Monday December 5 2016  A CHRISTMAS COLLECTION

 

THE GIFTS OF CHRISTMAS

Kathleen Martens

December 5, 2016

http://www.visionsofpoetry.com

 

The gifts of Christmas

Tied with pretty bows.

The outsides beautifully decorated

The insides no one knows.

 

Sort of like our lives

Dolled up to look so fine,

The outsides look so great

While our insides may be in binds.

 

The outside fresh and clean,

The inside who can know?

We are adept at camouflage

What inside, resides; no one really knows.

 

Secrets are a passion

Hid and well maintained,

But in our earthly package

They cannot be sustained.

 

We were born to receive

The gifts God loves to give,

The first is exposure of self

To let others know how we live.

 

We must open up our hearts

And accept God’s blessings each day.

Then the gifts of Christmas

Will freely come our way.

 

And so to you freely given

So you too can rejoice in heart,

Let Christmas happen all year long

Allowing each day a brand new start.

 

A sleepy time poem as I had very few hours of sleep last night.  Thanks to all of you who have sent in comments about the Christmas poetry.  I am glad there are still a few people who enjoy reading poetry.

 

 

 

Sunday Sabbath  December 4 2016  A CHRISTMAS COLLECTION

 

GOD’S ART-WORK

Kathleen Martens

December 4, 2016

http://www.visionsofpoetry.com

 

Oh the freshness of new fallen snow

In muted light the forests glow,

Each trunk, each branch, and each small limb

In nature’s glamour, is God’s beautiful art-show.

 

I wonder what beauty the angels could see

The night the lamb was born to change eternity?

I wonder at the magnificence of God’s due reverence,

And the awesomeness of the shepherd’s deference.

 

Overwhelming splendor penetrated the sky

Through an incredible phenomenon meeting the eye,

A star which led followers through the nights

To the place of holiness, the source of all light.

 

Born with no pretense, in humble surroundings,

A simple Babe; became Man most confounding.

And just as beautiful as a pure white snow

Is God’s plan of salvation He wants you to know.

 

That someday we, in His presence could stand.

The crown of His creation; God’s art-work is man.

So in this season crowned by everlasting love,

Look no longer in the manger, but toward heaven above.

 

The above poem is the poem that came to me these past few moments as I typed on my office computer.  Following is a poem that came to me this morning at the end of church service written in my journal.  I don’t usually print the poetry I write free hand as it is quicker for me to pen another poem on the keyboard than it is to transcribe the one written long-hand into the computer.  This poem is a bit more serious but I still wanted to share it with you in “A CHRISTMAS COLLECTION”.

 

BECAUSE OF HIS LOVE

Kathleen Martens

December 4, 2016

www.visionsofpoetry.com

 

Desiring to honor His Father

Jesus entered into fleshly form

As a fragile helpless baby

With attributes of the new born.

 

It was His love to submit

Knowing He would be the slaughtered lamb.

Even before He entered earth

He knew His earthly body was damned.

 

Damned by those who falsely accused

The very love He came to share,

As the first Christmas gift which God gave

Man handled him without any care.

 

Because of His love He gave His power away,

He walked the world, experienced temptation and pain.

He innocently suffered as He spilled His blood,

Because of His love He died for our gain.

 

So as we remember the birth of Jesus,

Remember too all God has done in the past.

Be careful to not presume God’s patience

Because your time for repentance may not last.

 

All was changed on the day of Jesus’ birth,

And completion culminated at His death,

For then he arose to fulfill the plan

That man could experience eternal breath.

 

And God is still giving life through His Son,

All you must do is in Jesus believe.

And accept that He died for your sins

And eternal life is yours to receive.

 

AND GOD BLESS YOU ON THIS BEAUTIFUL DAY OF WINTER’S FIRST SNOWFALL IN OUR AREA.

P.S. I tried to upload some photos but for some reason they would not upload.  They are photos taken a few moments ago out our back door.  I’ll try again to do so later.  However, once I am published the photos will appear at the top of the blog instead of at the ending.

Saturday December 3 2016  A CHRISTMAS COLLECTION

 

BE CERTAIN TO TELL HIS STORY

Kathleen Martens

December 3, 2016 

http://www.visionsofpoetry.com

 

Sounds of music flood my ear

Melody of praise, oh so near.

In my heart these sounds reside,

Always with me by my side.

 

I think of Christmas, I think of song.

The tune of deliverance in my heart belongs.

This is the season we celebrate love,

The purest love from heaven above.

 

Years ago to a lost world

An amazing God to earth furled

That which would change forever more

Eternal truth to settle all score.

 

No longer necessary to live in shame

Because God’s son to earth came.

A soul forever let out prison

Was the reason of Jesus’ mission.

 

We celebrate the birth of Christ,

But worldly desire has enticed

That men would demean the very reason

Why we celebrate Christmas season.

 

The very task of Christ’s birth

Was to confirm man’s very worth.

And now so many do not receive

The extraordinary truth they need believe.

 

Instead, man chooses to walk in shame,

Never pausing to call out God’s name.

The message of salvation so easily shunned,

And a new life is never begun.

 

So this month when we observe Jesus’ glory,

Be certain to tell His story.

Live your life so the message is heard.

And occasionally you may need use words.

Friday December 2 2016  A CHRISTMAS COLLECTION

 

AND STILL TODAY HIS SONG IS SUNG

Kathleen Martens

December 2, 2016

http://www.visionsofpoetry.com

 

Every person’s life is a story

In the design of God’s plan.

God prepares the original sketch

For each woman and each man.

 

God designed a purpose

That should man choose to follow

That our time while on earth

No life should remain hollow.

 

He knew us before the earth was formed

He knew that man would fall.

He so desired intimate contact

Though He knew Satan would call.

 

In the beginning God planned a way

So man and God reunited.

He sent His Sinless to the earth

So the world would be lighted.

 

In the form of an infant babe

Prophesy was ultimately fulfilled.

God once again paved the way

For all to choose His will.

 

Born in a lowly stable,

For there was no room at the inn.

The story of love and redemption

Was that He save His people from sin.

 

God in flesh, born of a virgin,

And they called Him Immanuel,

Which means “God with us”

The One whom sin would quell.

 

The human form Mary carried

By the Holy Spirit conceived.

He was to be named Jesus

And would offer salvation to those who believed.

 

And it all happened on a lonely night

Far away from family and kin.

And since that hour His story began

No other like Him has there ever been.

 

Celebrated across the world

In many cultures and varied tongue.

Not a year passes without recognition,

And still today His song is sung.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thursday December 1 2016  A CHRISTMAS COLLECTION

 

A WOODEN BOX TO A WOODEN CROSS

Kathleen Martens

December 1, 2016

www.visionsofpoetry.com

 

This is the day that the Lord has made

In which to live and rejoice.

A day to savor each moment, each hour,

A day to lift up our voice.

 

This is the day to give thanks,

Even amidst all the world’s pain.

This is the month in which to remember

God’s son was born for our gain.

 

A Holy Father in spirit being

Embodied deity in the form of a baby.

Jesus became flesh in the truest of Word,

It was no accident nor even a maybe.

 

In the beginning was The Word,

And The Word in a wooden box was laid.

He was born for one reason,

That a wooden cross for Him would be made.

 

Born to die, He gave life,

His purpose to save all men.

His miraculous birth and death

Was to free all man from sin.

 

So in this month of celebration,

Take pause to remember the reason.

Jesus was born with eternity’s view,

Not only for a short season.

 

The wooden box His first abode,

The wooden cross His suffering death.

But it was not to be His end,

Because He rose with life and breath.

 

And today He sits at His Father’s right hand,

In a heaven He has prepared for you.

He too celebrates each Christmas season,

Knowing His death created life anew.