This Exposé of Day-to-Day...

This was part of a text from my sister last night as I poured out my latest 'woe'

in what feels like a long line of little disappointments/frustrations...

Nothing major (like the crosses so many are called to suffer)

But wow. How her kind words helped me refocus 

and reminded me of a Much Bigger Picture.

Thank-you, Lucy💗

This exposé of day-to-day is so much more, my dears 

Than hip-hooray or plan’s ‘nay, nay’, more than laughter and tears 

This life we live that gives us much to celebrate and grieve 

Is far more than time’s gifted span before we take our leave 

This no return where Live-and-Learn’s law never disappears 

Where rise and fall of sky-high shawl numbers our days and years 

Where dawn to dusk is but the husk of morrow’s brittle vine 

Where Mystery and Poetry and Holy intertwine 

Where what we hold is but the mold to farewell’s swinging door 

Where what we do is but the flue to Something far, far More 

Where we are all far more than small dots on four-seasoned sod 

This exposé of day-to-day is our way back to God 

So, friend, take heart, this sting and smart of love’s longing and loss 

This grin and groan as skin and bone takes up its daily cross 

This wrenching pain of ‘try again’, this utter need for grace 

Is but the span twixt God and man before we see His face 

© Janet Martin 

2 Cor.4:18

So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, 

but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, 

but what is unseen is eternal.

I know I've shared this version before but I love it

Keep your eyes on Jesus-The Louvin Brothers

Turn your Eyes upon Jesus-Alan Jackson

Disappointments, We All Get 'Em...

It feels like it's been a stretch

 of vexing little set-backs and disappointments; 

(just life-headaches, but...)

The latest:

I opened a pack of pre-ordered printed Christmas photos and the first thing I see is this...

I had a terrible (well, for technically-challenged me) time getting everything to fit and save 

and didn't notice the date had reverted back to the template setting??😐

That's all I can figure out though I thought I checked everything thrice!!

...so nothing to do but fix it; At least it's not a wedding invitation or something like that!

 

Earlier this month a bright spot was delivered in form of apple pie 

courtesy of many volunteers from our church

assembling them for our young families  

as an encouragement during these trying Covid-times.

(No! We are not considered 'younger family'😊)

 but I had the honour of writing a poem for

 the lids of the pie-boxes and received a pie as a thank-you!

Because someone had framed the poem 

in lovely autumn- artwork I hung it on the fridge. 

Tonight I reread it and decided this coming weekend 

we are baking the pie to enjoy,

and forget disappointments for a bit!

Victoria comforted me with these words

'Sure, in the big picture these are little things

but in the moment they still hurt💛

She makes me want to count my blessings, 

not my disappointments!

And she is one of our best!

What Faith Is This?

How To Please God-Charles Spurgeon 

And without faith it is impossible to please God, 

because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists 

and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.

Heb.11:6

A few sermon-excerpts; 

'this faith must believe that there is a great reward in keeping his commandments, 

that He does hear prayer, 

that He does grant great blessings to those who truly seek Him.

We must believe this or else there is no real seeking of Him.

If we believe in God 

'we must believe that he exists 

and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him'.

for,

'where trust has died out love has always died out too'!

Modern Theology...takes man from what is Written to what is thought.

It does not allow the sovereign Authority of Revelation and in disallowing that

their very foundations are removed, and much of the abounding vice of this day is

the direct result of this abounding unbelief in God, this

philosophical mistrust in Infinite Wisdom

A man only believes that which affects his life,

- Charles Spurgeon from the Sermon How To Please God 

What faith is this that we profess? 

Is what we cannot see 

That which turns would-be commonness 

Into holy, holy 

Faith without works is dead as dirt 

A cold and clanging bell 

Its specious substitutions flirt 

With godless death and hell 

What faith is this that we profane 

When we with pious nod 

Pronounce its syllables in vain 

With hearts afar from God 

What is this faith, mighty to save 

That sires sacred fear 

Is it the Confidence/Righteousness we have 

Or religious veneer 

Better to be without our eyes 

Or ears or homes or food 

Than to forsake Faith’s Enterprise 

And thus, God who is good 

Without faith we are naked, poor 

Lost, hopeless and condemned 

A ship without anchor secure 

A Soul without a Friend 

‘Without faith’ who would dare to wear 

Such a most awful plaque 

Or who would choose faithless despair 

If we beheld its lack 

In this land of revivals, bibles, 

Sunday morning church 

How is it that so much else rivals 

He who loved us first? 

What faith is this if once declared 

No work will prove its life 

What faith is this if it runs scared 

Beneath the Sculptor’s knife 

What faith were this that could attain 

The crown without the cross 

Or think ‘without works’ will retain 

Faith’s gain without its loss 

God is not mocked; no idol, He 

To put upon some shelf 

To gaze at whilst our loyalty 

Is faithful first, to Self 

Faith is Belief in One True God 

Its Must, a gift of grace 

A trust that very few applaud 

And fewer yet embrace 

Faith is greater than futile law 

Or works that cannot save 

Faith first believes, with humble awe 

God’s glorious gift of grace 

How can we approach Mercy’s throne 

Or know His love is just 

Without the essence of faith’s terms 

Belief and utter trust 

Ah, living, loving lasting faith 

In Jesus Christ, our Lord 

What profit hath each gifted breath 

If we miss faith’s reward 

Faith drives afar doubt’s shadowland 

And when things are the worst 

It reaches out and takes the Hand 

Of He who loved us first 

Oh, Spirit of the living God

Send home the Truth of Thee

By the power which saints applaud

Through faith that sets us free 

...free from fear's shackles, can it be

Anxiety and dread

Are swallowed up in victory

As we choose Faith instead 

© Janet Martin 

Momentous Exodus

 

Before the Door is closed 

To opportunity 

Lord, help us find its uttermost 

Potentiality 

Not with a host of Stuff 

To boast of sweet success 

But with the accolades of love 

Turned into holiness

Before the Door is closed 

To what Time will allow 

Lord, show us how to make the most 

Of its Momentous Now

Amen 

© Janet Martin 

 

 

A Face-to-Face With Father Time (no mask required ;-)

 

Yesterday included a tour along a photo-path,

How bitterest-sweetest is Time's Aftermath

.and mean-whilst our

water-woe saga continues😢

So far they have discovered the alarm's sensor-ball stuck so it did

not notify us that the pump in the tank,  installed during previous water-woes

had taken a holiday!

“Man who is born of woman 

Is of few days 

and full of trouble.

Job 14:1

But we all know 

both highs and lows 

follow the same path to 

What Once Was!

You leave, and do not grieve the love 

In hours we held dear 

As echoes ride thy timbre of 

A day-week-month, then year 

How doth thy gossamer design 

Affixed with grin and groan 

Plant and purge Verge’s vapour vine 

In plots of skin and bone 

Where lowest lows and highest highs 

And all points in between 

Are reduced to the husk of sighs 

Where starry eyes had been 

You stretch and squeeze and startle us 

With ways as old as you 

But to the student-heart of us 

It feels foreign and new 

As we, with brunt of blue-gray-gold 

Become attuned to things 

Like what is hinged to have-and-hold 

With fluttering heart-strings 

I do not picture you as crass

But oh, the art you steal

Takes the apprentice of your class

Aback at how we feel

You leave behind the aftermath 

Of all you put us through 

Then kindly grace life’s beaten path 

With Today, Ever New 

© Janet Martin

Ditty For December's Bitty Days

Westward streams the stead of morning through a lower, lesser sky 

Sweeps through noontide, soon soft-tuning dusk’s dark strings with lullaby

Woo me with your wisp of welkin ere your dusk of purple-blue 

Gathers what remains of daylight into Bygone’s phantom flue 

Westward streams the stead of morning through a lower, lesser sky 

Sweeps through noontide, soon soft-tuning dusk’s dark strings with lullaby 

Smooth the stark and stilly scene of soon-twilight-enshrouded-bars 

With a probe at gleaming embers stoked into a show of stars 

Ere the flare of whispers winnows into farewell-blue chambray 

Wake within me keened awareness to what weaves each yesterday 

Tuck the cold curves of December beneath soft white-tumbled banks 

Fill frosted panes of Remember with panoramas of thanks 

© Janet Martin 

Glorious Matters of Fact (for Monday morning's mind-reset)

A Monday-morning poem of encouragement

because sometimes the week can look bleak if we don't seek

Faith's Focus first

May the sunrise of the heavens mirror 

The Son-rise of our hearts!

Romans 5:5

And hope does not put us to shame, 

because God's love has been poured out into our hearts 

through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

Because of human nature’s shortcomings, we make mistakes 

And often learn the most through what we wish we could erase 

I could not bear to rise and shine knowing the likelihood 

Of brand-new slips and stumbles but for this fact; God is good 

Because the darkness of this world is great, where evil lurks

Where we sometimes forget God's grace and pride ourselves in works

I could not bear the cross of consequence's bitter blight

But for redemption's Absolute, and this fact; God is Light

Because we are His workmanship, we bear a sacred charge 

To honour Him with what He gives, however small or large 

I could not bear to forge ahead without this peace of mind 

No matter how I fail or fall or fumble; God is kind 

Because we cannot know the thoughts and ways of The Most High 

We ought to give more earnest heed to what we want and why 

I could not bear to wear the ‘easy yoke’ of steadfast trust 

If I did not believe without a doubt that; God is just 

Because the spirit is willing but oh, the flesh so weak 

Too often we fall prey to ways we should not think or speak 

I could not bear to face the day knowing that sure enough 

I’ll prove once more my mercy-need but for this; God is love 

© Janet Martin 

God Is Love

Think on These Things

 

We all have ample 'opportunity' to get caught up in

unprofitable thoughts; envy, fear, doubt, shame, spite, judgment, anxiety...

On and on it goes!

Years ago, when Victoria was part of Gems 

she brought home this verse-card.

It took up permanent residence on the fridge.

Think on these things; Not that which fosters doubt and despair’s woe 

But dwell upon the love and grace of God Whereby we go 

And think upon praiseworthy things to fill the heart with joy 

On noble, true and lovely things that no foe can destroy 

Think on these things 

Do not let thought get mired in the bog of discontent 

Or tangled in deception’s web or regret’s vain judgement 

But rather think on things that build upon the word of He 

Who will not fail no matter what our failing may be 

Think on these things 

Think of the One who sent His Son, the Lord of Heaven and earth 

Who put on man and began life in lowliest of birth 

Laid in a manger for a bed so none can envy He 

Who loved mankind unto death on the cross at Calvary 

Think on these things 

Don’t give place to the devil; he delights in fear and shame 

And a whole host of evil that draws thoughts from Jesus’ Name 

The name above all names that became the scapegoat for man 

To pay the penalty for sin that mortal never can 

Think on these things 

Think of the tree that stands between Eden and Heaven’s Throne 

The Author of the universe rejected by his own 

Has made a way that all may call upon Him and be saved 

His robe of righteousness clads servants of we, once enslaved 

Think on these things 

Think on the things that foster peace and goodwill unto men 

Joy to the world, the Lord is come to break the curse of sin 

With Soul’s salvation as a gift, not works, lest any boast 

Death’s outer darkness pierced by love and mercy’s uttermost 

Think on these things 

© Janet Martin