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"Blue, forty two hut hut. . ." It was raining hard. The mud under our feet was ankle deep and rising. It had been four long days since it had started this torrential downpour and it showed no signs of letting up. "Hike" The men on the line leapt forward sending a wall of dark water up behind them. As we tried to hold them back we lost our foothold and fell to the ground. "whoosh" the ball flew through the air and was caught by a virtual behemoth of a man. He stood head and shoulders above everyone there, and in addition to his height he was nearly three feet across. As He caught the ball and sent the mud flying up behind him I looked back on my team and found them floundering in the mud. It was all up to me. I leapt over the prostrate form of my team captain now disfigured beyond all recognition by the mud and sped after my quarry. The mud was up to my shins now, the effort in every step now burned in my calves as I pushed forward through the mire. The object of my exertion was now a mere three yards ahead of me. . now two. . . now less than a yard! I reached out and with the last of my strength made a flying leap toward my prey. The impact was treacherous, raw muscle, sweat and blood all poured from both of us as a last attempt was made to evade my clutch. It was futile, he was going down. The world seemed to stop turning and the rain to fall in slow motion as gravity started to work it's wonders. We were close to the ground and in a futile effort to break my fall I extended my right hand to the ground. . . Impact.
Well At least that was what it seemed like. In all actuality it wasn't raining and the ground was dry. Come to think of it Nick isn't three feet wide. I suppose the only thing that happened exactly as I said was the impact between the ground and my wrist. The result of said impact was extreme pain and swelling, slight discoloration and frayed tendons. Yep a sprain. Funny, now that I am sitting down typing ever so gently and wincing at the pain my thoughts stray to growing pains. Yeah, you know those glorious aches and pains that you were subject to as a child all because your body thought it fit to grow up. Yep now you remember, perhaps you remember waking up in the middle of the night because your legs hurt so bad, or maybe crying uncontrollably because your arm felt like it was gonna fall off. Ah, Glorious Growth.
Recently there have been several incidents in my life that have brought me great pain (apart from the above mentioned maiming) and pain always has a way of making you think. You know, as hard as it seems sometimes the greatest pain in our life can also be associated with the great times of growth. Today I was thinking about the difference between Growth and immediate Change. How many of us are not guilty of at one time or another wishing that things would just immediately be different, perhaps its an event in your life that you wish would just be over with and done. Maybe it is personal growth, the kind that really hurts, the kind that you wish would just be finished. Whatever it may be, no doubt you have wished it at some point or other. I was in that category this afternoon, wishing that I would be able to skip all the buggy beta versions of me (Yes I am a nerd) and jump right to the final product. Then my wrist started to ache and my mind somehow drifted from computer programs to growth pains. Could you imagine if one day you woke up from being a child and suddenly you were full grown? At first it might seem like a beautiful thing but now I ask you to recall those growing pains. The tightness in your chest the pain all over, the tears you shed. Could you imagine having those countless pains and trials and tears all condensed into one day? Don't forget, the pain has to be there, It is a natural response to the changes. My thought Is that our frail forms would not be able to handle it.
You know, I would be the first to say that growth sucks. In fact I would be the chief advocate of a facebook group trying to kill it and replace it with sudden change. But when seen in the light of physical growth with all the pain it entails it suddenly seems a mercy. I know I thought of it like that. For without it being a slow process the small trials we now have that seem so monumental, that seemingly bring us to the point of death, would come crashing down and crush us to a pulp. Wow would have thought that the Lord could even use such a painful thing and make it a mercy? You know. . . sometimes life is funny like that. And how did I get here from telling you about my wrist? Well it all started with a little ache and a wish that all would be well. . .
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Saturday, May 24, 2008
The Tale of the Moon
My it's been awhile. Well here we go. . .
The moon, like an opalescent eye in the midst of the inky, silky night, shone down upon the earth in full glory. She thought to herself how brightly she illuminated the shadows and mused the fact of her wonderful size in the night sky. Though she was proud she never let it go to her head, she was just happy to be of use. Tonight was an especially wonderful night for her, it seemed everything had come together perfectly to make her display as wonderful as possible. The clouds had parted, the city lights dimmed and the haze of the day had dissipated into a clear and clean night. There she stood bright and beautiful, no other light could compare. As she rose in the sky she heard some men whispering about her, about her beauty and honor and grace. She heard perhaps more than she should, for at that moment she started to think of herself a little too much. Why shouldn't she receive praise? She thought to herself. After all, she had been chosen out of the countless heavenly bodies to be light to earths night. She also controlled the tide and was a sign of the seasons. Why shouldn't she receive high honor? At that moment her mind turned, and as must follow her heart soon after. She began to think it was something of herself that attracted the attention she received, perhaps her wonderful size or unique surface. As she begun to think of it, her thoughts of giving light and being a sign to men lessened and lessened till all that she dwelt on was her own glory. She began to look down on the other heavenly bodies, she scoffed at their seeming worthlessness. With her change in attitude came also a change in her work ethic, she was tardy with her control of the tides, she was often late and would sometimes forget altogether which caused untold havoc on earth. it got to the point where she was completely useless. She could not be trusted for a light, she could not be used as a guide, and the tides varied so much that it was dangerous to dwell near water much less attempt to sail. The sun watched all this and thought that now was the time to intervene. On a night when the moon was late coming out men sat outside their houses and watched as she rose into the sky. Then they witnessed a strange phenomenon, her light flickered a bit and then went completely out. She had been late before, she had been irresponsibly with her tasks before but she had always remained lit, What was this? Men cursed her and then withdrew to their beds. The moon herself did not expect it at all, one moment she was illuminated, the next she was as dark as the night that surrounded her. She knew what happened, the Sun had taken the light he apportioned to her and now she was cold and black. No longer did she revel in her glory, no longer did she draw from man's lips wonder and praise, all she now received was obscene words and curses. A fortnight later on a night when the stars were dim and the wind was stiff a ship of a certain land was returning home after a long voyage. Her crew, consisting of fathers, brothers, sons and husbands anxiously awaited the warm welcome they were to receive when they landed. As they neared the shore, they ran aground on shoals just outside the harbor. The wind and the waves battered the ship till it fell apart, the men on board jumped overboard but since the moon did not shine at all they quickly became confused in the darkness. Not one of them made it to shore, every one perished within swimming distance of land. The moon then wept bitterly, Her salt tears bleaching her surface. Oh had her pride had not gotten in the way perhaps those men would have been saved. She wept more and more washing away the dirt on her surface as well as the pride that had become her downfall. The sun witnessed all this, He saw the moon and how bitterly she wept, he saw her changed heart as well as her new countenance and decided to give her back her glory. When he directed once again the light towards her, the rays reflected brightly off her white surface and gave a new light to earth. Her old glory could not be compared to this new luminance that seemingly emanated from her core as well as her surface. the light was cleaner, brighter, more unadulterated it seemed, men everywhere stood outside their doors, on their porches and out from under tents to gaze at this wonderful sight. And men would follow suit for generations and still gaze in wonder even to this day. And that is why, once a month the moon's light becomes invisible to man's eyes, in order to remind her of her great sin and that the only reason she shines is because of the mercy and light of the sun.
I will leave it up to you, the reader to gain what you may from this little story.
The moon, like an opalescent eye in the midst of the inky, silky night, shone down upon the earth in full glory. She thought to herself how brightly she illuminated the shadows and mused the fact of her wonderful size in the night sky. Though she was proud she never let it go to her head, she was just happy to be of use. Tonight was an especially wonderful night for her, it seemed everything had come together perfectly to make her display as wonderful as possible. The clouds had parted, the city lights dimmed and the haze of the day had dissipated into a clear and clean night. There she stood bright and beautiful, no other light could compare. As she rose in the sky she heard some men whispering about her, about her beauty and honor and grace. She heard perhaps more than she should, for at that moment she started to think of herself a little too much. Why shouldn't she receive praise? She thought to herself. After all, she had been chosen out of the countless heavenly bodies to be light to earths night. She also controlled the tide and was a sign of the seasons. Why shouldn't she receive high honor? At that moment her mind turned, and as must follow her heart soon after. She began to think it was something of herself that attracted the attention she received, perhaps her wonderful size or unique surface. As she begun to think of it, her thoughts of giving light and being a sign to men lessened and lessened till all that she dwelt on was her own glory. She began to look down on the other heavenly bodies, she scoffed at their seeming worthlessness. With her change in attitude came also a change in her work ethic, she was tardy with her control of the tides, she was often late and would sometimes forget altogether which caused untold havoc on earth. it got to the point where she was completely useless. She could not be trusted for a light, she could not be used as a guide, and the tides varied so much that it was dangerous to dwell near water much less attempt to sail. The sun watched all this and thought that now was the time to intervene. On a night when the moon was late coming out men sat outside their houses and watched as she rose into the sky. Then they witnessed a strange phenomenon, her light flickered a bit and then went completely out. She had been late before, she had been irresponsibly with her tasks before but she had always remained lit, What was this? Men cursed her and then withdrew to their beds. The moon herself did not expect it at all, one moment she was illuminated, the next she was as dark as the night that surrounded her. She knew what happened, the Sun had taken the light he apportioned to her and now she was cold and black. No longer did she revel in her glory, no longer did she draw from man's lips wonder and praise, all she now received was obscene words and curses. A fortnight later on a night when the stars were dim and the wind was stiff a ship of a certain land was returning home after a long voyage. Her crew, consisting of fathers, brothers, sons and husbands anxiously awaited the warm welcome they were to receive when they landed. As they neared the shore, they ran aground on shoals just outside the harbor. The wind and the waves battered the ship till it fell apart, the men on board jumped overboard but since the moon did not shine at all they quickly became confused in the darkness. Not one of them made it to shore, every one perished within swimming distance of land. The moon then wept bitterly, Her salt tears bleaching her surface. Oh had her pride had not gotten in the way perhaps those men would have been saved. She wept more and more washing away the dirt on her surface as well as the pride that had become her downfall. The sun witnessed all this, He saw the moon and how bitterly she wept, he saw her changed heart as well as her new countenance and decided to give her back her glory. When he directed once again the light towards her, the rays reflected brightly off her white surface and gave a new light to earth. Her old glory could not be compared to this new luminance that seemingly emanated from her core as well as her surface. the light was cleaner, brighter, more unadulterated it seemed, men everywhere stood outside their doors, on their porches and out from under tents to gaze at this wonderful sight. And men would follow suit for generations and still gaze in wonder even to this day. And that is why, once a month the moon's light becomes invisible to man's eyes, in order to remind her of her great sin and that the only reason she shines is because of the mercy and light of the sun.
I will leave it up to you, the reader to gain what you may from this little story.
Saturday, May 3, 2008
The Children of Man
An Angel came down on a dull autumn day
To see all the deeds of the children of man
to see how he dwelt and how he had moved
and how he had been since The dawn.
Of the spring.
He saw their dwellings, likened to their hearts
extending farther out, up and beyond.
From places to places from city to stream
Always wanting, always seeking.
Something more
He saw how his rails though seemingly straight
were curved and twisted and lead
Like their minds up the hills and the valleys
never ahead, always around and through.
In vain circles.
And after he saw and looked all around
past building and alley, subway and street
he thought and he mused, all the time watching
The people that walked and floated around.
Oh so Blind.
“Won’t the obey the desire of their hearts?
Their hands strive after the wind and the sky
Yet they cease to obey the call of their God
And Sell, short change themselves eternally.
Won’t they see?
The angel then alights and spreads his wings
Flies back to the place from whence he had come
Yet The Lord and the earth Is waiting still
For the glorious Revelation of
The Children of Man.
“Always reaching, always reaching
Upward as to touch the sky
Gazing up with eyes of wonder
yet never lifting to God most high”
Sunday, April 27, 2008
What Will I have in Common? (a story)
What Will I Have On Common
By David White
That moment, that one moment, the moment in existence that all but a few dread. I lived a good life, I did what I could. But now, as I approach the gates of heaven, a doubt crosses my mind “What will I have in common?” As I walk through this city, this great and beautiful city, I see on every face something similar, and I ask myself “What do I have in common?” I pass by these men and women who for the Cross gave their homes, their influence, their status, their success, their Life. I walk past these people, and in their eyes I see a Love. I see my face in a passing reflection, what do I see? Something? Anything? My thoughts come fast but one drowns out all others “What is it that they have in common?” I approach near the throne and in everybody's eyes I see something, what is it? What is it? Now I stand before God, and in his eyes I see something, “What is it that He has in common with everyone else here?” He looks in my eyes with a gaze so piercing, Oh, so piercing. He says “What do you have in common with all of us?" I crumble to my knees and kneel before His Throne and weep and cry out “I don't know” I lifted my head and His eyes meet mine, He says “You have seen it in the eyes of the saints, and on the faces of believers. You have heard it in the voices of thousands of men and women worshiping. You have seen it in the eyes of men and women on earth. I have seen it in the eyes of the martyrs, those who have given their lives. And what is it? What do we have in common?” I hold my breath awaiting and dreading the reply, and at last he speaks. In a voice that is like thunder, like rain, like laughter, and like sorrow. And at that moment He does what I least expect, He cries. Through his tears He says to me “The thing you see in all of our eyes, is a Love for my Son.” And when He looks at me, He weeps, and says“You don't have that Love in your eyes.” And at that moment I remember. I saw the look in my mothers eyes right before she left her body. I saw it on the faces of men and women that would smile at me though I didn't know why. I saw it in the faces and heard it in the voices of the people that would come to my door and ask if I would like to accept Jesus. I didn't. And now as Christ the Son of God walks in, I look at Him, and He looks at me, with a gaze that would have crumbled stone, but behind that gaze I see a sorrow. As he speaks to me His voice breaks “Depart From Me, I Never Knew You.” And at that moment I fell, and as I was falling I could only hope for those who were still on earth.
Think.
By David White
That moment, that one moment, the moment in existence that all but a few dread. I lived a good life, I did what I could. But now, as I approach the gates of heaven, a doubt crosses my mind “What will I have in common?” As I walk through this city, this great and beautiful city, I see on every face something similar, and I ask myself “What do I have in common?” I pass by these men and women who for the Cross gave their homes, their influence, their status, their success, their Life. I walk past these people, and in their eyes I see a Love. I see my face in a passing reflection, what do I see? Something? Anything? My thoughts come fast but one drowns out all others “What is it that they have in common?” I approach near the throne and in everybody's eyes I see something, what is it? What is it? Now I stand before God, and in his eyes I see something, “What is it that He has in common with everyone else here?” He looks in my eyes with a gaze so piercing, Oh, so piercing. He says “What do you have in common with all of us?" I crumble to my knees and kneel before His Throne and weep and cry out “I don't know” I lifted my head and His eyes meet mine, He says “You have seen it in the eyes of the saints, and on the faces of believers. You have heard it in the voices of thousands of men and women worshiping. You have seen it in the eyes of men and women on earth. I have seen it in the eyes of the martyrs, those who have given their lives. And what is it? What do we have in common?” I hold my breath awaiting and dreading the reply, and at last he speaks. In a voice that is like thunder, like rain, like laughter, and like sorrow. And at that moment He does what I least expect, He cries. Through his tears He says to me “The thing you see in all of our eyes, is a Love for my Son.” And when He looks at me, He weeps, and says“You don't have that Love in your eyes.” And at that moment I remember. I saw the look in my mothers eyes right before she left her body. I saw it on the faces of men and women that would smile at me though I didn't know why. I saw it in the faces and heard it in the voices of the people that would come to my door and ask if I would like to accept Jesus. I didn't. And now as Christ the Son of God walks in, I look at Him, and He looks at me, with a gaze that would have crumbled stone, but behind that gaze I see a sorrow. As he speaks to me His voice breaks “Depart From Me, I Never Knew You.” And at that moment I fell, and as I was falling I could only hope for those who were still on earth.
Think.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
astroturf. a thought.
You know in the age old pursuit of the grass on the other side of the fence (it being greener) eventually we shun the natural and embrace the plastic green of astroturf. And it really is not a good trade off.
Thought of the day.
Thought of the day.
Sunday, April 13, 2008
Change
Does it ever seem to you that life in general is made up of change and subsequently hurt? Does it ever seem like the only time things change is after you have developed an attachment to it? Does it ever seem like the only reason things change is to shake life up?
Yes. it does.
How quickly things just seem to change
Or maybe its me that changes things
One day everything seems so fine
The next waiting for what the rain will bring
A beautiful day, the sun shines bright
the clouds seem so far off
you feel as light as the air or a feather
And then it hits you like a rock
Reality, falls on your parade like hail
Your picture perfect happenings just aren’t
Everything you hoped and dreamed
just had fallen and turned out wrong
The euphoric sense of complete control
Of having your cards all in a row
Of planning out your every step
Of feeling like its all gonna go
But then again sometimes I think
I think I understand
The reason for this non control
Is because there is a better plan
A plan thought out from the dawn of time
Written in book,
Sometimes I long in my foolishness
That I would like to take a look
But I never can, and I never will
Not until my days are done,
When my life has given up
And we all shine like the sun.
On that most blessed day
on that bright and far off shore
I will look back on the life I lived
And see that God worked all for good
Oh what a God that concerns Himself
With us so small and frail
That would take his time to write it out
And say what our life would entail
So when the parade that I had wrought
Is over, done and gone
We still can count upon Our God
For it is us that he has bought.
But then again, there is always a reminder of the truth.
Hallelujah!
Yes. it does.
How quickly things just seem to change
Or maybe its me that changes things
One day everything seems so fine
The next waiting for what the rain will bring
A beautiful day, the sun shines bright
the clouds seem so far off
you feel as light as the air or a feather
And then it hits you like a rock
Reality, falls on your parade like hail
Your picture perfect happenings just aren’t
Everything you hoped and dreamed
just had fallen and turned out wrong
The euphoric sense of complete control
Of having your cards all in a row
Of planning out your every step
Of feeling like its all gonna go
But then again sometimes I think
I think I understand
The reason for this non control
Is because there is a better plan
A plan thought out from the dawn of time
Written in book,
Sometimes I long in my foolishness
That I would like to take a look
But I never can, and I never will
Not until my days are done,
When my life has given up
And we all shine like the sun.
On that most blessed day
on that bright and far off shore
I will look back on the life I lived
And see that God worked all for good
Oh what a God that concerns Himself
With us so small and frail
That would take his time to write it out
And say what our life would entail
So when the parade that I had wrought
Is over, done and gone
We still can count upon Our God
For it is us that he has bought.
But then again, there is always a reminder of the truth.
Hallelujah!
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Redemption
Sometimes I wonder. Sometimes I ponder. Sometimes I think I think of all. And then again there are times when I am just in awe. Now is one of those times.
You wanna know something amazing? Mankind are sinners. Sinners deserve death. Death is eternal. You wanna hear something? God is just, Justifies sinners, sinners become saints.
Many times I hear this and gloss it over as simply theology, or teaching. But when you really think about it as Christians this should be the thought that occupies our every moment. For without this amazing redemption we would be undone. Have you ever stopped to think of the effects God's grace and mercy has upon you? I have but the times are so few and far between that I forget them so easily, without Gods grace we would not be able to face tomorrow. Knowing what we know about the utter depravity of man and his ultimate sinful nature we simply could not even justify getting out of bed. But thanks to god we have a hope that even though the day seems dark, there is a light that never goes out and it is worth living for. Oh what an amazing redemption.
A whisper of a breath
A breath of a kiss
a kiss of death
A death unto life.
Live unto a shadow
a shadow of the light
A light in the darkness
a darkness defeated.
A mirror in a field
A field of dreams
dreaming of a crowd
a crowd crying out.
A echoing noise
a noisy silence
a silent aching
an aching heart
A bleeding people
a peopled land
a land of desert
a deserted love
An outward cool
a cooled heart
a heart shaped void
a voided debt
A bleeding side
beside the way
away on a hill
a hill hard climbed
A thorny crown
a crowned head
ahead of his time
times run out
A tomb in the rock
a rock in the front
a confronted guard
a guarded heart
A light sound
a sound of life
a life remade
made to live
glancing down
downward soul
soul lifted up
upwards drawn
healed hands
hands that touch
touch the heart
hearty joy
A breath of life
life of his breath
breath of God
God’s son come
You wanna know something amazing? Mankind are sinners. Sinners deserve death. Death is eternal. You wanna hear something? God is just, Justifies sinners, sinners become saints.
Many times I hear this and gloss it over as simply theology, or teaching. But when you really think about it as Christians this should be the thought that occupies our every moment. For without this amazing redemption we would be undone. Have you ever stopped to think of the effects God's grace and mercy has upon you? I have but the times are so few and far between that I forget them so easily, without Gods grace we would not be able to face tomorrow. Knowing what we know about the utter depravity of man and his ultimate sinful nature we simply could not even justify getting out of bed. But thanks to god we have a hope that even though the day seems dark, there is a light that never goes out and it is worth living for. Oh what an amazing redemption.
A whisper of a breath
A breath of a kiss
a kiss of death
A death unto life.
Live unto a shadow
a shadow of the light
A light in the darkness
a darkness defeated.
A mirror in a field
A field of dreams
dreaming of a crowd
a crowd crying out.
A echoing noise
a noisy silence
a silent aching
an aching heart
A bleeding people
a peopled land
a land of desert
a deserted love
An outward cool
a cooled heart
a heart shaped void
a voided debt
A bleeding side
beside the way
away on a hill
a hill hard climbed
A thorny crown
a crowned head
ahead of his time
times run out
A tomb in the rock
a rock in the front
a confronted guard
a guarded heart
A light sound
a sound of life
a life remade
made to live
glancing down
downward soul
soul lifted up
upwards drawn
healed hands
hands that touch
touch the heart
hearty joy
A breath of life
life of his breath
breath of God
God’s son come
P.S. (a side note)
Now no doubt you all (all two of you) have grow tired of my "poetry" It probably is not very good so I will try to write more prose. Unless of course I can't, in which case you two will have to deal with it.
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