The streets have a call
it isn't heard by all
the bewitching is a captivating thing
it keeps the heart from knowing how to sing
even though they tear down and destroy
theres something about it that mocks true joy.
I see the girls and the pain in their eyes
Oh, why can't they see the lure of the skies.
walking, pushing, lying, needing how did we get here?
hoping to escape but again hearts are seared.
Closed and shut down so NO ONE gets in
not to be hurt by the judgement of their sin
a vow to never be weak again
and a lifetime of lies and deceit begins.
once there was a little girl
and now deep down there is a hidden pearl,
a hope that has been so pushed down
she doesn't know if she'll ever be found.
In comes God, with His perfect hand
to pick her up and restore her land.
"Could it be? this isn't all for me
where I have been He can't know or see".
Ah, my child but don't you know
all this time I have been where you go
I walk beside you in every step
you my child, I have never left.
Come to me my weary one
just one step and healing has begun.
I don't ask for perfection or more than you can give
come with Me and choose to live
I was there when everyone else walked away
yes, I was there on every single day.
I cried when you couldn't and pain seared my heart too
All of this time I have been chasing after you
I want you to know, that I am all you need
In you my child I have already planted the seed.
I know you won't come until you are good and ready
I am here for the long haul, forever, I am steady.
So when the pain comes too much to bare
reach out to me, I will still be there
I can help you live and breath
I am the only one who can let you free.
Come my child, it's been so long
life without you is just wrong
open your heart just one more time
I promise with me, life will be fine.
So, can you step out
so I can step in
and together true life in you can begin.
July 28, 2006
July 25, 2006
A profound statement...
"Stop telling God how big your storm is.
Instead, tell the storm how big your God is!"
Instead, tell the storm how big your God is!"
July 22, 2006
to school or not to school...
Well, it is just so weird having children... they are all so different. I mean they can look alike, have similar dis-likes and talents but they are completely different creatures.
We have had some difficulties and struggles in the school area. We have had one child that is OK in that area, we don't even really remember having to teach him to read (I think he was born literate), but has a struggle in the social area. Then we have one that flourishes in the spot-light but struggles in academics... and THEN, we have one that doesn't hit any chart at all, out of the box, so-to-say.
What to do, what to do... how important is academic acceleration. What about just doing the best you can and keeping your heart in tact? I mean, what if you never make an honor roll or excel in a subject that doesn't include a ball. Where is the line and balance? Is there a balance of a healthy heart and pushing someone to do their best without tearing a rip in who they think they are vs. the amazing creature they were created to be. We all want to be good at what is put before us and if we constantly are being told we aren't meeting that expectation then what are we to do? Where is the balance? Do we drop our expectations and nurture what areas are successful? Do we keep pushing even when we see it has left a lasting mark?
To school or not to school is all about the bottom line... how important is the heart vs. academic performance? I know we have to seek anything to find out anything but what about HOW we seek. I am I still doing my job set before me by God if I take an alternate route? So to school or not to school?
And, while I am babbling... why can't our educator (as a whole) teach in all ways? It is proven and undisputed that all children learn differently, why can't we accommodate that without having to "modify" life for them?
I am, praying about this but my very human side is emotionally fueled and in need of a little dumping.
We have had some difficulties and struggles in the school area. We have had one child that is OK in that area, we don't even really remember having to teach him to read (I think he was born literate), but has a struggle in the social area. Then we have one that flourishes in the spot-light but struggles in academics... and THEN, we have one that doesn't hit any chart at all, out of the box, so-to-say.
What to do, what to do... how important is academic acceleration. What about just doing the best you can and keeping your heart in tact? I mean, what if you never make an honor roll or excel in a subject that doesn't include a ball. Where is the line and balance? Is there a balance of a healthy heart and pushing someone to do their best without tearing a rip in who they think they are vs. the amazing creature they were created to be. We all want to be good at what is put before us and if we constantly are being told we aren't meeting that expectation then what are we to do? Where is the balance? Do we drop our expectations and nurture what areas are successful? Do we keep pushing even when we see it has left a lasting mark?
To school or not to school is all about the bottom line... how important is the heart vs. academic performance? I know we have to seek anything to find out anything but what about HOW we seek. I am I still doing my job set before me by God if I take an alternate route? So to school or not to school?
And, while I am babbling... why can't our educator (as a whole) teach in all ways? It is proven and undisputed that all children learn differently, why can't we accommodate that without having to "modify" life for them?
I am, praying about this but my very human side is emotionally fueled and in need of a little dumping.
"it doesn't matter"
OK a little venting is good for the soul right? The phrase "it doesn't matter" is SO not what it seems. Honestly, Have you ever used those words and it really... really did not matter? I have heard these words from just about every person close to me lately and I could tell before they were uttered that whatever it was... it mattered! A situation you can not control... It doesn't matter; a friend hurts you unknowingly... it doesn't matter; a spat ends in a draw... it doesn't matter. This could go on and on, right? So why do we short change ourselves and just choke down our feelings and become complacent.
Is it a way of avoiding? Uh, NO - cause you feel it anyway and you have to deal with it anyway all your doing is leaving the other person in the ever-loving land of oblivion.
Is it fear? What are we afraid of, is it that we might not get our way, might not be validated or is it just if we don't address the situation that we can really pretend it didn't happen? Yeah right, that seems to work one out of ...never-times.
Is it we just don't trust the person with our true feelings? Ouch, that one hurts. Could that be a factor? Hm-mm....
I don't know the answer but I do know that when someones says it doesn't matter... it does!
Is it a way of avoiding? Uh, NO - cause you feel it anyway and you have to deal with it anyway all your doing is leaving the other person in the ever-loving land of oblivion.
Is it fear? What are we afraid of, is it that we might not get our way, might not be validated or is it just if we don't address the situation that we can really pretend it didn't happen? Yeah right, that seems to work one out of ...never-times.
Is it we just don't trust the person with our true feelings? Ouch, that one hurts. Could that be a factor? Hm-mm....
I don't know the answer but I do know that when someones says it doesn't matter... it does!
blessings through a friend
Today is a good day, I have been trying to daily surrender my day, hour by hour, minute by minute to God's will instead of mine. Although, I have failed to respond at times... only when it involves cleaning :)
Last night I spoke something to a friend that I had never heard myself... I said, "you really don't have freedom when you are out feeding an addiction, avoiding responsibility or living on the streets ("living by your own rules"). Really that lifestyle is void of freedom; the addiction consumes all choices, lack of responsibility never erases responsibility just breeds guilt and living on the street... that is such a controlled environment because there is always someone telling you where you can sit, sleep, eat.... on and on.
So, what God said through me, sank in. I heard Him talking to me personally. Maybe, in my own life there are things that I view as freedom that really aren't and things or people I see as controlling me that are really here to give me freedom. Am I making sense? I don't think anyone is placed here to "control" us (as adults) but to help us by; leading, teaching and to walk beside us... definitely.
I can't choose for you, make you respond in a way I want or prohibit your will and nor can you do the same for me. So.... how do we identify the areas of deception? Well, so far God has been faithful to reveal areas to me that are functioning at a less than satisfactory speed. I am a bit hard- headed, stubborn and emotional so, I usually take the long road which usually does not parallel the "high" road.
Join me in the next few days or weeks in asking God to open the eyes of my heart that I might know Him more and through Him see my areas of blindness better.
Thank You God that You never grow weary of investing in us. Thank you that your will is good and perfect and that your plans for us are not to harm us but to give us hope and a future. I praise you and am thankful that you bless us with new and inviting days every morning. Thank you that you bring friends into our lives to help us and speak truth to us even through our own blindness. Thank you for never letting me forget from where you have brought me and may I continue to learn and grow in your ways. I humble myself in the knowledge that you are God. And I try a bit more each day to grasp the gift of Jesus that you have freely given to me and every child that calls you Father and believes.
Covered by the blood of Jesus I pray. Amen
Last night I spoke something to a friend that I had never heard myself... I said, "you really don't have freedom when you are out feeding an addiction, avoiding responsibility or living on the streets ("living by your own rules"). Really that lifestyle is void of freedom; the addiction consumes all choices, lack of responsibility never erases responsibility just breeds guilt and living on the street... that is such a controlled environment because there is always someone telling you where you can sit, sleep, eat.... on and on.
So, what God said through me, sank in. I heard Him talking to me personally. Maybe, in my own life there are things that I view as freedom that really aren't and things or people I see as controlling me that are really here to give me freedom. Am I making sense? I don't think anyone is placed here to "control" us (as adults) but to help us by; leading, teaching and to walk beside us... definitely.
I can't choose for you, make you respond in a way I want or prohibit your will and nor can you do the same for me. So.... how do we identify the areas of deception? Well, so far God has been faithful to reveal areas to me that are functioning at a less than satisfactory speed. I am a bit hard- headed, stubborn and emotional so, I usually take the long road which usually does not parallel the "high" road.
Join me in the next few days or weeks in asking God to open the eyes of my heart that I might know Him more and through Him see my areas of blindness better.
Thank You God that You never grow weary of investing in us. Thank you that your will is good and perfect and that your plans for us are not to harm us but to give us hope and a future. I praise you and am thankful that you bless us with new and inviting days every morning. Thank you that you bring friends into our lives to help us and speak truth to us even through our own blindness. Thank you for never letting me forget from where you have brought me and may I continue to learn and grow in your ways. I humble myself in the knowledge that you are God. And I try a bit more each day to grasp the gift of Jesus that you have freely given to me and every child that calls you Father and believes.
Covered by the blood of Jesus I pray. Amen
July 14, 2006
Isn't it a good thing....
In Lieu of my last post I have to add, isn't it good to have a God that expects the very best from us and only holds us to what He knows we can do.
How many people in our lives have unjust expectations of us?
Maybe we have friends that think we have more to offer than what we do, kids that expect us to satisfy every whim, family that makes plans for us assuming that is what we want, a ministry that expects perfection from us, a parent that pushes us to exhaustion.... it could be anything.
Expectations are dangerous unless you are God. He is the only one that knows all of the factors in the big picture. I guess I am just so thankful that my God doesn't sit up in heaven and glance down every now and then. The God I know is down here and hands on constantly stretching and growing his children to their full potential. And yes, in that... comes discipline. Sometimes it feels like a roll of distant warning thunder, a gentle snap of the finger to get our attention or at times a lasting wrath that reminds of that our Father loves us enough to not want us to stay bound in sin. Ultimately, the decision is ours... that's the beauty of it all, He never makes us do anything He makes it our decision. He has provided all of our needs we just have to choose to believe Him.
So, both the loving, compassionate Father God and the righteous Judge on the throne are the same and both very necessary for our freedom and life abundant. Think about life without hope or someone that knows everything about you, past, present and future and holds you to doing you best even when you fail. What would life be for without a reason to want to be better, a hope that brings us to our feet in the morning or the awe that is the world around us testifying to His glory with every glance.
There's just nothing like coming home to the feet of Jesus to make everything right again.
How many people in our lives have unjust expectations of us?
Maybe we have friends that think we have more to offer than what we do, kids that expect us to satisfy every whim, family that makes plans for us assuming that is what we want, a ministry that expects perfection from us, a parent that pushes us to exhaustion.... it could be anything.
Expectations are dangerous unless you are God. He is the only one that knows all of the factors in the big picture. I guess I am just so thankful that my God doesn't sit up in heaven and glance down every now and then. The God I know is down here and hands on constantly stretching and growing his children to their full potential. And yes, in that... comes discipline. Sometimes it feels like a roll of distant warning thunder, a gentle snap of the finger to get our attention or at times a lasting wrath that reminds of that our Father loves us enough to not want us to stay bound in sin. Ultimately, the decision is ours... that's the beauty of it all, He never makes us do anything He makes it our decision. He has provided all of our needs we just have to choose to believe Him.
So, both the loving, compassionate Father God and the righteous Judge on the throne are the same and both very necessary for our freedom and life abundant. Think about life without hope or someone that knows everything about you, past, present and future and holds you to doing you best even when you fail. What would life be for without a reason to want to be better, a hope that brings us to our feet in the morning or the awe that is the world around us testifying to His glory with every glance.
There's just nothing like coming home to the feet of Jesus to make everything right again.
July 13, 2006
What is it about God?
Ok so it's been awhile, I have been in process
What is it about our God, My God? What do I know or "think" I know about my Father in heave? Well, this is such a hard topic because we don't like to admit we might have wrong views of God but, if we're honest, we have a lot of ideas about who God is that are not God at all.
Okay I'll start, My most deceptive idea about God lately, has been that he is love and compassionate (which He is) BUT - I have ever so conveniently left out the righteous judge as well as our Master Creator He is also the taker of life. He is all of the good, perfect and wonderful things that we all adore about coming to the feet of our Jesus but... less we forget or dismiss the fact that we are to be held accountable to a higher way of life and a different set of values by a God that is easily angered and jealous when set aside.
Does that make sense? I have been so blinded by the goodness of God that I blotted out my own transgressions by assuming that the "goodness" of God covered them and maybe... somewhere deep inside me I even thought I deserved or was entitled to His forgiveness because I knew He loved me so much.
OK, for example, Let's say that I acted in some way irresponsibility and got in trouble. I am sorry for getting caught and the hurt I caused but, I never said to my self or out loud; "God, please forgive me I know what I did was wrong" (- agreeing with God that I acted out of His will for my life). You know what happens? nothing, you get nothing. In some cases in the Bible the person never felt the Holy spirit again because they did not have an awe (healthy fear or respect - another state of awe) for the mighty hand of God's judgement. Without a real respect for God the Judge, you can not have a healthy relationship with God the Father. His demand for us to follow Him is not a request and when we get to a point where you can look at Him and say... NO, I will not. BEWARE, His wrath has no comparison and will leave a lasting mark. Don't let pride, shame, ignorance or whatever it is get you to a point where God has to turn His face from you and let you over to your own evil desires. Whatever your idol, habit, addiction, baggage, pain, wound or assumption is... nothing has power over you unless you have given it over. Christ in you, Christ in me... we can overcome all things and live in victory but it is not free... the price? Obedience.
For me, I am studying the scriptures for exactly who God is in truth and getting the misconceptions, lies and half-truths out of my head and my heart, so I can know HIm more. Never again do I want to feel so apart and unconnected from my Father that I feel nothing.
What is it about our God, My God? What do I know or "think" I know about my Father in heave? Well, this is such a hard topic because we don't like to admit we might have wrong views of God but, if we're honest, we have a lot of ideas about who God is that are not God at all.
Okay I'll start, My most deceptive idea about God lately, has been that he is love and compassionate (which He is) BUT - I have ever so conveniently left out the righteous judge as well as our Master Creator He is also the taker of life. He is all of the good, perfect and wonderful things that we all adore about coming to the feet of our Jesus but... less we forget or dismiss the fact that we are to be held accountable to a higher way of life and a different set of values by a God that is easily angered and jealous when set aside.
Does that make sense? I have been so blinded by the goodness of God that I blotted out my own transgressions by assuming that the "goodness" of God covered them and maybe... somewhere deep inside me I even thought I deserved or was entitled to His forgiveness because I knew He loved me so much.
OK, for example, Let's say that I acted in some way irresponsibility and got in trouble. I am sorry for getting caught and the hurt I caused but, I never said to my self or out loud; "God, please forgive me I know what I did was wrong" (- agreeing with God that I acted out of His will for my life). You know what happens? nothing, you get nothing. In some cases in the Bible the person never felt the Holy spirit again because they did not have an awe (healthy fear or respect - another state of awe) for the mighty hand of God's judgement. Without a real respect for God the Judge, you can not have a healthy relationship with God the Father. His demand for us to follow Him is not a request and when we get to a point where you can look at Him and say... NO, I will not. BEWARE, His wrath has no comparison and will leave a lasting mark. Don't let pride, shame, ignorance or whatever it is get you to a point where God has to turn His face from you and let you over to your own evil desires. Whatever your idol, habit, addiction, baggage, pain, wound or assumption is... nothing has power over you unless you have given it over. Christ in you, Christ in me... we can overcome all things and live in victory but it is not free... the price? Obedience.
For me, I am studying the scriptures for exactly who God is in truth and getting the misconceptions, lies and half-truths out of my head and my heart, so I can know HIm more. Never again do I want to feel so apart and unconnected from my Father that I feel nothing.
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