Collections of Bit By Bit

PAD Challenge-day 7:

Two-for-Tuesday prompt. 

Write to one prompt, both prompts, 

and/or combine them: 

Write a big poem, or...

Write a small poem.

Life roads/loads can seem impossible/impassable when viewed in a lump sum...

Sometimes, as a loved one bears a cross, 

 oh, how we wish we could

bear or ease it for them but we cannot, and should not! 

(sometimes we wish we could rid ourselves of our own crosses!)

 Only beneath life's crosses

does faith become stronger and humbler/meeker💗🙏

But we can and should pray for God's sufficient grace 

to be the strength in our weakness!!

2 Cor.12:9

And He said to me,

 “My grace is sufficient for you, 

for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

Life roads/loads can seem impossible/impassable when viewed in a lump sum

Its weight of cares can topple the most hopeful optimist

For none can see what waits to be, what is ‘what-ifs’ outcome

What favor or calamity the hour may untwist

What detour must be taken or what leap of learning tried

What perseverance shaken or what darling wish denied

But one breath, one step, one moment and one prayer at a time

The feeble can scale mountains and great burdens can be borne

Courage can face the giant where faith’s steppingstones align

To make us more reliant on the Author of each morn

As we press on toward the place where troubles cease their cry

As step by step and grace by grace He whispers ‘here am I’

A small word of kindness begins ripple effects of cheer

Tis step by step, the victor wins the title victors claim

Moment by moment unravels seasons, marked year by year

And draws each road we travel back to He, from whence we came

Do not despair, the Whole of It, when analyzed will show

Life's collections of bit by bit, as by God’s grace we go

© Janet Martin

In the Sweet By and By

John 1:16

And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace.

Collecting Echoes

This is the time of year when I start to concede that maybe 

I have too much junk many collections... 

My largest collections are

rolling pins ...

...enamel-ware

 and poetry books

...and oh, what pleasure they have added to the ordinary!

Collectors walk that fine line between pack-rat and passion😏

some day

when I die

they

will pile a wagon high

and people will come

and sort throught the conglom

-eration

of these pieces of 

love

...and the auctioneer will call

what am I bid

the pictures of

the living they did

  hidden from eyes 

as they surmise

the size of the lot

and contemplate the price

and someone says

maybe 'I could use that' 

and another replies, 

'yeah, this might be nice'

...for the hands have been stilled 

that once thrilled

with the warmth of honest toil

as they filled

dishes with dinner

(fresh-from-the-garden-spoil)

Folded forever,
the fingers 

that lingered

between pages

as they highlighted a line 

here and there

The lips have laughed 

and kissed the last

tears of tots
and teddy-bears

when the milk was spilled

...here is the apron,

oft flour-dusty

as pies were rolled and filled

Now the rolling pins are passed on

like wooden batons

to the next generation

for stories not yet told

'what am I bid'

cries the auctioneer

'going once

going twice

sold!'

("throw in an extra rolling-pin"

he tells the bid-spotter

"We've got a lot of them to get rid of

...and just for the sake of love

a poem book or two

The things people collect!"

he said)

...and if I could I'd say

'yes, it's true,

it's true

Soundless echoes of 

home-sweet-love

that once upon my

little life

I knew'

Janet Martin

..