Gratitude – Woodsmoke and Cardamom

Prayer for a Rainy Day

by Lucy M. Young

Oh, hear my prayer this rainy day
And answer it, dear Lord, I pray.
The cold, gray clouds and dripping skies
Have hidden the sunshine from my eyes.

Forgive my pessimism, Lord,
Remind me of Your sacred word.
I can't be gloomy if I say,
"Dear Lord, I thank You for this day."

"This is the day that the Lord has made."
Gloom and sadness all must fade.
"Let us rejoice and be glad in it."
And make the most of every minute.

The Lord sends rain as well as sun;
His blessings fall on everyone.
Let me greet each hour with a cheerful song
And a smile to help the day along.

Sometimes I Get Discouraged

by Lucy M. Young

Sometimes I get discouraged
With pain day after day,
With tiredness and weakness
That will not go away.

Forgive me for succumbing
To hopelessness, despair;
And help me do what must be done,
Grant strength my pain to bear.

I pray that it may be Your will
That pain depart from me;
But if this be my lot in life,
Then, Lord, please walk with me.

If I could feel my suffering
Could somehow ease Your pain
Inflicted on the cruel cross,
'Twould not seem so in vain.

So Lord, help me to bear it
Ignore it and go on;
Believing that the day will come
When pain will all be gone.

Just hold my hand when I'm afraid,
Uplift me when I'm low;
Make strong my faith, wipe out despair,
And keep my heart aglow

With love and gratitude for You
And all You've done for me -
For granting me the ability
To feel and hear and see.

Dear Little Mother

by Lucy M. Young

Lucy (right) with
her “little Mother”
Lula G. Edmunds

Dear little mother,
I am so glad that you are finally at rest
And happy with your Lord.
I'll miss you, oh so much,
But knowing you are free at last
From all the loneliness you knew on earth
Will help me bear the sorrow of your passing.

You worked so hard and had so little -
No luxuries and just the bare necessities of life;
But you were always grateful
For every little thing that came your way:
A home-made valentine,
A small plant from my garden,
A single rose,
The little tree we planted for you long ago
On Mother's Day.

You loved us,
And you sacrificed so much
That we might have a better life
Than you had ever known.
Selfishly, unthinkingly I took
And gave so little in return;
But Mother dear, I loved you,
And I am so very sorry for my thoughtlessness
And for my unforgivable neglect of you.

I know you're happy now;
No more loneliness or sorrow,
No more heartache, no more pain.
You're with the ones you loved and missed so much -
Your beloved mother and your precious grandson;
Your special daughter and your one true love.
God bless you, Mother dear;
And 'though I miss you more than I can say,
I'm glad you're with the Lord
And may He hold you safely in His arms forever.

My Greatest Gift

by Lucy M. Young

God gave me a loving family
  And many friends who care
Good neighbors that I might not be alone
  And lots of love to share.

He gave me a home in the country
  And pure fresh country air
Cool green trees that touch the sky
  The music of birds in the air.

He gave me sunshine and gentle rain
  Sweet flowers kissed with dew
But I didn't realize how blest I am
  Until He gave me you.

Lucy wrote, "For Ruth after she did so much work on my house, cleaning, painting. I can never thank her enough."  I hope she knew that this poem was way more thanks than I deserved. Love you, Auntie

Never Alone

by Lucy M. Young

Once I wandered alone and lonely,
 My heart was empty and cold;
There seemed to be nothing to live for,
 Nothing to which I could hold.

Then one day He spoke to me softly,
 I didn't hear Him at first;
But slowly and gently He entered my heart,
 My soul was no longer accursed

With emptiness, bitterness, sadness -
 They'd been driven out by His love.
I rejoiced in my new-found freedom
 Given me by my Father above.

Lord, I come to you now in thanksgiving
 For the many blessings you've given;
I am never alone, for I walk each day
 With my wonderful Father in Heaven.



photo by Sebastian Unrau on Unsplash

A Prayer for the Homeless

by Lucy M. Young

When I awoke this morning, Lord,
And looked out at your beautiful world,
I thought of the other nations on earth
Whose banners of war are unfurled;
While here the morning songs of the birds
Brought music into my room;
And a softly whispering spring-time breeze
Held the scent of lilacs in bloom.

While I enjoyed the quiet peace
Of my little country home,
I thought of the homeless far and near
Who have been condemned to roam
In search of a place to call their own,
No matter how humble it be -
Just a tiny spot to make their home
From war and tyranny free.

Help them find it, Lord - a place of their own -
Secure and safe from fear.
Let them know the joy of freedom and peace,
The assurance that you are near.
Let them settle down with their families and friends,
Let their children romp in the sun;
May they never again know the terrors of war
Or hear the sound of a gun.

photo by Fares Hamouche on Unsplash