The Greatest Love

O Father God..... from beginning of time
You had a plan..... a flawless design.
Not in a lifetime, not in a day
Could we comprehend just how much You would pay.

Your love is so great that You sacrificed all
So we might be saved from effects of "the fall".
How great Your compassion, Your mercy and grace
..... That You should love us and our sins erase.

You didn't forsake us or cast us away,
But provided redemption..... our debts to repay.
O Father God, Your mercy and grace
Flow freely and richly our lives to embrace.

We are wrapped in Your love and eagerly wait
For the time when we see You and enter Your gate.
What blessing and honor and joy that will be.....
To be in Your presence eternally.


"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels
nor principalities nor powers, nor things present
nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other
created thing, shall be able to separate us
from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 8:38-39 NKJ

© 2005 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Another's Shoes

We do not know the sufferings of others
Unless we have walked where they walk.
We cannot know how much they are hurting,
Except when they sometimes will talk.

Help us, O Lord, to not criticize
Those things which we don't understand
When we simply don't know the weight of their load
And what in their life makes demand.

May we learn compassion and never "look down",
May we curb our critical talk.
But for the grace of our loving God
We too might walk where they walk.

"Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing."
I Peter 3:8-9 KJV

© 2006 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Autumn Winds

I do not see from whence you come
Or know just where you go.
In rustling leaves and bending boughs
I hear you moving to and fro.

You seem to tell me with your voice,
"We're in a brand new season."
You've wakened me from summer laze
With urgency of reason.

For though I love the lively feel
Of autumn's brisk, fresh air,
I know that for the winter season
I must soon prepare.

The same way that I see the signs
As seasons come and go,
The Spirit whispers in my heart
Each thing I need to know.

In the Spirit's changing wind
I know I'll find direction.
I'm ever grateful to our God
For covering and protection.


"When He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak, and He will tell you things to come."
John 16:13 NKJ

© 2004 Arlene Schwartzkopf

The Wonder Of Your Love

Oh, the wonder of Your love,
The wonder of Your grace.....
That You would care for such as me,
That You would give me place.....

When I could only offer You
A sin-filled, broken soul.
And yet You cared so much for me
You touched and made me whole.

You had no need for such as me
But did not pass me by.
You lifted me from pain and woe,
You heard my heart's deep cry.

You gave me hope and wiped my tears.
In You I have deep peace.
Through Your grace and wondrous love
From my sin I have release.

"Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new."
II Corinthians 5:17 KJV

© 2006 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Little Sheep

We have a loving Shepherd.
He cares so for His sheep.
He watches over all His flock,
Their welfare to safe-keep.

He teaches and He nurtures them,
Gently meeting every need.
His watchful eye is on each one
To pray and intercede.

Little lambs are tender
And are not so very strong.
Without the Shepherd's loving touch
They falter and go wrong.

Little sheep, it's wise to stay
Within the Shepherd's fold,
For He will guard you all your days,
And even when you're old.

"The Lord is my Shepherd; I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake."
Psalm 23:1-3 KJV

© 2006 Arlene Schwartzkopf

A Lovely Gift

Today the Lord has blessed my day.
He sent two butterflies my way,
Quickly catching my attention,
Introducing sweet dimension.

Butterflies bring sheer delight,
Fluttering in gentlest flight.
Lightly moving through the air
They just don't seem to have a care.

Only God could paint a wing
And quietly such beauty bring.....
Delicate in every way,
With brilliant color on display.

His handiwork is everywhere
His awesome beauty to declare.
Even in a butterfly.....
So small and sweet and shy.


© 2006 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Riches Untold

Do you want to be wealthy or want to be rich?
Do you want things to be without hitch, without glitch?
Do you want to reach for the stars or the moon
And don't want to wait..... you want it all soon?

True wealth and riches are patiently learned.
Success in this world by hard work is earned.
But seeking the Lord for wisdom and knowledge
Will bring understanding..... is like spiritual college.

To be rich in Him is the very best goal.
This will bring honor and wealth to your soul.
So reach up to heaven for riches untold.
Have faith to reach for HIS silver and gol.d

"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: for where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."
Matthew 6:19-21 KJV

© 2006 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Eagle's Wings

I want to fly with the wings of an eagle.
And I want to catch the wind of the Spirit with my wings.....
To soar and to be lifted up.

For the wind of the Spirit will take me to high places
And I will be able to see clearly.

I want to ride in the wind of the Spirit.....
To feel the current beneath my wings, carrying me.....
And I will reside there.

For there I will ride above the storms of life.....
Not hindered..... unable to be touched by that which would pull me down.....
Powerful and strong.

The eagle discerns the Wind..... and is free!

"Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty."
II Corinthians 3:17 KJV

© 2006 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Trust In The Lord

Are you fearful and shaky, nervous and fretful,
Or tired and weary and sometimes forgetful?
Maybe you're rushed, and push comes to shove.
You're just plain worn out, with no rest thereof.....

Stop where you are and turn to the Lord.
He will bring peace, and you'll be restored.
For moments you give Him will be multiplied
Back into your life..... with blessings beside.

All things are easier when left in His hand.
He is your hope when you don't understand.
He'll bear your load and will make it His own.
In Him you'll have answers and not be alone.


"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."
Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV

© 2006 Arlene Schwartzkopf

A New Day

This is a new day..... unlike any other.
It does not look back or mimic another.
It gives opportunity for a fresh start
And offers us time, in which we have part.

How will we use it to please our dear Lord?
Where would He send us..... or what point us toward?
This precious day offers very wide choice.
When Jesus directs us, then we can rejoice!

It's just "one more day" till we find His design,
And then it explodes into "brilliance and shine".
The day is unique, with His signature on it,
And becomes like a lyric and beautiful sonnet.

May all of our days be "signed" by His hand
And have mighty impact as in Him we stand.
May each day be filled and have a rich story,
Accomplish His purpose and bring Him much glory.

"This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it."
Psalm 118:24 KJV

© 2006 Arlene Schwartzkopf

In God We Trust

In God we trust, in Him believe,
Into our lives His tenets weave.
We have chosen His Word to read
To find the wisdom that we need.

Often what we think is right
May seem okay... but isn't quite.
So we can search within the Word
And let His wisdom undergird.

When we're not sure which way to go,
It's best to wait until we know.
Always He will keep us steady,
And He will move when He is ready.

He may not move just as we think,
But from His voice we will not shrink.
For always He will know what's best.
In that we have His blessed rest.

In God we trust.....

"He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the Lord, 'He is my refuge and my fortress; my God, in Him I will trust.'"
Psalm 91:1 NKJ

© 2006 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Busy Little Squirrel

A Children's Poem

Little squirrel, hurry, hurry.
Winter's coming! Scurry, scurry!
Gather food so you won't worry
When you see the snow's first flurry!

Little squirrel, busy, busy,
Worked so hard that he got dizzy,
Worked himself into a tizzy!
Gee whiz! This little squirrel was busy!

When the winter is cold and breezy,
He won't worry and feel queasy.
He won't be hungry or be sneezy
But will rest and take it easy!

"It is unusually wise to store up food for winter.
Even ants that are not strong do so."
Proverbs 30:24-25 (Paraphrased)

© 2005 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Perseverance

Perseverance wins it's race.

Perseverance
Breaks through barriers,
Jumps over hurdles,
Reaches the top of the mountain.

Perseverance
Keeps it's eye on the goal,
Doesn't give up,
Finishes it's job.

Perseverance
Looks neither to the left nor to the right,
Doesn't look back,
Accomplishes much.

Perseverance wins!

"And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."
Galatians 6:9 NKJ

© 2006 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Paint Project

One summer I really was in the mood to repaint the rooms of my house. And so I set about painting, one room at a time, until I had the whole house done. This project spanned over a period of about three months.

The last rooom to be completed was the dining room. It was getting late in the evening, but since I was so near being all finished, I just continued painting. I didn't want to get up to even one more day of it. I wanted to get done!

It was close to 11:00 p.m., and, with just one more small section to paint, my paint pan ran dry. So I took it down from the ladder, set it on the floor and poured more paint into it. Then, as I was moving my ladder over a bit, the next few moments became chaotic and hilarious.

Our dog Scruffy was in the basement with the youngsters when all of a sudden he heard "Daddy" come in the front door. (Daddy was his favorite person). Daddy was just coming home from work. I didn't hear him come in, but the dog did! Scruffy came flying up the stairs, through the kitchen, THROUGH THE PAINT PAN, across the dining room and living room, and took a flying leap toward Daddy, expecting to get caught in mid-air and cuddled. I started yelling, "He's full of paint! He's full of paint!" Daddy had on a navy blue suit and the paint was WHITE!

He caught the dog in mid-air and just held him there, but the dog, in his excitement, was wiggling and wagging and wasn't easy to hang onto. So I called the youngsters upstairs to rescue the situation. They took him down in the laundry tray and gave him a bath. He was a mess!

Luckily Daddy didn't get painted, but the living room carpet did! So now I had a row of white footprints to clean up. I cleaned the carpet and then finished painting. Now it was really late, but I knew when I washed out the paint roller this time I wouldn't have to do it again. The job was done!

The job came to a more exciting climax than I expected! It seems when you have pets that they wind up in the middle of everything..... even the paint pan!

© 2006 Arlene Schwartzkopf

The Work Of My Hands

When I've finished all my labors
And I think my work is done,
Have I really made a difference?
Perhaps my work has just begun.....

Could it be that I'm not seeing
What is right before my eyes.....
Your true meaning for my life.....
And simply do not realize?

Lord, help me see as You would see
And do what You would have me do,
So I will know I've found Your purpose
When each precious day is through.

"Let the beauty of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands for us....."
Psalm 90:17 NKJ

© 2006 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Autumn

When summer starts to yawn and
yields her tired labors.....

Autumn steps in with enthusiasm of color and
paints her bright note far and wide.

Surely it seems that God "pulls out all the stops"
in brilliant display of color!

A lovely space in time..... with rich bounty of harvest,
with brisk, invigorating air,
with flurries of activities in preparation
for the new season.

A time of exaltation and thanksgiving
as we celebrate the beauty of creation and
the fullness of God's provision for us.

And then the leaves begin to fall
as all nature seeks a time of rest.

And as winter knocks in her own time,
autumn shuts her door quietly and slips away.

But in memory, our hearts have been warmed
against the coldness of winter
by a very loving God!

"The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord."
Psalm 33:5b NKJ

© 2004 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Something To Ponder

What example am I in my daily walk.....
How does my life speak in the way that I talk.....
Who may be watching my actions each day.....
"Actions speak louder than words," so they say.....


Several years ago we had some neighbors who had three small children. As we began to get to know this family, we realized that they were very, very poor.

Late one summer, as the school year was approaching, I realized that the children were not going to have any new clothes for school. The family simply didn't have enough money to buy them any. So I decided to make dresses for the two girls and a shirt for the boy..... to surprise them. Now this wasn't any big thing for me to do, since I sewed all the time and had fabric on hand. For me, this was a fun project.

Well, I finished the clothes, gave them to the children, and never thought any more about it.

But several years later someone in my family, who wasn't a Christian, made comment about how nice she thought it was that I had done this for these children. Her statement jarred me to the very core of my being. I did not realize that this person had been watching me.

We never know who may be watching us and how much effect we have on others by the way we live. We can, unknowingly, lead others to change their pattern of living just by the example we set. In this we have awesome responsibility and unending opportunity.... to serve others.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."
Matthew 5:16 NKJ

© 2005 Arlene Schwartzkopf

My Computer And Me

Sometimes I can't type,
Sometimes I can't spell.
And my words look quite funny
When my fingers rebel!

Then sometimes my bifocals
Play tricks on me.
They make things look funny
When I'm trying to see.

So words I've ne'er seen
Appear on my screen...
Hilarious sentences
With typos between.

I do not think
That I'm getting old.
"These things just happen",
Is what I've been told.

It seems that my mind
And my fingers don't "click".
I find I can't hurry...
I'm not quite as quick.

Don't want to slow down
'Cuz I'm having fun.
But I sure need to "proof"
Everything I have done!

© 2005 Arlene Schwartzkopf

People Who Inspire

Beverly

I first met Beverly in a church choir, and I soon learned that she was a music teacher in our school system at grade school level. She had a special gifting to teach children and took a special interest in encouraging children to be better than they thought they could be. She was an encourager.

As it happened, she taught music at the grade school where my nephew, Tim, attended. Tim had an interest in learning to play the piano, and he asked Beverly if she would teach him. She was willing, but Tim had no money for the lessons. So they worked out an arrangement where Tim would go and mow her lawn, and then in return she would give him piano lessons. She really did inspire him, because he pursued this avidly and practiced diligently, becoming quite a good pianist and later enjoying playing classics as an adult.

A few years later Beverly and her family moved to another church where she and her husband later became the childrens' pastors. She had wonderful children's choirs there, and her husband was known to all the little children as "Papa John". Their two daughters taught Sunday School there also.

In her latter years Beverly was known for her prayer journals. She had ill health and suffered quite a lot of pain, but whenever she got a prayer request, she would write it in her journal. Then she would keep track of it and continue to pray until the answer came, writing down the answers. She filled the pages of a number of journals..... how faithful she was!

Beverly loved the Lord with all her heart. Only in heaven will it be known how many children's lives were encouraged and changed because of her love and devotion and caring. She was a wonderful friend and very beautiful in the Lord. I feel very privileged that I knew her.

"Praise ye the Lord. Praise the Lord, O my soul. While I live will I praise the Lord: I will sing praises unto my God while I have any being."
Psalm 146:1-2 KJV

© 2006 Arlene Schwartzkopf

My Strength

Lord.....
You are my footing..... my firm foundation.

You are that safe place to stand..... when everything is shifting.....

Where I cannot be intimidated by the enemy,
Where I will not lose my footing,
Where I may find courage,
Where I will not fail,
but may have confidence.

You are my strength.


"It is God Who arms me with strength and makes my way perfect. He makes my feet like the feet of deer, and sets me on my high places."
Psalm 18:32 NKJ

© 2005 Arlene Schwartzkopf