A tempestuous sea is surrounding me
I’m in a raft built with my hands
The waves toss and pull me with glee
I start to drown, hopeless of land
Falling upon the broken boards
I cry out in grief and shame
I hadn’t sought or searched my Lord
And so I was to blame
I wept aloud distraught and broken
Begging for forgiveness there
But then the sun began to open
Leaving the sea calm and fair
The grace of God I find sweet
Yet sweeter still, and more meet
Is His sovereignty;
Lending greatest peace
Of God I know not much
In comparison, though such
A vast deal is left to be learnt
Still I know enough
Bury not beneath pride
And to the world be not tied
Nor find heart and soul in rust
But in Him, your trust
These simple truths I ache to learn
Though not for a crown to earn
But to honor One whom I love
And see Him above
I feel like I’m missing out
On a lot of things
I missed church
One week
I missed two fun outings
I didn’t get to see my
Friend
So I planned this day ahead
One friend can’t make it
The other two may
Be busy as
Well
So I wonder
Am I going to keep missing out
On life?
My social life is slowly
Deteriorating
Before my eyes
My health forces me to
Cancel
Postpone
Or show up and
Sit miserably
In the
Corner
Wishing away a
Migraine
I
I tried to express myself through scratches and
Scars
Bumps and bruises
A tangle of faded t shirts and
Ripped denim skirts
Proclaiming to the world
That I
Was tough
Hair in a ponytail I raced up the hill
Climbed the tree and
Fell down
Mud
On my
Face
I grit my teeth
Blood
On my skin
Proving to my friends that I
Could be
Tough
II
For many days this hurt has grown,
My conscience weighs with guilt that’s known
To self alone; a sense of right
Bestows itself upon my plight.
My right to comfort stands no more,
I forfeit it to stop this war,
To kneel before my enemy
In sorrow and humility.
I risk the cost, my cause is just,
And in her mercy blindly trust;
For this, I must forsake my pride
That selfishness might be denied.
Just recently, I read a story on the news that caught my attention. It was about a teenage boy, who ran away from home. After using the money he had brought with him, he decided to start selling drugs and lived off of what he earned for several years. And when ruin found him, he slept outside, homeless and destitute. It was in this state that he asked himself what he was doing there and why he had run away from home; and he decided to go back.
Fingers slide; gently gliding
And touching to feel
My name below the title
My dream came true, this book I'm holding
Yeah my dreams came true
I wake
It wasn't even true
No, what I told you
Never came true
He held me in his arms
And I melted inside his heart
One together, only one forever, yes, with you
I cried with happy tears
I wake
It wasn't even true
No, what I told you
Never came true
“Although my memory is fading, I remember two things very clearly: I am a great sinner, and Christ is a great Savior.” ~John Newton
John Newton was a giant of the faith; but he was far from perfect.
Is homeschooling a form of legalism? How about counter-cultural practices like courtship (i) and big families, which are common in homeschooling circles? Questions like these have caused me no small degree of confusion. I turn to my own family and many families that I have known, and confidently answer, "no." But then I find blog articles, comments of friends, and even reports on television which seem to credibly contradict my personal experiences. However, as I have repeatedly encountered these contradictions, I have also come across a probable explanation.
We see them in many different places. Some stand proudly on top of a church. Others hang around a friend’s neck as jewelry. While some mark the burial plots of loved ones who are no longer with us.
As you’ve probably guessed, I’m referring to crosses. The ordinary cross we often times see is simply designed and not much to look at. It seems insignificant, but it’s far from.