The Mystery

Oh Lord, You are the mystery

That’s I cannot explain
The loving heart despite my sin,
The joy that heals my pain.
You give me strength to carry on
When I feel crushed by strain
And You have washed a life of sin
Clean of eternal stain.
You are the hope that never fails
When no hope should remain.
Oh Lord, You are the mystery
That I cannot explain.

Hello Again!

Hello again! It’s just me, Lord.

I want to say good night,
To thank You for the day I had,
And for making things right.
 
You took the chaos of the day
And filled it with Your Grace,
Thus helping me to not get lost
Within the hectic pace.
 
You showed me blessings in the day
That I’d not thought to see
With all the scurrying about
That kept me so busy.
 
I saw the sunrise kiss the trees,
And mist soft as a sigh.
I watched wild geese fly home at dusk
Across a cloudless sky.
 
I saw the evening settle in,
The lights across the bay
Reflecting on the dark water
In their bright, cheery way.
 
And all the myriad of stars
With which You light the night
Seemed to wink as if they could share
Their own secret delight.
 
Oh yes, Lord, at first all I saw
Was chaos, disarray,
But then You helped me realize
All the joy on display.

A Simple Thing

I thought it just a simple fact,

The way things ought to be,
But now I understand that some
See things disparately.
 
They seem to think the choice is theirs
To live by rules they make,
But He was quite specific when
He set rules not to break.
 
He didn’t say go your own way,
Your father understands.
He said that, if you love Him, then
You must keep His commands.
 
The statement was a simple one,
Even I understand,
So I’m confused at how so much
Has gotten out of hand.
 
Like weeds that sprout in summer grass,
Each one claims to know best.
Yet rules born of earthly desires
Won’t pass that simple test.
 
So go your way and make your choice,
But this is where I stand,
As I love Him, I'll do my best
To keep every command.
 
John 14:15
“If you love me, keep my commands.

Waves of Grief

Grief’s not a weight, so I was told,

Back when my father died.
It doesn’t always bear you down,
It’s much more like a tide.
 
If you walk down a sandy beach
As the tide rolls on in
The ground will shift beneath your feet,
Dragging you down again.
 
Yet, each time that the waves roll in
Then roll back out to sea,
They don’t climb the beach quite as far,
With such intensity.
 
And though that tide rolls ceaselessly,
It still will ebb and flow.
You'll never quite escape it, but
You’ll feel your balance grow.
 
Your life becomes a sandy beach,
With grief the rolling waves,
But love becomes the shining sun,
The warmth that heals and saves.
 
And though each beach must have its tides,
We all have that in store,
I wish you beaches with small waves
And sunlight on the shore.

For DC. I know what you're feeling. Love you!

Reflecting Your Light

Good morning, God, the night is past,

A new day is now is here.
And all that was a haze last night,
Today’s painfully clear.
 
Our life and death, aren’t up to us,
They’re out of our control.
We take with us what we have lived
Reflected in our soul.
 
So, Lord, help me to live what’s left
Of my life on this earth
That my soul might reflect Your light
At my heavenly birth.

Overwhelmed

I’m trapped within the mist tonight

Of all that’s on my heart.
I have so many prayers to lift,
I don’t know where to start.
 
In fact, Lord, I don’t think I can
Even sort my prayers out,
But I know You can do that, Lord.
I really have no doubt.
 
So look into my faithful heart
And see what’s lost in there,
Then please consider what You find
To be my good night prayer.
 
I love You, Lord. Amen

Grace and Praise

Yesterday was a hard one, Lord,

Today’s a rough day, too.
I’m praying, by tomorrow’s dawn,
That these hard days are through.
 
I know the way is never straight
The path’s a rocky climb,
But I could use a level place
To rest for a short time.
 
Yes, Lord, I know You have a plan
And that plan is in place,
But if it could fit in Your plan,
I sure could use some grace.
 
Okay, Lord, that is all for me,
My whining now is through.
But let me add one more, small thing…
I’m so grateful to You.
 
You lift me up when I fall down
And hold me when I cry.
On days like these, when all is rain,
You bring a clearing sky.
 
I get so caught up in the pain,
The chaos or the grief
That I forget, you offer more
Than just simple relief.
 
It is Your strength that sees me through,
Your love that dries my tears,
And it is knowing You are there
That helps me face my fears.
 
Oh Lord, I didn’t mean to gripe,
I’ve just had some tough days,
But while I pray for respite, Lord,
I also sing Your praise!
 
James 5:13
Is anyone among you in trouble? Let them pray. Is anyone happy? Let them sing songs of praise.

I Will Follow

I will follow where You lead me,

Where ever I must go,
And I will do what you ask of me.
Oh Lord, please make it so.
 
I know that I am not the best,
Nor am I quite the worst.
And, though I can be distracted,
I try to keep You first.
 
I’ve fallen more that I’ll admit,
And I gave up on me,
But You did not and, by Your grace,
You set my spirit free.
 
So though I find the way blocked by
An obstacle or two,
If You will lead me, I will go.
My Lord, I’ll follow you.
 
John 12:26
Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me.

Gone Astray

I seem to go my own way, Lord,

More often than I should,
And I have learned what comes of that
Is never any good.

I don’t know why I’m prone to stray
From what I know is right,
But every chance I get to stray,
There I go, taking flight.
 
But You are always there for me,
To turn me back around.
You are the way I follow back
To safe and solid ground.
 
Isaiah 53:6
We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to our own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

A Widow's Grief

Oh Lord, I’ve cried, I’ve prayed and fought

Against deepest despair,
But every morning I wake up
And he is still not there.
 
I wonder if I have the faith
To carry on each day,
And some days I’m not even sure
You hear me when I pray.
 
I had such happiness in life
As I had never known.
Then suddenly I lost it all
And I’m, once more, alone.
 
Lord, I know that You have a plan
For what is meant to be,
But I still cannot understand
Why this pain’s come to me.
 
I know that I can’t have him back,
I’ve known that all along.
I pray You have a plan in place
That helps me to be strong.
 
But not so strong that I grow cold,
I need to feel love, too,
For love is all that keeps me sane.
Lord, my hope rests in You.
 
I’ll trust You, Lord, and do my best
To live on without him,
But I need You to keep my heart
From growing cold and grim.
 
Proverbs 3:5-6 
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.

To two friends who have lost the love of their lives in the past year and who struggle still to face each day, trusting in the Lord and leaning on Him when their own hope fails. You two have my love and awe.

Thumbnail Moon

The moon was nearly lost to sight,

Still the stars danced with glee,
They did not fear that they had lost
That which they could not see.
 
Although his light was faint at best,
As if he was not there,
Yet not one star thought he was lost
Or flickered in despair.
 
They knew that even when his light
Was hidden from their sight
That he still filled the same old space
That he filled every night.
 
And so the stars danced joyfully,
Faithfully shining on.
Relying on God’s promise that
Unseen does not mean gone.
 
2 Corinthians 4:18
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.

Busy Week

Oh Lord this week has worn me out

I’m just too tired to peep,
There’s nothing that I’d rather do
Than head to bed and sleep.
 
For the rain has been whispering
About the coming spring,
The breezes nudge me into bed
With lullabies they sing.
 
I long to lay my body down
But, Lord, before I do
I thank You for my busy week…
And that it’s mostly through.

Psalm 19:1

Glory unto You, Oh Lord,

The heavens praise Your might,
And I am swept up in the joy
Of that transcendent light.
 
I rise and join heaven’s tribute,
Raising Your name in praise,
And yet Your glory’s greater still
Than any praise we raise.
 
Oh Lord, You take my breath away
With Your enduring Grace.
If such beauty fails to compare,
How splendid is Your Face!
 
Psalm 19:1
The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Prayer for Healing

Lord, in the stillness of this night

Please heal the hurt and pain
That seems to trouble those I love,
But let their joy remain.
 
I know that life is filled with pain,
That struggles help us grow,
But for this night, Lord, all I ask
Is let Your healing flow.
 
Let it spill down upon them, Lord,
Like moonlight through the night
And let them wake with memories
Of dreams filled with Your light.
 
Proverbs 15:30
Light in a messenger’s eyes brings joy to the heart, and good news gives health to the bones.

Textured Sky

The sky was grey and overcast

Textured by wind and light,
It was a perfect ending to
A dark and chilly night.
 
I thought at first how grim it seemed
Until I looked closely
And saw God weaving clouds and light
In absolute beauty.
 
I’m learning not to glance and judge,
But to take time to see
The glory that’s not obvious,
Yet really ought to be.
 
Romans 1:20
For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.

Wallflower

Just another face in the crowd

That no one else can see,
But in His eyes, there is no doubt,
He formed her perfectly.
She may look like everyone else
To everyone but Him,
But in His eyes she is unique,
Perfect in form and limb.

Storms and Power Outages

Today the world simply weeps tears,
The winds whip the waves white,
And, though it make attempts to shine,
The sun brings little light.
 
But here, inside, there is a peace
Only Sabbath can bring.
Even the wind trapped in the eaves
Sounds like songs angels sing.
 
Whatever this day holds outside,
In here we’ll sing His praise,
For what’s outside matters little
To what’s inside these days!

Failed, But Forgiven

It sometimes seems as if I’ve failed,

And failed most miserably,
To finish this, my simple task,
The way it ought to be.
 
I never mean to let it slip
Through the cracks of my mind,
Yet when I sit down to compose
There’s nothing there to find.
 
And this is one of those times, Lord,
When all my thoughts have strayed.
I sit here trying to find words,
Yet feeling quite dismayed.
 
But, none the less, You love me still
You don’t cast me aside,
And I am thankful for the grace
That You’ve never denied.
 
Psalm 13:5  
But I trust in your unfailing love; my heart rejoices in your salvation.

To Rest a Bit

Oh Lord, I’m weary once again

And I must call on You
For strength enough to finish up
That which You’d have me do.
 
I am Your servant still, Oh Lord,
But I feel my strength wane.
I must rely on Your strong arm
To lift me once again.
 
I’ll only rest a little while
Beside the still water,
Then, with Your arm to lean upon,
I’ll find the strength to stir.
 
I’ll rise again and set my hand
To serve You with glad heart,
For, once renewed, I’m anxious to
Joyfully do my part.
 
Isaiah 40:28-29
Do you not know? Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

Choosing Joy

Though we are ringed about with woe,

Still we can sing with joy.
Or we can let our sorrows win,
All happiness destroy.
The choice lies within every heart,
And each heart must decide
If it will live a life of joy,
Or with sorrow abide.
For there is sorrow in each day,
There is much joy also.
And we will find that which we seek.
That’s one truth that I know.
 
So make the choice, lift up your heart
And sing out songs of praise.
Though we may be ringed by our woes,
Still these are joyous days!
 
Psalm 126:2
Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them.”

The Phone Call

A thoughtful word was all it took

To change my point of view.
The kindness of thinking to call
Just sounds so much like you.
I didn’t know I need it
Until I heard you laugh,
But that one sound was sweet enough
To cut my pain in half.      
You cast your sunlight on my rain
When you did not have to,
In thanks, I send these sun kissed blooms,
With grateful love, to you.

To TK in thanks for the call, the laughter and for simply caring enough to notice.

Wait Patiently

While everything around it blooms

It bides its time and waits,
But when the season is just right
It never hesitates.
 
It lives with hope that God’s promise
Will be there every spring
And so it sleeps, while all around,
The birds awake and sing.  
 
For hope is not about today,
But what we’ll someday see.
Both faith and hope require of us,
That we wait patiently
Until the promises of God,
In His time, come to be.
 
Romans 8:24-25
For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently.

Night Watch

Are you watching me tonight?

I’m feeling lost down here,
I need to hear your voice again,
Whispering in my ear.
 
Oh Lord when I am feeling small
And lost within the night
I call out to You in the hope
That I will see Your light.
 
I know that You are watching me
And I try not fear,
But when the night is closing in
My thoughts aren’t always clear.
 
I let them wander in the dark
Where all my troubles lie
And when I call them back to me
They seem to multiply.
 
So, Lord, please whisper to Your child
And tell me that You’re here.
There is no comfort in the night
Like Your voice in my ear.

Psalm 91:4-5 
He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day,

Little Blessings

Thank you for the joy You sent

To brighten up my day,
The golden sun, the deep green grass,
The blossoms on their way.
 
The winter still holds in its grasp
So many that I know
That I am even more grateful
To watch the flowers grow.
 
It’s still the little blessings that
Brighten life’s mundane way
And I just wanted You to know
I’d noticed them today.

Introspection

I’m not the introspective type,

But even I can see
That none of us is wise enough
To know all that might be.
 
I’ve gazed in wonder at the face
That’s looking back at me
Only to find myself confused
By who I think I see.
 
Am I the wild child of my past
Or who I am right now?
For one led me to the other,
Though I don’t quite know how.
 
Am I the one who loses faith,
Or she who holds onto
The promise of redemptive love
That I know comes from You?
 
Who will I see if I look close,
Will I recognize me?
Is it enough to simply trust
You know who I will be?
 
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.

A Grey Day

It’s hard to find the good in this,

A day so grim and grey,
But I am on the lookout still
To find good in this day.
 
I know that it is out there, Lord,
I will not be dismayed,
I’m certain that I’ll find the good
In this day that you made!
 
Perhaps the good I seek to find
Is right before my eyes,
But I’m too busy focusing
Upon the dreary skies.
 
So I will sing a song of praise,
Rejoicing in the grey,
Until my eyes are opened to
The good that’s in this day!
 
Psalm 118:24
This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Mist and Praise

I wasn’t sure that I could shine

When I woke up today,
The world was wrapped deep in a mist
That would not clear away.
But finally I shrugged it off,
The light came shining through,
Then I rose up to face the world
Singing my praise to You.
 
1 Chronicles 23:30
They were also to stand every morning to thank and praise the Lord. They were to do the same in the evening

Celestial

The moon and stars dance through the night

In patterns that He laid,
And nothing can compare with them
That mortal man has made.
 
We are the masters of this world
Because He says it’s so,
But we are insignificant
Where planets come and go.
 
The force that shapes the universe
Is born within His hand,
And all that has been or will be
Answers to His command.
 
Job 38:31-33
“Can you bind the chains of the Pleiades? Can you loosen Orion’s belt? Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons or lead out the Bear with its cubs? Do you know the laws of the heavens? Can you set up God’s dominion over the earth?

Early Blooms

It seems so odd to see them bloom

This early in the spring,
I worry that one last cold blast
Could well blight everything.
 
But they seem to have confidence
In ways I can’t explain.
They take it as if for granted
That this warmth will remain.
 
What instinct leads them to burst forth
Earlier than most years?
How can they take a risk that bold?
I’d be reduced to tears.
 
Yet, while they do it joyfully,
They bloom because they must.
There is no holding back in doubt,
For blossoming takes trust.
 
They have accepted that spring’s here,
The calendar aside.
They choose to trust in God’s timing
And let faith be their guide.

Still Faithful

They grow where they were first planted,

Though everything has changed.
They have not waivered through the years
From how they were arranged.
 
The garden is no longer there,
Grass grows all through the bed.
And yet they still turn up to Him
Each ruffled golden head.
 
There is a faithfulness in them
That I should understand.
Consistent in a changing world,
Their joy’s in His command.
 
Job 23:10-11
But he knows the way that I take; when he has tested me, I will come forth as gold. My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside.

Always Near

As I passed by I heard Your voice

Whispering in my ear,
“Do not worry for what you need.
My child, I’m always near.”
 
It was so soft, that whispered voice,
I almost did not hear.
If the small breeze had not died down
It would not have been clear.
 
Yet I did hear You speak to me
A small voice, soft and dear,
And those words still live in my heart
"My child, I’m always near.”