To touch one heart with song,
To mend one soul I long,
To water the dry earth,
And bring to souls new birth.
To bring God’s light I must,
To blow the stars like dust,
To transform tears to mirth —
Then will my life have worth.
Light in the darkness,
Peace in the storm;
In wretched stable
Our Savior was born.
Forgiveness for sinners,
Hope for the lost;
Hatred now broken —
At unmeasured cost.
Love brought to sinners,
The ugly made whole;
To broken and battered
He shows heaven’s door.
Friend to the unlovely,
The lost and forlorn —
Caught now in sin’s prison,
The fetters are torn.
Come, all you people;
Sing now His praise.
The One who will save us
Is Jesus by name.
[Headline – Four homeless persons found dead from
hypothermia in recent freezing weather]
On cold and dreary winter night,
He pulled the blanket tighter still,
And tried to push the winter chill
Away from heart and soul – such fright.
Under the bridge
He found his place,
Away from prying passerby,
Away from passing, moaning wind.
He did not find the warmth he sought
And shivered uncontrollably.
That was the night
He fought and lost
His battle with cold destiny.
If all the stars like dust were blown
From palm of God upon the earth,
And fell like snow into the night —
Their glitt’ring shine,
Their silent birth —
And whispered quiet melody
Of dancing angels
Far and wide,
Of tinkling, tiny, windy chimes —
They sing to me
Of happy times.
Oh, universe
Now will burst forth,
In praise and song
To God divine.
clarakatalin 
Christ is My Hope
I love cemeteries. They are quiet and peaceful. I think of the people resting there and hopefully they are completely at peace.
So Christmas day, my kids and I took a walk to Maple Leaf Cemetery in Oak Harbor, Washington. The walk itself was brisk, both in speed and in the weather. After a few meanderings we found the cemetery. One grave I saw was of a three-and-a-half month old child, which brought me to tears. Then, a young man of 28, obviously well loved. More tears. As I walked, a group of people across the cemetery seemed to be having a party. They had their car door open, and Christmas music came from its radio. Perhaps celebrating Christmas as they remembered a life well lived.
The final grave I looked at is pictured here. “Christ is My Hope” was the epitaph. I can honestly say that is true for me.
I just now noticed that there is no date of death, and that the birth date was in 1915, which means the person is now 98 years of age. I am glad the person has faced the reality of death and has the hope of resurrection.
Just a few days later, we visited my uncle by marriage, who is now 100 years old. He still walks an hour a day using his walker. His mind is still pretty sharp. What an amazing man.
Still, we never know when we might go.
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