Of Spent Summer or Of Summer Spent

 Happy First Day of Fall 

The hour is upon us

Where bower, fen and dell

Are laden with the onus

Of flowering farewell

The season of Spent Summer

Like an ocean of stars

Hangs soft upon the tremor

Of autumn’s kindled bars

In thrum of shadow-dapples

In rum-colored remains

In sums of plums and apples

And wild aster-fringed lanes

In diamond studded fretwork

Of gossamer design

Where spider’s artful network

Dazzles shrubs, gates and vines

In countless ways and wonders

Of teeming crook and crease

Earth’s quiet canvas thunders

With many a masterpiece

In Cana lily taper

Brandishing scarlet flares

In leaves, like gilt-edged paper

A Fine Author prepares

In 'toxicating scents of

Ginger, cinnamon, cloves

In foraged storage boxes

For sweaters, scarves, hats, gloves

In zinnia pomp and splendor

In bossy blue jay shriek

In contemplative candor

Of truths time cannot tweak

In hunts for garden treasure

Of Yukon gold and such

In savoring the measure

Of moments meeting/meting touch

In revamped whims and wishes

In sun-glossed tassels tossed

With Jack Frost's first soft kisses

And roses summer lost

The hour is upon us

Where the gleam in Time’s gaze

Stokes a sacred awareness

Of man’s flower-like days

© Janet Martin

...and what a stunning debut to the first day of fall!

The Way a Summer Disappears

 

Happy (Sad) Last Day of Summer

 (Insert brave smile😢)

(Ignore date on cover of slideshow of a very

lovely last day of summer!))

It is as old as smiles and tears

The way a summer disappears

The way a bud unfolds bloom-art

The way a baby steals a heart

The way the voyage of the sun

Knows when another day is done

The way dust settles and crowds fade

After the last inning is played

A flit of yellow butterfly

A bitty bee buzz-buzzing by

A silver diamond-sparkle splash

A bright pink popsicle mustache 

A wave washing the sandy beach

Corn on the cob, a dripping peach

A whisper of leaf-lullaby

A spark that spirals to the sky

A ripple on a turquoise lake

A candle on a birthday cake

A brown-eyed Susan fringed footpath

A grand illusion aftermath

A picnic lunch, a cup of tea

A swing ride high as high can be

A puddle spangled with raindrops

A muddle of mothers and tots

A meadow('s) lark, a cricket's trill

A golf ball rolling down the hill

A shadow-stippled, stubbled slope

A tug-of-war twixt hurt and hope

(And always, always, autumn wins)

Wheelbarrow heaped with squeals and grins

A dance in crocs, flipflops, bare feet

An echo-Rembrandt, bittersweet 

A task-drill run rife with Reward

A basket filled with 'thank-you Lord'

A canning pot, a kitchen, hot

Garden-fare rush, ready or not

A mellowing of green and gold

Of aches and pangs of growing old

As loss and love and longing brim

A dahlia-hallelujah hymn

A happiness that overflows

Like petals from a withered rose 

A boo-boo, blisters, band-aids, bugs

A hello kiss and goodbye hugs

A hard day’s work, a holiday

Is how a summer slips away

© Janet Martin

Established Evidence

Gen.1:11-12

And God said, Let the earth bring forth grass, the herb yielding seed, 

and the fruit tree yielding fruit after his kind, 

whose seed is in itself, upon the earth: and it was so.

12 And the earth brought forth grass, and herb yielding seed after his kind, 

and the tree yielding fruit, whose seed was in itself, after his kind: 

and God saw that it was good.

Gal.6:7-9

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

8 For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; 

but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

9 And let us not be weary in well doing: 

for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

A grower's chief delight is the fruit and bloom laden plant!

At harvest, as the fruition of labor fills orchards,

gardens, vineyards and fields with yield,

it stirs humble, holy awareness, once again

to the sacredness of planting season!

I am so happy the farmer next door planted soybeans in the field beside our property.

For years this field was a grazing pasture for cattle,

but the new owner keeps his herds inside and so for the first time

since we live here (33years) I have enjoyed the evolving beauty of soybeans close-up!

...and last but not least, Today!

We will reap what we sow

The tree, known by its fruit

Choice-seeds that fall do not stay small

But soon take sacred root

Oh God, you are not mocked

Stir in our hands and hearts

The imminence of recompense

That harvest time imparts

Where the spirit and flesh

At constant odds, contend

With what we sow, for it will grow

Tis futile to pretend

Because the seed reveals

The essence of its kind

Thus, what we plant is what will grant

The harvest that we bind

Ah, even as we reap

Seeds fall; God, help us see

With reverence the evidence

Of fruit upon the tree

© Janet Martin

p.s. a reader just mentioned hopefully I will get a picture of the harvest to complete the circle! 

I sure hope so!

Luke 6:44

For every tree is known by its own fruit.

For men do not gather figs from thorns,

nor do they gather grapes from a bramble bush.

Common Wealth

Through the majestic arches of Westminster Abbey

rang words of everlasting truth and hope, not just for those attending Her Majesty,

the late Queen Elizabeth II's funeral but for everyone in all walks of life

Hallelujah! 

A few powerful pointers and reminders to take with us!

"The pattern for many leaders is to be exalted in life and forgotten after death.

The pattern for all who serve God, famous or obscure, respected or ignored,

Is that death is the door to glory…

…People of loving service are rare in any walk of life.

Leaders of loving service are still rarer.

But in all cases, those who serve will be loved and remembered while those who cling

To power and privileges are long forgotten.

Her late Majesty’s broadcast during covid lockdown ended with ‘we will meet again’!

Christian hope means certain expectation of something not yet seen.

Christ rose from the dead and offers life to all. Abundant life now and life with God in eternity....

...As the Christmas carol says, ‘where meek souls will receive Him still the dear Christ enters in.

We will all face the merciful judgement of God. 

We can all share the Queen’s hope which in life and death 

inspired her servant leadership. Service in life. Hope in death. 

All who follow the Queen’s example and inspiration of trust and faith in God

 can with her say, ‘we will meet again’."

Archbishop of Canterbury-The Most Reverend Justin Welby

His Closing Prayers

Heavenly father, kings of kings, Lord and Giver of life,

who, of Thy grace in creation didst form mankind in thine own image, 

and in Thy great love offerest us life eternal in Christ Jesus.

Claiming the promises of Thy most blessed Son,

we entrust the soul of our sister Elizabeth, here departed, to Thy merciful keeping

In sure and certain hope of the resurrection to eternal life

when Christ shall be all in all, who died and rose again to save us,

and now liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit in glory forever.

Amen.

Go forth oh Christian soul in this world.

 In the name of God, the Father Almighty who created Thee.

In the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the living God who suffered for thee, 

In the name of the Holy Spirit who was poured out upon thee 

and anointed thee in communion with all the blessed saints 

and aided by the angels and archangels and all the armies of the heavenly hosts.,

May thy portion this day be in peace 

and thy dwelling in the heavenly Jerusalem.

Amen.

***

Life's charge of duty and demand

Bestows a grand decree

The onus of time's sifted sand

Accountability

The common wealth of shoes to fill

Anoints the common blessed

As we march to Dues beat and drill

Until eternal rest

We, subjects of the King of kings

Each have a sacred role

Until death's doleful belfry rings

With summons of the soul

Each morn time's runway is unfurled

A hallowed thing to see

Poured through the fanfare of this world

Into eternity

How solemn is the chartered span

Of moments in the sun

Where soon the numbered days of man

Are snuffed like stars at dawn

How holy is the beckoning

Until God's final call

How surely is the reckoning

That waits for one and all

How worth this while, the hurt and hope

Of serving faithfully

Because, beyond earth's grave-strewn slope

How sweet Heaven will be

 

© Janet Martin

The precious portion of Scripture below was also read...

For this corruptible must put on incorruption, 

and this mortal must put on immortality.

54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, 

and this mortal shall have put on immortality, 

then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, 

Death is swallowed up in victory.

55 O death, where is thy sting? 

O grave, where is thy victory?

56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmoveable, 

always abounding in the work of the Lord, 

forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

'Life goes on' I said to my sister yesterday

as we texted while watching the funeral

midst many interruptions...

for me-

entertaining a princess-loving princess

harvesting tomatoes

emptying mousetraps-ugh!!

...and all ultimately for the Lord!

The Lily Blooms Again

 

Inspired by the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II

A few precious passages, familiar to believers

warmed, comforted and exhorted we who remain...

Psalm 103:13-18

As a father has compassion on his children,

so the Lord has compassion on those who fear him;

14 for he knows how we are formed,

he remembers that we are dust.

15 The life of mortals is like grass,

they flourish like a flower of the field;

16 the wind blows over it and it is gone,

and its place remembers it no more.

17 But from everlasting to everlasting

the Lord’s love is with those who fear him,

and his righteousness with their children’s children—

18 with those who keep his covenant

and remember to obey his precepts.

Rev. 21:1-4

Then I saw “a new heaven and a new earth,”[a] 

for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away,

 and there was no longer any sea. 

2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, 

prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying,

 “Look! God’s dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. 

They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. 

4 ‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. 

There will be no more death’[b] 

or mourning or crying or pain, 

for the old order of things has passed away.”

So many moving images...

The Lily’s bloom is shed

Her crown of glory spent

The scepter falls, as silver thread

Of mortal breath is rent

The Lily’s splendor lies

In funereal repose

Her final flight escapes the eyes

Fixed on life’s curtain-close

The Lily’s beauty bows

Beneath the Hand of He

Whose law is love, whose kingdom flows

Throughout eternity

The Lily’s stem is shorn

Though petals deck the sod

Her darling, deathless Bud is borne

Back to the arms of God

So, though we mourn the loss

Of touch, of sight and sound

The Lily sheds the albatross

Of glory, sorrow-crowned

Where tears will never fall

Where flowers never fade

No roses strewn in farewell’s thrall

As dust to dust is laid

The Lily is not dead

But fairer now than then

In the presence of God instead

The Lily blooms again

© Janet Martin

In memory of Queen Elizabeth II, with love