Hiding in Shame

Oh Lord, I doubted You today,

I feared You were not there.
Though it was only one moment,
I felt such deep despair.
And now I hide myself in shame,
Though You see everywhere,
For I am so unworthy of
The fact that You still care.
 
Dear Lord, I thank You for the love
That sees beyond sin’s stain
And calls me from my hiding place
Into Your Grace again.
I hesitate only because
My sins seem such a bane,
But thanks to love beyond my worth
Those sins do not remain.

God's Embrace

I saw the mist enfold the hills

As if in a loving embrace
And it reminded me of God
With His all-encompassing Grace.
 
I thought of those whom I love best
Who live so far away from me.
God, wrap them in Your loving arms,
For there’s no safer place to be.
 
I bowed my head and prayed for those
In troubled lands across the sea.
God, wrap them in Your loving arms,
For there’s no safer place to be.
 
And for the broken, sick, and lost,
I pray to You unceasingly,
God, wrap them in Your loving arms,
For there’s no safer place to be.
 
Then, last of all, I ask for Grace
To live my life more faithfully.
God, wrap me in Your loving arms,
For there’s no safer place to be.

Another lovely blessing from ATF. Again, Thank You for the wonderful photos.

The Road Ahead

The road ahead lies out of sight,

At least it’s out of mine,
But God has my road well in view
For His sight is divine.
 
I do not fear the road ahead,
I fear not going there,
For God would not lay out a path
Without considered care.
 
So let me pack my bags and go
Beyond what I can see,
For I will not walk there alone.
God always walks with me.
 
Micah 6:8
He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

 

Photo a blessing from ATF. Thank you for such a perfect praise photo!

Stepping Out

I plan to step out in faith, Lord,

But it won’t be today.
I meant to get it done, I did.                             
Then life got in the way.  
 
Just as I raised my foot to go
I thought of something more.
It wouldn’t be wise to step out,
Unsure of what’s in store.
 
I know that’s what stepping in faith
Is meant to be about,
But I was just too frightened still
To faithfully step out.
 
So give me one more day, I pray,
And help my faith to grow.
I don’t want to let You down, Lord,
When I step out and go.
 
Luke 8:25
“Where is your faith?” he asked his disciples. In fear and amazement they asked one another, “Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him.”

Too Busy

I get so busy I can’t think,

At least that is my plan,
For if I stop, take time to think,
I’m overwhelmed again.
 
I’ve faced so much in these past years,
And yet my mind can’t rest.
For if I stop, I might just quit,
Give up living with zest.
 
I don’t know what tomorrow holds
And so I rush about,
Pretending that I do not fear
What I can’t figure out.
 
I know there’s much that should be done,
But not done out of fright.
So let me stop scurrying, Lord,
Stand up and live life right.

My Path of Snares

When all goes well I tend to think,

“Oh look how well I’ve done!”
But when I’m falling down I cry,
“God is my number one.”
 
I call on Him when life goes wrong,
I praise Him for his aid.
I recognize who lifts me up
When bad choices are made.
 
I think, perhaps, that’s why I walk
A path that’s strewn with snares
So I’m less likely to forget
That God’s the one who cares.
 
Just little snags along the way
So that I call His name
At least a time or two each day.
Then I won’t live in shame
 
For letting Him slip from my mind
On days when all goes well.
I’d rather praise Him every day,
Not just when troubles swell.
 
Psalm 37:23-24   
The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him;
Though he may stumble, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

Persevere

The shadows and the underbrush

Obstructed the small tree,
Preventing it from growing straight,
As trees are meant to be.
 
Yet through all the adversity
It held on, confident
That it would reach the sun one day,
However curled or bent.
 
Such faith comes with a great reward,
God’s sees the faithful soul.
He honors those who persevere,
And His Grace makes them whole.
 
Hebrews 10:35-36
So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.
You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised.

Looking Up

I looked up at what I now faced,

I felt lost and afraid.
This was something I could not do,
It’s not the way I’m made.
 
It towered far above my head,
It seemed to touch the sky,
And I was certain, if I tried,
I’d more than likely die.
 
But then I recognized something,
There’s grace in that fell cup;
I’m more likely to see God’s face
When I am looking up!
 
Isaiah 40:26
Lift up your eyes and look to the heavens: Who created all these? He who brings out the starry host one by one and calls forth each of them by name. Because of his great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing.

The Words You Speak

Speak sweetly, when you start to speak,

Those words might just come back
And you don’t want to face them down
When you’re under attack.
 
We don’t think how our words might sound
When we speak them in rage,
And what we bellow in our youth
Might haunt us in old age.
 
So pick the words you speak each day
With just a little care.
That way, when they come back to you,
There’s joy and comfort there.

Dust

Each week, when I clean up the house,
The dust flies everywhere.
I know I cleaned it up last week
And yet, this week, it’s there.
 
I can’t imagine where it’s from,
It has no great value,
And yet it’s always back again
Despite all that I do. 
 
The Bible says God gathered dust
To form from it a man
And then God breathed life into him.
That’s how this all began.
 
So that makes dust more relevant,
In fact, it seems a must.
If God could make good use of it
Then I can too, I trust.
Each week I’ll clean the new dust up,
And grimace with disgust,
But now then I’ll take time to
Kick up a little dust.
 
Genesis 2:7
Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.

The River's Flow

The river’s path may wind a bit,

But still its course is true.
It’s bounding through the rocky banks,
From source to oceans blue.
 
Though my path has meandered some,
Whatever else I do,
I know that, like that river’s flow,
I’m headed straight for You.
 
The rocky outcrops of my life
May twist the straightest course,
But I know You are where I’m bound
And that You were my source.

So I can’t get lost on the way,

I’m bounding straight on through
Until I reach my journey’s end,
I’ll flow through life to You.

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

Reflecting

Reflecting on the days and years

That brought me to today,
I’m awed, in fact I’m overwhelmed,
That we’re still underway.
 
I would have thought I’d given up
And moved on by this time,
But by Your Grace and with your help
I still find words that rhyme.
 
I wake each day uncertain when
That day’s praise will appear,
Yet every day, without a miss,
It comes through loud and clear.
 
It could be in a phrase I hear
Or something that I see,
But each day offers something new
That lights a praise in me.
 
So when I doubt I can go on
Finding praises to write
I stop and reflect on the truth
That YOU are my insight.
 
2 Timothy 2:7
Reflect on what I am saying, for the Lord will give you insight into all this.

Following the Path

Some people find their way with ease

Through all life’s winding ways,
They move forward along the path
With an unswerving gaze.
 
While others are more hesitant,
They pause to think it through.
Checking to see which way to turn,
Unsure of what to do.
 
But God has His eye on them both,
As different as they are,
They are both still beloved by Him
And He’s their guiding star.

My Wrath

I let the sun go down on wrath

And when I woke at dawn
I was so caught up in my rage
That all my joy was gone.
 
I found no pleasure in the light,
Nor in the sun warmed breeze.
There was a burning in my heart
That nothing seemed to ease.
 
I was bereft of all my joy
And wasted the whole day
Thinking through what had made me mad
And what I ought to say.
 
It wasn’t til the day was lost
That I began to see.
By harboring my anger so,
The one I hurt was me.
 
Ephesians 4:26 
“In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry

Searching

I keep looking for blessings, Lord,

My nose hard to the ground,
I’ve followed every track and scent,
But little have I found.
 
I know that if I carry on,
I’m bound to come across
The grace for which I’m looking, Lord.
But where? I’m at a loss.
 
I’m just so lost, I’ve searched so long,
My road has been so rough.
I’ve kept my eyes close on the path
But that’s not been enough.
 
For what I seek, eludes me still,
And I am losing hope.
If I don’t find your grace soon, Lord,
I’m not sure I can cope.
 
I’ve looked for blessings everywhere,
I’ve searched the whole earth through.
Perhaps, I should lift up my eyes,
And turn my gaze to You?
 
Amos 8:12
People will stagger from sea to sea and wander from north to east, searching for the word of the Lord, but they will not find it.

Black and White

I’m told the world’s not black and white,

There’s colors, shades of grey.
But when I look in the mirror
It doesn’t seem that way.
 
I know what’s wrong and what is right,
And what I ought to do,
But when it comes time to step up
More often I fall through.
 
I think each day, “todays the day
That I will do it right”,
But evening finds me once again
Trapped in the black and white.
 
Yet God has patience beyond mine
And He will set me right.
Until then I will do my best,
Living in black and white.

What They Learn

They'll follow in the path you lead,

So choose a path of worth.
For what they see you live today,
Is what they’ll carry forth.
 
The words you speak, they’ll speak someday,
So choose your words with care.
Make them uplifting, words of faith,
And not words of despair.
 
Teach them to walk with head held high,
However rough the road,
By living your life with courage
Despite the heavy load.
 
As you treat others on the way,
With kindness or with pain,
They’ll learn and give it back to you.
Which lessons will remain?
 
So, watch yourself, most carefully,
For they are watching, too,
And they will grow to live their life
As you taught them to do.
 
Proverbs 22:6
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

Silver Linings

There will always be dark clouds

Scattered along the way
And some days you may only see
A world in shades of grey.
 
But in each grey cloud on your path
There is a seed of light,
A light that makes the difference
In hopelessness and fight.
 
The little light that tells the world
This storm will soon be past,
For there is hope where there is light
And darkness cannot last.
 
We each must choose what will see.
For me, I know what’s right,
While some may choose to see dark clouds,
I choose to see the light!

This wonderful photo of silver linings is a blessing from my dear friend, TAF! Thank You!

Herding Cats

I’m sometimes sanctimonious,

Though I’ve no grounds to be.
I find that I’m willfully blind
To truths I ought to see.
I tend to put off, for today,
The things I ought to do
And I’ve been known to jump head first
In what I should think through.
I’m willful and pre-occupied
And scattered here and there.
In fact, I tend to lose track of
What I’m doing and where.
I talk before I start to think
And then things come out wrong.
It’s not unheard of I’d stick my nose
Where it does not belong.
It’s just like herding cats most days
To stay on the right track
And that’s why I’m so grateful, Lord,
That You’ve got this cat’s back.

You Have To Listen To Hear

We move so fast, buzzing about,

Throughout each busy day
That we don’t seem to hear from God,
Despite the fact we pray.
 
However, that is not because
God won’t take time to speak,
Instead it tends to be because
We don’t hear, we just seek.
 
We need to stop buzzing so loud
And hurrying around.
We ought to take time to be still
Enough to hear the sound
 
Of God’s voice when He speaks to us
His whispered words of Grace.
I’ve found I only hear His voice
When I’m still in one place.  
 
1 Kings 19:12-13
After the earthquake came a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper. When Elijah heard it, he pulled his cloak over his face and went out and stood at the mouth of the cave.

Rise and Shine

I may look like all of the rest

Who stand here by my side.
In fact, you’ll see faces like mine
Scattered both far and wide.
 
There’s nothing to make me stand out,
No features rare or fine,
But I am wonderfully made!
So I will RISE and SHINE!
 
Psalm 139:14
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

Rough Seas

Today may have been a bit rough,

But Your grace saw me through
And though I may look worse for wear
I’m so grateful to You.
You held me up when seas got rough,
And turned me to the shores.
I cannot doubt the loving grace
That rescues and restores.

For the Little Ones I Love

Don’t let them stray far from the path,

Lord, keep them on the way;
And, if You don’t mind, make their trail
Straight and smooth, I pray.
 
I know that there must be some dips
And hills along their road,
But let them be the little kind.
Oh, and a lighter load.
 
I want to shelter them, oh Lord,
From all that could bring harm,
Though I know that they’re safest when
Snuggled in Your arm.
 
I know their path will be their own
And You have them in hand,
But I still love them oh so much.
I know You understand.
 
Psalm 143:10
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

Homesick

I drove down through the flats today,

The salt spray filled the air,
I felt homesickness touch my heart.
It seemed to linger there.
 
I lived so long, down by the sea,
That it still draws me back.
Though I am happy where I am
With nothing to call lack,
 
I still miss the murmuring waves
Whispering to the shore,
The seagulls calling out for food,
Always seeking for more,
 
The morning sun, the summer moon
Reflecting in the bay
And sailboats dancing in the breeze,
Sails belling underway.
 
I live inland now and I find
There’s such great beauty there,
But some days I just need to go
Where I can smell salt air.

Dandelions

I hear folk say their lives are hard,

Too hard to face some days.
They say they have no cause to smile,
Much less to lift a praise.
 
They say it’s easier for me,
“I have no woes to bear”,
They seem to think, because I smile,
I live without a care.
 
But I am like those yellow blooms
That spring up every place,
Though they took root within the rocks,
They show a cheery face.  
 
They struggle in the barren soil,
The dry and rocky land,
Yet still their joyful, yellow blooms
Are ever near at hand.
 
So I say find a way to smile
At times when you’d have cried.
I’m more inclined to sympathy
If I know that you’ve tried.

Watching for Answers

We lift our prayers and then keep watch

To see if You heard us.
As if they could not possibly
Be handled without fuss.
 
Sometimes we look for our answers,
But God answers His way,
And yet it’s still an answer to
The prayers we knelt to pray.
 
Yet other times the answer comes
As clear as summer’s sun
And we receive God’s answer back
Before our praying’s done.
 
Today was such a day for me,
A quickly answered prayer
Reminds me there’s no need to watch,
For God is always there.

Great Distances

The world seems larger every day,

The distances so great.
When it’s still early where I live,
Elsewhere it’s very late.
 
I could not walk across my state,
Much less across this land.
The thought of circling the globe…
That I can’t understand.
 
It would take months of days and nights
To walk here to there,
And I’m not certain, once arrived,
That I’d strength to spare.
 
Yet, for the distances that earth,
And can boldly boast and claim,
God is no farther than a prayer
To those who call His name.

Sowing Seeds

The seeds that we plant here today

Will become our tomorrow
So be careful, be sure you plant
More happiness than sorrow.
 
Don’t plant the seeds of bitterness
Or grow the fruit of doubt,
For those are just the sort of things
It’s best to live without.
 
But plant instead the seeds of joy,
Faith and abundant life,
Then reap a harvest evermore
In which God’s love is rife.
 
John 4:36
Even now the one who reaps draws a wage and harvests a crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.

In The Way

There’s always something in the way,

Some little snag or snare.
It’s not enough to dissuade me,
Just slow my getting there.
 
Sometimes I let it frustrate me,
I even lose my cool.
But all that does is make it worse,
And I feel like a fool.
 
I need to get perspective back,
Shrug those small things away.
There’s far too much that matters more
To let them cause dismay.
 
Lord, help me see small things as small,
And focus on my goal.
That way I’ll get there happier
In heart and mind and soul.
 
Hebrews 12:1-2 
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Slim Pickings

My pickings seem meager to me,

But when I think of those
Who live without hope every day,
Without clean food or clothes,
I recognize my cup is full,
That I am blessed indeed.
I lift a grateful praise to You,
You meet my every need.
 
So I don’t ask for more for me
I ask it for the weak,
I ask it for the hungry poor,
The lost afraid to seek,
And for those trapped within nightmares
Though they are wide awake.
Oh Lord, please fill their empty cups,
I ask You for their sake.       
 
Psalm 23: 5-6
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.