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