Not Quite in the Light

It seems I live half in the light

And half the time in shade;
Although I try to do what’s right,
Mistakes are always made.
 
I know what You’ve asked me to do,
I answer when You call,
But, though I try to see it through,
I rise, only to fall.
 
Yet still You fill me with Your grace,
Then, once again, You ask;
And, in the strength of Your embrace,
I rise, once more, on task.
 
Someday I’ll feel Your endless light
Shining upon my face,
But until then I’ll fight the shade
And seek a light filled place.

Cathedrals and Choirs

Some cathedrals aren’t made of stone

With all the frill and frock,
And choirs singing anthems of
The same old standard stock.
 
There are cathedrals are formed of light
That dapples a blue sky
And drapes across the tallest boughs,
Its spires reaching high.
 
Not all the choirs and the hymns
Are born in hearts of men,
For many flourish in the songs
Of robin, hawk and wren.
 
So worship God within the church
And in creation, too,
For one was built by man for God
And one by God for you!

My Prayer Team

I know that when I pray to You,

You hear my every prayer,
And, when I pray with all my friends,
You’ve said that You’ll be there.
 
So, even when I’m all alone,
In need of loving grace,
My friends and I call on Your name,
As if we’re in one place.

Matthew 18:20
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.

Choices

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some days life is about the bloom

And some days it’s the thorn.
Some days we’re filled with boundless joy
While some just can’t be borne.
But most of that choice lies with us,
I’ve come to understand,
We can’t choose which garden we’re in,
But we choose where we land.

Impending Good-bye

I know that this was what we planned,

That everything is right,
But what I need at this moment 
Is You to hold me tight.
 
Please wrap Your arms around me, Lord,
And hold me as I cry,
For I am not yet quite prepared
To let her say good-bye.
 
I know that You are calling her,
I see her turn to You,
But when she’s gone, I’ll be alone.
I don’t know what I'll do.
 
So hold me in Your loving arms
And fill me with Your peace,
That I that may have the strength I need
To grant, to her, release.

My Father Grew Pumpkins

Sometimes a thing is just a thing;

Sometimes a memory
Pops into sight instead of what
Your eyes think that they see.
 
To everyone who passes by
This pumpkin’s big and round.
To me it is a legacy
Growing from the ground.
 
My father grew them every year
With love and tender care
So that his grandkids each had one
With several left to spare.
 
Now he is gardening with God
And I grow pumpkins here,
In part to give them to the kids,
In part to hold him near.

A Crown of Life

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Though I am tattered from this life,

My time on earth’s been rough,
A crown of glory waits for me
And that is Grace enough.

God does not see the tattered soul,
He patched that with His love,
All He sees is the faithful heart
And life’s crown, formed thereof.

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.

Because You Love Me

I do not have to love You, Lord,

Neither must You love me,

But love I do, in gratitude,
And You love through mercy.
For You have done much more for me
Than I could do for You,
And the sacrifice you made
Assures I’ll love You, too.
So, since You loved me beyond death,
I joyfully love You.
I know that it is not the same,
But I pray it will do.
 
Psalm 116:1-2

I love the Lord, for he heard my voice; he heard my cry for mercy. Because he turned his ear to me, I will call on him as long as I live.

I Can't Hide

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hide my fears from all the world,

My pain is tucked away,
For all the world has fears and pain.
They don’t need more today.
 
I keep my worries hidden, Lord,
Secret even from me.
For some of them are far too great
For even me to see.
 
All of these things I hide away
And then I hide me, too,
But I am never so hidden
That I am lost to You.
 
You find me in my fear and pain
You find me when I’m weak,
And when I’m far too overwhelmed
To even try to speak.
 
Though I may hide from all the world,
And not a soul may care,
I know You’ll find me where I am
And I’ll know that You’re there.

Psalm 38:9

All my longings lie open before you, Lord; my sighing is not hidden from you.

 

Upside Down

My whole world is upside down

And I can’t set it right.

For, even if I do my best,

We still must lose this fight.

 

This fight is one that we can’t win,

At least not in this life,

And, though I know that is the point,

It still cuts like a knife.

 

Most of the time I’m in control,

I know what has to be,

But times like this it seems the world

Has flipped around on me.

 

However lost and upside down

Today may make me feel,

If You are with me, I won’t fall,

Though life may make me reel.

 

 

Psalm 42:8

 

 

The day has past, best let it go;

Tomorrow’s not yet here.
Don’t weep for what you did not do,
Nor dread tomorrow’s fear.
Instead lift up each day to God
And let Him guard each night,
For, though you may not think it so,
You are His great delight.
His Love directs your every step,
For you are His to keep;
He will not fail to guide your days
Nor guard you while you sleep.

Psalm 42:8
By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.

Psalm 16:8

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I see You, Lord, and I rejoice,

I keep my eyes on you.
When I am following your lead
There’s nothing I can’t do.
 
I hear you, Lord, and sing your praise.
I listen when You speak.
I know that living in Your Word
Will show me what I seek.
 
I love you, Lord, and I am blessed,
Whatever comes my way,
For when I live close by Your side
I won’t go far astray.
 
Psalm 16:8
I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

I Hide in Shame

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I hide my face from You in shame

For I have lived in doubt,
When I should have had faith in You
I’ve let life stress me out.
When I should have given You praise,
I thought, “how smart am I”,
And when heard You call my name
I shrugged and rushed on by.
 
But through all this, You loved me still,
You answered every call,
And every time I tripped on pride
You’d catch each hurtful fall.
So, Lord, I hide my face in shame,
But, grateful You love me,
I set myself to try again
To be whom I should be.

Power and Glory

Though I can’t always see your face,

Hidden in mists of doubt,
You always seem to find a way
To let Your love shine out.
 
The splendor of the morning sun
Reflecting though a haze,
Is banal in comparison
To all Your wondrous ways.
 
You are the master of the skies,
The earth belongs to You,
And I will sing You songs of praise
Til sky and earth are through.
 
1 Chronicles 29:11
Yours, Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the majesty and the splendor, for everything in heaven and earth is yours. Yours, Lord, is the kingdom; you are exalted as head over all.

River of Life

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh Lord, Your grace is ever flowing

For, when I hit a wall
And I’m convinced I’m at the end,
I pray. You hear my call.
 
When I feel life repaying me
For all those years of sin,
I cry out once more for mercy.
Your love comes pouring in.
 
I live within the ceaseless flow
Of grace beyond my worth,
And all of it was set aside
For me, before my birth.
 
Your love is like a rushing stream
That flows straight from your throne,
And I rejoice, within its flow,
That I am not alone.
 
Revelation 22:1
Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb

My Cup Overflows

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some days my life seems filled with tears,

And other days with joy,
But always my cup overflows.
Your Grace is never coy.
Your blessings spill throughout my life
And pool within my heart.
Lord, that is why, come rain or shine,
I sing with each day’s start!

A Focused Heart

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh Lord, please keep my focus on

That which I do today.
I think I fear what is to come,
And so I look away
To sometime well beyond the pain,
A time when I can play.
But, Lord, this task needs all my heart
So keep it here, I pray.

Seeing You In Me

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oh Lord, I try to reflect you

In everything I do,
But I fear that reflection is
Less than clear and true.
 
Much as a lake reflects the shore
With a distorted view,
Lord, that’s the way my best attempts
Only poorly show You.

Yet, for the fractured pattern there
That’s the best I can be,
There’s still enough for me to tell
I see some You in me!
 
Proverbs 27:19
As water reflects the face, so one’s life reflects the heart.

Stranded

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Where do You see me going next,

When my task here is through?
What do You see me doing, Lord,
That I might still serve you?

I see myself as stranded now

With no place I can go,
But I believe You have a plan,
Though what, I don’t yet know.
 
So I will hold on tight for now
See my current task through,
And not worry where You’ll see me,
As long as I see You!!

Prayers Without Words

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My heart is anguished today, Lord,

I cannot think to pray.
I beg You to hear all my prayers
Though I’ve no words to say.
 
I seek Your peace within my pain,
Your calm within my fears.
I pray that You will ease my heart
And help me fight my tears.
 
I need Your strength to face what comes,
Though it is no surprise,
For it’s been coming for a while.
Yet, still, my sad heart cries.
 
Oh, Lord the tears keep falling down,
I feel my spirits sink.
Please hear me, Lord. Though I can’t speak,
For I can barely think.
 
Romans 8:26
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.

Ever Flowing Love

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I stand upon the shore in faith

That this is where You’ll be,
And wave on wave of Your deep love
Comes rushing in to me.
 
Abundantly, unceasingly,
It rushes onto shore.
There’s always more Grace than I need,
And still You send me more.
 
I did not ask to be born, Lord,
I do not seek to die,
But in between please keep me close
Beneath Your watchful eye,
 
And I, in turn, will linger near
The ocean of Your grace,
Until the time comes that I see
Your Glory, face to face.

A Bouquet of Love

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I felt a tear of frustration

Welling up in my eye,
I couldn’t get anything done
No matter how I’d try,
Then all my frustrations spilled out,
But in each tear I cried
I noticed a bouquet of blooms
Was nestled deep inside.
 
I could not fathom what it meant,
Each drop contained such bliss,
As if God somehow understood
That something was amiss.
I felt His love fill up my heart.
I wiped my tear streaked face,
Collecting each bright tear bouquet
He’d sent as His embrace.
 
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Spreading Joy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The bee moves quickly, bloom to bloom,

Collecting, as it goes,
The pollen that each blossom needs
To help their new blooms grow.
 
I’m often like that little bee,
I gather joy each day,
That I can then share with the world
That I pass on my way.
 
To gather love and give it back,
To share joy, is my gift.
And there are those who need them both
To give their hearts a lift.
 
So let me be as busy, Lord,
As that small, golden bee,
For there are “blossoms” everywhere
Who need a bee like me.

Small victories

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Some days it’s in the little things

That we claim victory;
A smile where only pain had been
Is such a gift to see;
 
A simple meal with one whose time
On earth is nearly past,
That you might have one extra day
Of memories that last.
 
A hand squeezing your own hand back
Can be blessed gift;
A moment when your name’s recalled
Might give your heart a lift.
 
We all have times within our lives
When sorrow looms too near,
But it’s a gift of God’s great love
To hold onto what’s dear.
 
So take your victories each day
And wipe away each tear,
For joy’s a crown that God bestows
On those who hold it dear.
 
Psalm 149:4
For the Lord takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory.

The End of the Path

The way was dark and lost in shade,

It seemed I’d hit a wall.
In great despair, I sat and wept.
I’d given it my all.
 
There, in my moment of despair,
I heard a voice call me.
“Rise up, my child, and carry on,
Don’t fear that which you see.
 
That’s not a dead end in your path,
The road there makes a bend.
If you will follow it in faith
You’ll find me at its end.”
 
So I rose up and carried on,
Beyond the rock’s sheer face,
For I know that, however dark,
I’m walking in His Grace.
 
Hebrews 11
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

My Faith, My Doubt

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I pray in faith, with perfect calm,

For people I don’t know,
Yet just today, for a loved one,
I quaked and trembled so.
 
I found myself doubting your strength
To handle the problem,
Until I heard my calmer side
Say, “Place your trust in Him.”
 
I knew that you would see it through,
But I feared for him so.
I found that there’s still variance
In faith and “what I know”.
 
I knew that you would hold him close
Beneath the surgeon’s knife,
But my faith wobbled when I thought
That he might lose his life.
 
It seems that half of me has faith
And half of me has doubt,
But all of me is confident
You’ll help me work it out.

Simplicity and Light

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

So simple, in its garb of brown,

Beside the blossom bright,
And yet its simple aspect warms
Within the morning light.
 
For that light comes from God’s own hand,
Transforming the mundane
Into a perfect elegance
That is no longer plain.
 
Thus, too, the Word of God transforms
Our simple daily plight
Into a life spent growing more
Resplendent in His sight.
 
Psalm 119:130
The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.

I Heard You Call

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I heard you calling me one dawn,

But I turned away.
What you were asking me to do
Was far out of my way.
 
I heard you calling me one noon,
But I turned away.
I had my heart set somewhere else
And I was off to play.
 
I heard you calling me one dusk,
But I turned away,
For you expected more of me
Than I would give that day.
 
Then in the darkness of the night,
When all my fears held sway,
I called to you through anguished tears.
You did not turn away.
 
So now I rise with each new dawn
And listen, while I pray,
To hear your voice calling to me.
I smile and turn your way.
 
Romans 2:4
Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?