Watching Over Me

I wandered lost within the world

Until You called me home.
But I was never out of sight,
Though I was bound to roam.
 
For You watched over me out there,
Though I did not see You.
Until I called out hopelessly
And You led me back through.
 
You brought me back to live with You
And flourish in Your light.
Lord, I am grateful that I live
Forever in Your sight.
 
Genesis 28:15
I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.

A Simple Thing

Just a simple prayer tonight,

For a more patient heart,
A spirit that’s more diligent
In doing my small part.
It’s just a humble, little thing,
My reaching out to You,
But I am so at odds tonight
It’s the best I can do.
 
Ephesians 4:2
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

A Brighter Today

I’m looking at a tomorrow

That’s brighter than today
And every new day that’s to come
Will beat each yesterday.
 
I’m stepping out in boundless faith
Into each brighter day
And letting all that’s in the past
Finally fall away.

Unwished Wishes

The whishes I dared not whisper

The prayers I never could say,
And all the dreams I left undreamed
Have never truly gone away.
 
They all still live within my heart,
Like dandy puffs that haven’t flown,
And yet each dream, each wish unsaid,
Has not just withered all unknown.
 
For You’ve heard each unspoken thought,
I know You want what’s best for me.
So I don’t fret for dreams unlived,
As you will set the best ones free.

My Eyes Are On You

I don’t know where this path will lead,

How far I’ll have to roam,
But I’ll keep my eyes fixed on You
For You will lead me home.
 
I’ll take my time along the path,
So I don’t go astray,
But, if I keep my eyes on You,
You’ll lead me all the way.
 
Proverbs 4:25-26
Let your eyes look straight ahead; fix your gaze directly before you.
Give careful thought to the paths for your feet and be steadfast in all your ways.

Upon the Rock

I’ve built a life upon The Rock,

My roots deep in His Word,
And I’ve grown stronger in my faith
With each verse that I’ve heard.
Though tempests crash around my head,
I will not be deterred,
For I have built upon The Rock
I’m rooted in His Word!
 
Matthew 7:24
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Still Waters

By the still waters I find my peace,

It whispers along the shore,
Reminding me that only God
Knows what life holds in store.
 
There is a place within His plan
Where He has set my face,
And in the water’s silent peace
I feel His strong embrace.
 
So when I doubt the work I do,
When all the worries start,
I walk beside the still water
Where He renews my heart.
 
Psalm 23 2-3
… He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul…

I Plan To Fly

Born with two arms, instead of wings,

You wouldn’t think that I could fly,
But that’s because you didn’t know
How very hard I plan to try.
 
I'll leap into the misty air,
My arms spread wide enough to soar,
And if I catch the wind just right
I’ll leave behind the sandy shore.
 
But if it isn’t in God’s plan
That I should fly on my first try,
Then I have faith that, when it’s time,
He’ll direct me toward the sky!
 
Job 39:26
“Does the hawk take flight by your wisdom and spread its wings toward the south?

Your Voice

I hear you whisper my name, Lord,’

Within the blush of dawn,
But I have so much still to do
And I will carry on.
 
I hear you speak my name again
Within the gold of noon
But I am still not ready, Lord,
Though I’ll be along soon.
 
I hear you call my name once more
As day greets the sunset.
Your voice is so much clearer now,
But I’ll linger some yet.
 
I hear Your voice so close to me
As night echoes my name.
I long to follow Your voice, Lord,
And Your loving grace, claim.
 
Oh Lord, I see you at my side,
You’re reaching out to me,
And, though there’s more that I might do,
I’m longing to be free.
 
For You have given me the time
To say my last good-bye.
I’ve no more need to linger now
And there’s no need to cry
For I am safe within the arms
Of Him who loved me first.
I turn my gaze from darkened earth
To see heaven’s light burst!

To BD as you fill your last days with joy and listen to hear God’s voice calling you home to Him..

Frozen in Place

I’ve got to get moving again.

Lord, I’m stuck in one place.
I don’t have a chance of winning
If I’m not in the race.  
 
The sorrow seems to hold me bound,
As if my life stands still,
But I have got to move again,
I have to find the will.
 
So, help me, Lord, I cannot move,
However hard I try.
But, if I keep my eyes on You,
I know that I can fly!
 
Psalm 55:6
I said, “Oh, that I had the wings of a dove! I would fly away and be at rest.

Watching My Flock

It may not be much of a flock,

In fact, just one or two,
But I will pray for them each day,
Watch over them for you.
 
Sometimes I’m weary to the bone
Or just to rushed to pray,
But still I stop to cover them
As I walk through each day.
 
It brings me joy to know that I,
Watch over them for You,
But I'm most grateful knowing that
They watch over me too!
 
1 Peter 5:2
Be shepherds of God’s flock that is under your care, watching over them—not because you must, but because you are willing, as God wants you to be; not pursuing dishonest gain, but eager to serve;

In the Storm

However bad the storm may be,

You’ve sent me friends that stand by me.
When it’s too wet to see the sky
I know that they are still close by.
So I no longer fear the storm,
Your love, through them, will keep me warm.

The Rocks Sang Out

My voice rang out through all the hills,

I praised His name with song,
And, when I ceased to sing to Him,
The rocks still sang along.

It was as if they knew my words

Were raised to God on high
And so they raised their symphony
To join mine in the sky.
 
And I recalled the words once said,
If every voice grew still
The rocks and stones would sing His praise…
And now, I know they will!

Overblown

When I compare my fears and woes

To others I have known,
They seem so small, so trivial,
And sometimes overblown.
 
I have a roof over my head
With food that I can eat
And even at its lowest ebb
My life is pretty sweet.
 
So when I’m feeling pitiful
And my eyes fill with tears,
I look around at all that’s good
And cast away my fears.
 
For I know You have walked with me
Through all my troubled years,
And You’ll be with me all the way.
I see You through my tears.
 
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.

The Plans of Man

The whole thing is a jumbled mess,

And yet, there’s beauty, too.
It’s just the sort of thing I’d plan,
But only You could do.
 
And so it is in many things,
My plans go oft awry,
And it takes You to make things right,
However hard I try.
 
Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.

Escaping Snares

A sadness sometimes snares my heart

And trickles past my smile,
But I know that, with faith filled heart,
I’ll break free in a while.
 
For there is no snare formed on earth
That holds the faith filled heart,
And any effort to do so
Is doomed before its start.
 
So, when I feel the snare snap tight,
I close my eyes and pray
To feel the faith fill up my heart
And then I slip away.
 
Psalm 124:7
We have escaped like a bird from the fowler’s snare; the snare has been broken, and we have escaped.

A Hug

There are those times for each of us

When we just need a hug.
It’s nice to know that someone’s there
With arms to hold you snug.
 
The hug is such a simple thing,
A loving act of grace,
That banishes worry and grief,
Leaving joy in its place.
 
Be generous with those you love
And those met on your way,
Offer each hug, remembering,
You might need one some day.
 
1 John 2:10
Anyone who loves their brother and sister lives in the light, and there is nothing in them to make them stumble.

To Rise Above

I see in me so many flaws

That make me hard to love
And so I try to grow each day
Get up and rise above.
 
I’m frustrated that I push back
When I’m given a shove,
I know that I should laugh it off
And simply rise above.
 
That I might speak an angry thought,
One I ought not think of,
Reminds me that I there’s still so much
I need to rise above.
 
So help me, Lord, to be the child
That both of us can love,
Let Your Grace be the strength I need
To help me rise above!! 

1 Peter 4:8

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

Be The Color

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When all the world seems too mundane,

A dreary day to day,
Do not forget that within you
Lives that for which you pray.
 
It is not found in all the world,
But in the hearts that see
The beauty born within themselves;
And then can set it free.  
 
A beauty that springs forth in joy
And brightens each drab day
With colors, fierce as loving hearts,
That wash the drab away!

Golden Faces

Water, sunshine and roots that spread

Through the richest of soil,
They grow with faith that all is well
And do not stress or toil.
 
And while our lives are different
Than that of a small bloom,
Still God has blessed each one of us
With lots of growing room.
 
A place to spread our arms of love
And root our lives in grace
That, when we turn our eyes to Him,
His light glows in our face.
 
Job 8:16
They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine, spreading its shoots over the garden;

Stirring of Peace

Today I finally felt a stir,

The first real breath of peace,
As if a sorrow, too long held,
Had found, at last, release.
 
It was a simple, little peace,
The peace that might be felt
By tiny blossoms, bound in snow,
At the first warmth of melt.
 
I still have a long way to go.
And it was a small thing,   
But still, that little stir of peace,
Brings me a hope of spring.

In All Things

Storms may seem to overwhelm,

To bury you in fear,
But worry only makes it worse.
Be calm and know He’s near.
 
In gratitude, lift up your fears,
To Him who heals your soul,
Then rest within His living peace
Knowing He’s in control!
 
Philippians 4:6-7
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Sing!

How fragile is the little bird

There, in a winter tree,
And yet she finds the joy to sing
A cheerful song for me.
 
Though I am larger than she is,
Strong and fierce of heart,
Yet it was she who found a song
When my song would not start.
 
So now I sing with all my heart,
However cold the day,
For, if that fragile bird can sing,
My heart will find a way!
 
Psalm 108:1
My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul.

By Grace, Not Works

However hard you work each day,

Whatever you achieve,
It matters only in this world,
It’s worthless when you leave.
 
We store up wealth to keep us safe,
To make our lives more fun,
But we can never store enough
For when this life is done.
 
So it is fortunate for us
That wealth’s been set aside,
Wealth we can claim only through faith
And not through earthly pride.
 
So live well in this life you have,
As well as you can live,
But know redemption comes from God
And is but His to give.
 
Ephesians 2:8-9
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.

Fierce Blessings

The thunder clouds climb up the sky

Seeking to reach its dome,
Rumbling til their angry voices
Echo throughout their home.
 
Despite the fierceness of their roar,
However grim their mien,
They bear within their angry core
A blessing we’ve all seen;
 
The rains that feed the barren fields,
Restoring them to bloom
Fills fountains pouring from the cliff
That echoes thunder’s boom.
 
The clouds that rumble on the heights
And water all the land
Reminds us why we Praise the Lord
Who holds us in His hand.

Psalm 147:7-9

Sing to the Lord with grateful praise; make music to our God on the harp.
He covers the sky with clouds; he supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills.

Crossing Paths

Why did that person cross my path

Who seemed to need to chat?
And the one with a teary eye,
What did You mean by that?
 
Was there some purpose in the chance
That led across my way,
The little dog that slipped its leash
And then wandered astray?
 
So many people cross my path
As I move through each day
And often I pause, wondering,
If You sent them my way.
 
So I try to be extra kind,
Offer a cheery smile,
To those who cross, by chance or plan,
My pathway for a while.

Beneath The Surface

Beneath the waters of the pond

The matted grasses twist,
Belying the calm surfaces
That seemingly exist.
 
Thus is it with my life right now,
The surface seems so calm,
But down below the worries twist
And life offers no balm.
 
How many others that I know
And live with day to day,
Hide all their worries out of sight
Of those met on their way?
 
How easy would it be for me
To help them with a word
And yet I often pass them by,
Their worries still unheard.
 
Oh Lord, help me to offer grace
To those who pass me by.
I may not be able to help,
But I can smile and try.  
 
Hebrews 6:10
God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

Lost and Found

I often get lost in the world,

I seem to blend right in,
But You still find me, every time,
And bring me home again.   
 
So many people call your name
That my voice fades away,
And yet You answer when I call,
You hear each prayer I pray.
 
I thank You, Lord, for listening
And watching for me, too.
I know You do it lovingly,
But I’m glad that You do.

Holding On

You see me smiling every day

Though I’m out on a limb,
But I don’t worry I might fall
For I have strength in Him.
 
My life can be precarious,
Out here upon the edge,
But I hold on with confidence
In God’s redeeming pledge.
 
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

Wisdom and Stones

 

There’s a favorite song I sing

When I feel most alone,

Some days are diamonds, so it says,

And some days merely stone.

But I have come to understand

As, in my faith, I’ve grown

That I can polish, til they shine,

Even those days of stone.

So I don’t let them weigh me down,

Or claim me for their own,

For I’ve grown wise enough to find

The diamonds in each stone!

 

Psalm 90:12

Teach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.

I Do Not Hunger

I do not hunger for You, Lord,

For You are always near.
I suffer no lack of Your love,
It’s clear you hold me dear.
 
I may not have the grandest feast
Prepared by mortal hand,
But I am sated in Your love,
And there’s no feast more grand.
 
So I will come, Lord, to Your feast,
Knowing what lies in store,
For Your love feeds my hungry soul.
I’ll hunger never more.
 
Psalm 23:5
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.