So Small

I’m so small, Lord. The world’s too big.

I fear I could get lost
If You don’t keep an eye on me
I’ll be storm blown and tossed.
 
Please watch me, Lord, and keep me safe.
Protect me with Your care.
For, though I’m small, I’ll know I’m loved
If You are always there.

Always on Watch

There’s something stark about the scene

That touches me deeply.
I can’t pin down quite what it is,
Only that it moves me.
A solitary figure stands
Surrounded by the snow.
Despite the dark, the bitter cold,
He chooses not to go.
It is as if he stands on guard,
Watching throughout the night.
A quiet figure, dark and still,
Against the frozen white.
                                 
What is he watching in the night,
What does he see coming?
Is it something that I should fear,
Or joy to make me sing?
Will it take strength I don’t yet have,
A faith that’s growing still?
Or is it something I can face
If I stand in God’s will?
Or is it just a moment caught
Within the photo’s frame?
A moment now a memory
That lingers just the same…
 
Luke 21:36
Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man.”

Teach the Young

It’s not the voices of the great

That touch us to the core.
Instead it’s those voices we know
That move us to be more.
 
The famed may speak words rich and wise,
But those we listen to
Are the voices we love the best,
Those we trust to be true. 
 
Especially the little ones
Who learn to say and do
All that they should know in this life
By, each day, watching you.
 
Speak gently to the little ones,
Who walk with you each day,
And teach them what they need to know
So they don’t lose their way.
 
Teach them to be kind when they should
And help out when they can.
Teach them to love and praise the Lord
And serve their fellow man.
 
Speak of the Lord and all His Grace,
Be sure they hear your voice,
For it is you they’ll listen to
When they must make their choice.
 
Proverbs 22:6
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.

Reflection and Thanks

Taking time to reflect on life

Counting my blessings, too.
Thanking You for all I have,
And all that I’ve come through.
I know the road is long ahead,
There’s much still left to do,
But I’ve been blessed with so much, Lord,
And well beyond my due,
That I can only credit Grace
And that Grace comes from You.

Perfect Days

Whatever this day holds in store,

It mixes good and bad.
There never was a “perfect day”
In all the days I’ve had.
 
But that’s a blessing in itself,
There’s beauty in contrast.
It takes both shadows and sunlight
For impressions that last.
 
So don’t look for a perfect day,
One flawlessly arrayed,
Instead enjoy each, flaws and all,
For it’s the day God made!

This photo is a blessing from TT. Thank you for a sunrise of perfect contrasts!

Be Thankful

I keep hearing these words today,

“Be thankful in all things”.
For there is much to be thankful for
In all that your life brings.
 
You say that times are hard right now,
Well they’re hard for me, too.  
And yet I find blessings galore
In everything I do.
 
The traffic was a snarled mess,
It gave me time to sing.
It rained until the streets filled up,
Things will be green in Spring.
 
The bills pile up, the worries too,
So I spend time with Him.
Which helps improve my attitude,
Even when things are grim.
 
There are worries and fears enough
To bring me to my knees,
But when I’m there I lift a prayer
Of thanks that’s meant to please.
 
Because the faith that sees me through
Is not a faith that’s blind,
I don’t get lost in all that wrong,
It’s happiness I find.
 
So when I felt my spirits sag
I listened to that voice.
“Be thankful in all things today”,
And that’s been a great choice.

Colossians 3:17

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

In The Storm

I’m caught within the rising storm,

Pelted by driving rain,
But I will stand within your grace
Despite my fear and pain.
 
I’ll hunker down before the wind,
But keep my eyes on You.
I feel the storm tear at me, Lord,
But You will see me through.
 
I don’t ask that You turn the storm,
That lack of faith is wrong,
But what I do ask of You, Lord,
Is that You make me strong.

Light Up the Clouds

I watched the sun rise into clouds,

Thinking its light would dim.
Instead the clouds began to glow
From rim to golden rim.
 
We too can be just like that sun,
Rising to face each day.
When darkness lies across our path
Our light can still hold sway.
 
We can refuse to give the dark
The chance to hide our light,
Instead we can light up the clouds
And make our whole world bright.
 
Luke 8:16
No one lights a lamp and hides it in a clay jar or puts it under a bed. Instead, they put it on a stand, so that those who come in can see the light.

Such is His Love

I used to think that all my sin

Might turn His heart from me,
But, when He died and rose again,
He proved that could not be.
 
I was afraid that all I’d done
Would cause Him so much shame
That He would turn away from me
And never speak my name.
 
Instead, He sought me in my sin
And spoke to me of Grace.
He said He would not give me up
Or turn from me His face.
 
In fact, He made it clear to me,
No matter where I run,
He’ll find me and He’ll love me still,
Despite all I have done.
 
So I am now convinced of this,
There’s no place I might be,
That God won’t find me, when I call.
Such is His love for me.
 
Romans 8:38-39  
For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Still Water and Peace

After the flurry of the day

When I, at last, was still,
I felt Your peace within me, Lord.
I feel it linger still.
 
Within my mind I find that place
Where silent waters flow,
And, when I need to see Your face,
That is the place I go.
 
My world is filled with busy days,
That make me long for peace.
And, when I’m with You on that shore,
I find, at last, release.
 
So I will meet You every day
In my mind, by the lake,
And all the peace You offer me,
Lord, I will gladly take.

Weary

I’m tired and weary,

But all will be well
If I can just sit here
And rest for a spell.
 
I’ve travelled so far, Lord,
With farther to go,
But I know I’ll get there,
Though I’m moving slow.
 
So, Lord give me shelter
From the wind and rain,
Then help me to get up
And fly once again.
 
Matthew 11:28
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

My Injured Heart

I watch her sleep, hear her small cries.

I’m grateful she is here.
She is my comfort when I stress,
My joy filled dose of cheer.
It may not seem like much to you,
But she’s the world to me.
And when she hurts, like she does now,
It breaks my heart to see.
 
But I have faith that she and I
Will come through this just fine.
I’ll take care of her, heal her pains
And she’ll take care of mine.

Not So Alone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I wanted, in my weariness,

To cry out, “I’m alone!
There is no one to see or care
If should weep or moan.”
But lonely doesn’t hug me tight
Or help me when I fall.
It never stops to cheer me up
When I am down and call.
Loneliness never had my back
Or brought food when I’m sick
It never helped me find the light
When the dark grew too thick.
While lonely never helps me out
There are many who do.
I guess I’m not quite as alone
As I feel when I’m blue.

I'd Not Forgotten

Did you think that I’d forgotten,

That I might miss this praise?
Well, so did I because it’s been
Just one of those mad days.
 
But here I am, with verse in hand,
To Thank God for His Grace
Without which I’d not have had this
Verse settled into place.
 
But God watched over me today,
He helped me to get through
All of the muddles of the day
That I’d gotten into.
 
So I could not miss out today
On lifting up my praise.
They seem to mean much more to me
On crazy, chaos days!

From Today's Sermon

The seed cannot spring into bloom

If it lives in the light.
It must spend time within the earth,
Where it’s dark as the night,
Before it finds the strength it needs
To burst forth strong and bright.
 
We too must face the darkest times
Somewhere along the way.
When all the world seems dark to us
We bend a knee and pray,
God helps us grow the strength we need
To make a brighter day.
 
So when the darkness comes around
Don’t give up in despair.
Grow your roots deeper in His word,
Have faith that He’s still there,
Until the seeds of your new life
Blossom out everywhere.
 
Psalm 119:18
Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law.

Moving

I’m looking for a place tonight

To rest my weary head
Not so much for where I am now,
But where I’m bound instead.
There is a long way still to go,
The path is rough ahead,
But when I reach the end of it
I’ll rest in my own bed.

Keep an Eye on Me

Dear Lord, please keep an eye on me

These next days will be rough.
It’s going to take a lot of will…
I’m scared I’m not that tough.
But if You’ll keep an eye on me
I suspect I’ll survive.
In fact, I You are watching me,
I might manage to thrive.
 
So Lord, please keep an eye on me
And help me to get through.
There’s not a chance I’d want to try
To do this without You!!

Renewing Me

Oh Lord, when I feel overwhelmed

I turn to You and find
That You restore me with Your love,
Body and soul and mind.
 
There are those days when I just know
I may not make it through
If I don’t stop and spend some time
Renewing me in You.  

Upon The Rock

I felt the day close in on me

Crushing me with its weight
Until I realized this fact –
The Lord, my God, is great.
 
The world can’t crush me with its weight,
For He will lift me high.
Upon the rock, He holds me safe.
My Lord is ever nigh.
 
So I’ll stand fast upon the rock
And make my home in Him.
Trouble will have no hold on me,
However bleak or grim.
 
Psalm 27:5
For in the day of trouble he will keep me safe in his dwelling; he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent and set me high upon a rock.

Shore Birds

They met upon a windy shore

As if purely by chance,
But it was not the swirling wind
That stirred their little dance.
 
No, it was the half loaf of bread
That brought them face to face
With one offering blessings to
The one demanding grace.
 
How like the prayers we raise to God
With all our “Lord, give me’s”.
He gladly offers what we need
Even without our pleas.
 
And though He gives generously,
We keep asking for more
Instead of saying, “Thank You, Lord”.
We’re that bird on the shore.

Black and White

Today had started out quite rough,

It seemed so black and white.
I wanted things to go smoothly,
Yet nothing would go right.
 
I felt my temper start to fray,
My voice was growing shrill,
So I took a deep breath and prayed,
“Lord, guide me if You will.”
 
“Please set this crazy day to rights,
The way it ought to be.
I’d be most grateful to You, Lord,
If You’d do that for me.”
 
But as I finished up my prayer
I noticed the blue skies.
And all the colors of the day
Dancing before my eyes.
 
I realized, the day was fine,
As grand as it could be.
The flaw was not within the day,
The flaw was within me.
 
I got the word, then, loud and clear.
God’s answer came right through;
He’d left the day as it had been
But changed my point of view.

Pure as Snow

For God has given all the world

A gift of great renown;
A soul that’s washed pure as the snow
And, in heaven, a crown.
 
So when I leave this world behind
And stand before the throne
I’ll praise Him for the forgiveness
That made that crown my own.
 
Isaiah 1:18
"Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the Lord. “Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool.

Pressed, But Not Crushed

However strong I seem to be

I still break easily.
My heart’s more fragile than you think,
My spirit’s not as free.
 
I’ve cried myself to sleep some days,
Hoping dawn would not rise.
Yet still I found reasons to sing
As the sun touched the skies.
 
For I don’t let it hold me down,
That never was my way.
I wipe my tears, pick up my heart
And make a better day.
 
God promises that tears will pass
And I trust Him always.
For He has not abandoned me,
Even on my worst days.
 
2 Corinthians 4:8-9 
We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed.

A Place To Rest

You stayed with me as I went out,

Then brought me safely home.
Now I am settled in tonight
With no desire to roam.
 
The world was turbulent, at best,
With threats right from the start,
But you were there to shelter me
And ease my worried heart.
 
So thank you for the protection
That kept me safe today,
And thank you, Lord, for this still place
Where cares slip far away.

Whispering Waters

The quiet waters, speak of peace,

I hear them in my sleep
Reminding me of vows I made
That I still need to keep.
 
They speak of paths I’ve not yet walked
That I must still traverse,
Of things I could have done better
Though they could have been worse.
 
I hear them whisper of the tears
That I’ve shed in the past
And of the tears that are to come,
Though sorrow will not last.
 
The speak of joys that lie ahead,
Abundance born of grace,
And remind me that in God’s plan
I have a reserved place.
 
The quiet waters, whispering,
Remind me to be still,
For only when I hear Him speak
Can I answer God’s will.

Pause to Pray

My world gets awfully busy, Lord,

With so much new each day,
That sometimes I forget to stop
And take time just to pray.
 
I know my mind is more at ease
When had time with You,
Yet still I seem to put it off.
There’s so much else to do.
 
So help me to remember, Lord,
To pause early each day
And spend a moment, maybe two,
With You along my way.

On Your Wing

Let me stay close upon Your wing,

I have so far to go.
I might need to call on Your strength
When I feel mine run low.
 
Let me stay close upon Your wing,
The skies ahead are grim.
If I am not right next to you
My chances will be slim.
 
Let me stay close upon Your wing,
Don’t let me fly off track.
If I lose sight of You right now
I may not get it back.
 
Oh Lord, the way’s obscured ahead,
Who knows what it might bring.
I know I’ll only make it through,
If I stay on your wing.

Joyful Play

I heard her laughter fill the air,

As they romped in pure glee.
And, as I watched them playing there,
Their joy swept over me.
 
It rolled out like a tidal wave
And spilled across the field.
Even my weary, anxious heart
Was forced to gladly yield.
 
I set aside for tomorrow
The worries I’d brought there
And let her laughter fill my heart
As it had filled the air.
 
I don’t know what lead me to walk
Down that street yesterday,
But I’m so grateful that I took
The time to watch them play.

Play Ground Toys

It seems so silly that such things

As toys where children play
Could serve as a reflection of
God’s colorful display.
 
And yet the joyful colors of
A cheery autumn day
Are duplicated in these toys
Where children go to play.
 
I guess it can’t be all that wrong,
We’re not too far astray,
If we pattern our shades of joy
On God’s vibrant display!

Little Moments

They hold on to their hope and joy,

Though winter’s drawing near.
It’s just the way that they live life,
Counting each moment dear.
 
We take for granted every day
The moments that we live.
Without our notice they slip by
With so much more to give.
 
But for them each new day’s a gift,
One that passes so fast.
They cherish every moment lived,
Make memories that last.
 
Perhaps it’s time we take the time
To treasure every day
The little moments that we’ve missed
That blossom on our way.