Beholden to the Golden Leaves

Bright, golden leaves are all I need

To start my Autumn days;

Along the paths they lie in state

In season's grand displays,

But soon they're joined by reds and browns,

First scattered by faint breeze,

Then swirled by winds of hazy dawns

Which rustle through the trees.

November hints of dusty cool

As leaves blend lifelessly,

Mosaic of a hued demise

Which greets eternity.

December bids when come the snows

To blanket all scenes white;

I watch with sadness as the leaves

Are taken from my sight.

~ Henry W. Gurley

Each Day Is a Gift

I read this morning, "Each day is a gift;"

We should open it with prayer.

It may be the day which offers us hope;

To some, it will bring despair.

We know that life is not all roses;

The bush has many a thorn,

And each day will be full of surprises

From the moment we are born.

Today is the one we must live to the full

And not seek our own selfish desire.

Give the "Bread of Life" with every deed you do;

Warm the cold-hearted by your fire.

When he sun goes down and night grows dark,

Kneel again by your bed to pray.

If you failed in something, God always forgives,

And tomorrow will be a new day.

~ Elaine Fowser

Give us each day our

daily bread.

Luke 11:3

Home

A house can be a mansion

With a crystal chandelier,

But a home can be a cottage

With windows shining clear!

A house can be three stories

With a wide an curving stair,

But a home is warm and cozy,

With a worn-in easy chair!

It isn't space that makes a home,

Or elegant decor,

But love and trust that live within

And greet you at the door!

~ Ina Murray

The Power of Prayer

Gentle Savior, loving Lord,

Have mercy on Your child!

The waves are crashing overhead -

The wind is blowing wild.

I cannot see the light of day,

For darkness fell so fast;

No one can hear my cries for help

Above the stormy blast.

I'm reaching out to You, O God;

You are my only hope!

I can't hold out much longer,

And alone, I cannot cope.

Oh, send some sign that You are here

So I will not despair -

Give me reason to hold on...

And know You truly care.

 But wait, what's that I see in this dark night

That wasn't there before?

It looks to be a beacon bright,

Beckoning me to shore!

My fervent prayer was heard! Praise God!

My strength has been renewed.

I've seen the power of prayer,

And I know what I must do...

Follow the light back to the shore,

Never stray from its beam!

It is my one and only refuge,

And I see within its gleam...

A reflection on the billows

That tells me all's not lost,

For I see glowing upon the waves...

The outline of a cross.

~ Denise A. DeWald

The effectual fervent

prayer of a righteous

man availeth much.

James 5:16

Shepherd, Lead Us

We can go through life each day,

Deciding whom to trust...

Or we can lift our hearts to God

And let Him choose for us.

It's a matter of perception

And knowing how to pray...

God will never let us down

Or lead His sheep astray.

The road that's set before us

Is sometimes less than straight...

But God will guide us every day;

He knows which path to take.

A sheep can trust the Shepherd

To lead His flock to grace...

Trusting Him is all we need;

He's with us in this place.

~ Jill Lemming

I will appoint over you shepherds after

My own heart, who will shepherd you

wisely and prudently.

Jeremiah 3:15

Giving

"Give, Said the Little Stream..."

We sang long, long ago;

So little did I realize

The seeds this song had sown.

Seeds sown deep within my heart,

Concerning joys of giving;

Seeds that sprouted in bloom

And made my life worth living.

"Give, Said the Little Stream..."

I hear it echo still.

Though small, it made fields greener still

While hurrying down the hill.

Singing, singing on its way,

It kept on giving, giving;

May we, just like this little stream,

Make giving part of living.

~ Loise Pinkerton Fritz

Summer Days Beside the Sea

I strolled along the sandy beach

And breathed the salty air;

I watched the children as they shaped

Sand castles everywhere!

O'erhead, the sea gulls dipped and soared

'Cross skies of azure blue,

While in the distance I could see

A lonely sailboat, too.

I watched the tide roll in and out,

Bringing seashells by the score;

I stooped to gather them

And watched as lofty kites did soar.

It was a dreamy, carefree day

With troubles put to rest;

Those lazy days beside the sea

Most surely were the best!

I delight in fragrant flowers of Spring,

Fall and Winter scenes of yore,

But I enjoy the Summer days

Beside the sea much more.

~ Mary S. Chevalier

I Thank You, God

I thank You, God, for life and health

And love I have today,

For this great land of freedom,

And the privilege to pray.

I thank You for my home

And for my daily bread.

I thank You for the Bible,

From which my soul is fed.

I thank You for the gift of life

Through Jesus Christ, Your Son.

The loving sacrifice He made

Was made for everyone.

Help me accept the gifts You gave,

May my voice Your praises sing,

And may I with true thanksgiving

Seek Your will in everything.

~ Frances Culp Wolfe

Sing praise to the Lord,

you faithful; give thanks

to God's holy name.

Psalm 30:5

September's Door is Open

September's door is open,

It bids us enter in.

To Summer's month of August,

It is the next of kin.

Upon its floor, dew-tinted,

We view the harvest yield;

Apples, pumpkins, sweet corn

Upon September's fields.

September's door is open;

In hope and prayer we kneel

That we might know the blessings

Of this, His bountiful yield.

~ Loise Pinkerton Fritz

My Thank-You Prayer

When I lay down at night

Wondering what to pray,

I try to thank the Lord above

For whatever happened that day.

It could be a simple thing,

A bud upon a flower

Or perhaps some time to think,

A peaceful, quiet hour.

It might be that our humble home,

Small though it may be,

Was filled with joy and laughter

For everyone to see.

If it was unpleasant,

I thank Him anyway

For all the lessons learned

On that fateful day.

And when I'm done that night

With my thank-you prayer,

My heart is filled to overflowing

With all the love He shared.

~ Rebecca Sweeney

I thank You for You answered me;

You have been my Savior.

Psalm 118:21

If

If God can make a rainbow

And create a sky so blue,

Made in His own image,

There are things that we can do.

If God can make a rosebud

With fragrance sweet and rare,

We can spread joy and happiness

Here and everywhere.

If God can make a sturdy oak

To withstand any storm,

Then we can smile and overcome

When with grief we're torn.

If God could sacrifice His Son

To teach us how to love,

Then we can face most anything

With His strength from above.

~ Ruth Moyer Gilmour

He gives safety and support.

He sustains the mighty by

His strength, and His eyes

are on their way.

Job 24:23

In Your House

I love it in Your house, Lord,

Where I can be with You.

I know that You are with me,

No matter what I do.

And being here is special;

I feel Your presence here,

And I'm among Your people,

So beautiful and dear.

I come here to meet with You

And hear Your word so true.

Your spirit fills my heart

As I draw near to You.

You give me strength to endure

All that faces me each day.

I know that You are with me

And guide me on my way.

Thank You, Heavenly Father,

For the constant love You give.

I'll give You all the glory

Every day I shall live.

~ Dona M. Maroney

For the spirit of the Lord fills the

world, is all-embracing, and

knows what man says.

Wisdom 1:7

Spring Blessings

Spring unfolds her blessings

When wintertime is o'er,

And days that hold her miracles

Are just outside my door.

Spring unfolds her beauty

Hanging blossoms on the trees;

Flower garden begin to bloom

And perfume evenings' breeze.

Spring unfolds her magic

When songbirds start to sing,

For a multitude of blessings

God gives with His gift of Spring.

~ Nora M. Bozeman

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord

Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ

with every spiritual blessing in the heavens.

Ephesians 1:3

Look to Tomorrow

Each day you sit and ponder
The wrong that you've been dealt
Is a day that you're subtracting
From the future owed yourself.

Each day you shun your neighbor
Deprives you of the chance
To form a lasting friendship
Or invite a pleasing glance.

Life's too short to dwell on
The hurts that filled the past,
Bur should be spent on building
Happy memories that can last.

You can find sweet comfort knowing
That you've done your very best
To make your life worth sharing,
And to God can leave the rest.

~ Catherine Janssen Irwin

The Little Gifts of Cheer

I do not need a violin

To play a happy tune;

I only need a sunny day

To chase away my gloom.

The laughter of a little child,

A kitten dozing near,

Sweet birdsong in my apple tree

Can fill my heart with cheer.

A violet blooming on my sill,

Pink roses 'round my door,

A cup of tea shared with a friend -

What heart could wish for more?

Sometimes our gift of cheer is in

Something nice we do;

You cannot help someone without

It rubbing off on you.

Yet, often in our hurried pace

We cast these gifts away

Or trade them off for something new

To brighten up our day.

But I have come to know at last

What helps my heart so mile -

It's just the little gifts of cheer

That have the sweetest style.

~ Kay Hoffman

My Dream House

My house of dreams stands midst the pines

'Neath azure-laden skies.

A path of love about it winds,

Comforting to weary minds.

My little door, a knocker bears

Upon the snow-white wood.

The golden sun outshines all cares

That would grow there if they could.

My little garden blooming

With roses of red hue,

All the plants a-growing

Are loves's message from You.

My house of dreams stands midst the pines

'Neath the clear, starlit skies.

With evening's breath, I draw the blinds,

Keeping within love's lullabies.

~ Hazel K. Boyd

When cares increase within me,

Your comfort gives me joy.

Psalm 94:19

The Flower of Love

Within the garden of my heart

I planted a little seed;

The packet read: THE FLOWER OF LOVE

Of which each heart has need.

I sowed it very carefully,

Then breathed a little prayer

That it will grow till not a weed

Could find a mooring there.

~ Louise Pinkerton Fritz

Finding the Silver Lining



Our Lord of mercy? Yes, He is!
And more, a God of grace;
For there we find that extra goodness,
Wherein are blessings laced.

We get forgiveness at His cross;
Mercy then wraps us 'round -
But His love still yearns to give,
And there His grace is found!

To know the depths of His dear love
Eludes the human mind,
For all our trials are mixed with grace
And in the end we find...

That even trials show forth His grace,
God-givens or our refining,
For after they have worked our good -
We find their silver lining!

~ Lynn Fenimore Nuzzi

When you hearken to the voice of the
Lord, your God, all these blessings will
come upon you and overwhelm you.
Deuteronomy 28:2

Heartfelt

Oh violin, how sweetly

You soothe the pining soul.

How sweet is your dear melody.

How much the strings must know.

How pretty are the birds that sing,

Their music fills the air.

Just one other gift that gives

A present to the ear.

How overwhelming are the blooms

That paint the hills and sides,

The vines that climb the purple cliffs

Where hues and scents collide.

'Tis then the heart is flowing,

'Tis then the soul is free,

'Tis then the air is giddy

With Nature's majesty.

~ James Joseph Huesgen

Jesus Understands

My Savior knows my every need,

He notes the tears that fall;

He knows when sorrow overwhelms

And heeds my anguished call.

He cares when I am faint of heart

And hope is almost gone;

He understands my loneliness

As gray clouds hide the dawn.

'Tis then His nearness comforts me

In such a blessed way,

Assuring me He'll share my grief

And never from me stray.

Within the shelter of His arms

There's refuge from my fears,

As Jesus soothes my broken heart

And wipes away my tears.

His presence brings sweet peace to me,

His love becomes the light

That penetrates my troubled soul

And lifts the veil of night!

~ Beverly J. Anderson

Those who trust in Him shall

understand truth, and the

faithful shall abide with Him

in love: Because grace and

mercy are with His holy ones,

and His care is with the elect.

Wisdom 3:9

The River

Flowing along between its banks,
Unhurried and trouble free,
The river follows its guided course
And makes it way to the sea.

Each of us flows in a river of time,
Unhurried or rushed and complaining.
Wanting to do more than we possibly can,
Ever stressful and straining.

Too soon we appear before God's throne
And find in our rush to live
We rushes past chances of kindness and help
And chances to love and forgive.

Let us relax in the love of God
and notice opportunity
To see the Lord in those that we meet
And treat Him tenderly.

~ Margaret Peterson

May He rule from sea to
sea, from the river to the
ends of the earth.
Psalm 72:8

Keep My Eyes on You

When my neighbor lets me down,
As he will sometimes do,
Give me patience with him
And keep my eyes on You.

When a Winter's day seems dreary
And the sun is hiding, too,
When I begin to grumble and complain,
Lord, keep my eyes on You.

For through this world holds heartaches,
Tears and sorrows, too,
I have the strength to persevere
When I keep my eyes on You.

~ Connie J. Kirby

My "Pot of Gold"

Dear Lord, I come to thank Thee
For Your wonders from above,
The clear, blue sky, the green-leafed trees,
This wondrous land I love.

I see Your great creations
In lovely birds that sing,
And all the glories of this world,
And in every living thing.

The rainbow's hues as they appear
Against a sky of rain,
The pasteled clouds of pink and gold
Against the desert plains.

The mountains high, the still, cool glades,
The oceans as they roar...
These are the cherished things
That I am thankful for.

In Nature, You have worked
Creation to its best,
It lifts and feeds my spirit
And gives my very being rest.

But let me not forget
The most precious gift to me,
That "pot of gold" that is my soul,
That I offer up to Thee.

~ Phyllis Mellina

You are my God, I give You thanks;
my God, I offer You praise.
Psalm 118:28

Thank You

 

 Thank You, dear Father,

For so many things -

For babies and sunlight

And butterfly wings,

For snowflakes and seashells,

For hummingbirds, too,

Hot cups of coffee

And skies, clear and blue,

For laughter and giggles,

For kisses, so sweet,

Choirs of children,

Warm food to eat,

For family and loved ones,

The hug of a friend...

Dear Father, this list

Could run without end.

Your blessings are many,

I've barely begun,

But, dear Father, God,

Thank You most for Your Son,

That He came and He lived

From His throne high above

To tell of Your caring,

Your patience, Your love.

 

~ Bea Lotz

 

We thank You, God, we give thanks;

we call upon Your name, declare

Your wonderful deeds.

Psalm 75:2

 



Shed a Little Light Upon the Path

 

 Too many words are left unspoken.

Too many feelings seldom shared.

Too many hearts are left there, broken.

Too few told of God's great care.

Spread a little cheer today, my dear.

Shed a little light upon the path.

Cast a little joy about the earth -

Without unhappiness and wrath!

Share the gift of love God's given

That's bestowed on us from above!

Share the story of redemption -

And watch God's peace descending like a dove!

 

~ Verle Elizabeth Davis

 



Recipe for Living

 

A cup full of patience,

A portion of dreams,

A teaspoon of planning,

A few idle schemes,

A wee bit of thinking,

Some books of your own,

A serving of lectures,

A place to call home...

Some health is important,

A mixture of charms,

A spoon of persistence,

A heart soft and warm,

A faith in tomorrow,

A smile for today,

Believing and trusting

Each step of the way...

Some keen understanding,

A blue sky above,

A vision unequalled,

A heart full of love,

A serving of knowledge,

A questioning mind...

'Tis these that make up living,

All nicely combined.

 

~ Garnett Ann Schultz

 

Your understanding covered the

whole earth, and, like the sea,

filled it with knowledge.

Sirach 47:15

 



A Seed That's Sown With Love

 

A seed that's sown with love will bear

The sweetest fruit, they say,

And produce a solid harvest

One golden Autumn day.

 

It's said the rose remembers

The dust from which it came,

And every ear of ripening corn

Knows its Master's name.

 

The farmer tills the earth, it's true,

And he may work the sod,

But no one owns the earth -

It is a gift of God!

 

From Eden to the present,

God's blessings have been seen

Each time the snows have melted

And earth again turns green.

 

Like the lilies of the field,

We're creations from above,

Mere stewards in God's paradise,

Sowing seeds with love.

 

~ Clay Harrison

 



Thank the Lord

 

 Thank the Lord for little favors

That He does for you each day

That are gifts of grace and blessings

To endear your life and way;

He is ever, always, mindful

Of our recklessness and greed,

And the weakness of our spirit

And His need to intercede.

 

Thank Him, and be always grateful

At the end of every day

For the love and care He showed you

At your labors and your play,

And be ever, ever grateful

For His love, so proven true,

That awakens you each morning

And abides in all you do.

 

~ Michael Dubina

 



Shades of Autumn

 Autumn colors, unsurpassed,

Always disappear too fast;

Trees in ever-changing hues

Capture Fall's resplendent views.

October's brilliant scenery

Is an Autumn guarantee;

Tapestries beyond compare

Show off Fall's fantastic flair.

The beauty of the season flies,

Vanishing before my eyes;

As Autumn shades intertwine

Around snow-white Winter shine.

~ Nora M. Bozeman

Autumn's Falling Leaves

 The Autumn leaves are falling now

In places far and near,

A carnival of colors bright

Our hearts will e'er hold dear

I watch them whirl and twirl around

Like dancers at a ball

And wonder who will pick them up

When on the lawn they fall.

Small creatures come in playful moods

And scamper through the leaves

That children toss up in the air

From piles beneath the trees.

When evening comes, leaves heaped high,

We dine in campfire style;

Marshmallows toasted golden brown

Make all the work worthwhile.

Bright Autumn leaves are tumbling down,

So soon they disappear;

Mother Nature's way of telling us

Winter's drawing near.

~ Kay Hoffman