My Heart Leaps With Joy

Troubles followed complications,

Both of them followed me.
The day went quickly straight down hill,
And yet my spirit’s free,
For I am not without your grace.
My heart leaps up in me.

I did not fall before the pain,

I stood on my two feet,
And, though the day went far astray,
I will not claim defeat,
For you stayed with me through it all.
Your love makes me complete.

You are my strength when I am weak,

You shield me through the worst,
And when the world falls down on me
You always reach me first.
So I will dance with boundless joy,
Though life may do its worst.

Psalm 28:7

The LORD is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

Psalm 95:4

The journey’s not an easy one,

But we don’t climb alone,
For God has placed his perfect name
On every rock and stone.

And, while we struggle with the climb

To reach the mountain’s peak,
It’s he who guides the steps we take,
For he knows what we seek.

So place your faith in him whose hand

Holds up the mountain’s crest,
For, though the way is challenging,
With him, you’ll meet the test.

Psalm 95:4

In his hand are the depths of the earth, and the mountain peaks belong to him.

Thank You to My Wonderful Family

Family can be a blessing,

And they can be a curse,
But I know one thing without doubt…
Without them things get worse.
 
They’re always there when you need help,
And sometimes when you don’t,
But I couldn’t live without them…
And I vow that I won’t.

Yes, God has plans we’ll never know,

But some plans he’s made clear,
For he has blessed me with great kin
And they are more than dear.

A Frog on the Hot Deck

The plants were withering from heat,

I watered every pot.
A little frog jumped out in fear
On to a deck too hot.

His fear of drowning in the flood

Outweighed the threat of heat,
So he jumped to the open deck
And landed at my feet.

I saw myself, on other days,

When I was running scared.
I ended up in a blind leap
And you were there, prepared.

You picked me up and kept me safe,

I learned that move from you,
And so I tucked him some place safe…
Like you taught me to do.

Psalm 71:20

Though you have made me see troubles, many and bitter, you will restore my life again; from the depths of the earth you will again bring me up.

Ephesians 2:10

The task was hers, by His design,

To give life to each chick.
Although she might have planned on more,
Some things we cannot pick,
For we are each formed by God’s hand,
With good works we’re to do.
By doing them with loving hearts
His glory can shine though,
And every new life that we touch
Will grow strong in his light
That they, in turn, might have a chance
To shine within his sight.

Ephesians 2:10

10 For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Photo courtesy of a generous friend who wants to remain anonymous.

Drowning

Today, Lord, I feared I might drown

For I was sinking fast,
But then I reached my hand to you
And I felt safe at last.
This life in which you’ve placed us, Lord,
Can leave us heaved and tossed,
But your hand’s always there to grab,
That we might not be lost.
So, when the waters get too rough
And I fear I might drown,
I’ll reach my hand right up to where
Your hand is reaching down.

Matthew 8:25

The disciples went and woke him, saying, “Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!”

Thank you for a Wonderful Day

Thank you for the laughter

Thank you for the fun
Thank you for the clear skies
Thank you for the sun
Thank you for the moments
Thank you for the smiles
Thank you for safe travels
Through all the long miles.

Psalm 119:60

I dawdled over all the things

You wanted me to do
Until I understood that I
Enjoy obeying you.

And now I rush to face each task,

To see them fully through,
For nothing brings me more delight
Than knowing I’ve pleased you.

Psalm 119:60

60 I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.

Sisters

Some sisters were born that way,

While others came to be,
Either way I love them all
And I know they love me!

Our roots intertwine for strength,

A strength that will abide.
I know I can face what comes
With sisters at my side.

Thank you for my sisters, Lord,

And for the love they give.
They make life a better place
For me to grow and live.

Hosea 2:1

“Say of your brothers, ‘My people,’ and of your sisters, ‘My loved one.’

Roses, Thorns and Fragrances

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

They’re elegant and beautiful,

Without a thorn to show,

And yet they have so little scent.

But that’s just how they grow.

 

But in the wild sweet roses bloom,

Their fragrance scents the wind,

While every stem is rich with thorns

The careless hand to rend.

 

Why is it that such rich perfume

Comes only with a thorn

And not upon the thorn less rose

That’s safely hot house born?

 

Perhaps it’s so in all of life,

That safe can be dull, too.

The sweetest hearts that we all know

Have a sharp thorn or two.

 

I’ll never be as perfect as

The silken hot house rose,

But I can still be sweet enough

To ease each thorn that grows.

 

Promises

Your promise rests within my heart,

A blossom, small and frail.
Though I may falter in my faith,
Your promises don’t fail,
 
I may not see how your promise
Can be fulfilled in me,
But I believe, despite my doubts,
That you’ll bring it to be.

So I will guard the promises

You’ve planted in my heart,
And wait with faithful patience, Lord,
Until the blooming starts.

Luke 1:45

Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”

Aurora, Colorado

My heart cries out to you, oh Lord,

Enfold them in your grace.
For they have known such pain and fear
They long for your embrace.

They are the innocents, now lost,

Who come to you in tears,
Embrace them in your soothing love
And free them from their fears.

We weep, who must now carry on,

No joy shares sorrow’s place.
We cannot fathom such evil,
Though we have seen its face,

But there’s no evil born of man

That can’t be healed though you.
And we cry out in our despair
Dear Lord, please bring us through.

Psalm 55:4

My heart is in anguish within me; the terrors of death have fallen on me.

From My Labors

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I labored in the sun all day,

Enjoying all I did.

Spending the day in paradise

And working off the grid.

 

I know the labors of my hand

Are vain compared to yours,

But I get satisfaction from

Completing simple chores

 

When they keep me out in the light,

A soft breeze in my hair,

And your creation all around.

It’s an answered prayer

 

I worked hard in the sun all day,

But, as the shadows grew,

I realized I love it so

Because I’m close to you.

 

Ecclesiastes 1:3-4

3 What do people gain from all their labors at which they toil under the sun?

4 Generations come and generations go, but the earth remains forever. 

 

 

When Panic Attacks

The panic stuck me suddenly,

While I was on the road.
I couldn’t breathe, the tears welled up,
I broke beneath the load.

How will I live when this has passed,

What am I trained to do?
How will I care for myself when
Caring for her is through?

I had to pull off of the road

And shove the tears back down.
I have no time for what if’s now
And if I cry, I’ll drown.

I’m so far out of the real world

I’ll never fit back in,
But I will have to find a way
To do so once again.

So I am doing as you’ve asked,
I give these fears to you.
Oh Lord, I know you have a plan
And you will see me through,

But right now I am so afraid;

I tremble where I stand.
The only thing that holds me up
Is living in your hand.

Changing Course

Sometimes the winds that toss our lives

Are meant to change our course;
For those of us with stubborn streaks
He has to use more force.

I wasn’t listening to him,

The gales rose in my face.
I turned, obedient again,
And found his loving grace.

I know I’ll fly of course once more,
I’m not a perfect child,
But he will blow me back on track
Before I grow too wild.

Losing Sight of You

The day flew by so quickly, Lord,

And I lost sight of you.
I let pent up frustrations
Show through a time or two.
I slipped a few things through the cracks
That I should have seen through,
But in the end I turned around,
Did what you asked me to.
It was at that point, once again,
That I caught sight of you.  

For you were always right by me,

Though I chose not to see.
And though I lost track of you, Lord,
You kept good track of me.

Psalm 7:15-16

All of my failures, fears and sins

Are like an endless pit,
I fear I’ll never break away
Before I’m lost in it.

The hurt, the rage, the bitter thoughts,

The flaws that mar my soul,
Pull me back each time I try
To flee that wretched hole.

I fear the darkest parts of me

That rise when I am weak
And taunt me with my broken past
Til my future looks bleak.

Please help me find a way to fill

The pit I dug so deep
And leave behind me all the hurt
That I don’t have to keep.

Psalm 7:15-16

15 Whoever digs a hole and scoops it out falls into the pit they have made.
16 The trouble they cause recoils on them; their violence comes down on their own heads.

2 Corinthians 4:8

The tempest sent me whimpering

To hide my face in fear;
The crashing light, the thunder’s song
Were growing ever near.
I felt the pain of every blow
Bearing down on me,
But I can’t let the storms keep me
From what I need to be.

So I will rise against the gale,

Defy the fearsome air!
For I will not give in to fear
Or wallow in despair!

2 Corinthians 4:8

We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair;

Time Shared vs Timeliness

The things that used to freak me out

No longer leave me stressed;
Such as the friend I was to meet
Who wasn’t timely dressed.

I used to gnash my angry teeth

And pull all my hair out,
But I have come to understand
That’s not what life’s about.

She brings such laughter in her wake,

She fills the world with glee.
And those things matter so much more
Than timelines do to me.

So thank you for the precious gift

Of simple clarity.
Because of it my life’s become
A better place to be.

A Tea Pot Lid

To you, it is just a teapot,

To me it’s morning peace;
Before the chaos of the day
Begins, without surcease,
I have a cup, I watch the dawn
And all the knots release.
 
This morning I came near to tears;
The lid slipped from my hand
And gravity hurtled it toward
A tragic final stand.
But I rescued it just in time,
As if I’d had it planned.

I almost wept at that mishap,

For what I would have lost,
And it reminded me that He
Once paid a bitter cost
To save a silly “lid” like me
From being smashed and tossed.

Now, when I sip my morning tea,

I find more comfort there.
From now on I will take my tea
With milk and a prayer.

Proverbs 24: 31-32

I spent time in anger today,

I bitterly complained.
I felt annoyance rise in me
And all my words were strained.

Then a thistle, fierce and noxious,

Brushed hard against my skin
And stung me just for being near;
It’s poison seeping in.

I realized that’s how I was,

I stung all those near me
And let the poison of my mood
Burn them all bitterly.

And so I plucked it from my heart,

The thistle of my wrath,
And now the people I love most
Are free to walk my path.

Proverbs 24: 31-32

31 thorns had come up everywhere, the ground was covered with weeds, and the stone wall was in ruins. 32 I applied my heart to what I observed and learned a lesson from what I saw:

Psalm 36:6

Your perfect was too far away

For me ever to see
And all that I knew I should live
Was more than I could be.
But you loved me so very much,
You wouldn’t let me go,
So you set your perfect on earth
That I might see and know.

Now, when I seek you where I am,

I always find your grace.
For heaven is no further than
Your own reflected face.

Psalm 36:6

5 Your love, Lord, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies.
6 Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep.

To Bridge The Gap

The gap between who I should be

And who I am right now
Seems far too wide for me to bridge,
But I’ll bridge it somehow.
For, on the other side of it,
Lies all you want from me
And I will find a way to be
Who you want me to be.
So I will build it, stone by stone,
And lay each timber strong,
Until I cross it and can stand
With you, where I belong.

Simple Joy

Just a quiet moment

Filled with simple joy
Teaching me that laughter
Heals what tears destroy

Labors of Love

Today, Lord, I am wearier

Than I’ve been for a while
But in the end, when day is done,
I can relax and smile.

My work is still not done, Oh Lord,

I know this to be true,
But I don’t mind the labors, Lord,
When I labor for you.

1 Thessalonians 1:3

We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Just Holding On

Oh Lord, I’m barely holding on

Against the drag of fear.
I feel that if I lose my grip
I’ll never get back here.
I’ve worked so hard to reach this point,
I thought I followed you,
But now I’m facing fearful odds
That I may not pull through.

Oh Lord, if you have other plans

Than those I’m clinging to,
Then help me understand them, Lord,
So I can see them through.
But if your plan includes this path
Then help me to hold on.
For I am battered by the storms
And I am nearly gone.

Tomorrow Dawned Anew

Tomorrow dawned anew today

In a clear and freshly washed sky
All the tears it had wept last night
Were, by the dawning, long since dry.

I am reminded, with the dawn,

Of something that I always knew…
However dark my past has been,
Each day tomorrow dawns anew.

So, with the setting of each sun,

I gather up my hurt and pain
And leave them in the night’s dark arms,
To start tomorrow fresh again.

When, In The Course...

Through all the worlds formed by your hand,

There is but one called earth,
And, out of all the nations there,
I was blessed at my birth
To live where your word shaped the law
And men revered its worth.

Those men who stood to shape this land

Left footprints hard to fill.
Please guard our land and guide the hand
Of those who lead us still,
For we will only remain free
When we live in your will.

Matthew 22: 14

14 “For many are invited, but few are chosen.”

Balance

I can’t quite keep up with myself;

You balance the seas and the sky.
I often weep in frustration,
While you’ve a calm and watchful eye.

How do you maintain balance, Lord,

And keep it all under control?
I can’t even balance my thoughts,
Much less my body and my soul.

Lord, I’m glad that you’re in control;

Sometimes my awed thoughts will linger
On how you have it all balanced
Right at the tip of your finger.

Isaiah 40:12

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance?

As Things Get Harder

 

You fed me when I was a child

And saw to all I’d need,
But, now that our roles have reversed
I’m not sure I’ll succeed.

I can’t just send you to your room

If you don’t clean your plate,
Or spank you if you’re out of sorts
Because you stayed up late.

The things you need to have me do

Grows more vast every day.
The days when it was just a meal
Have slipped so far away.

I struggle just to comprehend

The things you try to say
And watch you slip farther from me
With every passing day.

I love you more than you can know,

I hope your heart can see
That all you need, I’ll gladly do.
Just like you did for me!