Here's To Today's Measure of Gladness

Here’s to spring rain; it’s drops unchain a well of poem-ink…

Here’s to morn’s feast, mercy-released, that bids us eat and drink

After a beautiful sunrise yesterday it clouded over and

rain, previously forecasted for today, altered my plans;

mowing lawn, weeding and edging.

But, as of now, 

today is sunny 

and I am glad

(because there are weddings happening💖

one in our neighborhood

with an outdoor service planned!)

Today’s poem is inspired in part, as I ponder 

the funeral I attended the other day; 

as husband/daddy and children broke 

their eulogy into three categories;

mad, sad and glad.

They each shared a reason they were mad and sad

acknowledging these two very real emotions

but then they focused on glad for the remainder because

there is SO much they are glad aka grateful for!!

Please, keep these dear people in your prayers 

as they begin moving forward without beloved wife/mom.

Here’s to today’s portion of gladness…

from my vantage point.

From your vantage point details may vary but gratitude

is a universal common ground🙏

Here’s to spring rain; it’s drops unchain a well of poem-ink

Here’s to morn’s feast, mercy-released, that bids us eat and drink

From the buffet we call today, by God’s kind grace unfurled

A treasure-trove of hope and love outpoured to all the world

Here’s to a bite of sheer delight, a crumb of happiness

Here’s to the bliss of smile and kiss and laughter’s blessedness

Here’s to the blooms that burst from looms beneath and overhead

Here’s to the joy that shouts ‘ahoy’ after grief’s tears are shed

Here’s to the sad, that makes the glad much gladder than before

Here’s to He who makes all things new and who all should adore

Here’s to the cup that we hold up; faith’s chipped and scarred affair

Mementos earned through lessons learned, turned into humbler prayer

Here’s to ‘hello’ and yellow daffodils; here’s to sweet May

Here’s to the limbs that throb with hymns of green and feathered lay

Here’s to the splurge of leaves and birds to cheer us where we are

To boughs festooned with blossoms spooned from nature’s perfume jar

Here’s to the child, pure, undefiled, wide-eyed and curious

Here’s to we who teach them to be true and industrious

To revere He who cares for we, instilled with deathless soul

Here’s to God’s Word; truth undeterred as ages wage and roll

Here’s to the earth in spring as birth wakens the slumb’ring sod

Here’s to the sky that you and I oft gaze on, dumbly awed

Here’s to the sea that sweeps the lea yet by the shoreline stayed

Here’s to each voice as we rejoice in this day God has made

Here’s to ‘us’, dear, the now and here that slip-slips through our touch 

Here’s to (un)common wealth of health and happiness and such

Here’s to the kings of simple things that never lose their thrill

As seasons run beneath the sun in ink that poet’s spill

Here’s to each ‘glad’ to counter sadness with meek gratitude

Here’s to the cares that mortal bears by God’s mercies renewed

His Word assures, His grace secures the final curtain-close  

Here’s to God’s love, the treasure trove from whence all blessing flows

© Janet Martin

Aren’t you glad

because of salvation’s plan

there is no futility in life

and no fear in death.

Thank-you, dear Heavenly Father

Here’s to the blooms that burst from looms 

beneath …

and overhead…

Here’s to the sky that you and I oft gaze on, dumbly awed…

Here’s to the child, pure, undefiled, wide-eyed and curious…

Here’s to a bite of sheer delight…

Here’s to the splurge of leaves and birds…

This is the day the Lord has made.

We will rejoice and be glad in it!

Psalm 118:24