These Are My JOTtings, Part #2

Hope Through the Night

Loving plants can burden the heart.
Frosty breath throughout the yard
creates a pang 'bout new day's start.
Will plants yet live when times are hard?

The plants are sheltered overhead,
and 'round four sides with drafty door.
My faith seems weak when nighttime dread
repeats my prayers to Him implore.

We bring the cats and dog inside
to shelter them from cold, hard ground,
but plant humidity abides
in outdoor air of this I've found.

That humans need our tenderest care,
we'd never shake the head, deny,
but often we don't want to share
the hope we've found, that makes us shy.

The human needs a shelter, choice,
protecting from the coldest night.
The homeless can now oft rejoice
of beds and food from awful plight.

But what of plight when life is done?
Do humans have a lasting Home
and Father's arms in which to run?
Or does the cold of lostness cause
the unborn spirit e'er to roam?

We love our plants and hold them dear.
With animals we share our days,
but will our loved ones live in fear,
while evermore we lift our praise?

It's Christ's Commission, that we go
compel all humans, "Come inside!
Forever His great grace we'll know,
and 'neath His wings we'll aye abide."

by Jay O'Toole
on November 14th, 2019