his bride has made herself ready. 

 Fine linen, bright and clean,
    was given her to wear.”

(Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of God’s holy people.)

  Then the angel said to me, “Write this: 

Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!” 

And he added, “These are the true words of God.”

Hitting Reset...

After spending half an hour with an internet technician all is up and running again,

after, on Saturday evening I hit the reset button on the bottom of the router 

after thinking this would fix the wifi problems, 

not erase EVERYTHING including the internet connection...

and this is the least of my recent 'fumbles'😕

We could be crushed, defeated, lost; the cost of love is hard

A tidal wave of dark despair could roll through heart and soul

The way we ought to pray is oft pride and prejudice-marred

We could be tempted to believe untruths that take their toll

We could be ill-equipped to forgive others as we must

And we could/would hate the sting and smart of love’s chastening rod

And we would be a stumbling block; a mockery of trust

Without humble awareness of the daily grace of God

© Janet Martin

Yesterday, (not on purpose) I betrayed a family-member’s confidence

and they were very disappointed in me and I feel terrible!

This was on top of a few other failure-flavoured fumbles

that sit a-top the regular weight of worry love

that wears a mother/wife’s knees thin…

So what is this fumbler-stumbler to do?

…other than consider Love’s/God’s kind mercies,

His grace and patience,

None of which I deserve,

And carry on

 And be kind to one another, 

tenderhearted, forgiving one another, 

even as God in Christ forgave you.

Eph.4:32

Poet's Whether/Weather Dilemma

Isn’t it terrible?!

I just said to myself, ‘Rats, the sun is shining’!

Why did I think that?

Because when it’s raining as it was earlier

I can write without being torn between two worlds!

Torn between green grass beneath my bare feet

Or words falling from fingertips

Torn between tasting the sun, warm and sweet

Or whisper of words on my lips

Torn between wind-song that washes aloft

Teasing the tree’s hoisted sails

Or Want still, supple, unshapen and soft

That only a poem unveils

Torn between taking the face of a flow’r

Between my hands to admire

Or turning my mind from the march of an hour

Intent on the vent of desire

Torn between inhaling rain-freshened air

Pouring an ‘all you can drink’

Or sitting stock-still on the edge of my chair

Imbibed by the meter of ink

© Janet Martin