Lord, when the feelings end,
And things are still the same,
It takes some faith
For feelings great,
To love without pretense.
When things seem all awry,
When it’s so hard to try,
Must just express
Some bitterness,
And then let bitterness die.
Who did I think you were
That you should meet all needs?
You’re just a person
Whom I conversed with —
Not God, to Whom I plead.
If your heart is broken,
Be glad you have a heart.
If you’re crying,
Be glad that you loved enough to be hurt.
If the world seems to pass you by,
If you feel alone,
God is with you.
One day I went to church, soon after the Paris terrorist attacks in November, 2015. The priest talked about the fact that many boys are kidnapped or forced into terrorist training, as young as age six. They are taught violence and how to cause destruction. They may be threatened with death if they don’t cooperate. They don’t know any other life. I don’t know if the priest implied it, or I thought it myself – “How can they not be terrorists? They don’t anything else.” The priest also offered heartfelt prayers for violence to end, for our safety, and for God to touch the terrorists.
So, I’m driving home after this, and God knows what unconscious process unfolded in me, but suddenly I kept thinking, “God is going to win! Love is going to win! Love is stronger than all the violence, hate, and destruction.” This kept going through my mind for perhaps the rest of the day, and beyond.
I feel so sure that God, who is Love, will win in the end.
Lord, please send the rain again
Upon the dry and dusty land.
Send it down so we can drink;
Send it on the sea and sand.
Send refreshment that we need.
Desperate, we await Your plan.
Hungry, needing nourishment;
Thirsty, knowing that You can –
Bring beauty out of ugliness,
Bring joy from sorrow extreme,
Bring order out of great chaos,
And bring alive our dreams.
Why do You tarry, oh so long?
How long before Your plan matures?
Teach us to follow Your commands;
That You will triumph, is sure.
Without You, we are frozen still.
Without You, we are lost.
But with You, there is hope and light;
I look upon Your cross.
Wandering through this globe;
Don’t really have a home.
But — still, I do;
I know it’s true —
That heaven’s my real home.
Can’t settle anywhere;
No place without a care.
I must let go;
Yes, I must know
That God is everywhere.
Can’t seem to find my place.
I need a lot more grace.
A vagabond
Must be so strong
And keep on running the race.
[9/9/2015]
[For a Music assignment, we had to write some Blues lyrics, so here are mine.
Hope you can imagine it to a blues rhythm. I was imagining myself as a young
woman again, not knowing how to deal with aggressive men.]
———————————————————————————–
[Parentheses indicate speech]
I’m leavin’ the city, gonna find me a country home,
(You know) I’m leavin’ the city, gonna find me a country home,
You know the city ain’t so pretty; it’s just got me down.
You know, it just got too crowded; people all around.
You know, it just got too crowded; people all around.
No place for a girl to breathe, and they all clownin’ around.
‘Course when I got to the country, things were just as bad.
‘Course when I got to the country, things were just as bad.
What’s a girl to do? — all the men are mad.
Well, I’m back in the city; nowhere else to go (don’t seem to be).
Well, I’m back in the city; nowhere else to go (right now).
Just ask God to take control; and I’ll be heaven bound.
Where is the place
I can call home?
At ocean shores,
Or mountains high,
In grassy plains,
Or deserts nigh?
Near rushing streams,
By forests green,
Or just in dreams
Will I be free?
Will I find rest
Upon a path
Strewn with my tears,
Or might I laugh?
In God I must
Seek out my rest.
And then at last
Will end my quest.
Even if you don’t perceive it, God is working. Even if you don’t feel it, God is working. Just because we have limited perception, doesn’t mean that God isn’t working. You can trust Him. You can believe Him. You can hope in Him. You are part of His plan, and “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.” (Philippians 1:6) Keep on hoping.
clarakatalin 
What God Cares About
God doesn’t care about
the size of my bank account,
the size of my waist,
how many diplomas I have on my wall,
or how many cars I have in my driveway.
What He cares about
is the size of my heart
and how much I love Him.
And if I love Him,
I do my best to obey Him.
“If you love Me, you will
keep my commandments.”
(John 14:15)
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Commentary, Faith
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