For Dark Days

By one of my favorite writers, Isaac Watts, 1674-1748

High in the heavens, Eternal God,

Thy goodness in full glory shines;

Thy truth shall break through every cloud

That veils and darkens Thy designs

 

Forever firm Thy justice stands,

As mountains their foundations keep;

Wise are the wonders of Thy hands;

Thy judgments are a mighty deep.

 

My God, how excellent Thy grace,

Whence all our hope and comfort spring!

The sons of men in their distress

Fly to the shadow of Thy wing.

 

Life, like a fountain rich and free,

Springs from the presence of my Lord;

And in thy light our souls shall see

The glories promised in Thy word.

 

 

 

From the pen of John Milton, 1608-1674

 

Let us with gladsome mind

Praise the Lord, for He is kind:

For His mercies shall endure,

Ever faithful, ever sure.

 

He, with all commanding might,

filled the new-made world with light:

For His mercies shall endure,

Ever faithful, ever sure.

 

All things living He doth feed;

His full hand supplies their need;

For His mercies shall endure,

Ever faithful, ever sure.

 

 

"My help cometh from the Lord, who made heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:2

 

"Be strong and of good courage,

be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed:

For the Lord thy God is with thee

whithersoever thou goest."

Joshua 1:9



Foundations

The Foundation of God Standeth Sure

 

 

In times of great doubt when earth's trials press hard,

  And they seem all too much to endure;

There's a comforting word in the Scripture of truth,

  "The foundation of God standeth sure."

 

Why then should we fear, though the earth be removed?

  For God's children in Christ are secure;

On the Rock we are safe, though the storm rages wild,

  "The foundation of God standeth sure."

 

"The foundation of God standeth sure,"

  And His kingdom will ever endure;

No matter if all else shall crumble away,

  "The foundation of God standeth sure."

 

                                    Mrs. C.D. Martin

 

 We Plow the Fields, and Scatter

 

 

We plow the fields, and scatter the good seed on the land,

But it is fed and watered by God's almighty hand;

He sends the snow in winter,

  The warmth to swell the grain,

 The breezes and the sunshine,

  And the soft refreshing rain.

 

All good gifts around us

  Are sent from heaven above;

Then thank the Lord,

  O thank the Lord

For all His love.

                                   Mathias Claudius

 

 

 

"Thou art near."

Psalm 119:151

Dedicated to the Class of 1972

for my class from Columbus Grove High School

The Singers

God sent His singers upon earth

With songs of sadness and of mirth,

That they might touch the hearts of men,

And bring them back to heaven again.

The first a youth, with soul of fire

Held in his hand a golden lyre,

Through groves he wandered, and by streams,

Playing the music of our dreams.

The second, with a bearded face,

Stood singing in the market-place,

And stirred with accents deep and loud

The hearts of all the listening crowd.

A gray, old man, the third and last,

Sang in cathedrals dim and vast,

While the majestic organ rolled

Contrition from its mouths of gold.

And those who heard the Singers three

Disputed which the best might be;

For still their music seemed to start

Discordant echoes in each heart.

But the great Master said, "I see

No best in kind, but in degree;

I gave a various gift to each,

To charm, to strengthen, and to teach.

"These are the three great chords of might,

And he whose ear is tuned aright

Will hear no discord in the three,

But the most perfect harmony."

                       by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

                                    A poem about me....

Chief of Sinners

Chief of sinners though I be,

Jesus shed His blood for me,

Died that I might live on high,

Lives that I might never die.

As the branch is to the vine,

I am His and He is mine.

Oh, the height of Jesus' love!

Higher than the heavens above,

Deeper than the depths of sea,

Lasting as eternity.

Love that found me-wondrous thought-

Found me when I sought Him not.

O my Savior, help afford

By your Spirit and your Word!

When my wayward heart would stray,

Keep me in the narrow way;

Grace in time of need supply

While I live and when I die.

                                       by William McComb, 1793-1870



With special thanks to:

Denny,  for working tirelessly to make our class reunion a successful one of pleasant memories

Leonard,  for being the first to say a kind "Hello,Pam" (that made my heart smile- it is always good to see Leonard)

Ginger, who is always nice to me

Linda, whose listening ear and welcoming smiles are a great blessing

Mark and Diane, for making the long journey to greet "old" friends (Mark always made us laugh)

Faculty and Staff of Columbus Grove High School and Vaughnsville Elementary (Sugar Creek Local)  who endeavored to teach us English and created a love for poetry in my soul. (among other things)

"to all the friends we made here our loyalties will be,

and cherished days we spent at Grove shall live again in memory." 

May the God of all grace grant to each one of you His peace.





God Moves in a Mysterious Way

God moves in a mysterious way
  His wonders to perform:
He plants His footsteps in the sea,
  And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
  Of never-failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs,
  And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take,
  The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy, and shall break
  In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
  But trust Him for His grace:
Behind a frowning providence
  He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
  Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
  But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err,
  And scan His work in vain:
God is His own interpreter,
  And He will make it plain.
                  William Cowper, 1731-1800

Taken from the book Good Reading for High Schools, English Writers, 1931 (I don't think my high school literature book contained this lovely poem.)

And we know that

God causes all things to work together

for good

to those who love God,

to those who are called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:28 (NASV)

Great God of Nations

Great God of nations, now to Thee
  Our hymn of gratitude we raise;
With humble heart, and bending knee,
  We offer Thee our song of praise.

Thy Name we bless, Almighty God,
  For all the kindness Thou hast shown
To this fair land the Pilgrims trod-
  This land we fondly call our own.

We pray Thee let the gospel light
  Through all our land its radiance shed;
 Dispel the shades of error's night,
  And heavenly blessings round us spread.

Great God, preserve us in Thy fear;
  In danger still our Guardian be;
O spread Thy truth's bright precepts here;
  Let all the people worship Thee.
                             A.A. Woodhull, 1829

God reigns over the nations.

                                    Psalm 47:8                                 

Jesus, I am Resting, Resting

In loving memory of Joel McKanna, 1979-2011
Beloved son of Don and Audrey Niswander McKanna

Jesus, I am Resting, Resting

Jesus, I am resting, resting
   In the joy of what thou art;
I am finding out the greatness
   Of Thy loving heart.
Thou hast bid me gaze upon Thee,
  And Thy beauty fills my soul,
For by Thy transforming power,
   Thou has made me whole.

Simply trusting Thee, Lord Jesus,
   I behold Thee as Thou art,
And Thy love, so pure, so changless,
  Satisfies my heart;
Satisfies its deepest longings,
  Meets, supplies its every need,
Compasseth me round with blessings;
  This is love indeed!
            Jean Sphie Pigott,1876

Christians never see one another for the last time.

Charles C. Albertson

The Conquerors

Jesus and Alexander died at thirty-three.

One lived and died for self; one died for you and me;

The Greek died on a throne; the Jew died on a cross;

One's life a triumph seemed; the other but a loss.

One led vast armies forth; the other walked alone.

One shed a whole world's blood; the other gave His own.

One won the world in life and lost it all in death;

The other lost His life to win the whole world's faith.

Jesus and Alexander died at thirty-three.

One died in Babylon, and one on Calvary.

One gained all for himself; and one Himself He gave,

One conquered every throne; the other every grave.

The one made himself God, the God made Himself less,

The one lived but to blast, the other but to bless.

When died the Greek, forever fell his throne of swords;

But Jesus died to live forever Lord of lords.

Jesus and Alexander died at thirty-three.

The Greek made all men slaves; the Jew made all men free.

One built a throne on blood; the other built on love.

The one was born of earth; the other from above.

One won all this earth, to lose all earth and heaven.

The other gave up all, that all to Him be given.

The Greek forever died; the Jew forever lives.

He loses all who gets, and wins all things who gives.

                                        -Charles Ross Weede





           "He has appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself."

Hebrews 9:26

"Your worst days are never so bad that you are beyond the reach of  God's grace. And your best days are never so good that you are beyond the NEED of God's grace." (Jerry Bridges)





Hail, Thou Once Despised Jesus!

Hail, Thou once despised Jesus! Hail, Thou Galilean King!
Thou didst suffer to release us; Thou didst free salvation bring.
Hail, Thou universal Savior! Thou has borne our sin and shame;
By Thy merits we find favor; Life is given through Thy name.

Paschal Lamb, by God appointed, All our sins were on Thee laid;
By almighty love annointed, Thou hast full atonement made.
Every sin may be forgiven through the virtue of Thy blood;
Opened is the gate of heaven; Peace is made 'twixt man and God.
                                                             John Bakewell, 1757 
                                             

Patrick's Prayer

Christ be with me, Christ within me,
Christ behind me, Christ before me,
Christ beside me, Christ to win me,
Christ to comfort and restore me,
Christ beneath me, Christ above me,
Christ in quiet, Christ in danger,
Christ in hearts of all that love me,
Christ in mouth of friend and stranger.

I bind unto myself the Name,
The strong Name of the Trinity,
By invocation of the same,
The Three in One, and One in Three;
Of whom all nature hath creation,
Eternal Father, Spirit, Word:
Praise to the Lord of my salvation,
Salvation is of Christ the Lord.

and just for fun:

When Irish eyes are smiling
  and Irish smiles are big,
When Irish hearts are hopeful
  and the piper plays a jig,
When Irish stew is bubblin'
  and the soda bread is hot,
And Irish tea is steepin'
   in a little Irish pot...
When the room is warm
   with laughter
 and the songs are bright and bold
And there's poetry and magic
  in the stories that are told...
Isn't it a blessing?
Isn't it just grand
  to know a little part of you
     belongs to Ireland?
                       -author unknown

 It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed,

because His compassions fail not,

They are new every morning:

Great is Thy faithfulness.

Lamentations 3:22-23

A Prayer for America from 1844

God bless our native land!
Firm may she ever stand,
   Through storm and night;
When the wild tempests rave,
Ruler of winds and wave!
Do Thou our country save,
   By Thy great might.

For her our prayer shall rise
To God above the skies;
   on Him we wait;
Thou, who art ever nigh,
Guardian with watchful eye!
To Thee aloud we cry
   God save the state!
                     John S. Dwight, 1844

My help cometh from the Lord,

which made heaven and earth.

Psalm 121:2

The Anvil of God's Word

Last eve I paused beside a blacksmith's door

And heard the anvil ring the vesper chime;

Then looking in, I saw upon the floor,

Old hammers worn with beating years of time.

"How many anvils have you had," said I,

"To wear and batter on these hammers so?"

"Just one," said he, and then with twinkling eyes,

"The anvil wears the hammers out you know."

"And so," I thought, "the anvil of God's Word

For ages skeptics' blows have beat upon,

Yet though the noise of falling blows was heard

The anvil is unmarred, the hammers gone."

                                          -John Clifford,D.D.

Open my eyes, that I may see

 wondrous things from Your law.

  Psalm 119:18



2012 Prayer for America

Prayer for the Nation

Lord! while for all mankind we pray,

Of every clime and coast,

Oh! hear us for our native land,

The land we love the most.

Oh! guard our shore from every foe,

With peace our borders bless,

With posperous times our cities crown,

Our fields with plenteousness.

Unite us in the sacred love

of knowledge, truth, and Thee;

And let our hills and valleys shout

The songs of liberty.

Lord of the nations! thus to Thee

Our country we commend;

Be thou her Refuge and her Trust,

Her everlasting Friend.

by John Reynell Wreford, 1837