Visions of Poetry

Sunday October 4, 2015   A Time of Sweet Reunion

 

A TIME OF SWEET REUNION

By Kathleen Martens

October 4,2015

 

We are here exhausted.

Ready for our beds

So soon it will be time

To lay down our tired heads.

 

A long day of driving

Mesmerized by constant song

When driving erases all quiet

And the day becomes so long.

 

But now I hear a pleasant surprise

Come knocking at my door,

It is my traveling daughter

And rest will be no more.

 

A time of sweet reunion

With our little girl now grown,

As well as with our beloved son

None better could I have known.

 

So we stay up in all the chaos

With two grandsons who ice our cake.

No better time of family love

Could we ever make.

 

Too soon I will be asleep

Alone in all my dreams,

But no imaginings could be better

Than what reality seems.

 

Our daughter arrived much later than expected and it was quite a day of travel with two little dogs.  Her husband was exhausted when they arrived and went to their cabin to settle in before coming here.  He decided not to come as the dogs were quite beside themselves after such a day. Rebecca decided to come over even if the hour was late.  It was worth it.  Our week is booking up rapidly.  I think that we will be very pleased that we extended our stay after our children and their families leave for home.  Because Rebecca and Neil live so far away it will be hard to part.  Dave and I miss her and Neil so, so much. 

We stayed at a Comfort Inn and Suites in Pacifica Missouri last night.  I was very impressed with how comfortable, clean, and accommodating the facility was.  We have not always been pleasantly surprised.  While at the hotel I noticed a little message framed on the bathroom sink.  I thought it was amazing.  I will post it at the bottom of this blog.  Read it all, I think you may like it.  I think the message makes a lot of sense,

I forgot to bring my calendar wisdom with me on the trip.  I don’t know if I could have made room for it.  Our little Kia Soul was packed!  Probably about as much as I had on my long trip.  A lot of what we brought will not be going home with us.  Court and Amy do not know it yet, but a lot of what we brought will be going home with them.  All the meals I planned were not refrigerated in transport, but because of the way I packed them they were still frozen solid when we arrived at our destination 24 hours later.

 

Tomorrow comes early.  So I will say good night.

God bless all of you!

 

 

 

 

 

Saturday October 3 2015  A LATE NIGHT

A late night for two retired people.  We finally were packed up and on the road by 3:45 p.m. this afternoon.  We both went to the gym this morning to get a good workout in before we headed out for today’s adventure on our rears.  We only stopped three times so we made good time.  Illinois is beautiful this time of year.  It was a beautiful clear day with low clouds and lots of wind.  The sunset was brilliant red and piercing as it lowered the shade of light.  Darkness comes so early now.  The sun set about 6:41 p.m. and it made the day seem so late. 

We are in Missouri, safe and sound in our hotel, praying our belonging and car are safe in the back parking lot of this busy highway.  We booked the last room in this hotel.  We called several hotels in this area and all were booked up.  I asked why?  This hotel told me there was a dog show locally, we are close to Six Flags, there was a large wedding they were hosting, and there was a skeet shoot competition scheduled for the weekend.

 We had several phone chats with our daughter as we drove to our destination.  We personally do not text or use the phone when we drive but since there was one of us not driving it was convenient to have the non- driver manage the phone.  It seems we never have enough time to talk to Rebecca and her husband so it was nice to chat back and forth as we both traveled.

Siri, (the talking voice on my phone) informed us that we drove 397 miles today.  Our estimated drive tomorrow according to Siri is 219 miles.

I must keep tonight short as I am ready to go to sleep sitting here in the chair.

 

EXIST NEVER MORE

By Kathleen Martens

October 3, 2015

 

Sitting in the chair

Keeping my eyes awake,

Seems an unending task

My body has to make.

 

My body just desires

To spread out on my queen

And then in the morning

I’ll glow a healthy sheen.

 

Slumber land welcomes me

To cross its silent door,

Where all the cares of the world

Exist never more.

 

But the never only lasts

Until dawns early light

When the sun will shine again

And is it no longer night.

 

Good night and God bless.

P.S.  I wrote this for you sister dear so you would know I was still alive.

P.S.S.  It is 11:47 p.m. and the hotel wifi will not allow me to open it for some reason.  I cannot upload my blog so will try to do so again tomorrow.

 

 

Friday October 2, 2015  THE TABLE IS FINISHED

 

Dear Friends, Family and all the Others who do not know me:

Pretend this is a letter to each of you.  Actually, it is an email letter to bring you up to date on what is happening around this place.  Both lots and not much.   The people who will be attending our house while we are gone will be here tomorrow so Dave and I are hitting the road.  It is good to know that I have two such capable people here to do all the things that need to be done while we are gone.  Since we have our farm boxes being delivered each Thursday we had to have people here we could depend on.

I am in the midst of prep work for packing the car.  We find it easiest to leave midday rather than early mornings.  We do not put a time factor to when we leave but we do put a time factor on how much sleep we get the night before we begin driving long distance.  We will wake up at our normal time, without an alarm, and finish the last minute packing and then hit the road.  We’ll travel until about 10:00 p.m. and finish the drive the next day.  It makes for a much easier and safer trip for us.  We probably will not leave until early afternoon.

I’m taking lots of frozen dinners and must put them in the car at the last last minute.  Everything is frozen and packed so tightly that usually most of it is still frozen 24 hours later.  It helps that the weather is cooler.  It is truly fall where we are and  Wisconsin knows its seasons. Like clockwork, the calendar said autumn had arrived and the temperature minded its P’s and Q’s and dropped considerably.  We actually already have our down comforter on the bed over our light summer quilt.  On my side of the bed I also have three additional blankets to ward off the night chill that blows its way through our open window.  Dave has one extra blanket.  In the cold of winter we have two down comforters on the bed and I have a few extra quilts piled on top.  We do close our windows when the ice starts forming but we do not heat the back zone of house where the bedrooms are.  I said all that to say this, since it is so cool now I am not concerned about the frozen entrees we are transporting.

So, life is on track for the time being.  Our daughter is not quite so fortunate. She and her husband will be delayed from leaving Florida as planned, due to a tornado that is just 80 miles away from where they live.  Originally they were not thought to be in its path but per chance that it changes direction tonight, they will need to board up their windows and batten the hatches before they leave.  They have an outdoor room that is covered with a thick canvas roofing.  Many times they have had to unlace it and take that down as well.  Lots to tie down when you live in hurricane country.

Dave and I did accomplish one of the things we hoped to accomplish with the help of our neighbor today.  We were able to bring in our table that I have been painstakingly painting.  It turned out very nice.  It is very heavy and we could not have moved it into the house without help.  And now the garage will be available for cars while we are gone.  I took a few photos of how the finished table looks in the house.  Remember, it is not a conventional dining room table, especially for a formal dining area.  But all said and done, we all agreed that it looks quite nice.  It is sort of whimsical and elegant at the same time.   I have already made a display in the well area of the table.  I’ll publish a few pics for you to see.  We set 4 of the chairs around it to see how it looked.  The seats have not yet been reupholstered but everyone that sees them has told me not to do so as the color on the seats go well with the table.  It feels good to be finished with this project before we leave and before winter sets in.

 

A NEW LIFE GIVEN

By Kathleen Martens

October 2, 2015

 

Such satisfaction is a job well done

When all the work complete.

To know the labor of love put in

Really makes it quite sweet.

 

Just a vision in my thought,

I figured it could be done.

But it’s always a lot more work

Than it is a lot more fun.

 

And to know I salvaged a piece

Destined for the garbage heap.

An old battered rusty table

That is now a treasure to keep.

 

Over a hundred and fifty years past

This table has lingered long.

I wonder at all the places it’s been

And to whom it may have belonged.

 

A new life given to something so old,

No longer discarded or rejected

It was an old tobacco table,

Which no one has suspected.

 

And now it will stand prim and proper

Under a chandelier the color of gold.

It’s been given a new purpose

And it no longer looks so old.

 

And instead of tobacco plants,

In its well are a display of books.

My very favorite one in the world,

Scroll down to take a look.

(INSERT POST PUBLISHED)  I published the photos as I promised so they would be at the bottom of this blog.  However I had to remove them as pertinent information showed on the display that I was not at liberty to to publish.  Due to that I will not have the photos where they should be.  You need to scroll up to see the ones I could publish.

I will sign off now.  Thank you for reading my letter to you.  I will miss you while I am gone.  I may or may not be writing my blog.  I’ll play it by ear as to what is happening in the moment.  We have a lot of exciting functions planned and lots of things to see and do.  I’ll try my best to write a little something, even if it is a simple poem.

Sincerely,

Your blogger friend

Wednesday September 30 2015  A QUICK NIGHT

Time went by too quickly today with all I had to do.  But I am here now and intend to just check in on my blog site for a few minutes and then get to bed as early as possible.  I have a big day tomorrow.  I will leave the house about 6:15 a.m. and not be home until evening.  I have the honor of watching my grandsons for the day.  The oldest will be in school for part of the day but Xander and I will hang out together.  He is such a super little boy.  Actually, quite amazing.

Since his ear surgery, while I was away, he has done remarkably well.  He had hearing loss in both ears, 30% on one side and 40% on the other side.  His diction is improving and he seems to respond more readily to conversations.  I am just so thankful that his situation was discovered early in his life.  He will be four years old next month.

My metal table is dry and is ready to be brought indoors.  The problem is that it is very heavy and Dave is not supposed to lift more than 10 pounds at present.  We can’t park in our garage until we get the table and base into the house.  Hopefully someone will show up who is just so desiring to carry a heavy, cumbersome, antique tobacco starting table and its base into our house.  We need a Mr. Muscleman!  We need a miracle!

Actually, I need a miracle to get to bed on time.  So here goes.  I’ll try to make my miracle happen.  I was thinking a lot about TIME this morning as I sat in the Lord’s presence.  I decided to look TIME up in the dictionary.  TIME has many connotations attached to it.  Is is a noun.  As I read the dictionary I recognized a poem was coming, I confiscated the words that the dictionary used for its definition and created the following poem.

 

TIME

By Kathleen Martens

September 30, 2015

 

A non-spacial continuum

With irreversible succession.

An interval separating,

As well as duration.

 

A collection, as of years,

Minutes, or days

Representing separation,

That knows its own way.

 

Or a similar number

Representing specific points

Of an arbitrary past

Our memory anoints.

 

Thank you for your “TIME”. 

Good night and God bless you.

 

You know I can’t close without a P.S.  

So, P.S.

I will add a few poems below for those who like to read poetry.  These were written in past years.  

 

Time With Self

By Kathleen Martens

May 14, 2013

 

Spending time with self,

What value may that be?

Do you enjoy your time of solitude

Or is there someone else you’d rather see.

 

Are you interested in thinking,

In quiet time alone?

Or rather be on Facebook,

Or perhaps talking on the phone?

 

Are your thoughts important?

Do you remember how to think?

Or must you have someone to occupy

Or connect with on Twitter’s link?

 

Are you thoughtful, well read and curious

Or consumed by what others say?

Do you believe you have interesting thoughts

That help you throughout your day?

 

Alone with self, what a privilege,

No hustle, bustle or race.

Do you know what your spirit looks like?

Do you recognize your own face?

 

 

Do you like who you are?

Would you choose YOU as a friend?

Perhaps that’s a question you should ask

For its YOU you’ll be with till the end.

 

 

MY FAVORITE TIME OF DAY

By Kathleen Martens

July 29, 2013

 

Oh to awaken

To a brand new story

The beauty and sounds

Creating morning’s glory!

 

My favorite part

Of each day’s birth,

When the rising sun

Kisses the earth.

 

Noontime comes

Ever too swift,

And the brilliance of day

Causes my heart to lift.

 

It is the very best

In my 24 hours,

By light and energy

I’m renewed with power.

 

Then afternoon comes

With cooling breeze

And the melodic lull

Of the honey bees.

 

My most ideal time

For a cup of tea,

A most welcoming place

I choose to be.

 

And then the evening

Bringing day’s end.

Each hour the day gives

Is My Favorite Friend!

 

I love them all!

Every moment I Iive,

Each moment that passes

A new gift it gives.

 

And then the next

That I like best

Is when it’s time

For bedtime rest. 

 

All are favorites

When in joy I receive,

For each moment God gives 

In Him I believe.

 

 

SOMEWHERE BETWEEN TIME AND SPACE

By Kathleen Martens

July 15, 2010

 

Oh Lord, just take me off

To that wonderful place,

Somewhere between

Time and space.

 

Take me into

The realms You know

Where there is freedom

Where ever You go.

 

Your spiritual world

Where no time dwells,

Where there is no influence

Of that place called Hell.

 

Just existence,

Secure in God’s arms,

Shielded forever

From outward harm.

 

Your presence and knowledge

Just part of being;

And Spiritual eyes

Given for seeing.

 

If I could but exist

For just one hour

In Your presence

Consumed by Your power.

 

I don’t think 

I could ever come back,

Too much of You

I would surely lack.

 

Someday it will be time

To walk through that door,

And then I’ll be with You

Forever more.

 

Until then I’ll dream

Of that wonderful place.

Somewhere between

Time and space.

 

Good night again!

 

 

 

Tuesday September 29 2015  HEARING GOD’S VOICE

 

It is always interesting to receive feedback from a blog I have written.  I have been informed that more than one reader believes I am a bit off my rocker in reference to yesterday’s topic.  I do hesitate to share my personal journal because if a person reads it who does not understand where I am coming from, they may very well think that what I write is unusual.  Hearing the voice of God has different meanings to different people.  I personally refer to the impressions I receive from the Lord as my HEART SOUNDS.  “Heart” is often referred to as the inner self where deep feelings originate.  I think it is a place that some may refer to as their spirit.  For me it is my inner quiet self that feels the deepest and connects with the spiritual aspects of the Holy Scriptures and with God.  It is the inner place of my integrity that connects with God. 

I believe that as the Bible teaches, when I accepted Jesus to be Lord and Savior of my life, the Lord placed His Holy Spirit within me.  My spirit, my heart, communes with the Holy Spirit of God.  Some may refer to this as “the Lord has enlightened me” or “I awake with wisdom from The Lord” or “have received better understanding”.  I choose to refer to that which others may describe as having been enlightened, or receiving words of wisdom, or a better understanding, as my HEART SOUNDS.  I also refer to this experience as hearing the voice of God through my thoughts.  I just happen to go one step further than most and write down the words of enlightenment.  Some may ask, does God really speak to those who follow the teaching of His Son Jesus?   Can we, mere mortals, really commune with God in the quiet of our hearts?  After searching the scriptures, I believe the answer to be yes.  Below I will copy part of I Corinthians chapter 2.  Read it very carefully to fully understand the concept of how the scripture is written.

I Corinthians 2: 9-16

^“But as it is written:

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”^[c]

^“10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. ¹¹ For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.

¹³ These things we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Holy^[d Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual things with spiritual. ¹⁴ But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. ¹⁵ But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one. ¹⁶ For “who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?”^[e] But we have the mind of Christ.”

Even reading the above scripture may sound foreign to those who are not familiar with the Bible.  I have been a student of the Bible for several years and there is always something else for me to learn.  It is the most amazing book I have ever read.  When I sit down to read and study I always pray that God will open the eyes of my heart and bring the scripture alive to me, giving me discernment to understand His Word as I read. 

I also stated in yesterday’s blog that I love to spend time in the morning, sometimes for several hours, with God.  This time consists of quiet reflection, listening to praise and worship music, reading God’s word, praying, thanking God for what He has and is doing for me, writing in my journal, listening for His HEART SOUNDS to me, writing poetry, and worshiping Him.  I use study guides or books to gain a better understanding of His scriptures, listen to learning CD’s or sermons , and sometimes I just finish my mornings reading for my own pleasure and enjoying my solitude. Every once in a while I set aside an entire day to do all that I described above.  It is like a mini vacation to me and I come away from my day refreshed in the Lord’s love, filled with peace and joy.  This is how I live.  I would hope that this insight into my spiritual life will not discourage people from reading my blog, but rather, make you curious to find out the validity of what I am sharing with you.  I promise you that I do not participate in a cult, but rather, I am a follower of Jesus Christ who is described in the world’s best selling book of all times, THE HOLY BIBLE.

If anyone has any questions or comments please go to my contact page and send me an email.  I would love to hear from you.  Oh, by the way, have you ever prayed?  If so, then you too speak with God.  Just listen carefully and you may be impressed with thoughts that you have no idea where they came from.  They just might come from God.  I just happen to write down what I am given in the still quiet of my heart.

I don’t know if any of you have ever heard of Sarah Young, author of many bestselling books.  One of her most popular books is “JESUS CALLING”.  It is her experience of learning to hear the voice of the Lord and then writing it down.  It is truly an amazing devotional.  What is especially eye opening is reading the introduction.  It explains a lot about why she sits before the Lord to hear “His voice”.

Thanks to those who contacted me following yesterday’s blog.  I hope my response in this Blog gives you pause to think and ponder and look up the scriptures in the Bible about all the times God spoke to those in the Bible.  One of my favorite search engines is www.biblegateway.com  Enter in the word(s) you are interested in reading.  I put in the word “HEART” tonight and I was delighted that I had hundreds to read.  Give it a try.

Just so you know, God enlightened me again this morning.  His words are always awesome for me to wake up to.  I will not share the words I received but I will share the poem I received this morning.

 

SHOW ME LORD

By Kathleen Martens

September 29 2015

 

Show me Lord

How to be more like You.

To say what You say,

To do what You do.

 

Teach me Lord

Your compassion and grace,

And make Your light

To shine from my face.

 

Instruct me Lord

That in obedience I follow

My days assigned in Your Book

That my steps not ring hollow.

 

Use me Lord

That Your plan is fulfilled

That my days you have fashioned

Will be walked as you willed.

 

Finished my painting tonight.  I may be able to bring the table in tomorrow.

Good night and God bless all of you. 

P.S.  Just thought you might be interested that I have taught classes on “Hearing God’s Voice”.  If anyone is interested I could post the teaching references and book used for the class.  It is an interesting study.

 

 

 

 

Monday September 28, 2015  BECOMING MORE AWARE

 

I actually have some thoughts already in my mind as I type this first line of my blog.

And the above first line is the only line I was able to write before I was called away due to a duty that had to be done when the timer went off at about 5:30 p.m..  It is now 7:50 p.m. and I have just this moment returned.  

I have been painting a pedestal and table throughout the afternoon.  It was planned to be done this morning but my husband’s friend called yesterday and informed him that his mother had just died.  She was 90 years old and in a care facility.  This friend has not missed a day attending to his mother in the care facility for the full seven plus years that she was there.  Dave is a very close friend to this person and was asked by his friend to come to the viewing today before she was cremated.  I think he needed Dave there for spiritual and emotional support.  I was asked to come as well.  That is why our plans did not go quite as planned this day.  So I am behind in what I planned, but in the scheme of life it is not a big deal.  Going with Dave and helping support his friend in his grief was much more important.

Overall, this has been quite an interesting day for me.  I shall back track a bit here and refer to my trip again.  Before I went on my trip my life was quite regimented.  Up to my departure I was usually up and out of bed between 4:30 and 5:00 a.m..  Then I spent time in my Library meeting with God, praying, worshiping, and meditating in His presence.  Then time for exercise, lunch, work (photography), housecleaning, and whatever else needed to be done, and back in bed by 9:00 p.m..  Dave was not yet retired so my days were a bit less busy, in that I wasn’t cooking lunch and preparing breakfast for him, or using up time talking and going places together, not to mention lying in bed each morning for an hour or more after awakening to listen to sermons together, or just talk, etc…  (I’ll leave the “etc…” to your own imagination.   

Needless to say, my routine was derailed from my then normal routine and we have settled into a bit of a new normal for us since Dave and I are both retired now.  There has been one great thing that I have missed tremendously however, and that is the time I always spent in the Lord’s presence in the quiet and tranquility of early dawn, sometimes for two or three hours a day.  I have been listening to sermons each day at the gym while I exercise, I still love the Lord and try my best to be obedient unto His scripture, but I was beginning to feel a “lack” in my life.  It has been gnawing at me because I knew what was missing.  It was my intimate time in His presence daily in the secret quiet place of my heart.  Lately I have been burdened by this and I knew it was the presence of the Holy Spirit in my life calling me back to this important time of intimacy with God.

Lately it has been hit and miss.  Sometimes I could get up early enough to have my quiet time, but most times it was not possible due to how busy I have become with “life”.  I can see why people go through fast food lanes.  But that is something I choose not to do.  Since I’ve been home, Dave and I have eaten out two times and one was Friday night when we took Lana and Tim to dinner.  I can also see why people hire house cleaners.  That is something I wouldn’t mind doing.  But, I found spiritually that “hit and miss” was not doing it for me. 

I want to share my conversation with the Lord this morning.  Remember, I do not hear God speak in a booming voice, rather I hear Him speak in a quiet thought that comes into my head as I write furiously to capture it.  God is very patient with me.  He puts the thoughts in my head in spurts and I write them down, then He continues.  It’s as if there is a fluidity of thoughts that just comes to me.  I pause occasionally to respond, or ask questions, and then the flow begins again.  Well, this morning is an example of such a conversation.  But the reason I am sharing this with you is because of what happened the rest of the day in regards to what I wrote this morning.  After my morning time with the Lord I went to the gym to work out.  I listened to a session from a series I’ve been listening to regarding INTIMACY WITH GOD.  I was so amazed as I heard the speaker use some of the very phrases that I received from the Lord this morning.  Over and over again there was a repetitiveness from the speaker of what the Lord had impressed into my heart this very day. 

Now, let’s fast forward to this afternoon when we arrived home from the funeral.  Dave brought the mail in and there was a letter in the mail from a Minister, Dr. Charles Stanley, that I receive each month.  I enjoy reading his letters because they are always so right on with the scripture and very uplifting to read.  I opened and read it, and there again were the same phrases and connotations that the Holy Spirit and delivered to me this morning.  It was as if God himself was emphasizing the importance of what He trying to get across to me.  So…I will once more create a “new normal” for my retirement days.  I believe that I must return to the practice of meeting with God each and every morning.  My time with the Lord is my most favorite time of the day and it is something I must reclaim.  Here is my conversation with the Lord in regards to the matter discussed above.

“Lord, how do I best use my time, though so short, with You?”

HEART SOUNDS:  “Come into My gates with thanksgiving in your heart and enter My courts with praise.  I await to hear your voice lifted high, rejoicing My name.  Open your heart that I may restore your soul and that you will again come boldly to my throne of grace.  I never stop calling your name.  Come close and take my hand.  It is only through perseverance that you come daily into our intimate secret place to seek My face.  I long for you to come.”

“Lord, refresh the fullness of Your Spirit within me.  I desire more of You.  Restore to me a double portion, so that I may be used to minister unto others.”

HEART SOUNDS:  “Ask more of Me.  I desire to bless My children.  I am your strength and refuge.  I am your help in time of trouble.  When your spirit is troubled, ask for restoration and I will flood you with My living water which will pour through you to overflowing.  Our relationship is a daily, ongoing intimacy.  You cannot live on yesterday’s abundance.  Your abundance is for this day.  Ask and you will receive. 

Rejoice in this day for yesterday’s blessings were for yesterday.  I want you to understand that I desire to give you good gifts daily.  Joy comes in the morning and fills you throughout the day.  You must wait until tomorrow for the joy that will come with tomorrow.  It is DAILY THAT I RESTORE YOUR STRENGTH AND FILL YOU WITH JOY, PEACE, AND LOVE.  Ask, and you will receive enough that you will be filled to overflowing, so you will have plenty to share.  When I overflow through you, My presence touches each person you come in contact with.  Also, continually ask for the infilling of renewed strength and power.  It is Mine to give.  I watch and listen for My children to desire more.  DAILY IS THE KEY.

Open your day with the awareness of My presence, and then you will be more sensitive to My presence as well as hearing the words I speak to you, throughout your day.  My Holy Spirit lives within you, and beckons and woos you to come daily.  Do not grieve My Spirit, rather turn and run toward me.  I wrap you in My loving embrace.”

“Lord, thank You.  I know I am too busy.  Please give me direction as to what to cut out of my day.

I love You Lord.”

I wrote the following poem immediately following the above dialogue.

 

SEEK FIRST GOD’S KINGDOM

By Kathleen Martens

September 28, 2015

 

Every day has twenty four hours

For all that must be done.

I really do think God intended

We work our hardest, yet have some fun!

 

Our morning time is our first fruits,

Best designed to walk in God’s presence,

And when we purposely follow this course

Our day will be lived in His essence.

 

Seek first the kingdom of God

And He will add all else we need.

But we must first dwell in His presence

And on His Holy Scriptures feed.

 

Worship first in dawn’s early light

That you are planted firmly upon His road.

Daily God will renew our strength

And He willingly helps lighten our load.

Matthew 6:33:  “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.”

I give my thanks to those of you who have read these words, as you are allowing me to share my personal handwritten journal with you.  I don’t do it very often, but I thought today was quite special because I have felt the Lord calling me back to my quiet time with Him.  Then to have it confirmed three times in one day seems awesome.  He has certainly made me more aware that He is calling me to return to our morning time together.  I hope you too set aside time daily to become better acquainted with God.  Remember, we serve an AWESOME GOD!

Now back to a capsule of today.  This afternoon I was able to spray several light coats of paint on my table and its base .  I have one more coat to apply but will not be able to do so until 6:00 p.m. tomorrow evening due to the instructions on the paint can.  Hopefully, that will be my final coat, otherwise I will need to buy one more can of paint.  I look forward to seeing it in the light tomorrow.  I have it in the garage and it was getting dark before I finished today’s final coat.

The picture of Calendar Wisdom is set next to the table’s pedestal. 

I would love to write more but it is now bedtime, so good night and God bless you.

Sunday Sabbath  September 27 2015  WORDS THAT YOU SPEAK

 

WHAT TO WRITE?

By Kathleen Martens

September 27, 2015

 

I sit at the keyboard and think, what to write?

Nothing at all seems to come to mind.

So I ponder a little bit longer

Hoping that somewhere in my brain I find

A story to tell, a thought to say,

Hoping some bright idea explodes alive,

But nothing seems to come my way.

 

I think I need more time to read

To feed my soul with wonderful words.

To be filled with new experiences,

And recollecting all I’ve heard

So I can share new things acquired.

And others too will be refreshed

Rather than feeling tired.

 

Ah ha!  I just thought of something to tell you!  I met two new out of town visitors today at church, David Michael and his daughter EL.  I asked them both for their wisdom and I will share it with you.

David Michael’s wisdom: “Never underestimate your influence on others.  The good words that you speak to them go deep into their hearts and change their life forever.”

EL’s wisdom:  “Keep smiling”.

I thought both contributions were extremely significant.  We sometimes forget the power of our words.  Our words can make or break a person.  Our words can tear down or build up.  Which words do you choose to deliver to others?  Better yet, ask yourself, which words would you rather have spoken to you? 

Just as important as the words you speak, or the words you receive, are the words you speak to yourself.  I have talked about this in the past, but I think  it is worth mentioning again.  The power of the words you speak to yourself actually dictates what you believe you can or cannot accomplish, your self-worth, how you perceive who you are, and so many other aspects of who you believe yourself to be.  Stop and take a listen as to the kind of self-talk you do.  Listen to the speech others say to themselves, especially listen for all the negatives with which we address ourselves.  Things like, “Oh, you are so dumb”, “That was a stupid thing to do (say)”, “I am just so clumsy”, “I can’t do that”, or a host of many other negatives.  When you change your self-talk you will see changes in what you can do and that you really aren’t “clumsy” but just bumped something and it is no big offence.  We seem to be hardest on ourselves. 

The book that I read a few years ago “Talk Sense to Yourself, The Language of Personal Power” by Chick Moorman was well worth reading.  It is amazing to have your eyes open to all the things you say to yourself and the affect it has on your entire life.  It’s worth the read and can be purchased very reasonably on Amazon half price books or on half.com (website).  The other book I recently referenced in my blog is, “You Don’t Have the Luxury of a Negative Thought” by Peter McWilliams.  It too is worth reading.  The last book I will mention is one I just started reading, “The Anatomy of an Illness as Perceived by the Patient” by Norman Cousins.  I haven’t read too much yet due to the fact that I only have a chance to read when I am eating alone, and that doesn’t happen very often now that Dave is retired.  However, what I have read is very insightful to the workings of our self-talk and beliefs and how they affect our health. 

The words that David Michael spoke to me this morning have already shown how true his wisdom is.  Just the words he said to me in the quote above went deep into my heart and actually gave my memory a jog as to what I should write my short blog about tonight.

This day is winding down and so am I.  I wish all of you a wonderful night and a tomorrow that is filled with positive self-talk.  And oh, by the way, try giving a word of encouragement to another.  Not only will it lift their spirits, it may very well lift yours.

Good night and God bless you.

P.S.  Here is a poem I wrote in 2012 about God’s Word to us.

 

In the Garden of God’s Word

By Kathleen Martens

June 9, 2012

 

God’s Word is alive and well

In our secret place I stop to dwell.

Verse by verse, line by line

No other words quite so fine.

Over and over I read the same

And so many verses say my name.

As if written just for me

Offering knowledge to set me free.

Words of comfort for my pain,

Refreshing as a summer rain.

Words that convict the ere of my ways

Giving direction on which path to stay.

Words that enlighten my soul’s yearning,

So hungry am I for daily learning.

Words warning of what’s to come

I face with confidence for I know God’s Son.

The words of salvation, God’s great plan

For those who believe, for every man.

I learn how to praise through the Psalms

And I worship freely without qualm.

History that teaches me not to dread

For Revelation explains what’s ahead.

And Proverbs gives instructions for today

So that I will know God’s perfect way.

And no matter how often I read,

In my heart God plants His seeds

Of fresh insight not understood before

That seems to open brand new doors

In new places in God’s garden of words

For faith comes by what I’ve heard.

I eat and drink and devour what is said

From these pages on which I’m fed.

God’s garden of words alive and well

Where each day I choose to dwell.

 

Good night again!