The Light of Life

 

The day was gray and overcast,
But that was to end soon.
The forecast called for clearing skies
Just a bit after noon.
 
I’d worked the gardens under clouds,
Knowing they’d be alright
Once those clouds broke and the warm sun
Filled up the beds with light.
 
I hadn’t really looked upward
Until I felt the touch
Of a soft breeze across my arm,
The warmth I’d missed so much.
 
I turned in time to see Your face,
A momentary view
Of Light at the edge of a cloud
Just starting to move through.
 
I know I cannot see Your face
In this world, not as yet,
But there’s no doubt that bright glimpse was
As close as I will get.
 
For, though the dark cloud tried its best
To block the sun’s bright light,
The sun lit up the clouds dark face
Until it, too, shone bright.
 
Then all about the cloud’s array,
The light streamed out brightly.
I may not have seen Your true face,
But I felt You see me.
 
The skies will grow dark now and then,
But Your Light still shines through.
It marks the path that leads us home,
Where we’ll truly see You.
 
John 8:12
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Mercy, Grace and Peace

 

Within the mercies of Your grace,
I find myself again
Remembering whose child I am,
And resting in Your plan.  
 
Each day I see Your truth anew,
Like blessings from Your hand,
That proves a love far greater still
Than I can understand.
 
When I am lost in the turmoil
I always seem to make,
Your peace slips in to calm my soul,
The one You won’t forsake.
 
You give me purpose and design,
Then help me follow through
By wrapping me in loving grace
With a peace born in You.
 
2 John 1:3
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ the Father's Son, in truth and love.

Golden Treasure

We're told that where our treasure lies
There, too, our hearts will be.
In that case, my heart rests with Him
Who shares His gold with me.
 
A golden sun, a golden sky,
A gold reflecting sea,
These are the treasures I desire,
And that He gives to me.
 
A little home, enough to eat,
Work that keeps me busy,
All simple things, yet great blessings.
Gifts He has given me.
 
I sing with joy at all the wealth
Found in His vast mercy,
And I’ll delight in the sweet grace
That His love brings to me.
 
Turn then your hearts and minds to Him
Lift up your eyes and see,
The greatest treasure we can know…
His love for you and me!
 
Job 22:25-26
then the Almighty will be your gold and your precious silver. For then you will delight yourself in the Almighty and lift up your face to God.

Help Us To Stay Close

 

Oh Lord, You’ve given us Your words,
You’ve set the path we walk.
You’ve even sent us Your Spirit
To help us share and talk.
 
I don’t think You could be more clear
About what we’re to do,
Yet, so often we get off track,
And then lose sight of You.
 
Oh Lord, I pray for Your children,
Still walking through this land,
That we might turn our eyes to You
And reach out for Your hand.
 
I pray that we will spend some time
Each day talking to You.
Maybe less talking and a bit
More listening will do.
 
I pray that we walk through this world
Staying close by Your side,
Instead of following our gaze,
Wandering far and wide.
 
Oh Lord, I lift up Your children.
Help us draw close enough
That we will not be swept adrift
When this life grows too rough.
 
Psalm 25:4-5
Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.

A Heart Divided

 

Each life is filled with joy and pain.
However strong the heart,
The strain of grief and of regret
Can break that heart apart.
 
We live with hope, but still look back
At all that we did wrong.
The choices made, the sins we lived,
Can break even the strong.  
 
We see the blessings every day,
But live the guilt of sin
Until, sometimes, we lose ourselves
In everything we’ve been.
 
It’s in that moment we must stop
And listen to His voice.
For He reminds us we are loved,
And that it is His choice.
 
Those sins that He has washed from us,
The sorrows of the past,
Are gone and should be left behind.
Only His blessings last.
 
The fractured heart may linger on,
But we must keep our view
Fixed on the blessings, not the grief,
For we’ve been born anew.
 
A house divided will not stand,
And the same for a heart.
Trust Him who formed you to repair
What you have torn apart.  
 
Mark 3:25
And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand.

Yet one more blessing from TAF and Enchanted Rock! I Love these photos. 

HIs Plan Includes Us

The land is rocky, steep and hard,
And water there is scant.
Still, there is beauty to be found…
Though in a prickly plant.
 
For God has laid His plan in place
With no detail left out.
So, thorns and all, if it is there,
It’s His plan, without doubt.
 
That He has use for such as they,
Does not shock me at all.
For He once charged the least of men
To share the greatest call.
 
We do not need to be the best
To answer to His call,
We just need to step out in faith,
Trust Him and give our all.
 
If He can use a prickly plant
To bring joy to this place,
Then He can use a prickly heart
To share His Word, His grace.
 
Matthew 28:19-20
Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Another lovely blessing from Enchanted Rock and TAF! 

The Blessing of The Sabbath

 

A day of rest, a day of peace,
And time to spend with You.
These are the things that my soul needs
To see the next week through.
 
A day of hope, a day of grace,
And time to seek Your voice.
These are the precious little gifts
That lead me to rejoice.  
 
Lord, I thank You for the Sabbath,
And for the sweet blessings
Of time spent drawing near to You,
And the healing that brings.
 
Mark 2:27-28
And he said to them, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”

This photo of a baby owl in Wyoming is a blessing  from LLT. 

On A Lighter Note - That Look On The Holy Spirit's Face When.....

 

You sent to us a loving guide
To teach us to recall
The words and lessons that You shared
While here, among us all.
 
The Holy Spirit walks with me,
I hear him every day,
With nudges to keep me on track
Or lend help on my way.
 
Too many times I know I fail
To properly obey,
Then end up off the path once more,
Stumbling in my dismay.
 
I’ve heard a few “I told you so’s”
And learned the harder way
That, had I listened when He spoke,
It would have made my day.
 
He has to have more than mere grace
To put up, patiently,
With wayward souls who don’t listen.
You know, people like me.
 
I picture the Holy Spirit
With this look of dismay
In that, despite clear instructions,
I’ve chosen my own way.
 
I can just see the frustration,
That look upon His face,
When He sees me, yet one more time,
Failing to share some grace.
 
Yet, for all the annoyance caused,
And doubtless, heavy sighs,
He still keeps herding His wild child
Who’s precious in His eyes.
 
John 14:26
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.

Stand Firm In Faith

 

Sometimes the world comes rushing in
So fast that I can’t think,
But I will stand firm in the faith
That You will guard the brink.
 
I put my faith not in myself
For I know I am weak,
But I hold faithfully to You.
You’re all the strength I seek.
 
This world may call me to obey,
To answer its command,
But I will heed only Your Word
And rest within Your hand.
 
Though I may suffer its disdain,
This world and all its kings
Will not shame or turn me from You,
Despite the pain that brings.
 
Lord, You have called and redeemed me,
You freed my heart of stone.
Now I will stand firm in the faith
That I don’t stand alone.
 
Galatians 5:1
For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.

The Gate I Seek

 

The path that leads us home to You,
The rough and narrow way,
Leads through a gate that’s hard to reach
If we wander astray.
 
The gate that leads us far from You
Is easier to see,
And the path there is wide and flat,
But not where we should be.   
 
Those who do not seek You in life
Will find the easy way.
They’ll dance right through that big, wide gate
into endless dismay.
 
Lord, even some who claim You’re God
Won’t find the narrow gate,
For words and hearts must be aligned
Or grim will be our fate.
 
Oh Lord, I seek the narrow gate
That will lead me to You.
Please help stay upon the path
Until I make it through.
 
Help me to praise You with my heart
And also with my mind,
That the distractions of this world
Won’t be my ties that bind.
 
Help me to walk along the path
However rough it seems.
Give me the strength to turn back from
My shortcuts and my schemes.  
 
Help me to understand the truth
And follow where You lead
Until I reach Your narrow gate.
For Your wisdom, I plead.
 
Matthew 7:13-14
“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.

This photo is another blessing from TAF and Enchanted Rock!