I can't do this

I woke up late.

Guess I'm never really early.

I hesitate,

Only to fail.

I get so tired

Of procrastinating.

I need a change.

I can't do this./I can't do this./I can't do this by myself.

I can't do this./I can't do this./Oh God, I need your help.

I'm standing still,

Moved so peaceful.

I can't pretend

That I'm fine.

I get so ill,

Crazy, agitated

When I'm not really dying.

I can't do this./I can't do this./I can't do this by myself.

I can't do this./I can't do this./Oh God, I need your help.

(Plumb)

We Live

There's a cross on the side of the road

Where a mother lost her son

How could she know that the morning he left

Would be the last time she'd trade with him for a little more time

(so she could say she loved him one last time)

And hold him tight

But with life we never know when we're coming up to the end of the road

So what do we do then

With tragedy around the bend

We live, we love, we forgive and never give up

Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above

And today we remember to live and to love

We live, we love, we forgive and never give up

Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above

And today we remember to live and to love

There's a man who waits for the tests to

See if the cancer had spread yet

And now he asks why did I wait to live 'til it was time to die

If I could have the time back, how I'd live

Life is such a gift

So how does the story end?

Well, this is your story and it all depends

So don't let it become true

Get out and do what we were meant to do

We live, we love, we forgive and never give up

Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above

And today we remember to live and to love

We live, we love, we forgive and never give up

Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above

And today we remember to live and to love

Waking up to another dark morning

People are mourning

The weather in life outside is storming

But what would it take for the clouds to break

For us to realize each day

Is a gift somehow, someway

And get our heads up out of this darkness

And spark this new mindset and start on with life cuz it ain't gone yet

And tragedy's a reminder to take off the blinders and wake up

(to live the life)

We're supposed to take up

(moving forward)

With all our heads upCuz life is worth living

We live, we love, we forgive and never give up

Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above

And today we remember to live and to love

We live, we love, we forgive and never give up

Cuz the days we are given are gifts from above

And today we remember to live and to love

(superchick)

Missing Pages

On the outside all we see is clay
That hides the perfect light
But no one really knows the pain inside--

I understand how much it hurts
To be the one who's never seen
The missing pages in a magazine

No one knows you anymore

You're lost inside the walls you've built
No one knows you anymore
A prison deep within your soul

There is One who sees it all
He'll give you life you've never dreamed
He can see the pain underneath your skin

It's hard to see you fading
Nothing that I do can bring you back
I pray to God that you don't fade away

Your addiction is a symptom of a lost and dying soul
Without Jesus there's no hope at all
There's so much more--this is not the end
It's all in your hands don't throw it away

A beautiful life with so much to give

The image of God underneath your skin
The beauty of God underneath your skin

7th day slumber

If you know pain, if you know loss, anger, frustration--all those emotions all that strain on your heart-- this song is for you. I'm not entirely sure I put the breaks in the appropriate places, but really that's not the most profound portion of this post.

Listen closely "don't run my child... pause long enough to hear me." it's okay angel

Happy

No I cannot count the ways you have made my life so blessed

All I know is that you came and made beauty of my mess

"Happy" Aiyesha Woods

Oceans from Rain

A friend of mine introduced me to this group this week and I wanted to share this song with you. It's short, it's simple and it's a cry from the heart. Right now I relate on all those levels. May you be bless by reading it and if you have audio please go to: http://www.myspace.com/7thdayslumber

Oceans from Rain
7th Day Slumber
And I’m amazed by You. Cause You’re never far away
And all that I’ve been through, Your love has never changed

Chorus:
You make oceans from the rain
Breathing life into this place
And I will drown inside your love
Until I see your perfect face

And nothing I’ve acquired means anything at all
Cause you’re everything I needed
You’re so much more than I deserve

(Chorus)

And I thank you Lord (repeat 4 times)

(Chorus)

The blood of Jesus can wash your pain away

Story

Most of my life I’ve gotten the chance to “step” into other peoples lives.

Think about it, how many conversations do you overhear while you are in the grocery store waiting in line to check out? How many people did you pass by at school who were in the middle of a deep or light conversation? How many times have you been sitting in a car in traffic when you looked over and saw someone on the phone, or maybe by themselves, talking or singing? For the briefest of moments you are in that person’s life. We see tears, laughter, scowls... all from people we’ve never even met.

Yesterday while riding the bus with Margaret, she pointed to two birds on a rooftop and said “I wonder what they think of us.” The first in a series of gentle nudgings from God—it was like he was saying, “pay attention, each person you come in contact with today has a story.” I heard Casting Crowns Does Anybody Hear Her? three times yesterday on the radio on two different stations. For as long as I can remember God has allowed me to see snippets, but this time things were a little different. It’s like hearing God say “dig deeper”. Don’t just see it, pray about it, store it in your heart—like being prepared to actually DO something.

Not that it’s unusual for me to cry, but the third time the song came on the radio I’m singing with it and I burst into tears because I know we fail, as a body we fail to notice and to care, not just to say a prayer for someone in need, but to stop and talk and to see what that need is so that we might better serve. I know I fail.

If judgment looms under every steeple/ If lofty glances from lofty people/ Can't see past her scarlet letter/And we never even met her.

It makes me question who I have missed in my lifetime and whether or not I’m going to continue missing them because I’m too busy to slow down. I’m too busy to do the simple tasks God asks of me. “Stop” “Stop…” “Now go ask if that person needs a ride” or in my case right now “Go talk to that family, make them feel welcome.”

Here’s a step further, I guess I needed a lot of talking to yesterday and I was getting it too…

We dropped the children off after AWANA and normally we watch the kids walk in the door, just that extra making sure that the child is safe. My rider and I both missed one boy walking into his house, but we had to pass back by the house. He is in the 6th grade. He was walking toward a smaller building in his apartment complex, where the washers and dryers are. It didn’t feel right, with the time of day (it was dark outside, 8:30pm) to leave him there, we pulled up beside him and asked him what was up and he said he had to take care of the laundry. It still bothered the both of us, so we parked it and I walked in to talk to him. We waited for 15 minutes so that he could finish and saw him safely back to his home. I was upset with his mother for having him do that instead of taking care of it herself and in the middle of that mental battle—God says, “she has a story too”. Man!!! It is very difficult to care about someone when you want to give them what-for for not taking care of their children.

Does anybody hear her? Does anybody see?
Does anybody even know she's going down today?
Under the shadow of our steeple
With all the lost and lonely people
Searching for the hope that's tucked away in you and me
Does anybody hear her? Does anybody see?

As the Deer

As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after Thee
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship Thee

You alone are my strength, my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart's desire
And I long to worship Thee

You're my friend and You are my brother
Even though You are a king
I love You more than any other
So much more than anything

I want You more than gold or silver
Only You can satisfy
You alone are the real joy giver
And the apple of my eye

I don't know who wrote this, I haven't taken the time to look--there's a possibility I've posted this song before, but I'm having a day where I feel this song through and through, so today it is my claim "so my soul, longs after You, dear Lord".

Worship

There are people in this world that you can watch and SEE with the actions they take, the way that they speak, the love they have for the Father... it comes out in their face... like a glow (reflecting the son), it's awesome. I have never met this man, but he has a passion:

I searched the world for a song that I could sing
Praise to my King A gift that I could bring
But no music I found could compare to you
Not one could do Justice to your glory
What are my songs compared to yours

You speak with thunder and lightning
Your voice shakes the mountains
The foundations of the earth
All I can offer is this fragile breath

With each one I'll praise You
With each one I'll praise You more

I searched the world for a poem I could read
A rhyme that would bring Glory to my King
But no writing I found was worthy of
This God high above All other gods
What are my words compared to yours

If you have a chance to meet Todd Agnew, please take it, settle for a live concert if you have to... The above song is This Fragile Breath.

Big Enough

Ayiesha Woods

I don't wanna box you in
You've been doing big things since the world began
Sometimes I just don't wanna believe
That you're big enough - but you're big enough!

this is a refrain... I think it's great... because I think often of how we try to put God in a nice neat little box... only that means we are constraining him to OUR limitations instead of seeing Him for who is really is...

Oh Lord You're Beautiful

Keith Green

Oh Lord, you're beautiful,
Your face is all I see,
For when your eyes are on this child,
Your grace abounds to me.

I want to take your word and shine it all around.
But first help me to just, live it Lord.
And when I'm doing well, help me to never seek a crown.
For my reward is giving glory to you.

Oh Lord, please light the fire,
That once burned bright and clean.
Replace the lamp of my first love,
That burns with holy fear.

I wanted to emphasize some part of this, but each time I read through it I see that really I want this to be a song from my heart. I appreciate Keith Green tremendously, there is a passion in so many of the songs he wrote, a desire that often surpasses the way I feel personally.

My prayer for each person that takes the time to read this is that you will be someone who is so passionate, so excited about how big God is, how real God is, that you won't be able to contain your enthusiasm. That you'll spend time showing God's love, not just using the church-talk that so often sounds foreign people... that you'll be that person who is willing to have your fire renewed--wanting it to burn bright and knowing it can because you replenish your supply from the one and only place that makes it a fire to begin with--rejoice in the moment, smile in the face of adversity, read your Bible like it will be the last time you'll ever have your hands on it. Spend time praising God for how awesome he is, spend time listening intently in the secret quiet place of your heart.

Big Enough

Chris Rice

None of us knows and that makes it a mystery
If life is a comedy, then why all the tragedy
Three-and-a-half pounds of brain try to figure out
What this world is all about
And is there an eternity, is there an eternity?

God if You’re there I wish You’d show me
And God if You care then I need You to know me
I hope You don’t mind me askin’ the questions
But I figure You’re big enoughI figure You’re big enough

When I imagine the size of the universe
And I wonder what’s out past the edges
Then I discover inside me a space as big
And believe that I’m meant to be
Filled up with more than just questions

So, God if You’re there I wish You’d show me
And God if You care then I need You to know me
I hope You don’t mind me askin’ the questions
But I figure You’re big enough
I figure You’re big enough‘Cause I am not big enough