3/29/26 Through 4/4/26

 3/29/26 Through 4/4/26

Sunday

How can one comment on what He has done,

The gift of the Father, and gift of the Son?

His Passion and death has brought life to us all

So, now we must listen and answer His call.

His call is for sacrifice, showing our love

To follow our Leader who came from above

To love at the cost of all things on the Earth

And find in our dying, the path to rebirth.

The buffets and spitting, the crowning with thorn,

The scourging, the mocking, contempt, and the scorn

All that He suffered, with patience endured

To unworthy sinners, the blessings inured

No words can express what our Savior has done

Our Jesus, for sinners, forgiveness has won.

The Cross of Salvation, a symbol of shame

For humble to ponder, and sinner to claim.

Not only for dying, the Savior had come

But into the depths of the heart He will plumb

Replacing our stone with the flesh that He gave

The lost to be found and the sinner to save.

Monday

Extravagant love, what more can I say?

The way that she emptied her jar on that day.

Giving the best that she had, and it all,

She humbly and graciously answered His call.

Undaunted by nothing that's left in her store

To serve the Lord Jesus was offering more

The wealth of the world is a pitiful thing

Compared to the choice of the Heavenly King

The poor can be rich when they give all away

It doesn't cost much just to hear and obey

You purchase a treasure of infinite store

For love as we may, He will always love more.

Don't fall for the trappings of earthly desire

They lead to the prospect of eternal fire

The treasure that never will rot or decay

Requires you give all the others away.

Tuesday

He took the morsel, ran away

Then set about to God betray

He sells the Lord for silver coins

And so, therewith, the darkness joins.

His favored one was just as bad

For where was all the zeal he had

When boasting, he would die for Christ

But found himself, by fear, enticed?

Betrayal runs in every man

But overcoming it, we can

Rely on grace and love to win

Then find forgiveness of our sin

Wednesday

Betrayal comes in many ways

In thought of self, in lustful gaze

In turning from His loving eyes

To don a poor and weak disguise

He sees and knows what's in the heart

Yet still He takes the servant's part

To wash the feet of sinful men

And show them how to act again.

Lord, cover me in love, I pray

That I may never turn away

But always trust until the end

And always, on Your love, depend.

Thursday

On the night before He suffered

With His special chosen men

Christ, before they sat and suppered

Washed their feet in service then

Giving sign as how the leader

Must, to all, a servant be

By His sacrifice, our feeder

Flesh and Blood eternally

Such a humble sign and symbol

But far more than bread and wine

What we see is but a thimble

In the ocean of the Vine

Yet, among the twelve, was evil

Seeking to the Man destroy

Who for paltry price retrieval

With the wicked would employ

When He told of His betrayal

Many voiced their will to die

But gave poor and sad portrayal

When the mob was drawing nigh

In our day the Church remembers

Ages since have come and gone

Though but few are glowing embers

Still, the Truth is carried on

Christ became our King of Glory

Sacrificed, for man to save

Living on, the ancient story

How, for man, His life He gave.

On the altar in our churches

Daily, we recall that night

Humble one that seeks and searches

Finds within the Bread, the Light

Such a mystery, so compelling,

Simple yet complex and true.

Through the many years retelling

All that Christ has done for you.

Friday

Your Passion, Lord, my saving grace

One that eclipses time and space

Event which eons bring to bear

On sacred altars everywhere

The Perfect Lamb once sacrificed

Became salvation, highly priced

Each stroke of lash and painful thorn

With patience and with love were borne

How speechless here I stand today

With naught but gratitude to pay

For how you love and how You serve

But rarely get what You deserve

My everything belongs to You

For all I have is what You're due

Oh, saving pow'r of Love Divine

Come dwell within and make me shine.

Saturday

What emptiness we felt that day

When Christ, our Lord, they took away

His body buried in the grave

The One we hoped would sinners save

Such cruelty not seen before

To every means of pain explore

But through it all His love was shown

'Till there, at last, as Son was known

His lifeless body, cold and dead

With every drop of blood now shed

And where was I when needed most

But with my shrinking self, engrossed!

In time of need, went running scared

While Love Alone was sin declared

To greatest Love I've ever known

Abandonment and slight were shown

How can I live with such remorse?

I wish I chose a better course

And stayed with Him until the end

As one on whom He could depend

As sleep evades my weary eyes

No tears are left, just empty cries.

What will become of one like me

Who loved, and yet abandoned Thee?

3/22/26 Through 3/28/26

 3/22/26 Through 3/28/26

Sunday

If only You had been here, Lord

Dear Lazarus would be restored

But hereupon the fourth day hence

The stench will offer You offence.

Fear not, for Lazarus shall rise

Just wait and watch with open eyes

So, take the stone away to find

Your brother, and to him unbind

This body, four days cold and dead

Must now, by you, be warmed and fed

You see, there's no denying now

Both life and death, before Me bow.

What must one see; What must they learn;

To black and white, and truth discern?

Yet some, for every sign I give

Want nevermore that I should live.

Come lose your pride, you'll not regret

You'll also lose your sinful debt

And find in Me the love you seek

The rest for weary, strength for weak.

Monday

Both innocent and guilty spared

For in His mercy, both He cared

So much that He would take the pain

For them to have eternal gain

But all have sinned and none deserve

The kind of blessing I observe

That He prepares for all who turn

And ways of love attempt to learn

He looks for contrite, humble hearts

From such a one, He ne'er departs

But comforts in the midst of woe

And always will His mercy show

No sins that we would want proclaimed

No man would care to be so blamed

But Jesus bore our weight of sin

To welcome contrite sinners in.

Tuesday

One recollected, let me see

The glory of Divinity

The prize upon the last exam

In Mercy's love, the Great I AM

I try and think I'm doing well

But then You show how pride can swell

And show how truly small I am

And how I need the Paschal Lamb

Don't let me die in such a way

As when we meet, You turn away

And say, You never knew me, Lord

For such a fate, none can afford.

But show me now and help me change

Priorities to rearrange

In such a way to place You first

With Living Water, slaking thirst.

Wednesday

A yes to Your will is my ultimate goal

A heart of obedience guiding my soul

One humble and docile to Your every word

One acting at once on directions I've heard

Attentive to promptings, You place in my mind

One searching for nuggets of grace he may find

One seeing Your beauty in all he will meet

And learning that love is both bitter and sweet

To love is my priv'lege, to hear and obey

A pathway that's new and exciting each day

A handsome mosaic, composed by Your hand

Is what we will find in Your every command

So happy I'll be, when Your will is my own

No greater contentment forever was known

To be one united, in love with my King

The greatest of joys ever known it shall bring.

Thursday

How clearly You have made it be

That You are God for all to see

Yet, somehow, still we find a way

To disbelieve, and turn away

You search for wayward souls like me

And offer signs persistently

To show how faithful You can be

And just how foolish man can be

I want the faith of Abraham

To trust the Mighty Great I AM

To follow, though I cannot see

Just where Your will is taking me

Don't let the weariness of age

My will to follow You assuage

But let me always find the zeal

To always answer Your appeal.

A brand new book I start today

A chapter where I choose your way

And turn to face the light at last

And leave the darkness of the past.

Friday

Is this how you treat a one from above

Who brings to you justice, mercy, and love?

Which work that I've shown you is worthy of stones?

My Father is God, and all things He owns.

The works are a sign that I'm sent from the Throne

The works are not something I do on My own

The Father has sent Me, and Son that I AM

Will be for the people, their Passover Lamb.

Though now not the time, it will be soon enough

When back-up is shown, you will see it's no bluff

I AM in the Father, and He is in Me

The truth will be known when I'm raised on the Tree.

Then, as on the serpent, they gazed and were healed

The Son of the Father, will there, be revealed

In naked humility, beaten and slain

Forgiveness to win, and eternity gain.

But now as the blinders remain o'er the eyes

I speak with the signs and remain in disguise

One day, you shall see just how wrong you have been

And hopefully, then, you will turn from your sin

Do not wait forever, it's urgent, you see

Begin now at once, and start following Me

Persisting in sin, to the gallows will lead

And there, is no help, though the wicked may plead.

Saturday

So many signs, but none to sway

The Scribes and Pharisees that day

One, four days dead, to life, was raised

But yet, His Name would not be praised

They could not see how He could be

Our model for eternity

They only saw their power fade

And how, of them, but fools He made

No diff'rent now as then before

We seek to save an earthly store

And sacrifice what lies beyond

For shiny bling, of which we're fond

He came to make us all as one

United in the Father's Son

With love, the sacrificial tool

To make of us, a sacred jewel

But will we listen and obey

By making time each day to pray,

And searching for His word to hear

To let it draw us ever near?

You have the signs as they did then,

Are you the wise or foolish men?

Is earthly fare your choice today,

Or will you follow in His way?

3/15/26 Through 3/21/26

 3/15/26 Through 3/22/26

Sunday

If blind from birth, I cannot see

Until the light is given me.

The stain of sin, once washed away

So clear I see the light of day

But those with eyes both working well

What's plain in sight, they cannot tell

They see the wonders and the signs

But fail to see His great designs

They fail because of blinders worn

Because of sin and prideful scorn

The eyes of God see not as man

But only as our Author can

He sees the heart that lies within

If it is pure, or steeped in sin

He knows when flesh will block the way

And teaches humble, stop and pray.

For when we seek the way from Him

He steadies heart, and strengthens limb

To carry out His word each day

And help the blind to find their way

Monday

I think of things both old and new

So, when I do, I think of You

For all Your hands have made I praise

And on Your beauty, fix my gaze

You rescue me from falling down

A smile bring, and not a frown

My mourning moves to dancing when

Your mercy saves repentant men

I've seen enough to know by now

That faith is what You use somehow

To make anew the old and gray

And send them dancing on their way

But I believe with yet no sign

That all is in your great design

Somehow, You work all things for good

So, have but faith and trust we should.

Tuesday

From the Temple, flowing water

Give the clay unto the Potter

Let Him mold a worthy vessel

While with pride and sin we wrestle

Wade the waters gently flowing

Let His love be ever growing

Enter deeper every morning

Give the sinner ample warning

Sickness breeds a constant worry

When the water stirs, I scurry

But another beats me to it

Then I think, why should I do it?

Grown accustomed to my sinning

Gone was e'er the thought of winning

But when the Healer touched my soul

I once again was made one whole.

Wednesday

The Father's will was so aligned

That all He did was so defined

Complete submission to His will

To thus, the Father's plan, fulfill

For Jesus showed what man should do

Becoming one like me and you

Alike in kind, but not in sin

He came to our salvation win

To show the Father's way is true

And always one that's best for you

No matter what it seems today,

It proves the best on Judgment Day.

Thursday

Great patron of the common man

Great worker in the Father's plan

Obtain for me such open ears

That I may act in spite of fears

That I may listen much like you

And always be prepared to do

Whate'er He asks, Whate'er it takes

And disregard my little aches

May I be always ready, Lord

To bend my will in Your accord

To sacrifice in any way

And always, what is right, obey

Providing all my family needs

And planting always many seeds

So faith might grow on every stem

And be a rock protecting them

With Joseph as my steady guide

To help me tame my foolish pride

May I be always firm and true

A one who's always pleasing You

Friday

With torture and revilement

To die for man, was Jesus sent.

The sinless to the sinner save

And rise above the earthly grave

To show all men what love can do

To bring salvation near to you

To touch the heart and move the will

Then truth and beauty, there instill

But man must choose the humble way

And bear all wrong until the day

When Christ returns to take them home

Then through the wheat His fork will comb.

That day a firie be kindled high

By those who fail to turn and cry

For mercy from our God most high

Before they breathe their last and die.

Saturday

Far better than vengeance, conversion I seek

Faith for the faithless, and strength for the weak

Now let the prey turn into the teacher

Be sword and shield for the scriptural preacher

Never before has such speaking been heard

Such wisdom and truth, and authorative word

Just listen, you'll be astounded to hear

He reads in your heart, and He knows every fear

Deftly, this Surgeon will cut to the core

Removing infection and healing the sore

He knows what we think, and before we can do

He foils the plans we were given by you

Come take now some time, just to hear how He speaks

Somehow in His love, it's the conscience He piques.

Never before have we seen or we heard

A man with such power and truth in His word

A Birthday Message for Gracie

 By grace of God one chilly morn

Round one AM a babe was born

A tiny helpless little thing

But oh, what happiness did bring

The trailer in the tiny clan 

But one who thought, the show she ran

A bossy bit, but cute as pie

The apple of her Papa’s eye

The third amid the clan of Haun

The one, for all, to dote upon

But soon she grew to make her way

And liked on soccer fields to play

Her will to win was evident

As out upon the field she went

Up and down the field she tore 

While kicking for the winning score

This curly blonde with dimpled cheeks

A new excitement always seeks

Guns and targets, Needoh toys,

But stay away from teenage boys

Your Papa sees a gem stone here 

A purity you must revere

A soul that’s meant for love alone

A one in which true beauty’s shown

Where gentle kindness rules the day

And often one will stop to pray

Beseeching Christ, to be their guide

While sacrificing foolish pride

Grace is needed every morning

Start with prayer, your heart, adorning

Seek the grace from God above

To live each day in perfect love

In my daily prayer I’m pleading

For my children, interceding

And their children, seeking blessing

That they may be, faith confessing

Gracie girl, to you I offer

Not a gift from golden coffer

But a gift that none can own

Unless they, Jesus Christ, have known

Come to Him in Scripture reading

Come to Him, for graces, pleading

Give Him quiet time to speak

And find the fullness that you seek

Come to Him in joy and sorrow

Come today, and on the morrow

Come to find a listening ear

Come one humble without fear

Find in Jesus, your companion

One who never shall abandon

One with mercy, always waiting

Love unbounded, radiating

I have found Him and I wonder 

Why so few can hear the thunder

All creation screams His glory

Take the time to read His story

How creation lost its way

By failing to, His word, obey

Learn the truth and make it known

Then follow it to bring you home

Here is treasure never failing

Naked, on the Cross, unveiling

Purest love, to sinners save

All, for you, Christ Jesus gave

This is my message Gracie, dear

To trust in God, and have no fear

His love for you will never fail

He cares for every small detail

So, as you grow, and see around

May, always in you, “Grace” abound

No gift is greater that I know

So, water well, and watch it grow.

3/8/26 Through 3/14/26

 3/8/26 Through 3/14/26

Sunday

In thirst, we cry for quick relief

In God we trust, with full belief

Our every need He knows and meets

Abundantly, with love, He greets

For helpless souls, He came to die

The sick and lonely, parched, and dry

To let the Living Water flow

And help the seeds of faith to grow.

The woman at the well could see

The answer to her every plea

A One to read her deepest need

And every hope for love exceed.

A One who spoke the truth in love

And drew her heart and mind above

To find the source of light and grace

And feel the warmth of God's embrace.

The laws of love go further on

Than laws of stone we rest upon

They call for love and sacrifice,

Far more than just some good advice.

Monday

The little thing that Naaman did

Revealed the glory that was hid

Within the darkness of the day

For those who take no time to pray.

It's not so hard to see today

How God is there throughout the day

If we but let His hand reveal

What work and busyness conceal

So easily His good we miss

If we, to prayer, have been remiss

His wonder stands before our eyes

But in a humble, meek disguise

It's prayer that teaches one to see

And prayer, the faithful, steady key

Unlocking windows to the sky

And slaking thirst of one so dry.

It cures the blindness of the day

And helps us see a diff'rent way

A way that every man might know

If just humility would show.

Tuesday

My debt is beyond of my means

Forgiving, unlikely, it seems

But in Jesus' love from the Father above

My life, on the Cross, He redeems.

So, why should no mercy I show,

When you, so much less, to me owe?

He wants that I, too, be forgiving of you

And payment of debt, just forego.

Wednesday

What nation has laws such as these?

So wise, and observant of keys

To truth from above and calling to love

Far deeper than depth of the seas.

The smartest of people don't know

What God, in His wisdom, will show

The humble who live, the word He will give

And then, through His mercy, will grow.

May memory never be failed

Of towers the humble have scaled

By calling on God every step that was trod

And making His glory regaled

The children must know of His name

Grandchildren be told of His fame

Passed on through the years and valley of tears

Giving hope to the fallen in shame

The law will not ever be gone

Each jot and each tittle be drawn

By Jesus the King, who pardon will bring

By mercy, and never by brawn.

So, teach of this wisdom and see

How great in the Kingdom you'll be

For all who will pray, and quickly obey

Possess now the glorious key

Thursday

What fools, to turn from One who saves

And place a seal upon their graves

Condemning them to life below

Where fools and sinners freely go

His word, so clearly spoken then

But they were prideful, wicked men

Who thought that they could make the rules

And proved themselves to be the fools

When signs abound, they look for more

Refusing to the Lord adore

Yet none that's given satisfies

Nor when He mounts the Cross and dies

He is our God in flesh and bone

And we can be with Him as one

Or choose our sinful, wicked way

And always in the darkness stay

Don't seal your fate and be the fool

By being as the stubborn mule

Who sees and knows what's true and good

But never acts the way they should

Just humbly give a faithful nod

To Christ, who is our Lord and God

Then beg for mercy when you go

And watch the healing waters flow

Friday

If only we could hear, oh Lord

If only we could see

Our lives, as Yours, would be outpoured

Our spirits, truly free

You speak in many varied ways

Your actions model love

We rush around our busy days

Without a thought above

The lover seeks the company

Of one he loves the most

A quiet time of me and Thee

Here present in the Host

So intimate in clarity

The lover needs no word

In perfect love and charity

Your symphony is heard

You are my God, I hear Your voice

And tremble for I know

Too often I have made the choice

Another way to go

Oh, heal my soul and bring me back

To Your most warm embrace

Let evil, me, no more attack

But fill me with Your grace.

To flower and to bear much fruit

As blossom on the vine

And make of me in this pursuit

A good and hearty wine.

Saturday

Our sins we find them hard to name

But why so easily they came?

Amidst facade of doing good

We act not as we know we should

Our little sacrifices made

Have taken us not where He bade

But fed our pride and egos so

We lost the narrow way to go

When self-absorbed throughout the day

We cannot hear the words You say

But pride we hear both loud and clear

And that we let our actions steer.

Oh, turn the tables, Lord, I pray

And help me walk the narrow way

Expose what I so deeply guard

And open what to me was barred

Wash my pride and sin away

For mercy, mercy, Lord, I pray

Turn this wand'ring soul around

So peace and joy and love are found

3/1/26 Through 3/7/26

 3/1/26  Through 3/7/26

Sunday

Transfigured there before our eyes

Without the veil of Earth's disguise

We saw the light of glory there

And to such brightness, none compare.

We heard the voice from in the cloud

With faces down, from glory cowed

To listen was His sole command

And then we felt the Savior's hand.

The vision came that we might see

The truth within the prophecy

The love of God for man below

That Christ would die for man to grow.

To grow in love and make anew

The world by all we say and do

For love brings hope to all mankind

That someday we may glory find.

Monday

A people evil, shamed, and sad

Who turned from every chance we've had

To love our neighbor as we ought

Come beg for what our neighbor sought.

For mercy in our hour of need

For help to all Your precepts heed

For strength to bolster weakened will

And love in spite of all our swill

But measures we have measured out

Will come to bear without a doubt

And how we live is how we die

So, save me now, before I fry.

Make me one humble, meek, and fair

A one to for my neighbor care

Forgiving those who do me wrong

And willing now to suffer long

A one with sights beyond the grave

A one to heal, and mend, and save

A one who loves when undeserved

And serves a one who's underserved.

Tuesday

Now put away your awful deeds

For evil never well succeeds

But hear, and simply then obey

To walk upon the narrow way.

With justice sought and truth proclaimed

What poor have lost can be reclaimed

What sin has stained can be restored

When God the Father is adored

His power shown to those who see,

The upright have the sacred key

They hear and willingly obey

To walk upon the narrow way

So, listen what the proud will say

But follow not their wicked way

They know His path, but choose their own

Their spirit, cold and dead has grown.

Their outward signs are just for show

No substance there within will grow

They, from the straight and narrow, stray

And choose an easy, wider way.

The wide and easy leads to Hell

Where greed and selfishness will swell

But ways of discipline, well trod

Will lead the sinner straight to God.

Wednesday

The logic of selfishness blinds what we do

While justice and truth never enter our view

We fall for the whisper of glory and fame

Considering not, of the reason He came.

Perverted perspectives will skew how we think

The cup of His passion, we also must drink

Not focused at all on our personal gain

But loving another, rejecting the vain.

The greatest is least on the Heavenly score

No serving he wants, but to serve even more.

The logic of love is the language He speaks

And love is the way to be like Him one seeks.

Your pride put aside, for your cross you must bear

For that is the path to be getting you there

The proud and the selfish, another way go

Which leads to the fires of Hell down below.

Thursday

A barren bush in desert waste

A rock of salt without much taste

Is he who places trust in man

Instead of where all things began

Our riches cannot save the soul

But trust in God can make us whole

The beggar at the door might see

Much more in humble poverty.

If trust, we do, in God alone

Great mercy in the end is shown

But if we trust in wealth and fame

They turn to be eternal shame.

Eternal shame and torment where

There's none but worthless Earthly fare

But then, it's far too late to see

The blessings found in poverty.

Friday

Intentions of the evil one

Destroy whatever's good

Rejecting even God's own Son

As no one ever should

The Cornerstone of life and light

They seek but to destroy

For words of His, a flame ignite

And evil ones annoy

He shows our greed and selfishness

In clever stories told

His way to evil men address

Whose hearts have grown so cold

If we but look a little bit

And ponder on His word

We'll see, for us, a candle lit

Explaining what we heard

We too, have sinned in many ways

And so, we see, as well

Amid the many shaded grays

Repentance as the knell

For all have sinned and must repent

Or stumble, shall we too

So listen to the message sent

And hear what's meant for you

Have I returned what's rightly due

From all His blessings sent?

Perhaps it was for me, not you

This parable was meant.

Saturday

His mercy and forgiveness

Surpasses all we know

His warmth and loving kindness

To prodigal, shall flow

We see and simply wonder

To see this foolish way

Just what there may be under

To make Him love this clay

No recompense for giving

But love alone, the key

Somehow this way of living

Is far beyond of me

But this the sacred calling

Of every man alive

We learn to walk by crawling

To mercy, we must strive

Grow in love to see around

The logic of the day

Here is where the mercy's found

And so, the narrow way.