A New Year’s Day

O Thou whose glory fills the heavens,

Whose bounty clothes the earth,

To Thee a poem of thanks we raise

For blessings from our birth.

For that untiring love Thou dost,

From day to day renew,

O may it on our hearts descend

Like heaven-distilled dew.

For mercy great, unending still,

Which gave up to the grave

Thine only Son, the Sinless One,

Our sinful souls to save.

While entering on another year

Our cares on Thee we cast,

Beseeching aid in days to come

Which cheered us through the past.

That still the freedom may be ours

To kneel down in Thy sight,

And worship Thee at shut of day,

And in the morning light.

That from temptation’s fatal paths

Thou turn our steps away;

And keep us from unholy thoughts

That lead the mind astray.

No more may lust of worldly wealth

Command thoughts that are thine;

Nor may we envy other’s lot,

Or at our own repine.

Than all the riches earth can boast

Or gems beneath the sea,

We know the pious, humble heart,

More precious is to Thee.

How needful, then, to train our thoughts,

And fan the heavenly flame

Of faith, in the believing heart,

Triumphing o’er sin and shame

And holding by the Word, thou hast

For grace and guidance given,

Pass trough this world in holy fear,

True candidates for heaven.

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A Short Testament

Whatever harm I may have done

In all my life in all your wide creation

If I cannot repair it

I beg you to repair it,

And then there are all the wounded

The poor the deaf the lonely and the old

Whom I have roughly dismissed

As if I were not one of them.

Where I have wronged them by it

And cannot make amends

I ask you

To comfort them to overflowing,

And where there are lives I may have withered around me,

Or lives of strangers far or near

That I’ve destroyed in blind complicity,

And if I cannot find them

Or have no way to serve them,

Remember them. I beg you to remember them

When winter is over

And all your unimaginable promises

Burst into song on death’s bare branches.

~ Anne Porter

 

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Life Begins When You Do

Walk to the edge.

Listen hard. Laugh. Play with abandon.

Practice wellness.

Continue to learn.

Choose with no regret.

Appreciate your friends.

Lead or follow a leader.

Do what you love.

Live as if this is all there is.

Your purpose, that thing that among the many to-dos of your days, is what you must do. Embrace the truth of your purpose each minute of your precious life…for how very true it is that life begins when you do.

If you would dream it

BEGIN it.

If you have an idea

OPEN it.

If there is longing

ACKNOWLEDGE it.

If there is mission

COMMIT it.

If there is daring

DO it.

If there is love

SPEAK it.

If there is resource

USE it.

If there is abundance

SHARE it.

This is based upon on Mary Anne’s famous poem – her statement of purpose – Live with Intention . This  reminds me of the “when  and  what then” syndrome that so many of us follow as we journey our life. So, why wait another minute? The life you’re waiting for…begins when you do!

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“Footprints In The Sand” – The Story behind the Poem

Margaret’s boyfriend Paul proposed. While happy, she was hesitant. She and her boyfriend seemed so different. They decided to take a little walk along the beach to discuss marriage and its importance. When they reached the far end of the beach and were about to begin their return journey, Margaret glanced down and noticed that their footprints had washed out to the sea. Turning to Paul she said, ” Well, if our married life is to be like this, we don’t stand much of a chance.”

Paul replied, “When things are tough for me, you will help me – and when things are tough for you, I’ll help you.”

They continued walking, until Margaret glanced down again and saw that only one set of footprints had washed out to sea. Again, Margaret suggested that their life together didn’t appear to have much of a future. This time Paul responded by gently lifting her up in his arms and carrying her along the beach. Finally, he set her down and said, “Margaret, I want to impress upon you that when life is so bad that we can’t seem to help each other, God will carry us.” Then, pointing to the single set of footprints the two of them had just created, Paul added, “If you just looked at the set of tracks we just made, you couldn’t tell that I carried you – but I did.”

Margaret found his words and the thoughts behind them very beautiful. that night she couldn’t sleep, so she got up and wrote these words:

One night a man had a dream. He dreamed he was walking along the beach with the Lord. Across the sky flashed scenes from his life. For each scene, he noticed two sets of footprints in the sand; one belonging to him, and the other to the Lord.

When the last scene of his life flashed before him, he looked back at the footprints in the sand. He noticed that many times along the path of his life there was only one set of footprints. He also noticed that it happened at the very lowest and saddest times of his life.

This really bothered him and he questioned the Lord about it. “Lord, you said that once I decided to follow you, you’d walk with me all the way. But I have noticed that during the most troublesome times in my life, there is only one set of footprints. I don’t understand why when I needed You most You would leave me.”

The Lord replied, “My precious, precious child, I love you and I would never leave you. During your times of trial and suffering, when you see only one set of footprints, it was then that I carried you.”

This beautiful piece, printed time and time again, has a love story all it’s own. She called the piece “Footprints” Today, “Footprints” is one of the most widely distributed inspirational pieces in existence. It can be found on plaques, cards and jewelry. Its power lies in its message – the message of the greatest love of all. And yes they did marry.

Love – is an eternal source.

- – - By Margaret Rose Powers

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