The Lovely Flower

Kindness is a lovely flower
One cannot force its seed
But there is nothing like the power
Of kindness touching need

Kindness is a lovely bloom
It needs no pot or bowl
Its fragrance fills the dreary room
And cheers the down-cast soul

Kindness is a stunning rose
Of pure and humble beauty
Its root in selfless visage grows
And never out of duty

Kindness is a lovely flower
All can afford its splendor
In every season, every hour
Its bloom is fair and tender

Janet~

)Be kind to one another, tenderhearted,forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. Ephes. 4:32

There's Something About Love

Love does not play judge and jury
Love does not condemn and frown
Or resort to violent fury
Kicking someone when he’s down
Loves stoops down into the gutter
Lifts him from his saddest state
Love will only softly utter
Tender comforts to his fate

Love will never point a finger
Love is not a game of chess
Its compassion gently lingers
In the hour of loneliness
While the voices of superiors
Shake their vain self-righteous heads
Love makes no one feel inferior
But wraps you in its arms instead

Love is never selfish serving
Love does not depend on choice
It decides not whose deserving
Altering its tone of voice
It does not envy, boast or covet
It forgives without reserve
Yes, I know there’s something different
About this awesome thing called love

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin


Sometimes I think I forget what
I am really saying when I say
"I love you".

'Love is patient, love is kind....
It does not seek her own..... 1 Cor. 13

Why Do We Do It?

Why do we do try to do some good
In this world that we are in?
Is it our response to an outward demand
Or a whisper deep within?
Do we reply to a desperate need
On a momentary whim
Or are we moved by an unseen Hand
And our love for Him?

Why do we walk the second mile
When most quit after one?
What is it that drives us beyond ourselves
When we are tired and alone?
Is it simply an act of duty
Like sweeping up a floor
To meet life’s expectations
Or is it something more?

As we see a tender need
Does it stir in our soul
A love we do not understand
Beyond our own control
Do we respond because we hear
His words breathed quietly
‘In as much as you do it to others
You do it unto me.’

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

"I tell you the truth,
whatever you did for one of the
least of these brothers of mine,
you did for Me" Matt.25:40

A Gracious Spirit

Lord, give me a gracious spirit
When I’m inclined to frown,
Forgive my selfish motives
When my plans turn upside down,
Help me view the ones around me
With a tender heart of love,
Letting others needs surround me,
Serving by Your grace above

Let me keep my focus upward,
Never inward let it be,
For I cannot shine for Jesus
If my thoughts are fixed on me,
So forgive me if I stumble,
Be it over my on pride,
Jesus, make me kind and humble,
Love with arms that open wide
In Jesus Name, Amen

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

Vanished???

As you spoke, the restless wind
Drew your words
Into the night air
And they vanished…
Well chosen words, I must say,
Honestly kind,
But they hurt
And nowhere in
This silky silence
Remains a trace
Of their hopeless despair
As they slipped away….
Like you will, who spoke them
In your weakest, strongest moment
You decided to say
Them.
Oh, the stars twinkle,
I see their million sequins
As they delicately sprinkle
The dark blue velvet sky
Above us, and I try
To find a tiny trace
Of the words you spoke
And the tears on your face
But they have vanished
Into the night-sky
Whilst you and I remain
And must decide
What to do
With these kind and honest
Well-chosen words
That in your strongest, weakest
Hour you spoke
For they are lodged in our hearts
Forever.

All Rights Reserved
Janet Martin

OK....so I couldn't wait til 2010....
anyone who writes knows what I mean:):)
You can't just turn it off!!!

Small Kindnesses

It’s the small kindnesses in life that make our load worth bearing
A breath of calm amidst the strife, a smile of tender caring
A gentle momentary touch upon a weary shoulder
Encourages so very much when struggling ‘neath life’s boulder

It’s all the little murmured prayers for sad or lonely brothers
Its little deeds to show we care to fathers and to mothers
Oh, spread the sunshine of His love, put kindness into action
Draw a ray from Heaven above avoiding earth’s distraction

Those little whispers, ‘I love you’, the softly ‘you can do it’
‘Don’t give up’ and ‘God’s with you and He will walk you through it’
Little kindnesses will grow and in life’s darkest hour
The tiny buds will bloom to show us Heaven’s earthly flower


All Rights Reserved Sept. 2009

Be kind one to another, tender-hearted, forgiving
One another, even as God for Christ’s sake, has forgiven
You. Eph.4:32

The Other Guy

Today I was the other guy
And I watched myself as I walked by,
Today I got a chance to see
What others saw as I watched me,
Today I got a sad surprise
As I stood with the other guys

I received the words today,
I thoughtlessly to others say,
And I was so shocked to find
How I was to others blind,
I watched the people my life touched
And wasn’t sure I liked me much

I got my own advice today,
Could not choose to walk away,
As I spoke my mind to me
And told me what I thought of me,
I blush a little now in shame
As I hear me speak my name

I used to wish that I could see
Perhaps, what others thought of me,
But now as with the crowd I stand
I don’t think I’m very grand
Now I wish that I would be
The way I thought that I’d see me

So now when I begin to fret
And others feelings I forget
I’ll stand out with the other guys
And watch me through the others eyes,
Perhaps then, I’ll kinder be
As I see what others see,
Lord, please make a kinder me
And help me see what others see


All Rights Reserved Sept. 2009
Janet Martin

In the Trenches

Unless I’m in the dirty trenches
Sharing in the toil and stenches,
I should never cast a stone
At the one down there alone,
Unless I’ve walked with him awhile,
Wept his tears and shared his smiles,
Pushed against misfortunes wind,
Shouldered burdens of his kind,
Unless I’ve borne his bitter fate
And fought his battles, small or great,
I should not have a word to say
Unless of course, it is to pray

Love is for the weak and brave,
Not the crest of some great wave,
Love seeks out the lonely face,
Searches in the dreary place,
And it never casts a rock
Into the trench where weary walk,
Love is gentle, love is kind,
Love to differences is blind,
Love does not seek out its own,
Or worship heroes on a throne,
So if love’s not my driving force
I should be still, and pray, of course

All rights Reserved
Aug. 2009 Janet Martin






Beloved, if God so loved us we ought also to love one another. 1 John 4;11

Wooden Hearts

It really would not matter,
All the unkind words we say
Would run off our hearts like water
All its traces washed away,
And it really wouldn’t matter
If we spoke words we never should,
No it really would not matter
If our hearts were made of wood

But hearts are made of flesh and blood
And easily are broken,
And nothing ever works for good
Where unkind words are spoken,
Our hurts would never linger,
Words could never sting or smart,
And our speech could flow unhindered
If we all had wooden hearts

It really wouldn’t matter,
What we say, the words we choose
So what of thoughtless chatter
If our hearts were wooden shoes,
Then we could be cold and careless,
Say those words we never should,
And we truly could be heartless
If our hearts were made of wood

So why then do we treat each other
Like we never, ever should?
Treat our sister and our brother
As if they all had hearts of wood,
Cruel, unkind words bring sorrow,
Wound and scar and break apart,
Speak well, my friend, today, tomorrow,
For we don’t have wooden hearts

But with our hearts of flesh and blood
We love and laugh and cry,
Because our hearts aren’t made of wood
We hope and dream and sigh,
Lord, tame my tongue and let me never
Speak unless it’s kind and good,
Keep my words and tone so tender
For our hearts aren’t made of wood

All Rights Reserved Aug. 2009