The Road of Life

The Road of Life

One day as I was climbing up
The road of to Home ,
I met a stranger coming down
With countenance sad and lone .

I had no time to help him then ,
I feared ‘twould mean delay ;
With guilty heart I turned aside –
I dared not look his way .

To still my heart a sigh ,
I turned and looked ,and then I saw
A teardrop in his eye .

Forgetting time I spoke to him ,
To share with him my cup ,
“Dear friend , I fear you’re going down
When you should be going up “

With piteous look he turned to me ,
“How can I turn around ?
For with this load upon my back
I can hardly make it down .”

The joyful news I gladly told
Of Christ who died for him
To take away the load he had
If he would let Him in .

A gleam of hope came to his face ,
The tears began to flow ,
The load of sin dropped from his back ,
His face began to glow .
And now he travels the road of life –
Not down ,but going up ;
To see the glow upon his face
Has more than filled my cup

O Lord , forgive the times I’ve passed
A stranger on life’s road ,
Not taking time to dry the tears ,
Nor helping lift the load .

And give me wisdom , Lord I pray ,
That comes down from Thy throne ,
That I might by Thy help and grace
Lead some poor wanderer Home .
Jan Bagwell

The Choice of The Cross

Hard it is , very hard ,
To Calvary , to redeem mankind ;far better
To make but one resplendent miracle ,
Lean through the cloud , lift the right hand of power
And with a sudden lightning smite the world perfect .
Yet this was not God’s way , Who had the power ,
But set it by , choosing the cross ,the thorn ,
The sorrowful wounds , something supreme ,
That power destroys in passing ,something supreme ,
To whose great value in the eyes of God
That cross , that thorn , and those five wounds bear witness .
Jan bagwell

A Prayer

A Prayer

Let me do my work each day ;
And if the darkened hours of despair overcome me
May I not forget the strength that comforted me
In the desolation of other times .
May I still remember the bright hours that found me ,
And I promised my God to have courage
Amid the tempests of the changing years .
Spare me from bitterness .
And from the sharp passions of unguarded moments .
May I not forget that poverty and riches are of the spirit .
Though the world know me not ,
May my thoughts and actions be such
As shall keep me friendly with myself .
Lift my eyes from the earth ,
And let me not forget the uses of the stars .
Forbid that I should judge others ,
Lest I condemn myself .
Let me not follow the clamor of the world ,
But walk calmly in my path .
Give me a few friends who will love me for what I am ;
And keep ever burning before my vagrant steps
The kindly light of hope .
And though age and infirmity overtake me ,
And I come not within sight of the castle of my dreams ,
Teach me still to be thankful for life , and for time’s olden memories that are good and sweet ;
And may the evening’s twight find me gentle still
Jan Bagwell

The Glory of God in Creation

The Glory of God in Creation

Thou art , the life and light
Of all this wondrous world we see ;
Its glow by day , its smile by night ,
Are but reflections caught from Thee .
Where’er we turn , Thy glories shine ,
And all things fair and bright are Thine

When day , with farewell beam, delays
Among the opening clouds of even ,
And we can almost think we gaze
Through golden vistas into heaven –
Those hues that make the sun’s decline
So soft , so radiant ,Lord ! are Thine .

When night , with wings of starry gloom ,
O’vershadows all the earth and skies ,
Like some dark , beauteous bird ,whose plume
Is sparkling with unnumber’d eyes –
That sacred gloom , those fires divine ,
So grand , so countless , Lord! are Thine .

When youthful Spring around us breathes ,
Thy Spirit warms her fragrant sigh ;
And every flower the Summer wreathes
Is born beneath Thy kindling eye :
Where’er we turn , Thy glories shine ,
And all things fair and bright are Thine!
Jan Bagwell

Heaven Every Day

We have a wonderful Guest
At our house
Who makes our a home a heaven ,
Every day :
And this wonderful Guest
At our house
Has promised us He’ll
Never go away .

He brought a lovely letter
From His Father’s house above ,
And every day we read it ,
For it tells us of His love ;
And when we go to sleep
At night ,
He sees that everything
Goes right –
This wonderful Guest
At our house .
Who makes our home a heaven
Every day

His name is JESUS , and because
He loves us, one and all,
He’d love to visit your house
If you’d like to have Him call:
So, if some time you should decide –
Just ask Him in, and He’ll abide –
This wonderful Guest at our house, who makes our home a heaven
Every day.
Jan Bagwell

Life's Lessons

Life’s Lessons

I learn ,as the years roll onward ,
And leave the past behind ,
That much I had counted sorrow
But proved that God is kind ;
That many a flower I’d longed for
Had hidden a thorn of pain ,
And many a rugged by-path ,
The clouds that cover the sunshine ;
They cannot banish the sun .
And the earth shines out the brighter
When the weary rain is done .
We must stand in the deepest shadow
To see the clearest light ;
And often through wrong’s own darkness
Comes the welcome strength of right.

Jan Bagwell

Climb Till Your Dream Comes True

Often your tasks will be many,
And more than you think you can do ,
Often the road will be rugged
And the hills insurmountable , too ,
But always remenber , the hills ahead
Are never as steep as they seen ,
And with faith in your heart start upward
And climb till you reach your dream .
For nothing in life that is worthy
Is ever too hard to achieve
If you have the courage to try it
And you have the faith to believe .
For faith is a force that is greater
Than knowledge or power or skill
And many defeats turn to triumph
If you trust in God’s wisdom and will .
For faith is a mover of mountains ,
There’s nothing that God cannot do ,
So start out today with faith in your heart
And climb till your dream comes true .
Jan Bagwell