Rising to Meet Him - Re-posted

I will rise up to meet You, Lord,

For you are my delight
And there’s nothing I’d rather do
Than live within Your sight.

I’ll follow where You lead me, Lord,
And I will not delay,
For You are where I long to be.
Let me not go astray.

Oh, call to me, Lord, here I am,

I’ll rise and come with You.
There is no place I will not go
If You are going too.

I will rise up to meet You, Lord,

I’ll hurry to Your side
And in the shadow of Your wing
I’ll be content to bide.

Faithful in Small Things

Be faithful in the little things,

Not all our lives are grand.
God has different plans for each;
Live your life as He’s planned.
 
You may be called to do great things,
Or your call may be small,
But you won’t know how great your part,
For you can’t see it all.
 
Even the humble things in life,
That we do in each day,
Can echo far beyond the lives
That we touch on our way.
 
So listen when God speaks to you
Of what you are to do,
Then faithfully fulfill that task
Until your task is through.
 
For God will see your faithful work,
However great or small,
And He still honors faithfulness
In answering His call.
 
Matthew 25:21
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

Ask In Faith - Re-posted

Call out upon the Lord in faith,

And know that He will hear.
For faith will ground you in a storm,
Turning back waves of fear
Until you no longer can doubt
That God is standing near.
 
But if you ask without belief,
Without faith in your heart,
The storms will toss you in its waves
Until you’re torn apart
And lost within the drifting tides,
Blown off your course and chart.
 
So call upon the Lord in faith
Believing in His grace
That He may bring you through the winds
Into a peace filled place.
 
James 1:6
But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind.

On Your Wing - Re-posted

When I am riding on your wing
I’m not afraid to fly;
When I see you in every tear
I’m not ashamed to cry;
And when the clouds grow black and grim
Across a darkened sky
I still trust you with boundless faith
And never question why.
 
Psalm 9:10
Those who know your name trust in you, for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you.

Seeing the Joy

I woke up tired once again,

The world’s weight in my heart.
I knew that I had much to do,
But no desire to start.
 
I walked outside with my thoughts grim
And my spirit dismayed,
Until You whispered in my ear,
“This is the day I made.”
 
Suddenly I heard the birds sing,
I saw the trees in bloom,
And in a heart that filled with joy
Dismay could find no room.

I sing to You, oh loving God,

For giving me this day
And teaching me to see the joy
So clearly on display!

Psalm 9:2

I will be glad and rejoice in you; I will sing the praises of your name, O Most High.

The Empty House - Re-posted

The house stands empty of all life

It’s no longer a home;
The hearts that beat here, now are still,
Their children set to roam.
 
Its own heart, barren of all joy,
Echoes within its walls.
Of all the heartbeats it once knew,
None answers when it calls.
 
It’s filled with silent promises
It can no longer keep,
Why guard the rooms and keep them warm
Where no one, now, will sleep.

It knows, in time, life will return,

The empty threshold crossed,
But, just for now, the empty house
Grieves for those it has lost.

I wrote this a few years ago as we cleared the house in which my parents had lived for so many years. The sadness I knew then has turned to joy, because those who live there now have the same loving spirit that my parents had. The house seems so happy again.

Keeping Watch - Re-posted

I watch for You in day’s first light
As You’ve asked me to do,
And when the evening breezes rise
I expect to see You.
 
I linger right beside the door
In case You might be near,
And listen for the whisper of
Your voice within my ear.
 
Each minute means You have not come,
At least You haven’t yet,
But I am watchful, as You’ve asked,
And I will not forget.
 
I know that You will come for me
But I don't yet know when.
So I will keep watch for You, Lord.
I'll wait to see You then.
 
Matthew 25:13
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

On the Unseen - Re-posted

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.

Within My Heart

The storms of Winter have now passed,

Summer is not yet nigh,

And in the pleasant in-between

The earth reflects the sky.

The gentle beauty of the spring

Spreads in its bright array

To cover earth with such a joy,

There’s no room for dismay.

God’s hand is still upon the earth.

Though mankind claims control,

The earth answers only to Him

Whose thought first made it whole.

How can a thought, a single word

Spoken into a void,

Have brought forth a more perfect plan

Than mankind has deployed?

How can a plan laid long ago

Still work so perfectly

That eons past, and still to come,

Can’t change its symmetry?

My mind and heart belong to Him,

Yet still can’t understand

The vastness of this creation

That answers His command.

And yet I look upon this Spring,

As Earth makes its new start,

And, for an instant, I can sense

His plan within my heart.

Ecclesiastes 3:11

He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

Many thanks to VG for sharing this little bit of heaven, Texas style, with us. LOVE those bluebonnets in Spring and what a joyful photo!

When I Look Back - Re-posted

I don’t want to look back one day
And think, “I did it wrong”;
I missed a chance to hug a friend,
Or left an unsung song.
I found someone who was in need
And offered them my back,
Or turned, in fear from giving aid,
To one under attack.
 
I want to look back, at the end
Of all my earthly days,
And hope that I’ve lived life such that
I’ve earned my master’s praise.
“Well done, my good and faithful child,
Your servant’s heart came through.
Now leave behind the world of woe;
You’ve rejoicing to do.

Matthew 25:21
“His master replied, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’

Making the Choice - Re-posted

Never has a victory

Been won without a fight
Never has the darkness held
At bay the dawning light
Never has the morning sun
Failed to rise up in flight
And I won’t let disappointments
Deprive me of delight

Worries and Peace - Re-posted

As day slid slowly to the sea,
Its colors touched the sky.
It seemed as if the soft breeze spoke
As it went drifting by.
 
“Don’t worry about what’s not done,
Just start again at dawn.
The only way to finish it
Is rise and carry on.
 
Don’t let the concerns of the day
Hold you back from your sleep,
Tomorrow will hold worries, too,
And promises to keep.  
 
Don’t lie awake with burdened mind
For what might lie in store.
Tomorrow is still in God’s hands;
He offers so much more.”
 
I sat and watched the sun go down
Across the twilight sea,
Then gave my worries up to God,
Who gave peace back to me.

Listen, He is Speaking - Re-posted

The ocean seems always the same,
Wild birds dance on its shore,
And every wave that rushes in
Looks like the one before.
 
And yet each wave, each dancing bird
Was formed by God’s own hand,
And each one answers when He calls
In words they understand.
 
So is it with the simple things
That teem upon the earth,
And so is it with each of us,
Known to Him before birth.
 
There are no secrets we have kept
That He did not know first.
Yet still He wants what’s best for us,
Though we may fear the worst.
 
So listen, like each rushing wave,
Be joyful, like each bird,
For God is speaking to us all,
Though we may not have heard.
 
Joshua 3:9
Joshua said to the Israelites, “Come here and listen to the words of the Lord your God.

Seeking Your Stillness - Re-posted

I’m seeking stillness in my heart
Like I find in this place,
But all my busy, whirling thoughts
Deny me that small grace.
 
I see the stillness of the pond,
Reflecting barn and sky,
In a silence filled with peace
And wonder, “Why not I?”
 
How can there be such peace in life
And so little for me;
Why can I not find in myself
The peace that sets me free?
 
Until I turn my heart to God
And listen for His voice
I’ll never know the peace He gives,
But I must make that choice.
 
Shall I live lost within the rush
That daily consumes me,
Knowing that those he cannot turn,
The devil makes busy.
 
Or shall I step back from the whirl
And, asking for God’s Grace,
Begin to let build in myself
The peace that fills this place?
 
Isaiah 65:24
Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear.

A Peaceful Place - Re-posted

I see the tears that trickle from

The eyes of a dear friend.

I wish I had a solution

That I could recommend,

 But I can only offer arms

To hold her as she cries;

I cannot solve her problems or

Keep teardrops from her eyes.

That is a task for someone else,

I’m not up to that test,

For only He can heal the pain

And give her heart a rest.

So I lift up her burdens, Lord,

And, too, her weary heart

Please help her find a peaceful place

And let her healing start.

 

Matthew 11:28

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

Choices and Change - Re-posted

The water rises round the rock,

The cold winds whip and sigh.
You can try to ride out the storm
Or spread your wings and fly.
 
The choice is not an easy one,
Either way you will cry;
While such decisions can be hard,
You know that you must try.
 
The moments pass so quickly now,
Decision time draws nigh,
And the choice you’ll have to make
Becomes a do or die.
 
I don’t know which choice you should choose,
Sit still or seek the sky;
The known is always easiest,
But you have wings to fly!
 
Psalm 25:12
Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct them in the ways they should choose.

Waiting for a Miracle

I’m waiting for a miracle,

An extra bit of grace,
But I know I must be patient.
It comes at heaven’s pace.
 
Sometimes I think the pain I feel
Hurts more than I can pay,
Yet I will hold on to my faith
That grace is on its way.
 
I may not be as patient, Lord,
As You’d like me to be,
But I have no doubt there is grace
Enough to spare for me.
 
So I’ll wait for my miracle,
The one You’ve planned for me,
And sing Your praises while I wait
For, Lord, You’re good to me!

Flight Into Grace - Re-posted

I hadn’t realized how lost

I really had become,
Though my world was wracked by bedlam
And all my thoughts were glum.
I thought that I was still on course
With each choice that I’d make,
Until I recognized again
A previous mistake.
I knew that I was circling,
That I had lost my way,
And so I sought a place to rest,
To seek the path and pray.
 
I looked out from my lofty perch
To find what I had lost;
The path that would lead me to you,
Secured at such great cost.
I sought to get my bearings back,
To see which way to go,
But my mind churned with turbulence
And thoughts that scared me so.
That’s when I bowed my head and prayed
That I might see your face.
And when I heard you call my name
I flew out into grace.

Seeking You in Me - Re-posted

I often look into myself
In hopes of seeing You,
But all my worst iniquities
Seem to obscure my view.
 
I know that You are in there, Lord,
I glimpse you now and then.
I hope that I’ll see more of You,
But I am not sure when.
I try to live as You’ve taught me,
But I fall short each day.
That’s why I seek Your pardon, Lord,
And bow my head to pray.
 
Acts 8:21-23
Repent of this wickedness and pray to the Lord in the hope that he may forgive you for having such a thought in your heart. For I see that you are full of bitterness and captive to sin.

Promises Waiting To Bloom

The promises of tomorrow

Lie sleeping still, today,
But, just like blossoms yet unfurled,
You know they’re on the way.
 
God holds His promises to you
Securely in His heart,
And He alone knows the right time
For each answer to start.
 
His timeline never has been ours,
And that’s as it should be,
But when He says the time is right
Each one blooms joyously.
 
Psalm 25:10

All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant

Embraced - Re-posted

When life becomes too difficult

I settle in your arms.

You shelter me from life’s travails,

Its devastating harms.

 

You comfort me when I am sad,

Nourish me when I’m weak.

Your love offers me refuge when

My fears are at their peak.

 

The sanctuary of your love

Brings me security,

And I will offer others ease

As you’ve comforted me.

 

2 Corinthians 1: 3-4

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4 who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God.

The Empty Space - Re-posted

The day began with frustration,

Then panic soon came on.

I frantically sought for some hope,

But all my hope was gone.

There was an empty place in me

That fear would slowly fill,

Until I heard, above the pain,

Your voice speak soft and still.

You asked me why I worried so,

Why I was so afraid,

I knew that it was due in full

To the mistakes I’d made.

Then You reminded me to stop,

Be still and let You in,

And it was at that moment that

I felt a calm begin.

I knew that there was nothing wrong

That could not be put right,

And all that empty place in me

Was filled with joyous light.

 

My mind began to think again,

My heart slowed down it’s pace,

And all the things that had gone wrong

Fell gently into place.

  

Isaiah 55:10-12

so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.

You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.

Unending Blessings - Re-posted

I sit, wrapped in the stillness of

The rising sun’s first blush,
Reflecting on all of my joys
Within the morning’s hush.
 
They number more than all the stars
That fill the night time sky;
They far exceed the blades of grass
That wave before my eye.
 
The joys that spill through every day
Add up abundantly,
And you love me so vey much
That you gave them to me.
 
So let me not sit in the dawn
With troubles on my mind,
When all about me are the gifts
You’ve left for me to find.
 
Psalm 21:6
Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.

A Plain Delight - Re-posted

I am not a perfect blossom,

I’m torn and frayed, it’s true,
And yet, when his light touches me
My real beauty shines through.
 
For, in and of myself, I’m plain,
But he lives within me,
And that is what makes plain old me
A plain delight to see! 
 
1 John 4:12
No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

Rushing Waters

The mountain stream carries blessings,

For which the lowlands wait,
But spring can turn a gentle stream
Into a rushing spate
 
That leaps its banks to overflow,
Destroying as it goes,
All of the land it passes through,
Until nothing still grows.
 
For, what nurtures through gentle touch,
Can destroy with great haste,
And blessings turn to disasters,
Leaving ruin and waste.
 
We, too can be like that wild stream,
Nourishing in its flow
Or move on forward in such haste
That loss is all we sow.
 
Lord help me to slow down a bit
As I move through each day,
That I may leave more blessings than
Disasters on my way.

Tough Days - Re-posted

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.

Out on a Limb

I feel as if I live my life

Too far out on a limb,
But when I fear the branch might break
I turn my eyes to Him

For there’s no hurt this earth can cause
That heaven cannot heal,
And there’s no hope this earth may lift
That heaven can’t make real.

There’s no heart broken here on earth
That heaven cannot mend,
And there’s no night that is so long
That heaven’s light can’t end.

There’s no wrongs done here on the earth

That heaven can’t make right,
And no darkness in which fears hide
That heaven can’t make bright.

So, when I feel as if the limb
I’m standing on might break,
I turn my eyes to Him whose hand
Holds it for heaven’s sake.

Resting and Reflecting - Re-posted

Some days it seems that life is hard.

I’ve struggled with those days,
But now I take time to reflect
On God’s amazing ways.
 
The pain and worry I went through,
And that which lies ahead,
Were never meant to break me down,
But give me strength instead.
 
We’ll never know what might come next,
But God sees the whole road
And He’ll help us grow strong enough
To carry any load.
 
So, while I hated each hard path
That I have walked along,
In sitting here and looking back,
I can’t say God was wrong.
 
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.

Waiting Alone - Re-posted

A single golden apple hangs

Upon a winter bough,
For all the fellows of its youth
Are long since fallen now.
 
It longs to leave the confines of
This life it lives alone
And join its comrades on the tree
That shines before God’s throne.
 
But God has not yet called its name,
So it must linger here.
Amid the storms of winter’s life,
It dreams of those once dear
And waits to hear the voice of God
Whispering in its ear.

I'm Always Near - Re-posted

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 didn't 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.”

A Joyful Noise - Re-posted

My voice is not that pretty, Lord,

No one asks for my song,

And yet you gave this voice to me

So I will sing along.

I know that all this earth can hear

Is squawking that’s off key,

But when you listen to my song

All that you hear is me.

You hear the love that’s in my heart,

The faith that sees me through,

And even my old, croaky voice

Sounds glorious to you.

Psalm 95:2

Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms.