New Starts

There is glory in the morning

And a fresh hope in its light
That the past is well behind me
And a new me is in sight.
 
So I praise Him every morning,
His Light stirring in my heart,
For the chance to face each fresh day
With His Grace and a new start.

Annoyances and Distractions - Reposted

Lord, the little annoyances

That happen every day
Always manage to distract me,
And get into my way.
 
I know my life is more complex
Than it really should be,
And that, in part, could be because
Nuisances distract me.
 
Instead of batting at the gnats
That buzz around my face,
If I could keep my eyes on You,
I know I’d find more grace.
 
So help me keep my eyes on You,
That I might see things through,
And finally get to the things
That You want me to do.

Resolute Dawning - Reposted

Still morning, calm waters

The day’s just begun
Cold winter, chill fire
The first rays of sun
A resolute dawning
The black night is done
A faithful heart praising
Lord, you are the one

Remembering Stillness

I used to know how to be still,

But I’ve forgotten now.
I need to find a place and time
To learn again, somehow.
 
For I can’t hear Your voice as well
When all the world’s a blur
And I’ve been running at full speed
With my wings all a whir.
 
I know that it was more than just
Remaining in one place.
I know it had something to do
With recognizing grace.
 
I’m confident that I will find
My way back into still.
As soon as I can slow it down,
I’m confident I will.
 
Psalm 46:10
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

A Love Note - Reposted

Sometimes the worries of my day

Leave me feeling dismayed,
So it was such a joy to me
To see your love displayed.
 
For you could have assumed I knew
And left the thought unsaid,
But you chose to declare your love
Clearly to me, instead.

Simple Blessings

The rain is whispering again,

Darkness is drawing near,
But I can settle in tonight
Without despair or fear.
I had enough to eat today
And I was warm and dry,
So I can sleep in contentment
Without a tear to cry.
 
I know that these are simple things,
But to me they seem large.
Each gift serves as a reminder
Of just who is in charge.
And that is why I face the night
Without fear or despair.
For, however dark this night is,
I know that You’ll be there.

My Prayers Today

May your day be filled up with Love

And Grace beyond your due.
May you have blessings, just enough,
That they will see you though.
May you know peace and great delight,
As this day dawns anew.
And this, above all else I pray,
May His light burn in you!  

You are the Reason - Re-Posted

I’m the wind in a winter tree

I’m the waves on a frosted sea
I’m the sun swinging through the sky
I’m the bird just learning to fly
I’m the mountain sheathed in white snow
I’m the desert where nothing will grow
I’m the light that dances at night
I’m the darkness the light must fight
I’m everything that you can see
I’m every place you long to be
I’m the infant born long ago
I’m the answer you need to know
 
I’m the Word the angels proclaim
You are the reason that I came.

The Watching World - Reposted

They settled in amid the straw

And darkness in the shed,
Preparing for the birth to come,
The child who’d have no bed.
 
He swept a space, in the twilight,
And smoothed down some fresh straw,
While she was fighting back the pain
That stirred both fear and awe.
 
A new child was about to breathe
The first sharp breath of birth,
Within the small barn, all alone,
As twilight draped the earth.
 
They settled in beneath the roof,
The colored sky peered in,
The whole world held its breath to wait
For that life to begin.
 
Luke 2:5-6
He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child. While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,

I'm Broken Enough - Reposted

There are so many things to say,

The thoughts pour through my mind,

And yet the words that shape those thoughts

Are those I cannot find.

It’s hard to comprehend the gift

You gave a broken world.

You filled the night with brilliant light

And angel wings unfurled,

Yet sent the word first to the meek

Who by their fires were curled.

It’s as if it was in your plan

To touch the shattered soul

And render it, through fullest grace,

Into a perfect whole.

So, near the eve of your birthday,

I watch the darkened night.

I long to hear the angels sing

And see the gleaming light,

For I am broken enough, Lord,

To see that wondrous sight.

Luke 2: 10-11

But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is the Messiah, the Lord.

Remembering My Tears - Reposted

The clouds and mist obscure your smile,

They hide from me your face.

They try to keep from me your love,

You comforting embrace.

But I know that you’re out there still

And in that loving place

Where I can find you when I wipe

These teardrops from my face.

So let the rains fall from the sky

And let the storm clouds race.

Eventually my tears will dry

And joy will take their place.

The Light Ahead

There is a light, out up ahead,

And I’ll reach it one day,
But I still have a ways to go,
With pitfalls should I stray.
Despite them I will carry on,
Rejoicing on the way,
For He is waiting there for me
And I will not delay.
 
I’m coming, Lord. I hear You call,
Your voice is loud and clear.
That light is getting brighter now,
I must be drawing near.
My heart is lifting as I walk,
It fills me with such cheer
That my feet want to run to You
And greet You without fear! 

Many thanks to MS for this photo of the light at the end of the forest path. From her trip to England. Thank you, M!!

The Rocky Climb

I knew that I was on the path

That You’d laid out for me

And I was clearly underway

When it rose suddenly.

It wasn’t there, and then it was,

Obscuring my whole view

Of where I thought I was to go,

And I lost sight of You.

But I knew where I had to go,

Though it now blocked my way.

So I started to climb on up,

And with each breath I’d pray.

“Oh Lord, I thought that You’d be there

As I travelled this road.

I thought that You would make it smooth

And maybe lift my load.

But here I struggle to comply,

To climb a sheer rock face.

How could You have brought me to this?”

I wept and called for Grace.

I cursed and cried, but carried on.

What else was I to do

If I was to stay on the path

That would lead me to You?

At length I came to rest a top

This obstacle so great,

And bowed my head in humble shame

At what I learned so late.

God had not placed impediments

Across my path at all.

Instead He led me straight into

A fortress strong and tall.

I had not scaled an obstacle,

As I now understand.

I had, instead, climbed from the world

Into my Savior’s hand.

Psalm 62:6

Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.

This photo was gifted to us by DP, from his latest trip to Korea. WOW! What a ROCK and what a climb!! 

Resting in the Son - Reposted

The troubles of this world are mine,

As they belong to all,
But when they come to seek me out
I do not fear their call.
 
For, though they weigh upon my mind
As they have always done,
I’ve learned to face them with more calm
By resting in the Son.
 
He knew the torments of this world
And faced much more than I,
So, if He bids me Trust in Him,
That trust I’ll not deny.
 
And I will face my own troubles
With His peace in my heart.
It may not hold my woes at bay,
But it’s the place to start.
 
John 16:33
“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

The Me You See

I lived within the shadow of

My own guilt and my sin,
Knowing that I was far too lost
To ever start again.
I felt that all that this world saw
Was the wrongs I had done,
Instead of the kindness I’ve wrought,
The good me I’ve begun.
 
I wanted to deny my shame,
But I knew all along
That I would need forgiveness for
All that I had done wrong.
So I called out to heaven’s king
And asked Him for His Grace.
He answered me, He washed my soul
Of my shameful disgrace.
 
Now I stand before all mankind
With my scars in full view
And my redemption on display
In testament to You!!
Heaven and earth may see my past,
But I know that You see,
Through eyes of loving forgiveness,
The newly reborn me.

This fantastic photo of a rook was taken in the UK by MS. Another GREAT gift from her trip. Thanks, M!!

These Wild Days - Reposted

I keep thinking tomorrow’s it,

The one where things go right.
Yet every day some new problem
Steps in to pick a fight.
 
So if I look a bit wild eyed
My hair a bit astray,
Just assume that I fought back
Against what came my way.
 
And I may look worse for the wear,
But I know that I’ve won,
Because I’ll stand and fight again
When each new day’s begun!
 
Proverbs 24:16
for though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again, but the wicked stumble when calamity strikes.

Imperfect Plan - Reposted

I thought I had the perfect plan

With everything in place
Until the moment that my plan
Collapsed right in my face.
 
Oh yes, I thought I’d try again…
It was a perfect plan,
But I’d forgotten the first rule
That binds the plans of man.
 
Perfection is not born on earth,
It lives within God’s heart.
My plan is perfect only when
His plan is where I start.
 
So now I’ll put my plan in place,
This time with His in mind.
I’m sure “my perfect plan” will be
More perfectly refined.

In the Tempest - Reposted

When the tempest thunders fiercely

And chaos follows me,
I turn to seek that sacred haven
Where I’m loved perfectly.
I turn my eyes to find the light
That burns within the storm,
Where, even in the grimmest spate,
His love keeps me from harm.
He is my eternal shelter,
The strength in which I bide.
I no longer fear the tempest
When I stand by his side.
 
Psalm 55:8
I would hurry to my place of shelter, far from the tempest and storm.”

Lost in the View

Sometimes the path can be obscured

By an exquisite view,
I might forget to move along
For an hour or two.
I would not be a bit surprised
To find myself one day
Dawdling, lost in wonderment
At the earth’s fine array,
Only to look up and to find
I’ve wandered far astray.
 
It happens so often these days,
I hardly understand.
It’s almost as if all of this
Is just what You had planned.
I wonder sometimes if You think
That I need time away,
So You arrange a distraction
And set it in my way.
I know that I still have a path
And things that I must do,
But now and then it’s nice to pause
And get lost in the view.

This photo is a gift from MS, from her trip to the UK. I love the peaceful beauty of this shot.

Learning Patience - Reposted

Waiting patiently on the Lord.

Despite my restless soul,
I will do as he asks of me
Though turmoil takes its toll.
 
For patience was not born in me,
I’m learning to be still,
But He’s asked me to wait on Him,
And I will do His will.

Isaiah 64:4
Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him.

Dear Child of Grace - Reposted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dear Child of Grace,

I know your day was so hectic,

But I kept watch on you.
I set my name along your walk
That you’d find your way through.
 
I kept the real harm from your path,
But let some struggles in,
For when you need to call on me
You know who brought the win.
 
I smoothed the bumps that you would face
But left a curve or two,
So that you could move forward, yet
Not see the whole way through.
 
I know you didn’t see me there,
Doing the things I do,
But I kept you well in my sight.
And PS… I love You.
 
Luke 2:40
And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him.

The Turbulent Dawn

There in the turbulence of dawn,

Beneath a troubled sky,
The sun burst through to change the view
That met my weary eye.
 
It was no more than the same sun
That I see every day,
And yet it shifted my whole world
With its fearless display.
 
It was not cowed by the dark clouds
That sought to dim its light,
And I won’t give in to the fears
That haunted me last night.
 
If it can rise up every day
And light a darkened sky,
Then I can do no less, myself,
Than to rise up and fly.

The Light and The Dawn - Reposted

You are the light, we are the dawn,

We’re nothing without You.
We linger on the edge of dark
Until Your light shines through.
 
But through Your light we touch the world,
As You expect we’ll do,
Though, as the dawn, we cannot glow
Til we’re reflecting You.
 
So, while we are born of your light,
We won’t lose sight of You,
For You’re the light, we are the dawn,
We’re nothing without you.
 
8:12
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Enough is Sufficient – Reposted

It may not seem like all that much

To those with so much more,
But I am grateful for more wealth
Than I have known before.
 
I don’t need more than other folk,
And I could live with less,
But I have what I need each day
To live without distress.
 
I have a home that’s safe and warm,
I have enough to eat,
And neither one is fancy, Lord,
But my life is complete.
 
So I don’t trouble myself much
Longing for wealth or fame.
You’ve blessed me with all that I need,
And I will praise Your name.

Christmas Ghosts - Reposted

The ghosts of the empty places

Are haunting me today,
The people that I knew and loved
Who died or slipped away
Still linger in the rising mist,
Where tears and sunlight play.
I hear their voices in the mist,
Where crying seagulls stray.
I see their faces in the drifts
Of mist above the bay.
 
I’ll never hold them in my arms,
They’ve gone too far away,
But they still linger in my heart   
And haunt the misty bay.

Seeking Joy

There was a happy little thought

That fluttered through my mind,
If I went looking for some joy
How much might I then find?
 
It startled me to discover
That joy was everywhere.
No matter where I stopped to look,
I found joy waiting there.
 
I hadn’t noticed that much joy
Til I began to look.
I wonder how I had missed it,
Was looking what it took?
 
I guess this proves the old adage,
You find that which you seek.
Therefore from this day onward, Lord,
I’m giving joy a peek!!
 
Psalm 68:3
But may the righteous be glad and rejoice before God; may they be happy and joyful.

Upon My Face - Reposted

When morning creeps across the sky

And night slips from the sea,
I like to pause and greet the day
Where your light touches me.
Then, when the day gets out of hand,
I slip back to that place
Where, in my heart, I still can feel
Your smile upon my face.

The Hard Way

There has to be a better way

To get from here to there,
But I have yet to find a path
That leads me anywhere
Except the hardest way around
The simplest of things.
As if the greater the challenge
The more delight it brings.
Yet sometime, despite all of that,
I confidently say,      
That I would like to try it once
Along the easy way!

Storm Tossed

I had my life under control,

Everything was in place,
But I was relying on me
And not upon His grace.
 
I had my ducks all in a row,
And moving in a line,
But I’m not in charge of my life.
That falls to The Divine.
 
For we’re not meant to trust ourselves
When caught in life’s fierce gale,
But are to call upon His strength
And know that He’ll prevail.
 
So when I get my life in line,
Thinking I’m living large,
He takes a moment to show me
That He’s the one in charge.
 
Reminding me that He is there
And waiting for my call,
That He will shield me in the storm,
Or lift me when I fall.

When You Passed By - Reposted

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just at the moment you passed by

A thought occurred to me,

Did you watch over me when I

Was lost and would not see?

Did you still hear my pleas at night

When I ignored your voice?

And could you feel the tears I cried

For every wretched choice?

 

I see you as you walk with me,

Never quite out of reach.

I hold my breath each time you speak

And learn from what you teach.

But for a while, when I was young,

I went my headstrong way

And often ran against the wind,

Blowing myself astray.

 

I look back now and wonder how

I didn’t see you then,

But I was not looking for you

In those days, way back when.

In looking back, I know that you

Were always passing near,

It just took me a little while

To see that you were here.

Smiling Through Sorrow - Reposted

There is a beauty in her soul

That shines through every tear,
While sorrow hovers round her life,
She offers only cheer.
 
What courage does it take to smile
When all your world’s is pain?
How great the faith that takes such hurt
And gives back joy again.
 
I thank you for the gift you give
In living as you do.
I hope someday I’ll have the faith
That blooms sweetly in you.

A Little Thing

Lord, thank You for the chance to help,

To lend a hand in need.
It seems like such a little thing,
An easy task, indeed.
 
And yet it seemed much more to her,
That I would help her out.
I almost hesitated, but
Then I gave without doubt.
 
I don’t know that it helped a lot,
But sometimes a kind act
Can be bigger than just the deed,
The blessing more than fact.
 
Help me to be more open, Lord,
To things I ought to do,
And let me keep my heart open
To such requests from You.

What He Has Done - Reposted

Today I lift a thankful heart

To offer God this praise
For He has loved me all my life
And guarded all my ways.
He’s loved me in my weakest times
And strengthened me once more
He’s picked me up when my whole world
Had crashed upon the floor.
He held me in His healing arms
While I wept bitter tears
Then helped me to look forward to
The joy filled coming years!
 
For all these blessings, and much more,
I praise His holy name
And, to the nations of the world,
His glory I proclaim.
 
1 Chronicles 16:8
Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done

Say You Didn't See - Reposted

I hope You didn’t see me, Lord,
When I did what I did.
I’m old enough to know better,
But behaved like a kid.
 
I hope You didn’t hear me, Lord,
When I said what I said.
I had a mean thought deep inside
That popped out of my head.

I hope you didn’t notice me,

Lord, I just misbehaved.
I want to act as You’d expect
From one that you have saved,
 
But I’ve so often looked around
To note I’ve gone astray.
Those are the moments when I hope
You might have looked away.

This perfect photo was a gift from ATF. What a sweet camouflaged owl and what a great blessing. Thank you!