Then May!

Happy, Happy 

Sweet-sweet welcome,

May!!

A few first day of May thrills...

We weathered the tether

Of parka-mitt weather

We shoveled and shoveled some more

We hailed snowflake-choirs

And stoked smoky fires

And wished old Man Winter would snore

We pined for first flowers

Withstood pelting showers

In hopes of a grand hip-hooray

Because always after

The storm spills the laughter

Because first comes April

Then May

We dreamed in full color

And planned garden-splendour

(No aphids to vex fantasy)

We endured the mayhem

Of March-April tantrums

Knowing that what must be must be

We baked till the oven

Protested the lovin’

Of bread, bun and muffin foray

We shook the dust-bunnies

From book-nooks and crannies

Because first spring-cleaning

Then May

We pored over packets

Forgot last year’s headaches

That planting is certain to bring

We flung windows widely

Then drew them shut tightly

With blue lips and teeth chattering

We busied our fingers

While dizzy with hunger

For blossomed and sun-warm entrée

We waited and waited

Till one morn, elated

April turned a corner

 Then May

© Janet Martin



Enough...

We sprawl ‘neath a shawl

of bottomless blue sky

And soak in a sauna

of sun

It is enough

Enough, we sigh

To know spring fought winter

And won

We take to the yard

All poets at heart

Whether we admit it 

or not

Imbibed with a sheen

Of countryside-wide green 

The shiver of winter

(almost) Forgot

© Janet Martin

Last night the stars fell

in violets

Dotting a sky of green

I tiptoe

For fear I will

wake up

And find it was only

A dream

 © Janet Martin

Some Positive Nevers...

They say never say never...
Depending what it is, good advice,

but there are some nevers

we may cling to fearlessly!

Thankfully.

Time spent with a child is never wasted...
Below, a popular look-at-the-new-day vantage-point that never gets old:)

It's been a busy morning already!

Canning the last of the sausage from a pork order we got yesterday

 reminded me of an occasion earlier this winter when

the financial advisor dropped by to talk about investments, retirement savings, etc.

He was quite intrigued by the heap of bulk sausage on the table,
all the jars being filled etc and wondered what on earth we are doing?!!

When I explained how we pack it in jars,

coldpack it in the canner 

and bring it to a rolling boil then reduce to medium heat and steam for 3 hours
 he with a most bewildered expression asked

'rolling boil, what...is a rolling boil?!!'

He had the same look on his face as I am sure I have as he runs through
phrases such as; asset allocation, index funds, equity, bonds, dividend, capital... 😁😂!

Victoria made a treat for her co-workers...

Something ‘bout new day imparts

Gladness to my heart of hearts

Whether weather gold or gray

God is never far away

…wrapping us in His embrace

Draping destiny with grace

Fitting us to face the task

Whatsoever He may ask

How-so-ever colours blend

Where-so-ever highways bend

Whosoever we may be

He loves uncondit'nally

Never leaving us alone

Never forgetting His own

Never granting worthlessness

Never breaking promises

Never nonchalant or mean

Ever present, though unseen

Never inconsiderate

Never ungracious or late

Never takes a holiday

Never turning us away

Ever tuned to humble prayer

Ever constant in His care

Ever faithful to the end

Ever Everlasting Friend

… Something ‘bout new day imparts

Gladness to my heart of hearts

Whether weather gold or gray

God is never far way

© Janet Martin

Never will I leave you,
Never will I forsake you.
Heb.13:5

Planting More Than Seeds...

 We kick up the dust

and scatter seeds of trust!

So another garden-year begins...

(yes! earliest planting is in!)

 Hope looks pretty plain at the onset,

But oh, the bounty and beauty it blooms into!

...all by the grace of the Creator.

Hope is the seed dropped into sod

Where what becomes is up to God

Hope braves the element of Now

Trusting God with the When and How

Hope tends the plot; it tills and plants

To at least give the bloom a chance

Hope does not abuse happiness

Not eats the bread of idleness

Hope drops the seed into the sod

Nay, plants it in the hands of God

© Janet Martin

The Great Law of Love

Ah, moral law what sacred bar whereby life’s wrong and right is proved

Yet, may we never use it to make one feel judged rather than loved

Love in its lesser form neglects to caution, rebuke and advise

It claims to care but views a stumbling fellowman with half-shut eyes

Yet, futile to deal with effect before identifying Cause

Where without love there is no merit in waving a book of laws

Forbid, before noon’s flying colours fold into the close of day

That we with earnest heart do not forget to love enough to pray

Lest while we criticize and point at dust-specks in another’s tries

We overlook the beam that looms in our own fault-finding eyes

Forbid we speak of love and yet when push and shove turns into grind

We fail to be its tender proof; not gentle, meek, patient and kind

Then pray at break of day before we face time’s tides that stilly roar

That we above all else seek grace and strive to love each other more

© Janet Martin

Romans 3:19-20, 23-24

  Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, 

so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God.  

 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; 

rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin.

... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  

 and all are justified freely by his grace 

through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Romans 13:8-10
Owe no one anything, except to love each other, 

for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.  

 For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, 

You shall not murder, 

You shall not steal, 

You shall not covet,” 

and any other commandment, 

are summed up in this word: 

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”  

 Love does no wrong to a neighbor; 

therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

the law of love Matt. 22:35-40
 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him.  

 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”  

 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God 

with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  

 This is the great and first commandment.  

 And a second is like it: 

You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  

On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

 Matt.7:1-3

 “Do not judge, or you will be judged.

For with the same judgment you pronounce, 

 you will be judged; and with the measure you use,

  it will be measured to you. 

Why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye,

 but fail to notice the beam in your own eye?…

...and if you are not tired of reading

you might enjoy this post 

Liberty or License

by

Dr. Alan Snyder