I just finished a lengthy phone call with a dear friend, one who is very preciously falling in love. I'm just delighted to be a witness to all that God's doing in her life. All that to say, I'm quite in the mood for some endearing poetry and thought I might share a bit with you. :) Enjoy the reading, my dear ones!

She Walks in Beauty

She walks in beauty like the night

Of cloudless climes and starry skies;

And all that's best of dark and bright

Meet in her aspect and her eyes:

Thus mellowed to that tender light

Which heaven to gaudy day denies.

One shade the more, one ray the less,
Had half impaired the nameless grace
Which waves in every raven tress,

Or softly lightens o'er her face--

Where thoughts serenely sweet express
How pure, how dear their dwelling place.

And on that cheek, and o'er that brow,
So soft, so calm, yet eloquent,
The smiles that win, the tints that glow,
But tell of days in goodness spent,
A mind at peace with all below,
A heart whose love is innocent.

Lord Byron

May we all the find the joy of hearts whose love is innocent. So very greatly, this world longs for such love. Whether it be the simple kindly gaze at a passing stranger, the embrace to comfort a grieving friend, a note that quietly whispers "I love you," or prayers unheard by this earth, there are so many ways in which to share a heart full of the Father's affection for the world He created. May each of us find some way in which to be an expression of His character, "of a heart whose love is innocent."

Good night, my dear ones!

I trust all of you have been blessed with a wonderful Thanksgiving, each in your own special ways. :) I''ve recently returned from the Tyler farm where I spent the holiday with dear ones. There's so much to tell, and in the days to come, I'll try to find a few moments to sit down and share more. For now, however, I wanted to at least say hello and show a quick photo from the delightful week...

This is me with my sweet sister, Anna, in "the backwoods" of Tyler, (the prettiest part, by the way.) I thought you all might like to see the little girl that was the gift God gave after seven years' petitions of an older sister. :)

God be with you all, my friends. Have a blessed day!

Tomorrow morning, I'll be leaving for my grandparents' farm in Tyler, and I'm thrilled to be heading "home," or at least to a huge portion of the home of my heart. :) Thanksgiving is soon to greet me, and this most beloved holiday never ceases to bless the deepest parts of my soul.

Before I steal away for the next two weeks, I wanted to take a few moments to say how dear you have all been to me. I'm so grateful that the Lord has seen fit to bring you into my life. You can't know what joy and encouragement you've brought, time after time, and I can only say...Thank you ever so much, my precious friends.

I'll close with the lyrics of a beautiful song (Nichole Nordeman) I recently heard, when a dear lady in my church shared the recording with me. It's called "Gratitude," and its humble words "speak volumes" about the state of a truly thankful, truly trusting heart. I hope the lyrics will bless each of you.

Gratitude
Send some rain, would You send some rain?
'Cause the earth is dry and needs to drink again
And the sun is high and we are sinking in the shade
Would You send a cloud, thunder long and loud?
Let the sky grow black and send some mercy down
Surely You can see that we are thirsty and afraid
But maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case ...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to thirst for You
How to bless the very sun that warms our face
If You never send us rain

Daily bread, give us daily bread
Bless our bodies, keep our children fed
Fill our cups, then fill them up again tonight
Wrap us up and warm us through
Tucked away beneath our sturdy roofs
Let us slumber safe from danger's view this time
Or maybe not, not today
Maybe You'll provide in other ways
And if that's the case ...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
A lesson learned to hunger after You
That a starry sky offers a better view
If no roof is overhead
And if we never taste that bread

Oh, the differences that often are between
Everything we want and what we really need

So grant us peace, Jesus, grant us peace
Move our hearts to hear a single beat
Between alibis and enemies tonight
Or maybe not, not today
Peace might be another world away
And if that's the case ...

We'll give thanks to You with gratitude
For lessons learned in how to trust in You
That we are blessed beyond what we could ever dream
In abundance or in need
And if You never grant us peace ...

But, Jesus, would You please ...

I've been given so many blessings of which I know I'll never be worthy. Even now, I stand humbled by the knowledge that you have each taken me into your hearts and called me friend. That is a gift, indeed...

I appreciate you. I love you. I see God has great things for you.

...and I'm so very grateful.

May each of you have a tremendous Thanksgiving holiday. Remember to treasure it for the holy day that it is, and find joy in thinking of the precious Lord Who gave us everything we'll ever need and so much more than we'd ever have dreamed.

God be with you, dear ones.

I'm gazing through a vast window and find myself mesmerized by the beauty of the day I've discovered outside the confinement of strong walls. Yes, there is plenty of work to do. Yes, I know I should be doing it, even now, but there is such a wonder of seeing my Creator's hand at work. I just simply had to stop a few moments and tell you all how dearly I love Him.

In the sky, I see the infinite measure of His love, the vastness of His divinity, and the incomprehensible span of His mercy. In the trees, gently swaying in an autumn's breeze that's just beyond my grasp, I see the strength of His justice and the unfailing faithfulness for which I adore Him. In the flowers of vibrant hues, I remember that our God is a God of beauty and that, someday, He will bring my soul to its final place of glory before Him... In that place will be beauty such as this world has never known, and I long to see the loveliness of His face.

I'll turn, for now, back to my humble responsibilities of life, but I'll do so, remembering that my Creator God is ever near me. May you, too, feel His presence everywhere you are, this day. He puts so many things in our lives, helping us to remember "How great the Father's love for us."

We've laid our beloved Luke to rest.

I will hold fast to the words that have guided the ages...

"The Lord giveth, and the Lord taketh away.

Blessed be the name of the Lord..."

As a teacher, I've walked through some trying times with students. I've been there to comfort, when hands are sore and minds are weary. I've been there to encourage, when older brothers are mercilessly teasing the practicing sibling. I've been right beside students, as their dear ones have grown up, moved away, gone to war, married, had the first children, etc. Through this all, I've learned so much about the human heart and about the worth of sharing my own when another's soul is needy.

Tonight, my teacher's heart was grieved more deeply than I've ever known in the past...my best student. Receiving a call late tonight, I heard an emotion-burdened voice saying her brother was killed yesterday in Iraq. For several moments I couldn't speak...a few seconds found me scarcely able to draw breath. I didn't know what to do, but I knew I had to go tell the girl I loved her and that I was more sorry than I even knew how to express. I've known them all now for the past fifteen years.

The family's home is only four minutes from my own, and I went there tonight with my mother and brother, Brent. The family clung to us, and it seemed the hands that had wiped away a multitude of tears would never let go of the strength to be found in our embrace. Oh, how we cried...

On the table was the boy's last portrait...steady eyes, handsome face, gentle expression. I was greeted by the last gaze of one who had reached a mere twenty-one years, my own age, and something deep inside me started to pulse with a terrible pain. What must God have thought, as He watched His Son be sacrificed for those who could not save themselves?

One thing is certain; He is well-acquainted with our grief, and He has known every sorrow. "The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit." Psalm 34:18 Pray for me, as I strive to love a precious girl through the darkest days her soul has ever known. We've always been like sisters, and I feel as though a part of my heart has lost a brother, too.

I promised someone I'd share the lyrics to a song I wrote, several years ago. I'd been "holding down the fort" for a customarily "lively" household, while my parents were away for their anniversary journey into the rapturous hills of Vermont. Late at night, after all the commotion would cease, I absolutely loved going to kiss the little ones good night, praying over them all and asking that the Lord would help their rest to be sweet.

At that time, our youngest one in the family, Peter, was only about three years old. I've always been sixteen years older than the little fellow, so he's been cherished much as though he'd been my own child. As I saw him in his bed, resting and finally wearied from the day's "work," a song came to my heart, as I imagined how very deeply I'd someday love my own child, should the Lord bless me in such a way. Those thoughts gave birth to the song that is now "Sing Me to Sleep."

It's written from the viewpoint of a mother, looking back over the lifetime of love in which she cherished a son. I hope its words will cheer your heart and warm your soul. Whether or not you have been blessed with a little one of your own, it's so important that we never forget that there is One Who sings over us, even when we have no one over which to sing ourselves. (Zephaniah 3:17)

I hope you'll enjoy the song's words...


Sing Me to Sleep

(Verse 1)
I tucked him in and said a prayer on my knees by the side of his bed.
As we said "Amen," I rose to leave, quietly patting his head.
I crept to the door, then looked, once more, to see that he was alright.
As I started to leave, he spoke to me and said so quietly...

(Chorus 1)
Won't you sing me to sleep? Let me be
In your arms for one more moment.
Hold me close so I can feel your heartbeat.
Sing to me; sing me to sleep.

(Verse 2)
My little one grew into a man, quiet and gentle and strong,
But the songs I sang over him will stay with me, my whole life long,
And the little hand that clung to me, as he listened to those melodies
Will forever hold my deepest heart, just as when he said to me...

(Chorus 2)
Won't you sing me to sleep? Let me be
In your arms for one more moment.
Hold me close so I can feel your heartbeat.
Sing to me; sing me to sleep.

(Bridge 1)
Oh, how the moments of life have flown.
Oh, how time quickly slips away,
But the memories of those precious times will never fade.

(Verse 3)
I'm older now, and my son has a family of his own.
He loves me, oh, so very much, regardless of how frail I've grown.
He came to see me, the other day, as the evening sun grew faint.
As he kissed me good-bye, he started to cry, then tenderly he sang...

(Chorus 3)
Let me sing you to sleep. I want you to be
In my arms for one more moment.
Let me hold you close so you can feel my heartbeat.
Let me sing to you, sing you to sleep.

(Bridge 2)
I don't know how much longer I will be
Here to savor all the memories..

(Chorus 4)
Won't you sing me to sleep? Let me be
In your arms for one more moment.
Hold me close so I can feel your heartbeat.
Sing to me; sing me to sleep...

(c)2003--Amy Elizabeth Salter--Hanley Music Company


I pray that your heart may have been blessed in some small way. God be with you, my dear friends! Never forget He sings over you...