The Light and The Rock

You are the light along my path,

The rock on which I stand,
You are my refuge in the storms,
I hide within Your hand.
 
When storms rise up and tempests rage,
Your light breaks through the cloud,
And I am not afraid of them,
However fierce or loud.
 
For I rest on the hand of God
And, for me, that’s enough,
No storm can wash me from His hand,
However dark or rough.
 
John 8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Little Annoyances

Lord, the little annoyances

That happen every day
Always manage to distract me,
And get into my way.
 
I know my life is more complex
Than it really should be,
And that, in part, could be because
Nuisances distract me.
 
Instead of batting at the gnats
That buzz around my face,
If I could keep my eyes on You,
I know I’d find more grace.
 
So help me keep my eyes on You,
That I might see things through,
And finally get to the things
That You want me to do.

A Place in Your Plan

There are many things I will do,

Many more than I think I can,
For
I know You have a plan in place
And I have a place in Your plan.
 
I know that I will do more good
Than possible in my life’s span,
For
I know You have a plan in place
And I have a place in Your plan.
 
Although I’m weak, I will be strong
When lifting up my fellow man,
For
I know You have a plan in place
And I have a place in Your plan.
 
When I walk through Your holy gates
I’ll be praising Your name again,
For
I know You have a plan in place
And I have a place in Your plan.

Time, To Rest

Oh Lord, I’m weary in this life,

That seems so filled with strain.
I long to rest, but find no peace
Wherein I can remain.
 
I rush from problem to problem
And cannot seem to rest.
It’s as if my life is becoming
Some sort of constant test.
 
And yet I know, if I just pause
To try and seek Your will
The world may not stop spinning fast,
But my mind will be still.
 
For, in Your Grace, is boundless peace,
Even for those like me
Who cannot seem to stop racing
The constant, churning sea.
 
So Lord, I give my stress to You,
I’ve done my very best,
But right now, Lord, the thing I need
Is time with You, to rest!
 
Matthew 11:28
“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Singing in Hard Times

Singing’s easy in times of joy,

You lift your heart in praise,
But it is harder to sing out
On life’s more tortured days.
 
When worries mar the finest day
Or troubles knock us down,
It’s hard to rise back up and sing.
Our instinct is to frown.
 
But that is when it matters most
That we should rise and sing
For praises raised, despite our pain,
Are such a precious thing.
 
They lift us back up to the heights
And closer to the Lord,
Where we can better see God’s face
And feel our faith restored.
 
Psalm 137:3-5
for there our captors asked us for songs, our tormentors demanded songs of joy; they said, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”
How can we sing the songs of the Lord while in a foreign land?

Tossed Like Waves

As waves of fear crash over us,

The winds of pain will moan
Until we feel tossed in the storm,
Battered and all alone.
 
But if we call, in faith, on Him
Who calms the stormy sea,
Then we shall find we’re not alone,
As our fear said we’d be.
 
For, he who calls upon the Lord
With heart, through faith, unbound,
Will ride the storm out in God’s hand
While waves crash all around.
 
The storm tossed souls, with faith in doubt,
Will scatter on the shore,
But he who stands upon God’s hand
Will rise to fly once more.
 
James 1:6
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

He Is Born!!

The sun was born into the dawn

And glory lit its birth,
A glory, humbled by the Son
Who’d just been born on earth.
 
The golden sky burst overhead
Filled with rejoicing light,
And, rich or poor, they came to Him
Who had been born that night.
 
Although He seemed but lowly born,
The skies filled with His Praise,
And that rejoicing filled the earth
For everlasting days.
 
For He was born a child of man,
But all knew He was more,
And so they sang in joyful praise
For that child Mary bore.

Isaiah 9:6

For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

The World Watched

They settled in amid the straw

And darkness in the shed,
Preparing for the birth to come,
The child who’d have no bed.
 
He swept a space, in the twilight,
And smoothed down some fresh straw,
While she was fighting back the pain
That stirred both fear and awe.
 
A new child was about to breathe
The first sharp breath of birth,
Within the small barn, all alone,
As twilight draped the earth.
 
They settled in beneath the roof,
The colored sky peered in,
The whole world held its breath to wait
For that life to begin.

Luke 2:5-6
He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,

Reflecting You

Let me reflect what You give me,

The love, the strength, the grace,
For when I reflect back those gifts
I almost see Your face.
 
I know You live in every gift
That You give us to share,
And each gift grows in abundance,
When shared, there’s more to spare.
 
So let me reflect back your gifts
To those who need Your grace,
That they might catch a glimpse of You
When they look at my face.

Wrap Me in Your Arms

When I feel lost in this big world,

You wrap me in Your arms,
And, though the world may threaten me,
I’m safe from all its harms.
 
The world can offer emptiness
And touch my heart with grief,
But I know, when I’m in Your arms,
My sorrow finds relief.
 
So wrap your arms around me, Lord,
And hold me close and tight,
For I am feeling small and lost
But You can make it right!

Life's Patterns

Sometimes life’s repeating patterns

Slip by unseen by man
We’re too busy with “big pictures”,
The smaller things to scan
 
Worries, troubles, laughter and joys,
They all repeat each day,
And yet we only notice them
If they get in our way.
 
How often have we settled in
At the end of a week,
Then wondered how we’d run so fast
And still lost what we seek.
 
How quickly pass the simple years
Of childhood’s sweet delight.
Then suddenly the little ones
Have grown and moved from sight.
 
The patterns that form every day
Are precious gifts of Grace,
And if we simply pass them by,
Emptiness takes their place.

What Was That, Lord?

What was it that you asked of me?

I didn’t understand.
I thought you said go spread the word
Throughout the entire land,
But that would be so frightening
It can’t be Your command…
Unless You’ll go along with me
And hold me by the hand.
 
For though I am afraid, my Lord,
Of things more fierce than I,
I’ll gladly face them for You, Lord,
If I know you’re nearby.
So, let me ask You, one more time,
If You want me to rise,
And I will leave my comfy nest.
With You, I’ll brave the skies!
 
Psalm 73:28
But as for me, it is good to be near God. I have made the Sovereign Lord my refuge; I will tell of all your deeds.

I Have Enough

It may not seem like all that much

To those with so much more,
But I am grateful for more wealth
Than I have known before.
 
I don’t need more than other folk,
And I could live with less,
But I have what I need each day
To live without distress.
 
I have a home that’s safe and warm,
I have enough to eat,
And neither one is fancy, Lord,
But my life is complete.

 

So I don’t trouble myself much

Longing for wealth or fame.
You’ve blessed me with all that I need,
And I will praise Your name.

Praise Him Always

In humble thanks, I bow to you

And offer you my praise,
For, though my world seems so confused,
You guard the twisted ways,
You lead me down the darkest roads
And spill light on my way,
So that I might not fear the night
Any more than the day.
 
So, Lord, I’ll step out in the faith
That You’ll be there for me,
But first I bow, with humble heart,
And praise You faithfully!
 
Psalm 71:14
As for me, I will always have hope; I will praise you more and more.

Sunshine and You

When the skies are their gloomiest

And winter’s cold rains start,
It’s comforting to find the sun
Still lingers in my heart.
And so it is, when times grow hard,
Each day starts with a tear,
That I find comfort in the thought
That You are just as near.

 

Psalm 22:11

Do not be far from me, for trouble is near and there is no one to help.

 

 

Watching The Angels

I watched the night, as usual,

For tempting, careless prey.
I swept the trees and nearby fields
For small things gone astray.
 
But, as I rode the silent breeze,
The heavens burst with light
From angels singing to the world
Of a child born that night.
 
The heavens rang with boundless joy.
I settled in a tree
And watched the shepherds in the field
Rise up that they might see.
 
I watched them, washed in holy light,
Rush from the frozen hill
And hurry down into the town,
Where all was hushed and still.
 
The angels sang into the night,
I listened and I heard
That heaven had come down to earth
And now I spread that word.

Luke 2:13-14

Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.”

A Service of Remembrance

Three lights to remember the lost tonight,

Remember love they shared
With those of us who miss them still,
The ones for whom they cared.
 
The little moment meant to ease
A pain that hasn’t past,
But, though their body is now gone,
Their flame of love will last.
 
And so we burn them in the night
To light their memory,
To see again, with our mind’s eye,
The loved ones we can’t see.

Winter Apple Trees

Even into the winter’s chill,

When snow capped every limb,
Still they had much left they could give
For they were born in Him.
 
They still could feed the singing birds
Who scratched within the snow,
For even their old, withered fruit
Would help the young birds grow.
 
They still could offer a safe place
For weary birds to rest,
Within the season when they’re caught
Without a feathered nest.
 
There was so much those winter trees
Could still offer the world
And they offered it joyfully
With loving boughs unfurled,
 
For they lived their life everyday
With God’s love as their guide,
And, spent or fresh, they shared their gifts
With heart and arms spread wide.

Always Near

I asked You, Lord, to stay by me

And You are always here.
There is nothing that I should fear
With you standing so near,
And yet, sometimes I am afraid,
For just a thought or two,
But all my fears soon melt away
When I catch sight of You.
 
Psalm 16:8
I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Whispered Prayers

How can you not be overwhelmed

By all who call your name?
How do you keep track of them all,
Treat great and small the same?
For each voice that calls out to you
Is precious to your ear,
Their pleas rise as a rushing wind
And yet, each voice you hear.
 
I feel so lost at just the few
Demands life makes of me,
I cannot fathom how you hear
And answer every plea.
But I am grateful that you do
For, though my voice is small,
I whisper my payers to you.
Oh Lord, please hear me call.

Keep An Eye On Me

Please keep an eye upon me, Lord,

As I move through this day,
For I forget to watch for You
And get lost on the way.
 
I know if my eye stays on You
I won’t get lost in weeds,
Yet I’m distracted in the course
Of most day’s words and deeds.
 
And so I need you to do for me
What I can’t seem to do,
Please keep Your eye upon me, Lord,
When I’m not watching You.

A Chance To Help

I’m on watch for a chance to help

As often as I can,
For You have asked that we should live
To serve our fellow man.
 
I do not seek to smooth their way,
That’s not at my command,
But, if I can help in rough spots,
I want to lend a hand.
 
So I am always on the watch
For something I can do;
By serving others in my life,
In truth, I’m serving you!
 
Galatians 5:13
You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love.

Watching Always

The cold wind whines about the eaves,

But still I watch for You.
The dark clouds blot out all the stars,
But I will see it through.
For I will watch through all night brings
As You’ve asked me to do,
And I will wait beside Your door
Watching, ever, for You.  

Proverbs 8:34

Blessed are those who listen to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway.

In All Things, See Him

Though ice and cold consumed my world,

As if it might well drown,
And all was frozen white with ice
That had been winter brown,
Yet still I felt my spirits soar
As more snow pelted down,
For, even in that icy world,
I found my Savior’s crown!

I Bow in Prayer

Today my praise is short and sweet,

Thank you for everyone I meet
Who seems to go out of their way
To lift me up, Lord, every day.
 
Thank you for those who let me grieve
And yet teach me to still believe.
Thank you for those who do what’s right,
And those who give me strength to fight,
 
For those who lend a helping hand
And those who try to understand.
I bow my head now, Lord, to pray,
Please guard them on their walk today.

Growing Tall

It never was quite like the rest,

But still, however bent,
The little tree stood proudly there
For it was heaven sent.
 
Though its life was more difficult
Than those who shared its wood,
Still it rose upward to the sky
Doing the best it could.
 
And from its faithful diligence
I’ve learned what I should know,
I dwell, not on what holds me back,
But what helps me to grow!
 
2 Peter 3:18
But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be glory both now and forever! Amen.

Diamonds From Tears

The little tears our worries wept

Are gathered through the night,
They start to sparkle with new joy
At the first touch of light.
 
For dawn’s fresh light reflects His grace
Into our darkest fears
And polishes them with His love
Making diamonds of tears.

The Light in the Tunnel

There is light at the tunnel’s end,

Though I still can’t take ease,
But the torrents of headlong winds
Have settled to a breeze.
 
I’m facing still more ups and down,
But that light’s growing bright
And if I just keep stepping out
I’ll break through to the light.
 
I could not make it through these days
If Your light wasn’t there,
For it has shown so brightly, Lord,
I couldn’t doubt Your care.
 
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

You Are Enough

The day was filled with lots of clouds,

But still the sun shone through.
I might recall just the tough times
If it were not for You.
You sent me blessings in the fears
That I kept clinging to,
And every time I gave up hope
Your grace burst forth anew.
So, though I’m weary from the day
And sadness lingers, too,
I’ll focus not on what went wrong,
But what went right with You!!!
 
John 6:35
Then Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Webs of Stress

There are layers of stress each day

That snare us like dark webs,
And hold us tightly in their grasp
Until our courage ebbs.
 
They draw the light and joy of life
Out of our every day
And leave us longing for the chance
That there’s a better way.
 
The truth is that there is a way,
Trust God and let stress go,
Then watch each dark web, in His light,
Adopt a joyous glow.

Rising In Flight

I’m taking off to a new life,

Rising on wings of grace,
Missing what I will leave behind,
Thrilled to find my new place.
 
Although I feel like I’m alone
As I reach for the sky,
I know my flock, those who love me,
Is rising up nearby.
 
For though I’m off to a new life,
Those who have loved me so
Will never let me fly somewhere
That their love cannot go.

Billowing in the Wind

The winds that circle round the earth
Can shatter the strong wall
And tear asunder all we’ve built,
Destroying each and all.
 
But in the fiercest winds we face,
While others twist and bend,
If we are anchored in his grace
We’ll billow in the wind.

Job 37:9
The tempest comes out from its chamber, the cold from the driving winds.

Thanks All Day

The quiet mists of morning pass,

Soon this day will begin.
And, whatever it holds for me,
With His love, I will win.
For His love lifts me through the worst,
And from Him my hope springs.
So I will praise Him all day long
Whatever this day brings.
 
Psalm 136:1
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His love endures forever.

A Thankful Heart

Today I lift a thankful heart

To offer God this praise
For He has loved me all my life
And guarded all my ways.
He’s loved me in my weakest times
And strengthened me once more
He’s picked me up when my whole world
Had crashed upon the floor.
He held me in His healing arms
While I wept bitter tears
Then helped me to look forward to
The joy filled coming years!
 
For all these blessings, and much more,
I praise His holy name
And, to the nations of the world,
His glory I proclaim.
 
1 Chronicles 16:8
Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.

Light in Dark Clouds

Living in a frustrated haze

With so much that’s gone wrong,
It’s hard to face tomorrow’s craze
With a sweet cheery song.
 
But even in the darkest skies
There is a touch of gold
And that’s enough, in these rough times,
On to which I can hold.
 
So bring on all the storms of life,
Heaven’s gold streaks the night,
And I will make it through the storms
Following that bright light.

Shaken and Fragile

It seems so solid, like the rock,

From which it has been wrought,
And yet that mountain can be lost
Without a second thought.
 
It can be shattered to the ground
By fires at its core,
It can be shattered by its flaws,
To rise again, no more.
 
The greatest forces of the earth
Are fragile in their place,
But God has built for us a home
That’s safe in His embrace.
 
So let us praise him joyfully,
With reverence and awe.
Our God has built for us a realm
Without a single flaw.
 
Hebrews 12:28
Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,

Behind the Clouds

 

There are those days when all we see

Are black clouds in our sky,

But what God knows, that we can’t see,

Is sunshine drawing nigh.

So don’t let grey skies bring you down

Just lift your voice in praise,

For God has sunshine on its way

And He’s your brighter days!

 

Isaiah 60:19

The sun will no more be your light by day, nor will the brightness of the moon shine on you, for the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory.

Hidden Blessings

The trick to receiving blessings

Is recognizing them,
They aren’t always neatly packaged
With a note, “Sent from Him!”
 
They’re shrouded in the every day
That we don’t always see,
Often needing more awareness
Than we are wont to be.
 
For I’ve noted that blessings grow
When met with gratitude,
Though when you’re blind it’s hard to find
A thankful attitude.
 
The job that leaves you exhausted,
But provides daily bread.
The home, however humble, that’s
A roof over your head.
 
The car that runs, the noisy kids,
Don’t seem like blessings now,
But, if you had to do without,
You know you’d question how.
 
So look beneath the wants and dreams
To what you have today,
And pause to see what’s hidden there
On display every day. 

Then lift your voice in gratitude

For blessings that now flow,
And don’t be startled if you find
Those blessings grow and grow.

Rejoice at My Parting

Do not weep upon my parting,

For, though I’m gone from earth,
Rejoice that I am reveling
In heavenly rebirth.
 
Celebrate and dance with singing,
Lift high your joyful praise,
For I am gone through heaven’s gates
And into better days.
 
Let there be laughter and no tears,
May joy touch every face,
For I’ll be dancing in His garden,
Gazing upon God’s face.
 
So do not weep when I am gone,
Sing songs of thankful joy,
And praise Him who, through sacrifice,
Gives life death can’t destroy.
 
Psalm 100:4
Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.

Beneath His Gaze

The road may not be smooth each day,

The path may rise steeply,
But I know that, however rough,
He has His eye on me.
 
I cannot travel from His view,
His gaze is everywhere,
And though I stumble on the path
I know that He’ll be there.
 
I struggle, sometimes, in this life,
But I can face rough days
Because I know I’m walking still
Beneath His loving gaze.
 
Psalm 121:8
The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.

Signs Of Love

However bare or desolate

The world might seem to be,
God always leaves us some small sign
That we can clearly see;
The ray of light between the clouds,
A leaf still on the tree,
The friendly word that lifts the heart
And sets our spirit free.
 
Matthew 6:25-27
 “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?

Hiding In Him

My enemy seems to be me,

Though I have faith in You.
I worry that I’m much too weak
To see the struggle through.
 
You have not asked as much of me
As many face each day,
And yet, I worry that’ll I’ll fail,
That my strength might give way.
 
I hide, in You, when I’m afraid,
You teach me not to fear.
And even my worst enemy
Is loved when you are near.
 
Psalm 143:9
Rescue me from my enemies, Lord, for I hide myself in you.

Moving On

Every day must come to an end

Before the next one can begin.
We bid farewell to what has been,
Then turn and start out once again.
 
We cannot linger in today,
Where all that’s past gets in the way.
Tomorrow can’t, its joys, display
If we’re still trapped in yesterday.
 
So do your grieving, then move on.
We must let go of all that’s gone,
Knowing that, in tomorrow’s dawn,
The face of a new life is drawn.

All Alone

I can see the joyful world,

It’s not that far away,
And yet I feel so all alone
At the end of this day.
 
I spend each day surrounded by
The chaos of this world,
And I have withstood all the pain
That every day has hurled.
 
Yet, in the end, I’m all alone
With just the tears I cry
As I watch all those I have loved,
One by one, say good-bye.

Psalm 31:9
Be merciful to me, Lord, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and body with grief.

A Different View

I’m trying not to think of it

As a drab, drizzly day,
But take the chance to look at life
In a different way.
 
For yesterday was such a rush
A chaos filled whirlwind,
And I’ll be past exhausted by
Tomorrow’s weary end.
 
So I am looking at today,
Though filled with rain and mist,
As that calm in between the storms
Which I’ve heard can exist!
 
So thank you, Lord, for time to rest
For time to spend with You,
And most of all for helping me
To look at things anew.
 
Psalm 62:1
Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.