To Climb a Mountain

 Each time I pass a mountain range,

A passion swells in me

To challenge what some mountain flaunts -

And what I cannot see.

I wonder what there is to find

And what the mountain hides

Beyond the scope of what I see -

Just on the other side.

And when, at times, I look above

At mountains in the sky -

I wonder what the clouds defend

That hides from human eyes,

For there is born, again, this urge

That passion swell in me

To see what lies beyond the scope

Of what my eyes can see.

Two lofty mountains I would climb

To see the other side:

The one that calls to me on earth;

The other in the sky.

But Heaven's mount I must ascend

In careful, Christian ways,

For God will grant no second climb -

Beyond my Judgment Day.

~ Michael Dubina



I Come to Thee...

Dear Lord, I come to Thee today
In search of peace and calm;
I thank Thee for Thy guidance, Lord,
And for Thy healing balm...

Dear Lord, I come to Thee today
For happiness and peace;
I thank Thee for each blessing, Lord,
And for Thy sweet release...

Dear Lord, I come to Thee today
With gratitude and love;
Thou art my Savior and my King,
And I look to Thee above!

~ Hope C. Oberhelman

May the Lord give might to
His people; may the Lord
bless His people with peace!
Psalm 29:11
 

Sunset

 

The sunset's like a fire in the sky -

Orange, gold, and amber hued

The day has come and gone

And rests brightly in the blue.

The sun - a reflecting light

On thoughts as the day closes.

Was today well spent?

For soon the sun reposes...

The glow of day is fading

And soon will be past.

Have we made a memory

That will keep and last?

 

Embers of light glow softly,

Soon the sun will rest.

Did we add our light to the world?

Can we say, "I did my best?"

The glow of daylight closes,

Soon stars will touch the skies.

The glory of God in the heavens -

We'll have a new sunrise!

 

~ Starrlette L. Howard

 

Look up to the skies and behold;

regard the heavens high above you.

Job 35:5

 

 



In October's Fields

 

 I love to walk October's fields,

With the smell of Autumn in the air -

Corn cobs lay scattered on the ground,

Mr. Scarecrow still stands proudly there.

 

The yellow-orange tint of the pumpkins

Gleams brightly in the field ahead.

Nature's cords will soon be severed;

They'll be carted off to the old homestead.

 

Next comes the fields of ripened grain

In hues of brilliant yellow-gold.

My mind's a camera taking pictures

Of the divine beauty it beholds!

 

There's an oak tree blazing red ahead,

Shrugging off her acorns without fail.

Squirrels will gather them quickly and run;

It's a place to harvest my thoughts as well...

In October's fields.

 

~ Barbara Cagle Ray

 

A land which the Lord, your God, looks after;

His eyes are upon it continually from the

beginning of the year to the end.

Deuteronomy 11:12

 



Thy Will Be Done

 

"Thy will be done" in everything,

Dear Lord, You know what's best.

I know thee sorrows that You send

To me are but a test.

You're always right, in spite o all

I ever say or do,

And I believe with all my heart,

My life depends on You.

 

"Thy will be done" no matter what,

Please overlook these tears,

You've always done what's best for me

Throughout these many years.

Close Your ears when I complain

And help me to be brave,

The only good I've ever known

Are all the things You gave.

 

I am not so strong that I

Can make it all alone,

Please stay with me throughout the day,

And when the night has come.

Teach me not to gamble on

A careless toss of dice,

"To gain the world and lose my soul"

Is much too high a price.

 

~ Grace E. Easley

 

You restore my strength. You

guide me along the right path

for the sake of Your name.

Psalm 23:3

 



Reverie

 

To walk through rain-drenched countryside,

A field of daffodils,

Meander by a rippling stream

Or climb a wind-swept hill;

 

To find a robin in its nest,

Behold a butterfly,

Or sit beside a quiet lake

And watch a campfire die.

 

What trust such moments often bring,

What peace and faith appear...

When we, within our reverie,

Can know that God is near!

 

~ Frankie Davis Oviatt 

 



God

 

 I feel Him in the touch of wind,

I hear His steps in rain,

I see Him when I view the hills

Or gaze on mountain plain.

His warmth smiles down by sun at day,

His arms are of the tree,

His calm I see in still of night,

His beauty is the sea.

I see His love in birth of Spring,

In soil of land His claim,

In splendor white of new-cast snow

Lie imprints of His name.

His voice is of the rippling brook,

His eyes the evening star,

The moon His beaming light to me

To guide me from afar.

It seems that I am not alone

Nor shall I ever be,

For as I walk this road of life,

I know God follows me.

 

~ Jean V. Russell



Children

 

Perhaps the world's greatest pilgrims

Are found among our loving children.

A hundred questions fill their day,

Both at school and then at play.

Each day they cry or make us laugh,

And help us all relive the past.

They give us hope and bring us faith,

And fill our hearts with love and grace.

Oh, Lord, You are the children's Friend,

And know the love in all of them.

You help them learn and watch them play

And hear them praying every day.

Lord, I pray our children flourish,

Learn to love, and practice courage.

Lord, I ask our children prosper,

Know Your peace and feel Your laughter.

 

~ John Frederick Zurn

 



Fill Us at Daybreak with Your Love



 

Fill us at daybreak with Your

love, that all our days we

may sing for joy.

Psalm 90:4

 

 

The Music of Life

 

Our Father's love is endless

And it shows in every way -

In skies awash with wind-swept clouds

And seas of foam-flecked gray.

We feel it in the evening breeze

And hear it in their cry

As gulls wheel freely in their flight

Across the evening sky.

As Spring awaits the Summer,

Then blends quickly into Fall,

And the coldest Winter breezes

All give way to robin's call,

We embrace all Nature's healing.

Put aside our cares and strife.

Hear the music of creation

In God's symphony of life.

 

~ Helen M. Motti

 

He hath made everything

beautiful in His time...

Ecclesiastes 3:11

 



Like a Box of Crayons

 

The earth's like a box of crayons
With shades of many hues:
White fleecy clouds that sail above
In sky of heavenly blue.
Wind-driven clouds of black and grey
When storms come passing by;
The aqua-shaded seas and lake,
Gold moonbeams in the night.
The sunsets, tinted purplish-red,
Green leaves that dress the spreading trees
In country and in town.
The orange, pink, yellow-colored flowers
Abloom in gardens, trim...
The earth's like a box of crayons
With life-brightening shades within.

~ Loise Pinkerton Fritz



So Beautiful a World

 God has left His signature

On each exquisite, earthly thing,

From swirling, frosty Winter snows

To tulips in the early Spring.

Flaming trees of orange and gold,

Ablaze with Autumn's golden sun -

I see the hand of God revealed

In every single, unique one.

The valleys green, the bright blue skies,

And the surging mountain streams -

A little bit of Heaven shines

In all that He creates, it seems.

His grand designs fill every space -

They're masterpieces, every one!

A rainbow streaks across the sky

In the glimmer of the Summer sun.

Each day I marvel once again

As His enchanting works unfurl.

Chance alone could not create

So beautiful a world!

~ Barbara Cagle Ray



Thoughts of You

 I awoke to a radiant sunrise

Against a sky of blue.

I saw the glistening dew drops

And my thoughts were filled with You.

I touched the velvet petals

Of the beautiful, fragrant rose,

Then searched the painted hillside

Where the delicate wildflowers grow.

In those quiet peaceful moments

Of Your bright and glorious day,

I thought of You again, my Lord,

And then I knelt and prayed.

~ Shirley Hile Powell

The Lord look upon you

kindly and give you peace!

Numbers 6:26



The Majesty of Nature

 The hollyhocks at my window

Are dancing in the breeze

And there's a peacefulness about them

That sets my heart at ease.

All the beauty that surrounds me

Comes from the hand of God

And my soul is always blessed

Where the rose and poppies nod.

The majesty of Nature

Brings me peace of mind

In this age of non-believers

Where peace is hard to find.

~ Clay Harrison



I Hear God's Voice

 I hear God's voice in gentle wind

That whispers through the trees

And in the crunchy, rustling sound

Of Autumn's fallen leaves.

In each lilting birdsong ringing,

The cooing of a dove,

In the murmur of a peaceful stream

He tells me of His love.

I hear God's voice when thunder rolls

And in the ocean's roar,

The little waves that gently lap

Along the sandy shore.

In the laughter of little children

Playing in places near

And in each kind word spoken

His voice to me so dear.

When the future path looks dark

And my heart is filled with fear,

It's then I hear Him gently say,

"Be still and know I'm near."

God speaks to me in countless ways

No matter where I trod,

And when I humbly kneel in prayer,

How sweet the voice of God.

~ Kay Hoffman

The voice of the Lord is mighty;

the voice of the Lord is majestic.

Psalm 29:4

Nature's Praise

How could my lips be silent

When all Nature around me gives praise,

Fields and flowers, the sunlit sky;

All in their own special ways.

The little brook in the meadow

Relentlessly rushes on,

Skipping and splashing over the stones;

Singing a happy song.

A restless wind stirs the tree tops,

Weeping willows sway in the breeze;

Birds blend their cheerful voices

In the canopy of the trees.

Patches of blue dot the roadsides,

Chicory covets a sunny place;

How beautiful wrought are the petals

Of Queen Anne's delicate lace.

My lips cannot be silent

When I look at Nature's display.

Field and flowers, the little brook,

Offer praise in their own special way.

~ Regina Wiencek



I Will Give Thanks to You, O Lord

 I will give thanks to You, O Lord,

with all my heart; I will declare

all Your wondrous deeds.

Psalm 9:2

 

Ask Not What God Can Do for You

 Ask not what God can do for you -

He does it every day,

From the first bright rays of sunlight

To moonlight on the bay.

Each day's another blessing -

Each season a delight,

For those who truly know Him

And walk within His light.

His love is everlasting -

His promises are true.

His children know already

What God can do for you.

His words are awe inspiring -

His gifts are free to all,

And He is always watching

Each time a sparrow falls.

He's the Alpha and Omega -

Creator of all men!

Ask not what God can do for you -

Believe and let Him in!

~ Clay Harrison

Listening Ears

 To those of us who cannot hear

The songs that fill each day

Or hear the words of loving hearts

Who would enrich our way,

The joys of such - the Lord decrees -

No fate of life deny

So He bequeaths all deafened ears

The Grace of Listening Eyes.

Eyes that hear (through smiles and tears)

What deafened ears deny

And bring to heart the truths of life

That make us laugh or cry;

He coddles us - who cannot hear -

With mercies of His Grace

To let us hear - with Listening Eyes -

The joys that life embrace.

~ Michael Dubina

Lonesome

 

Dear Master, I am lonesome;

Dear Master, speak to me!

I've been longing here at twilight

For the voices o'er the sea,

And it seems as if my heartache

Would be hushed, less piercing be,

If Thou, Lord, wouldst come still closer -

I am lonesome; speak to me!

I've been thinking in the stillness,

As I've watched the sunset glow

Die out yonder on the hilltop,

Leaving naught but cold and woe -

I've been thinking of the faces

That have come a-trooping by,

Old-time faces, long-time vanished,

Leaving me to wait and sigh.

And I'm lonesome, Lord, I'm lonesome;

Come Thou closer; speak to me,

For I am listening here at twilight

To the voices o'er the sea,

And it seems as if my heartache

Would be hushed, less piercing be,

If Thou, Lord, wouldst come still closer -

I am lonesome; speak to me!

 

~ Ralph Spaulding Cushman

 



The Eagle's Flight

 

 I saw the eagle mount the wind

And soar into the stormy sky,

Catching each gust with strong wing,

He let the storm lift him high

Above the craggy, snowcapped peak.

Unafraid, trusting the power within,

The might to soar ad seek

Each updraft along the canyon rim,

To carry him ever higher.

Oh bird, you touched a troubled heart.

Your trust did my own inspire.

Even if the storms do not depart,

I've found within myself the power

To use the very storms of life

To surmount each dark hour,

Trust God, let the winds of strife

Or grief or fear not keep me low

But through faith, be a catalyst

To seek the heights I need to know

To make a better world and fears resist.

 

~ Minnie Boyd Popish

 



When You Kneel to Pray

 

 Our sad world needs a lift today;

Remember when you kneel to pray

To ask Our Blessed Lord, above,

To shed His mercy and His love.

 

Crime is rampant everywhere

And hard times have brought despair;

Dread diseases know to some

Can't easily be overcome.

 

The homeless line our city streets

And even the strong admit defeat;

Smiles are few and far between,

Life seems to have lost its sheen.

 

Drought and floods have left their mark

And our children fear the dark;

Wars which we can't understand

Wreak havoc on a foreign land.

 

Gloom and misery fill the air,

Non-believers fail to care;

Only God can end our plight,

So trust and pray with all your might.

 

~ Catherine Janssen Irwin

 

Retreat

 Close out the world

And come to Me,

Distractions leave behind;

I am your life, your soul's sweet breath,

The healer of your mind.

Begin to know the meaning of

A secret place with Me;

I wait within your heart to hear

You praise Me joyfully.

I dwell within your inner court

And wait to speak with you,

To give direction to your life,

To guide in all you do.

Could you but understand, My child,

That though your heart seeks Me,

You are distracted by world's cares,

Breaking affinity...

To block communication, the messages I speak,

Please ponder this, for quiet time

Holds answers that you seek.

Draw not your own conclusions;

Put confidence in Me

Grow daily in obedience

To reach maturity.

~ Anna Lee Edwards McAlpin

A Fond Farewell

 I have watched you gather, robins,

For your meeting of the clan;

To chirp a loud approval

Of this season's travel plan.

Just keep in mind, you wanderers,

As you dine here one last time,

How we waited your arrival,

From that warm and sunny clime!

It is sad to bid you God-speed

As you leave our lawn today,

But chilling North winds warn us

That you must be on your way.

So, 'til Spring, safe journey, robins!

For it's comforting to know

You'll sing praise to your Creator -

No matter where you go.

~ Helen M. Motti

Beyond the Clouds

 My precious Saviour, tho my cares

Come tumbling, crashing down,

I know that when I take Thy hand,

Bright sunlight shines around.

For Thou my Saviour, Who art God,

With Whom I'm yet in touch,

Oh, how can I explain Thy love.

Which brought me through so much?

For even tho the clouds be dense

And stormy be the sea,

I know that Thou canst still my soul,

Who silenced Galilee.

Thus, tho the clouds grow very dense

And cares seem not to cease,

I know my Saviour, only Thee,

Canst give to me Thy peace.

For how can I explain Thy love,

Which went to utmost length,

Whom, tho I'm weak and weary worn,

Canst give to me Thy strength.

And when I grow so very tired

That I can walk no more,

You carry me within Thine arms,

Thou Christ, Whom I adore.

For when You carry me my Lord,

By Whom the world was planned,

Along the shore can only see,

Thy footprints in the sand.

Oh Jesus, precious Saviour mine,

Who gave to me Thy grace,

I still can see, beyond the clouds,

The radiance of Thy face!

~ Sancie Earman King

Beyond the Winter

 Somewhere beyond the Winter

Awaits the magic Spring,

The miracle of sunshine

And robins on the wing,

When gentle April showers

Cleanse God's greening earth,

With streamlets flowing freely

In nature's bright rebirth.

Beyond the days of Winter

Beyond the ice and snow,

With blue skies high above us

While gentle breezes blow,

The miracle of Springtime

And blossoms bursting wide,

The loveliness of wildflowers

To bless the countryside.

The season of fulfillment

Each moment shining fair,

So many new tomorrows

Just nothing can compare,

A new world now unfolding

Dispelling Winter's gloom,

We look beyond the Winter

To Springtime's happy tune.

~ Garnett Ann Schultz

February Contentment

 February's a respite

From Winter's normal pace.

The local world is snowbound.

Earth wears a frozen face.

Small needs sleep under blankets

Of softest eiderdown.

Each evergreen is well-wrapped

In lacy shawl and gown.

Inside we pull our armchairs

Close to the fire's red gleam.

We share our treasured memories,

Plan Summer's garden, dream.

Though all outside is icy,

Inside there's warm content,

A gratitude for loved ones,

And peace that's heaven-sent.

~ Louise Pugh Corder



At the End of the Tunnel

 

There's a light at the end of the tunnel,

So courage, faint of heart

And somewhere in the darkest night,

A place where shadows part.

There's always a way, though I may not

Be able to see it now

And someday I will gather up,

All Heaven will allow

 

There's a time of peace and plenty,

Though I struggle through today

And in His own good time, the Lord

Will take the hurt away,

For paradise is waiting,

Beyond my span of years,

And in the joy of loving,

I will not forget my tears.

 

There's a light at the end of the tunnel,

Though there are miles to go,

My Lord will not forsake me,

For He has told me so.

And "all that eye has never seen,

And ear has never heard,"

One day He will present to me,

...Who take Him at His word.

 

~ Grace E. Easley

 

...Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard,

neither have entered into the heart of man,

the things which God hath prepared

for them that love Him.

1 Cor. 2:9

Before the Dawn of Day

 

Oh may I seek Thee, Father, God,

Before the dawn of day;

That I might find, through eyes of faith,

All cobwebs swept away.

If I have failed, in evening hours,

To do Thy perfect will;

Oh may I, God, come morning light,

My mission to fulfill!

Oh help me fathom, Father, God,

Thy bounties all around;

That I not cease to praise Thy name,

My joy in Thee abounds!

May I recall a special morn

When darkened were the skies;

When mammoth stone was rolled away,

As tears filled Mary's eyes!

For she heard Jesus call her name,

As none had done before,

And thus, tho dawn had not appeared,

The skies were dark no more!

My Heavenly Father, tho as yet

No sunlight gilds the skies;

Oh may I, God, through joy in Thee,

Be blest in Thy dear eyes!

 

~ Sancie Earman King

 



Dear Friend...

 

Wait, reflect and pray, dear friend,

And Christ will give you love;

Reach out to Him Who brings you joy,

And blessings from above.

 

Wait, reflect and pray, dear friend,

And Christ will give you grade;

Come, tarry for a little while,

And rest in His embrace.

 

Wait, reflect and pray, dear friend,

And Christ will give you hope;

He'll help you strive to carry on,

And give you strength to cope.

 

Wait, reflect and pray, dear friend,

And Christ will give you life;

He'll be there ever by your side,

And take away your strife.

 

Wait, reflect and pray, dear friend,

And Christ will give you peace;

Remember Him when skies are dark,

And you will find release!

 

~ Hope C. Oberhelman

 

The Eagle

Come walk with me today

beneath God's bright blue sky,

See the eagle in the distance,

Ride the currents, gliding high.

Reaching upward, ever upward,

Almost disappear from view,

Then returning to her small ones

When the heat of day is through.

And I feel quite like the eagle

Flying high when all is well,

Never thinking of storms raging

In the sky and heart as well.

Your love is like the sun, my God,

That helps the eagle rise.

Without it in this world I know

We could never reach the sky.

We would always sit upon the rim,

And never dare to fly.

The valley then would be our home.

And happiness would die.

So always walk the world, my friend,

In the Sunshine of His love.

Don't sit upon the rim and dream,

Fly with eagles - high above.

~ Nancy Smith