Unpolluted

It seems so easy to show grace,

To give to those who weep,

But the promise to live His truth

Is much harder to keep.

The world can hold so much allure,

With wonders that amaze,

That I find I am sometimes drawn

To mortal thoughts and ways.

I find I let anger or grief,

Desire or sweet delight

Lead me into the muddied waves

Out of the pristine light.

And I am forced to recognize

That, though once more, I fail,

There are no paths that lead to Him

Which aren’t fraught with travail.

So once again I turn my heart

Toward that distant place

Where I can live, not of this world,

But in His perfect Grace.   

James 1:27

Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

This photo is a blessing from a new, but treasured friend, JHS. The verse is one of my Cousin CK’s favorites that seemed to fit the lovely photo. 

Jealousy

Lord, don’t let me be envious

Of those with more than me,

For there are many who see me

As being quite wealthy.

I’ve never been as poor as when

I wallowed in pity

Thinking that I lacked what I need

To live successfully.

The truth is, I was right back then,

I see that now, clearly,

And what I lacked was gratitude

For all You’d given me.

So, Lord, please help me fix my gaze

On all You’ve given me,

That I may not look at the world

Through eyes of jealousy.

1 Corinthians 3:3 

You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?

Out of Reach

So often the things I want most

Are just out of my reach.

I can’t quite seem to get to them

Across the endless breach.

I like to think that I know best

All that is good for me,

But clearly You see the same thing

Yet view it differently.

I know You want to me to push hard

For those things I must do,

Yet learn that, when You tell me no,

I need to listen, too.

Oh Lord, I’m going to place my trust

In the lessons You teach,

That I will know when to push on

And when it’s out of reach. 

This darling photo was taken by my cousin, Casey. It so captured my heart that I asked him to let me use it. Thanks, Casey!

Prayers for the Journey

Oh Lord, my journey lies ahead.

The road winds before me,
And there is no place I can rest
As far as I can see.
 
I know this is the path for me
And joy lies at its end,
But I am worried I’ll get lost
Around some unseen bend.
 
So now, before I’m on my way
I bow my head to You.
Please watch over me as I go
Then bring me home to you.

Wind Dancing Praise

There is a power in the wind

That can be fierce and wild,
And yet it is that very wind
That has me so beguiled.
 
It is the wind that lifts me up
And teaches me to soar.
The wind that lures me to the sky,
To rise and be much more.
 
I know the wind can break my wings
And drive me to the ground,
But it has given me a life
That I might not have found.
 
Oh Lord, I thank You for the wind,
That You call from the sky,
And for the wings that You gave me
That I might rise and fly!
 
Mark 4:41
They were terrified and asked each other, “Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!”

My Eyes On You

I keep my eyes always on You,

My heart is made to serve
My feet are settled on Your path,
And from it, they won’t swerve.
 
You have loved me since long before
My mother gave me birth.
You wrote my name among the stars
And taught my soul its worth.
 
You’ve lifted me beyond myself,
Something I could not do,
And I will not be shaken from
My constant faith in You.
 
Psalm 16:8
I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.

The Task at Hand

It’s been a day, Lord, oh so long,

With so much on my plate
That I have not yet written this
And it is getting late.
 
But You have given me the task
Of loving those in need
And if I fail to love them, Lord,
Then that task won’t succeed.
 
So I took time to love someone
And put my praise aside
Until I knew that all was well
And we had stemmed the tide.
 
Thank You for giving me such friends
And for the love we share.
It is by loving them that I
Remember how to care.

John 10:25

Jesus answered, “I did tell you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father’s name testify about me,

Perfect Gifts

There are no shadows in the light,

They fall outside its reach,
And the wave never seeks its rest
Until it’s on the beach.

There is a rhythm in the world,
Patterns of time and place.
The good and perfect gifts of His
Pure and unending Grace.

When I start moving too quickly
The world blurs out of view
And with it goes any hope of
Catching a glimpse of You.

So, even when the day gets wild,
With all its hurried pace,
I need to take time to seek out
Those perfect gifts of Grace.

James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.

This is the second sunset photo from SNW. I think it is absolutely breathtaking and what a gift from both Sweet S and from God!

Out On a Limb

I’m gonna go out on a limb

And say I’ve seen it all,
The ups, the downs, the win, the lose
The climbs and every fall.
 
But there’s one thing I’ve never seen
In all the years I’ve know.
I’ve never seen the day when I
Had to face life alone.
 
You’ve always been right there with me
In everything I’ve tried,
And win or lose, I’ve always known
That You were by my side.
 
So let the world think what it will
When it looks on my face.
I may be ruffled up by life,
But I am touched by grace!

Psalm 62:1

The world gets busy these days, Lord,

And I give it my best,
But, when the flurry stops at last,
I still can find no rest.

For I am tossed from thought to thought,
My mind whirls from the day,
And, though I bid my thoughts take rest,
The world draws them astray.
 
That’s when I turn my mind to You,
And, through prayerful request,
I draw my thoughts back from the world
And, In You, I find rest.
 
Psalm 62:1
Truly my soul finds rest in God; my salvation comes from him.