Grandma's Place

The paint was cracked and weathered.
The 'welcome' chimes would ring.
But grandma's place was special with
her old porch swing.

Her dinners were delicious,
her cookies she would bring,
as rich aromas found me on
her old porch swing.

At times the wooden seat was damp.
The morning dew would cling -
but I couldn't keep from sitting on
her old porch swing.

The chains, stressed on occasion,
that held a many thing,
as every friend kept resting on
her old porch swing.

Served well those rusty bolts.
Though not for queen or king,
but all the folk were welcomed on
her old porch swing.

The conversations several -
the arm rest, everything -
as we discussed my problems on
her old porch swing.

Nothing makes my heart so glad
and nothing makes it sing,
until I think of grandma on
her old porch swing.

Many years have long since passed.
To memories, I will cling -
those days I sat with grandma on
her old porch swing.

The workers razed the homestead -
In fear, the birds took wing,
but always in my memory is -
her old porch swing.

Some say it wasn't special,
nor good for anything -
yet that's where I found Jesus - on
her old porch swing.
Jan Bagwell
God Bless
Please help me pray for My Mother Hazel Bagwell  She in hopice and she need a miracle

Mother's Hands

Not because of gold or silver
Not because of jeweled bands
Not because they're soft and perfect
Do I love my mother's hands
But because these hands once held me
Tenderly close to her breast
And because these hands would point me
To the path she knew was best

Mother's hands so gladly labored
Mother's hands so seldom still
Never seeking her own favor
Giving always her free will
But the thing of greatest beauty
As she tended to each care
Was her source of strength for duty
Mother's hands were hands of prayer

Mother's hands would clap to praise me
For a good deed I had done
Mother's hands were there to save me
When my deeds had hurt someone
And my mother's hands would teach me
What is right and what is good
Mother's hands would always reach me
When no other hand e'er could
Mother's hands so full of power
When her load was hard to bear
Even in life's darkest hour
Mother's hands would fold in prayer
Oh, no matter where I travel
Or how great the sights or grand
There is none to make me marvel
Like my mother's praying hands

Praying hands can reach her children
When they've gone so far away
Mother knows that God will reach them
As she folds her hands to pray
Gracious Father, up in Heaven
Bless each mother everywhere
In each country, tribe or nation
Bless the hands, the hands of prayer
Jan Bagwell
God Bless

Painful Memories

For some the battle rages,
deep inside their head
where memories of the past
fill them with fear and dread.

They hold on to the picture,
that paints a horrific view
of what people once did . . .
and what they still can do.

Jesus can fix those images,
locked up in your mind
He has a brighter landscape
for you to come and find.

There you'll have a new life,
one that holds His peace
and those painful old pictures
will fade away and cease.

He uses forgiveness,
to erase those awful memories
and with His love and grace
you'll find heaven's treasuries.

For some the battle rages,
deep inside their head
but Jesus is the light . . .
that'll take away their dread!
Jan Bagwell
God Bless
Romans 8:22
King James Version

"For we know that the whole creation
groaneth and travaileth in pain together
until now."

Until He Will, Be Still

When waiting on the Lord,
to answer your prayer
don't become discouraged
but rest in His care.

When seeking His response,
for your wants and needs
don't become too depressed
wait until He leads.

When looking for a word,
to help show the way
don't become dispirited
let His Spirit sway.

When seeking the Lord,
needing to know His will
don't become anxious
until He will . . . be still!
Jan Bagwell
God Bless 
Jeremiah 47:6
King James Version

"O thou sword of the Lord, how long will
it be ere thou be quiet? put up thyself
into thy scabbard, rest, and be still."

The Heart of Forgiveness

I question those Christians,
who say they love the Lord
and yet to forgive others
their hearts can't get on board.

They tithe and go to church,
sometimes they read their Bible
but to those who have hurt them
they still hold them accountable.

Forgiveness is an eleven-letter word,
that they know how to spell out
but to understand it's full meaning
they are full of hesitation and doubt.

They have chosen not to forget,
nor give to God their pain
to do so would mean to them
all their suffering would be in vain.

For deep in their souls,
they have become the judge
and to forgive others means
their hearts would have to budge.

And so they cling on to the past,
with hearts as cold as stone
instead of giving over their grief
to the One who judges from the throne.

I wonder if they ever think,
what if Jesus had thought this way?
I wonder what these Christians . . .
would then have to say.
Ephesians 4:32
King James Version

"And be ye kind one to another,
tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as
God for Christ's sake hath forgiven you."
Jan Bagwell
God Bless !

Storms Are A Part of Life

Storms are a part of life,
it's just the way it goes . . .
and often we find ourselves tossed
by the direction the wind blows.

Some storms come out of nowhere,
they seem to blind-side us . . .
and they always cause us to doubt
complain, protest and fuss.

Sometimes we are given a warning,
that a disturbance is on its way
and we try to put everything in order
before it crashes down on our day.

Others comes when all seems calm,
at times waking us from our sleep
and we wake up full of fear
causing us to fall into a painful heap.

Some storms are like a tornado,
leaving us devastated in its path
and we shake and tremble thinking
we are in the midst of God's wrath.

Storms are part of life,
it's just the way it goes . . .
but, my dear friend keep trusting God
for He controls ~ how the wind blows.
Jan Bagwell
God Bless !
Proverbs 10:25
King James Version

"As the whirlwind passeth, so is the
wicked no more: but the righteous is an
everlasting foundation."

In The Early Hours

In the early hours . . .
before the day is born
while the moon still shines
before it is a new morn.

While the stars still twinkle,
before the daylight dawns
while a chill is still in the air
before dew forms on the lawns.

While our minds are calm,
and our hearts are at peace
while our thoughts are warm
and our anxieties have release.

That is when we should rise,
and meet with God in prayer
sending Him our heartfelt praise
and our burdens for Him to bear.

God wants to meet with you,
in the early morning hour
so He can give you strength
and fill you with His power.

In the early hours . . .
before the day is born
look up and praise the Lord
before every new morn.
Jan Bagwell
God  Bless !
Psalm 5:3
King James Version

"My voice shalt thou hear in the
morning, O LORD; in the morning will I
direct my prayer unto thee, and will
look up."