While My Body Grins and Groans (I want to take nothing for granted)

Recently I have heard more than one person say they don't want to take anything for granted!I echo this sentiment in today's reflection of birthday celebration weekend. Ps.90:12So teach us to number our days, That we may gain a heart of wisdom. Thank-you God, for Fridge-foragers... Father and son discussions (on the merits of certain hockey players etc.) 😅 Impromptu Sat. afternoon surprise coffee break... thank-you Emily and fam!(Missed a pic of the delicious raspberry lemon scones, still oven-warm!) Precious birthday-celebration dinner-guests... (my parents) and Victoria... Dear Husband, May I never take you for granted(too often, sadly, I do!) esp. your hat-tossing habits 😐😏 which haven't changed since mentioned on last year's anniversary poem... Special sister time... even more special in a peony garden !Whistling Gardens near Brantford, ON(below, a few of fifty+ pics of peonies) Sister smelling the 'roses' while her hubbyscouts out ice-cream shops on homeward route 😊😂💖 I want to take nothing for granted in life's little Learn and TeachWhere soon each gifted day is planted in a garden out of reachI want to wonder at God's grandeur; be mesmerized by His grace,To be fine-tuned to tender splendour till nothing seems common placeCollecting through life's gains and losses, a much gladder gratitude   Braving love's charge of shouldered crosses by trusting Mercy Renewed Contented in the Steadfast Knowing, come what may God never failsHis love is constantly bestowing winds to test and steer faith's sails I want to take nothing for granted, where blooms briefly beam and nod But to be more humbly enchanted by the handiwork of God He, who attends both joy and sorrow maintains nature's threaded loom I want to live today without tomorrow's borrowed dread and doom I want to manifest His Presence in the peace of Letting GoWhere true happiness is, in essence, this; trusting His yes and noThe Author of salvation's plan is faithful, trustworthy and true I want to take nothing for granted in life's leap from Him to Him Soon morning's newborn ray is slanted westward; soon grows dimWhile epitaphs that time composes sets gasps in permanent inkLike a storm of thorns and roses scattered, blood-red and blush-pink As breath-by-breath's brimming succession spills life's sacred, fleeting TollWreathed by dust-to-dust's grim profession of death's claim of all but Soul So, before my hulled husk is planted in a garden of grave-stonesI want to take nothing for granted while my body grins and groans I do not want to take for granted the sheer wonder of it allOr become dumbly disenchanted just because the petals fallOr love's smile-and-tear weathered tether snaps; the ties that bind undoneBy the Hand that brought us together; nothing new under the sunRousing us, Self-heady-prone dreamers to face raw realityTime's transient flash of  vapour/paper streamers unhinges eternity So, while life's precious plot is planted with memories that love makes I do not want to take for granted that which God both gives... and takes © Janet Martin I do not want to take for granted the sheer wonder of it allOr become dumbly disenchanted just because the petals fall... Thank-you God, for another birthday... Thank-you for sisters/family and friends who showered me with beautiful birthday wishesand flowers... I came home yesterday, a bit peony-highto find a new variety of peony (Dark Eyes) a deep burgundy-red at my door, from my friend's garden!thank-you Kim 💖 I was also sweetly blessed by a begonia-planter in memory of the begonias Lucy gave all of us sisters last year,from my sister Marlene 💗💔 Some flowers in the hue of the flowers Lucy gave us sisters last year(because the peachy-coloured begonias were sold out)From my sister Carolyn...we 'watered' them with a few mingled, tender tears;Love's universal language I'll admit it was an extra-teary birthday.I miss Lucy with profound tenderness in times like theseso I took out the book she gave me in place of a card last year...