Little Ones

They are so young and innocent,

Their lives are all ahead,
And, while they long to test their wings,
We want them safe instead.
 
So many dangers fill the world
Where they will someday live,
We want to keep them sheltered in
All the love we can give.
 
But we must find courage somewhere
To let them out the door.
Then pray God holds them in His hand,
Until they learn to soar.
 
Mark 9:42
“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in me—to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.

Time With You

I enjoyed spending time with You

Just hanging out today.
That moment when the day got still
And we both slipped away.
 
We spent the time just hanging out
Catching up, me and You.
Though it might not seem all that fun,
It’s what I like to do.  
 
It was just what I needed, Lord.
I’m happy as can be
That, out of all the whole big world,
You took time out for me.

Surrounded by Blessings

I sit surrounded by your grace,

With blessings everywhere.
There is such bounty in my life
I’ve no room for despair.
 
The troubles that we all must face
Will come and then pass by.
With all the blessings in my life,
I won’t have time to cry.
 
There will be struggles, ups and downs,
But there’s no end to grace,
And keeping my eyes on the ups
Keeps the downs in their place.
 
I thank You Lord for blessing me
Beyond what I am due.
I count my blessings every day
And then give thanks to You!

Precarious Balance

Lord, these are precarious times

All that was right is wrong.
I want to keep my balance, Lord,
But I’m not always strong.
 
I find that I want to fight back,
Though Love is what You ask.
I’m just not sure I love enough
To do that which You ask.
 
The balance is so difficult
And I’m so near the edge,
I don’t know if I should hold on
Or climb back off the ledge.
 
I don’t like what is happening,
Or what I have to do.
I only know the single hope
To make things right is You.

Work with Joy

I’m Singing as I work today,

A Friday thing to do,
Yet somehow all that cheery noise
Helps me to work on through.
I guess that’s why the busy bee
Hums as he works along,
For nothing makes the work day sweet
Like honey and a song!  
 
Ecclesiastes 3:22
So I saw that there is nothing better for a person than to enjoy their work, because that is their lot. For who can bring them to see what will happen after them?

I saw That

I saw what You just did there, Lord,

Though I am a bit slow.
But You slipped that one right out front
So even I would know.
You made it very obvious
So I’d be sure to see
The little miracle of grace
That You meant just for me.  

What I Can't See

I try to see what lies ahead,

But I can’t see that far,
So I will trust the one who shaped
The mountain and the star.
 
There’s nothing in heaven or earth
That He did not place there.
As He has laid plans for my good,
I’ll trust I’m in His care.
 
He formed the worlds, and all therein,
Then set them all on course.
And nothing can alter the flow
That spills out from that source.
 
No, I may not see far ahead,
But this much I can see,
There’s nothing that can hide from Him,
And He’s shaped what will be.

Jeremiah 23:24
Who can hide in secret places so that I cannot see them?” declares the Lord. “Do not I fill heaven and earth?” declares the Lord.
 
 

A Praise in Gold

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The golden light of dawn is nigh,

The quick birds all on wing

Are brushing just above the waves

Where wispy mists still cling.

As morning wakes to greet the dawn

The murmur of the gull

Ripples softly across the breeze

While sleepy waters lull.

And there, below the rising sun,

Where peaceful waters flow,

The morning sings its praise to God

Within the golden glow.

 

This is a praise I wrote back in 2011 on a different blog. I have been so tired and distracted lately that, when I found it while looking for something else, I knew it was a blessing from God to share again here tonight. A Golden Praise!

Friendships Renewed

Thank you for this day’s laughter, Lord,

And thank you for the fun.
Thank you for old times remembered,
And the new times begun.
Thank you for friendships now renewed,
Not lost and not undone,
But most of all, Lord, I thank you
For old friends, everyone!          

Doubts and Shame

They’re always there, watching each move,

Measuring thought and deed,
Then whispering to me of things
That are not what I need.
 
That sense of doubt, of worthlessness,
There’s envy’s in there, too,
And none of them act for my good  
In what they put me through.
 
They tell me I’m not good enough
For all You’ve given me,
And I have heard them mentioning
The faults in me they see.
 
I know they try to remind me
Of every slight and slur
Until I see them with outrage
Instead of how they were.
 
They tell me I might just as well
Give up all hope right now,
For nothing that I’m working for
Will happen anyhow.
 
Those nagging little negatives
That always pester me
Can be more influential than
I ought to let them be.
 
But I’m learning to ignore them,
And not heed what they say,
For Your voice is the only one
I trust to show the way.

This delightful photo was a blessing from DR, taken on her trip to the zoo with her sweet kiddos.

The Itch

I have an itch I can’t scratch, Lord,

Though I truly want to.

I keep thinking I’ll find the way,

Although I never do.

Each time I have the perfect plan

Somehow that plan falls through

And I’m left with that same old itch

That I still can’t get to.

 

So here’s the itch that I can’t scratch

No matter what I do,

I want to improve me enough

To be worthy of You.

Yet every time I think I’m close

The itching starts anew,

And, Lord, as always, my best hope

To improve me, is You.

Gathered in His Name

We called upon Him, all as one,

To hear His children’s cries
And heal us from the sins that we
Have lived, but should despise.
 
We asked that He would guide the lost,
And give the sick new life.
We prayed for peace to touch the earth
Now scarred by pain and strife.
 
We thanked Him for each day we’ve lived
And for the joy we’ve known.
The hopes we hold for tomorrow
From today’s seeds we’ve sown.
 
We lifted up a song of praise
That He was with us there,
Fulfilling His promise to join
When we gather in prayer.
 
Matthew 18:20
For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

Psalm 139:9-10

I cannot fly beyond Your love,

Though I take wing and soar.
When I have crossed the bounding waves
I’ll find You on the shore.
 
The sun may rise on foreign lands
That I do not yet know,
But You reign over all of them
So I won’t fear to go.
 
Though I may rise upon the wind
And race into the night,
Still I will find myself once more
Nestled within Your light.
 
For You were there, when I took flight,
You’ll be there when I land,
And, in between, You’ll lift me up
On the palm of Your hand.
 
Psalm 139:9-10
If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea,
Even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

Oh Hallelujah!

Oh hallelujah, Lord of Grace,

Your glory is my joy
And I will praise Your name with all
The faith I can employ.
 
Oh hallelujah, Lord of Grace,
I stand within Your light
And I will praise Your holy name
With absolute delight.
 
Oh hallelujah, Lord of Grace
In You my hope resides
And I will praise You with a heart
In which Your peace abides.

Colors of Joy

You gave me colors in my life,

In vibrant shades of joy,
So rich that even stormy skies
Cannot dim or destroy.
 
Though I might turn my head aside,
Pretending I don’t see
The colors of a joyful life
Arrayed all about me,
 
Yet still they wait for me to turn
And see them everywhere,
For they are much like You are, Lord,
Alive and always there.

Work Faithfully

Though life may sometimes bring a chore

That you’d rather not do,
Still it’s a mark of faithfulness
To simply see it through.
 
Not every task we have to do
Will fill us with delight,
But there is satisfaction in
Simply doing them right.
 
And though mundane and meaningless,
Might seem the dreary chore,
By doing it as if for God
You make it so much more.
 
So do each task with joyful heart,
However great or small,
Each task has merit of its own
And God’s ordained them all.
 
Colossians 3:23
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters,

Psalm 33:18

Though all the world is filled with foes,

Still I will hide in You.
You are the only hope I know,
My Strength resides in You.
When all the world seem wracked with woe
Comfort is born in You,
And there is no place I can go
That won’t lead back to You.
 
You are my hope, my protector,
And I will hide in You.

Psalm 33:18

But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love,

In His Sight

I thought You lost sight of me, Lord,

When fear overcame me.
But I was wrong, You saw me and
Held me comfortingly.
 
I’m grateful for the loving grace
That keeps me in Your sight,
Without it I might get caught in
An endless world of fright.
 
Yet, with Your eye upon me, Lord,
I know that this is true,
The world may do its worst to me,
But You will see me through.

Scattered Thoughts

Oh lord, tonight my mind is blank,

My thoughts won’t form to words
They scatter as I seek for them,
A flock of timid birds.
 
But in my heart I sing Your praise,
Though my voice remains still.
I love You, Lord, with all my heart
And, Lord, I always will.

Solitude or Service

I find I like being alone.

It gives me time to be
The person I know lives inside
All the insanity.
 
But that is not the point of life,
Nor why God put us here.
That He’s pushing me to be more
Is becoming quite clear.
 
I hope I’m not too old to learn
The joy of company,
For its seems beyond question now
That is God’s plan for me.
 
So I’ll give up the quiet life
That I love so dearly
And try to live to help all those
That God’s plan brings to me.
 
Isaiah 41:6
they help each other and say to their companions, “Be strong!”

Barely Holding On

Today I’m at my limit and

I’m barely holding on.
I’ve run so fast in circles, Lord,
That all my strength is gone.
But You are all the strength I need
And I will call on You
To help me hold on long enough
To feel my strength renew!
 
1 Chronicles 16:11
Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.

Weeds and Blooms

I have these worries and these doubts

That grow within my mind.
Like little weeds, they spread their roots
Until they’re intertwined
So deeply they can’t be pulled out.
They grow til there’s no room,
So it’s a good thing God loves me
Enough to make them bloom.
 
Luke 12:27
“Consider how the wild flowers grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you, not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.

My Personal Miracle

It wasn’t some great miracle,
Just colored glass and light,
But it appeared for one moment
Then faded out of sight.
Yet, of all those seated nearby,
Only I turned to see,
So, in a way, it was indeed
A miracle for me.

 

Blooming in Drought

With the drought burning all around,

The land is parched and dry,

But still they turn faces of joy

Toward the Lord on High.

They know that He is in His place,

That they live in His hand,

And, though they may wither in time,

Until then they will stand

With joyful faces filled with faith

And praise the Lord on High.

For His love is their nourishment,

Though all the land is dry!

Impatient

Those days I‘d rather be alone,

They come too often, Lord.

I’m running low on patience where

Where I’ve always kept it stored.

Yet that impatience that I feel,

I have been brought to see,

Is not well served directed out,

But should be turned to me.

For all the flaws that drive me mad

Have a place in my heart,

And, If I want to change things up,

Then I’m the place to start.

So help me, Lord, not to be caught

Impatient with someone

Until I’ve fix the problem’s source.

I’m where it’s all begun. 

Shout in Praise

Sometimes I want to shout Your name,

Call out to you in praise,

For You make life survivable

On the most hectic days.

You are the calm within the storm

That often is my life

And though I get caught up in it,

I’m not consumed by strife.

So I will shout Your name in praise

For You will see me through

The ups and downs of everyday

And all that I must do!

 Psalm 71:23 My lips will shout for joy when I sing praise to you— I whom you have delivered.

The Scars

It’s all the little scuffs and scars

That make us who we are.
Without them we might well forget
That we have come this far.
 
We might lose sight of all the roads
That brought us to this place,
If there weren’t scars reminding us
Of each win or disgrace.
 
I look at myself every day
And thank my lucky stars,
For God gave me a life so rich
That I have lots of scars!  

Waiting Patiently

I’m waiting patiently on You,

Though I am pressed by fear.
There’s too much wicked in this world,
And some is drawing near.
 
I’m doing all that I can do,
But I’ll rely on You
To keep the worst harm from my door
And help me see this through.
 
I know that I should just be strong
And have faith, as You ask,
But sometimes my faith seems so week,
It’s not up to the task.
 
So as I watch the problem grow,
With no more I can do,
I wait patiently on You, Lord.
All my hopes lie in You.
 
Psalm 37:7
Be still before the Lord and wait patiently for him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

One of Those Days

I’ve felt like crying all day through,

Though nothing’s really wrong.
I’ve just had all those little thoughts
That bring the tears along.
 
I guess we all have days like that,
Though I don’t quite know why.
Yet here I sit, life by the tail,
While tears brim in my eye.
 
Help me to count my blessings, Lord,
Instead of tears that fall.
For blessings add up in this life
And tears don’t count at all.

Dawn and Grace

However your day might begin,

Rise up expecting grace.
For God can break the darkest night
And bring light in its place.
 
So let the dark night pass on by,
As dawn will take its place,
And in the slowly growing light
You’ll find God’s loving grace.