It is my eager expectation and hope that I will not be at all ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death. For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.
Phil. 1:20-21

6.25.2008

Cling to Me

why must you flee?
where am I going that you will not follow?
peace is never enough,
alone happiness is illusory
why can't you stay holding on to me?
where can you go to forget me?
Cling to me or die

5.28.2008

Workman

Five Eight Two hundred
the man climbs the ladder
he looks down, sighs.
climbs on, till hand meets steel
hands move, heart beats,
never known his fear.

she stares, cold and sharp
across the stage, keyed.
notices her glance,
hands whirl, heart races.
she turns, glance back
climbs down, hands white.

he bends, tools free
turning, the stage empty
gone, like spotlights at dawn.
fleeing from his gaze,
darting glances, shivers
no feeling remains.

staring, stage blank,
dare he pursue?
turning, tools rise.
panting, kneeling, wondering
head twists, hands clasp,
not Man enough.

5.08.2008

Confusion

you do not know agony,
really feel sympathy,
know its intensity,
Love like security

who really reacts,
cold and collected,
when love comes,
Enter the scene

given a thought,
returned to void,
laughing if,
Nothing is wrong

where to go,
people talking,
hearts beating on,
Enter sanity.

5.02.2008

Waiting?

Are you willing to wait?
Patient for your Rebekah?

Are you willing to stand?
Trusting your Savior?
Impatient and determined,
to dodge the Father's plan
When will you see?

The plan is set,
the path is laid
he has a plan
He knows her name

Are you willing to wait?
Patient for your Rebekah?

You know her name?
Really? Omniscient?
How do you know?
Isaac, really?
He knows her name

4.23.2008

A Once-Dark Hallelujah

Will the darkness never shift?
Will the light be ever scarce?
When dawn will break, I haven't heard,
but soon, or else I break in two

Alone I hear a troubled voice,
whisper in my hear,
All hope escapes,
when light grows dim,
and grace begins to fade.
Don't look upon the tree of shame,
you'll only feel less free.
Look in upon your own
desires, and make a way for me.

I feel the burn of this one's lies,
I can not lift a hand, till voice rings out
upon the night and breaks this demon's sway.
Clinging to soft spoken phrase...

Man of Sorrows! what a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Then darkness deigns on its way,
as light begins to gleam
horizon glows with glory spent
as I begin to sing

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood.
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

Now indeed the darkness seems,
distant and retreating
in pain and sorrow, we proclaim
the name of glorious King
and as my joy begins to sing,
I can not help but stand
returning now through pain and joy
to sing of my great King

When He comes, our glorious King,
All His ransomed home to bring,
Then anew this song we’ll sing:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

4.18.2008

Trusting ___

[Not necessarily finished, just a rant]

I'm sick and tired of pretending my life is ok.
I'm sick and tired of defending my actions to myself.
I'm sick and tired of my own fake smiles and laughs.

People ask me "how's it going?"
As if they want to know...
Who really wants to hear me say,
I'm failing, and losing and crying?

When your dreams are put on hold,
your life is falling apart,
you're supposed to trust God.
I wish I did.

I hear a tune rush through my head,
its words comfort till they say
"I am happy, all the day"

Cause you see, at the cross
where my savior died,
my sins were washed away.
And yet, in grace, I still see death
I can not seem to be happy
in any way.

But day will dawn, hope is found
If not in the likely place
for friends will stand,
and help me up
by God's grace,
they'll see me through.

4.15.2008

Now - Not Yet

Tension reigns in hearts that beat
Young men wonder at their thoughts
Bended knees and broken chains
Growing up is hard to do.

4.09.2008

God in Texas

Fear consumes those who fail to trust.
Cynicism leads to broken hearts.
I try to trust, I want real faith.
But I don't know if God is in Texas.

I see the hand of God in all,
yet cannot trust his sovereign hand
Who can know the mind of Him
who raised the Son to life again?

It seems that life is really short
or long, depending on your attitude
When your god fits in Your box
How can God be in Texas?

Where does faith arise?
When men appeal on bended knee
and trust the father's gracious hand,
may Jesus Christ bless them then.

Faith is hard to live out, well
when your heart is on the line
Even though God's in control,
Is my God in Texas?

4.08.2008

48

Standing on a street corner across from the pub
Staring blankly in to open windows, ill lit
Once welcomed, open arms and many cheers
Now walking by, on the other side,
wander on, old man

Street lights flicker down the side walk, wander on, old man
Glance back, once again light from an open door
Hope rises in the chest, dashed again by stumbling drunk
Walking on, down the street,
leave them there, old man.

Door opens, don’t look back, leave them there, old man.
Slow footsteps ring, on sidewalks back, coming up behind.
Stop and see, who wanders near, fear not shadows
Waiting for the shapeless form,
fear him not, my friend

4.03.2008

A Mystery to the Majority or Friday: 2:41pm

My Hands twitch
Heart beats faster
I'm over-thinking everything
My eyes dance
Mind races
Analyzing every thought
My tongue is dry
talking slow
proposing radical change.
What response?
Who knows?
We'll see.

3.24.2008

We Wear the Mask

(A Poem by Paul Laurence Dunbar)

We wear the mask that grins and lies,
It hides our cheeks and shades our eyes,--
This debt we pay to human guile;
With torn and bleeding hearts we smile,
And mouth with myriad subtleties.

Why should the world be overwise,
In counting all our tears and sighs?
Nay, let them only see us, while
We wear the mask.

We smile, but, O great Christ, our cries
To thee from tortured souls arise.
We sing, but oh the clay is vile
Beneath our feet, and long the mile;
But let the world dream otherwise,
We wear the mask!

(One of my favorite poems)

A Strange Thing

It is a strange
day when people
think they love
someone.
It is even more
strange to feel
loved in return by
another.
Love is a strange
thing, it turns
men into little
boys, women into
projects.
But this strange
thing drives the
whole world, even
our very souls.
Understand not this
strange and beautiful
emotion, but enjoy
this affection.

Love is a Strange
Thing.

3.21.2008

Water Flows

Sounds of rushing,
drops are falling,
running on my skin.
Standing, thinking
wondering.
Who is she?
Do I know her?
Could it be _____?

Streams collecting free
Running off the edge
Heavy drops freed
What if?
Could this be?
Does she feel?
Dare I?

Rushing sound in ears
Flowing o'r my skin
Water soothing
as I question who,
and where, and when

3.19.2008

Prone to Wander

They call me the loser, the poser, the punk
They don't understand the Grace I've been shown
An addict and drunk and a horrible man
I was shown light, in the midst of the Dark
Amazing Grace so says the song
Only to save those who are wrong
When the perfect man died on the tree
I was the one that held him there

Prone to wander Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
When I wander from the truth
When I flee from in your way
My God calls I can not speak
I return, on bended knee

Take my heart lord, take and seal it
Seal it for the realm above

When I see the dying race
I can not bear to stand and watch
Why do I not begin to pray?
I can not answer for my sins
Why do I when kneeling down
Ask my God for things of man?
When all the earth cries out for Grace
I am asking to win the race…

Prone to wander Lord I feel it
Prone to leave the God I love
When I wander from the truth
When I flee from in your way
My God calls I can not speak
I return, on bended knee

3.11.2008

Feeling

I want to Feel Something.
Earth-Shattering.
Mind altering.
I want compassion.
I want redemption.

I want a Broken Heart.

2.26.2008

Are You Listening?

This is the sound of the underground...

I’m sick of the hypocrisy in the church today.
All the Christians who sit back and talk
Why to do they let the problems go?
Just sit back, relax and enjoy the show

In a world where AIDS and poverty thrive
Can the gospel truly survive?

If we are the future as many will claim
Why is it our parents who get all the blame?
All I’m saying is its time for a change
We have to get into action and stop playing this game

People don’t get it when you try to reform
All people see is a youthful drive
The people think they know whats going on inside

This isn’t a plea for emotion or rage
This is a statement of mission for life

And this is the sound of the underground
The whisper of history shaping
Foundations shaking
Revolutionaries dreaming once again
Mystery is screaming in whispers
Conspiracy is breathing...

This is the sound of the underground.

2.25.2008

I'm free...

(A poem from long ago...)

My heart is breaking, my arms are heavy.
I’m carrying the weight of a thousand feelings.
I see you in the hallway, my heart stops beating.
I hear your voice behind me and I want to turn my head…

Why is it so hard to just be your friend?
Why do I feel sick, every time you walk away?
How can I love you and not ever tell you…
What kind of friend am I?

I’m letting go. Its falling free.
No more burden, my heart’s liberty
I have my freedom, my love is my own.
This is the start of a Beautiful Friendship.

By letting go of my heart’s strong feelings
I’m hoping to love you as a sister, my friend.
I’d rather lose you as a lover,
To gain you as a friend.

I’m letting go. Its falling free.
No more burden, my heart’s liberty
I have my freedom, my love is my own.
This is the start of a Beautiful Friendship.

Staring Blankly Into Space

Staring blankly into space


I’m staring blankly into space.
It’s been so long since I’ve seen your face.
We used to talk for hours about nothing at all.
I’d be there to catch you if you’d fall.

But these nights seem to last forever
when I’m thinking of you and wishing you were here.
I just wish the loneliness hadn’t crept up on me so fast.
Now I’m living in the present trying to get back to the past.

A single candle burning at midnight (John 8:12)

We are a city on a hill.
Resting on a rock, while the world passes us by and sinks beneath the sand.
Intrigued, drawn in, by sinful pleasures and worldly lusts.
Its sad but true.
These people live in their tiny little bubbles, boasting of their riches and their power.
How can you boast in whats not yours?
Walking in darkness, opposing the light.
One day, it will all sink beneath the sand while you curse and burn in your eternal home.
I pray for you, hoping one day you will see the light of salvation.
If only your lies hadn’t entangled you so strongly,
you might have been saved.
But sin is in the heart of every man woman and child.
Its those that choose to follow the Light,
hating the darkness,
that will receive the light of life.

John 8:12
"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

2.24.2008

Meeting Jesus

Dying, breaking, Crying, shaking
The world is looking down on me
My time is running short
Why am I so scared of light?

Where are the heroes?
Where is my savior?
What am I going to do?

Where were the winners,
The rockstars, the singers?
Where were they last night?

Where were the preachers,
the teachers, the healers?
Where were they last night?

My Jesus came for the weak and the hurting
He offers salvation to the lost and the broken
My Jesus came for the jocks and junkies.
He offers redemption to the ruined and fallen

Why are the weak always losing ground?
Why do the winners have it all down?
Where are the Christians when I fall down?

Where are the heroes?
Where is my savior?
What am I going to do?

My Jesus came for the weak and the hurting
He offers salvation to the lost and the broken
My Jesus came for the jocks and junkies.
He offers redemption to the ruined and fallen

My Jesus is waiting, he’s watching you now,
What are you going to do?

Drowning (Psalm 69)

The waters are up to my neck, I’m beginning to lose consciousness.
I stepped too far and lost my foothold, sinking into the abyss of sea.
My throat is parched screaming, my eyes fail to see.

Save me! Save me! I’m drowning, Save me! Save! Me! Cause I can’t breathe.

You see right through me, you know me well.
I will fight for you, for your name. I would swim endless seas for you.
Alone, for I am a stranger in my own land.

Save me! Save me! I’m drowning (alone). Save me! (alone) Save! Me! Cause I can’t breathe.

Hypothermia sets in, this deathly feeling begins.
Life slips through my fingers, falls away from my grasp.
Reality becomes so true, this breath could be my last.

Answer me with your sure salvation.
Answer me with your sure salvation.
Answer me.

2.20.2008

A Cry Out to God

need your help. I need your strength
Show me how to show you, to those all around me.
I want to sing your praise. I want to shout your name.
I want to live your grace. I want to give you thanks.

Teach me to love them as I love your children.
Teach me to fight for the ones who are broken.
Show me a way to love all your children.

Break my heart for the lost and the hurting.
Tear me apart for the sick and the broken.
Why do I ignore them when they are your children.
How can I love them, these who are fallen?

Teach me to love them as you love your children.
Teach me to fight for the ones who are broken.
Show me a way to love all your children.

I want to fight for the hurting, Help out the lowly,
Sing for the broken, Pray for the fallen
I want to show them your mercy
So that they can see Jesus

I want to go. I want to run
I want to fight the fight
And give my life
I want to go, not sit and wait
Its time to go…
Its time to go

Thoughts on the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

What a beautiful morning when I saw the rolled stone
When I looked into darkness and saw nothing there
What a glorious act that I can see
That love is walking toward me alive and free

For me he died and went to the ground
For Him, he rose and shook the world

I want to tell the world about the one who walked out
I want to show the world the love that sent him down
If they knew what they were
If they knew where they’d be
I want to show them where they can go

The horrible morning when the sun went down
When the curtains fell and death broke down
When the man of men climbed upon that tree
That was the day I was set free

American Genocide

What right do we have to fight the good fight, when we gave up the right to prevent genocide?
How can we say that we are the best, when the streets of America run red with their blood.
Its an American Genocide that we are promoting, when we sit idly by and do nothing

What are we doing, in a country not our own, while the blood is running in our own dooryards?
Why are fighting for rights in the East, while our very own nation murders four thousand a day?
Its an American Genocide that we are promoting, when we sit idly by and do nothing
Its an American Genocide, and I’m not going quiet.
Its an American Genocide, and we stand by and watch.
Its an American Genocide and its time to make it right.

How can we say that murder is wrong, when we legitimize this genocide?
Why are we realizing the kingdom of God, and forgetting the murder of so many today?
Its an American Genocide that we are promoting, when we sit idly by and do nothing
Its an American Genocide, and I’m not going quiet.
Its an American Genocide, and we stand by and watch.
Its an American Genocide and its time to make it right.