Zechariah 10:1

Your ways don’t make much sense to me

Somedays, my precious Lord,

But I know that you have a plan

So I cling to your word.

The darkness seems to weigh on me

The dreary world weeps on,

I don’t know if my heart can wait

Until the rains are gone.

But all the tears that heaven weeps

Will blossom with the Spring

Into the blooms that heal the heart

From all its suffering.

So I will hold on through the rain

And wait out all the tears,

For joy will blossom when they cease

And sunshine reappears.

Zechariah 10:1
Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime; it is the LORD who sends the thunderstorms. He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone.

Proof of Life

I found that I was complaining

About the rain today,

For even when the sunshine came

It didn’t seem to stay.

The sky was wet, the world was wet,

Wet wouldn’t go away!

And all I asked for was some sun

To cheer a cheerless day.

And then the sun came out for me,

The wet day made amends,

For friends checked in, to make me laugh,

With all the light that lends.

I realized they ARE my sun,

Their loving never ends;

For nothing says ‘a sunny day”

Like rain and laughing friends.

Never Lost at Sea

Bobbing on the endless sea

Just my savior and me

I’m not worried, he set me free

My life’s his victory

Heading out into the storm

His love will keep me warm

Though dangers may rise up in swarm

Against me they’ll not form

I will stay right by his side,

In his peace I’ll abide

For on him I’ve always relied

Despite the changing tide

He has never failed in grace

To me, a wretched case,

And I won’t ever leave this place

Where I can see his face

Genesis 9: 14-15

I wondered if the rains would end,

If life would wash away.

Was all the world caught in the flood

That swept away my day?

I wept, my head against the pane,

The window streaked with tears.

It felt like I was drowning in

My sorrows and my fears.

The tear drops streaking down the glass,

Both inside and without

Seemed to reflect the darkened sky,

I sank within my doubt.

But then I saw a sparkle in

The corner of my eye;

And brilliant strands of color stretched

Across the winter sky.

The declaration of his love,

His promise through the years,

That lit the winter skyline was

Reflecting in my tears.

Genesis 9: 14-15

14 Whenever I bring clouds over the earth and the rainbow appears in the clouds, 15 I will remember my covenant between me and you and all living creatures of every kind. Never again will the waters become a flood to destroy all life.

Left Behind

Everyone had come and gone,

Just echoes left behind,

But all the laughter and the fun

Still lingered in my mind.

And so I set about the house

To see what I could find,

To find out what chaos remained

To clean up or remind.

And as I set about my chores

I found it hiding there,

A cheery little painted egg

Had fallen by the chair.

And though its comrades all had gone

It didn’t seem to care,

It smiled at me and I smiled back

We were the perfect pair.

So happy that the crazy noise

Had left us in its wake,

But sad that all the fun was gone.

Of that, make no mistake!

But we could get the chores all done

Then sit and take a break

To talk about the fun we’d had

And new fun we could make.

We’d keep each other company

Until that happy day

When all our friends come back again

With noise and joy and play!!!

So as with life the chaos comes,

And we get swept away.

But it will pass and in its wake

Blessings will always stay.

Ezekiel 36:26

I wish that I was made of stone,

That my heart couldn’t feel

All the things that tear at it,

The hurts that will not heal.

The half life that I seem to live,

Though all my days are full,

Wears at my heart like rising tide

With its relentless pull.

Life chips away at who I am,

The tears that I must hide

Spill through the fault lines in my heart

Til they crack open wide.

The weeds of loneliness and pain

Grow up around this wreck;

They twist their way into the cracks,

I crumble, fleck by fleck.

The broken stone that is my life

I give to you, Oh Lord,

And take the life and heart of flesh

That you’ve healed and restored.

Ezekiel 36:26
I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

I Corinthians 4:2

He sat alone upon his perch

And sang with his whole heart.

No other voice joined in with his,

But he still sang his part.

He has a gift, his gift is song,

And he is bound to share;

For gifts from God come with a trust,

An inseparable pair.

Each gift is uniquely our own,

But one the whole world needs;

Some feed the heart, some heal the soul

Through loving words or deeds.

A word, a song, a loving hand,

A strong arm when we fall;

Each one’s a gift that we can share

God knew we’d need them all.

So each of us must find the song

That only we can sing,

Then we must share that precious gift

And all that it may bring!

I Corinthians 4:2

“Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.”

My Daily Gifts

Each day in anticipation

I wake and rush to see

What little treasures you have made

And set out just for me.

The tree that’s bursting with new blooms,

Ducks landing in the sea,

A little fox out for a stroll,

Birds singing merrily.

Each person on this little earth

Receives such gifts from you,

But those who stop to unwrap them

Are often all too few.

And that’s too bad for all of them

For there’s so much to see.

But I know I’m your favorite

And most of it’s for ME!!!!

Isaiah 60: 20

I hear the heartbreak in your voice,

I see the tears you cry.

The waning moon casts little light

Across your darkened sky.

You fear that joy will never wash

Across your heart again

And that the only thing you’ll feel

Is searing, bitter pain.

But there, within your broken heart,

Still lives a perfect love

And that love is reflected in

The heart of God above.

Although the world is dark right now

And pain is all you feel,

Hold fast the truth that he is light

And that his light can heal.

For he will bring you through the grief

That life on earth bestows

And his light will outshine the moon,

For his love only grows.

Isaiah 60: 20

20 Your sun will never set again, and your moon will wane no more;
the LORD will be your everlasting light, and your days of sorrow will end.

A Break in the Rain

Although the day was filled with clouds

And rain splashed on the ground,

There was one moment of pure blue

And precious golden sound

When I heard songbirds start to sing

 And hope leapt all around.

Disappointed Plans

Never has a victory
Been won without a fight
Never has the darkness held
At bay the dawning light
Never has the morning sun
Failed to arise in flight
And I won’t let disappointments
Deprive me of delight

Be Generous With Your Mercy

Be generous with your mercy,

Do as you ask me to do.

Recognize pain in each other

And help each other get through.

Don’t look to the offense given,

Look through the offenders eyes.

If there is room for forbearance,

Give it, with all that implies.

Bear patiently, the impatient,

Allow them some extra grace.

There have been times in abundance

When you have stood in their place.

You ask that I should forgive you

Your often repeated sins,

Don’t forget that forgiveness is

Not where it ends, but begins.

You know that I will embrace you

Or help you up when you fall,

So reach your hand to another

Whenever you hear them call.

To learn what I have been teaching

You have to match word with deed.

Be generous with your mercy,

For often that’s all we need

Psalm 59:16-17

As I watch the rising sun

Cresting above the trees,

I raise my voice to rejoice

It rises with the breeze;

Spilling from my grateful heart

Praises I hope will please

The Lord who shields me always,

In troubles, brings me ease.

Psalm 59:16-17

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress,
my refuge in times of trouble.

You are my strength, I sing praise to you; you, God, are my fortress, my God on whom I can rely.

Ezekiel 47:9

Like the bitter ocean waters,

Are the burdens of this day.

They wash upon me like the waves

That rush the shores of the bay.

Like a stream born in the mountains,

Flowing down into the sea,

Is the sweetness of your promise

And the love you bring to me.

Bitter tears, like ocean water,

Wash the earth beneath my feet

‘Til there’s nothing I can stand on

But my sorrow and defeat.

Yet when I turn and see your spring

Cascading down to meet me,

All the sweetness of that water

Refreshes me completely.

And I no longer fear the pain

Of burdens and of sorrow

For I am stronger than the waves

And I dread fear tomorrow.

Though I may walk upon the shore

Where tears and sorrows still teem,

I’ll turn my back upon the sea

And drink from your loving stream.

Ezekiel 47:9
Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.

Psalm 107: 28-31

Oh Lord I cannot find the words

Or where those words should start;

The storms of life rise up so fast

They’ll break my world apart

If you won’t speak to calm the waves

And ease my fearful heart.

I cry to you, Lord, in my fear,

You hear my entreaties;

You still the storm with in my heart

And calm the ruthless seas.

You give me strength to face my fears

And set those fears to ease.

Psalm 107

28 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble,
   and he brought them out of their distress.
29 He stilled the storm to a whisper;
   the waves of the sea were hushed.
30 They were glad when it grew calm,
   and he guided them to their desired haven.
31 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love
   and his wonderful deeds for mankind.

The Passing of a Friend

In the shadow of the morning,

While the world was still gray,

You turned your face away from us

And God led you away.

The earth will be a sadder place

Without your strength and love,

While heaven gains another voice

For her choir above.

We’ll carry on alone, somehow,

We’re left without a choice,

But when our weeping tears have stilled

We’ll listen for your voice.

Jasmine Praise by Linda Shaw

Strolling through my garden,
watching the light flicker through a ceiling of clouds,
my eyes fixate upon a single bloom of Jasmine,
and I am instantaneously reminded of the simplistic beauty surrounding my day!

The sun gently cast aside a billowy blanket of clouds,
freeing the warmth of the day.
I'm both comforted,
and compelled to preserve nature's beauty,
as I behold the cheery blooms before me.
Bearing witness to His glorious artistry,
I am somehow reminded of the pain and suffering,
currently being endured by brothers and sisters in a foreign land.

While their eyes behold horror and destruction,
mine are comforted by His gentle hand.
A sense of sadness envelopes me in a moment of reflection.
“Why me, Lord? Why have I been spared such devastation and loss?”
While others must suffer nature's hostile blow?

I am reminded of His words before His own painful suffering.
“There will be poor always, pathetically struggling. Look at the good things you've got”
I stop to reflect and accept today.
A day to rejoice and give thanks.
My suffering will come at some point on this earth.
In the meantime...
I will follow His words as I look upon this lovely Jasmine flower.

And as I remind myself of the beauty before me,
I will bow my head in prayer for those who must wait for their day in the sun.

Linda Shaw, March 2011

Psalm 91: 4

I am but a broken feather,

Not even a lost bird,

And yet you sing to me of love

And offer me your Word.

I am the lowest of the low,

Cast off from all that lives

And trodden down into the dirt.

I long for what love gives.

I feared I’d never feel again

The love that wings so free,

From heart to heart and breast to breast
To everyone but me.

But when I turn my face to you,

My tattered, broken face,

I find but love, enduringly,

Within your strong embrace

And perfect refuge in your love,

Your faithfulness and grace.

Psalm 91:4
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.

In the Palm of Your Hand

Do you feel that little tickle, Lord,

In the palm of your hand?

That’s me hiding from all the pain,

It’s more than I can stand.

You are so strong, you formed the stars,

Worlds turn at your command.

I am so small, but I am safe

Snuggled here in your hand.

I’m struggling to find some peace,

Some way to just stay calm.

The storms are tearing at my heart,

So I’ll hide in your palm.

I know I have to face it all,

I’ll rise and make my stand,

But for a moment let me rest,

Safe, in your strong hand.

Ruth 2:12

Thank you for the patient years

That you have seen me through,

In all the turbulence of life

You knew just what to do.

You carried me when I was small

And much too weak to stand

And every time I needed you

You let me hold your hand.

So now that time has turned on you,

And placed you in my care,

I hope I’ll do as good a job

Of always being there

To hold you when your steps are weak,

Or help you when you fall,

For you have done so much for me,

I can’t repay it all.

So I will ask that God give you

What you’re deserving of:

The priceless gift you gave to me,

My ceaseless, patient love.           

Ruth 2:12
May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge.”

Job 14: 7-9

The world weighed down on me today,

A wealth of pain and woe,

And each new hour brought fresh grief

Where ever I would go.

The youth who struggled with his needs,

The sister filled with fear,

The daughter and the grieving son

Who hid a bitter tear.

The dear loved pet who’s leaving now,

The broken hearted dad

Who worried for the future of

His errant lass and lad.

And each one shared their pain with me

Because I love them so.

I’d not have wished it otherwise,

Though sometimes it hurts so.

I cannot heal the pain they know,

I cannot ease their fears.

I can but offer words of love

To dry their many tears.

And I can tender them this truth

That I have come to know,

Death and pain are but the branch

From which new joy will grow.

Job 14

7 “At least there is hope for a tree: If it is cut down, it will sprout again, 

and its new shoots will not fail.
8 Its roots may grow old in the ground and its stump die in the soil,
9 yet at the scent of water it will bud and put forth shoots like a plant.