Of the many blessings I’ve received from obeying God’s call to become a Christian writer, the writing friends I’ve met along the journey stand out. Today, I’m blessed to introduce my precious sister-in-Christ, dear friend, and amazing children’s author and poet, Mrs. Martha Jane Orlando. It’s been a joy-filled journey of encouragement to read and comment on her weekly blog posts as she shares observations about her journey in faith and the natural world around her. When she does so through her poetry, her words transport us into her world. I am honored that she agreed to share some of those with us here Around the Cross-Dubya today. Please welcome our guest this week, a Georgia native, Mrs. Martha Jane Orlando.
June’s Glory
Scripture: There is the sea, vast and spacious, teeming with creatures beyond number – living things both large and small. ~Psalm 104:25
June’s glory comes in
A floral cluster bold, brave
Invites hope and praise
For the wonders small
That prompt us to pray without
Ceasing. The little things.
The Light
Scripture: When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.~John 8:12
Lightning bugs emerge
As day concedes to night
Twilight emissaries
Turn the dark to light
Hope is signaled
Promise in a blink
To longing eye
Becomes God’s wink.
Four o’ Clocks
Scripture: So why do you worry about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin; and yet I say to you that even Solomon in all hit glory was not arrayed like one of these. ~Matthew 6:28-29
Four o’clocks grace my mother’s garden
Blooms to herald afternoon’s entrance
Holding fast to evening’s pathway
Closing only at the dawn of day
Bowing out to allow Day Lilies
To take their watch upon the towers
Assuring all that beauty never fades
Instead, the flowers lift their precious petals
Sustaining us in day and into night.
Roots Take Hold
Scripture: The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” ~Isaiah 40:8
I spring forth unexpected
A wanton, lowly weed
Adorned in yellow
Not the color of cowardice
But of sunny survival
I bloom where I’m planted
And thrive against odds
For I’m content to call home
Wherever God intends
For my roots to take hold
And when I go to seed
I am grateful still.
Martha Jane Orlando is a Christian blogger and writer. You can visit her at Meditations of My Heart (https://marthaorlando.blogspot.com) on Blogger. You can also learn about and order her novels, The Glade Series and Adventures in The Glade, at her website: www.gladetrilogy.wix.com/theglade.
Her email is: marthaorlando@gmail.com
Welcome to the Cross-Dubya Ms. Martha Jane. What a thrill it is to have you visit this week. I’ve long enjoyed your Meditations of My Heart blog and am thrilled you graced us here today.
I’m delighted to meet you, Martha Jane. Your poetry is lovely and heartfelt. I also have fond memories of lightning bugs as a child in Cincinnati–catching them in my hands and watching them light up inside the cocoon I had made for them. I so miss them here in Texas! Also, I grew up with Four O’clocks in our garden. I collected the little black seeds in the afternoons when the flowers opened up. Such good memories! And lastly, your name is the same as my maternal great-grandmother’s. She was such a quiet, godly lady, always patiently serving others her whole life. Thank you for stirring up such good memories. You have richly blessed me today.
Thank you so much, Karen, for your kind words here. And I can’t believe your maternal grandmother was named the same as I was. How cool is that??? I’m glad my words brought back many memories for you!
Love and blessings!
Thanks for sharing this beautiful poetry about God’s creation, Martha. Thank you, J.D. for inviting her to give us these word gifts.
Thank you for your sweet words here, Barbara.
Love and blessings!
So glad you enjoyed Ms. Barbara. Thank you ma’am.
I love it when I have an opportunity to get together with friends in ways that enrich each other, and meeting you here at the “Cross-Dubya” is a special blessing for me this morning. Thank you, J.D., for inviting my gifted friend, Martha Jane, to share her poetic creativity. I love the scenes that come to life in your words, Martha. You don’t take pages to paint pictures, and that is a unique gift that God doesn’t pass around to very many, and I wish I had some of it. God bless both of you for the heartwarming and inspirational start to my day.
You have a splendid gift for writing, dear Ron. Never sell yourself short!!!
And thanks so much for your kind words here, my friend. The people we’ve met through blogging are often the very best of folks, aren’t they?
Love and blessings!
My pleasure Mr. Ron. I always enjoy Ms. Martha Jane’s blog posts and I was excited when she kindly accepted my invitation to share with us here. What joy she brings to our hearts.
Thank you for sharing your gift! I especially love Roots Take Hold. The imagery is beautiful.
Thanks so much, Ann, for your kind words here. Roots Take Hold is one of my personal favorites.
Love and blessings!
Thank you, Martha. What a lovely way to look at life.
Thanks so much for your kind words, Diana.
Love and blessings!
Love poetry. Beautiful! ♥️
Thanks so much, Melinda.
Love and blessings!
I love Martha’s writing, poems, and heart for the Lord. She’s an inspiration to me weekly. Thanks for highlighting her God-given gifts this week, J.D. God bless you both and your blog sites!
Your words are way too kind, Karen. Thank you!
Love and blessings!
Always the encourager Ms. Karen. Thank you ma’am.
I love nature – especially flowers. I love poetry, and I love a wide-open heart for God. Thanks for allowing me this lovely pause this morning with the gift of Martha’s words. I’ve written about the burrowing four o’clock, which grows only on the southern tip of Florida. (In the United States, that is.) It’s a protected species in Florida. A fascinating flower!
Thank you, Candyce, for your kind and thoughtful words here today! I have a special place in my heart for the four o’clocks; the ones in my mother’s yard came from seeds harvested from my grandmother’s plants. That’s extra-special!
Love and blessings!
Lovely, lovely, lovely! This retired English teacher is picky about her poetry. 🙂 A++++ Thank you for sharing, JD and Martha Jane! Blessings!
Such kind and gracious words coming from a retired English teacher, Karen. Thank you! I majored in English and taught seventh grade social studies. My kids would always get upset when I would edit their papers or other works. I used to tell them it was for their own edification – LOL!
Love and blessings!
Absolutely Ms. Karen. It’s always such fun to share the great work my Christian writing friends offer up for God’s glory. I’m always amazed at the many ways in which we writers can accomplish that same goal. Pleased that you enjoyed ma’am. I just knew that Ms. Martha Jane was going to awake that college professor in you. 🙂
How can I thank you enough, J. D., for featuring my poetry here on your blog? I am humbled and honored, my friend, and so grateful and pleased to be able to call you my brother in Christ!
And thanks, too, to all of you precious folks who have left such powerful comments. I do hope I’ll see you all over at my blog.
Much love and many blessings!
Congratulations Martha. And thank you J.D. for supporting a Christian writer. I’ve known Martha for some years and enjoy her Blog and writings.
God bless.
Thank you, Victor, for your lovely comment here. And thanks, too, for visiting J. D. He is an amazing person and writer.
Blessings!
Absolutely sir. Great to have you visit this week. God’s blessings.
These poems are beautiful. I am thankful God gives the gift of poetry. 🙂 Thank you for sharing Martha’s words. Have a blessed day! 🙂
Thanks so much for your beautiful comment here. I’m so grateful to God for this gift, and want to use it to glorify Him.
Blessings!
My pleasure ma’am. You’ve always got an open invitation to do the same precious sister.
Martha and J.D. I loved your blog message today. Spring flowers always bring a smile and when you add beautiful poetry, it makes our hearts sings. Thanks for your uplifting post.
You are so welcome, Katherine, and thank you for your kind words here today.
Blessings!
They both (words and photos) have a way of stirring our souls, that’s for sure ma’am. Thank you for the kind blessing ma’am.
I enjoyed your poetry, Martha! Describing lightning bugs as “Twilight emissaries” made me smile big!
I’m so happy to hear that that particular line made you smile, Joanne. Thanks for leaving such a kind comment here.
Blessings!
I always enjoy your poetry, Martha! Congratulations on this added exposure to your beautiful words!!
Thanks so much for your kind words here, Terri – I saw your comment on my blog, too, and have responded.
Blessings always!
Lightning bugs and flowers–such wonderful remembrances of summer past. Thanks for sharing, JD. Thank you Martha Jane for writing. God bless!
Thanks so much for your lovely comment, Nancy (that was my mother’s name). It was a joy to be able to share here with J. D.’s readers.
Blessings!
So glad you enjoyed Ms. Nancy. Loved your post at http://www.nancyehead.com this week also ma’am.
I love the one about lightning bugs especially. What an example to let God’s light shine through us wherever we are.
I’m so happy to know, Barbara, that the lightning bug poem spoke to your heart. Thanks for your kind words!
Blessings!
Congratulations, Martha. Your poems are beautiful and it was a pleasure to read them. I especially liked, Roots Take Hold.
Blessings
I like that one, too, Bill, and I so appreciate your kind comment here.
Blessings!
Martha’s work is beautiful!
Agreed. Thanks for stopping by ma’am.
Thanks so much, Christine, for your sweet words here.
Blessings!
Beautiful poetry about our beautiful world, Martha. I especially loved the picture of the four o”clocks bowing out to make room for the day lilies!
Thanks so much for your kind words here, Kathy! I’m so happy to know that that particular line painted a picture for you.
Blessings!
Martha Jane, Thank you for sharing these beautiful poems with us here at Cross Dubya. I felt at rest as I savored them.
You are so welcome, Annie! To know that my words gave you a sense of calm means so very much to me. Thank you for your kind words.
Blessings!
What beautiful words. Thank you for sharing them Martha Jane. I look forward to reading more about you and your work.
Thanks so much for your kind words here, Yvonne! I do hope you will visit my blog soon.
Blessings!
Very scriptural, which is a fine commendation to be able to make.
Thanks so very much, David! I find that so many things in nature have a fitting scriptural message to teach us.
Blessings!
Thank you Mr. David. I too appreciate how Ms. Martha tied each of her poems to a scriptural truth.
Oh, how wonderful to see Martha Jane’s work featured here! This is my first visit to your blog, so I will be subscribing! Martha Jane is such a dear, kind, sweet friend and has been such an encouragement to me so many times. I’m thankful to meet you, J.D., and I look forward to following your blog. God bless you and Martha Jane!
Thank you Ms. Cheryl. Ms. Martha Jane is a sweet and dear sister-in-Christ. I’m so blessed to have her share here on our blog. God’s blessings ma’am, and I’m looking forward to sharing more with you in the future.
Lovely interpretations and insights from scripture through your poetry, Martha Jane. I don’t know how, but that J.D. guy finds time to read and support numerous Christian blogs and comment on them including mine. Thank you, Martha Jane and J.D.
I don’t sleep much Ms. Karen. 🙂 Glad you’re back home from your missions trip and doing well ma’am. God’s blessings.
Amen Beautiful Words for JESUS Hallelujah!!
Love Always and Shalom, YSIC \o/
Kristi
Thank you Ms. Kristi. Am pleased that you visited and enjoyed what you read ma’am.