You throw your head back laughing like a little kid...

The clock ticking was all I could hear at close to 4. At this early hour, the waking can be up to no sublime task. Mine was not a joyful calling, yet I was called. I'm not quite sure why you were the only thing I could think about. Probably because I was preaching all the same lessons I always needed to hear. I just twiddled my thumbs, deftly keeping time with the stroke of the second hand. Soon enough, her father came to console her and we were able to return home only after his silent gratitude was shown to us. Such a mutual exchange of respect comes rests uneasy with me. The parents of these children say, "Tyler , you're a good man." Me? A man? A good man? Oh sweet childhood, vehemently do I long for your simplicity and innocence when such responsibilities rested in the hands of the wise and ever so capable.

 I keep hearing your laughter down the halls of the campus center and your voice in the back of my head. Mistakes are one of the few things that stick with a person. So today, my students tend to be my greatest source of joy and sanity. There's something about passing on that's dead sure, and I love every single one of them.

Ah well. Guess I really am oblivious after all, and I've never felt so relieved to say so. Here I am alive. Where are you at?


"I get so distracted by some people's reactions that I don't see my own faults for what they are. At times it's so self destructive, with no intent or motive, but behind this emotion, there lies a sensible heart..."

You're so very special, I wish I was special...

"I get so distracted by some people's reactions that I don't see my own faults for what they are. At times it's so self destructive, with no intent or motive, but behind this emotion, there lies a sensible heart..."

Don't you ever wonder how we survive?

"Reserving judgements is a matter of infinite hope. I am still a little afraid of missing something if I forget that, as my father snobbishly suggested, and I snobbishly repeat, a sense of the fundamental decencies is parcelled out unequally at birth..."

"No-Gatsby turned out all right at the end; it is what preyed on Gatsby, what foul dust floated in the wake of his dreams that temporarily closed out my interest in the abortive sorrows and short-winded elations of men..."

"I was within and without, simultaneously enchanted and repelled by the inexhaustible variety of life..."

"Every one suspects himself of at least one of the cardinal virtues, and this is mine: I am one of the few honest people that I have ever known..."

"I'm thirty...I'm five years to old to lie to myself and call it honor..."

"Angry, and half in love with her, and tremendously sorry, I turned away..."

"So we beat on, boats against the current, borne back ceaselessly  into the past..."

F. Scott Fitzgerald 

"I get so distracted by some people's reactions that I don't see my own faults for what they are. At times it's so self destructive, with no intent or motive, but behind this emotion, there lies a sensible heart..."

And the walls kept tumbling down in the city that we loved....

“I try to live what I consider a poetic existence. That means I take responsibility for the air I breathe and the space I take up. I try to be immediate, to be totally present for all my work.”  
-Maya Angelou

 


"I get so distracted by some people's reactions that I don't see my own faults for what they are. At times it's so self destructive, with no intent or motive, but behind this emotion, there lies a sensible heart..."

Oh, what a strange place...

Cloud Atlas was a depressing movie.

"I get so distracted by some people's reactions that I don't see my own faults for what they are. At times it's so self destructive, with no intent or motive, but behind this emotion, there lies a sensible heart..."

Weep not for roads untraveled....

"I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve the world and a desire to enjoy the world. This makes it hard to plan the day." - E. B. White

"I get so distracted by some people's reactions that I don't see my own faults for what they are. At times it's so self destructive, with no intent or motive, but behind this emotion, there lies a sensible heart..."

She dreamt of aero space planes and fell in spells of neon futures...

"I happen to prefer champagne to ditchwater, but there is no reason to suppose that the cosmos does." - Oliver Wendell Holmes Jr.

"I get so distracted by some people's reactions that I don't see my own faults for what they are. At times it's so self destructive, with no intent or motive, but behind this emotion, there lies a sensible heart..."

May your past be the sound of your feet upon the ground...

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not shouting "I am saved"
I'm whispering "I get lost!"
"That is why I chose this way."

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble
and need someone to be my guide.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak
and pray for strength to carry on.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed
and cannot ever pay the debt.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I'm not claiming to be perfect,
my flaws are too visible
but God believes I'm worth it.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I still feel the sting of pain
I have my share of heartaches
which is why I seek His name.

When I say..."I am a Christian"
I do not wish to judge.
I have no authority.
I only know I'm loved.

- Carol Wimmer 

"I get so distracted by some people's reactions that I don't see my own faults for what they are. At times it's so self destructive, with no intent or motive, but behind this emotion, there lies a sensible heart..."

We only know this life, deep in the woodwork...

Once again I'll  carry another's burden when my own keep me at night. But I'll still come to you through the wind and the snow, it'll take all my might. I'm up for review every day though I know that I should be doing my homework. Words and phrases all aligned, but I'm fed up with quotation marks. Take my time, I'll give it up, but these personal endevours carry so much weight. You've lost your way and come to me, but I don't always know how to make it right.

You're not sure you can take much more, who knows what tomorrow has in store. So pour me another cup of coffee and spill your guts, I'll wait and watch till the sun comes up...

"I get so distracted by some people's reactions that I don't see my own faults for what they are. At times it's so self destructive, with no intent or motive, but behind this emotion, there lies a sensible heart..."

Light 'em up, up, up...

The Carpenter’s Cloth by Sigmund Brouwer (1997 Word Publishing)

            During Jesus’ time, there was one way a carpenter let the contractor know a job was finished. A signature, so to speak.

            Imagine a hot afternoon in Galilee. Jesus has completed the final pieces of a job has worked on for several days. The hair of his strong forearms is matted with sawdust and sweat. His face is shiny with heat. He takes a final and welcome drink of cool water from a leather bag.

            Then standing to the side of his work, he pours water over his face and chest, splashing it over his arms to clean himself before his journey home. With a nearby towel he pats his face and arms dry.

            Finally, Jesus folds the towel neatly in half and then folds it in half again. He sets in on the finished work and walks away. Later, whoever arrives to inspect the work will see the towel and understand its simple message. The work is finished.

            Christ’s disciples knew the tradition. Sunday of sorrow, three years after Jesus had set aside his carpenter’s tools, Peter will crouch to look into an empty tomb and see only the linens that the risen LORD has left behind.

            A smile will cross Peter’s face as his sorrow is replaced by hope, for he will see the wrap that covered Jesus’ face. It has been folded in half and half again.

           

            Peter understands the carpenter has left behind a simple message.

                        IT IS FINISHED!

 Submitted by Linda Amado

"I get so distracted by some people's reactions that I don't see my own faults for what they are. At times it's so self destructive, with no intent or motive, but behind this emotion, there lies a sensible heart..."

Thrive.

"I get so distracted by some people's reactions that I don't see my own faults for what they are. At times it's so self destructive, with no intent or motive, but behind this emotion, there lies a sensible heart..."

And now I just sit in silence...

I've got brown hair, but I grow a ginger beard. Maybe that's the reason that you're not here. Some crazy people they say I'm kinda blonde, But I'm not so sure that'll  they'll stick around. Cuz as I get older my hair will only recede, and waking up with you will be all I need. I'll only get so far until I fix my bedhead, "You don't love me," is all I know that she ever said.

So this is an ode to all of the above as we all leave behind all of our love. We've got our own cause, so kindly hold your applause while we sign up for new gun control laws. Waiting on a time when no one can rhyme, and no more doubters ask for a sign. I'll speak only the truth while she raises the roof and screams for the sake of every youth.

I'm not a revolutionary, I'm just innovative with too much food on my contemplative mind is leaking faster now, I can't seem to stop the coming disaster now. I know the wind, I know the rain,  oh please come now, please don't be late! Renege the weatherman, I'm in charge now, revenge the sinking sand, rise up from the ground and tell the dead that they're obsolete. We'll never really taste defeat.

"I get so distracted by some people's reactions that I don't see my own faults for what they are. At times it's so self destructive, with no intent or motive, but behind this emotion, there lies a sensible heart..."

And I couldn't sleep...

Sometimes, I wonder what the heroes of the faith would do if they were standing next to me today.
Would Paul have words of wisdom? Would David burst into song? Would Esther persuade my companions?  I'm not sure. Instead I've got to stand in my own shoes shrugging my shoulders and grinning. My place is behind the scenes. Whenever I step into the forefront of the room I end up putting my foot in my mouth.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GGoRfPeUCIQ

I'm not always at a loss for words, but when I am it's out of insufficiency. You'd think I'd be comfortable in my own skin by now, but that's just the problem. It's all inside. I refuse to believe that people aren't as complex as they seem. Granted, among the shallow and feeble minded, I'm king. But the story that some have to tell just isn't one for me to know. I'm comfortable being unimportant. I'm content to convalesce. The salience of my existence is so small that somehow people are convinced that I'm worth something. You don't need to read another sentence about me and what I can contribute to this world, because it's nothing. The very notion of self is one of selfish misconduct and I refuse to be self centered any longer. That's why I don't write here anymore, because whatever ends up here is selfish and self deprecating.

"Blessed are the meek...for they shall inherit the earth"

Teaching those who do not have, now that has meaning. Establishing those who come after me, now that has value. Preparing the way, now that is salient. I guess that's why God invented the Church. The Holy Spirit guides everywhere, but it sure is nice to have a hand to hold...

 Loneliness isn't all that bad you know.

"I get so distracted by some people's reactions that I don't see my own faults for what they are. At times it's so self destructive, with no intent or motive, but behind this emotion, there lies a sensible heart..."

I need you at your best so I won't forget...

"The opposite of ignorance is not knowledge, it is obedience..."

"I get so distracted by some people's reactions that I don't see my own faults for what they are. At times it's so self destructive, with no intent or motive, but behind this emotion, there lies a sensible heart..."

I'll bet that traitor tasted like your favorite champagne...

All the world is moving and alone. 

"I get so distracted by some people's reactions that I don't see my own faults for what they are. At times it's so self destructive, with no intent or motive, but behind this emotion, there lies a sensible heart..."

And don't leave a note, 'cause I swear if you wrote me I'd probably take it all back...

So great are these scars of pure honesty

They run deep like pine roots which grow while I sleep

I don’t ask for much, just for love and for life

But I’m just so tired of being the bad guy

­

Would you lay down your shield and pick up my heart?

The seasons can make it a new work of art

Somehow I fumbled my one guiding light

We’re passing through life just like ghosts in the night

When I leave,

You won’t know

How this genie inside me just won’t us go­

Bottled Up

Courting dust

I don’t want my three wishes, I only want one

And that’s the one thing just out of reach

By a mile.

Can you trust in me while I’m casting my lot?

I’ll whisper to you all the things we forgot

In the small spaces between black and white

I catch a glimpse of the truth in your eyes

When I leave,

You won’t know

How this genie inside me just won’t let us go

Bottled Up

Courting dust

I don’t want my three wishes, I only want one

And that’s the one thing just out of reach

By a mile

And I’ve had it comin’ for a while now

Cuz I’m always looking for reasons to frown

And maybe if you remember why I loved you

Then we’ll come to terms and the world will too.

When I leave,

You won’t know

How this genie inside me just won’t let us go

Bottled Up

Courting dust

I don’t want my three wishes, I only want one

And that’s the one thing just out of reach

There’s too many miles between you and me

Cuz’ love’s the one thing just out of reach for a while

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPrj53ydjbU

"I get so distracted by some people's reactions that I don't see my own faults for what they are. At times it's so self destructive, with no intent or motive, but behind this emotion, there lies a sensible heart..."