You Chose Me

this song was inspired by a close friend's story...


I WAS BROKEN, TIRED...LIVING MY LIFE
MINUTE BY MINUTE
I WAS SEARCHING, YEARNING, LOOKING FOR PURPOSE
MINUTE BY MINUTE


I WAS AFRAID, THE CHAINS OF MY SINS
WERE TRAPPING ME IN
I COULDN'T BREATHE

I HEARD YOUR VOICE, SWEET CRYSTAL CLEAR
I SAW YOUR HANDS, OFFERING LOVE...

YOU CHOSE ME TO LIVE
I'M PART OF YOUR PLAN
HONORED I AM...YOU GAVE ME FREEDOM
LORD I LOVE TO BE YOUR CHILD
LOVE TO BE YOUR CHILD

THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING ME...
THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING ME...
THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING ME.

I WAS HURTING, ANXIOUS, LIVING MY LIFE
MINUTE BY MINUTE
I WAS HUNGRY, THIRSTY, BELIEVING THE LIES
OF THIS WORLD...


I WAS AFRAID, THE CHAINS OF MY SINS
WERE TRAPPING ME IN
I COULDN'T BREATHE

I HEARD YOUR VOICE, SWEET CRYSTAL CLEAR
I SAW YOUR HANDS, OFFERING LOVE...

YOU CHOSE ME TO LIVE
I'M PART OF YOUR PLAN
HONORED I AM...YOU GAVE ME FREEDOM
LORD I LOVE TO BE YOUR CHILD
LOVE TO BE YOUR CHILD

THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING ME...
THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING ME...
THANK YOU FOR CHOOSING ME.

LIFE GOES ON

The flower; crushed between two hard surfaces,
will inevitably secrete the powerful scent of defeat from
within. will it be hurtful? yes. but the experience
will fail to undermine the entity of survival. For
the soil will strive to be quenched; thus will a
failing individual, body and soul.
the ability to regenerate, rejuvinate, and revive
itself lies in the core, in the seed that is not
harmed. enveloped in the rich soil of hope and faith,
life does go on. the seed will sprout and strive to
the top; it will develop and flourish through rocks
and weeds in the way, the seed will mature into
luxuriation.
possibly the flower did not have the fortitude to
continue growing,to imbibe through living; to believe
and survive. supposedly, the flower needed to be
crushed; the ego wounded. Will it fail to defend or
fight back? it will. but it will rise again,
undoubtedly, to discover and acknowledge the beauty
within the dark soil, where waters of strength can
quench the thirst for striving. to thrive beyond any
limits becomes the goal, to be humbled and let be
watered from above, will be the lesson. The seed will
endeavor then sprout, and will continue to grow
forever.

_________________________________________________________________________

You'd Better Slow Down

So often we rush, run, sprint, and hurry through our day. We know that if we stop to take a breather, we lose precious time. And time is money right? We resemble that hamster in his hamster wheel who keeps on running and running with no end in sight. But we forget the little joys in our life the we so often miss out on because we are plowing through our day in chaos. Our world around us operates on "no time no time, hurry hurry, faster, faster..." We barely make it to birthday events, we are late to baby showers...we forget that our best friend exists...we don't remember our parents' voices or faces anymore,...we miss out on great opportunities to serve our God when that opportunity is sooooo close to our noses....we rush and run...and complain we don't have enough time. No matter how much we battle for time, we will never as a normal functional human being complete all of the tasks that we so often pile up on ourselves! After a long day, when you're exhausted, ask yourself this. Are you happy? Because in the long run, if you placed your day into God's caring hands, and allowed time for yourself to sit down, breathe, and observe the littlle things around you(whether it be the sound of dripping rain, or singing of the birds, or watching the sun set) you will be exhausted, but ohhh so happy! Take advantage of each day, "You'd better slow down don't dance so fast, time is short the music won't last".

This is the day that the LORD has made;let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Psalm 118:24

S L O W D A N C E:

Have you ever watched kids
on a merry-go-round
Or listened to the rain
slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a butterfly's erratic
flight
Or gazed at the sun into the fading
night?

You better slow down
Don't dance so fast
Time is short
The music won't last

Do you run through each day on the
fly
When you ask "How are you?"
do you hear the reply?

When the day is done,
do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
running through your head?

You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast
Time is short
The music won't last

Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow
And in your haste, not see his
sorrow?

Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
'Cause you never had time
to call and say "Hi"?

You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast
Time is short
The music won't last When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting
there.
When you worry and hurry through your
day,
It is like an unopened gift....
Thrown away...

Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.

Poem written by a terminally ill girl diagnosed with cancer. Bless her heart for this reminder.
(http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/s/slowdance.htm)

SINNER

A sinner's head bow:
when the chin, digging into the sternum
is too heavy to be lifted-
nor does it attempt to be raised.
It is pointing, focusing on thou self
eyes dropped so low
I can only see my tears
ashamed to face my fears-
reflecting sins

I. am. A sinner.
Weaker than a broken branch,
Dark like the deepest corner in the sea...
Guilty
I am guilty.

The antidote of "forgive me"
is marinating in my mind,
Camps on the tip of my tongue
It is held hostage, behind my teeth--
It is held hostage, by me

Throbbing in my temples,
searching a way out,
Fails
To escape my grip,
But it grows within me
Every minute, with every breath I take


Every version of reason and excuse
Is gently melted by it...
And deep inside,
The story of my righteousness,
an unsuccessful rough draft,
Abandoned.

I begin to search-
Find the sword within me,
Rid myself from guilt,
and be freed
From the chains that bind me!

..I search through my mind
my conscience, my pride,
I. Find. Nothing.
I go into my heart
where letters I find:
Scattered, Beaten, and Forgotten.

Unable to shield myself from the world,
I play word scrabble with myself-
Only to find....the Truth that sets me free:
"For God so loved the world...He gave His
One and Only Son..." for me.