December 2016 – denisebalog…Grace filled devotionals.

2017 Fresh Dew

“Thank You Lord for the year past gone.

2016 a changing song.

Welcome the year brand new;

2017 fresh as dew.

Waking each day to the morning long.

Mercies new and Your Strong Arm.

Laying my head at the end of each day,

Praising Your Faithfulness to guide the way.

Thank You for this gift of Life,

For in Your Son Jesus,

My heart delights!”

A Song of Ascents

“Come, bless the LORD, all you servants of the LORD,

Who stand by night in the house of the LORD!

Lift up your hands to the holy place and

Bless the LORD!

May the LORD bless you from Zion,

He Who made heaven and earth!”

Psalm 134

I think it is “fitting” to find this as the last of the 15 Songs of Ascents.

(Pilgrimage songs believed to be sung as the people made their way up to Jerusalem to worship.)

May we too, like the pilgrims who on finishing their trip, their night, their journey for the year, they remembered to sing and

“Lift up your hands to the holy place and Bless the LORD!” Psalm 134:2

May you be blessed abundantly in the coming New Year 2017 as you finish your journey from the old into the Faithfulness of the new!

Poem by densebalog©

Christmas Mouse

“Mouse in the attic;

Shaking at the grate.

Santa in the chimney;

Kids can’t wait.

Jesus in our hearts;

All things right.

Peace on earth;

Oh, Holy night.”

Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah WordPress friends and neighbors around the world! Peace on earth to all!!

Poem by denisebalog ©

Prelude to Christmas II – Depression Taunts

“While all the world rings

“Good Cheer!”

Depression taunts and

Calls me near.

Jesus knows,

He understands.

This is why He was

Born of man.

He came to earth,

To set you free.

In Him,

Death has lost

Its hold on me.

Now there’s the

“Good News!”

For all men.

Jesus died, and

Rose Again!!

“For us a child is born,

To us a Son is given…

And His Name shall be called

Wonderful Counselor,

Mighty God,

Everlasting Father,

Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:6 (ESV)

“…and they shall call His name Immanuel”

(Which means, God with us.)

Matthew 1:23 (ESV)

“Glory to God in the highest,

On earth Peace.” Luke 2:14

Poem by denisebalog©

Christmas Prelude – To Ponder More

In my house abundance

Of all the “things” we “feel” will make it right,

Would we,

“With loss in heart”,

Feel the same on Christmas night?

This caused my heart to ponder more.

For those depressed with grief, wax sore.

Can I understand their suffering?

Extend a hand to make a mend?

With nothing more than pen in hand,

I share the Gift of the Son of man.

The following to come are a few poems written in this “season”

Dedicated to those who are grieving and broken hearted.

“The Merry Christmas song draws near.

Many sorrows await with tears.

Broken hearts of love depart.

Disappointments plague the start.

But measure not the day ahead.

Looking past the fear and dread.

Keep thine eyes upon the Bright.

For darkness cannot exist where there is

Light!”

“Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying,

“I AM the Light of the world.

He who follows me shall not walk in darkness,

but have the Light of life.” John 8:12 (ESV)

“God is Light and in Him is no darkness at all.” 1 John 1:5 (ESV)

Poems by denisebalog©

Morning “To-Do”

“Good morning Lord.

Thank You for the turn of wind;

Southwest warmth blowing in.

Dampness covers morning dew;

Mild temperatures layered through.

Much “to do” in the week ahead.

Wrap this gift,

Ship that too.

How can I ever complete the “do”?

Does this really honor You?

With “mind” going one way into the day,

I choose to

Stop,

Drop, and

Pray.

I willingly offer You

“the first” of my week,

From there, I “rest”

For the other stuff You will complete.”

“My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD;

In the morning I will direct it to You,

And I will look up.”

Psalm 5:3 NKJV

Poem by denisebalog©

In A Place Where Two Ways Met

As we approach the New Year, my heart is now ready to share with my WordPress friends.

After much turmoil of internal school politics, my family and I made the decision in July for me to quit my “loved” position as an elementary secretary.

We are now enjoying our son’s senior year in high school.

Thank you Faye, from Passionate Creative Christian https://fayerootsauthor.com/ Your comment on July 1, 2016 to my post “The Roar of the Blue” unknowingly guided my feet to find the answer to God’s plan and path for my way.

In A Place Where Two Ways Met

“How could I have known, or ever believed to say,

I found direction and freedom within the Words that day.

One was from the OLD, and the other from the NEW,

But there was no doubt involved,

My heart heard clear from You.

In the “donkey and the lion” and “in the place where two ways met”,

You mightily untangled both my feet from within the fowlers net.

The “donkey” is a servant,