Take the Cake

Chocolate cake
Sweet, creamy
Moist, delicious
Can you tell?
Not until
You take
A bite

It might be
Dry, grainy
Soggy
Or worse
How will you
Ever know
Until you
Take
A bite

Jesus Christ
Awesome, wonderful
Love personified
Do you know?
Not until
You meet him
For yourself

He might be
Rude, condemning
Boring
Or worse
How will you
Ever know
Until you
Invite
Him in

Taste and see that the Lord is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. - Psalm 34:8

God in a Box

Every time I try to understand or define my God, he comes exploding out of the limitations and the confines of my understanding. I cannot and never will understand his ways… they are so far above mine. I am overwhelmed by his love and not understanding some of his ways will never change that… by the grace of God! Somehow, it doesn't keep me from trying. Lord, help me use my time and energy for something that will further your kingdom instead of trying to figure out how you run it.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding - Proverbs 3:5

Expression

Laughing face
Lovely smile
Mask the pain
All the while
Vacant eyes
Can't tell lies

She left
He played
They laughed
Betrayed

Different friends
Another man
Change of place
Change of plan
Start the cycle
Over again

She tempted
He lied
They're indifferent
You cried

Getting harder
To keep your face
From giving away
The wretchedness
Inside

Broken pieces
Withered dreams
Angry resentment
Why me?

Lashing out
Thrashing in
Cutting pieces of my skin
Can't hurt you
I'll hurt me

Deep need
Love cries
No answer
Heart dies
What is peace?
Why lies?

Love hurts
So deny
Stifle hunger
Live a lie
I'm okay
Without

Can't take
Another day
Maybe try
A different way

Another friend
Some of old
A new guy
or girl
Guarded heart
Look at me
Work of art

Holding back
In reserve
Give little
They don't deserve
Any more

Empty
Incomplete
Unreal
Dead end street

Is there
Real love
To be found?
Looked up
Down
All around

Seek him
And you will find
A love that will
Never
Be unkind

Love real
Love true
Faithful
Unconditional
Never ending

Ultimate
Expression

A Life
Given
For you

For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. - Matthew 7:8

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16

Picture

The picture painted by the media of 'Christianity' isn't very accurate. We need to keep in mind that most of the things we see in the news are usually the worst extremes and not the 'norm'. There are 'worst extremes' in every group of people, but they rarely represent the majority. For example, there are people who want God abolished from the country... there are very few of them, but they shout the loudest... get the most attention... and are, unfortunately, getting their way.

What you see:

Ignorance – Hatred – Bigotry – Intolerance – Superiority – Judgment – Cruelty

Examples: 'Christians' marching with hateful signs, nutcases killing people, interviews with obscure 'experts' instead of true experts on any given subject, fanatics who yell or shout, statements or subject matter taken out of context to make it look fanatical, etc. People who spew hate instead of the love and mercy that Christ gave us and told us to share.

This type of 'news' definitely gets better ratings, but does not give a true representation of people who follow Christ.

What Christianity really is but is rarely portrayed in the media:

Love – Joy – Peace – Kindness – Gentleness – Humility – Self Control

Examples: People helping others, people and organizations caring for widows - orphans - and anyone else who has a need, people praying instead of protesting, victims who forgive instead of seeking vengeance, knowledgeable people who state facts and humbly admit that we don't know everything, people loving and encouraging instead of condemning. People who gently point out sinful behavior and the fact that it will cause harm, admitting that they struggle with sin too, instead of berating and acting like they don't ever sin.

Not the stuff that will draw in the big ratings, but a much more accurate portrait of our dismal attempts to 'be like Jesus.'

Of course there are all kinds of 'Christians', in all kinds of churches, at all different phases of learning, and at all different stages misdirection by their leaders. This makes for a very confusing picture of what Christianity should be. If you want the 'real deal'… take a good look at Jesus Christ.

"...Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father." Jesus in John 14:9

One True Love

I wrote this for my daughters and their friends a while ago. They all got rings that say 'true love waits. ' I thought I'd share it with you.

One True Love

Do you want to wait for your one true love,
the special one chosen by God above?
Or would you rather mess around and play with fire -
flirting with lust, temptation and desire?

Will you give your heart to each guy that comes along,
telling you they love you and it can't be wrong?
If this is what you choose, you will have little more
than a torn and broken heart for the one you long for

Would you like to save yourself for the perfect man?
It won't be easy, but with God's help you can
It starts with Him, no one else is able
to give you the willpower… to keep you stable

Remember He is with you wherever you go
Talk to Him daily and you will know
how much He loves you, how much He cares
how much He is interested in all your affairs

He only has the very best for you in mind
He's the greatest Love you will ever find
He knit you together in your mother's womb
when it comes to your love life, you must presume
that only He can choose the greatest man for you
beyond your wildest dreams, you haven't got a clue!

Seek Him and know Him and someday he may bring
the perfect husband to make your heart sing
But before he gives one who fits you like a glove
He'd like for you to know about His perfect love
It's waiting there for you, just reach out and take it
If you know His love, no one else can fake it

Take Him in your heart, in Him you can confide
He wants to support you and be your guide
He'll help you avoid being led off course,
falling for lies, peer pressure and worse

If you've already fallen and made a big mistake
You need Him even more, for your broken heart's sake
He wants to forgive you and heal your wounds
He's waiting to help you and wants it to be soon

Jesus loves you so much, you are special to Him
Not a shallow love like a fling or a whim
A love so deep that He would die for you
And that's what He did because all along He knew
That in this broken world full of trouble and strife
One day you would need Him and want Him in your life

"I have loved you with an everlasting love…" Jeremiah 31:3

Toe Jam

and we thought it was hard to play with our hands...







James 1:2Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, 3 because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.