Country Artist

 

If I could be an artist, I would paint

The sky at sunset's end, bright tangerine

Which melts to saffron, then to mottled blue,

With whispers of deep mauve tucked in between.

 

I'd paint a barn, once red, now weathered gray;

A leaning fence; a tractor gone to rust;

A row of combines waiting in the field;

A country road by brambles caked with dust.

 

Then twilight would descend majestically

To set this treasured countryside aglow

With August's harvest moon beyond the hills

Where fields of wheat, like burnished copper, grow.

 

Oh, would that palettes swirled with dabs of rhyme,

And pens that flow with lilting poetry

Could match the great Creator in the sky,

Unequaled in His country artistry.

 

~ Sandra R. Lytle

Formula

 

A cheerful smile when things go wrong,

meeting tears with joyful song;

patience when we'd rather run

than face a trial that's just begun,

progressing upward through the will

is tired, and wanting to stand still;

 

Silence when we would explode

and speak the bitterness... unload!

Give answers soft for cruel blow,

if we desire in grace to grow;

bravery when our hearts are faint,

this is required to be His saint!

 

~ Anna Lee Edwards McAlpin

 

Order my steps in Thy word:

and let not any iniquity have

dominion over me.

Ps. 119:133

Cottage of Contentment

 

 

My cottage of contentment

Sits beside the lane,

A shelter from the elements,

The wind, the snow, the rain.

 

My cottage of contentment

Is more than walls and stairs,

It's a place for sharing

Life's joys, its trials, its cares.

 

My cottage of contentment

Is a haven dear,

Where caring hearts co-mingle

In laughter and in tear.

 

My cottage of contentment

Is no palace rare,

But love abides within it

To give it beauty fair!

 

~ Virginia Borman Grimmer

All is Well

 

The virgin white of winter

Now wears a shawl of green

For all the trees are budding

And flowers can be seen.

 

The snow that chilled us yesterday

Has melted like a dream

For now the stone is rolled away

Beneath the sunlight's gleam.

 

How sweet the sound of singing

As songbirds now return,

And here below the rainbow

Earth makes another turn.

 

For spring's a noble season,

One of show and tell,

When God reveals His majesty

And shows us all is well.

 

~ Clay Harrison

A Home

 

A home is more than plaster and paint

Nice fancy trim and pretty or quaint.

A home is love and it breaths alive

A heart that is warm and free inside.

It's a refuge each day of the year

A blessing for all who hold it dear.

The size doesn't matter nor material inside,

It's the feeling of peace where you abide

In serenity and God's loving care,

Knowing each member is truly happy there.

Home is where we return at the end of the day

To love one another so cares slip away.

When a home is built on humility and love

God surely sends His blessings, from up above.

May your home be blessed, and may it ever be

Your own special corner of eternity.

 

~ Edna Louise Gilbert

 

He Called Me By Name

 

"He called me by name"

From the time of my birth,

Before I had met Him,

And valued His worth.

And because He was God,

He was able to see

That I had to have someone

To watch over me.

 

So He picked out an angel,

My own special one,

To guide and protect me,

'Till living was done.

Who had but one job,

And that was to be

A loving a loyal

Companion to me.

 

"He called me by name"

And the love in His eyes,

Promised me all

That this cold world denies.

A home with Him always,

In Heaven above,

Safe in the Kingdom

of God's endless love.

 

~ Grace E. Easley

 

I will give you treasures out of

the darkness and hidden riches

that you may know that I am

the Lord, the God of Israel,

who calls you by name.

Isaiah 45:3

The Birds - The Flowers - A Sunny Sky

 

It's just a little lane quite hidden

By the bushes and the trees,

But you'll know it when you get there

By the birds' sweet melodies.

 

Although it may seem rough and bumpy

It's the grandest place to go,

For in the spring it's decked with violets

In the wintertime there's snow.

 

It's so quiet and so peaceful

In this little country lane,

But I know if once you go there

You are bound to go again.

 

For it's one of life's few pleasures

That is absolutely free,

The birds, the flowers, a sunny sky

Will welcome you with glee.

 

It's the closest thing to heaven

It's a joy you mustn't miss,

For it's more than just a country lane

It's the road to happiness.

 

~ Garnett Ann Schultz

 



Blessings

 

Inside our sunny kitchen,

Upon the window sill,

Are clay pots, full of flowers

Safeguarded from the chill.

Beside the curtained window

Is a favorite rocking chair,

Some books, a sewing basket,

For relaxing there.

A bright enameled kettle

Invites us to have team

When it starts to whistle

Loud and merrily.

When supper's on the table

And the grace is said,

We thank the Lord for blessings

And for our daily bread.

 

~ Elsie Natalie Brady

 

And all these blessings

shall come upon thee

if you hear the voice

of the Lord, your God.

Deut. 28:2

Gather Round the Table

 

Gather round the table,

Share a laugh or two,

Say a prayer of blessing,

See a dream come true.

 

Gather round the table,

When the holidays are here,

The family comes together

To spread a little cheer.

 

Gather round the table,

Each place is set you see,

It's waiting for a loved one,

I know there's one for me.

 

We gather round the table,

Each night when day is through,

To thank the Lord for families,

And pray that you do too.

 

~ Nancy M. Smith

 

Where two or three

are gathered in my

name, there am I

in their midst.

Matt. 18:20

A House on the Shore

 

 

Let me live in a house on an ocean shore

Where the surf and sad do meet

Let me sit, my dear Lord, at the water's edge

Where the waves gently wash my feet.

 

Let me feel the sun's warmth, as it shines o my face,

Watch the sea gulls flying on high

Let me see the sun set, far out in the west,

Where the water seems to meet the sky.

 

But if, my dear Lord, plans that You have for me

Are not plans that I'm dreaming of,

Then Thy will be done, I'll be happy to know

I'm forever more bathed in Your love.

 

~ Albert N. Theel

God Is Not Dead

 

Alone, despondent and forlorn

I found myself one day,

My heart and mind could find no peace

Along life's troubled way.

The hopes and dreams that I possessed

Seemed shattered and in vain,

I felt that life was cruel and full

Of heartaches and great pain.

Then suddenly I heard a voice

Speak plainly in my ear,

"Have faith my friend, do not despair

For I am always near."

I felt a surge of strength within,

In some mysterious way,

And deep inside I know 'twas God

Who spoke to me that day.

 

~ Harold F. Mohn

Never Lose an Opportunity

 

Never lose an opportunity of

seeing anything that is

beautiful; for beauty is

God's handwriting.

 

~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dandelions

 

Dandelions in the grass,

On a bright spring day,

Brown bees buzz, and robins chirp,

Children shout and play.

 

Dandelion face up-turned

Like a yellow brush.

Short stemmed floweret adorns,

Green grass, deep and lush.

 

Dandelions plucked in haste,

By little fingers,

Of the summer days to come,

Cheerful harbingers.

 

 

Soon each yellow face will wilt,

And the blossom fade,

Other flowers take their place

In the forest glade.

 

To keep our faces bright and

Bravely live each day,

Is the lesson we can learn

From this flower gay.

 

~ Lily S. Thomas

 

 

The flowers appear

on the earth.

Song of Solomon 2:12

My Cabin of Dreams

 

It stands on a hill, my Cabin of Dreams,

And touches each lure of the sky -

And all that is fine of boulder and vine,

No log and no stone will deny.

It's simple and humble - each window is small -

Its roof is the bark of a tree,

But never a castle has ever been built

Whose dreams are more fonder to me.

 

There is not a gate where strangers must wait

For judgment of mission or aim;

The path to its door no step will deplore -

All strangers are welcomed the same.

Its timbers are rustic; its rafters are bold;

It tells of the meadow and mire,

But Heaven can only compare to the dreams

That live by the glow of its fire.

 

Yet all of this bounty I cannot divide

With friends whom I dearly adore;

And all of the riches God gave to my hearth

I cannot bequeath from its store.

A vestige of Heaven each friend may enjoy -

Each comfort and pleasure is free -

But I am the builder and dreamer of dreams

God gave to my cabin and me.

 

~ Michael Dubina

Light Your World

 

Let the light of God shine through

as you go about your days.

In all the little things you do,

try to do them in God's way.

 

You'll never know the happiness

that a friendly smile can bring

to someone who's been feeling down -

left out of everything.

 

The hurting heart will suddenly

flip flop, and beat anew -

restoring hope and contentment

all because of you!

 

A few flowers from your garden,

some cookies, or some bread,

will show you care, and ease the pain

of someone's aching head.

 

It's giving of yourself that counts

in all things great and small -

to do His bidding, our very best,

each time we hear Him call.

 

Our privilege is to serve our Lord,

and spread His light on earth.

While we are stewards of His world,

He judges our true worth.

 

~ Mary B. Conn

Resource of the Flowers

 

I marvel at the wardrobe

the fresh Spring flowers wear

that serve as bright expressions

of our God's abiding care.

 

The source behind their garments,

so prim and proudly worn,

is their unfailing confidence

He'll see them thus adorned.

 

If He so clothes the flowers

in such rich becoming hue,

be sure He'll do the same for us,

if we allow Him to.

 

But first we must be trustful

His design for us is best;

take root in that assurance;

and let Him do the rest.

 

And if we blend our Will with His,

the way the flowers do,

we'll find our countenance and soul

both glowingly renewed.

 

~ Don Beckman

 

Consider the lilies

how they grow...

Solomon in all his glory

was not arrayed like

one of these.

Luke 12:27

Providential Mercies

 

 

If God can take an earthen root

And grow a peony;

And plant within an acorn

The burstings of a tree;

If God can gown a little bird

And fill its heart with song -

Then He can take my feeble self

And make me sweet and strong.

 

If God can take a tiny seed

And nurture it to worth;

Dress the field and bushes

With flower-scented birth;

If He can govern suns and rains

And use them for our good -

I'm thus assured God works for me

In just the way He should.

 

There's not a sparrow drops its wing,

Not a human cry that falls,

But what God responds with all His love -

He hears our bleating calls!

 

~ Roxie Lusk Smith

 

God's Garden

 

 

Around about my garden,

In a very special place

Among the leaves and branches

And flowers shaped like lace,

I've found a special place to pray,

To start and finish every day.

The blooms, the thorns, the tangled vines

They all depict my life and times.

The joys, the pains, the webs I weave,

I lay them down, my cares I leave.

 

Around about God's garden

This world, His special place.

Among the strife and problems,

He protects me with His grace.

He smiles at my blooming,

Rains tears upon my pain.

He tends and bends to care for me,

Encourages my gain.

As I view life from God's garden,

Life is easier to see.

Amid His sacred garden

I can trace God's plan for me.

 

~ Katie Barrows

 

The Lord Is My Shepherd

 

The Lord is my Shepherd,

And I am His lamb,

Who loves me in spite

Of the way that I am.

Who sees something in me,

That other folks miss,

And I sometimes think maybe,

Because of this

I've never felt bitter,

Unloved or alone,

Though sometimes I grieve for

My loved ones now gone.

For I've always believed in

The words He has said,

That the spirit lives on,

Though the body be dead.

And I feel closer to Him,

Because of His care,

And I know when I call Him,

That He will be there.

So I fear not the shadows,

So dark and so dim,

For my Shepherd will carry me

Safely through them.

 

~ Grace E. Easley

 

The Lord is

my shepherd,

I shall not want.

Ps. 23:1

The Wishing Well

 

I wished for blue skies

They turned out grey,

I yearned for tomorrow

While it was still "today,"

I wanted dozens of friends

Who were all tried and true

I looked far and wide

But found only a few.

 

I dreamed of a future

Where riches abound,

And searched with a vengeance

But "nothing" I found.

To reach success

Was my Life's main goal

But I climbed the ladder

Without my Soul.

 

Life seemed a failure

All my dreams were shattered,

Then I met You Lord

And nothing else mattered.

Do wishes come true?

Who really can tell?

Yet I found Life and Hope

At my Wishing Well.

 

~ Eleanor Larson

My Garden

 

My garden is a magic place,

When cares of life hit hard,

There's healing for the mind and heart,

Working with the sod.

You plant a seed of hope

Set trust plants in a row,

And Mother Nature does her part,

To make them grow - and grow.

The names of course are different.

But hope springs up anew,

With the seeds you plant or the plants you set

Trust returns to you.

Yes, when the cares of life are hard,

And my mind is all at Sea,

My garden is a sanctuary,

Between my God and me.

 

~ Lea Helms Davis

 

Only A Sparrow

 

If I were only a bird all day

And flew the whole day long,

Filled the air where'er I may

With my pretentious song,

 

How sweet t'would be to sit a bough

High up in the air

Surveying all beneath me

With just a sparrow's care.

 

I could jump the continents

Just like the storied bee,

Make all of the world and nature too

So, all-aware of Thee.

 

~ James Joseph Huesgen

A Summer's Day

 

A summer day is wondrous,

As sunshine kisses earth,

One feels a special pleasure

And bubbles o'er with mirth.

 

The sky is blue as azure,

The breeze soft and rare,

It makes one gay and happy

Child-like without a care.

 

The birds sing in the tree-tops,

Green fields and shrubs abound,

And little croaks and murmurs

Blend into summer's sound.

 

The far-flung country meadows

Wear daisies in their hair,

Farmlands look like patchwork quilts,

The views are warm and air.

 

And in the eves at twilight,

The horizon turns to gold,

Then the wonders of the summer

Are so precious to behold.

 

~ Virginia Borman Grimmer

Each Drop of Water

 

Each drop of water

flowing under the bridge

is a minute of life gone by,

and you cannot stop

its rushing flow

no matter how hard you try;

each flower that wilts

beside the stream

is another day that is gone forever,

so whatever you do

with this precious day,

it must be done now, or never.

 

~ Virginia Luers

 

...the source of

wisdom is a

flowing brook.

Prov. 18:4

I Ask O Lord

 

I ask O lord some purpose in my life;

help me to choose, while now I live,

something to keep before me as a goal.

 

~ Author Unknown

 

Life

 

A portion of living

A portion of care,

A hope for the future

A dream we can share,

It's knowing and doing

The ups and the downs,

The moments we treasure

The smiles and the frowns.

 

Success we accomplish

The failures that come,

The clouds that may gather

The bright shining sun,

Each blessing God sends us

The heartaches and trials,

Pursuing tomorrow

Midst tear or midst smiles.

 

Tis all part of living

The give and the take,

The gains and the losses

The choices we make,

Accepting God's promise

Midst good times or strife

A portion of dreaming

The meaning of life.

 

~ Garnett Ann Schultz

I Will

 

I will forgive all my hurts in every measure,

I will clear my mind of earthly treasure.

I will sow kindness and love,

I will seek the Lord's help from above.

 

I will make peace, instead of rebelling,

I will be charitable, my love o'er welling.

I will show no discontent,

I will give thanks to the Lord and repent.

 

I will pay compliments instead of derision,

I will pray for help to make the right decision.

I will give praise with the right intent,

I will promise the Lord not to invent.

 

I will accept adversities coming my way,

I will be happy with the Lord's rate of pay.

I will put out my hand to anyone in need,

I will seek the Lord's help to do a good deed.

 

I will do my best to drive out sadness,

I will replace it with gladness.

I will strive to eliminate sorrow,

I will do it today, not tomorrow.

 

I will pray to the Lord to strength my intent,

I will accept His love and be content.

 

~ John J. Gruenenwald

 



God's Child

 

I've seen the Sea few times in life

'Til then my doubt was driven,

I have not see my God at all

Yet - I know there is a Heaven.

 

I cannot see soft breezes blow

But I can feel them kiss my cheek,

I hear my God in many ways

Tho' - I have yet to hear Him Speak.

 

God shows Himself in ways to me

His Love He will impart

With such a heartfelt aura

Placed deep within my heart.

 

O' souls of you who fear Him not

Those of you who flee

Take time to look around - listen -

He'll say - "My Child, it's Me!"

 

~ James Joseph Huesgen

 

...happy are these

thy servants who

stand before you

always and listen

to your wisdom.

1 Kings 10:8

 

Keep Looking Up

 

Keep looking up! 'Tis a wonderful view,

Then look around for some work to do.

Put trust in Him the whole day through.

Stop, listen for His voice to you!

 

The upward look, to know His will;

The outward look, to do His will

The upward look, to Him Who sends;

The outward look, to tell lost men.

 

Keep looking up! 'Tis a wonderful view

To see that Jesus cares for you.

Look in His face for friendship true.

The love, He gives, is just for you.

 

Then look around for work to do

To friends and foes that look to you

For love and hope they long to find

In you, where dwells our Lord divine.

 

~ Charles G. Ramsey

 



Set your affection on

things above,

not on things on

the earth.

Col. 3:2

 

A Refugee in Thee

When hopes that are brightest
Like autumn have flown,
When hearts that we treasured
Have left us alone,
O, where from the sadness
Of grief should we flee,
If faith had no refuge
Dear Savior, in Thee?

When dark are the storm clouds
Above us that roll,
And wild are the surges
That break o'er the soul,
O, where from the tempest
Of life should we flee,
If faith had no refuge,
Dear Savior, in Thee?

Though faith may be tested
And love may be tried,
How peaceful the haven
Where all may abide;
What'er with the tempter
Our conflict may be,
We still have a refuge,
Dear Savior, in Thee.

~ Fannie Crosby

My help is from
the Lord who made
heaven and earth.
Ps. 121:1
 

Life is a Walking Memory

 

Life is a walking memory,

A shadow of the past;

Some thought or deed or saying

Is put in word at last.

 

Some memories are tragedies,

And some bring bitter pain,

And some bear marks of heartache

As they're written on the brain.

 

One always can look in the past

And sit and stare and dream;

It takes a man with purpose

To foil this subtle scheme.

 

Yes, there are memories in my past

Which I had best forget

And fight the battle to the last,

Unto the goal He's set.

 

Cease idle dreaming in my mind

And let my soul fly on,

To greater, richer, heights sublime

Which God has called upon.

 

~ Charles G. Ramsey