Thank You Lord

                              I woke up this morning and I got out of bed
                              I said Thank you Lord as I bowed my head

                              Thank you so much for this brand new day
                              I know it wasn't promised but you sent it anyway

                             Thank you  for the sun shining oh so bright
                             And for watching over me all through the night

                             Thank you for my health it means so much more
                             Each day that I am well I'm more grateful than before

                             Thank you for my family, whom I'm love so dear
                             And the love we share is a blessing forever near

                             Thank you for my life and joyful, endless days
                             For that I'll cherish and give you all the praise

                             Thank you for your love and patience without end
                             I'm so honored to call you my heavenly father and friend

                             But most of all Thank you for salvation when I was lost
                             And the ultimate sacrifice your son on the cross

                             Susie Swanson    Published, April 2010

                        

                            It seems like I have been thanking God alot lately, but with the
                             recent bad weather in the south and the awful tragedys coming
                             out of it, I am eternally grateful for his great and tender mercy.

                             We were in the middle of the storms, coming in every direction
                              but for God's great love and tender mercy, they chose other
                              paths to travel. And those paths led to horrible destruction.
                             

                             I can only pray that the less fortunate, will somehow be able
                             to find the peace they need to pick up the pieces and carry on.
                             Homes can be replaced but lives can't.


                              Blessings, Susie

God's Canvas Of Colors

                      The calm beauty of a sunset on a beautiful, painted sky
                      With big, puffy clouds softly floating by

                      A red rose in bloom kissed by the morning dew
                      Sparkling in the sun under a sky of blue

                      A long, rolling meadow of emerald green
                      With a light, fluttering breeze and quite serene

                      An ocean so blue as far as the eyes can see
                      With each stroke he painted far across the sea

                      The eyes of a child smiles with a tender caress
                      His gift to this world filled with joy and happiness

                      Teardrops falling from an old mother's face
                      He captured them all with sorrow and grace

                      A multi-colored rainbow after a shower of rain
                      A wonder of beauty only God can explain

                      The twinkling of stars on a moon light night
                      A measure of his power on a canvas so bright

                      A tiny, yellow butterfly fresh from its birth
                      A token of his love and a heart full of worth

                      A snow covered mountain standing so high
                      With breathtaking beauty it creates a great sigh

                      The song of a turtle dove at morning's dawn
                      Brings peace and love for everything that's wrong

                     I marvel at the tapestry so beautiful and grand
                     Painted by the master with a gentle, loving hand

                     His canvas of colors are a sight to behold
                     He painted a masterpiece more precious than gold

                     Susie Swanson     Published April 2010

To Many Winters

                       To many winters are taking over spring
                       Is it really winter or is it spring

                      There's Dogwood Winter when dogwoods bloom
                      Brings only one winter I would assume

                      I've counted more maybe two or three
                      It can't be the Easter Flurry or can it be

                     Maybe Blackberry Winter came early this year
                     I seriously doubt the blooms are here

                     The Mountain Laurel is yet to come
                     Or Wild Rhododendron known to some

                     The snowball bush is the best of all
                     A Snowball Winter without a snowfall

                    Oh a pretty, little catbird just flew by
                    Could Catbird Winter be almost nigh

                    So many winters I can't keep in mind
                    By Whippoor-will Winter it'll be summer-time

                    I'll sit back and enjoy summer so
                    And hope there's not a winter firefly show

                   Susie Swanson       

                  Whew, I hope I've covered them all but I know I haven't.
                   There's a few more that I've heard the older people talk about.
                   Just couldn't make room for all of them in my pea brain.
                   If anyone wants to add some more, feel free to do so.
   
                 Thanks,  Susie

The Golden Seal

                This ring that I wear
                 is a circle of love
                that the two of us share
                sent from heaven above

                A symbol so bold
                from beginning to end
                two hearts make a whole
                for forty years it's been

               Promises were made
               that long ago day
               in our hearts were laid
               forever to stay

              We've walked in sunshine
               held hands in the rain
               our eyes weren't blind
               to heartache and pain

              We've laughed and cried
              and shed joyful tears
              we've held on to pride
              through forty blessed years

             A marriage is for two
             we've never walked alone
             with a love so true
             two hearts made a home

             One thing I do know
              our marriage is real
              a tiny seed did grow
              when God placed the golden seal

             Susie Swanson     
     
            Wrote in honor of our forty year anniversary.
             Which happened to be even more special
              on  10-10-10

Blessings

                      Everyday is very special
                      in my life it seems to be
                      rising in the morning
                      is a blessing just for me

                     Each day that I am given
                     with my health and even more
                     is more than I was promised
                     than the day I lived before

                     My wonderful, loving family
                     surrounds me each day
                     God's great treasured gift
                     sent from heaven my way

                    A home filled with happiness
                    and joy abides within
                    sewn with the thread of love
                    on that I can depend

                   When I'm in the valley
                   my friends are always there
                   to lift me up and carry me
                   because they truly care

                   The beauty of a sunrise
                   sparkles on the morning dew
                   awakens my soul and
                   warms me through and through

                  A picture-perfect blessing
                  of a night-time sky
                  with the stars shinging brightly
                  is a blessing from on high

                  My little flower garden
                  means so much to me
                  I planted it there
                  and God grew it for me

                 Even the little birds
                 singing in the trees
                 warm my heart
                 with their sweet melodies

                The days of my youth
                are no longer here
                I'm more grateful for each blessing
                now that older days are here

               So every morning when I awake
               and my feet hit the floor
               I thank God so very kindly
               for giving me one more

              Susie Swanson    Published, April 2010

Footprints

             So many long miles
             of  footprints I see
             Planted in the ground
             by my ancestry

            Ancestors from yesterday
            where past winds blew
            To a writer that's eager
            they become brand new

            Those voices of wisdom
            I hear in my head
            A beacon to follow
            wherever I'm lead

           Food for the present
           from a harvest of time
           They left it for me
           to treasure and define

          Memories I'll cherish
          as long as I live
          In my heart I'll gather
          to my loved ones I'll give

         The footprints I leave
         will then forever be
         Planted in the ground
         as their ancestry

        Susie Swanson