Unseen and Loving Hand

He knew that he had found a feast.

How fortunate his fate
That no one else had been there first.
The blessing was so great.
 
He did not know that great danger
Was sleeping quite nearby,
But also that a loving heart
Guided a watchful eye.
 
One who kept him safe from the dog
That lingered out of sight
And let him enjoy his blessing
To his complete delight.
 
It made me think how often I
Live my life unaware
Of all the dangers that might be
Lingering everywhere.
 
How blessed am I, that, much like him,
The danger’s held at bay
By one who’s loving heart and hand
Protect me on my way.
 
It’s such a gentle, peaceful scene,
If viewed from his small scale,
But when the whole picture’s complete
It tells a different tale.
 
A miracle beyond his sight,
One he can’t understand,
The blessing of protection from
An unseen, loving hand.
 
Psalm 32:7
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.

This delightful photo was a gift from my sister ATF, who opted to take the picture rather than call her dog to chase the rabbit from his feast in her garden. A loving and unseen hand indeed.

In His Promise

The world had been gray all day long,

But in the day’s last light
A reminder of God’s promise
Lit up the coming night.
 
It was but a moment of light
That swept the leaden sky,
But that moment was all it took
To lift my spirits high.
 
Now, though the rain bedraggled night
Might stretch out before me,
I’ll rest secure in His promise
And sleep contentedly. 

I Lift My Eyes

The mountains tower in their strength,

Arrogant in their pride,
But even they can be destroyed
By time or rising tide.
 
There is no power on this earth
As mighty as the hand
That formed it out of nothingness
With a simple command.
 
So when I seek a source of strength
I seek the mountain’s rim,
And then I raise my eyes higher,
Until they rest on Him.
 
Psalm 121
I lift up my eyes to the mountains—     where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.

Old, But Still Standing

It’s seems a broken memory

Of what it once had been
When it stood straight against the storms.
Yes, that was way back when.
 
But don’t think age and frailty
Have weakened its old heart
Or robbed it of the will to stand
That it knew from the start.
 
For, though there’s but a fragment left,
Broken, shattered and small,
Yet still it knows its task in life
And stands up straight and tall!

For Whom They Thirst

Let them lift up their songs of praise,

However great or small,
For God blesses them, every one,
Who answers to His call.
 
He blesses all who call His name,
Quenching the thirsty soul
Until the emptiness is gone,
What’s broken is made whole.
 
So let them lift their songs of praise
And bless His holy name.
For it is Him for whom they thirst
And His love is their claim.
 
Psalm 107:8-9 
Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for mankind, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.

Before I Sleep

In a day filled with frustration

There was also some delight,
But I will put them both behind me
And prepare to sleep tonight.
 
I will lift them all up to You,
Instead of holding so tight
That I will lie awake and fuming
Until deep into the night.
 
You are now my total focus,
All Your glory and all Your might.
Lord my soul is in Your keeping,
Wash me in Your perfect light.  

My Excuse Today

Tonight I spent time helping friends

And fell so far behind
That I may not get this praise done.
I hope that You don’t mind
If I just say, “Thank You, My Lord
For giving me great friends
 Who don’t mind asking me for help
When trying to meet ends,
Friends who’ve also been there for me
When I needed a hand.”
Oh Lord I thank You for my friends.
I know You understand.

In Large Letters

I wanted to be sure you see

How much I love you, child,
Though you have lived a wayward life,
Too often running wild.
 
So I have written of my love
In letters large and clear
That you might never have a doubt
That I hold you most dear.
 
I wrote my love in mountain peaks
In canyons deep and wide.
I wrote my love in sweeping skies
And in the rolling tide.
 
I wrote my love in open plains
That reach beyond your sight
And in the endless field of stars
Lighting the sky at night.
 
I wrote my love in letters large
That you might understand
I love you more than all the worlds
I wrote with my own hand.
 
Galatians 6:11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!

This incredible photo was taken by my cousin, Chloe Phillips-Harris, on her current adventure in Kazakhstan. Thank you, sweet Chloe, for letting me share your exquisite photo with all my friends! You can follow Chloe at https://chloephillipsharris.wordpress.com/ or on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Chloe-Phillips-Harris-Adventurer-256834944381988/ Chloe lives life as a great adventure and gives back to others, human and animal, in even greater measure.

Until I Shine

I found myself complaining again

About the grey and cloudy sky.
I called out to the Lord in heaven
And I asked Him to explain why.
 
Why are some people blessed with great joy,
While I have to fight through each day?
What is the reason I feel so lost
And others dance along the way.
 
I waited in the silent morning
Beneath the cloud draped winter sky,
In absolute defiance of Him,
I demanded He answer why.
 
And as I stood there in my anger,
Self-righteous in the rage I knew,
The sun rose up and all around me
The dark clouds took on heaven’s hue.
 
Now, I know this might sound prosaic
Or maybe even a bit trite,
There had to be clouds in that sky
To reflect back the morning light.
 
I knelt, humbled in understanding,
The answer was there all along.
I thanked the Lord for cloudy mornings
And troubles that will make me strong.
 
I don’t complain now, of my burdens,
I understand why they are mine.
The Lord will use these times of trouble
To burnish me until I shine.

Another beautiful sunrise from my neighbor, AT. This one taken in Costa Rica. Thank you, AT!!! Thank you!

The Little Things

I
t’s all about the little things.
The big things come and go,
But how we face the little things
Is where our soul will show.
 
The little daily frustrations
And how we deal with them
Are a reflection of the choice
We make to live like Him.
 
Do we give honor to His name
And to His sacrifice?
Or, by what we do every day,
Do we add to the price.
 
I have such a long list of sins,
For which He had to pay,
That I try extra hard to watch
With little things each day.
 
Mark 12:30-32  
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.”