A Prayer

 

Let the lowliest task be mine,

Grateful, so the work be Thine;

Let me find the humblest place

In the shadow of Thy grace;

Blest to me where any spot

Where temptation whispers not.

If there be some weaker one,

Give me strength to help him on;

If a blinder soul there be,

Let me guide him nearer Thee.

 

Make my mortal dreams come true

With the work I fain would do;

Clothe with life the weak intent,

Let me be the thing I meant;

Let me find in Thy employ

Peace that dearer is than joy.

Out of self to love be led,

And to heaven acclimated,

Until all things sweet and good

Seem my natural habitude.

 

~ John Greenleaf Whittier

 

As God's chosen ones,

holy and beloved,

clothe yourselves with compassion,

kindness, humility, meekness

and patience.

Col. 3:12

 

 



Precious Windows

 

When I think of windows

this thought coms to me,

"I own precious windows...

My eyes, that I can see."

 

They grasp for all beauty.

They labor in sight.

They whisper in darkness,

Acknowledge delight.

 

When I think of windows

I give thought to mine.

God gifted me two eyes

Each healthy and fine.

 

I hope most sincerely

I never abuse

This privilege of "seeing"

God gave me to use!

 

~ Tee. Lowrey

 

 



Be Like the Bird

 

Be like the bird that,

pausing in her flight awhile

on boughs too slight,

Feels them give way

beneath her and yet sings,

Knowing that she hath wings.

 

~ Victor Hugo

 

Gentle Jesus

 

Gentle Jesus listen closely

To the words that I would say,

'Tis with love that knows no limits,

That I come to thee today.

 

For without You life is empty,

With no comfort anyplace,

I have naught save You to help me,

Do not turn away Thy face.

 

Gentle Jesus teach me patience,

Take away this foolish pride,

Grant I only be permitted,

To continue at Thy side.

 

Though my heart is sometime weary,

And my eyes are filled with tears,

I have only but to tell Thee

And my sorrow disappears.

 

Gentle Jesus, Lord and Master,

Deep within this human shell,

Lives a soul which Thou hast ransomed,

It would love Thee long and well.

 

You have felt as I am feeling,

Who could better understand,

Than the One who meekly listened,

To their "crucify the Man!"

 

~ Grace E. Easley

 



Life's Race

 

Life is a long cross-country race

Where Christ our Lord once set the pace,

And taught us how "Life's Race" is run -

Not only run, but truly won.

He taught us of His Father's Love

Which floweth freely from above.

By His example He did show

The way to live and the way to go.

And, yes, how maudlin is the minds

That ever seeks yet seldom finds,

That "strait and Narrow Course" to run,

Where life eternal may be won.

 

Yes! Life indeed, is like a race

Where thy own conscience sets the pace,

So let thy conscience be thy wealth,

And "Love thy neighbor as thyself!"

Oh, Love! How wonderful this word!

How sweet it rings when often heard!

Its truth is found in God above,

For Love is God, and God is Love!

Now, tired runner, slow thy pace,

For Christ has won Salvation's Grace.

Yet let it not be said of me,

That Christ once died quite needlessly.

 

~ Clayton G. Moseley

 

 

Oh, Maker of Beauty

 

Tonight as I look

Toward the heavens above,

I see in the moonbeam

A wonder of love.

It seems to be saying

I've traveled and far,

Yet I stay in the presence

Of the lone evening star.

This lovely old moonbeam

Has kept company,

Shined down from the heavens

For the world all to see.

 

And if one should be looking

Toward the east or the west,

To the north or the south

You can still see it best.

Oh, Maker of moonbeams

And starshine of love,

Designer of earth

And of heaven above.

Oh, Artist of beauty

You give and for free,

Your wonders of glory

For the world all to see.

 

~ Katherine Smith Matheney

 

 



Peace

 My home is never empty,

Although I be alone

I hear the voices of angels

To God, - their love intone!

I feel His very presence

In wind and storm or rain

That beats upon my window

And quiets all my pain!

I see His face in every nook

each cranny of my room

I know He's ever near to me

To chase away - my "secret gloom."

I'm sure He'll never leave me,

His promise He'll fulfill

To keep me close - In home and heart

And softly whisper "Peace - Be Still."

~ Kathryn Wiesenhoefer



God's Hand

 When Jack Frost dips his frosty toe

Into the greenery below,

'Tis when all of nature bow their heads

In pots, on hills and flower beds.

As if God waved a lofty hand

And changed the color of the land,

But we again will see His power

Through winter as we count each hour.

Soon, the peeking sun will bring

A warmer sun, that sign of spring,

And as this season comes along

'Tis like an old familiar song.

It is as if all souls realize

Each day we're here is a special prize.

And as time grows, we understand

The magic love of our Father's hand.

~ James Joseph Huesgen

In Need

I need His grace to take my thoughts

From worldly things I love

And set my heart on lasting gifts -

The treasures from above.

The precious peace and love and joy

That only He can give

I need to value more each day,

The longer that I live.

Through every day I need His help -

Temptations wait for me -

If I am going to become

The one I ought to be.

~ Rachel Hartnett 



A True Friend

 Time can hang so heavy

On a heart that's filled with grief,

The days go by so slowly,

And the night brings no relief.

"How can I face another day,"

I've heard so many say.

The answer lies within us,

We must kneel to God and pray.

We must ask our Lord to help us,

And to lift this load we bear.

There is nothing He can't render,

If we come to Him in prayer.

Oh, my friends, do not forsake Him

When your burdens weigh you down,

Though you look the wide world over,

No friend truer can be found.

~ Albert N. Theel



A Season of Change

 With awe I stand and welcome

November's mystic skies;

and its multi-textured canvas

that is crowded with surprise.

The harvest has been gathered,

fresh cider, too, is pressed,

silence reigns across the vales

and fields have earned their rest.

How classic are the orchards,

with their branch without its leaf;

and vines of twisted starkness,

of their burdens now relieves.

The pines, I know, are anxious;

their droll bleakness tells me so,

impatient for warm blankets

pieced with fleecy flakes of snow.

While the hills appear despairing,

now unshrouded of their grass;

and yet with hopeful voice proclaim,

"We know this, too, shall pass."

For now the winter's frosty wings

are swiftly flying near

and with the coming season

flows new music to my ear.

So to each season's symphony

I bid farewell and yearn

to greet each new performance

in its fanciful return.

~ Don Beckman



There is Beauty in the Forest

 There is beauty in the forest

When the trees are green and fair,

There is beauty in the meadow

When wild flowers scent the air.

There is beauty in the sunlight

And the soft blue beams above.

Oh, the world is full of beauty

When the heart is full of love.



Lonely Places

 Often there are times in life

We need to be alone

To pray and find that inner strength

That God would make our own.

We need to seek a lonely place

To speak to God at will,

Where only in this solitude

Our minds and hearts are still.

And sometimes it is humbling, when

We seek a safe domain -

For needing lonely places, where

There's solace from our pain.

But oh, those tender moments

When we draw ourselves apart,

And find in lonely places...

God has healing for the heart.

~ Sister Miriam Barker, C.D.S.

He restores

my soul.

Ps. 23:3



Beside Still Waters

Beside still waters may you rest

Secure as a bird within its nest.

Listen, friend, perhaps you'll hear

"The still small voice" that's always near.

Relax and set your spirit free;

Explore the fields of memory

And soar like an eagle high above

Remembering the ones you love.

Hear the babble of the brook,

And read again some cherished book.

Renew your faith, and spirit,too,

And walk barefoot in morning dew.

Watch the sun set on the shore...

These simple things we can't ignore.

Beside still waters may you find

Rest that comes with peace for mind.

~ Clay Harrison

...He leads me

beside still waters.

Ps. 23:2

A Place We Share

 My haven for heartaches, sorrows and griefs

Is a place I share with you -

Though we may be ages and miles apart -

We share a common pew -

For pains of my heart are no different than yours

I cry - and we suffer the same -

And the place where I pray for peace and relief

Is the same where you pray, in your name.

It's a place of salvation that both of us share -

In moments of trial or despair -

And the pleas that we whisper, for God to endear,

Are the pleas of a common prayer.

So - though we are ages and miles apart -

We are one, in His love and embrace,

Whenever we kneel - Wherever we kneel -

To pray for His comforts and Grace.

~ Michael Dubina



Whose Name I'll Call

 I know I'll stumble, I know I'll fall;

but I also know Whose Name I'll call.

And He will lift me to my feet,

and help me through the trials I meet.

He'll lift the burdens from my back,

and guide me onto life's "right track."

He'll make me feel so good inside,

when He reminds me why He died.

And why from death He rose again,

to wash me clean of all my sin.

So when you stumble, when you fall;

Jesus is the name to call,

And He will answer to your need,

if for forgiveness you will plead.

~ George A. Hellard Jr.



Help Me Lord!

 When my little boat is sinking,

And the shore is not in sight,

And I have two broken paddles

To contribute to my plight,

It is not the time for weeping,

Though it surely crossed my mind,

What is needed here is action,

Of the very quickest kind.

So I called out, never thinking

Just what I was about,

"Lord please bail out this

little boat,

...I almost am without!"

~ Grace E. Easley

How To Be an Angel

Do you want to be an angel?

Let me tell you how to start,

Plant a tiny mustard seed

of flowers in your heart.

They'll grow in great proportions

To the planting that you sow,

Water them with kindness

And all the faith you know.

Then put your trust in God above

To show how much you care,

He'll send you untold blessings

And all your burdens share!

~ Kathryn Wiesenhoefer

Reflections

If hearts were a little more caring

And eyes were a little less blind,

We might see, through the magic of sharing,

How easy it is to be kind.

If minds were a bit more revealing

And hands were more willing to greet,

We might give to each other a feeling

Of friendship whenever we meet.

If we could tear down all those roadblocks

That separate races and creeds

We might free from doubt's rusty old padlocks

Our oneness in hopes and needs.

If we would let tolerance guide us

Where ignorance has not let us go,

We might turn back the foes that divide us,

The evils that weaken us so.

Then somehow we might find that highway,

Fog-hid by our own foolish pride,

And, shoulder to shoulder, some bright day

March up it to God's love-lit side.

~ John C. Bonser

The Greatest Gift

Do you ever think you walk alone

And find it doesn't seem to end?

The gloomy days grow longer

And it seems you have no friends?

Do you ever sit and wait

For the telephone to ring?

And hasten to the mailbox

To see what the postman brings?

Arise, my friend, and telephone

Another in your town,

Write a cheery note or two,

Look up instead of down.

Hurry now and get a start,

Waste not another minute,

Life is surely worth the living

If you put something in it.

There is an old saying

That is often tried and true -

Do not ask, "What can I get?"

But, "What can I do for you?"

~ Mildred H. Bell

Praise God

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;

Praise Him, all creatures here below...

~ Thomas Ken

Where Did All the Decades Go?

 

Where did all the decades go?

Time is quickly traveling on.

We're born, we play, we love, we learn

And then, too soon, all this is gone.

 

Every day we're growing older;

None escape it here on earth.

Like Springtime trees become Autumn leaves,

We all start aging right from birth.

 

Time is like a railroad train;

A one-way ticket - no turning back.

And the prayer of every passenger

Is to stay securely on the track.

 

Where did all the decades go?

Just like the twinkling of an eye,

And like a bud becomes a rose,

We blossom forth; still all must die.

 

But, there's victory over fleeting time,

Anxious moments, fears and strife.

Just trusting God to lead our way

Brings decades of abundant life.

 

~ John and Edna Massimilla

A Quiet Place

 

Just find a quiet "hiding place,"

A sunny little nook,

Where you'll forget the busy world

With sewing or a book.

Green, potted plant upon the sill,

Kit cat beside your chair.

Now, who's to see you nod your head

While you are napping there?

Hot cup of tea, cold dish of fruit

Will add their special blend,

And you will learn you're not alone,

For Jesus is your friend.

That nook can be a favored place

To think upon the Lord

By praying to Him every day

Or reading from His word.

 

~ Norma Childress

 

Look Up

 

Face the sun and each tomorrow

Will grow brighter day by day.

Leave the shadows there behind you

As you travel down life's way.

 

Greet your friends with God's light shining

In your eyes, your voice, your heart.

Help the weary, unbelievers,

Lend your strength to help them start.

 

"Believe in Me" is all He's asking.

Have faith and you will see

God is walking there beside you

To change your life and make you free.

 

Have courage and you will conquer

All the fears that life can hold.

Jesus came and died to save you,

To cleanse your soul and make you whole.

 

Face each day and share each sorrow

with Him, as you travel down life's road.

Your burdens will seem far lighter

When you share another's load.

 

Do not hide your light from others,

Show them what God's love can do.

Help the sick, the heavy laden

God will help up if we're true.

 

Take the time to thank Him often,

Every minute of the day.

I know for I have suffered, fallen;

And my God has shown the way.

 

~ Julia Parsons MacDonald

My Birthday Gift

I gave myself a gift today -

A quiet walk beside the sea.

I watched dawn streak the sky with fire

And heard a gull cry wild and free.

I felt the salt air blowing warm,

Then skipped a stone out in the bay.

And never once did I give though

To those dark clouds of yesterday.

There was no time to shed a tear

 As simple pleasures came my way,

And when at last my day was thru,

I bowed my head and knelt to pray:

Dear Lord, I know You gave this gift

With tender watch from up above.

You gave this day for me to share -

In all I touched, I felt Your love.

~ Helen M. Motti

This is the day

the Lord has made.

Let us rejoice and

be glad in it.

Ps. 118:24



Faith

Faith sees what our poor sight cannot,

knows truth which we, at birth, forgot.

Faith reads a script that has no lines

and follows paths unmarked by signs -

Rejects what scornful cynics say

and kneeling in the dark to pray,

perceives that far-off dazzling light

that pierces death's despairing night!

Faith swims against time's ruthless tide;

It leaps across doubt's chasms wide

and, link by link, it welds the chain

that draws us close to God again.

Strong is that chain, Faith will not die

though all our mortal senses try

to hush its brave, persistent voice,

we hear it cry: "fear not - rejoice!"

Rejoice, God will not take away

His promise made to men of clay;

on wings of Faith our souls shall rise

and see forgiveness in His eyes!

~ John C. Bonser 

The Silence of the Soul

 

Lord let me know the silence,

The silence of the soul,

That I may hear Your voice

And make Your will my goal.

 

Let silence then take over

The one and only me,

That charity may enter

And set my spirit free.

 

For silence did prevail

When earth and sea were made,

When Jesus, Lord, was born

And in the manger laid.

 

Please lead me to compassion

And so to charity,

And finally through silence

Grant me humility.

 

~ Marilyn McNeil de Latour

 

The words of the wise

are heard in quiet...

Eccl. 9:17

The Power of Faith

 

My Lord, my God, my Master,

Whene'er I feel despair,

I turn to You for solace

And always find You there.

 

Whene'er it seems my trials and woes

Are fare too great to bear,

I find new faith and inner strength

In answer to my prayer.

 

I know the faith that I possess

In You, each newborn day

Will be my ever guiding light,

Each step along the way.

 

~ Harold F. Mohn

The Thoughtful Things

 

 So many friends and loved ones

Bless our lives each day

In just the little thoughtful things

They often do and say.

A neighbor comes to visit

And brings a word of cheer

It's like a ray of sunshine

Your day had been so drear!

The friend who telephones to ask

How you are getting on,

The thoughtfulness that warms your heart

And lingers all day long.

That special one who came to help

When you were feeling ill,

Her deep concern was comforting,

You think about it still.

So many friends and loved ones

Who help our hearts to smile

In just these little thoughtful ways

That make this life worthwhile.

 

~ Kay Hoffman

 

This is my commandment,

that you love one another

as I have loved you.

John 15:12

 



Christian Giver

 

Blessed is the Christian Giver

Who will give - with joy of heart -

Gifts of charity and kindness,

God endears and love imparts;

His reward is holy bounty

Of God's tenderness and care

And the Grace of Heaven's blessings

On his daily life and prayer.

 

Through his gifts of Christian kindness -

That provide another's need -

He is giver and disciple

Of God's mercy, love and creed;

And his soul, of faith and virtue -

Serving God, in Christian ways -

Is a soul of promised glory,

God will Grace on Judgment Day.

 

~ Michael Dubina

 

Above all

have love among yourselves,

for love covers a multitude of sins.

1 Peter 4:8

 



And Gently I WIll Go

 I do not have the courage

to claim with boastful voice

that I am master of my fate

and captain course and choice!

Nor will I heed the challenge

"to rail against the night,

to not go gently toward it

but curse the fading light!"

For I recall another

who meekly bowed His head

and, lamb-like, to the slaughter

permitted He be led!

And no one is a coward

who follows faith's commands

and places life and very soul

in God's almighty hands!

And somewhere waits His Heaven

beyond our tiny sky,

where night's, forever banished,

and only death must die!

~ John C. Bonser