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MOCKINGBIRDS
I'm thankful for the mockingbirds, and
for their notes of cheer,
For even in the darkest night their songs tell me they're near.
Somehow my heart is comforted
with each clear melody,
For it reminds me how my Father loves and cares for me.
Each lily of the field is clothed
in beautiful array,
And I see God's protectiveness in Nature's vast display,
But nothing means so much to me, or touches
my heart more,
Than hearing from the mockingbirds their sweet and varied score.
If I should feel discouraged over
losses I have known,
The birds outside my window let me know I'm not alone.
So when I count my blessings God bestows
abundantly,
The mockingbirds rate special thanks for joy they give to me.
Betty Jo Mings
California
SEASONS OF LOVE
As dawn chases darkness,
And sun
cancels rain,
God's love eases sorrow,
And banishes pain.
As fresh as the Springtime,
When green shoots appear,
His
love cools the heatwaves
Of Summer, and fear.
We change like the Autumn,
Grow cold as the snow;
But God's
love is constant --
A sure, steady flow.
Lord, help me to mirror
The love that You give,
So through every
season,
In me it will live.
Betty Jo Mings
THE MIRACLE OF NEW BIRTH
I watched a hairy caterpillar crawling on the ground.
It slowly inched its way along,
not making any sound.
To me it looked quite ugly, and I thought, "I'd hate to be
A worm-like creature such as that,
who crawls painstakingly."
But as I watched, it slowly found a limb, and held on tight,
And spun a silk cocoon that
kept it safely out of sight.
And then one day it struggled to break free so it could fly,
And I beheld a butterfly that
rose up to the sky.
Its beauty was spectacular, and now its wings could soar,
For days of crawling in the dirt were
gone forevermore.
I pondered on the wonder of that glorious new birth,
And thought of how the Lord looks down upon
our sin-sick earth.
We must resemble lowly worms who wallow in our sin,
But that is why Christ came to earth, to save
the souls of men.
He wraps us in His loving arms, and writes our names above,
And we become new creatures, born again
by His great love.
And someday we will leave this earth, and with our wings we'll fly
With beautiful new bodies to our
mansions in the sky.
For God has wrought a miracle in those He chose to be
His holy bride, to reign with Him through
all eternity.
Betty Jo Mings
TINY ROSES IN THE SNOW
The world became a wonderland as snow fell all around,
And covered trees and houses
as it piled up on the ground.
But peeking from the bushes that were clothed in pristine white,
My eyes beheld the
wonder of a truly awesome sight.
It was some tiny roses that were blooming in the snow,
And gazing at their fragile
beauty caused my heart to glow.
I thanked the Lord for all the many blessings I have known,
And for the countless
ways His love to all the world is shown.
But most of all I thanked Him for my friends that mean so much,
For like
these tiny roses you have blessed me with your touch.
And even through the snows of life, your love is warm and true,
So
that is why, my precious friend, I praise the Lord for you.
Betty Jo Mings
AFTER THE RAIN
The rain came down the day you died.
And
midst my heartache, pain and fears,
The rain came pouring, gushing forth,
And mingled with my falling tears.
The
world looked angry, dark, and sad.
Clouds opened up their gates on high,
And filled the parched and barren land
With
floods of water from the sky.
And after all the storm was past,
The world looked green and ivy-clad.
New growth
appeared on all the hills,
But still my lonely heart was sad.
New life burst forth from all around,
And promised
better days to come.
But though I smiled, and said, "I'm fine,"
My eyes still wept; my heart was numb.
And then
I started thinking of
The many blessings I have known;
The times that even through my grief,
God's tender care and
love was shown.
Today it's raining once again.
And I have vowed, though skies are gray,
To find the rainbow God
will send
To end my night, and light my way.
Betty Jo Mings
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