My Turbulent Sky

Though turbulence may buffet me,

The clouds grow dark and grim,

I will rise on wings of faith

For I rely on him.

The clouds will part, the storm will pass

And joy will lift me up.

He pours so much hope in my life

It overflows my cup!

Romans 15:13

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Crown of Life

I wiped the tears that I had wept

And held my head up high.

You always said nothing was helped

By sitting down to cry.

Yet all the grief of missing you

Sometimes comes spilling down,

Until I climb out of despair

For fear that I might drown.

The only thing that brings me back

Each time from that dark brink

Is the knowledge that God is there

And he won’t let me sink.

He lifts my weary spirit up

Until the time is nigh

When I shall wear a crown of life

With no more tears to cry.

James 1:12
Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.

Colossians 4:2

Patience is a difficult thing,

But slowly I have learned.

Wisdom is harder to come by,

It’s often harshly earned.

Have faith the size of mustard seeds,

It’s tougher than it sounds;

Sometimes I question if you’re there

Though proof you’re there abounds.

You’ve placed me where you needed me,

I fought you all the way,

But now I understand the cause

And I will gladly stay.

So many things that you expect

 I just can’t comprehend,

But with great patience you teach me

And I learn, in the end.

But some concepts are simpler,

Your words are clear and plain,

And I will watch and wait and pray

Until you come again.

Colossians 4:2
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.

Simple and Significant

Each time the rain spills from the sky

I seek the drops that shine

With an image that reflects

Some blossom, tree or vine.

I get so caught up in the quest

I sometimes don’t recall

Those reflections are really not

Rain’s purpose after all.

The new leaf on the spreading branch,

The blossom, frail and sweet,

The new fruit waiting to be born,

The thirsty, growing wheat,

The rain to them is everything,

More precious still, indeed,

Than a reflected image caught

Upon a bloom or weed.

Those reflections mean so much,

Reminding me of you,

But, sometimes rain drops are just rain…

And that’s a good thing, too.

Always Near

What a blessing in each day

To know that you are there

Standing right beside me, Lord,

Through every joy and care.

I feel you near me when I cry;

You’re right there when I sing.

You’re near enough that I can face

Whatever life may bring.

Thank you, Lord, for being there,

Whatever I must face.

I may not always hear your voice,

But I can feel your grace.

A Prayer for My House

Oh Lord, watch over this, my house,

And keep us through the day,

Guard us when the night is black,

Assure that we don’t stray.

Lord, help us to remember you

As we go on our way

And keep you foremost in our hearts.

Oh Lord, these things we pray.

For Where Your Treasure Is

I have no store of treasures, Lord,

And yet my wealth is great.

Fame may never cross my path.

But I can’t curse my fate

For silver starlight fills my skies,

Diamonds glint in the seas

And I count myself wealthiest

When gold sings in my trees.

My wealth lies in the world you made,

In all the little things.

My wealth lies in your boundless love

And all that your grace brings.

Matthew 8: 20-21

20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

In Spite Of My Flaws

As I complained about myself,

The fact that I’m so flawed,

(My hair’s too thin, and I’m too fat.

Sometimes I’m such a fraud),

I happened to glance down to see

A new bloom on my rose,

It burst forth, yellow as the sun,

In just the perfect pose.

No lovelier a bloom, thought I,

For shade and symmetry

Had blossomed thus far on my rose.

At least none I could see.

And then I noticed one small flaw,

One petal bore a stain,

Most likely from to much time spent

Out in the spring time rain.

How could my rose bear such a flaw,

A flaw so plain to see,

And yet still seem so beautiful?

How could such a thing be?

I thought back on the many flaws

That caused me to feel blue,

And wondered if, in spite of them,

God thinks I’m lovely, too?

Romans 12: 2

When all is at its busiest

It’s harder to keep track

Of all the little rules I broke

Or virtues that I lack,

But when the sun drifts to the sea

And all the earth grows still,

That’s when I take time to reflect

Upon your perfect will.

I try to recognize mistakes,

My failings of the day,

And all the words I should have said

That I let slip away.

I seek forgiveness for my flaws

And thank you for your grace,

Then pray that I will some day learn

Your whole will to embrace.

Romans 12: 2

2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is —his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Psalm 36:7

She spread her wings, they burrowed in,

Safe from harm and storm;

Though rain falls on her outspread wings

Her chicks are snug and warm.

Like them, when I face cloudy skies,

With all their storms can bring,

I know that there’s no safer place

Than right beneath your wing.

Lord, you have always spread your wing

When I sought haven there;

Until the storm clouds passed on by,

You sheltered me with care.

Psalm 36:7

7 How priceless is your unfailing love, O God!
   People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Focused On God's Plan

Plucked as a weed from the garden,

Where once your kind had grown;

Gathered like trash and discarded

Where no seed had been sown,

But a will indomitable

Compels you still to grow

With faith in God’s design for you

That I wish I could know.

Though you were deemed to be worthless  

And tossed among the scree,

Yet still you’re focused on God’s plan.

What a lesson for me.

Matthew 17:20
He replied, “Because you have so little faith. Truly I tell you, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you.”

Mustard growing on the trash/compost.

When In The Tempest

When the tempest roars around me

And troubles lash my sky,

I look to you to find refuge

And pray that you are nigh.

In my fear I look for comfort,

I raise, to you, this cry,

“Oh Lord, please help me through the storm

And, when it’s past, to fly.”

Nahum 1:7
The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in him

Psalm 22:30-31

The future holds so much promise,

Rich fruit as yet unborn.

Though each is still a fragile bloom,

To you their lives are sworn.

For they will grow to know you, Lord,

And blossom in your light,

Until the fruit they will become

Will bring you much delight.

Psalm 22:30-31

30 Posterity will serve him; future generations will be told about the Lord.
31 They will proclaim his righteousness, declaring to a people yet unborn: He has done it!

Rooted in The Word

He said that he was going home,

Back to familiar soil.

He said that living here, for him,

Was too much stress and toil.

His roots went deep where he had grown

And he’d moved far away.

However much he loved this place,

He knew he couldn’t stay.

I realized that my roots, too,

Had grown in other loam,

So why was I so happy here?

How had this become home?

How could I have adjusted so?

Was there some flaw in me,

Something that I should try to fix?

I prayed you’d help me see.

But as I prayed I saw my roots

Delve deep within your grace

And that was when I realized

With you, home’s any place.

It doesn’t matter where I live

When I live in The Word;

My home is anywhere on earth

Where your voice can be heard.

John 1: 1-4

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. 4 In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind.

Philippians 4: 4

Rejoice and let your heart be glad,

Praise God for all his gifts;

The elegance of the iris,

The chatter of the swifts,

The tall grass dancing in the sunshine,

The waves that brush the shore,

The breeze that whispers of his love.

Oh Praise Him ever more.

Philippians 4: 4

4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!

Psalm 29:3

Oh Lord you rise upon the winds

With thunder in your hand

Fiercely you ride above the waves

They dance at your command

Glory defines your countenance

Heaven heeds each demand

Yours is the voice that quells the storm

And soothes the broken land

Psalm 29:3
The voice of the LORD is over the waters; the God of glory thunders, the LORD thunders over the mighty waters.

Remembering To Sing

As the day got complicated

And little things went wrong,

I sought out some cheery faces

And filled my heart with song.

That didn’t solve any problems

Or fix what had gone wrong,

But it brought me back to you, Lord,

And THAT helped me along.

Psalm 100:2
Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.

Luke 12: 6-7

Though small and insignificant,

I’m yet beloved by God.

He see’s me as his precious child

And not as mortal sod.

So, I will live beyond the clay

From which I was once formed

And try to be as he sees me,

His child, by grace transformed.

Luke 12: 6-7
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two pennies? Yet not one of them is forgotten by God. 7 Indeed, the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Don’t be afraid; you are worth more than many sparrows.

For My Mother

Through all the long years of my life

I’ve lived within your love,

And I knew you were on my side

When push came down to shove.

When I was small and scrapped my knee,

You kissed my tears away.

You taught me that a loving heart

Grows stronger every day.

You set me on the path I walk,

You taught me how to live.

From you I learned hard work’s value,

And how to share and give.

Now, though the path is over grown

With bramble, weed and thorn,

I know you love me just as much

As the day I was born.

I love you with a grateful heart,

For all you mean to me.

You are my mother, I’m your child,

And that will always be.

Proverbs 31:15
She gets up while it is still night; she provides food for her family and portions for her female servants.

Life's Little Surprises

Joy appears when least expected

To brighten up the gloom;

That little unexpected thing

Can lift a sense of doom.

Those little moments when the dark

Gives way to sparkling light

Are precious tokens of His love,

Reflecting God’s delight.

So lift your heart when all seems lost,

Pray faithfully to Him,

And you will find that joy appears

Though life seems oh so grim.

Romans 12:12
Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.