Plans And Worries

Another trip, another plan
All laid out by my hand,
But it is by Your strength that all
Will go as I have planned.
 
Did I pack all that I will need,
Or did I pack too much?
If I have forgotten something,
Will I have failed, as such?
 
Then there will be an airplane ride
With people everywhere.
I think I’ll just stay home and hide.
I’ll rest easier there.
 
Ok, I’m kidding… just a bit,
but I’ll say this, at length,
I’ll ask You to give me Your peace
And, too, some of Your strength.
 
My going out and coming in
I lay into Your hand,
And ask that You will watch over
Everything I have planned!
 
Psalm 121:1-2 and 8
I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth….
The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore. 

To See And Understand

 

You woke me up again today,
Thank You, Lord, for that gift.
 
You gave me enough food to eat,
Thank You, Lord, for that gift.
 
You gave me shelter from the storms,
Thank You, Lord, for that gift.
 
You gave me work, a chance to help,
Thank You, Lord, for that gift.
 
You kept me safe and brought me home,
Thank You, Lord, for that gift.
 
My chores are done, and I can rest,
Thank You, Lord, for that gift.
 
They seem mundane, just little things,
But still my thanks, I lift.
For little things become big things.
When lost, they cause a rift
That turns my peace to anxious fear
As my world goes adrift.
 
The fact that I understand this…
Thank You, Lord, for that gift.
 
James 1:17
Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.

Love Your Neighbor Anyway

 

Love your neighbor as yourself, yeah,
That’s what we’re called to do,
But have you seen some of the folks
Who share this world with you?
 
They drive slowly in the fast lane,
Or right up on your tail
When you are stuck behind a truck
Right beside the guard rail.
 
They count out pennies while you wait
In the express check out.
They tell you how you ought to think
And what to live without.
 
I know the commandment is clear,
But this is also true,
There are many annoying folks
That we each run into.
 
Yet, let me say it once again,
For those who didn’t hear,
Just love your neighbor as yourself.
His instructions were clear.
 
It wasn’t a mere suggestion
Though we may wish it so,
It was a commandment from God.
That’s what you need to know.
 
You wake up each day needing grace
So, share that grace with all,
And give it with the same patience
God uses when you call.
 
Matthew 22:39
And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.

In His Creation

 

Sweet is the water spilling down
Into the rocky pool,
While all around the trees rise up,
Keeping it fresh and cool.  
 
There is a peace to be found there
Beside the water’s flow.
The stillness born outside the rush
Which I have come to know.
 
I leave behind the man made world,
Step into creation
Which pays small heed to mankind’s voice
And all that he has done.
 
Instead, it listens to the Lord,
And to His voice alone,
As water softly spills into
Its pool of moss and stone.
 
I learned this lesson years ago,
And I’ve not forgotten,
We all need time spent in His peace
Far from the noisy din.
 
Great is the glory of the Lord,
Vast is His creation,
And I still find I hear His voice
Where rocky stream beds run.
 
Psalm 114:7-8
Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.

In Your Grace Alone

Lord, when I stand in arrogance
Amazed at all my skill,
Please turn my eyes back to the truth,
I’m naught, outside Your will.
 
Let me stand humble in my praise
Of You, who made me whole,
Who lifted me up from my sin
And renewed my lost soul.
 
For I’m of no great value here,
Without Your healing grace.
Let me live in humility
Not in prideful disgrace.
 
I pray I don’t stand up in pride
And seek the praise of man,
But keep my eyes on You, alone,
My heart fixed on Your plan.
 
Then, when I come to this life’s end,
I’ll stand before Your throne
With nothing I can proudly claim
Except Your grace alone.
 
Matthew 23:12
Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted. 

In Solitude, But Not Alone

I spent the day in solitude,
Now I count my blessings.
Among them is a peace filled heart,
For which my spirit sings.
 
I may not always recognize
When I need to be still
And let His peace flow into me,
But I trust that He will.
 
For He knows me inside and out,
Each hope, and need and fear,
And when I cry out in His name
I know that He will hear.
 
I may have chosen solitude,
But I was not alone,
For He who knows, and loves me still,
Kept watch from Heaven’s throne.
 
Romans 8:38-39
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. 

They Are All In Your Hand

 

The world feels so heavy today,
Too much sorrow and grief.
Knowing that I can’t help at all,
Affords me no relief.
 
The broken hearts, the shattered dreams,
The truth of what draws nigh
Weigh down upon me, heart and soul.
I cannot help but cry.
 
All I can do is give to You
The burdens I can’t bear.
Please wrap those hurting in Your grace,
Let them know that You’re there.
 
Give them Your peace, the faith to hope
That I could never give.
Renew in them the strength they need
To stand and fight to live.
 
If there is something I can do,
Then help me lend a hand,
But when I can’t, help me let go
And trust in what You’ve planned.   
 
Matthew 5:4
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.
 
2 Corinthians 1:3-4
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.

To so many family and friends who are struggling right now with suffering, sorrow and worries, please be at peace and know that you are still safe in His hand. 

Keeping In Step

 

The day started out at full speed,
And then sped up from there.
Soon, step by step, I found myself
With less patience to share.
 
I reached out to my source of peace,
Of patience in distress,
And asked that He would fill me with
His spirit of stillness.
 
I heard a whisper touch my thoughts,
And fill me with His peace.
As it washed through my heart and mind,
I felt my tempest cease.
 
He sent His Spirit to lead us
And fill us with His grace
That we might be His hands and feet,
And His loving embrace.
 
His peace, patience and gentleness
Should be what we each share
With those who walk through life with us,
Who need to know He’s there.
 
If you can’t find yours, ask for His,
With joy, He’ll pass it on.
You’ll find you have more than you need,
Even though yours is gone.
 
Galatians 5:25
If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit.
 
Galatians 5:22-23
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Not An Easy Path

 
The path through life is not easy,
And we’ve all gone astray.
Either by error or design,
We got lost on the way.
 
This is the way that life has been
Since we left Eden’s gate.
Arrogance led us far from Him
And won for us this fate.
 
The one comfort I take in life,
Is knowing, right or wrong,
The path I take, my Shepherd sees,
And His love remains strong.
 
Those lambs who stay close by His side,
Are blessed beyond all doubt,
But those who choose to wander off
Soon learn what fear’s about.
 
The night grows dark, the wolves close in,
And we see our mistake.
We cry out to Him, He is there.
We’re saved for His love’s sake.
 
For that is why He came to earth,
To save those who are lost.
It mattered so much to Him that
He paid a fearful cost.
 
That’s why when He brings lost lambs home,
Rescued from life’s travails,
All of the heavens sing with joy,
For His grace still prevails!!
 
Luke 19:10
For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”
 
Luke 15:7
Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.

Getting Back On Track

 

Sometimes I need to stop and say
What often goes unsaid,
Thank You for that that old two by four
You used upside my head.
 
I wasn’t listening to You
When I went my own way,
But You were watching over me
As I wandered astray.
 
You just kept nudging me to turn,
Get back on the right track,
So, when I didn’t listen, Lord,
You gave my head a smack.
 
Okay, I’m paraphrasing some,
But if You had not done
What it took to get me turned back,
Who knows how far I’d run.
 
I focus my sight on my plans,
But You can see much more.
What I have laid out in my head,
May not be what’s in store.
 
So, once again, I thank You, Lord,
For watching over me,
And making me stop to listen,
Then go where I should be.
 
Psalm 119:132-133
Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name. Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.
 
Psalm 23:3   
He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

This delightful photo is a blessing from AC taken on her trip to Africa a few years back.