Spirit

Spirit among us,

Come to save us,

Love us

And make us

Wholly yours.

Come and see,

God is here

In an unexpected form,

A baby born

And God's spirit

Is here.

Unexpected

You come to us,

Loving God

When we are not

Looking for you.

We relax,

Thinking all is right,

And suddenly

Your spirit

Is here among us.

God is Love

Psalm 52:8-9

I thrive here

In God's house

Because I know

And trust

That God's love

Is always there for me

And all people

Around the world.

Psalm 144:1-3

It is God who loves me

And has built me

A fortress

And a strong wall

For refuge.

Who are we

That our God

Should love us

So much?

Isaiah 56:2-5

Blessed are those

Who follow

God's commandments

And let justice reign.

Those who are faithful,

No matter who

They may be,

Will never

Be turned away

From God's love.

I John 4:7-12

God is love,

And those who love,

Know who God is.

And since God

Loves all people,

So should we

Love all people.

I John 4:13-21

If we live in love

For all people

We will find

God's love

Is always there.

We dare not

Hate any person,

For God loves all.

Guide

Impatient, I run ahead,
Leaving my guide;
Because I want to see
What is there.
But then, I get too far,
And, turning around,
Cannot see my guide.
Again, I am lost
And alone.
But when I turn
Around again,
I find my guide
Is there, waiting for me.
And I walk onward
Hand in hand
With Jesus, my guide.

Blessed

Matt 5:3-5
Blessed are
The poor
And all oppressed.
All are God's people
And love and blessings
Are theirs.

Matt 5:6-9
Blessed are
All people of God
Who seek the best
For all around them;
For always
They are Children
Of God.

Matt 5:10-12
Blessed are
Those who do not
Turn aside,
Even when
The world intrudes
And tries to make them
Go another way.
Rejoice, For God
Is always with you.

Sing for Joy!

Psalm 23
God is always with me
In good times and bad,
And when trouble threatens
To overwhelm me,
I turn around
And find that God is there.
Always, I am safe
And always loved.

Psalm 33:1-3
I sing for joy
Of God, my creator!
My voice is raised
In melody
To tell all the world
Of my God,
Who loves me
And all people!

God is Good

God is good,

   All the time!

God is here for us

   Every day!

We need not fear

At any time

For all the time,

   God is good!

 You have given us

Such beauty

That we often

Can not see it all;

And we do not see

Al the good

That is there for us.

We turn away

From all the good

That you put

In our lives.

We often refuse to see

That you mean

Only good for us

And just see the bad

That is there.

We too often

Let fear rule us

And will not see

That your hand

Is there for us.

Help us to see

That the beauty around us

Is a reminder for us

That you are always there.

 God is near us, always

Ready to forgive us all

When we turn around again

And take that hand

There for us all.

 Go out from here

And show all people

That God is always there

Wanting to love them all.

Go in peace and love

And always remember

That all the time

   God is good!

Gen 2:19

And God created

All that is;

The birds that fly,

All that lives in the sea,

And all the beasts

That live on the land.

Come and see,

All creatures

Were created by God.

Come and know

That God treasures

And loves them all.

Creator God,

Forgive us

When we treat

This world

As our own

Personal possession.

Forgive us

When we forget

That you created

All animals

And they

Belong here, too.

Help all of us

To remember

That you love

All that you

Have created.

God is here,

Forgiving us

And loving us.

Come, let us

Celebrate.

And praise God

Who made

Every creature

And loves them all.

Go out in peace,

And remember:

God created this world

And all that is on it.

God Created

God created

All that is;

And there shall come

A time when all

Shall learn to live

Together in peace.

Come, see,

The wolf and lamb

Laying together

And the lion and calf

Being together

Without hurt or harm.

God of all,

Help us to see

That you created

Everything that is.

Forgive us

When we forget

That the wolf and coyote

Are as much a part

Of your creation

As the lamb and goat.

Show us the way

To that place

Where all your creatures

Will live together

In peace and harmony.

Come, know,

God is near us all

Forgiving us

And ready to lead us

To that place of peace.

All creatures

Of the air and sea

And of the land

Are creations of God,

Who loves them all.

And a small child

Will lead them all

To that place

Of safety.

Go in peace

Remembering -

God loves all creation

God is Working - Yet

From sandy deserts

To the snow-capped mountains,

     God is working - yet.

From the rolling plains

To the prairies:

      God is working – yet.

There is beauty

All around us

That we do not see.

But God is working yet

Creating life all around us. 

Loving God,

Forgive us

When we do not see

The beauty all around us.

Forgive us

When we destroy

Instead of preserving.

Forgive us

When we do not realize

That you are creating yet

Each and every day

God is near,

Forgiving us all

And loving us yet.

In all things

Can God’s hand be seen.

The world that we see

Is beautiful

And shows that

In all places

God is working – yet.

Go out into the world

And look around you

To really see the beauty

And find where

God is working – now.

God’s peace and love

Be with you always

And remember:

God is working – always.

God is Working

See the rugged,

Snow- capped mountains

Reaching for the sky.

See the deep, green valleys

Laying far beneath

See the rolling plains and prairies

Stretching onward mile by mile

See all the signs and know;

God is working – here.

See the trees growing upward

See the green grass beneath.

See the glowing flowers

With all the colors

Of the rainbow.

Look all around you now

And know that again:

God is working – here.

See the small streams

And the wide rivers

Flowing onward to the sea.

See the wider sea

And the restless waves

Beating on the shoreline.

See all this and remember:

God is working – here.

See the people gather,

Young and old, short and tall.

See them in all colors

And all persuasions

Mixing freely all around.

See all of this

And always remember:

God is working – here.

Feel the wind a blowing

Wherever it will

See the rain coming down

Always upon one and all.

See the bright sun shine

Every day, even through the clouds.

Look around you day by day

And know that always and ever:

God is working – here.

Saints

All people, saints,

Loved by God.

Let us gather

And together, praise God.

We are saints,

But not perfect

For too often

We turn away

From God's love.

Loving God,

Forgive us

When we forget

That your love

Is always ours to have.

We so often turn away

To find other paths

That you have not

Chosen for us.

You call us saints,

But we will not believe

And accept that love.

Help us to find that path

That is ours

And to stay on that path

And always walk in love

With you

And all others

We find in our world.

And God is always near,

Loving us and forgiving us

When we turn and accept

That love that is ours

To have.

We are gathered as saints,

Loved by God, who created

All that we can see.

All  things,  all people

Belong to our God.

We have gathered here

To praise and worship

A loving God.

Go now out to the world

And show in your life

Who God is.

Go from this place

And walk always in peace

And in love

With all people

That you see. 

All Saints' Day

Let all the Saints gather

And together raise our voices;

And praise our God!

Our God is here with us

And always dwells among us;

Let us together sing

And praise God!

God is here, among us

As we gather together,

And will be with us

If we will

Turn and learn of love.

Loving God,

We let fear

Rule our lives

And forget how to love

Other people.

Forgive us

When we will not hear

Your voice speaking

To all of  us.

Forgive us

When we turn away,

Fearing that death

Will take us away

From our friends

And families.

We forget your promises

And that you have

Conquered death

For all of us.

We turn away from you

And that love

That you promised

For all of us,

And forget to tell others

About your love

For all people.

God is here, among us

And loving us all,

And forgiving us

When we turn again

To find that love

That is ours to have .

We have gathered here

As the Saints of God

To worship God

And to learn more

About love.

Let us now go out

And tell the world

About God's love

For all people.

Go forth in peace

And always remember

God loves you

Just as you are

Right at this moment! 

The Candle

There once was
A candle small
That tried to light the world.
But the world
Was much too large
And the darkness
That covered it
Too thick
For that one little candle
To break through
On its own.
But then it lit
Another candle
And that one lit two;
And as the flame passed on,
The world grew brighter still
Till at last
The dark was banished
From the world
Forevermore.

Fools

Oh Lord, what fools we be!
We go along life's highway
Believing our own strength
Sufficient to any task
That might confront us,
When only you can give
To each of us the strength
To bear the load
That has been given us.

Oh Lord, What fools we be!
We try to make ourselves
The highest and best
Of our little worlds
When only service, lowly service
To our fellow beings and you
Can make us better
Than what we are.

Oh lord, what fools we be!
We deny to others the right
To live as we do,
Forcing them to live
Where we would not,
When they are our brethren,
Your children,
Whoever they may be.

Oh Lord, what fools we be!
For we put ourselves
Ahead of you and your kingdom.
We try to pretend
That you do not exist
And measure ourselves by our own standards
When you are there, before us
Measuring us and weighing our faults.

Keep us, Lord, From the foolishness
That says, "I am God
Of this little bit of world."
And forgets that ALL people
Are your children
And as such
Have the same rights as we.
Keep us, Lord, from being fools.
           written late 1960's

Forgive

Forgive all other people,
Forgive them now.
Let them go
And forgive
What they have done to you.
Live together
In love and peace
And let not hate and fear
Overcome your heart.
Forgive all others
As God forgives you
And do not stop,
But do it at all times
Every day.

God Is

God is faithful
And always near,
Ready to help
If we will
But ask for help.


God is loving
And will be there
For each one of us
If we will
Reach out for that love.

Called

Called to belong
To Jesus Christ
Called to be
Outside the boundaries
Of society.

Called to belong
To Jesus Christ,
Called to show
The whole world
Who God is

Called to belong
To Jesus Christ,
Called to proclaim
That God's love
Is for all people.

Prayer

We come to God
In prayer,
Holding out our hands
To find out
Who God is.

We come in prayer
To form a relationship
With the God
Who is near
Each one of us.

We come in prayer
Asking for those things
That we think
That we need
In our lives.

And God is near
To answer our prayers
In the way
That will make life
Better for all people.

For when we pray,
God comes to us
And always comes
Near each of us
In great love.

Servant

To be a servant
Of the living God
Is to try to transform
The world around.

To be a servant
Of a loving God
Is to bring justice
To all people.

To be a servant
Of a just God
Is to tell ALL people
That God loves them all.

Rainbows

photo by:  Betty Q Smith

Rainbows are ours
To have and to hold.
But if we hold
Too tightly
They will disintegrate.

Take the rainbow
That you will find near
And pass it on
To all people
That you will find.

Peace

Peace will begin with a child;
For a child has not learned
To hate and fear
That what he or she
Does not understand.
Peace will begin with a child;
For children do not know
That they should
Hate and fear
People who are not
Made exactly like them.

A Promise

There is a promise in the wind
And it will come true
For I have all eternity
To see it through.
There is a promise
Written on the sky,
A promise of a better life
For you, for me, for everyone.
The promises in the wind, on the sky,
Says that there is a place
For everyone to fill
And no one else
Can take that place.
A life to live
And love to have,
This is the promise
That is written on the sky
And blows in on the wind.

The Lonely

Photo by:  Arthur Clark

Ah - see them there, the lonely.
See her sitting there
Among the crowds, with the people,
Yet alone and lonely.
See him walking
Along the shadowed path
With people on all sides,
Yet alone and lonely.
They walk alone,
Lonely for companionship,
For a true friend;
Yet they are scared,
Scared lest anyone
See their loneliness
And take pity on them.
So they hide their loneliness
Behind a facade of happiness
Pretending they are not
Alone and unhappy.
Yet they cry, though not aloud,
To be noticed and liked
If only for a time.
To be liked for who they are
And not for what they seem to be.
See them there - the lonely;
See them and notice - the lonely.

Caution!

CAUTION!

Christian under construction!
Tread carefully, because this Christian is still learning 

how to follow Christ.  Be aware that anything that 

happens may not be what you might expect to hear from 

one who is a Christian.

We Talk

We talk and talk
About what is needed
But then resist
Doing what we are told.

We complain daily
About all our problems
And forget to love
As Jesus did.

Are We

Are we listening
For God's word
For us?

Are we doing
What we are
Led to do?

Are we going
The way
That we are told?

Friends

Jesus is a friend; never too busy for any person.  Do we act
as if He is our friend?
How do we treat those we count as friends?
Do we listen for God to speak?
Do we really hear what we are to do?
Do we really trust the other person?
Do we really trust God?
God and Jesus are more than friends – do we act that way?
Do other people see God and Jesus in us or our actions?

My Neighbor

My neighbor,
Who is he?
Or who is she,
That I should help?
Is there anyone
Around me
Who needs help
And I have ignored?
Show me, oh God,
What to do
Who needs me.

Feeling Lost?

Photo by: Arthur Clark

Feeling lost and lone?
Wanting someone near
To care for you?
Be at peace and know
Someone is looking for you.

Have you lost your way?
Can't seem to find
Which way to go?
Stop the frantic search;
Someone is looking for you.

Stop and be still,
Come and see
That you are never alone;
For throughout your life
God is looking for you.

Prayer 40

Reach down, God,
And heal us
Not just in body,
But in soul and spirit.
For our souls, our spirits
Are badly twisted
And gone wrong.
Heal us
And show us
The right path.
1970's

Eagle's Wings

Isaiah 40:30-31

I get weary,

And my body tires,

But God is with me

And His love

Surrounds me always

So that it does not

Matter what condition

My body is in,

I will soar

On eagle's wings

Because God

Upholds me always.

Galatians 6:14

Though I fly high

On eagle's wings,

You, oh Lord,

Are the wind

Beneath my wings,

The strength

That upholds me.

I have no cause

To boast in anything

But your great love

That has been shown

In Jesus.

Philipians 4:13

Because you, Lord,

Dwell with me always,

I can do whatever

Is needed.

Because you give

Me the strength

And all the love

That I shall ever need,

I will fly high

Above the troubles

That try to overset me.