Hiding Place

When in the Spirit “winter” comes
And loudly tries to play its drums,
”In the natural” we may see
A replica of winter’s “spree”.

Autumn winds are blowing cold.
We’re watching winter’s frost unfold.
As such “symptoms” are in view,
What would God have us to do?

Be prepared for “disturbed” weather,
And with the Lord keep constant tether.
He will help us find our norm
And weather through a sudden “storm”.

As the world is so unsettled,
Even so our peace is nettled.
But in our God we can find hope
And confidence with which to cope.

“You are a hiding place for me from trouble. You surround me with songs and shouts of deliverance. Selah (pause and calmly think of that)!”
Psalm 32:7 Amplified Bible

“He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall remain stable and fixed under the shadow of the Almighty (Whose power no foe can withstand.”
Psalm 91:1 Amplified Bible

© 2014 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Careful Thoughts

Carefully I choose my thoughts
And try to never let them stray.
For when I’m fine-tuned to the Lord
He shows me many things to weigh.

If I don’t focus in on Him
Then my thoughts will get side-tracked.
My direction won’t be clear
Nor my perception be intact.

I must guard against mixed thoughts
Which take my time and fill my mind,
For when God speaks I want to hear
And to His movement be inclined.

If I don’t manage my thoughts well
I will not know how much I’ve lost.
To not stay tuned-in to the Lord
Can sometimes bring too high a cost!

“Roll your works upon the Lord (commit and trust them wholly to Him; He will cause your thoughts to become agreeable to His will, and) so shall your plans be established and succeed.”
Proverbs 16:3 Amplified Bible

“And thou. Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek him, he will be found of thee...”
I Chronicles 28:9 KJV

© 2014 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Seniors Are God's Treasures

If you are a senior and think your “work” is done,
The greatest work which you will do may not have even begun.
God can add excitement and a season of great joy
In retirement and beyond when we rest in His employ.

It sometimes takes a lifetime to prepare for a great work,
So opportunity He gives to us we should never shirk.
The insights we have gathered will contribute to the “new”,
And with a new direction mighty works we still will do.

God will use His vessels if they’re open to His voice
And give them “special projects” which will cause them to rejoice.
We’ll have the “fire” and energy to welcome each new dawn.
His joy will fill us with new strength and fervor to go on!

“For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:8 KJV

© 2013 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Truth Speaks Clearly

Truth is always “black-and-white”
And won’t be found in muddy grey.
If truth cannot be clearly seen
Integrity has gone astray.

Words we hear and words in print
On Godly truth may often trample.
Sift the words you hear each day
To see if they are truth’s example.

Integrity and truth will stand...
Always constant, always pure.
When fancy verbiage seeks attention
Rest in God. His truths are sure.

“Every word of God is tried and purified; He is a shield to those who trust and take refuge in Him.”
Proverbs 30:5 Amplified Bible

“For the Word that God speaks is alive and full of power (making it active, operative, energizing, and effective); it is sharper than any two-edged sword, penetrating to the dividing line of the breath of life (soul) and (the immortal) spirit and of joints and marrow (of the deepest parts of our nature), exposing and sifting and analyzing and judging the very thoughts and purposes of the heart.”
Hebrews 4:12 Amplified Bible

© 2014 Arlene Schwartzkopf

God's Voice Calling

My people’s eyes and ears are dulled.
By “overload” their minds are lulled.
Awake, O People! Hear My voice!
I offer you a better choice!

Be renewed from constant “blur”.
Let refreshing in you stir.
Spend time in the Word and prayer.
I’ll meet you and will heal you there.

I’ll be your lifeline day and night.
Joy and gladness I’ll ignite.
Let new enthusiasm burn
As from long weariness you return.

The “world” will offer many choices
And coax you with its myriad voices.
But when you choose to “rest” in Me,
From “overload” you will be free.

“You will guard him and keep him in perfect and constant peace whose mind (both its inclination and its character) is stayed on You, because he commits himself to You, leans on You, and hopes confidently in You."
Isaiah 26:3 Amplified Bible

© 2014 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Starting Small-Ending Big

You may be doing something small.
It may not seem to matter at all.
But if you do it very well
God will cause its worth to swell.

We can’t start out with something big.
(A tree starts out as just a twig).
Do not scorn a simple start.
Sincerely do it with full heart.

As you’re faithful in each task
God perfects more than you ask.
Diligence is what you’ll learn,
And higher merits you will earn.

“And whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men.”
Colossians 3:23 KJV

© 2014 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Veteran's Day

A SPECIAL CLASS

Veterans are a special class
Who give of self and far surpass
Ordinary daily call.
To guard our land they give their all.

Today we pay them high esteem.
May the Lord their lives redeem
From weariness and battle scars.
In our sight they’re truly stars!

They have given us their best.
Heroes all, they’ve stood the test.
Precious are the ones who serve.
Highest honors they deserve.

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Filled With Joy

Lord, I joy to hear Your voice.
You give me reason to rejoice!
You lift my soul to a high place
And cover me with love and grace.

You cause me to be truly blessed.
You give me joy and precious rest.
My heart is filled to overflowing
By Your faithfulness ongoing.

Your mercies every day are new.
All gratefulness be unto You.
You are my Hope, my Joy, my Light.
In You, each day is very bright!

“Many, O Lord my God, are the wonderful works which You have done, and Your thoughts toward us; no one can compare with You! If I should declare and speak of them, they are too many to be numbered.”
Psalm 40:5 Amplified Bible

© 2014 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Where Blessings Are Found

Humility often will open a door
And fill us with insight from God’s treasure store.
When “me” is too big, it gets in the way
And causes our blessings to just go astray.

The more that we recognize God’s awesome power
And know that we need Him in every hour,
The more He responds and pours out His grace.
But traces of pride we first must erase.

Humility rests when we trust in God.
We won’t have a need for “glitz” or facade
To make an impression or show who we are
To those who are watching from near or afar.

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

© 2013 Arlene Schwartzkopf

A Greater Destiny

In God we have a destiny,
A promise of unknown things,
In which we rise above the norm
As His “song” plays on our heartstrings.

The harmonies of His sweet song,
When woven into our own being,
Create in us a sweet release,
From earthly “boundaries” freeing.

What joy and wonder we will know
When we discover God’s design,
Then enter into all He has
And with His purpose we align.

“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

“The Lord is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him.”
Lamentations 3:25 KJV

© 2014 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Remember To Laugh

Laughter offsets gloom and doom.
For grumpiness it won’t make room!
Laughter warms a shivering heart
And joy and sunshine will impart.

It makes perspective start to smile,
And tensions it will reconcile.
It overcomes and gets ahead
When anger tries to raise its head.

Laughter is a smile within
And sponsors a delightful grin.
Its presence is a merry friend,
Your “rainy days” it will transcend.

“A merry heart doeth good like a medicine...”
Proverbs 17:22 KJV

© 2014 Arlene Schwartzkopf

When Wisdom Speaks

Wisdom speaks slowly... its words are well-chosen.
It will not hasten or choose its own way.
It prefers balance and peace and well-being.
Its kindness and mercy much “gold” will convey.

Through meekness and trial rich wisdom is honed,
And it will not listen to earthly desire.
It quietly moves with skill and great strength
And offers solutions which truly inspire.

Wisdom gives thought to every word spoken.
It will not rush forth to show it is right.
Its gentleness softens the “tone of its voice”
And when Wisdom speaks, its words bring much light.

“But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.”
James 3:17 KJV

© 2014 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Our Blessed Source

Lord...
In all things You’re a blessed source,
Our lives to lift and reinforce.
You strengthen us when we are frail
Or have high obstacles to “scale”.

By Your grace we are complete,
Our greatest challenges to meet.
When Your “promptings” we forget,
Our “direction” You reset.

Lord, we always need Your touch.
Your blessings are so rich and much!
Your wisdom is our greatest treasure.
We cannot comprehend its measure.

Life has vibrancy in You.
Every day our strength is new.
Our purpose and our vision grow.
MUCH gratitude to You we owe.

“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
Psalm 23:1 KJV

“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”
II Corinthians 12:9 KJV

© 2014  Arlene Schwartzkopf

Fires Of Righteousness

Let mighty fires of righteousness
Break forth throughout our land.
Let folks be re-awakened
To the moving of God’s hand.

We were never founded
On a base of shifting sand,
But through prayer and sacrifice
Upon the Rock we stand.

Let us seek the Lord in prayer,
Re-capturing a Godly stance.
Let freedom’s cause be re-established...
Not just happenchance.

Let God’s army march anew
With fire and fervor for this cause,
Re-affirming righteousness.
For this we stand... with much applause!

“Uprightness and right standing with God (moral and spiritual rectitude in every area and relation) these elevate a nation...”
Proverbs 14:34 Amplified Bible

© 2012 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Being Still

In today’s constant rush it’s hard to be still.
Folks hurry and push until they are ill.
The pace of our world suggests we do more,
And then we will own enough for a store!

Time with our God is the thing we need most.
If we don’t do this, then we cannot boast.
For all that we do will not have much worth
If we don’t give God a space or a berth.

Whatever the pressure, whatever the goal,
God will bring life to a world-weary soul.
When we are still and put our God first,
With blessing and peace we will be immersed.

“Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth.”
Psalm 46:10 KJV

“Because thou hast been my help, therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice. My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me.”
Psalm 63:7-8 KJV

© 2013 Arlene Schwartzkopf

No More Baggage

How much “baggage” do you carry?
Of too much weight you should be wary.
If you had a “carry-all”
Would its weight be large or small?

Some weights could be left behind.
Don’t let past “ills” fill your mind.
Do not focus on what’s lost.
These weights have too high a cost.

Make room for tomorrow’s need.
From worries let your mind be freed.
The weight you carry can be light.
And then your path will be quite bright.

“Do not fret or have any anxiety about anything, but in every circumstance and in everything, by prayer and petition (definite requests), with thanksgiving, continue to make your wants known to God. And God’s peace (shall be yours, that tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and being content with its earthly lot of whatever sort that is, that peace) which transcends all understanding shall garrison and mount guard over your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7 Amplified Bible

© 2014 Arlene Scnwartzkopf

Discovering Who I Am

If I just see myself as “me”,
Then my view is much too narrow.
If I can see who God made me,
I might see He made an “arrow”.

My own view is limited
And probably would be too small.
If God gave “possibilities”,
Then I should want to find them all.

Searching out His very best
Will open many special doors.
And as I travel in His path,
Then I’ll discover wisdom’s “stores”.

On my own I can’t accomplish
All that God would have me do.
But I can fulfill all my purpose
When I seek His well-planned view.

“Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture."
Psalm 100:3 KJV

“Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.”
Philippians 1:6 KJV

© 2014 Arlene Schwartzkopf

The Greatest Gifts

The greatest gifts of myrrh and gold
May just be found within the old,
Or covered in a tender child
On whom the Lord has gently smiled.

Hidden in the simplest places
We'll find Jesus' love and graces.
Age or status will not count,
Neither wealth of great amount.

Only through humility
Will we have chance to ever see
The gold that lies before our eyes
And God's great wisdom realize.

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning."
James 1:17 KJV

© 2010 Arlene Schwartzkopf

Stuck In Place

I have always been grateful for the unique way the Holy Spirit leads in any given situation.....

In years past I played the piano in a large church. In this setting there was a worship leader, a pianist and an organist. The worship leader would "move" as she was led by the Spirit, and we followed along on the instruments.

On one Sunday morning we had a very well-known guest speaker. He preached a powerful sermon and, at the end, he broke into singing the old hymn, "On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand....."

As was the norm at this point, whenever a leader would start singing, the organist and I would move back to the instruments and start to play along. I started to move, but my feet were "stuck" in place. I tried again to step forward, but my feet were literally "planted". A moment later I heard the Holy Spirit say, "He's (the speaker) in the key of F sharp, and you won't be able to play it strongly enough." The crowd had been uplifted by the morning's message, and they were singing this old hymn with much enthusiasm.

As the service closed I stepped over to the piano to "check out" what key we had been singing in. And we were indeed in the key of F sharp. When we got home from church I sat down at the piano and tried to play the hymn in that key... and couldn't. I stumbled badly.

I was so-o-o grateful the Holy Spirit stopped me that day. My feet felt as though my shoes had been glued to the floor!

© 2007 Arlene Schwartzkopf

A Forgiving Heart

The cost of unforgiveness is an aching, ailing heart,
A malady which penetrates and pricks one as a dart.
The torment grows in size o'er time and robs deep joy and peace,
Bringing illness and despair, causing love to cease.

Jesus Christ forgives us of our actions and offense,
So we should practice to forgive, to lay down our "defense',
Praying for each other as the Lord would have us do.
He will lift our "woundedness" and heal us through and through.

Oh, what happiness we have when we lay down our "woe".
As we love, and do not hate, His healing waters flow.
Jesus prayed, "Forgive them, for they know not what they do",
Even when He knew that He would die for me and you.

"Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." Luke 23:34 KJV

"For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you: But if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses."
Matthew 6:14-15 KJV

©2009 Arlene Schwartzkopf