Helen Steiner Rice (1900–1981)

First sentence: As the New Year starts and the old year ends
There's no better time to make amends
For all the things we sincerely regret
And wish in our hearts we could somehow forget--

This is a paperback collection of poems by Helen Steiner Rice put together by the Helen Steiner Rice foundation. Her poems evoke warm, cozy, comfy feelings. The literary equivalent perhaps of a nice cuppa. (cup of tea). The subject matter varies to a small degree but all well within a narrow framework of show more spirituality--prayer, sorrow, joy, forgiveness, repentance, peace, love, etc. There is some repetition which I don't look down upon since rhyming can be tricky and when you find a satisfying rhyme, well, it's hard to not repeat it in other poems. To be fair, the first time I came across the lines, I was like THAT IS GOOD. The second or third time I was like, okay, okay, still true, still relevant. And to be fair, this is a collection. I doubt her intent was for anyone to read a couple dozen of her poems within a twenty minute period.

The poems in the collection are arranged somewhat thematically with special poems for special occasions being first in the book. The book is not unlike a Bible Promise book in its topical approach or its general vibes.

God speaks to us in many ways,
Altering our lives, our plans, and our days,
And his blessings come in many guises
That He alone in love, devises,
And sorrow, which we dread so much,
Can bring a very healing touch...
For when we fail to heed His voice
We leave the Lord no other choice
Except to use a firm, stern hand
To make us know He's in command...
For on the wings of loss and pain,
The peace we often sought in vain
Will come to us with sweet surprise,
For God is merciful and wise....
And through dark hours of tribulation
God gives us time for meditation,
And nothing can be counted loss
Which teaches us to bear our cross. (23)

Happiness is something we create in our minds--
It's not something you search for
And so seldom find.
It's just waking up and beginning the day
By counting our blessings and kneeling to pray.
It's giving up thoughts that breed discontent
And accepting what comes as a gift heaven-sent.
It's giving up wishing for things we have not
And making the best of whatever we've got.
It's knowing that life is determined for us
And pursuing our tasks
Without fret, fume, or fuss...
For it's by completing what God gives us to do
That we find real contentment and happiness, too. (28)

I LOVED some of the poems. I liked many more of them than loved. A few I didn't quite care for--a few I found could be interpreted/misinterpreted as being theologically questionable. Still, for the most part, I enjoyed this old-fashioned poetry book. show less

[A Collection of Love Gifts]. It wasn't [[John Donne]], [[Carl Sandburg]] or [[Donald Justice]], but I enjoyed it anyway. I found it for 99 cents in a tiny bookstore and bought it on a lark not knowing how rewarding it actually would be. Sentimental and moving, this little book contained more insight into forming an intimate relationship with God than most of the "serious" religious and philisophical texts I've read over the years. Sometimes simple really is better.

New Testament and Psalms with Poems by Helen Steiner Rice (KJV). God (and Helen Steiner Rice). 1994. (Revell publishing house). 508 pages. [Source: Bought] 5 STARS.

First sentence: The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham

I thrifted this one. I do recommend it if you come across it. The size font is lovely. It is double column. It is black letter. It features illustrated poems by Helen Steiner Rice. If you enjoy poetry, then this one has an extra show more devotional bonus. If you don't enjoy poetry, these sections are easy to skip over. There are a few sections where poems are grouped together. The poems are inspired by particular verses and definite themes of Scripture.

The book is larger than many New Testament only New Testaments. This is the size of a regular book, or a journal. The size font is easy on the eyes. The color is nice and dark. Nothing faint. The ghosting is minimal. What little ghosting there is, is not a distraction. show less

Helen Steiner Rice penned all of the verses in this collection, all chosen to add a special note to a celebration. Some of the celebrations are quiet and gentle, like the start of a new day, while others celebrate a mother’s love or the wonderfulness of fathers. Known for her sensitivity and the ability to express the appropriate feeling for a particular moment in time, Helen had the ability to find just the right language to express the emotion.

Fourteen verses are included here; each is show more enhanced with softly-colored illustrations as their accompaniment . . . all of them are the endearing teardrop-eyed children of Sam Butcher’s Precious Moments. The endpapers, enhanced with real flower petals, ferns, and other botanicals [from “The Petals Everlasting Collection by Permalin Products] add to the uniqueness of this special book.

Readers who enjoy poetry or the Precious Moments art will find much to appreciate in this irresistible volume.

Highly recommended. show less