Precious Time With Precious Friends

 

You told me to slow down my pace,
You had a plan for me
And it would place me somewhere else
Than where I’d planned to be.
 
It meant that I got to spend time
With precious friends tonight.
It might have set my schedule back,
But that will be alright.
 
For I don’t get to spend much time
With such a loving pair,
And I was grateful when I left
To have had the time there.
 
Their grace and joy, their loving words
Reminded me of You.
A reminder I took to heart,
As You knew I would do.
 
I thank You for the lesson of
Their kind and gentle way.
It may have set my schedule back,
But it sure made my day!
 
Hebrews 10:24
And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works
 
Proverbs 13:20 
Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

A Moment Of Reflection

I get caught in the day to day,
The drama and the strife.
When I find I’m there, I step back
And reflect on my life.
 
The task You set before me is
Simple in many ways.
Yet, it can feel quite difficult
In the course of some days.
 
I look at me and see Your grace,
The blessings that I live
Only because of Your mercies
And the true hope they give.
 
I have a place to lay my head,
And food enough to eat.
When I stop to count my blessings,
The tally is replete.
 
Since You have blessed me so fully,
How can I withhold grace
For others who act as I might,
If I were in their place.
 
If I find I’m frustrated by
A knucklehead or two,
I need to recall that’s likely
How I must look to You.
 
Through this moment of reflection
I hope to find in me
Some of Your patience and Your grace
That others ought to see.
 
2 Corinthians 13:5 
Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!
 
Proverbs 27:19
As in water face reflects face, so the heart of man reflects the man.

Doing His Father's Will

What wondrous things the Lord has done.
They outnumber the stars,
And greater than all of the rest
Are dark Golgotha’s scars.
 
The sins He carried were not His,
But He carried them still.
For He knew we would never be
Able to do God’s will.
 
He bowed before the punishment,
And bore God’s crushing wrath
That we, who sinned, might be redeemed,
That we might walk God’s path.
 
He chose to do His Father’s will,
That we might not be lost,
Despite knowing that He would pay,
For us, the brutal cost.
 
How wondrous is the grace of God
And how vast the array
Of its blessings poured out on us
From the cross that dark day.
 
Matthew 26  
39 And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.”
 
42 Again, for the second time, he went away and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.”
 
44 So, leaving them again, he went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words again. 

Knee Deep And Praising Him

 

When I’m knee deep in rising tides
I may be tossed about,
But I am not without the hope
That He will hear my shout.
 
The waves may try to drag me down
And drown me in their wake,
But I will stand with faith in Him
That those waves cannot shake.
 
It may sound simple, said like that,
But it took years to learn
That His grace is already mine.
He gives what we can’t earn.
 
I tell You now to answer Him,
Reach out and take His hand.
You may feel strong enough right now…
One day you’ll understand.
 
Mark 4:39 
And he awoke and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, “Peace! Be still!” And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.
 
Psalm 93:4 
Mightier than the thunders of many waters, mightier than the waves of the sea, the Lord on high is mighty!

Free Indeed

 

I found myself, far too often,
With my thoughts fixed on me,
Instead of having them focused
On where they ought to be.
 
I counted sins, polished my scars,
And told myself I’m why
Christ had to face crucifixion,
So my soul would not die.
 
I’m not worthy of such great love,
Undeserving of grace,
And I could list all of the wrongs
That I should have to face.
 
Then I heard Him call out my name
And tell me to let go
Of the sins from which He’s cleansed me
Because He loves me so.

 

I raised my eyes up from myself
And looked into His face.
That was the moment when I knew
I’d turned to the right place.
 
This isn’t about all my sins,
Or those of anyone.
It’s about His love and His choice
To redeem everyone.
 
The sins I counted everyday
He will no longer see,
Because He chooses to forgive,
Because He still loves me.
 
When my eyes were fixed on myself,
Shame was all I could feel,
But now that they are fixed on Him,
His Word is all that’s real.
 
I can’t be His if I still hold
To what He’s washed away.
His is the truth I need live,
He is the only way.
 
Now, I no longer count my scars
Or let my past sins live.
I keep my eyes upon Him and
The grace He chose to give.
 
John 8:36
So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.
 
Psalm 32:1
Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.

I Will Wait Patiently

I cannot find the words tonight
That my heart wants to say.
It may be time to just be still,
To be patient and pray.
 
Some days I feel the praise forming,
But it is not yet whole.
I cannot write what I can’t hear,
Despite a faithful soul.
 
For I have learned, when it is time,
You’ll give the words to me.
I need to recall who’s in charge,
And to wait patiently.
 
Tonight, Lord, I will just be still
And wait for You to speak,
Knowing that, when You want it said,
I’ll have the words I seek.
 
Romans 8:25 
But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.
 
Psalm 130:5 
I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in his word I hope

Worthy Are You, Oh Lord

 

In the glory of each morning
When I hear Him call my name
I rise up with soul rejoicing,
His vast wonders, to proclaim.
 
It is for His work and glory
That He’s called me to arise.
There’s no greater aspiration
Than serving beneath His eyes.
 
Let, then, your heart rise beside mine,
Lift its voice in songs of praise
For the Lord who calls each morning
Is the keeper of our days!
 
Revelation 4:11
“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.”
 
1 Chronicles 29:11
Yours, O Lord, is the greatness and the power and the glory and the victory and the majesty, for all that is in the heavens and in the earth is yours. Yours is the kingdom, O Lord, and you are exalted as head above all.

I Stand Apart, Not Alone

 

I have been called out more than once
Because I stand apart
And do not echo the voices
That say, “just trust your heart”.
 
I stand within the world’s boundaries,
And help out where I can,
But my eyes are fixed on the Lord
And not the works of man.
 
My soul is His who redeemed it,
I stand for Him alone.
My heart’s not fixed on worldly dreams,
But on the grace He’s shown.
 
I offer that same love and grace
To others in this world
Because He’s told me to do so,
Not for invectives hurled.  
 
Some may believe the choice I make
Is a foolish mistake,
But I have seen where their path leads.
That’s not a path I’ll take.
 
Let this world speak against me, Lord,
I’ll keep standing apart.
For I stand firmly on Your Word
In body, mind and heart.
 
Matthew 5:11-12
“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
 
Isaiah 55:6-7
the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near; let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Blessed Indeed

 

The day was off to a slow start,
I missed a step or two.
Until I stepped outside the door
And got that gift from You.
 
The sun rising behind the trees
That I would not have seen
Had I’d been out the door sooner,
As I planned to have been.
 
Then, down the street, the second gift
Flitted across my sight,
A pileated woodpecker
Flew by in the soft light.
 
I’ve not seen one for many years.
In the blink of an eye,
He flew by me and settled on
A pole as I passed by.
 
The timing was perfect, of course,
That’s how I know it’s true,
That both were gifts of love and joy
Sent just for me, from You!
 
Thank You for so many blessings, Lord!
 
Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
 
Jeremiah 17:7
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose trust is the Lord.

When Plans Get Changed

I wake up not knowing each day
What I will walk into.
The only confidence I have
Is that I walk with You.
 
The world has thrown a loop or two
In my path now and then.
It may cause me frustration, but
Such is the life of men.
 
I fuss and fume and then admit
It doesn’t change a thing.
Instead, I turn my eyes to You,
Lift up my voice and sing.
 
Simply changing my point of view
From me to You I find
Helps me step outside of the noise
That distracts heart and mind.
 
It’s easier to carry on
With a heart filled with hope,
Than with one full of frustrations
With which I cannot cope.  
 
I still start out with plans in place,
Those that are of my choice,
But now, when You change up my plans,
I'll concede and rejoice.  
 
Romans 8:28
And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.
 
Proverbs 21:30
No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel can avail against the Lord. 

A Prayer For Peace And Comfort

 

A prayer for peace for all those who
Are facing down hard things.
Sometimes it’s not answers we need,
But the peace Your grace brings.
 
For those who stand upon the brink
Of changes great or small,
I ask for the strength to step out,
And faith to face it all.
 
For those in illness or great loss
Who are living in fear,
I pray that they know, without doubt,
That You are always near.
 
For those who feel they are alone
And no one sees their tears,
I pray they come to realize
You’ve been right there for years
 
I lift to You a prayer for peace
And one of thanks, also.
You are the greatest strength and hope
That we will ever know.
 
Romans 15:13
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.
 
Psalm 34:18
The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.

Cast Off The Husk Of Sin

 

When we hear Him calling to us
To turn from who we’ve been,
We take on a life in His Word,
Leaving behind our sin.
 
We cast away the husk of death
To find life born anew
In the grace of His sacrifice.
We change, then follow through.
 
Like a river of joy and love,
His Word has washed away
The shell of who we were before.
We are made new that day.
 
Who we once were has passed away,
And we have been reborn.
The husk of sin that once held us
Is cast aside in scorn.
 
We walk in the path that He walked
When He lived here on earth,
Learning to love Him and to share
The wonders of rebirth.
 
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.
 
Isaiah 43:19
Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.

This is a Cicada exuviae. It is the shell left behind after molting.

We're Not Alone

 

We sometimes feel we stand alone
Against a world that’s lost.
We face the ridicule and hate,
And there can be a cost.
 
Yet, if we raise our eyes above
The world and look to Him,
We understand we’re not alone,
And hope should not grow dim.
 
We stand within His loving grace,
Never out of His sight.
Though we still stand against the world,
He’s with us in the fight.
 
It’s still a fight! Stand strong in faith,
Unyielding as a stone,
And know that He’s always with us.
We do not stand alone!
 
Psalm 46:1
God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.
 
Romans 8:38-39
For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

First Trust, Then Rest

 

Another day has come and gone,
Nighttime is drawing near.
I’m giving my worries to You,
The blessings stay right here.  
 
The things that I could do today,
You helped me to get through.
Those outside my control or reach
I surrender to You.
 
Tonight, though I feel overwhelmed,
I also feel Your grace,
For You have brought me through the noise
Into my quiet place.
 
I’ll rest tonight and start again
When You wake me at dawn.
I’ll make my plans, but trust in Yours,
Then rise and carry on.
 
Matthew 11:29
Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.
 
Psalm 23:2
He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters.

In Storms And Hard Times

 

So many people that I love
Are walking through hard days.
For most, they know You and have peace,
But, Lord, please guard the strays.
 
There are some who deny themselves
The comfort of Your grace,
And when the storms come rolling in
They are swept out of place.
 
They hold on to what they can see,
Thinking that they are strong.
Yet, everything that’s of this world
Will fail them before long.
 
Please keep them under Your wing, Lord,
And open up their eyes,
That they may know You and Your peace
Though dark storms fill the skies.
 
Until the day they call Your name
Please help them hold on to
Only that which will help them reach
Their solid ground in You.
 
John 16:33
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”
 
Psalm 56:3
When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.

Tired And Blessed

There are some days that wear me out,
I think age plays a part,
But, nonetheless, those are the days
That also fill my heart.
 
It’s such a joy to see that smile
With two teeth peeking through,
Or share a laugh with a loved one,
A memory or two.
 
Sometimes it’s just being right there
As a friend walks through pain,
Knowing that when their pain is gone,
That friendship will remain.
 
There are so many ways a day
Can wear me to the bone,
But being tired easily beats
Walking through life alone!
 
1 John 3:18
Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
 
2 Thessalonians 3:13
As for you, brothers, do not grow weary in doing good.

The Bread Of Life, Or Toil

 

We always seem to want the thing
We don’t have readily.
While some pray that the rain would cease,
Others pray let it be!
 
Of all the needs and wants we have,
The one that matters most
Is that which comes from God Himself.
There is no greater boast.
 
It’s His mercy, His loving grace,
Made manifest on earth
In the life and teachings of Him
Who died for our rebirth.
 
There is no glory man can hold
Greater than redemption,
And that can only be granted
By grace, through Heaven’s Son.
 
He is the bread we need to eat,
He is the peace we seek.
His are the only truths this world
Still needs to hear us speak.
 
If you are hungry in your soul,
He is the bread of life.
If you are caught in anxious toil,
He’s your peace amid strife.
 
We each have a choice we can make,
It’s there for us each day.
We can walk through life without hope,
Or with Him all the way!
 
Choose then which bread you want to have,
The bread of anxious toil,
Or the bread of life He offers
To all of mortal coil.    
 
John 6:33-35
“For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” They said to him, “Sir, give us this bread always.”
Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
 
Psalm 127:2
It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.

Where My Faith Rests

 

My weather app has lied again,
There’s just no truth in it.
Though I complain in frustration,
It doesn’t help a bit.
 
So many things in life seem to
Operate much like that.
Life always seems to pull a fake
Rabbit out of its hat.
 
I’ve given up relying on
Most everything I know,
But there’s still one in whom I trust,
Where I can always go.
 
I know that I can call His name
And He will hear each word,
Those I have spoken to the world,
And those just He has heard.
 
For His is an unending love
His grace and mercy, too,
There is no path that I have walked
That He’s not led me through.
 
I may not always like the way
He’s worked things out for me,
But I have always found His way
Brings me where I should be.
 
So, lie on little weather app.
You do what you do best,
But my faith rests in Him alone,
Whose love and grace don’t rest.
 
Hebrews 10:23
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.
 
Isaiah 26:3
You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

The Dark Abyss

 

We stand upon the precipice,
Peering at the abyss,
Wondering how we reached a point
As dangerous as this.
 
The minions of satan’s domain,
Those who call him their king,
Wield sin and evil, hate and fear,
With all the death they bring.
 
They are not standing at the door,
They’ve already come in,
And we can see the black abyss
That dwells within such men.
 
If we don’t cast the demons out,
Then we become their prey.
There will be no place we can hide
Until the judgement day.
 
As we stand on the precipice
We have a choice to make.
Don’t be deceived, instead recall
Our children are at stake.
 
If we just step aside and watch,
Then I assure you this,
We’ll watch all those we love cast out
Into that dark abyss.
 
2 Corinthians 11:14-15
And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.
 
Ecclesiastes 3:8
a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.

In Rain Or Drought

 

Some days it rains on my parade,
Other days it’s a drought.
Yet, either way I sing Your praise,
That’s what faith is about.
 
Whether the blessings are as asked,
Or what You know I need,
I’m raising up a song of thanks.
For they’re Your gifts, indeed.
 
It can be hard to just let go
Of me and hold to You,
But, when I recall Your vast grace.
That’s what I’ll always do.
 
As long as I have breath to sing,
To You, I’ll lift my praise.
Through rain or drought, my faith’s in You.
Your mercies still amaze!
 
Hebrews 13:15
Through him then let us continually offer up a sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of lips that acknowledge his name.
 
Psalm 150:6
Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

Joy In Simple Things

 

It didn’t seem like a big thing,
A low spot in the lawn
Where the spring rains had pooled a bit.
By dusk it would be gone.
 
Since they were only passing through
They didn’t need a lake,
Just a small spot where they could find
Some rest and a short break.
 
They paddled happily a while,
Then, before dusk came on,
They quacked with joy and spread their wings,
Took off and they were gone.
 
I don’t know why this memory
Still brings me such delight,
But when I see this reminder
My day just feels so right.
 
I think I like to remember
That simple joys are best,
And that I’m wealthy past belief
When my soul is at rest.
 
Thank You, Lord, for this photograph
And the delight I feel
Each time I’m reminded my joy
In simple things is real.
 
Philippians 4:11
Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned, in whatever situation I am, to be content.
 
Psalm 16:11
You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Vengeance Is Yours, Not Mine

I’m listening to You tonight,
Not giving You commands.
I don’t need to explain it all
To one who understands.
 
You know my thoughts about this world,
And those who rant and shout,
Demanding that I praise their sin
And do not call it out.
 
I want to give them back the same
Rage they have poured on me,
But vengeance is not mine to take,
That’s not how I’m to be.
 
I need to hear You remind me
Of these points, now and then.
I may, and shall, condemn their deeds,
But give to You, their sin.
 
You know the path that they will choose.
I can pray they return,
But I cannot punish them for
The evil scars they earn.
 
Please give me strength when I should stand,
And, when I should not speak,
Please give strength to hush, instead.
Your wisdom’s what I seek.
 
I shall not pray that You destroy
Those who rejoice in sin.
You know when vengeance is needed,
And when grace should begin.
 
Romans 12:19
Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.”
 
Proverbs 20:22
Do not say, “I will repay evil”; wait for the Lord, and he will deliver you. 

Eternity To Eternity

 

Yesterday, today, tomorrow,
One thing remains the same.
God’s in control and we are not,
Despite what some might claim.
 
His is the power to command
The heavens and the earth.
It will be so beyond earth’s end,
And was before its birth.
 
For any man to claim power
Is but a farce and lie.
God does not relinquish His might,
His kingdom cannot die.
 
Stand not within your own pride, then,
But in His holy name,
Knowing that His redeeming grace
Is there for us to claim.
 
Immortal and eternal King,
We lift to You our praise.
To You alone, in Trinity,
Forever and always.
 
Revelation 1:8
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”
 
Isaiah 40:28
Have you not known? Have you not heard? The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He does not faint or grow weary; his understanding is unsearchable.
 
1 Timothy 1:17
To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

A Branch Of The Vine

 

God planted His Word in this earth,
And Christ became His vine.
All those who live and grow in Him
Are fruit, ample and fine.
 
As long as the branch stays attached
To the vine’s sanctity,
Then that fruit which it produces
Will grow abundantly.
 
If a branch grows apart from Him,
It withers and will die.
Without Him, it will bear no fruit,
However it may try.  
 
Time and again the vine has shared
His mercies with us all,
But few are those branches that choose
To answer to His call.
 
Do not be the branch on the vine
That withers and is lost.
Stay close to Him, rooted and strong,
Through drought or bitter frost.
 
Grow closer in Him and rejoice
As the harvest draws nigh,
For that fruit which still lives in Him,
He’ll gather by and by.
 
John 15:5
I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
 
Jeremiah 2:21
Yet I planted you a choice vine, wholly of pure seed. How then have you turned degenerate and become a wild vine?