Filled

Filled with the fulness of Jesus today—

That is the longing for which I now pray.

Oh to be filled up my Savior with Thee,

Come Holy Spirit, and please fill up me!

Fill me with wisdom, with patience, and love,

Bless me I pray, with all gifts from above!

Make me a blessing to those at my side,

In all I do Father, please be my Guide.

Guard me from harming or hurting a soul,

Rather to help and give hope is my goal.

Use me or not as Your purpose shall be,

Only my God, with Your Spirit fill me!

Morning Prayer

Make me Lord, a sunbeam,

A little ray of light

Doing everything I can,

To make my corner bright

Polish please, the mirror,

That should reflect your face

Making Jesus clearer,

In this, my lowly place

Turn my eyes to Jesus,

Full, enfaced to Him

No one, or thing distracting,

To make the picture dim

Let me die this morning,

That Christ alone might be

Living, shining, serving,

In little sunbeam me!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The sun that shines upon the earth;

The wonder of a baby’s birth;

The moon that radiates at night;

With stars that shine a brilliant light;

The showers that refresh the land;

The plant and bud on every hand;

The lofty trees with mighty roots;

The shrubs and vines and tiny shoots;

The waving grain and great blue sky;

The harvest time with its supply;

The spring and summer, cold and snow—

Declare a thing, a message show

They speak of a Creator’s love,

And show a Father’s heart above

They tell of He who holds our days,

And guards our very path and ways

The sense of sight, and touch, and smell;

The workings of the human cell;

The steady beating of the heart;

The complexity of every part;

The bounties on our table spread,

Or water with a little bread;

And that which for the soul we gain—

The Bread from Him that will sustain—

The Sabbath with its joyful rest,

Of which we are so richly blessed;

And then the Gift of gifts, the One

Whose glory outshines star and sun;

These things continually retell,

That God above does all things well

They show a love surpassing thought,

In all these gifts displayed and wrought

Continually the evidence,

Of our God’s benevolence, 

Tells His love and sings His praise—

Then why not our thanksgiving raise?

If you were wearing Solomon's shoes...

If you were wearing Solomon’s shoes

What would you want? What would you choose?

If bright this morning, on your knees,

The Lord has asked you what you please

Would you have asked for wealth or fame? 

Or for a well-respected name?

Would you have asked a pleasant life—

Devoid of challenge, strain, or strife?

Would you have wanted something good

That still was not the best you could?

A life of ease or longer days?

Or human words of love and praise?

Or maybe skill for some nice task—

Would that be what you’d want and ask?

To sing like birds...or speak like gold

Or gain a talent yet untold...

Let not the good supplant the best.

For those who ask will still be blessed

When they delight themselves in Him,

Whose choicest blessings never dim

For God “will give that which is good”

And if this thing we understood,

We’d trust the plan He had in mind

And crave each gift that He designed 

We’d want to want what He would choose,

No matter what we’d gain or lose

For just as Solomon gained more

In seeking wisdom from God’s store

When we will seek Him first and best,

Then can be added all the rest,

For such will have it’s proper place,

When far eclipsed by Jesus’ face!

Stay Close to the Light

Stay close to the Light,

And follow His lead,

Because in the night,

His guidance we need

Stay close to the Light,

When questions arise,

The way, truth, the right,

May come as surprise

Stay close to the Light,

-Our Savior and Friend-

Or wander we might,

In tide or in trend

Stay close to the Light,

For safe is His way,

His lamp, it is bright,

While near it we stay

Stay close to the Light,

Yet, faith must still grow

In trusting His sight

For what we don't know

Stay close, my dear friend, to the Light!

Trust

Could we peel away the sky,

Could we answer every "Why",

Could we plumb the waters deep or ocean wide

Could we look into the realm

Of the waves that overwhelm, 

Or explain the ebb and flow of lunar tide

Could we answer every doubt,

And describe our total route,

Could we map our lives from genesis and on

Could we always, fully know,

Would we ever fully grow,

In the faith that sees at night the morning dawn? 

For the faith that has it's sight,

And is strengthened with the night,

When tested, proved, comes forth a brighter gold

Through days of darkness now,

With trusting we can bow,

And with thanks, commit to Him what's yet untold!

The Potter's Plans

I know that there are those anticipating my blogged updates from the other side of the planet and the other hemisphere...but I am still north of the equator, this side of the pond. Nevertheless it is due that this dusty blog come out of the coma it went into when yours truly plunged into the deep end of nursing school.

God does not see as humanity sees. (Amen?!) He doesn't plan like us either. Why would you? If your vision was not limited to time and space, and your plans had creative power, why formulate any idea only within the box of here and now? It wouldn't make sense. After all, what kind of plans would we devise?

What kind of plans would we devise,

Who have but mortal minds and eyes?

Who cannot see the greater scheme,

Nor conjure an immortal dream?

How would we plan from day to day

(When we cannot discern the way

That circumstances often take)

And not be left to our mistake?

Whose thoughts can think beyond this realm?

Whose arm can handle his own helm?

Whose goals are broad enough or high 

As His whose stars still trace the sky?

Could we record the sands of earth?

Or figure out the code of birth?

Could we design our very breath?

Or somehow stop the work of death?

Then how do we suppose we may,

Now orchestrate ourselves our way

And from a human point of view

Contrive a life that's worth debut?

How can we think that if we could,

We'd work things out just as they should,

Preventing all the bumps and rain,

And getting all we reckon gain? 

Do we forget that One whose heart

Has held us from the very start,

Whose fingers fashioned us -the clay,

Is also Potter of each day?

Do we now think that in His hands

Our life's in danger at His plans?

When every turn the Potter makes

Produces what He undertakes?

This is the One who's Authored life,

Who knows the controversies' strife,

Who walked this earth in Heaven's will,

From manger to Golgotha's hill

This is the One whose love would dare,

Almighty bonds to cut and tare,

And God from God Himself to break,

In my behalf, for His love's sake

Then how can we not trust to Him:

The future which we see so dim;

The turns beyond finite repeal;

When they are of the Potter's wheel?

And can we not discern and tell,

That He who "doeth all things well",

Does not forget His chosen clay, 

But purposely leaves it to lay?

That through each change the Potter's hand,

May work out that which He had planned

And one day to His Father bring,

A vessel fit to serve the King.

God's Success

Dying to live, giving to have, surrender to conquer, and choosing to leave the choice with God are all part of that life that measures with the life of God... the life of human failure that allows God to succeed. Such a life can be rightly called an ultimate success, because it is not human success. It is a success of the power of Heavenly transformation. 

Our usefulness and destiny 
Depend not on our birth,
And beauty is no guarantee
Of what a life is worth.

The genius, or the master mind,
Speak not of moral weight.
Too often those of brilliance find
They've learned it far too late.



It isn't chance or incident
That tells us who we are.
One failure does not represent
Our aptitude and par.

It's rather in the daily choice
That we can see our make,
Our habits tell with candid voice
If we're a fraud or fake.



But even habits can be changed
And molded by our Lord.
Our filthiness can be exchanged—
His heart in us restored.

It's work that only He can do—
To carve in us His face.
Each blow is shaping us anew,
Each stroke another grace.

He will not strike us needlessly,
He knows our feeble frame,
And how to make us fully free
Of sin and all its shame.



So no it isn't prettiness
That makes a girl like gold,
Nor is in strength the manliness
That makes his worth untold.

But in yielding up the will,
Despite the cost and pain,
Is found the one essential skill
For true success and gain.

Obstacles

It's obstacles that make you strong,
And not that helping hand
It's difficulties all along,
That give you strength to stand

Those hard responsibilities,
That conflict or rebuff,
Those things that take from life it's ease,
It's these that make you tough

So challenges are not that bad—
They're blessings in disguise
So when you face them don't be sad,
For they will make you wise!

Sensing His Presence...

I have liked this quote for a long time, and I thought it would be nice to make it a rhyme. :)

"Only the sense of God's presence can banish the fear that, for the timid child, would make life a burden...Let him read that wonderful story of Elisha in the mountain city, and, between him and the hosts of armed foemen, a mighty encircling band of heavenly angels. Let him read how to Peter, in prison and condemned to death, God's angel appeared... Let him read of that scene on the sea, when to the tempest-tossed soldiers and seamen, worn with labor and watching and long fasting, Paul the prisoner, on his way to trial and execution, spoke those grand words of courage and hope: “Be of good cheer....

These things were not written merely that we might read and wonder, but that the same faith which wrought in God's servants of old might work in us. In no less marked a manner than He wrought then will He work now wherever there are hearts of faith to be channels of His power." Child Guidance pg. 42-43.

Only the sense of God's comfort and presence
Can banish the fear of the timid and shy,
That knowledge alone to them is a defense,
Removing fear's burden that grows up so high

Let them remember the angel from heaven
Who camps round about all the children of Light,
Let them remember the promise that's given—
He's there to deliver them by day or night

Let them reread of that wilderness prophet
Who was with his servant behind Dothan's gate,
Though horses and forces surrounded them, yet,
God's army was bigger, the Scriptures relate

Let them review how from heaven to Peter,
Though chained, and though guarded, and deep in his cell,
Was sent a strong angel, to safely deliver
The servant of God from that dark citadel

And then there's the scene on the tempest tossed sea,
Of Paul telling sailers to 'Be of good cheer',
Revealing to them and to us heaven's key
For weathering storms and for conquering fear

You see, God had spoken a word unto Paul
That there would not even be one loss of life,
And so when in fear on God's promise we fall,
We'll find safe at last a strong tower in strife

Whenever, wherever we become afraid
We have but to turn to the Tower of Christ,
For faith cast upon Him cannot be betrayed
Nor trust at all placed on His Word sacrificed!

God's Detours

When traveling the paths of earth,

The road may often turn

But it’s God’s timing we unearth,

If we His ways will learn

Often looking as we do,

His trail seems drab and plain,

When where we’d planned to travel through

Seems better ground to gain

We see the beauty that we think

Will make our route so bright,

And fail to note the rose or pink

That blooms the more at night

We think it not the quickest way

To get right to our goal,

But God’s detours will repay

A wealth into the soul

At first the scen’ry may not charm

His way appear quite bleak,

But Heaven knoweth every harm

From which to guard the meek

And when we turn into His will

And give up on our own,

More than our dreams He’ll fulfill

For in us His are sown

One day our eyes will see above

And understand His ways,

And for the detours of love

We’ll lift our hearts in praise

So now my friends, when corners come

Do not give place to gloom,

For it is in God’s detours

That His promises will bloom.

Every word

Do you have a burden you can't carry?

Do you have a sorrow you can't bare?

Look to Jesus, not your adversary,

Even sparrows do not lack His care

Do your problems rise up like the mountains?

Do your questions seem to never cease?

Rest your case beneath the living fountains

For they overflow with heaven's peace

When your daytime seems as black as midnight,

When you cannot see a way to go,

Turn to Him who's brighter than the sunlight

In His time your pathway He will show

::Refrain::

Trust in Him, whose goodness changes never

Take His word in calmness or in storm

Every promise given, stands forever

Every word He's able to perform

God Rules Above

Though most of the time spent near this little garden was full of very wearying pursuits, the pictures paint portraits of peaceful moments spent in the garden. How often are we very near to the garden, but not there, still not with the Gardener. Those moments with Him are better than the "necessities" of life. The word is life to those that find it. Burdens lighten, stresses dissolve, for humanity can see that there is One who orders the affairs of men. One who orders things right. 

God rules above.

Why be anxious oh my soul?

God rules above.

And He holds supreme control,

Yet reigns in love.

For the times when all seems grim,

Let us only look to Him,

And those troubles will grow dim,

God rules above.

Circumstances may look bleak,

But trust His hand

For He leadeth still the meek,

To better land.

All we have may be too small,

But 'tis then we must recall,

That One ruleth overall,

God rules above.

When confusion weighs the mind

Which way to go,

When the eyesight seems so blind

It cannot know,

Then on bended knee behold,

As our Guide will there unfold,

All the map that we can hold,

God rules above.

Sonshine & Shadow

Let praise and thanksgiving

Resound to the One

Who knows no misgiving

Through shadow or sun

He giveth and taketh,

But blessed is He

Who never forsaketh,

Though dark the day be

His ear is not deafened,

His hand is not tied,

His grace will extend

To the soul that is tried

At dusk don't forget this-

God's honor and name

Are staked on the promise

That He is the Same

He's proven His faithfulness

In days of old,

So let us have thankfulness

For what He'll unfold

Then lift up your head

To the clouds in the sky,

For our Father has said

All our needs, He'll supply

And though troubles gather

Like vultures of prey,

Remember our Brother

Has passed by this way

He knows what we'll take

To become purest gold,

And our hearts He will make

To His character mould

Then rest in the promise

Of Him who is true,

For He is still working 

In me and in you

And when on the shore

Of eternity's page,

We'll see all before

In the light of the age

And cast crown and praise

At the foot of His throne,

For through those dark days

He has made us His own.

In spite of night...

No encouragement here to sing more than you pray. But simply put, when your songs are prayers, by all means sing them. 

You see, there is a power in relying, allying, and complying with Omnipotence that sets the heart at peace. And from that peace, we can sing. 

Duty may call perpendicular to desire. Shadows may seek to claim the sunbeams.

But in the gathering dusk, let me tell you there is power in praise…

...to bring peace and delight in spite of the night. When you’d rather be between cotton and quilt, or when you’d rather see the dawn. 

When shadows cross your road,

Sing a song.

When heavy weighs your load,

Sing a song.

When darkness presses round,

Let the praise to God abound,

And thanksgiving then resound,

Sing a song.

When duty's call is hard,

Sing a song.

When from the battle scarred,

Sing a song.

For the Lord is on His throne,

Still He careth for His own,

And my friend, you're not alone,

Sing a song.