..to feel how You forgave me.

This is a spoken word drama about the women at the well who has an encounter with Jesus. This was a free download at Sermon Spice. commoncreed.infohttp://store.studentlife.com/video.php?cn=420 Read the story that inspired the video. http://net.bible.org/bible.php?book=Joh&chapter=4

Beautiful poem by Johnny Ray Ryder Jr.

THE OAK TREE

A mighty wind blew night and day. It stole the Oak Tree’s leaves away. Then snapped its boughs and pulled its bark until the Oak was tired and stark. But still the Oak Tree held its ground while other trees fell all around. The weary wind gave up and spoke, “How can you still be standing Oak?” The Oak Tree said, I know that you can break each branch of mine in two, carry every leaf away, shake my limbs and make me sway. But I have roots stretched in the earth, growing stronger since my birth. You’ll never touch them, for you see they are the deepest part of me. Until today, I wasn’t sure of just how much I could endure. But now I’ve found with thanks to you, I’m stronger than I ever knew.

All Things Considered passage.

I love this little excerpt from All Things Considered:

"All Things Considered, January 12, 2009 · Every week for the past 30 years, I’ve hosted a Sunday dinner in my home in Paris. People, including total strangers, call or e-mail to book a spot. I hold the salon in my atelier, which used to be a sculpture studio. The first 50 or 60 people who call may come, and twice that many when the weather is nice and we can overflow into the garden. Every Sunday a different friend prepares a feast. Last week it was a philosophy student from Lisbon, and next week a dear friend from London will cook. People from all corners of the world come to break bread together, to meet, to talk, connect and often become friends. All ages, nationalities, races, professions gather here, and since there is no organized seating, the opportunity for mingling couldn’t be better. I love the randomness. I believe in introducing people to people. I have a good memory, so each week I make a point to remember everyone’s name on the guest list and where they’re from and what they do, so I can introduce them to each other, effortlessly. If I had my way, I would introduce everyone in the whole world to each other. People are most important in my life. Many travelers go to see things like the Tower of London, the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower and so on. I travel to see friends, even — or especially — those I’ve never met. In the late ’80s, I edited a series of guidebooks to nine Eastern European countries and Russia. There were no sights to see, no shops or museum to visit; instead, each book contained about 1,000 short biographies of people who would be willing to welcome travelers in their cities. Hundreds of friendships evolved from these encounters, including marriages and babies. This same can be said for my Sunday salon. At a recent dinner, a 6-year-old girl from Bosnia spent the entire evening glued to an 8-year-old boy from Estonia. Their parents were surprised, and pleased, by this immediate friendship. There is always a collection of people from all over the globe. Most of them speak English, at least as a second language. Recently a dinner featured a typical mix: a Dutch political cartoonist, a beautiful painter from Norway, a truck driver from Arizona, a bookseller from Atlanta, a newspaper editor from Sydney, students from all over, and traveling retirees. I have long believed that it is unnecessary to understand others, individuals or nationalities; one must, at the very least, simply tolerate others. Tolerance can lead to respect and, finally, to love. No one can ever really understand anyone else, but you can love them or at least accept them. Like Tom Paine, I am a world citizen. All human history is mine. My roots cover the earth. I believe we should know each other. After all, our lives are all connected. OK, now come and dine."

I love this book. I want to experience the world…all that God has created. I want to see the different cultures, feel the different loves, and breathe the different smells. But more importantly I want to change people, and maybe in the process let them be a positive influence on me and my relationship with God.

Racing towards the shoreline.

So, Im a wee bit of a procrastinator and meant to post this poem I wrote at the beach, when I got back from the beach. Better late than never.

"CRASH DOWN ON ME.

I’m sinking like sand on the shoreline,

Every door I open is another mistake.

That’s where Your love begins to intertwine,

With all the bad choices that I make.

Like the waves crashing on the sand,

You rush in & cover me again.

I keep sinking; losing grip of your hand.

You crash in & cover me again.

It’s a mysterious thing, How the waves race towards the shore.

But what is more unfathomable, Is how I’m covered by your grace FOREVERMORE."

-AGN

I am the tree. [Ps 92.12]

The [uncompromisingly] righteous shall flourish like the palm tree [be long-lived, stately, upright, useful, and fruitful]; they shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon [majestic, stable, durable, and incorruptible]. Planted in the house of the Lord, they shall flourish in the courts of our God. Growing in grace] they shall still bring forth fruit in old age; they shall be full of sap [of spiritual vitality] and [rich in the] verdure [of trust, love, and contentment]. [They are living memorials] to show that the Lord is upright and faithful to His promises; He is my Rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.

God's Promise.

I needed to see this coming home from work the other day. So cliche, I know I know.. but God keeps His promises. He will fulfill the desires of your heart, you only need to be patient. So patient I will be. :)

saints & angels.

Well, I was rummaging through some old cd's today. I stumbled upon the great & wonderful SHeDAISY and Sara Evans, circa 90s. For some reason I popped in the Sara Evans cd hoping it would cause some nostalgic daydreaming like all my other old cds, the ones that always seem to take you back to a certain time or event. But no.. as I listened to the cd a certain song stood out to me. The lyrics were practically screaming to me.

"We're only human, baby. We walk on broken ground. We lose our way. We come unwound.

We'll turn in circles, baby. We're never satisfied. We'll fall from grace.. Forget we can fly.
But through all the tears that we cried, we'll survive..
Cause when we're torn apart, shattered and scarred.. Love has the grace to save us.

I love your imperfections. I love your everything. Your broken heart, your broken wings.
I love you when you hold me and when you turn away.
I love you still and I'm not afraid, cause I know you feel the same way and you'll stay."

Oh my goodness. Are we blind? We will NEVER be perfect, but we will ALWAYS be covered by Grace. The second verse is wonderful.. To me its saying, He loves our brokenness. He loves us when we turn away. He loves our flaws. He just loves us to our very core... even our screwups, our bad hair days, our ill moods, our relentless attitudes. No matter what, He loves us.