Home At Last

HOME AT LAST

by HELEN STEINER RICE



THERE ARE NO WORDS, WHAT CAN I SAY
AT LAST HER SWEET SOUL WINGED ITS WAY
TO PEACE AND FREEDOM IN THE SKY
WHERE NEVER AGAIN WILL SHE SUFFER OR CRY
IT'S ALL PART OF GOD'S GREAT PLAN...
WHICH IS A MYSTERY TO MAN
WE CANNOT UNDERSTAND HIS WAYS
NOR CAN WE COUNT OUR EARTHLY DAYS
BUT WHO ARE WE TO QUESTION AND DOUBT
GOD KNOWETH WELL WHAT HE'S ABOUT
HE KNEW SHE LONGED TO "GO TO SLEEP"
WHERE ONLY ANGELS A VIRGIL KEEP
THE PAIN OF LIVING GREW TOO GREAT
NO LONGER COULD SHE STAY AND WAIT
SHE DID NOT WANT TO LEAVE YOU, DEAR
BUT SHE HAD FINISHED HER WORK DOWN HERE
SO SHE CLOSED HER EYES AND WHEN SHE AWOKE
THESE ARE THE WORDS THE MASTER SPOKE,
"WELCOME, DEAR CHILD, YOU ARE HOME AT LAST
AND NOW THE BURDEN OF LIVING IS PAST
THERE'S WORK FOR YOU IN MY KINGDOM, DEAR
AND YOU ARE NEEDED AND WANTED HERE."
SO WEEP NOT, SHE'S JUST GONE ON AHEAD
DON'T THINK OF HER AS BEING DEAD.
SHE'S OUT OF SIGHT FOR A LITTLE WHILE
AND YOU'LL MISS HER TOUCH, AND HER SMILE
BUT YOU KNOW SHE IS SAFE IN THE HOME ABOVE
WHERE THERE IS NOTHING BUT PEACE AND LOVE
AND, SURELY, YOU WOULD NOT DENY HER PEACE
AND YOU'RE GLAD SHE HAS FOUND RELEASE
THINK OF HER THERE AS A SOUL THAT IS FREE.
AND HOME AT LAST, WHERE SHE WANTED TO BE.







MAKE YOUR FACE SHINE UPON YOUR SERVANT;
SAVE ME FOR YOUR MERCIES' SAKE.



PSALM 31:16
NKJV



RESTORE US, O GOD;
LET YOUR FACE SHINE, THAT WE MAY BE SAVED.



PSALM 80:3
NRSV



ON EARTH PEOPLE WILL BE LOYAL TO GOD,
AND GOD'S GOODNESS WILL SHINE DOWN FROM HEAVEN.



PSALM 85:11
NCV



THE LORD IS GOD,
AND HE HAS MADE HIS LIGHT SHINE UPON US.
WITH BOUGHS IN HAND, JOIN IN THE FESTAL PROCESSION
UP TO THE HORNS OF THE ALTAR.



PSALM 118:27
NIV



WE HAVE THOUGHT OF THY LOVINGKINDNESS,
O GOD, IN THE MIDST OF THY TEMPLE.



PSALM 48:9
KJV



DO NOT WITHHOLD YOUR TENDER
MERCIES FROM ME, O LORD;
LET YOUR LOVINGKINDNESS AND
YOUR TRUTH CONTINUALLY PRESERVE ME.



PSALM 40:11
NKJV



REMEMBER, O LORD, YOUR GREAT MERCY AND LOVE,
FOR THEY ARE FROM OF OLD.



PSALM 25:6
NIV



BUT I TRUSTED IN YOUR STEADFAST LOVE;
MY HEART SHALL REJOICE IN YOUR SALVATION.



PSALM 13:5
NRSV



THE LORD LEADS WITH UNFAILING LOVE
AND FAITHFULNESS
ALL THOSE WHO KEEP HIS COVENANT
AND OBEY HIS DECREES.



PSALM 25:10
NLT

I Said A Little Prayer For You

I SAID A LITTLE PRAYER
FOR YOU

by HELEN STEINER RICE



I SAID A LITTLE PRAYER FOR YOU
AND I ASKED THE LORD ABOVE
TO KEEP YOU SAFELY IN HIS CARE
AND ENFOLD YOU IN HIS LOVE
I DID NOT ASK FOR FORTUNE
FOR RICHES OR FOR FAME
I ONLY ASKED FOR BLESSINGS
IN THE SAVIOUR'S HOLY NAME
BLESSINGS TO SURROUND YOU
IN TIMES OF TRIAL AND STRESS
AND INNER JOY TO FILL YOUR HEART
WITH PEACE AND HAPPINESS.







ALL SCRIPTURE IS GIVEN BE
INSPIRATION OF GOD, AND IS PROFITABLE
FOR DOCTRINE, FOR REPROOF, FOR
CORRECTION, FOR INSTRUCTION IN
RIGHTEOUSNESS, THAT THE MAN OF
GOD MAY BE COMPLETE, THOROUGHLY
EQUIPPED FOR EVERY WORK.



11 TIMOTHY 3:16-17



THE BIBLE IS BREAD FOR DAILY USE,
NOT A CAKE FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS.

-AUTHOR UNKNOWN-



FOR HIS LOVING KINDNESS IS
EVERLASTING.



PSALM 136:14
NAS



YOUR WORD, O LORD, IS ETERNAL;
IT STANDS FIRM IN THE HEAVENS.



PSALM 119:89
NIV



BUT I TRUST IN YOUR UNFAILING LOVE.
I WILL REJOICE BECAUSE YOU HAVE RESCUED ME.



PSALM 13:5
NLT



THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF YOUR
TESTIMONIES IS EVERLASTING;
GIVE ME UNDERSTANDING, AND I SHALL LIVE.



PSALM 119:144
NKJV



LORD, YOUR KINGDOM WAS SET UP LONG AGO;
YOU ARE EVERLASTING.



PSALM 93:2
NCV



HOW PRECIOUS IS THY
LOVINGKINDNESS, O GOD!
AND THE CHILDREN OF MEN TAKE REFUGE IN THE
SHADOW OF THY WINGS.



PSALM 36:7
NAS



O MY STRENGTH, TO YOU I SING PRAISES,
FOR YOU, O GOD, ARE MY REFUGE,
THE GOD WHO SHOWS ME UNFAILING LOVE.



PSALM 59:17
NLT



PROTECT ME AS YOU WOULD PROTECT YOUR OWN EYE.
HIDE ME UNDER THE SHADOW OF YOUR WINGS.



PSALM 17:8
NCV



O GUARD MY LIFE, AND DELIVER ME;
DO NOT LET ME BE PUT TO SHAME,
FOR I TAKE REFUGE IN YOU.



PSALM 25:20
NRSV

If I Could Tell You

IF I COULD TELL YOU

by HELEN STEINER RICE



IT'S SUCH A QUIET LOVELY THING
IT DOESN'T ASK FOR MUCH
IT ISN'T UNTAMED LONGING
THAT CRIES FOR PASSION'S TOUCH
IT'S NOT BUILT UPON THE "QUICKSAND"
OF A PAIR OF LIPS AND ARMS
FOR ONLY "FALSE FOUNDATIONS"
ARE RAISED ON PHYSICAL CHARMS
I WISH THAT I COULD TELL YOU
ABOUT THIS THING I FEEL
IT'S INTANGIBLE LIKE GOSSAMER
BUT LIKE A HOOP OF STEEL
IT BINDS ME VERY CLOSE TO YOU
AND OPENS UP THE DOOR
TO MORE REAL DEEP CONTENTMENT
THAN I'VE EVER KNOWN BEFORE
YOU SEE YOUR MUSIC REACHES
BEYOND WHERE WORDS DARE PASS
IT'S LIKE A "SOUL'S COMMUNION"
OR A SACRED HOLY MASS
IT'S SOMETHING INDEFINABLE
LIKE SEA AND SKY AND SOD
IT MIGHT BE JUST ENCHANTMENT
BUT I LIKE TO THINK IT'S GOD.







I HAVE NOT KEPT THIS GOOD NEWS
HIDDEN IN MY HEART, BUT HAVE
PROCLAIMED YOUR LOVINGKINDNESS
AND TRUTH TO ALL THE CONGREGATION.



PSALM 40:10
TLB



I RAISE MY VOICE IN PRAISE
AND TELL OF ALL THE MIRACLES YOU HAVE DONE.



PSALM 26:7
NCV



THAT I MAY PROCLAIM WITH
THE VOICE OF THANKSGIVING
AND DECLARE ALL THY WONDERS.



PSALM 26:7
NAS



THE HEAVENS DECLARE THE GLORY OF GOD,
AND THE SKY DISPLAYS
WHAT HIS HANDS HAVE MADE.



PSALM 19:1
GOD'S WORD



SING TO THE LORD, BLESS HIS NAME;
PROCLAIM THE GOOD NEWS OF HIS
SALVATION FROM DAY TO DAY.



PSALM 96:2
NKJV



BUT MAY ALL WHO SEEK YOU REJOICE
AND BE GLAD IN YOU;
MAY THOSE WHO LOVE YOUR SALVATION
ALWAYS SAY,
"THE LORD BE EXALTED!"



PSALM 40:16
NIV



THE ONE THING I WANT FROM GOD,
THE THING I SEEK MOST OF ALL, IS THE
PRIVILEGE OF MEDITATING IN HIS TEMPLE,
LIVING IN HIS PRESENCE EVERY DAY OF MY LIFE,
DELIGHTING IN HIS INCOMPARABLE
PERFECTIONS AND GLORY.



PSALM 27:4
TLB