Heaven's Bright Morn

You have one life and choices to make.
When your time is through, where will you awake?
Desires and pleasures your spare time will take,
But what will you do for eternity's sake?

Salvation is calling... to Jesus draw nigh.
He'll give you reward which money can't buy.
The promise of Heaven He will not deny.
With Him you will be in the sweet by-and-by.

When your earthly time is short and well-worn,
Will you be prepared, or are you still torn?
If in God's kingdom you have been reborn,
You can look forward to Heaven's bright morn!

"For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
John 3:16 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Words We Speak

The myriad words we speak each day
Spring forth in colorful array,
Expressing thoughts and tumbling out,
filled with joy or sometimes doubt.

Hopefully our words are hewn
And issue from a heart in tune
With Jesus' leading and His cause.
To this we always should give pause.

When our hearts to Him incline
Words we speak will then align
And be acceptable in measure,
Bringing joy and godly treasure.

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer."
Psalm 19:14 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

God Cares For You

Our God is able to fix what is broken.
His love is great - it's not just a token
But full of solutions and answers which heal,
Which mend and restore and are very real.

For He, more than anyone, cares about you.
He can untangle what may be askew.
When all seems to fail, He will bring hope,
Give you new courage and help you to cope.

Whisper a prayer, lean on His arm.
Ask him to take your fear and alarm.
Know that He hears every prayer of your heart.
Our God is able to give a fresh start.

"I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my going."
Psalm 40:1-2 KJV

© 2008 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Spring Cleaning

It's time for spring cleaning,
And I am sure leaning
Toward getting a broom
To sweep every room!

When I'm not looking,
Or maybe am cooking,
"Stuff" just "sneaks in".
I can't seem to win!

Where does it come from?
It's really quite humdrum
To watch it collect.
To "stuff" I object!!!

As the piles get higher
The need gets more dire.
It's time for a yard sale
On not just a small scale.

As my needs change
I should "re-arrange"
And give "stuff" away...
To prevent disarray!

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Faith Is A Ladder

Faith is a ladder upon which we climb.
It has many rungs we reach over time.
With each step we take our faith will reach higher
In trusting our Lord. To this we aspire.

Some of the rungs may seem out of reach,
But Jesus will help us to have faith for each.
It's trusting in Him each step of the way
Which keeps us from falling or having dismay.

We cannot skip rungs. We grow through each one
Throughout our lives as we walk with the Son.
Each has a ladder to climb as he will.
The more rungs he climbs... the greater the thrill!

Faith is a venture which leads upward bound.
It changes our thinking in ways which astound.
Through faith in God we can climb to the top.
His joy is so much we won't want to stop.

"Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen."
Hebrews 11:1 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Walk Softly

As we travel down life's paths,
We form mindsets and ideas.
But in spite of what we've learned,
We may not have life's panaceas.
Walk softly.

Till we've lived through many seasons
We do not have full perspective.
Facing hardships, working long,
Cause us to be more reflective.
Learning to walk softly...

Experience teaches us to pray
And humbly seek our God each day.
For this is where we start to "see"
And "eye-scales" start to fall away.
Our footsteps soften.

Hindsight brings an overview
And shows us who we need to be.
Over time we change and grow
And then we see reality...
And the need to walk softly.

"And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."
Ephesians 4:32 KJV

© 2008 Arlene Schwartzkopf

In Christ We Win

The devil tries to cause a glitch
To keep us from God's perfect niche.
He has much to fear, you see,
When Jesus saves and sets us free.

Then we really spoil his fun
And cause him to be on-the-run.
When we speak about the Blood
His plans fall down and make a thud!

Jesus' name has might and power
To cause the enemy to cower.
When we speak His awesome name
The enemy will lose His aim.

We have victory over sin.
With Jesus we will always win!
Satan's game plan will find end
When we have Jesus as a friend!

"Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world."
I John 4:4 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Well-Watered Soil

Soil will be rich where God's rivers flow.
His waters bring life which will cause us to grow.
Our soil will be free of "nettles" and weeds,
Fertile and rich and full of good seeds.

His waters cleanse and wash away silt,
And bring "irrigation" so we do not wilt.
Soil which is moist and watered of Him
Will bring a high yield... with abundance will brim.

When we invite His waters to flow
A flood of His blessings and goodness we'll know.
His waters will make us much richer by far
Than all we have known or all that we are.

"Jesus answered and said unto her, If thou knewest the gift of God, and who it is that saith to thee, Give me to drink; thou wouldest have asked of him, and he would have given thee living water."
John 4:10 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Distractions

We sometimes get "caught up" in thoughts or routine
Which deter us from being spiritually keen.
Multiplied things will vie for attention,
So we must think clearly and practice "prevention".

Our focus gets scrambled... or purpose delayed.
E'en good things we do may be masquerade
To cloud our discernment and get us off-track.
Then we must think how to find our way back...

To that which we set out to do at the start,
Before mere distraction made "plans" fall apart.
When we keep our thoughts on goals of import,
Then we will not find ourselves "coming up short".

The Spirit will guide us and keep us on course.
If we heed His voice we won't have remorse
Or miss what He's doing... a very high cost!
It's best to stay tuned... lest perception be lost!

"See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is."
Ephesians 5:15-17 KJV

© 2008 Arlene Schwartzkopf

God Is My Keeper

My doctors sent me for a test.
Till it was done I couldn't rest.
I longed to hear a good report,
But what I heard was somewhat "short"...

"Come back again for one more test."
I was starting to get stressed!
This, to me, was not good news,
An answer that I would not choose.

I called and asked some friends to pray
As I went back the following day,
Bracing for what could be hard,
Asking God my health to guard.

O'er and o'er the tests were run,
And finally they said, "We're done."
Because the testing took so long
I really wondered what was wrong.

It seems they simply couldn't find
Whate'er the enemy had designed.
What they first saw wasn't there!
God intervened and answered prayer.

He was there... He heard my cry
To cover me and stay nearby.
He did not leave me all alone
But carried me through the unknown.

"I sought the Lord, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears."
Psalm 34:4 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

In The Garden

It's fun to plant a garden
And watch each flower grow...
To see the plants begin to bloom
And each one make it's "show".

When the plants are looking good
We really do feel proud.
We think we can relax a bit.
(Some "bragging" is allowed!)

But seeking shelter underneath
Each precious growing bloom
Are seeds and weeds and foreign plants,
Trying to find room.

They collect there quite unseen
And also start to grow.
And soon we have unwanted plants,
"Sneaking in" below.

And so we must be vigilant
To pull out all the weeds
Which are not meant to flower there
And give off their own seeds.

Seeds and weeds are "foreign".
Don't let them have a place,
For they will just take over.
Don't give them any space!

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

A Quiet Spirit

A quiet spirit does not race
Or try to keep a certain pace.
It will pause and then reflect
On wisdom learned in retrospect.

It will have much clarity
And see with great transparency.
Birthed in prayer and much-desired,
By God's Word it is inspired.

It's wisdom can't be quickly gained
But through Jesus is sustained.
Quiet wisdom will begin
When His beauty rests within.

"Shew me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths. Lead me in thy truth, and teach me: for thou art the God of my salvation; on thee do I wait all the day."
Psalm 25:4-5 KJV


© 2008 Arlene Schwartzkopf

A Watered Garden

When I was small my parents bought some country property which had an artesian well (or water source). Someone had built a cement retaining box over it. The water seeped up out of the ground into the underside of the box, and year around the box was full of clear, cold drinking water.

There was an overflow pipe on the side of the retaining box. Where the water came out of the pipe it formed large pools in the ground and then ran down a gently sloping hill. My brothers wanted to "terrace" the pools, so they began to dig. But when they put their shovels into the ground the water came up everywhere. It bubbled up all around their feet. There was so much they couldn't contain it...

What a vivid picture of our Lord's goodness! He is our supply, our source. Whenever we come to drink He gives abundance. His goodness is more than we can comprehend.

"And the Lord shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not."
Isaiah 58:11 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Beneath His Wing

When you're anxious or concerned
Let your eyes be upward turned.
When circumstances o'er you roll
Remember, God is in control.

If you're weary or distraught
And all around you seems for naught,
Trust in His to help you stand.
He will hold you in His hand.

You've no load He cannot bear.
In toughest times, He will be there.
Call on Jesus... to Him cling.
You'll be safe beneath His wing.

"He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust...."
Psalm 91:4 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Echoes

That which we live and that which we speak
Will be echoed in time in a way that's unique.
The sound of one voice will be heard in another,
And our words will "return" through a sister or brother.

For we leave a trail as we live day-to-day
Which others will walk on as they find their way.
The "sounds" of our lives echo back o'er and o'er,
For they are not lost, but in others find "store".

If we watch and listen we'll hear a reply
In far-reaching echoes we cannot deny.
Echoes reverberate more than we know,
Extending our lives as they move to and fro...

"A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it!"
Proverbs 15:23 KJV

"A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children's children..."
Proverbs 13:22 KJV

© 2007 Arlene Schwartzkopf

An Oasis

The transforming power of the Word of God
Is like an oasis in pathways we trod,
A place of refreshing and respite and peace,
Retreat with the Lord where all concerns cease.

To bathe in the Word is a "place set apart"
Where Jesus' sweet voice may speak to the heart.
All other factors recede and grow dim,
And we are renewed as we focus on Him.

His healing waters will cleanse us within
And lift us above the day's stress and din.
We may reside in a place of deep peace,
In the Word's sweet oasis of calm and release.

"I rejoice at thy word, as one that findeth great spoil."
Psalm 119:162 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Blind Spots

If I should have a blind spot,
Let the scales fall from my eyes.
Help me see as I should see,
My errors to recognize.

Let my spirit clearly see
The truths that You would show.
Keep me, Lord, from wounding others,
Family and friends I know.

Sometimes I don't realize
Just how I act toward others,
Or how my attitudes affect
My neighbors, friends and brothers.

Help me see the way You see
And hear the way You hear,
That any blind spots I might have
Will quickly fade and disappear.

"Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up."
James 4:10 KJV

"Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer."
Psalnm 19:14 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Children Know

I love the wonderful clarity children have when speaking of the things of God.

My son took his children over to the school in their area where there is a little hill which the kids could slide down in the snow.

There was a man there with a large piece of cardboard which he was trying to use to slide down the hill. It wasn't working very well, and he began to curse, using the Lord's name. My grandson yelled to him, saying, "That's a bad word! You're not supposed to say that!"

The man replied, "At our house we take the name of the Lord in vain all the time."

My grandson called back at him as he was sliding down the hill, "You're not supposed to do that. I go to church, and I KNOW!!!

What a bright moment... an eight-year-old who is bold in his faith and was speaking out what he believes. Hopefully he caused the man to re-think what he was doing and correct his behavior.

"Even a child is known by his doings, whether his work be pure, and whether it be right."
Proverbs 20:11 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

The Beauty Of The Lord

If I could paint a picture
Of the beauty of the Lord
And capture all the love and warmth
In heav'nly places stored,

My paint brush would be filled with life,
My canvas richly hued,
And colors we have never seen
Therein would be debuted.

I could paint throughout all time
On canvas without end
To try to mix the shades and hues
Which He would have me blend.

And when I thought my work was done
There always would be more.
We cannot even comprehend
The "wealth" which is in store.

If I can paint a fraction
Of His beauty with my brush,
The colors will transcend the norm
And be extremely lush.

Every day I yearn to know
And understand Him more.
His beauty spurs me on and on
His riches to explore.

"One thing have I desired of the Lord, that will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to enquire in his temple."
Psalm 27:4 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Giftings Which Shine

The Father in Heaven gives each one some skills
And in every life His giftings instills.
But we may not know His giftings and plan
Until we descern just what He began.

The giftings we have will blossom and shine
When our lives and wills with His plan align.
Then will our skills start to prosper and grow
And have much more impact than we even know.

Without His direction we may come up short,
May even make error and His plans abort.
In Christ we are able to reach higher planes.
When we serve the Lord, our work He ordains.

"And let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us: and establish thou the work of our hands upon us; yea, the work of our hands establish thou it."
Psalm 90:17 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Beautiful Words

This is one of the cries of my heart...
Let beautiful language not be a lost art.
Contemporized lingo is harsh to the ear
And often is not very pleasant to hear.

Beautiful words inspire me within
And draw me away from life's tumult and din.
Let lovely words come and dwell in my soul,
Bringing refreshing and making me whole.

Words are as light and truly a way
Of escape into luxury all through my day.
They are to my spirit a breath of fresh air...
As heavenly music... exquisite and rare.

"A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver."
Proverbs 25:11 KJV

© 2008 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Envy - A Burning Fire

Envy is a burning fire,
Unquenchable in it's desire,
Dissatisfied with what it has,
Always wanting more "pizzazz".

It looks at others' "style and grace"
And really wants to take their place,
Begrudging what they have or do
In ruthless form or avenue.

It undermines for selfish gain
It's greedy goals to ascertain.
What destruction envy makes.
Don't enter there... too high the stakes!

"For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work."
James 3:16 KJV

"A sound heart is the life of the flesh: but envy the rottenness of the bones."
Proverbs 14:30 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Fullness Of Joy

Though I am weak, in You I am strong.
When I am down, You fill me with song.
When life swirls around me, You give me peace.
In all that I lack, You give me increase.

You make of me more than I could be.
You always complete what is lacking in me.
You are my anchor, my strength and my buoy.
In You there is purpose and fullness of joy.

"Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice."
Psalm 63:7 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Golden Threads

Weave in me a tapestry
With gold and silver filigree,
With red and purple, gold and blue...
All Your shades of richest hue.

Love and beauty intertwine
To make of me Your own design.
Let my threads be clear and bright,
With creativity and light.

Perhaps Your hands will make of me
A work of art which all may see,
Or maybe just a table cloth
Where homeless come to sip some broth.

Maybe You will weave a shawl
For someone old or very small,
Or maybe a warm coverlet
For one whose life is desolate.

When my threads are worn and old,
May they reflect Your heavenly gold.,
Woven by Your loving hand
With heavenly riches in each strand.

"The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me..."
Psalm 138:8 KJV

© 2008 Arlene Schwartzkopf

A Fruitful Vine

When a vine is overgrown
It's tendrils will need pruning.
This is how God shapes a life
And how He does fine-tuning.

He will clip off extra shoots
Which do not have much worth
So the vine will then grow strong
And to good fruit give birth.

Vines which are not pruned
Tend to grow in wrong directions,
Spreading where they should not be.
Their fruits have imperfections.

Jesus watches o'er His vines
With loving care and grace.
When we feel His pruning shears
His care we should embrace.

"I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit."
Johm 15:1-2 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Good Times And Bad Times

"Good times and bad times shall walk hand-in-hand,
But those who know Jesus in dark times will stand."
These are the words which God spoke in my ear.
I knew in my heart that I should not fear.

He is the "balance" so we do not waver
But always look up and His goodness savor.
His light is greater and His love is more...
Above any challenge which might be in store.

He is the Rock... a sturdy foundation
Upon which to stand through trouble's duration.
We can rejoice and not live in fear.
Should we face problems, God's goodness is near.

"But I trusted in thee, O Lord: I said, 'Thou art my God'."
Psalm 31:14 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Spring's Flair

The hint of spring is in the air...
Waiting now to bloom,
Anxious to put on her show
Of blossom and perfume.

Twigs and stalks and bulbs alike
Are swelling with fresh vigor,
Ready to burst forth in cheer
As spring pulls her sweet trigger.

She will wrap the trees with "fluff"
In her usual happy style,
And suddenly the ground will swell
As bulbs push up with sunny smile.

Folks perk up and come awake,
Anticipating spring's fresh flair.
Winter's "nap" is soon forgotten
As spring's music fills the air!

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

His Compassion

Sometimes little raindrops fall
And cloud our vision of the sun.
Sometimes little teardrops fall,
Gently, softly, one-by-one.

And for a season we can't "see"
Because our heart just needs to pause.
To deal with sadness or with loss
The heart is quiet and withdraws.

Jesus' tears will match our own,
And He will feel our deepest pain.
Only He our need has known.
He'll bring the sunshine through the rain.

"The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, and in the night His song shall be with me."
Psalm 42:8 KJV

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

A Praying Church

The sanctuary drew me in.
I felt God's presence there.
I could feel His holiness
And knew there had been prayer.

The "atmosphere"was beautiful...
My spirit felt release.
Because the Lord resided there
I had total peace.

God's Spirit moved in sweetness,
Touching all who entered in,
Healing lives and changing those
Whose lives were caught in sin.

The beauty of the Spirit
Shone on people who were there,
For miracles are done
When a church is wrapped in prayer.

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Eternal Treasure

Earthly goods have no real worth...
To heav'nly life cannot give birth.
Heaven's treasure is priceless gain...
The highest prize we can attain.

All we have will pale and dim
As we see Christ and worship Him.
What joy will come within the soul
As we shall reach our heavenly goal.

No more tears and no more strife,
Which often touch our present life,
But fellowship before the throne
With Christ and those who are His own.

"If we suffer, we shall also reign with him..."
II Timothy 2:12 KJV

© 2007 Arlene Schwartzkopf

"Thank You's" Are Important

Expressions of gratefulness need to be spoken,
Especially to those who are weary or broken.
Some folks work hard to serve and to please.
A big, hearty "Thank you" their tensions might ease.

Thankfulness shown brings good will and cheer,
A bright note which any and all like to hear.
People around us will know that we care
When we take the time our "Thank you's" to share.

© 2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf