Up Hill Climb

I’m at a place where my life’s path
Seems like an uphill climb.
I’ve got to get back into life,
I’m running out of time!
 
I scurry here and there so fast,
Always chasing my tail,
But I’m afraid to really start,
Because… what if I fail?
 
So help me face one more challenge,
Help me get back on track.
I know that this climb’s all up hill,
But You will lead me back.

Photo is a blessing from JSK and posted with our great gratitude.

Morning Song

I woke up with joy in my heart,

Though sleep still filled my eyes.
The morning had not quite begun
And rain swept through the skies,
But still I knew, without a doubt,
The bright sun would soon rise
And I would sing with joy today,
As I do each sunrise.
 
Psalm 90:14
Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days.

Future Fruit

The harvest that buds in the spring

Takes months to come to fruit,
And bearing that fruit to the end
Takes, leaf and branch and root.
 
The labors of each member of
The body’s perfect whole
Is needed to bear such sweet fruit
As pleases heart and soul.
 
So, too, we each have our own tasks
Within the body whole,
And His church will not prosper if
We shirk our needed role.
 
If we are to bring fruit to bear
That pleases the Lord’s heart,
Then let us work together now
To give His fruit a start.
 
1 Corinthians 12:27-28
Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it. And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.

Being Faithful

Be faithful in the little things,

Not all our lives are grand.
God has different plans for each;
Live your life as He’s planned.
 
You may be called to do great things,
Or your call may be small,
But you won’t know how great your part,
For you can’t see it all.
 
Even the humble things in life,
That we do in each day,
Can echo far beyond the lives
That we touch on our way.
 
So listen when God speaks to you
Of what you are to do,
Then faithfully fulfill that task
Until your task is through.
 
For God will see your faithful work,
However great or small,
And He still honors faithfulness
In answering His call.
 
Matthew 25:21
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

Beautiful Joy

With joy abundant they proclaim

They have been born anew,
And in the glory of their joy
I get a glimpse of You.
 
They have no shame, raising their praise,
Wearing their joy out loud.
They stand before the world You made
Rejoicing bright and proud.
 
Acts 5:20
“Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”

The Echoes

The house stands empty of all life

It’s no longer a home;
The hearts that beat here, now are still,
Their children set to roam.
 
Its own heart, barren of all joy,
Echoes within its walls.
Of all the heartbeats it once knew,
None answers when it calls.
 
It’s filled with silent promises
It can no longer keep,
Why guard the rooms and keep them warm
Where no one, now, will sleep.
 
It knows, in time, life will return,
The empty threshold crossed,
But, just for now, the empty house
Grieves for those it has lost.

Seeking Stillness

I’m seeking stillness in my heart

Like I find in this place,
But all my busy, whirling thoughts
Deny me that small grace.
 
I see the stillness of the pond,
Reflecting barn and sky,
In a silence filled with peace
And wonder, “Why not I?”
 
How can there be such peace in life
And so little for me;
Why can I not find in myself
The peace that sets me free?
 
Until I turn my heart to God
And listen for His voice
I’ll never know the peace He gives,
But I must make that choice.
 
Shall I live lost within the rush
That daily consumes me,
Knowing that those he cannot turn,
The devil makes busy.
 
Or shall I step back from the whirl
And, asking for God’s Grace,
Begin to let build within myself
The peace that fills this place?
 
Isaiah 65:24
Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.

Little Things

I love the smell of new mown grass,

It’s fresh and clean and sweet.
Until it washes over me,
The spring is not complete.
 
How odd it is, that little things
Stir so much joy in me;
The humming of the first few bees,
The new buds on a tree;
 
The singing of returning birds,
That dance in joyous flight;
The brightest colors of the year
Bursting through earth to light.
 
Yes, it amazes me so much
How dear small things can be,
Like the smell of freshly mown grass
And how much You love me. 

Sweet Promise

In the season of sweet promise,

When all the world, once more, is new,
I find my thoughts ever turning
To the promise I find in You.
For You’ve brought me through my winter
To be born once more in Your Spring;
Relieved of last year’s sin and fear,
To blossom in the joy You bring.

Hidden Sins

I think I lead a righteous life,

I give help where I can,
I try to live in honesty
With all my fellow man.
 
But I hid sins within my heart,
Thoughts that remain unsaid,
And yet they still should have no place
Even inside my head.
 
The things I’ve done for those I help
Are things I should have done.
But there is still so much to do
That I have not begun.
 
And I am arrogant about my faith
In all that I can do,
When all along that faith should lie
Not in me, but in You.
 
I hide so many sins away
Where no one else can see,
But though I think they’re out of sight
You still see them in me.
 
Please help to admit them, Lord,
Not hide them out of sight,
For only when washed in Your Grace,
Can those sins be made right.
 
Psalm 19:12
But who can discern their own errors? Forgive my hidden faults.

Sharing Joy

In the midst of rush and hurry

That filled this busy day,
There was a moment, touched with light,
That helped me on my way.
 
It made such a big difference,
Such joy it was to see,
That I can only imagine
God arranged it for me!
 
Such joy was never meant to be
Shared only with one heart,
So I am sharing it with you
In hopes you’ll feel joy start.

The Every Day Blessings

I live my life with luxuries

That seem so every day
Yet for some, my “every days”
Are things for which they pray.
 
I sleep in peace, and safely wake,
Yet I think times are tough.
And while I’m very far from rich,
At least I have enough.
 
So many who walk on this earth
Cannot claim near as much
And yet I take for granted all
The things that I can touch.
 
We get complacent in our lives,
Accustomed to such Grace,
That we no longer offer thanks,
Much to our own disgrace.
 
Take time to notice and give thanks,
Be grateful for small things,
For living without gratitude’s
A sin that comfort brings.
 
Matthew 19:24
Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.”

Live by Faith

I worry that I’ll miss the path

That leads me, Lord, to You,
But I know doubt can crush a soul,
While faith can pull one through.
That’s why I’ve chosen, in this life,
To let faith be my guide,
For though I may not see You there,
I know You’re by my side.
 
Hebrews 11:1
Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.

The Tides of Grief

They say that grief is like the tide,

It rises and it falls,
And even though the skies are clear
There’s still a chance of squalls.
 
I know that I should be well past
The ebb and flow by now,
But it has just caught up with me.
It was delayed somehow.
 
So now I have to ride the waves
As they crash on the shore
Until the waves become so small
They don’t hurt any more.

Psalm 126:5

Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.

My Purple Shamrock

I’ve never done things quite the way

That everyone else does,
And yet You’ve loved me, all the same,
Just the way I was.
 
You tell us that it was your plan,
That, with each varied face,
We recognize the differences
Encompassed in Your grace.
 
So I will lift my different face
And smile my different smile,
Then thank You for Your boundless Grace;
Rejoicing all the while!!

Be God's Blossom

The barren branch of winter’s sleep,

In spring, recalls its joy
And dons a wardrobe formed in bliss
That all may then enjoy.
 
Blooms, humble in their loveliness,
Shaped by God’s patient hand,
Are given faces, bright with hope,
To spread joy through the land.
 
Colossians 3:12
Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.

By Your Side

Wherever life may carry me,

However far away,
I know that You are near to me,
Beside me all the way.
I feel You close, when I am lost.
I hear You when I pray.
I know I’m safe beside You, Lord,
And that is where I’ll stay.

Tears and Joy

Though tears may fall, like bitter rain,

The clouds will soon be dry
And then the splendor of great joy
Will burst forth in the sky
To find a joyous reflection
In eyes that used to cry.

Prayer and Repentance

I often look into myself

In hopes of seeing You,
But all my worst iniquities
Seem to obscure my view.
 
I know that You are in there, Lord,
I glimpse you now and then.
I hope that I’ll see more of You,
But I am not sure when.

I try to live as You’ve taught me,

But I fall short each day.
That’s why I seek Your pardon, Lord,
And bow my head to pray.
 
Acts 8:21-23
Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.

Our Daily Bread

Give us each day our daily bread,

Feed us, Lord, through your Grace,
For all the treasure’s formed by man
Can never take its place.
 
I hunger for your word, my Lord,
It feeds my famished soul,
And only when I’ve had my fill
Can I, at last, be whole.
 
I once was famished, without faith,
I’d lost what hope I’d known,
But since your spirit filled me, Lord,
My life and faith have grown.
 
Luke 11:3
Give us each day our daily bread.

Listen, He Speaks

The ocean seems always the same,

Wild birds dance on its shore,
And every wave that rushes in
Looks like the one before.
 
And yet each wave, each dancing bird
Was formed by God’s own hand,
And each one answers when He calls
In words they understand.
 
So is it with the simple things
That teem upon the earth,
And so is it with each of us,
Known to Him before birth.
 
There are no secrets we have kept
That He did not know first.
Yet still He wants what’s best for us,
Though we may fear the worst.
 
So listen, like each rushing wave,
Be joyful, like each bird,
For God is speaking to us all,
Though we may not have heard.
 
Joshua 3:9
Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.

The Empty Place

The day began with frustration,

Then panic soon came on.
I frantically sought for some hope,
But all my hope was gone.
 
There was an empty place in me
That fear would slowly fill,
Until I heard, above the pain,
Your voice speak soft and still.
 
You asked me why I worried so,
Why I was so afraid,
I knew that it was due in full
To the mistakes I’d made.
 
Then You reminded me to stop,
Be still and let You in,
And it was at that moment that
I felt a calm begin.
 
I knew that there was nothing wrong
That could not be put right,
And all that empty place in me
Was filled with sudden light.
 
My mind began to think again,
My heart slowed down it’s pace,
And all the things that had gone wrong
Fell gently into place.
 
Isaiah 55:10-12
so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.
You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

A Mother's Love

She may be battered by many years

Spent facing down this life,
And she may bear the ugly scars
Of all those years of strife,
And though she doesn’t stand as tall
As she did years ago,
She’s still as strong, her roots as deep,
As anyone you know.
She may no longer reach so high
That she can touch the sky,
But she will give her young the strength
To grow up tall and try.  
She’ll be there while their lives take root,
They’ll grow tall with her will,
And when God calls her home she’ll leave
A hole no one can fill.

Treasure House

I stored up treasures on this earth
I locked them safe away,
And yet, despite my diligence
They still fell to decay.
 
But when I stored up heaven’s wealth
By serving here on earth,
I found my treasure never failed,
It only grew in worth.

Matthew 6:19-20
“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

Renewed Life

I waited through the winter’s rain,

Through icy winds that wail,
To see you come once more to bloom,
So delicate and pale.
For you hold promises of spring
Within your golden heart,
And, after winter’s dreary days,
I long for spring’s fresh start.
 
You were not there two days ago,
I know, I watched for you,
But when this morning’s sun arose,
I saw your sweet face, too.
So, though the rains are not yet gone,
And winter lingers still,
I feel the warmth of renewed life
Despite the winter chill.

The River's Bed

You bless me so abundantly

Your grace, Lord, overflows.
Please let me be a riverbed
Through which that blessing flows.
As rivers only bless the land
Through which their waters spread,
As You are the river of life,
Then we must be its bed.
 
John 7:38
Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.”

Sing With Joy

Go through even the humdrum days

With joy filling your heart,
For God has loved you boundlessly
Right from the very start.
 
Sing out with joy and praise His name
Let your song fill each day,
For He has plans to prosper you
As you travel life’s way.
 
Psalm 145:6-8
They tell of the power of your awesome works— and I will proclaim your great deeds.
They celebrate your abundant goodness and joyfully sing of your righteousness.

Keeping My Eyes on You

When I am troubled I look up

To see You watching me,
And I am comforted to know
How close You’ll always be.
 
You’re never so far out of reach
That You won’t hear me call,
And not so far that I can’t see
The way back when I fall.
 
So I will keep my eyes on You,
Stay close beneath Your wing,
And when those troubles come again
I’ll still find joy to sing!
 
Psalm 16:8
I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Reflecting On Life's Struggles

Some days it seems that life is hard.

I’ve struggled with those days,
But now I take time to reflect
On God’s amazing ways.
 
The pain and worry I went through,
And that which lies ahead,
Were never meant to break me down,
But give me strength instead.
 
We’ll never know what might come next,
But God sees the whole road
And He’ll help us grow strong enough
To carry any load.
 
So, while I hated each hard path
That I have walked along,
In sitting here and looking back,
I can’t say God was wrong.
 
Ecclesiastes 9:1
So I reflected on all this and concluded that the righteous and the wise and what they do are in God’s hands, but no one knows whether love or hate awaits them.

Be Watchful

Be ever watchful for the Lord,
For He watches for you
And know that, when your need is great,
His love will see you through.
 
Be ever watchful for the Lord,
And listen for His voice,
For, though your way is troubled now,
Faith gives you a new choice.
 
Be ever watchful for the Lord,
Sing praises to His name,
For His love healed your broken soul
Of all its sin and shame.

Luke 12:35

Be dressed ready for service and keep your lamps burning

Wishes

I used to wish for many things,

But now I simply pray,
“Thank You, Lord, for keeping me
Upon Your path today.
For I have got a wayward heart
That’s prone to go astray.”
And Thanks for being patient, Lord,
When I don’t ask You first,
But then expect Your helping hand
When things go bad to worst.
And lastly, Lord, I want to say
How blessed I am by You,
For I don’t need to make a wish
To have my dreams come true.”