Laughter

© 2013 Lana Gray

The earth laughs in flowers.

– E. E. Cummings

Rest

© 2013 Lana Gray

Jesus, I am resting, resting

In the joy of what Thou art.

I am finding out the greatness

Of Thy loving heart.

music - James Mountain; words - Jean Pigott 1876

Dying Hope/Living Hope

Dying Hope/Living Hope

Believing only in chance crushes hope.

Believing in God's redemptive purpose restores and nurtures hope.

© 2014 Lana Gray

Prayers

Prayers outlive the lives of those who uttered them; 

outlive a generation, 

outlive an age, 

outlive a world. 

- E. M. Bounds 

© 2013 Lana Gray

New Eyes

New Eyes
The voyage of discovery lies not in finding new landscapes but in having new eyes.  -Marcel Proust

I don’t think I’m alone in my attraction to new places – whether in this country or those lands far away. But Proust reminds me that in ordinary living I can be given new eyesight to see what has either been obscured, unnoticed, or hidden from my view.

So today I am asking God for new discoveries without traveling many miles, using "new eyes" to see the wonder of blessings around me. . .

in the home I inhabit,
in the books I read,
in the dishes I wash,
in the carpet I vacuum,
in the doors I open,
in the furniture I dust,
in the clothes I wash,
in the streets I travel,
in the people I meet.

© 2013 Lana Gray

Obedience

Obedience
He gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep His commands. . .  Prov. 8:20

“Not ONE more step!  Do you hear me?”

How many times have we heard these words from a frustrated parent and then watched the child do the exact opposite of the command?  Obedience is what is desired, yet not always witnessed.

But isn’t it refreshing to know that God’s commands to nature could not be disobeyed?  There is no getting around the fact that nature was and is in subjection to our great Creator God!

© 2013 Lana Gray

“I sing the mighty power of God that made the mountains rise,

That spread the flowing seas abroad, and built the lofty skies.

I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule the day;

The moon shines full at His command and all the stars obey.”

– Isaac Watts

Flower in the Crannied Wall

Flower In the Crannied Wall

© 2013 Lana Gray

      by Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809-1892)
Flower in the crannied wall,

I pluck you out of the crannies;
Hold you here, root and all, in my hand,
Little flower -but if I understand
What you are, root and all, and all in all,
I should know what God and man is.

The Weight of Gratitude

The Weight of Gratitude

What if an eternal scale weighed my gratitude

and measured. . .

smiles of joy,

words of encouragement,

thoughts of the eternal,

touches of hope,

tears of repentance?

Would my heavy gratitude

bring forth a light spirit?

© 2013 Lana Gray

God's Secretary

God's Secretary

Of all the creatures both in sea and land,

Only to man thou hast made known thy ways,

And put the pen alone into his hand,

And made him secretary of thy praise.

-George Herbert

What a privilege, God, to be Your secretary -- 

to write praises that both 

originate in You and 

end as offerings to You!
   

It is the vocabulary of highest praise!

© 2013 Lana Gray

May this bring a smile to your day!

                                                           

© 2013 Lana Gray

Look for a lovely thing and 

you will find it.

-Sara Teasdale