Tuesday May 31 2016  A DIFFERENT KIND OF DAY

As I sit writing these words I am in a private pre-op room and my youngest grandson has just been wheeled away to go into surgery.  Mom was by his side.  Xander is having his adenoids removed and new tubes placed in his eardrums.  Courtland is on a previously planned field trip with the oldest son and did not want to disappointment him by cancelling, so I joined in to be with our daughter in law during the waiting vigil.  Not a serious or long surgery by any means but just knowing your child is going under the knife and anesthesia is enough to be concerned about.  Amy just returned and the clock is ticking as we wait to be called into the recovery room.  We sit side by side, both working on our laptops, making the most of this next hour.  A bit of a different kind of day, but hey, if you have your computer with you, no time is lost.

I am still practicing the “simpler life” and trying not to jam too much into one day but sometimes days like today just happen.  It was only brought to my attention on Sunday that Amy would be waiting alone and I asked if I could be her support system for these few hours.  I was happy that she said yes as I know I would not want to do it alone.  However, I also have a long-standing hair appointment today that I must go to.  I probably will not be here when the little guy comes out of his anesthesia but at least Amy was not alone for the entire day.

So, to make my life simper today I decided to write my blog while here in order to kill two birds with one stone, so to speak.  And now we have been told that he is out of surgery and everything went well.  We will be going back quite soon to see him in recovery so I will need to finish this later.

LATER

I was able to stay long enough to spend a few moments with him in recovery and give him a kiss, then had to leave to arrive at the barber shop on time.  Yes, I go to a barber!

My hair is cut, I’ve had dinner, and now I am back.  As it is getting late I will write a poem and bid my farewell.

AN UNPLANNED DAY

By Kathleen Martens

May 31, 2016

When I have days not planned

Less of me they seem to demand.

I go with the flow and role with the punches,

And ad-lib with my best hunches.

And somehow the day works out fine,

And seems to be less confined.

I’ve no expectations to live up to,

So I never mind having a few.

And so it was this fine day

I had the chance to color and play.

Being with those I love is never a chore,

And even the four year old is never a bore.

And it’s always nice to be needed

For whatever it is that needs heeded.

For often it just takes giving time,

To allow someone else to feel sublime.

And really it was me who came out on top,

As I gave all the kisses which I brought.

And I received love from my little grandson,

On this unplanned day it was me who won!

HAVE A WONDERFUL EVENING.  GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU!

Monday May 30 2016  THE SIMPLER LIFE

The synonyms of EXPERIMENT are:  “trial, test, research, experimentation, testing, and try out”.  So that is what I am planning to do.  I am going to “try out” a new way of life for me.  It will be somewhat of an experimentation with a way of life that I have longed for in the past.  I’ve experimented with it but could never get it to stick for long due to extenuating circumstances.  Well, those circumstances are not a hindrance any longer, so perhaps now is the time to try it out again.  My motivation may be that I want to do it on my terms and not wait until it is thrust upon me because I have no other choice.

My desire is to simplify my life.  Dave is on board with this also.  I also believe I am being prompted by God to do so.  When I first began sorting I was a bit hesitant about what to part with.  For some reason it is becoming easier as the days and weeks fly by.  I have asked God to prepare my heart and help me and it seems that is happening.  Prior to this time in my life my biggest threat to the simpler life was the fact that I needed to work.  Now that period of my life is over (forever I hope) and I must again look forward and project where I want to be next year, as well as in five years and beyond.  “Younger” would be my first hope, but since that is not about to happen I must prepare for my future.  And both Dave and I want our future to be less encumbered by what we have collected throughout our past.  And we both have the goal to slow down, living life in the slower lane so to speak. 

And so today I started by taking it a bit easier on this Memorial Day.  Yesterday I wrote about my reflections on what Memorial Day signifies to me.  Today I thanked God again for our brave men and women throughout the years and thanked God for the privilege of living in a free country.   I try to never take that for granted.

I was awake quite early and Dave wanted to sleep longer so I slipped outside in my house robe to enjoy the early morning crispness.  We live on a quiet cul de sac with only three other houses so we don’t have much traffic, especially not early in the morning.  I can’t tell you how refreshing it was to step outside after a night rain and just inhale the aroma from the fragrant damp earth.  I wish I had my IPhone with me so I could have taken some photos.  The lighting was so beautiful. 

My first inclination was to go back into the house and start working or go to the gym to work out.  I couldn’t pull myself away from the calming effect of such an awesome morning.  I brought my fresh peach and strawberry breakfast outside and munched on my fruit and boiled egg over the next hour.  During that time I fertilized all my recently planted pots, pulled several hidden patches of weeds, walked the perimeter of our home, and then ended my quiet interlude by pulling up more weeds by the roots.  The rain softened earth was perfect for weeding.  I especially wanted to annihilate  the weeds that were blooming that would soon spill their seeds.  We can get two or three crops of weeds each summer if we are not diligent to tackle them before they go to seed.  When you live in the woods weeds are king!  The woods thinks the weeds are just part of the family, but we soon find out that they can overtake a perennial garden all too quickly if left unabated.  “The Simpler Life” might someday mean moving to a different location.  The Lord will prepare us when that time comes.

I finally came back inside and decided to spend some time with the Lord and do my journaling.  My first written words were “Awesome Day!”  And I felt the Lord prompting me that that was the title of my poem.  And so it was.  This is what I received.

AWESOME DAY!

By Kathleen Martens

May 30, 2016

Summer rain through the night,

Fresh new earth in the light.

Glistening droplets cling to grass

Like gleaming shards of colored glass.

Cool and wet the fragrance lifts,

Offering rich, and abundant gifts.

In ecstasy of morning sun,

In lightening shadows the Fairies run.

With morning’s glory darkness erased

Highlighting raindrops in delicate lace

Clinging to a spider’s web,

Becoming more vibrant as darkness ebbed.

My world is birthed in brilliant wonder

From midnight downpour with sound of thunder.

The earth drinks greedily last night’s rain,

To offer beauty, its goal and aim.

The splendor of the flowers that grow,

And all the crops the farmers sow,

And thirsty trees thankfully drink,

As dancing leaves like glitter wink.

The birds are singing, delighted with worms

That crawl upward, and from soil squirm.

Energetic squirrels delight in frolic

In grassy areas so bucolic.

The world awakens as if in praise,

For the spectacular gift, of such an AWESOME DAY!

Thank You God for creating a new day.

Thank You Lord for the gift of life.

Thank You Father for the two butterflies I saw today.

Thank You Lord for your protection over our children and grandchildren and grand-dogs.

Thank You Lord for who You are.

GOD BLESS YOU ON THIS AWESOME MEMORIAL DAY. 

Sunday Sabbath May 29 2016  THANK YOU

THANK YOU

By Kathleen Martens

May 29 2016

It seems my words escape me

For I am thinking about tomorrow.

A day of quiet remembrance

That holds so much sorrow.

A time to remember the people

Who have served in our armed forces.

Fighting for justice and freedom

In bombers, on foot, and on horses.

Valiant men and women

Who gave their life for mine

Who had no reason of their own

To be warring on front lines.

They gave their all that you and I

Would live on a safer earth,

That freedom would continue to thrive,

Of which the world seems dearth.

How can I say thank you       

To the brave who walked ahead,

Knowing that the outcome

Would leave so many dead?

In seemingly senseless battles

So many lives were lost.

Do we ever stop and pause to think

How immense was the cost?

The grief and pain of those

Who were left behind to morn,

For their sons and daughters,

And grandchildren never born.

As well as husbands and fathers

Who left wives in deep grief,

Left to comfort little children

Who could not find relief.

All for what we may ask?

Why did so many have to die?

And so many others came back broken

Who fought for you and I?

What words can express our gratitude

To live in a country that is free?

Because someone we didn’t know,

Fought for you and me?

Be thankful for every freedom

Our government has not yet taken away.

Remember so many gave their lives

So in freedom we live today.

I honor these men and women

Who walked the horrors of war

Hoping to end the war of all wars

And that there would not be any more.

But alas, it seems not to be,

Because hatred is actually taught

From one generation to the next

The venom seems to be caught.

And so for those still on the front

You have my loyalty and great respect.

I thank you for serving in our armed forces,

And I will always honor our vets.

Thank You God that regardless what is going on in this world You are in charge.

Thank You Lord that I live in a free country.

Thank You God for all the men and women who have fought for our country’s freedom.

Thank You that I am free to write the words I just wrote.

I GIVE MY THANKS TO ALL WHO HAVE SERVED IN OUR ARMED FORCES!

MAY GOD BLESS YOU AND YOUR FAMILY

Saturday May 28 2016  THE FEATHER PILLOW

Years ago I heard a sermon with a verbal illustration that has since stayed with me.  I will share it with you.

There was a woman who lived in a small town who was quite a gossip.  She was constantly on the phone exclaiming to her friends “have you heard this” or “have you heard that so and so…”.  Most of the stores she told were embroidered with false facts to make them sound more interesting.  She caused great damage between relationships of the town’s people.  Stories she had spread about acquaintances, church friends and relatives caused irreparable heartache. 

After an especially dismal aftermath of one such gossiping episode she realized she had caused great harm to others through her lies and gossip.  With much remorse and heart-searching she understood that what she had done was wrong and that she had hurt the reputation of many.  She went to the Pastor at her church for counsel and confessed her sin of gossiping.  She promised the Pastor that she would never do it again and asked the Pastor what she could do to make amends.

The Pastor told her he wanted to take her someplace but he first had to get something.  He came back with a large bag.  The two left together and walked through town to the tall train trestle that passed overhead at the end of the road.  The blustery wind was strong when they walked to the top of the overpass.  They hiked down the train tracks where they could overlook the town.  The minister opened the large bag, took out a big fluffy pillow filled with feathers and snipped open one entire end of the pillow.  He took out handfuls of feathers and the woman watched him with a quizzical look on her face.  He then shook the pillow tick until it was empty.  Together they stood on the overpass and watched as the wind lifted the feathers high into the sky, swirling them in all directions.  As the feathers drifted further and further away, some landing, some disappearing in the current of the wind, he turned to the woman.  These are the words he spoke to her: “Now go and collect each feather and bring it back to the pillow so we can make the pillow whole again.”  She exclaimed, “It is not possible to do such a feat”.  “So it is with the lies you spoke.  You can never make amends nor take back what was lost due to all the pain you caused”, he told her.

That story really had a great influence on my life.  I hope it will do the same for others who hear it.   Whether you are one to gossip or not, it is always good to remember that God tells us in His Word that we are not to gossip.  Our words are to be like apples of gold in settings of silver.  The poem following was actually written earlier today before I wrote the blog.  I wrote the blog because of the poem and also because I awoke this morning thinking about the story of the feather pillow.

LIKE APPLES OF GOLD

By Kathleen Martens

May 28, 2016

Lord, let the words

that I speak

Be filled with wisdom

Which others seek.

Guard my heart,

The wellspring of life.

Because out of my heart

Speaks peace or strife.

Allow my tongue

To speak words that are pure.

Words of truth

That are spoken sure.

I pray I speak love

In all my speech,

And Your love is felt

To all whom I teach.

Give me discernment

My mouth to close,

That I keep my allies

And not make foes.

When I’m with friends

Help me swallow words

When I’m about to say

What shouldn’t be heard.

And protect me Lord

From speaking gossip to others

That I never slander

My sisters or brothers.

Teach me to articulate

In voice refined,

That my words are like apples of gold,

And always kind.

God thank You for all the stories and words that I have heard that have helped me develop and grow in my journey of life.

Thank You Lord that I can speak.

Thank You for Your Holy Word.

Thank You Jesus that You ARE THE WORD.

Thank You too for directing me to finish cleaning out my office.  I LOVE IT!

And Lord, I LOVE YOU MOST OF ALL!

HAVE A GREAT SATURDAY AND AN EVEN MORE SPECTACULAR SUNDAY SABBATH!

Friday May 27 2016  HOW DOES YOUR GARDEN GROW?

We have an infestation of a very beautiful plant.  It’s beauty was what actually caused the problem in the first place.  At the time I was unaware that it would become a nightmare. 

A few years ago a tall leafy plant grew behind our little red house.  Some bloomed white, others lavender, and the third variety a deep rich purple.  How beautiful they looked in the yard.  When the seed heads were ripe I cut a few flowers and carried them to various areas and shook the seeds from their pods.   When the plants grow the first year they do not bloom.  They put all their energy into the soil creating strong root structures for a better chance of survival.  The next year there was a scattering of blossoms and this year they are profuse.  The blooms are beautiful, but extremely detrimental to the natural habitat of the woods.

What I didn’t realize was that these flowers are not native to our area and are very invasive to the plants that live here.  If left to their own devices this plant called which called “dame’s rocket” will annihilate the natural wild flowers that live in the woods.  Most of the plants are congregated around the perimeter of the yard and in the woods and look so beautiful as they wage their silent, deadly war.  The new growth plants cover the forest floor like a tight knit cap and squeeze out other plants from growing.  Our neighbor John has been helping us get rid of them by blow torching the ground cover.  This method of eradication only works on the first year growth. There are hundreds of them.  Dave is now going around and pulling up by the roots the ones that are blooming.  If we can just get the ones out of the woods that are blooming we can stop their generation of reproducing.  It is a relentless battle.   But, they certainly look beautiful and lovely.

I sometimes think that what is happening in our woods can also take place in our lives.  I have inside me what I refer to as “the garden of my heart”.  It is where I plant seeds of new ideas, its the place where habits are formed, and where I prepare myself for the day.  Often times seeds crop up that shouldn’t have been planted and eventually get out of hand.  It is perhaps where I bury the pains, sorrows, and unforgiveness of my past, as well as ongoing bruises of being hurt by other people.  It is also the place where I go when I desire to be with God. 

I have found over the years that the garden of my heart needs a bit of cultivating and grooming along the way or it gets overgrown and neglected.  I must be careful what I let go to seed, lest desires and thoughts not pleasing to God are left rampant to multiply.  And it is always a bit more work to get my garden under control again than what it takes to just tend it along the way.  My garden is my own secret place, as well as the place I invite God to be. 

Dave is out working in the back “forty” tending to this garden of weeds so that it will not kill and destroy the beauty of the woods.  This morning during my quiet time with the Lord I received a poem in reference to the garden of my heart.  That is what brought to my mind how we must be serious about guarding our hearts from the evils of the world.  Just one seed can cause generations of damage.  How is your garden growing?

THE GARDEN OF MY HEART

By Kathleen Martens

May 27, 2016

The garden of my heart,

Is it full of weeds?

Do I tend daily

To its pruning and its needs?

As I walk in the path

Do I behold God’s glory?

Is my harvest plentiful,

Or through debris must I forage?

In the garden of my heart

Are my paths strewn with waste?

Do I refrain from tender care

In my busyness and haste?

For just as earth’s flowers grow

With cultivation and tender care,

So with the flowers in my heart

A dose of love I too must share.

What I plant is what will grow.

When I give I will receive.

And if I nourish integrity and grace

My harvest will not deceive.

When I water and promote

Kindness, beauty and trust,

My coffers will be filled

With righteousness, not lust.

And when I share with others

The flowers in full bloom,

God just makes my garden bigger

So my planting will have more room.

In the garden of my heart

Is the place I dwell with God,

Where He girds my waist with truth,

Where with peace my feet are shod.

For in my heart I am growing

The fruits that are yet to come.

And in the garden of my heart

I become more like God’s Son.

Father, thank You for Your glory that grows round about.

Thank You Lord for Your Word that teaches me how to prune my inner garden.

Thank You Lord for teaching me how to live in each moment and not to be in a hurry.

Thank You Jesus for all the love You shower upon my garden.

Thank You God for continuing education in the subjects of Integrity and Grace.

Thank You too that Your righteousness shines like sunshine on all I grow in my garden.

Thank You for allowing me to share what You have taught me during our garden time.

And Lord, I pray that my garden will continually be a place for Your Spirit to dwell.  I am so blessed that You are continually nurturing me, removing the weeds and waste, and providing me with your living water so that I can become more like You.

GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS ALL OF YOU. 

Thursday May 26 2016  SMART PHONES, CAN’T LIVE WITH THEM, CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT THEM

Sometimes when you least expect it you meet someone that you seem to connect with.  I met a lady (in the true sense of the word) today at Costco.  We began a casual conversation and after a few moments I realized the longer I talked with her the more I enjoyed talking with her.  She was delightful to speak with and she had a husband with the patience of a saint.  Her husband was just as refreshing as she was.  I felt very blessed to have met up with this couple and I truly hope to meet them again.  We parted ways and I left her with my name and blog address as well as my email address.  I do not take information from those I meet because I do not want them to feel threatened that “that stranger lady they met at Costco” is going to call them when they least expect it.

The world has become a smaller place over the years with our jet travel, instant messaging, facetime and all the other instant media available today.  As the world has become smaller, our relationships seem to have become wider apart.  Very rarely do people stop for conversations (especially with a total stranger you might meet at Costco).  And it seems just as rare to see families and friends conversing much anymore as they sit around a table.  Each person is zoomed in on what they hold in their hands.  Yep!  The smart phone!  Sit back, take your eyes off your phone and just watch what almost everyone around you is doing, especially in public places like airports, restaurants, on mass transit, or even when walking across the streets.  Well, recently I stopped and took notice of what Dave and I were doing at our own dinner table.  You got it!  We were both on our phones, each ensconced in our own little world, reading articles that caught our attention, or texting.  Not much conversation going on.  I’m guilty.  I’ll admit to that.  Dave only started reading his phone at the table after I began the despicable habit.  And that is when I decided that I don’t want our nucleus family to become casualties of mass media.

Just because “everyone else is doing it” doesn’t make it okay.  But then again, that is just my opinion and no one has really asked for it.  All I can do is to take steps to change my behavior.  So I have decided to put my time-stealer away.  I listen while on equipment at the gym.  I proof my blog on the IPhone screen because I can better catch mistakes.  I have gone through all my unsolicited emails and UNSUBSCRIBED.  That has helped tremendously in cutting back on all the “interesting” topics that pop up.  And I know this topic doesn’t make much sense, me being a blog writer.  The difference is, I invite those who are interested, to read it without sending email reminders everyday to read my blog.  Nor do I send my webpage to anyone to clutter up their inbox.  If someone wants to follow my blog that is fine but I never want it to become annoying. 

So just what am I going to do to change my habits?  I have chosen to have the phone with me when I am away from home in case of an emergency.  I make very few, if any, personal calls from my cell.  I check my phone in the morning and again at night before I go to bed, and I am being more discretionary when I take photos.  I will not use it at the table and if I am around people I will put it away.  Even if all I do is sit in the room and watch them twiddle their thumbs.  Anything that becomes as important as my Iphone I see as an idol in my life.  If it steals my time when I could be doing something constructive, or helping someone else, it is no longer a tool but an intruder.  Each one of us must choose what is best for our own lifestyle.  All I want to do is to continue HAVING a life; real conversations, personal relationships, time with friends, or even just more time alone accomplishing the goals I have.  I would also like to spend more time being available to do what God has called me to do, by reaching out to other people.  I crave relationships much more than I crave what an IPhone can do for me.

Following is the poem I wrote early this morning without a clue as to what my blog topic would be.  I didn’t even remember what I wrote until I just read it over again.  I think it goes well with this blog today because it is where my heart is.  My poem will also be “MY THANK YOU’S”.

AS YOU BECKON ME COME

By Kathleen Martens

May 26, 2016

Thank You Lord

For always listening.

With sunshine heart

My joy is glistening.

So good to know

You’re always there

And waiting patiently

Your time to share.

Thank You Father

For holding me close,

Your arms around me

Dispelling my woes.

Thank You for grandeur

Of beautiful sky

As well as for wings

Of a butterfly.

So much You offer

For my pleasure.

Living in the moment

My sweetest treasure.

Thank You Lord

For miraculous designs

Of dazzling sunsets

Amidst swirling lines.

And the feel of grass

Between my toes

After a summer rain

Comes and goes.

And fragrances too

That waft on the breeze,

All the magical moments

For me to seize.

But most of all

You love the best,

As You beckon me come

Into Your rest.

GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU!

Wednesday May 25 2016  CULTIVATE NEATNESS

It took longer than I thought it would, however I finished what I began yesterday and now feel quite proud of what I have accomplished.  One of the first jobs I tackled when I began downsizing “stuff” was to tackle my office.  There was a lot of work related material I disposed of, gleaned my files, handed over to Dave all the records I need to keep for tax purposes for the next 7 years, and never did really finish the final purging.  My office is continually a work in progress and thus can get out of hand easily when it is too cluttered.  Being a work in progress it seemed as if I could never get it organized and it was driving me bonkers. 

At the end of my prayer time yesterday I asked God what it was I was to accomplish next.  I sat for a few seconds and felt I was to open up a book in front of me and read the page.  When I receive those urges I  open at the bookmark.  These are the words my eyes immediately fell on, “Work in a comfortable, efficient space”.  The bullet points of the section were:  “Cultivate neatness”, “Add yourself to the environment”, and “Ask for improvements”.   I then knew where the Lord was directing me to begin my day’s task.

I already realized my workplace was not comfortable or efficient in its present condition.  I definitely needed to cultivate neatness in order to make it a more efficient workspace. The only improvements I needed was to fine-tune what I had started, take away the rest of the photo related equipment, and go through stacks of printed copy and make certain all was in the order it should be.  Immediately upon reading the two or three pages from the book, I simply got up and began to do just that.  I needed no further prompting as I felt it was a personal directive from God.  The work needed to be done as I had not really finished it to my liking when I worked on it a few weeks ago. I realized it was really getting me down.  I do find it frustrating to work on a cluttered desk but it seemed as if I just never had the time to really fine tune the details.  I have an additional computer to add to my worktable and needed to open up a space for it by tomorrow.  Now it is done. 

I love it when I hear the Lord speak to me in those, not so subtle, ways.  In my library I have many books, spine up, lined up on the floor by my chair.  When I feel prompted to read a page from a certain book it is almost always an answer to what I had just asked the Lord.  I always begin reading at the book marked page.  The Lord knows exactly what page I need to read and exactly what book it is in.

I am finished.  I worked part of yesterday and all day today, which is my “Wonderful Wednesday” (I don’t exercise at the gym on Wednesday).  I plan my Wednesdays for the big jobs.  No distractions, no phones, no background noise, no Iphone; just good old fashioned quiet.  Oh, and the nice part is that Dave is gone all day on Wednesday except for lunch.  He has a short interlude in which we eat lunch together and then he is gone again.  Everyone needs a day like that!  Actually, I am still in my comfy house robe since this morning and it feels simply opulent!

Time to eat and go to bed!  That is, as soon as I type the poem I wrote this morning during my quiet time.

HOW CAN WE COMPREHEND

By Kathleen Martens

May 25, 2016

The awesomeness of God

Described in His Word,

But there will always be

Words left unheard.

Though we study Who He Is

And pray to his glorious Name,

And believe we know Him well,

He is more than the God of fame.

Our thoughts are not like His thoughts,

We define in concepts we know.

And until we cross into eternity

We’ll not comprehend His status quo.

Though God is the King of all,

The very Spirit of The Divine,

Even the Holy Scriptures

Cannot keep Him confined.

Thank You Father for directing my path today.

Thank You that You are more awesome than we know.

Thank You Lord that You are the King of kings.

Thank You Lord that You know the outcome of what is to come.

Thank You for showing us Your way of salvation.

Thank You for my three hole punch.

Thank You for rain.

Good night and God bless you.

Tuesday May 24 2016  UNIQUE GIFTS

In a recent past blog I stated how God has created us all uniquely and that he uses our uniqueness in wonderful ways.  While listening to a sermon yesterday, Reverend Jon Weece, from Soutland Christian Church in Lexington, Kentucky, told about a man who had been born with cerebral palsy and had discovered a unique way to express his art.  He showed a short clip from U-Tube telling the story.  It is an amazing story and well worth the time it takes to Google “Paul Smith Typewriter Art” and scan to the website that has a video face displayed which is two or three down from the top. 

Viewing what Paul Smith was able to create brought tears to my eyes.  His art was so exquisitely executed.  I don’t know if there is another artist in the world that has created the kind of spectacular art that Paul Smith presented to the world.  Regardless his handicap of having minimum use of only one finger and sporadic motion of his left hand, God graced him with the desire to do something no one else could do.  The late Paul Smith had a strong faith in God (as you will see by his artwork), and believed that God gave him this unique gift to carry out and to leave behind.  He left the world a better place for having lived.  What a beautiful legacy he left when he departed this earth.

What kind of legacy will you leave behind?  I’ve often wondered what kind of legacy I will leave behind.  If you know the unique talent that God has bestowed upon you, what do you do with it?  Do you cultivate it, using it to make the world a better place?  Or, do you just allow that gift to lie fallow?  When we are given a gift, we cannot take credit for that gift.  Gifts of talent are given to us by God.  As I once heard Joyce Meyer say, “We can’t take credit for the gift that God gives us, but when we stand before God He is going to ask us, ‘What did you do with your gift?’” 

I heard that message many years ago and that very day I consecrated my gift of poetry to the Lord and committed to myself to give God one poem a day as long as I am able to think and write.  Have I missed a few days?  Yes, I have.  Do I beat myself up over it?  No I don’t.  For you see, it is my gift back to God for the gift He gave me as a young child.  It is my way of saying thank You Lord and giving Him praise through what I write.

Are all my poems great?  Absolutely not!  Maybe the question should be, are ANY of my poems great?  Perhaps not, but they are given to God from a heart of gratitude for the pleasure and joy I receive from both writing them and giving them to friends and strangers to enjoy.  And now I have thousands of them.  Perhaps they shall be part of my legacy, part of my heart that I am leaving behind that my words will continually bless others who come after me.  I certainly know I was blessed just to see what Paul Smith left behind.

Never think that your legacy must be tangible.  You may have the gift of compassion or giving.  Your gift may be to show your love to others and let them know someone cares about them.  Your gift may even be the laughter and joy that you bring to others.  Whatever your gift may be, if you are not using it, take it out, dust it off, and extend your uniqueness to another.  It is never too late.  You see, God never takes back His gifts.

WHAT LEGACY WILL I LEAVE BEHIND?

By Kathleen Martens

May 24, 2016

How will the world

Be a better place

When my time comes

To meet Jesus face to face? 

What function have I

While living on earth?

What is my purpose?

What is my worth?

There is a questions to ask

So we discover our direction,

Find out what you love

And follow your affection.

How will I influence

Other people I meet?

What will I leave behind

When my heart no longer beats?

I hope it to be smiles

In hearts tucked deep,

And times of my laughter

Their memory will keep.

I hope not to leave

Heartache in my wake.

I hope what I leave

Is all for God’s sake.

I hope the words I’ve written

Will bring healing and health,

And that others will realize

The WORD OF GOD is their wealth.

I only desire a legacy

Which will tell God’s story.

And whatever I’ve done on earth

Will be done for God’s glory.

Thank You Father for the gifts You have bestowed on mankind.

Thank You for all the art that lives on from generations past.

Thank You for being such a wonderful Creator with such a great imagination.

Thank You that I am me.

I thank You Lord for everything You have given me in this life.

Thank You for watermelon.

GOOD NIGHT.  REMEMBER TO THANK GOD FOR THE GIFTS HE HAS GIVEN YOU.  If you aren’t aware of your unique talent ask God to show you what it is.  And, one question you might ask yourself is, what it is that you love to do. You may be surprised at what you find.

P.S. (Pre-script)

Some may think this blog is long.  It is a pivotal blog with information pertinent to the future of this blog.  Please read to the end.

Monday May 23 2016  GOD SPEAKS TO US IN MANY WAYS

It seems God speaks to us in so many different ways when we are least expecting it.  I believe I heard words intended for me from two different people while at church yesterday.  First of all let me set the stage so you can see where I am coming from.

My days are overwhelmingly packed right now because of many different situations.  We are downsizing considerably, living in the chaos of opening box after box to disperse, getting ready for a couple of planned garage sales, exercising almost daily, writing my blog (which can be as time consuming as I allow it), borderline addiction to the IPhone, springtime task maintenance of opening a large yard, as well as a myriad of vegetables coming weekly from our CSA Wholesome Harvest food box that must be cleaned, packaged, and cooked.  So, as you can see each day is full to the max without considering indoor maintenance, food shopping, doctor visits, and all the other “visits” that come along with getting older.  It’s a good thing I am not attached to T.V.

The more I write on the computer, the less time I spend sitting in the Lord’s presence with my journal.  I have desperately missed that morning time when I would get up at 4:30 or 5:00 a.m. each morning and spend two or three hours studying, praying, reading scriptures and other spiritual related topics, and just listening for the Lord to speak to me.  I have written some about this in the past and I realize that there are a lot of people that might think using my time as such is frivolous and ill-used.  But I want to tell you, when one has a thirsting and longing to know God in a more intimate way there is no better way to do so.  Lately I have been unable to set that time aside due to late nights (mostly computer problems and too much on my agenda) and must settle for the sermons I listen to at the gym everyday online (IPhone).  And everywhere I turn, a page in a book, a single sheet of paper that flutters out of a box I am sorting, church sermons, online sermons, and through people I come in contact with, are all pointing me to the fact that God is calling me back to that early morning hour of intimate prayer time with Him.

I won’t even try to persuade those of you who do not understand to comprehend it.  All I can say, for me it is necessary, and God is aware of that need in me.  So, yesterday while I was at church I once again heard something that I felt I was supposed to hear.  A man, referring to his wife, mentioned her first two hours of each day was set aside for journaling and being with the Lord.  That statement was a big reminder to me of what I had quit doing with diligence due to my overbooked schedule.  It was as if his words were another wake up call for me.

Last week, while unpacking a box, one sheet of paper fluttered to the floor.  I picked it up and realized it was a photo copy from one page of my “Jesus Calling” book.  I read the words and it was as if the voice of Jesus was speaking directly into my heart.  It was then that the wife stated that she had a word for me that she felt was from the Lord. What she actually spoke was a prophetic message that has been given to me on three distinct occasions.  This message reminded me of who I am and the calling I feel the Lord has placed on my life.  We are all given different directives, talents, personalities, and desires.  I have discovered that God has made us each unique because He has a plan to use our uniqueness for His calling on our lives.  That was a confirmation to me that if I were to continue to be whom God designed me to be, then I needed to have the input (my morning devotion and prayer time), in order to fulfill the calling that God designed for me to do.

After yesterday’s experience my heart was ready to come running back to my morning sanctuary with my Lord.  And oh, it was so good.  It is God’s desire that we turn toward Him, that we open our hearts to receive all that He desires to give us, and that we go forth to our rightful place in His plan for us.  The rest of what I do is worthless if it is done for my own pride, glory, or accomplishments.  Only what is done for God will last.  How awesome it is to get to know Him a little better each and every day and to be filled with His presence.  And we don’t even need to stand in line!

The following excerpt is from the sheet that fluttered to the ground from the “Jesus Calling” boo by Sarah Young.  Entry for March 27^th.

“Be still in My Presence, even though countless tasks clamor for your attention.  Nothing is as important as spending time with Me.  While you wait in my Presence, I do My best work within you: transforming you by the renewing of your mind.  If you skimp on this time with Me, you may plunge headlong into the wrong activities, missing the richness of what I have planned for you.”

Following is the poem I received from the Lord after I read Proverbs 13:

ALL BECAUSE OF OUR INTIMATE TIME

By Kathleen Martens

May 23, 2016

Jesus beckons in sweetest whisper,

“I am here calling you close.

Listen to my Spirit’s wooing,

Do not allow your spirit to doze.”

“Come alive in My Presence

That you are attuned to what I say.

Never take for granted

The power of words you pray.”

“Days are but numbers,

Hours but a blink of the eye.

But every moment in My Presence

You are storing treasures in the sky.”

“Look not at what the world offers

For it will rust and fade away.

But when you spend time with Me

You invest in eternity every day.”

“When you are full to overflowing

Your joy and peace cascades on another,

All because of our intimate time

To heaven you’ll bring along others.

And after reading Proverbs 13 the following is the message I felt the Lord was speaking through His scriptures to my heart.

THE MOST IMPORTANT OF YOUR DAY

The soul of my diligent will be made rich.  Be well advised in my Word that you do not born pride, for pride will cause contention in your heart.  Be diligent in what I call you to do.  When you labor to do right, you will be blessed.  I will place within you desire to do My will and when fulfillment transpires it will become a “TREE OF LIFE”.  Be prudent that you will act with knowledge.  When you use wisdom the snares of death will not entangle you.  These moments, the most important of your day, is when I refresh and renew, and restore all that you are.  You are my beloved and my love for you is beyond what you can even imagine.

Thank You God for prompting Holy Spirit to keep prodding my spirit that I would come home to my morning hearth.

Thank You for the poem You placed in my heart this morning.

Thank You for the fullness of Your peace.

Thank You Lord for being in control of my entire life.

Thank You for my beautiful customized pen so I can still write comfortably.

Thank You for ink refills.

I love You so much Heavenly Father!

MAY GOD BLESS EACH WHO READ TO THE END!  (AND LORD, BLESS THOSE WHO DO NOT READ TO THE END).

P.S.  Remember, your words are never idle.  At times your words may tear down or build up.  I am grateful for the words this couple spoke to me.  It was just one more way that God was speaking to me!

Sunday Sabbath  May 22 2016  A BLOG THAT MAY NEVER BE READ

Oh, what a nightmare my computers have caused me lately.  Because it would take too long to go into lengthy details I will refrain from writing my saga.  However, due to trying to change my blog’s password in order to access another computer and not having enough information needed to satisfy the questionnaire for “Wordpress” my request was refused and all access blocked so that I can no longer access the blog on either computer.  Of course there is no phone help available. Oh how I often detest the impersonal world we now live in.  If crying would help then I would cry but I really do hate to get a stuffy nose.  And besides, I don’t really think it would do much to help in this situation.  I just have to realize I may have lost permanent access to my blog.

So what better way to deal with this kind of frustration than to just let my mind sort through things as I write?  I don’t know if this blog will ever be seen or not.  Or for that matter if my blog will ever be viewed again on a daily basis.  So far the old blogs are still available for view.  I hope they stay.

Today was planned to be a come down day from all the work we’ve been doing these past few weeks.  I think my body needed to come down.  I actually relaxed and watched one movie but could not bear to be idle any longer than that.  I should have just gone to bed, pulled the covers over my head, and not touched the computer at all tonight. 

And so, now I am in a quandary.  I’m at the point where I am wondering if I just give up and go to bed or try to find some other source of help.  My head is spinning, my mind is spinning, and my heart is spinning.  If I were a blond I guess you could say that right about now I would be a “DIZZY BLOND”. 

FOR BOTH THE BIG AND SMALL

By Kathleen Martens

May 22, 2016

How is it I could lose a password?

At my age, that shoul be unheard.

Or perhaps it is because I am so old

That pertinent info my head won’t hold.

Complete order is what I need,

But so busy I rarely heed

All I must to do run a tight ship.

Sister dear, don’t give me any lip!

If I could put everything in just one pile

I’d know where to look though it would take a awhile.

And perhaps the pile would get too high

If I lived long enough before I die.

INTERLUDE OF A PHONE CALL TO THE GEEK SQUAD!  It only took about four hours and I am now the Administrator once again of www.visionsofpoetry.com.

And to top it off, this Geek Squad agent was able to fix the other problem that has been hounding me this entire past week.  Needless to say this computer situation made for long days and short nights because I was on the phone so much.  But now that it is over, I think I am on my way to recovery.

(NOW I WILL CONTINUE WRITING THE ENDING OF THE POEM)

In less than four hours sanity reigns,

Oh my goodness, computers are a pain.

I am so sorry to share my grumbles,

Mercifully you weren’t privy to all my mumbles!

And I thank God for answering my prayer,

It was so good knowing He was there.

He is concerned for both the big and the small,

And picks me up when I take a fall.

Tonight would have been easy to just cave in

or think about the “what might have been”.

But instead I chose to simply ask

That God would take over my task.

When God’s in control life is easier to bear.

And He gives me insight of what to be aware.

Thank You God for being with me to the end,

It is so amazing Lord, that You are my Friend!

Well gang, as you can see I didn’t need to panic (which I thought about doing) and everything has turned out just fine for my dilemma.  I almost erased the first part of the blog I wrote but then decided otherwise.  I think it is important to be able to express how we truly feel, and as I’ve said previously, what I write is part blog, part journal.  If I am going to share my days I might as well share both the me I’d like you to see, as well as, the me I’d rather you not see.  Isn’t it wonderful that none of us are perfect and that God loves us anyway?

Thank You God for loving me even when I grumble a bit.

Thank You God for Your peace during my consternation.

Thank You Lord that You are always there for me to call upon.

Thank You for the solution to my situation.

And Lord, special thanks that my ongoing problem was also solved this evening.

Thank You for goat cheese and tomatoes.  They made a delicious dinner as I sat here conversing with the Geek Squad on my screen.

Thank You Lord for toothpicks.

GOOD NIGHT AND GOD BLESS YOU!

P.S.  And I have written my password down and saved it in a safe place!