God's Grace!

Happy blessed Sunday to everyone. It is with a jubilant and grateful heart that I present this poem to you with a few reflections upon it. 

Season to Season

Rain drops falling down

Leaves cascading to the ground

Ferns still with upraised arms

Lifted toward the sky

As the autumn leaves say hello when on

The wings of the wind, they pass by.

We had received an extraordinary amount of rain

For the year in McKenzie, Tennessee

The abundance of which made my potted plants grow

So fast that I could almost see

The tiny shoots unfold and the effect

On the petunias and snake plants was

Something wondrous to behold.

The plant that I thought was dead

From my home’s gas winter heat

Took on new life and grew in profuse proportions under

The unusual amount of rain

Which was astonishing within itself

For I never thought that that plant would see life again.

A month later, while I still had an overwhelming

Sense of awe of the plentiful misty rain

My hummingbird friends decided to visit my patio again.

There were four of them this year

And one with a coral red throat

And I got the awesome chance to see them

Doing pirouettes and figure eights in the air

Ah-h, they make their mid-air calisthenics look so easy

And they do it with such a flair!

I had never seen that number of hummingbirds at one time

Let alone, seeing them right by my patio door

They sat around the feeder on the tiny wire support

That we had constructed

Then at brief intervals, their feeding

Ritual was conducted.

As I observed their antics, it looked to me

Like one was trying to chase two of the others away

While the fourth one seemed, not interested, at all, in the fray.

If I could have communicated with them, I would have, in a

Stern voice said, “Now, now, fellows, there is no need

To flap and buzz about

I have more nectar where that came from and

I will not allow the feeder to run out!”

…Hummingbirds flying through the drizzle

Between the occasional downpour

To see those tiny-winged little fellows as part

Of GOD’s natural system, I can’t ask for much more.

My FATHER let me see the flowers and how they grew up

And HE let me see the antics of the hummingbirds

As from the hummingbird feeder, they playfully supped.

My, my, the gentle loving care that was

Shown to me through the hummingbirds, and

Through the prolific flower growth

Reminds me of my FATHER’s gentle nudging love

In that, He made me aware of both!

I saw the spring rains and

Experienced the plentiful summer showers

I saw the return of the hummingbirds

And I saw the prolific growth of the summer flowers.

And now, I see the advent of another season

And the preparation as well as the

Migration that goes with it

Some animals are preparing to travel

To warmer shores

And some animals are storing up nuts and what-have-you

Against the time when nuts and berries will be few.

Some flowers have begun to put on seed pods

As progenitors of next year’s flower crop

Plants and animals alike, getting ready for the next season

It makes me think of mankind’s lifespan

And the fact that we too, need to make preparations fellowman

For our passage through time on our way to eternity

To be assured that the wailing and teeth-gnashing won’t

Be coming from us, for we will be safe in our celestial abode

Where from tears and pain, we will, at last, be free
And having left a healing gift in our legacy
Of some person's life has been blessed
 By the fact that we used to be.
                                                                                              (Last three lines added on Monday, 3/20/17)

Gen. 8:22; 2 Cor. 5:10

1.     How does the speaker feel about spring?

2.     Expound upon the term “progenitors” in a biblical sense. (This poem is an excerpt from page 30 of my latest book, W.O.W. created w.o.w.)

All of the occurrences that have happened in my life, both the positive and the negative have shaped me into the woman that I am. The amazing and wonderful part about it is that I can recognize the hand of the Lord in my world. The feeling that I used to have as a toddler when walking along the sidewalk with my Momma of being protected just because she was there holding my hand is what I liken my relationship with the Lord to, with one big difference. I had to grow up and grow old and let go of my Momma's hand but God holds my hand still. 

I know that He watched me as I marveled the first time that I saw a butterfly take flight; when I saw a squirrel for the first time; when I learned how to walk with my first tottering steps; when I gave my first speech in front of my classmates; when I learned that people are not always nice; when I learned that I never would birth a child, when I  touched my mother for the last time; when I retired from teaching; when I was named one of two of the top housing coordinators in the state of Tennessee; when, as now, I reflect back on my life, etc. He has held my hands through all of the seasons that have come and gone and I know that one of these seasons will come and take me home. But until that time, I just wanted to acknowledge Him before all of you and to tell you that there is no one in this world that will love you like He does! Keep your hand in His hand and things will work out. When you mess up, if you ever do, don't despair; just ask Him for forgiveness; show that you have changed and step on. 

God's grace has been my traveling conveyance through the years of my life and I have to tell you that this has been a cushiony way to traverse through time on my way home to eternity. Y'all be blessed and see you tomorrow or on the other side.

Doing What I Can, While I Can Because He Taught Me to Care,

Alma L. Stepping On Jones

Blog P. S. - The next time that you see something that causes you to marvel, take a moment and realize that God is sharing that moment with you. Amazing isn't it when you think about it. 

Sometimes I think, "He loves even me and I know I'm not worthy! God's Grace!