My Home - Re-posted

My Home is in my Father’s heart,

I live there with great joy.
I dance within his vestibule
And songs of praise employ.
 
I dwell in bliss beneath his roof,
His rooms are filled with light
And I rejoice when he is near,
For he is my delight.
 
Abundant life belongs to those
Within his dwelling place
And praises flow from all who live
Sheltered beneath his grace.
 
Though I live in a broken world
My home is in the Lord
And I will live within his house
Where my soul is restored.
 
Psalm 84: 3-4
Even the sparrow has found a home, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may have her young— a place near your altar, LORD Almighty, my King and my God.
Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you.

A Love Song - Re-posted

I love You, Lord, with all my heart,
I’ll praise you with delight
For You have turned my thorns to blooms,
My darkness into light.
 
I love You, Lord, with heart and soul,
You’re my strength when I’m weak.
And I will praise You, Lord, until
I can no longer speak.
 
I love You, Lord, I always will.
For You gave life to me,
And I will not stop loving You
Through all eternity.
 
Deuteronomy 6:5  
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength.

The Things We Need - Re-posted

You give us, Lord, the things we need

To feed a weary soul.
When we feel life tear into us
You fill the gaping whole.
 
For you know who and what we need
To make our lives complete
And You provide abundantly
The things life can’t deplete.
 
So when I long for something more,
Remind me of the truth
That You know best the things I need
And Your world is my proof.
 
Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

The New Day Dawns

Oh Lord, the day still lies ahead,

Who knows what it will bring,
But I will rise and face this day,
My heart a joyful spring.
 
Oh Lord, last night was filled with doubts,
The darkness snared my mind.
Yet, when I reached out in my fear,
Your Grace was all I’d find.
 
I felt You calm each fear that rose
And offer me Your Grace,
That I might rise within the dawn,
Your peace upon my face.
 
Oh Lord, the night is well past now,
My heart is filled with light
And I will face what today brings
With a heart free and bright.
 
Psalm 119:147-148
I rise before dawn and cry for help; I have put my hope in your word.
My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.

The joyful photo was a gift from CS, it is her morning view this time of year. What a wonderful way to rise and shine!'

Waiting for the Dawn - Re-posted

The inlet, shrouded in a mist,

Was silent before dawn.
The morning, not fully awake,
Began to stir and yawn. 
 
The birds were rustling in the nest,
Their dreams still touched by night.
While the fox, gazing from its den,
Hoped for a glimpse of light.
 
The day was still a hope unborn,
A promise unfulfilled.
The worries that roamed in the night
Had not yet quite been stilled. 

But dawn was just a breath away,

Born upon angel’s wings,
To bless all of the fresh new starts
That every morning brings.
 
Job 38:7
while the morning stars sang together and all the angels shouted for joy?

Growing Above the Debris - Re-posted

They smile above last year’s debris,
Growing through the decay.
Determined to face life with joy,
Despite what’s in their way.
 
I sometimes forget that I, too,
Need to face life that way,
And not get bogged down in debris
That clutters every day.
 
Oh Lord, give me the faith I need
To rise up and display
The same simple joy in my life
That I saw bloom today.
 
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.

Hiding for a While

I think I’ll just hide here a while,

The world seems so crazy.
Perhaps if I stay out of sight,
The world might not miss me.
 
I think I’ve struggled long enough
Along the beaten path
That I have earned the right to hide
Away from the world’s wrath.
 
I know I can’t stay here for long,
Just a heartbeat or so,
But then I have to get back out
Upon the path and go.
 
I’m weary and I feel a tear
Welling up in my eye,
But there’s no one who will see me
If I stand here and cry.
 

So I will hide until I’m calm,

Or til my tears have gone,
I’ll dry my face, put on my smile,
Get up and carry on.
 
But I can face the crazy world
And remember to smile,
If I can just stay out of sight
And hide here for a while.
 
Psalm 31:20
In the shelter of your presence you hide them from all human intrigues; you keep them safe in your dwelling from accusing tongues.

Tangled Thoughts - Re-posted

My thoughts are all a tangle, Lord,

There’s much I need to do;

So many things I should have said,

So much to still get through.
 

I keep believing there are truths

Tangled within these weeds,

Yet all I seem to find here are

Old dreams and wasted deeds.
 

And as I struggle with my thoughts

The weeds more thickly grow.

I’m scared that I’ll get lost in here,

I won’t know where to go.
 

Oh, call to me that I may know

Which way will lead me out,

For I am lost in tangled thoughts

And mired in my doubt.
 

I know that sunlight waits for me,

And fertile gardens grow,

Somewhere, outside these tangled thoughts,

Where quiet waters flow.
 

Psalm 23: 2-3

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters,
He refreshes my soul.  He guides me along the right paths for his name’s sake.

Reflected Grace - Re-posted

All the quiet little moments

That never leave a trace;

Not a single extra wrinkle

Or scar upon your face;

Never a ruffled feather or

A hair out of its place.

Those quiet times, that mean so much,

Get lost in life’s wild pace.

In fact, all that they leave behind

Is His reflected grace.

Living Steadfast

I know some days seem rockier

Than you’d like them to be,
And you doubt that there’s any hope
That you’ll ever break free.
 
But keep the faith that, holding on
And fighting to push through,
Will turn the rocky times into
A foundation for you.
 
If you can rise up to the light
Through rough and rocky days
Then you know that you have the faith
To live a life of praise.
 
So don’t give up and don’t give in,
Lift up your voice in song.
Let God know that you are steadfast,
That you will live life strong!
 
Psalm 108:1
My heart, O God, is steadfast; I will sing and make music with all my soul.

Color and Darkness

There’s a darkness in the winter

That cannot be held at bay,
But it crumbles in the sunlight
When the spring is under way.
 
Bright and rich, the summer’s blossoms,
Clustered in their bold array.
Lost in color is the winter,
Thoughts of darkness fade away.
 
Though, for now, the winter lingers,
Wrapping all my world in grey,
Still my hope filled thoughts will linger
In the blooms of yesterday.

Lead, and I Will Follow - Re-posted

Please lead me where you need me, Lord,

And I will follow you;

Just tell me what needs to be done

And that’s what I will do.

For you have never asked of me

What you can’t bring me through,

So lead me where you need me, Lord,

And I will follow you.

Seeing Through Me - Re-posted

I put a bold face on each day,
I smile, bright as can be.
I tell myself I don’t need help,
But you see right through me.
 
I’m standing strong within each storm,
A fierce and mighty tree.
I say, “I’ll make it on my own”,
But you see right through me.
 
You see me. Lord, just as I am,
Not as I claim to be,
And you are always there to help
Because you see through me.
 
Isaiah 40:29
He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

The Greatest of These - Re-posted

I love my family and friends,

I love the work I do,

I love the world that I live in,

But mostly I love You.

I love the wind that sweeps the sea,

I love the sandy shore,

I love the waves whipped into froth,

But, Lord, I love You more.

I love the star filled winter night,

I love dawn’s burnished sky.

I know the love You have for me,

But, Lord I don’t know why.

1 Corinthians 13:13

And now we have these three: faith and hope and love, but the greatest of these is love.

Your Place of Worship - Re-posted

Return to your place of worship
Far from the busy throng
Return to your place of worship
Oh, sing a joyful song

Lift up your heart at the altar
Bask in His loving grace
Return to your place of worship
Dance in the holy place

Return to your place of worship
Go where you hear His voice
Return to your place of worship
And let your heart rejoice

Return to your place of worship

Raise up your voice on high
Rejoice in your place of worship
For God is ever nigh

Stray Blooms - Re-posted

He laid the stones that make the path
Two dozen years ago.
And he could not have guessed back then
How fast the blooms would grow.
They spread beyond the tidy beds,
Each neatly planted row,
Until they’d scattered through his path
Where they weren’t meant to go.
 
Sometimes we lay our plans too well,
With everything just so,
But we forget to account for
The things we cannot know,
Like what God has planned for our life,
What tomorrow may show.
We lay our path and then stray blooms
Slip in, to spread and grow.
 
2 Corinthians 1:17
Was I fickle when I intended to do this? Or do I make my plans in a worldly manner so that in the same breath I say both “Yes, yes” and “No, no”?

New Life From Old - Re-posted

I cannot know what broke its heart,

Shattered it to its core,
But all that’s left is a small stump
Upon the forest floor.
 
And yet, despite its broken heart,
It still has much to give,
For it offers another heart
A safe place it can live.

With Faith and Fear

He bade us teach the little ones

To walk within His Word,
To tell them of the miracles
That we have seen and heard.
 
And so we tell, with humble hearts,
The stories of His Grace.
We speak of scars and of healing.
Things simple on their face,
 
Yet they were not so easy then,
And harder looking back.
We teach them how to be content
In plenty and in lack,
 
And how to walk in faithfulness
Though the path is uphill
Because we want to live our lives
Within His perfect will.
 
We learn and then we’re called to teach,
And hope the young will hear,
Though youth is willful til they, too,
Have lived with faith and fear.
 
1 Samuel 12:24  
But be sure to fear the Lord and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you.

This amazing photo is a gift from Carol Hawley of www.agalleryvisit.com/. What an sweet photo of parent and child. Look at that scar on Poppa's beak. I bet he has some tales to share!

Bright Color and a Smile

In winter, when the trees are bare,
Their leaves a memory,
I love the little touch of joy
That only You bring me.
 
A flash of blue against the grey,
I feel a smile begin.
And, for that moment of sweet joy.
I thank You, Lord, again.

Simple Heart, Simple Prayer - Reposted

Oh Lord, I am a simple heart,

Small, insignificant.

Yet still you hear me when I pray.

This prayer, I ask you grant:

 

Please watch over the lost ones, Lord,

Who turn away from you;

Help them to find their way back home

With truth, their lives imbue.

 

Lift the ailing and the weak

Protect those trapped in hell,

Whether it’s of their own design

Or Satan’s heartless spell.

Watch over those who guard the rest,

Keep safe the ones who serve.

Please bring them safely home again,

Bless them as they deserve.

And keep an eye on this great land,

Born of the laws you gave.

Let not her leaders fail the land

They’re sworn to serve and save.

Lord, last of all please hold the young

Who cannot hold their own;

And, too, embrace the elderly

Whose strength is long out grown.

Oh Lord, I know you hear my words,

I know that you are there,

And I thank you for listening

To one small voice in prayer.

Tangled Up Again- Re-posted

Lord, I am tangled up within
The chaos that I’ve made.
I know that I would not be here
If I had never strayed.
And, looking back, I clearly see
The point where I got lost,
But it’s too late to change things now,
That line can’t be uncrossed.
 
You must be tired, Lord, by now
Of making my wrongs right,
Each time You get one straightened out
Another comes to light.
Yet still You hear me when I cry,
Answering tears with grace,
And, once again, come to my aid,
Redeeming my disgrace.
 
Psalm 33:18
But the eyes of the Lord are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love

Sing to the Lord - re-posted & revised

Sing in the midst of destruction

Sing when you’re lost in despair
Sing when you can’t find a reason
For song is the perfect prayer
 
Sing, to the Lord, of your troubles
Sing when your heart’s full of grief
Sing with the faith that He’ll hear you
He is your strength and relief.
 
Sing to Lord in rejoicing
Lift up your voice with His praise
For His love is your salvation.
So sing to Him all your days
 
Psalm 59:16
But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble.

Yes, Faith Happens - Re-posted

I try to keep my eye on You,
Yet I glance oft aside.
But I don’t fear that I’ll get lost
You keep me near your side.
 
Faith Happens
 
I try to walk where You lead me,
But I can miss the path.
Yet I know you will wait for me
Without disdain or wrath.
 
Faith Happens
 
I’m never quite where I should be,
Doing what I should do,
But You’ve kept me beneath Your wing,
I know You’ll bring me through.
 
Faith Happens

A Peaceful Time

Tonight my world is peaceful, Lord.

The snow blankets the ground,
And still it falls, like drifting stars,
Without making a sound.
 
With hopeful heart, I let that peace
Take root in me, then grow.
There is a certain stillness in
A world that’s lost in snow.
 
Tomorrow may bring more trouble,
It’s never far away,
But, for tonight, I’ll take what peace
You choose to send my way.

This is Coldwater Lake, near Mt St Helens, and the photo is a blessing from NLB of Racing for Jesus Ministries. Thank you, N!!

Fear and Faith

I feel the panic setting in,

I don’t know what to do.
The only hope that I have left
Is to rely on you.
 
I’m doing all that I can do,
But that is not enough
And, looking at what lies ahead,
The way seems mighty rough.
 
I know that tough times find us all
And mine aren’t all that bad
The path that many have to walk
Is far worse than I’ve had.
 
I say the words, I try the walk,
But my faith is so slight
That I’m not sure I’ll make it through
The next round in this fight.
 
There is no path, where I must go,
That does not cause me doubt,
But I must go, and I’ll do so
Knowing You’ll bring me out
 
So, Lord, I’m asking for Your Grace,
Please intercede again
And help me through the troubles that
Fall outside of my plan.
 
The problems that I can’t control
And those that cause me fear,
Are all within Your loving hand.
I need to know You’re near.

Time to Smile

I’m giving up on life today

And returning to joy,
For life can be so worry filled
With no time to enjoy.
 
But if I step outside my life
And back into Your grace
I find that there is, once again,
A smile upon my face.
 
The world will still be there, I know,
But for a little while
I think that I will sit and rest,
Remember how to smile,
 
And lift a song of joyful praise
To You, for giving me
A place and time where I can go
And not be so busy.

A Simple Fact - Re-posted

How many times must He remind

Me of the simple fact
That I have been forgiven by
That one, unselfish act?
 
How many times must I be shown
His love is rich and true
Before I get it in my head
That He will see me through?

How many ways, how many times

Must He show me the way
Before I figure out that I
Should walk it every day?

And sitting down beside the path
Or veering left and right
Isn’t going to get me there
Though I may wish it might.

And yet I seem to fall a lot

And miss the path marked clear
And take the shortcuts now and then
From laziness or fear

And when I find that I am lost

And recognize my sin
I’m terrified He won’t forgive
My foolishness again

And then He takes time to remind

Me of the simple fact
That I am still forgiven by
That one, unselfish act?

What Lies Beyond - Re-posted

What lies beyond the morning sun,

Beyond tomorrows night?

What lies a hundred years or more

Further out of sight?

What will the world, when looking back,

Declare of us today?

Will they take note of all we’ve done

The words we chose to say?

Will all the lessons we have learned

Still matter in those years,

Will children born to those who come

Still have to know our fears?

And will they still seek out those joys

Which guide our daily life,

The love of God and freedom’s grace,

Free of terror and strife?

Or will the darkness that we fight

Then hold a greater sway

And all that we hold precious now

Will have been washed away?

Oh Lord, I lift my heart in praise

For days beyond this dawn

And for those children, yet unborn,

Who’ll have to carry on.