No More Tears

Please help me, Lord, to only weep
When I have nothing left,
For I can truly say, my Lord
I’ve not be so bereft.

Don’t let me weep for silly things,
Things I should give to you,
For there’s no problem that’s so great
That you can’t see me through.

Don’t let me weep in self pity
Or when I’m feeling down,
For you have raised me from my sins
And offer me a crown.

So help me, Lord, to still my tears
When they begin to spill,
For crying won’t help me at all
And I know that you will.

Psalm 116:8
For you, LORD, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling,

Lending A Hand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for letting me lend a hand,

Help strangers gone astray.
Just being kind to someone else
Has really made my day.
 

I didn’t think a thing would lift

My winter weary heart,
But doing something just to help
Was quite a lovely start.
 
Tomorrow maybe I can do
Another something kind.
I’ll have to keep my heart alert
To see what I can find!

In Sickness and In Faith

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I feel the fever rise in me,

My broken body aches,
But though my body may be weak
My spirit never breaks.
 
Though sickness wracks my body now,
I know that it will end,
And, however scarred my body,
My spirit He will mend.
 
So let the illness come and go,
My spirit stands uncrushed,
And I will raise my joyful praise
Though all the world stands hushed.
 
Proverbs 18:14
The human spirit can endure in sickness, but a crushed spirit who can bear.

Romans 8: 24-25

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I rest my hope upon your word

And look for your return,
For your love is the only thing
I’ve never had to earn.
So I will wait with confidence,
What you teach I will learn,
And I will hope in faithfulness
For your promised return.
 
Romans 8: 24-25
24 For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? 25 But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

A Golden Crown

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A crown of gold about my head

Means so much less to me
Than the blood stained crown of thorns that
Won my soul’s victory.

Just Out of Reach

 

 

Everything I think that I want

Seems just beyond my reach,
Which leads me, Lord, to understand
You still have much to teach.
 
For when I stretch beyond my reach
I see what I had missed,
And what I’ve learned when I’ve struggled
Is not lightly dismissed.
 
So let me reach with joyful heart
To come closer to you
And give me strength and wisdom for
The reaching I must do.
 
Psalm 119:48
I reach out for your commands, which I love, that I may meditate on your decrees.

Sparkle!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Am I a likeness of my deeds

Or are they a likeness of me?
And have I done all I could do
To make either all they should be?
 
Have I reached out to one in need
Or held a lonely person’s hand?
Have I upheld a weary heart?
Did I take time to understand?
 
And are my deeds merely done well,
Is it enough to do what’s right?
Or should my deeds sparkle with more,
Should they reflect His loving light?

Mists of Fear

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My little worries nag at me,

They wrap me like a mist.
They twine their fingers through my day
And tighten like a fist.
 
But I will not succumb to them,
I’ll trust you’ll see me through,
But I’ll do all that I can do
And leave the rest to you.
 
Psalm 25:1
In you, LORD my God, I put my trust.

Thanks and Praise

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I thank you for my family

I thank you for dear friends
I thank you that we’re safe and sound
When every new day ends.
 
I thank you for the loving heart
That’s curled up by my knee.
I thank you for the ones who serve
To keep us safe and free.
 
I thank you for the words you send
Each time I write my praise.
I thank you for the loving grace
That blesses all my days.
 
1 Chronicles 29:13
Now, our God, we give you thanks, and praise your glorious name.

Simple Thanks

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tonight my praise is simple, Lord.

My thanks for all those I love,
The ones with two feet and with four,
Who are there for push and shove.
They love me when I’m happy
And also when I am blue,
Cause, right or wrong, good or bad,
They are there to see me through.

1 John 1:5

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There in the cloudy grey of dawn

The sun burst swiftly through
And, though it lingered but a span,
It made me think of you.
For You shine out when all is dark,
Though sometimes I don’t see.
Yet, even when I don’t see you
You’re always there for me.
Thus, when I look into the light
I see your perfect face
And I thankful for the love
That’s born of loving Grace!
 
1 John 1:5

This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

Faith and Flaws

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I know it isn’t without flaw,

But my faith rests in you.
I know the storms will come and go
And that you’ll see me through.
I know that my faith wobbles some,
That it is sometimes frail,
But, with my faith or without it,
Your love will never fail.
 
Lamentations 3:22
Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.

The Long Journey

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The journey has been long, my Lord,

The way not always smooth,
And there have been feathers ruffled
That I can never soothe,
But with your hand beneath my wings,
Your light upon my face,
I know that I will find a way
To reach your resting place!
 
Acts 7:49
“‘Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord. Or where will my resting place be?

A Light on My Path

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I get down, lost in the dark,

I call your name in praise.
Then your love lights my darkest nights,
It warms my weary days.
 
I often lose track of my joy,
With worries all around,
But your light lifts my gaze above
The rugged, broken ground.
 
And, when I raise my eyes to you
I see that I am blessed,
I recognize I’m filled with joy
And I’m no longer stressed.
 
Psalm 119:105
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.

Everyday Miracles

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There are miracles unfathomed

In every little thing:
Who chose the colors leaves would turn
And taught the birds to sing?
What makes the river, fresh and sweet,
Spill into ocean’s salt?
Why are some mountains robed in green
While others show each fault?
Who picked the petals for each bloom
And tucked them on the stem?
Why do the mushrooms, bright and red,
Grow when the world’s most grim?
 















Who laid the plans for each of these,
And formed them with his hand?
Who could have known so many things
That we don’t understand?
What mighty force of will and mind
Worked with each small aspect
So that each part fit in its place
With no flaw to detect?
We look for miracles profound
His glories to proclaim,
But I find it’s the little things
Which justify His name!
 
Psalm 147:5
5 Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

On the Sea

 

I once set sail upon a sea

And knew not where I’d land,

But I knew that both ship and I

Were sailing in God’s hand.

 

I know the wind that filled my sails

Was born within His heart.

So even when the tides run slack,

Those winds will not depart.

 

Within the rising of the gale

When all my seas grow rough,

I know that His strength will be there

And it will be enough.

 

Then, when I come at last to port,

My final journey done,

The winds will still and I will rest

Beside His shining Son.

 

Photo is a blessing from C. Marty. Thank you!!

Boundless Love

As wave on wave comes rolling in

I lack the faith to swim,
Though I know all that boundless love
Can only come from him.
I've never been the kind of girl
Who deserved so much grace,
And yet it washes all around
Like a loving embrace.
How can he love me boundlessly?
It overwhelms my mind.
And yet wherever I may look
His love is all I find.

Flying Blind

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today I fly a little blind,

Something obscures the skies.
I’m not sure if it’s clouds or rain
Or tear drops in my eyes.
But I have places I must go
And things that I must do,
So I will fly on through it all
And pray you’ll see me through.
 
Revelation 21:4
4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.

Alzheimer's and Lost Friends, Found

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today my praise is simple thanks

For something rare and sweet,
The moment when a blissful smile
And lost memories meet.
 
A name from a past, barely mine,
And yet my heart beat fast.
It seemed perfect that they should call
And join her with her past.
 
She’s lost so much over the years,
Her love, free will, her mind,
But there, across the miles and years,
A long lost smile she’d find.
 
They laughed about the days gone by,
She tried to answer back.
And when the words got lost halfway
They picked up all the slack.
 
I watched a face, weary with years,
Light up with a bright smile
And thanked You for her long lost friends,
Found after all this while.

Friends, Food and Blessings

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Most days it’s the simplest things
That make living worth while,
Like sharing time with those we love;
Food, spiced with a warm smile.
A meal prepared by loving hands,
Laughter that’s shared by all;
God’s bounty sent to bless our lives
In simple ways and small.

Acts 14:17
Yet he has not left himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; he provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy."

Sing For Joy to the Lord

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sing Glory, Glory to the Lord

And let your hearts be light,
For He still rules this broken world
Through His eternal might!
 
Sing Glory, Glory to the Lord
And lift your praises high.
Though dark clouds hover near the earth,
His love will light the sky!
 
Sing Glory, Glory to the Lord
And rest upon His Grace,
For even night’s most fearsome gloom
Can never hide His face.
 
Psalm 95:1
Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

Like Jonah At Sea

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A little bit of sorrow and

A little bit of joy
A moment of forgetfulness
That really does annoy
The friends who always make me laugh
And those I’ve left behind
The family that I have lost
And those I still can find
The ups and downs of every day
Life’s daily ebb and flow
I’d love to give it all a rest
But I’ve got waves to go.
 
I know someday I’ll rest on shore
Beyond the surf’s rough swell
But right now I feel tossed on seas
That only He can quell.
 
Jonah 1:11
The sea was getting rougher and rougher. So they asked him, “What should we do to you to make the sea calm down for us?”

Colossians 3:13

When pressures mount throughout the day

And tempers wear too thin,
Remember God’s love and his charge
To love your fellow men.
 
Remember that grace, shown to you,
Is meant to be passed on.
For his forgiveness is a gift
That lasts when strife is gone.
 
Be not too quick to see the wrong,
Yet swift to set things right,
For forgiveness of a wrong
Kindles a sacred light.
  



Colossians 3:13
Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Keep Your Friends Close

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In our troubles we lean on friends,

We face grief side by side.
There’s no struggle too hard for friends,
We take them all in stride.
 
In times of joy we turn to friends
To share our bliss and cheer,
For happiness will overflow
When those we love are near.
 
Our friends are those who share our world,
Live knowing our embrace,
But they are also those whom God
Has sent us through his Grace.
 
Regard each friend as if a gift
And gather them around,
For they are treasures sent from God;
A blessing most profound.
  
1 John 4:11
Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

The Last Leaves

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The last leaves on a barren tree

Weep for all they have lost,
But still they cling to hopeful joy,
However they are tossed.
For they know that, though they despair,
God holds them in His hand
And when the storm winds rip them free
He’ll bring them safe to land.

The Brambles on the Path

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The world can be so overgrown

With brambles, thorns and weeds;
Most have grown from the seeds we’ve sown
Through hurtful words and deeds.
But God forgives and protects us,
He knows our fears and needs,
And there, among the fiercest thorns,
He’s planted blessing’s seeds.
 
So struggle through the thickest snares
And lift your voice in praise,
For God will lead you through the thorns
And into better days!

Gratitude

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Though it was quite by accident

That she was planted here,
Among the Shasta daisies and
The vegetables so drear,
Yet still she chose to keep her face
Raised up in gratitude,
For she knows the best blooms come from
A cheerful attitude.
 
The soil in which her roots grow deep
Is not the best for her,
And yet she still grows joyfully
Where nothing’s left to stir.
For gratitude is more that smiles
When others choose to scorn;
Gratitude provides the loam
Where new blessings are born.
 
So now, when all the rest are gone,
Her blessings bloom and grow,
For gratitude has helped her through
The toughest times she’ll know!

Fear of Flight

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You guided me along the way

And lead me, safe, back home.
I rest upon your mighty wing
Whenever I must roam.
For you have never failed me, Lord;
You lift up in flight
And give me shelter when I rest
Before advancing night.

The Return of the Prodigal

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Tossed too long in the stormy sea,

Your face is scarred by years
Of life that left you changed and lost.
You washed up on your tears.
 
The very hills that once were yours
Look down upon you now
And do not recognize your face,
Your weather beaten brow.
 
Yet, as you settle down upon
That once familiar shore,
You find that you no longer hope
To ever leave it more.
 
You've realized what you endured
Has polished off the rind
That hid the heart God touched with life,
Leaving His Grace behind.
 
Luke  15:
31 “‘My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found."