The Best That Boast Can Laud (begins and ends with God)

Happy...Friday?!! Already😅🙏💗

So many sweet photo-op skies this week...

Below, just a few!

Col.1:15-17

The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.

  16For in Him all things were created, things in heaven and on earth,

visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities.

 All things were created through Him and for Him.

17He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.

All beauty we behold is divinely founded!

without God's mercy and might to hold it in place

it would all fall!

Artists, since the beginning mimic His creation,

all inspiration of God-breathed origin!

My poetic endeavors have been challenged this week

it seems. It flew by in a blink of blessing!

Mon.-Food safety and management course, 

Tues.-grand-sonny visit, appointment, small group gettogether,

Wed. finishing food prep and delivery for event mentioned here 

Thursday-Help my mom with spring-cleaning (forgot camera!!)😭

...and just like that!!! It's Friday!

Today I am prepping food and house 

for our youngest daughter's birthday celebration

on the weekend!

A whole bunch of friends staying over while 

Jim and I stay out😅💝

I began this poem yesterday morning!

The first line fell from Heaven as I stood admiring the sky

while rubbing sleep from my eyes...

Time’s fountain brims with life; it peals from belfries gold and gray

Its showstoppers run rife; God never takes a holiday

The Hand that tunes the tide that ebbs and flows with season-sweeps

Regales the countryside with color, crowned with boundless deeps

The best that boast can laud as brush and pen rush awe’s grandstands

Begins and ends with God; each work of art drawn from His hands

He grants the breathless dance of worship’s unrehearsed requiem

And cheers hope’s countenance with refreshment where mercies stream

In wonders of creation, from the wellspring of his Word

Reasons for celebration overflow and undergird

To kindle exaltation that is incomparable

Salvation’s invitation still extends to one and all

God’s goodness never ceases to thrill the soul that believes

Unrivaled masterpieces humble all mankind achieves

Thus, the best boast can muster as we meditate on This

Are endeavors to trust Him more because of Who He IS

His faultless Influence imparts the best that boast can laud

All art we woo from hands and hearts begins and ends with God

© Janet Martin

Every artist who ever has dipped pen or brush

 into inkwells and paint palettes

draws from scenes cupped and cradled in God's Hands!

Thus every work of art ought to be signed-

By His grace

For His glory!

He Sees the Little Sparrows Fall

Wake In Me (a Careful Wanting)

 Life is like a flower blooming on the grave that claims it due...

***

I love the group of fellow-believers I gather with

every Tuesday night, to open God's Word together,

to learn, to worship, to meditate on God's goodness and holiness,

 and to challenge and encourage each other in our walk by faith!

***

This morning my devotion included this glorious passage from Titus 3-

(which is kind of a continuance of our focus/discussion last night; 

God's holiness and our response/attitude in return

and our assurance of salvation through His shed blood)

4 But when the kindness and love of God our Savior appeared,

 5 he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, 

but because of his mercy. 

He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit,

 6 whom he poured out on us generously through Jesus Christ our Savior,

 7 so that, having been justified by his grace, 

we might become heirs having the hope of eternal life.

 8 This is a trustworthy saying. And I want you to stress these things, 

so that those who have trusted in God may be careful 

to devote themselves to doing what is good. 

These things are excellent and profitable for everyone.

***

A Prayer...

Wake in me a careful wanting for a heart, humble and true

Shield me from the futile flaunting of the follies of this world

Fill me, through Your word with wonder at the holiness of You

Awe me with the sacred splendor of love’s Majesty unfurled

Show me, oh, my precious Savior, (lest I stray) the way to walk

Let me not forget hope’s favor You suffered at Calvary

Fix my eyes in the direction of the cross You did not balk

Make my life like a reflection of the love that pardoned Me

Let no carnal care consume me with love’s opportunity

Life is like a flower blooming on the grave that claims it due

Thus Lord, wake a careful wanting for more of Your love for me

May it thwart the tempter’s taunting because of my love for You

© Janet Martin

Saviour, Lead Me Lest I Stray

 

Never Too Young (or old) To Learn

Sweetheart helping/learning to make butter tarts!

I generally am treated to 100% sweetness by this little gal

but 'rumor' has it there's another side that sometimes isn't quite so!😂😅🙏

Sometimes, when 'training up' children, an extra-firm hand is required;

A hand that let's them know that no tantrum will change the expectation for obedience!

It is vital that a child learns as early as able, 

to recognize and respect/obey authority!

Sometimes, we as God's children need that firm Hand too.

How easily we (like children) are prone to ignore 

and disrespect/disobey His Supreme Authority!

We, like little children, can be as sweet as pie (or butter tarts) when all goes well!

But what about those other times, when wills clash?!

Romans 6:16
Do you not know that when you offer yourselves as obedient slaves, 

you are slaves to the one you obey, 

whether you are slaves to sin leading to death, 

or to obedience leading to righteousness?

The quest to please ourselves, it seems, comes very naturally

Rousing a wrestling match between Self and authority

We are not born to want to yield to edicts not our own

The master of our lives revealed by what our deeds make known

The quest to please ourselves is something that is never taught

Human nature is always king over empires of thought

The living proof of love’s touchstone demonstrates without fail

Who resides on the heart’s veiled throne; choice, its own tattle-tale

The quest to please ourselves is not uncommon or bizarre

Until we yield our will to God, love is a tug-of-war

Until we love Him first, we will not find true joy because

The quest to please ourselves is cursed with the worst part of us (sin)

We all have faced the giant in the valley of love tried

We all have been defiant, self-reliant, blind with pride

But, pray, we all have borne the blow that brought us to our knees

And slew the masquerading foe, impossible to please

And pray our quests have been condensed till only One prevails

Treasured with humble confidence/reverence in God who never fails

And pray that when we are beguiled to prize some lesser goal

He reminds us, we are His child; the Saviour of the Soul

© Janet Martin

Eph.3:20-21

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly 

above all that we ask or think,

 according to the power that works in us, 

 to Him be glory in the church 

by Christ Jesus to all generations,

 forever and ever. 

Amen.

so, here's to that universal classroom of

'never too old to learn' or to forgive, or repent,

and confess our sins and try-try-again!

Below, an inspiring excerpt from the life story of

George Mueller of Bristow...

Ode to Father Time

Dear Father Time...

I never tire of your ways...

Your sweet and sun-steeped golden days...(today, a balmy 20C)

Your contours, swaddled in soft grays...

Your landscapes, washed in pink...

A quick pit-stop for supper and off again)

Spring is like a dog straining wildly at its leash today!

I never tire of your ways

Your sweet and sun-steeped golden days

Your contours, swaddled in soft grays

Your landscapes, washed in pink

Your rough-and-tumble give and take

Your waves that sob and surge and break

Across shorelines that gleam and ache

With untamed poem-ink

I never tire of your hymn

It trembles in the barren limb

And throbs as buds begin to brim

With orchestras of green

With daybreak’s lilac-tinted sighs

And twilight’s gentle lullabies

With hellos, harboring goodbyes

With all that falls between

I never tire of your waltz

Your minuet and somersaults

Your promenade that never halts

But twirls me round and round

Till I am breathless with delight

Yet never tire of the sight

Of you, gilt-edged ‘gainst gath’ring night

Of a new day unbound

I never tire of your ease

Turning moments to memories

Taming my younger-hungered pleas

With humble thankfulness

My cheek against your stubbly chin

Ah, darling, how can I begin

To count your ways I cannot win

Yet love you nonetheless

© Janet Martin

Perfect Satisfaction (because we all seek to be satisfied)

Every life is a testament, not only

of how much God loves us,

but of how much we love Him!

Photo:  Yesterday's Bake-Apple Crumble Tarts and Scottish Coconut and Jam Tarts

Today's bake (plan): Butter tarts!

I am currently working at a 'tart buffet' as part of a meal

next Wednesday evening 

for all our youth, junior youth and kid's zone ministry leaders at church; approx. 50!

Isn't it a wonderful blessing to be able to serve those who serve others

with a delicious 'encouragement/appreciation' meal once a month?!

BTW!! this was not my initial reaction of 'love'! (insert blush)

My first thought, I am ashamed to say was 'why? all this work/fuss etc.

 when they could all grab a bite before their meeting?!!

It would be SO much easier...

There are so many things faulty with the above attitude😓

hence, the need for confession.

Then to top it off,  I was thoroughly convicted by a conversation from/with

 an ancient Brother Lawrence from the 1600's!

I ordered this little book to tag on a few dollars 

so I would qualify for free shipping!

I am only on the second conversation and have been utterly

encouraged and convicted/corrected in my often carnal tendencies...

We all seek to be satisfied

The world, a big buffet

Of tempting fruit cajoling pride

With ‘did God really say?’

So much to see and touch and taste

What vast fields Choice deploys

Soon yielding either worth or waste

In Want’s pursuit of joys

What fickle ventures we afford

What futile wish and whim

We chase, until we love the Lord

And yield our hearts/lives to Him

Then, come what may, bitter or sweet

When love for God prevails

We find a life of joy complete

Because love never fails

We all seek to be satisfied

God’s grace, a grand buffet

Of hope the world cannot provide

Or ever take away

The more we love the Lord, the less

We want of lesser things

As we embrace/enjoy the happiness

Only loving God brings

© Janet Martin

1 Thessalonians 3:12
And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow

 with love for one another and for everyone else, 

just as our love for you overflows,

Philippians 1:9
And this is my prayer: 

that your love may abound more and more

 in knowledge and depth of insight,

Last night as our youngest daughter's little

'blue bug' puttered away I prayed a special blessing on her and all the

fellow-workers who serve/minister to our precious youth!

2 Thessalonians 1:3

We are obligated to thank God for you all the time,

 brothers, as is fitting, because your faith is growing more and more, 

and your love for one another is increasing.

1 Thessalonians 4:1
Finally, brothers, we ask and encourage you in the Lord Jesus 

to live in a way that is pleasing to God,

 just as you have received from us. 

This is how you already live, 

so you should do so all the more.

New Month's Resolutions

 Happy, happy March! (already?!!)

This winter is flying by and hardly feeling like 'real' winter

with its milder temperatures and lack of snow!

Although last evening wasn't mild!

I almost froze my fingers to get these sunset poses!!!

I had to miss the magnificent, pink finale because I needed to go back inside to thaw my hands!

Note to self: never assume to be fine without mittens no matter how mild a few days earlier was!

May we make today more cheerful by being thankful and kind

And by keeping thought life gentle with fellowman's needs in mind

May we not be blind to beauty's wonder-thund'ring treasure trove

But embrace life's common duties with a glad and grateful love

Pray the Lord's goodness will fill us with joy bursting at the core

Rather than highlights that thrill us then leave us thirsting for more

Pray love’s meek and quiet spirit shields us from frontlines of strife

From lust of the flesh and eye, and dust to dust’s vain pride of life

Behold! each moment-memento brims with opportunity

May we delight in the tempo tuning Today’s symphony

For, sufficient for each hour is God’s glorious grace unfurled

Ah! Nothing can overpower He who overcame the world

May we make today more lovely by the way that we reply

To the Giver; not rude-grumbly, but with humble ‘here am I’

As creation spills our ears full, as dawn sets yon heights ablaze

May we make today more cheerful by joining its hymn of praise

For soon high's noon's full bloom flounders; soon plush petal-mettle yields

To the tug that always counters today with tomorrow's fields

So, before today is gathered into Bygone's works of art

May its moments as they scatter leave a smile in someone's heart

© Janet Martin

Ps.92:4-8

For You, O LORD, have made me glad by Your deeds;

I sing for joy at the works of Your hands.

5How great are Your works, O LORD,

how deep are Your thoughts!

6A senseless man does not know,

and a fool does not understand,

7that though the wicked sprout like grass,

and all evildoers flourish,

they will be forever destroyed.

8But You, O LORD, are exalted forever!

Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing