And There was Light - Re-posted & Revised

The light burst from the darkened void

To warm the new formed earth

And each dawn brings a reminder

Of God’s plan for that birth.

So don’t let darkness hold you down

Or fill you with despair,

For there will be another dawn

And God is always there.

Genesis 1: 3-4

And God said, “Let there be light,” and there was light. God saw that the light was good, and he separated the light from the darkness.

Wishes and Dreams - Reposted

The whishes I dared not whisper

The prayers that I never could say,
And all the dreams I left undreamed
Have never truly gone away.
 
They all still live within my heart,
Like dandy puffs that haven’t flown,
And yet each dream, each wish unsaid,
Has not withered away unknown.
 
For You’ve heard each unspoken thought,
And You know what is best for me.
So I don’t fret for dreams unlived,
But live in praise for what will be.

Rising Above

Each day I try to rise above

Who I was yesterday,
But often I find, though I try,
I get in my own way.
 
I don’t know if I have the strength
To do what should be done,
And I worry I’m in a fight
That truly can’t be won.
 
But then I remember that You
Have all the strength I need
And when I call on You for help
You never make me plead.
 
My weakness is made strength in You
And You are there for me.
So I will try again today
To live Your victory.
 
2 Corinthians 12:9
But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

I Love You, Too - Re-posted

You wrap the seeds in winter snow,

That melts in warming spring,

To nourish them so they can grow,

In turn, new life to bring.

 

You order life from birth to death

And bring it to rebirth,

You watch over each passing breath

And nurture sea and earth.

 

You cast the stars across the night

And cause the sun to rise

Washing the world in morning light

To color the dawn skies.

 

And all of this you do for me

Because you love me so.

I wanted you to know I see.

I love you, too, you know.

 

Isaiah 55:10
As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater

Baptism and Grace - Re-Posted

I come again to the water

Where I first called Your name,
Where I was washed clean of the sin
Which I had born in shame.
 
I come again to the water
For I have sinned once more
And I seek healing from that sin
Upon this rocky shore.
 
I come again to the water,
Grateful, Lord, for Your grace.
Knowing that I’ve been forgiven,
That I will see Your face.
 
I come again to the water
For baptism on earth,
But it will be in Christ's spirit
That I’ll know true rebirth.

Mark 1:8
I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”
 
John 4:24
God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”

Feeling Prickly Today - Re-posted

There are those times when I need space

To be alone in peace.
With all the chaos of our lives
We each need some release,
But in my case I grow such thorns
If I have no respite
From all the chaos of my life,
Even for a small bit.
So now and then I slip away
And find a quiet place
To renew my less prickly side
And remember His Grace.
 
1 Peter 5:10
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.

Shadows of Grace - Re-posted

A simple deed, a little thing,

Can leave a trace behind;

The shadow of Our Father’s love

In one act, small or kind.

The act that might give hope once more

To one who’s lost all theirs,

Can leave the shadow of His love

In one heart torn with cares.

The cheerful smile, the friendly word,

Like shadows that we leave,

Can offer strength to weary souls,

Or ease the hearts that grieve.

Be sure your shadow, left behind,

Reflects His boundless grace,

Because it lingers long after

You’ve passed without a trace.

Psalm 63:7

Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.

Faith to Fly - Re-Posted

Sometimes I struggle just to stand

And hold my head up high,

I feel so battered by the gales

I crumble down and cry.

I long to soar above the pain

Where winds are all that sigh,

But I am tethered to the earth

And in these chains I’ll die.

Oh help me find my wings, dear Lord,

And lift me to the sky;

If faith is all the wind I need,

Then I know I can fly!

A Gift of Gold

I woke up in the still of night

With Your voice in my head.

I thought I’d pretend not to hear

And linger in my bed.

But You were having none of that.

You called to me once more,

And I soon found both of my feet

Shuffling across the floor.

I didn’t know why You’d called me,

We’d spoken long last night

As I lifted all of the fears

That I hoped You’d set right.

I worried that the years roll on

And I am all alone.

I wasn’t sure who’d care for me

When my mind turns to stone.

I wonder if I’ll make ends meet

When, every day, it seems

As if the world is bent upon

Dismembering my dreams.

I can’t be sure there’ll be enough

To get from here to there,

And some days I’m not even sure

If “there” is anywhere.

I spoke with you and then I wept

For all that worries me

Until the last stars vanished in

Night clouds I couldn’t see.  

And then, when all the world still slept,

You woke me up to talk,

And kept on calling out to me

When I opted to balk.

So there I stood, with aching heart,

With a mind numb and cold,

And suddenly I watched my world

Start filling up with gold.

You took my worries and my fears

And held them in Your hand

Then scattered them in golden flames

That burst across the land.

Oh Lord, I don’t know why I doubt,

Why I worry each day,

When You are right there beside me

Every step of the way.

I still have questions in my life,

But not a single doubt

That You love me and, in Your plan,

You have it all worked out.

So here I sit washed in the gold

That You woke me to see,

I rest within the promise that

There is enough for me.

John 16:20

Very truly I tell you, you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.

The Narrow Path Missed

I think my wrath is cooling Lord,

The spate’s begun to wane.
But how could he have said that, Lord?
It’s clearly just insane.
 
Does he not know that his job is
To guard your flock and guide
Us on the narrow and straight path
That this world tries to hide?

Does the shepherd protect his sheep

By dancing past Your Word
To wave the banners of the world
As more easily heard.
 
Does he not see he preaches from
The twisted words of man
When his commission is from You,
To lead within YOUR plan?
 
Okay, I guess my wrath has not
Yet begun to abate.
Oh Lord, please counsel me to peace
Before it is too late.
 
My child, you sought to find in man
A purity of soul
That does not exist on the earth.
It’s Grace that fills that hole.
 
Even the shepherd can get lost,
He’s not immune to sin.
Forgive him and give him the Grace
That belongs to all men.
 
Let go the wrath that is not born
Within my loving Grace
And love, instead, the broken soul
You see there in its place.
 
Oh Lord, I think I understand
The fear that fills the heart
When we are called to walk into
The place where deep hurts start.
 
It’s easier to step aside
And pretend we don’t see
Than to step up and face with love
The truth we know must be.
 
I know I went expecting him
To have answers I don’t
And I found him as lost as I.
So, denounce him I won’t.
 
I’ll try again to look at him
And see not just the flaw
That right now seems so obvious,
So deep and much too raw,

But see in him the mortal soul,

Quaking at satan’s maw,
Who also deserves Grace from me;
My honor, not my awe.
 
And I will ask, in humbleness,
That he forgive me, too.
For I expected him to be
What’s only found in You.

Matthew 7:13-14
“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Upon The Rock - Re-posted

I’ve built a life upon The Rock,
My roots deep in His Word,
And I’ve grown stronger in my faith
With each verse that I’ve heard.
Though tempests crash around my head,
I will not be deterred,
For I have built upon The Rock
I’m rooted in His Word!
 
Matthew 7:24
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.

Whispered Prayers - Re-posted

It’s just a whisper in my heart,
But still, I know You hear.
You’re watching over me tonight
And those that I hold dear.
There are those days when all the things
That I would like to say
Get caught between my weary mind
And my attempts to pray.
But somehow, even at such times,
You listen to my heart
And You can hear the prayers that I
Cannot begin to start.

Remembering Your Grace

I sit and shiver in the rain

Or watch the winter snow

Build up across the garden where

My next year’s food will grow.

I know that bounty will return,

There are harvests to come,

But sometimes I let winter’s cold

Dampen my spirits some.

So let me think back on the gifts

With which You’ve touched my life

That I might not let winter’s cold

Cut through me like a knife.

I think on family, scattered now,

Like new seed, through the land.

They carry the grace in their hearts

That spilled out of Your hand.

I think on lessons, harsh and sweet,

That brought me to this place

And filled my empty, aimless life

With Your abounding grace.

I think on grace inherited

From those who came before,

Who showed me that a grateful heart

Betokens what’s in store.

Oh Lord, that garden lost to snow,

The orchard soaked and bare,

Does not remind me of my loss,

But of the Grace that’s there

Just waiting for the coming spring

When new fruit will burst through

And fill my world, my crazy life,

With new grace born in You.  

Song of Songs 2:11

See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone.

A Reminder I Needed - Reposted

Where were you when the clouds rolled in

And I was trapped in fear.

I called to You in my despair.

Lord, did You even hear?

The storm was raging all around

And I needed You near.

Oh Lord, where were You when I called?

“My child, I’m always here.”

I held you safely in my arms,

You had no cause to fear,

And when you called me in despair

I heard you loud and clear.

I caused the worst storms to pass by,

They never drew too near.

And I did not come when you called,

“For child, I’m ALWAYS here.”

Psalm 38:21

Lord, do not forsake me; do not be far from me, my God

Asking Thankfully - Re-Posted

I used to ask you everyday

For all the things I need,
But when I listened to myself
It sounded more like greed.
I’d say “please give this, My Lord,
Or “handle that for me”.
How selfishly I made demands
For what I longed to see.
 
But then I realized a truth
That I already knew,
I needed to ask you in faith
By starting with “Thank you.”
 
Thank you for seeing me through this,
Thank you for helping here,
Thank you for taking constant care
Of those that I hold dear.
I know that I like to be thanked
For little things I do,
And you do so much more for me
For which I should thank you!
 
Now I still lift the things I need,
But lift them faithfully.
I trust you’ll do what’s best for me,
So I ask thankfully.
 
Philippians 4:6
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Keeping My Eyes on You - Re-posted

Through all the days still left to me

I’ll turn my eyes to you
And walk in faith where you lead me
Because you ask me to.
 
However dark my way may be,
I’ll keep my eyes on you.
Down all of life’s hard, twisted paths
I know you’ll lead me through.
 
And in the darkness of each night
I’ll ponder on your ways,
And when the sun rises again
I’ll offer you fresh praise.

Then in the glory of the dawn

When life is rich with grace,
I’ll still keep my eyes turned to you
I love to see your face!
 
Psalm 119:148
My eyes stay open through the watches of the night that I may meditate on your promises.

The Mountain's Shadow

I can’t see Rainier on most days,

It’s off behind the trees,
But it is truly hard to miss
For anyone who sees.
 
It stands there in its splendid grace,
Magnificent and strong
And, in its shadow, I know is
Where I live and belong.
 
Though, often, I can’t see it there,
It’s really no surprise
When I see its shadow loom large
Across the morning skies.
 
So is it with the grace of God,
Though I don’t see Him there,
I often see the shadow of
His blessings everywhere.
 
Psalm 36:7
How priceless is your unfailing love, O God! People take refuge in the shadow of your wings.

Hearing From You

I was so busy through the day,

With too much left to do,
Yet, now and then I’d hear Your voice,
And I would stop for You.
 
I know that You watch over us
In all that we go through,
Yet it is still delightful when
I get to chat with You.
 
I got so much accomplished, Lord,
And I’m grateful, it’s true.
But I am even more grateful,
To spend that time with You.

Fresh Baked Love - Re-posted

While flipping through a photo book

They found a yummy page,
A daughter sitting with a mom,
Wracked by disease and age.
The plate of cookies pictured there
Triggered life in old eyes;
The memory from her lost past
Of a childhood surprise.
 
Without saying another word
Her daughter rose with care
And opened up the cabinets
To see what was in there.
She gathered up the things she’d need
To make the lovely treat.
Then, from a heart filled up with love,
She baked up something sweet.
 
She laid them out upon the plate
To match those in the book,
Then served them to her mother with
A soft and loving look.
The light came on in those old eyes;
She knew what lay in store.
As she reached for the fresh baked love,
She was a child once more.
 
An act of kindness from a heart
That remembered the day
When she was young and fresh baked love
Had touched her heart that way.
It was just a little moment
That came and went so fast,
But, though the cookies are long gone,
Such love will always last.

Choose Troubles or Joy - Reposted

Life can be a jumbled puzzle

With pieces that don’t fit,
Yet somehow, if you look for beauty,
You see the best of it.
 
Don’t focus on life’s upheavals,
Look instead at the joy;
For every day contains them both
Choose which you will employ.

Hiding in Shame - Re-post

I did it once again, my Lord,

I failed to be the me
That You’ve every right to expect
That, by now, I should be.
 
I hide my face in shame, oh Lord,
For I have let you down.
Once more I failed to live a life
Worthy of heaven’s crown.
I know that You forgave me, Lord,
For all that I will do,
And yet I am ashamed that I
Continue to fail You.
 
I know that You still see me, Lord,
Though I may hide in shame,
And I am grateful for the Grace
That offers love, not blame.

Keeping My Eyes on You

I set my eyes upon You, Lord,

When all the world was dark
And I had no hope left to me.
You were my guiding spark.
 
Now I stand once more in the sun,
Its light shines all around,
And still my eyes are fixed on You,
The truest light I’ve found.
 
I know I’ll pass through more darkness,
For life is just that way,
But I will keep my eyes on You,
And never more will stray!
 
Psalm 16:8
I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

Echoes of Praise - Reposted

My voice rang out through all the hills,

I praised His name with song,
And, when I ceased to sing to Him,
The rocks still sang along.
 
It was as if they knew my words
Were raised to God on high
And so they raised their symphony
To join mine in the sky.
 
And I recalled the words once said,
If every voice grew still
The rocks and stones would sing His praise…
And now, I know they will!
 
Luke 19:39-40
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”
“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Gifts Through Grace - Reposted

People bring their tears to me

Because I make them laugh;
I take their pain within my heart
And give them back but half.
 
I can’t take all their pain away,
And they don’t ask me to.
But we all need someone who knows
The things we’re going through,

Someone who knows, but more, who cares

And helps us bear our load;
For laughter and a caring word
Can smooth a rocky road.
 
We all have gifts God gave to us
To use to serve his plan;
My gift is one of laughter and
I share it when I can.

Romans 12:6-8

We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

Fearfully and Wonderfully Made- Reposted

You may not see it at first glance,

I’m not the showy type,
And when I appear on the scene
There’s not a lot of hype.
 
But I have been fearfully made
By He who shaped the sun.
Yes, I was wonderfully made
Before life had begun.
 
I may not look like much to you,
But to Him I’m just fine.
For He has shaped me with His love,
And that love is still mine.
 
Fearfully and wonderfully,
That’s how my Lord made me,
And I will praise Him every day
Fiercely and joyfully!
 
Psalm 139:14
I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

The Gift - Reposted

How did you get that great picture?

Everything is just right.
I tell them the answer’s simple,
The gift is in the light.
 
Things can look so grim sometimes,
The shadows close in tight,
But that same frame can be different.
The gift is in the light.
 
So I try to find where the sun
Brushes against the night,
And focus where the light is rich.
The Gift is in the light!

Trial and Tribulation

Life is trial and tribulation

With joy wedged in between.

And there are days when I feel joy

Is scarce and rarely seen.

I’m caught in one of those times, Lord,

I don’t know what to do.

Should I try climbing up the rocks

Or swim the seas to You?

Should I sit down and simply wait

Until you call to me,

Before I decide on which path

I am supposed to be?

I’m so confused that I could cry,

Though that’s not helped before,

I wish that I knew what to do,

Or at least what’s in store.

Yet I stand here with just one choice,

Trust faith to lead me through,

For either path means bitter pain

Before I get to You.

So I’ll step out with all the strength

I have left to employ

And pass through this tribulation

Until I find my joy!

John 16: 22 

So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.

This photo is a gift from SC, taken during her travels. It is just perfect in so many ways!!! Thank You, Sweet S!