Above All Else and A Few Other Poem-lets

His creation is free for all to enjoy...

no one has the rights to the sky,

no one can take credit for what seeds deploy 

No one is able to explain His 'why'
No one is master of sky, sea or sod

Because no one is greater than Creator God

© Janet Martin

***

No matter where we are or who

The One Thing we are called to do

No matter what reason or ruse

May fit the frame of good excuse

Not any of us are exempt

(no matter how pious Intent)

From the Greatest Command of all

No matter what our creed or call

To love the Lord above all else

And next, our neighbour as ourselves

© Janet Martin

Matt.22:34-40

 And when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees,

 they themselves gathered together.

One of them, an expert in the law, tested Him with a question:

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

Jesus declared, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart 

and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

This is the first and greatest commandment.

And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”

***

It is so easy to ignore
The carriage of the lie 
but there is always so much more
than that which meets the eye

Facades can fool with cunning craft
 The pitfall Guile achieves
*examine well before and aft
lest appearance deceives 


© Janet Martin

*my dad's advice when teaching us discernment;
"examine not just what is, but where it will lead"

***

the sacredness of numbered days spills out in such familiar ways...
like cooking. 
Creating salads or salad bar for supper. 
Can't quite decide which they would prefer;
Create your own or ready-to-serve.
I have a feeling it will be ready-to-serve style.
Just need to cook some pasta yet then creating begins😋
I worked out in the gardens first thing this morning instead of writing...
It's a warm one out there today so now I'm trying to think of a refreshing supper
(between writing )
Fresh garden greens was the starter to today's salad bowl of thoughts!

the sacredness of numbered days
spills out in such familiar ways
so we should always be on guard 
Seduction plays a wily card
and doesn't seem to mind a bit
If we become misled by it

***

the pleasure of a poem, oh
sometimes with ink, 
sometimes with snow
of gold-dust 
wafting o'er dusk's spa
To crown the commonplace
 with awe
Thank-you, God!

(I was covered with garden dust and plant-dust last night
then looked up to see gold dust wafting on bars of dusk)

***


 


 

Till Ties Are Loosed

 A weekend with fresh awareness of so much to be thankful for.
Esp. 54 years, by the grace of God!
 These heartstrings were tugged every which way but loose this weekend...

Lots of birthday wishes, Facetime tugs, long warm hugs, (how I missed them!!)

treated to first meal I have not cooked since Covid-19 social distancing,

(thank-you Emily. Birthday supper was Delicious!!))

Sunday drive and a picnic by the lake (my birthday gift from Jim)

(and it was a sacrifice because he drives and eats out of a lunchbox all week)

Grand-child joy, second to none!

 Side-by-side sister chat by a camp-fire💗

 My, oh my, how Covid-19's social distancing has sweetened family-ties!

these ties that try and bind and loose

can be an anchor or a noose

they test the best of us in ways

that vexes acumen of gaze

yet stirs us to the utter core

with so much to be thankful for

...and oftentimes loss will remind

us to be more gracious and kind

and count the blessings love employs 

where hope refurbishes life's joys

and showers us from mercy's store

with so much to be thankful for

God intercedes on our behalf

and grants compassion's autograph

in ways we cannot comprehend

where flowers bloom and fruit trees bend

and we are humbled o'er and o'er

with so much to be thankful for 

these ties from God to where we are

do not reveal how near or far

we are from that most sacred bar

that tips the last grain from Time's jar

and spills into forevermore

with so much to be thankful for

...if by His grace we have been saved

through the awful pardon He braved

so through His death mankind may live

and ever, in this old world give

us reason to serve and adore

with so much to be thankful for 

...till ties are loosed and then for aye

without distraction or dismay

How beautiful worship will be

in God's forever family 

As without end his praise will pour

with so much to be thankful for

Janet Martin

I Love You, (A Birthday Poem)

Happy Birthday Emily!

Wishing you God's blessing today and in the year ahead.

Keep shining for Him!

May He bless you as you bless others!

It's a joy to share mother-to-daughter...

  but also mother-to-mother💗

 I love you!

How does one find new ways to say

Endearment’s oldest sweetest phrase

Or capture in poetic lay

Emotion’s oceanic waves

The affection we try to tout

In lines, original and new

Always seem incomplete without

Three little words, so tried, so true

I love you

How does one spell a heart; the art

Of tenderness is hard to snare

It sparkles in salt stars that smart

And catch in our throats somewhere

Where all the verses we compose

Will never leave us quite content

Without this three syllable rose

To satisfy soul’s sentiment  

I love you

Our first words breathed on newborn’s cheek

As we greet babe so pure and new

Our homage to the frail and weak

When no other wording will do

Three words to summarize the whole

When a thousand are not enough

Three words to capture heart and soul

But perfect, when it comes to love

I love you

How swift the days and seasons blur

Into a panoramic sweep

Autumn, winter, spring and summer

With oh, so little we can keep

Save pictures pressed into a place

Where rough edges are gilt with gold

And all that there is left to trace

Are three words that never grow old

I love you

© Janet Martin

Traditional Birthday verses but that's because 

we never outgrow the need for this reminder...

Prov.3:5-8

 Trust in the LORD with all your heart,

and lean not on your own understanding;

in all your ways acknowledge Him,

and He will make your paths straight.

Be not wise in your own eyes;

fear the LORD and turn away from evil.

This will bring healing to your body

and refreshment to your bones.

Midst Chaos, Peace

Midst all the chaos, peace to know

That God is in control

Under His wing still waters flow

even while billows roll

Midst Unknown, knowledge grounds us

For we are not alone

God has his arms around us

While reigning on His throne 

Midst hatred's scheming, screaming

God's stillness yet prevails

Fathomless grace is streaming

With love that never fails

© Janet Martin

 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, 

whose mind is stayed on thee: 

because he trusteth in thee.

Isa.26:3

Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them.

Psalm 119:165

Of Receiving What We're Given and Seeds

Last Sunday we drove through the farming community 

where Jim delivers a lot of cattle he brings from the west

(Badger Rose/Dundalk...)
Gorgeous countryside! 

The land is flooded with June’s green for everyone the same

The Giver of each good and perfect gift knows all by name

And we, created in His image all hold equal worth

None less or greater in the eyes of God of Heav’n and earth

Faith’s substance fits inside a seed; and all depend on He

Giver of life, of sun and rain to sustain earth’s bounty

Not one possesses power to refill wellsprings run dry

From which we all draw water as on Mercy we rely

We, all creatures of need by now should surely recognize

That none are least or greater in a Loving Father’s eyes

For He loves all His children, shame on we who are unkind

God grants to all the breath of life for purpose He designed

Then, lest an evil seed takes root within our heart of hearts

Let’s consider where we would be without what God imparts

Inhale, exhale, warm lips wear smile or scowl, we make that choice

As our hearts pump means whereby He gives His children voice

Let's untwist flawed perception and hate's awful prejudgment

Let's think on things true, noble, right, lovely and excellent 

Let's spur each other on toward more love and its good deeds

 Mindful how all that grows begins with nothing but small seeds

 

© Janet Martin

 “I am the vine; you are the branches. 
If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; 
apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:5

I was baffled for a moment yesterday as I wondered
at what was sprouting among the rocks in the front flower garden
then I recalled an incident earlier this spring...

Grand-sonny was helping me fill the bird-feeders
but finding the full feeder to heavy to maneuver as his short legs tried
to climb over the rocks he heaved/threw it ahead of him 

and it landed in three pieces on the next layer of rocks planting many seeds!

'It was an accident', he wept, and Grandma reassured him
there was no harm done and we can fix it,
and we did and smiles reigned once more.

'We all have accidents' I told him.

It got me to thinking about how many seeds we plant by accident...

Oh, if only our accidents were as easy to fix as a bird feeder.

Heb.10:23-24

Let us hold resolutely to the hope we profess,

for He who promised is faithful.

And let us consider how to spur one another on 

 to love and good deeds.

Work Waits!

'Why are you holding me? I'm a big boy' said Grandsonny 

as I scooped him up in my other arm as we walked across the yard. 

He looked across at his sister who is The Baby 

and wanted to make sure I wasn't mistaking him as one! 

'Oh, I know you're a Big Boy' I reassured him as I kissed his curls.

 'but sometimes Grandma wants to hold the world in her arms'

A bit of a challenge to capture nice keepsakes at this stage...

youngsters don't necessarily look at the camera or smile on command😀
especially if there is a cool tractor going by!

Work waits; but not the little lad or lass with silken curls

And not the bloom where petal-plume its brief bearing unfurls

And not the scene of June’s lush green soon scorched by July heat

And not the tune tapped by the metronome of child’s bare feet

And not the he or she that pulls toward life’s wanderlust

And not the frame dawn hoists and dusk folds back into the dust

Work waits; but not the season spilling wonder wild and free

Work waits, thank God or else there never could be poetry 

So take the time to climb the hill, dash through Wander-lands gates

Or hold to heart's content the child and be glad that work waits

How sad if all we have to celebrate at End of Day

Is to-do lists completed while the fledgling flew away

© Janet Martin